#you could get there from other parts of the ottoman empire. such as the part of now-ukraine your ashkenazi family is also from.

[unopenablebox]

i admit that i find it a little bit frustrating how Wildly Astonished other antizionist jews act when i tell them my israeli jewish family have lived in the region since [some unknown length of time before 1800 when there start being records about it]

[jewishvitya]

hei. i enjoy your blogs, i hope you could clear something up for me., i just saw someone claim to be "zionist as in i believe jewish people have the right to self determination in their indigenous homeland",, ive actually seen the claim that jewish ppl are indigenous to israel and are somehow denied that identity as a form of anti semitism and erasure of jewish experience multiple times.. and it always confused me so much cuz like israel was set up as this nationalist project in 1948, before the region was a mess mostly under the rule of the ottomans, but the palestinian culture and ppl were always there. how can someone be indigenous to a region if they werent there before? is there any truth to the claim or is it just co-opting leftist language again?

its so evil how the state of israel could jist completely legitimize itself by co-opting jewish culture and pretending like being in support of it is a fundamental part of jewishness :(

Thank you!! I'm glad you do.

I can try, but I'm not sure how good I'll be at explaining this. Maybe someone else can add to this. If I repeat things I said before, I apologize.

That is a definition of zionism used by many zionists who lean politically to the left. I don't subscribe to these softer definitions of zionism because saying it's just "the right to Jewish self determination in our ancestral homeland" ignores that in practice over the last century the next words are "to the exclusion of others." I define zionism through its practical outcome - which is what we did to Palestinians.

Jewish people originate here. Our religious laws and practices (many of which are regularly disregarded by Israel and by settlers when they do things like destroying olive trees and water sources) are tied to this specific land. There are holidays and religious rituals that are either fundamentally changed or can't be practiced at all if we're anywhere else in the world. Culturally most branches of Judaism maintained this connection throughout our history. And we didn't leave willingly. An empire expelled us from the place that was our land. When the point of indigeniety comes up, this is why. You'll see arguments like - when does indigeniety expire? How many generations until you no longer have a claim to the ancestral homeland you were driven away from?

So this is the cultural context for Judaism. This is something that I also can't really ignore. I can't pretend I don't care about this land and the connection we always had to it.

That said, I still see this as using leftist terminology inappropriately.

To talk about Israel, a lot of us talk about colonialism, and specifically settler colonialism. I lived in the West Bank settlements so to me this really resonates. The argument I get at that point is that an indigenous group can't colonize their own land.

And this is why I'm saying it's a misuse of terminology. We're using that label to absolve ourselves. As if the word "indigenous" is a stamp of approval we get to apply to our actions while we repeat the violence of colonizing forces in history.

Ethnic cleansing, occupation, building settlements - and now also genocide. The tools we use resonate with indigenous people all over the world, because they suffered through similar kinds of oppression. Always with differences and different contexts, these things are never 1:1, but there's a reason indigenous groups around the world are in solidarity with Palestinians. I shared about a video from a Korean person talking about how colonialism by Japan broke the thread of their history - old buildings that had to be rebuilt instead of being preserved, historical cultural practices and art forms being lost or changed due to the loss of artisans. These are things Israel is doing now.

So to me, this is using the word "landback" and "liberation" for a violent takeover of land from an indigenous group. You mentioned the Ottomans - Palestine has been conquered over and over throughout history. Those regimes, sure, fighting them off can be liberatory, if the intent isn't to become the conquerors in their place. But there's nothing to liberate from Palestinians, because they're not colonizing anything. They belong in this land.

I'm really angry that so many of us try to deny the Palestinians their own connection. They have roots here, a long and rich history shaped by life in the land. While we destroy so much and say our claim is so strong we get to kill or drive them away for it.

[liquidstar]

speaking of greece and also oc side projects, i was trying to do worldbuilding on the "godless" ocverse. still in the concept stage but heres what i got

what i've already established is that this is a fantasy world where all of greek mythology is real, but the gods have abandoned the earth for a long time. after almost 2000 years, we're in the equivalent of the 1800s/early 1900s. the general conditions (as well as designs) are based on real life greece during that era. the main difference is that its much more peaceful- part of the reason im setting this in an alternate world is because im not doing this to tackle ottoman occupation, the pontic genocide, or world wars 1 and 2. a lot of that stuff is heavier than what i wanna do.

but i am still trying to tackle one thing about greek culture, specifically in relation to the gods. the history of hellenism is still something very deeply ingrained into the country's culture, and yet... idk if you guys have noticed, but the country has been christianized (the fact that the gods absence lines up w the anno domini era is on purpose). my goal isnt to romanticize ancient greece by any means, there was a lot wrong with it and im not one of those "roman empire" guys lol. but what i wanna do is get into that weird "gap" in greece's modern identity vs its ancient one, via the feelings of the characters and being abandoned by the gods and the bygone age of heroes. (and im aware ofc that a big part of that IS the heavier side of the country's history, even if i wont directly be tacking the aforementioned real world events)

MOSTLY i want it to be a fun romp though, i wanna pay homage to the adventures of heroes like odysseus, jason and the argonauts, perseus, heracles, etc., who would all be REAL historical figures in-universe! (well, heracles is a demigod) most likely ones the protagonists would idolize in their own adventures. im referencing the cambelion monomyth/hero's journey as a format for that, but i don't intend to lean too heavily on it either.

all that being said, i made a map :)

i chose the name "ilia" from the ancient greek name for troy- "ilion," which is also the namesake of homer's iliad.

the region is split up into different territories. all the territories still worship the gods equally, but they each have one main major sanctuary to focus on the olympians+hades (and i included both hestia and dyonisis, i think it would be funny if both region didnt consider the other one a true part of the lineup). the position of the symbols shows you where the major sanctuary is located.

again, all regions worship all the gods and have different temples throughout (smaller towns and villages may have their own temples dedicated to more specific deities) however, the major sanctuary in each area is what defines it because the hiereus or hiereia of these temples acts as a head of state (of course, a world where gods are real is a theocracy). the requirements for a hiereus/hiereia are to be gifted by the god of the temple, and be a dedicated scholar of their domain. theyre selected from a large group, through a democratic processes, usually leading for life.

i have names for each reason but theyre not set in stone so ill keep those on the back burner

i dont have a lot of specifics plot-wise figured out anyway, but wanted something to visualize the idea. itll put me on the path to figuring out exactly what that could entail! after all, even with the gods gone, plenty of supernatural things remain. enchanted/cursed relics, hallowed ruins, ancient monsters, the underworld, olympus, oracles, and, of course, the gifts!

[kalinq0]

Someone else asked sb this but i want to see your opinion-) how do you think the 90s affected the Yugotalia characters?

This is gonna be long

Serbia: This hurt him the most, from the socialist utopia he was always dreaming of and all the respect other powerfull countries gave him to it all being crumbled in pieces in a bit more then a decade definitly left a big toll on his mental health. So much he still didnt recover, and neither did most of his people. He wasnt this bad since the ottoman empire first occupied him, phisically he wasnt much better either. He really reminds me of Ivan here, they both still blame themselves for not being able to optain something that was destined to fail. After NATO bombing was the first time he actually realised it was really over. Trying to combine the uncombinable and causing everyone pain that couldev been avoided is something he is yet to see

Slovenia: He was happy to be out. Not to much demage that was fixed quickly and not living with Vuk anymore must have felt great. He still doesnt want to be associated with his neighbours claiming he isint balkan and even dying his hair blond so he doesnt look like them says everything.

Croatia: I think he is jealous of Slovenia for being able to leave{and recover} much sooner then him altho they both proclaimed their independance in the same time. Unlike his neighbour, parts of his country were still under serbias rule, leading to "operacija oluja"("operation storm") and many lives lost. His realationship with Vuk was never good, tho now it was just decpise between them. I honostly hate when people ship them for this, sure they might fuck every other day, but if they say no homo after it doesnt count, right?

Bosnia(and Herz): Leaving Yugoslavia to be a bit smaller less economically stable Yugoslavia on its own never made sence to me. How tf did they let Srpska, Herzegovina, Bosnia, Brčko and Grmeč live togheter i have no fucking clue. How is Bosnia even alive still doesnt make sence to me. He wasnt scared mentaly as much he was phisically, poor Herz for having to take care of him later lol, tho she suffered equally as much

Montenegro: I would like to joke and say he slept threw all of this but he thought as much as everyone else. Unlike them he left in 2006, but the 90's left the same amount of pain on him just like any other nation. He really loved Vuk and most of montenegros people still identify as serbs, he just couldnt take the constent fights anymore. I think proving Vuk he can live on his own only to realise he was still in a 100+ yr old war with Japan and remind himself why he joined Serbia in the first place left kind of a bitter taste in his mouth

Macedonia: She left peacefully while everyone else was fighting and too bussy to care she was leaving. She was happy she didnt need to clean up after everyone anymore but when she saw how living alone was like she went on to date Vuk to get financial support. Not that much harm was done to her, she just went on with her life like normal

Srpska: Deffended his daddy all the way hoping he was gonna be proud of him and still live with him. And he was proud, tho after the Dayton agreement he felt as if he did everything for nothing. Still protest tho and probably plays every other song from Baja to bosnia dayly in hope of being so annoying he will kick him out and he can go back to Vuk. Poor kid, he deserves better. I cant even emagine how he felt. I could write a hole book on him alone

Kosovo: If I say everything I want to say I might get banned<3, I think that explains itself

Thank you for the question and sorry for a late reply💗

[alatismeni-theitsa]

According to the comments by Greeks this well-traveled Latino man managed to describe the climate in Greece very accurately. I've posted and will post from time to time videos from foreigners describing their experience in Greece because part of people knowing the country is this experience. Generally, I'm happy that people with darker skintones have a generally pleasant experience when coming to live in Greece from abroad, and I hope we can only become better. (It would be great if we, as a nation, could treat native Black people the same but I digress cause class also plays a role here)

I also focused on this video to note once more how important it is to recognize that each country has its own history and social cues. The "mavros" (black) falls in this category. (OP recognizes this, liking the comments from a Greek below). While people can use "mavros" in a racist way, sometimes it's just an identifier like "tall", "skinny" etc. "Mavros" also doesn't mean "Black person" always. It's used to describe someone tan, since the verb for "tan" here is "I blacken" (μαυρίζω), and it can refer to tan people, or people darker than the average local. I don't condone the negative or racist use of "mavros" (obviously), however it's important to remember that intent matters more than language especially if the native speaker of another country is ignorant of how this word is used in your country.

