#venice going underwater

[entomjinx]

ONE PIECE CHAPTER 1113 SPOILERS!!!

It's tagged, it's in bold, if you didn't see it that's on you, but I'm sorry. (I'm also a little sick so sorry for how this starts to turn a little insane at the end.)

The reveal makes perfect sense. I've seen a few people struggle to figure out where it came from, so I'm gonna explain why it makes perfect sense and then pop off with some silly theory.

The first hint at the fact that the One Piece world is sinking exists all the way back in Long Ring Long Island.

That seems like an odd place to start, but it's the first time we're shown how drastic the tides of the ocean in the One Piece world can change. It's enough to separate entire parts of an island, causing it to appear as separate islands, once every year.

This implies that the tides change drastically over the course of much longer periods than it does in the real world.

After that, we get to Water Seven and discover that it's sinking, and that the Aqua Laguna is getting worse every year. We also know that it's caused by the water receding at Long Ring Long island. We're also outright told that they want to make the city float to stop the sinking problem.

We also, much later, see just how high Wano is in altitude.

Knowing that the Redline is so tall that it cannot be passed by any ship, cannot be broken through, and that Mariejois is sat right on top of it only adds to why it makes sense.

The world isn't "sinking," those some islands technically are(Water Seven, modeled after Venice), the tides are going to rise exponentially, and fast.

The force of the water would instantly drown most people, and those who survived would be those who could get to higher altitude islands, the sky islands, Fishman Island, or the Redline.

And because I know someone will try to point this out: land bound plant life can temporarily survive underwater, so Ohara's 5000 year old library tree would be fine for a a bit while submerged. There's lots of places with high tides who's plant life is just fine. (This also could explain why they'd be so willing to throw the books into the water. Not only was it to save them from the fire, but many of them had likely been submerged for long periods of time before. They knew the books would be find in the end because they had record of it. And well, it's mentioned in the chapter that Vegapunk means to finish what Ohara started.)

This would also explain how thorough the government was able to be with wiping out information from the void century. If only a few places can survive, then few things that tell the truth will survive, and even fewer people.

Do I think I'm 100% correct about any of this? Or course not, it's Oda. It's One Piece. Things are pretty much never predicted with 100% accuracy. But that's my thoughts on why it makes sense. Now we get into theory:

I have several points to make, so I'm going to write out the shortest ones first.

-This would, completely unironically, explain some of the centuries long racism campaign against fishman. They have no reason to fear the high tides. They will survive no matter what happens on the surface, and that scares the humans who cannot.

-I think that the extreme tide is a part of why the bridge is being built in Tequila Wolf. I believe the bridges purposes is to connect all the highest points of the world so there's no need for ships to carry them. This way, the Celestial Dragons will still have access to more slaves, produce, and anything they can't get within Mariejois on their own during the time period when everyone drowns.

-and now we get to the big one:

I think that the reason the 20 kings and their people destroyed the ancient kingdom is because the ancient kingdom had a way to survive the high tide while keeping the maximum number of people safe in the process, and while being able to save many more people. They refused to ask for help, and were instead afraid of the power the ancient kingdom held, so they sought to destroy it.

I think that the ancient "weapons" were instead a means of survival, and the reason they were hidden is because the 20 kings would have used them as weapons instead. We don't know much about the ancient kingdom, so much of this is speculation.

I think Pluton was a large enough ship that it could carry the entire kingdom. We've already seen some massive ships in One Piece, and Iceburg intends to turn the entirety of Water Seven into a ship, so the idea of an island sized ship isn't all that odd.

If you continue to think about it, why did none of the Beast Pirates manage to find Pluton while searching for the poneglyph in Wano? I have two theories for this based on the fact that we're told Wano would have to open it's borders in order to get Pluton. If the walls would need to be torn down, then we can continue to assume that Pluton is massive.

Theory one is that Pluton is is hidden within the mountain itself, and that the mountain was man-made to hide the ship. Not only would the walls need to come down, but the mountain itself would have to be destroyed. They would also need a way to survive the high tide without it, so creating a mountain that is high enough in altitude to keep them safe would have been a necessity. I think this is the more believable of the two theories.

Theory Two is that Pluton is Wano. The entire island is the ship, and many of Wano's people descended from the people of the ancient kingdom or those they rescued. This one is much less likely, but it's still a possibility in my mind.

We know that Poseidon was the former mermaid princess, and that the current one is Shirahoshi. She can control the sea kings. Why would this be important? Because if everywhere floods, then the sea kings, who are already very large creatures, suddenly have an influx of room to move, food to eat, and places to lay eggs. It would cause a population spike. *However,* that would cause an ecological disaster within the food chain. The sudden influx of sea kings would be desperate for any food they can get their hands on, and many would likely die of starvation. This means they need some way to repel them from the large ship.

We don't know anything about Uranus yet, so I've nothing for you.

Another thing we know about the ancient kingdom is that they seemed to be friendly with everyone, or at least it's implied via how many friends Joy Boy made.

Fishman: Along with the bonus of having Poseidon, the fishman also have access to the tree resin from Sabaody. Should the ship(Puton) or the ancient kingdom ever need to submerge in order to keep people safe or to have a temporary air bubble, They'd be safe.

Lunarians: The people who originally lived on top of the redline. Sinee the redline is high enough to not sink, it would have made sense for them to be trade partners.

Skypians and Shandians: Another race with wings. if the tides really got too high, then they could join them in the sky sea for a time. They could also trade with them.

Minks: Zunesha was a friend of Joyboy's. We don't know much else about that situation, but it's likely that Zunesha is plenty tall enough to keep the minks from drowning, and they could have traded often as well. Maybe Zunesha was even able to do something similar to the giants.

The Giants: This feels like the most important one to me, and not just because of recent chapters. Obviously the giants think very highly of Nika/Joyboy, but it's also very likely that Elbaf is tall enough to survive the high tide, and if not, the the giants themselves are. If you look at what's known about current giants, some of them are tall enough to walk along the sea floor, and the ancient giants were so large that it's said they pulled and moved continents.

Why is that bit important? Because a ship the size of an entire island would likely need a lot more than sails buoyancy to move quickly. The ancient kingdom was pulled by the giants. They moved to different areas to rescue people and to trade so that life continued while the tide was at it's highest point.

