#orlando raphael

[chicinsilk]

US Vogue February 1988

Rachel Williams wears a cropped yellow jacket over a black crepe jumpsuit. Ultrasuede jacket. By Geoffrey Beene. Beauty note: Borghese Peach Passione lipstick. Hairstyle, Orlando Raphael, makeup, Andrea Paoletti.

Rachel Williams porte une veste jaune courte sur une combinaison en crêpe noir. Veste Ultrasuede. Par Geoffrey Beene. Note beauté : rouge à lèvres Peach Passione de Borghese. Coiffure, Orlando Raphael, maquillage, Andrea Paoletti.

Photo Irving Penn vogue archive

[companionofthetimelords]

BG3 Actor Convention list from November through December 2024 and Beyond

Listed in Character Alphabetical Order and by convention start date. I apologize for any errors and will try to update as time goes on.

Astarion - Neil Newbon

Nov 1st 2024 Heroes Comic Con – Stockholm (2024) in Stockholm Sweden

Nov 9th 2024 Liverpool Comic Con in Liverpool England United Kingdom

Nov 22nd 2024 Milan Games Week in Milan Italy

Nov 29th 2024 Fan Expo San Francisco in San Francisco California USA

Dec 12th 2024 Anime Weekend Atlanta in Atlanta Georgia USA

Dec 20th 2024 Holiday Matsuri in Orlando Florida USA

Mar 6th 2025 Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle Washington USA

April 11th 2025 C2E2 in Chicago Illinois USA

Apr 25th 2025 LVL UP EXPO in Las Vegas Nevada USA

Dark Urge - Neil Roberts

Nov 29th 2024 MCM Birmingham in Birmingham UK

Jan 18th 2025 MegaConLive Dublin in Dublin Ireland

The Emperor - Scott Joseph

Gale - Tim Downie

Nov 14th 2024 Sasnakcity The Gathering in Kansas City Missouri USA

Nov 30th 2024 Comic Con Stuttgart in Stuttgart Germany

Apr 4th 2025 Game On Expo (2025) in Phoenix Arizona USA

Gortash - Jason Isaacs

Nov 9th 2024 Liverpool Comic Con in Liverpool England United Kingdom

Mar 8th 2025 Lexington Comic & Toy Con in Lexington Kentucky USA

Mar 27th 2025 GalaxyCon Richmond 2025 in Richmond Virginia USA

Halsin - Dave Jones

Nov 29th 2024 MCM Birmingham in Birmingham UK

Jaheira - Tracy Wiles

Nov 30th 2024 Comic Con Stuttgart in Stuttgart Germany

Jan 18th 2025 MegaConLive Dublin in Dublin Ireland

Karlach - Samantha Béart

Nov 29th 2024 MCM Birmingham in Birmingham UK

Apr 4th 2025 Game On Expo (2025) in Phoenix Arizona USA

Apr 25th 2025 LVL UP EXPO in Las Vegas Nevada USA

Lae'zel - Devora Wilde

Nov 9th 2024 Liverpool Comic Con in Liverpool England United Kingdom

Nov 22nd 2024 Milan Games Week in Milan Italy

Nov 30th 2024 Comic Con Stuttgart in Stuttgart Germany

Dec 12th 2024 Anime Weekend Atlanta in Atlanta Georgia USA

Dec 20th 2024 Holiday Matsuri in Orlando Florida USA

Mar 6th 2025 Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle Washington USA

April 11th 2025 C2E2 in Chicago Illinois USA

Apr 25th 2025 LVL UP EXPO in Las Vegas Nevada USA

Minsc - Matthew Mercer

Nov 23rd 2024 Heroes Dutch Comic Con 2024 in Utrecht Netherlands

Dec 6th 2024 PAX Unplugged Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA

April 11th 2025 C2E2 in Chicago Illinois USA

Oct 9th 2025 NYCC in New York New York USA

Minthara - Emma Gregory

Nov 29th 2024 MCM Birmingham in Birmingham UK

Mizora - Tamaryn Payne

Nov 30th 2024 Comic Con Stuttgart in Stuttgart Germany

Feb 15th 2025 Capital Sci-Fi Con in Edinburgh Scotland UK

Narrator - Amelia Tyler

Nov 30th 2024 Comic Con Stuttgart in Stuttgart Germany

Orin - Maggie Robertson

Nov 2nd 2024 Collect-a-Con Houston in Houston Texas

Nov 29th 2024 MCM Birmingham in Birmingham UK

Raphael - Andrew Wincott

Nov 29th 2024 MCM Birmingham in Birmingham UK

Jan 18th 2025 MegaConLive Dublin in Dublin Ireland

Rolan - George Taylor

Scratch - Shaun Mendum

Shadowheart - Jennifer English

Nov 9th 2024 Liverpool Comic Con in Liverpool England United Kingdom

Nov 22nd 2024 Milan Games Week in Milan Italy

Nov 30th 2024 Comic Con Stuttgart in Stuttgart Germany

Dec 12th 2024 Anime Weekend Atlanta in Atlanta Georgia USA

Dec 20th 2024 Holiday Matsuri in Orlando Florida USA

Mar 6th 2025 Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle Washington USA

April 11th 2025 C2E2 in Chicago Illinois USA

Apr 25th 2025 LVL UP EXPO in Las Vegas Nevada USA

Wyll - Theo Solomon

Nov 9th 2024 Liverpool Comic Con in Liverpool England United Kingdom

Nov 30th 2024 Comic Con Stuttgart in Stuttgart Germany

Dec 12th 2024 Anime Weekend Atlanta in Atlanta Georgia USA

Dec 20th 2024 Holiday Matsuri in Orlando Florida USA

[katanadepapel]

Voice actors 🇺🇲 and 🇧🇷 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

💙LEONARDO💙

TMNT (1987)

🇺🇲Cam Clarke

🇧🇷Manolo Rey

TMNT (2003)

🇺🇲Mike Sinterniklaas

🇧🇷Mauro Eduardo Lima

TMNT (2012)

🇺🇲Jason Biggs

(1°voice)

Dominic Catrambone

(2°voice)

Seth Green

(3°voice)

🇧🇷Antônio Akira

(1° voz)

Bruno Camargo

(2°voz)

ROTTMNT (2018/2022)

🇺🇲Ben Schwartz

🇧🇷Fabrício Rinaldi

TMNT MUTANT MAYHEM (2023)

🇺🇲Nicolas Cantu

🇧🇷Rodrigo Ribeiro

💙

♥️ RAPHAEL♥️

TMNT (1987)

🇺🇲Rob Paulsen

(1°voice)

Thom Pinto

(2°voice)

Hal Rayle

(3°voice)

🇧🇷Marco Ribeiro

(1°voz)

Duda Ribeiro

(2°voz)

TMNT (2003)

🇺🇲Frank Frankson

🇧🇷Renato Soares

(1°voz)

Wendell Bezerra

(2°voz)

TMNT (2012)

🇺🇲Sean Astin

🇧🇷Hermes Baroli

(1°voz)

Felipe Zilse

(2°voz)

ROTTMNT (2018/2022)

🇺🇲Omar Benson Miller

🇧🇷Glauco Marques

TMNT MUTANT MAYHEM (2023)

🇺🇲Brady Noon

🇧🇷Victor Hugo Fernandes

♥️

💜 DONATELLO💜

TMNT (1987)

🇺🇲Barry Gordon

(1° voice)

