#not an insect but for the purposes of filing it is one

[fungi-maestro]

Found a moving feather today 🪶 🦗

[mariacallous]

Rhetoric has a history. The words democracy and tyranny were debated in ancient Greece; the phrase separation of powers became important in the 17th and 18th centuries. The word vermin, as a political term, dates from the 1930s and ’40s, when both fascists and communists liked to describe their political enemies as vermin, parasites, and blood infections, as well as insects, weeds, dirt, and animals. The term has been revived and reanimated, in an American presidential campaign, with Donald Trump’s description of his opponents as “radical-left thugs” who “live like vermin.”

This language isn’t merely ugly or repellant: These words belong to a particular tradition. Adolf Hitler used these kinds of terms often. In 1938, he praised his compatriots who had helped “cleanse Germany of all those parasites who drank at the well of the despair of the Fatherland and the People.” In occupied Warsaw, a 1941 poster displayed a drawing of a louse with a caricature of a Jewish face. The slogan: “Jews are lice: they cause typhus.” Germans, by contrast, were clean, pure, healthy, and vermin-free. Hitler once described the Nazi flag as “the victorious sign of freedom and the purity of our blood.”

Stalin used the same kind of language at about the same time. He called his opponents the “enemies of the people,” implying that they were not citizens and that they enjoyed no rights. He portrayed them as vermin, pollution, filth that had to be “subjected to ongoing purification,” and he inspired his fellow communists to employ similar rhetoric. In my files, I have the notes from a 1955 meeting of the leaders of the Stasi, the East German secret police, during which one of them called for a struggle against “vermin activities” (there is, inevitably, a German word for this: Schädlingstätigkeiten), by which he meant the purge and arrest of the regime’s critics. In this same era, the Stasi forcibly moved suspicious people away from the border with West Germany, a project nicknamed “Operation Vermin.”

This kind of language was not limited to Europe. Mao Zedong also described his political opponents as “poisonous weeds.” Pol Pot spoke of “cleansing” hundreds of thousands of his compatriots so that Cambodia would be “purified.”

In each of these very different societies, the purpose of this kind of rhetoric was the same. If you connect your opponents with disease, illness, and poisoned blood, if you dehumanize them as insects or animals, if you speak of squashing them or cleansing them as if they were pests or bacteria, then you can much more easily arrest them, deprive them of rights, exclude them, or even kill them. If they are parasites, they aren’t human. If they are vermin, they don’t get to enjoy freedom of speech, or freedoms of any kind. And if you squash them, you won’t be held accountable.

Until recently, this kind of language was not a normal part of American presidential politics. Even George Wallace’s notorious, racist, neo-Confederate 1963 speech, his inaugural speech as Alabama governor and the prelude to his first presidential campaign, avoided such language. Wallace called for “segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.” But he did not speak of his political opponents as “vermin” or talk about them poisoning the nation’s blood. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066, which ordered Japanese Americans into internment camps following the outbreak of World War II, spoke of “alien enemies” but not parasites.

In the 2024 campaign, that line has been crossed. Trump blurs the distinction between illegal immigrants and legal immigrants—the latter including his wife, his late ex-wife, the in-laws of his running mate, and many others. He has said of immigrants, “They’re poisoning the blood of our country” and “They’re destroying the blood of our country.” He has claimed that many have “bad genes.” He has also been more explicit: “They’re not humans; they’re animals”; they are “cold-blooded killers.” He refers more broadly to his opponents—American citizens, some of whom are elected officials—as “the enemy from within … sick people, radical-left lunatics.” Not only do they have no rights; they should be “handled by,” he has said, “if necessary, National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military.”

In using this language, Trump knows exactly what he is doing. He understands which era and what kind of politics this language evokes. “I haven’t read Mein Kampf,” he declared, unprovoked, during one rally—an admission that he knows what Hitler’s manifesto contains, whether or not he has actually read it. “If you don’t use certain rhetoric,” he told an interviewer, “if you don’t use certain words, and maybe they’re not very nice words, nothing will happen.”

His talk of mass deportation is equally calculating. When he suggests that he would target both legal and illegal immigrants, or use the military arbitrarily against U.S. citizens, he does so knowing that past dictatorships have used public displays of violence to build popular support. By calling for mass violence, he hints at his admiration for these dictatorships but also demonstrates disdain for the rule of law and prepares his followers to accept the idea that his regime could, like its predecessors, break the law with impunity.

These are not jokes, and Trump is not laughing. Nor are the people around him. Delegates at the Republican National Convention held up prefabricated signs: Mass Deportation Now. Just this week, when Trump was swaying to music at a surreal rally, he did so in front of a huge slogan: Trump Was Right About Everything. This is language borrowed directly from Benito Mussolini, the Italian fascist. Soon after the rally, the scholar Ruth Ben-Ghiat posted a photograph of a building in Mussolini’s Italy displaying his slogan: Mussolini Is Always Right.

These phrases have not been put on posters and banners at random in the final weeks of an American election season. With less than three weeks left to go, most candidates would be fighting for the middle ground, for the swing voters. Trump is doing the exact opposite. Why? There can be only one answer: because he and his campaign team believe that by using the tactics of the 1930s, they can win. The deliberate dehumanization of whole groups of people; the references to police, to violence, to the “bloodbath” that Trump has said will unfold if he doesn’t win; the cultivation of hatred not only against immigrants but also against political opponents—none of this has been used successfully in modern American politics.

But neither has this rhetoric been tried in modern American politics. Several generations of American politicians have assumed that American voters, most of whom learned to pledge allegiance to the flag in school, grew up with the rule of law, and have never experienced occupation or invasion, would be resistant to this kind of language and imagery. Trump is gambling—knowingly and cynically—that we are not.

[phinkslave]

haii , may I request yandere!sukuna X gender-neutral reader with the prompt 30 and 34 ? :3 -🎀

No Where to go

30. “I’m bigger, faster, stronger, do you really wanna do this right now?”

34. “Watch your tone.”

Okay guys i think im getting the hang of tumblr, once again any feedback is appreciated 💞. btw requests like this is fine ofcc, but i hope that in future requests, if you guys could please be a bit more specific, like idk if you want smut in this fic or not n so on so forgive me 😓💔. but anyway enjoyyy. (this writing stuff is lwk so hard)

warnings: detailed violence, described gore, implied oral sex, (yandere?) sukuna, degrading, language

Sukuna, The King of Curses, was also known as a heartless king. Mainly known for showing no mercy, killing without a second thought, no remorse or regret ever seen in his eyes. Choosing people to be his slave, choosing people to work for him, to slave around for him. Everyday these people would be killed, no one would be spared. Though y/n changed that.

__________________________________________

Today was the day. Today was the selection. Shibuya has been taken over by King Sukuna for about 3 months now, all hope lost. Each week he picks around 50 more people to serve him as he kills them so often. It seems to never be enough, and whatever he wants he gets. The only person to ever be tolerated by him was his loyal dog, Uraume, mainly known to be cooking Sukuna all his meals. She’s also the only one who calls King Sukuna, Master Sukuna. The only one he’ll ever truly trust.

“Do you wish for your death?.” It’s Uraume.

Her voice bringing me out of my thoughts, i quickly look around me seeing everyone in my single filed line has been bowed down as I remain standing. If looks could kill…i’d be dead.

“Forgive me Lady Uraume! I wasn’t thinking.” Quickly getting on the floor to pay my respects. My life is on the line.

“Hmph. You weaklings never do. If it was up to me, I would already have killed you. You’d clearly be of no use.” She continued to walk down your line, carefully observing everyone. Creating different piles, specified of either people of old age or ones who have disabilities. Who knew such a calm tone could make you tremble more than any angry voice could. Oh how I wish I was strong. I hate being weak…. .

After around 10 more minutes, with someone even being yelled at for apparently looking up for only 5 seconds, everyone was ordered to stand and we were being led to a huge building. As we walked, the groups of old people were pleading for their lives as everyone knew what was about to happen to them, i couldn’t help but shut out their depressing cries. This was all too much, we need help. Walking, everyone’s shackles connected to the person in front and the person behind. Controlling our pace, controlling our movement. Surely for how much longer can we really continue without dying? The closer you got to the building, the more you felt the amount of cursed energy pile up. I can’t do this. I would rather die than even enter the cursed energy fully. Not everyone could feel it since most of them are normal people, but us sorcerers, we couldn’t help but tremble. Knowing what was awaiting us.

__________________________________________

Approaching a large Hikone, giant double doors opened at once, energy flooding out, as I felt mine somewhat fade. This power? This amount?? How is this possible???

“Attention insects!” Uraumes voice boomed. Sucks she has a hideous personality, she’s actually really pretty. “You are now entering the presence of your Lord. King Sukuna. From here on out, you have no purpose in life. Your only purpose is to serve him, to accommodate all his needs. If he says to bring him an item, you will! If he says to end your life, whether with your bare hands or with a sword provided to you, you will! And with no hesitation. Now, pay your respects!” By the time Uraume was done, i along with everyone else was already on the floor, ‘paying their respects’.

“Look at me.” His voice, caused every single nerve that ran down ur back twitch. Everyone looked up, though no one dared to look into his eyes, some immediately crying and begging for their lives.

I look up. There he is. Some stupid smug grin on his face. He enjoys killing. He enjoys being a monster. He enjoys tormenting the weak.

“All of those who just spoke without my permission. Step up. Now.” Four people slowly stood up, their knees almost giving in. “Are u trying to fool me? Do you think I am some idiot? I have many eyes for fucks sake. Stand up.” Two more people stood, but as much as they tried to stay up, they kept falling.

Before you could even blink, all of their heads popped, their bodies falling on top of the still bowing people. Their blood splattered on your face. No one dared to move, no one dared to speak. I kept my position, wide eyed, feeling the blood droplets going down my cheek. I didn’t dare to lift my hand and wipe it from dripping down my lips.

“Disgusting brats, ruined my scarf. Uraume.”

“Yes Master Sukuna.”

“Get me a new scarf, and..” this time he spoke to us, “…take that side of the room. All you pathetic people. Stand up and follow her now.” They stood up, trembling, lining up behind Uraume. The shackles that once connected you all was suddenly just gone.

A man accidentally fell while standing up.

*POP*

His head……

__________________________________________

Everyone stayed bowing, no one dared to move. it’s been atleast 15 minutes since uraume has left and you just assumed that he was waiting on her to come back. Your back was aching. your wouldn’t risk your life just cuz of some back pain though, your stronger then that.

“Did it go smoothly Uraume?” Sukuna said with no care in his voice. Like he didn’t just murder 6 people in a heartbeat.

In total you would say there was about 37 people. Originally there was around 60 but canceling the elders, and the disabled….as well as the just killed people. Your numbers were going down.

“Yes Master Sukuna. We are checking for every health condition. For only the best possible is worthy to be at your service.” She said bowing to him.