Another random thing that supports this is the giant's vehement hatred towards Charlotte Linlin. She has Totto Land, which is supposed to be a place where all races live in harmony, but it would be a mockery of what the ancient kingdom was like, and for giants, who live about 300 years, that's only a few generations back. They would still have stories about the ancient kingdom and remember the truth.

Again, I don't think anything I predict will ever be 100% accurate, but I hope you enjoyed my rambling nonetheless.

[high-fantasy-sw]

Also!

When the clones go out to war on land, does their cavalry have any particular animal upon which they ride, or is it still mostly machinery?

What do the Kaminoans look like? The Weequayans? The Rodians? The Twi'leks? I take it they're all turned into humans, so -

Oh! Are those life-forms that can survive underwater like Kit Fisto now mer-creatures or selkie-like creatures? What of Plo Koon requiring a special mask - does that change as well?

And our beloved droids? Are they inanimate objects given life via magic or manufactured as normal?

Echo! How does he survive?

And the inhibitor chips - how are they translated here? Are they - gasp - are the rings-

The part-human beings like Pantorans and Mirialans, are they the same?

Okay, I think that's all for now, and I seem to have given you enough to handle, so until the next nagging doubt!

I RETURN. LORE PART 2 BE UPON YE

@whyoneartheven @majorproblems77 @anime-obsessed I am tagging you here too because I know you'll want to see this too. By the way I've been working on answering this for like. The past three weeks so I hope you all enjoy :D

Mounted Cavalry

Horses do actually exist here. Like you correctly guessed (somewhere, I think it's in the next ask I'm due to answer), the AU has a healthy mix of established Star Wars lore, other mythos sprinkled in, and real-world additions; horses happen to be one of those. However, in very sandy, snowy, or otherwise difficult terrain, other creatures (tauntauns, banthas, varactyls, et cetera) are used; these are mostly the same as their canon counterparts, just with a bit of a fantasy flourish to help them fit in better with the rest of the AU. There are also, in addition to sea-worthy warships, smaller, more agile vessels that can be transported into inland bodies of water for combat (especially on watery islands such as Naboo, which has a network of canals rather than streets, like Venice) and semi-mechanized transportation like chariots and carriages. (These examples are less military than the others but I felt the need to add them anyway, for the sake of completeness.)

Kaminoans

I'm going to be super honest here. The Kaminoans are one of the few peoples I barely changed. They seemed delightfully odd as they are, so most of the changes there are to their history. They have always been renowned for their advanced knowledge of alchemy, but for many centuries they were thought little more than a myth; legend has it that, in the infancy of the Old Republic, they dared to use their great knowledge to attempt to create life, and for their hubris their entire island was sunken into the sea. What is not known by the vast majority of the peoples of the Galactic Archipelago is that these legends are actually true, and rather than dying out, the Kaminoans began a new and hidden life under the waves (having used enchantments to place a protective barrier around what remains of their island and thus allow them to survive)- a life in which they perfected their craft, and passed this forbidden knowledge down through the generations, until they were discovered and called upon to create the Clone Army. (This is only marginally related, but one essential thing to learn about the world of HFSW is the difference between alchemy and magic proper; I am still working on fully explaining it, especially as it relates to the Clones, but the post you need to read can be found here.)

Alien Cultures (i lumped them all into one answer)

Weequayans: Weequayans are, yes, a human culture. This is what I did for the vast majority of near-human races, which has been amazing because I love cultural worldbuilding. I need to do a bit more deep-digging on them first but I am very excited to get into their culture and write about it :D

Rodians: I am going to be completely honest with you. I have not been able to figure out what to do with Rodians yet. And I assure you, I have been thinking about it. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Twi'leks: Twi'leks are a human culture, and what's distinguishing about them is their lekku headwraps. I haven't had the chance to go into it yet fully (and eventually I'm going to have an entire post dedicated to this), but essentially these are extraordinarily long strips of fabric, intricately hand-detailed, and tied about the head to give the appearance of the canonical lekku. They are often fastened with ornate pins or headbands or the like, and underneath, the hair is done up in elaborate braids.

Aquatic Races: So funny story, actually, this was one of the first questions I actually got an ask about. In short, you are correct; they're all merfolk of some kind, although the specific species do actually have variations (I'll link you to this post here for a more comprehensive overview; it contains some other worldbuilding things, the droid part of which is no longer canon to the AU. everything else is though). The Selkie idea though is NOT something I'd ever considered and I don't know WHY because it's super cool and I'm stealing it. Specifically for Nautolans, since we see Kit walking around and stuff in the Temple. I just haven't… decided what that item or thing would be yet though.

Kel Dor: Plo does still wear his helmet, but it's more of a cultural honor thing than a "he literally needs it to live" situation. Kel Dor helmets are passed down through the generations and serve as a tie to the past. (I haven't… written in detail about Kel Dor yet but trust me when I do I will be tagging you in that post. Actually I'm tagging you in all future posts. There is no escape muahahaha)

Near-Human Races: Yes, Mirialans and Pantorans and other near-human races are pretty much the same, obviously with new cultural traditions and stuff to make sense of their uniqueness. For example, Pantorans wear elaborate blue-and-gold body paint as a mark of status (because. they're blue), and it all has to be done by hand to actually count. Again, I haven't done a ton of exploring this yet, but again, I promise I'm getting to it and you are getting tagged.

Droids

OHOHOHOHO DROIDS. Okay so. We're gonna start at the beginning.

Most protocol droids are actually just regular people who have joined an elite corps of butlery (literally there's like. an academy they go to on some islet just off of coruscant), usually the children of less-fortunate families who want to try getting ahead in the world. They wear an elaborate and entirely ornamental suit of armor to denote their station, and any noble worth their wig has at least one protocol butler.