Also if you are a new person in a village people will look at you weirdly no matter your skin tone just because it's jarring/interesting to see someone new there, but also if you look different from most people you will get some curious looks (most often than not, in a well-intended way and not hostile)

Finally , it's important for one to know the local flavour of xenophobia, not to defend it (god guard us) but to navigate it better in the unfortunate case one encounters it. It will only harm you to assume the dynamics between ethnicities in another country work like they do in your country. For example, Greeks have beef with certain ethnicities since the Ottoman empire, but can have more recent beef with other people from different countries. Immigrants from different ethnicities who flock together abroad because of similar cultures can be political "mortal enemies" in their "fatherland" because of heavy history. That's just a generalisation but to be fair I warned you we were gonna briefly explore the xenophobic mind, which has nothing but generalisations.

As usual, guys add your experiences and opinions below. The character of this post is informative and I think we should all try to keep it this way.

[batmanlovesnirvana]

Hi! Me again.

First of all, I want to talk about the Grishas in the Ottoman Empire, of course there wouldn't be a definitive acceptance as you said. However, I think a distinction like the Muslim-non-Muslim distinction in the Ottoman Empire is possible. The Grishas are not completely equal, both in taxes and other issues, but they also have their own freedoms to a great extent. In this regard, we should also discuss which period of the Ottoman Empire we are witnessing. However, I think the most "Ottoman" period of the Ottoman Empire and the most interesting period to read was the period starting from Fatih Sultan Mehmet to Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, the 15th and 16th centuries. And as you said, these sultans wanted to conquer Ravka, because the Ottoman Empire had a "World State" policy.

While reading what you wrote about this, my mind went to Darkling and when I scrolled the page, I saw that you were talking about him :) As someone who has witnessed many eras, he would wonder how this state inspired by the Ottoman Empire could treat the Grishas like this. As you said, there would be a jealousy-imitation situation, but he is a man loyal to his state. If there was a war, he would undoubtedly be on Ravka's side. This raises the question in me, what if Darkling was a member of this state adapted from the Ottoman Empire? he is a very nationalist person, we Turks do not hesitate to give our lives for our flag and this is one of the reasons why I like Darkling. If we read that he was involved in this state and directed the complicated palace intrigues (because there are many events in the Ottoman Palace, such as harem fights and throne fights), I would be very affected by this. The story would also change completely ;)

On the other hand, it would be different to read a smart, ambitious and cunning Sultan in contrast to the stupidity of the King of Ravka. Also, the idea of ​​Nikolai growing up with princes in the Ottoman Palace is a colorful page.

Finally, if I you are writing a story about this, this would be one of the things I will enjoy reading the most, please never hesitate to research and if you want my help, I am here :)

🖤

@yikilmisbirisi Thank you so much for sending this my way—seriously, I really appreciate it !!! I love diving into different perspectives and opinions <3

History has always fascinated me, and the Ottoman Empire is particularly intriguing for me, especially because my home country was once part of it :) I grew up watching shows like Muhteşem Yüzyıl (The Magnificent Century) and Muhteşem Yüzyıl Kösem. I know, I know—they’re more romanticized than accurate, but I still find them enjoyable. There’s also other Turkish historical dramas I love, like Diriliş: Ertuğrul, which dives into the 13th-century warrior Ertuğrul, and Vatanım Sensin (Wounded Love), set during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. There’s also Çalıkuşu (Lovebird) and Rise of Empires: Ottoman—though I haven’t finished watching the latter yet.

My grandmother, on the other hand, is all about modern Turkish dramas. Whenever I visit her, it’s become a bit of a tradition for us to watch them together. She gets so into them, it’s so funny 😭 !! Shows like Kaderimin Yazıldığı Gün (lol) are more her speed, with their contemporary settings. My family also frequently travels to Turkey for vacations, and I’ve grown to love the culture. In many ways, I find it similar to my own ;)

First of all, I want to talk about the Grishas in the Ottoman Empire, of course there wouldn't be a definitive acceptance as you said. However, I think a distinction like the Muslim-non-Muslim distinction in the Ottoman Empire is possible. The Grishas are not completely equal, both in taxes and other issues, but they also have their own freedoms to a great extent.

Yep, I initially thought along those lines too, but then I reconsidered. I started thinking—what if the Grisha share the same religion as the majority in the O.I.C ? (Ottoman-inspired country—I'm abbreviating because, honestly, writing it out every time is exhausting). This religion would be similar to Islam, though there would also be smaller religious groups, like a Ravkan religion of the saints, for example.

However, the real issue here is the power the Grisha possess. In the Ottoman Empire, the millet system primarily addressed religious minorities, but magic introduces a whole new dimension.

Magic is generally met with suspicion, so the Grisha would likely be placed within a millet-like system, not because of their religion, but because of their unique powers. They’d definitely experience more tolerance in the O.I.C. compared to neighboring countries, but they’d still be viewed with caution due to their abilities. That said, as time goes on, they would gradually integrate into society more fully, which would help ease some of that initial tension.

In this regard, we should also discuss which period of the Ottoman Empire we are witnessing. However, I think the most "Ottoman" period of the Ottoman Empire and the most interesting period to read was the period starting from Fatih Sultan Mehmet to Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, the 15th and 16th centuries. And as you said, these sultans wanted to conquer Ravka, because the Ottoman Empire had a "World State" policy.

Oh, absolutely !!! Mehmet the Conqueror really set the stage for the empire’s grandeur, and Suleyman—if I’m remembering right—had the longest reign of them all. I definitely envision this O.I.C. during their peak, when they were at the height of their power and influence.

What’s also fascinating is how advanced they were compared to other nations in the Grishaverse, both militarily and socially. For instance, the role of women in the royal courts is a perfect example. Kösem Sultan was incredibly powerful during the period known as the Reign of Women (Kadinlar Saltanati). While Hürrem Sultan was the first to wield political influence from behind the scenes, Kösem Sultan actually ruled for 12 years until her son, Murad IV, was old enough to take the throne. There’s so much to explore here—it’s a really rich and intriguing period.

While reading what you wrote about this, my mind went to Darkling and when I scrolled the page, I saw that you were talking about him :) As someone who has witnessed many eras, he would wonder how this state inspired by the Ottoman Empire could treat the Grishas like this.

Absolutely, he'd definitely have mixed feelings. On one hand, he’d admire how the O.I.C. treats Grisha with a certain level of respect, despite the general unease about their powers. Unlike the Fjerdans, who are openly hostile, the O.I.C. is more understanding, even if they don’t fully accept or support the Grisha. It’s not perfect, but at least the Grisha aren’t being hunted down at every turn. His admiration would likely be tempered by skepticism—whether it’s his survival instincts kicking in or just his natural paranoia, he’d probably be constantly questioning how genuine that respect really is.

As you said, there would be a jealousy-imitation situation, but he is a man loyal to his state. If there was a war, he would undoubtedly be on Ravka's side. This raises the question in me, what if Darkling was a member of this state adapted from the Ottoman Empire? he is a very nationalist person, we Turks do not hesitate to give our lives for our flag and this is one of the reasons why I like Darkling. If we read that he was involved in this state and directed the complicated palace intrigues (because there are many events in the Ottoman Palace, such as harem fights and throne fights), I would be very affected by this. The story would also change completely ;)

If the Darkling were a member of this Ottoman-inspired state, the possibilities for his character development are endless. One intriguing angle is how he would interact with the mysticism and spiritual practices that were woven into the fabric of the Ottoman court.

Another fascinating idea is how he might leverage the empire’s vast network of spies and informants— I mean we already saw it in the canon book but in a different setting like this, it would be even more interesting. The Ottoman Empire was renowned for its intelligence network, and the Darkling, with his strategic mind, could take this to a whole new level. This network wouldn’t just serve the empire—it would be an extension of his own will (of course), allowing him to pull strings behind the scenes in ways that even the most powerful viziers might not realize.

His involvement in the harem would also take on a unique dimension. The harem wasn’t just a place of palace intrigue; it was also a center of cultural and intellectual life. The Darkling could forge alliances with powerful women within the harem, perhaps even mentoring a young sultana or concubine with latent Grisha abilities, guiding her rise to power in exchange for her loyalty. This could lead to a complex, almost symbiotic relationship, where the Darkling’s influence in the court is both overt and subtle, as he plays the long game of empire-building.

