#what I WANTED was the originals to be preserved as intended for future generations to play and take inspiration from

[skaruresonic]

SH2 remake defense posts are giving me actual flashbacks to IDW stans going "don't ruin my enjoyment, you're personally harassing me and this is why we can't have nice things" and making strawmen of your concerns while also missing the point of the criticism by a mile. The wording and sentiments are exactly the same.

I wonder if this is just how fandom is now, where criticism is considered toxic regardless of what you say, how you say it, or in what quantity. Shut up and enjoy Product(tm), you're harshing my buzz.

[autumnmobile12]

Clothing in Castlevania: Yellow vs Purple

Every Castlevania character has their clothing color scheme. With Trevor, it was reds and browns and then later black, red, and gold. Sypha's was white and blue. Alucard's was black and gold. In the Official Artbook, it says this was done to preserve some elements of their original video game designs. We can see they kept this change with Richter (blue) and Maria (pink.)

But Annette's original design wore a mostly green dress with some yellow accents, not a yellow one. It's a harmless change, of course, and it might just be a bid to completely remake her character, but I do wonder if there's more significance at play here because green was not forgotten by Nocturne. Annette says her favorite color is green, which I think is a very tiny, subtle callback to her old design while independently preserving her new look.

At first, I thought it might be in reference to her ancestor god Ogun, but from what I can find, his sacred colors are green and black, red, or sometimes blue, according to different regions. (As far as I understand.) So the significance for Annette's clothing change isn't here.

The answer, I think, partially lies with Olrox.

Yellow in general is often regarded as a positive color, representing success, a bright future, happiness, and optimism. It's also used to represent the sun just about universally around the world. Definitely a good choice for a protagonist and it also holds significance for the season finale as the ending is the sun literally going dark.

As for Olrox, his clothing color scheme is purple, same as the video games. This also fits his background in Nocturne as purple was regarded as a divine color by the Aztecs, reserved for priests and the nobility. A good choice for a powerful vampire.

So while the positivity and representation of the sun may hold true for Annette's yellow, I also want to point out that yellow is the polar opposite of purple on the color wheel. Maybe the color scheme choices for Annette and Olrox were intended to play off each other with Richter as the fulcrum between the two: Olrox's purple as Richter's dark past and Annette's yellow as the possibility of a brighter future.

[vyragosa]

"i shot that bitch when i got the chance"

should amelie strand from death stranding be regarded exclusively with hatred?

or was it the very goal on kojima's part to make a human being bear the unthinkable load of functioning as a system ending a natural cycle dictated by the arbritrary cosmos while retaining human sentimentality and sentience? life is made to perservere and survive and even the extinction bringer would rail against the inevitable a little longer.

"to make sense of everything you need time, you need perspective, and i'm not a line, i'm a single dot."

a very popular sentiment even on the official reddit of death stranding, you would see it fairly enough to assume it the general reaction toward amelie as a character, very little space if offered for discussion and understanding of the character's purpose

cumulate it with the fact that her dialogues comes off as "haughty" when kojima intended the original text to merely give her the "unattainable princess" archetype which is how she comes across in japanese more naturally, she is embodying the sun queen burdened with visions, a role with a deeper meaning that does not translate either to the worldwide audience but is ultimately the key to the story

her sins are not accepted by sam nor anyone else from the cast, she is shot at just as bridget, the body without a soul (important) was the one to order cliff to be shot, the absence of being able to transmit feelings in the manner of a human being made of flesh and warmth is what amelie represents, bridget's inability to act as a mother and connect with sam is also reminiscent of this fact, the sheer inability to feel and connect as a human being when you are not only unable to touch anything but ultimately only "living" like the dead, in a different reality than anyone else

the feeling strikes a very particular chord with anyone who has felt this type of alienation, which is why the character of higgs was so willing to be by her side and his inclination to follow her plans and be tricked by her as well due to his own need for control (which is another topic)

the novel also introduces the fact that she saw herself as a child already plagued by visions of the world ending in painful vivid details in a painting of mary holding jesus weeping, knowing she would never be able to avert the death of jesus, only to be here, to witness, amelie had not gave into madness and instead, attempt to prepare the world to fight against it as bridget

the root of hatred lies in the fact that bridget "has a body, but no soul"

her heart is stuck on the beach in the form of amelie, which made her actions to be devoid of any "heart", in shooting cliff, in the BB experiments, in raising sam at all, in not connecting with him after his wife's death, she is not capable of it by virtue of being, she inevitably becomes a ruthless politician and people like john admired her for her capacity to act upon those goals, the goal of making humanity survive. the person who wants humanity to survive, is the part of amelie that has no heart

which is where amelie enters the scene, as the warmth that sam remembers, and the bringer of extinction, "the hunter's merciful kill"

the interplay of personalities between higgs and amelie is beyond blatant, even more so with a second game, but it also introduces the quiet implication that amelie might have wanted sam to join her side and watch the world end in a "mercy" that if sam was to be by her side, which instead she focused on higgs for this role which directly pit one another in the final waltz (fight)

ultimately, she obtained sam's understanding and had no use for the masquerade to continue by enabling higgs' destructive tendencies any longer, in the end, she shut herself out to preserve the world because it has sam in it willing to go against her, instead of joining her into the void

as long as humanity would not accept "mercy killing" which the homo demens represent, the total loss of belief in the future

amelie was willing deny her own humanity that remains in the possibility of "connecting" by shutting the world out of closing her beach, she essentially "killed" herself so that the world could fight against a natural cycle for a little longer

she made the choice to be crucified as mary, she made the choice to take her son's place, so that he could know love from others instead of her.

the ultimate sacrifice one could do, to leave with love

stranded with love.

[starshipsofstarlord]

All This Hassle, and What For?

Pairing | Loki Laufeyson x reader

Summary | getting taken hostage, along with Loki, is far more amusing than ever intended to be, despite it leaving your captors anything but impressed.

Warnings | kidnapping, mentions of depression, swearing, implied smut, innuendos

Based off this tiktok. All original rights to the plot go back to the creator.

Quick link to my masterlist, if you’re interested in reading more of my crap 😬

Opening your aching eyes, you found yourself to be in a large room, there were plenty of feet stood at your eye level, and such a sight made you frown. You certainly didn’t remember being knocked out, but who would, the exposure to unconsciousness was most likely sudden.

But nevertheless, you raised your head, glaring up at those whom had captured you. As your eyes scoured the room, your eyes landed promptly on the god of mischief, who had his hands bound and shackled in chains, and by Odin, did he look good.

However, your attraction the man who once reigned terror down upon New York wasn’t the focus now, and so you licked your lips, and kicked the nearest guard in the leg. He stumbled, the noise loud enough to draw the attention of all others, and you were pleased to stifle a laugh. Loki frowned at your behaviour, knowing that this was not the way that you were trained to be an avenger, but it was clear that you were no longer on earth, so human pleasantries did not apply here.

“And by the gods, who in the galactic council’s name do you think you are?” The closest asked, wrapping his large hand through your hair, and tugging your face up to stare up at him, wanting you to be treated as the lesser being he thought you as.

“Actually, he’s the god.” Tilting your head, you diverted it towards Loki, who squinted feebly at your answer. “But I think you already knew that, since you have him rattled in metal. Just a word of advice, rumour has it that he likes to be restrained in such ways; really, you’re doing him a favour, and you may just earn yourself a big tip.”

You sent a wink up at the commander, watching with inward joy as he grimaced at your development within your speech. “Quite a nice sight, to see him so vulnerable and at someone’s mercy, so thank you general.”

Sending him a smile, he huffed, whilst Loki tried his darnedest to contain an amused grin. It wouldn’t be the first occasion that you had made suggestions regarding the new troop of the avengers; even when he was around causing mischief, (which he still tended to do), there were always words said that gained the god’s intrigue.

Tony at the time, and to this day, despite him being a part of the heroic team, which Thor was ‘inclined’ to drag him into, thought nothing more than disgust at your meaningful jokes. In his words, ‘you two may as well screw so we don’t have to listen to anymore of this dirty banter, you in regards to reindeer games’.

How you wished right now, preached silently even, that Tony could bare to listen again, so that he could send in the team whom could deal with these aliens that were keeping your imprisoned. But all communications were cut, and that just left you and Loki.

By no means did you doubt if Loki got the chance to escape, he would leave you. It was in his nature to do so, but if you could pose a lack of threat, they may loosen up on their efficiency in guarding you. After all, Loki was the one they wanted, not you. And then, both of you could get away from this galactic nonsense.

“Humans.” The general huffed, causing you to grimace as the stench of his breath wafted through the air, and hit your nose. “You all think that you are so special, but when it comes down to it, those who are not from your planet do not care. Loki here, this god, does not care about you little one. And he never will.”

“That’s okay with me, because I don’t care about him either. It’d called self preservation.” You informed your captor, noticing Loki staring across at you with an icy gaze. Who were you kidding? Of course you cared about the god, but right now, you would do anything to get out of this predicament.

“Aw would you look at that.” The feet moved back towards the main reward of their capture, staring down at the green eyed trickster with mocking eyes. “This woman has attitude just like yours, if either of you cared, I’d call it a match made in Asgard.” A laugh bellowed from the wide chest of the being, finding his own comedy quite humorous.

“Excuse me, I’m way out of his league!” You pretended to be offended, bringing your hands that were free of restraint to your chest. They thought not to tie you down as they did to him, after all, you were nothing but a midguardian. That was their mistake. “What’d you want with old horse shagger over there anyways? Don’t be alarmed, but he actually does some kind of good now, even if it be out of his own self interest.”

A heavy sigh fell on deaf ears, as the protector of space glanced unsurely between the pair of you. “He has the tesseract, and I wish to take it from his slippery hands, he cannot be trusted with such a powerful source of energy.” His words bellowed a laugh of absolute surprise from your mouth, earning a frown from those keeping you hear, and a cock of the head from the god of mischief.

It was clear that not only was he confused by your supple, yet somewhat pleasant burst of amusement, but he was also in the dark about what in the Hela this predominant being was speaking of. Yes, he had had the tesseract at one point , however, no longer was it in his untrustworthy grasp.

Thanos had taken ownership over it, after killing many of the people that he had saved from the events of Ragnarok. It was not just some energy source, it had been an infinity stone all along, tricking the eyes of elders and the young to believe that it was nothing more than a harbouring of power. But it had indeed been the space stone, and it was taken from him, in exchange for saving Thor’s life.

The Guardians of the Galaxy had found the pair of them upon the aftermath of the wreckage, taking them in, amongst plans of taking Thanos down. It had been a failure, up until the avengers went back in time, going to their past that would not affect their future, so that they could reverse the affects the Titan had brought upon earth and everywhere else.

During that time, Loki had nurtured his brother, watching as he fell apart with the responsibility of their people, and collapsed into a spiral of depression. You had also been there for Thor, doing your best to take the drink away from the bulky god, but to no avail did you manage to succeed. And so, during those tormenting five years, you and Loki would sit side by side, both basking silently in your failures.

“I thought you guys’d know everything, but I guess that you and your highness are stuck in one time line; all of them. But for us humans and every lesser being, there are multiple, and that Loki that stole the tesseract, yet I say again, is one much different. And we are on the search for him, to stop his disruption and crossing over of the times!” An exonerated, and audible exhale of air left you after your little speech.

Loki smirked, at the premise of you protecting him with the admission of the truth. But he couldn’t help but feel a feeling of warmth flutter within his immortal insides, it was rather a nice feeling he realised. “He is quite difficult to catch, we have been tracking him since the time heist went sideways.”

“That’s because he’s you!” You pointedly exclaimed, unable to pin some of the blame upon the god himself. Sure, in recent times he had changed, and was much different from back when he wanted all mortals to kneel before him (which you’d willingly do if it ever came to that, though you’d never tell him under which circumstances that would be), but at the end of the day, that had been him once!

The tricks and the lies still remained, but he had found a reason to thrive, and a long and enduring career that he was well at tackling. Often, he made out being an avenger, despite the government’s rouse of concern, to be a bore, and that he had far better things to do. But he stayed, with a light in his eyes, and continued following along with the heroic traditions, breaking a few rules here and there.