Threepio is slightly different from other Protocol droids. Hundreds of years before Anakin Skywalker was born, a Republic knight named Sir Anthony Threepio was stationed on the island of Tatooine with his platoon to deal with a band of pirates that had been terrorizing the surrounding waters. In a stroke of misfortune, he was killed- not by the pirates themselves, but in a freak accident- and became a ghost, obsessed with the fact that his death was preventable and completely neurotic as a result. Centuries later, he meets and befriends young Anakin down at the Mos Espa docks, and Anakin starts collecting armor out of the dumpster to give him a physical way to interact with the world again. In gratitude, Threepio settles down with the Skywalkers and attempts to assist them with their household, something they can't often attend to due to them being slaves.

Astromechs are subterranean creatures, master craftsmen, shipbuilders, and navigators, who are not well-adapted to sunlight and thus build themselves little self-contained cells so that they can travel to the surface and ply their trades safely. (It seems a bit contrived but you know what. I made it up.) They communicate through a series of tweets and bird-like vocalizations, though they understand Basic perfectly.

Battle Droids are necromanced skeletons. How the Trade Federation first got their hands on the undead during the Naboo Crisis is a question no one really knows the answer to, but by the time the Clone Wars break out the majority of Necromancy is being done by Count Dooku (secretly- to the public at least; the Jedi and at least Padme know all about it), General Grievous (the outward face of the undead army, and himself an undead lich warlord), and the Necro Union (the in-world equivalent of the Techno Union, they claim to the public that Necromancy isn't inherently evil and that the undead can have many benefits for society; in reality, they're more interested in supplying Dooku and Grievous with enough skeletal soldiers to keep their pockets comfortably lined, whether or not their means of obtaining said soldiers are ethical). In the beginning, most of the Clankers are reanimated from very very old skeletons- this is preferable, at least from the commanding standpoint, because they're so old that they have no recollection of who they were in life, and thus make perfect, mindless soldiers. However, their age also makes them more brittle, and in the early days of the war it's very easy for the Jedi and the Clone soldiers to plow through battalion after battalion of skeletons in a few hours. But as the war drags on, and the old skeletons are depleted, rumors begin to circulate that the Separatists are using fresher dead to stock their new armies. There are even whispers that some of the new soldiers might even be sourced from the corpses of fallen Clones. Whether or not this information is true or just baseless fearmongering is never fully revealed. However, this is a perfect segue into our next topic:

Echo, Post-Citadel

Echo shouldn't have survived the Citadel explosion. In fact, the Necro Union agents who found his body thought he hadn't. It wasn't until halfway though the ritual that they realized he was still alive. Their shock quickly turned to delight, however, when they realized they now had an unlimited source of Republic military strategy at their fingertips. Now, Echo's only half-necromanced. He's still alive, really; the only parts that had to be reanimated were his right arm, his lower legs, and his spine. And, in order that the Separatists could actually use the information he possessed, that arm of his? Is specially enchanted to give him access to necrotic abilities. After he's rescued… he has a lot of feelings about this. It's not just that something was taken from him, it's that he was turned into the very thing he'd spent literally his whole life training to fight. At least, in his mind. And the fact that he still sometimes has to use his necrotic powers to help his brothers (specifically thinking of Anaxes and various times in TBB here) REALLY twists his insides. Someday I'll write something more about this.

Oh, one more thing.

The Inhibitor Chips

evil_palpatine_cackle.mp3

[yoshifan456]

So apparently there are a dozen or so extra tracks on the DR soundtrack that weren't (fully) in the movie but were suites or possibilities for the music to go there, and it's all published on Lorne Balfe's Youtube page (which he has and it's amazing).It's very fun to listen to.

Some themes and ideas are very clearly also in the rest of the movie ('The truth is vanishing' is basically an expanded and even better edition of 'Get Out Now' and I am not complaining because 'Get Out Now' is one of my favourite tracks on this soundtrack), but there is also some fun playfullness around too (I really liked the cute flutes at the end of 'Ink and Keys' for instance). I really like 'War is Coming' as a sort of mourning song for Ilsa, starting very quiet and slow and very slowly and seemlessly regaining speed, power and depth, as if Ethan has come to a halt by Ilsa's death and slowly is searching to refind the resolve to keep fighting through all the battles that he wins and when everything quiets again there is this single hollow note, the single lonely MI-theme as if to say Ethan is really, really feeling quite alone without Ilsa by his side and mourning her after the adrenaline has died down. Really loving the female choir in 'Xm18 Dunes'. Fallout's score had a powerful full choir for it's main theme and this track feels more ethereal and floating because of the women's voices. I like the attempt here and am slightly sad they didn't went further into this direction with DR's music.

And 'Ethan's Fate' was very pretty and kinda climactic/working towards something emotional. It also gave us a theme that sounded familiar and returns in 'Xm22 Hunt' so is maybe Ethan's theme, but I don't know if it has been used before (it goes like teeeedududuuuu and starting a little higher for the second teeeedududuuuu). Some parts of it leading upto the big climactic moment (which actually has ruffling drums) were familiar to some parts in Venice in the movie, so could this have been the music if they had gone through with an romantic subplot between Ethan and Grace (or possibly Ilsa)? Anyway, since it's romantic themed (in my ears it least, and the track called 'passion's embrace' is almost fully this theme), could we hear parts of this in FR with possibly Marie-flashbacks or the underwater ghostly kiss-thing?

[apoptoses]

It’s #wipwednesday! And in an effort to practice some positive self-talk about creative projects, I’m going to share something I like about my excerpt. And if you participate I hope you say something positive about your own work too ♥

This whole fic has to do with pleasure, memory, and repression. It’s a follow up to Turn Away No More (yeah, the pit fic haha) exploring Armand’s new found body image while Daniel asks to do some of the things they tried in that fic again.

I like this bit because it plays with the idea of Armand recovering memories and being uncertain about what his body does and doesn’t know how to do (and whether what he ‘knows’ has been colored by what others have told him, like Marius). And really, I like that I put them in a new location. It’s so easy to stick to having them at home but they went out! They did stuff! And so putting them in a swimming pool felt like trying something new for me, and opened up an exciting door to being able to reflect an important moment from Armand’s youth.

Tagging (but no pressure!): @birdblacksocialclub, @uncivilcivilservice, @this-writer-needs-coffee

***

“Come on, aren’t you getting in?” Daniel asked, grinning. “Or are you chicken?”