“Good.” and for the first time in what felt forever, he turned his attention back towards you guys. “Stand up.” Everyone doing so as quickly as possible.

“Uruame. My scarf?”

“My apologies Master Sukuna. For i haven’t forgotten but they are making you one as we speak. I couldn’t have just given you an ordinary one, you deserve only the one of a kinds.”

“alright alright….now. Shall we begin.”

“As you wish dear Master.” As she said this, she blew into her hand, forming a long sharp rod of thick ice. Sort of like a katana. “As well known, your lord deserves only the best. We cannot have any of you weak species that aren’t physically appealing, at his service. For those of you who don’t please my master. Your death is awaiting you. Master Sukuna, I await your orders.”

“Everyone stand up straight and look at me.” After not even a few seconds he already pointed at someone, and in the same second his throat was pierced. His gasps for air terrified you all. “Hideous one he was.”

A girl spoke up, “Please, any mercy we beg—!”

Her throat was slit.

“Master Sukuna didn’t give you permission to speak.” Uraume said, venom lacing her tone.

Sukuna chuckled, “it’s a shame, she would have lived.”

__________________________________________

The next few minutes were torture. Each second felt like my death was next. For some reason I wasn’t as scared as the other people. Maybe because I had experience with this curse stuff, but it still didn’t make sense. Down to only 6 people now. Geez……he’s picky for someone who can quite literally have anyone he wants.

“Uruame. That’s all. Take them out of my sight and put them to work.” As he said this I looked up, accidentally meeting one of his four eyes, I looked down as soon as I realized. Praying he didn’t notice. “Take them all….and leave them.”

Now. Now you had some fear kicking in. Taking all his cursed energy in again, coming to the understanding of what his true power is once again.

“As you wish. Follow along.” She exited the room. Leaving you and Sukuna alone.

The room was dark, had some bright red ominous glow everywhere. The blood of the now dead bodies making everything darker. You were beneath a set of around 25 stairs, as Sukuna was in a huge throne at the top. Resting comfortably with his head in one of his four arms. You were standing there awkwardly. Standing in silence looking down, unsure of what to do. Dreading each coming second, each coming second facing the possibility of joining your once fellow friends on the floor.

“Why don’t your eyes meet mine as they did before?” He said, trying to imitate a voice of someone who’s actually interested. He’s toying with you. What a pathetic jerk. You immediately remembered, ‘when spoken to answer’, you had about 20 seconds to respond or he’d get upset. You immediately began to think.

“Forgive me my King. For I was not thinking.” Fuck. I just risked my life saying that. Geez i’m so stupid. If Uraume said that made her wanna kill me, why wouldn’t he..

“Well. You better start. This is the only warning you’ll get. Do i make myself clear? What is your name?”

“I understand my King. I am forever grateful. I am only known as the lords slave from here on out my king.” you tested your luck, bowing down.

“Pathetic. Don’t humiliate yourself. it’s pretty obvious you are trying to kiss my ass. i don’t appreciate it. hmmm. If you weren’t so amusing, i would have snapped your neck by now. Look at me.”

You looked up, he had a crazy look in his eyes.

“come up these stairs.”

You had half a minute to think. You could run, and be killed, or you can go up the stairs and be killed. What to do what to do what to do. Fuck, there was no right answer. Even if you ran right now, where would you go? He would catch you before you could even turn around fully……you slowly made your way up the stairs. Finally reaching him, staying a few steps below to stay humbled.

“If you do not listen to my exact orders next time. I will kill you. I said to come up these stairs, or do you have some sort of hearing issue?”

“My apologies…” you mumbled.

“Now tell me, do you feel the fullness of my energy?” He said all proud and cocky.

“I….I do my King.”

“Yet. You still dared to look me in the eyes. Out of the three months I have taken over. You are the only person who has yet to do that. How dare you?” His voice becoming dangerous in his last sentence.

“M-….My king….I am afraid i do not unders-“

-SLAP-

He slapped you. He slapped your right cheek. The hit was so hard you felt your right ear begin to ring. You were shocked.

“Hmm..no tears? Tough one huh. The average human specie would have had been knocked out by now.”

Feeling encouraged by his words you stood up, still holding your now red cheek though….”Thank you sincerely my lord. Your words mean a lot.”

-SLAP-

“what made you think you could speak?”

“…”

Next thing you know, he lifted his index finger and tapped your belly. That simple act causing so much force throughout your body, you fell at the bottom of the stairs. This time, your wrist broke. Sukuna stood up.

“You dare not answer me. You little brat, speak only when spoken to! How do you not know that much. Maybe I should end you. Worthless piece of crap.” Sukuna made his way down the stairs. A little confused himself but he didn’t show it. If you were anyone else by now he would have had them gone, but you. The constant fluctuation of fear and confidence in your eyes made him want to know more about you.

__________________________________________

He was making his way down. Fuck! I hate being weak so much. I have no time to think. This is it, i’ll be damned if my last words were me kissing ass to this monster.

“….fuck you…” you said almost non-audible. But of course if anyone could hear that, it would be Sukuna.

He stopped in his tracks. “excuse me..?”

“I said fuck you!” His pace to you became faster, “Your just a sick son of a bi—!”

His hands wrapped around your neck, not letting the full word come out. “Watch your tone. Do you not fear for your life?” He started laughing. “Maybe I will just watch the life leave your body, hmm?” he said smiling, his face extremely close to yours. He then let out an exaggerated sigh, “relax, I’m bigger, faster, stronger, do you really wanna do this right now? For your pathetic state can’t fight me right now. you don’t ever seem to use that tiny brain of yours do you?”

Your hands scratching and slapping any bit of skin it could come in contact with, clearly showing your resistance being futile.

“Though, i can’t kill you yet.” His lands leaving your neck, allowing you to drop and gasp for air like a fish out of water. He looked down at you, “To bad, deal with me longer. I enjoy this. Been a while since someone had the guts to face me.”

He sighed, “I will give you a couple of minutes to rest. Then after that we will spar. If you land one hit on me, i shall let you leave and live as u please. If you can not….lets just say i’ll give you pain. For i don’t know why you think you are so worthy of speaking to me however you like.”

You were just listening as you tried to control your breath. “I refuse to be your play thing. Kill me now.”

He scratched his head, “Well now that that you said that, i don’t wanna kill you.” He boomed laughter, “I really like you, your a few hierarchies below Uraume, but that’s still a lot.” His expression became one of a cold killers all of a sudden. “Now, stand.”

You thought for a second. “My king…if i may….”

“Hmm, all quiet now are we? just a second ago you were using such filthy language. For such a beautiful face like yours, your mouth should know nothing but decency. What is it you please to say?”

“King Sukuna…my wrist is in immense pain, i am at a big enough disadvantage already. For i don’t think it will do me any good sparring with a broken wrist, i need more then a few minutes my king.”

“Fine. As you wish. Heal or don’t, my order of our fight has been decided.”

He stared at you a little longer. He stared at you, making you feel nasty, making you feel gross. He walked up to you and started pushing you down on your knees by your shoulders. You felt his eyes roam your body.

“I will heal your wrist. But first, you need to be punished for that naughty little mouth of yours…”

“please….“

“Let’s make this quick. Gonna teach you a lesson yeah?”

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Guppycruncher

Debut: Insaniquarium

Insaniquarium is a really, really stupid game. I love it! Look at the little freak that is Guppycruncher! This is an ambiguously arthropodian creature whose body consists of massive slicing mandibles, a head to power those mandibles, eyes, to seek out its next target, and legs to get it to its prey. Its prey are your beloved, valuable guppies. And best of all, Guppycruncher is your friend!

Here we have a Baby Guppy. The foundation of our entire gameplay experience. Take care of your guppies well, and they will reward you with money! As they grow, their rewards increase, and they may even grow up into a resplendent crowned guppy dropping dazzling diamonds! But sometimes that’s not a viable enough strategy. Sometimes you need money FASTER. And that is where Guppycruncher comes in!

You get no points for guessing what Guppycruncher does to guppies. You do however, get a smile! You are all winners :)

You may think it is silly that, in a game where the goal is to reach a certain amount of money by raising fish, you would intentionally purchase a creature whose sole purpose is to kill and eat these fish before they can even mature. Well, I’m here to tell you that YOU are the silly ones!

See? As Guppycruncher eats guppies, it creates Beetles! Yes, kids, this is where beetles come from! No, I don’t know what an “egg” is! Guppycruncher’s massive jaws make it look quite a bit like an antlion larva’s head, and it functions sort of like the opposite of a real antlion! Guppycruncher eats fish and spits out insects. Meanwhile, real antlions eat insects! And for all you know, they could be pooping out fish underground!

That all being said, I would not be at all surprised if Guppycruncher was inspired by the bobbit worm! Unlike an antlion, it jumps up to catch its prey, as a bobbit worm lunges out from its burrow! It’s like a bobbit worm head with legs. Also, I just want to mention that the butt-like shape of its head reminds me of how big dogs have a butt shape on the top of their heads due to their large jaw muscles! They probably did not have that in mind here, but it is fun anyway.

Anyway, Beetles are where the REAL money is! It quickly becomes more economical to have a steady supply of cheap little guppies in order to feed a growing army of Guppymunchers, since beetles are worth more than currency. But what if you want MORE? More than beetles? Frankly, how dare you ask such a thing. But fine.

Name: Beetlemuncher

“Finally! A use for all those pesky beetles!” -an utter fool

It’s true, I love beetles, and I belittle those who disrespect them, but boy howdy, I love Beetlemuncher, too! Beetlemuncher loves beetles, and in fact thinks they look good enough to munch! However, that will have to wait. Beetlemuncher has a more important mission.

Just kidding! Beetlemuncher’s purpose is to eat beetles. But why? Why continue to extend this cycle of creatures eating creatures? Because Beetlemuncher drops PEARLS! Like an oyster, except these pearls are BETTER, and more valuable.

Just like Guppycruncher, Beetlemuncher is a bizarre but delightful sort of creature! This one is a chameleon head with chameleon arms and a tadpole tail sticking out of it. I love it! In the files, it is known as “gekko”, but I just finished telling you it is more like a chameleon. Please trust me!

So, guppies eat fish food. Guppycruncher eats guppies, and makes beetles. Beetlemuncher eats beetles, and makes pearls. Nothing eats pearls, because pearls are a choking hazard, of course! I hope you have learned a lot about Fish today!

[felixcloud6288]

Dungeon Meshi Miscellaneous Monster Tales 2

This felt a bit more comically purposed than the last one.

Golems

I complained about how golems were only used for combat purposes and this ended up giving a justification for why they aren't used for general purposes. And it's an explanation I felt in my soul.

It was because of programming errors.

This is like the equivalent of writing "if (x = 0)" when you were supposed to write "if (x == 0)". The first will set variable x to the value 0 and then return true because the operation succeeded. The second will check the value currently stored in variable x and return true if the value is 0 and false otherwise.

