#plus more usage often makes it more accessable

[cauldron-chatter]

Idk who needs to hear this right now but if you're telling yourself you shouldn't be using accommodations because you're not "that disabled" or a specific type of disabled

STFU

if it helps you then it is functioning as intended congrats you're not misusing it

[bvtbxtch]

Checkmate. | Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Summary: You thought your night couldn't get much worse, until a certain metalhead makes you an offer you can't refuse.

Pairings: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader, Fem!Reader x Original!Jock!Character, minimal usage of Y/N.

Series Warnings: MDNI!!!! 18+ smut, fluff and angst, mentions of drug and alcohol use, Eddie and Reader partake in substances and he drives, both give consent under the influence but no one is so intoxicated they don't know what they're doing, mentions of physical harm towards reader and domestic violence if you squint. Ageless or minor blogs will be blocked.

Word Count: 9.8k (Shes a mammoth, of course)\

A/N: Hello my babies thank you for coming to my ted talk. Here is my next series and I have no idea how long it will be thank you kindly. This man has just had a chokehold on my brain. This fic was inspired by the song Sex by the 1975 and Checkmate by Conan Gray. I want to say a special thank you to @darknesseddiem for being my sweet angel baby and chatting with me through some hard shit!! Love you lots! I hope you all enjoy!!

Going to tag some mutuals and my fave blogs because I would love feedback and ideas on what you would like to see next!!

@andvys @eddiemunsons-missingnipple @eddie-munsons-mullet @ali-r3n @lovebugism @trashmouth-richie

“Fuck” you gasp as you frantically look in all of your jacket pockets for any remnants of a cigarette. Your eyes clouded with tears as you tried to take deep breaths. You wish that the ground would swallow you whole as drunk teens climbed over you on the front steps of whoever’s house was hosting this weekend’s rager. You wished you talked your boyfriend out of this party - hell you wish that you were at home alone. That way this mess would have been avoided, or it could have happened in the comfort of your own home - or without being humiliated by most of the people you went to highschool with. 

You laid on Billy’s unmade bed, pulling back on your shirt and fixing your panties that had been hastily pushed to the side.

“So, is that really what you’re wearing tonight?” the blonde studied you through the mirror on his wall. He had pulled his old Hawkins tee over his curls and smoothed it over his toned stomach. 

“Wha- what’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” You peered down at your bare legs and suddenly felt self conscious. You had picked out Billy’s ‘favorite’ plaid skirt (for easy access) and paired it with an oversized one shoulder tee. Your previously perfected curls stood in a halo of frizz after your pre party escapades (which if you were feeling honest with yourself, were more pleasurable for one of you).

“It just, is like the same thing you always wear, babe. Show off that bod you got, you look like a prude” Billy sneered. You rolled your eyes as you readjusted the shirt you had donned. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t go tonight,” you mumbled. 

“What are you talking about?” the mullet of curls whirled around and glared at you. “This is the biggest party of the summer and I need to make an appearance. You know people will ask questions if you aren’t there.” He stalked up to the bed and stood over where you sat. He grabbed your chin and pressed a chaste kiss to your lips. “Plus what happens when I get too drunk and need to relieve myself in the bathroom, huh?” He snickered as he grabbed your hands and pulled you up. “Now get out of that pretty head of yours and get ready to have fun. It's like all of our favorite things. Booze, friends, music, me…” He pulled you to the door and smacked your ass as you left, you let out a yelp and a sigh as you walked to his front door. 

“Those sound like all of your favorite things.” You mumbled, but the boy did not hear you. The two of you pulled out of his driveway and raced through the sleepy streets of Hawkins.

“Who’s all gonna be there tonight?” You asked. You weren't necessarily miss congeniality when it came to the Hawkins High population. You often found solace of the likes of Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley; Steve being your neighbor since you moved to town, and Robin hardly ever leaving his side. They were the few other people who you felt fully comfortable being yourself around.

“Well of course all the boys are gonna be there, I think Harrington said he might show up, and Chrissy and the cheer girls will probably go, and… Heather will be there”He stuttered on Heather’s name, which made you look over at him. His cheeks cast a light pink glow and he glued his eyes to the road. He had never mentioned her by name before. She had always been a part of the ‘popular girls’. You were a secure person but you had a knot in your stomach. You hadn’t seen as much of your boyfriend lately, apparently going to show his alumni support at basketball games, or out with the boys. He had come back to your bed with a few suspicious looking marks on his chest and neck that he had shook off as bruises from golf with the guys. You weren’t dumb; you had your suspicions, but you found it easier to not confront him now. College applications had just gone out, and you had heard back from few. You were ready to leave Billy Hargrove and this shitty town, but the prospects were dwindling and even if you didn’t have a future, you would have someone to be with in town. You felt the stomach acid rising in your throat, making you feel sick.

“Heather, huh? You haven’t mentioned her before”

“Yeah, she has been at a few shindigs before… do you not remember?” Billy’s voice was hoarse, he was getting defensive. “Why are you getting so jealous?”

“Whatever, Hargrove. Let’s just drop it.” You had minimal energy to fight with him.

“No seriously, do you have a problem with her? Like, she’s just a girl, we’re dating. Do you seriously not trust me? Because I’ll stay stuck to your side all night if that’s what you fucking want.” His voice continued to rise as he babbled.

“Jesus fuck! I don’t care that much! You just haven’t mentioned her before. Just drop it” You scowled and turned your body to stare out the window. 

“No, you look at me” The man grabbed your arm and pulled you hard towards the console of his car. “Do you fucking think I’m stupid? I’d drop your sorry ass before I went on to someone else - and this kind of shit makes me want to drop your ass so you better fucking behave because you know what happens if I fucking dump you.” His eyes were now fixed on yours instead of the road. You pulled your arm away with no avail 

“Jesus, fine, I get it! Now let go, you’re hurting me” He let go of your arm as you threw your body towards the car door. You let a small ‘asshole’ slip out of your mouth, but he did not hear you. You rode in silence to the party. When the car stopped you opened your door and slammed it shut, leaving Billy to scramble out of his car after you. He caught up to you and grabbed your wrist.

“Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He pouted

“Yeah whatever, let’s just drop it, okay? We’re here for a good time” you mumbled. You would do anything to get out of his grip. You needed a drink. He pulled you into his chest and planted a sloppy kiss to your mouth. He tried to stick his tongue in your mouth to deepen the kiss but you pulled away from him and led him inside with a tight lipped smile.

As the hours bled together like the alcohol on the linoleum, your brain begins to go fuzzy. Your boyfriend who was, at one time, hanging off of you, was nowhere to be found. You excuse yourself from the flip cup tournament occurring in the dining room to go to the bathroom and ground yourself from the alcohol that you had consumed. You came face to face with a girl with beautiful brown locks and big brown eyes. As soon as she looked up at you, she cast her gaze to the floor and scurried past you, a guilty smile plastered to her lips. As you made it to the end of the hallway, you were met with your boyfriend's figure. His eyes bulged out as you now stormed towards him; his hands flew to his neck.

“What the fuck is this?” you clamor, the alcohol fuelling your courage and anger. 

“What are you talking about?” You pushed Billy into the wall and grabbed his wrists. When his neck was freed, you were met with sprinkles of violet bruises and lipstick.

“Are you fucking kidding me” you laughed dryly. You pulled Derek’s shirt up to see the marks lead down his stomach and disappear at the hem of his jeans. You let go and your hand wound up to slap his cheek. He takes the hit and stalks after you as you trudge back to the party.

“Y/N wait!” Billy’s pleas garner a crowd, drunk party goers begin to form a snickering gang around the two of you.

“Tell Heather I say hey, and stay the fuck away from me okay?” You turn on your heel and head for the front door.

“You want a puff of mine?” You hear a familiar voice ask you. You feel a soft thump and warmth beside you. You look over and you are met with dazzling chocolate brown eyes, a mop of curly bangs and a lopsided smile. The boy has a joint pinched between his fingers and is holding it between the two of you. You can smell the alcohol and weed radiating off of him, but unlike most of the people here, it brings you comfort. You don’t condone taking anything from strangers but tonight you needed it - and he wasn’t a stranger. Not really.

“Thanks” you whisper as you take the joint from his hands and place it in your mouth. The boy flicks his zippo and holds it to the joint in your mouth. When he pulls away, he spends what seems like hours studying your face. Your face was flushed, but you were pale. Your brows were furrowed in (what he thought was) the most beautiful way. Your lipstick had left a distant stain on your mouth and your mascara had just begun to smudge under your eyes. You looked tired, and you had obviously been crying. Eddie thinks you’re the most interesting and beautiful person he has seen tonight. He had thought you were beautiful when he had bumped into you in the hallways, or shared a friendly wave under the bleachers during a smoke break; but seeing you up close was worlds different. He feels addicted to your face already - maybe it was the beers and weed talking, but he couldn’t look away.

“How much do I owe you, Munson?” you mouthed through the joint.

“Owe me? Princess, you wound me! This one is free of charge.” Eddie quips as he throws his hands to his heart. He smiles as he plucks the joint from your lips, takes a puff, and places it back in your mouth. As little as you had talked to the metalhead in school, you remembered always being intrigued by him. Your gaze often rested on him as he made an ass out of himself. You often caught yourself smiling with him. His face always felt so kind and welcoming, a welcome change from the cruel judgmental stares of the population of Hawkins High. The only reason you weren’t eaten alive was because of Billy. Without him, you would have been the freaky new girl.  But you also knew that Eddie Munson’s reputation preceded him: although he was labeled the freak, he was one of the few drug dealers in Hawkins, which also made him a hot commodity with the female population - and was masterful with skills that pertained to them (apparently).

“Totally free, huh? No strings attached?” you teased as you knocked your shoulder into his. 

“Nah, pretty girl clause. I don’t charge for them… especially when they’ve been crying” His smile fell as he examined you. You met his eyes briefly but you couldn’t keep his gaze.. You glued your eyes to your sneakers. Eddie grabbed your chin softly and raised your face to meet his. 

“Pretty girls like you shouldn’t be outside of a party crying, you should be making the boys inside cry” he thumbed at a rogue tear that fell down your face, then grabbed the joint from you again. Your breath hitched as he blew smoke back at your face. 

“Tell me what’s going on.” You have no idea why, but you trusted him with your predicament. 

“My-my boyfriend… I just caught him with another girl.” You laugh at yourself as the words fall out of your mouth. You never thought you would be the pathetic girl babbling to someone about her shitty life, but here you are. Eddie’s eyes harden and he begins to tense his jaw. 

“Who’s your boyfriend?” he growls. 

“Umm, his name is Billy”

“Fuck- no way, Billy Hargrove did this to you? What a fucking prick! What are you gonna do?”

“Nothing tonight. It’s not even worth it.” You slump. Wiping your eyes, you look back up to Eddie and smile. “Sorry, don’t mean to be a buzzkill. You can go back inside if you want, Eddie. I shouldn’t be bothering you with my shit.”

“Sweetheart, wherever you are feels like it's the most interesting place to be… now if I go inside, I would really hope that you would join me because the two of us can’t have much fun at this party if you’re out here alone, now can we?” Both you and Eddie blush furiously. His words went straight to the pit of your stomach. You didn’t know what you deserved for him to be so nice to you, but you hope that it doesn’t stop. Eddie jumps up onto his feet and stands in front of you, his hands reaching out to yours to pull you up. For a split second, you felt unsure of yourself. You stopped before Eddie led you back up the porch steps towards the house. 

“You aren’t being nice to me just to get in my pants are you, Munson?” Although you try your best to hide it, insecurity seeps through your voice. 

“Normally I would be flattered, but I can tell that’s the opposite of what you need right now. If you would let me, Y/N, I would love to go shotgun a beer with you and have fun at a party, that’s it.” Eddie’s smile is genuine. His eyes are soft and he smiles warmly at you. For the first time in what seemed like hours, you smiled a genuine smile. With a small ‘lets go’, you let Eddie lead you back into the party.

After a few more drinks, you find yourself across from Eddie in a circle of drunk teens. A beer bottle centered between all of you. You were never one for drinking games like this, but tonight you need a change, you want to do something you normally never would, thanks to your new drinking companion. What you don't anticipate is your boyfriend entering the circle, Heather not far behind him. Your gaze hardens as you see him fold his legs into a seated position. He looked angry at you, which fuelled your rage even more - how the fuck could he be mad at you? Your eyes peel from his form, to the lanky metalhead sitting across from you. He mouths the words ' it's okay’ then sends you a wink, your posture relaxed and you focus all of your attention at the mop head across the circle from you, not the boy you thought loved you. 

A few rounds of the bottle, a few rounds of kisses, a few rounds of laughs. You are enjoying reacting to what was happening in the game of spin the bottle until the glass in the center lands on you. Time seems to stand still as you feel your heartbeat in your ears. Eddie’s face drops as he watches you, sensing your panic. He looks down at his hands and picks his thumbnails, not wanting to see the hot mess that was going to unfold in front of him. He was too pissed at your boyfriend to watch you - a literal angel - kiss someone who had hurt you so bad. 

You felt your eyes beginning to well up with tears, feeling like you only had one choice in the circle full of strangers. You could hear some of them laughing at you - obviously knowing of what had transpired between you and Billy before. You look around desperately, hoping there is some way you could take your leave, then you make eye contact with the boy that had his stare trained on the floor. Your heart pounds harder as you unravel your legs and crawl across the circle - in the opposite direction of where your boyfriend was sitting. There are gasps and oohs escaping the crowd as you inch your way closer to the boy you were going to kiss. Eddie looks up at the commotion and instantly turns flush as his stare meets yours. You seem calm, but Eddie’s hands begin to shake. He makes the mistake of glancing over at Billy, who is bright red and clenching his fists. Was this really happening? 

Eddie uncrosses his own legs and leans back on his hands, ready to receive you. As you meet his legs, he holds his breath. You slink up his body and when your face was close enough for Eddie to feel your breath on his face, you part your legs and sit into his lap. Eddie’s breath immediately hitches as everyone in the room falls silent. His arms fly to hover around your waist as your arms wrap around his neck. You gently lean in and close your eyes, giving Eddie a chance to pull away if he wanted to (but lord knows he didn’t). Your lips meet softly and you feel everything around you still. Eddie’s lips are chapped, but still feel soft against yours. You move your face to the side slightly for Eddie to deepen the kiss. His tongue glides across your lip as a permission to deepen your embrace further. You hum into him and he takes advantage, his tongue softly roaming the inside of your mouth, battling your own tongue. Your stomach backflips as Eddie grabs the side of your face, your squirm in his lap causes him to moan softly into your mouth. Everything felt spinny in the best way possible, you grab onto Eddie as you are afraid the euphoria was going to send you floating away. Suddenly, you feel a tight grip on your arm and you are being pulled to your feet from behind. You’re separated from Eddie with a smack of your mouths, and you are left to gaze at him in total awe as you are dragged out of the room backwards.The grip on your arm pulls you around the corner and it wasn’t until Eddie was fully out of sight that you felt any sort of panic.