Breaking into the rooftop swimming pool had been his idea. Overnight the city had gone from fall right back to summer, temperatures jumping back up high enough for Daniel to demand they leave the apartment and get one good swim in before the heat and humidity were gone for good.

Beyond the railing the city lights glowed, the Empire State Building unmistakable against the sky line, but all Armand had eyes for was the young man bobbing in the water. Daniel seemed to glow in the underwater lights. He looked so very mortal and alive, resting his forearms on the edge of the pool and floating there, wet hair pushed back from his eyes. Armand eyed him from his lounge chair.

“Chicken? Do I look like a bird, Daniel?” he asked, head cocked.

Daniel laughed. “No, I mean like- are you scared? It’s just a teasing thing, don’t worry about it,” he said, before Armand could ask what chickens have to do with fear. “You’ve been swimming before, right?”

Armand frowned even as he pulled his shirt over his head. He’d been in the sea once, drunk and entirely on accident. And then in his master’s bath. But beyond that- He stepped out of his trousers and draped them across the chair, and tried to pull up a memory, any old and muddled thing that would point to him having learned to swim in his youth. As he removed his rings one by one and left them in a pile he found that anything he came up with was so distant as to seem unreal.

As bare as Daniel was, he wandered over to the steps. Armand kept a hand on the metal rail and waded into the water. It was as warm as a bath, like the waters of his master’s great marble tub. Safe in the shallow end Armand ducked beneath the water and then quickly rose back out, tossing his wet hair back from his face.

“I don’t recall ever having been before. I don’t know that I know how to,” Armand said.

Daniel held out his hands. “Then come here. I won’t let you go.”

Armand stepped forward, feeling his way across the sloping bottom of the pool. When it dropped out from beneath his feet entirely, too deep to keep his face above the water, he kicked off. Extended his hands and, just before he felt uncertainty creep up into his chest, caught Daniel’s fingers in his own.

He’d been in the water alone long enough that his fingertips had begun to wrinkle, shriveled as the raisins Armand had eaten as a youth in Venice. Armand shivered at the sensation of Daniel’s hands running up his arms, reaching around to his back. In the water even an immortal like him was weightless. It was nothing for Daniel to guide him to tip onto his back so that he could hold him with one arm beneath his neck, the other hooked beneath his knees.

Armand released the breath he’d been holding. He looked up at the sky and let himself float.

There was a memory, something old and faded from his last moments as a mortal. Armand had been held like this in his master’s bath and told that now he must rise about the pleasures he’d so loved. As a youth he’d idolized his master. He’d believed every word he’d said, taken them as gospel truth.

And what for? To start himself back on the path of self denial? What had he learned as a newly turned immortal except not to cry, not to confide in anyone, not to take any pleasure of his own but to give and give and give until he had nothing left-

Well. No more of that.

[i-would-like-a-jelly-baby]

~ Fanfics I‘ll never write ~

Recently, I dreamt up this absolutely batshit crazy crossover between Doctor Who and Critical Role, I wish I had the time and energy to work into a proper story. Since I sadly have neither, I decided to at least write down a rough outline of what happened in that dream and start giving it some shape and context:

• in this AU, instead of Amelia Pond’s garden, a newly regenerated 11th Doctor crashes on the distant planet of Exandria, a world from the early dark times of the universe, where he meets a young Jester Lavorre who thinks he’s somehow related to the Traveler

• he has to rush away and promises he’ll be back, but the combination of a damaged Tardis and a destination planet wrapped in a strong “magical” field means that when he tries to come back for her, he instead lands 12 years later and not in Nicodranas but instead near a little town called Trostenwald

• still, fate seems to be involved in some way since he immediately runs into a grownup Jester who is currently travelling and fighting monsters alongside her newfound friends Fjord and Beau; they follow him into the Tardis and become his companions but after a few trips, he can feel the timelines bending and splintering around them, so he tries taking them back to where they came from

• now that he’s not actually aiming for it, they land in Nicodranas again, but a couple months after the day they left with him; there, they meet a small ragtag group of adventurers consisting of Molly, Yasha, Caleb & Nott who have claim to have met them before; every time they ran into one or more of them on the road, they would help them against some monsters or bandits, sometimes talk a bit but all in all behave very mysteriously before running off again; last time they appeared, just a few days ago, they just shoved a mysterious dodecahedron at them and told them to meet them in Nicodranas before disappearing again

• the Doctor desperately tries to fix the timelines and get the Mighty Nein back together while also dealing with a jealous Artagan (who Jester is trying to set him up with - neither of them are super enthusiastic about that) and also all of them discover a crack in time and space that has created an underwater portal to earth and the plot of Vampires of Venice happens simultaneously to the whole Sluice Weave/ freeing-the-enslaved-Marid business; at some point Beau, Yasha and Fjord get lost on the Venice side of the portal for a short time (-> it’s very awkward and also Uk‘otoa is now considering expanding his domain to other worlds once he gets freed…)

• everything kinda devolves into chaos from there; they take care of both situations and seal the portal but Jester and Beau want to continue travelling in the Tardis and Fjord doesn’t want to stay behind without them, so they keep jumping through time and space, occasionally running into the rest of the Mighty Nein again at various points in their timeline and making sure the important steps in their journey still happen in some way while also discovering other worlds and finding more mysterious cracks in time…

• now that’s where the dream ended, but if I ever were to turn this into a story, there would be so much potential for cute little minisodes and character moments: the Doctor and Artagan bickering but having to work together to help Jester while stranded somewhere; Caleb becoming obsessed once he discovers the Tardis and nagging the Doctor with questions upon questions while searching for a way to hijack it while the Doctor plays along but subtly foils him at every turn; Nott, at some point, coming along for a short trip to some space station and getting her hands on some futuristic weapon and everyone has to team up to get it off her again so she doesn’t accidentally alter the entire course of Exandrian history; Beau and Yasha meeting and falling in love out of order; Fjord, on a solo trip with the Doctor, going to the cursed Moon and immediately noping right out again (the others must never know…); . . .

I dunno if anyone‘s gonna be interested in this, but if someone is, please feel free to steal this idea!

[hekateinhell]

What do you think Armand (as a vampire*) enjoys most about the beach? What does he like the least?