This also reminds me of a personal story trying to debug an issue I had with a spreadsheet I needed to analyze. I wanted the program to run a certain task for every line in the file but it kept having some odd error where the first line worked correctly, but every other line would act as if there was an extra field at the beginning and shift over by one.

Eventually I found that the issue was certain versions of Windows defined a new line differently from the linux OS I was using. The end of every line in the spreadsheet had a "\r\n" that I could only find by converting the spreadsheet into ASCII and then I had to remove every "\r" in the file to get it working.

Orcs

Kinda strange how orcs have upward facing teeth in their upper jaws. That seems impractical. Also, the teeth sticking out of the chief's mouth when it's closed are the upper teeth.

I wouldn't be surprised if those upper canines were rootless similar to a boar's tusks. In a hand-to-hand fight, orcs probably prefer grappling and then slashing their opponents with those teeth. It would keep them safe from getting something in their mouth they don't want.

I've seen posts of people commenting on Ryoko Kui's artbooks and I have to strongly agree that she knows how to draw women of all sorts of body types. And this section is just her indulging in the beauty of large women.

And Laios being Laios, he didn't realize where the line talking about physical attraction becomes uncomfortable and ended up angering the chief because the chief thinks Laios is leering at his wives. He also made Marcille uncomfortable because he had to bring up people's attraction to ears.

Mimics

All the info we get here is stuff from chapter 0. These things are just hermit crabs that grow to cocnut crab size and will use anything they can find. The one using a bottle cap is adorable.

They probably ambush small bugs and lizards when they're that tiny.

Treasure Insects

Nothing much to say here. Turns out the party ended up not only throwing away super valuable jewels, but they also ate super valuable specimens. Maybe the value of a treasure insect is related to how similar to an actual jewel they are.

Just as a reminder, I offered a hypothetical exchange rate of 1G = $0.05 USD when talking about the price of a book in the last Miscellaneous Monster Tales. Even at that rate, those bugs would go for fairly high prices. The diamond one would end up at $2,500, which is what an actual diamond like that could cost.

Ghosts

I'd heard of the thing Marcille mentioned about the weight of the soul and did some digging into it.

The whole thing comes from a 1907 study by physician Duncan MacDougall who wanted to see if souls have weight. He measured the weight of six patients at the moment of their deaths and found that one of them lost 21 grams when they died. The study is considered utterly bogus since he had such a small sample size and only reported on the single sample that fit his hypothesis. MacDougall himself even said that the results he got shouldn't be taken as conclusive of anything, but the newspaper that released the story did a horrible job actually reporting it as they usually do.

Calling brewing a type of necromancy is definitely a fascinating way to think about it.

Living Pictures

If Living Pictures are just illusion spells, then Laios's attempts to get food from them were doomed from the start no matter what. Even though he got to eat in that third painting, the food wasn't real which explains why he still felt hungry after and why he couldn't pull food from the second painting.

This is supposed to be silly but this one is just an existential nightmare. Laios's self-doodle seems to have all the memories of the real Laios and is just trapped in that painting forever.

Love how bad Laios's artwork is.

Kelpies

This is more informative than anything. I'd heard of kelpies before this chapter and decided to do a quick look into them because I was curious about the liver bit.

Kelpies originate in Scotland and they can shapeshift, though they usually can't transform their hooves.

It's probably just one of those things parents told children to keep them from playing in the deep rivers. "Don't play there. You'll drown" implies that the child's incompetence will kill them. But children are the most overconfident, egoists you'll ever meet. So you instead have to tell them there's a monster that will lure you in and drown you.

Now I'm curious if there were native horses or horse-like animals in Scotland that inspired Kelpies. Maybe the general origin is horse-riders would try to wade through rivers on their horses only to drown when the horse panicked and it spun into the kelpie myths.

I never found anything about them not eating livers.

back

[shepherds-of-haven]

reporting in to send the ask for what each of the shepherds carry in their packs 🫡 blade gets tapped for a what’s in my purse vlog and the video is just a knife. and a knife. and a knife. and a knife—

Thank you for your service 🫡

Out in the field, if you were to grab a pack and rummage through it, only to find it wasn't yours, you'd find the following (excludes the standard field kit for Shepherd officers, which includes a bedroll, a tent/tarp, blanket, canteen, soap, toiletries, various changes of clothes, equipment to care for horses/ahfuri, mess kit with eating utensils and tin plates and etc., and the obvious standards like money and etc.):

Blade: a sturdy, rigorously-organized, plain and utilitarian pack containing: fire-starting tools (flint, steel, and tinder). utility/hunting knife (for things like cutting rope, skinning deer and fish, etc). dagger (for emergencies. in case the ones he keeps on his person are taken away from him). small portable writing set (comes with a flat, collapsible tablet that serves as a writing desk, ink, parchment, and pen) for composing letters/orders/messages to send home. emergency first aid (minimalist: basically consists of a bottle of alcohol for sterilization, needle and medical thread for stitches, and some clean bandages). dried meat or jerky, hardtack biscuits (emergency rations). small cooking pot. whetstone (for sharpening his weapons). fishing hook and twine. hawking whistle. maps. rope. various small utility tools.

Trouble: a battered, worn and stained rucksack containing: fire-starting tools. charch and matches. various snacks and extra rations (trail mix, etc.). cubes of fat and bullion or various seasonings for meals. small cooking pot. extra ammunition (a lot of it). tools to maintain and clean his firearms. utility/hunting knife. rain-proof cover (can be used for himself or his rifle). extra gloves and socks. whatever novel he's currently reading. explosives (😳), various tools to create distractions (smoke grenades, etc.). signaling mirror. compass. timepiece. dice. playing cards. insect repellent salve. maybe fishing hook and twine if he expects to be "roughing" it for a long time! spyglass.

Tallys: a clean, well-maintained leather bag with Elvish adornments containing: large kit containing several different vials of various elixirs, tinctures, oils, and extracts (serve different purposes like reviving the unconscious, numbing pain, putting someone to sleep, etc.) as well as various different powders and dried herbs (some are poisonous, as Chase had the misfortune of discovering when he snooped too much); teabags; map; Elvish animal whistle (used for various purposes: as an animal or bird lure, for communicating while hunting or in camouflage, as a distraction); tifin (small Elvish flute) if she thinks she's going to be away for a really long time; Elvish hunting knife; kit of wax, resin, twine, and whittling knife to maintain her bow and arrows; first aid kit; woven Elvish mat (often used for meditation and dawn prayer rites, but can be used just for sitting more comfortably on things, as a lap blanket, or even as a scarf/shawl for extra warmth); small empty containers for foraging and protecting things like berries, mushrooms, leaves, etc.; Elvish field guide describing the various uses of flora and local plant matter; Elvish calendar and daily book of proverbs to keep track of the days (also doubles as a brief journal); pen; fire-starting kit.

Shery: Shery doesn't actually embark on missions into the field and actually has never left Haven (unless you're reading her latest short story on Patreon, lol), so the contents of her pack are at the moment hypothetical! Because of her inexperience, I'd guess that she'd both err on extreme overcaution and overpacking and also make some impractical choices, like bringing too many books, outfits for all kinds of weather, a parasol, a sewing kit, a little stuffed animal for good luck, a teapot, a nail file, an extra blanket and a fluffy pillow, and things like that! But she'd also have sensible choices, too, just way too many of them!

Riel: when he goes on business trips he typically has a whole trunk of things with him LOL but if forced to come along on a field mission, my guess would be that he'd mostly bring different changes of clothes, his hygiene and toiletries kit (complete with hair pomade, cologne, and fresh handkerchiefs), and then would just assume/rely on gold getting him whatever else he needed 😂😂 Actually he'd also certainly pack a valise with whatever current documents or contracts he's been working on, plenty of stationary and ink, a notepad for taking notes, a foldable writing desk, books, and whatever proof he'd need of being (at that time) Master of Merchants Guild, like his official stamps and wax seals and whatnot. Basically whatever he'd need for doing work on the road! 😂 Oh, he'd also pack a gun. Just in case!

Chase: a deceptively-slim, innocuous rucksack that is surprisingly hard to open if you're not familiar with it, containing: several lockpick sets. a bottle of alcohol to bribe informants with (or light a fire, sanitize a wound, what have you). rope. file. utility knife. whetstone. extra ammunition. fire-starting kit. tools to maintain his firearms. charch. playing cards. whatever book he's currently struggling through as homework. various shiny trinkets that can be traded, bargained, bribed, or used as a distraction. devices used as distractions (flashbags, smoke grenades, low-level explosives). grooming kit with comb, pomade, cologne, mirror, etc. scarf (can be used as a fashion accessory, mask to obscure lower half of face, or, in a pinch, as a method of strangling someone 🙂). wire (don't ask). mysterious vials (could be poison, could be acid to burn through locks). different accessories, clothes, and wig for different disguises. special gripped shoes for climbing and capering. small grappling hook. net/bolas (typically used to trip opponents up or rig traps). recently-acquired reed harp (harmonica) that he uses to amuse/torture teammates with.

Red: a slim, casually-packed, strangely collegiate bag (he generally travels light because he cheats and conjures most of what he needs as he needs it), containing: whatever book he's currently reading. field journal and writing implements. foldable writing desk. scroll container to protect any precious documents or papers he might come across. various Mage-y implements like chalk, lyme, certain compounds that help with arcane magic and drawing runes. measuring ruler. various charged lodestones and keystones. maps. compass. grooming kit for his endless hair needs 😳 (pomade, comb, mirror, etc.). multi-use mini game board (you can play various games on it like Elements, checkers, sui, etc.). small containers for collecting specimens. travel lantern (for exploring ruins without having to deal with a guttering torch flame). insect repellant salve. salve for burns and aches. magnifying glass. small flat cushion for sitting/laying on if the ground is extremely lumpy.

Ayla: a carelessly battered, fraying rucksack with small carved totems dangling from it, containing: backup canteens of water (emergency only). collapsible trowel to dig holes (generally to dig up roots, tubers, or to find water). maps. compass. sundial. lots and lots of rations (the majority of her pack will contain non-perishable food). sewing kit (doubles both as first aid and for emergency repairs to clothes). colored twine (primarily used to mark trails so you don't get lost, demarcate certain things you'll need to find again later, and also doubles as a Jalis hand-game to play with another person when bored). playing cards. dice. rope. hunting/utility knife. lockpick set. sun lotion (to protect the skin). extra tarp (to erect emergency lean-to/rain shelter/shade; doubles as emergency extra blanket). file. hairties for her braid. jade stone from her parents. slingshot/leather thong to hurl rocks with (this is a deadly weapon in her hands). signaling mirror. survival whistle. small torch. fire-starting kit. whittling knife for when she's bored and wants to carve things into her staff or just out of hunks of wood. field guide telling her what's safe to eat and what's not. jalis rattle (sort of like maracas: it's a small wooden cylinder filled with dry rice) in case she's in the mood to provide a rhythm to someone else's music.