Your back hit the wall with a thud and you were instantly trapped between two large biceps. You stare up at furious baby blue eyes glaring back at you. Billy’s hot breath fans over your face.

“What the fuck was that, Y/N? Are you fucking kidding me?” he slurs through gritted teeth. The vein on his neck was beginning to pop out. You’ve seen this vein many times before. The alcohol and intoxicating kiss were going to your head and the idea of your hypocrite boyfriend getting mad at you for a stupid spin the bottle game after he had fucked someone else gave you the giggles. You let a small one slip past your lips. Billy slams his hands against the wall that leaves a ring in your ears and your chest tightening. Your giggle fades and smile drops instantly. 

“Fucking humiliate me like that again and I will fucking ruin you. You got it? You wanna do anything in this town, you want to see anyone, I’ll make sure you can’t. University? That fucking gross record store you work at? Gone. I’ll fucking own your life if you do that shit to me ever again. I can’t believe you would do something like that to me.”

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me, right? You’re the one that’s mad at me?” you sneer. Derek takes a step back like you have punched him in the gut. “Go cry on Heather’s shoulder, because as far as I’m concerned, I’m single tonight. Fuck my life up just as hard as you fucked Heather in the bathroom.” The furious figure's hand forms a hard fist at his side. He looks like he is getting ready to wind up and hit you and you wince prematurely in anticipation…

Eddie sits in the circle completely stunned; your lips still burned onto his. It took him several seconds for his breathing to steady and for him to realize where he was: in front of a crowd of drunk teens that now look at him wide eyed, saying nothing. It also took him moments to realize that you were in fact sitting on his lap, but now were not. He runs his hands through his curls and offers his audience a tight lipped smile as he leans over and spins the bottle again. He rises from his seat and sets off after your figure, which had just disappeared around the corner. He floats over to where he could see your shadow, knees still shaky from going weak underneath your body. What he is greeted with snaps him out of his daze.

“Hey, is this dickhead bothering you?” a welcome voice rang in your ear and saves you in the knick of time. You look over to the side and see the once soft and dazzling brown irises are cold, his lopsided smile curved into a frown and his jaw was tense. Billy’s eyes meet with Eddie’s and you swear you see smoke coming out of his ears. 

“Fuck off, Munson. This is between me and my girlfriend , so why don’t you find some other desperate slut to take home and leave her alone, okay?” He pushes two fingers into Eddie’s shoulder.

“Woah, what the fuck is that supposed to mean?” you snap.

“It’s alright, sweetheart. The meathead needs to take his aggression out on someone, apparently the fuck in the bathroom didn’t do it for him” Eddie snarls, puffing his chest out, inviting Derek to make a move. 

“Sweetheart? I’ll fucking-” Derek goes to swing at the metalhead’s face but you insert yourself between the two of them. 

“Both of you, back the fuck up. I am so not in the fucking mood.” You push Eddie away, towards the front door. Eddie’s eyes are trained on the enraged boy, ensuring he stays planted in the hallway. Your boyfriend’s hands are held in fists so hard that you imagine there’s crescent shapes etching into his palms. Once you were a safe distance away, Eddie’s gaze shifts to your hands pushing on his chest. He grabs them and pulls you to the entryway of the house. His eyes soften when they land on you, his face now painted with worry.

“Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he? I’ll fucking kill him if he-”

“Relax, Munson. I’m okay. He’s pissed. I guess he has the right to be.” 

“Are you kidding? You have every right to be pissed at him! The way I see it, you just got revenge - which I am happy to have helped facilitate by the way.” To Eddie’s surprise, your retort to his comment was a wholehearted chuckle. He looks at you in amused bewilderment as you give him a hearty laugh. Your nose scrunches up and your eyes begin to water. Eddie’s heart soars, he thinks he could get used to seeing you like this. He takes a mental picture that he hopes will last him forever. Your laugh is infectious and soon he joins you. Your head leans into his chest and he is holding you to ground himself as well - feeling like he was going to explode with glee just being around you. Your laughing settles and you peered up at your savior, your eyes becoming cloudy with anxiety.

“Hey, this party kind of blows” he scoffs. “You wanna go?” he rubs circles into your shoulder comfortingly. You lean into his touch and smile softly. 

“Yeah, I am ready to get the fuck out of here. Walk me home?”

“Oh, sweetheart. I’ll do you one better.” Eddie grabs your hand and leads you to the door. As you shut the door behind you, you make eye contact with Heather, who is staring wide eyed at you. You felt sorry for her. As difficult as it felt, you let the thought of her marks down your boyfriend’s body disappear with her figure behind the door. 

You shiver in the damp summer twilight. Hawkins had been blistering hot during the daytime, but the nights were a welcome pause. You take a deep inhale of fresh air as you catch up to Eddie at the end of the driveway. You walk with him in comfortable silence. The streetlights encapsulate Eddie in a halo of light, his pale skin glowing and eyes shining. The more you study the mop headed boy, the faster your heart beats. Once you have rounded the corner of the sidewalk the boy grabs your hand. You flinch, but squeeze his hand tightly in appreciation. Why was he being so nice to you today? Are you just a lay for tonight or is he genuinely interested in you? As much as you wanted it to be genuine, you remind yourself that anything to distract you from this night was welcome. And he was in fact a pretty cute distraction.

“I’m sorry your boyfriend’s a dick” he utters. He bumps his shoulder with yours as your eyes turn to the pavement beneath your converse.  

“Yeah, it’s okay I guess.” Eddie could feel you shutting down. Your grip loosens on his hand.

“You don’t deserve that, you know?” Eddie stops walking and pulls you to face him. You roll your eyes and scoff at him.

“Alright, Munson. Take it easy, if you keep this up I might think that you like me or something”

“But, I do like you.” Eddie retorts. His answer blindsides you. He can’t mean he likes you like that. Plus you have a boyfriend.

“You don’t even know me.”

“Well, I know that kiss wasn’t just a normal kiss” Eddie’s eyes bored into you, full of a comforting darkness that was unfamiliar to you.. A coldness ran through your veins and you felt your breath catch in your throat. “Here’s what I’m thinking. We give you some matching marks that your boyfriend has. We can have fun tonight and you can forget about what you saw at that party. Or we enjoy the ride back to your house and we say goodnight and I still go home feeling like the luckiest guy in the world because I got to kiss a really beautiful girl tonight. What do you say? Van’s right here.”

Your cheeks are hot and the butterflies in your stomach feel like they are going to fly out of your body. Your mouth feels dry and your head is spinning. Did he really just offer to sleep with you to get back at Billy? Would you even be able to bring yourself to do it? But the kiss… You couldn’t stop picturing the kiss. It felt perfect. It felt like he was the only person that you were supposed to kiss. If your shitty boyfriend was off with someone else, why shouldn’t you have fun too? You stand in contemplative silence for a moment, then look up at Eddie with your big doe eyes. He feels like he could fall apart right then. You nod feverishly at him. He studies your face closely to make sure there was no hesitation, then his eyes darken with excitement and something that you could not read.

Eddie lunges into you like you are his prey. His hands fly to your hips and he pushes you onto the side of his van. Your mouth opens to let him deepen the kiss and he hums into you. Your butterflies move from your stomach to your core as Eddie puts his knee in between your legs. You break the kiss to catch your breath, giving the brunette prime real estate at your neck. He traces kisses from the side of your mouth to your pulse point, then he bites down hard - garnering a sharp gasp from you. You feel Eddie chuckle against your skin. He drags his tongue against the new bruise that was forming to soothe the dull ache. 

“Eddie” you gasp, feeling the strength slipping from your legs, you needed more from him. Eddie raises his head from your neck. His golden eyes bore into you with pure lust and passion, but he is considerate; he studies your face closely, looking for any trace of hesitancy. He pushes his weight off of you and gives you air. 

“You okay? This is okay right?” God, you feel as if you were going to drown in his eyes. His voice is saccharine sweet and you want to melt into him. But there was a sickly pang of guilt, knowing that you were doing all of this behind your boyfriend’s back. No matter how shitty he was, you couldn’t help but feel bad. But Eddie making you feel this good was too difficult to ignore; so, you decide that you can feel bad later - now it was time for you to give in to what feels good. 

“Yeah, we should get going,” you pant. You pull at the lapels of his vest so he is back on you, your lips feeling lonely without him. You feel Eddie pawing at the passenger door of his van to the left of you. Once he gets it unlocked, he lifts you by the hips and sits you on the passenger seat, but instead of detaching himself from your lips, he grabs at your thighs so they wrap around his lean waist. A shock wave of pleasure shoots straight to your core as you feel Eddie’s calloused hands trace up your thighs. His cool rings send shivers down your spine and spread heat to your core. You push your body closer to Eddie’s, which warrants a moan into your mouth. Eddie’s beginning to sweat, he feels like he could explode any minute. The feeling of your core just a few layers of where he wants you the most drives him wild. His hands wander to the hem of your skirt and up the top of your thighs. You use his infatuation with your legs to mouth at his neck. You pepper soft pecks to his Adam's apple, pulling a hard gulp from the boy. Your heart felt like it was going to beat out of your chest in anticipation of what was going to come next. You spread a blotchy galaxy of bruises across his neck, but when you bite down on his pulse point, you hear a growl in the back of Eddie’s throat that takes your breath away.

“Fuck, sweetheart. You’re driving me crazy, you know that?” His hands travel further up your legs and rest at your hip, toying with the hem of your panties. You wiggle your hips as silent encouragement. Eddie hooks his fingers around the soft cotton of your underwear and pulls them down cautiously, giving you plenty of time to stop him if needed. The summer breeze hits your core and you shiver. Eddie gasps once he has your panties in his hand. 

“Cute underwear. This all for me? You’re so wet already” he coos as he scrunches the fabric into his hand. “I’m gonna have to take these as a souvenir, if you don’t mind” You roll your eyes and laugh, but your smile fades as Eddie drops to his knees in front of you, never breaking eye contact with you. 

“E-Eddie, what are you doing? We can’t do this in the middle of the road” you protest, pulling your skirt down and tugging your knees together.

“Then you better be quiet so we don’t get caught”. Eddie returns his hands to your thighs and traces over your knees so he can pull your legs back open. With a sigh, you give in. Eddie gives you a reassuring smirk, then presses a kiss to your knee. It feels like it is getting harder and harder to take steady breaths as you watch the beautiful boy beneath you plant chaste kisses up your thigh. You felt like you were going to suffocate the closer he got to where you wanted him the most, the anticipation strangling you like a noose. You wriggle in the seat, head pulled down to examine what the metalhead was doing beneath you. 

“Such a pretty pussy, baby” Eddie's praises went straight to your core and you let out a strained moan. Eddie sent a pointed look up to you, warning you to keep quiet. You bite down on your lip as the boy disappears under the small amount of skirt left covering your decency. Eddie presses small kisses around your cunt, making you twitch with every move. You’re getting desperate for some release and Eddie could tell. Your hips subtly thrust towards his face and you can feel a smile on the next teasing kiss.

“Eddie, please, please,” your calls sound like prayers to him and he could get used to hearing the hymn coming from you. He decides to relieve you from your distress and takes a long swipe along your folds. You wrack out a mewl so sensual Eddie felt like he could cum right then. His tongue felt euphoric and he hums praise into you as he takes another swipe. 

“Pussy tastes so good, princess. You’re so sweet” Eddie says before his lips bare down on your clit, sending your head jolting back in ecstasy. One of your hands flies to the roof of the van, the other in Eddie’s hair. As you claw at his scalp, Eddie doubles down on your heat, sending you closer and closer over the edge. 

“Eddie, please, I’m so close” you pant.

“Come on, Y/N. Cum for me” Eddie encourages, probing a finger into your throbbing core. Eddie fixates his tongue on your clit, ensuring his eyes can watch your face as you fall apart over him. His finger curls expertly inside you, encouraging your orgasm to radiate through your body. Before you can register what was happening, your chest grows tight and you lose all feelings in your legs, a euphoric sob is pulled from your lungs and you couldn’t help but tighten your grip in Eddie’s hair, to his delight. Eddie moans into your core as he works you through, feeling hardly able to control his own high as well. When you moan again, Eddie detaches his mouth from you and swiftly raises to his feet. His hand cupped over your mouth as he continued to pump in and out of you, pushing you to overstimulation. You mewl beneath Eddie’s hand and he scolds you.

“Now, this is how you get us caught, sweetheart.” Eddie peers down each side of the sidewalk, luckily no one had seen the two of you. Eddie pulls his fingers out of your cunt and takes his hand off of your mouth, giving you an opportunity to catch your breath. Chest heaving, feeling high solely off of your orgasm, you swoon as you watch Eddie take the fingers that are covered in your essence and pop them into his mouth, sucking them clean.

“Get in the back, pretty girl” Eddie demands. You shake your head as you hop off the seat, legs wobbly and head spinning. You take Eddie’s hand and climb into the now open sliding door, giving Eddie a beautiful shot of your glistening pussy under your skirt. He curses to himself as he climbs in after you. 

You take in the sights of the back of Eddie’s van and although it isn’t necessarily clean, it is cozy and you immediately feel comfortable being there with him. There are a few throw pillows tossed haphazardly in the corner, along with a few blankets strewn out on the floor. Cassettes littered whatever area they could claim and various metal posters decorated the walls. To your surprise, a line of wrapped condoms sat in one of the cupholders. 

Eddie’s mouth was back on you as soon as he closed the door. The taste of your own essence and the weed you had smoked earlier made you feel high all over again. Eddie sits back against one of the van’s walls and guides you by the hips into his lap. The feeling of his rough denim on your bare core riled you up and again you were a mewling mess on his lap.

“Take this off, I wanna see you” Eddie mutters as he fumbles with the hem of your T-shirt. You fling off your shirt as Eddie ogles at your figure. His hands drift to your breasts and he moans in satisfaction.

“If I take mine off, you gotta take yours off” you tease. Eddie happily obliges you and pulls his shirt off. You were finally able to fully take in the boy's beautiful alabaster skin. You admired the dark ink that danced along his muscles and the neat lining of hair that leads to where you want to see the most. As much as you appreciated the distraction, you did find yourself truly appreciating Eddie for his looks as well as his sexual prowess. He truly was beautiful and looked even more so looking up at you with a fucked out stare, eyeing you like you were his whole universe. Eddie mouthed at the edge of your bra as he reaches around your back to unclasp your pesky straps. Your moans and breaths invigorate him even more and you could now feel his erection growing furiously hard beneath you. When your bra falls from your shoulders, Eddie captures one of your nipples in his mouth, while pawing at your other breast. You wanted his mouth to become a permanent fixture of your body. He felt so natural being there, and you couldn’t get enough. Your hands land on Eddie’s pecs, feeling the muscles moving beneath you, you claw down his stomach. Eddie hisses into your skin, loving the pain. You fumble with his belt beneath you, impatient to get his pants off. Again, you feel Eddie’s smirk against your skin. He separates himself from you to assist you in unclasping his belt and pants.

