#standard plumbing supply

[tommytomatoe]

sweetheart always had a morbid curiosity about death. it was something you experienced only once, something so tailored to the individual. they were fascinated and often wondered what one thinks about in their final moments. as they laid on the ground, staring at the sky, a quick breeze came by, shaking the trees above and sending stray leaves falling by their head. they didn’t notice. birds chirped all around them, and while their songs were loud, echoing through the forest, they didn’t muffle out the frantic footsteps running in the other direction, away from them. the ground under sweetheart felt wet. a white hot pain filled their chest. their body was confused, frantically cloaking then uncloacking. both their literal and supernatural core were on fire. and while the world was spinning around them with so many sounds, a red stain slowly growing larger through their department uniform shirt, they didn’t notice any of it. their mind thought of one thing and one thing only,  their kitchen cabinets.

when milo and sweetheart first bought their house, the kitchen cabinets were the first thing they planned to fix. there was nothing inherently wrong with them, they were standard gray cabinets with brass handles, they served their purpose. but they were the same style cabinets milo and sweetheart had in their old apartment, and while it seemed like a small thing, this wasn’t an apartment anymore. it was a house. it was their house. they could do and change whatever they wanted. so instead of tackling the overgrown backyard or faulty plumbing in the guest bathroom, they settled for something more manageable, more sentimental to them as their first home project, redoing their kitchen cabinets.

milo, always the man with a plan, already made the list of supplies they’d need for their DIY cabinet renovation. most items on the list were already checked off. they had the paint and the primer and everything they needed to sand and gloss the cabinets. all they needed to do was find the time to go to the hardware store and pick out the new handles. that was the final check mark on their list. after that, they were set to paint their kitchen cabinets the color they wanted with the handles they chose. it was one step closer to making their house truly theirs. 

today was the day they were supposed to get it done. it was a beautiful, hot summer day, both milo and sweetheart were off work and planned to take full advantage of it. they had a relaxing morning, laying in bed longer than they should, playing with aggro longer than they should, bickering over whether to make breakfast or pick something up on the way into town. it was turning out to be a shockingly relaxing weekend.

as sweetheart and milo were getting ready to leave for the hardware store, both their phone’s rang. asher called milo, telling him to come over to david’s for a backyard bbq, one milo asked if david had any idea was happening. asher snickered in response which meant he did not. the department called sweetheart, telling them they needed to come in quickly and that they would be sent thirty minutes out of dahlia to be on scene for an arrest.

it didn’t surprise sweetheart to be called in today, a work life balance with the department was a fictitious thing. what did surprise them was milo’s reaction. when they fought, which was pretty rare, it could be traced back to one of two things; money or the department. he was sick of the department taking advantage of sweetheart’s good nature and passion for their job. sometimes, this frustration felt more directed at sweetheart than at the department. sweetheart knew it, they were basically a doormat for their supervisors and no more than a number to the department, but that didn't stop it from stinging when milo would point it out. much to his disdain, sweetheart changed into their uniform. they promised when this was over they’d get the cabinet handles and continue on with their weekend as planned. but milo was so fed up with everything he just huffed and grabbed his keys, muttering strings of “whatever's” and “it’s fine”. in the car on the way to the scene, sweetheart sent milo a stream of texts apologizing for ruining their weekend plans and promising to make it up to him somehow. they didn’t receive a response but saw he read the messages.

sweetheart wondered what would happen if they didn’t come in today. if they’d listened to milo and just told the department no. it was their weekend, one they wanted to spend with their partner and their friends. but because sweetheart couldn’t say no, they were instead here. alone on the ground in the woods, an hour from home, in a pool of their own blood, thinking about cabinets.

what sweetheart hated more than fighting with milo was when they left fights unresolved. when fights went unresolved, sweetheart would spend every second of every hour replaying it in their mind. they would over analyze every word, every expression, every little moment. it was just how their brain worked. going into this job was no different. their attention was on one thing and one thing only, even though they were briefed on the drive over about the case details and what to expect, its fair to say their mind was just somewhere else.

and while they were replaying milo walking out of the house as they were walking further into the woods to the location the department told them to go, all they could think of was where he was going. what he was feeling. they didn’t hear the footsteps creeping behind them. they didn’t hear the rustle of clothes. they didn’t hear the gun cock. they missed all the signs and didn’t cloak. and in the blink of an eye, they were on the ground. it all happened so fast. 

too stunned to speak, sweetheart felt their body go into overdrive. their stealth nature tried to hide them but it was too late. a puddle was growing underneath them. they didn’t scream. they were going into shock, and all they could do was think of the stupid cabinets. all they could do was think of milo, angry at them for taking this call. to think of milo, wherever he was. to think of milo, going back to an empty house. and how he’d probably be going back to an empty house everyday after today.

as the trees above began to grow blurry and the sound of the birds grew more distant, sweetheart didn’t know what hurt worse, the bullet hole in their chest or the fact that, if this is really it for them, they’d never see what would become of those cabinets. that they’d stay dull and gray, never to be changed, never to be truly theirs.

[wayfayrr]

Did I read correctly? Requests are open? Yay!!! Lately I’ve had a thing for bathtime and especially hair washing!!! Just some romantic, soft, and fluffy LU/Reader bubble bath hair washing. (Extra points if reader has a rubber ducky. There is just something so innocent about adults with small childish things.)

Reader/Wild, Reader/Twilight, and Reader/Legend. You can stop there or add the other boys if you want.

This is my humble request.

Yep, standard requests were open, as of now though it's only event requests for the time being!!

this was fun to write, so thank you for it!! just some pure fluff with the boys you've asked for below the cut <3 it'll go wild, twilight then legend

[masterlist]

Wild

“Wild I’ve been meaning to ask for a while now, when’s the last time that you washed your hair?”

“It washes when I go swimming, Why would I waste time washing it?”

“...Wild.”

Serious, I can tell by the look of shame on his face that he’s genuine here. He’s never taken care of his hair before, never even considered it needs taking care of. Would he even know what shampoo or conditioner is? 

“...Wild.” “What’s even the issue if I haven’t, my hair is fine.”

“Time said that there’s going to be a bath in this inn, I am going to be washing your hair for you. I have some good-quality soap from my world left, I’ll be using them to get you clean”

“[name] really, I don’t have an issue with it. Don’t waste your belongings on me.”

They’re stubborn I’ll give him that, but that doesn’t mean that he gets a pass to not being clean. Even if I break my hairbrush wrangling it through his hair, I swear that I’ll get every last twig out of it. 

“Look wild, I don’t exactly want my future partner looking like this constantly.”

“Your future …partner? Why would they..? OH. OH.”

Well no escaping this now, might as well roll with it. Even though he looks like he both wants to combust and is about to start laughing at this very moment. And well, it isn’t as if his giggling isn’t sweet to hear, I just wish I hadn’t made a fool out of myself in front of him to get him to. It should be easier to convince him to let me help clean him up anyway, so that’s worked a little in my favour anyway.

“Yeah, so I’m going to clean you up a bit wild. It won't be unpleasant either I swear.”

With how caught off of his guard he is it wasn’t hard to drag him up to our shared room and into the ‘revolutionary’ bathroom, not that plumbing is common at all here, best case scenario the water is warm enough for a comfortable bath. Thankfully I’ve got more than enough supplies to make it as comfortable as I can for him, guess that's what happens when you get yanked by a shadow when you’re on the way to a friend's house to have a mock spa sleepover. 