*I had to clarify because the mermaid Armand from your fic would probably have very different answers. 😂

Oh, I love this question! Off the bat, I would say his favorite thing about the beach is the water.

I'm neurotic enough that I thought about this before several years ago when I first read VC. My pattern orientated brain just hyperfixated over Armand & The Water. Whether by choice or force, Armand has spent the largest and most significant chucks of his life by some body of water!

He was born by the Dnieper River in Ukraine, spent his years with Marius in Venice over the Adriatic Sea, and then lived in Paris for three hundred years. Les Innocents--or the Holy Innocents Cemetery as it was actually called in real life--is right by the Seine River, and there's also the grand Fontaine des Innocents which still exists today!

Look at it, imagine Armand in the dark trying to brood and not enjoy anything every time he happened upon this hedonistic thing.

After Paris, he travelled around the world with Louis--all the countries mentioned in IWTV are by a sea or an ocean. Then they lived in Manhattan for a long time (an island surrounded by the Hudson, Harlem, and East Rivers). From there was the four decades watching over Lestat's living grave in New Orleans by the Mississippi River. Then when he settles with Daniel, it's Manhattan again, and of course... Night Island on the Gulf of Mexico. And finally, he ends up back in Manhattan in Trinity Gate.

All that to say, I don't think it's a coincidence that Armand chooses to live near water whenever he can. Furthermore, he tells us what he did love about the water as a brand new baby vampire in TVA!

What astonished me now was that I could see beneath the water! There was enough life for my vampiric eyes to see the huge anchors lodged in the mushy bottom of the lagoon, and to see the curved bottoms of the galleys. It was an entire underwater universe. I wanted to explore it further, but I heard my Master's voice - not a telepathic voice, as we would call it now, but his audible voice - calling me very softly to return to the piazza where he waited for me.

And right before that:

I floated under the sky for a while, until all the pain was gone from me.

I've thought a lot about Armand and his sensory overstimulation (entirely separate meta), and I definitely headcanon that sometimes he likes to go to the beach and go out into the water and float aimlessly for a bit when he needs a break. In my head it's sort of like a sensory deprivation tank, but of course there's more going on in the water (more beauty too).

Mask off, me being an absolute fucking NERD: Armand has always been my Water element, Louis my Fire (too easy, much too easy), and Lestat my Wind. 🥹

What does Armand like the least about the beach? Sand. It's too close to dirt, and I don't think he likes to be dirty; he had nightmares about dirt and dirt being under his fingers when he was in Venice (not to mention the trauma associated with being underground for him). I don't think it's like a pathological aversion or anything, but I do think that would be his least favorite thing here!

[annonniiiiieeeee]

so i had an idea for the missing piece au abt hoe leosagi could meet

i’m a fan of the head cannon that there’s hidden city’s all over the world, not just in new york

what if missing piece usagi is from japans hidden city

I two am a big fan of there being hidden cities all over the world. London, Paris, Tokyo, and others. I think Venice hidden city would be so cool because it would be under water. The city is sinking so their hidden city being an underwater yokai haven sounds so cool. (Defiantly something to play with when writing Lisa’s story as we are defiantly visiting her family in Italy at some point.)

That being said I don’t know if I like Usagi being from a hidden city. I like preserving the fact that Usagi is from a different world entirely.

Someone suggested that Usagi end up in Leo’s dimension this time and I kind of love that.

MP Leo is so underestimated by his family it’s not even funny. His missing leg doesn’t help. It gets better after the movie but Leo going out on his own is a very sore subject for the family.

I love the idea that Leo sneaks out. Absolutely over being babies. Maybe it’s his first time out since the invasion and he stumbles across and injured Usagi who just got teleported from his world to Leo’s. (A reverse AWOSAN) Usagi takes one look at Leo, calls him an angel and passes out.

Leo is trying to help him when his family shows up. Their mad that Leo snuck out and they want to go home but Leo’s not budging without Usagi. He needs help.

Cue Leo helping Usagi recover. Leo’s kinda stuck in the lair. He’s family is freaked out, Shredder almost killed him and he did take one of Leo’s legs, he was kidnapped by the Krang, and then Leo and Raph almost died stoping the invasion. He is under house arrest right now so Usagi is a welcomed distraction.

Usagi can understand Leo’s families worry but he also knows a warrior can’t grow stronger if they are not given the opportunity to grow.

Once Usagi is well enough he starts training with Leo at odd hours so his family doesn’t freak out. Usagi would never disrespect his hosts but he knows he can help Leo. Leo impressed him right out the gate. From the way Leo’s family acts he expects Leo to be frail or a skittish warrior but Leo is fierce and competent. Usagi thought he’d be holding back but Leo pushes him to his limit. (Usagi’s still getting his strength back as well so they are a perfect match right now)

I don’t know where to go from there. Maybe Leo family catches them. Maybe Usagi finds a way home. I still need to think.

[vankaar]

Time to wip about Sio's climate change song!

Very rough translation done on my phone:

Let's go!

Summer 2023!

I like the climate change

Cheers to the climate change

I want to lay in the sun for one hundred weeks

Feel the skin slowly burn

I like the climate change

Cheers for the climate change

Hurray for the hot I like very much to scald myself

And I want that all the earth to get more and more hot

4-1-6 PPM

Only if they grow I feel good

It's carbon dioxide

it's too funny, it's my friend

Biodiversity is dumb

There are too many fish to remember (book title: fishonary)

Let's get the oceans warm up

So there's nothing more to study

What do I care

If in Burkina Faso July is too hot

I got air conditioning

A diet coke and pasta with leopard (wtf? XD)

I like the climate change

Cheers for the climate change

Ham and melon in the middle of the flood

When there's a storm we party

I like the climate change

Cheers for the climate change

Tropical Italy, let's go at the sea

(eating)Panettone at the beach, tanned at Christmas

CO2

Two degrees increase don't feel like much to me

Why should we worry?

It's better so we could go

with the penguins at south pole to get a tan

I never liked Venice

I don't care if it goes underwater

If governments don't do something (governor's signs says: incentives for fossil fuels)

Very soon we'll be all up poop's creek

I like the climate change

[umichenginabroad]

Week 4: Snorkeling and Venezia

Ciao again!