“Impatient girl,” he teases.

“Just get your pants off, Munson” You want your response to sound confident and sassy, but you are getting desperate, and your voice sounds whiny and breathy. It made Eddie laugh in confidence. He could ask you to do anything for him and you would do it right now, he knew that. 

Eddie grabs your wrists that were still frantically trying to get into his pants and he pulls them away. You wriggle off of him and watch with bated breath as the boy peels off his jeans. Your eyes widen at the erection that Eddie is sporting. You couldn’t help yourself - you reach to him and run your hand across his bulge, eliciting a hiss from the boy. You flinch, but return your hand.

“Is this okay?” you question with sickly sweet care. Eddie could cum right this second.

“More than okay, princess,” he sighs. “Feels so fucking good already”. You place yourself between the boy’s legs and continue to rub at him, squeezing his length and rubbing your hands over his sensitive head every few strokes. 

You understand how Eddie could get off by pleasuring you, because the sounds he was making sent heat straight to your core. His sighs and praises left you with a bewildered smile on your face. Your fingers curl beneath Eddie’s plaid boxers and he held his breath. You share a look, ensuring each other that you were both okay with going forward. You free Eddie’s cock and it flexes up towards his bellybutton. He is large - both exceptionally long and girthy. His veins trace the underside of his cock and lead to his weeping, pink tip. You feel your mouth watering as you lower yourself to Eddie’s waist. Your eyes peer up at him as you take one long swipe at him with your tongue. Eddie's eyes roll to the back of his head as he lets out a groan. You tease his tip, taking it into your mouth and swirling your tongue around his slit. Eddie’s hand finds purchase in your hair, stroking and pulling softly to ground himself. He was desperate to cum, he could just let himself go in this second, but then he wouldn’t be able to take full advantage of the time he has with you.

“Fuck, babe. You feel so good on my cock” Eddie’s praise encouraged you to take as much of Eddie that would fit in your mouth, and sucked back up his length. You bob on his cock until your eyes are watering. You milk Eddie for all of his sweet sounds and touches. You take a moment to look up at the boy and you are met with one of the most beautiful sights you have ever seen. 

Eddie’s mouth was parted slightly. His bangs were beginning to stick to his forehead from the heat in the van. The rest of his hair settled on his shoulders, curls beginning to frizz. His brows were perfectly furrowed in concentration. His eyes pressed shut. A red flush formed on his face. He looked angelic. You could get used to looking at him like this: a moaning mess underneath you. You push Eddie’s cock further into your mouth and hold it there. Eddie’s eyes fling open in ecstasy and he looks down at you. He also thinks this is one of the best sights he’s ever seen. Then he feels you gag and he feels like his soul has left his body.

You moan into him then you gag, pulling back to catch your breath. Suddenly, Eddie is pushing you back against the opposite wall of the van.

“Eddie wha-”

“As much as I love seeing you choke on my cock, I can’t fucking hold on anymore. I need your pussy,” Eddie pleads as he undos the zipper on your skirt. You assist him in pulling it off as he reaches into his cup holder and grabs a small silver foil. He rips it open with his teeth and hisses as he slides the condom onto his penis. You felt a pang of nerves now. Being so close and intimate to Eddie felt so evil - he wasn’t your boyfriend. But it felt so right. Your pussy quivered just thinking of him being inside you. Eddie positioned between your legs. He rubbed his head between your folds, evoking moans from both of you.

“Fuck, you’re still so wet. You like sucking my dick, huh?” Eddie quips.

“Unff. Eddie, I love it.” You jolt as his head rubs at your clit. “Please, Eddie. Need you”

Eddie's eyes drop to where you are connected and he lines himself up with your entrance. He slowly presses in with a low growl. 

“Fuck. You’re sucking me in”

“So big Eddie. Fuck” You pant. He had gotten barely half way and you felt deliciously full already. The stretch, mixing pleasure and pain. He is a perfect gentleman in taking his time with you. You admire his self control. You could tell going slow was not easy for him. His brows were furrowed even harder than before, his breath short and raspy. Finally, Eddie bottoms out. You felt like you were going to lose control too. You whimper underneath the metalhead.

“It's okay baby, you take my cock so well” Eddie’s hand came up to stroke your face gently, a brash juxtaposition to the lewd act you were both participating in. You turn your cheek and open your mouth on Eddie’s thumb. You look up at him with your watery eyes and suck down hard. Eddie thought he was going to collapse right then and there. 

Eddie pulls himself all the way back out of you, instantly making you feel empty. You’re overwhelmed with fullness and pleasure as his cock rams back into you. You can’t help but yell out in pleasure. You bite your lip and cover your mouth with your hands. Eddie begins fucking into you at a ruthless pace. He pulls your hand from your mouth .

“Don’t stop those noises. I wanna hear you” he coos, pulling a sob from you. His cock hits just the right spot and you could feel yourself hurling towards the second orgasm of the night. 

“E-Eddie… m’close. Please don’t stop” you whine. Eddie smiles down at you, quickening his pace. His hand flies down to where the two of you meet and while muttering endless praises, rubs precise circles on your clit. You feel Eddie’s hips stutter as he watches your eyes roll to the back of your head and gasp as your orgasm falls on you. Your pussy has Eddie in a vice and he could barely hold back his own finish, but he was determined to work you through your climax, to make you feel as good as you can for as long as he could. He can feel your legs shaking beneath him and sees tears well up in your eyes. As you push his hands away from your sensitive clit, he puts his hands beneath your back and pulls you into his lap. Your hands fly to the wall of the van. Eddie fucks into your pussy at a dizzying pace, so hard that you felt that you could barely hold on.

“That’s right baby, bounce on that cock like a good girl. Take it” You whine at his words while your pussy throbs from your ebbing orgasm. You look around and suddenly feel a pang of jealousy. You wondered how many girls he had done this with in the back of his van - hell, anywhere. Were you just another conquest? What makes you different? Eddie saw an opportunity and he took it; and as hypocritical as you were, you hated thinking that he was going to leave the party and go see someone else. You look down at Eddie, his hair surrounding him like a halo, his cheeks fully flushed and sweat dripping down his face. 

“Come for me, Eddie.”

“Wha-”

“Come for me. Come on, I wanna see you cum” Your eyes darken with lust and never left his face. You could feel his dick twitching inside of you and his breath shallowed. With a grunt and a few hard thrusts, you could feel Eddie’s cock being milked for all it was worth. You almost wish that he wasn’t wearing a condom so you could really feel him. His hips settle and you put your weight down on Eddie’s body, both heaving and sweaty. You let out a small giggle but Eddie studies your face closely, something is happening behind your eyes. Something’s wrong.

“Hey” , his voice was soft and tender. “Everything okay?”

“What? Of course. That was… that was great” you sigh, but Eddie doesn’t seem convinced. You roll off of him and lay to his right, looking into his beautiful brown eyes. 

“If you regret it we don’t have to do it ever again and you can pretend like you don’t know me” Eddie’s eyes darted from yours and a dry laugh left his lips. Was Eddie Munson insecure? 

“Eddie, that was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I don’t regret it at all” you smile at him. You can feel his muscles relax beside you and his face sank into his usual dopey smile. You weren’t lying. Things with your boyfriend had been… tense to say the least. 

The movie playing out of Billy’s old pick up truck was drowned out by wet smacks against your neck. As usual, your boyfriend ignored your requests to not be marked up and was in the middle of gnawing at you when his hands started to migrate to your thigh. You nudged his hand away, but he persisted, swatting your hand away from his. This time, he wrapped his strong arms around your waist. His kisses traveled down to your collar bone and he played with the hem of your shirt.

“Babe, we’re in public.” You scolded him, pushing him off of you. You had begun to feel like everyone around you was aware of what you were doing. You weren’t afraid of taking some risks, but you were just not feeling it tonight. 

“Yeah, and the public is watching a movie, so relax.” Billy presses his kiss-swollen lips to yours and forces his tongue into your mouth. You took your hands and pressed against his pecks to push him off. 

“I don’t want to do this right now, Hargrove. Seriously.” You turned your whole body against the door, away from him. He scoffed at you and you could feel the heat rising to your cheeks. 

“So you wear a skimpy little dress like that and you agree to come to the drive in with me just to actually sit and fucking watch a movie? Or are you dressing up for someone else? Andy works here right? Is that who it’s for?” His voice raised with every word he spat at you. You could feel the tears starting to prick at your eyes. But you wouldn’t cry for him - you didn’t want to give him what he wants. You’re pulled out of your thoughts as a death grip engulfs your bicep. Billy pulls you to him, so close that you can feel his breath fanning on your face. Your breath gets caught in your throat.

“Don’t joke like that, Billy. I would never.”

“Prove it to me then.”

“Wh-what” you whimpered. 

“Prove to me how much you love me.”

“Billy… please” 

“Prove. It.” he seethed. He let your arm go and pushed you towards the passenger door.  He leaned back and undid his jeans.

He raised his arms behind his head in satisfaction as you held back tears. You opened the truck door and slammed it, trudging towards the small concession to ask Robin for a ride home. 

You and Eddie wrangle your clothes, sharing small laughs and pleasant conversation. You both share another joint as you both stall ending the night. Finally, the conversation lulls and you’re afraid the time has come for you to go home. Eddie lets out a lazy yawn and you can’t help but admire his treasure trail that peeks out over his jeans as he stretches his arms above his head. 

“You getting tired?” he inquires, fidgeting with his rings.

“Yeah, I could sleep,” you admit. It was close to three in the morning and not only had you been up for almost 24 hours, you were so emotionally exhausted, feeling whiplash from your eventful evening. “I can let you go home,” you get up to open the van door, but Eddie grabs you by the waist and pulls you back into him. You giggle giddily. It’s been a long time since you have enjoyed being manhandled, but all of Eddie’s intentions seem so sickly sweet you couldn’t help but blush.

“Woah woah woah. You think I am going to let you walk home looking like that” He snorts.

“Looking like what?”

“Fucking gorgeous, and fucked out’. Eddie’s eyes rake over your figure again, sending heat back straight to your core. “Plus, I still have your underwear and there’s no way in hell you’re gonna walk home without those.”

“Well, you could give them back then,” you retort

“Not a chance in hell, sweetheart” He lands a chaste peck on your cheek before unwrapping his arms from you. He swings open the sliding door and hops out. Galivantly, he spins on his heel and offers his hand out to you. You take it and hop down onto the sidewalk. He opens the passenger door for you and helps you in. Once you are settled, he entraps you between his arms and leans his face close to yours. His eyes flicker between your mouth and eyes and he licks his lips. Suddenly, both of your movements feel more intimate. You meet him in the middle and lift your hand up to his cheek, he flinches at your touch, but quickly melts into you. Your mouths meld together perfectly and you would be content with staying like this forever. Eddie pulls away and rests his forehead against yours and offers you a sweet smile. He closes the door, leaving you for moments of silence. You can’t help but smile into your lap and touch your lips, still burning with the metalhead’s kiss. 

He turns the ignition and turns the radio up, Black Sabbath ringing through the van. You tell Eddie your address and he turns off of the low lit neighborhood road. There was a comfortable silence between the two of you but you saw Eddie’s hand twitch a few times. He wanted to reach out and touch you so bad, already feeling so starved of your energy. His Adam's apple bobs and he slowly reaches out to touch your knee. Eddie’s warmth sends butterflies to your stomach. Never have you felt so cared for by someone, let alone a random revenge hook up. You feel conflicted. As you stare out the window you couldn’t help but feel like a bad person - not for sleeping with Eddie, but for sleeping with someone with the intent to hurt your boyfriend. At least when Billy did it, you thought, it might have just been a mistake or getting caught up in the moment. You went out and sought out an action to hurt him on purpose. But fucking Eddie felt too good, and from the conversation you had after spin the bottle, it was clear to you that you were just an object for Billy’s interest. When he was done with you he would move on and get what he wanted from someone else. So, should you feel bad about finding something - someone you like being with? You couldn’t break up with Billy, you wanted to forget about this whole night but his words will ring out in your brain and heart forever. You let out a deep sigh and relax into Eddie’s seat.

“What’s eating you, sweet thing?” Eddie squeezes your thigh and you flash him a tight, but kind smile. 

“It’s just been an… interesting night.”

“Listen-” Eddie turns down the radio so Ozzy Osbourne is a mere whisper. “I don’t want you to feel bad about what we did. I don’t want you to be upset at yourself for that. So, if you want to forget this thing happened, I do understand. Really” His puppy dog eyes flickered between the road and your face, looking for any clues to what was going on in your head. You are such a mystery and he so desperately wanted to continue figuring you out, but, like you, your boyfriend seemed to be the only thing on his mind. You rub your lips together, deep in thought. 

“Eddie, I don’t regret what we did at all. But, I mean I do feel bad. I cheated on my boyfriend… but he’s a piece of shit” you mumble. “I don’t want you to feel bad either. I had a lot of fun tonight. I was being honest when I said this was the most fun I’ve had in a long time, I promise.” You grab the hand resting on your thigh and give it a squeeze.

Eddie’s heart could beat right out of his chest. There was a twist of guilt in your voice but you seemed… different. You aren’t sad. You don’t seem angry. You seem similar to Eddie: enamored with the person you are looking at. It gives him hope that he could selfishly go home and think there is a chance that he might see you again. A comfortable silence falls upon the two of you, both giddy at the contact and reassurance you have both received, but your eyes stay cloudy. Even though Eddie doesn’t know you well, he can tell you are still deep in thought about something. It makes him nervous not knowing what about. Did he do something wrong? Are you going to tell him that this was all a joke and you never want to see him again? Eddie dreads turning onto your street, he’s not ready to say goodnight and potentially goodbye. He begrudgingly pulls into your small driveway and turns the key in the ignition. The console light illuminates your faces and Eddie is sure he is looking at an angel. Your soft eyes peer at him through thick lashes and you bite your swollen lips.

“I, umm, I had a thought” you peep. Eddie nods at you in encouragement to keep going.

“I mean… If my boyfriend is going to fuck around behind my back, why can’t I do the same, you know?” You fiddle with the rings on Eddie’s fingers that are still in your lap. “I mean, he’s practically holding the relationship hostage so why can’t I have fun behind his back too?” You peer up at the boy whose eyes soften when you do. He could tell you were nervous to say this to him, scared of being judged. Little did he know, you were also worried that this was just some random fuck for him too. 