Briony: a fat, cheerful pack with many charms and souvenirs dangling from every strap, containing: a field journal/sketchbook full of sketches, drawing/writing implements. a hairbrush. haphazard grooming case (eyelash curler, a bit of blush, no mirror). fingerless gloves. her latest book. extra hair ties/hair ribbons. oils and rags to maintain her armor. whetstone. fire-starter kit. maps and compass. some snacks, but typically she forgets about them. fishing hook and twine. headscarf to conceal her hair if need be. field encyclopedia/traveler's guide (more about various landmarks and places of interest she might see than survivalist tips). first-aid kit (used more than most to deal with small scrapes and wounds). hunting/utility knife. spare dagger. stargazing map. spyglass. pouch full of pretty rocks or dried flowers she picks up along the way. spellbook full of spells she's learning/practicing along the way.

Lavinet: an expensive but practical and well-made leather saddlebag containing: compact maquillage and grooming case (hairbrush, lipstick, mirror, perfume, hair conditioner, etc.). extra riding gloves. extra handkerchiefs. whetstone, tools to maintain her lance and sword. tools to maintain her saddlery. horse treats. fur throw that doubles as small extra blanket, extra warmth as a shawl, or as a cushion to sit on. extra pair of riding boots in case one set fails. Naveen signet ring and official accoutrements. writing set, desk, and seal. current book. hat to shade her head from the sun. sewing kit and patches of fabric to repair clothes. first aid manual. wax (has various uses, but she primarily uses it to plug her ears if she absolutely needs to). fire-starting kit. chainmail that can be concealed under the clothes. stiletto knife. corset (you never know, darling!)

Halek: an ordinary, standard pack containing: tools for weapons maintenance (for his spear). small compact bow and quiver. hunting/utility knife. exorcist dagger. recipe book and culinary guide regarding exotic ingredients or places of interest. various ingredients he picks up in towns or foraging in the wild. cooking oil, seasonings and spices, emergency salt, cubes of fat and bullion and stock, dried herbs, dried meat and cheese, flour. water-proof, heavy cloak for winter travel (also doubles as an extra blanket, as the standard-issue one might be too short for him). collar to suppress his blood-rage if need be. fire-starting kit. elk treats. small bell to tie to his elk in case he needs to. twine. grappling hook and rope. maps and compass. herbal teas. fishing hook. animal bait and snares. bear repellant. cooking pot and small frying pan. sand (used to scrub pots and pans when water is scarce or frozen). signal whistle. special snow boots if traveling through snow.

[gingerlurk]

Lovers' Crest | Chapter 17: The Forged

Din Djarin x f!Reader

Masterlist

Summary: You've spent months believing your actions had made you a traitor, an enemy, never to be trusted again. But when you reveal yourself to the one who may as well have cast you out, you find an ambivalent and unlikely ally.

And you're gonna need it.

Word count: 3k

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, slow burn, non-canon (the Razor Crest never gets destroyed, it also gets upgraded with a cabin), post season 3, ANGST, I'm sorry, yearning, canon characters present.

A/N: Hey, you're awesome. X

--

The Armourer has always enjoyed the quiet of the work. It’s not the work that’s quiet, of course. A heavy hammer rises and sings down onto the metal, ringing the air over and over as she works. It’s the inner quiet that stills her mind and funnels her focus down into the piece before her.

She doesn’t feel hurried, or the need to check her surroundings. Even though it is a conflict of significance for which they prepare, she is deep in the mountainside of their established Covert. There is not a soul in the universe outside their clan that knows she is here.

But as she turns to quench the piece, tongs held nimbly aloft, there is a quiet figure seated at her table, and she does not know them.

She pauses for only a moment, then continues the work. They don’t move from where they sit, watchful.

As the Armourer shifts about her forge, she takes in small glances at her new arrival. It appears to be an Ubese hunter, the stretched and elongated features of the mask reminding her of certain mutated insects her people had unearthed on Mandalore.

Heavily armed with two rifles slung across the visitor’s back, and a cross-strap of munitions set to blow a small fortress, she does puzzle over how this presence came to be in her sanctum without her notice, or the notice of any of her comrades. Moreover, does this stranger know what they’ve come across? A Mandalorian Covert preparing for a war? 

The piece settled on its mould, she turns to study the figure at her table more closely. They haven’t spoken still, and the Armourer begins to sense something familiar.

‘You come with a purpose,’ she states. ‘A message?’

Her guest straightens just a little.

‘I do,’ a brittle, reverbed voice echoes around the forge chamber.

‘Tell me.’

Her sole company stands slowly, palms out and settled at their sides. No threat.

‘You know a war approaches. I saw your preparations on my way here. It is not enough.’

The Armourer tilts a condescending helm. ‘We have the forces to meet the Imperial threat,’ she says.

‘Do you know about their allies?’

‘Yes.’

‘All of them?’

A different tilt, more inviting.

‘Tell me.’

--

You take turns between leaning heavily on the wall and then pacing back and forth in the shadows out of sight of the gathering audience. Armoured and armed soldiers of varying height and age and gender steadily file into the chamber, forming a congregation ready to take in the beckoned proceedings.

The rough garments and stuffy helmet of your disguise do loads to allow your festering anxiety to foment into a near panic attack. Tamping it down with deep breaths and every calming mantra you can recall, you await your fate.   

Once the place is full and the Covert readies to hear what is in store, you force yourself to straighten and still.

From your vantage, you see the Armourer step into the centre of the dim lighting.

‘Gathered clan, loyal Covert,’ she says in a steely tone. ‘We are here on this moon to be the volleying party in an oncoming war. To know the enemy and beat back their advances.’

A unified beating of wrists fills the space. Everyone knows what they’re there for. They’re waiting on what else needs to be said.

‘But I have learned there is much we did not know. There are alliances and joining forces that would have taken us entirely by surprise if not for one, unforeseeable thing.’ The commanding presence of the woman speaking has everyone in the room hushed, still waiting.

Your heart is in your ears as you see her turn away from her congregation to you, raising a hand to invite you into view. You just have to tamp it down and move into the light. You step forward.

The din of protest and movement that follows as you emerge from the shadows, still clad as you are in heavy robes and mask, is deafening. The sensors built into the helmet you’re wearing catch the red, primed muzzles of every weapon in the place. Pointed at you.

It’s okay if you die, you think, just so long as they believe you.

The Armourer speaks over the unrest. 

‘This supposed stranger walked into the forge alone and undiscovered, addressing me in repose before I had even noted their presence.’ The room grows hushed again. She carries on. ‘They found us at this location at impossible odds.’

‘How?’ demands a huge man stationed near the front, long rifle aimed at your head. You’d fixed his speeder once.

‘Because they have known us. And because they share a deep connection with one of our very own,’ she scans the room. You see her helm pause in line of sight of the small green wandering face you had missed so much. Ears twitching and head bobbing in mild interest. It tugs hard on your thundering heart.

Your eyes flick to the dark stillness beside him, Din. 

‘This is the case, is it not?’ The Armourer turns to you and says your name.

Your augmented eyes, locked on Din, take in his infinitesimal flinch. But otherwise, nothing.

You sigh, reach up and lift your helmet, looking back to the Armourer with as much reverence as you can muster. Of course she knew it was you.

‘It is—’ you start but the room erupts in a roaring blaze of shouts and weapons cocking. You can’t stop your eyes flicking back to Din. He hasn’t moved an inch. Blaster still locked on you, still seated while everyone around him has leapt to their feet.

Grogu looks at you calmly, keen eyes bright. He knew you were coming. He showed the way.

The Armourer holds an arm out to the gathering, stepping carefully between you and the others. The cacophony fades quickly.

When all is quiet again. She continues.

‘We knew about the Crowning regiment and the Division allying with the Imperial forces we oppose. But now we have been brought the troubling news of more alliances being forged, cast, and bought.’

The Armourer relays the news you’d delivered. The Guild being hired and the doubtless other mercenaries brought to the cause for glory and riches. The room fills with a restless discontent. You decide now’s the time to speak up.

‘I can help!’ You raise your voice over the muttering. ‘I can help you win this war.’

You look to the Armourer. She gestures to continue.

‘Your targeting centre, for one,’ you ignore some outraged cries about how you could possibly know about that. ‘I can upgrade the iris ports, boost its range way, way farther. You’ll have the skies in hand.’

You spot a few blaster sights being lowered. Keep going.

‘And that imp camp on the chordal coast; you’ve reconned it, you know about the walker and the tie fighters. I can help you sabotage them, pre-set scrambles and vibrophase explosives.’

You think you’re getting through, less muttering, more still and focused figures.

You curse yourself for looking again, but you can’t stop cutting back to Din. You’re surprised to see he’s standing, though nothing else about his posture has changed.

‘And I can fight!’ You say, dropping your gaze from his steely helm. ‘I want to fight.’

You bully yourself to not cry, standing here as waves of distrust and suspicion radiate from the crowded gathering. Bursts of ‘why!’, ‘how can we trust her?’, ‘she’s a spy’ echo around the space.

The Armourer finally speaks again, easily heard over the discord. ‘She did not have to risk everything to come here,’ she says. 

You beg to differ, but you stay quiet and turn your gaze to hold steady on her. She in turn regards you for a moment, then turns back to her people.

‘We will accept her offer of help,’ she decrees. She doesn’t stop speaking as muttering and protest rumbles on, though it is fading into contemplation here and there. ‘We cannot afford to lose this war. And it is too great of a risk to refuse an alliance where it is offered. This is the Way.’

You let the echoing ‘This is the Way’ from the crowd wash over you. Then movement catches your eye and you look back to Din. He’s holstered his weapon and is moving along the row of his seated compatriots.

He turns and marches down the aisle, away from you, with not a single look back. Grogu glances at you sadly before hopping down to follow his father. You try to convey your best ‘It’s okay; thank you,’ to him before he goes. 

As they vanish around the doorway, the rest of the gathered assembly breaks. Some approach you and the Armourer, others head off in turn, back to duties, knowing their place.

The Armourer starts issuing instructions to those who had moved forward. You fight back the overwhelming urge to collapse to the ground and sob, focusing instead on deep breaths and looking ahead. Focus on what’s in front.

With a few repeated mantras, you collect yourself, fall into a tentative air of confidence. 

A member of your group turns to you, gestures at you up and down. ‘You will turn your weaponry and garb over to the inventory crew to be purposed for the battles ahead,’ she commands.

‘Oh,’ you look down at yourself. ‘You can have the threads and the rifles, no problem. But,’ you flip the headwear you’re holding up and show off the array of circuitry and switches blinking inside. You wink, ‘I need this for other things.’

You’re seated on the floor of the battle room, a mess of wire coiling and circuit boards scattered around you. To you, increasing the range on the multi-array scoping system is simply a matter of telling the right wires where to go. Parts from the cannibalised helmet that lies by your knee will help them along.