“Dear, why do you always have to put the blame upon me? I was not the one who decided to put that green dye within your shampoo, but I’ll have to admit, did you look so enrapturing.” He was running a ploy, dragging out the time that you spent bantering in hopes of something happening.

Unlike Heimdall, he did not have foresight, but it was a requirement whilst the pair of you were on your expediting mission, that you check in with the base, via the comms that had cracked under brutal feet. And so, he spoke, with the promise that you’d return the conversation and leave all others in the room confused with your meaningless discussion.

“I did, didn’t I?” You asked, to which he hummed in reply, lightly nodding his head, as his feline eyes ran up your body, paying ample attention to how your limbs were free, unlike his own. “But I’d say fine sir, that the blame is down to Clint, and if I’m correct, may we kick his ass as soon as we get back home?”

“Of course we can my beloved-“ you froze at his choice of words, and it appears that he did too, suddenly realising his mistake. Gulping for a second he went to speak again, but the commander felt much inclined to but in, and stop the headache that was bubbling in his large head.

“Shut up; the pair of you!” His scolding made you feel as though you were in school over again, it was impossible not to drop your head down and try to contain your laughter. Loki too found such enjoyment in this predicament, sporting a cheshire grin to emit his emotions.

“I’m sorry, can you say that again? Maybe a just a tad louder?” You pinched your thumb and forefinger together to show how much, and it was clear that you were pissing this primal being off. He began towards you, and you were prepared to fight him, you were never one to back down, which was one feature upon the various reasons that Fury had initially recruited you.

Awaiting the first strike, you stood despite the others around you, your eyes wide open as you bravely stared up at your opponent. But before the fight could begin, a distant crash assumed preference in your ears, causing you to turn your head in the direction it had came from. And then, all of a sudden, a ship crashed through the dock, guns blazing from its side.

“What are you waiting for?” The distinct voice of Rocket asked, and obediently you ran through the terror, finding Loki already upon the ship, but then, he appeared behind you also. “Quill, get ready to go!”

Taking glances, you stared between the two practically identical copies, a light frown on your face. Both were restrained, yet the one that was seated beside Groot, whom was playing a game on some nineties device, was glaring up at the pair of you.

“An avenger, really?” The seated one laughed, mocking his once future self, as you felt the ship steer clear away from the scene. Your Loki quirked his brow, smirking at his self that had avoided the wars that he had chosen to fight upon earth.

“Yes, an avenger.” He responded, causing his other to languidly scoff. An ‘I am groot’ came from the tree, and it was uncertain in your spoken languages of what he had said, but either way, you were more intrigued by the conversation that was happening between the Loki’s. “And I’ll have you know, that she is infinitely more brave than you, you cower-some fool.”

“Oh, so we’re going there?” You asked, causing the pair to snap out of their mutual rivalry, and stare haphazardly at you. “No, don’t mind me, feel free to continue.”

“We’re not going to be unable to unbind your until we reach earth.” Gamora cut in, speaking to the Loki that you knew to be the original.

“That’s fine.” He nodded humbly, before casting his attention back at his alternate reflection. “And this woman, is not only an avenger. She was there for your brother when you were not.”

“Aw.” The other Loki smirked, almost cruelly. “So she’s your beloved?” He remarked rudely, and it seemed to break something within Loki, him wishing not to listen to the other version of himself. He decided he did not like him, and understand how you must have felt upon your initial meeting.

“Yes.” You went to speak, but instead, Loki stood before you, powerlessly pulling your face to his own, and colliding his lips upon yours. On impulse, you ravenously replied with much affection, clasping his jaw and allowing him entrance into your mouth. It earned a disgusted groan out of the Loki that had caused all this hassle.

“I hate to interrupt...” Rocket returned, after putting his gun down and having gone to the front of the ship with Quill, so that he could contact Stark. “But these may get those off.” He held a pair of golden pliers, that were far larger than his body. At the sight , you pulled away from Loki’s face for a moment, raising a brow.

“It’s fine, I think I want to keep them on.” You smirked, earning another sound of disapproval from Loki’s identical rival, pulling him back to your face. Wildly, he hummed into the cavern of your mouth, as the pair of you stumbled around on the spaceship.

“Bedrooms are down the hall to the right.” Nebula informed you, her voice monotone, and in turn, you dragged the god towards said direction, finally releasing all the tension that had been pent up through the years.

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@nickkie1129

[cyokie]

Jack Vessalius as a Symbol for Depression

Ever since I first read PandoraHearts, I have interpreted Jack Vessalius as at least a partial symbolic representation of depression, especially in his relationship with Oz. 

(Skip to “keep reading” to go straight to the analysis; this beginning portion is little more than a disclaimer.)

Jack is a complex, fascinating character, and it is precisely due to this that I believe any number of interpretations regarding him contain merit. Whether you view Jack as an abuser, a manifestation of mental illness, or an extraordinarily-written character that does not require a figurative understanding to be interesting, I think this is valid. 

I am saying this first and foremost because I want to be clear: this is not a persuasive essay. I am not trying to change anybody’s minds about liking or disliking Jack Vessalius, nor am I trying to devalue any other interpretations of this extremely nuanced character. Some points may be a bit vague and connections disjointed, though I attempted to minimize this. Any discussion of mental illness and abuse is based on either my personal experiences or those of people I know. I do not intend to offend anybody. 

This post is simply the product of years of disorganized yet in-depth thoughts about this concept. I hope some of you will be interested.

Major spoilers for the entire manga below the cut. Manga panels are from the Fallen Syndicate fan translation. This...is going to get very long.

Emotional Abuse

Jack exists within Oz’s mind. When these two interact, it almost always occurs within Oz’s head, providing every conversation with an inherently emotional and symbolic element. 

Jack initially appears to Oz as an unknown but crucial figure. Whether he is trustworthy or even harmful remains to be seen, but his input is necessary. He is the only insight Oz has into his lost memories; he knows something Oz does not. Oz is suffering an identity crisis, realizing he has endured something he does not completely understand, something that could potentially change his entire life once he does understand it. And yet, this mysterious voice within his head understands it.  

This desperation makes it almost irrelevant whether Jack is credible, whether his advice is well-intentioned. Normally a rather cynical and distrusting young man, Oz follows Jack from the beginning despite wanting answers. He does indeed receive answers, but they are perhaps not quite what he bargained for, in more ways than one.

Once Jack’s true nature is revealed, the extent to which he has used Oz’s memories and emotions against him becomes apparent. Jack does present Oz with new insights into his experiences, but he only ever provides Oz with enough information to convince him to act a certain way. He never willingly gives a fair, all-encompassing portrayal of an event from Oz’s past. He manipulates Oz’s perceptions of his memories to fit a particular emotional narrative, one that is inevitably perplexing and demeaning to Oz. 

This bears a resemblance to the way depression warps how we view past events. When we look back at our experiences, we don’t see the entire picture--though we are convinced that we may. We see a skewed version of an incident that actually occurred. Perhaps this incident proves little to nothing about ourselves in reality, but viewed through the lens of depression, everything about it seems to scream that we are useless. And it is nearly impossible to try and perceive these events any differently, because when depression overtakes our minds, this perspective appears to be the only one through which it is possible to examine any of our pasts. 

By the time Jack’s intentions have been exposed, he is also explicitly emotionally abusive towards Oz. It is easy to recognize Jack’s statements as not only psychologically damaging, but disturbingly similar to what we hear in our own heads when suffering depression. Think about these assertions without the very literal plot elements that support them: Jack declares Oz less than human, insists that nobody loves him, and claims that he has no future because the only thing he’s good for is hurting those around him. He convinces Oz that he is useless, hopeless, and worthless. 

Jack drills these ideas into Oz’s head when he is at his most vulnerable. This is when Oz breaks down and becomes convinced that all of Jack’s statements are true. He is not who he thought he was; he never has been, and so his life is meaningless. 

This is arguably when Oz reaches his all-time emotional low. While it was already addressed that he had been struggling intensely with his mental health and was probably suicidal, up to this point, he always retained some level of self-preservation (however slight). Now, he silently accepts that the world would be better off without him and offers no physical or emotional resistance to his own execution. Jack’s words worm their way into his heart and corrupt his self-image to the point where his only reaction to Oswald’s sword swinging towards him is a blank, unflinching stare. 

Trauma Response

It’s not uncommon for Jack to manifest during catastrophic moments--that is, whenever a situation triggers (or comes close to triggering) overwhelming memories of Oz’s trauma. When Oz is losing control over his emotional and physical faculties, Jack often encourages him to make the trigger disappear using the quickest and easiest method available. Unsurprisingly, this method generally takes advantage of Oz’s extraordinary powers. In other words, the “tactic” Jack advises Oz to use is simply mindless destruction.

In the second half of the manga, Oz is at his least emotionally stable. It is not a coincidence that this is also the point during which Jack gains the ability to completely hijack Oz’s body. This development allows Jack to commit impulsive acts of aggression through Oz, while Oz himself retains little to no control.

Jack overwhelms Oz with unnecessary flashbacks to traumatic events and makes an excess of harmful connections between past and present circumstances. Oz’s panicked, distressed responses to this are tools he uses to further coax Oz into acting in a self-destructive manner. These tendencies may not only connect Jack to the concept of depression, but the concept of post-traumatic stress disorder as well. 

Identity Crisis

Although Jack is introduced extremely early in the manga, one of the story’s main mysteries is the exact nature of his connection to Oz. This relationship shifts several times, especially with regards to who is “in control” and who is the true “owner” of the physical body. 

Once it becomes public knowledge that Jack is “within” Oz, the identity of the former overcomes the identity of the latter in the eyes of the general populace. Figures who never before gave Oz a second glance begin to pay incredibly close attention to him; many directly address him through his connection to Jack rather than as a separate entity. 

Oz is deeply troubled by the way others ignore him in favor of an aspect of his identity that he feels does not truly represent him--an aspect of his identity that is at least partially out of his control. However, he is also relatively resigned to being judged in this manner. He lacks knowledge of how to change this circumstance because even he does not truly understand the extent to which he and Jack are connected. 

It is true that at this point in the story, Jack is practically worshipped. His destructive actions and devastatingly selfish nature have not yet been exposed. Because of this, Oz as Jack’s “vessel” is typically viewed through a positive lens. Still, this situation reflects how people with depression are sometimes reduced to nothing more than a mental illness by their peers. Because others do not understand (and mental illness is stigmatized), they start to see us as “different” in some indefinable but undeniable way, and our existence becomes that particular part of ourselves in their eyes. 

As time passes, the line between Jack and Oz becomes more and more blurred. Questions are raised about whether they are the same person or, on the contrary, whether they are similar at all. At what is arguably the climax of the manga, Jack declares that Oz’s body is, was, and will always be his possession; he claims that in reality, there is no “Oz,” only “Jack.” 

This thought haunts Oz intensely and sends him into a rapid downward spiral. Like the sentiments expressed near the end of the “emotional abuse” section of this analysis, the idea that Oz’s body belongs to Jack is backed up by rigid, literal plot elements. However, if we view this emotional catastrophe using a symbolic perspective, it is a representation of yet another common struggle endured by those with depression.

We come to ask ourselves who we really are. Was there truly a time when we weren’t “like this?” Could we truly escape this misery in the future? Who would we be if we were to stop feeling this way? Do we even exist without depression? Does Oz even exist without Jack?

Visual Symbolism

It is a classic literary device to represent hope through light and despair through darkness. The manga is rife with this exact type of symbolism, utilizing it to describe how the Abyss has changed throughout time, Break’s dwindling eyesight, and the oscillating emotional states of various characters. 

As I stated previously, Jack and Oz interact almost exclusively within the latter’s mind. The landscape drawn in the background of these conversations initially possesses a watery, clear appearance. However, as it becomes increasingly clear that Jack’s presence is deeply damaging to Oz’s psyche, this same landscape becomes overwhelmingly tainted by dark, ink-like shadows. 

Closer examination reveals that this “pollution” originates directly from Jack--and it reaches its peak once Jack’s intentions have been fully disclosed. Not only is Oz’s mind visibly corrupted by darkness, but Jack himself appears as an almost inhuman figure composed of these shadows. 

There is another level of visual symbolism as well--namely, the fact that Jack becomes increasingly physically aggressive and disrespectful towards Oz. In the first half of the manga, he primarily speaks to Oz from a distance, occasionally reaching out a hand in his direction. This is clearly not so in the second half of the manga, at which point Oz begins to defy his influence and it becomes vital that he subjugate him as quickly as possible.