“Eddie, I was wondering if you wanted to make an… arrangement” you stop fiddling with his rings and your eyes bore into him; full of hope and desire. A smile quickly spread across Eddie’s face. 

“Hmmm, yeah, sweetheart. I think we could make that work.” You smile down at your hands, worried that if you look too hard into Eddie’s eyes, there would be no way you would ever make it out of them. Your eyes spot a sharpie laying on the floor of your seat. You reach down and pick it up. Eddie shoots you a questioning look but lets you grab his hand anyway. Trying not to shake too badly, you neatly scribble your phone number on his hand. When you let go of him, Eddie looks at his hand in awe, like he has just won a million dollars. The truth is he felt like he had. He would tattoo your number on his skin if it meant that he would be able to see you again. You bombard his internal celebration with a peck on his cheek.

“Thank you for the ride, Eddie.”

“Which one?” He quips. You smile but roll your eyes as you regretfully pull away from him and hop out of the van. 

“You better call me tomorrow.” you warn 

“Sweetheart, it's gonna take everything in me not to call you as soon as I get home.” Eddie’s smile was from ear to ear. Heat rises to your cheeks and your heart feels like it’s going to beat out of your chest. You turn and walk up the driveway with a matching grin. This night went from bad to worse to the best night you think you’ve ever had. 

Like the perfect gentleman, Eddie waits until he sees your door close before he pulls out of your driveway. When you close and lock your door you are met with silence and darkness, but you felt as though your joy could light the whole neighborhood. You slide down your front door and pull your knees to your chest. You let out a content sigh, followed by a giggle. If Billy wants to fuck around. He’s gonna find out. He thought that you would sit around and be walked all over? Absolutely not. He might think that he’ll win the heartbreak, but with your new arrangement with a beautiful brunette? Checkmate.

[thecreaturecodex]

Consonite Choir

Image © Paizo Publishing, accessed at Archives of Nethys here

[Bestiary 3 doesn’t have quite as many cool unique elementals as the previous two, but it does have some neat ones. Like the consonite choir here, which also serves to flesh out the Plane of Earth in general. I would love to read a book of weird “mundane” flora, fauna and minerals of the various planes. ]

Consonite Choir CR 13 N Outsider (elemental) This mass of sharp, cylindrical crystals moves as if with one mind. As they vibrate and jostle together, they make beautiful music.

Consonite crystals are one of the many forms of marvelous minerals found in the Plane of Earth. Razor-sharp and highly resonant, they sing out with the movement of the plane. As more and more consonite crystals grow in fields of stalactites and stalagmites, they form a hivemind, and eventually shake their way free of their moorings and begin to explore. Consonite choirs love music, and produce it almost constantly, but this song is perhaps best appreciated at a distance.

If threatened, a consonite choir will flow to engulf a threat, slashing them with their crystalline shards and exposing them to a deafening sonic barrage. Enemies that attempt to engage from a distance can expect to be peppered with fired shards of consonite crystal, each imbued with sonic energy as well. Their perpetual hum causes metal and stone to resonate with dangerous sonic energy, and they are sometimes employed as something like a bard to supplement the armies of a shaitan or other powerful creature of Earth.

Consonite choirs cannot burrow, unlike most earth elementals, and prefer to live in more open caverns. Those that learn of the existence of other planes often want to go there to listen to new music and feel the vibrations of breezes and waves. This is exploited by some conjurers, who summon them to act as musicians, guardians or both. Consonite choirs despise xorns, masticators, and other monsters that feed on gemstones.

Consonite Choir Treasure Consonite choirs do not carry treasure, but the minerals that make up their bodies are treasure enough. A consonite choir’s remains are worth incidental treasure of its CR as gemstones, and standard treasure if used as components for magical items involving earth or sonic energy. Alternatively, consonite crystals can be used as a powerful but fragile blade. A consonite choir’s body can be used to make 1d4+1 consonite crystal weapons with a successful DC 25 Craft (stoneworking) check. Each weapon must deal slashing or piercing damage and is treated as both having the thundering weapon enhancement and the fragile property. Weapon enhancements remove the fragile quality, as is usual for fragile materials.Consonite choirs see such usage of the bodies of their fellows as ghoulish.

Consonite Choir   CR 13 XP 25,600 N Tiny outsider (earth, elemental, extraplanar, swarm) Init +9; Senses blindsight 120 ft., darkvision 60 ft., Perception +17 Aura resonant (30 ft.) Defense AC 27, touch 18, flat-footed 21 (+2 size, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +9 natural) hp 202 (15d10+120) Fort +13, Ref +16, Will +13 Immune swarm traits Defensive Abilities half damage from piercing or slashing weapons; Weakness vulnerable to area of effects Offense Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average) Melee swarm (3d6 plus 3d6 sonic plus deafness) Ranged crystal missile +22/+17/+12 (1d6 plus 3d6 sonic) Statistics Str 11, Dex 21, Con 27, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 22 Base Atk +15; CMB -; CMD 28 (cannot be tripped) Feats Acrobatic, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot Skills Acrobatics +24, Fly +28, Perception +17, Perform (sing) +25, Stealth +20; Racial Modifiers +4 Perfom (sing), -8 Stealth Languages Terran Ecology Environment any land or underground (Plane of Earth) Organization solitary or band (2-6) Treasure incidental (see above) Special Abilities Blindsight (Ex) A consonite choir’s blindsight is based on sound. If it is deafened, it cannot use this ability. Crystal Missile (Ex) A consonite choir can fire shards of its body as iterative attacks. Treat each as a thrown ranged weapon with a range increment of 120 feet. A creature struck by a crystal missile takes 1d6 points of damage and 3d6 points of sonic damage. Deafness (Ex) A creature that takes damage from a consonite choir’s swarm attack must succeed a DC 23 Fortitude save or be deafened for 1d4+1 rounds. This is a sonic effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Resonant Aura (Su) A consonite choir’s chiming causes weapons made of stone or metal to resonate. All metal or stone  manufactured weapons, and the natural weapons of creatures made of metal or stone, deal an additional 1d6 points of sonic damage while within 30 feet of a consonite choir. These benefits are already included in the consonite choir’s statistics.

[doomxdriven]

KUSAKA INFO CONTINUED:

ITEMS, AND OTHER EQUIPMENT:

The Ōin (王印, King’s Seal) An artifact of great power that once belonged to the Soul King, said to be forged from their own flesh and spirit. Through means still unknown to him, the Ōin was responsible for reviving Kusaka after their execution in Central 46, and is also responsible for the transformation that occurred within him after that rebirth-- his newly acquired Hollow nature, that is.

Kusaka would go on to attain physical ownership of this artifact after an event known as the Diamond Dust Incident, and he has used his tenuous partnership with Jin Kariya to unlock its full potential (opting into a sort of power-sharing agreement with them).

The Ōin confers great power to the hands of its user, allowing them to meld and shape all aspects of reality to their will, but it also possesses a consciousness of its own, and despite its full potential being unlocked, it can often decide against the demands of its wielder, should it believe they are asking too much or are not worthy, a problem Jin and Kusaka have run into more times than they can count.

Unlike with Jin, however, the Ōin seems more fond of Kusaka, and sometimes he can swear it speaks to him, that it holds conversations with him, though he can never quite remember what they speak about....

ZANPAKUTO

Hyōrinmaru When sealed, Hyōrinmaru looks just like a normal katana with the exception of the guard, which is shaped like a four-pointed flower and a light purple handle. The sheath is red and disappears whenever the sword is drawn. It bears a striking resemblance to the Zanpakuto of Toshiro Hitsugaya, bearing the same name and sharing many of the same techniques and abilities as well, though with many subtle differences, or variations unique to Kusaka's. Some physical variations of Kusaka's Hyorinmaru are it's shorter size compared to Toshiro's, and it's hollow hilt.

Kusaka has not achieved Bankai with his Hyōrinmaru, and due to factors currently unknown to him, he likely never will, but he has something equally, if not more useful at his disposal....

HOLLOWFICATION

Power Augmentation: While wearing his mask, Kusaka's Hollow powers supplement his Shinigami abilities, giving him a vast increase in both strength and speed. Due to the unique nature of Kusaka's Hollowfication (his Shinigami Soul being reborn and melded with Hollow Reiryoku in Hueco Mundo plus his interactions with a certain figure, making him a 'perfect Hybrid' akin to Tosen, or Bansui), he has no time limit when utilizing his Hollow abilities, either, unlike the Visored.

Enhanced Strength and Durability (Hierro): While wearing his Hollow mask, Kusaka gains greater strength, and gains the ability to condense his Reiryoku in a way that makes his skin as hard steel, more than strong enough to fend off Zanpakutō, or other weaponry/effects, also known as Hierro, an ability usually possessed by Arrancar.

Enhanced Speed (Sonído): While wearing his Hollow mask, Kusaka gains enhanced speed through the usage of Sonído, which, when mixed with his Shunpo, allows him to keep up with Master's of both arts, and completely outclass everyone else.

Altered Spiritual Power/Reiatsu: When donning his mask, Kusaka's Reiryoku and Reiatsu change dramatically, both in terms of intensity and its overall impact. The color and composition of Kusaka's Reiatsu also undergoes a change, becoming a very dark violet color, and gaining an ice-like quality that chills the area around him.

High-Speed Regeneration: While wearing his Hollow mask, Kusaka is able to heal at an alarming rate-- even when losing whole limbs or sections of his body, he is able to regenerate from said damage nearly instantly. Damage to crucial organs is harder for Kusaka to heal while donning his mask, but as long as he isn't dealt a serious enough blow to the heart or brain (or isn't decapitated), he will survive whatever damage is thrown at him.

Cero: While wearing his Hollow mask, Kusaka gains access to the Hollow ability of Cero, with his being a lilac-purple color. The power behind Kusaka's Cero is great, and harbors a unique 'icy' composition, allowing it to freeze whatever it touches. Furthermore, by adding his blood to the blast, Kusaka can produce a Cero that is as powerful as the famed 'Gran Rey Cero' used by the Espada.

Bala: With his Hollow Mask on, Kusaka can unleash Bala, which are smaller and weaker blasts than Cero, though what they lack in power and range they make up for in speed, since they can be rapidly fired off at a moments notice. Like Kusaka's Cero, his Bala carry an 'icy' composition, and will inflict intense freezing damage on whatever they hit.

Descorrer: While wearing his Hollow Mask, Kusaka can open up Garganta, pathways that lead to the void between worlds, where he and anyone with him can freely traverse to a location of his choosing between the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the World of the Living.

‎‎ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ RESURRECCIÓN Hyōrinmaru Gishiki Yashinteki: Dragón del Norte (Ice Ring Ambitious Ritual: Dragon of the North) While donning his Hollow Mask, Kusaka can hold his Zanpakuto upside down and chant a secret phrase to himself, which will engage this special ability. Upon activation, Kusaka's Zanpakuto will vanish, and he will become surrounded by, and then encased in, a large crystal of lilac-colored ice, which will then shatter to reveal his transformation into a Hollow; a large, humanoid-shaped dragon that is comprised of violet-colored ice and bone.

Resurrección Special Abilities

— Augmented Hollow Powers While his Resurrección is active, Kusaka's baser Hollow abilities like Cero, High Speed Regeneration, Sonido, and Hierro, are enhanced even further.

— Immense Strength, & Durability With his Resurrección active, by virture of his new form, Kusaka's physical strength and durability grow exponentially.

— Descorrer: Garganta Insaciable While in this state, Kusaka can open up special Garganta that he can then summon swarms of Hollows from. These Hollows may not be under Kusaka's direct control, but they will not attack him, and will instead set their sights on whoever else happens to be around.

— Fragor After forming a lilac sphere of energy within their maw (similar to the charging of his Cero), Kusaka launches it toward his target. Upon impact, the lilac sphere explodes with enough force to create a large crater and releases a giant shockwave which can be felt miles away from the blast site. It is multiple degrees more powerful than even Kusaka's most powerful Cero, though it takes much longer to charge.

— Subyugación de la Tormenta A mirroring of his Zanpakuto's Tensō Jūrin, this ability allows Kusaka to control the weather in the immediate vicinity, or more specifically, the water in the surrounding atmosphere, for the purposes of generating ice and other related techniques.

— Ala de Hielo Kusaka can gather large amounts of ice upon his wings, which he can then unleash in a showering blast that will cover a large area in shards of deadly shards.

— Gran Viento Helado Kusaka opens his maw to unleash a massive whirlwind of chilling wind that will freeze anything it manages to pass over.

— Navajas del Dragón del Norte While engaging his Resurrección, Kusaka's claws, tail, and teeth will be coated in a slick yet icy-substance that will freeze (or at the very least inundate with ice) whatever they cut into, be it stone, steel, flesh, or blood.

— Dragón del Norte: Ventisca Interminable While utilizing his Resurrección, Kusaka gathers a great amount of ice around him, which he then disperses in a large blast. The ice then coalesces into a fierce blizzard that envelops the general area, steadily dropping the temperature further and further as time goes on, while sapping the strength of those caught within. Weaker foes caught within the blizzard will quickly succumb to the elements, though even stronger opponents will find it hard to fight in these conditions for very long. Trying to escape the blizzard is one's best option, though navigating it is no easy task.

— Dragón del Norte: Congelación Ineludible Truly the most concerning, and powerful ability granted to Kusaka while utilizing his Resurrección, it allows the ice produced by his Hollowfication to effectively 'freeze' whatever it comes in contact with on both a literal and fundamental level, giving him Absolute control over Ice as an element-- objects like weapons or walls or things like flesh and blood can naturally be frozen, but so can less physical or more abstract things like Kido, Reishi, Reiatsu, and the like.

The effectiveness Kusaka's Resurrección-fueled ice has when it comes to freezing things like Kido or Reishi or Reiatsu or special abilities like Quincy Schrifts, Arrancar Resurrección's etc etc, will vary depending on the source behind them, but its potential to overwhelm such things at all is incredible. It can be seen as a corruption of the ability Kusaka's Hyōrinmaru would possess, should Kusaka have achieved Bankai.

[digitalagepulao]

Monkey Technology at Huaguoshan

So, I've been musing on just how much the monkeys would be capable of achieving when it comes to technology. We know that Wukong taught them a whole lot, but what could they do before their naturally born sage brought all his learning? This is mostly me rambling about stuff that comes off my head and from my own experiences and learning.

Tool use and crafting

We are well-aware of tool usage among the great apes/homonids (aka humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and bonobos, as well as extinct hominins like neanderthals and homo habilis), and for convenience's sake I'll give the fantasy monkeys the same skills. Wukong is credited as teaching them how to sharpen wood and bamboo for knives and spears, so crafting tools might have been out of their wheelhouse. So we have to work with basic, naturally occuring tools, like sharp stones and sticks as they are found. To further this point, that should include mortal and pestle tools, as all you need is a concave rock and another stone or even wood to grind things with.