A slender, kind of gangly Mandalorian has crouched beside you, making no effort to hide his fascination with what you’re doing.

He speaks with the pitched, wavering tone of an adolescent. Through the modulated vocoder, it’s kind of adorable.

‘So you’re using that circuit to program the power flux?’ he asks.

You chuckle. ‘More or less. It’s not a smooth curve though, up, down, up.’ You make a wave motion with your free hand. ‘It has to be more loose, or you get seizure.’

The two of you continue like that, in companionable tinkering. It’s the first time you’ve felt calm and present since warping into the system. It doesn’t last long.

Your peace is shattered by the heavy, clinking footfalls of Din Djarin. You’d recognise them anywhere, but your stomach still flips when he enters the octagonal, vaulted space. You feel tiny and meek, hunched in your nest of wires, but he barely turns in your direction. Instead, he takes several long strides around you and your burgeoning apprentice to step flush with Ari Wren.

You’ve learned that Wren is the Armourer’s 2IC in this war room, relaying tasks and keeping things on track. She has a brash but candid demeanour. And she’s tolerated your presence well enough, so you figure you owe her respect.

Din murmurs to Wren, who’s listening intently. Helmets titled together. You strain to overhear but he’s barely above a whisper.

He’s standing so close to her… What could he be saying…

You shake and give yourself a mental slap. You have no fucking right to be jealous right now! What the fuck is wrong with you?  

Wren breaks away, gives him a nod, and they part. You focus back on what you were soldering, furious with yourself.

‘Um, m- miss? Sorry?’ Your head snaps to the kid. 

‘What?’

‘Sorry, I was asking if recreating this would be possible in future builds? Make a 2.0 or?’

You will your face to clear, giving the young man a warm smile while trying to ignore your ex-lover stepping around you again like you’re so much refuse.

‘Potentially, sure.’ You wink. ‘See how this one pans out.’ You haven’t even finished speaking before Din is gone.

After a few weeks of working quietly about their base, taking orders and following duties, your presence seems to have been accepted by most everyone there. You now only catch the occasional long stare or hostile posture. Most times you get a nod as you pass someone. A few times you’re even stopped in your path, asked questions about your latest project – installing thermal railguns on your commandeered T-Wing. 

Most everyone, of course. 

You don’t know how he does it, but since briefly intersecting in that war room, the one Mandalorian you ache to see has been absent. Even at mealtimes. You try not to do it, but you always check every helmet you can land eyes on as they file across the hearth one by one and take in their supper, each shifting off to find a secluded spot with communal unspoken understanding. You can never find a reason to linger long enough before you just have to take up a cup and move off.

His young apprentice seeks you out once. You’re toying with a construct module when a brush on your ankle has you looking down.

Grogu gazes up with a tiny ‘Mm, eh?’ and you crouch to him.

‘Hey baby,’ you reach out a hand and he scoots toward it, letting you give him a squeeze. You’re treated to a tiny grunt. ‘Gods, I missed you so much, you know?’

He ‘wehs’ at you and peers around, like he’s checking you’re alone. Then he lays a hand on yours, closes his eyes and coos softly. A long, tentative moment passes before his little claw grips you hard. Your senses are flooded. Ambushed. With emotions. With thoughts. It’s difficult to make it all out, but sadness and joy and anger and love all cascade within you. A cacophony of ‘where did you go?’, ‘where have you been?’, ‘you came back, you’re back, you’re back,’ roars away.

You will reassurance into your consciousness, and ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.’ It’s hard to do, the gale of emotion passing through you so furious and consuming. After what feels like an age, the swirling storm eases and you swim back into the present moment, eyes brimming with tears. They fall freely, dotting the ground between the two of you.

‘I’m sorry,’ you say aloud. Grogu just looks down, a little chagrined. Sensing further questions from him, you add, ‘If they let me stay, I will.’

He gives you a head tilt and a small ‘patu’ that’s borderline incredulous. You smile sadly.

‘Yeah, fair enough,’ you say.

‘You’re sensitive to the powers he possesses.’ The voice slices across your reverie with the child. You look up to see the Armourer a few steps away, watching intently. 

‘The Force,’ you say, wiping at the stinging tears.

‘Yes,’ she says. ‘Do you know what it means?’

You reply honestly, ‘Not a clue, actually.’ Despite having ample opportunity, you hadn’t sought any detail about the sorcery you could apparently tap into. That same strangling fear of being bound, locked down, tied to something beyond your volition had held you back from it.

She seems to infer exactly this as she stares at you and Grogu.

‘I understand,’ she says, gesturing at the child still holding onto your hand. ‘It is a mysterious gift, one the Jedi once guarded heavily. But this one forges his own path to walk. Just as you do.’

Gods, what is she even talking about… You suddenly feel tired, a fatigue down to your bones.

‘Much has changed here,’ she intones, ‘in the time since you left this foundling and his father.’ 

She says the words without malice, just matter-of-fact. You left this foundling and his father. But they cut across you like a sabre. You’d never thought mere words would have a chance at destroying you. Yet here you are, trembling like the mortally wounded.

The rest of what she says just manages to sink in though, so you focus in on that. Much has changed… What does that mean? 

You look up to ask but are startled to see her holding a familiar device – Din’s datapad. The scuff marks on the side unmistakable from when you’d dropped it off the side of the Crest’s starboard jet engine, where you had been using it to sketch some upgrade ideas. You remember he’d just sighed theatrically and tossed it back up to you.

She makes sure you see it, before tucking it away beneath her furs again.

‘If you do stay, you will soon understand the significance of these changes. And perhaps find the answers you seek.’

Answers? What answers? Is she being all vague and cryptic on purpose? You remember with a pang of resentment how confused you’ve been by her words before. In a time and place that feels like a lifetime ago, when she’d told Din it was time the two of you took a vow as if you were barely even present.

You find no words to say, so stay quiet and scrutinise the hem of your tunic instead. Apparently you have a lot to think about, you just have no clue where to start.

‘Come Grogu,’ the Armourer beckons. ‘Your father seeks your whereabouts.’

The child gives you a penetrating look before ambling toward her, falling in step and leaving you crouched on the cold, lonely floor.

--

Prev | Next

OK, so... I haven't watched Rebels, or much of the animated Star Wars stuff. And I wrote most of this chapter way before I first posted it. So it's either a wild coincidence that I pulled the surname 'Wren' out of thin air, or I unknowingly absorbed it through pop culture osmosis and my brain just presented it to me when I was casting about for name ideas. Either way, I would probably say no relation to Sabine? Very distant cousins perhaps? I dunno, sorry if it's confusing.

THANK YOU for reading. We're still in our feelings, but we're on our way out.

[theamityelf]

Kamukurized Taka and normal Makoto meeting Kamukura pretty please.

(Kamukura Wrangler AU Masterlist)

Okay, so what I'm imagining here is the scientists invite Taka and Makoto out of the room, the way they have for plenty of normal tests and assignments before.

This is going to be a very new kind of test. Because Taka is so perceptive, the ones who are actually arranging for them to be introduced to the original Izuru Kamukura Project (as in the Hajime version, basically the blueprint of every trial that followed) make sure that the people walking them out of the Kamukuras' living space also don't know that this will be anything more than the usual fare. They're even taken to one of the usual test rooms.

But once inside (and of course the door's impenetrable locking mechanism engages as soon as they enter), instead of any kind of puzzle or physical exam, there is a formally-dressed young man with crimson eyes and hair down to his knees.

(Were the door centered in the room, Taka might have been able to prevent Makoto from entering behind him, but the door is positioned so that he can't see the room's center until he is a few steps inside.)

Taka's body instantly adjusts to the unfamiliar and potentially dangerous presence. He doesn't tense for a physical altercation, as Izuru's posture is very passive, and acting otherwise would be a de facto escalation, but he becomes very vigilant about maintaining a certain position relative to both Makoto and Izuru.

Taka and Izuru make silent eye contact for several seconds.

The original breaks the silence. "Trial 22." (Taka's number. No doubt, Izuru has been availed of at least the primary files on all of his successors.)

"Yes," Taka responds flatly, and adds nothing. If the 'test', now, is open-ended interaction, he will not help it to last longer.

And then a few more seconds of silence. Izuru studies Taka like an exotic insect.

Makoto, who made one attempt to stand beside Taka but somehow still ended up behind him, quietly asks, "Is he like you guys?"

"Yes," Taka says again. "He is the prototype. The one they first called 'Ultimate Hope'. They took the body from a reserve course student at Hope's Peak. Of course, they didn't try this procedure on those they considered talented until they had tried it on someone they didn't value. He was kept in isolation, rather than being brought up alongside others of his kind. When last I heard, the original was considered the Project's greatest success."

"And how would you rate the success of Trial 22?" Izuru asks.

"Abject failure."

"That was my impression, too. I was curious to inspect the site of the damage."

"The damage doesn't warrant inspection. The new consciousness has developed an excess of self-awareness, causing a perpetual draw to self-termination."

"...and in denial of their mistake, they hastily exploited the botched trial's predisposition to oversocialize, minimizing loss by introducing a protectorate. That was also my impression."

"Then this test need not continue. We've reached a well-supported consensus."

"It's their test, not mine. I'm not the one you must convince that it need not continue."

"Yes, you are."

Another second of silence, and then Izuru allows his eyes to drift to Makoto. "I was curious," he says again, "to inspect the site of the damage."

"You may be curious," Taka says, "to inspect anything else in the world."

"I may. But I'm not."

Another silence.

This time, Makoto is the one who breaks it. "He's not...You're not a failure, Taka. Even if you're not what they wanted you to be, that doesn't mean you're a failure. They don't get to decide what your purpose is."

"Then it seems we haven't reached a consensus after all," Izuru says. "Come closer, talentless."

"Um...I think I'm fine here."

"Because you feel you're safe behind him?"

"...Because he's my friend and he's upset."

Izuru is going to take a serious interest in Makoto, and Taka won’t like it.

[nan0-sp1der]

✨

Send ✨ to see one of my muse's memories.

With some sleight of hand, social engineering, and a little help from the internet, you managed to get a crack at a certain someone’s files. The elusive Nano-Spider, whose motives were a complete mystery and their origins even better well-kept. For the short time she’s been at the Spider Society, she’s been a total mystery, and while her intentions seemed good for the most part, it wasn’t enough to sate your curiosity. Who is she? What has she seen? Where has she been? As you now look upon the screen that displayed the system directory belonging to her long-term memory, you find that there were quite a few of them to go through. Lots of memories. You scroll to the bottom, and you pick one of the last items in the list. The file–in H.265 format–is about 89.09 megabytes, and its title just seemed to be a random jumble of letters and numbers. You take a deep breath, and you double-click the file…

A long, bleached white corridor illuminated in fluorescent lighting. Steel-plated flooring that’s been worn with the footsteps of those who occupied this facility. It crawls and clanks beneath her feet as she wanders down the hall with her eyes glued to the floor. “Bridge!” The distant sound of another woman’s voice, warm and inviting. She pauses in her footing to lift her head from the steel floors to what appeared to be a garden of some sort at the end of the hall, a tree whose leaves hung like vines framed by the arch that formed the entryway. A woman with an admittedly impressive head of long, dark curls, wire-frame glasses, and a white coat is holding a clipboard. She waves Bridge over to where she stood upon the grass.