Greg Berg

(2°voice)

🇧🇷Márcio Simões

TMNT (2003)

🇺🇲Sam Riegel

🇧🇷Márcio Araújo

TMNT (2012)

🇺🇲Rob Paulsen

🇧🇷 Wendell Bezerra

ROTTMNT (2018/2022)

🇺🇲Josh Brener

🇧🇷Marco Aurélio Campos

TMNT MUTANT MAYHEM (2023)

🇺🇲Micah Abbey

🇧🇷Arthur Carneiro

💜

🧡MICHELANGELO🧡

TMNT (1987)

🇺🇲Townsend Coleman

🇧🇷Marcelo Meirelles

(1° voz)

Mário Jorge Andrade

(2° voz)

TMNT (2003)

🇺🇲Wayne Grayson

🇧🇷Yuri Chesman

TMNT (2012)

🇺🇲Greg Cipes

🇧🇷Daniel Figueira

ROTTMNT (2018/2022)

🇺🇲Brandon Mychal Smith

🇧🇷Caio Guarnieri

TMNT MUTANT MAYHEM (2023)

🇺🇲Shamon Brown Jr.

🇧🇷Enzo Dannemann

🧡

💛APRIL O'NEIL 💛

TMNT (1987)

🇺🇲Renae Jacobs

🇧🇷Dolores Machado

TMNT (2003)

🇺🇲Veronica Taylor

🇧🇷Márcia Regina

TMNT (2012)

🇺🇲Mae Whitman

🇧🇷Tatiane Keplmair

(1°voz)

Fernanda Bullara

(2°voz)

ROTMNT (2018/2022)

🇺🇲Kat Graham

🇧🇷Maíra Paris

TMNT MUTANT MAYHEM (2023)

🇺🇲Ayo Edebiri

🇧🇷Any Gabrielly

💛

🤎 SPLINTER 🤎

TMNT 1987

🇺🇲Peter Renaday

(1°voice)

Townsend Coleman

(2°voice)

🇧🇷Dario Lourenço

(1°voz)

Miguel Rosenberg (2°voz)

Orlando Drummond

(3°voz)

TMNT (2003)

🇺🇲Darren Dunstan

🇧🇷Válter Santos

(1°voz)

Renato Márcio

(2°voz)

TMNT (2012)

🇺🇲 Hoon Lee

🇧🇷Nestor Chiesse

ROTTMNT (2018/2022)

🇺🇲Eric Bauza

🇧🇷Raul Rosa

TMNT MUTANT MAYHEM

(2023)

🇺🇲Jackie Chan

🇧🇷Tatá Guarnieri

🤎

[brookston]

Holidays 10.24

Holidays

American Bar Association Giving Day

Azad Kashmir Day (Pakistan)

Black Thursday Commemoration Day

Brain Cancer Awareness Day (Canada)

Child Care Worker & Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day (Canada)

Day of Special Forces of the Armed Forces (Russia)

Diplomatic Workers’ Day (Kyrgyzstan)

40-Hour Work Week Day

Gormanudr (Old Icelandic)

House of Elrond Day (Lord of the Rings)

International Day of Climate Action

International Day of Libraries

International Diplomats Day

International Gibbon Day

Java Sparrow Day (Japan)

Lego Day

Libraries Day (Spain)

My Best Winter Skin Day

National Crazy Day

National Doctors Day (Indonesia)

National Elizabeth Day

National Forensic Accounting Day

National Kangaroo Awareness Day

National One United Race Day

National Restaurant Workers Day

National Senior UTI Awareness Day

National Temperature Day

Pear Day (French Republic)

PitDark Pitch Day

Programmer’s Day (China)

Read for the Record Day

Recycle Your Mercury Thermostat Day

Rocket Engineer Remembrance Day (Baikonur, Kazakhstan)

A Room of Her Own Day

Standardization and Metrology Employees Day (Kyrgyzstan)

Suez Day (Egypt)

Take Back Your Time Day

Telegram Day

Tony Bennett Day (NYC)

Trade Unions Day (Tajikistan)

United Nations Day

Vote Early Day

World Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (AOM) Day

World Development Information Day (UN)

World Kangaroo Day

World Origami Days begin (until 11.11)

World Polio Day

World River Dolphin Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Feast of Good and Plenty (a.k.a. Good and Plenty Day)

Food Day [ website ]

Hershey’s Chocolate Day

Margarine Day (Japan)

National Bologna Day

National Jamaican Jerk Day

Share a Pop-Tart with Someone You Love Day

World Tripe Day

Independence & Related Days

United Nations (Founded; 1945)

Zambia (from UK, 1964)

4th Thursday in October

Black Thursday [Thursday of Last Full Week]

Plastics Thursday (Canada) [4th Thursday]

Thinking Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Thirsty Thursday [Every Thursday]

Three for Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thrift Store Thursday [Every Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thuringer Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 24 (3rd Full Week of October)

Disarmament Week (thru 10.30)

International Dyslexia Association Reading Week (thru 10.26)

International Tree Climbing Week (thru 10.27)

Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week (thru 10.31)

World Origami Days (thru 11.11)

Festivals Beginning October 24, 2024

Austin Film Festival (Austin, Texas) [thru 10.31]

Barbados Food & Rum Festival (Warrens, Barbados) [thru 10.27]

Cambridge Film Festival (Cambridge, United Kingdom) [thru 10.31]

Cork Jazz Festival (Cork, Ireland) [thru 10.28]

Food Industry Truck Driving Championship (Orlando, Florida) [thru 10.26]

Harvest on the Harbor (Portland, Maine) [thru 10.26]

Helsinki Book Fair (Helsinki, Finland) [thru 10.27]

Imagine Film Festival (Amsterdam, Netherlands) [thru 11.3]

Pumpkinpalooza (Starkville, Mississippi)

Tacoma Holiday Food & Gift Festival (Tacoma, Washington) [thru 10.27]

Top Taco (Matairie, Louisiana)

Feast Days

Al Feldstein (Artology)

Ann Cleeves (Writerism)

Anthony Mary Claret (Christian; Saint)

Betty Lou (Muppetism)

Bijaya Dashami [10th Day of Dashain]

Bob Kane (Artology)

Cider Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Eberigisil (Evergitus; Christian; Saint)

Eugène Fromentin (Artology)

Feast of the Spirits of the Air (Pagan)

Five Martyrs of Carthage (Felix and Companions; Christian; Saint)

Janis Joplin Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Jüri Arrak (Artology)

Konstantin Yuon (Artology)

Lilith’s Day (Ancient Mesopotamian)

Luigi Guanella (Christian; Saint)

Magloire of Dol (Christian; Saint)

Maladay (Discordian)

Marianne North (Artology)

Martin of Vertou (Christian; Saint)

Massimo d'Azeglio (Artology)

New Year’s Day (Jainism)

Proclus of Constantinople (Christian; Saint)

Raphael the Archangel (Catholic Church 1921-1969, local calendars) [Travelers]

Rafael Guízar y Valencia (Christian; Saint)

Senoch (Christian; Saint)

Vico (Positivist; Saint)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays

Shemini Atzeret [22 Tishrei]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [57 of 71]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [49 of 60]

Premieres

The Alamo (Film; 1960)

American Pie, by Don McLean (Album; 1971)

Battle of Britain (Film; 1969)

Donald’s Camera (Disney Cartoon; 1941)

Episode 120 or 123 (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 120; 1961)