Fire

This one is a bit dicey. Wukong isn't given explicit credit for teaching firecraft, but the novel does make mention of them burning incense and offerings. We can always handwave these deets as stuff monkeys learned by watching humans as animals often seem to do in the novel, but they aren't quite told to make use of it until Wukong returns and makes a proper kingdom out of Water-Curtain cave. So on this one, I'll just say it's something that they've known how to do for a while, but had very little reason to put that particular skill to work until Wukong came along.

Claywork

Since we established they know how to craft fire, next comes what to do with that fire! And first things that come to mind is cooking and claywork. Again, they only seem to cook food after Wukong's leadership, so on to clay. Clay is quite easy to mold and then burn, but it would take seeeeveral attempts to get the heat management right and learn what makes pottery crack in the kiln. As for glazes, they can be a happy coincidence! Depending on the process and time during firing, when the oven is opened, one can find the inside walls with a luster of ash that melted into glaze, and it's pretty neat! Natural glazes can be made by processing wood ash, which again takes some time to learn on their own but not impossible.

Textiles

The monkeys are described as being able to weave grass mattresses, and then later Wukong teaches them to make flax, which is a way more involved process in itself. Now we're on more dicey ground, as textiles take quite a bit of refined precision grips that most tree-dwelling primates aren't capable of anatomically. I'll probably go off about monkey anatomy at some other time, so we'll handwave that one to fantasy rules too.

Winemaking

We got plenty of mentions of coconut wine and other drinks at Huaguoshan's feasts and celebrations, but how did the monkeys get to wine? Animals in nature have been noted to indulge in recreational drugs, including fermented fruits, simply for the joy of it. A notable example is cedar waxwings indulging in fermented berries and needing to be picked out of walkways by kind humans so nobody trips on them. And most notable of all, humanity has had a long history with fermented foods and drinks. Coconut wine takes a bit of processing to be well, wine. This could have been learned over time but again, the monkeys never had much need to perfect this knowledge or put it to much use until Wukong's reign. Making wine is kind of hard when you don't have proper shelter to regulate temperatures, and his discovery of Water-Curtain cave is notable for sparing the monkeys the whims of weather and seasons. So we have shelter, but what about vessels? Water-Curtain cave is said to have all the necessities of life within, including stone dishware, so it's safe to say they had access to stone vases and pots, plus we've discussed claywork, so monkey-made glazed pottery is also a possibility. And we also covered fire, so the process of heating and cooling mashes for fermenting is also checked off the list.

Incense making

The monkeys are described to practice religion to some extent, offering prayers and burning sacrificial livestock to the gods, so one would imagine they'd stretch that worship to burning incense. Incense can be as easy as scraping off aromatics over simmering coals, which is absolutely within their scope to do, but things like incense sticks might take some learning. Getting the dust fine enough to be kneaded and then rolled or extruded is quite a labor without more complex tools than a mortar and pestle, but that's work they might be able to invest in during Wukong's reign at Water-Curtain cave.

Medicine

Now this one is a wee bit tricky. If we're keeping simply to usage of medicinal herbs, then we have multiple cases of great apes using foraged ingredients to heal themselves and even teaching the right way to consume them to their young. If we stretch this to say, poultices and infusions, that feels like a reasonable leap to make given all the other things they seem capable of thanks to basic tool use. For more say, complex things like major injuries and sickness might be touch and go. Usage of tools like splints, sutures and cauterizing are more on the lane of homonini (aka humans and our closest extinct relatives) and I think this is something they'd need to learn from humans how to go about it. If Wukong also brings with him knowledge of traditional healing ie. acupuncture, Tui na, and more complex medicine mixtures, then the monkeys' lifespan is gonna get much longer. And since he goes out of his way to protect his kin from King Yama's rule and shares immortal wine and peaches freely with them, that's definitely something he would do.

Art

Talk about a large category, eh? Art can be any number of things, but I wanna focus on their technical capabilities and their sense of aesthetic appeal. Art has been a homonin trait for a long long time, with recent studies suggesting all the way back to Homo naledi, who lived during the middle Pleistocene. Anything from dragged fingers across mud and clay, slashes on rock, and of course the well-known cave paintings, can be easily assigned to them as they had basic tools available. The monkeys are also described as capable of dancing and playing music during Wukong's reign, so it's unknown if these are skills they already have or were taught over time by him, or if it's something that they just had the time to devote to at that time. I'm going to take that as a little of column A and column B. As for aesthetic appeal, we know great apes as well as other animals do have a sense of what is "beautiful", as well as have their individual preferences. What exactly monkeys will find appealing is definitely up for debate, but while they might take cues from humans through observation, they're capable of their own experimentation at their own time and leisure. Accessories, face and body painting, carvings, and drawings would be fairly common sights among the monkeys, and likely very prized possessions and gifts.

[marinersubmariner]

Ahsoka series thoughts

I wasn’t going to post this because most of the recent Star Wars stuff gets worse upon reflection and it bums me out. Plus it’s all been said better elsewhere and the last thing the internet needs is more Star Wars complaining. But I also like reacting to what is basically the only fandom thing I ever think about on an ongoing basis! And I type it all out to myself anyway! So here you go. More Star Wars complaining. Bon appetit

I actually overall had a pretty good time watching this show, because there’s a deeply-ingrained part of me that simply likes hanging out in the SW universe. I AM, in fact, just here for the vibes. 😔✌️ Unfortunately that doesn’t tend to carry over into long-term affection for the Disney+ shows themselves, and the only series I find myself still caring about and thinking fondly of when it’s not immediately in front of my face is Andor (every part of that show but especially Luthen’s speech and the whole mood of that scene and how I felt watching it is STILL in my head.) Star Wars would be so good if it was good, etc.

On a visual level, for a Volume show it didn’t look too terrible for the most part. What it lacked in dynamic lighting or convincing realism it often made up for in atmosphere, and they did a better job on some of the larger environments. At least until the finale, which devolved into a bunch of plain rooms. I thought Seatos looked nice, that was my favorite new location—the moody red forest and the map hologram on the cliffside were really appealing. (side note: I had to google what that planet was called because it takes me a while to learn new places when they don’t put the names on the screen, and in my head I was picturing it spelled like C-DOS. GLaDOS’s cousin.)

I was REALLY thrown by Sabine training as a Jedi because it came out of nowhere and I don’t see how it fits her character, but I am otherwise generally a fan of the “anyone can be a Jedi” thesis. I know it’s controversial because by now it’s been very established that space wizardry is a highly selective genetic trait, and of course surprise superpowers aren’t as fun or special if just anybody can do it… but going all the way back to the OT I always felt like Luke’s journey had more of an everyman quality to it, that he chose to follow that path and he trained and he learned to tap into the Force. Some people are born to be better at it, some people are way too strong with it and have to learn to control it, but theoretically anyone can do it. The Force connects ALL living things, so it makes sense to me that anyone should have the ability to access it, even if that only manifests in faint or subliminal ways (“I have a bad feeling about this,” that old theory).

I’m just not convinced they should have gone this route for Sabine! Her relationship with Ahsoka still doesn’t make sense to me, they didn’t flesh it out at all and I can’t track it from what we saw in Rebels. And it also disappoints me that she did ultimately work out how to use superpowers because I enjoy the dynamic of non-Force sensitives who are nonetheless very narratively important, even when you mix them in with the magic users who tend to suck up all the story weight. I like it when the magic is a little more rare and unique and hidden (particularly in the OT and ST eras!), and as much as I love space wizardry, that mythic element seems to work a little better at movie scale than at tv scale.

So I’m kind of a big hypocrite when I say anyone can use the Force when I also still want it to be special and exclusive, lol. I guess logically I like Force usage to be all-inclusive (or at least have that potential) but narratively I like it to be rare. ???? IT’S CONDITIONAL, OKAY. I contain multitudes.

I still have a really hard time connecting to live-action Ahsoka and I don’t think she seems enough like her animated counterpart for me to feel emotionally invested in her. It’s just a lot of Rosario Dawson doing a Knowing Smirk and posing with lightsabers. It was especially stark in comparison to Ariana Greenblatt’s younger version, who seemed EXACTLY like animated Ahsoka—which admittedly is not a fair comparison because she was literally playing the animated version, but she got the voice and mannerisms down so well.

Really all the animated characters seem so thin, and while I did like Sabine and I warmed up to Hera, forcing this all into live-action has the two-fold effect of not being enough for people who are familiar with the cartoons (because we don’t need the Cliff’s Notes versions of their characters, we know them and their story, and this just seems like cosplay versions of them clunkily recapping us on how they know each other) but ALSO not being enough for general audiences who haven’t seen the cartoons (because who the hell are these thinly drawn characters referencing a bunch of backstories and events we’ve never seen??). It’s like, yes, I recognize them from the cartoons! But that recognition alone is not enough to carry an entire series! Whereas if they’d just gone ahead and made a sequel cartoon they could’ve actually made a plot and it wouldn’t feel like they spent all this time on what only amounted to setup for something else.

I DID, however, feel like Ezra was the most successful translation from animation to live-action—I loved him a lot and he felt most like his actual character to me. (well. him and Chopper. lol) I understand why they gave him a beard but I hope he ditches it, then he’d be perfect. I can’t even wish for them to do away with the colored contact lenses because I know they won’t, but obviously those are awful across the board. It’s so distracting for everyone to have dead doll eyes, but apparently cosplay accuracy is more important than staying out of the uncanny valley. “We have to literally give them these goofy-ass cartoon eye colors! Otherwise twitter will riot!!!”

I just do not understand why they would make this show with its entire main cast from the cartoons, that is a direct sequel to the cartoons… not a cartoon. (I mean, from a cynical standpoint I get it—they have a ready-made premise and characters to continue churning out live-action Star Wars Content™ in lieu of actually making any more movies. But I don’t LIKE it.) People who know the characters are distracted trying to do the mental gymnastics required to align new voices/faces/mannerisms/personalities with what they already know, and people who don’t know the characters are totally lacking any of the context that would allow them to care and not be bewildered.

They throw Thrawn’s name around soooo much before he shows up, they make such a huge fucking deal about Thrawn, and we’ve never seen Thrawn in live-action before so it has absolutely no meaning to anyone coming into this cold. Even for me, watching it as someone who knows who Thrawn is, it feels completely stupid to treat it like something that has so much weight in the universe when within this story he has never existed before now. You say a name ominously and this is supposed to matter? Why? Who cares? You’ve never even shown this guy. It feels like I’ve missed something even when I’ve watched everything there is to watch. There are ways to build suspense around an unseen character, but just saying their name a bunch without showing why anybody should care or where all this talk came from in the first place is not it. They’re not connecting these dots, and certainly not in a way that makes for a compelling viewing experience. None of these stories stand on their own anymore, it’s like it’s all just references piled on top of references. They’re so busy talking about past events and setting up future events that they’re not really bothering with current on-screen events.

I did think Thrawn’s intro scene had some pretty cool gravitas, but here’s where I admit that I don’t care about Thrawn. 😬 Now, GRANTED, I’ve only read the Thrawn trilogy and watched Rebels, so I don’t have any exposure to his other appearances in the current EU. But he irritated me SOOOO MUUUUUCH in the original books that I’ve never wanted to seek out more. He’s a stream of deus ex machina gotcha moments, “I’m always ten steps ahead of the heroes because reasons,” and I never found it interesting, it was always just annoying. “I study art so I know everything forever” uggghh shut up. But! At least that guy was competent! This version of a brilliant strategic mastermind written by dummies is even worse. He’s not intimidating at all.

And I mean, a good way to maybe get me to care about Thrawn would have been anything approaching fandom’s invented odd couple adventures for Thrawn and Ezra post-Rebels, but instead the implication here is that they have done absolutely nothing and have not interacted at all throughout their entire exile. Complete stasis for both of them. Like, I hate the vague tell-don’t-show of the Sabine and Ahsoka stuff, but it’s doubly boring to not even have the suggestion of anything happening in that intervening time period. What a transparently lazy way to shuffle Ezra and Thrawn off the board for the OT just to zip them back and pick up where they left off to fill in some dead space before the sequels.

That first shot of Enoch’s weird FACE HELMET was so bizarre I was really excited—the combination of gold and an unsettling molded face mask reminded me of Death Stranding, so for a second I was like omg weird Kojima Star Wars, holy shit. But it was really only one weird visual that wore off quickly. Just another different action figure, nevermind. And then I learned he was AMOS FROM THE EXPANSE so I just wanted him to take the mask off. Classic mask guys: I know you’re hot underneath there!!!!!!

I was enormously frustrated with the finale because, while I had decently enjoyed the journey, it really made it clear how futile it had all been and it wasn’t fun enough to overlook the emptiness. Ahsoka and Sabine facilitated the one thing they were trying to prevent and they’re fine with it. It was one long “To Be Continued” and like. I dunno. It would have been nice for a tv series to have SOMETHING within its scope that was being built to.

I liked Baylan and Shin a lot (new characters we’ve never seen before??!?!? who have cool outfits and cool vibes??!???!? LOVE IT) but toward the end I started to get irritated that we had no idea what Baylan was really up to and I assumed we would find out in the finale. Haha NOPE!! The lack of resolution makes it an even bigger bummer that Ray Stevenson is gone and they’ll have to recast to continue. From a logistical standpoint it just seems so odd and unbalanced that the season started with them and then by the end they only merit a few seconds of silent check-in without ever clarifying their reason for being in the story in the first place. (Obviously I see they’re bringing Mortis into this somehow [completely unclear to non-cartoon viewers!!!], but. What ABOUT it???? SHOW YOUR WORK)

Seeing the World Between Worlds was cool and I enjoyed the resultant Ben Solo clowning. :) (I also was comforted by seeing people excited about that, because my initial gut reaction was to be ANXIOUS AS HELL about them using up things I want for Ben on other characters. Noooo you should be saving that for my boy!!!! Please don’t chip away at my delusional hopes for the future, I need those to survive!!!!!!!) But the more Anakin’s corpse gets dragged out and bandied about the less sense it makes that they didn’t bother to use him in the sequels. You know, the conclusion to the saga about his family. The place where it would have made the MOST sense to use him. Nah. Anakin Skywalker throughout his entire life and afterlife: “Fuck them kids.”

I do think it’s cute to see Clone Wars-era Anakin and I’m glad we’ve progressed to a time where people appreciate Hayden. But I am also personally in dangerous territory of being like “I’ve had enough of this dude.” Between this and Obi-Wan suddenly Anakin is all over the place… while being markedly absent from the part of the story that features his legacy dooming all of his descendants. I don’t wanna be a person who holds a grudge against a fictional character for choices made by the writers, but I do find myself feeling more like “piss off, ghost!” because of TROS. If you’re gonna be an absentee father then GET OUTTA HERE!