This past week featured a fun field trip for Intro to Marine Bio and my first big week adventure! For the first field trip, we explored different habitats in Ieranto Bay, a marine conservation area only accessible through kayaking or by hiking down. We took the hiking route, taking in the picturesque landscape as we went.

Around 45 minutes later we got down to the bay and split into three groups to rotate through the day’s activities. My group had free time first; I spent the hour at the beach, swimming and enjoying the lovely clear water. Kayaking came next. Although we couldn’t cross the entire bay due to strong winds, we kayaked to another section, going in and out of a few caves and observing different marine habitats. I loved exploring the caves, especially one where it was so low you had to use your hands instead of the paddle to navigate! Lastly, our professor guided us in snorkeling, pointing out several key organisms and marine structures we had discussed in class. This might’ve been my favorite part as I loved diving down to look at everything up close (I even swam through an underwater tunnel lined with bright orange corals!)

(views of the bay during the hike down)

(four of us representing UMich in Ieranto Bay with the water and cliff in the background)

Over the weekend, I visited Venice and a few of the surrounding islands with some friends. I can honestly say it was the most unique place I’ve been so far. Wandering around and getting lost was so fun as there was something neat around every corner. We stayed the night in Naples Friday as we had a very early train Saturday morning (yay 4 am wake up). The train ride went smoothly and 5 hours later we emerged in The Floating City.

(Pictures of the colorful Venetian houses lining the edges of canals)

We took in the sights and wandered around for the afternoon before getting dinner (the pasta was delicious) and gelato (also delicious). Sunday morning, a few of us got up bright and early to see St. Mark’s basilica before the rush (slept in until 5am this time). My jaw was practically on the floor from admiring the intricate ceiling mosaics and it was worth every second of sacrificed sleep. Even today, creating artwork like it would be an impressive feat, let alone in the 11th century when the Church was constructed.

(Part of the outside of St. Mark's Basilica featuring ornate mosaics and paintings)

After some morning sightseeing, we booked a boat tour for 20 euros each to take us to Murano and Burano, two smaller islands known for their glass and lace making, respectively. Our stop in Murano also included a live glass blowing demonstration! I am now the proud owner of a hand-made Venetian glass bead bracelet and an adorable glass snail (name is still pending). Burano was very quaint with canals lined with vibrant houses and filled with cafes and small shops highlighting their handmade lace.

(First picture of a glass blowing presentation on Murano, the other two pictures of the canals of Burano. Yes, the tower in the third pic is leaning, it's not a crooked picture!)

Once back on the main island, we did a little shopping, ate some more yummy pasta, and took in the sights again before heading back to the main bus station to board our overnight bus, beginning our trek back to Sorrento. I lucked out and had both seats to myself on the bus, allowing me to get some much needed shut eye as I had my physics midterm that same morning!

I am already missing the charming streets and enchanting canals of Venice, but I have an exciting week and another weekend adventure ahead to keep me busy!

Arrivederci,

Marika Ruppart

Mechanical Engineering

Engineering in Sorrento, Italy

[crowandmoonwriting]

Writing Ambience: The Ocean

In order to write, I have to be in ‘the mood’ of my story. Sometimes this can be hard, especially when I’m overwhelmed with other unproductive thoughts (what am I going to eat for dinner? Why do I keep playing Skyrim over and over? When is my D&D group finally going to meet again?). To solve this, I usually listen to music. But sometimes, even that falls short. For those times, I turn to ambience. 

Ambient-mixer is my favourite website for writing ambience, but there’s also myNoise. Some ambient mixes have music already, but many others can easily complement an established writing playlist. 

Here are a few of my favourite mixes, and some songs that I feel work well with them. Some of them I have made, others I just found and fell in love with. Click the x to listen!

Salt and Siren Song: (x) a storm rolls through the sky as the metal-grey waves crash into the rocks, and drain through the pebbles. The Pacific was alive, was crying and calling and singing, beckoning. There are sharks in the water, but it's the sirens you have to worry about.

A Miami Restaurant: (x) a slow night. Soft live music, convivial conversation, and excellent wine, all soothing, belying the spiciest Spanish food in the city.

Lagoon of the Mermaids: (x) a small island near Venice, moonlit pools, soft ethereal voices beckoning. You follow the voices to a palazzo decorated with pearls and softly faded murals. They are waiting just beyond the gossamer curtains... (based on one of my WIPs)

Ruins of Atlantis: (x) you've happened upon the ruins of Atlantis. Waves and glimmering shafts of light pass overhead as you slowly drift through long-abandoned archways and what might once have been a tree-lined boulevard. But on the edge of your hearing, you hear distant chatter and chanting, the faint sound of bells... perhaps Atlantis is not as abandoned as you thought?

San Francisco Bay: (x) living around the San Francisco bay area, these ambient boat horns and seagulls are still missed!

Underwater Eerie: (x)

Mermaid's Lair: (x) they sing their sweet songs and whispers, the mermaids have successfully lured you to their underwater home. Relaxing and tranquil yet...slightly creepy.

Kingdom of Atlantis: (x)

Deep Ocean: (x) listen to the peaceful yet alien womb-like sounds of the deepest places in the ocean.

Coral Reef: (x) dive into water to explore colourful coral reef. The silence of underwater is mixing with the occasional distant calls of seagulls and dolphins.

Glory of Atlantis: (x)

Alone in the Aquarium: (x)

[dailycharacteroption]

Hidden Current (Vigilante Archetype)

(art by AntonKurbatov on DeviantArt)

It’s honestly surprising how many vigilante archetypes are dedicated to hiding one’s heritage in one identity and embracing it in another, and such is the case with today’s subject!

In certain watery cities and villages, there exist rumors of mysterious figures that appear from nowhere in a spray of water, perform their deeds, and then vanish once again beneath the waves, shadows from the depths which may be seen as aquatic avengers or benthic bandits, often a little bit of both depending on who is asked. I speak of course of the vigilantes known as “hidden currents”.

By day, these figures put on a persona of being one among the local surface-dwellers, but in the dark of the night they reveal their true selves as one of the many aquatic ancestries that live beneath the waves.