Equus, by Peter Shaffer (Play; 1974)

Fer-de-Lance, by Rex Stout (Novel; 1934) [Nero Wolfe #1]

Gattaca (Film; 1997)

Go Snow, Parts 3 & 4 (Underdog Cartoon, S1, Eps. 7 & 8; 1964)

Hot and Cold Penguin (Chilly Willy Cartoon; 1955)

John Wick (Film; 2014)

The Last Hurrah (Film; 1958)

Live at the Apollo, recorded by James Brown (Album; 1962)

The Manchurian Candidate (Film; 1962)

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, by Smashing Pumpkins (Album; 1995)

Mellow Yellow, by Donovan (Song; 1966)

Miss Fritter’s Racing School (Pixar Cartoon; 2017)

Moose Gets the Juice or Mourning Becomes Electra-Cuted (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 119; 1961)

Our Man in Havana, by Graham Greene (Novel; 1958)

Pancho’s Hideaway (WB LT Cartoon; 1964)

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, by Simon & Garfunkel (Album; 1966)

Shaved Fish, by John Lennon (Album; 1975)

The Silver Spoon, by Clelia D'Onofrio (Cookbook; 1950)

Smooth Criminal, by Michael Jackson (Song; 1988)

Springtime (Ub Iwerks Silly Symphony Disney Cartoon; 1929)

St. Vincent (Film; 2014)

The Super Salesman (Heckle & Jeckle Cartoon; 1947)

Taylor Swift, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2006)

The Wiz (Film; 1978)

Wotta Knight (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1947)

Today’s Name Days

Alois, Aloisia, Anton, Armella (Austria)

Antun, Proklo (Croatia)

Nina (Czech Republic)

Proclus (Denmark)

Asmo, Asmus, Ermo, Rasmus (Estonia)

Asmo, Rasmus (Finland)

Florentin (France)

Alois, Aloisia, Anton, Armella, Victoria (Germany)

Sevastiani (Greece)

Salamon (Hungary)

Ponzia (Italy)

Ara, Modrite, Mudrīte, Renāte (Latvia)

Daugailas, Gilbertas, Rapolas, Švitrigailė (Lithuania)

Eilif, Eivor (Norway)

Antoni, Boleczest, Filip, Hortensja, Marcin, Rafaela, Rafał, Salomon (Poland)

Areta (Romania)

Kvetoslava (Slovakia)

Antonio (Spain)

Eilert, Evert (Sweden)

Valentine (Ukraine)

Denver, Rafael, Rafaela, Raphael, Raphaela (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 298 of 2024; 68 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of Week 43 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 26 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Jia-Xu), Day 22 (Xin-You)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 22 Tishri 5785

Islamic: 20 Rabi II 1446

J Cal: 28 Orange; Seventhday [28 of 30]

Julian: 11 October 2024

Moon: 50%: 3rd Quarter

Positivist: 18 Descartes (11th Month) [Wincklemann / Fréret]

Runic Half Month: Wyn (Joy) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 33 of 90)

Week: 3rd Full Week of October

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 2 of 30)

[bakuliwrites]

A Distant Past- Gortash x My Tav

Rating: Mature Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3 Pairing: Enver Gortash x OC Tags: Slightly suggestive, a bit of angst, Gortash spoilers, BG3 spoilers, pre-events of Baldur's Gate 3, Gortash backstory, OC backstory A/N: I have no idea when I'm going to get around to writing my fic about my Tav, Orlando, but I'm coming up with all sorts of content for it. It's just completely out of order. So, here's a little mini-fic which will be featured in my eventual fanfic. For context, this occurs after Gortash and my Tav have escaped the House of Hope, but years before the events of Baldur's Gate 3 :) Want to know more about my Tav? Check her out here

Lifting his head from his cluttered desk, Enver pinches the bridge of his nose, willing the pressure of a nascent migraine to dissipate. He’s been working for hours, maybe even days, with little to show for it. Unfinished, half-baked ideas litter his workspace and he’s certain his five o’clock shadow has progressed into full beard territory. His dark eyes flick over to where Orlando is scratching away at some parchment, the grip on her quill irontight. The Tiefling’s forehead is crinkled in concentration, as she is no doubt absorbed in formulating some new potion derived from her luminescent tears. Recently, she made a bit of money selling a vial to a scientist of middling renown, who hopes to turn them into a viable light source. But that one sale hasn’t been much in the way of funds, hence her dedication to expanding her little business.

Enver listens to the harsh scratch of her pen on parchment and smiles to himself. Orlando’s patience is endless. How long has it been since they slipped through Raphael’s claws? A decade, at least. And how long has Enver been promising her safety, security, stability? Even longer. 

Thus far, he’s been able to provide exactly nothing for her. He’s resorted to thievery and scrounging around for whatever food and living accommodations he can find. It was Orlando that managed to secure the two of them a temporary home, albeit water damaged and reeking of brine. A hut on the beach in Baldur’s Gate isn’t exactly prime real estate, but it serves its purpose for now. Shelter and somewhere to work is all Enver really needs. He is a man of unwavering perseverance, more so than he even realizes, yet, in his late twenties. 

Even in this dingy shack they’ve commandeered as a workspace, Enver sees promise. He sees potential, if he can get any of his damn machines to actually work. Miniature prototypes of devices he’s given the temporary titles of, “Steel Soldiers,” (a name he plans to change one day) lay disassembled around his workspace. Blueprints for better designs, newer designs, cover his desk and spill onto the floor. Meanwhile, Orlando has laid claim to a small desk in the corner, comfortable in the dark and claustrophobic den she’s built for herself. She’s always been more productive in small, shadowy spaces. She glances up for a moment, webbed ears perking up when she hears Enver sigh. She meets his gaze and beams gently.

Part of Enver wishes he could give Orlando the life she’s always imagined, the one she wrote to him about in the secretive notes they used to pass back and forth in the House of Hope. Were she to stay with him, perhaps he could give her some semblance of that life, though it certainly wouldn’t be the saccharine fantasy she’d cooked up all those years ago. A fantasy she also appears to have abandoned. Years of struggling to make ends meet seem to have dashed any hopes she had for a cottage in the woods with a gaggle of children and flocks of sheep (or was it chickens? He can’t recall).

Enver is certain he can give Orlando a life better than the simple one she imagined as a child. He is meant for greater, grander things, and so is she. Orlando is more lethal than she realizes. Were she to unlock her potential, were Enver’s potential to be recognized- by the gods, they’d be unstoppable. Bane would no doubt be pleased. And whatever eldritch patron Orlando is bound to- well, it’s safe to say they’d benefit from a union as powerful as his and hers. 

Enver lets his mind wander for a moment. In another life, he stands at the grand window in a magnificent office. His magnificent office, one with mahogany shelves from floor to ceiling and space for him to fiddle with his machines. The deep blue waters of the Sword Coast shimmer brightly in his view, and Enver knows he’s made it. He’s the top of the top, the cream of the crop. In this dream, in this life, he is beloved, feared, and standing victoriously on the pinnacle of the world. A portrait of him, powerful and commanding, hangs above the mantelpiece, with Orlando sitting elegant and proud at his side. Triumphant, he swivels back to the window, gloating over the city that failed him so spectacularly as a child. However, the dream suddenly shifts. Night descends on Baldur’s Gate and the stars twinkle softly in their heavenly bezels. 