By this time, Jack is almost always seen either restraining or caressing Oz. Even in the latter situation, when his touches are lingering and vaguely affectionate, they are possessive and constraining. In other words, though they appear different on the surface, both actions are ultimately methods of forcing Oz’s submission. It can be said that this represents his desire to gain complete control over all aspects of Oz’s being, as well as his total lack of respect for Oz’s physical and emotional autonomy.

It can be argued that both of these aspects of symbolism reach their pinnacle even before this point. Oz realizes his own worth when Oscar says he loves him and reveals that his greatest desire is for him to be happy. When Oz is at last able to grasp that he is loved and there is hope within his life, Jack immediately reaches out to grab him. And in one of the manga’s subtlest but most poignant moments, his hand crumbles to dust upon touching Oz. 

What follows is an extremely impactful display of Oz’s character development. He recalls Jack’s previous statements declaring his achievements worthless, denouncing the love he received from others as fake, and degrading his worth. Then he furiously rejects all of them, thrusting out a hand to push Jack away from him and consuming Jack in an explosion of light. 

The conclusion to be drawn from this is that Jack essentially lives off Oz’s misery. When Oz understands and is able to accept that he is not worthless, Jack is suddenly rendered utterly powerless. 

The manga culminates in a scene that coincides with this symbolism. This late into the story, Oz has succeeded in transcending Jack’s influence almost entirely, but Jack is not quite ready to let go. Though they stand together within a void, glimmers of light linger around Oz--despite everything, his life has come to be surrounded by hope and love. 

As Oz floats towards the path of light above, Jack reaches out and takes hold of his wrist. But his grip is feeble and hesitant, representing how little control he truly holds over Oz at this point. Perhaps attempting to provoke guilt or regret, Jack asks Oz if he is certain that he is prepared to move on without him, but Oz has grown too much to succumb to this manipulation. 

Without delay, Oz replies that there is no reason for him to stay, and Jack finally releases him. He escapes into the light--into a world full of people who care about him, into a life where he is happy to be alive. 

[quagmiremarch]

The Lies We Tell to Find Our Truth 3/3

{This is SO late, but, well, life happens.} They planned the wedding for the spring, a glorious union between Duke Victor Nikiforov and Miss Mari Katsuki. Society felt it all a great scandal, such a high-born and eligible bachelor tied to a basic commoner. They’d have been far more scandalized had they known the whole truth of the matter.

It happened as such. Victor asked Mari how she felt about marriage, but his gaze lingered long on the lovely man that had taken his heart so swift and surely. “Gossip has run rather rampant about you since your encounter with the older Lord Bin. Insidious the whispers that will swirl about. It is said you are most vehement in your denial to ever take a husband. Some say it is because you perhaps already have a lover?”

The fierce scowl Miss Katsuki directed at Victor most certainly would have spooked lesser, or perhaps just wiser, men to apologies or at the least a modicum of self-preservation cloaked in silence. Victor never laid claim to wisdom, and he felt far too much at stake to surrender the field. So, he offered a slight smile and a tiny shrug as he continued, “It seems to me were that the case, that perhaps a wedding might lay to rest the talk. Certainly, I imagine it would cease need for you to attend balls or other such events.” He paused and sent a most salacious wink at Yuuri. “Or for your lovely brother to do so on your behalf, though it society’s loss should you take that option. He does look most beautiful on a gown.”

Yuuri sank, a most delightful candied apple red, into the cushions of the couch, seeming to wither and shrivel like paper too close to flame under the unimpressed eyes of his sister. Her expression remained angry only a scant moment before falling into resigned acceptance. “Of course you did,” she muttered, as if completing some conversation already begun even as no words were exchanged on the matter.

“I,” Yuuri sighed, “it seemed the best course of action at the time.”

Mari reached over and patted his hand with her own sigh. “Perhaps it was as I truly did not consider the implications of refusing that invitation. But, either way, here we are now.” She turned her attention to Victor. “And, I assume, as a concession for this marriage you wish, you will refrain from mentioning my brother’s attendance in my place? That is the offer you have come with?”

Victor gasped. “What? No. No!” He stood, propelled by his shock at her accusation before catching his breath and regaining his seat. “Of course, I will not speak of Yuuri’s actions, but I did not come here to blackmail you, Miss Katsuki. I simply thought we might find a way to be of use to one another. You see, I find that I am...uninterested in the charms of those women—of any woman, if I am most honest—that seek my hand. So, originally, as the rumors implied a similar disinclination for men on your part, I had hoped we would be able to come to accords.” He pauses and glances at Yuuri still hiding behind his hands on the couch. “Though, that was before I fully understood the situation.”

Mari blinked once, and then again, the gesture slow and almost languid. “I’m not ill disposed to men in general. I am simply rather entangled with a specific man who is unavailable for marriage.”

“Oh.” Victor considered. “Is he likely to become less indisposed in the future?”

“No.” Mari pulled Yuuri out of his slouch. “And you should stop cowering, brother dear. I have no desire to steal away the gentleman that caught your interest so intently.”

Yuuri’s eyes went wide and shocked, a small whine coming from this throat as he ducked his head down. “I...I… Victor leaned over and gently took Yuuri’s hand. “I do hope she speaks of me, for I found myself rather besotted with the charming company I found myself in at the ball.”

“You...do?” Yuuri peaked up through lashes so long and lovely they took Victor’s breath away.

“I do.” He smiled as the words echoed in his mind, bringing him back to mind of the conversation, “which is why I think it would be a wonderful idea for your sister to become my bride.”

“What?” Both of the Katsuki siblings spoke in unison, Mari loud and gruff, Yuuri soft and confused.

“Yes,” Victor sat back, one fingertip tapping against his lower lip. “A shame though, that we were so enamored of one another as to rush into things without fully understanding our incompatibility in the end, not to mention her being barren. Such a short honeymoon period before she decided to take residence in my summer home to be closer to her family while I chose to stay at my main estate. A scandal, surely.”

Victor chuckled as the two others stared at him, a slow, sly grin taking over Mari’s face while Yuuri simply looked stunned.

“And my being barren,” Mari drawled the last word with a most unladylike snort of laughter, “is especially unfortunate given our common background, and that so little was gained in this union. How fortunate that we could at least offer my brother’s services as an attendant and household manager to offer some semblance of recompense for your losses.”

“Yes, most fortunate, especially as I will need send for my nephew, as he will inherit given my lack of heirs. He will need a tutor, and I am given to understand Mr. Katsuki has something of a reputation as a teacher.”

Mari laughed. “You certainly seem to have done your research into our family.” She took Yuuri’s hand and turned his head to look at him. “Do you want this, Yuuri? Do you want him? This agreement serves me well, but if it is not a thing that suits--” “Yes!” The words came out too loud and more than a tad breathless. “Please, yes.” Victor beamed, gaze resplendent and eyes bright as they lingered on every line of Yuuri’s flushed and smiling face. Mari watched them for a long moment before she stood, wiping her hands on the apron she wore. “Well, I suppose then we should go tell our parents there is to be a wedding.” She winked at the pair so caught up in each other neither even bothered to respond. “I will leave you two here to...work out what details matter between you.”

As soon as she left and turned from view of the sitting room, Victor pulled Yuuri into his arms. He never intended to let him go again.

[bigskydreaming]

Hi! I’m confused on how to reconcile dick’s origins and his loving family with the haly’s circus is a tool of the court of owls info. How does dick’s childhood not become horrifying and fake if the court of owls were using the circus the whole time? Ppl that dick knew and friends with were probably evil right? Idk... have a great day, sorry for my rant lol-confused anon

Honestly, as many times as the circus comes up in canon, its very rarely been explored in detail so it really just depends on how you play it, I think. For me, the difference is complicitness. If the Court of Owls is heavily invested in Haly’s Circus and manipulates where they go and when and uses it as a training camp for their future assassins in a lot of ways, that unmistakably casts a pall over Dick’s childhood, it lends it a certain air of grim destiny....BUT that doesn’t have to equate to his childhood being a LIE....not if most of the people he loves and values from it were just genuinely good people who loved him and had no idea about the darker side of their circus. I think most of Haly’s performers had no clue, or don’t have to be portrayed as having one, and thus just because they were there, doesn’t mean they were complicit, and if they weren’t complicit, that’s what really matters when it comes to them.

That said, we know that numerous performers died young under mysterious circumstances, or disappeared when in their teens, and that these were the eventual Talons of the Court. BUT we also know that the Court wasn’t like....disappearing multiple performers at a time, and that the real secret of the Talons’ large numbers is their longevity and the fact that the Court had been doing this for a LONG time. So its not like Haly’s performers would have all been oblivious to a lot of their number just vanishing under mysterious circumstances, its more that the scarcity of it happening means it could very easily for a lot of the performers Dick knew as a child, been like, their own personal urban legend? Like, there’s an awareness that there’s something spooky or creepy associated with the circus, but not what exactly it is or why its that way, and there’s just enough deniability to it that for most performers, their personal reasons for staying with the circus outweighed the occasional reminder of this potentially creepy side of things, as a reason for them to leave.

I could easily see this playing into like, superstitions about Gotham in general, because performers who’d been with the circus their whole life or a long time or just had a stronger awareness of the disappearances in their history could’ve like, identified that these mysterious deaths or disappearances only seemed to happen when the circus went to Gotham, and like.....maybe there wasn’t enough info to know what it MEANT, exactly, or maybe some of them had connected some dots and had SUSPICIONS about it maybe having something to do with the creepy rhyme they heard when they were in Gotham once, about the Court of Owls, but without being sure who was safe to talk about this with, nobody ever really explored that idea in depth.....like, its one of those things where I feel like it could’ve been that the disappearances and ideas people had about what was behind them and all that, it was a Big Unsaid. Something that was present and there throughout the atmosphere of Haly’s at times, especially for older members of the troupes, but nobody really ever talked about it because just because they knew something was going on there doesn’t mean they knew what to SAY about it, or to whom....and these are the kinds of undercurrents that as a kid, Dick would likely have been oblivious to....or only aware of in hindsight. 

Like, I could see him years later reflecting on how now that he thought about it, the others always got weird and nervous about shows in Gotham or even the possibility of them, and nobody seemed to like Gotham for some reason, but he never knew WHY....and then when his parents were killed, that could have very easily slotted into just like....affirming that vague idea of ‘only bad things happen to the circus and its members when we come to Gotham’ without him ever consciously feeling a need to further explore that idea or awareness around Gotham....because on a gut level, it felt like he’d already gotten confirmation about something that he and the rest of his circus had always known as a kind of truism, even if they didn’t know why, y’know?

The only real sticking point in all this (well actually there’s two) is first of all, Haly and his family. We know they had some awareness of all this, and there was the Book of Names, and like, Haly and his grandfather knew about the Court in actuality rather than just theory, but its very doubtful that there was anything sinister to this knowledge on Haly’s side of things at least, and it seems pretty clear he was just a pawn operating under duress. That’s my take anyway, like, and it doesn’t make it OKAY for him not to have said or done more, but it makes it a tragedy rather than a betrayal, kinda? Like, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and though there’s things he could have said or done to defy the Court and their using the circus to draw their Talons from, he was probably painfully aware that any expression of defiance was going to simply get him and his loved ones killed as an object lesson to whomever they replaced him with, without much more than a slight hiccup in their plans.

And this is where being aware of the transformative power of fanfic and using it with INTENT rather than just going with the most utilized fanon tropes, like, is your best friend. Because thanks to all the gaps and superficiality in how a lot of this was touched on and dealt with in canon....you can make whatever you want out of it, all the more definitively if you know precisely what you want TO make out of it. 

For instance: do you want to preserve Dick’s memories of Haly as a kind, grandfatherly figure in his life, someone who would never have stood idly by and allowed the Court’s intended fate for him to happen? You can do that....by playing up the idea that Haly saw an opportunity come out of the tragedy of the Graysons’ death, to separate Dick from the circus, and thus the Court, like lean into the idea that he was all for notable public figure Bruce Wayne taking in Dick and thus keeping him in a new, bigger kind of spotlight the shadowy Court wouldn’t dare try and steal him from. Unless of course, he suspected that billionaire and old money Gothammite Bruce Wayne WAS a member of the Court, and that’s why he wanted to take Dick in, in the first place. Crap. Just thought of that, that’s an obstacle.