“Is it bad that I still don’t want you to waste your few memories of home on me?”

“I don’t - It’s not a waste if it’s for you wild. Come on I’m running the tub with some bubble bath and if you don’t use it then that will be the waste”

With an almost petulant grumble, he got undressed and slipped into the bath with a contented sigh signalling that I could finally get to work on his hair. Sitting on a stool behind him to start working, gently brushing his hair with a comb to get everything out so that I can lather up his hair, just make him feel like he’s the most important person for a while. Keeping my bag next to me so that I can get anything from it quickly. The way that he’s practically melting under my touch tells me all I need to know about how much he likes this, it’s a little similar to when you pet a cat and they how just don’t stop butting against your hand none stop. Now that I think on it… I might still have that joke gift in my bag still…

“[name]... why did you stop… it feels so nice I don’t wanna get out yet…”

“To think you didn’t even want to do this at first, if you get out though I’ll lend you some of my clothes?”

That did the trick, practically instantly after saying that he was out of the bath and drying himself off. Giving myself just enough time to pull out the dressing gown and gimmick a pair of cat ears that are way too realistic. A twink in cat ears, if that won’t be a reminder of home what will. 

“I’ve got these for you if you’d like to wear them? The dressing gown is warm anyway…”

“...And the ears?”

“Oh these? I grabbed them as a joke, you don’t have-”

I don’t even finish my sentence and he’s already nabbed them out of my hands and has them on his head, like he’s almost proud of the fact he’s wearing them. Like he’s been looking for a reason to get closer and be cuddly with me. Wait if anything the look on his face was like he already knew I had them, did he go sneaking though my bag? Or did he look through the camera roll that time I gave him my phone.

“Nyah.”

“Wild how long have you been waiting for something like this?”

“Do you want me to answer that or do you just want to cuddle with me and deal with answers later.”

“...”

“I knew you’d prefer cuddles.”

Twilight

“So this place has hot springs and proper bathing then?”

“Seems it from what all the signs are sayin’, guess he’s noticed how much you’ve been dyin’ for one.”

“Has it really been all that obvious?”

If he did that means that the others probably noticed as well, which would be surprising seeing as no one’s teased me for wanting one. That likely means Twilight went and asked Time himself. He went and asked time himself just for me, I didn’t even ask for him to do that, I never even mentioned wanting one out loud. Is he like this with everyone? 

“[name] you look a bit flustered, you alright?”

“...it wasn’t a big enough issue that you had to go and ask time to stop here.”

“How’d you -”

Ah, he certainly didn’t expect me to figure his secret out so quickly, but he did have the decency to blush and look caught out anyway. A little like a hurt puppy now that I get a better look, he’s cute like this.

“Well, an-nyway darlin’ I wanted to ask if you’d let me wash your hair for you… I - you’ve talked about how much you value your hair an’ I…”

Oh Twi come on, my heart can only take so much right now. He’s trying so hard to make my heart simply melt for him and it’s working so damn well. How could I ever bring myself to say no to him when he’s asking so politely and looking after me like this? I can’t that’s the simple answer.

“Yeah, I would… I’d love that link, I’ve still got some soaps and such too… I mean if you’d want we could…  even share a bath? It’s simply a better use of what I’ve got left from home right?”

“Right - right, just to make the most of your supplies of course.” 

Now we’re both blushing, but he said yes, he wants to share a bath with me. We’re on the way to the baths right away and we’re gonna share one. I think I have a spare set of clean clothes, could I though? I could after… But for now, we’ve just got to get undressed because Twilight’s already walked us to the bathhouse extension of the inn and to where the baths are. So I just have to get out my stuff and undress while he starts filling it, this is fine, I won’t be a flustered mess during this. 

“I’ve got some lavender bubble bath as well as some shampoo and conditioner? Do you like the smell of lavender twi?”

“Lavender? I’m not sure we gave that here darlin’, if you say it’s good I’ll trust you though.”

“Okay then, just drop some into the water while it's filling so it’ll bubble while… we get undressed.”

Just take your clothes off [name] and get into the bath, simple, easy, you can do this. You can do this. Take a deep breath and take them off. Alright, they’re off now, just got to. 

“You gonna get in darlin’?”

“I’m coming now, don’t worry. What do you think of the smell anyway tw- how’d you get that?”

If there has been a single time in Hyrule where I’ve wished above all else that I had my phone working, it would be now. Twilight leaning fully into his wolf side with my rubber duck in his mouth leaning over the top of the bath, it’s so cute I have to stifle a giggle as I slip into the bath. It makes doing this a little less awkward with him being such a goof, but after taking the first step in it’s even less stressful as he drops the duck. 

“Want me to start washing your hair now?”

“Mhm, it’d be nice.”

And it really is, his rugged hands are so gentle as he runs them through my hair making sure to clean every inch, using the soaps as I suggest. It’s one of the nicest things I’ve gone through, a little hard to not fall asleep in his arms; I think he’s seen that now as well as he’s rinsing it off. I wish it could last for longer though, he’s so gentle. Between his gentle touches and the smell of lavender, how could I resist it? I won’t pass out in a bathtub though, no matter how tempting he is. 

“So want me to wash yours twi? It’s only fair.”

“Nah darlin’ I already have, when you were dozin off.”

With that he decides to get out of the bath just to put a - very kindly provided- towel on only to lift me up out of the bath while I’m already too embarrassed to act, drying me off and setting me on a stool with a chuckle. Only to fluster me further by wrapping his hooded pelt over my head with another laugh, tossing some of his clothes to me so that I can get dressed. 

“Huh..?”

“Wild mentioned you wanted to try ‘em on, so why not? I think you’d look cute anyway.”

“..Especially with how red you are.”

“THE BATH WAS HOT LINK.”

Legend

“So what’s the deal with the captain act?”

“...What?”

“You’re checking yourself out in my shield like he does, what’s the deal with that?”

He’s not even wearing the shield I don’t see what the issue is, I’m only trying to get my hair to look half-decent while it’s so greasy. How do the links deal with this for so long it’s disgusting, I’m not even a clean freak but doing this much moving without having even a 20 second shower? I feel disgusting and that’s not an understatement. 

“Look I’m not used to going this long without bathing, bite me.”

Oh, now he looks even more worked up, lovely, not like I’m trying to come off as a city slicker but I’m just not used to life like this. 

“Wild found a hot spring nearby, you should be able to clean up there. Rulie has a couple of bars of soap too, reckon I can weasel us a bit of time to escape for a bit”

What. 

“I get you’re shocked but we won’t be staying here after tomorrow, so if you want to clean up then now is your best shot.”

He’s right, by the sounds of it, it really is my best shot. I’m just shocked that it’s coming from him of all people, not that I should be looking too much into it right now just gotta have a bit of time to clean off. Hot water simply would be divine now after so long with nothing. 

“It is, you’re not lying there I’ll give you that. Wait. ‘us a bit of time?’ you want to come with me?”

A shrug. Lovely that gives so many answers about what I asked him, I now know exactly why he wants to go with me when I’m going to bathe. Does he not see the issue with implying you want to go somewhere with someone and watch them bathe. 