Enver still stands at his office window, a newborn son swaddled in his arms. The boy’s chubby cheeks are softer than velvet, his teeny, pink lips slightly parted in peaceful slumber. He looks like his mother, right down to the little horns sprouting from his head and the bioluminescent spots on his delicately webbed ears. But he has his father’s eyes (and possibly his nose, though it’s still a bit early to tell). He is the picture of innocence, cherubic and new. The world is a marvel to him still, the mysteries of which his parents will help him unravel in time. Mysteries Enver had to unravel for himself when he was a boy.  

A surge of contempt wells in Enver’s chest. Looking down at the sweet face of his little one, he cannot fathom how a parent could sell their child. He simply cannot comprehend letting anyone wrench his precious babe from his arms in exchange for a petty amount of gold. His son- Mirak or Nikhil, he decides (he recalls Orlando daydreaming about naming a son one of these names)- stirs, wriggling restlessly in his blanket. When the boy yawns, the slightest squeak escapes his throat, and Enver feels his heart swell. Who could be so cruel as to assign value to that which is priceless? 

In this other life, he feels Orlando’s arms snake around his waist and pull him close. She rests her head against his broad shoulders and when she leans up to press a lingering kiss to Enver’s neck, he smells her sweet jasmine and musk perfume, and for a moment, Enver could convince himself this life is real.

“My handsome men,” she affectionately hums, squeezing him tight. Enver shifts the baby to one arm, wrapping his other around his wife and drawing her near. The feeling that surges through him in this moment is foreign, utterly unknown to him. Is this what it’s like to feel unconditional love? Love without expectation? Love not as a commodity or something to earn, but something entirely inherent and guaranteed? Here they stand, a family of three. United, as they should be. As families ought to be.

But this life will never be. Enver’s trajectory has not allowed room for the comforts of settling down. This other life is a fantasy in every sense of the word. A ridiculous notion Orlando planted in his head over years of pining after a life that will always be out of reach. He must carry on, determined as ever. If life will not give him what he wants, then he must take it for himself.

A gentle touch draws Enver from his thoughts, ink-stained fingers carding softly through his jet black locks. Velvet lips press tender kisses to his cheekbones, scratching against his stubble and smiling softly against his skin.

“Come to bed?” Orlando tempts, her voice a drawl as her hands smooth along his shoulders. Meeting her eyes, Enver knows in his heart that they are on the cusp of something brilliant. Something life changing. He will stop at nothing to ensure a safe future for himself, for Orlando.

Enver grasps Orlando’s hand, pulling her into him, letting her settle on the desk in front of him. Her startled gasp turns to a giggle, which is swiftly hushed when his lips crash hungrily into hers. Orlando returns his kiss with equal fervor. Enver doesn’t have time for sleep, not if he wants to build the life he’s promised her for so long. But Enver won’t say no to blowing off some steam, refreshing his thoughts and losing himself in his cherished one for a while.

A/N: I don't intend for this fic to have any redemption arcs for Gortash. I want it to purely be a dual route fic: one ending with a corruption arc for my Tav and one ending where she will have to face off with Gortash. But I can't resist writing about what could have been in another life, if things had gone differently for them. Thank you for reading :) More to come.

[therileyandkimmyshow]

Special Podcast Interview of Voice Actor Rob Paulsen

The Riley and Kimmy Show thanks Fanboy Expo Orlando for inviting us to this year's event. We are excited that voice actor Rob Paulsen is appearing at Fanboy Expo Orlando (September 6-8, 2024). For Flashback Friday an interview we did with Rob Paulsen. Rob talks about many of the voices he has done in animation. Rob is the voice of Pinky from Pinky and the Brain, Yakko from Animaniacs, Raphael and Donatello of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and many more animated characters. https://rileyandkimmyshow.blogspot.com/2022/06/wayback-wednesday-special-podcast.html

[ausetkmt]

The Black men’s Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has announced it will move its 2025 general convention from Orlando in light of “racist” policies. 

The fraternity announced the news Wednesday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, citing “Governor DeSantis’ harmful, racist, and insensitive policies against the Black Community,” as the reason behind the decision.  

Willis L. Lonzer III, the fraternity’s general president, told The Hill that last week’s controversy surrounding new education standards in the state became the tipping point in the fraternity’s decision.

“Governor DeSantis has continuously advocated for laws and policies that negatively impact Black people and other marginalized communities,” Lonzer said.

“We start first with the laws rejecting the teaching race and the cultural diversity of our nation. We can even talk about the bill that he supported, banning [diversity, equity and inclusion] initiatives in colleges and universities. But the final straw really was his advancement of this new curriculum standards released last week, suggesting enslaved people developed skills that could later be a personal benefit to them, which is absolutely absurd.”

“This is a stunt,” DeSantis’s office said in a statement to The Hill.

Florida’s new guidelines, approved last week, require lessons on race be taught in an “objective” manner that does not seek to “indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view.” 

One of the updated standards that received backlash requires instructors to teach that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” 

Another requires that students must learn about “acts of violence perpetrated against and by African Americans.” This includes massacres such as the Tulsa Race Massacre. 

The new education standards were immediately met with backlash from Black leaders around the nation, including Vice President Harris, who blasted DeSantis in a speech in Jacksonville for “pushing propaganda” on children.

The latest set of guidelines follows the state’s decision earlier this year that prohibited an Advanced Placement African American studies course from running. At the time, the state said the class lacked educational value. 

Alpha Phi Alpha was the fraternity of some of the most prominent Black leaders in America, and remains so today. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Paul Robeson, Whitney Young and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall were all members of the fraternity. 

Today, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, are all members. 

While a new location has not been decided upon just yet, Lonzer said the fraternity expects their decision will cost the greater Orlando area some $4.6 million in revenue.

“We will not spend our money where Black people and other marginalized communities are continuously harmed by policies at the highest level of government,” Lonzer said.

He added that other members of the Divine Nine — a group of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities — are all “aligned” on the significance of ensuring that all people are treated with respect. 

But he also urged those in Florida to exercise their right to vote when the time comes. 

“We have not forgotten our membership or the citizens of Florida,” Lonzer said. “We are committed to encouraging them to stay vigilant and to ensure that they are in the voting process. We will continue to make our voter education opportunities available as we funnel funds to the state of Florida to ensure that they can hold various forums and can have the appropriate conversations. When the time comes to vote, we will get them out to vote.”

–Updated on July 27 at 10:36 a.m.

[sdhqsecrets]

halloween costume contest ‘27 →  tallulah abbott for scariest costume

everyone knows by now that this title belongs to you, abbott. and rightfully so. while this certainly isn't the scariest of looks that you've brought to our annual costume contest, it's certainly chilling enough to take the top spot of this category yet again !!

2nd place - Raphael Toussaint

3rd place - Evelyn Moon

the rest of the runner ups are below !!