UNLESS unless! You have Haly trying all the more to get Dick to stay with them, at least until they’re out of Gotham again and he can end up in the CPS system of some other NON Gotham city, once Bruce does express an interest in taking in Dick, BECAUSE he thinks Bruce is a member of the Court, and so he’s so clearly afraid of Bruce for some reason that Bruce simply can’t reconcile with his own public image and can’t simply be simple fear of the upper class when Haly’s Circus is used to catering to such crowds and Haly’s always displayed an ability to navigate the currents of such shark-infested waters as the Circus’s ringmaster....no, this has to be something other than just public perceptions, Haly’s fear of Bruce and his intentions for Dick feels PERSONAL. 

Which perhaps makes Bruce come to Haly then as Batman, reassure him from that angle....which could in turn make Haly open up to him then and there about the Court and their obsession with the Gray Son, when he’s aware then that public figure Bruce Wayne isn’t a member of the Court and CAN offer the somewhat dubious (and double-edged) protection of that spotlight, AND at the same time, that he’s not some dumbass, but the Batman, with superhero connections and resources all his own that he can use to hunt the Court from the shadows and protect Dick that way too.

Thus giving Bruce forewarning about the threat of the Court (and hopefully Dick too, as I don’t think with this kind of storyline, keeping him in the dark his ENTIRE childhood would be fair or a good idea, even if it is understandable, like, there’s different ways to play this, but that seems doomed to backfire if that’s the road taken there).

Another thought about Robin and his bright colors and impossible-to-deny presence here though, actually.....what if part of why Bruce allowed Dick to be Robin at all was because it enabled him to kinda....extend the public spotlight Dick was in, as a barrier against the Court taking him....to more than just their civilian personas? Like, if Bruce KNOWS that Dick never had even the possibility of a normal life because even without him coming into his life, the Court was always going to be there, waiting for an opportunity to claim him.....then training him as Robin, giving him field experience as Robin, suddenly takes on a WHOLE different perspective as its Bruce actively giving him the tools to protect himself from an extremely SPECIFIC threat and fate....one that could strike at any time, one that wasn’t guaranteed to wait until Dick was an adult to try and take him so Bruce felt he couldn’t afford to wait until he was older to try and prepare him to be able to fight back, if they ever did come for him. Plus, as Robin, he was a BRIGHT figure in ways that are completely contrary to Bruce’s early start as an urban legend himself, something that could just as easily not exist as exist as rumored. From the moment Robin was a confirmed quantity, however, people were going to notice when and if he disappeared.....thus making it all the more impossible for the Court to quietly disappear Dick Grayson or Robin, without the rest of the hero community noticing too.

Of course, then you have to reconcile this with Bruce firing Dick as Robin....but there’s ways to do that too. *Shrugs* Just musing as I go here, tbh.

Or you can take the road I’ve dabbled with few times, the idea that a big part of why Dick ended up in juvie in that origin, could fanfic-wise be explained by connecting that backstory to the New 52 presence of the Court, and mashing them together so that the Court actually pulled strings after the Graysons’ death to get their Gray Son placed there until ‘they were ready for him’ and in the process wean him away from the morals his parents instilled in him and hone his willingness to fight and even potentially kill, by placing him in a pressure-cooker of an environment aimed at making him into a weapon. But the point here, is this is another more concrete way that Bruce could have even unknowingly thrown a wrench into their plans, by encountering him when he escaped from juvie (something the Court might not have been expecting, having underestimated him) and this leading to him taking Dick in himself, no longer trusting the city or the system to do the job they’d promised to do when they claimed to be taking Dick away from the circus for his own good. 

Here, even without knowing about the Court or its plans, you can lean into the idea that Bruce steered Dick away from their intentions for him simply by being a source and a reminder of kindness and kind people. Kinda play up the theme that rather than grow up to be their greatest asset, Dick grew up to be their greatest enemy instead, all due to the introduction of the one variable the Court hadn’t accounted for when trying to forge their ideal weapon....the kindness of a stranger.

My point with both these directions is.....even with the Court having a hand in Haly’s Circus and thus Dick’s childhood, that doesn’t HAVE to make Dick’s childhood, or his destiny, inherently a tragedy, because despite all the Talon fics out there, the fact remains that in canon, in the main timeline....Dick’s never actually ever been a Talon....he exists, much like he’s always aimed to exist....as a defiance of expectations, of determinism, of a fated destiny. And thus he embodies something he’s embraced over and over again, the idea that only he truly gets to decide who and what he is.....and by utilizing one of the above ideas in his backstory, you can put Haly or Bruce or both firmly on HIS side, and give them active roles in giving him the tools he needs to subvert the Court’s destiny for himself, and choose his own path.

So, ultimately IMO, the Court’s connection to Dick’s past really is just one more way in which his story can be what its always been....that of retaining his core self even in the face of tragedies, making a triumph out of resisting the world (or specific people in it)’s attempts to make him other than a hero.

(The other sticking point I mentioned, aside from Haly, is one I’ve never really been able to reconcile myself, because it relies so much on the ages DC tried to force down our throat with the New 52, and to which I say NAY, NAY DC, DICK GRAYSON WAS NOT SIXTEEN WHEN HE MET BRUCE WAYNE, THIS IS NOT A JOEL SCHUMACHER PRODUCTION AND YOU DON’T HAVE THAT WACKY AND INEXPLICABLE CHARM.

And that’s the presence of other acrobats who aren’t part of the Flying Grayson family act, like Raya and Raymond, who we ultimately see as being very aware of the Court of Owls by the time Dick becomes aware of them. And like. There’s a lot going on there, and I don’t entirely know how to make it work but largely because I’ve never been all that inclined or inspired to try, so I mostly just let that be, and lift elements of the Court of Owls and transplant them into and over pre-Flashpoint continuity, which I prefer overall anyway).

[dreadnought-dear-captain]

A few comments on the ending of Baghdad Waltz (and story craft in general, I guess)

Perhaps it goes without saying, but SPOILERS ahead. I’ll be posting answers to asks on BW later today as well. 

A few readers, some of them very faithful long-haul readers, are understandably upset that BW did not end the way that I originally predicted - and intended - that it would.

In an Ao3 comment thread on the subject of my previously advertising a happy ending for BW (i.e., an ending where the characters end up together), an anon on Ao3 recently posted this:

First of all, if I had that kind of super long game strategic foresight to cook up and nurture this kind of devious bait-and-switch plan over the course of several years, I would have used that power for good to have every scene and every convolution of character fully developed from the very start. And although this slow burn “bait-and-switch” hypothesis is a perversely flattering one, I’m really not that clever. Or that mean-spirited. I came into this story with an idea of where I wanted it to go and sprinted off the starting blocks with it. This is most certainly “shame on me,” in hindsight, and a product of under-developed skill in story planning and character construction.

I’m not a professional writer by any stretch of imagination. This is a hobby (albeit an obsessive one) that I am constantly working to improve my abilities in. I started writing fanfic because I figured Ao3 is a pretty safe (??) place to do this, since people post works of fiction with wide ranging degrees of skill in an immense marketplace of readers. But I have zero formal training in fiction writing. I grudgingly took my two mandatory English classes in college and then fucked off to do other things I enjoyed more. So that means that I’ve had to learn fiction writing through trial and error in real time. BW is the second work of fiction I’ve written in my adult life (and I am not particularly young, at the moment). And so part of writing this has been learning about outlining and plotting and character development and yes, endings. Not learning to write the best “gotcha” ending but the best ending for the story that’s been written.

Upon deep reflection, I think my greatest fault here was one of skill, not a deficit in character as a human being. When I started planning this story in 2016, I did not have a well-evolved ability to develop my characters to the level that would later be required, nor to predict and plan for every twist of the plot based on the psychological, historical, and behavioral composition of these characters. My first fic, which was also my first novel-length work of fiction ever, went quite smoothly and almost entirely as originally planned, perhaps because it was canon-compliant/adjacent versus being a free-standing AU with no rules or bounds.

So, on one hand, I really am sorry for just not having the necessary skills at the time to wrangle a story of this magnitude from the start (not that I had any sense at all that it would grow to this magnitude). But also... this is just part of the process of learning how to write. In addition, I was simultaneously learning how to navigate the sometimes treacherous culture of fandom, which I was not expecting to be the challenge that it has been. Thus, I didn’t have the foresight to be protective of the possibility that my originally intended ending could change, resulting in assurances to readers in a good faith effort to assuage anxiety about the ultimate course of the story. (It’s also a notable failure of imagination on my part to not potentially envision an ending that breaks from a traditional Stucky “End of the Line” mould.)

On a similar note, when I say that I love and care about my readers, this is not lip service. It is sincerity. I have engaged in this entire endeavor with honest intentions every step of the way. I’m not a devious mastermind who orchestrates the emotional disruption of my readers for fun, particularly not through acts of deceit. I think I’m capable of creating emotionally powerful work without resorting to trickery. 

But I also approach my characters with the same sincerity and intent to do right by them, using a steadfast dedication to realism as my guide. This lead to a frankly horrible realization that the ending I first planned and wanted so badly for them was just not going to be plausible, given who they became and how this relationship evolved. If you’re not a writer, especially not a writer of the extreme long form WIP, maybe it’s difficult to appreciate how characters can take on a life of their own in their psychological construction and development, but this has been exactly my experience. That’s why, for a very long time, I had no idea that this particular ending would be where the story would ultimately go, despite my most sincere efforts at planning with the capabilities I had in each moment.

My compromise for these archival comments mentioning a traditional Stucky happy ending has been to add a note at the beginning warnings of BW to not invest too strongly in plot-related comments, since going back through 3,200+ comments (plus blog posts) and editing them is not only impossible (I actually cannot edit some of my old Ao3 comments, for some reason) but would also require erasing reader comments and entire conversations with people. This doesn’t feel right to me. And I’m not going to add spoiler ending tags. I personally won’t read a fic if the ending is tagged, because I don’t want to be spoiled, and I want to preserve this for other readers in the future.

I am opting to trust from here forward that my comprehensive first chapter warnings about intense realism in all respects (including relational) will be broad enough to cover the potential for this ending, which is also amply foreshadowed as a possibility within the text itself. If future readers specifically want a HEA in their stories, I trust them to seek out the countless fics like this within the “HEA” or “___ with a happy ending” tags on Ao3. 

EDIT: I’ve added the tag “Bittersweet ending,” in addition to creating some more expectation-adjusting language to my chapter one warnings about the story. I think this is a decent compromise to spoiling the ending specifically with something like a “breakup” tag.

So for those of you I hurt by not having a greater grasp of writing craft, I truly am sorry. My intention was never for one moment to be deceptive. I have taken these lessons to heart in the planning of my next story, which has almost every single scene already plotted until the very end. In fact, I’ve written backwards from the ending to ensure a smoother course. I have also done a tremendous amount of work on character development at the outset in an effort not have my characters run away from me and drag the story with them in unplanned ways.

Unfortunately, I can’t change what has already happened; I can only do my best to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. To those of you who have forgiven my immaturity as a writer and accepted where this living, breathing WIP ultimately ended up, I’m extremely grateful for your flexibility.

[spidergvven]

Food Sovereignty Resources

An introductory post on the basics of food sovereignty

What is food sovereignty?

“Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. It puts those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of markets and corporations. It defends the interests and inclusion of the next generation. It offers a strategy to resist and dismantle the current corporate trade and food regime, and directions for food, farming, pastoral and fisheries systems determined by local producers. Food sovereignty prioritizes local and national economies and markets and empowers peasant and family farmer-driven agriculture, artisanal fishing, pastoralist-led grazing, and food production, distribution and consumption based on environmental, social and economic sustainability.”