“Don’t give me that look, you know how dangerous everywhere is with the black-blooded monsters. It’s not safe on your own. Especially not vulnerable like that.”

“Yeah but you have to know that I’m still not used to this world and my home has very different implications for that. I’m still adjusting, okay?”

He’s as red as his hair now, if he didn’t have such a pout I’d say it’s cute otherwise, it’s just downright adorable to look at. Getting to know each others cultures is fun, more so when it gets him so worked up over a simple implication. Unless he actually did have a different idea but was too shy to ask.

“HEY DON’T GIVE ME THAT LOOK I WAS OFFERING TO LOOK AFTER YOU!”

“Yeah sure, you certainly didn’t want to ask for anything else, whatsoever, not at all.”

“...”

“..?”

“... So what if I wanted to wash your hair for you, it’s not my fault it looks so soft.”

Well that was a surprisingly innocent ask, not one I’d turn down either having my hair washed for me when I’m sitting in a hot spring sounds like pure bliss. For how he acts he seems to get my facial expressions well with how he’s ran off to get the soap from hyrule to getting directions from Wild being being any clue. It’s even cuter now that he’s a bit desperate to wash my hair for me. After getting everything though it doesn’t take too long to get to the springs, legend dragging me by the wrist was a bit of a surprise though, he must really want to do this. Another gentle shove and him turning his back when we got here is all I need to strip down and get into the water, splashing him to get his attention again.

“So how long have you been wanting to do this for then Leg?”

“Does that matter? Just relax before I give you the soap to use yourself.”

A simple laugh on my end and he just moves to lather up my hair and start washing it, being gentle, taking his time and just doing it so carefully. It’s not entirely what I’d assume he’d be like but it’s so nice I’m not sure I ever want it to end. But like everything it has to come to one, hot water being poured over my head as he tilts me back to get all the suds off. 

“Couldn’t you have carried on a bit longer? Not even a few more minutes?”

“It was hard enough getting away, we can’t stay here forever.”

“I knooow.” 

Dragging myself out was borderline painful, the air is simply so cold and I don’t even have a good way to dry myself off now, just a ratted towel hanging on by the barest of hopes. There isn’t an option to not immediately dry off and go back to the camp though, mournfully.

“Hey leg, I know I didn’t really say it before? But thanks for this, really thank you.”

“Don’t ah - don’t mention it.”

[highlordofdeeznuts]

The Usurper — Mortal Lands of Prythian Worldbuilding

*Note: This post may be updated alongside the fic.

The Usurper can be found on Ao3 using this link here.

Mortal Lands of Prythian Worldbuilding

Mortals in Prythian live in environments closer to European medieval standards (however they have better hygiene) due to lack of resources and currency 

Most mortals in Prythian live off the land and barter systems 

Currency is still used but less so in more sparsely populated areas

The closer a town is to the Wall of Mist, the poorer the living conditions are

Mortal realms on the neighboring continent are better because they actually have established kingdoms there

Kingdoms trade with Prythian mortals via one seaport in the south of the island 

After the war, the six mortal queens who established the peace treaty also tried to bring back as many mortals as possible 

But the journey is long and expensive, and thousands of people lost their lives at sea due to storms and sea monsters, so the mortals left behind on the island chose to stay despite the poorer conditions 

Mortal lands in Prythian do not have indoor plumbing because no access to running water 

Mortal lands on continent do have plumbing 

Full baths are a two-person job and happen once a week 

Bath house and privy are two separate buildings (usually one-room shacks)  

Privy is wooden bench with hole built over a large tin bucket 

After doing their business, the person brings the bucket outside and uses a shovel to dig a hole out in the woods and dispose of the waste 

Bath house has a small fire pit, a tub, bowl full of soap bars, racks for clothes and towels 

Large water bucket/pan is heated over the fire and dumped into the tub for the person bathing to use 

Usually someone is heating the water and then pouring it in the tub while other person is bathing 

One person can do it for themselves but it’s easier with two people if you want hot water

Tub holds 3-4 buckets of water 

Full baths are done once a week

These include full body washing and hair washing 

Partial baths are done every 1-2 days 

These are just using 1 bucket of water to wash important areas (face, armpits, chest, groin, feet) 

Archeron family water supply

They have a small well behind their cottage that is mostly used for drinking water and laundry 

There is a creek nearby that they use to bathe and collect water from during the summer 

They also have rainwater barrels stored outside the bathhouse that are used during spring/summer/fall 

Snow is collected during winter and melted down for water 

All water must be boiled (for at least one full minute) before use

This is standard in the mortal lands

Plants found during winter – can be grown even in snow 

Spinach 

Onion 

Garlic 

Leek 

Rhubarb 

Broccoli 

Kale 

Cabbage 

Radish 

Turnip 

Apples 

Oranges 

Lemons 

Cranberries 

Pomegranates 

Pears 

Plants found during winter – can be foraged from the forest 

Pine bark, pine needles 

Used for tea

Persimmons 

Rosehips 

Used for tea

Cattails 

Starch from rootstocks can be turned into flour, sprouts can be boiled and eaten as vegetables

Maple sap 

Hickory nuts 

Black walnuts  

Acorns 

Herbs used for cooking 

Basil 

Chamomile 

Chicory 

Chives 

Dill  

Fennel 

Garlic 

Lemon balm 

Mint 

Oregano 

Parsley 

Rosemary  

Sage 

Thyme 

Tarragon  

Herbs used for medicine 

Chamomile – headaches 

Dittany – stomach pain, poultices 

Hemlock – painkiller 

Lavender – disinfectant 

Mint – stomach pain 

Sage – helps with colds

[aki-bara]

PJO Containmentverse

Previous posts on this topic can be found here. The following is a rough draft version of a fake "research document" discussing Percy Jackson's abilities and containment. Please let me know what you think!

Subject #13

Containment Class: Monitored

Discovery Class: Localized

Risk Class: Caution

Containment Procedures: S-13 is to be restricted to a standard humanoid containment unit with modified plumbing. All water supplied should be metaphysically divorced from the concept of liquid. (See addendum 13.1) Subject is not allowed access to more than 2 liters of water at any given time. Should the removal or transit of S-13 be deemed necessary, the subject is to be kept blindfolded until the amount of water it has access to can be limited once more. This may limit the amount of damage the subject is able to cause. Personnel of C Rank or higher must be accompanied by at least one staff member with active combat experience when interacting with this subject. S-13 is not to be given clothing that has pockets of any kind.

Description: S-13 is a male human with non-anomalous features formerly living under the name Percy REDACTED. Legal records indicate the subject is 18 years of age. Intelligence testing reveals the subject falls within the expected norms for a human of its age and background. Additional psychological testing yielded results inline with those of other ADHD diagnosed individuals. While S-13 looks and thinks like a typical human teenager it possesses several anomalous "veil breaking" abilities which led to its containment.

Subject possesses extensive hydrokinetic abilities and can manipulate vast amounts of water at great distances. Subject can also prevent its clothes, hair, and body from becoming wet when submerged.

Subject can cause water to spout from the ground in areas of the terrain that have at previous points in the earth’s history been covered by bodies of water or watercourses even if the area is currently devoid of such features.

Subject can breathe and speak underwater without difficulty. Subject remains unaffected by pressure when underwater even at great depths. The same pressure immunity is not present on land. Subject was not forthcoming when asked about the cause of this discrepancy. 