Briar Bellchant

Hunter Adams

Isabelle Durant

Lucas Harper

Lucienne Wolffe

Max Hewitt

Orlando Lockhart

Theodore Dubanowski

Theodore Oliver

Victoire Weasley

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 10.24

Holidays

American Bar Association Giving Day

Azad Kashmir Day (Pakistan)

Black Thursday Commemoration Day

Brain Cancer Awareness Day (Canada)

Child Care Worker & Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day (Canada)

Day of Special Forces of the Armed Forces (Russia)

Diplomatic Workers’ Day (Kyrgyzstan)

40-Hour Work Week Day

Gormanudr (Old Icelandic)

House of Elrond Day (Lord of the Rings)

International Day of Climate Action

International Day of Libraries

International Diplomats Day

International Gibbon Day

Java Sparrow Day (Japan)

Lego Day

Libraries Day (Spain)

My Best Winter Skin Day

National Crazy Day

National Doctors Day (Indonesia)

National Elizabeth Day

National Forensic Accounting Day

National Kangaroo Awareness Day

National One United Race Day

National Restaurant Workers Day

National Senior UTI Awareness Day

National Temperature Day

Pear Day (French Republic)

PitDark Pitch Day

Programmer’s Day (China)

Read for the Record Day

Recycle Your Mercury Thermostat Day

Rocket Engineer Remembrance Day (Baikonur, Kazakhstan)

A Room of Her Own Day

Standardization and Metrology Employees Day (Kyrgyzstan)

Suez Day (Egypt)

Take Back Your Time Day

Telegram Day

Tony Bennett Day (NYC)

Trade Unions Day (Tajikistan)

United Nations Day

Vote Early Day

World Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (AOM) Day

World Development Information Day (UN)

World Kangaroo Day

World Origami Days begin (until 11.11)

World Polio Day

World River Dolphin Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Feast of Good and Plenty (a.k.a. Good and Plenty Day)

Food Day [ website ]

Hershey’s Chocolate Day

Margarine Day (Japan)

National Bologna Day

National Jamaican Jerk Day

Share a Pop-Tart with Someone You Love Day

World Tripe Day

Independence & Related Days

United Nations (Founded; 1945)

Zambia (from UK, 1964)

4th Thursday in October

Black Thursday [Thursday of Last Full Week]

Plastics Thursday (Canada) [4th Thursday]

Thinking Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Thirsty Thursday [Every Thursday]

Three for Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thrift Store Thursday [Every Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thuringer Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 24 (3rd Full Week of October)

Disarmament Week (thru 10.30)

International Dyslexia Association Reading Week (thru 10.26)

International Tree Climbing Week (thru 10.27)

Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week (thru 10.31)

World Origami Days (thru 11.11)

Festivals Beginning October 24, 2024

Austin Film Festival (Austin, Texas) [thru 10.31]

Barbados Food & Rum Festival (Warrens, Barbados) [thru 10.27]

Cambridge Film Festival (Cambridge, United Kingdom) [thru 10.31]

Cork Jazz Festival (Cork, Ireland) [thru 10.28]

Food Industry Truck Driving Championship (Orlando, Florida) [thru 10.26]

Harvest on the Harbor (Portland, Maine) [thru 10.26]

Helsinki Book Fair (Helsinki, Finland) [thru 10.27]

Imagine Film Festival (Amsterdam, Netherlands) [thru 11.3]

Pumpkinpalooza (Starkville, Mississippi)

Tacoma Holiday Food & Gift Festival (Tacoma, Washington) [thru 10.27]

Top Taco (Matairie, Louisiana)

Feast Days

Al Feldstein (Artology)

Ann Cleeves (Writerism)

Anthony Mary Claret (Christian; Saint)

Betty Lou (Muppetism)

Bijaya Dashami [10th Day of Dashain]

Bob Kane (Artology)

Cider Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Eberigisil (Evergitus; Christian; Saint)

Eugène Fromentin (Artology)

Feast of the Spirits of the Air (Pagan)

Five Martyrs of Carthage (Felix and Companions; Christian; Saint)

Janis Joplin Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Jüri Arrak (Artology)

Konstantin Yuon (Artology)

Lilith’s Day (Ancient Mesopotamian)

Luigi Guanella (Christian; Saint)

Magloire of Dol (Christian; Saint)

Maladay (Discordian)

Marianne North (Artology)

Martin of Vertou (Christian; Saint)

Massimo d'Azeglio (Artology)

New Year’s Day (Jainism)

Proclus of Constantinople (Christian; Saint)

Raphael the Archangel (Catholic Church 1921-1969, local calendars) [Travelers]

Rafael Guízar y Valencia (Christian; Saint)

Senoch (Christian; Saint)

Vico (Positivist; Saint)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays

Shemini Atzeret [22 Tishrei]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [57 of 71]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [49 of 60]

Premieres

The Alamo (Film; 1960)

American Pie, by Don McLean (Album; 1971)

Battle of Britain (Film; 1969)

Donald’s Camera (Disney Cartoon; 1941)

Episode 120 or 123 (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 120; 1961)

Equus, by Peter Shaffer (Play; 1974)

Fer-de-Lance, by Rex Stout (Novel; 1934) [Nero Wolfe #1]

Gattaca (Film; 1997)

Go Snow, Parts 3 & 4 (Underdog Cartoon, S1, Eps. 7 & 8; 1964)

Hot and Cold Penguin (Chilly Willy Cartoon; 1955)

John Wick (Film; 2014)

The Last Hurrah (Film; 1958)

Live at the Apollo, recorded by James Brown (Album; 1962)

The Manchurian Candidate (Film; 1962)

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, by Smashing Pumpkins (Album; 1995)

Mellow Yellow, by Donovan (Song; 1966)

Miss Fritter’s Racing School (Pixar Cartoon; 2017)

Moose Gets the Juice or Mourning Becomes Electra-Cuted (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 119; 1961)

Our Man in Havana, by Graham Greene (Novel; 1958)

Pancho’s Hideaway (WB LT Cartoon; 1964)

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, by Simon & Garfunkel (Album; 1966)

Shaved Fish, by John Lennon (Album; 1975)

The Silver Spoon, by Clelia D'Onofrio (Cookbook; 1950)

Smooth Criminal, by Michael Jackson (Song; 1988)

Springtime (Ub Iwerks Silly Symphony Disney Cartoon; 1929)

St. Vincent (Film; 2014)

The Super Salesman (Heckle & Jeckle Cartoon; 1947)

Taylor Swift, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2006)

The Wiz (Film; 1978)

Wotta Knight (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1947)

Today’s Name Days

Alois, Aloisia, Anton, Armella (Austria)

Antun, Proklo (Croatia)

Nina (Czech Republic)

Proclus (Denmark)

Asmo, Asmus, Ermo, Rasmus (Estonia)

Asmo, Rasmus (Finland)

Florentin (France)

Alois, Aloisia, Anton, Armella, Victoria (Germany)

Sevastiani (Greece)

Salamon (Hungary)

Ponzia (Italy)

Ara, Modrite, Mudrīte, Renāte (Latvia)

Daugailas, Gilbertas, Rapolas, Švitrigailė (Lithuania)

Eilif, Eivor (Norway)

Antoni, Boleczest, Filip, Hortensja, Marcin, Rafaela, Rafał, Salomon (Poland)

Areta (Romania)

Kvetoslava (Slovakia)

Antonio (Spain)

Eilert, Evert (Sweden)

Valentine (Ukraine)

Denver, Rafael, Rafaela, Raphael, Raphaela (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 298 of 2024; 68 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of Week 43 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 26 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Jia-Xu), Day 22 (Xin-You)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 22 Tishri 5785

Islamic: 20 Rabi II 1446

J Cal: 28 Orange; Seventhday [28 of 30]

Julian: 11 October 2024

Moon: 50%: 3rd Quarter

Positivist: 18 Descartes (11th Month) [Wincklemann / Fréret]

Runic Half Month: Wyn (Joy) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 33 of 90)

Week: 3rd Full Week of October

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 2 of 30)

[jayessentialsblog]

For AFCON qualifying, the NFF releases the Super Eagles squad

23 players have been added to the Nigeria Football Federation's (NFF) roster for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Rwanda and Benin Republic. There are seven defenders, six midfielders, seven strikers, and three goalkeepers, among them Stanley Nwabali, a star for the AFCON 2023. Bendel Insurance is in skilled hands, with Taiwo Awoniyi and Amas Obasogie making comebacks. Super Eagles face Benin Republic's Cheetahs on September 7 and Amavubi in Kigali on September 10. On Monday, September 2nd, all players are required to report to Uyo. FULL LIST Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Bendel Insurance FC) Defenders: William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England) Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC. Italy); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England) Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England) Read the full article

[paradoxoflucidity]

𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 .

hello? has this message reached you? if you have seen this, then there is somebody in the dream world who is calling out to you ; they are wishing to meet you once again.