Finally, the idea of the Darkling exploring uncharted territories for the empire is worth considering. The Ottoman Empire was known for its expansionist policies, and the Darkling, with his ambitions and unique abilities, could lead expeditions into unknown lands, seeking out ancient magical artifacts or lost knowledge that could further elevate his status and the empire’s power. This would not only satisfy his thirst for power but also align with the empire’s goal of becoming a dominant world power, making him a pivotal figure in a much grander and more intricate narrative.

On the other hand, it would be different to read a smart, ambitious and cunning Sultan in contrast to the stupidity of the King of Ravka. Also, the idea of ​​Nikolai growing up with princes in the Ottoman Palace is a colorful page.

The idea of a shrewd, ambitious Sultan as a counterpoint to the ineptitude of the King of Ravka would be amazing. A Sultan or Sultana who matches the Darkling in intelligence and cunning would add a layer of complexity to the political landscape, creating a dynamic where the Darkling isn’t the only one pulling the strings. This Sultan or even Sultana could be a master of strategy, someone who not only sees the Darkling as a powerful ally but also as a potential rival. The relationship between the two could be a fascinating dance of mutual respect and subtle manipulation, with both trying to outmaneuver each other while maintaining a facade of loyalty and cooperation.

Now, the idea of Nikolai growing up alongside Ottoman princes brings a whole new dimension to his character. Imagine him navigating the vibrant, complex world of the Ottoman court, learning from the best minds in politics, military strategy, and diplomacy. This experience would shape him into an even more formidable leader, blending Ravkan charm with Ottoman sophistication and tactical brilliance. He could have forged close bonds with the princes, creating a network of alliances that could come into play later in his story. This background would not only make Nikolai a more well-rounded character but also add depth to his eventual rise to power in Ravka, where his knowledge of Ottoman strategies and court politics could give him a significant edge.

Moreover, Nikolai’s exposure to the diverse cultural and religious landscape of the Ottoman court would broaden his worldview, making him more open-minded and adaptable. This would contrast sharply with the narrow perspectives of his peers back in Ravka, setting him apart as a leader capable of uniting different factions and navigating complex political terrains. His experiences in the Ottoman palace could also fuel his ambitions to modernize Ravka, inspired by the advancements he witnessed during his time there. By the time he heads back to Ravka, he’s not just a prince with a sharp tongue and a knack for invention—he’s got a Rolodex of alliances, a mind like a steel trap, and a tactical playbook that could make even the most seasoned generals sweat. His time in the Ottoman court would add layers to his character, making his eventual rise to power in Ravka less of a climb and more of a well-choreographed dance.

And let’s not forget the cultural impact. While his Ravkan peers are busy arguing over who’s got the best fur hat, Nikolai’s off contemplating the merits of Ottoman architecture and maybe dabbling in some calligraphy. He’d return to Ravka with a broader worldview, which would be both his greatest asset and the thing that drives everyone else nuts. “Why can’t you just be like the other princes, Nikolai?” Because he’s seen the world, thank you very much, and he knows how to use it to his advantage. His exposure to Ottoman life would make him a more adaptable, open-minded leader, setting him apart in a court that’s mostly stuck in its ways.

Then there’s the really juicy stuff—Nikolai’s interactions with the Ottoman princes and, let’s not forget, the harem. A young Ravkan prince suddenly dropped into a world where palace intrigue is practically a national pastime. The Ottoman princes, each with their own flair for drama, are constantly trying to outshine each other, and naturally, Nikolai—never one to shy away from a challenge—dives headfirst into the chaos. For him, it’s less of a royal duty and more of an extreme sport, with higher stakes and better costumes.

But here’s where it gets interesting. What starts as a game of one-upmanship could turn into something more. Maybe some of these princes, after a few shared adventures (or misadventures), become genuine friends. Or perhaps they remain rivals, but with a grudging respect for each other’s talents, like frenemies who occasionally save each other’s necks. These bonds, whether friendly or competitive, would give Nikolai a more complex emotional landscape, making his eventual return to Ravka not just about reclaiming a throne, but also about navigating a web of loyalty and rivalry that spans borders.

And then there’s the harem—the ultimate playground of palace politics, where every smile hides a secret, and every glance could start a war (or at least a very dramatic argument). With his natural charm and knack for reading people, Nikolai could easily find himself right in the thick of it. Maybe he befriends a particularly sharp-witted concubine who teaches him the art of subtle manipulation, or perhaps he finds himself entangled in a romance with one of the women there, adding a whole new layer of intrigue to his time in the palace.

Now, as for the ever-pressing issue of finding a wife, the Ottoman palace might just have the perfect candidate. Imagine Nikolai forming a bond with a princess during his time there. What starts as a strategic alliance could slowly turn into something deeper, with both of them finding in each other what they’ve been searching for all along. Marrying her would be a smart political move.

Of course, this marriage wouldn’t be without its complications. Their relationship would come with its own set of challenges—navigating the expectations of two very different courts, both of them come from very different backgrounds—he’s grown up in royal courts, accustomed to power and privilege, while she’s from a humble family, eventually forced into the life of a concubine and also figuring out how to unite their worlds without losing themselves in the process. But it would also add a rich, emotional depth to Nikolai’s story, making his rise to power not just about strategy, but also about love, loyalty, and the delicate dance of royal life.

In this scenario, Nikolai’s time in the Ottoman court wouldn’t just make him a better leader—it would turn him into a master of the game, someone who’s seen every side of power and knows exactly how to wield it. And that, of course, makes for one hell of a story 😏

Finally, if I you are writing a story about this, this would be one of the things I will enjoy reading the most, please never hesitate to research and if you want my help, I am here :)

Thank you! I’m thrilled that you find the storyline intriguing—it really does have a lot of potential. If I ever decide to dive into writing it, I’ll definitely tag you and pick your brain for ideas!

[slotumn]

Concept: 3H canon divergence AU where the Almyran invasion at Fódlan's Throat succeeded, and they successfully annexed Leicester as part of Almyra— and a few hundred years later, the Leicester ruling class is thriving under the Almyran system, feeling no need to rejoin the rest of Fódlan.

Why would they? They hold a lot of utility to Almyra; they have Crests, Relics, knowledge that will come in useful for conquering the rest of Fódlan, as well as a significant amount of wealth from trade. So it's very easy for nobles from Leicester to ascend through the ranks in Almyran court, even compared to those from other regions of Almyra.

They might have had to convert to other religions or at least abandon their allegiances to the Seiros faith, but hey, the Leicester nobles were never super faithful in the first place. For the populace that still believes in the Church, they still have the Eastern Church, and it's recognized by Almyra as one of the many faiths in the nation. And the Eastern Church finds that good enough, since they were never that powerful under the Fódlani system either.

This drives the rest of the continent absolutely insane, of course. Leicesterians get called traitors for using their Crests and Relics to "aid infidels," and Almyra is an even bigger boogeyman than they are in canon. The Church calls for crusade/reconquest of Leicester all the damn time, which Faerghus tends to join in on due to their close relations with the Church + thing with fighting another group of "infidel invaders" (Srengis). Adrestia joins in too, despite their tensions with the Central Church— because the Almyrans are suddenly a lot more threatening when they're right over the Airmid River instead of across the Pearl Sea.

But wait, that's not all. Other regions of Almyra aren't happy either, because after Leicester was conquered, the center of power has shifted away from them. They feel like they're being treated worse despite having been there for longer, with these newcomers hogging all the best positions and resources. So much so that some are starting to think it might be better for them to break off and do their own thing.

Now combine all this with the fact the Slithers are still there + Almyra and Fódlan are trying to stroke internal tensions and sabotage one another at every turn, and you get an absolute shitshow. Yes this is the "Leicester is to Almyra what the Balkans were to the Ottoman Empire" AU.

Look I just think it's interesting to consider how the Golden Deer would be doing in an Ottoman-style court; imo Lorenz and Hilda would thrive there, and Marianne would be especially loyal to the Almyran regime because they don't care about the Maurice bloodline being "cursed." The commoner trio could be like the janissaries, especially Ignatz. Lysithea might have more mixed feelings about the Almyran system because being right by the Airmid still makes Ordelia the punching bag whenever shit goes down with Adrestia, but she probably isn't in a position to break off from them fully. Claude is still killing his brother(s) and/or locking them in a cage as part of succession conflicts.

Also I think it would be a neat twist on the themes of VW if the line between "us" and "them" wasn't as clear cut as in canon with isolationist Fódlan. It would also be more in line with, well, real life; if you look at history, a lot of things don't fall neatly into our current day categorizations of "east" and "west."

But mostly I just think putting the Golden Deer in Situations™ is fun and making Leicester the powder keg of both Fódlan and Almyra is the most fun situation of them all.

[lol-jackles]

You really support israhell? After everything they have done? The 75 years of brutal and inhumane colonization and oppression, the torture, the rape, the theft, the burning of hundreds of years old indigenous olive trees, everything? Don't you even see that they did to Palestinians exactly what Americans did to the natives? This is honestly really disappointing. I hope you at least just remember that Palestine was given by one white racist man to another white racist man to get rid of the "jewi

You really want to go there? Okay, lets go there! To use your own logic, the native American analogy you’re so found of also applies to the Jews in Israel.  Romans tried to expel all Jews and then rename the territory "Palestina" after the Philistines (enemy of the Jews), and Jerusalem "Aelia Capitolina" (after Hadrian and Jupiter) to erase the Jewish connection.  Except that did not work because some Jews remained and then others came back.  And they never stopped returning: from immigration in 200-500 AD, the eleventh century, until the movements in 1882, early 1900s, right up to 1948.