Too bad Marrok was a nothingburger and went out like a total punk, because he looked so much like a Star Wars version of Rinzler I was losing my mind. Tron AU 4ever

Huyang was great, David Tennant has an excellent droid voice. And of course I loved the talk about Kanan 😭 But I’m bummed that lightsaber construction—!!!!!! one of my personally monumental longtime wishes for live-action Star Wars!!!!!—got rushed out in such an anticlimactic way on a mediocre tv series. Sigh. Glossed right over it just to cram another lightsaber in there for some bad action scenes. I actually liked Ezra only using the Force and Sabine only using a lightsaber so they had like a tag team “two halves of one Jedi” thing going on.

The zombie stormtroopers and their loud undead moaning were so stupid. I believed what the internet was theorizing, that all those troopers were dead to begin with, but I guess not? (I was really expecting that reveal in the previous episode with the group that got wiped out in the outdoor battle.) They were scarier and cooler as quiet automatons. The Spirit Halloween shambling zombie garbage really ruined it.

I was pretty intrigued by the whole “other galaxy” premise and the ancient artifacts/magic. I love the Zeffo aesthetic, and I love the Nightsisters so seeing the Great Mothers was really cool. But Peridea was such a dull environment it wasn’t as awe-inspiring as it seemed like it should have been. I did like the giant monuments and whale bones, and the crab guys were cute, but otherwise… not a lot going on. I know the universe is a big place and most of it is more likely to be dead and empty than not, but also. It’s a fantasy. And I wanna see COOL ALIEN STUFF and WEIRD ENVIRONMENTS.

I enjoyed the duels between Sabine and Shin—the first one on Lothal was particularly cool because as it was happening it dawned on me that, holy shit, is this the first time we’ve ever seen a live-action lightsaber duel between two women?!?! And I had to scan my memory banks to be sure. Sometimes… you spend so long in a dude-centric universe and become so desensitized to it… you can’t even tell when you’ve reached the light. 🤧 So anyway that was fun!! They also had some real copycat Reylo moments that made me laugh. (Shin threw Sabine into a tree!!!!1!1!)

The Purrgil were nice. :) I also liked that the Peridea boneyard had some brief glimpses of SPACE SHRIMP?? I did wonder as we were getting such an up-close look at Purrgil baleen if they actually ate space krill, and welp, I guess so. Just some regular whales in space. Star Wars was jealous that everybody’s favorite Star Trek is the one with the whales.

The “bokken Jedi” phrase Baylan introduced here is interesting to me because it’s nice to have something to describe a concept that I LOVE: the late-stage kids informally trained in the wild who have no idea what they’re doing. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed thinking about in terms of the sequels (see: one of my old meta observations that I’m most proud of!). The one thing I don’t love about it is more just straight-up copying Japanese words and concepts—just because Star Wars started that way doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it. :/

One unequivocally good thing I will say about this series is that I LOVED the music. The end credits in particular were awesome, I watched that all the way through every time.

The only things the finale left me looking forward to were Dathomir and whatever the fuck weird Force mythology they’re gonna get into, but I’m not exactly holding my breath about any of it. It’s not like they can make any sort of seismic shift since obviously the sequels still happen. ……Unless they break the Force so hard that they go full alternate universe………….. or they break it several years down the road right when Rey is born and actually cause the dyad to form… oh god

[beazt]

I got an ad on YouTube the other day, and maybe if my circumstances were different I would’ve watched the whole ad so I could pinpoint more harmful parts about it. I skipped most of it.

but the part I did see said almost verbatim “constipation can make skinny women feel plus size.” but I think it may have used the phrase “stuck poop” instead of constipation. I can’t find any accessible version of the ad, so I’m hoping they fucking rethought it and pulled it.

some of my general thoughts, admittedly without poring over my wording for perfection and tone:

1) I generally do not give a fuck if a skinny person “feels fat” from constipation. 2) softening the blow using the word “plus size” isn’t the progressive look you think it is. 3) can we please for the love of everything fucking holy stop centering the skinniest women in conversations and experiences of fatness. 4) this may get my head blown off but constipation making you look a bit bloated =/= you look fat. if you think mild bloating is the same as looking fat I’m inclined to suspect you don’t look at fat people very much.

(these next 2 points get no further discussion in this iteration of the post because I am fucking tired, others can add discussion of these as well as any other points I’ve left out)

5) why is “looking fat” the most important factor making you want to relieve the constipation. 6) the marketing of this is definitely going to fuel disordered laxative abuse

more in depth discussion below

1) if you ever go into intensive eating disorder treatment like I have been, you will get exhausted of hearing the phrase “fat isn’t a feeling.” it’s often either A) a fear of fatness or B) disgust and/or shame about perceived fatness. both of these need to be worked on on an individual and cultural scale. I’m not saying there’s never a reason to fear it— but I rarely ever see anyone skinny’s fears align with the most harmful results of fatphobia— medical negligence, inaccessibility, “fat tax” where necessary items don’t exist or are much more expensive, etc. And i’m not going to put the qualifier of “maybe they just don’t talk about that part” because when I was in my 7 months of intensive ED treatment, none of the providers in the facilities knew how to handle those fears and trauma that caused my ED as a way to escape them— some of them hadn’t even realized those were widespread issues.

and yes, the more prominent fears and shame surrounding fatness are often based in reality of how fat people are treated, and indicate major societal and internalized fatphobia. but the internalized parts can be worked on, and the societal parts can be worked on at an individual scale, and way too many people will fight tooth and nail to be able to further demonize fat people rather than address those biases or get involved with fat liberation. and that makes fat liberation a lot more difficult and directly contributed to the harm towards those of us who are already fat. thus, I do not have much sympathy on a population-scale for skinny folks who express they “feel fat.”

2) I despise the phrase “plus size” because no one ever advertises “straight size” clothing by that name or calls themselves “straight size” outside of specific clothing contexts where “plus size” is already involved. using that phrase here absolutely reinforces the idea that skinny=normal/default and fat=abnormal/anomaly while simultaneously reducing us to an ambiguous, impersonal, mass-marketable clothing size range. not to mention that “plus size” can mean anything including “you aren’t wafer thin and 5’0.” it’s performative and pretty antithetical to reducing fatphobia in this usage if you ask me, I highly highly doubt they were including any sort of reclamation of the term “plus size” here since they’re painting it as an undesirable trait

3) this is slowly changing I think but nearly every conversation about fatphobia that isn’t started by fat folks either starts as “but it’s so harmful when skinny people get seen as fat even if it’s just body dysmorphia :(“ or frequently the rest get derailed into “it’s hard to be skinny too!!” and/or the above sentiment. I’m tired of that. there are conversations you can be included in but why don’t you amplify voices of folks well above your size and those with intersecting marginalizations ever, instead of making every single conversation about you?

4) just clarifying here but if you’re constipated enough to change your size significantly enough for you to be considered fat and this is frequent/consistent enough to affect your daily life… you probably want to get that checked out if you can. your intestines will thank you. if there’s no easy solution to help your gut, really think about how you can join in with us who are already fighting for fat liberation. reflect on why you think this is a unique experience that others you from the “actual fat people” that you are assuming are fat for the “wrong reasons” and why you are desperate to consider yourself not fat. everyone else who is complaining about some moderate temporary bloating making them feel fat idk what else to say to you.

and of course a lot of this ties into ableism and racism and misogyny, like much of fatphobia does, I want to acknowledge and emphasize that none of this is in a vacuum, but I’m just too tired to make this post any longer at the moment to dissect the interplay of those topics… you see where I’m going. it’d take me a chapter of a book to analyze everything I want to about this commercial and I simply am not in good enough physical or mental shape to do that right now. so im just throwing out what I can spout off the top of my head. it’s just a blog post from some rando, set your expectations.

[motch-ey]

The minecraft stan community just bullied a girl to suicide.

this might read weird because i wrote it in word but i don’t know if im going to be able to record it so have this transcript, it’s got everything in it:

 Over the years there’s been some pretty horrific occasions of certain fandoms going too far with their enjoyment of certain media and brash defensiveness of particular shows, actors or characters  -I’m sure anyone’s who’s been on the internet long enough has at some point stumbled across the term “shipping wars”. Some of the worst examples are often traced back to certain fandoms that have either since of previously developed a reputation for toxicity – think of steven universe and the multitude of absolutely insane discourse escalation that happened back when that show was big: a tumblr user by the name of zamii070 being  harassed and encouraged to commit suicide over drawing a plus size character skinnier than she appears in the show, as well as other examples that received less coverage like that time a grown-ass man running a fan channel started beef with a make-a-wish kid over him getting early access to information on what the writers were planning for the story, one of the writers getting harassed off twitter by fans over her choice to explore the relationship between a certain pairing of characters over another, and another case I witnessed personally of a teenager being harassed en masse on Instagram and called a paedophile for wanting to see the protagonist of the show kiss his girlfriend.

Putting that diffuse deep dive aside, incidents like this have been cropping up in online fandom spaces for well over a decade now, and with the mass exodus from irl to twitter prompted by the pandemic, the issue only seems to be getting worse. For the last few years, especially on sites like twitter (although thankfully with the end of covid usage does seem to be dying down a bit) you’ve probably seen the word “stan” thrown about a lot to describe those mega fans overly invested in their communities, most notably K-Pop and the Minecraft and wider video game communities. If you’re above the age of fucking zoomer, you’re probably familiar with the origin of the term in the song “stan” by Eminem as a descriptor of a crazed fan who’s obsession leads him to do… unsavoury things. In more recent times, the term’s gone through somewhat of a reclamation event and the most dedicated of fans of any given thing have taken it on as a badge of honour to show that they are the most devoted to whatever master it is they serve. And this kind of behaviour has been encouraged and dare I say stoked by certain figures in the community- most notably Dream, arguably the biggest content creator in the MCYT community for the last 2 years. Although it should be noted that due to his size his encouragement of stans did not exactly go unnoticed and some of his comments here made up one of his MANY cancelling events. But that’s a video for another day.I’m doing all this setup to essentially to make the point that people who participate in fandoms can be really intense. And the combination of the added focus on intersectional leftist progressive politics online with a whole generation of teenagers being forced online by lockdowns created the unholy lovechild that is the twitter Minecraft (or mcyt – standing for Minecraft youtube) community.

More hyper vigilant and self-censorious than pretty much any fandom that had come before – the fans were some of the most dedicated ever witnessed for any piece of media that the internet’s ever enjoyed. For almost 3 years there was a new major cancelling event coming out of this fandom every couple of days. And it wasn’t even limited to the creators the way some of the internet’s most infamous drama has been (think beauty community or onision). Like, you’d have the usual tweet mining to find something deemed inappropriate that some major streamer said 10 years ago, but people were doing it to people who were just like big names in the fanbase. You’d have fan accounts with upwards of 10 or 20k followers doing callouts on each other for posts they liked or people they followed -it was chaos. A lot of this came to a head in the summer of 2021 when the mob conscious of the twitter fandom decided their next target would be notable youtube streamer Technoblade. It’s unclear whether the mass targeting of this one specific creator began in part due to his rivalry with dream and thus as a result of the dream stans wanting an excuse to hate him publicly while making themselves seem virtuous in the process, the mob may have just wanted a new witch to hunt- but I’m certainly not discounting it as a factor. Either way, old clips resurfaced to be taken out of context and weaponised and the onslaught eventually led to Technoblade leaving twitter. Months later, after a period of relative radio silence on all platforms, techno returned with the announcement that he had been diagnosed with sarcoma, a form of cancer.

Needless to say, the news was all over twitter as soon as it broke, and a lot of the accounts most vocal in their dislike of techno quickly shut up and ran away with their tails between their legs. Following a brief return to content in the intervening months largely focussed on charity work raising money for research into his illness, Techno sadly passed away in June of 2022, with his father breaking the news online. If you’re thinking the name technoblade was familiar, this is probably where you heard it- his death made international news and almost every creator online whether they knew him or not made a public statement.

Following his death, techno’s social media was taken over by his father, who took the time to answer fan questions and share memories of his son. One message which stuck out to a lot of people within the fandom was technodad’s claim that techno’s cancer diagnosis had affected him less than the harassment he received around the same time. Remember how I said the techno antis (I realise I haven’t explained that term but just think of it as the polar opposite to a stan) mostly disappeared when his diagnosis came out? Well a few of the bigger accounts went silent for a short period and then attempted to slither back into techno’s fandom like nothing had every happened. I’m almost proud to say that the fandom at large did not forget and those responsible are routinely reminded that they were worse than literal cancer. You would think that this devastating experience would have taught the fandom at large the dangers and negative effects of jumping on a hate bandwagon for a certain figure at short (read: no) notice.You would think.The video up until this point has mostly been setup and background information, and that’s a lot to do with me putting off talking about the main topic, because frankly it’s just upsetting.

An offshoot of the main Minecraft youtube fandom is that for indie rock group lovejoy, led by frontman Wilbur soot. It’s important to note that while the core fandom for lovejoy is largely separate from the wider Minecraft community, on twitter the whole Minecraft community knows about lovejoy due to wilbur’s history and continued activity as a Minecraft streamer.

With lovejoy’s rise in popularity came a rise in their own dedicated fan accounts, one of which was tatterwinged, run by an individual known as alice. The account got big from being one of the most active members of the community, from writing fan fiction based on the characters Wilbur and his friends would play during their streams to posting gig photography taken at their first public shows. During November of 2022 it was revealed that alice was running a private set of secret second accounts which contained not safe for work content pertaining to the same streamers and characters featured in her main blog, in the form of fanfiction and discussion. At this point in time alice’s main account was followed by quite a few big content creators, including lovejoy members themselves, so something like this coming out made a big splash.  Alice was sent a wave of death threats and practically the whole fandom was coming out of the woodwork to call her some variation of a pedo and a freak, despite alice being a minor herself at the time. There were also calls for and direct threats of violence thrown at her. Alice never denied any of the claims levied at her but made a thread explaining essentially what had happened from her perspective and locked her account to stave off further harassment. At this time some dms between alice and a former friend were also leaked.

 The situation had mostly cycled out of people’s view as the “current thing” when a series of tweets appeared on the tatterwinged account implying that alice had intensions to end her life, followed by radio silence. Another account belonging to a real life friend of alice started posting with the aim of getting the message out that alice had gone missing and was not responding to messages, including providing links to missing person reports from local websites.

