#slavery mention cw

[helenaus]

@evershiftingmuse ;; from here.

Daenerys had not slept a wink – and it showed. 

Surrounded by tall walls of solid purple marble, she sat like a queen upon the simple ebony bench that she’d chosen to replace the harpy-shaped throne of the previous rulers. Fingers clasped atop her lap, fidgeting, waiting. Since when just sitting still had become such a challenging thing? Next to her stood Grey Worm, with his hands behind his back in military fashion, giving her the latest report on the casualties of the sack of Mereen.

She had to battle her impatience. Deep down, the thought that it should have been her leading the charge through the gates still nagged her – and the soldier’s diligent, dutiful account was a painful reminder that she should have witnessed it firsthand. Still, Dany listened with utmost attention. This was her duty now: to be calm and reasonable in the dealings of the crown, to measure what problems she would have to solve in the aftermath of her conquest and to consider the best ways to do that.

That was why her first reaction to the sound of opening doors interrupting their conversation was to draw in a long, irritated breath.

Until she recognized him from across the hall. Dany stared at Jorah, wide-eyed with disbelief. She hadn’t heard from him since he went on his mission-punishment. She knew he had succeeded, of course. That much was clear since the slaves had been released from the fighting pit, and yet… Either through death or free will, it had never occurred to her that he would return to her.

Not after what Ser Barristan had revealed to her.

“You had more than one reason not to come back”, she reminded him, sharp and cold. He was hurt, she noticed. Daenerys clenched her jaw, fighting whatever sense of sympathy the sight might have made her feel. Looking away, she curled her fingers above the bench. 

Remember what he did to you, she told herself. Remember what he did to your unborn child.

Grey Worm reached for the blade at his hip, but Dany stopped him with a gesture. Gulping, she lifted her chin, watching him from her high seat. “Do you think it’s wise to return here?”, she asked through gritted teeth. “After what I’ve learned of your past?”

[funnywormz]

the toshiro hate discourse is crazy on twitter and tiktok lately. not only they're hating on him for being a jerk to Laios but also having a crush on Falin. they're saying he was hypocritical for liking Falin's personality when she's very much the same to Laios, the guy he find annoying. and also for being in the way of Marcille x Falin ship.

now I love the Farcille ship but dear lord do you have to go this far just to hate on toshiro.

one last thing, this one I don't see alot but is so awful and is that some fans think toshiro is a slave owner (??) cus his family bought izutsumi and tade to work as fighters wtfff

YEAH i find the people who hate on toshiro because of farcille odd because he doesn't even get in the way of it? like he just has a crush on falin but she doesn't feel the same way about him anyways. it's also strange when people act like falin and laios are exactly the same and call toshiro a hypocrite for liking falin. falin is very gentle and kind whereas laios is definitely a bit more loud and abrasive at times. i think toshiro struggled to be around laios because laios was overstimulating and exhausting for him, whereas falin wasn't any of those things. they're two very different people so i don't think it's weird that he likes one and dislikes the other

i think maybe the "slave owner" criticism has a little more merit? because his parents do literally own them, and izutsumi at least had a curse put on her by maizuru which was meant to prevent her from escaping. so like....... they are literally slaves and are under the control of his family/maizuru. although toshiro doesn't own anyone himself and was just a kid when his parents "bought" tade, izutsumi etc., he's still complicit in the aspect that he still uses the labour of these people. he does know it isn't right, and has considered talking to tade about it, and lets izutsumi go when she escapes. but he doesn't make any effort to free them himself, doesn't ask maizuru to remove the curse on izutsumi, and overall just seems to view the fact that his family are slave owners and human traffickers as something mildly uncomfortable rather than the evil awful thing that it is.

i don't think toshiro is a bad person, and he does know what his family is doing is bad, but he's also a very passive person. he's so reserved and anxious about social interaction that it interferes with him telling the truth to laios, but also gets in the way of him properly criticising or standing up to his father in a way that would make a difference, or making a big step like actually talking to tade about how her situation isn't fair at all. so yeah while it wouldn't be accurate to call him a slave owner, i think he is somewhat complicit in the practice of it and deserves criticism for that

idk i don't think toshiro is a horrible person as some in the fandom paint him out to be, and there are a lot of ways people insult him that are just straight up mischaracterisation/projection/etc. but at the same time he isn't perfect and i think there are valid reasons for people to dislike him. but i definitely do agree with the first part of this ask in that most of the reasons people have for hating him are just rlly silly lol