I'm sure you know the Ottoman Empire happened until it didn’t, and the territory switched to Britain who called the territory Mandatory Palestine, so the “Palestinians are those who live there, meaning Arabs AND Jews.  This is inconvenient historical facts for you, Jews were living there already!

Do you think the Ottomans would have tolerated state-building by Jews?  Neither the Ottomans nor the British would ever have tolerated an illegal or violent state-building attempt by Jews.  That is why until 1948, the future state of İsrael consisted of territory bought by the Jewish National Fund and empty lands accorded to the Jewish state under the UN partition plan.

Then the Arab world declared war in 1947 and got their asses roundly kicked by the Jews and end up occupying a number of territories originally intended to be part of the abortive Arab state of Transjordan. The furious butthurt Arab nations expelled 900,000 of their own Jewish citizens (those they didn’t kill) so the refugees made their way to Israel in 1948.  Judea and Samaria (aka the West bank) belong to Jordan, Gaza to the Egyptians, Golan Heights to Syria. Green line established as an armistice line.

The Arab world declared war again in 1967 and got their asses round kicked by the Jews.  Just before the war, Arabs left the area and figured they can come back after all the Jews are killed and take everything the Jews owned or had build, the farmlands they built out of swamps and desert…. Except that didn’t happen and they became sore losers. 

Jordan gave up their claim to Judea and Samaria in the 1990’s and Sinai was given back to Egypt, Israel immediately started negotiating with the PLO for peace. Oslo granted the Palestinians the first land that they could claim was theirs and no one else’s. Israel then moved on to direct negotiations with Arafat to give them a proper state with legal borders in exchange for peace. Arafat rejected it and launched the Intifada.  Israel tried again when Abbas took over, but he refused to even talk. In an attempt to buy peace, and as a test of the Palestinian’s intentions, Israel completely pulled out of Gaza, hoping that it could become something like Singapore or Monaco. Instead, Hamas took over, destroying the infrastructure that Israel left behind and launching terrorist attacks against Israel ever since.

Hamas could have rebuilt hospitals and schools with the millions of dollars given in previous conflicts in Gaza. They could have built bomb shelters for their citizens. But no, they built underground tunnels and bunkers, designed to breach Israel's boarders and protect their own. You cannot have peace with Gazans whose sole aim is to kill you and rape the women and then kill them.

Then October 7 happened.  Hamas gleefully opened fire on babies, children, families in their beds. They stabbed children kept the knives in them before killing their parents.  They didn’t spare family dogs.  They gang-raped women and paraded their dead bodies in the streets. Hamas exceeded the Nazis in brutality.  Any collateral damage to the innocent is unintentional on Israel's part as opposed to Hamas who surround their own soldiers with children.  Hamas is literally using their own children as meat shields. 

Gaza started a war. They are getting what they wanted. Why are you complaining?

Did you protest in 2006 when Gaza elected Hamas?

Did you protest in 2007 when Hamas declared war on Israel and said it would eagerly murder Israelies  - which is what caused the Israeli blockade and later the Egyptian blockade.

I bet my two houses you didn’t protest for the past sixteen years while Hanas fired at Israeli civilians, sometimes causing Israel to fire back.

You weren’t at all bothered that for 16 years the Hamas used their own citizens human meat shields and build military infrastructure beneath hospitals and schools

Meanwhile, 21 Arab countries would rather let Gazans die than admit them as refugees.  Where are your complaints about that?

In conclusion: Unlike all the countries in the Americas and Australasia, and many elsewhere, Israel actually is NOT on occupied land, illegal or otherwise. The fledgling state of Israel bought land fair and square from Ottoman landlords and was granted statehood by the UN.  Now, you could argue whether the Ottomans should have been able to sell that land, as they were absentee landords – but they did have legal titles to it and they legally sold the land to the Jews.  So Israel has much greater legitimacy than the U.S, Argentina, Australia, or New Zealand.  Go bitch about them, you cowardly hiding-behind-greyface-Anon.

Btw, I'm always hugely happy to disappoint pro-rapey-terrorists people like yourself.

[gemsofgreece]

Hello, could you tell us about Kalymnos and the history of weaving in Greece?

Hi! They are both broad topics, however I will do my best to summarize the most important and interesting information about them.

KALYMNOS

Kálymnos is an island which belongs in the Dodecanese, the southeasternmost islands of Greece. It is 26th in the list of the 50 largest Greek islands. It is the third most populous island of the Dodecanese.

Kalymnos was first inhabited by Carians and Phoenicians. By 1100 BC the island was inhabited by Dorian Greeks. Kalymnos participated in the Trojan War and Homer mentions it with the name Kalydnae. In the late Archaic period, Kalymnos was a democracy. For a time, it was captured by the Persians. When liberated again, Kalymnos remained an ally of Athens, however it did not meddle much with the Peloponnesian war. Like all the other regions of Greece, it fell under Roman rule and was a part of the Byzantine Empire in the middle ages. In the 13th and 14th centuries it came under the control of Venice and the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (Ιωαννίτες Ιππότες - Ioannites Ippotes in Greek) AKA the crusaders, just like most of the Dodecanese islands. The knights expanded and reinforced the original Byzantine fortress of the island which was there since the 10th century.

The ruins of the castle above the main town (Chora) of the island.

The Ottoman Turks attacked the island for about 80 years until they conquered it in 1522. Kalymnos was relatively privileged in the Ottoman Empire - islands were always more privileged compared to mainland Greek regions. In 1881, the Ottoman General Census found that the island had an overwhelming Greek majority (9,482 Greeks out of 9,716 overall population). In 1912, Italy conquered the island during the Italo-Turkish war and kept it until 1947, when, in the form of reparations after the Axis Occupation, Italy ceded the Dodecanese islands to Greece. The Dodecanese were the last region to get united with the Modern Greek state.

Kalymnos has a diverse, arid landscape. It is hilly and very rugged, while its coastline is very indented, forming numerous cliffs, caves and coves. This is why Kalymnos is an internationally popular rock climbing destination with more than 3,000 climbing routes. Kalymnos also has a small archipelagos of its own.

Kalymnos' economy is not based on agriculture, but rather tourism, traditional head scarf painting production and, most notably, sponge diving, which is the best known tradition of the island. Greece is the biggest exporter of natural sponges in the world, largely thanks to Kalymnian spongedivers and the island's seabed. Traditional sponge diving is extremely dangerous and potentially fatal and involves wearing a very heavy suit and holding your breath underwater for extended periods of time.

Artwork depicting the life of a Kalymnian spongediver © Francesco Zizola / NOOR

A folk song sang by Kalymnian sailors and divers has become popular around the world after French singer Dalida made a cover of it with romantic lyrics in 1970. The actual song however was sung by the ship's crew and it was meant to rouse a reaction from the spongediver so that if he struggled underwater, he would have the will to fight and manage to come to the water's surface. For example, the song makes references to the little joys of life, food, a comfortable sleep in a warm bed, sex, making a family, it mentions women (who could be real islanders the spongedivers were interested in), it mentions taking the City back (AKA Constantinople!), it mentions turning against the privileged lords of the island, it "threatens" the spongediver with unfairness ("you lads, I will give violets to you all, I will give two to each, but hey I am giving none to Yoryis (the spongediver)!"), it criticizes the spongediver's unresponsiveness (not pulling the rope) and implies his sister is with the crew, so anything that could potentially make a young man's blood flow and rouse a reaction from him and help him rise to the surface. I link the song below, performed by an actual crew from the island.

After the 60s a lot of Kalymnians emigrated to the USA and Australia, where they were usually employed in hard jobs, like constructing and painting bridges, used as they were in the demanding job of their island.

WEAVING IN GREECE

Weaving is a big, broad topic, especially because it was a well attested practice in Greece even in the Homeric Age. Therefore, and because the post is already long, I found some links that are very helpful and detailed and way more informative than whatever I would write here!

In this link here, there is a pdf about Byzantine weaving and textiles.

[rallamajoop]

There’s definitely some stuff pre Miranda in terms of pagan imagery, no? Between the ancient Kings with clawed hands and feet protecting the “holy grail,” or the Lord of the Castle creating a dagger to slay demons, or goats and goddesses and so forth — I wonder, why Miranda didn’t necessarily get rid of it all. And on top of that, there’s a lot of Christin art in the ruins from the ceremony site to the alter. The stronghold was once occupied by non “heathens,” so — the history feels rich here.

Well, firstly, calling everything pre-Miranda 'pagan' is simplifying a lot. Here's some of what you can find around the village which presumably pre-dates her:

The statues of the four founders, which are referenced in a diary which seems to be centuries old (They don't have clawed hands in the game, though I guess they have kinda weird nails in some of the concept art? Is that what you're referring to?) We don't know if they worshiped the megamycete, or whether they perhaps even claimed the 'grail'/Giant's Chalice was a legit Christian artifact, so 'pagan' isn't really accurate.

Images of Orthodox Christian saints painted on the walls of the village church and other locations, implying the building was repurposed by Miranda for her cult.

The statue and relief of the Maiden of War protecting the village from a demon with her goat's head shield, and a recurring motif of goat heads or goat sacrifices for protection.

The dagger has no obvious spiritual motif, and probably doesn't even come from the village (poisons on it supposedly come from "across the continent"), so not much to say on that one.

"The stronghold was once occupied by non “heathens,”

The term actually used is 'heretics', not that it makes a lot of difference. But given what part of Europe we're in, 'heretics' could well be a reference to the Ottoman empire ‒ or heck, maybe even just some other Christian sect to whoever's defending it. The letter exists to contextualise the existence of the stronghold (past battles fought in the region), and to emphasise the age of the statues (though it's undated, so all we really know is 'they're old'). I wouldn't take it as necessarily significant of much more than that.