PARADOX OF LUCIDITY is a 18+ multifandom role-play group based on Discord. P.O.L focuses on the aspects of having fun while writing with a world built around your characters. Our rules are more laid back and emphasizes the joy of writing with others exploring your characters in a new situation. Won’t you join us?

rules | masterlist | discord invite

( ACE ATTORNEY . ) - miles edgeworth, justine courtney, phoenix wright, ema skye, apollo justice, raymond shield, shi-long lang, naruhodo ryuunosuke, susato mikotaba, kazuma asogi, yujin mikotaba, barok van zieks.

( ALIEN STAGE. ) - any characters from alien stage.

( BANG DREAM . ) - kaname raana, shiina taki, misumi uika, wakaba mutsumi, yahata umiri, yuutenji nyamu, togawa sakiko.

( BLEACH . ) - any characters from bleach.

( BOCCHI THE ROCK . ) - niijika ijichi, ryo yamada, ikuyo kita.

( CHAINSAW MAN . ) - aki hayakawa , power , any characters from chainsaw man.

( DANGANRONPA . ) - maki harukawa, kaede akamatsu, ouma kokichi, kiibo, any characters from danganronpa v3.

( DELTARUNE. ) - any characters from deltarune.

( ENSEMBLE STARS . ) - himeru, sora harukawa, aira shiratori, mayoi ayase.

( FINAL FANTASY . ) - lahabrea, emet-selch, elidibus, y'shtola rhul, athena, any characters from final fantasty xiv.

( GENSHIN IMPACT ) - wanderer/scaramouche, xiao, lumine, kazuha, lyney, freminet, albedo, childe/tartaglia, any characters from genshin impact.

( HONKAI IMPACT THIRD . ) - any characters from "honkai impact third."

( HONKAI STAR RAIL . ) - black swan, argenti, geppard, gallagher.

( HORIMIYA . ) - any characters from horimiya.

( HYPNOSIS MICROPHONE . ) - otome tohoten, ichijiku kadenokoji, samatoki aohitsugi, jyuto iruma, hitoya amaguni, kuko harai , sasara nurude, rosho tsutsujimori, jyushi aimono, doppo kannonzaka's brother, kanata yumeno, nayuta yamada, rio mason busujima.

( IDENTITY V . ) - ganji gupta, 'joker' / weeping clown, naib subedar, eli clark, lucky guy, helena adams, freddy riley, florian brand, andrew kriess, victor grantz, luca balsa, william ellis, any identity v survivors, any identity v hunters.

( KATANA ZERO . ) - any characters from "katana zero".

( KATEKYO HITMAN REBORN! . ) - yamamoto takeshi, ryohei sasagawa, hibari kyoya, rokudo mukuro, chrom dokuro, xanxus, squalo, any vongola guardians, any characters from "katekyo hitman reborn!".

( KISEKI . ) - randy orlando, elie macdowell, tio plato, wazy hemisphere, rixia mao, noel seeker, elliot craig, alisa reinford, crow armburst, jusis albarea, machias regnitz, laura s. arseid, fie clausell, emma millstein, sara valestein, estelle bright, joshua bright, any class VII characters.

( LEAGUE OF LEGENDS . ) - soraka, jinx, ekko, talon, shieda kayn, vi, yone, k'sante, any characters from league of legends.

( OBEY ME . ) - beelzebub, barbatos, simeon, diavolo, thirteen, raphael, mephistopheles, solomon, any characters from obey me.

( PARADOX LIVE . ) - naoakira saimon, yohei kanbayashi, shiki ando.

( PERSONA . ) - zen, any characters from persona 3.

( PRETTY CURE . ) - any characters from pretty cure.

( PROJECT SEKAI . ) - haruka kiritani , ichika hoshino, hatsune miku (25ji), ken shiraishi.

( PUYO PUYO . ) - any characters from the "puyo puyo" series.

( REVUE STARLIGHT ) - maya tendo, juuna hoshimi, nana daiba, futuba isurugi, kaoruko hanayagi, mahiru tsuyuzaki, karen aijou, any characters from re:LIVE!!.

( SHOW BY ROCK!! ) - aion, rom, senshi, any characters from "show by rock!!".

( SONIC ) - any characters from "sonic the hedgehog" series.

( TALES OF SERIES ) - lailah (tales of zestiria), any characters from tales of zestiria, any characters from tales of vesperia, any character from the tales of series.

( TOWER OF GOD . ) - khun aguero agnis , rak wraithraiser , any characters from tower of god.

( ZENO ) - any characters from zeno.

[scoobybuddie]

January 2024 Book Ratings

Scooby-Doo 5 Minute Stories by Random House (Hardback Version) - 5 out of 5 star rating

Shadow Queen by Orlando A. Sanchez (Kindle Unlimited Version) - 5 out of 5 star rating

The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly (Hardback Version) - 4 out of 5 star rating

Drunk Off The Bartender by Ashlynn Mills (Kindle Unlimited Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

Raphael by Toby Wise (Kindle Unlimited Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

Reindeer Games by N.R. Walker (Kindle Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

Worth The Fight by Denver Shaw (Kindle Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

Reckless Roulette by Alice Winters (Kindle Unlimited Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

Ace Of Maids by K.L. Hiers (Kindle Unlimited Version) - 4 out of 5 star rating

His Mafia Prince by Leo Rivers (Kindle Unlimited Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

Somebody To Love by April Wilson (Kindle Version) - 2 out of 5 star rating

Midnight Heist by Katherine McIntyre (Kindle Version) - 4 out of 5 star rating

Free Hand by E.M. Lindsey (Kindle Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

Simple Genius by David Baldacci (Hardback Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

The Alpha and His King by Kiki Clark (Kindle Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter (Kindle Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

Snow Falling by Davidson King (Kindle Version) - 4 out of 5 star rating

Commitment Issues by Ali Ryecart (Kindle Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

Steal The Wind by Jocelynn Drake (Kindle Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

The Bowman Boys by D.W. Ulsterman (Kindle Version) - 3 out of 5 star rating

[bakuliwrites]

Ooh I'd love to hear about Dark Star! 👀

I would be delighted to talk about it! Thank you so much for asking!

WIP Ask Game here

So, Dark Star is my BG3 fanfic about my Sorlock Tav, Orlando. More detailed info about her here and Chapter One here. She is a Deep Sea Tiefling who grew up in a family of Warlocks who all worshipped a Fathomless being they simply call The Deep Abyss. Orlando managed to escape her family with her mother and brother, but through a series of events, wound up trapped in the House of Hope as a child, where she met a young Enver Gortash. Some things I'm exploring in Dark Star:

Gortash's backstory and his time in the House of Hope. It is here that Orlando and Gortash begin their romance, which started as a childhood crush and bloomed into more as they aged. I wanted to write a story for a Tav with a history with Gortash, rather than a Durge story (though I do enjoy Durgetash).