Contact with water seems to rejuvenate the subject. Furthermore, visible injuries the subject has received appear to heal when covered or submerged in water. An oppurtunity to test the efficacy of water at healing internal wounds has not occurred.

Subject can communicate with most animal-like aquatic lifeforms. Marine life typically appear unusually eager to interact with the subject. When questioned on this, S-13 speculated it was because of its “charming personality.” Research staff did not agree with this assessment. 

S-13 is capable of communicating with horses. It is currently believed that these are the only terrestrial animals it is capable of communicating with. Horses do not seem to show the same level of excitement when interacting with S-13 as marine lifeforms. Subject indicated this was due to “irreconcilable differences.” The subject's ability to communicate with donkeys and mules is currently unknown.

[onyxbird]

Stumbled across these layouts for Grayskull Keep while looking for something else, and there are some fascinating design choices in this place. 🤣

Like, what childish sibling tie-breaker between the twins led to Vax getting the big, spacious room on the left-hand side of the hall, while Vex (presumably with Trinket) is squished into the tiny, awkwardly shaped room encroached upon by the guest room? (I hope all of their houseguests are comfortable with bears.)

Given the amount of space taken up by the workshop (seemingly Percy's domain), two-story chapel to Pike's god, and "arcane laboratory" (presumably Tiberius'), I would have expected one of them to get stuck with the little awkward room as a trade-off. (In the comments below the tweet, Matt says that the difference in room sizes is due to poor measurements in the drawing and to "imagine them all equal," but also, it would be difficult to squeeze in 5 bedrooms on that side versus 4 on the other without making the one adjacent to the guest room narrow and awkward.)

Why does a two-story, 11-bedroom keep in a medievalish fantasy setting have its single bathroom on the second floor, and is there magic involved in the plumbing? I hope there's plumbing, because the other option seems to be someone physically hauling water up the stairs for the bathtub and either a manually refilled flush toilet or, worse, some kind of two-story outhouse-style drop. (Practically, I assume this layout came about because gameplay does not routinely account for character bathroom breaks, so the resident-to-toilet ratio is unimportant, and the players and DM only have to design working plumbing if they feel like playing that way, but still...)

Does everyone from the goliath to the gnomes really sleep in a standard-size bed?

I was about to comment about being irrationally tickled by the storage closet that opens only to the outside of the building, because you've gotta have a place to keep the gardening supplies... And then it occurred to me that Keyleth's garden has been mentioned a couple of times, so that may literally be there for the purpose of storing gardening supplies!

I also wonder if the different furniture layouts are just Matt changing stuff up when he drew it out, so it didn't look like cookie-cutter hotel rooms, or if he actually had the players arrange their own bedroom furniture.

[cuprohastes]

Part 2

The next thrilling instalment of Lunch In Space, where things continue going dramatically wrong, we meet Oscar the Space-suit, find out what Atrix panic responses look like and someone takes a nap on the job.

Stations don't generally explode all at once. If they did this would be one of those Point-of-view ghost stories and I don't believe in ghosts, which is really quite disappointing to my Great Grandmother who's been trying to haunt me for a while.

So there we are, me, Gondy, and Raxy, noses pressed to the cold window, watching vapour spilling out from one of the sections. I mean that's not something you see every day and to be honest, we assumed some bit of crap had jsut punched through a wall.

This sounds scary but usually, everyone just walks out of the module, closes the door, does a headcount and then heads off to the cafeteria and bitches because all their stuff is getting freeze dried, until Maintainance has a patch slapped on and the module pressurised.

That's the word here: Module. Everything is a discreet block with two doors. Close the door, it's sealed. Simples.

So we were expecting to see this big plume of ice crystals for a minute and then nothing… but then the place next door started to vent and the first module… well instead of that plume dying off the damn thing started to come apart.

This is what's known as an Oh Crap moment.

Raxy looked back at Gondy and went 'Grak!' which I assume is Atrix for 'Oh Crap', and Gondy said "Grak! Oh Crap!" and grabbed Raxy and started stuffing him back into her pouch, which is standard Atrix panic behaviour, and bolted with the poor guy's back legs and tail hanging out.

This is when I recall that she's one of the people who keep this place together.

I casually noted the second module deconstructing itself. and allowed myself the pleasure of saying "Oh Crap!" because that's definitely not what's supposed to happen, and casually and leisurely proceeded to follow the Emergency procedures in a calm and measured manner, which is to say I ran for the Core, with a mild case of being terrified chanting "Craaaap crap crap crap' all the way.

The Core's where all the important stuff lives, and thusly it is surrounded by way more shielding and armour.

All the water's at the core in big blocks of foil-covered ice, as ablative shielding and Solar Flare protection and if we need it, reaction mass and an oxygen supply.

It's also where Oscar lives.

So I zoom into the EV prep room, shimmy out of my clothes and into the EV suit which is about the least flattering thing ever. We all know why.

I stuff my clothes into my locker and head down the suit access walkway to good old Hatch 43, which is already open.

Here we go, same as every other time: Grab handles, lift feet, swing legs in, connect the plumbing, arms forward, duck, slide arms into sleeves, head into the turret, but it's the pelvic thrust that drives you insa-a-a-ane, and also slides your ass off the hatch and clicks everything into place, and tells Oscar that your booty is now clear.

Oscar's half awake. They always are. The hatch comes down and makes that cool Shoomp-K'chunk sound as the pressure gasket seals and the mechanical locks lock in place.

"Hi Oscar," I say.

Oscar, an AI interface running on Human computing in an Atrix-engineered hard suit wakes up the rest of the way.

Oscar's got a cute little cartoon Atrix face - I picked that - And it blinks and does a little waking up and yawning animation, which is just the cute way of saying all the Diags just ran and the computer checked I wasn't about to die horribly.

"Oh hey! Looks like there may be an emergency?" Oscar asks.

"Yuppers." says I.

Oscar's not sentient. Oscar is a chatbot UI. Capable of having a superficial conversation and parsing natural language commands but it doesn't think on its own as far as anyone can tell.

But when you're inside a very small, person-shaped spaceship floating around in space, you kind of very much want someone to talk to.

"Any orders?" I ask. The inside of the Turret is dark grey with an amber grid and my little cartoon buddy just sort of floats off to the left and a bunch of little windows with technical information over to the right. Outside… there's nothing to see.

I'm in a box with power and other useful things plugged in. There's nothing to look at right now so the screen that I have instead of a clear visor is just showing a default pattern.

If I stare at a readout window it'll expand and give me something really boring to look at, so I stare at Oscar to let it know it can hang out centre view.

Oscar develops a body and paces up and down, holding a pad of paper, tearing sheets off and tossing them over its shoulder.

"General bulletin from Command: Maintain default station until relieved. On-going structural failure - Cause yet to be determined." Oscar reads out. OK so, sit your ass down.

Oscar goes through a long list of stuff - Basically 'Something is happening we don't know why, it's continuing to happen, we don't know why, and unless the walls fall off and all your atmosphere decides to become free-range, stay put so we know who's OK and who needs checking on'.

Ah, hurry up and wait. I can do this.