–Declaration of Nyéléni

The seven pillars of food sovereignty:

1. Focuses on Food for People

Puts people’s need for food at the centre of policies

Insists that food is more than just a commodity

 2. Builds Knowledge and Skills

Builds on traditional knowledge

Uses research to support and pass this knowledge to future generations

Rejects technologies that undermine or contaminate local food systems

3. Works with Nature

Optimizes the contributions of ecosystems

Improves resilience

 4. Values Food Providers

Supports sustainable livelihoods

Respects the work of all food providers

 5. Localizes Food Systems

Reduces distance between food providers and consumers

Rejects dumping and inappropriate food aid

Resists dependency on remote and unaccountable corporations

 6. Puts Control Locally

Places control in the hands of local food providers

Recognizes the need to inhabit and to share territories

Rejects the privatization of natural resources

 7. Food is Sacred

Recognizes that food is a gift of life, and not to be squandered

Asserts that food cannot be commodified

Food sovereignty also fights for women’s rights in agriculture.

Organizations:

Via Campesino

Via Campesino is an international coalition including but not limited to: peasant farmer organizations, agricultural workers, and indigenous communities. They are the originators of the term food sovereignty.

Via Campesino’s archive of documents on food sovereignty

Their website also has separate sections for climate justice, international solidarity, agroecology, peasant rights, and land/water rights. Their recent posts focus a lot on the affect of COVID-19 on peasant farmers and workers in the global south

Land Rights Now

“Land Rights Now is an international alliance campaign to secure Indigenous and community land rights everywhere“

A Recipe For Global Food Security from Land Rights Now:

some key statistics from this report:

“Up to 2.5 billion women and men depend on land and natural resources that are held, used or managed in common. They are farmers, pastoralists, fisherfolk, and forest keepers. They make up a large part of the world’s small-scale food producers, who – despite difficult challenges – provide 70% of world’s food. They protect more than 50% of the planet’s land surface, but governments recognize their ownership rights over just 10%”

“To feed a growing world without exhausting its resources, food production needs to be sustainable, protecting diverse landscapes rather than investing in mono-cropping. Indigenous Peoples and local communities preserve 80% of the world’s biodiversity…Research shows that where Indigenous Peoples have secure rights to their lands there is less than one-tenth the deforestation rate of where they do not”

Academic Writing:

Agroecology, Food Sovereignty, and the New Green Revolution

Agroecology: The Ecology of Food Systems

Linking the defence of territory to food sovereignty: Peasant environmentalisms and extractive neoliberalism in Guatemala.

Food Sovereignty and Gender Justice

Urban transition toward food sovereignty

Books:

Campesino A Campesino: Voices from Latin America's Farmer to Farmer Movement for Sustainable Agriculture by Eric Holt-Gimenez

The Struggle for Food Sovereignty: Alternative Development and the Renewal of Peasant Societies Today edited by Remy Herrera and Kin Chi Lau

*Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman

All Our Relations: Native Struggles for Land and Life by Winona LaDuke

*this book is intended for black people, obviously no one can physically stop others from reading it and it could help in understanding some of the struggles black people face but lets just all try to be conscious of intruding on spaces that are not for us

—

I hope this post has been helpful at introducing people to the concept food sovereignty, there is so much more to read and learn but I wanted to provide at least a starting point for people who have never heard of this movement. I hope we can all continue moving forward towards a more sustainable and just future by continuing to empower, uplift and work in solidarity with black, indigenous and peasant farmers around the world.

Painting by Francisco Daniel of the Movimiento Socialista de los Trabajadores

Music: Cuando tenga la tierra by Mercedes Sosa

[skaruresonic]

The "Can't you be happy with what we're getting?" mindset is a scarcity mindset, fallacious at best and dangerously naive. It is precisely how corporations manipulate your positive feelings for the past to push mediocrity onto you.

I don't want remakes that strive to "improve" the originals, I want the originals to be preserved in their intended state for future generations to play and take inspiration from as pieces of art and video game history.

Remakes are not preservation; they're attempts to cash in on nostalgia. The fanmade Enhanced edition did far more to save SH2 for posterity than this remake ever will.

Konami proved their intentions toward the series through two solid decades of neglect and incompetence. There exists no carrot delicious enough that they can dangle in my face for me to forget where their hearts lie.

I would rather have no Silent Hill than a Silent Hill created to wring money out of me. I would rather let the series fade into a bittersweet memory to look back on with fondness than have its corpse continuously looted for profit and its memory capitalized by those who neither respect nor understand what made the originals special.

[battle-of-alberta]

OCtober: Cal and Ed

It’s finally over. I’m sorry for the delay but stuff has been Happening. If there’s a tourism site that attracts you more to one city or the other, let me know.

Calgary | Edmonton

Below is some meta stuff about the ‘research’ (if you can even call it   that, it was more of a vibe check) I did for re-doing the profiles. Read  on, if it intrigues you. And I gotta mention there’s a bonus rabbit hole I went down for Calgary’s self-image that is. Well. A Lot.

Major Cities: Calgary and Edmonton

We made it team, the heart of the Battle of Alberta, the major city rivalry that defined generations. Calgary is the largest city in the province and the centre of southern Alberta, a young, fast-paced major city that oscillates wildly between boom and bust and is attracting both attention and employees from the traditional major cities in Canada. Edmonton is the capital of the province and the the most northern major city with a metro population of over one million on the continent, a little older and more blue collar, somewhat more stable economically, and quickly rising to meet the challenges presented by open data and sustainable urban planning. And, as we know, they've been antagonizing each other since the 19th century, but collaborating as well.

Website Round Up Premise

While I was revisiting these character profiles, I took a look at how cities represented themselves on their municipal sites and tourism sites rather than how cities were represented in the news or in stereotypes, as the latter already tend to live in the back of my head. I was interested to see who the target audiences for each city were, what they considered their strengths, and how much effort each city put into putting its own identity on display. I was also interested into what ideas sort of fed into any pre-existing confirmation bias I had about each city's personality as well as interested in what narratives might be used to counteract negative stereotypes.The first thing I tended to notice was the overall information architecture of each city's website. How easy were they to navigate? What kinds of information did they have? How did they organize it? How did they communicate that information?

Out and About

There's a sharp difference between the websites of major cities from other cities. They are very careful to separate the corporation of 'The City of' from the cities we might know, and therefore both websites have a much more business-like tone and more distance from their civic identities. This means no traditional "About" pages as other cities might have.

At the time I'm visiting, Edmonton's page has some ADORABLE art of a nuthatch that's making me very homesick. Calgary has a seasonally appropriate snowy skyline.

Calgary does have an "Our Organization" tab which describes the City as a corporation, and likewise Edmonton has a "City Government" tab that performs a similar function. Edmonton's is in alphabetical order which is only a little annoying and Calgary's reads like a very perfectly chunked business portfolio that doesn't... really say as much as it looks like it does, but it does get bonus points for vision/organization/accessibility.

I have never seen a more concise history of Calgary in my life. It's literally three bullet points and a couple of bracketing sentences, but it does do the job. Calgary is, more or less, what it says it is (although I do take slight issue with its self identification as a trading post - it may have functioned that way but that was not what it was founded for and in fact the trading companies gtfo'd asap in those early days). It goes on to paint a very good sketch of the city in as few lines as possible in the text, and there's a little video at the end that feels like it was voiced over in 1988 even though it's clearly not.

Edmonton's City government page is even vaguer. Let's make a more dynamic and resilient Edmonton shall we, the page suggests. Resilient against What Exactly, I wonder. Winter? The boom-bust? Calgary? who knows. The majority of the sub pages are even more mysterious and essentially paint the picture of a city. It's a normal city. Trust us. We do city things. Here is exactly how government works and how to raise and lower a flag. In Edmonton, which is, in fact, a city.

I'm begging you if you think Calvin is hokey and annoying please read the Our Culture page and see it's EXACTLY how I intended to portray him because it's eXACTLY what it's already like. "The Four C's of Our Culture" give me a break.

Edmonton offers me a picture of the skyline and says "City of Opportunity: City of You". I suppose this is true. I don't know what it means. I fear slightly for its intentions.

I keep seeing "Calgary: A great place to make a living, a great place to make a life" and it's like. Stop! I won't go! You can't make me! (and again the Strong and Resilient Calgary. these kids are always catching colds because they don't eat properly.)

Although Edmonton makes literally zero attempt to define itself (outside perhaps the official symbols page hidden under Facts and Figures), what strikes me is that it is portraying itself as a very future-oriented city, which, when I was growing up we really never were. We were an inward city constantly wishing we were somewhere else which is partially still true, and we were a city with such an intense nostalgia (that unlike Calgary we failed to really capitalize on) that grated roughly against a complete failure to preserve history. It does kind of make me glad that the city is looking towards the future and just like, acknowledging basic realities (like snow) and trying to involve people in urban planning more (and throughout the website the city LOOOOVES to share data which I also called, haha). There's also an adorable animation of the city road map in its strategic planning pages. It's interesting that for a city that leaves itself up to your own interpretation, it does have a LOT of information about itself collected and available.

Tourism

Oddly enough, neither city has substantially changed their tourism homepage to accommodate COVID-related staycation plans, although each does mention that many things may be closed or unavailable as a result of the pandemic.

CaLGARy, Be PaRT of THe EnERGy!!

I like how Edmonton's self-presentation is "original" and "we do things differently". It's like a Keep ___ Weird thing but in an understated self-assured way that makes me laugh a little. Like yeah, I guess we are kind of different, I guess we're just not used to seeing that as a good thing.

In the tourism guides there isn't much to say about Calgary's that isn't just "oh, classic Calgary" but I do think the fact that they have "quick facts" to explain what timezone it's in and what currency they use is adorable to say the least. also the title of the guide is CALGARY (and the canadian rockies) and that sums up Calgary pretty well, which I'll elaborate on more.

I actually can't find Edmonton's guide, if it has one, but that's ok. The website hits all the buttons that I would and I actually use exploreedmonton quite frequently because it has a nicer event calendar than the city website does, which is important in a place nicknamed Festival City. I really appreciate how things are organized by month/season and even down to "what's happening today/tomorrow/this week" because it makes planning trips for my visitors easy, so now you know my secret : ) I wish I could just beam this site directly into people's brains when they mention "oh yeah thats where the mall is" when I say I'm from Edmonton.

Interestingly enough it's Calgary's turn to be vague, which I can only assume is part of its "exactly what it says it is" charm. This desperation to find a shred of self-description outside of things to do and places to stay led me down a rabbit hole I will elaborate on in a moment that truly showed me I Knew Nothing about how deep Calgary's branding goes. Otherwise, the website is very practical and functions more like an answer to questions you had about the what and the how and less so the why.

Also, the "Locals" page on Calgary's site has tips on hosting friends and family from around the province safely during the pandemic which is kind of cute. Edmonton doesn't really have a local page (i guess because if we had a hashtag like #loveyyc we'd ruin it)

Bonus: The Rabbit Hole

I wondered why Calgary's tourism page, which I expected to be the most in your face description of the city possible, fell kind of flat. I learned this seems to be because tourists are not the target audience that Calgary wants to attract. It's companies and corporations, and they get their own page.

Boy oh boy do they get their own page

This led me down this frightening path of getting validation like being repeatedly punched in the face by what On Brand Calgary truly means and I'm frankly quite speechless about it - all I can say is that you need to see it for yourself.

The tourism site gestures to a Billion reasons why you should hold your next meeting in Calgary and here is where the self definition as Big City Energy and Western Hospitality starts kicking the tires and lighting the fires. Likewise with the media-oriented page. Suddenly stuff like the Calgary Bucket List starts popping up and I can't help but go hang on, why not suggest this to tourists?

"It's cowboy spirit, but also refined and cosmopolitan" [sighs into hands]

Suddenly all the "Calgarians love visitors! Calgarians love the outdoors!" stuff is spilling out like water from a dam here. "Where's Calgary?" [Link that reads FIND US].

Like i literally feel like the tourism side on the left is the Kids Menu, it's the corporate stuff on the right that I'm actually finding the type of information I want on. Eventually, I somehow make my way to Calgary's Destination Strategy which is trying to make Calgary a place that... well, people go. Like, internationally. Like the Olympics but MORE of that.

Then I find the Brand Evolution. Then I find Calgary's Economic Development site. The poetry about rocky mountain prairie skies and "where a handshake still means something" starts to reach its peak.

Then back through the tourism site I find the video. And the video makes me shake because it suggests the premise of The Powerpoint.