I don't have any intention of doing a redemption arc for Gortash, but I do want to show his internal conflict when it comes to pleasing Orlando (she wants him to do the right thing) and providing a stable future for the both of them (which, for Gortash, means making questionable if not morally reprehensible decisions). Their relationship has, over the years, become more toxic, but there is a lot of deep love there, still. (If you're curious, I have a little standalone story about them in their younger years here and some letters exchanged between them here)

Lots of eldritch themes in this. Orlando has her own patron that I came up with (a baby Fathomless she rescued!), but her family has the Deep Abyss. She wants to sever her ties from this particular Fathomless, but is struggling to do so. Similar to Raphael, Orlando has an Ascended form, but it is directly related to the Deep Abyss (I'm going to draw up a design for this at some point haha).

Orlando has her own questline, so depending on which ending you get, she'll end up with Gortash, ruling over Faerûn together. Or she will end up with Astarion and Karlach :) I like poly romances and wish you could romance them both in game! I plan to have a ton of wholesome moments between them throughout each chapter.

And finally, here's a little excerpt that I haven't yet posted :) This fic has WAY more Gortash content than I initially intended. My obsession with that man hit me like a train haha. This occurs right in the beginning of act 3, during Gortash’s coronation. Orlando and Enver haven’t seen each other in a few years, but have been corresponding via letters to one another.

Orlando glides up to the dais, the hem of her white dress like silken snow pooling around her feet. She lays her hand softly over Enver’s, a touch so deeply familiar, it could knock him off his feet. For a moment, the throne room in Wyrm’s Rock is still, as if the very building itself is holding its breath. Enver has half a mind to scoop Orlando into his arms, to lay kiss after long awaited kiss to her lips, to make up for the years they’ve been apart. But in the company of others, tadpoled or otherwise, he opts to merely intertwine their fingers, giving her hand an affectionate squeeze. 

Enver is grateful for her discretion. A grand display of adoration would hardly be appropriate for his coronation ceremony. And he does not yet know where Orlando’s allegiance lies. Will she remain faithful to him? To the plan? Or will she deliberately work against him? With the killing of Ketheric Thorm, he cannot be sure anymore. Orlando is more lethal than she realizes, but that is not why Enver is interested in allying with her. No, it is her determination, her softness that will win the hearts of those in Baldur’s Gate. Enver Gortash, the iron fist of Bane, and Orlando, his gentle wife.

“I thought you dead,” he murmurs to his beloved, allowing himself a moment to rest his forehead against hers, to let his eyes flutter shut while he basks in her calm aura. How long has it been since he has felt this at peace? Her thoughts gently nudge his. 

“Your mind is open to me, Enver,” Orlando whispers in his head, a tender voice in the cacophonous din, “You are fraught with worry. What troubles you?” 

He lets her in, lets her wade past the wrathful, shadowy thoughts that have eclipsed his mind. He is controlled, calculated, and pulled together in front of this gathering of nobles and smarmy politicians. But there is a tiny corner of Enver’s psyche that is reeling, chaotic. Orlando is a reminder of softer days, hours spent idling with one another in the dark corners of the House of Hope. Secret meetings, stolen kisses, furtive glances. 

Yet, she is also a reminder of sorrowful, difficult days. Days of punishment for Enver’s insolence. His disobedience. Days of separation, because a note exchanged between the two of them was discovered, and they were no longer allowed to be alone with one another. Notes that contained plans of escape. Plans for a life lived beyond the confines of the House of Hope. Dreams crushed to dust by the cruelty of a world built on lies and false hope.

“Meet me in my office after the ceremony,” Enver breathes, before pulling away and cloaking himself in bravado once more.

[starrwulfe]

Good news everyone! Georgia has federal passenger train study funding!

In combination with some great news about funding a lot of sorely needed railroad projects and studies at the federal level, Georgia’s U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock announced new grants to explore three new Georgia passenger rail corridors, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The new rail routes would connect major economic centers in Georgia and neighboring states, providing additional public transit options, increased mobility, and a sustainable, clean-energy future.

Starting from Atlanta, the routes being studied are:

A route heading northward with stops likely in Marietta, Cartersville, Dalton and points north into Tennessee that would connect with Chattanooga and efforts in that state to create a line from there to Nashville.

Extending south and eastward, a route that would likely have intermediate stations in McDonough, Macon and end in Savannah with a connection to the Amtrak route linking Florida and DC on the east coast. There’s also the potential to create a branch that would go due south out of Macon, through Valdosta and link with Tampa or Orlando. It would be nice to get some two-state talks going with Florida on doing something together since Brightline is already plying the rails down there and its now a known quantity.

Perhaps the most interesting and likely first to get going is a high-speed line between Atlanta and Charlotte. The in-state routing on this one is not known, but it’d be very strange if Athens was missed. The growing South Carolina towns of Greenville/Spartanburg definitely and perhaps Anderson/Clemson would get stops depending on routing.

Another point of discussion is where exactly in Atlanta would these routes be emanating from; ATL’s current train station for Amtrak service on the thrice weekly Crescent service from DC to New Orleans is basically a glorified waiting room with rails and stairs that lead to Peachtree Rd just north of Midtown. There were some efforts to build a new multimodal station Downtown right across from the Five Points MARTA station, right where a bunch of railroad tracks pass through a trench. While we do need a world-class rail terminal for a world-class city like Atlanta (especially to help get a commuter rail service off the ground — more on that later,) let’s not ignore our 900-pound gorilla lying 8 miles south: Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Literally the World’s Busiest Airport for 20+ years definitely needs to be tied into any long-distance (and commuter!) rail options here. The catchment area of passengers includes not just the entire state but anything that would beat a car ride from an area of about 200 miles in diameter around us. Every time I’ve been in one of Hartsfield’s parking garages, I’ve seen cars with South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee tags that are definitely not rentals. With frequent enough service, it could be very possible to simply leave the car and take the train to the airport and catch a flight. Most Americans can’t realize this convenience right now but take it from me after living in Japan for almost 20 years, being able to just hop a train even in the most remote parts of the area and get to Haneda, Narita, Kansai and Nagoya Centrair airports without worrying about long-term parking or begging for a ride from friends is a great thing.

According to Axios, how much of the $8.2 billion will wind up in Georgia for its rail project — or the timeline for the project’s start and completion is a big question mark. One thing I’d like to know is does some of this money help look into a regional rail solution here around Atlanta that’s desperately needed. Just like NYC, LA and Chicago, whatever helps the commuter rail network, would ultimately be good for the longer distance trains as well since they could share the tracks. That ATL Trains idea is still the best idea I’ve ever seen and really, REALLY needs to be formally studied with this money. Check out the 146-page prospectus yourself, it’s that good!

Just like the Eisenhower Interstate Highway projects of the 1960s, the US really needs a rail renaissance in order to help face this brave new world of climate change, population and demographic shifts into sunbelt cities that didn’t keep up infrastructure-wise (building another lane isn’t cutting it Chief!) and the simple paradigm shift of decentralization in our metro areas in general– How many people do you know BEFORE the pandemic that worked “downtown?” OK, now how many people actually even go to an office every day? Our transportation network needs to be more dynamic and flexible to account for these shifts and overlaying a decent rail network, both nationally and locally, is paramount. This is in addition to dealing with improving road and air travel; those need to be sorted as well.