(i hope i approached this topic properly btw, i know slavery is a very dark and sensitive topic for many people and the last thing i would want to do is undermine the severity of it)

[hasmephydoneanythingwrong]

There needs to be like, a list of all the bigoted Minecraft YouTubers so people don’t accidentally step into the circle of the guy who jokes about slavery stocks going up.

[melpomeneprose]

The dirty blonde, noticeably... much younger, or at least appearing so vampire doesn't speak. Certainly not instantly. Benjamin would beg for du Lac's forgiveness if indeed... he cared about such a thing. But, based on information from his sire Audrey, whilst second hand whispers at best... they do not paint the most pleasant picture of Louis. Indeed, Tallmadge would rather bicker with Lestat de Lioncourt at least that is familiar. Even if he wants to punch the French dandy of scandalous reputation. Louis... just seems horribly sanctimonious to him for one who has no right to be, and further, what kind of man of earnest principles -- other than W.ashington, but even Tallmadge can concede it is... regrettably complex when social systems aren't downright violent, nay, wrong word... vampiric.

"Audacity I have plenty of, Monsieiur," Benjamin said, trying one Audrey's words.

"Indeed, it is impossible to fight the lobsterbacks without it. But, at least I am not the one whining about the subject of human life whilst I exploit human life," Tallmadge said. It is meant as a blow, to hurt, to wound to bruise. One could call it vengeance on his sire's Audrey's behalf. Surely, she deserves that much, complicated... as things are.

The near slip of the tongue did not go unnoticed by Louis yet he would not call it to question. For the time being, Louis needn't know too much about the stranger if only because he himself had no interest in divulging too much about himself in return. Speaking of himself was difficult as he was at a crossroad in his life. Far more resigned than he used to be, he still had moments where he contemplated ending it all. The world was a revolving door of constant change. Sometimes it gave him whiplash. Even so, he was finding ways to make the most of it although he often wondered if Lestat was doing the same.

Probably. He had every confidence that his former sire was somewhere living his best life --- as he should --- and minus the one he almost had wrapped around his palm for a time.

Those musings aside, green eyes pinned the stranger with a blank stare, listening to his explanation. A Mr. Tallmadge huh? Certainly not a name he ever heard before which begged the question as to whether or not he was a newbie vampire or simply less renowned than a Lestat or Armand. Honestly though it hardly mattered. Louis had no use for any of his kind any more. As far as he was concerned, they were all the same.

Louis' eyes would narrow sharply upon the mention of Lestat. If there was one topic that could get a rise out of him, it was that of his maker. "I do not BELONG to anyone. And you will do well to remember that. Lestat was my maker, but I am my own person. Lestat is someone I have not seen in years. Nor do I intend on finding him either."

His feathers were rightly ruffled, to the point where now he had little interest in hearing much more. The audacity… Irritation now etched into porcelain features, he looked to Benjamin and spoke in a tone that alluded as much. "What is it that you want with me? Let us drop the pleasantries and get to the heart of the matter. You sought me out now speak. If you are not of a coven then why exactly did you approach me?"

[aspd-culture]

took forensic psych and have aspd. the term psychopathy is only really used in criminal psychology as a way to understand why people commit crimes. there's a big problem with the theory being 1. People have had a hard time applying it to women 2. it describes a very specific person who commits usually violent crime, not a general way to describe why people commit crimes. I also don't like this theory to be clear. "psychopath" is still not a diagnostic term or diagnosis. please don't call people it. (not at you at prev anon). also from my understanding in regards to the theory itself psychopathy and sociopathy mean the same thing

CW: uncensored ableist language.

Please note that while I do not know if this ask refers to the US, my understanding of the criminal justice system and its relation to the psychology field only goes so far as the US so that is what I’m speaking about in this ask.