The Powerpoint. I cannot summarize the powerpoint in any meaningful way or how my emotions were a rollercoaster further and further up and down the longer i scrolled. Everything I know and suggest about Calgary seems to be unequivocally true, including the sense that Calgary as a person is the sort of person who makes powerpoints about his own identity crisis because that's precisely what this is.

And then I get to the part of the powerpoint that suggests I imagine what kind of person the city of Calgary might be (and implied: does that person think about anything other than the mountains???) THEY EVEN DID AN OCEAN PERSONALITY TEST FOR THE CITY I KID YOU NOT

Hi, City of Edmonton, hire me to take an OCEAN test for our fair city. I'm begging you.

[dmsden]

Campaign Basics - Our villain

Hullo, Gentle Readers. We’re continuing our campaign building series with an important decision...what exactly is the Big Bad Evil Guy (or Gal) of our campaign? If you’ve been following this series, you know that we named our campaign the Angel of Chaos, and it seems logical that this angel is, indeed, the dark power behind all of our plots. So who or what is the Angel of Chaos?

I was originally thinking that it might be some kind of demon, devil, or powerful Far Realms entity. In the ��Beyond the Borderlands” setting, all of these creatures would be villains solidly linked to “Chaos”, the power that Civilization struggles against in The Realm. But the more I thought about it, the more I started thinking that it might be more interesting if our villain actually were an angel.

This is quite likely influenced by my recent reading of Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus. The character of Zariel from that setting is a great tragic villain. I feel like our Angel could be as well.

I like to start with a solid basis in the form of some idea of what stats I want to use, so I start by figuring out what kind of Angel were dealing with...and a solid option quickly comes to mind, as well as an over-arching plot for our campaign. In the Monster Manual, we have entries for the Deva, the Planetar, and the Solar...three angelic figures indeed. Interestingly, the Challenge Rating of these three angels is 10, 16, and 21...so they’d be good foes for a level 10 party, a level 15 party, and a level 20 party. Obviously, I’d want them to have minions to help in those encounters, but that’s far in the future. For now, I want to stick to my project at hand...figuring out who and what this Angel is.

I now have the concept of a fallen angel...or one that was pushed. Perhaps Chaos infected the heart of one of the angels that serves Valerius, the god of chivalry. Perhaps that angel now believes that Chaos is inevitable, and it has come to believe that Valerius is too weak to stem the tide. In order for Civilization to survive, a new god must rise...and the Angel intends to be that god. The campaign, then, becomes about the Angel trying to ascend from its origins as a humble Deva to become a Planetar and then a Solar and then to assume the mantle of a God in order to challenge and defeat Valerius. Their motive, the desire to preserve Civilization and The Realm, is a good one, but the methods they have conceived of to bring this about make them a villain with a lot of potential. 

In order to stop saying “the Angel”, I am going to name my BBEG. Following the general sound of various angelic names from real world stories, I decide to go with Adziel. I like the oddness of the name, and the “adz” sound reminds me of the sharp tool.

I now get an idea of how to set up a trio of important encounters. Adziel will have goals that will allow them to ascend through the ranks until they are prepared to battle Valerius. The forces of Chaos are happy to take advantage of this, so the campaign climax can be about the corrupted angel needing to realize that Chaos is using them and to convince them to join the party against this new foe.

The first encounter can be around level 9-10 when the party meets Adziel as a Deva. The second can be around level 15 when the party meets Adziel as a Planetar. The climax can be at level 20 when Adziel is a Solar and preparing to take the steps to ascend to godhood. It’s a natural arc to follow.

One reason I like going this route is because angels aren’t monsters the average party ever gets to fight. Their abilities are likely be a bit mysterious, even to experienced players. I think this could make for a very interesting series of encounters, as Adziel gets more and more powerful.

When selecting or creating a BBEG for your own campaign, it’s worth taking a similar approach. Come up with a basic idea, find or create stats to fill it, think of what some interesting encounters might be, and then work around these ideas to flesh out your campaign.

While we have an interesting skeleton for Adziel, I want to know a lot more about our villain. I need to know a bit of their personality, their motives, and what happened to them to make them this way. But that will be our next article.

[eljackinton]

Jack's End of Year Video Game Round-up.

There were many things I couldn't do this year, being in lockdown and all, which in turn meant I played a hell of a lot more video games than I normally do. Here's a quick rundown of what I thought of them.

Hitman 2

IO have sort of perfected the Hitman formula now, so future entries in the series simply have to ask the question of what new directions you can take that formula. In that regard Hitman 2 is a resounding success, setting sneaking and assassination in scenarios around the world from race tracks to holiday resorts, and thus making it the best entry yet. It's possible one day the Hitman conceit will wear thin, but today is not that day.

Thronebreaker

Most people will go into Thronebreaker just wanting a stand-alone version of the Gwent we played during Witcher 3. Thronebreaker is not that. Indeed, even beyond the changes to the mechanics brought in by the online version, Thronebreaker is more of a puzzle game which uses the mechanics of Gwent to concoct unique scenarios. Still, the story is pretty good and it is fun overall, even if it didn't end up scratching the itch left by Gwent.

Black Mesa (Xen)

I returned to Black Mesa after Xen was finally added, eager to see what the team had come up with. My feelings are complicated. The Xen portions of the game are really well designed, great to play and visually beautiful. However the levels hew so far from the Half-Life originals that it kind of stops feeling like Half-Life. I would have like to have seen a more faithful recreation to be honest.

Neon Struct

If you've been wanting a spiritual sequel to Thief that actually used the mechanics of Thief, here you go. Though low budget, and therefore having somewhat uninspiring visuals based on reused assets, it's still a really impressive game from what the team had to work with, and it's short enough that it doesn't outstay it's welcome.

Acid Spy

I'm generally usually okay at stealth games but this one was well beyond my skill level. Got through the tutorial but just got frustrated and quit on the first mission.

Salting the Earth

A wonderfully put together visual novel about the legacy of war and the nature of national identities. Also you date buff orc women. One of the best VNs I've played, but it does have some pretty bleak potential endings that clash somewhat with the rest of the story's tone.

Hedon

Speaking of buff orc women, Hedon is a vivid, perfectly designed retro-shooter that really uses the most of it's engine to bring it's world to life, with shades of Thief and Strife thrown in there. Wears its hornieness on it's sleeve, but if you can roll with that you'll have nothing but a good time.

The Painscreek Killings

I really really loved this immersive narrative game, where you explore an abandoned town to piece together a series of suspicious deaths. My only gripes are the town looks very British despite being set in the US, and the final confrontation adding a chase scene felt a little over dramatic.

Deus Ex Mankind Divided

There are many problems with Mankind Divided. Trying to find another story to do with Adam Jensen. Making the game more of an open world by taking away the usual Deus Ex globe-trotting. The clumsy use of racial metaphor being applied to cyborgs. All in all the game just didn't really come together, which is a shame, because the DLC showed such promise, and hinted at the real Deus Ex game we could have had.

Warhammer Armageddon DLC

I managed to complete the Salamanders DLC and got stuck near the end of the Blood Angels one. All in all it's simply 'more' of what the base game offered, and I'm not sure it really needed it.

Unavowed

Easily one of the most interesting games I played this year. So good It inspired me to write a cheesy fanfic. Sure the mechanics of applying squad mechanics to a point and click are interesting, but it's the world, the art and the characters themselves that really make this game. Highly recommended.

Devil Daggers

The ultimate distillation of classic shooter mechanics. One platform, one weapon, endless enemies. I didn't get all that far into it and I think most people won't, but I'm not going to complain for the price. Overdue a revisit.

Dream Daddy

A fun and fluffy dating game that actually does a good job of putting you into the mindset of a recently bereaved bisexual dad. Come for the hunks, stay for the really affecting story of a strained relationship between father and daughter.

Greedfall

Greedfall falls short of the mark in most aspects, but I have to give it credit for being one of the few games to give us a Bioware companion-centric adventure during this drought of Bioware games. It lacks the zing of something like Dragon Age, and handles the subject of colonialism really problematically, but if you can get past those issues, it's a fun ride, and a world I'd like to revisit.

Endless Legend

I've been wanting a game to scratch the Alpha Centauri itch for decades now and Endless Legend finally did it. There is a risk of being overwhelmed by the sheer number of unique factions to play, and I know I still haven't really scratched the surface even after 4 full campaigns. Is that a criticism? I suppose it depends if you think you can have too much of a good thing.

Space Hulk Deathwing Enhanced Edition

A valiant effort was put in to make a faithful FPS of the Space Hulk experience, but ultimately it falls far too short. The visuals look great and the game-feel of stomping around as a Space Marine really works, but the game lacks charm and character. Up against Vermintide, there's no comparison.

Sunless Sea

This is a game that feels like a bottomless abyss of secrets and mysteries tied up in a very brutal one-life-only system. I really enjoyed my time with Sunless Seas, with the music calling me like a wailing siren every now and again, yet in many ways I did find it a bit too unforgiving, and it could have benefited from having a bit more of a progression between lives than the almost solid reset it leaves you with.

Age of Empires / 2 / 3 Definitive Editions

The first Age of Empires has an important place in history, but is borderline unplayable by today's standards. Almost every aspect was improved in 2 and going back now feels like trading a car for a horse and cart. It's clear that the game was intending your slow crawl out of the stone age through hunting and gathering to be part of the game in its own right, but today it's just tedious, and the rest of the game is just so slow.

There isn't much to say about Age of Empire 2 that I haven't already said, but I will point out that multiplayer AOE2 has kept me sane over the course of the lockdown, and I'm glad the Definitive Edition enhanced that experience.

Age of Empire 3 tried too hard to reinvent the wheel. Instead of taking 2 and building on it, it instead contorted it around a colonisation theme, and it didn't really work. On top of that, the mechanics really felt they were built more for single-player story missions. The maps are too small, and the expansion factions clash with the rules badly. Still, there is fun to be had, and I'll be checking out the campaigns next year.

Hand of Fate 2

This game takes the original Hand of Fate and adds way, way too much into it. While I appreciate the addition of companions, a longer story mode, and optional side missions, the game is far too experimental with it's formula, and leaves me struggling with complex missions around being lost in a desert or evading barbarian hordes, when all I wanted was a straight forward dungeon crawl. I tapped out two thirds of the way through the campaign.

Wild Guns Reloaded

I love the style and aesthetic, but I just don't have the reflexes (or the gamepad) for these fast paced arcade games.

Vermintide 2 Drakenfels

Fatshark gave us an entire Vermintide campaign for free this year, at the cost of having to be subjected to obnoxious cosmetic micro-tranactions. Hard to say it was worth the price, but Fatshark really do continue to improve, bringing new scope and ideas to every new mission. As good as it gets.

Pendula Swing

A fun little game that apes the visuals of a Baldur's Gate style RPG but the mechanics of a point and click adventure game set in a fantasy version of the roaring twenties. A strong introduction to it's setting but definitely needs building on if we're to see a continuation. A lot of the world-building feels too simple and half-baked at times, and the gameplay feels like too much is going on too fast. Still, a charming story though.

The Shiva / The Blackwell Series

At first I had no idea that Unavowed was connected to a host of other Wadget Eye adventure games, so naturally I had to check them out. I'd known about The Shiva and the Blackwell games for years, but never actually thought about picking them up. Playing them all back to back was a great experience, and almost felt like a prototype to the episodic storytelling many games do today.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light/Temple of Osiris

Guardian of Light is a fun, inventive co-op game for killing some time with a friend. The puzzles are often unique and interesting and get you thinking, and the story, while nothing fantastic, is fun enough to keep you interested and have a laugh about with your co-op partner in a B-Movie kind of way. Temple of Osiris adds way too much to the formula, with more characters, mechanics and more open exploration and it absolutely loses the charm of the first game, and even then it's buggy as hell. Skip the second one.

Command and Conquer Remastered

Big chunks of my childhood are taken up with memories of playing Command and Conquer and Red Alert, so it's difficult to really gauge my thoughts on the remaster. On the one hand the art direction looks great and preserves the feel of the original, and the quality of life improvements to the gameplay help make it more playable. The nostalgia hit is also palpable. That being said, the mechanics have not aged all that well, with much of the game being far, far too hard. Probably the best way to experience the genesis of the RTS genre but just know what you're getting in for.