Ten seconds later I'm bored. I chat to Oscar:

"Hey Oscar, how's things?" "Everything is fine. Hey it's been a while since we went out." "It has indeed. What's on your mind?" I ask. Which is basically a prompt for Oscar to enter general chat mode. "Hmm. Well, I was wondering, how would you describe yourself physically if you were in a story, to introduce your character to the reader?" Well, that's a hell of a prompt. I think about it for a while, but I'm kind of feeling like a post-lunch nap so I close the conversation the way I always do: "Ah, you crack me up, little buddy!" I say and Oscar does a cute little happy face.

I take a nap. It's great.

When I wake up about a third of the station has deconstructed itself, and nobody knows why. Everyone is panicking in a professional manner and about half the EV team is out trying to grab big bits of crap so they don't start banging holes into stuff. Oscar's little avatar is faceplanted with a little cartoon ZZZ bouncing around.

I'm wondering if I can crawl out and use the station facilities when an alarm sounds and that particular question is handled by the aforementioned plumbing.

Oscar blinks back to the left and starts doing face patterns. The centre view fills up with video, and instructions while Shabby Ailuron (OK no prizes for guessing which species she's from) gives instructions for EV 40 through 45 (43 is me and Oscar) to un-dock and go investigate. I feel proud that I'm part of the team who gets to figure this mess out.

But also Oh fuuuuuuck, I have to crawl into an exploded mess of crud. Normally it's me, my top 500 songs, and Oscar tightening bolts, and doing physical inspections on stuff.

I have never had to deal with a debris field, but I am An Brave Astro-Human and as everyone knows, humans are nearly indestructible space Orcs who fear nothing and junk.

I mean. The Atrix will go into shock at something a human wouldn't consider worth heading to sickbay to treat.

For us, an IV is an interesting and unsettling but kind of minor experience. If they give you one of those stands, you can wander around. For an Atrix it's considered surgery.

Gondy is endlessly horrified and fascinated by the amount of scars humans have. When she found out we donate blood and sometimes we jsut use other people's blood because too much of ours fell out and that this is a thing that can happen and not be more or less instantly fatal, she had to go check because she couldn't believe that was true.

Not to mention how weirded out she was when she found out the station atmosphere is actually way higher pressure and lower oxygen than Earth normal, and we just… y'know. Spend a few weeks getting used to it and then we're fine.

There's a clonk transmitted through Oscar's frame and the turret's display lights up and starts showing me a composite 360 view - Everything behind me and to the sides is compressed, and in front of me is 1:1. All the data windows do that weird 3D thing where they look like they're hanging out as floating panels and Oscar discreetly moves out of the way.

The bottom hatch opens, the docking extends into hard vacuum and Oscar and I slide down on the cradle that holds Oscar.

So of course we immediately get whanged by debris so hard that the rail tears free and I fly off into space.

[akpipes12]

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[spnbabe67]

Comfortember Day 4: Warmth

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Fem Original Character

Warnings: Alcohol (Spiked hot cocoa), Slight angst if you squint, otherwise this is another addition to the anthology of teeth-rotting fluff entries

Summary: Tori and Dean find there is nothing better than relaxing in front of the fire after a long day. (Continuation of Day 3)

Word Count: 1192

Day 4 of @comfortember's November Challenge with the prompt "Warmth"

Everyone has an image that they associate with the phrase 'Log Cabin'. Some conjure the image of a decrepit, falling-apart-at-the-seams, overgrown with moss cabin worthy of a slasher film ala Friday the 13th. Others go the complete opposite, seeing a structure fit for a billionaire; polished mahogany, floor-to-ceiling windows, think glamping.

Bobby's cabin fell closer to the serial killer lair side of that spectrum. To be fair, it was a safe house, which meant it wasn't supposed to stand out. But Tori had to give it credit, while the outside could use some work, the inside wasn't half bad. That is, by hunter standards. It had all the necessities: running water, plumbing, a gas stove, and a store room in the cellar stocked with enough supplies even the most advanced doomsday prepper would be foaming at the mouth.

The bed in the other room left something to be desired. The mattress was worn enough that the morning after the first night, both Dean and Tori woke up sore and Tori even had indents of springs on her back. After that, they'd switched to the couch until the next run where they could bring a new mattress. The sofa Tori lounged on was threadbare, but she thanked god that Dean had the foresight to bring blankets from the Bunker.

They'd spent the afternoon running around the immediate area, and Tori watched Dean's inner child slowly start to heal. Once they'd been out there long enough for the tip of Tori's nose to turn rosy and Dean's cheeks red from the wind, they'd made their way inside. After warm showers and the finest MREs they could find, Tori went out and grabbed some firewood while Dean went in search of matches. Between the two of them, a fire burned hot and bright in the hearth.

Tori was snapped from her thoughts, eyes trained on the dancing flames in front of her by Dean handing her a mug.

"Careful, it's hot." He said, making sure she had a good grip on the ceramic before letting go and gingerly sitting on the couch next to her so as to not displace either of their drinks.

"What's this?" Tori's brows furrowed as she stared down at the brown liquid in the white mug. Finally, the familiar notes of cocoa met her nose and Tori huffed a laugh.

"Really?" Tori tilted her head at Dean, "What are we five?"

Dean was already taking a drink from his cup, green eyes filled with amusement meeting Tori's dark ones over the rim.

"Just try it, would ya'?" Dean lowered the cup from his mouth, swiping the foam from his upper lip with his thumb.

Tori rolled her eyes but complied. She blew across the rich brown liquid, seeing the steam emanating from it. The mug was warm against her lips as Tori took a sip from it. The cocoa was still hot, but manageable as she took in the flavors. She damn near spit it out, instead, she choked it down. It was hot cocoa alright, the telltale aftertaste that could only be attributed to the boxed Swiss Miss powdered shit. But what made her nearly die by sugary drink, was the unexpected, harsh taste of whiskey.

"Goddamn." Tori coughed, much to Dean's amusement, hiding a laugh behind his cup. "How much booze did you put in this?" Tori's voice was horse from the unexpected dose of hard alcohol

"What?" Dean shrugged his shoulders in feigned innocence. "Thought we both could use a bit of pick-me-up."

Tori, now knowing what was awaiting her, took another sip, feeling the familiar burn trail down her throat. It wasn't all that bad, at least where powdered cocoa was concerned. The whiskey added some richness, biting through the overwhelmingly sweet taste of chemically laced chocolate

"I think the amount of whiskey you put in here constitutes more than just a simple 'pick-me-up', Dean." Tori poked a finger into Dean's side.

"Stop complaining and just enjoy it." Dean clinked his mug with Tori's.

He was careful not to spill their drinks as he wrapped an arm around Tori, tucking her into his side and pulled the fluffy Sherpa blanket over his lap.

Tori rolled her eyes but didn't deign to reply, simply laying her head on his chest as her gaze once again returned to the blaze across from them. She sighed, a small contented smile on her lips. There was nowhere she'd rather be, her body swarmed by the warmth of the man next to her, the flames before her, and the alcohol flowing through her system.

It was nice, just to relax here. No worries about the next case or the world ending. Just plain and simple peace and quiet. Tori felt her mind settle, the thoughts that normally overtook her consciousness quieted to a whisper, then ceased altogether. It had been a while since she felt this still, this grounded in reality. And she knew Dean felt it too. He hadn't mentioned hunting outside of inquiries into what Sam was doing back at the Bunker. Tori knew he was enjoying himself just as much as she was.