In the common belief by the general public, one means a non-violent person with ASPD and the other is a violent person with ASPD, but some others believe one means ASPD and one means NPD. I don’t know if that’s what the courts believe.

For the record, psychopathy in criminal psychology still describes ASPD and is considered a personality disorder just as ASPD is, they just call it psychopathy. It’s a continuation of the ableist term now brought into the criminal justice system.

The issue with criminal psychology is that it rarely holds as much weight in court as forcibly applying a true medical diagnosis to a person, and besides, if they use a medical diagnosis they can permanently attach it to that person even outside of the criminal justice system.

That is done on the stand or by “independent” psychologists (aka not done by the psychiatrist or therapist of the person even if they have one) with ASPD most frequently because the symptoms are almost all suspiciously based on things that could be diagnosed without any knowledge of the person if it’s assumed they’ve committed a crime.

On top of that, even if they’re using criminal psychology, that shouldn’t even be a thing. To say that criminals somehow have some different psychology that isn’t related to medical psychology is blatantly demonizing and dehumanizing. Criminal psychology being somehow its own type of psychology using different terms is extremely problematic in numerous ways, and is to be quite honest extremely ableist and again a way of dehumanizing people who have committed or are assumed to have committed crimes (another issue prevalent in it is putting the cart before the horse in cases where people have been falsely accused).

Attempting to assume that a criminal must have some inherent different psychological function that separates them from “normal” people is a way the courts force the concept that criminals are evil or in some other way so damaged that they can be mistreated and forced into the only legal type of slavery. It helps people sleep at night to think they could never commit that type of crime and neither could any of their friends because they are “normal” as well as to avoid thinking of the fact that our method of separating dangerous people from potential victims is to lock them in a metal cage like an animal and mistreat them. If they’re somehow different from everyone else, then they’re either subhuman or non-human and then it’s okay in the majority of the population’s eyes. It’s also often used to perpetuate the racism and ableism already present so that people who don’t want to admit out loud can still be racist and ableist because “statistics prove these people are violent and savage”. People with ASPD, NPD, schizophrenia (and other disorders that experience psychotic episodes), amongst other disorders often fall victim to the ableism here - the “reasonable” assumption in the general public’s eyes is that these people are by default violent with some rare exceptions and therefore are less than. In fact, this belief goes so far as to bring out the eugenics that a massive amount of the population believes in - that these people “shouldn’t be allowed to breed” such that they can avoid future criminals.

As a child and teen I fell into this same belief (“bad person” not eugenics), the way everyone else in the US at least is - and then as an adult I found out that it was not only not the case but in fact is to some degree a known lie to allow systemic cruelty and slavery. I was then victimized specifically because seemingly “normal” people I knew well suddenly committed violent crimes against me, furthering my understanding that this logic is flawed at best by ignorance and at worst by malice, racism, and bigotry. This forever killed my childhood dream of being a cop and keeping my Exceptions and children & animals safe from all the “bad people”.

For the record, it doesn’t seem like you’re defending this in your ask. The reason I am explaining why that’s invalid is so that people don’t go “see it does have a medical meaning” or “see I can use it to describe criminals or people I think are violent”, etc.

Plain text below the cut:

CW: uncensored ableist language

Please note that while I do not know if this ask refers to the US, my understanding of the criminal justice system and its relation to the psychology field only goes so far as the US so that is what I’m speaking about in this ask.

In the common belief by the general public, one means a non-violent person with ASPD and the other is a violent person with ASPD, but some others believe one means ASPD and one means NPD. I don’t know if that’s what the courts believe.

For the record, psychopathy in criminal psychology still describes ASPD and is considered a personality disorder just as ASPD is, they just call it psychopathy. It’s a continuation of the ableist term now brought into the criminal justice system.

The issue with criminal psychology is that it rarely holds as much weight in court as forcibly applying a true medical diagnosis to a person, and besides, if they use a medical diagnosis they can permanently attach it to that person even outside of the criminal justice system.

That is done on the stand or by “independent” psychologists (aka not done by the psychiatrist or therapist of the person even if they have one) with ASPD most frequently because the symptoms are almost all suspiciously based on things that could be diagnosed without any knowledge of the person if it’s assumed they’ve committed a crime.