Superhot Mind Control Delete

I wrote a lot at length about how unsure I was about Mind Control Delete at the time, and that's because it does feel a little unsure about itself. Is it a continuation of the first game? A fun bonus mode? A mediation on the nature of addiction? A critique of video game content? A joke on the player? I don't know, but I do know one thing, and that is that Superhot is still as addictive as hell.

Opus Magnum

Zachtronic's steampunk alchemy game requires far too much maths brain than I am capable of , and so I had to rely on guides a lot of the time, but that being said, it's still amazingly put together and vividly presented. Really feels like a game that could be used in schools.

Necromunda Underhive Wars (Story Mode)

I'll be checking out Underhive's Campaign mode in the new year, but for now I just want to talk about the story mode. Much like Mordheim, this is a game that's not going to work for everyone, but I really dug it and like it's unique take on a squad based TBS. However, in many respects the game does feel like a missed opportunity. The storyline is fun enough, and the arsenal robust, but much of the character of the tabletop game, the weird, chaotic, and sometimes comical things that can happen over the course of a battle seems to have been lost in translation, as has the quirky character to a lot of the gangs.  

Outer Wilds

There is little I can say about Outer Wilds that hasn't already been said by others, particularly that one should go into the game as blind as possible. A beautiful piece of interactive art, words would fail me in describing it anyway.

Life is Strange 2

Fantastically written, amazingly animated, wonderfully acted, and grim and depressing as all hell. I really love Life is Strange 2, but it it a tough game to bare witness to, especially in 2020. It treats it's subject matter with great maturity, but is so dark it's hard to motivate yourself to continue each gruelling episode. Also, I really think it would have fared better if it had not named itself Life is Strange 2, as not following Max and Chloe turned a lot of people away from a game I think they'd have otherwise enjoyed if they'd named it Wolf Brothers or something.

Half Life 2 / Episodes / Portal / 2/ Mel

After playing Black Mesa earlier this year I decided to revisit the entire Half Life 2 and Portal series. What I concluded is that Half Life 2 is not really all that good. A well told story wrapped around weak combat and average encounter design. This much improves across the episodes of course, but in the end I rather feel Half Life 2 is pretty overrated.

Portal, on the other hand, still feels fresh, though I was surprised I'd forgotten just how much was added in Portal 2, to the point Portal feels more like a game demo. That being said, I think the slowly growing mystery and menace of Portal has aged a lot better than the gagfest the series became with 2. Mel, a stand-alone mod that feels like could be a Portal 3 in it's own right, returns to a more serious tone, and feels all the stronger because of it.

Control

Control has gone from a game I didn't really care about all that much to one of my favourites of the year, if not the decade. Sure there are criticisms I could make, but the world has so much depth, the characters so much potential, and the gameplay such perfectly designed chaos, that it wouldn't really matter. A great time was had.

Icewind Dale 2

Finishing Icewind Dale 2 was the final banishing of the old ghosts of Infinity Engine games I never finished as a kid. Sure there was the nostalgia, but Icewind Dale 2 also feels prefect for the Baldurs Gate era's swan song. Beautiful environments, a well written story and great interface and design, only pulled down due to some overly long busywork at various points and the plot being dragged on a little too long. Still, sad to know I have no further Infinity Engine games left to conquer.

Elsinore

The first half of Elsinore is an absolutely great time-loop mystery, which seems to be an interesting interrogation of Shakespearian tropes and asks the question of how much of a Shakespearian tragedy remains the more you change it. The second half, however, quickly devolves into a cosmic horror story that feels a poor fit for the genre and far too grim for the art style, and that's even before it basically devolves into trying to do the same thing Undertale did but worse. A well put together game whose ending did not sit well with me.

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

Since Thronebreaker didn't sate my appetite I started playing competitive Gwent. It is a wholly different game than the one that appears in The Wither 3, but is certainly fascinating in it's own right. After 200 hours I am officially addicted, somebody please send help.

And that's that. Not doing a top 5 games of the year because I played too many this year and I've spent too much time thinking about them already. Here's hoping I play less in 2021 and can get back to a more normal life.

[amixedwitch]

I am 🙂 what district would you put Moira and her family in? I am ✍️ curious 😊

So it took me a few days to answer this because a)I wanted to think long and hard about this and b) I wanted it to align this with today’s chapter so that it’d make more sense (without spoiling anything).

I would place Moira and the rest of the Crane family in District 2. Here’s why:

Reason #1:

Since 1743, the Crane family has been held in high esteem by the Ministry of Magic due to their socio-political contributions to British Wizarding Society via the Daily Prophet. This is because they’ve published articles in favor of the Ministry… only criticizing it when:

a) It goes to socio-political advantage to do so (backing up a friend running for Minister of Magic)

b) A writer went rogue (Skeeter with the Quidditch World Cup)

c) There’s financial gain involved.

Either way, the Cranes are always in control of what gets published 99% of the time. They’ve essentially been the Ministry of Magic’s media lapdog for about 250 years. The family’s entrepreneurship and courting of the ministry have allowed them to acquire a ton of generational wealth. They’re “Old Money”.

So think of how District 2 provided the Capitol with the necessary manpower to control all of Panem… and how District 2 is the wealthiest district in the country.

Reason #2:

The Cranes over the centuries, have also made it a habit to make friends with the Ministers of Magic (along with other high profile members of the Ministry).

Ellwood Crane (aka Mr. Crane) in particular, is very keen to stay in the Ministry’s favor, which is what drives him to simp for encourage Fudge to use the dementor on Crouch/Moody. What also drives him to make that shocking decision is his priority in upholding personal glory, manifested through his pride in Moira’s participation and victory in the Triwizard Tournament.

Daily Prophet sucking up + Upper-level Ministry Connections + High-Profile Daughter of Triwizard Tournament = HIGH SOCIAL FAVORABILITY = MORE MONEY

This, however, doesn’t mean that the Cranes exempt from the law or from trouble… it just means that they have better access to socio-economic-political resources to deal (or “deal”) with what troubles come their way.

This kind of like how District 2 isn’t spared from The Hunger Games but the District’s wealth and resources originating from their loyalty to the Capitol contribute to the Career program and sponsors.

Reason #3:

Remember when Crouch/Moody said, “Never trust a Crane…. Trickery and deception run through their veins?”

Evil as he is, he was touching on something that’s going to be addressed in the future. There is a reason why he

The Cranes and the Daily Prophet have a history of putting Voldemort/Death Eaters/Pure Blood Supremacy/Anti-Muggle Groups on blast, BUT because they’re buddies with the Ministry and intend to stay in its favor, both the paper and the Crane family have a history of being shady or just flat-out unethical.

Ellwood Crane’s actions regarding Crouch and his insistence on burying the “incident” in the name of ensuring that Moira becomes the focus (Harry Potter and the return of Voldemort which would absolutely take attention away from his daughter) of the moment is a part of actions stemming from intergenerational practices and attitudes instilled in that family. Their high intelligence combined with their grit, self-preservation, and creativity

makes for a dangerous cocktail that either brings the BEST or the WORST out of the Cranes.

Example of BEST: Moira Crane’s performance in the Triwizard Tournament as well as saving Cedric Diggory from demise.

Example of WORST: Ellwood Crane and the handling of Barty Crouch Jr.  

The Crane’s history and mindset are reminiscent of the Career’s abilities both in and out of the arena, but I feel that District 2’s spicy brand of Career headspace suits the Cranes.

Overall, the Crane family’s history, social status, mentality/family values, and financial situation reflects District 2’s relationship to the Capitol as the “favorite district”, wealthiest, and most brutal of them all.

So…yeah. District 2.

[albatris]

rambles, here are some of them

not the rambles I mentioned the other day and might still post at some stage, these are some different rambles, these are just some wandering thoughts and me thinking aloud, all subject to change

there is some. interesting. ground to cover in terms of Marrick potentially working with the DII

it makes a lot more sense in terms of the plot, and clears up how he gains access to certain things, and how he gets some of the information he has, how his plans play out, etc...... and also makes his involvement with Avery and Noa and some of the other people who work/have worked in the sorta base levels of the DII make a lot more sense in terms of it not being “too convenient”

and I don’t think he works For Them, necessarily, maybe just In Cooperation With, maybe just someone who was off doing interesting work and making a bit of a name for himself, and the DII thought that certain avenues of his research could be beneficial to them so they were like “hey you’ve got some solid stuff going on here, we’d be happy to help you out with resources and support if you continue and work in conjunction with us” or something like that

which is good for them and good for Marrick, like, it’s in the DII’s best interests to stay in the loop with whatever new information is coming to light about the apocalypse and its various manifestations and Marrick’s niche area of interest is something they’re keen to see explored, and it’s in Marrick’s best interest ‘cause jumping on board with the DII means he’ll have access to a lot of money and resources and information he didn’t have access to before and he can do Bigger and Better and More Interesting stuff

and like. obviously there’s some screening involved like they’re not just gonna hand some random guy all this stuff and be like “go wild”, like......... I’d like to emphasise that Marrick starts being shifty as hell LONG after he’s initially brought on board, and he kinda? starts using some of these resources to do his own kinda dodgy secret work in addition to whatever else

and like! oh, as a general rule, Marrick is completely on board with Helping Everyone, but it’s more like................ y’know, his first and foremost priority is self-preservation. it’s a good look for him to be like “I want to find a way to help everyone!” when in reality it’s more like, he’s looking for a way to help himself, and by extension, his findings will help others. but he doesn’t care about that and when push comes to shove, and will absolutely throw everyone else under the bus if it means he can save himself

so yes he helps the DII out but he’s also gone kind of rogue and is doing a lot of other shifty stuff he doesn’t tell the DII about, stuff that’s a little more morally iffy

and I’d like to talk about the DII some, now, because like

in general

there’s a lot to be said about how the DII is also.......... not....... great? its end goal is......... fine. good, even. like, they are genuinely truly trying to solve problems caused by the apocalypse and find a way to mend things and help the world deal with its effects. I would say their goal is pretty decent. but like. they tend to pour resources into two things

the first being The Bigger Picture

in terms of, like, y’know......... the future! the grand scheme! Here’s What We’re Doing To Ensure Tomorrow Is Better! which is absolutely not a bad thing on its own but there’s so much focus on this big abstract concept of The Future and not, y’know, the very real horrors and struggles that people are going through right now. which is also something the DII exists to deal with. there’s an issue with the DII as a whole largely not caring about the people who are currently living their lives facing the brunt of the apocalypse head on, and there’s definitely......... like, this absolutely includes the field teams and branches of the DII that have to actually go out and deal with Ports and Port-related emergencies directly, these folks r largely viewed by the organisation as vaguely expendable, they’re a necessary sacrifice, some loss is unavoidable, blah blah blah, and most importantly there are always going to be broke desperate people around to fill the gaps

and there’s a HUGE difference in the amount of resources and attention and support given to field teams in, say, places that have less Ports, places that still have an image of being relatively stable and safe, where the DII wants to Keep It Safe And Stable At All Costs, vs. places that are collapsing at the seams and that the DII views as essentially a lost cause and not worth the cost or stress, but they still have to fill a certain quota so they just sorta toss people in there like Hey Good Luck

n on that note, the second thing is, like.......... just Maintaining An Image

which is a HUGE running theme throughout the entire story on an interpersonal level too and that's a whole other post, this idea of an image being projected vs the reality of the situation, and the damage caused by just..... not seeing, or not being seen, or refusing to see, or being deprived of the right to be seen

but in terms of the DII it's about maintaining some illusion of safety and control, trying to keep everyone calm and avoid panic, which again.... not necessarily bad? but they're more interested in projecting the image that they Have Things Under Control, so they pour resources into things that will lend themselves to that competent and stable image, rather than perhaps things that need it more

because, and this is key, the DII has NO FUCKING IDEA what they’re doing

they don’t know fucking SHIT. they are only slightly less in the dark than the rest of the population and they are terrified and they have no idea how to solve this mess, and they’re trying to, like............. figure out the source of the apocalypse, figure the best way to combat it, find out what the fuck Ports are....... and like, yeah that’s a lot of pressure! and they’re I guess kind of scrambling to deal with this while keeping everyone from freaking the fuck out and yeah I guess it is a lot

and in their eyes I guess they don’t have the Time or Resources to care about anything other than the bigger picture which is....................... hm. bad