"Penny for your thoughts, Sweetheart?" Dean's voice rumbled in his chest against her ear as he spoke.

Dean's free hand had begun to absentmindedly trace lines on Tori's bare upper arm. Tori tipped her head up, trying to catch a glimpse of that handsome face she knew by heart even if she was blind.

"Just thinking," Tori started, nestling her cheek back against the textured fabric of Dean's Henley, the now-empty mug cradled in her hands in her lap.

"About what?" Dean's hand moved up to gently toy with her hair, his lips pressed against her crown. "What's goin' on in that pretty head o' yours?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Tori replied, pulling away only to put her cup on the coffee table before returning to Dean's embrace.

She was set up against his chest, sitting sideways with her legs draped over one of his thighs. Tori's own hand traced shapes and letters against his chest as she craned her neck again to catch Dean's gaze.

"Just thinkin' about how much I love you." Tori mumbled, eyes tracing the lines of his face like her fingers traced against his shirt.

His signature smirk spread across Dean's face as he admired Tori. His tongue flicked over his bottom lip as he looked away, always the shameless flirt.

"Well, I suppose that's allowed." He took another drink.

"Asshole." Tori half-heartedly swatted his chest with the back of his hand, causing Dean to snort a laugh.

Dean set his drink down, hand now warm from the ceramic mug, cupping the side of her face, forcing Tori's fake pout to look at him. A pout that Dean kissed away gently.

"Yeah, but I'm your asshole." He murmured against her lips before pulling away and tucking her back against his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Tori just grinned into his skin, letting the crackling of the fire, the alcohol running through her veins, and the warms encapsulating her body, lull her to sleep in Dean's arms.

[abhishek2024]

AK Pipes and Sanitary House: Your Premier Destination for Affordable Plumbing Solutions in Bhubaneswar

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[brostateexam]

homeowner win!

I've spent the last month trying to figure out what window treatments to put on my windows, because none of them came with anything, except for the blackout shades in the office which: weird but okay.

During the search, I've become enamored with the ones in the office. They are easy to pull down and put back up, they block out light quite effectively, and they reflected heat out ably during the heat wave. Fuck getting a window treatment, I wanted these window treatments.

After doing some research online for several weeks and trying futilely to figure out where they were from, I finally took them off the window and took the top bit off, and lo and behold, a brand name! They are actually from fucking Ikea of all places, and about 80% cheaper than the closest substitute I'd found.

So I ordered four more that are light filtering rather than black out, and they'll be going up in our bedroom and the two standard size windows in the living room. We also have a non-standard size fuckoff big window in the living room; that one is getting a custom treatment that will be color matched or at least color coordinated from a bunch of samples I ordered from blinds.com

Thank you for reading all of this. I know it's boring as shit, but these are the things that consume me these days. Even more HGTV content under the cut and a rant about big box hardware stores.

Today, I'm going to a proper paint store because the colors available from Home Depot fucking suck, and I'm going to try and finalize the paint colors and get some samples so that I can paint swatches on the wall.

I want at least the living room and dining room painted before Thanksgiving so that we do things like anchor furniture with earthquake kits, hang up art, and put up swag hooks for light fixtures and hanging plants.

Also, there's a landscaping supply store that is like half a mile from our house that has the cheapest mulch I've ever found in the Bay Area. It was like half the cost of the shit we used to buy in the city.

PS: Fuck Home Depot, every time I go to Home Depot I get so fucking angry. Specialty stores are just better. I grew up going to paint stores and lumber yards and plumbing fixture stores and so on because my dad is a contractor but I didn't get just how much Home Depot fucking sucks until I bought a house.

And fuck the Home Depot closest to me in particular! Every time I go there, there are cop cars hanging out in the parking lot. The neighborhood it's in is like a little methhead homeless gulch between a respectable neighborhood and a less respectable one. It's the part below the highway where there are no sidewalks or houses and a bunch of derelict factories and empty lots, so of course people have moved in here because the space is available and they have nowhere else to go.

Anyway, I hate going there because every time I've gone there are cops just sort of Hanging Out, acting like the grown up version of mall security guards and flashing their badge at anyone who doesn't look like they have a permanent address.

Also their selection sucks. I have yet to go there for something I need and actually find it. At best I find part of what I need, but not all of it, or a substitute for what I actually wanted that sucks more.

[jasonhouck]

Understanding the Core Services of a Newport Beach Plumbing Company

When people think about Newport Beach, the stunning coastline and surfing spots may immediately come to mind. However, behind those attractions lies an intricate network of water and sewage systems that make everyday life seamless and comfortable. At the heart of ensuring efficiency and functionality of these systems are the professionals from a Newport Beach plumbing company.

The Essential Role of Plumbers

In a region as populous and dynamic as Newport Beach, reliable plumbing services play a critical part in maintaining comfort, hygiene, health, and even safety. Experienced plumbers can address complex concerns related to water heating systems, pipelines, drains, septic tanks and more – tasks that would otherwise be risky or challenging for ordinary people.

Broad Range of Services

A seasoned Newport Beach plumbing company won't just specialize in mending leaking sinks or unclogging toilets. The breadth of their services is usually wide-ranging - from preventative maintenance to extensive repair or large-scale installation projects.

For instance, homeowners who find deleterious substances in their tap water can reach out to these companies for water quality solutions. They assist clients with installing water softeners or filtration systems to ensure safe and clean drinking water.

Similarly, homes experiencing issues with their hot water supply can rely on them for efficient fixes. These experts discern whether your heating system entails repairs or replacements by thoroughly diagnosing it before suggesting required solutions.

They're also well-versed in mitigating concerns directly tied to California's climatic features like installing sewer lines safer against seismic activities.

Emergency Plumbing Solutions

When critical plumbing issues arise at inappropriate times – such as late-night pipe bursts or blocked drains causing flooding – it is crucial to have immediate access to professional help. A responsible Newport Beach plumbing company understands that swift response to emergency situations determines mitigation success. With round-the-clock service availability, they ensure relief from urgent plumbing complications without a stressful wait.

Work Ethic and Business Approach

Experienced Newport Beach plumbers not only offer technical expertise but are committed to delivering quality customer service. Valuing transparency, they provide clients with clear, comprehensible estimates before starting any work to prevent surprise costs at the end of a job. They respect customers’ properties by leaving it clean after service. 

Trustworthy plumbers in Newport Beach also prioritize safety by strictly adhering to professional standards and local codes during operations. This adherence ensures the longevity of their work while keeping residents safe – an essential factor to consider when choosing your plumbing partner.  

Wrapping Up: The Hampton Bay Plumbing Company Impact

The utility and versatility of services from a reliable Newport Beach plumbing company cannot be over-emphasized. These businesses help preserve the integrity of both residential and commercial buildings in the area, ensuring comfortable and efficient living for inhabitants.

From providing scheduled repairs and maintenance, handling large-scale installations, offering disaster-proof solutions according to local dynamics to being available during emergencies - these professionals make significant contributions in keeping Newport Beach flowing smoothly every day.