On top of that, even if they’re using criminal psychology, that shouldn’t even be a thing. To say that criminals somehow have some different psychology that isn’t related to medical psychology is blatantly demonizing and dehumanizing. Criminal psychology being somehow its own type of psychology using different terms is extremely problematic in numerous ways, and is to be quite honest extremely ableist and again a way of dehumanizing people who have committed or are assumed to have committed crimes (another issue prevalent in it is putting the cart before the horse in cases where people have been falsely accused).

Attempting to assume that a criminal must have some inherent different psychological function that separates them from “normal” people is a way the courts force the concept that criminals are evil or in some other way so damaged that they can be mistreated and forced into the only legal type of slavery. It helps people sleep at night to think they could never commit that type of crime and neither could any of their friends because they are “normal” as well as to avoid thinking of the fact that our method of separating dangerous people from potential victims is to lock them in a metal cage like an animal and mistreat them. If they’re somehow different from everyone else, then they’re either subhuman or non-human and then it’s okay in the majority of the population’s eyes. It’s also often used to perpetuate the racism and ableism already present so that people who don’t want to admit out loud can still be racist and ableist because “statistics prove these people are violent and savage”. People with ASPD, NPD, schizophrenia (and other disorders that experience psychotic episodes), amongst other disorders often fall victim to the ableism here - the “reasonable” assumption in the general public’s eyes is that these people are by default violent with some rare exceptions and therefore are less than. In fact, this belief goes so far as to bring out the eugenics that a massive amount of the population believes in - that these people “shouldn’t be allowed to breed” such that they can avoid future criminals.

As a child and teen I fell into this same belief (“bad person” not eugenics), the way everyone else in the US at least is - and then as an adult I found out that it was not only not the case but in fact is to some degree a known lie to allow systemic cruelty and slavery. I was then victimized specifically because seemingly “normal” people I knew well suddenly committed violent crimes against me, furthering my understanding that this logic is flawed at best by ignorance and at worst by malice, racism, and bigotry. This forever killed my childhood dream of being a cop and keeping my Exceptions and children & animals safe from all the “bad people”.

For the record, it doesn’t seem like you’re defending this in your ask. The reason I am explaining why that’s invalid is so that people don’t go “see it does have a medical meaning” or “see I can use it to describe criminals or people I think are violent”, etc.

[meerawrites]

She ^^ (Audrey) thinks murder and gaslighting for survival and more is fine, but slavery (the racial based European/American one) is inexcusable she is also a sex worker, bi disaster vampire and ex ancien regime.

Build a character with historically reasonable moral inconsistencies for funsies and thinking experiment. /j

But true, if I shared the opinion of every character I write (bitch slaps Lestat de Lioncourt before giving him a kiss) that would be… sure something (very concerning), also fails the logic test.

there is no better way to throw ice cold water on me than to enthusiastically talk about your jewish ocs and swerve right into "do you think they would be free palestine" as if this question only exists for your jewish characters and no others.

[skyheld]

this is not even related to the memes, and maybe you've already answered this, but would Ameridan have their vallas'lin removed if they were offered the choice?

unprompted | always accepting | @mercysought

"How are you faring?" the priestess of Dirthamen's temple asks as she puts aside her tools and stretches her back.

Ameridan takes the chance to open his eyes and blink away tears. The small room off the temple's main hall is dimly lit, the priestess' eyes reflecting the flames of a single Veilfire torch. He is holding his father's hand, and his mother has leaned forward to wipe the sweat from his brow. "It is not too bad."

It hurts, it hurts worse than he thought it would despite hearing last year's initiates attempts to frighten those of this year with horror stories about the process. But there is pride in the way it hurts. This is both the cost of devotion and the proof of it.

"I am almost done with your forehead", the priestess continues, pushing Little Dread's giant head away before he starts licking at the fresh tattoos. "That and the bridge of your nose should be the most painful areas. We are not quite halfway through. You are doing very well."

His chest swells with pride. His father squeezes his fingers, and his mother kisses his brow before straightening up so the priestess can continue.

