#though the former is a reconstruction of the latter

[earl-grey-love]

The urge to redesign my s/i is omnipresent. I've yet to be fully satisfied with it.

[immobiliter]

"So, it turns out, if you fund enough reconstruction efforts in a city-state, the nobles give you the worst job they can think of." "They want shit fixed, and I can do that."

so the amount of canon information we actually have on viscount varric is pretty small honestly ( i am hoping we might get some insight in veilguard, even if it's just to know who is in charge of kirkwall now, nearly 10 years on ), but what is made obvious by his scene with the inquisitor in trespasser is that varric didn't want to be viscount, but was voted in because he was one of the most effective individuals involved in reconstruction following the events of da2 and because he could actually make stuff happen rather than adhering to regulations and getting caught up in the red tape that would naturally accompany something on that scale.

this makes a huge amount of sense: varric is incredibly well connected and has a longstanding history of being the one to get things done. for years, he worked behind bartrand as a "professional younger brother" and he very much does the same for hawke during the game. as he says to carver in their da2 banter:

"You've got people who warm thrones, and people nobody sees who do the real work."

the position of viscount, the highest authority in the city, is arguably what varric would least want to be lmao. BUT he knows the state that kirkwall is in after everything that happened, he cares deeply about all of the ordinary people who live there, and has seen the abuse of power that has gone on in the city for years, so i do think this is a sacrifice he makes willingly because there's nobody else qualified or trustworthy enough for the role ( nor anyone else who wants it clearly lmao and, i mean, who would ), and he has the popularity among the nobles to actually win the vote — not only is he a famous author throughout a lot of southern thedas by this point ( i can't wait to find out if his books have made it to northern thedas in veilguard but i digress ), but he's also well known for being friends with the champion of kirkwall.

however, even though he's accompanied to the exalted council by the former "provisional" viscount bran cavin ( who presumably took over in the immediate aftermath of meredith and is a very by the book kind of guy ), i do think that varric only ever intends his tenure as viscount to be temporary. there is no way that he wants this to be his job for the rest of his life — evident seeing as he is currently in tevinter with harding seeking leads on solas's whereabouts. he's either majorly shirking his duties rn or he's handed over to a successor, and i want to say the latter is likely seeing as my working theory is that varric does not expect to return to kirkwall alive. also, as far as we know, he has no living heirs so upon his retirement or death the title would need to be given to somebody else. and, like bianca, kirkwall is one of the true loves of varric's life, so there is no way that he wouldn't ensure that the city is in a safe pair of hands before he left — unless, of course, he was forced to leave at short notice based on intelligence as to solas's whereabouts and i'm hoping veilguard will clarify this a little for us.

the position of viscount would also limit varric quite a bit. we know he has contacts in the carta, his editor runs a significant portion of the coterie and he has his fingers in a number of other morally questionable pies i'm sure lmao. being an elected head of state and therefore accountable to the people he serves would certainly force him to officially cut ties with some of these groups, though i also like to think that maybe varric enacts some kind of systematic reform to governance in kirkwall as a whole? complete change is needed to ensure that it's not just the nobles who elect one guy to serve as viscount, but that the city's needs are met by a group of individuals, perhaps, who all represent the different factions and groups in the city ( templars, mages, the coterie, the city guard ,the alienage, the nobles ) so that everyone is represented. he'd meet resistance, i'm sure, and i don't know whether varric would be able to push things so far that the citizens of kirkwall could actually vote for their leaders in a democratic society, given the feudal/medieval nature of thedas and the fact that this doesn't seem to be a system in place anywhere in the world ( that we know of ), but i think leaving kirkwall in the hands of a collective union of leaders would bring much more reassurance than leaving power unchecked in the hands of one person.

[mysteriouspresence]

Madoka Magica and Evangelion: A Comparison of Themes

part 3/3, SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT

i’m assuming that anyone reading this post has either watched both shows or does not care for spoilers. this is your warning, if you don’t want to know what happens, turn back now before I start exposing the truth as the shows in question do, after the first few episodes.

again, this post got rather long, so please click on the expand button to read it all!

science fiction works with enemies disguised next to the protagonists

both the wish magic and EVA robots have alien origins — the former is granted through the Incubator’s technology, and the latter is cloned from the first Angel, Adam. later on, the protagonists will use this very technology to try and defeat the source, though it causes reality itself to reconstruct from how powerful the ability becomes, in their hands. however, in both cases, the power to defeat evil spawned from evil itself. the threads of fate that allowed Madoka to become a goddess (and later on, Homura to become a devil) and destroy all witches came from Homura’s attempts to save her while Shinji ended Instrumentality since Rei and Kaworu (Lilith and Adam) helped him find his will to live again, and respected his wish to rebuild the world. in both cases, it’s shown that the otherworldly powers are great enough to grant wishes to save or destroy humanity, based on the user’s desires.

also, the enemy that secretly controls the negative events impacting the protagonists is revealed to be the system they serve. still, said enemies also claim to be causing suffering for the greater good of humanity: Kyubey, who served as the magical girls’ guide turns out to be an Incubator. this advanced alien race uses magical girls’ despair (when their Soul Gems become so polluted with negativity that they burst and cause the girl to turn into a witch) to reverse entropy and stop the heat death of the universe. on the other hand, NERV, under the control of SEELE, had secretly planned for Instrumentality (the merging of all human souls) to happen, hoping that it would unite humankind to a higher plane of existence by removing the walls that people erect around their hearts. however, in both these cases, these benevolent plans require the suffering of children — to make wishes, to pilot the EVAs — to realize.

Character Arcs and Archetypes:

main character (Madoka/Homura, Shinji): they’re framed as weak and useless on the surface, often bursting into tears and wishing to run away, yet they face their fears and turn out to be the strongest ones of all, by sacrificing their own wishes to give humanity a chance to fight on, even if it means they must endure the pain of those around them. in Madoka’s case, she became a goddess who must take away the despair of all magical girls in all time and space, while Homura chose to become a devil to save the “human” portion of Madoka so she could have a normal childhood with her other friends. meanwhile, Shinji rejects Instrumentality despite knowing it means returning to a ruined world where humans will become individuals who can hurt him again. each of these characters takes responsibility for the fate of the world with their final wish because there were people (friends, family, and comrades) they loved that they wanted to see happy again.