All said, when picking a Newport Beach plumbing company, remember that their range of services ought to cover your specific needs alongside servicing with integrity driven by industry standards for more sustainable results.

ePIPE - Pipe Restoration Inc. Address: 2926 W Pendleton Ave, Santa Ana, California, 92704 Phone: (714) 888-7758

[cacompositesblog]

5 Applications of PVC Foam Core across Industries & For Various Projects

PVC foam core is a material that's used in construction, electrical wiring, and even plumbing. It's lighter than standard foam boards but just as strong and durable, so it can be used to insulate pipes and ducts or build trusses. The PVC foam core has many applications that you may not have imagined before reading this article.

Pipe insulation

PVC foam core is used to insulate pipes, and it's a great option for most situations. In addition to being an excellent insulator, PVC foam core is easy to install and inexpensive.

Construction trusses

PVC foam core is used in trusses to help support the roof. Trusses are building structure that uses metal or wood to form triangles that span across an entire room, forming a grid. Trusses can be made in many different shapes and sizes depending on their purpose, but they all have at least one thing in common: they're designed to support the weight above them, whether it's from another part of the structure or from people walking around below them (like you).

Trusses are used primarily in construction projects where there isn't enough room for conventional beams or columns--for example, if you're building an apartment complex with many floors above ground level yet only one stairwell leading up from street level (or no stairwell at all), trusses are perfect!

Air conditioning ducts

PVC foam core can be used in air conditioning ducts to insulate and reduce noise. It's also used as an insulating layer in HVAC systems. The foam core provides thermal insulation, sound absorption and fire resistance for the ducts.

Underground piping

PVC foam core is a lightweight and strong material that's easy to work with, as it can be cut and shaped. It also has excellent joining properties, which make it ideal for underground piping. The durability of PVC foam core allows you to use less material than other types of pipe insulation. This makes it cost effective as well as non-toxic!

Electrical conduits

Electrical conduits are used to carry electrical wiring in a building or structure. They can be installed in walls, floors, and ceilings. PVC foam core is an ideal material for this application because it provides excellent fire resistance while being easy to install with standard tools. In addition, it's inexpensive compared with other insulating materials such as fiberglass batts or mineral wool boards--and since you don't need any special tools or skills to work with PVC foam core (just some common hand tools), its cost savings potential is substantial over time!

PVC foam core can be used in many different ways

PVC foam core is a lightweight, rigid material that can be easily cut and glued into place. It's often used to create signs, store products or protect sensitive documents. This versatile material has many applications in both the commercial and residential realms.

PVC foam core, like PU tooling boards, is easy to transport because it's lightweight and can be rolled up into manageable sizes for transport by hand or vehicle. The low thermal conductivity of PVC foam core makes it ideal for use as insulation in homes where energy efficiency is important; because there are no gaps between layers of material like those found in other insulations such as fiberglass batting or polystyrene beads (Styrofoam), heat doesn't pass through as easily which saves money on heating bills over time!

Conclusion:

PVC foam core is a great material for many different applications. It can be used in construction, electrical wiring and even pipe insulation. The versatility of PVC foam core makes it an excellent choice when choosing an insulating material for your next project! When you are looking for PVC foam core, or other industrial application product, like an epoxy tooling board, or else, ensure that you source your supply from a reliable and quality name.

[hvachelp]

Five Common Gas Line Services to Call a Plumber

Gas lines play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth functioning of various appliances in our homes. From powering our stoves to heating our homes, a reliable gas line is essential for everyday comfort and convenience. However, gas line issues can occur unexpectedly, leading to potential hazards and disruption of services. In such situations, it is crucial to contact a professional plumber who specializes in gas line services. If you're located in Savage, MN, and are in need of gas line services, this article will highlight five common situations where calling a plumber is necessary.

Gas Line Installation and Replacement

Whether you're constructing a new home or renovating an existing one, installing or replacing gas lines should always be handled by a qualified professional. Proper installation is crucial to ensure the safety of your home and its occupants. A skilled plumber with expertise in gas line services in Savage, MN, will assess your property's needs, determine the appropriate gas line sizing, and install or replace the lines with precision and adherence to local codes and regulations.

Gas Leak Detection and Repair

Gas leaks are serious emergencies that require immediate attention. If you detect a rotten egg smell (sulfur-like odor) or suspect a gas leak in your home, it's crucial to evacuate the premises and contact a plumber specializing in gas line services in Savage, MN, right away. A professional plumber will utilize specialized equipment to locate the source of the gas leak, assess the extent of the damage, and perform the necessary repairs to ensure your safety and restore gas service.

Gas Line Inspections and Maintenance

Regular inspections and maintenance of gas lines are essential to prevent potential hazards and ensure the system's optimal performance. Hiring a professional plumber service in Savage, MN, for routine gas line inspections can help identify any potential issues, such as corrosion, loose fittings, or aging pipes, before they escalate into major problems. Additionally, regular maintenance will involve cleaning gas line components, testing for leaks, and ensuring the system meets safety standards.

Gas Appliance Installation and Repair

When it comes to installing or repairing gas-powered appliances such as water heaters, stoves, or furnaces, it's important to rely on a qualified plumber who specializes in gas line services. These professionals have the knowledge and experience to handle the intricacies of connecting gas appliances to the main gas supply safely. Whether you need a new water heater in Savage, MN repair for your existing one in Savage, MN, a skilled plumber can provide reliable service to ensure proper functionality and efficiency.

Emergency Gas Line Services

Gas line emergencies can occur at any time, leaving you in a state of panic and vulnerability. In situations such as gas leaks, it's crucial to have access to emergency gas line services in Savage, MN. Professional plumbers specializing in gas line services offer 24/7 emergency response, ensuring that your gas line issues are promptly addressed, and your safety is prioritized.

Conclusion

Gas line services are essential for maintaining the safety and functionality of your gas-powered appliances. Whether you require installation, repairs, inspections, or emergency services, it's crucial to rely on a professional plumber specializing in gas line services in Savage, MN. By contacting a qualified plumber like True Plumbing Solutions, you can ensure that your gas line issues are addressed with expertise and precision. Remember, when it comes to gas line services, prioritize safety and trust the professionals.

If you require professional gas line services in Savage, MN, trust True Plumbing Solutions. With our team of experienced plumbers specializing in gas line services, we are committed to providing top-quality service to ensure the safety and efficiency of your gas lines. From gas line installations and repairs to emergency services, we have you covered. Visit our website or call us on 952-658-9772 to learn more and schedule an appointment.

[handeaux]

Cincinnati Once Boasted America’s Largest And Busiest Horse Market

It is mostly forgotten these days, but Cincinnati at one time boasted the largest horse market in the United States, with buyers arriving from as far away as England to bid on the quality steeds offered for sale here. Here is a summary from Daniel J. Kenny’s 1879 “Cincinnati Illustrated”:

“Cincinnati is the largest horse market in the United States, its sales exceeding by several thousand those of any other city. Ten thousand horses are annually disposed of at public auction at the seven sale stables, and the amount of money received for them is about $800,000. The horse market is on Fifth street, between Main and Sycamore, and is opened daily at 9:30 o'clock, and is often open until as late as 2 o'clock P.M. The stock offered for sale ranges in price from ten dollars to upward of a thousand, the general average being $80. Eastern agents are constantly in attendance; and much of the best quality of stock offered is purchased by them and sent to the seaboard. Government contractors purchase for the army; the express and street railroad companies, and other large dealers in horse-flesh, attend regularly and buy all suitable stock. The English Government is a large purchaser of mules in this market, and other foreign governments frequently have a purchasing agent here. The market is supplied mainly from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, but many fine horses are brought from more remote regions, attracted by the good prices usually obtained.”