--------

"So you choose lilac, to go with the red of your hair", his commander says, crossing her arms with that wry smile that means she doesn't want to show she approves. "Well, we need not worry about losing you in a crowd; you will be visible."

He laughs. "As if you would worry about losing me in a crowd, vallaslin or not."

"Straighten your back", is all she says to that as the great doors are flung open and the initiates walk into the temple hall, their wolves at their sides, generations of Emerald Knights watching from the benches as the ceremony begins. They enter the hall as squires and will leave as knights themselves.

It is an honour, but the true honour is already written in blood on their faces.

-------

He sits in front of a mirror, and Telana helps him draw the lines on his body with a brush, to serve as guidance for the priest who will do the next set. She uses the sketch in his journal as a base but adds some modifications of her own where the idea does not work well in practice. When she's done he does the same to her, working freehand to extend the lines of Ghilan'nain's vallaslin across her torso and down her arms and legs.

"The ribs are supposed to be painful", he says when she indicates she wants something resembling halla horns there, just under her breasts.

"If I was worried about pain", Telana replies, "I would not be getting more vallaslin than I already have."

He looks at her, and she is so beautiful in that moment, in the soft firelight reflected by the mirror and with her braids gathered over one shoulder, he has to lean in and kiss the spot she wanted drawn. And then a little lower, and a little lower yet, as she threads her fingers into his hair to guide him.

They have to redraw each other's brush lines after; it is too smudged to see.

--------

"Clever and foolish", Drakon says when he sees the mask, "as are all good ideas."

It is half green silk, half charcoal on red. The Dales and the Inquisition. Unlike the ciriane's animal heads, elaborate shapes and faces covered in fish scales, it's simple; just a plain mask like what the servants wear, though with richer materials.

Both halves of the mask are covered in lilac lines. His vallaslin, painted on top of the mask to never be hidden. Ameridan knows the real reason some lords and ladies have demanded stricter rules when it comes to the wearing of masks. It isn't common decency. It isn't respecting ciriane tradition. It isn't following established rules of Drakon's court. It is the vallaslin which marks him as a follower of someone other than the Maker.

"I will miss seeing you", Drakon continues, as he threads the ribbons through Ameridan's greying braids and ties them at the back of his head. "The last bare face in a sea of masks."

"But that will make it sweeter when you get to take it off."

"Yes." Through the draconic slits in his scaled mask, Drakon's eyes are sad. "And unlike the others, you will be yourself underneath it. Whatever you wear, whatever it means to someone else."

-------

The elves of this age have lost their homeland, their temples and their knights, but they still have their vallaslin. It is something.

-------

Asharen's face is bare. He can see her sorrow from a mile away, reluctant as she is to speak of it, and her face is bare. He wants to ask her why, not why would she do it but why did she feel like she had to.

But he doesn't; instead he offers his shoulder if she needs it.

---------

Slave markings. He sits in his room in the quarters found for the Inquisition's stay in Halamshiral, staring into the mirror with its gilt frame, at the owl of Dirthamen with its wings spread in flight. He locks the door and pulls the curtains and takes his clothes off one garment at a time, revealing the lines continuing down his throat and across his chest and back, down his arms and legs, fading to nothing at the backs of his hands.

Slave markings.

He remembers his father holding his hand while he lay on the floor of the temple, his mother kissing his brow just above the owl's head.

He remembers he and Telana taking turns to wash each other's newly made vallaslin, work a salve into the tender skin and kiss the places where it hurt the most.

He remembers the pain, hours lying on the temple floor and thinking it was good, it was meant to be like this, the Creators wanted it so and who were they to question it?

He remembers the pride.

Slave markings.

--------

He looks at Asharen's bare face and it's she who offers her shoulder, though she has only one arm to put around him.

---------

Some days he's proud to wear it; it's a reminder not of what they lost but what they gained, a new history, new traditions, new memories. They are more than their past; they are present and future too.

Some days he pulls the sleeves down over his hands and avoids reflective surfaces.