What exactly drives these individuals to live among air-breathers, let alone ply their aquatic nature as hidden sneaks varies by individual, and almost always is quite the story. However, certain aquatic ancestries are more suited to this role than others. Aquatic elves, azarketi (gillmen), and tritons will have little trouble, while merfolk and cecaelia will have some difficulties, while locathah and sahuagin will find the archetype nearly impossible to use without magic, since their civilian identities rely on the assumption that they are ordinary land-dwellers.

Even with these difficulties, it is still possible to utilize this archetype. Merfolk may pose as being wheelchair bound and rely on magic items that replicate the fins to feet spell when their vigilante identity needs to go on land, and alter self/disguise self are always options for less human-like peoples as well.

Also, consider that some of these vigilantes might be air-breathers that bring themselves into the depths, though they in turn must find ways to contend with their limitations as well, namely the breathing underwater.

While it need not truly be their official social identity, these vigilantes have a knack for assuming temporary identities while on land.

Perhaps one of their most impressive abilities, however, is the ability to teleport out of or into a body of water, using the water as a perfect point of ambush or retreat, leaving their foes guessing as to where they came from or went both on land or in the water.

They also have an incredible knack for using the water to conceal their motion, letting them slip into or out of the water unseen.

I’ve said before that the vigilante class is somewhat limited in it’s utility, more or less being at their best in urban environments and pretty much nowhere else. This archetype has a similar problem, being limited to cities on the coast with nearby aquatic civilizations nearby. In a Venice-like city with lots of water, they are King. Elsewhere, not so much. Additionally, your choice of ancestry can present certain challenges as well, especially in the environments you are not built for. Still, if that perfect storm of circumstances presents itself, this archetype is a fun little thing to explore and build as you please.

Being part of two worlds in a way that even most other vigilantes are not, it can be fun to explore what a character thinks of life below or above the waves. Some may resent one over the other, while others may have a fascination with either or both.

Elaborate merfolk murals protesting the segregation of the flooded Lower City and the Upper City of Raiyo have been cropping up in the middle of the night, leading to a crackdown to find the culprit. Merfolk interrogated about the incidents only mention a figure known as the Finwalker, a figure they speak of with some reverence.

Resembling a sahuagin in his bestial form, the seascarred beastkin Bartholomew has been swimming between the coast and their settlements for years, and now he has set his sights on acts of apparent terrorism in a devilfish guise. Has he turned traitor, or is there something afoot?

Recently, the mayor of the fishing village has been acting strange and especially vicious. Most are concerned but do not know what to make of the change in demeanor, but an aquatic elf vigilante called Moonseeker believes that he has come under the possession of an avatarana rakshasa. However, proving it means getting close, and the mayor is sure to keep all visitors well beyond reach.

[androgynealienfemme]

"Dear Rocky, 

Here I am, taking my pencil in my hand to say hello and hoping that you are in the best of health, both physically and mentally. As for me, I am fine, thanks to Almighty God. 

The weather in the Valley is the shits. As you have probably read on the radio we had a hurricane named Camille, a real killer that left many people homeless. Our house is still standing, but the Valley looks like Venice without gondolas. As a result of the flooded streets, I can’t go anywhere. My poor car is underwater. But that’s all right. I think the good Lord sent us a killer storm so that I would sit home and think seriously about my life, which I have been doing for the last three days. 

You are right my dearest friend, I am not getting any younger. It is time that I should start to think about what to do with my life. Since you left for school, I have been seeing a girl named Rosita, and I have already asked her to marry me. It’s not right to go around screwing without the Lord’s blessings. As soon as I can drive my car, I”m going to see what I can do about this. 

Your sister is right, I have been going around with some whores, but now that I have met Rosita, all that is going to change. I never talked to you about anything so personal as what I’m going to say, but take it from me, it’s true. Every time I do you-know-what, I come just like a man. I know you’re laughing right now, but Rocky, it’s God’s honest truth. If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you someday. Anyhow, it won’t be long until you come home for Christmas. I’ll show you and I promise you will not laugh and call me an idiot like you always do. 

In the meantime, since you are now close to the university library you can go and check it out for yourself. A woman can become a father if nature has given her enough come to penetrate inside a woman. I bet you didn’t know that. Which goes to prove that you don’t have to go to college to learn everything. 

That shadow on my face that your sister saw was not charcoal or anything that I rubbed on my face to make it look like a beard. It is the real thing. Women can grow beards, too, if they shave their faces every day to encourage it. I really don’t give a damn if you or your sister think it looks ridiculous. I like it, and so does Rosita. She thinks I’m beginning to look a lot like Sal Miner, do you know who he is? 

Well, Rocky, I think I’ll close for now. Don’t be too surprised to find Rosita pregnant when you come at Christmas. I’ll have a whole case of Lone Star for me and a case of Pearl for you. Till then I remain your best friend in the world. 

Love, Gloria"

-"The Gloria Stories" Rocky Gámez, The Persistent Desire (edited by Joan Nestle) (1992)

[spider-xan]

LOEG Nautilus or LXG Nautilus?

I'm going to have to give this one to the comics tbh - the Nautilus there is a more reasonable size that also follows the cigar shape from the source material and just makes more sense in terms of distribution of pressure when underwater, and the giant squid design (with working mechanical tentacles!) and interiors are more visually interesting, plus it has stronger steampunk aesthetics.

The movie Nautilus is definitely an interesting and unique design, but I've never really liked how massive it was (save for when it somehow fits through Venice's canals lol) and it really does not make sense for it to be so narrow beyond being too literal about the 'sword of the ocean' thing (and I guess needing it to fit through Venice's canals again lol); the whiteness of everything had Victorian Apple Store vibes in retrospect, but I do like the South Asian influences.

[orbispro]

The Ultimate Guide to TV & Online Commercial Production in Italy: Why ORBIS Production is Your #1 Partner

Introduction: Why Italy is the Ideal Destination for Commercial Filmmaking

Italy has long been a cinematic powerhouse, renowned for its breathtaking locations, rich cultural heritage, and world-class production facilities. Whether you are a global brand, creative agency, or startup, filming your next TV commercial (TVC) or digital ad campaign in Italy can elevate your brand to a whole new level.