“Bridge, hey! Come here for a second. I wanna show you something.”

She nods, and Bridge starts to walk a bit faster, with more purpose after this woman requested her presence. As she enters, the size of the garden is now revealed to exceed that of the archway–luscious plant life, shrubbery, all vibrant as it was in this contained space. She approaches the tree that stood at its center. Now that she is a bit closer, it becomes apparent that it has started to bloom. The young buds dotted the branches like specks of watercolor on a blank canvas. The woman gestures to the branch that hung the closest over Bridge’s head, “The willow’s started to bloom… Beautiful, isn’t it?”

After glancing over at the woman, a gentle smile on her face that creased the corners of her eyes, Bridge nods again. It’s revealed that the woman seems to be wearing an ID, now that Bridge is standing close enough to the woman. And, just barely legible, the tag read ‘Gabrielle Markov–Resident Anthropologist’. Bridge’s gaze now follows Gabrielle’s hand, which reaches for something on one of the willow tree’s buds, something blue. A butterfly whose wings were the crispest shade of blue, even with the sub-par quality of the recording. Its wings trembled slightly as it perched on the woman’s extended finger and as she carefully brought it closer for Bridge to see. “And that’s one of the Blue Morphos that we managed to cultivate. It’s a miracle what life we can create, even when we’re down here.” You see Bridge extend her hand to the insect before it takes off from Gabrielle’s index finger and flutters off elsewhere. Her eyes follow the insect up into the flowing leaves of the weeping willow up until the recording suddenly ends, leaving you staring into a black screen and into your own reflection against the glass.

Somehow you’re only left with even more questions than when you started. And there was still a plethora of other videos for you to peruse… It looks like you’re gonna be here for a while.

[carriechambers]

Herbs 101 - Lavender

This post on website

Hi Tumblr! This is a post I have started over a month ago and now I've finally finished it. Lavender is such a popular herb, and I probably my favourite. The aroma it gives off is fenomenal. So, let's look at it a bit deeper!

In this post, you'll learn:

basic info (other names, properties, ...)

its history (historical uses, where it came from)

physical description (the very few traits species of lavender share)

uses (all kinds of ways in which you can use lavender and links to some recipes)

how to harvest it (when, where)

how to dry it (a few methods including specific steps)

Click Keep Reading to read the entire post right here, or you can read it on the blog page Lavender. There you can also find the .md file for download, so that you can import it into logseq or notion grimoire, or just for a shorter version in the form of bullet poitns!

Lavender

  Basic Info

Species: Lavandula

Other Names: Elf Leaf, Nardus, Spike, Spikenard

Most Popular Types: English Lavender, Spanish Lavender

Known Species: 47

Family: Lamiaceae (the mint/sage family)

Native to: Old World (historic Euro-Asia), to the mountainous zones of the Mediterranean, where there is dry and stony soil

Planet: Mercury

Element: air, water

Properties: calming / peace + sleep, protection, love, purification

History

Lavender has been in use for over 2500 years. In ancient Egypt it was used for embalming and cosmetics. Greeks also used it for cosmetic purposes, and also for its medicinal properties (which for example Dioscorides or Theophrastus wrote about).

It’s name comes from the latin verb Lavare - which means “to wash”. So it’s not too surprising that it was used by both Greeks and Romans in herbal baths. Romans also recognized it for its antiseptic properties and they brought it with them on campaigns to dress wounds. On top of that it was used as incense in religious ceremonies, or in sick rooms to disinfect them. And Arabs were the ones who brought their medicine to Spain, where it spread across the rest of Europe.

During the middle ages, it wasn’t used as much at first, only by monks and nuns. It was grown in gardens of monastries. Then in Tudor England, when the monastries were dissolved (1536) the lavender moved to domestic gardens, often planted near the laundry and clothing was then laid on it to dry while getting that fresh scent on them. Also, Queen Elizabeth I. allegedly put it in tea to help with her migraines and as a perfume.

In 17th century, lavender was considered a cure-all. Naturally, the price rose, especially when the Great Plague stroke. It is also a part of Four Thieves Vinegar, liquid in which grave robbers washed belongings of plague victims.

Description

Of course, each lavender type is different, however they share many similarities. Their flowers are arranged in whorls (surrounding the stem) on spikes above the foliage. They can be blue, violet, or lilac, sometimes even blackish purple or yellowish. The leaves and the way they they grow varies greatly across different species. However, here is an illustration of English lavender:

Uses

A very common things are lavender sachets. Now while we may often simply use it to sniff it (which is totally valid use as well btw, especially if you kind of squeeze it during anxiety), it has other uses too. When kept between laundry (into wardrobe, or even some places you store  seasonal clothing), it can both give it the wonderful scent and also deter insects. You can also toss them into the dryer together with your laundry (Tutorial)! And since it is famous for helping with relaxation and sleep, you can always keep it near / under your pillow to help you with that.

Another popular use is in essential oils. It brings all the benefits mentioned above. For the smell, you can dab them on your skin and sniff that, or diffuse them in an aroma lamp. In the history section, I’ve mentioned soldiers carried it with them to treat wounds. It was proven to help wounds heal and can still be used that way today. For topical use, ALWAYS USE DILATED OILS ONLY. You can check out the guide to diluting essential oils on aromaweb.

A common use for herbs is tea. Lavender tea brings all the benefits we talked about - it is relaxing and healing. Only the buds are used for making the tea, not the leaves. You can of course also mix herbs - some other popular choices are chamomile, which is also enhancing the relaxation and sleep of lavender, and mint, which can help with some digestive problems, but also just tastes good with it. Senchateabar.com has all these three recipes (as to how long you should brew them).

Another common use is culinary. So integrating lavender into all kinds of food recipes. Now, while most lavender is safe to eat, there are some that simply shouldn’t be, like Levandula Stoechas, Levandula Latifolia and Lavandin, but others will just make your food taste soapy and overly floral. What’s used in recipes is culinary lavender, which is usually cultivated from English lavender and has less oil than aromatic lavender. Awesomeon20.com has some wonderful recipes with lavender and I actually quite like this site for kitchen magick, because they talk about magickal properties of the ingredients used and also have posts about which recipes are good for holidays of the Wheel of the Year for example.

And finally, we can of course use lavender in spells. We use it for spells that need the properties of relaxation, sleep, healing, or love. Also protection or just for general “witchy” things (like enhancing intuition, etc.). This can include spell jars, burning the herbs, sprinkling some lavender infused water, making circles with them, or so many other things. Some spell recipes:

anxiety spell jar

sleep spell sachet

self love and healing spell jar

Harvesting and Drying

I won’t be going into how to grow lavender, however I do want to talk about how and when to harvest it and how to dry it. It takes about 3 years for the plant to mature, so while you can absolutely harvest a bit before they mature, leaving them alone helps them grow  and develop more.

Now let’s look into when to harvest. For best fragrance and essential oil content, that would be in their early bloom cycle (meaning when the buds are barely starting to bloom - so you have the stem full of buds, and you already see few of them blooming, while the others are still closed). That applies to each individual stem. And also it is often said that you should harvest them in the morning, once dew has dried, because sun dissipates some of the fragrant essential oils.

You really don’t have to follow this strictly though. This is mostly to maximize the fragrance, and also because when the flowers mature and start browning, they tend to fall off the stem more easily. What you probably should follow is to not collect it wet. That means let the morning dew dry, and not collect within 24 hours of rain. That’s because damp environment increases the chance for the flower to rot.

As to how, we can use a small curved knife, which is ideal for cutting lavender, or pruning shears, or scissors. Just try to not use your hands for it, since that usually damages the stem, while sharp tools help it heal quicker. Also usually you want to organize them into bundles after cutting them, so you can wrap a rubber band around your wrist to make this easier.

Now to where exactly to cut. Well, with lavender used for culinary purposes, you should cut above any leaves and side branches, because leaves are not recommended for cooking (mostly for fragrance). Also please make sure your lavender is safe (and good) to eat before using it that way!

If you want longer stems, perhaps for decoration, or with lavender that doesn’t have much space between the flower and first leaves, then just follow the stem lower and cut at another junction. However, keep in mind that you shouldn’t cut more than two-thirds of the plant’s hight, so that it can continue to grow.

And now finally for drying itself. One way is to hang it in bundles in a dry, warm, airy room. Also in the dark, which helps it keep its color. To help the air circulate, you can just use a fan (if it’s some space like a basement or a closet). The bunches should be tied secure enough, so that it doesn’t fall apart, but not too tight. Also one source recommends to not dry them in spaces like garage, where they’d be exposed to engine and chemical fumes. It can take up to 6 weeks for them to dry this way, and you’ll know the stems are dry once they break instead of bending.

Another way is to dry them in food dehydrator. This speeds up the drying process significantly, while keeping the quality of the flowers. For this, remove the stems, leaving only flower buds in tact. Put them on the dehydrator trays so that they don’t touch each other (and use tray liners if you have them and the flowers are falling through, or even parchment paper). Set it to a low temperature - 95°F (or 35°C). It shouldn’t be more than 100 to 105°F (if you don’t have a lower setting). It should take about 24 to 48 hours to dry completely. Again, to find out if it’s dry, just try to snap one of the larger bud bundles in half, and if it bends, then it’s not dry yet.

Another method is to dry them in an oven. This is not ideal, because lowest setting on ovens is about 180°F (80°C), which, as you can notice, is more than the highest setting we could dry it in the food dehydrator. This amount of heat releases the essential oil from the flower buds. That’s why when using it, you should check on it every few minutes. And also leave the door slightly open so that the moisture can escape.

Then there’s microwave. That’s even harder to watch than an oven, so it is likely to produce less fragrant lavender. Or you can press it between heavy books, and leave it a few days to dry. That’s a method we usually use when making our own herbals.

Then you usually remove all the dried buds and either seal them in an airtight glass container. And you’re ready for using it!

Sources

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magickal Herbs by Judy Ann Nock

Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham

newcropsorganics - lavender history, taxonomy and production

wikipedia.org - Lavandula

cachecreeklavender.com - history of lavender

lavenderbackyard - how to use a lavender sachet

ncbi - wound healing potential of lavender oil

bonappetit.com - cooking with lavender

bbfamilyfarm.com - what kind of lavender can you eat

gardeningknowhow.com - Lavender harvest time

homesteadandchill.com - Harvesting Fresh Lavender: How to Harvest, Prune & Dry Lavender Flowers

bhg.com - When and How to Harvest Lavender for the Best Fragrance

littleyellowwheelbarrow.com - How To Dry Lavender (Preserving Methods And Tips)

all pictures in this post are free stock images, you can see their source when you click them

Thank you so much for reading! If you use lavender in any way, I'd be glad to hear about how you used it in the comments. If you'd like, you can head to the library to find more informational posts. And of course I'd be grateful for any likes or reblogs. See you in the next one!