Time for a little math. Your basic horse can be counted upon to poop around 30 pounds each and every day. Ten thousand horses a year averages maybe 40 sold per business day, producing just north of six tons of “horse apples” every week. Someone had a lot of shoveling to do and Fifth Street must have been eye-stingingly aromatic in the summer.

From about the 1830s onward, the eastern reaches of Fifth Street were dominated by vendors of prime equines. There were a couple of dedicated buildings, notably the Fox family’s three-story stable just east of Main Street, but most horse-trading happened right in the middle of the street. Auctions occurred daily, governed by a crier who beat upon a table with a length of rubber hose to catch the bidders’ attentions.

Side deals and private showings competed with the raucous salesmanship surrounding the crier’s stand. On 18 October 1929, erstwhile horse trader Lee Quitman reminisced for the Cincinnati Post:

“During the days of the old Fifth-st. horse market, cable cars ran along Fifth-st. There were five auctions running at one time and the crack of the whip was a familiar sound as the horses were paraded up and down the street for the prospective buyers.”

Quitman recalled selling a lot of horses to the street car companies in the days before electric trolleys replaced the horse-drawn cars, and shipping entire herds to U.S. Army camps during the Spanish American War.

The Cincinnati horse market flourished in the days when a man’s horse reflected his status. There were standard carriage horses of even temperament pulling the family surrey, dull old drays hitched to workmen’s wagons and high-spirited stallions flaunted by the playboys. Men measured other men by their equine knowledge. The Cincinnati Enquirer [9 October 1898] described the true horseman:

“You can tell a real horse lover by the expression of his eyes when he looks at an animal that pleases him. His glance is quick and exhaustive, taking in every detail of his idol’s anatomy from his fetlocks to the tips of his ears. He has in a flash counted every hair in his hide, measured his bones and his stride, noted the gentle droop of ears, the flow of mane and tail and seen the hidden ambition in his quiet eye. He has plumbed his shank and sounded his deep chest, peered through the transparent delicacy of his thin nostril, found how high his step is and figured out a mathematical problem that is more mystifying than anything astronomy holds for the waster of midnight oil. There is a horseman for you!”

The modern reader will be shocked – shocked! – to discover that some of the Fifth Street horse trading was less than honest. The Cincinnati Gazette reported in 1882 the case of a young man from Cynthiana, Kentucky, who was tricked out of a fine horse in a bait-and-switch operation. In 1893, Cincinnati Police arrested a 14-year-old boy who had stolen a fine saddle mare from an Indiana farm and rode through the night to sell it in Cincinnati before the loss was discovered. The Commercial Tribune complained in 1886 of the nefarious tricks some horse dealers employed to boost the salability of their nags, using lotions, potions and cosmetic applications that were often harmful to the animals.

Wartime was good business for the Fifth Street merchants. Although many of the old-timers pointed to either the Civil War or the Spanish American War as the heyday of the Cincinnati horse market, mechanical competition loomed.

Some people predicted the market’s demise when the Traction Company swapped out horse-drawn cars for electric trolleys. Of course, automobiles also got the blame, especially the electric models that appeared in the early 1890s. Most people, surprisingly, pointed to the bicycle as the harbinger of doom, including the Enquirer [9 October 1898]:

“The market was crippled but still not done for until somebody got two wheels together, and made a bicycle. That was the straw that broke the horse’s back, and the farmer’s back, as well as the horse dealer’s back.”

Despite the predictions, the Fifth Street horse market hung on. Although the 1898 headline prophesied “Doom!,” the market survived until 1903 when the Cincinnati Post predicted the end as some of the bigger sellers relocated out near the stockyards on Spring Grove Avenue. Lee Quitman, quoted above, didn’t close up his dealership until 1916, after 40 years in the business.

As the Fifth Street horse market dissolved, adjunct businesses – notably saloons – drifted away as well. The legendary Bay Horse Exchange on Fifth Street relocated to Main Street as the Bay Horse Café. The legendary watering hole was fondly recalled in the 1943 WPA Guide to Cincinnati:

“On Fifth Street, by way of illustration, no less than 20 bistros flourished between Main and Sycamore Streets. This block-long oasis featured a horse market in the street; horse trading is a thirsty business; there stood the Bay Horse Cafe—to name one—where the bartender shook your gin fizz for 30 minutes before serving.”

[loominggaia]

This might be a stupid question but why don't all gaians move to Etios kingdom if they are master race there? Are there downsides for them?

If you're a gaian, Etios Nation might seem attractive at first. But this kingdom has its own set of problems, and unfortunately they are pretty nasty ones.

First and most obvious issue: the anti-fae laws. Fae are not even allowed to exist in this kingdom, they are deported (and sometimes killed) on sight. Commoners are allowed, but they are treated like second-class citizens compared to Etiosi gaians, meaning they don't have as many rights.

Gaians living outside this kingdom likely have friends, neighbors, and family who are fae and commoner. Moving somewhere as bigoted as Etios Nation would be a hard adjustment for them, to say the least. If you are married to a commoner and you come to Etios Nation, your marriage will not be recognized by the Etiosi government because it is not legal for gaians and commoners to marry here.

Second issue, technology: Etios Nation is a Nymph Pact kingdom, meaning they aren't allowed to use advanced technology. But Etios Nation is considered primitive even by Nymph Pact standards. We're talking about a civilization that hasn't advanced beyond mud huts and stone clubs. Barely anyone can read. Healthcare is limited to herbal remedies and woo. Infrastructure is barely there, meaning you get dirt roads that turn to mud every time it rains, no street lights, questionable water supply, and no plumbing. Need to take a shit? Start digging a hole because there are no toilets. You're living the real country life out here! The average Etiosi city makes Evangeline Kingdom's most backwater towns look "advanced" by comparison

Citizens who grew up in Etios Nation tend to be satisfied with their lives. They don't know anything different, and it's really not that bad if you're used to it. This lifestyle has its perks. But their culture is pretty extreme in some ways, so trying to move here from a different culture is going to be difficult no matter where you're from. There is no other place like it on Gaia, which is both a blessing and a curse.

Third issue, diplomacy: Etios Nation is on bad terms with Matuzu Kingdom and has been since its beginnings. This kingdom has literally been at war since day 1. Matuzu Kingdom is one of the most powerful Great Kingdoms on Looming Gaia, meaning this war isn't likely to end any time soon. The good news is, you are allied with Folkvar Kingdom, but they are at war with Evangeline Kingdom. Folkvar is essential to Etios's survival, so you better hope Evangeline doesn't get the jump on them or else your kingdom goes down with them. Not everyone can handle the stress of long-term warfare. The future of this kingdom is very uncertain.

So, let's review...

Are you a gaian species? Do you prefer a quiet, natural life off the grid? Do you hate fae, commoners, and Matuzans? Are you a healthy, able-bodied person who doesn't need advanced medical care? Do you enjoy shitting outside? If you answered "yes" to all those questions, Etios Nation is the place for you. The thing is, most gaians in the world don't feel this way, so they have no interest in the Etiosi life.

No one's flocking to move here, but those who are already here tend to stay.

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Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

[pipingmaterial]

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