[latimeria-fell-from-heaven]

the soft doms that are absolutely massive and they know it. but they're more worried about your cries and whimpers from just the thick head easing into your trembling hole. so they willingly put off their own pleasure in favor of peppering you with soft and loving kisses, whispering out words of comfort and praise whilst easing their thick and heavy cock further inside your tight little hole. they don't mind or care that your nails are digging hard enough into their skin to draw blood; they just don't want to see you sobbing like that. they're just so soft and whipped for you, so they won't change the steady and torturously slow pace unless you ask. they want you to feel good, even if they can't verbally express how deep their adoration for you really goes. every time the two of you fuck, it's a matter of how long it'll take for you to become a babbling and drooling mess. they don't mind; if you're feeling good, then they're feeling just as good, if not more.

ー " shh, shh, s'okay love, i'm right here, okay? i'm right here, i'm not going anywhere..you're doing really well for me love." " shーshit..s'so tight...how're you so tight..? m'already..sーsorry, i just feel so good right now.." " aーah, you're making that face again, does it feel good? ahaha, i'm glad, i'm feeling good too. can i keep going then?" " it's okay, i'm halfway in now sweetheart. you're taking me so well, i'm so proud of you."

VICTOR LI, DILUC RAGNVINDR, ZHONGLI, DAINSLEIF, REGIS ADRI FLOYEN, RAPHAEL KEDREY, RUEDIGER WINTERWALD, RIFTAN CALYPSE, PHANTOM/LUCIEN, SILVERASH/ENCIODES, BAI YONGXI, & ORLANDO.

© latimeria-fell-from-heaven

[oots-digitalmedia]

Queer Rep in Dimension 20

Title: Dimension 20

    Status: Ongoing

    Core Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Emily Axford, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, Lou Wilson, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy (with guest seasons)

    Queer Cast Member: Yes

    Accessibility: Captions on YouTube and Dropout, fan transcripts available.

Summary: Welcome to Dimension 20, where comedians, improvisers, and all assortments of goofs play D&D! Led by Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan, each season of Dimension 20 will bring you to a new world, filled with new characters and new dangers. Sign up for dropout.tv for the full experience!

Fantasy High 

    Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Emily Axford, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, Lou Wilson, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy

    Tags: lesbian PC, bisexual woman PC, asexual man PC, queer man guest PC, lesbian NPC, bisexual man NPC, gay man NPC, queer woman NPC, non-binary NPC, multiple LGBTQ+ NPC,

Escape from the Bloodkeep

    Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Amy Vorpahl, Mike Trapp, Matthew Mercer, Erika Ishii, Rekha Shankar, Ify Nwadiwe 

    Tags: queer PC

The Unsleeping City

    Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Emily Axford, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, Lou Wilson, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy

    Tags: trans man PC, non-binary NPC, multiple gay men NPC,

Tiny Heist

    Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Justin McElroy, Clint McElroy, Jess Ross, Lily Du, Griffin McElroy, Travis McElroy

    Tags:

A Crown of Candy

    Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Emily Axford, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, Lou Wilson, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy

    Tags: asexual man PC, lesbian NPC, queer woman NPC

Pirates of Leviathan

    Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Matthew Mercer, Marisha Ray, Aabriya Iyengar, B. Dave Walters, Carlos Luna, Krystina Arielle

    Tags: non-binary NPC, queer NPC,

Mice & Murder

    Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Ally Beardsley, Raphael Chestang, Grant O’Brien, Rekha Shankar, Sam Reich, Katie Marovitch

    Tags: non-binary PC, multiple queer men NPC, non-binary NPC, multiple queer woman NPC

The Seven

     Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Aabria Iyengar, Rekha Shankar, Persephone Valentine, Erika Ishii, Becca Scott, Isabella Roland

    Tags: pansexual trans woman PC, multiple queer PC

Shriek Week

    Cast: Gabe Hicks, Ify Nwadiwe, Ally Beardsley, Lily Du, Dani Fernandez

    Tags: lesbian PC, poly lesbian PC, trans man NPC, multiple non-binary NPC, multiple queer NPC, poly queer NPCs,

A Starstruck Odyssey

    Cast: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Lou Wilson, Siobhan Thompson, Zac Oyama, Ally Beardsley, Emily Axford, Brian Murphy

Tags: Queer PC, Non-binary PC,

More details and/or spoilers under the break!

Check out our other queer podcast recommendations here.

Fantasy High

ID tags: Kristen Applebees (PC): lesbian, Fig Faeth (PC): bisexual woman, Riz Gukgak (PC): asexual man, Hargis (guest PC): queer man, Tracker O’Shaughnessey (NPC): lesbian, Ragh Barkrock (NPC): gay man, Jawbone O’Shaughnessey (NPC): bisexual man, Ayda Aguefort (NPC): queer woman, Garthy O’Brien (NPC): non-binary, Shellford Turtleperson (NPC): LGBTQ+, Torek Railgrinder (NPC): LGBTQ+

Details and/or Spoilers: Kristen comes to terms with her sexuality in the first season, begins dating Tracker, Fig begins dating Ayda in the second season, Riz comes out as ace in the second season, Shellford and Torek are in the LGBT alliance at their school

Escape from the Bloodkeep

ID tags: Leiland (PC): queer

Details and/or Spoilers: Leiland used to be in love with Zaul'Nazh

The Unsleeping City

ID tags: Pete Conlan (PC): trans man, Nod (NPC): non-binary, Perry Pidgeon (NPC): gay, Orlando (NPC): gay, Rovias (NPC): gay,

Details and/or Spoilers: Orlando and Rovias are lion statue boyfriends, Perry is a pigeon in love with Kugrash, who leads him on.

A Crown of Candy

ID tags: Liam Wilhelmina (PC): asexual man, Captain Annabelle Cheddar (NPC): lesbian Queen Caramelinda (NPC): queer,

Details and/or Spoilers: Liam comes out as ace, the Queen is revealed to have previously been in love with woman,

Pirates of Leviathan

ID tags: Garthy O’Brien (NPC): non-binary, Ayda Aguefort (NPC): queer

Details and/or Spoilers: Garthy and Jack have a platonic one-night stand (x|m)

Mice & Murder

ID tags: Lars Vandenchomp (PC): non-binary, Jeremy Brockhollow (NPC): gay man, Osmond Sheffield (NPC): gay man, Millie Molton (NPC): queer women, Molly Milton (NPC): queer woman, Lady Calliope Fawnbrook (NPC): queer, Lady Tabitha Fawnbrook (NPC): queer

Details and/or Spoilers: Jeremy and Osmond are married, Millie and Molly are married, Calliope and Tabitha are married,

The Seven 

ID Tags: Sam Nightingale (PC): pansexual trans woman, Ostentatia Wallace: fluid sexuality, Danielle Barkstock: sexuality is “yes”, Antiope Jones: queer,

Shriek Week

   ID Tags: Seven (PC): lesbian, Megan (PC): poly lesbian, Cleetus (NPC): trans man, Drusille (NPC): poly lesbian, Yui (NPC): poly lesbian,  Vander Van Helsing (NPC): non-binary, queer,

A Starstruck Odyssey

ID Tags: Margaret (PC): queer, Riva (PC): non-binary