[flurrin]

RE6 Deep Lore Analysis: Prologue

Welcome to my series where I pick apart a 10+ years old game frame by frame to analyze the storytelling, cinematography, characters and of course additional Lore to fill in the gaps that either don't exist or are poorly conveyed. I'm doing this because the game is often dismissed for being convoluted and too far removed from the Resident Evil series in terms of mechanics. These things are true and it's very much an imperfect game! But the story has a lot of brilliance that goes unrecognized and I want to dive in how the whole thing works, both to new players and to those already enmeshed in the universe. To read the series in order, go here!

Great shot to open the story on, a regular chrysalis thriving in an abandoned car, transforming into something new. We don't get to see anything beautiful like a moth or butterfly unfurling its wings for the first time, we see the insect, and then we cut away as disaster strikes. This obviously foreshadows the use of cocoons as enemy mechanics, and for Leon's campaign in particular, the lack of signs of surviving human life (including over the preceding establishing shots of a fiery city block filmed through the windows of the car) really set the mood.

I don't know if this was the shot that spawned RE's love of 1st person intros later seen in RE3R (not counting 7 because the entire game is 1st person) but it's an impressive bit of camera work, paring down the controls of the game so the player doesn't even have a body per se to control yet, just eyes and interaction commands (the interaction commands + QTEs themselves are...a little bit of a mess gameplay-wise for sure). We don't know this is Ada or that she's actually shooting at the zombies around Leon and not at him and Helena, so there's an active threat without having to push the player into combat right away.

RE6 is excellent at transition shots, here the gun is highlighted by the helicopter and thrown into the foreground of the next shot so your brain has realigned to recognize this is the POV character seamlessly. This is like a really basic shot, I'm going to show you some CRAZY animated camera tricks later, but it's good to keep in mind that the director knows what he's doing and is doing it well. This shot, this sequence, is also a perfect encapsulation of Leon's character as described in the very first game file. Leon protects the innocent, no matter the risk. He frames Helena, big and square and determined.

Helena being injured in this sequence also aids the tutorial's method of paring down the controls into something simpler, carrying her encumbers Leon, multiplayer doesn't exist yet. It also gives the player immediate stakes to worry about--someone is relying on Leon, and he cares, so the player cares too. We also first learn Helena is self-sacrificial through these extra interactions that don't get a chance to show up in the final game.

The purpose of this kind of hair in character design is to make a character's eyes, and therefore emotions, harder to read (this will be significant again when we talk about Jake later btw). Leon has a lot of baggage from RC and he feels it a lot, but he plays things close to the chest and hides behind his hair. In this way, even though he's a familiar protagonist, he feels almost as mysterious as Helena at the start, giving them an instant reason to connect.

RE6's answer to fixed camera angles is to still frame things cinematically rather than just for the benefit of the player. It's not a great approach to gameplay but thankfully in this one, Leon course corrects on his own and you just have to hold the buttons.

The camera is alive and active through these shots as they fall onto the glass, Leon's body framing the zombies below until they're clear to see beyond the edge of the cracks, a moment of peace before they look up, and the eye follows the path that the ornate light fixture is about to follow and crush them. They're trapped in by the circle of glass and the edges of the lantern.

I will say I hate the last shot of this prologue because the one that opens the game proper is essentially the same exact shot and it always throws me off, the first time I played I was like "Wait, what happened to the giant spire thing we were just standing next to, how are we in a college now". But it was an intentional choice at least to make the transition into the first chapter a lot smoother, I get that.

That's all for the prologue, I didn't want to cover this entire post in "the cinematography is so good here", but as we go through the cutscenes, be sure to keep your eyes on how the lines of the scene (such as Leon's gun and the tiles in the background of that last screencap) line up with the character's eyes to bring your attention there. Everything in the prologue is meant to build up intrigue so there's very little story and I'll talk less about cinematography going forward, but if you want a really good breakdown on what makes a good shot, I can't recommend this case study on Brad Bird's Incredibles enough. See you next time!

[spoocys-glade-of-dreams]

Rayman Retold Lore: Pieces of General Info

The two most well known forms of currencies within the Rayman universe are the tings from the Rayman 1 days, and the gems found within Rayman 3 Hoodlum Havoc and Hoodlum’s Revenge. Hoodlum’s Revenge had MORE types of gems than found within Hoodlum havoc. If you had gotten a hold of Rayman designer, tings had a few different colors and different purposes.

Tings within Rayman Retold are not sentient like they were in the Gameboy Color version of Rayman. They are just crystal spheres with magical properties.

Tings are the primary currency exchanged with magicians or the fairies for boons, power ups, or general trading purposes. Gems tend to be used more often within folks in exchange for common services: Clothes, groceries, etc.

There ARE other forms of currency in the universe, such as the gold coins Jano possesses in his treasure hoard. Gold coins are a common currency used between the robot pirates.

-----------------------------------------------

Ludivs are classified as fairy creatures while greenbottles are classified as insects. They are considered rivals because greenbottles like to play tricks on luvdivs. They don’t normally get along. 

Greenbottles are capable of magic and Murfy is one of the most well known greenbottles that dabble in magic and the affairs of the fairies.

-----------------------------------------------

The Fairy Council houses not only the head honchos that make the big decisions, but as well as a massive library and archive that holds important records over events. They also have a vault that safe keep powerful artifacts. The Fairy Council Headquarters also contains the heart of the world. This is currently where the Great Protoon rests after Mr. Dark’s failed takeover.

The council members in charge of the big decisions within the glade are: Ly the fairy, Betilla and her sisters, the Grand Minimus and his queen, and The Magician from Rayman 1.

The heart of the world and the primordial energy core from Rayman 2 are the same thing in this universe. It has been completely destroyed once and almost used to spawn mass armies of black lums.

The Robot Pirates had destroyed their previous safeguards, and since then they did not have much of a security system and have relied on a really terrible magic lock system. It was easily exploitable and that’s why Andre was able to get to the heart so easily. After the attempt Andre made on the heart, other council members had to file lots of formal complaints before they begin to fix that flaw.

-----------------------------------------------

The world from the very first Rayman game is on a different continent on the map. This was Rayman’s place of birth. It is where most of his kind are currently residing. He later traveled to another continent which contains the Glade of Dreams alongside Betilla to deliver the Great Protoon to the Fairy Council Vault after Mr. Dark’s defeat.

This is Rayman’s current home and where the rest of the storyline (The other games and within Rayman Retold itself) take place. He is one of two known members of his kind that live within the Glade of Dreams. The other being Ly’s creation, Raymona, who was born here. 

[dzthenerd490]

File: Nes Godzilla

SCP#: ADG

Code Name: The Kaiju within a video game/ The Unheard Destroyer of Earth: Red/ [data expunged]: King of Nightmares

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: The sole copy of SCP-ADG is kept at the main storage unit of Site-AA. It is placed within a small cardboard box that is placed within a metal box with a lock on it. Any testing may be approved by at least one Level 3 Foundation staff clearance member or higher. Testing must ALWAY be done with a D Class as the test subject. During testing under no circumstances are any Foundation staff to be in the same room or are to make their observation be made aware. 

SCP-ADG's metal box has been placed in a safe with explosive traps to ensure if someone with the wrong passcode entered, SCP-ADG will be destroyed. The safe is large enough that two AFA-2's armed with Foundation laser guns can fit inside and will ensure that anyone who enters with the right passcode will be shot on sight if they are not Foundation staff or don't have transportation clearance. Testing is no longer allowed with SCP-ADG as doing so might allow SCP-ADG-Red to breach our reality and cause an XK Class End-of-the-World Scenario. 

Description: SCP-ADG is a video game copy of the 1988 game Godzilla: Monster of monsters. Now as everyone knows Godzilla is known by the Foundation as SCP-ABQ so you might be wondering how it's possible for the public to have made a video game about something that should be classified? That's because SCP-ABQ has been spotted quite a few times off the coasts of several major cities all the way back to its discovery back in 1954. Mobile Task Force Gamma-5 "Red Herrings" tried their best to erase its existence and when it was finally formed in 1980, Mobile Task Force Dionysus-1 "Fake News" helped. However, no matter what they did SCP-ABQ still managed to get caught and circulated within the ever-growing internet. To prevent this from getting out of control Toho Co., Ltd. was asked to create a movie franchise out of the anomaly and using sightings of SCP-ABQ as promotional material. Thus, a long and extremely confusing franchise was created that somehow made millions despite only being made for the purpose of hiding an anomaly in plain view. 

Of course, what started out as a single movie generated a sequel then more, then spin offs and then getting their own franchises and finally videogames. This inadvertently led to the creation of SCP-ADG and quite possibly its anomalous properties as well. SCP-ADG is a seemingly normal copy of the game with a few minor glitches here and there. However, as the player progresses through the game, they will begin to experience strange occurrences. Such oddities include red glitching with uncomfortable noises, characters changing into obscure and grotesque versions of themselves, the appearances of even more disturbing looking kaiju characters, and the game actively asking the player strange questions every so often.  

It seems that the more the player does the more their desire to finish the game increases. This increased drive to finish the game is suspected to unleash the evil entity known as SCP-ADG-RED. SCP-ADG-RED is a grotesque character within the game having 4 insect legs, a slimy bloody body with a short tail, two shriveled up and folded arms, and a face that resembles a human face if it was skinned. SCP-ADG-RED has the anomalous ability to always be aware of the player and what they say, even being able to send messages to them through the screen. 

SCP-ADG-RED has the desire to taunt and torment the player by making the game more glitchy as time goes on and seemingly resemble where it originally came from. Research done by the Department of Technology, Alchemy, Science, Magic and Warfare has shown that SCP-ADG has been contaminated with [data expunged] a common partial found within Vibration Crystals when activated. Dr. Goetia believes this means that SCP-ADG-RED was not created by anything in our world but instead came from another reality. It just so happened to get trapped into a game while entering our reality and is currently trying to find a way to get out. 

Unfortunately, some of the partials found on SCP-ADG have been identified as Abyssal partials commonly found within the Abyss where the Scarlet King resides. It is believed that because of this, SCP-ADG-RED is quite possibly a servant, or worse a spawn of the Scarlet King. The working theory is that SCP-ADG-RED was a kaiju created in an alternate earth and tried to use its power to enter our world as well. By failing and entering a video game instead, it tries to torment, kill, and even absorb the souls of those who play its game in order to grow in power. 