The vallaslin remains because he has no means of removing it, and so he never has to decide. So maybe he never makes a decision. Maybe he never comes to a conclusion. Maybe if he was ever presented with the option, he would not know what to say.

But he always remembers his father's hand, his mother's kiss, he always remembers Telana.

You will be yourself. Whatever you wear, whatever it means to someone else.

[melpomeneprose]

Hot take: Tarleton is only as bad as his superiors need him to be. Discounting the collective evil of slavery both sides are not forgiven for.

An Amrev historian recently corrected me saying basically, “oh that’s a lie, Tarleton actually never did that, in short he only punished his lessers when necessary and he was a butcher but so were a lot of patriot militia and their officers and especially in the south where it was basically civil war ft a large enslaved population and all.” TLDR: basically… everyone loved/hated John André and Tarleton cause they were pretty flirts and also incredibly competent ‘lobsters.’

Also Francis Marion was notoriously bad to his slaves, even the historians who do not hate him say so.

So… “all men are created equal” (not the 98% enslaved population in the south and don’t hold your breath if you’re a none male).

I was reading the preface to a book about Banastre Tarleton in the American Revolution and was surprised to run into William Tavington from The Patriot within the first few sentences.  It’s crazy (and sad, but not surprising) that a historian writing about a historical figure has to contend with a fictional representation before he can get into the man himself because more people are familiar with the character than the man he’s based on.  This happens a lot, but I think it’s especially striking in this case because Tavington is so obviously a creature of fiction.  He’s a great character, but he owns his villainy in a way that is rare, to say the least, in historical figures. 

The best example of this is the scene where he’s urging General Cornwallis to turn a blind eye to his war crimes.

“We both know that, if I do this, I can never return to England with honor.  What, I wonder, shall become of me?”

“I will assume full responsibility, rendering you blameless.”

Where to start? It is kind of wild for a colonel to assure a general that he will take responsibility for his own actions.  Cornwallis is in control of him; not exercising that control is still a choice he’s making.  People are going to know how that works.  But setting aside logic–which this movie usually does–its intriguing that Tavington is so eager to take the blame for his actions and let his superior officer off the hook.  Who does that?

Moreover, he’s aware of how his actions will be perceived, and he doesn’t flinch from that.  He’s confident that the British people will see him as a pariah and his actions as reprehensible even if they result in a victory (which is hilarious given the fates of historical Englishmen who behaved badly in the colonies, but I digress!)

Tavington never displays any remorse and offers no justification or even explanation of his actions.  There’s no room for apologia. That, along with Jason Isaacs’ delightfully hammy performance, is what makes him so much fun.  He’s a scenery-chomping, good-looking villain who has all the best lines and spends the whole movie terrorizing Mel Gibson.  What’s not to love?

Historical war criminals, on the other hand, would very much like for everyone to know that the victims are entirely to blame.  Or that they were just following orders.  Either way, their violence was completely justifiable and the most practical course of action.  In The Patriot, it’s the Americans who do this, and if they can’t justify their violence, then they just don’t talk about it.  That is by far the most historically accurate part of the movie.

[mjrtaurus]

As a vice-admiral’s son, Dragon was subject to a good bit of ribbing from his peers when he joined the marines, this Urpi knew. It was in the nature of the young to be playful and foolish, this was universal. But this? This was neither.

Dragon had been hazed, to put it plainly. Peer-pressured into a few too many drinks, the primary feathers of his wings crudely clipped while he was too intoxicated to protest, and his person unceremoniously dumped on their doorstep for his parents to find.

She was furious.

To the Shandia, wing-clipping was considered a vile act. Something not to be done even to your very worst enemy. When her people were still widespread across the blue seas, a Shandian- or any Sky Islander for that matter- with clipped wings was often also the bearer of a World Noble’s four clawed brand. To willingly recreate that humiliation was nothing short of a war crime.

His feathers would molt out and grow back in whole with time, but the intangible damage was still done. Her son had been shamed, plain and simple. Worse still, he blamed himself for it.