From Milan's fashion-forward skyline to Rome's historic grandeur, Tuscany’s rolling vineyards, and the Amalfi Coast’s cinematic charm, Italy offers unmatched diversity for commercial productions. But to unlock the full potential of filming in Italy, you need an experienced production partner—ORBIS Production, Italy’s #1 commercial production company.

With over 16 years of experience, ORBIS Production is the go-to TV commercial production company in Italy, specializing in high-end TVC production, branded content, and online advertising. Based in Milan and Rome, we offer full-service solutions from concept development, location scouting, and casting to filming, post-production, VFX, and CGI.

In this guide, we’ll explore: ✔️ Why Italy is a top choice for commercial filming ✔️ The advantages of working with ORBIS Production ✔️ Our full range of commercial production services ✔️ The best filming locations in Italy ✔️ How to get started with your next TVC production in Italy

Why Choose Italy for Your Next TV Commercial?

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[infomades]

Enjoy your Valentine's Day with these romantic destinations. Choose your favorite destination and plan a romantic getaways for Valentine's day. There are some beautiful places to go and enjoy your day. Also, there are some luxury, cultural, natural, and coastal destinations so you can find any destination for Valentine's day and imapre your partner with this beautiful valentine's day trip ideas.

1. Paris, France

2. Santorini, Greece

3. Venice, Italy

4. Maldives

5. Positano, Italy

6. St. Lucia

7. Rome, Italy

8. Big Sur, California

9. Seville, Spain

10. Cape Winelands, South Africa

11. Prague, Czech Republic

12. Kauai, Hawaii

13. Savannah, Georgia

14. Fregate Island, Seychelles

15. San Francisco, California

RELATED: Underwater Wonders: Must-Visit Scuba Diving Destinations Before You Die

[santa--mozzarella]

Monday, November 18 — The Character Tour

Excerpt from an article on magickseeker.com:

Hey guys! My trip to Italy, Croatia and Greece is finally coming up and I'm super excited so I wanted to share with you guys my research and the itinerary for my trip! Obviously we're doing more than this but specifically for seal spotting we're going to be following these points. I know a lot of people on this forum have already done this area but this is my research and these are the things I'm excited to see, so here we go!

Othonoi (39°51'57.1"N 19°23'23.4"E)

So I think this one is a little off the wall, but about three or four years ago there were reports of a girl who was found on a beach completely alone. No one could get to her because the cliffs down to it were so steep and it was surrounded by deep water with strong currents on either side of the inlet, so no one had any idea how she got there. They thought they she had maybe fallen or something but she seemed kind of settled, so they went to go and get help but when they came back she was gone, and they swear they saw a seal heading back out into deep water, so I wanted to see if I could spot anything!

2. Scogli di Apani (40°42'12.3"N 17°49'29.0"E)

So I know this is a well known folklore on the mainland but for those who don't know, the island is supposedly the home of a family of selkies who were exiled from mainland Italy in the late 1960s. The woman's husband had died in a fishing accident and his boss refused to give her any compensation claiming it was his fault. After that the fish just deserted the area and so the boss fisherman claimed she was a selkie and she was running all the fish off to punish him so they sent her and her kids to live on the island. Like literally just dumped them there. But the weird thing was that no bodies have ever been found, not even in the surrounding water, and no boats were ever seen going over there, so no one knows where they went... so maybe they really were selkies and they just returned to the water!

3. Just off the coast of Baia Foca (41°20'13.4"N 16°21'32.8"E)

I don't know how much we'll see here because you're not allowed to dive anymore but these underwater caves have long been claimed as a hotspot for selkie births in the Adriatic. Supposedly, the selkie women stockpile food inside the caves, give birth in there, and raise the baby there for a month until it can swim well enough to head out to land. It's probably just used by actual seals but it would be amazing to see a baby!

4. Just off the Guld of Manfredonia (41°39'17.1"N 16°53'08.0"E)

This is another weird one but apparently a few different people claimed in the early noughties to see a guy in a small boat taking fish from a seal. But like, the seal was bringing the fish to the boat and helping him. Could just be a very friendly seal, but it could be something more...

5. Grotta dei Marmi (41°47'47.8"N 16°11'42.0"E)

These caves and inlets were supposedly a selkie breeding ground in the early twentieth century, where lots of selkies would gather at auspicious times of year. Most of that has been lost now because it's so touristy nowadays but locals claim that selkies still do take lovers down to the caves under a full moon

6. Isola Pianosa (42°13'29.5"N 15°44'49.7"E) and 7. San Nicola di Tremitti (42°07'59.9"N 15°30'49.2"E)

These islands have a lot of seal activity, and where else is a selkie going to try and blend in than with a whole colony of seals! It helps that San Nicola is a nature reserve so the wildlife is mostly untouched. Both islands have similar tales of Greek selkies using them as a final resting stop before going on to Venice, so maybe they still use them now if they're travelling north?

8. Piattaforma "Posidonia" (42°28'03.3"N 14°13'51.1"E)

The actual off-shore platform is closed to visitors now so we'll be visiting Pescara, the town on land. About six or seven years ago some workers on the platform claimed they saw two women in the water. When they saw the men on the platform looking at them they slipped beneath the waves, and then workers on the other side of the platform reported seeing two seals swimming North! Could just be off-shore workers losing their mind, but there was truth to those old mermaid tales, so who knows!

9. The wreck of the San Carlo Borromeo (45°09'02.5"N 13°03'30.0"E)

So this site is actually kind of linked to the last one because there were reports of seals swimming in and around the wreck, almost like they were looking for something, not too long after the reports from the Posidonia. This old venetian ship has even more history, though - it was supposedly shipping captured Selkies off around the world, holding their skins ransom so that the Selkies would work on the ship and accept their fate. No one knows how it sank, as there were no mundus survivors, and all the selkies were believed to have fled, if it ever held them at all...

10. Just off the coast of Venice (45°19'58.4"N 12°23'41.6"E)

Obviously we're just visiting Venice but I will be paying particular attention to the coastline, as those seals mentioned above at the ship wreck were supposedly also spotted swimming along the Venetian coast as if they were debating whether or not to enter the lagoon. Whether or not they did, or whether they were even the same seals, no one really knows, but lots of seals were seen in the lagoon not long after.