"I wonder, why Miranda didn’t necessarily get rid of it all"

So, here we get to the real crux of the question! But really, why bother? None of that history threatened Miranda, and plenty of it enhanced her own image. Being able to claim her four lords were descended from ancient founders with those enormous statues could only boost her authority. Images of Miranda from around the village are thick with appropriated catholic or orthodox imagery too. And why discourage a tradition of goat sacrifices if people could just sacrifice goats directly to her? You don't have to rebuild everything from scratch.

Savvy religions do this sort of thing all the time. It's not unheard of for newly Christianised regions to turn local culture heroes into saints, recast fairies as fallen angels who tithe to hell, and add a layer of religious overtones to older seasonal festivals like Christmas and Easter. It creates the illusion that your new religion has been part of the landscape since long before it actually arrived, and saves on disillusioning locals who don't want to give up old traditions.

Obviously, there are also plenty of histories and cultures which have been lost under the spread of Christianity (or Islam, or whoever else has just moved in and reclassified whatever it doesn't like as pagan heresy). But not all conquerors bother, and even major religions can be remarkably pragmatic when it suits their purposes (and I'm sure plenty of individual locals will do likewise, when they want an excuse to carry on like they always have). Heck, half the real-world cults out there today start with someone sharing their weird bible fanfiction. Try and build it all from scratch, and you'll just alienate people.

As for RE8 specifically, well, it's pretty safe to say that any village which has gone merrily on treating goats' heads as a protective symbol well into its Christian era is not going to be an village that's keen to throw out all its old traditions overnight. Why build a new church when you can just retrofit the one you've got?

Maybe some of this history dates back to when there was supposed to be a whole section of the game set in the past. Other elements were clearly there in concept work from long before Mother Miranda became the centre of the cult. There's guaranteed to be a wealth of other unused material written to flesh out the village and its history that we never got to see.

Now, as I said in my post on the goats, I don't know how many of these beautifully-formed sedimentary layers of religious history were laid down by the writers deliberately, or how much was simply an artifact of a complicated development history, but I love it anyway. Real European history from places like the village is frequently every bit as layered as this, and then some.

Miranda's cult may have been around for a century, but that's nothing in historical terms. Before that, the village was presumably Orthodox Christian. But the mould had clearly left its mark on the landscape since long before Miranda's day, and the giant's chalice attests to something much, much older. The note from the stronghold suggests those statues were ancient even in medieval times.

Was the demon pictured on the maiden relief a mould-empowered monster? Was the goat's head pictured on her shield the origin of the protective goat's head superstition, or merely a reflection of it? Who knows ‒ even the writers may not have had specific answers in mind - but you can imagine you see remnants of these pre-existing eras and superstitions still reflected in Miranda's cult in the present, and that creates something that feels genuinely organic to me in a very satisfying way.

There is a wealth of material hinted at here that could easily form the basis of RE9, but I have no idea whether Capcom means to do that. What matters is that what's already in RE8 works on its own merits, even absent hypothetical further lore dumps from future installments.

[stephensmithuk]

Taking a Cure and Breaking Carlsbad

Because there is really nothing new under the sun at the end of the day, some people were just as obsessed about their health as they are now.

CW for discussion of historical atrocities and capital punishment.

Taking the Waters

It was believed in the 19th century and indeed for a few centuries before that "taking the waters" from wells in certain inland towns with natural springs was good for your health. A lot of places had gained this reputation, like Bath in England and Spa in Belgium. Yep, that's where the name comes from.

You could either drink the waters, bathe in them or both. This was segregated by sex, as you would generally be naked in the latter case.

The arrival of the railways made "taking a cure" a good deal easier. Bath was connected to London by the Great Western Railway and today you can get there by 125mph train in under 90 minutes from Paddington.

So, many of the rich and famous would take holidays in these places, where they would drink the water, go on a restricted diet, take long walks and undergo various treatments, prescribed by spa physicians.

Some of these were medically sound. Some come across as quackery of the first water, pun fully intended.

Treatments included - and you can still find many of these in modern day spa facilities - mud baths, massages, seaweed wraps, steam rooms etc. There was also something called a Vichy Shower, which involves lying on a slab while being sprayed with water from multiple nozzles in a shower bar.

Yes, Vichy in France is a spa town. The reason the collaborationist government went there in 1940 is because it had a lot of hotels to put everyone up.

Karlovy Vary

Anyway, Carlsbad was the former English spelling of Karlsbad, a town in Bohemia then under Austrian rule. You may know it better under its modern name of Karlovy Vary, today in Czechia (aka the Czech Republic, its long form name), about sixty-six miles west of Prague. It has an airport, but the flights are limited there - you will generally need to go to Prague, then get a coach or train.

Three American places and one in Canada still bear the name Carlsbad, the most notable being the coastal city in California, now home to a Legoland.

The name in both German and Czech means "Charles' baths".

While there were settlements in the area going back to the Bronze Age, legend has it that Charles IV, King of Bohemia, found a warm spring by accident while exploring the local area and the waters healed his injured leg. In any event, he gave the place royal privileges in 1370.

His successor, Wenceslaus IV, would give the town a right of asylum and the place also had a ban on carrying weapons.

In 1526, Louis II would drown as he fled defeat by the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Mohács, ending his dynasty as he had no legitimate children. Austrian Ferdinand I was elected as his successor and to cut a long story short, Bohemia lost its independence, becoming part of the Austrian Empire.

The 16th and 17th centuries weren't great for the place; a massive flood, a big fire and Swedish troops looting the place three times in seven years during the Thirty Years' War.

In 1819, the town would hold a conference of representatives from the states of the German Confederation, passing decrees increasing press censorship and banning nationalist societies among other things in an attempt to slow moves towards unification.

In the event, that unification would happen in 1871, but Austria would be excluded from the new Germany and instead unified with Hungary in the Dual Monarchy, aka Austria-Hungary. Karlsbad would be in the Austrian part of this new Empire and was in fact majority-German speaking.

Anyway, back to Karlsbad. The town was rapidly developing in popularity as a resort during the course of the 19th century and would become even more popular in 1870, when a railway line was built from Prague to Eger (now Cheb) on the border with Germany.

The railway line allowed for through carriages to operate from across Europe. In 1888, it took a day and 8 1/2 hours to get there from London. By 1911, CIWL was offering a through sleeping carriage, along with parlor/dining car from Ostend to Carlsbad, the former reachable from Charing Cross via train and ferry. The journey was now doable in 26 hours and 21 minutes.

The appeal for spa fans was clear - 80 springs with water running up to 74 degrees Celsius. Mineral water and herbal bitters were bottled and exported all over Europe. The mountain scenery and fresh air allowed people to take walks as part of their "cure."

The best-known spa by the Raffles time was the Imperial Spa, of which more later.

There were also plenty of hotels or pensions. The September 1888 Bradshaw's Continental advertises eight of them, with no less than seven boasting of English-speaking staff or indeed managers. The most famous hotel, opened in 1701 and still going strong in 2024 is the Grandhotel Pupp, which featured extensively in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale where it played the Hotel Splendide. Indeed, Karlovy Vary has a big starring role in that film.

Churchgoers were well-provided for, with churches for multiple denominations. The Anglican one is now a waxworks museum of all things.

Many rich and famous faces would show up at Carlsbad and nearby Marienbad. Chopin and Beethoven visited there. Anthony Joseph Drexel, founder of what is now J. P. Morgan & Co visited there in 1893... then had a fatal heart attack.

As the Redux points out, all these rich people were prime targets for thieves.

An 1884 guide to the place can be found here:

Things were going pretty swimmingly for the spa town... and then the First World War happened, rather damaging the tourist industry.

The collapse of Austria-Hungary saw the town incorporated into the new country of Czechoslovakia following the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1919. Local protests in March 1919 ended in six deaths after things turned violent and Czechoslovak soldiers opened fire, but the local population of what was now Karlovy Vary soon accepted their new situation. A 1930 census made clear that the place remained overwhelmingly German in its composition.

The place didn't recover to its pre-war popularity; the Great Depression really didn't help in that department. The German-speaking areas of Czechoslovakia had a lot of industries, like toy-making, which were reliant on exports... and protectionism was now very much in vogue. There were also tensions between the German minority and the Czech majority.

Then a certain Austrian man with a toothbrush moustache came along. Karlovy Vary was in what was becoming known as the Sudetenland... and you can probably see where this is going.

In September 1938, the Munich Agreement, signed without the Czechoslovaks being involved (who had to accept it), saw the Sudetenland handed over to Germany. By March 1939, the Germans had invaded and annexed the rest of the Czech part of the country, Poland and Hungary had taken various bits of territory and a pro-Axis client state was set up in what was left of Slovakia. However, it does not seem there was any mass support for this by the Germans of Karlovy Vary.

The Nazis set up the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia in the Czech bits they'd got in March 1939.

While a full discussion of their horrific rule is beyond the scope of this post, Karl Hermann Frank, born in what was then Carlsbad, would be placed in charge of the Nazi police apparatus in the protectorate. He would eventually become Minister of State, the most powerful official in it and in these roles would play a primary role in the mass murder of the Jewish population in the Protectorate. He would also give the orders to destroy Lidice and Ležáky, murdering nearly all their inhabitants, in reprisal for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in 1942.

Karlovy Vary would play host to a Gestapo prison; I imagine the town also saw some use by soldiers on leave.

Karlovy Vary was out of the effective range of Allied bombers for much of the war but came under heavy bombing twice in the final months of the conflict; bombers heading for Dresden in February 1945 appear to have also bombed Karlovy Vary (and Prague) by mistake. The town was heavily damaged, but the spa part escaped destruction.

Karlovy Vary was part of an agreed stop line for George S. Patton's Twelfth Army Group in May 1945 as they raced east. They met some resistance as they approached (namely the dangerous 88mm guns that had to be taken out individually), but the town surrendered without a fight on 7 May 1945; German forces there just wanting to surrender to the Americans and not the Red Army, who would treat them much worse.

However, it had already been agreed that this would be an area under Soviet occupation and Patton's forces had to cross back over the restored border into Germany, handing the place over on 11 May.

The Czechoslovakian-government-in-exile had declared its German and Hungarian minorities collectively responsible for the occupation. The Allies at the Potsdam Conference agreed that Germans east of their new borders should be transferred in an orderly fashion to Germany i.e. expelled.

It would be anything but orderly. Many had already fled west to get away from the Soviets, either in organised evacuations or on their own initiative, the later continuing after the surrender. At least 100,000 civilians died in this flight from aerial attack or other causes, such as the atrocious winter of 1944-45.

Now, Czechoslovakia would kick out nearly all the rest. Germans and Hungarians had their land seized, their citizenships revoked and were sent west or north; around 1.3 million and 800,000 respectively.

Mobs and those in uniforms engaged in massacres with varying degrees of official connivance; with the harsh conditions of the expulsion as well, it is estimated by a joint German-Czech commission that 15,000 to 16,000 died, along with another 3,400 suicides.

Others ended up in internment camps, also with harsh conditions.

Those who could prove they were anti-fascists or who were essential for the economy, a number estimated up to 250,000, were allowed to stay. In other cases, Communist Party redistributed assets to Czechs in the border areas, getting a lot of support in post-war elections as a result.

The expulsion/deportation remains something of an elephant in the room in the now three countries - it was historically a much bigger issue. West Germany paid compensation to those thrown out from its own funds and the international community concluded that Czechoslovakia taking their assets meant that no reparations needed paying. A Czechoslovak law granting immunity for crimes committed in 1945 in the name of liberation remains in force. A joint agreement in 1997 saw Germany accept responsibility for Nazi crimes and Czechia express regret for the deaths in the expulsions; various attempts at reconciliation have happened. The surviving Sudeten Germans do not want their land back in general, just official recognition.

The events have come up from time to time in the politics of the area, but I shall leave that discussion for others to have.

In the aftermath, the Czechoslovaks also conducted war crimes trials of those who had engaged in such horror upon their country. Karl Hermann Frank, captured by the Americans the day after the war ended, was extradited back to Czechoslovakia, and sentenced to death by the People's Court in Prague. On 22 May 1946, he was executed in front of 5,000 people in the courtyard of Pankrác prison; it was a ticketed event with "scalpers" to boot in what would be the final public execution in Prague. It was also photographed and filmed for the media; the footage can be found easily online, so you may not want to look this up. Especially as the method of hanging was the Austro-Hungarian pole method, not a pleasant way to go.

The Communists, starting to lose popularity, sized power in a coup in 1948 and created a Soviet-aligned state.

The Grandhotel Pupp had already been nationalised, the Pupp family having been expelled and was renamed the Grandhotel Moskva in 1951.

The Karlovy Vary Film Festival began in 1946 and quickly became prominent after it introduced an international film competition two years later, by 1956, it was a top-tier festival, up there with the likes of Venice and Cannes. Moscow got jealous and forced the festival to go from annually to bi-annually; it alternated with the festival in the Soviet capital until 1993.

The need for "hard currency" such as the West German mark to be used to pay for imports into the CSSR meant Karlovy Vary continued to market itself to foreign tourists, especially West Germans. The erection of the Iron Curtain made travel to and from Czechoslovakia a lot harder, as you now needed a visa to go there from the West; there was also a mandatory foreign exchange requirement, although paying for the hotel could cover that. East Germans, who could travel to Czechoslovakia without the need for a visa, seem to have found Karlovy Vary too expensive and went to other spa towns. In any event, the Soviet invasion of 1968 that ended the Prague Spring damaged visitor numbers further, not to mention destroying the credibility of much of the Eurocommunist movement, who mostly parted company with Moscow in short order.

As for the Imperial Spa, built in 1895 and known as Spa I since 1922, it had been renovated in the late 1940s so it could operate all-year round and declared a cultural monument. However, increasing maintenance costs meant it stopped operating as a spa in the late 1980s, becoming a casino, falling further into disrepair.

Things, however, were about to improve. The Velvet Revolution of 1989 saw the largelyFilm/TheMummy1999 peaceful end of the Communist government (a lot of people were beaten up by security forces, but no-one died, although a hoax story of a death played a key part) and Czechoslovakia's return to democracy. It became two democracies in short order; it became clear that the Czechs and Slovaks had different ideas of the direction of travel for their country, so the Velvet Divorce followed in 1993, creating Czechia and Slovakia. Both countries would maintain good relationships with each other and join the EU together in the 2004; Czechia retains the koruna, having not yet joined the eurozone.

In 1990, Karlovy Vary got city status as the tourists came back. The Grandhotel Pupp got its name back - a deal being reached with the family in 1992 for use of the trademark. The film festival returned to being an annual event, only being skipped in 2020 for obvious reasons, although a shorter festival happened in November. In 2024, the Crystal Globe was won by A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things, a British documentary on an abstract artist called Wilhelmina Barns-Graham.

The Imperial Spa was declared a national monument in 2010 and a renovation began in 2019, allowing the place to fully reopen in 2023.

I think that's a good place to end it. I am now thinking of going there myself...

[lazaefair]

Read up on the history of European imperialism and Zionism in World War I. I mean it. You have to get it clear in your head that Israel would not exist without Christian European (and later, American) imperialism. Here's a short 5 Facts article, with links to longer lectures (with full transcripts):

Jewish Zionists were just some guys, and would have remained just some guys if the European powers with imperial military might hadn't decided that Zionism conveniently dovetailed with their agenda of maintaining/expanding their colonial empires. That's why (some of) the Jewish Zionists were lobbying for British patronage in the first place.

Excerpt from this lecture (that's also linked in the above 5 Facts article and has a full transcript):

Beginning around the 31 minute mark:

"Now, the saga of 1917 had one final, important chapter. On November 2nd, as British and Australian forces were engaging the Ottomans at the third battle of Gaza, Britain made yet another advance booking for the political arrangement of the postwar Middle East. The Balfour Declaration, which promised Zionists that Britain would sponsor the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

Now the proximate origins of the Balfour Declaration traced back to the spring of 1917, when Lloyd George set Sykes the task of working for the addition of Palestine to the British area designated by the Sykes-Picot Accord. Sykes jumped at the chance to revise this accord, and by then Sykes had come to know about Zionism, an ideology at that time, barely 40 or 50 years old, which defined the Jews as a singular nation deserving of political sovereignty - the goal Zionists considered pressing given the incidents of anti-Semitism in the world, especially in the Russian Empire, where most European Jews lived.

In Zionism, Sykes saw an opportunity to nullify France's portion in an internationalized Palestine. He saw that a Jewish enclave in Palestine could function as a buffer protecting British, Egypt and the canal from imperial competitors. Sykes was encouraged when he learned that, for their part, the Zionists were interested in British patronage, without which they would be powerless to fulfill their dream.

But like the Hashemites, the Zionists didn't know anything about the Sykes-Picot Agreement. They had assumed that there would not be any type of conflict with any power.

There were, of course, other motives that prompted Sykes and British statesmen to support Zionism. One of these had to do with the belief among many British backing - who backed the Jewish territory, that the Jewish territorial nationalism might encourage Jews in the wavering countries of the United States and Russia to fully engage in the war until total victory. At the time, Russia was in a state of unrest and it wasn't certain to what extent the United States would sort of engage in the war.

There was this idea among the British that, you know, backing a Jewish homeland in Palestine would mobilize the power of Jewish financiers in the United States. But, of course, the idea that world Jewry acted as a bloc was an exaggeration of its unity and its ability to influence opinion. There are actually very few Zionists among the Jewish population in Europe or America.

Yet the idea of international Jewry was a common one, and it reflected the genteel and sometimes vociferous anti-Semitism that was current among the British upper class. But I must say that this was not an idea that the Zionists’ lobbyists in London made efforts to nullify. They saw that there is utility in this idea of a Jewish bloc, you know, heavily in favor of Zionism.

Yet another factor leading to British support for Zionism had to do with the visceral, romantic and religious sensibilities of these same British statesmen. Despite this defense advisory note that I was just talking about that dissuaded the media from religious pronouncements, men like Sykes, Lloyd George, Leo Emery and Foreign Secretary Balfour - whose name was appended to the declaration - shared with the people of Britain a pietistic instinct and were attracted to the idea of having a hand in the return of a people of the Bible to its ancestral homeland.

Lloyd George, the former chapel boy from North Wales, famously quipped that he knew the map of the Holy Land better than he did that of France. During his 1904 trip to Jerusalem, Sykes wrote, quote, 'Imagine how picturesque and interesting a walk in the city would be if the children of Israel retained their ancient and handsome dress.'

Sykes' mission to sabotage the Palestine portion of the French-British Agreement turned out to be rather simple and straightforward. During meetings in London, he convinced Zionism's leading lights Chaim Weizman and Nahum Sokolow to go directly to Georges-Picot and other French officials and argue their case. Sykes, in the meantime, would take care of the introductions and quietly reinforce the Zionist case at functions and over dinner drinks.

In the end, I think, due as much to Weizman and Sokolow's charm as to their arguments of justice and repatriation for the Jewish people, the French were won over agreeing that the plan for Palestine's internationalization should be rescinded. But then again, with no troops in the region, the French would have been powerless to make a contrary case. It's at this point that the Zionists got wind of the Sykes-Picot Agreement.

They got wind of this agreement in April 1917, just prior to the final dotting the I's and crossing of the T's. And they were shocked to see that Palestine, which they assumed was going to be theirs, was, according to the Sykes-Picot agreement, going to be internationalized. And thus they pressed Britain for the Balfour Declaration to make some sort of official pronouncement on the matter.

The declaration itself went through many revisions, every word in it was significant. The authors avoided the word 'state,' choosing the more ambiguous phrase 'national home.' Nor was the extent of this Jewish homeland made clear. It was to be somewhere in Palestine.

And although reference was made to the protection of the civil and religious rights of the indigenous native Arab population, the declaration said nothing about the Arabs’ political rights. In addition, the declaration promised that with the establishment of the homeland, no harm would come to Jews in any other country, meaning the Jews of Great Britain and other Western countries.

And here the intended target of this phrase were Jews belonging to the British establishment who were amongst the declaration's most vociferous opponents. Men like Edwin Montagu, a cabinet minister, feared that Zionism might lead some or even many within British society to call his and others’ patriotism into question, even accuse them of dual allegiance: are you loyal to the Crown or to the Jewish national home? And the declaration takes pains to make the point that this will not happen.

So in 1917 [...] Britain's conflicting agreements were finally exposed to the harsh lights."

[beardedmrbean]

Nunya I feel like I’m losing my mind. Horrible acts that have been caught on tape, BY HAMAS, uploaded to the internet, once again, BY HAMAS. Syrians desperately trying to show the world that most of the videos in “Gaza” are actually videos of Syrians. Jew haters openly using slurs and hateful rhetoric about how Jews are evil and they all need to die, stated openly on social media. Evidence Jewish presence in the Middle East for centuries, corroborated by multiple countries. Non Israeli Jews being targeted, with video evidence in other countries. And yet???? I can’t even hide myself away in my usual fandom spaces to take my mind off things because apparently I share spaces with people who state that even thinking of showing sympathy for Israelis makes you evil and you should just die. Just the sheer vitriol I’ve been seeing pales to any I’ve seen before. They’re bloodthirsty and can’t even see it.

Ya this one is far more extreme than even the last one a couple years back where a family was finally evicted from a home that had been purchased by a Jewish family back when the area was still part of the Ottoman Empire, even had the old pre WW1 receipts for that one, still got a bunch of rockets fired at Israel and lots o hate crimes against Jews not in Israel.

This one though, this absolutely boggles my mind how it's gone. Sneak attack during a Jewish holiday isn't unheard of Yom Kippur war being a thing, but that was a organized attack that went after military targets, this was more like if instead of attacking the naval yard Japan just went on a bombing and shooting spree across all the Hawaiian islands they could specifically targeting civilian areas.

Then to cap it all off the international community coming round and telling the US to make a measured response to that kind of thing.

As mask off moments go, I didn't think the massacre of innocents who have zero military value, the rape, murder, and desecration of civilians that's occurred and been broadcast by the people perpetrating it could ever be met with anything other than revulsion from anyone, but instead we're getting what we've gotten.

There's the people that have been waiting in the wings for this to happen so they could go and fan the flames of the hate they've been hanging on to and watch them spread which is going to explain why some things have gone as far as they have.

Folks that may have been on the fence or fairly ignorant about the goings on there other than every once in a while they start shooting at each other for a while getting a healthy dose of lies fed to them, like the esteemed congresswoman omar retweeting that picture from the syrian gas attack on their own people and saying it's palesteinan children.

AFAIK she hasn't acknowledged the fact that she did that either.

Those girls sobbing at their school because people are chanting a chant that is a literal call to the genocide of the whole of the Jewish people (Zionists or not they want you dead) and people laughing at them.

found myself in a Catholic subreddit, where I managed to be fairly disgusted at my fellow Christians making cracks about going in and doing another military crusade to reclaim the holy land and kick out the unbelievers

Deus Vult joke is one thing, going into detail after making it is another.

Old guy that stabbed the 6 year old palestenian migrant here in the US 26 times killing him, that's been roundly condemned and is being rightly investigated as a hate crime, why no similar outrage over the infants who were murdered in Israel from these people?

What people are giving a pass to is insane,

I'm on record many times saying that criticism of Israel and its government is not inherently Antisemitic, it gets there when you apply a different stricter set of rules on them than you do other governments.

Never expected to see a 180 on that with palestine and war crimes, where people would excuse them because of who they were war criming.

Then we get people mad that Israel isn't providing electricity and water to the people that are trying to kill them, how dare they not make killing Jews easier on hamass.

It's lunacy

I'm gonna keep praying for you, and everyone really because even some of the people in gaza don't want this I imagine, gonna keep trying to push out as much verifiable information as I can and moral support I don't know, I'll just be here doin what I can from my little keyboard, whatever that is, trying to see if I can put a little balm on the wounds in the form of a smile or I don't know.

I want all the hate to stop.

I will say there's a certain irony in having the support for the Jewish state be seen as a right wing position, afaik most Jewish Americans have voted blue for a long long time, even the Zionists.

There's a few of the Jewish subreddits that have gone private, most of them by now I'd wager actually if you're over there too that might be a good refuge for you and others, this is all so pervasive I can't think of too many places that aren't going to be hit by it.

I'm sorry I can't be more help, I wish I could.

[quill-of-thoth]

Letters from Watson: The Crooked Man

Part 1: The fun bits

Given that we know Holmes had supper at Waterloo, and that Watson lives conveniently near Paddington station, it appears that Holmes has come from the train and is either too tired to find a cab (or make the 25ish minute walk) to Baker Street at this late hour, or really wanted to see Watson.

The modern train to Aldershot from Waterloo Station takes roughly 2.5 hours. If the Victorian trains are comparable, Holmes and Watson will be getting into town at approximately 1:30 to 2 pm.

Edit: been told it's closer to an hour, Holmes could easily take Watson to lunch.

If you've ever wondered how a Victorian doctor takes a sick day, Watson appears to trade his practice, and perhaps also his rounds of house calls with a colleague. When it comes to patients arriving at Watson's home office, it may be as simple as instructing a servant to redirect people to Jackson's practice, which is hopefully not too far off. Something they probably did already with emergencies if Watson happened to be out on a house call.

Sorry but The Royal Munsters sounds like a British knock-off of The Munsters. A sitcom about Frankenstein's Monster, Vampires, and a few stray Dukes.

It was actually a Fusillier (infantry with muskets) regiment with ties to the British East India Company, officially formed in 1881

Crimea: Presumably the Crimean War (1853 to 1856) between the then Ottoman Empire (currently Turkey, Palestine, and parts of other nearby nations) allied with France, England, and Sardinia, against the Russian empire. From my wikipediaing, it appears to have eventually developed into a proxy war between Russia and the Western Europeans with the Ottomans backing the alliance of western nations to try and get the Russians off their lawn.

The absolutely horrifying conditions and death toll lead to a demand in England to professionalize medicine, including nursing. This is where Florence Nightengale became famous for introducing the concept of sanitation to the british army. (Indirectly, as a survivor of a british army hospital after surgery and chronic infectious illness, Watson probably owes her reforms his life.)

The Munsters could be in Crimea in the 1850's despite not being part of the British Army until 1881, because their progenitor regiment was part of the British East India Company for over 100 years.

The "Mutiny" would be The Indian Rebellion of 1857 / First (Indian) War of Independence, another complicated colonial bloodbath.

Yes, this case is another variation on "absolutely do not go to any of the colonies, you will either die there or commit horrible crimes there and then die messily in England as a result of them later."

About the expressions of the dead. In real life, expressions do not freeze after death. Muscles will relax without any nerve input to tell them to contract long before rigor mortis sets in. However, some medical conditions will cause contortions of the face muscles during death, and these would have been apparent to the people first on the scene at Barclay's death.

[brotherslayer]

hello! Sorry for barging in like this! (also sorry for my poor english too)

First I’d like to thank you for the recents posts bringing some very welcomed nuance to the character of Iklies I’m VADD. After the release of the new season cover, I felt like there was a significant wave of hate directed to the character - and, well, kinda for the wrong reasons? I mean, it’s absolutely understandable to not like him and call out the toxicity, but there were some readers who actively spread misinformation to get the character in a very bad light? And using some colonising rhetoric?? Guys??? This is not the take you might think this is???

I think I might’ve wanted to vent a bit with someone more open to a nuanced discussion, since I think the whole work is too well crafted to be reduced to a ‘black and white’ interpretation.

First what really caught my attention was using the description seen in the novel about how “Delman’s are savages” like?? 1. the poster themselves recognises that it’s a description used by Derrick (if I’m not mistaken), who is anything BUT a trustworthy source; 2. I bet the colonising, slaving country won’t have nice things to say about the people they just conquered? Not to mention is a description frequently used to even justify such actions, as it was in our own world (colonising nations having the “duty” to bring reason, advancement and enlightenment to such poor, barbaric people, who couldn’t know any better); 3. even if all of that was true, who is to say that every single countryman is like that? Are they not allowed to have their own individuality? Should we judge every Eorka citizen using Derrick as the standard then? Would that be fair?

Then what most caught my attention was the description that “He had a nice childhood, despite being a bastard (???), therefore he had it easy and by being such a violent man it only shows how much of a monster he’s always been”. I don’t even? Aside from the argument itself not making the slightest sense, from my reading of the novel the whole “bastard-lost prince” (a very beloved common trope for MLs in any other case, mind you) seemed pretty vague, and I thought it might’ve even been the result of Leila’s manipulation/mindcontrolling - since this way, with Iklies having some sort of “pedigree”, he would seem himself as “worthy” of Penelope, like Callisto (the Crown Prince) is. Was that part of his backstory truly confirmed? It could just be a wrong interpretation of mine, since it’s been some months since I’ve read it (thought, quite sincerely, I don’t think it being truth or not would change anything - the story starts with him being already a slave, being sold in an auction after fighting hungry dogs that would devour him to show his prowess for potential buyers, no amount of happy childhood will make this less f up).

Sorry for ranting so much! I was just really happy to see your posts and analysis!

Hope you have a nice day!

I remember that post! The pro slavery and colonising rhetoric was very uncomfortable to read and I think I blocked them after they tried to "educate" me in the comments of my posts and eventually used insults to force me to change my opinion.

I'm interested to see the passage that says Iklies allegiently had a good childhood when he was an illegitimate child of the King, because manhwas traditionally show the struggles and trauma of being a bastard. Princes often didn't have a good relationship with their half brothers. See the Ottoman Empire where they eventually legalized systematic fratricide. Furthermore if Delman is a warrior nation as implied and Iklies was really treated as a prince then wouldn't he have been expected to fight in the Livius war and gain combat experience? If he was then he's a child soldier and still didn't have a good childhood. If he was not then it's likely that he was just treated as a nobody. And no matter how good his childhood was it's not going to become an armor that can protect him against the trauma of having his rights stripped off him and treated like human garbage. What kind of logic is that anyway. Penelope didn't have a good childhood but Iklies had one that's why he deserves to suffer in the future, because he never had to suffer before?

"such a violent man it only shows how much of a monster he’s always been" I have huge issues when they call Iklies a psychopath or claim he was born evil. Together with them claiming that the people of Delman are thieving, murdering savages consumed by greed and violence. It doesn't only sound like stereotyping but also as if the root of the evil is in their genes. Which we know was historically used to justify ethnic clensing. They echo the words of Derrick who believes in the superiority of the Eorkan military power and the intrinsic evil of the Delman's that is defined by colonialism ideology. Why should we trust the words of someone who treated his own stepsister as a subhuman because she was of commoner blood? His family owns a diamond mine, he directly benefits from slavery. Of course he would defend it with every breath.

Certain Callisto stans/Iklies antis say the Delman people had it better in slavery than in freedom. How can the country of Delman be poor and uncivilized when the Eorkan military suffered huge losses due to Delman's archery skills? For Delman to last for years in a war against an Empire, the country would had to have an organized and well trained army, a food supply and a functioning infrastructure. The farmers would have lived comfortably enough that they could work hard and keep sending their army supplies throughout the years. The war would have been won in a week if Delman was really just a bunch of unwashed savages who didn't know left from right. Moreover if Delman wasn't a wealthy country and rich in natural resources the Eorkan Empire never would have invaded it. I even question the claim that Delman had been plundering from smaller countries, because if they had an army that could damage the Eorkan Empire that much why did they never annex the smaller countries? The plundering at the borders might have been done by thieves that had nothing to do with the army of Delman. Or it might have been just invented and used as an excuse to conquer them. Either way even if it was true, as you said, does that justify what happened to the cripples, the wives and children at home? "Your father was killed, your mother raped by soldiers, your younger sibling tortured to death and you were sold into slavery but you should be thankful because now you get to live in a civilized society serving your family's murders until they decide to do the same to you."

[blorbobutworse]

I live. I have also consumed criminal amounts of FMA:B crossovers. So here's my take....possibly with a real fic on AO3 on the way (for once)

Mutant Edward Elric AU. As Usual, there's two different AU's.

one is a mutant Ed and Al AU, and the other is literally just Edward from FMA being thrown into the Marvel/ X-men Universe.

I lost my marbles guys. I want punkin piee

1.Actually a Mutant Edward (AAME AU)

In this one, he's a rural Appalachian kid who, after trying some crazy shit with his powers, ends up being taken into a special part of the military called Shield. They tell him he could help the world with his abilities, help people like him thrive, not just survive. And with his little brother hidden with Winry, the granddaughter of the mechanic and G.P. in town. In this AU, Edward is essentially picked up from the get go, and thus only gets to talk to Alphonse through military means.

Little does he know, his commanding officer knows about HYDRA. And he doesn't want a young mutant kid getting corrupted the same way he did, much less this kids little brother. So he secretly starts pulling old strings, and asks Madam Christmas for a favor in contacting one Charles Xavier.

(please note i have never been to the deep south so i can only assume how rural life there is, though i too, live somewhere rural.)

Edward lives in an extremely isolated town, growing up happily chasing goats and killing bugs by playing with a cup like a magnifying class until his mother, a retired Shield/Hydra Operative, finally dies of an illness/injury she had gotten before she had been forcefully retired.

As you can probably note, this 'little rural town' is actually where a lot of Shield and Hydra agents retire to. Which, because it's so isolated, also tends to bring in other more visible mutants, in hopes that they can live their lives safely there.

In this AU, Hohenheim would have been one of the Original Mutants, probably around the same age (If not older) than Wolverine. Unlike him though, Hohenheim did his best to NOT influence the world. That is... after the first time.

He was born in 1548, and he's born in the ottoman empire. He tries to live his life, terrified that, some day, people will turn against him for being a Witch. Still, at 25, with insane powers and a family who don't know about his abilities. he becomes desperate for a companion. Someone. Anyone, that he could speak to truthfully about his fears, and hopes, and know that he will be accepted, despite his tainted soul. And, when hired as a soldier to attack Cyprus, he goes. And there, fare away from home, he activated the largest 'circle' he'd ever attempted.

He tries to create life Frankenstein style, resulted in an entity called Father, essentially a bastardization of Truth.

However, due to his rush to make himself an immortal companion, his circle looks for enough energy to create this... being. It results in the decimation of the city he was living in, converting it into a ghost town in under three minutes.

It's the first time he disappears from a country, from a family...but it won't be the last

Unfortunately, all that energy didn't just go to Father, and this grants Hohenheim a sort of immortality. He feels he has to kill that which he has created., so they essentially play a game of cat and mouse for years.

He ends up in the US under asylum during the first world war, lives his life, and finally chooses to put down his rage at a creature that has been haunting him for the past 430 years, and he moves to a small town in the Appalachians. He never expects to meet someone who would bring him so much light and life and joy, and just as his little Alphonse is born-

There are mutterings of Father stirring again.

And.

He leaves. He has to finish what he started before Father finds his children, his love. Hopefully it won't take to long.

But he'd never been the best at keeping track of time.

...

Back to Edward, his superior, on one of his missions when he turns fifteen, results with him in the middle of nowhere, New York. He's

Although the students are very wary of him, despite his short stature, Xavier realizes that this is who he's been contacted about. A little too similar to Wolverine, what with the mutants being turned into weapons, he puts them in a room and hopes for the best. They both come out a little bloodied, but instead of running or calling SHIELD, Edward leaves with a...contemplative, look on his face.

Wolverine just huffs, and says 'That little punk packs a punch."

T.B.C.

OR

2. Edward Elric in Marvel AU

It's literally just Edward Elric, and as with most cross overs, Truth wants him to fix some stuff int he marvel Universe (which shall be my beautiful bastard baby AU of the movies AND the comics), with only the knowledge of English and the knowledge that he has to fix something.

(it's infinity war guys he's gonna go to space he's going to kill Thanos with the power of Elric: No and also Fuck OFF

guys please do u see the visio-)

He gets dropped in front of Xavier's school for gifted children, manages to waltz on in thanks to this thing called making a tunnel out of alchemy,, and although the team initially tries to attack him, after seeing a 15 year old CHILD WITH TECH THAT ONLY HYDRA AND ONE SPECIFIC HERO KNOWs HOW TO MAKE

they call Tony Stark. He is very exited to look at this kids incredibly detailed arm.

In the meantime though, all the people get to know him, and with Edwards dialect essentially being like. a super rural old version of German, they bring Kurt in to be able to interpret what he's muttering to himself.

Cue the Edward not so gently arguing his Atheism Points, offhandedly mentioning that he has met something that Totally Wasn't God Trust Me, Wolverine steps in, and gives him a nice little talking to, that makes

This, in turn, makes Edward freak the fuck out. Obviously this guy is a chimera. or something. Fuck. Not more of these guys.

And then they have to forcefully sit him down and explain that mutants Are A Thing. It's even more confusing for them because everyone assumed he already knew, considering how he got into the building.

A few weeks later, Tony finally get's to them, and is pleasantly surprised to see a little blonde boy with his nose in a mechanical engineering engine systems textbook. Of course, he makes the mistake of calling him little, prompting a swift evisceration of his ego via Edwards signature move: being a teenage bitch.

The real question is how Edward reacts to the Scarlet Witch.

T.B.C.

Als I wanted to write more about him and Kurt in detail but i am. so tired rn, so I shall leave that up you YOU GUYS TO IMAGINE YIPEEEEE