[ttrpg-smash-pass-vs]

Locathah! Aww, they even have a pet :3 They're strong, athletic, observant, and amphibious. Thier will is strong, being very good at resisting anything that might poison, stun, scare, or put them to sleep! Combine with thier thick hide and incredible endurance could make for a fun time, but they do need do hop in water every few hours. They're actually really friendly and always down for friends and allies, but they do have a good bit of social etiquette they ask for. It's simple stuff though, mainly "social distance unless given permission to approach." Which I hope you did when possible to begin with, and isn't relevant since we're assuming you have permission.

Their species was enslaved by a different species of fish people (who are former slaves of squid people), and it still happens occasionally, so they just get wary about people getting within grabbing range. Also why they're big on friendship, as they noticed kidnapping mainly happens when they're in periods of infighting or have driven away thier allies. So they adopted a "together we are strong and safe" mentality. Just don't mess with thier kelp farms and speak from a distance and they're friendly.

[thr4shit]

And now, this:

[charmantevamp]

Of course, Doctor Nash's words hurt, but, Audrey willfully ignores the insinuation-- she is no prude.

"I'm not Catholic -- so I care not for the pope. He is a man, not God, and therefore does not speak for Him in his worldly imperfections."

"That is just it, neither am I," Audrey stated point blank. "You do not need to be catholic to suffer the indignity brought on by the pope and his pickpocketing. Don't you know? At least, in France, you either side with the pope or you're a r.adical, protestant, a.theist or worse. Either he inherited the works of the early c.hurch and 'saint Peter' or it's all lies, so, Doctor Nash, what do you believe? or are you an enlightened man of science who'd be better off in Vienna or Austria?" Audrey asked a genuine question for once. Either way, we're all scum to the old regime, it matters not what we are," Audrey sighed, she'd concede to cultural catholicism, and being titled by birth. But titles mean nothing once one's Vicomte father disowns them and Audrey can guarantee she is-- indeed, an atheist.

"As for conjecture. One needs a facade to survive in this world, what's yours?''

Unable to help it, the corner of Jacob's mouth quirked upward and he turned away, intent on shelving his elixirs. "Given how that very rebuttal was dripping with sanctimonious tripe, yes: you are. Quite painfully, in fact. Not everything has to be some worldly crusade, you know. There's nothing wrong with taking a sabbatical for yourself."

In fact, Jacob much preferred it. Perhaps for a time, he'd been much the same -- or rather, intent on nurturing and saving as many lives as he could muster -- but once his own existence was snuffed out, bitterness and hatred bled into the cavity of his chest, and it had been difficult to feel quite so benevolent any longer. Were it not for his patients, he imagined he wouldn't have even a scrap of pity to spare.

"I'm not Catholic," Jacob muttered, "so I care not for the pope. He is a man, not God, and therefore does not speak for Him in his worldly imperfections."

Taking a bottle down to fix the label, he added, "Slavery has predated us by thousands of years. Moses' people were enslaved, after all, so I don't know why your kind acts as though the colonies are the one great evil. The tragic fact is, so long as there are those who desire money and power, inevitable oppression will reign. And there's nothing you nor your pretty little philosophies can do about it."

Reaching for his quill, Jacob fixed an inscription, then re-shelved the elixir. "Mm-hmm," he hummed, visibly distracted. "And do not presume to know me, either. Perhaps if you didn't spend the entire time analyzing my every waking moment, I wouldn't feel the desire to point out the obvious. Arrogance needs to be put in its place. Whether or not you truly believe your codswallop is irrelevant."

Had he died at nineteen, he wouldn't have met Elizabeth, and therefore wouldn't have been cursed, so the remark wasn't nearly as cutting as Audrey intended.

"Yes, perhaps," he muttered. "But it's all just conjecture, is it not? Pointless rubbish, in other words. I don't dwell on the 'could have beens' -- just the now." Or tried to.

[sailorplutoirl]

I feel like there's a reason why I've seen so much pushback to the Diamonds vs King Andrias's respect I've heel-face turns

****Content Warning: This will talk about Violence towards Indigenous people and Slavery, albeit very briefly. There is also body horror in reference to gem experimentation.