BUT WAIT HOLD ON OK I GOT OFF TRACK

Marrick working in conjunction with the DII, that’s what this post was originally about, uhhhhhh

there’s some interesting and perhaps valuable ideas to explore in terms of like

do they intentionally turn a blind eye? do they know that Marrick is most likely hiding something from them or doing something a little less than morally upstanding, but are deliberately choosing not to look into it? or like. do they NOT know at all, and when they find out are they like “hey that’s bad and not what we roped you in here to do and we want no part of this”

‘cause with the latter, there’s a LOT to be explored then in terms of like

the DII’s willingness to sorta..... passively allow people to come into/wander into harm’s way for the quote unquote “greater good”, being viewed as “collateral” or “unavoidable tragic loss”.......... vs how quick they are to voice their aversion to and disgust with someone Actively Causing Harm to others for the quote unquote “greater good”

but then with the FORMER there’s also like.......... with the idea that they’re choosing not to look into something they highly suspect is shifty as fuck, there’s this infinitely more grim idea of like. maybe they’re down for this kind of thing in theory provided it’s done quietly because it’s a Necessary Sacrifice and a Small Price To Pay, but condemn this current situation purely because it turns big and loud and public and they know it will look bad if they don’t

which is something I’ll definitely need to brush upon as a theory regardless but might not exactly confirm one way or the other

anyway actually dudes I originally went to type this post intending to make a stupid joke because I was considering marrick working with the DII's resources and thought the mental image was fun if he was like........ 

giving his dumb melodramatic cartoon supervillain monologue and being like "oh you think the DII will help you?? they've been in on this all along" like some kind of gotcha, and then the DII being like "dude no??? this is what you've been doing???? this is not what you told us you were doing?? you're definitely going to prison???? what the fuck???" and marrick being just like "oh :("

which I think is fucking funny as a concept but only works as funny in a situation where the DII aren't just entirely as terrible. passively or actively or otherwise

so no that joke no longer stands lmao. ‘cause like. either way it goes with the DII the implications are bad, y'know, like, even if the DII is like "oh fuck that's bad we don't want any part of this" they still.... allowed it to happen? and there's again the question of moral obligation, of What And Who Are Expendable and whether actively causing harm is worse than passively allowing it to happen in your name

and typing this post up is like

hm

this is all. a lot

I feel like I'm not equipped to handle writing this kind of thing even though I think it's definitely the direction it needs to go, like

there's a lot of other intense things going on and I'm fine with the interpersonally intense and much kinda.... smaller level themes but this is kind of Saying Something with a bit of direction and force and idk if I'm a smart enough writer or if I have enough finesse to tackle it????? i feel like there's a lot of nuance involved and I'm gonna have to do a lot of work which is fair

there's just a lot happening and I'm a whole dumbass and it all needs A Lot Of Further Consideration

[gongroot17]

A Personal Household Mediation Method Based In Tunbridge Wells Serving Kent As Well As East Sussex.

Youngster Plans & Guardianship Mediation Leicester.

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What Problems Can Household Arbitration Handle?

The Child Inclusive Mediation Process.

Get A Divorce: Detailed

To Divorce You Must:.

Comments From Kid Counselling Customers.

The meeting is confidential, as well as the child selects what they intend to share, conserve for in the event any securing worries emerge. If your ex-spouse rejects to go to mediation, after that court is your only alternative, please see link below. The court will constantly place the youngster's benefits first as well as this main issue will certainly establish the outcome of any application for an order. It is very important to understand the difference in between a 'household moderator' and a 'Legal Aid Agency approved family members arbitrator'. Household Mediation can be cost-free for those who are qualified forLegal Aid. This will entitle clients to free legal assistance from a Family members Solicitor or Divorce Solicitor, in addition to having actually an agreement written up absolutely free.

It is right here to give you with sources and also functional assistance to manage threat, concerns and unpredictabilities; allowing you to maximise opportunities and to re-tune your company when recovery is required. The Hub will certainly permit you to innovate with bespoke solutions, and brand-new items, created to accelerate growth. It will sustain you with thought leadership product, training and also webinars through our customized Freethinking Hub programme. Add value to your company with a reassuringly complete legal solution, tailored to your industrial goals.

What Problems Can Household Mediation Handle?

The mediator may decide that arbitration is not suitable for your instance, in which instance the conciliator will authorize a record stating that arbitration is not suitable or is not happening. You will value that as a result of the nature of our work, it is not appropriate to bring kids to appointments. It is easy to forget just how the youngsters are feeling as you battle to restore some balance in your own life.

MV Mediation program takes on evictions - Martha's Vineyard Times

MV Mediation program takes on evictions.

Posted: Wed, 30 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]

When Simon Hughes went to NFM's national workplace last autumn, it was clear from our discussion regarding child-inclusive arbitration that he is absolutely enthusiastic about this - established to make it function. https://cheshire.trusted-mediators.co.uk/ 's something we've been operating at for over thirty years because NFM's development, so naturally we are pleased that the Government has actually now given this undertaking. These actions will certainly aid offer the child the right to form his/her very own future when the family breaks down. However as the creators of youngster inclusive mediation, and as the nationwide organisation that has actually originated as well as evolved the technique, NFM comfortably invited the dedication. Our particularly skilled Arbitrators have the ability to give unbiased Mediation services across the nation, making use of remote platforms. Our expert team of Kid Inclusive Mediators are able to provide objective support during what might be a hard and upsetting time.

The Kid Comprehensive Arbitration Process.

Our core service has a focus on structure trust and understanding to advertise and also sustain effective partnerships and excellent interaction. Direct child assessment gives the chance for the child to speak to an independent individual without needing to filter their feedback as they would to each moms and dad due to the fact that they do not wish to upset them. • Being able totalk on the phonein exclusive to both moms and dads when they desire.

You might additionally experience some concerns with your browser, such as an alert box that a manuscript is taking a long time to run. The Entire Act without Schedules you have actually selected has over 200 provisions and also could spend some time to download and install. The Entire Act you have selected consists of over 200 stipulations and may take some time to download and install. In section 55 and this area "mediation adviser" implies an independent person that can give details as well as advice regarding seeking arbitration.

Get A Divorce: Step By Step

The NFJO quick evaluation suggests a move to neutral chairs for PLO conferences and created arrangements drafted WITH families. The Schedules you have actually chosen consists of over 200 stipulations and also might spend some time to download.

the moms and dad or young adult has informed the advisor that he or she does not want to go after mediation. The moms and dad or young adult might make the appeal only if a mediation adviser has issued a certification to him or her under subsection or. the arbitration concerns do not include health care arrangement defined in the strategy or the fact that no health care arrangement, or no healthcare provision of a certain kind, is defined in the plan. the mediation concerns consist of health care stipulation defined in the plan or the fact that no health care arrangement, or no healthcare arrangement of a specific kind, is specified in the strategy. the problems in respect of which she or he wants to seek arbitration (" the mediation concerns"). A youngster's moms and dad or a young adult may interest the First-tier Tribunal against the issues set out in subsection, subject to section 55.

To Separation You Must:.

The views revealed by contributing writers are not necessarily those of Family members Legislation or Jordan Posting and should not be thought about as lawful recommendations. We busily hope any type of post-election changes in Ministerial profiles will not lead child-inclusive arbitration down a dead-end.

What happens if mediation is unsuccessful?

If the mediation is not successful for whatever reason, an accredited Family Dispute Resolution practitioner can issue a certificate to allow an application to be made to a family law court.

Freeths LLP is authorized as well as managed by the Solicitors Law Authority. Our registered workplace is Cumberland Court, 80 Mount Road, Nottingham, NG1 6HH. The term 'partner' is made use of to refer to a participant of the restricted responsibility partnership. Freeths LLP supplies its solutions subject to its Terms of Service. Any type of complaints should be dealt with through the treatment described here. " I was truly pleased with the team. I really felt extremely sustained. Nothing was excessive trouble, as well as I could constantly get hold of the attorneys. They were practical, supportive and friendly, and also they explained every little thing in layperson's terms."

It may be difficult to approve that your kids might really feel in a different way regarding your splitting up than you, and so providing a possibility to share their hopes and also fears is an excellent way to concentrate your focus on their demands. Most importantly else we know they desire you as their parents to assure them that life will take place and also be great-- that they are not responsible for your split, which you are going to interact for them.

Do both parents have to pay for mediation?

One or both participants pay for the mediation as the payments come due. They are then reimbursed out of the assets at the end of the mediation process when they have reached a settlement.

Technology law practice BUZZ Shaw Baker has joined worldwide law firm Withers to create an one-of-a-kind lawful offering that satisfies the requirements of business owners, investors and innovation firms across the globe. If an In person conference is important after that this might be organized if there are nothing else choices, please call to prepare a visit in the very first instance. You will be needed to use a mask and also sanitise on access and also exit to the building as well as follow social distancing according to the notification in the office. We will certainly gather details and preserve records of staff, consumers and site visitors on our premises to sustain NHS Test as well as Trace. brodies.com is making use of a safety service for security against on-line strikes.

Responses From Kid Counselling Customers.

The Local Authority have a task to provide disagreement resolution solutions. Rock King can set up face-to-face or digital conferences to fit you. Visit this site to figure out just how we can continue to support every one of our valued clients as usual. Arbitration then provides the possibility to all parties included to deal with one of our qualified and competent arbitrators to aid express concerns and also discover remedies to try to deal with differences as well as repair connections. We have a solid credibility built on years of experience and success assisting deal with dispute in education.

This will provide you a clear suggestion of the distinction in between the Arbitration and also Tribunal. When mediation services london contact us, we will tell you whether you need the MIAS or otherwise. The MIAS is generally done on the telephone and takes about 20 mins. The Suggestions session offers basic information regarding Mediation, as well as you can ask any concerns you may have.

• Beingtreated as a private-- not being under the umbrella of "the kids". Being responsible parents stays a joint job despite the fact that you live apart. A Child-Inclusive Mediator should additionally have an enhanced Wrongdoer Records Bureau check and will be gone along with at the conference with the kid by another participant of staff. Instead, Child-Inclusive Mediation means children can have a chance to speak about their circumstance and feelings with someone neutral. Adjudication is another kind of disagreement resolution where a lawfully educated person decides which ought to be objective after considering all the conditions. The choice is legitimately binding if the proper process is complied with. If none of the exemptions use, or you do not have the required evidence for domestic violence and also none of the other exemptions apply, after that you will need to attend a MIAM.

EEOC Chair Extends Mediation Pilot Program for Bias Claims - Bloomberg Law

EEOC Chair Extends Mediation Pilot Program for Bias Claims.

Posted: Wed, 06 Jan 2021 20:53:29 GMT [source]

Throughout a CIM session youngsters can either be seen by themselves or with siblings to go over exactly how they really feel concerning a circumstance. Household mediation includes a neutral third person-- a mediator-- helping you and your companion talk about as well as concur an outcome to your conflict between yourselves. Good communication amongst parents/carers, institution as well as West Lothian Council Education Providers is the crucial to positive relationships and collaborations. Updates on council solutions, most current news and also information associating with Coronavirus (COVID-19). Our team of certified lawyers & conciliators will help you decide what is the best course of action to take. The Openness Project is a registered charity in England & Wales run greatly by volunteers that likewise have permanent tasks. https://warwickshire.trusted-mediators.co.uk/ striving to safeguard additional funding to ensure that we can keep making household justice more clear for all who make use of the court and also work within it.

This contrasts with the alternative of going straight to court, which is typically a lot more combative, causing unnecessary problem, delay, stress and also economic price. Better Futures gives assistance to those who call for additional help to live independent and also satisfied lives. Our customers are individuals whose life chances including their wellness, employability and also social skills have actually been impoverished by the impact of living in robbed locations as well as on low revenues. Via a community-led method, Concrete assists those without a strategy, without a voice and without a home construct Concrete futures by taking on the underlying concerns that keep people from searching for and safeguarding a residence of their very own.

There are lots of services in North Staffordshire that might be of rate of interest to you and also your demands, please click the links below to learn more concerning just how they can aid you. If you attend at The Dudson Centre, you can expect to consult with a number of our conciliators, Nettie Walding, Stuart Jones, Judith Pugsley as well as Ann Henshaw, you can read their backgrounds on our team page.