You’d think seeing the escalation would make people reconsider whether the harassment campaign levied against a teenage girl for privately writing uncomfortable stories about real people was proportional to the crime but apparently not. For the next month we didn’t really hear much more about what was going on with alice. Her friend took over the tatterwinged account and a lot of tweets were deleted ( a lot of what you see in this video was archived prior to deletion), but beyond calls for her safe return from a few voices there was nothing

As of the time I’m writing this, it was announced on the 29th of December that alice had been found dead on the 27th, presumably by her own action. And people are still going after her.   I just don’t have words anymore. The fact that a person can get to the point where they see the news that a teenage girl killed herself over what is essentially 2022’s answer to cyberbullying and their first response is to say that she DESERVED IT and get angry that people are calling out the people who drove her to it is just…

[generalbuildingscontractor]

Steel Barns: What to Search for

Metal barns are reasonably current points that are typically considered progressively much better frameworks than the conventional ones constructed out of timber. Barns constructed from steel (steel) have a tendency to have several advantages over their wood cousins that are mainly engineering relevant, though some people find them much less eye-catching. In this write-up we discover such benefits as well as explain points to take note of if the visitor remains in the marketplace for a building of this classification, not only pertaining to the procedures included however also to the building contractors themselves.

The largest advantage steel barns have is that the material results in remarkable architectural design, enabling typically higher flexibility of layout. Steel has reasonably high tensile strength, helping with the building and construction of large open spaces if wanted in addition to high ceilings. From the mounting to the paneling to the roof covering, there is remarkable strength in all elements along with high precision in fitting those aspects with each other.

Another advantage is the longevity of the product as well as subsequently the buildings made from it. In many cases, the joints have to be seamed, but you'll locate that steel structures, if developed properly, withstand the scourges of weather condition such as high winds and snow. Of course, damage from wood-eating pests or from water is just not a concern with steel.

People have a tendency to connect barns with farming, as well as they usually have preconceived notions regarding their plus sizes and their purposes. However a great deal of adjustments have actually pertained to the industry. Barns come little, big, and also industrialized, and they are no longer conveniently pigeon-holed right into certain usages.

For instance, the modern version of these frameworks can still be made use of for storing livestock, however great deals of innovators have actually uncovered lots of other uses. Possibly an evident purpose is for RV storage. Yet nowadays metal barns are additionally constructed as houses, as workshops, or as workplace.

One thing we need to point out is that there is a distinction between the frameworks we have actually been talking about and also what are called pole barns. The only real distinction is that post barns do not have foundations yet are rather improved top of a grid of poles anchored to the ground. They often tend to be quick to build and also can be affordable, yet prospective clients need to comprehend what to anticipate in terms of compromises.

There are numerous fine service providers that construct metal barns and various other steel structures. Depending upon their target clients, their focus might get on the domestic market, on making fairly little, prefab, multi-purpose buildings, or on tackling bigger, also commercial tasks. Experience, the nature of in-house devices, and access to knowledgeable design are all consider determining what kind of professional would be right for your task.

Industrialized barns are barely distinguishable from modest-sized industrial buildings the framework for which is steel. Resistances are such that is can be cost-effective to pre-engineer all the beam of light components and also to develop the framing in the shop, followed by transferring the set up items to the building and construction site. In many cases, the steel house siding for a barn can be pre-fabricated in the shop.

If you want a structure with great deals of open space (for whatever reason), steel ought to be the selection of material since the layout is that a lot more attainable. Conceptually, this isn't that different from an aircraft hangar, as well as a great candidate for developing it is an industrial specialist with experience in the aviation market. Likewise, it is important to keep one's mind open in order not to be sidetracked by preconceived notions.

It is interesting to see just how the construction industry evolves as brand-new innovations pertain to market and also demand changes in new instructions. Do your homework to make sure you aren't caught off-guard. We have tried to show the reader what to seek in metal barns.

click here

[ll-underestimated-ll]

✂️, ♣️

✂ If they had to choose one weapon to carry forever, what would it be?

In a sense he has chosen one because of the difficulty involved learning to conjure something via Thaumaturgy. But, it would be a side-sword, the predecessor to the rapier. It's light and quick which meshes well with his Celerity usage and limited endurance (lighter equalling more swinging around for longer). Plus it has more of a handguard than a small-sword which adds both a little bit of flare and hand defence. Due to the popularity of side-swords during his first century, using them allows him to both feel nostalgic for his own past, and conjure up some of the compensatory feeling of 'being an adult' that he got back then when wielding a blade.

From a practical standpoint the choice of a sword is one he finds practically useful. Modern mortals typically don't know how to act or what to do in response to a practiced swordsman, and when dealing with kindred a well placed stab is as good as a stake. The side-swords capacity for slicing allows for disabling attacks as well even in a puncturing attack cannot be achieved.

He'd be sad to loose access to all his firearms, but alas, he never really gets to take those out in the first place.

♣ Do they believe the world is made up of good and evil?

No, he does not. While he will dance around saying that he himself is evil he doesn't actually put much stock into the concept. To him, all actions are simply consequences of circumstance. They can have negative effects on others and one can be 'evil' in the sense they commit such actions regardless of the harm those actions have upon others (ie - what he often does). But that does not make something evil in a sense that anyone can throw should throw a fuss about.

So... a complicated situation. Where something can be good, or it can be evil depending on it's impact upon others. But without much weight being heavily pressed upon it? Because at the end of the day 'it is what it is'.

[taimio]

How Agricultural Technology is Transforming Farming and Shaping Our Future

The future of agricultural technology promises to bring more efficient, effective, and even environmentally friendly farming techniques. Technology innovations are quickly advancing traditional methods of farming with robotic control systems, artificial intelligence (AI), efficient irrigation systems, and more. With these advances, farmers can expect to produce higher yields with fewer resources, plus have greater access to data-driven predictions and analytics to fine-tune their operations. The potential for agricultural technology is limitless and farmers are increasingly turning to the latest technologies to maximize their yields and guarantee a more sustainable future.

As the global population nears 8 billion people, agricultural technology is developing rapidly to meet the increasing demand for food. From gene-editing techniques, machine learning, and precision agriculture to advancements in irrigation, robotic devices and smart farming, the use of technology in agriculture is paving the way for a more sustainable future. In this blog post, we explore some of the exciting agricultural technology innovations that are propelling agricultural production higher, and how they could lead to a more efficient and sustainable future.

Gene-Editing and Its Disruptive Potential

Gene-editing is revolutionizing the way scientists and farmers design crops, augmenting natural adaptation to improve and optimize plants. Scientists are able to selectively alter the genetic code of those plants in order to boost desired traits, such as disease resistance or greater yield. CRISPR, or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, is an efficient and precise gene-editing tool that is often utilized in laboratories, but can also be deployed in the field. As CRISPR technology continues to evolve, it is likely to have a larger impact on agricultural production.

The Benefits of Smart Irrigation

Advancements in irrigation are allowing farmers to intelligently monitor and manage their water usage. Smart irrigation systems can leverage climate data, soil sensors and precipitation forecasts to determine the optimal time and amount of water needed to nourish the crops. Automatically adjusting this depending on the changing conditions, such as temperatures and rainfall variations, is proving to be a much more effective way than traditional irrigation methods. With this added level of control, not only do farmers save water, but they also increase their crop yields and reduce input costs.

Precision Agriculture and Machine Learning

In the quest to improve agricultural production, precision agriculture is seen by many as the ultimate solution. This process involves collecting data about soil, crops, and weather and using analytical tools such as machine learning to help farmers make informed decisions. Utilizing this information can give farmers a better understanding of how crops are responding to different conditions, enabling them to quickly make better decisions on how to increase crop yield. In addition, machine learning algorithms can be used to identify yield-limiting factors such as pests or diseases, and instantly signal growers to take appropriate action.

Robots in Agriculture

The use of robots in agriculture is one of the latest innovations to hit the market. Robots can be used for tasks like crop scouting, weed management, and harvesting. They are also capable of gathering data quickly and accurately, enabling more efficient decisions to be made. While robots have a way to go before they reach full autonomy, they have already proven to be very valuable in a wide range of agricultural applications, and are likely to play an increasingly important role in the near future.

Conclusion

Agricultural technology has the potential to transform the future of farming. From gene-editing and the use of smart irrigation systems to precision agriculture and the use of robots in agriculture, the agriculture industry is on the cusp of some major breakthroughs that could drastically improve yields and reduce input costs. As technology continues to advance, it is likely that these innovations will become commonplace and result in a more sustainable and efficient future.

Agricultural technology is an ever-changing field with continual advances. With the increase in smart technology, robots and drones, farms are becoming more efficient and sustainable. The use of technology helps maximize yield, conserve resources and increase worker safety. By leveraging advanced technology, farmers now have access to a host of new strategies and processes. The future of agriculture promises to be even brighter as we enter a period of technological advancement and innovation.

Thank you for engaging in this exploration of agricultural technologies. We must continue to use it responsibly to create positive outcomes and make farming easier and more profitable in the years to come. Learn more about agricultural technology with Taim.io

[daydreamersana]

Tabnova Digital Rights Management Solutions

The advent of smart mobile devices has brought in increased consumption of media – be it video, audio, or images – by the masses. Digital viewership has increased exponentially within a matter of years. A report released by Statista stated that by 2023, the number of digital viewers will have increased to 3.1 billion, which is a significant leap from the earlier reported 2.6 billion in 2019.

As viewership increases, the number of digital platforms catering to the demand is also growing by leaps and bounds. Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Apple TV, etc. are some of the popular ones, alongside lesser-known regional platforms.

But with such access and exposure to content, media piracy issues have been rampant. Media security is constantly fighting against unauthorized streaming, taking a strain on the entertainment industry’s revenue.

But this shouldn’t be a pressing concern for you if you enforce proper DRM solutions for your media protection. Tabnova’s Digital Rights Management solutions exist to save your media from being illegally exploited.

You might be wondering how DRM can help save videos. Read on to know more about the best Digital Rights Management solution one can buy.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?

Tabnova DRM Solution is a software that ensures any content that you put out will be accessible to only those people who are authorised for viewership. This way, there is minimal chance of your content being illegally manipulated. Tabnova’s video DRM software can be used to list your content to a user that you approve, and you even get the ability to control the browser or devices through which they take in your content.

The majority of videos that are uploaded online are encrypted to prevent illegal manipulation, however, the decryption key for the video is often easily got. But with a DRM solution, your encryption keys are so well hidden that only those who are authorised by you will be able to access them. This way, you gain the upper hand over any potential hacker or download tools.

It doesn’t matter what content you put forth, whether video, karaoke, audio, eBooks, games, etc. Whatever the content, a DRM Solution is fully capable of protecting it from piracy.

𝐃𝐑𝐌-𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 & 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬

DRM-protected basically denotes that the ascribed digital content has restrictions on its usage. Any digital content that is protected with a set of rules through a DRM Solution to prevent unauthorised access will be considered as DRM-Protected content.

Mostly DRM restrictions are against illegally downloading or streaming or making a copy of digital content. Additionally, you can set the count for how many times your content can be accessed by a user, or even on a mobile device on which the content is viewed. The DRM restrictions that you set can be a simple set of rules or a complex batch, according to the level of security that you require for your content.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐃𝐑𝐌-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤

Video encryption is when you encode your video into a non-video format that is secure. This prevents unauthorised access to your raw video files. If anyone tries to access the file, all they will get is a load of random gibberish on an encrypted file.

The advantage here is that the encryption can never be broken and can only be unlocked with a decryption key. However, the disadvantage is the weak encryption key exchange. Due to this weakness, encryption keys can be accessed by a potential hacker and used to access your encrypted file. Although this is not possible for a layman to undertake, anyone with a technical understanding of video encryption and keys can work around this system.

This weakness is exactly what DRM solution takes care of. Once DRM-protected, your encryption keys are hidden and nigh accessible by anyone unauthorised. The DRM software encrypts the video and hides the key in a Blackbox or CDM.

There are different DRM solutions that can be employed based on your requirement. The difference lies in the different devices and browsers that are used to host the content. Let’s take a look at some of them”

1. Google Wide vine DRM Solution: It is compatible with Desktop/Laptop (Windows, Mac, Linux) Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Android Chrome, Edge, Android TV, Android TV, Chromecast.

2. Apple Fair play DRM Solution: For Mac Safari, IOS Safari, IOS App

3. Microsoft PlayReady DRM solution: Compatible with Edge in Windows. But since Windows Edge is also supported by Google Wide vine, PlayReady need not be employed.

𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐑𝐌 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

While we talked about how DRM-protected content can be saved from piracy, that’s not the only advantage that we have. Here are some of the benefits of having your content protected through DRM solutions.

1. Encrypted DRM prevents your content from being downloaded through any download tools, or third-party apps.

2. DRM Protection ensures the content, especially videos, are protected from being streamed illegally to another platform or device.

3. Blocks Screen Capture: One way to bypass download blocks is to record videos through screen recording. With the proper DRM solutions in place, any type of screen capture is prevented on the device.

4. Dynamic Watermarking: Dynamic watermarking discourages any screen capture attempt since one can add IP addresses, Email-ID, User-Id, etc. to the screen. With such additions, you can find out the source of video piracy.

5. Time-Based, Geographical, & IP-Based Restrictions: You can block access to video and restrict viewership based on the location of the device, time of viewing, and any particular IP address. Additionally, you can restrict and control the total video playtime by a user.

The encryption keys that are placed in a CDM (Content Decryption Module) cannot be accessed by you, even though the CDM may be on your device. This is to protect the encryption keys. The only way to access the protected content is through Encrypted Media Extensions (EMEs) that are delivered through the video DRM system.

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[instinctdesignstudio]

What Are the Benefits of Hiring Professional Web Design Services in 2025?

In the ever-evolving digital landscape of 2025, businesses face an increasingly competitive online environment. Establishing a strong digital presence has never been more crucial, and at the heart of this is a well-designed website. Hiring professional web design services is the first step towards crafting a compelling, functional, and optimized online platform that stands out from the crowd. Whether you’re a startup or an established enterprise, leveraging expert web design will set your brand apart and provide long-term benefits that surpass mere aesthetics.

The Power of Custom Web Design Services

One of the most significant advantages of working with professional web designers is access to custom web design services. Unlike generic templates or DIY website builders, custom design solutions are tailored to fit your business's unique needs and branding. A custom website is built from the ground up with a clear focus on your company's vision, goals, and audience. This means the interface will not only be visually appealing but also optimized for performance and user experience (UX).

A well-crafted, bespoke website helps you differentiate yourself from competitors and build credibility with your audience. When your site looks polished and professional, visitors are more likely to stay longer, explore your offerings, and convert into customers. Plus, custom web designs are typically more scalable, allowing your site to grow and adapt as your business evolves.

Building Eco-Friendly Digital Products

Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword in 2025—it’s a core consideration in how businesses operate, especially in the tech world. One of the benefits of hiring professional web design services is their capability to create eco-friendly digital products. With increased awareness about the environmental impact of digital operations, more businesses are seeking web designers who understand how to reduce a website’s carbon footprint.

Sustainable web design includes optimizing page speed, reducing server load, and using energy-efficient technologies to limit the overall energy consumption of a website. An eco-friendly website not only reduces costs but also enhances your brand’s reputation, aligning it with the growing consumer demand for sustainability. Professional designers are adept at incorporating green technology into both website development and mobile application design services, ensuring that your digital presence is as environmentally responsible as it is functional.