The Diamonds didn't have any real consequences for their actions. They experimented on their own gems. They shattered gems which is almost equivalent to death. They colonized and disrupted countless planets. They kidnapped humans and forced generations of them to live in a zoo. They had no problem doing these things. Imo, they did have sympathetic moments, but their goals were not noble.

It could be argued that the consequence was losing pink, but that doesn't count for all of the life forms they hurt. They only changed because they realized they made Pink miserable, not because they hurt thousands.

It also may hurt a viewer who has had family who were impacted by colonization. Indigenous people in America were hurt, had their land stolen, and slaughtered at the hands of colonizers. Their descendants still live in the aftermath. Africans were kidnapped from their homes and their descendants like me have to deal with the aftermath. We are separated from our cultures much like how the Zoomans are operated from other humans. To paint the Diamonds as a family that might not understand you, while also having them do these things, and not have them have consequences, it can hurt!

With King Andrias, it's different. He did change in part because of the letter Leif wrote, but he realized that the things he has done cannot be undone. He realizes he has hurt people in big ways. He stabbed Marcy, who was only 13, and worked to carry out colonization. Up until the moment he heard the letter, he had almost no problem doing so, aside from regret from allowing the core to possess Marcy.

King Andrias does face consequences. He can no longer lead Amphibia. He has to work to repair the damage that he did along with his accomplices. He also does not expect forgiveness or reconciliation, especially not from Marcy, who suffered due to his actions.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding it a little but but that's just my take. I still love Steven Universe for what it is, but I won't say it did everything right.

[the-unlucky-foster]

I’ve had this idea for a indie video game that I’m a little scared to share.

Basically, it’s called Feralfolk and it’s about a group of escaped slaves, orphans, or other children/teenagers in 15th century Finland who decide to form an otherkin society, and you’re one of them. You get to choose your appearance, mask, and name, and you basically have to build up a village with your buddies while prioritising your and their needs.

I’ve pictured it in the style of Cattails and Stardew Valley, and also inspired by Manor Lords and Yaelokre as well.

If someone were to actually make this into an indie game, let me know if I can help with anything. Please note I have no coding skills, so I can help with backgrounds and loading screens, or dialogue.

[melpomeneprose]

"I can read well enough," Lola said, trying for gentleness, but she just sounded hardened and bitter. Not towards Benjamin, no, towards a system that would seize upon revolution and still sees fit not to educate her, for her race, for her lack of station, and for her... profession. She envies any harlot who can speak a language other than English, Lola has never met a harlot like that, certainly not on Hollow Ground. Though-- she ought not to fuss about it, no one educates slaves or women. As far as many are concerned, they aren't even people.

Insensible... Yes, he supposed he was. With as much as Benjamin strove to not be cruel or unkind, or lacking all feeling, he still found himself hung upon the tenterhooks of distance, preferring to be apart from those he swore to protect and serve, rather than witness their pains firsthand. He'd seen the injustices of war through Sarah's eyes, and that alone had nearly been enough to unman him.

"Least disgraced?" The words left his lips with a bitter laugh, though there was no longer any tension in Benjamin's shoulders. "With all due respect, madam, you barely even know me. We all wield a different personality with certain people -- little masks, if you will -- so the version of myself I present to you today may not be the same man I am tomorrow."

And God willing, it wouldn't be. He hated who he'd become.

Rolling his lips inward, Benjamin idly fiddled with the loosened button on his coat. Although he could easily have a doxy repair the garment, he didn't find it necessary; not when his actual men were in need, and he was afforded far better in terms of rations and lodgings. But he didn't need to continue being selfish, did he? Perhaps he could give in other ways...

"Can you read, Lola?" he softly asked. "If you will allow it, I'd like to send in a book upon Caleb's next...dalliance." His mouth twisted with slight distaste, though not towards her. "I foolishly brought far too many tomes with me upon my return to camp, thinking I might be content enough to read."

[fandomfloozy]

"there's nothing empowering about sex work" "there's nothing feminist about sex work" Yea dude, there's nothing empowering about working at Kohl's either. nothing feminist about being a secretary or working in a cubicle

it's a job like anything else. it pays the bills. not everyone pursues their career for the sake of feminism, sometimes people are just clocking in like the rest of us