(Left: Madoka crying over Mami's death by a witch. Right: Shinji runs away from home after his friends almost got killed in an Angel attack)

supporting tsundere (Kyoko, Asuka): both characters are portrayed as “tsundere”, but this stock character personality is broken down over time in both series to show that their pride is just a front for their internal helplessness, avoidant attachment, and lack of self-confidence — both girls are orphans who tragically lost their families (and in part due to acquiring their special abilities) at a young age and decided that the best way to avoid being hurt again would be to claim absolute independence because they learned that relying on other people means that this comfort may fly away at any time. as a result, they push away the people around them to assert themselves as an individual who “doesn’t need others”. in the end, both characters regain true confidence, only to sacrifice themselves in hopes of saving the very people they rejected at the beginning of their arc.

mysterious quiet one (Homura, Rei): both characters are portrayed as kuudere types who prefer to observe the other main characters except when making vague comments that make little sense to anyone but become painfully clear in retrospect, such as Homura’s warnings against becoming a magical girl (seeing how the girls must suffer until they become witches) or Rei’s declarations that she is easily replaceable (having hundreds of backup clones stored in the NERV headquarters). ultimately, the reason they know so much about the “truth” is revealed much later in the story, near the climax — Homura is a time-traveler who’s lived through the same month dozens of times, while Rei is a clone made from Lilith’s soul who has been killed at least twice throughout the series.

Thematic Ideas and Symbolism

in both franchises, despair brings great power but also great suffering. wishes and a mother’s love power magical girls and EVA units accordingly, but as a result, the abilities of the main characters to fight become impacted by their emotional state as well. soul gems are corrupted by despair and cause magical girls to turn into witches over time, while the EVAs will stop responding to a pilot who closes off their emotions. unfortunately, in both cases, the users are exposed to traumatizing situations that leave them emotionally exhausted and vulnerable to negativity, driving them toward doom and the inability to fight any longer. notably, Sayaka becomes a witch after falling into a destructive spiral, and Asuka loses control of her EVA following her mental breakdown. 

both series use allusions in their world-building. in Evangelion, the aliens are named Angels, while the progenitors of life are named Adam and Lilith, all obvious references to the Christian religion. in Madoka Magica, Madoka becomes a goddess to save magical girls. Madoka’s witch form is called Kriemhild Gretchen, a reference to Faust’s love interest, and other Faust quotes are featured in the witch runes scattered in labyrinths. what is most interesting is how the usage of Christian themes in a non-Christian predominant society (Japan) echoes Western works referencing Grecoroman pantheons, creating a sense of ancient power by tying a set of objects to some foreign, mystical force.

(Left: Madoka goddess from Madoka Magica episode 12. Right: Angel Areal from Evangelion episode 22)

Conclusion

Madoka Magica and Evangelion serve as deconstructions of conventional magical girl and mecha shows by showing how cartoon portrayals of war with otherworldly forces, normally targeted at children, paint over a grim reality with idealizations. these shows seem to ask, "isn't it ridiculous to think that kids can save us all when even the adults can't?" the shows challenge this mindset that we grew up with — hoping for a call to adventure, for a chance to prove ourselves in extraordinary circumstances — without truly considering the burden of responsibility that we will have to take on, while simultaneously exploring the nature of human relationships, something that everyone is inevitably familiar with — themes such as love, trust, and grief.

that's all I have for analysis for now, i hope this was an interesting read! please let me know if I missed anything major, and feel free to add to the discussion!

[ask-the-crimson-king]

Magnus & Musings

Greetings to you all. You may call me the Mysterious Hermit, and I am the human behind the blog. I think I've procrastinated long enough on making a proper pinned post, so allow me to do so now.

If you follow this account, know you will see more than just rp threads. You will most likely see artwork and writing, the occasional lore post, or just some banter. I am a mostly-rp account. Not every post is or will be in character.

The contents of this post will be as follows: > RP Expectations/Rules >My Portrayal of Magnus the Red >Side Muses Bios

RP Expectations/Rules What I do not rp/answer to:

I do not do NSFW rp of any kind, nor do I entertain NSFW asks of any kind.

I prefer mostly-serious threads. I do not mind the occasional banter, but PLEASE do not come spamming old TTS memes/recycled grimdank memes in my ask box.

What I would like as a thread/expectations you should have when starting a thread with me:

I do not mind doing crossovers! If I am not familiar with the original property/your OCs backstory/etc., I may ask about it.

I am willing to do threads during the Crusade/Heresy and the modern 40k era. If you do not specify which you would like, I'll most likely assume 40k.

I am sometimes very, very slow to respond. Please be patient, or hit me up if it's been a while and you want to continue a thread I might've dropped.

I try to match length in responses as best I can, but please do not feel pressured to do the same. All that I ask is multi-para replies do not get one singular sentence.

The Portrayal of Magnus the Red:

I try to stay as close to canon as I can, though occasionally I may deviate. I enjoy playing him as a complicated "road to hell paved with good intentions" kind of character, with all the hallmarks of his famous arrogance and gigantamax-brain-ness on display.

In the modern day, I have him currently focusing on his New Kingdom project, where he is trying to terramorph Prospero so that it is decently inhabitable again while training the human psykers who are being drawn to Sortiarius in droves. Instead of Prospero being a gunshop, I am instead running it as the future home of the human population, while Sortiarius stays for the Legion. There will still be industry on Prospero's surface, but to a lesser extent than to what has been described, since I just find it way more interesting.

Side Muses:

Kazakh, Daemon of Tzeentch

Kazakh is a small, brightly-colored daemonic bird who has been given the order of keeping an eye on Magnus. He generally acts as his small daemonic messenger and sometimes emotional support daemon if the time requires. He has a penchant for hoarding shiny objects within the fluff of his chest, and usually takes shiny things as payment for being a messenger or to get him to screw off. Though sometimes in response to the latter, he'll show off his very shiny knives. He has once tried to cut Fulgrim himself for not coughing up a shiny bauble for him.

Zikar-Sin, Master of Possession

Zikar-Sin is a former Thousand Son returning to the Legion for the first time in millennia. He still considers himself a Word Bearer, having been attached to a Host for these past few thousand years, but is happy to be returning to his parent Legion. His role in the creation of the New Kingdom has largely involved him aiding in the reconstruction of a viable biosphere, or helping to integrate the inbound humans to the teachings of the Legion. His sorcerous mastery mostly lies within diabolism, but he was an Athaenean in the ages long since past, and his telekinetic mastery has also improved. He can also be found accompanied by his tutelary, Sepa, who joins him in the form of small twin screamers.

[basedkikuenjoyer]

Yesterday, the idea was how similar of a space Bonney & Kiku fill. Either theoretically can suit this idea of a Quartermaster to round out the last potential spot on the main cast. One's an imposing big sister with an actress vibe and military background, one's a sharp little sister who's shown some acting ability helped by a devil fruit and capacity to be the cooler head. Bonney is having her moment finally, while also giving us answers on tangentially related big deals.

The question, once again, is how much this moment matters to the whole? And I think we can explore that by how the two differ. Though of course for Bonney this could all change quickly, not to mention this filler episode or next Academy chapters could get weird. We're well past the point weird is on the table. We're chowing down on weird. There's a few points here so I'll just dive in:

First, a theme we've seen before. Bonney here is shaping up to be a bigger parenthetical in a sense. Kuma shows up before Izo. He had more of an impact. But there is a similar point we've mentioned with Vivi. We know the Supernova were kinda spur of the moment. Nothing about Kuma's story in Thriller Bark or Bonney's intro in Sabaody really hints at this bond. In hindsight Izo's specific role in Marineford and Kin's first appearances do have elements that make you think about Kiku's later role. It's still pitting someone we know was a sudden inclusion vs. the echo of Kamatari.

It's hard to tell the difference between a foreshadow and a callback, but given what he had prior I could believe Bonney's connection here was something conceived during the hiatus at the end of Wano. Speaking of...end of the day if you do go with Bonney or anyone really you still need an answer for why the hell we did what we did with Kiku. We do drop that shell game at the end on someone who had the arc she did and can make so much use of this weird theatrical theming. I still can't get over Academy pulling a much more blatant version of this trick. I can't get over Ginny at God Valley pulling more or less my original pitch for how you could make that work on Egghead.

If that weird ending for Kiku and keeping certain elements around Egghead weren't for the main story, a cover serial is always an option and I could see the logic in setting out as an envoy to the Revolutionary Army. But even there...doesn't Bonney have more of a claim to that? You gotta remember she has the whole "your own captain" thing and it's not like she needed the Straw Hats to get this far. It's really easy if you go a different route to have Bonney and Vegapunk take care of each other's stories.

Which opens up another fun option. Already pondered this when it was Vivi's turn, if Sabo springs her into the Straw Hats story again and Kiku drifted off on a cover serial, it'd be like the brothers did each other a favor. You can extend that with Bonney & Vegapunk. Those two going to Wano isn't a crazy idea. The former could have safe haven to grow up somewhat normally. The latter would be invaluable to reconstruction.

What sticks with me too is something we said about Ginny initially. She's like if you put Nami's personality on this role. Bonney is kinda the same. You certainly have the potential, but it's coming through your mother in a flashback. Kuma's story is great and all, but I want you the think about that Forrest Gump comparison from the chapter review. Even if it isn't intentional, if that's part of a grander story it maybe isn't as much about the man as it seems. It's more about the thread running through great events. That's what I can't shake. Bonney's lineage shows the potential to fill the role and has a lot of connections spelled out. Kiku just quietly showed the skillset and built a bond while her story baited a few potential hooks more pertinent to the Straw Hat's journey.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil observes anniversary of the anti-democratic uprising in the capital

Brazil on Monday observed the anniversary of last year’s uprising in the capital when thousands of supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro invaded government buildings and called for a military intervention to remove President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from office.

Several demonstrations in defense of democracy were taking place across the South American country, hours after Federal Police carried out dozens of search warrants as part of its ongoing investigation targeting those responsible for the mayhem.

Prosecution plus a ban on Bolsonaro from running for office stands in contrast to the U.S., where Donald Trump is running again for president and has been dominating the campaign for the Republican nomination so far, even though he faces federal and state charges.

On Sunday night in the capital, Brasilia, the words “Democracy Unites Us” were projected on Congress’ annex buildings that tower behind its chambers.

The Supreme Court inaugurated an exhibition about “reconstruction, memory and democracy” displaying damaged pieces and other tangible traces of the attack, and Congress hosted another pro-democracy event, where officials presented a tapestry by renowned artist Roberto Burle Marx that was damaged by rioters and painstakingly restored. The latter event was attended by roughly 500 guests, including Lula, members of his Cabinet, Supreme Court justices, Senate president Rodrigo Pacheco and top military brass.

Continue reading.

[hadestownreconstruction]

Hey! Feel free to disregard this and sorry if you’ve already answered (Ill admit I didn’t scroll all the way down to Hadestown) but what’s your Hadestown/Hadestown Reconstruction origin story?

No pressure to answer and I hope you have a nice day!

Hey howdy! The gist of the project itself should be my pinned post, though that’s outdated; I’ll update it soon. As for how I got here, my friend introduced me to the show itself in June of 2022. Saw it again next January, then again in April. After April 2023, I started learning about the history of the show, and older productions. Got myself a copy of Working on a Song, and dove in head-first. My goal is to recreate a number of deleted or changed songs as accurately as possible, and maybe do some cosplaying along the way.

It’s been about five months and I’ve gotten the opportunity to talk to a number of the people involved in the show itself (including Ben t. Matchstick, Sara Grace, and Robinson Morse). Most people involved barely remember anything, and most who do remember aren’t keen on saying anything without Anaïs’ permission.

I’ve got a semi-functional reconstruction of Everything Written and Way Down Hadestown (only the former has been posted; I need to update and re-record the latter). My next step is If It’s True.

At some point soon, I hope to reach out to Anaïs to gain knowledge, or at least permission from her for others to share what they know. I’m definitely not putting that message off. Nope, never.

I’ve also got passable knowledge of the live performances of the full opera and individual songs from 2009 thru 2012 (incl some full recordings of the America Sings Hadestown concert series) and limited knowledge (and some speculation) on the 2012 and Dartmouth workshops.

Hope this provides some context for you. Feel free to ask me to elaborate on anything I mentioned!

[freedomarrow]

Succession [drabble]

There was a time when the banner of Daein fluttered in the winds, carried both by the harsh, unforgiving gales that called his homeland their own, and the proud wings of Daein’s Dracoknights as they looked to the horizon from on high, while the cavalry and infantry below marched in perfect synchronization and harmony — ready for battle, for glory, for victory and death, all in service of their country.

Leonardo only ever saw it once; when he was nine, his father took him to show him his destiny. He was a noble, after all — one obligated and expected to give it his all for the good of the motherland, and he was being prepared for this role since his earliest days. He saw it all… The flags and banners, carrying the name and pride of his country. The black armor on every knight, glistening in the sun. The swords and spears prepared, sharpened, polished, ready to fight for that which must be defended. The majestic wyverns, floating in the air above him, as though the wind itself, too, was at Daein’s command. Father’s horse, Goldmane, with whom he loved to play and with whom he learned to ride already as a little boy, dressed in the beautiful garments befitting the mount of His Majesty’s handpicked paladin.

Only once did he have a chance to witness it, but on an impressionable boy, aware that this was his future, it left a mark never to be forgotten.

Four years later, the Mad King summoned his army to war. A year still passed and it was gone.

Scattered on the winds, lost in the fields of Crimea’s righteous blades as they protected the freedom they deserved. Lost in the name of, as he would later learn, nothing, for they and their valiance were used in the name of madness and greed, little more. Swords broken, shields shattered, his father and Goldmane, too, lost on some battlefield or other, no longer important and relevant to anyone. It was as though they never mattered to begin with.

History would only ever remember them as villains, invaders, those who trampled upon the rights of others. Yes, they too left behind grieving wives, orphaned children and a shattered nation — but those do not matter, do they. Who cares about the bad guys, after all. And it was a reality that Leonardo found he had simply resigned himself to.

It is not as though he ever expected or demanded apologies, sympathy and compassion from others, but perhaps somewhere deep down, it hurt to know that he did not even have the right. He never allowed himself to think even that much, though. It was not until after the Dawn Brigade became a cornerstone of the newly reborn Daein army and he truly began to reclaim the value of his life that he forgot existed, that he finally began to let his thoughts give voice to his grievances and frustrations — and questions on what comes next, now that he knows the “next” will, indeed, have a chance to happen.

What is the point of glory if it only brings ruin? What is the point of reaching for the skies if it only leads you to crash to the ground?

Today, a decorative dagger with the family crest on its hilt rests in a drawer in his dorm room, seen by few, but never forgotten. It is the main keepsake he still owns - Leonardo has preserved little else of his past life. Family riches and belongings were, naturally, stolen by the Begnion army, and though some of it — as well as the family mansion — was regained via reparations, he donated a lot of the former to the Daein army reconstruction effort and the latter… is still a little difficult to think about. Perhaps he will sell it and settle down elsewhere, where ghosts of the past will not plague his thoughts. Or maybe he will eventually find it in him to return to them like a good son, a good brother, a good young master.

When he is certain no one would come to visit or bother him, he will sometimes take the dagger out of the drawer and simply look at it for a while in silence, wishing his father would answer his questions. His fingers will gently rub against the high quality silver blade, and he will close his eyes and listen, hoping to hear his voice, heed his advice — only to then realize that he was deluding himself, and whatever words he heard were actually his own.

In the end, however, he had no right to expect anything else. Many perished, young and old alike,

but it is especially many of the former who remain. The nobility, experience, tradition, foundations — all of that, first and foremost, was swept away during those years of tragedy. (And it makes sense, from the war point of view. That, too, is how you kill a nation.) 

(This is what they deserved.)

(Is this what they deserved?)

What remains are those who had seen either too many winters to be called to arms, or too few — provided they made it through said winters to begin with, which especially during the occupation was not a given — and who escaped the work camps, the fate of collateral damage, and the malice of a bored enemy soldier to whom the people of Daein were equal to livestock. As well as a couple lucky people like himself, who fought and made it out. It is their task, now — these children, ready or not, are the people who will shape Daein’s future.

The thought that this is up to the likes of him is sobering and terrifying — and refreshing, too, in a way. They get to decide, now. They can choose what they do, how they fight and who they hate.

Today, he studies and trains for the future in a foreign land far away from home, a land where the fields were not burned, schools were not destroyed, and a place where the less fortunate can come to still continue hoping for a future. Fate saw it fit to place him here and fill his new world with adventures, missions and new companions; one of whom happens to be a gentle, serene mare, reminiscent of the one that accompanied his happiest days - the main difference being the moonlit color of her mane and tail, rather than the suntouched tone that Goldmane sported. In her honor, Leonardo named his new friend Silvermane.

She was somewhat neglected and not in the best of conditions when he first brought her to the monastery. Small wonder, what with her having been wrestled from the hands of brigands, who cared nothing about her health and well-being and treated her as little more than another trophy. When no owner came forward, Leonardo volunteered to take care of her, having sensed the first thread of connection forming between him and the horse from the start. He has taken care of her ever since — feeding her properly once again, turning her shaggy coat beautiful and glistening, and healing her emotional wounds that she could not speak of, but sustained nevertheless. He restored her glory and pride by reminding her that she matters, and made it so that she once again walked with her head held high.

And yet, for a long time, he failed to realize just why and how it was so important for him as well, until Silvermane himself explained to him in her own, wordless way, that she was not the only one being healed through this process. For it was when she first placed her forehead against his chest in a silent request for an embrace, that he made the realization — 

he looked in her eyes, and he saw himself, with his father and brother standing behind him, their hands on his shoulders, smiling with pride and faith.

And today, months later, it is as he sits atop her back, with Lughnasadh in one hand and the reins in the other, that he finds himself looking up to the sky while the gentle wind of Fódlan’s plains ruffles his hair, and he smiles lightly.

I will keep going, always and forever, and so will Daein along with me.

———

Leonardo has mastered: Bow Knight.

[cruoren]

the dichotomy of the sovereign is this: the myth and the man, working in tandem, and contending in opposition. statecraft is the construction of the former and reconstruction of the latter. this is devised mythology, a god on a shrine, but this shrine is a machine, held up by the institution. as ren looks out the grand window port that stretches over the steel wall of the ship, his eyes trace over a thousand distant stars divulged ahead, gleaming with their power which cowers still before his. they would fall under his jurisdiction, too, in due time, with the entirety of the galaxy united under one reign. in his thoughts, he sometimes imagines they had fashioned him a metaphorical mask out of shards, to replace the one he could not wear — the supreme leader whose war expands past the streets of the core regions into darker depths, in the name of valour and order. the terror of the first order, with his mystic powers and dark agenda, whom the furthest of civilizations fear & revere. thus, this myth is a construction and it is owed most in its entirety to the chancellor. had it not been such a masterful manoeuvre, a plaster over the past, ren would not have entertained the effort that had gone into its creation.

the blastdoors hiss open, though ren's back remains turned. he does not look, but he feels the familiarity of the chancellor's presence, the cut of him, the flourish of his cape. he knows the faint light of the stars catches in the embellishments of his sleeves. he'd grown accustomed to it all; the when of this evades him. we will be preparing for landing soon, he hears hux inform, their destination set before them, to meet with the noble families of eriadu. ren adjusts his cuffs, ❝ i saw you had outlined talking points for me. ❞ he says, motioning toward his holopad strewn across the table. ❝ their loyalties had lain firmly with the emperor before the fall... i wonder what they expect to see in my attendance. ❞

the cosmos had erupted in a liturgical furore when their ceremonial ship had set off into territories both known and unknown, the first order emblem plastered proudly on either side, announcing their departure into the heart of galactic affairs. belief is the art of storytelling and governance is the mastery of lying; tie them together and one can sway a crowd as easily as a herd. he hopes the herds they are to engage are resilient, for his own sake. his lightsaber feels heavy with misuses at his side, concealed artfully within the belt hux had designed.

❝ you wanted to guide me through this, so tell me: shall i play at monster for them, or human? ❞

he turns around, slightly, at the same time as the chancellor strides toward him, in synch; their eyes meet. in the cold space of his quarters, ren feels maskless in every sense. here, he is stripped of the curations and the fabrications, and beneath the emblems and badges, his shoulders heave with the beginnings of exhaustion wrought by paranoia, that parasite that lives in his heart and eats and pleads, nourished by the irritation he feels at what is to come. his features are set in faint amusement, though, almost stretching into a sharp grin, and then a laugh,

@acharnemcnt remarked, sarcastically: ❛ you have not been human since the night we met. ❜

lithe fingers, decorated in rings, seem intent to smoothen out the crooks of his collar and ren can only muster up a huff. ❝ do you remember it, that night? ❞ he muses, tipping his chin down, though hux's own gaze seems incessant on affixing the medals he had pinned in crooked, careless haste to his uniform's breast and all ren can see is the bright of his hair, the neat slope of his nose, ❝ the way snoke spoke of your ploys and feats, i had expected you to be older, perhaps taller. your civility irked me. you did not seem bothered by me, nor frightened. ❞

he nestles a large, gloved hand under hux's chin with eased tact, prompting the chancellor's head upward, their gaze one in one, ❝ what is it you see now — a creature in the dark, still, or an ally? ❞ the teasing lilt of his voice is light, low, hushed, ❝ do i haunt your dreams, chancellor? ❞

[b-splendens]

Yulguk

대율��국, daeyul jeguk, the Great Empire of (the) Yul

Other names: Yulguk, Yulnara, Yul Country, Bando, the Peninsula

Capital: Meotunseong (name pending)

Government: constitutional monarchy

Geography: MOUNTAINS with some plains in the west + many coastal islands

Climate: like Korea’s

Rambly “Historical Context”:

(not proofread)

30 years after Saseom-ae (Shijimian) occupation invasions were repelled by a combination of Long, Yul restorationist, eastern Maljok, frontier warlord, and Bellian forces, Yulguk and the rest of the realm of Danyangju have only now been able to wearily emerge from the shadows of the Sandalwood Wars.

The Sandalwood Wars started as the logical conclusion of the empire-building done by Danyangju’s two eastern giants: the Samyukta and Long. The former vied to reestablish an old history of dominance in the southern Jo Danju region, which the latter had locked down through an extended tributary system. Initially fighting through proxy wars by supporting various usurper and incumbent powers, the conflict spiraled into open war. Hence started the Red Sandalwood War.

In the northern Baek Danju region, Imperial Shijima, whose clashes with the bloated Long Empire over influence on the Yul Kingdom and disruptive Shijimian settlers resulted in increasing economic isolation, sought an alliance with Samyukta and hence attacked the Yul and Long not long after war had started in the southern seas. Imperial Shijimian forces occupied the peninsula on the pretenses of restoring the clique of royal in-laws who the Long had ousted from power due to destabilizing peasant rebellions. The White Sandalwood War hence began, and with it, one of the longest, worst decades in Yul history since the Millennium War.

To be concise, fortunes began to turn as Yul resistance coalesced around the rightful heir to the throne, now known posthumously as King Geumjong. Supported by lower aristocrats and military leaders, he allied with northern frontier gangs and sought an alliance with Bellia, who hosted a formidable Yul diaspora that had grown during the regressive reign of the royal in-laws. Several Yul had been appointed to high offices and so heeded the plea—though not without concessions to be made in the future. As aforementioned, Geumjong’s coalition, fractured Long forces, and unsteady support from the inland Maljok turned the tides.

Shortly after the Sandalwood Wars concluded, a painful reconstruction and readjustment period began for the now-Great Empire of Yul—allowed to exist thanks to the destruction wrought upon the Yul’s former imperial master, the deposed Long. King Geumjong uneasily bowed to pressure from the Bellians, people, and lower aristocrats to form a constitutional monarchy.

Bellian advisory, military, and business forces now occupied the peninsula, brewing unease and imposing restraint on policy in the name of self-preservation and self-strengthening. Namely, the nebulous territories of the north were not administered as part of Yulguk. Many advisors and professionals across the realm formerly distributed to the Yul by the Long Empire were courted once again, this time to directly serve the king and prime minister. Not all improvements and changes were appreciated. When some of Geumjong’s former military allies rebelled against the Bellians and officeholders of the new republic, the rest of the army competently put the insurrection down, playing a part in Bellia’s ultimate physical withdrawal from the mountainous land.

What followed next was a decade of hardline, nationalist, paranoid, and heavy-handed policy openly supported by Geumjong. Prime ministers during this decade pursued a small war against the reconstituted Jaded Republic over the Long Empire’s former frontier territories, ending in expansion and the creation of two new northern provinces after diplomatic meetings deescalated the conflict. Xenophobia ran rampant, purging “foreign” officials and appointees from their posts. The dominant party also (il+)legally purged their opponents wherever they could and even stoked fear within their own ranks. Immigration restrictions intended to ensure that a devastated labor supply could not shrink any further, while funding was gutted for foreign study trips and diplomatic missions. The generally repressive atmosphere clashed with a steadily recovering, growing middle class that wanted universal suffrage.

The murder of Supreme Prosecutor Jak Noljin (name pending) by Gil Yong-gi and its investigation played a role in turning public opinion firmly against the conservative coalition. Jak’s younger brother, foreign envoy Jak Heungjin, was the liberal-aligned suspect that the investigation doggedly pursued, as the murder took place at his residence during the celebration of his son’s high examination scores. He also had lost a suit against Gil years earlier, who refused to restore Jak’s post after the latter returned from an extended spousal mourning period.

Yet, an overabundance of evidence pushed by liberal-aligned officials in the justice system later leaked to independent presses stoked public unrest, as opponents of the conservatives framed this incident as an attempt of judicial murder. Not to mention, it was also an example of the vicious climate brewing among the party itself, as people speculated that higher-ups could have ordered the elder Jak to be killed for going against party interests with his rumored investigation of Gil’s embezzling activities. Even Geumjong, who had long supported the party, publicly expressed that he would serve justice himself if he had to, preemptively vowing to pardon the surviving Jak before his execution.

Triumphantly, Gil was charged and executed instead, averting mass outcry.

The next decade was far more liberal, preceded by Geumjong’s stroke-induced death and the ascension of the current queen. In gratitude for awarding them a new majority, the liberal coalition enacted universal suffrage, regardless of income. The quality of life across the peninsula had by then mostly improved, although industrialization and urbanization ensured that turmoil continued. The most prominent feature of this decade was active foreign policy and economic pursuits, spawning the growth of a notable tourism industry. However, the increased circulation of people and goods also brings with it stress and disease, and an epidemic has recently only just begun to end. Ultra-nationalism once again lurks, ready to strike out against new cultural and social change while economic stratification entrenches itself as the new evil of Yul society.

It is at the tail end of this decade that the “present” story of Jakho unfolds. (think like the 1880s)

[hriobzagelthewanderer]

@finncomet replied to your Post: "I hate to make you do all the work when you've already done so much. This is my problem to fix after all... and you've got your own problems to deal with right now." Not that Finn had any idea what he was doing.

"...I could use 'Help', perhaps, because I doubt either of us are up to the task of replacing Planetary Bodies anytime soon, but you misunderstand something. I Only did what I had to, but I do not take promises lightly, be they that of others or ones I make myself... I promised I would train you as a Mentor, and that implies some level of responsibility of the Mentor over the Apprentice; the former is represented to some degree by the latter, after all, and it is trusted that the later is making good use of the former's teachings in turn."

The Being's eye sockets, filled with small continuous sparks of azure magic as akin to flames as to lightning, somehow managed to convey a rather calm, unoppressive stare to the Adventurer as Hriob offered the 'lad' a cup of tea... chilled, this time, but still refreshing with a hint of honey and citrus.

"...If you wish to be a leader, you must balance action with planning, if you wish to be a hero, you must balance violence with reconstruction. You are already have much of the basics down, clearly... but knowing how to fight does not truly teach you to know when to, does it? That, at least, I hope to help you with, once we truly get started... after all, I saved your planet - though sadly not your moon - without attacking a single person, did I not?"

[thecouragetobekind]

Trans women who have had surgery still need to visit the urologist, not the gynecologist, because the former is familiar with our surgeries and the latter is not. You need to stop lying and spreading misinformation which could get someone killed.

Wow, everything you said is completely wrong. So it's very funny that you think my 'misinformation' is going to 'get someone killed'. That hyperbole is fear mongering and also that's just a really aggressive way to speak to a complete stranger. Especially to accuse me of 'lying'.

So let me clear up your misunderstandings.

Firstly, urologist specialize in the urinary system, which include the bladder and kidneys and also the uterus. They aren't like the male version of gynecologists. For example, urologist treat organ prolapse, where the bladder, uterus, or colon "fall" into the vagina, or will treat fistulas, especially bladder fistulas. (Which is a hole connecting the bladder and vagina.)

Secondly, Vaginoplasties are preformed by reconstructive surgeons not urologist or gynecologist in the vast, vast majority of cases. Also, vaginoplasties are not a trans specific surgery. Severe vaginal injuries, such as those caused by childbirth or disease, are also treated with a vaginoplasty.

It's laughable any ol' off the shelf urologist is "familiar" with the surgery. Plenty of doctors still refuse to preform even the simplest trans-specific healthcare 'because it's not a usual part of their practice they are comfortable preforming' let alone complex reconstructive surgery.

But my original comment wasn't about vaginoplasties, it was about checking the cervix for cancer.

So, thirdly, trans women aren't the only women with neo-cervixies. In addition to the above, people who have undergone hysterectomies of one kind or another often have a neo-cervix as well. Or, for example, if someone has cervical cancer, and needs their cervix removed, they give that person another cervix.

Because the cervix is a very important part of that set of anatomy. It keeps the uterus and other organs from prolapsing (just falling out) and is also something of a barrier that keeps junk out of the uterus. And if you don't have a uterus, it keeps junk out of the abdominal cavity.

The procedure to check a cervix for cancer is the same regardless of if its a neo-cervix or a cervix-cervix.

Meaning, gynecologist are also familiar with the cervix aspect of a vaginoplasty. As well as the rest of the vaginoplasty. Because they treat people who've had vaginoplasties. So, you know, it's perfectly normal to go see a gynecologist to have your vagina looked at.

A basic pap smear is actually simple enough it can be done with an at home kit (though if anything needs to be biopsied they'll need you in the stirrups for that).

So uh, recommending you see a gynecologist for a vaginal specific issue isn't horribly dangerous misinformation, it isn't even misinformation. It's a perfectly normal thing to do.

If a surgeon made you a vagina, that surgeon should tell you what vagina problems to look out for, what health screening you need, and what specialists you should have preform those tests for you. They'll also likely be able to refer you to someone trans friendly if needed.

Getting an at home pap smear test from a general practitioner is not a big deal. There's no need to see a urologist for that. If you need your neo-cervix biopsied there's no reason not to go see a gynocologist since trans women aren't the only ones with neo cervix.

And also most urologist offices aren't going to have speculums and stirrups.

Trans health care is not some big secret only select medical disciplines are let in on.

A general practitioner can prescribe hormones and keep you up to date on the tests you need for that. A plastic surgeon with experience is going to preform the surgeries, MtF or FtM. A general practitioner can send you home with a pap smear kit, or preform one in the office, even. A gynecologist can look at your vagina, because it's not a special or trans exclusive vagina. A urologist can look at a urinary tract or bladder infection or what have you.

Acting like trans health care is some super secret complicated thing is transphobic. That's something transphobic doctors say as an excuse not to treat trans people.

A friend of mine had a complication develop after surgery and needed a local urologist to fix it. The long term fix was surgical, but the urologist could have drained the painful mass that developed while she traveled to see her surgeon. But he refused. So did the doctors at the Emergency Room.

So she got to enjoy a very painful very long very bumpy bus ride from her rural college to the city where her surgeon was so he could take care of it for her.

YOU'RE the one who needs to 'stop lying and spreading misinformation' because your misinformation perpetuates the excuse transphobic doctors use to avoid treating trans people at all.

It is not a trans need to have a painful surgical complication corrected and it is not complicated to drain an abscess. But that doctor refused her, not because the abscess was caused by an unfamiliar surgery, but because she required that surgery because she was trans.

You are telling trans people that our medical needs are complex and overwhelming and scary. That's discouraging. And it's just not true.

Urologist don't have exclusive rights to vaginoplasties. Urologist aren't extra familiar with trans women's health needs. The cervix isn't part of the Urologist's specialty.

Calm down. Going to see a gynecologist for a pap smear isn’t going to kill anyone. And the gynecology field as a whole is making an effort to be more welcoming to trans women because it’s perfectly normal for trans women to see a gynecologist.

[broomsick]

I keep seeing this phrase being used on spiritual websites, but I do believe Gods that originate from worldwide traditions aren’t “wiccan” Gods. Though wicca is considered a pagan path, the term “wicca” itself does not encompass all forms of paganism. Paganism and wicca are two vastly different religious paths, with different beliefs and different practices. The former derives from specific cultural practices, while the latter is a reconstructed spiritual movement that’s mainly centered around western esoterism. While wicca is generally considered duotheistic (as it focuses around a masculine, “Horned” God and a feminine, “Triple” Goddess). On the other hand, pagans are more often than not polytheists and the deities they worship vary based their chosen traditional path/paths. To call pagan deities “wiccan deities” is to erase their cultural background and history and to rebrand them as if they somehow belonged to wicca. But maybe I’m wrong and maybe there’s an explanation behind this phrase which I haven’t considered. If that’s the case, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with me.

[wiisagi-maiingan]

Genuine question: why are native religions closed while European and Asian religions are open?

Native religions are closed because our culture, religions, and spiritual practices have been criminalized, erased, stolen, and bastardized by colonizers and continue to be today.

Many of us don't know our own traditions because they were beaten out of our grandparents and parents. Many of our traditions are lost forever because our spiritual leaders were murdered and their records were destroyed. Even many of the traditions that are still being practiced are struggling because of habitat destruction taking away vital resources (such as white sage and sweetgrass) and sacred sites. For the latter, the vast majority of sites necessary to different rituals and traditions are closed off to their tribes or destroyed entirely.

There's also other aspects to loss of spirituality in Native communities, like the fact that we have generations of Natives who were forcefully converted to Christianity, through schools or forced adoptions or predatory missionaries.

There's also just general loss. So many traditions were centered around things that many of us no longer have access to, because of laws or environmental destruction or removal from ancestral lands. How are we supposed to practice traditions centered around following bison, catching salmon, collecting maple sap, hunting water fowl, harvesting manoomin, building seasonal shelters, or the millions of other things that were stolen from so many of us?

Our traditions are closed because we still don't have real access to them, because they're still in pieces because of what colonization has done to us, and because they're STILL being destroyed by people stealing our sacred practices and turning them into something they're not, turning them into meaningless commodities.

To answer the latter part of your question, there's plenty of European and Asian traditions that are closed?? In my experience, "open" European religions are reconstructions, modern versions of ancient religions that no longer have a living community who follows them so there's no one being exploited by them being open. There's other traditions that are closed, many of them folk religions that exist in specific areas.

And in my experience, the VAST majority of Asian religions are also closed, with some rare exceptions like Shinto, or are semi-closed and require conversion or marrying into the community. If you are using "Asian religions" to refer to Abrahamic religions, then saying that they're all open is also not accurate. Judaism and many forms of Christianity are semi-closed and require initiation (conversion, baptism, etc) and there's at least one Abrahamic religion, Zoroastrianism, which is closed entirely. (Correction: Zoroastrianism is NOT Abrahamic though often associated with Abrahamic faiths as a monotheistic religion. Sorry for the inaccuracies. It's still closed tho.)

In general, most religions in the world seem to be closed or semi-closed because they're based around dedication or culture, the former which you have to prove to the community and the latter you have to actually be part of to understand the context and meaning of the religion. The idea that religion is something you can just walk into easy peasy is very much an American Christian one, designed to convert as many people as possible as fast as possible. It's definitely not a universal concept.

[icestarphoenix]

Do you happen to have any headcanons for DC/Gov (dont know if you separate them 😂)

DC/Gov Headcanons

I have DC and Gov as separate people. 

Gov’s Team Spirit is two blue chains that are cuffed to his wrists. When he’s focusing hard on doing something, the ends of the chains attach themselves to whatever the subject of his focus is. [#48129D]

I’m counting Gov’s population as federal employees nation-wide, which consists of about 2.88 million as of 2022.

Even though Gov’s population is quite big, he’s restrained himself for so long that it’s become normal. He doesn’t remember the last time he used his full strength.

DC's Team Spirit is a red chain that circles around his neck. It tightens when he feels stressed. [#D10634]

DC’s population is federal employees employed in DC, which consists of about 240.6 thousand people as of 2022. DC’s population is a part of Gov’s, and Gov is much, much, stronger than DC.

Gov was an anomaly by personification standards at the time as he appeared from so few people that were held together as a group only by necessity, hence his blank personality when Continental Congress was introduced. 

I suppose in this alternate history timeline, Baby Gov’s existence convinced the colony representatives to agree to work together more quickly and seriously.

DC appeared in 1814 after the Burning of Washington, where the damage to Gov’s body and psyche were so great that the DC portion of his community broke off from his mind into their own body before finally falling unconscious. 

DC didn’t have such good first years of existence though as he was essentially trying to handle reconstruction through instinct alone, with his best potential mentor figure being stuck in a coma. The colonies helped here and there, but governing was never their jobs.

During his first years of existence, DC showed physical symptoms reminiscent of MS and he had to walk with a cane. These symptoms faded away as the capital was reconstructed.

This has lead to DC constantly overworking himself, especially seen in the modern day, as he unintentionally learned from a very young age that no matter how awful his body felt, he still had to work his hardest for the good of everyone else.

Gov is much worse at dressing down than DC, though that still isn’t saying much as the most casual shirt DC will willingly wear is a polo.

“Old DC” is not the actual personification of the Office of the Former President. In fact, the new office has no personification at all. The former president just nabbed DC to act as it in order to make the new office seem more official. 

The only reason why a personification would ever drastically change what they represent (without just having a new personification) is if it’s a name change, and this certainly isn’t just a name change.

Gov is scared of thunder, though his fear is not nearly as bad nowadays. He still jumps at it, however, and Florida will tease him for it. Although, Florida doesn’t know that Gov’s fear isn’t purely irrational.

DC is kind of treated as an afterthought to Gov since the latter encompasses a much larger group and is therefore seen as more important by many of the human staff. As such, DC doesn’t get much respect (though it’s not like Gov is respected that much anyway).

Gov’s true (and probably canon) birthdate is September 4, 1774. This makes him 248 years old as of 2022, which would also make him a Virgo (or Leo if Ophiuchus is included). He is basically the only one in the Statehouse that can celebrate his true birthday, as everyone else doesn’t quite remember their own anymore.

The first Continental Congress happened in September 5, 1774, and Baby Gov had mentioned that he was quite literally born yesterday but expressed how he thought wanting to remain loyal to the crown without paying taxes was still a dumb idea.

[solarpunksocialism]

Although there is a long history of denouncing Marx for a lack of ecological concern, it is now abundantly clear, after decades of debate, that this does not at all fit with the evidence. On the contrary, as the Italian geographer Massimo Quaini has observed, "Marx ... denounced the spoilation of nature before modern Bourgeois ecological conscious was born". From the start, Marx's notion of the alienation of human labor was connected to an understanding of the alienation of human beings from nature. It was this two-fold alienation which, above all, needed to be explained historically.

Hence, even many of Marx's most virulent critics have been forced to admit of late that his work contains numerous, remarkable ecological insights. Rather than simply condemning him out of hand in this respect, six closely connected arguments are now commonly employed by critics. First, Marx's ecological statements are dismissed as "Illuminating asides" the that have no systematic relation to the main body of his work. Second, these ecological insights are said to arise disproportionately from his early critique of alienation, and are much less evidence in his later work. Third, Marx, we are told, ultimately failed to address the exploitation of nature (neglecting to incorporate it into his value theory), and adopted instead a "Promethean" (pro-technological, anti-ecological) view. Fourth, as a corollary to the "Promethean" argument, it is contended that, and Marx's view, capitalist technology and economic development has solved all problems with ecological limits, and that the future society of associated producers would exist under conditions of abundance. It would not be necessary there for, as economist Alec Nove writes, supposedly conveying Marx's logic, "to take seriously the problem of the allocation of scarce resources" or the develop an "ecologically conscious" Socialism. Fifth, Marx is said to have taken the little interest in issues of science or in the effects of Technology on the environment and hence had no real scientific basis for the analysis of ecological issues. According to prominent British sociologists Michael Redclift and Graham Woodgate, Marx suggested that human interactions with the natural environment, while social, were also "ubiquitous and unchanging, common to each phase of social existence.... Such a perspective does not fully acknowledge the role of technology and its effects on the environment." Sixth, Marx is said to have been "specieist", radically disconnecting human beings from animals, and taking sides with the former over the latter.

All these criticisms are flatly contradicted by the analysis that follows in this book which attempts to systematic reconstruction of Marx's ecological thought. Many of these criticisms confuse Marx with other socialist theorists who Marx himself criticized, following a long established tradition in Mark's criticism whereby, to quote Jean-Paul Sartre, "an 'anti-marxist' argument is only the rejuvenation of a pre-marxist idea". Hence, Marx is attacked for his supposed technological prometheanism quote even though the strongest attack ever written against such "Promethean" views was leveled by Marx himself, and his critique of Proudhons system of economical conditions. Similarly, Marx is condemned for failing to recognize Nature's contribution to wealth, even though he sharply criticized the German socialist Ferdinand LaSalle for adopting the "supernatural" view that labor was the sole source of wealth, and for thus ignoring Nature's contribution.

More fundamentally, however, what is being questioned in most of these criticism is Marx's materialism. Here Marx says materialism is said to have led him to emphasize a kind of "Baconian" domination of Nature and economic development, rather than asserting ecological values. Thus Marx becomes a kind of radical whig opposed to the nature worshiping tories, a representative of utilitarian anthropocentrism as opposed to romantic ecocentrism. The problem with this criticism, like so much of contemporary socioeconomic thought, is that it fails to recognize the fundamental nature of the interaction between human beings and their environment. The ecological question is reduced first and foremost to one of values, while the much more difficult issue of understanding the evolving material interrelations (what Marx called "metabolic relations") between human beings and nature is there by missed all together. From a consistent materialist standpoint, the question is not one of anthropocentrism versus ecocentrism --- indeed such dualisms do little to help us understand the real, continuously changing material conditions of human existence within the biosphere --- but rather one of co-evolution.

Approaches that focus simply on ecological values, like philosophical idealism and spiritualism more generally, are of little help and understanding these complex relations. In contrast to all such views, which "descend from Heaven to Earth," it is necessary to "ascend from Earth to heaven." That is, we must understand how spiritual conceptions, including our spiritual connections to the earth, are related to our material, earthly conditions.

- Marx's Ecology: Materialism and Nature by John Bellamy Foster