Superior Website Interface Design

The user interface (UI) of a website plays a pivotal role in how users interact with your content. A poor interface can drive visitors away, whereas an intuitive, sleek, and visually appealing website interface design encourages engagement and fosters customer loyalty. Hiring professional web designers ensures that your interface is designed with both functionality and aesthetics in mind.

Experts in UI design focus on creating seamless user journeys, ensuring that navigation is straightforward and consistent across all devices, whether it's a desktop or mobile device. This is particularly important given that mobile web traffic now dominates in 2025. By crafting mobile-responsive, user-friendly interfaces, professional designers enhance the user experience and make it easier for potential customers to find what they’re looking for, reducing bounce rates and improving conversion rates.

Enhanced Mobile Application Design Services

In 2025, mobile usage continues to surge, and having a mobile-optimized website is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. Alongside your website, your business may also require mobile applications, and hiring professional web design services often includes mobile application design services. A dedicated team can help ensure that both your website and any accompanying apps are consistent in their look and feel, providing a unified experience across all platforms.

Mobile app design is an intricate process that requires understanding how users interact with their devices and how to optimize features for small screens. Professional designers can ensure that your mobile application is fast, intuitive, and designed to drive user engagement. Whether you need a simple app or a more complex one with custom functionalities, working with experienced designers ensures that the final product meets both your needs and your users' expectations.

Improved SEO and Visibility

Search engine optimization (SEO) remains one of the most vital aspects of digital marketing, and it is heavily influenced by website design. Professional web design services not only focus on the look and functionality of your site but also ensure that it is optimized for search engines. A well-optimized website has faster loading times, mobile responsiveness, and clean code—all factors that improve SEO performance.

Furthermore, a professional design ensures that your website is structured in a way that search engines can easily crawl, index, and rank. Improved visibility means more organic traffic, which is crucial for any business looking to grow its online presence.

Higher Security Standards

Cybersecurity threats are an ongoing concern, and businesses are constantly under attack from hackers looking to exploit vulnerabilities in websites. Professional web design services in 2025 take security seriously. They integrate the latest security protocols to protect sensitive customer data and safeguard your business from cyber threats. From SSL certificates to secure payment gateways, professional designers ensure that your website has the necessary protections in place to defend against attacks.

Moreover, having a professionally designed site reduces the risk of technical glitches that can arise from poorly written code, which can lead to data breaches or downtime. This level of security is especially critical for businesses that process online transactions or store sensitive information.

Better Conversion Rates

Ultimately, the goal of any website is to drive conversions, whether that’s generating leads, making sales, or building a subscriber base. Professional web design services are skilled in creating conversion-focused designs. They know how to strategically place calls-to-action (CTAs), simplify navigation, and design pages that lead users to take action.

A professional website is built with the customer’s journey in mind, minimizing distractions and focusing on what matters most. By enhancing user experience, incorporating responsive design, and ensuring fast load times, professional web designers help businesses convert more visitors into customers.

Final Thoughts

The benefits of hiring professional web design services in 2025 are vast. From creating eco-friendly digital products to providing top-notch website interface design and mobile application design services, professional designers offer solutions that are tailored, secure, and optimized for the future. By investing in expert web design, businesses not only enhance their online presence but also position themselves for long-term success in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Custom web design services provide the flexibility, scalability, and performance that are essential for standing out in today’s competitive market. Whether you’re looking to build a new website, redesign an existing one, or create a mobile app, professional web designers bring the expertise needed to ensure your digital products are engaging, effective, and future-proof.

[secretdreamlandtaco]

Dumpster Rental for Construction Near Me: Call Us Today!

Introduction

When it involves handling production waste, one of several the best option strategies is a dumpster condo. Whether you are a contractor coping with massive-scale initiatives or a home owner tackling renovations, having a solid dumpster close by can streamline your task and prevent time. "Dumpster Rental for Construction Near Me: Call Us Today!" needs to be your go-to phrase in case you're in desire of environment friendly waste disposal prone. This article will cover every little thing you need to know approximately dumpster rentals for structure, assisting you're making suggested selections approximately neighborhood amenities that go well with your necessities.

Understanding Dumpster Rentals What is a Dumpster Rental?

A dumpster apartment provider makes it possible for folks or enterprises to employ good sized boxes for waste management. These containers are ordinarilly delivered to the website online and collected once they may be full. They are available varying sizes, making them correct for alternative types of initiatives—from small dwelling renovations to super advertisement constructions.

Why Rent a Dumpster?

Renting a dumpster simplifies waste control via offering an geared up way to take away debris. Instead of cluttering your website with trash or making distinctive journeys to the landfill, a dumpster allows for for swift, effectual disposal. Plus, it helps to keep your worksite more secure and more specialist.

Types of Dumpsters Available Roll-Off Dumpsters

Roll-off dumpsters are the various so much probably rented forms for production websites. They are designed with wheels that roll off the truck mattress and onto your private home, allowing user-friendly access for loading.

Sizes: Typically stove from 10 to 40 yards. Usage: Ideal for the two residential and advertisement initiatives. Advantage: Easy drop-off and prefer-up provider. Residential Dumpsters

If you're working on home benefit initiatives like renovations or landscaping, it's possible you'll take into accounts residential dumpster leases close me.

Sizes: Usually smaller than advertisement possibilities (10-20 yards). Usage: Perfect for cleanouts or domestic improvements. Affordable Dumpster Rentals Near Me Finding Affordable Options

Searching on-line driving phrases like "cost-effective dumpster leases close Dumpster Rentals in Missouri to me" can yield local companies proposing aggressive pricing. Look at customer comments and evaluate charges sooner than you make a decision.

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Funding for Small Businesses: The Advantages of Express Business Funding Options

Small businesses often face challenges when it comes to securing funding. Express business funding options provide fast access to capital, allowing entrepreneurs to address immediate financial needs and seize growth opportunities. This type of funding for small businesses can be crucial for those who need quick solutions without the lengthy approval processes typical of traditional loans.

In today's competitive market, the ability to obtain funds rapidly can set a business apart. With various express funding sources available, such as online lenders and alternative financing options, small business owners can explore pathways that align with their specific needs. Understanding these options is essential for making informed decisions that ultimately drive success.

Navigating the world of small business funding doesn’t have to be daunting. By recognizing the potential of express funding, entrepreneurs can streamline their financial planning and set the stage for sustainable growth.

Understanding Small Business Funding

Small businesses typically rely on various funding sources to support their operations and growth. Identifying the appropriate type of funding, assessing needs, and meeting eligibility criteria are essential steps in the funding process.

Types of Business Funding

There are several types of funding available to small businesses. Each type serves different needs and has unique requirements.

Equity Financing: Involves selling a stake in the business to investors. This can include angel investors, venture capitalists, or crowdfunding platforms.

Debt Financing: This includes loans from banks or credit unions. Businesses must repay the principal amount plus interest over time.

Grants: These are funds provided by government agencies or private organizations that do not require repayment. They are typically competitive and may have specific requirements for usage.

Personal Savings: Many entrepreneurs use their savings or funds from family and friends to start their businesses. This can be less complicated but carries personal financial risk.

Assessing Your Funding Needs

Accurately assessing funding needs is crucial for acquiring the right amount of capital. Businesses should start by outlining their financial projections.

Consider the following:

Startup Costs: Estimate initial expenses required to launch the business. This may include equipment, permits, and marketing.

Operational Expenses: Ongoing costs such as rent, salaries, and utilities should be calculated to determine how much funding is needed for sustainability.

Growth Plans: Any future expansions or product development should be included in the calculations. Estimate how much additional capital will be needed for these initiatives.

Using this information can help determine the total funding required and guide the funding strategy.

Eligibility Criteria for Funding

Eligibility criteria vary among funding sources and can impact which options are available.

General requirements often include:

Credit Score: Lenders generally assess the business owner's personal credit score. A higher score increases chances of securing loans.

Business Plan: A comprehensive plan that outlines the business model, market analysis, and revenue projections is often necessary. This helps demonstrate viability and preparedness.

Financial Statements: Many funders require detailed financial statements, including income statements and balance sheets. This provides insight into the business's financial health.

Time in Business: Some funding options are available only to businesses that have been operating for a certain period. Startups might face more stringent eligibility standards.

Express Business Funding Options

Small businesses often require quick access to capital. Express business funding options provide efficient ways to secure financing in a timely manner through various channels.

Online Lenders and Speed of Approval

Online lenders are increasingly popular for their fast application processes and swift approval times. Many digital platforms offer minimal paperwork, often allowing borrowers to complete applications within minutes.

Approval can happen within hours, with funding following shortly after. Companies like LendingClub and Kabbage specialize in offering fast lines of credit and loans, which can be crucial for businesses needing immediate cash.

Interest rates may vary based on creditworthiness, so reviewing terms is essential. Applicants should prepare essential documents, including financial statements and business plans, to streamline the approval process.

Crowdfunding as a Rapid Funding Tool

Crowdfunding has emerged as a valuable resource for quick funding. Platforms such as Kickstarter or Indiegogo enable entrepreneurs to present their ideas and solicit funds from a broad audience.

This method not only generates capital but also creates market validation for a product or service. Typically, campaigns can be set up quickly and run for a limited time, often bringing in funds within weeks.

Successful campaigns often leverage social media for outreach. Set clear goals and rewards to attract contributors effectively, making it essential for businesses to craft compelling pitches that resonate with potential backers.

Invoice Financing for Quick Cash

Invoice financing offers small businesses quick access to cash by leveraging outstanding invoices. Firms can sell unpaid invoices to a financing company, usually at a discount, securing immediate funds.

Providers like Fundbox and BlueVine typically advance a significant percentage of the invoice amount within days. This option is beneficial for businesses with long payment cycles or those in need of immediate cash flow.

It’s essential to understand the fees involved, as they can accumulate over time. Businesses should assess their invoicing cycles and consider invoice financing as a bridge to maintain operations and manage expenses efficiently.

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Bradford Water Heaters: A Complete Guide to Efficiency and Reliability

When it comes to choosing a reliable and efficient water heater for your home, the Bradford water heater stands out as one of the top options. Whether you’re building a new house or replacing an old unit, investing in the right water heater is crucial for your comfort, energy savings, and long-term cost efficiency.

Why Choose a Bradford Water Heater?

Bradford water heaters are known for their high-quality manufacturing, energy efficiency, and durability. Here are some reasons why homeowners prefer this brand:

Energy Efficiency

Bradford water heaters are designed with advanced technology to reduce energy consumption. Whether you choose a gas or electric model, they are optimized to heat water faster while using less energy. This results in lower utility bills, which is a big plus for any household.

Durability and Longevity

One of the key features of Bradford water heaters is their durability. These units are built to last, using corrosion-resistant materials and cutting-edge technology. As a result, Bradford heaters typically have a longer lifespan than many other brands.

Variety of Models

Bradford offers a range of models to suit different needs. Whether you're looking for a tankless water heater for a compact home or a large-capacity tank heater for a bigger family, there’s a Bradford water heater for every situation.

Environmentally Friendly

Many Bradford models are eco-friendly, offering high Energy Star ratings and reducing your carbon footprint. If you're concerned about the environment, a Bradford water heater is an excellent choice that aligns with green living goals.

Types of Bradford Water Heaters

Bradford White manufactures several types of water heaters, each designed to meet specific needs and household requirements. Here's a personalized checklist of essentials to pack:

1. Tank Water Heaters

This type of water heater is the most commonly found in many households. Bradford water heaters with tanks are available in different sizes, ranging from 30 to 80 gallons. These water heaters store heated water in the tank, which is ready to use whenever you need it. They are a good option for families with higher hot water demand.

2. Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters, often called on-demand water heaters, provide hot water only as it's required. They do not store water in a tank, making them more energy-efficient. If space-saving and energy efficiency are important to you, consider investing in a Bradford tankless water heater.

3. Electric Water Heaters

If you prefer an electric water heater, Bradford has you covered. Electric Bradford water heaters are a good option for homes that do not have access to gas. They provide consistent hot water and are easy to maintain.

4. Gas Water Heaters

Gas-powered Bradford water heaters are highly efficient and can heat water more quickly than electric models. These are ideal for larger households where high hot water demand is frequent.

5. Hybrid Water Heaters

Hybrid water heaters combine heat pump technology with traditional electric water heating. They are among the most energy-efficient options on the market and are ideal for homeowners looking to reduce their energy consumption even further.

How to Choose the Right Bradford Water Heater

With so many types and models available, it can be a bit overwhelming to choose the right Bradford water heater. 

Here are some essential considerations to remember when making your decision:

Household Size

For smaller homes or apartments, a tankless or smaller-capacity tank water heater may be sufficient. Larger families or homes with high water usage will benefit from a larger tank model.

Fuel Type

Depending on your home’s setup, you’ll need to choose between gas and electric Bradford water heaters. Gas models tend to be more energy-efficient and cost-effective in the long run, but electric models can be easier to install and maintain.

Energy Efficiency

If energy efficiency is a top priority, consider a hybrid or tankless Bradford water heater. Both options offer excellent energy savings over time and can significantly reduce your household’s carbon footprint.

Space Considerations

For homes with limited space, a tankless water heater may be the best choice. These models are compact and can be installed in tight spaces, unlike larger tank models that require more room.

Installation and Maintenance Tips

Once you’ve selected the right Bradford water heater, proper installation and regular maintenance are key to ensuring its longevity and efficiency. Here’s how to make sure your heater performs at its best:

1. Professional Installation

It’s always recommended to hire a professional to install your Bradford water heater. Proper installation ensures safety, efficiency, and compliance with local regulations. A professional will also be able to assess your home’s plumbing and electrical setup to recommend the best model.

2. Regular Maintenance

To keep your Bradford water heater in top condition, follow these maintenance tips:

Flush the tank: Over time, sediment can build up inside the tank, affecting performance. Flushing your water heater once or twice a year will prevent this issue.

Check the pressure relief valve: This valve helps release excess pressure from the tank. Regularly testing it ensures your unit operates safely.

Inspect the anode rod: This component helps prevent rust inside the tank. Replacing it every few years can significantly extend the life of your water heater.

How Long Does a Bradford Water Heater Last?

One of the biggest selling points of a Bradford water heater is its long lifespan. With proper maintenance, these water heaters can last anywhere from 10 to 15 years, or even longer in some cases. Tankless models tend to have an even longer life expectancy, sometimes exceeding 20 years.

Conclusion

A Bradford water heater is an excellent investment for any homeowner looking for reliability, energy efficiency, and long-term durability. Whether you need a compact tankless model for a small space or a large tank for a big family, Bradford offers a wide variety of options to suit your needs. Originally Published Here:-