According to the notes left by [data expunged] SCP-ADG-RED is able to trap the souls of those it has killed in the past and use them to gain power. It can even influence those who have only barely played it and make them kill themselves to take their souls even when they aren't anywhere near SCP-ADG. Furthermore, it seemed that the characters of Godzilla, Mothra, Anguirus, and most peculiarly Solomon and Acacius are also victims of SCP-ADG-RED. The working theory is that in this alternate world SCP-ADG-RED managed to kill SCP-ABQ and all of its allies using their souls and the souls of everyone else in that world to transport into our world. Now he uses them as a food source to keep himself alive as he hunts for more souls in our world. 

What makes Solomon and Acacius so peculiar is that neither exist in our world nor do they exist in the movie franchise, so it is assumed they existed in the other world where SCP-ADG-RED came from. However, most peculiarly during testing when a D Class who managed to unlock Acacius, the Golden Light; at the same time, SCP-999 happened to be passing the testing chamber. Though he was at a distance of [data expunged] meters he somehow knew what was happening and clung to the wall saying "Brother, brother!" over and over again. Foundation observation staff mapped the Site and determined that SCP-999 was indeed looking at SCP-ADG while Acacius was on screen.

Because of this, researchers believe that SCP-ADG-RED is in fact a spawn of the Scarlet King and Acacius is his brother. More specifically, a spawn of A'HABBAT the one who rebels against the Scarlet King. Unfortunately, like most of her children, Acacius failed to save his world and had his soul devoured by SCP-ADG-RED as a result. Surprisingly it's only by unlocking Acacius within the game can one defeat SCP-ADG-RED and break from his control. It's for that reason that some staff refer to his character as SCP-ADG-GOLD though it's not official which is why it has not been written on this file. If SCP-ADG-RED truly is a spawn of the Scarlet King, it's impossible to tell which of the brides is his mother. However, Dr. [data expunged] believes that it might be one of those rare occurrences where the Scarlet King [data expunged] with three [data expunged] if this is true, all the more reason to never let SCP-ADG-RED enter our reality. 

SCP-ADG was discovered in 2011 when [data expunged] sold the copy on Ebay for others to buy and play it. What drew Foundation attention to the copy was a bidding war that occurred between Groups of Interest: TotleighSoft and Arcadia. Ultimately Arcadia won but the package was intercepted by Mobile Task Force Alpha-4 "Pony Express" and sent to the Foundation right away. After several tests, some of which ended with SCP-ADG-RED unfortunately killing them and eating their souls, it was concluded that nothing else could be learned from SCP-ADG and that it must be contained forever from there on to prevent it from growing in power. It is unknown how many souls SCP-ADG-RED needs in order to break out of the game but if it ever reaches such an amount there's no telling if the Foundation has now or ever will have the capabilities to stop SCP-ADG-RED. 

Side note: The one who sold SCP-ADG on ebay was found to be trying to tell his story online. He was found all his evidence of his personal encounter were deleted and he was given Class G Amnestics. 

Update 2016 - Several anomalous bounty hunters hired by Group of Interest: Arcadia have tried to attack Site-AA in hopes of obtaining SCP-ADG. Security defenses and personnel have been increased at Site-AA as a result.

.

SCP: Horror Movie Files Hub

[botherbug]

Stimboard/gif REQUESTS

I have the right to deny/ignore any requests. Obviously. Because this whole thing is for fun for me.

Also i take forever to do requests :3 youve been warned. BUT requests are always offically OPEN. So thats the cost.

WHITELIST:

BUGS, INSECTS, FISH, OTHER CREEPY CRAWLIES, FNAF(all games/books/movie), Better Call Saul, PVZ(mostly game 1 but any other games too), Spongebob Squarepants, Portal (1+2), Minecraft, Disco Elysium, Pokemon, TF2, ShowBiz/RockAFire/CEC, Slime Rancher(1+2), MLP G4(mostly familiar with early seasons tho), MLP G3, Flight Rising, Half Life(all games), HLVRAI, ihnmaims, Winnie the Pooh, Sesame Street(and adjacent), Sprout kid shows (goodnight star and chica and pajanimals and such), Metal Gear Rising Revengence, Dan Vs., Most Don Bluth films, DHMIS(web series+TV) Death Note, Hermitcraft, Life Series, GTA5(though maybe that games too explicit for this blog. Idk. This one might change), Beastarrrs????(same considering warning as before..)

i guess, ok now we are getting in territory where im listing stuff based on mostly just familarity and not invested enjoyment

Greylist???: ace attorney, roblox in general(idk most games now adays but i will do boards), SCP, Magnus Archives, Deltarune, Undertale, Animal Crossing, The Walten Files, All Tomorrows(?? Be the first person to request that. Thatll be shocking. In a good way), DSAF, Sonic(and friends), Mario(and friends), mmmost fnaf-related youtube series, Owl House (my sibling infodumps about it to me, so im qualified), Cult of Lamb(same as before), Steven Universe (same as before... to a lesser extent), stardew valley. General themes such as colors, animals, vibes. Music.

I'll also be happy to make gifs of just a specifc topic/type or from a specific video if u send it over.

OH, and ill do joke stimboards but I'll take it too seriously and try to make it decent. Challenge me.

...

BLACKLIST:

Fandoms that are heavily focused on sexual things, Fandoms that are based around yandere tropes, Probably more to be added here.

...

I made my list very long and annoying on purpose but feel free to send a request for anything not listed on the white/greylist!!

[eldrichfuck666]

15 questions for 15 mutuals

I was tagged by @nigmos. @isthisdesire98, @pralinesims and @helltrait! Thank you all for tagging me, I don't feel this lonely because of such sweethearts as you are! Also, I love knowing a bit more about you all! 💕🥺 It turned out to be so long, god... Someone shut me up, I talk too muchhhh T^T So you need to click (I apologize on my knees...).

Are you named after anyone? Oh, that's such an interesting story, because I was named Olga after Olga Lisikova - WW2 heroine, a Soviet pilot, she was the only woman during the war who was the commander of American transport aircraft. She is really amazing and has a large number of heroic deeds. My mother is a historian, as well as a museum worker who devoted herself to this and she called me that, because Olga was exactly the person with whom my mother's interest in history began.

When was the last time you cried? I cry daily, so the last time was... 15 minutes ago, maybe?

Do you have kids? THANK GOD I DON'T and will NEVER have kids :') Kids are like insects for me (I have entomophobia).

Do you use sarcasm a lot? I feel like I don't? But I may be wrong lmao, because sometimes I feel like my hands (with which I like-type you know) have the mind of their own XD So I'm not sure about that!

What sports do you play/have you played? DOES SCREAMING AND RUNNING THOUGH THE FLOWER FIELD AT NIGHT COUNT? But if I'm being serious (not like I don't run screaming though the flower and wheat fileds at night, tho) , I was interested in fencing when I was a child, so I had a couple of classes of fencing - but my parents were too worried, so it wasn't long lmao. I'm not a sporty person and I actually... I don't understand most of the modern sports and hate some with a passion, because developing your imagination and mind is much more important than torturing your body - that's how I always felt about athletic achievements. Aren't they... useless? As well as sports. By the way, I don't count walks and rageous runs or anxiety meditations as sports, AND IT'S MY OWN POINT OF VIEW OKAY? You have the absolute right to play any sport, that's just how I feel about myself, okay??

What’s the first thing you notice about other people? It may be very weird, but it's either moles (which I adore just so muuuch) or! some unique facial features that I can't help but adore, also... gestures and this form of self expression in general. Movements, also! And maybe... jewelery? Rings, ruffled clothes and maybe even little movements like blinks. I love details. I may look like I'm staring at you, but only because I simply find your little details so interesting and fascinating! That's why people are so unique, and I love that so much, I just love noticing the way everyone is different at some little and almost imperceptible details, but it's not like i'm searching for them purposely. For some reason, this is really the first thing that catches my eye, and therefore, so that a person does not feel uncomfortable in my company, I try to look at the floor or at the phone screen. Also, the same goes for accents - I love accents because speaking with an accent means so much. Just remember that having accent is so cool - especially when you speak in a different language, because It means that you know more than one language which is impressive on its own, but just.. accents are one of the most beautiful things about humanity and speaking languages. The accent speaks to who you are, to some extent-and not in a bad way at all. On the contrary, it seems to bring your home with it, allowing you to feel close to the place where you grew up even speaking a foreign language thousands of kilometers from home. Isn't it amazing how much culture and personality is hidden in accents?

What's your eye colour? I have brown eyes - there is more dark in them, but my mother always says that this color is like a burning wood consumed by a bright flame, like the small embers sparkling in them - especially with sunlight. I love my eyes.

Scary movies or happy endings? This question seems rather strange to me, because these two things don't really have a connection and I'm not sure how to answer, but since we're talking about endings, I love a not so sudden tragedy, and I also love Hannibal-style endings. A sweet tragedy, full of acceptance and so long-awaited and painful. Happy endings do not allow you to feel the same emotions.

Any special talents? Ahh, I'm not sure about that?... So it's a no.

Where were you born? I was born in Munich, Germany!

What are your hobbies? Editing from time to time (and no, I'm not talking about Sims now, skssks), photography, playing Sims, and one of the most time consuming that I have since my childhood - writing. Also birdwatching if you can call it a hobby!

Do you have any pets? Sadly, I don't :< My parents do, but since we live in different cities I don't see their dog as much as I wanted to.

How tall are you? I actually, in full seriousness, have no fucking idea, but it's something between 170-175 cm? I don't know, sorry!

Fave subject in school? History, literature and Russian! I can't pick just one, because I absolutely adore these.

What's your dream job? It's a difficult question, but I've always dreamed of being either an archaeologist or a linguist, or maybe even... history professor?. By the way, I study family law. T^T

I'm sorry, but I'm not tagging anyone since I don't want to annoy anyone and I feel like almost everyone have been tagged already, but If you want to do this - please do and feel free to be tagged by me!

[sylkicute]

Reaching out for help from the MOGAI/LIOM community!! Please reblog for reach

Hello!! This is not super urgent, however I would like to re-find this for archival purposes.

A long while ago, I had a different MOGAI blog on here, however I posted maybe only one or two terms before I left tumblr for a while. I no longer remember what the blog was titled as it was a side blog, and I no longer have access to that account as I migrated all my major accounts to new passwords and emails.

I'm trying to find this term's full definition specifically!! It's titled gendergarden. I believe it's original meaning was a genderfluid identity closely relating to plantgenders and faunagenders but specifically bug/insect related genders. I cannot find the original post through both tumblr and google search if the blog isn't deleted, and I cannot find any reuploads or screenshots.

I'm looking to repost it on my new blog and possibly add alt flags and microlabels for it, however I would need the original definition to do so, as I'm unsure if I remember the term exactly and our system member who coined it lost the memory. Though I do know that it circulated at least a little bit, as I can find evidence of it being in other places as shown below:

And for the record here is the evidence that I am the creator of this term, as I still own the mdp file with the flag meanings and the original flag saved: