#ursulon worlds beyond number

[meticulousfragments]

I’ve only had Ursulon for a day and a half but if anything happened to him I would kill everyone in this room and then myself

[colombinna]

Got a headache from sobbing after binging WBN and most of it was on ep 23 this is evil and nasty fuck you Brennan

[catartac]

Marvellous first spell…

[noelanik-art]

Aabria, “she reads and is sad” is hurtful and relatable, how dare you??

In other news, these children are the Most Children™ and their adventures are making me feel emotions.

[beedreamscape]

idk what about worlds beyond number feels so much like I'm watching people writing a movie, being written before my eyes, instead of a RPG game

[boellermann]

Okay... so Worlds Beyond Number is a masterpiece. No questions about it.

I see a lot of cheering for the actions of Ursulon and Naraams rampage and I feel like we should think of it a bit more critically?

Like yes, fuck them Wizards and we should act.

But Steel was on her way. With a clear promise to handle stuff. Let Naraam go, make amends.

And while quest fever is all good and cute, over a hundred people died. Most of them not even knowing Naraam was down there.

The collateral damage is insane and was fully avoidable.

All I am saying is... I fear for the Gang when Steel finally arrives.

[thewizard-stain]

So I'm a cook. That's what I do professionally. But also my hobby is food so I'm literally constantly thinking about food every second of every day.

And I'm considering creating unique dishes for each of the characters of worlds beyond number. But I wanted to get feedback on the flavor profiles I'm creating for the dishes

Suvi: salty, fresh, crunchy with a small amount of sweetness and acidity and a touch of fat like a creme fraiche or a flavored oil. I'm thinking some sort of salad or vegetable and seafood dish

Eursilon: fatty, hearty, comforting with a touch of spice. I'm thinking a stew or a curry with spiced rice

Ame: sweet and tart, A bit floral possibly some flavors of honey. For Ame I'm absolutely making a dessert. Some sort of tart or hand thigh possibly something easily shared.

I wanted to see if there was anyone else who had opinions on what flavors might represent our heroes before creating my recipes.

Bonus, the Fox: falling somewhere between ursulon and Amy's flavor profiles. Something like sweet, spicy and fatty.

[grifff17]

Audio Drama Sunday 8/18/2024

There was so much new stuff this week. Midnight Burger, Worlds Beyond Number, World Gone Wrong, and Wanderer's Journal all release an episode every other Tuesday, and this Tuesday was that day. Then on Wednesday 3 actual play released new episodes. I didn't actually get through everything new this week, the rest will come next week.

NEW SHOW ALERT Starwhal: Odyssey, a spelljammer-inspired actual play from the cast of Skyjacks Couriers Call, is no longer Patreon exclusive! I really liked the first 2 episodes of this show, I love the way these people do collaborative storytelling. The little things like the rent collections robot and the streaming rat were so good. At the end of the episode, the mental vision of Saach teleporting into the gamer chair was so vivid. Also, I've never heard more revulsion in a credits sequence than them crediting Wizards of the Coast for the Spelljammer setting. I'm curious about the system they're going to move to for the later episodes.

In @midnightburgr I love the new set of characters, I bet the next spinoff series going to be the Paradise. However, they can’t keep ending episodes like this. I’ve never been happier to hear the sound of the diner jumping, but Ava and the Mucklewains are gone. At least this time Ava isn't totally alone in a jerry rigged space suit. And David is joining the main cast, at least for the rest of the season!

So much happens in every @worldsbeyondpod episode, and this one had even more than most. The audio design for the opening scene goes so hard, Taylor does such an incredible job. When listening to other APs, I can't help but compare them to WBN. The King of Night loredrop was insane, Orima is apparently sworn to him? I like how the core conflict - Witches and Spirits vs Wizards - is designed to create tension and strife between the PCs. I love the intrigue of this arc so much, but Ame lying to the coven was such a massive misstep. I still think my favorite part of the show might be whenever Suvi uses identify on something plot relevant. The smell of soap from Ursulon was so mean by Brennan, callbacks to the Children's Adventure like that always break me.

I didn’t realize the new season of @storiesfromylelmore was starting already, when I saw it pop up in my feed I went to bed early to go listen to it. Despite what Keryth says, her moms are super cool. Can't wait to learn more about them. Keryth’s parents giving her a magic item to make her quiet reminds me of a lot of my childhood. What my mom wouldn't have given for a silence bubble spell. There was so much worldbuilding in this episode, the quote “I don’t know what they do with them, but I think it’s better if they don’t have pieces of you” was terrifying. The final scene of the episode created such a vivid mental image, I could see the three of them in the backseat.

I also listened to ItMe's other show besides Ylelmore and InCo, Of Gods and Lanterns. It was short but sweet, with a total runtime of less than 30 minutes runtime. I really like the world, I would listen to 100 more episodes of this show.

I listened to parts 3 and 4 of the Spout Lore Critshow crossover. The Spout Lore cast on earth is so funny. The two shows really mesh so well together, this has to be the most "natural" crossover I've ever listened to.

The new season of Second Fiddles also started this week and woah the ending. I'm guessing that everyone forgot about Tammie, but Linus��s mom was unaffected because she was in the book. IIRC we've only met one character who can erase people memories, and she could only do it to one person at a time, not everyone, so I suspect 4th Wall/Macguffin shenanigans.

I also started The Cryptonaturalist this week. The tone of this show is so unique. I love the narrator. I also very quickly found that this is a perfect podcast to fall asleep to.

This post ended up really long this week. No judgement if people don't want to read the whole thing. Next week will be a lot shorter I think.

[shyocean]

Offloading responsibility from destructive organizations to individual choices

the context for this is that I am listening to the firesides at the end of Arc 2 for the Wizard, the Witch, and the WIld, Worlds Beyond Number, my favorite piece of media in the world. (If you also got sniped by the small talk comment, hear me out.)

It's making me think about the way that corporate and governmental structures actively hide and displace responsibility for the massive number of death, exploitation, suffering they craft onto individuals. The way that we dehumanize and pathologize victims, while the perpetrators of crimes are the leaders of society. The way that we have a diagnosis for drapetomania, for leukemia, but no dx for the kind of mind who enslaves people or commits mass, slow murder through environmental poisoning.

So in the Fireside, they are talking about Suvi, the Citadel Wizard, seeing herself as the only who cares about human death. That when the others acted to free the Great Spirit the Citadel had imprisoned, and was torturing and exploiting, Ame made the choice to sacrifice the Citadel wizards imprisoning him to save his life. There were the soldiers, and townsfolk, who died when his furious wife came to rescue him.

And I think this is a perfect example of the way that we totally misunderstand who ultimately holds responsibility.

The Citadel Wizards, Morrow in particular, were responsible for everything that Orima did to free her husband. They were committing a horrific wrong that dragged nature out of balance. To blame Orima, or the spirits, is to blame an abuse victim for self defense.

All the towns lost, all the lives in those towns, the blight on Port Talon and its fisherfolk, (all the animals!) all the soldiers, the people in the tidal wave, all of those deaths, the economic destruction and displacement: all the direct consequences of the Citadel engaging in horrific torture, abuse, and environmental depredation.

But it's hard to see, because the weight of the organization meant that no one person made the decision. Becaue cause and effect are spread over time and place.

Ame actively decided that the Great Spirit should not die, and that if someone had to, it should be the torturers imprisoning him. Further, the impact on the world long-term if the Ocean Spirit was lost from it? Incalculable. not just his wife's wrath, but that spirit had taken care of the people of Port talon, the fish, the weather, everything, AMe saved so many people by saving him.

Fundamentally, the Citadel as a militarized corporation does not care about people. It doesn't care about life. It doesn't care about the environment, or well-being. Those things don't show up on balance sheets. It cares about control, gain, prestige, pride, power, war, the ability to impose its will on others and the world. And that's what Suvi cares about.

Ame and Ursulon saving The Ocean Spirit saved countless lives, across generations and in the present.

Suvi doesn't care about people. She care about power, and the 10 people whose name she knows that she considers her equal. She cares about a war because she cares about her side winning, because her side is the only side, and because she is fucking a soldier. She's a neoliberal, a centrist, a miltarise, and a trained killer.

But she gets to lie to herself and say she is the only one who cares about human. She lives in a world where all the costs are hidden. The justification machine is so good.

Here's the Point

This is the way that English-speaking world's corporations and governments function. It's how the British starved something like 100 million people over the course of a few hundred years.

It's how current corporations are permanently destroying our ecosystems, making the planet unlivable, forcing 5 year old to work in mines, sweeping the poor into prison slavery.

And we are pointing the finger at individual choices. And people flying on planes, wearing leather, and palm oil. Usually in ways that damage the poor, disabled, and marginalized disproportionately. I am tired of people conflating the culprits and originators of harm to those responding, or to those who simply fail to be able to stop it.

People aren't the problem. But things like the CItadel, the East India Company, our corporations, our governments--they are set up to systematically hide reponsibility, to strip of agency, to make us helpless to change and coerce our support for evil.

(Galani is clearly a sweet and good person. Steel is such a great mom.)

Our language, our culture, our institutions, our beliefs structures are all carefully built to prevent us from seeing, and upon seeing, to make us helpless to change things. So really, the first step is seeing and naming, right?

Also, Suvi and Steel are still meaningfully, substantially better for the planet and the spirits and the people than people like Morrow. Please vote Blue, for fucks sake.

Anyway, I love this show. It's actually the best. Same episode, BLeeM sniped me between the eyes to ask me to get better at small talk lol.

[goodcastlegazette]

Quali-tea Competition

Fandom: World’s Beyond Number

Characters: Ame, Suvi and Ursulon

Tags: coffee shop au(but there’s tea in it), silly times

Ame has some new menu choices in mind. Suvi is not having it. How on earth to resolve this?

Read it on Ao3 here!

Fic under the cut:

“Just. Try it.”

“No.” Suvi dropped the word from her mouth, as a simple, firm fact. Her expression was neutral, but there was an intensity behind her eyes. There was no backing down, no give. Her arms were crossed, and she shifted her weight slightly as if to brace herself.

Ame propped her arms on the table, squinting and leaning forward. Suvi knew she could circumvent Ame’s pushing for a time, but it had just expired. “Just. One.”

“No.”

“Suvi-!”

“Ame!”

“Guys!” Eursulon tipped his chair back upright, rubbing his temples. “You’ve been doing this for an hour.”

“I agree, it’s unreasonable not to consider one drink,” said Ame, looking first to him and then back at Suvi, pointedly holding up a finger. “C’mon, please?”

Suvi didn’t even glance at the wide variety of teas on two hastily shoved together dining tables before her, boxes thoughtfully sorted by color, flavor and effect. Her tone slipped, and she dropped the cool exterior to put a slight whine at the end of her words. “No! You know I hate it. It is bad garbage water. You know this.”

“Maaybe you just haven’t found one you’ve liked yet,” Ame retorted. “You’ve really only had green-”

“And! This is a coffee place,” Suvi interjected, motioning to the shop behind her. “Why on earth would we sell this? People come here for the good shit.”

“Grandma Wren thinks so,” grumbled Ame, folding her own arms and heaving a sigh. The two were locked in a standoff in the empty Witch’s Brew Café, a delightful, warm space filled with antique furniture and framed pressed flowers on the cedar wood walls. Delicate lights were strung along the beams, and it was filled with the smell of coffee, herbs, and the delicious pastries in the display case. Suvi and Ame wore blue and red aprons respectively, where Eursulon got to wear green. He was still wearing his glamor, but Suvi could tell he was scratching one of his furry tufts near his ears, blowing a raspberry in slight annoyance and boredom. It had been…a slow day so far, and Ame had decided to offer up the new product samples for them to try.

“Not. Gonna. Happen.”

“But-”

“Nope.”

“Suvi-”

“Mm-mm.” Suvi darted behind the counter, grabbing the mop from the corner. “We have much more pressing responsibilities.”

“Suvi, my esteemed colleague and friend,” said Eurselon, standing up from his chair. “There is no one here.”

“And?”

Eursulon chuckled through his words, which stopped as Suvi shoved it into his hand. “It’s on the list, gotta get it done.”

“That’s only a suggestion-”

“No no,” said Ame, a sudden shift entering her tone. “Suvi is right, we do need to keep up with the store.”

Suvi raised her eyebrows. “I am- of course I am.” She stood up a little straighter. “We can get it done in like, ten minutes.”

“Well, you could probably do it faster. I mean, we’ve all seen you work - quick, clean, beautifully efficient.” Ame was nodding along, her eyes glancing between her friends as her eyes began to light up mischievously. “I think you could outsweep the whole block, honestly-”

“Where is this going?” Suvi said suspiciously.

“With your obvious skills,” said Ame, gesturing at Suvi, “You could obviously beast us in a competition.”

Eursulon opened his mouth, eyes furrowed. “Us? I don’t-”

“You are using my competitiveness against me.” Suvi’s eyes narrowed. “I- It’s working. Why?”

“We each take half of the store, with us taking the bathrooms. If you win, I will handle every single basic cappuccino customer that comes in, asking for very specific specifications, which I know you hate, for a month.” Ame leaned over the counter, which was proving difficult due to her height. She managed to keep a smile off her face. “And if I win, you have to try my choice of tea, right now, and drink the entire thing.”

“Done.” Should I have agreed to that? Suvi raced forwards immediately, grabbing a broom and heading to the front to begin sweeping furiously. She saw that Ame and Eursulon were stumbling over each other, sorting different materials, and smirked. Nahh, I got this.

Immediately she was so in the zone everything else fell away. She swept with precise, sharp movements, wiped counters rapidly in large circles. She even beat Team Ame to the punch for the mop bucket, moving in clear strokes across the floor. She stood filled with pride at her work, mop in hand, and turned to announce her victory. That was until she saw that the two of them had one, already cleared their side and the bathrooms(minus mopping), and two, she forgot about a vitally important step. Her gaze turned to the tall, floor to ceiling windows, and she done knew she had fucked up.

Ame ran past her, cheerily snatching the mop from her hands. “I’ll take that!” It snapped Suvi back to reality, and she raced to grab the cloth and spray bottle, and oh fuck where’s the ladder-?

“Done!” Eursulon lifted Ame onto his shoulders, who pumped her fists in the air with a look of triumph. Suvi couldn’t find the words, her shoulders slumping. “Team Tea-Time wins!”

“Do not despair, sister,” said Eursulon teasingly, letting Ame drop down and placing a hand on her shoulder. “It will be over quickly and painlessly.”

“You. You did this to me,” said Suvi darkly, although there was no real fight behind it. “I-you hate cleaning!”

“Ahh, but I hated sitting and listening to you two bicker endlessly more.” His smile turned into a yawn as he stretched. “Now I can go back to enjoying a peaceful afternoon.”

“Un-believeable.” Suvi defeatedly plopped in her chair, hearing Ame start the kettle. “I think you’ve killed me. I think I’ve just died. Am I here? Can you see me?”

It seemed like forever, but soon Ame returned with a steaming cup of amber liquid, set gently on a little plate. Suvi had to admit, it smelled…actually okay? There seemed to be a sharp mixture of spices, and a few berries that had been thrown in. If it had been coffee, she would have been salivating. “I present to you, Ame’s Blend.”

“Ame’s Blend?” she said, looking up at her friend standing with her hands behind her back. “Are you going to be sad if I hate it?”

“No no, if you don’t like it you don’t like it.” Ame gave a small, earnest smile. “I just want you to try it. And finish, according to the rules.

“Yeah…the rules.” Suvi let out a sigh, and amusement crept into her features. She also was touched that Ame wanted to make her something special, and if she was being honest, looking at her genuine and open expression she couldn’t have ever said she hated it. She turned her gaze back to the tea and stared it down, trying not to pull a face. She tentatively raised it to her lips, taking a sip.

Suvi never forgave her for making it taste good. She would never convert to tea, espresso was her one true love. But just for a moment, a split second, Suvi told Ame, to her friend’s delight, that she was right.

[grifff17]

Audiodrama Sunday 7/7/24

Most of what I did this week was listen to Courier's Call. Next week I'll be up to date, then it's time for InCo.

I'm almost caught up with Skyjacks: Courier's Call. I don't want it to be over! It looks like the next season is coming soon though. Sleazus and Sleazy’s had me rolling. There was so much intrigue at the all Audron dinner, I was loving all the politics. Cici asking June and Kieran to prom was so cute! I loved all the very gnc prom outfits, Bobby Gene in the giant chickenbone dress is a wonderful image. Finally the snowball fight was incredible, I love that the cast mentioned Craig of the Creek, that show fits the vibes of Courier's Call so well.

@wanderersjournalpod I had 2 episodes to listen to. With all the Pluto drama with the creature, Marigold really buried the lead. She’s from really deep in her forest wow.

Dear Liisphyra this week was a fun mystery. I loved the musical accompaniment, and the "red heron" joke was great.

In the new Lost Terminal I had forgotten about Cassie, it’s nice to hear more from her. The ending was brutal though, it reminds me of AI chains from the book Kitty Cat Kill Sat. There are so many AIs in the show now, I love that this season only has AI characters in it.

@midnightburgr had a new Welcome to the Horizon! Wait until Frank and June hear about the Teds and earth tv, they're going to totally lose it. The comet is totally going to tie into the main show later in the season.

This episode of @worldgonewrongpod was too real. I absolutely adored the premise of this episode, it feels like the core of what this show is, real problems in a supernatural world. This was one of the funniest episodes yet, because of how realistic it was.

@worldsbeyondpod really was a completely different tone for every PC. Ursulon’s scenes were horrifying, Ame's were cute, and Suvi's was amazing! Vandal was wonderful, and Aabria’s dice curse is broken! Suvi essentially pratfalling against an incredibly dangerous witch and it working perfectly was incredible. I'm loving the way the wizards are treated in this story arc.

Spout lore couldn't have been more different from Worlds Beyond Number. I love both these show, for very different reasons. The "coming up with seven plans while walking to their objective then following none of them" was so real, every TTRPG group I've ever been in has done this at one point.