jasperlion

[jasperlion]

I want y'all to notice something else about tumblr’s opt-out AI setting. Look at how it was officially announced:

And now I ask you to consider something else: When we introduced “blaze other people posts”, Staff also got a lot of flak for making it an opt-out setting. But really it wasn’t (at first): When it was launched, every tumblr user got a pop-up the next time they logged in telling them about the change and warning them to go to settings and disable the new checkbox if they weren’t ok with it. And you didn’t really get opted-in until you had seen that pop-up: It could have been better, but at least there wasn’t anyone being opted-in without their knowledge.

But with AI? no pop-up, just a (very hidden) new checkbox in the blog settings, and a @staff announcement. An Staff post that makes an strong use of passive voice to not making it too clear that tumblr ACTUALLY has partnered with AI companies to sell your data: It looks like they are being nice and giving you the chance to add an extra layer of security against data scraping, right? nothing too urgent, don’t worry about it!

But then the 404 media post went out a day before they intended to (quietly) launch this and they had to rush it out. With the verbiage that was intended for a purposely low-key announcement. Sure, without that 404 post there would be some low-key pitchforks and torches, focused on why the hell don’t make this protection the default… but they weren’t planning to let us know that AUTOMATTIC ALREADY HAS A DEAL WITH OPENAI TO SELL YOUR DATA BY DEFAULT, just that “hey we are giving you this new setting to discourage any AI company to use your data for training… wouldn’t that be crazy if it happened, uh? hehe”.

#[ psa ]

[jasperlion]

@convxction replied to your post

i made myself sad now

don't worry, they made it home

#convxction #know that you can count on me | feh verse #oh gods i looked right at the sun | crack

[jasperlion]

@devotedrigelianflower

A knock was heard on Alm's personal office door before two familiar noblewomen entering the room. It was Rinea with Josephine following her close behind with a carrier bag. "Hello Lord Alm. Countess Josephine came here to meet with you about finalizing the wedding plans for Lord Berkut and I. Oh and also to get ahead of her own wedding with Lord Hunter!" Rinea said as she did know Alm's schedule and there was a slot open for him to have a meeting. Rinea looked over to her friend whom she was worried about since Josephine was in a dark red mourning dress. "Thank you so much for helping Lord Berkut and I with the wedding plans but are you sure you will be alright Countess?" Rinea was worried about Josephine since she knew this was not an easy time for Josephine. "I will be alright Rinea. This will be a good distraction for me. Besides I feel like Alm would understand..." She said before looking at Alm as she sadly knows if there was anyone who understood what she went through it was Alm. "...If you say so. I will leave you two be." Rinea said but before she left the room, she quickly took one pile of paperwork away from Alm. "Lord Berkut said that he would deal with the minor issues and he will not take no for an answer. Please don't overwork yourself or I'll... I'll let Lord Berkut scold you again! " Rinea said as Berkut did tell to be a little bit stricter with Alm about overworking. "I'll be sorting paperwork with Lord Berkut nearby if you need us!" She said before shutting the door behind her.  "...Rinea's still using the titles huh." Josephine said with a small smile before giving a sigh. "I had hoped she told you about the true reason she has that habit...but that will have to be another time. There are more important matters to discuss." The Countess said before taking her seat on sofa used for private meetings and breaks for tea. She started taking out the wedding plans but she took out a card that looked normal playing card at first but she flipped it around for him to read first. 'I found evidence of assassination plot and a coup. Is this room safe to talk about it out loud?' Josephine knew she had to be very careful when it came to these kinds of things. One wrong move could cause the deaths of Berkut and Rinea earlier than anticipated. ~*~

Alm's visitors find him with a large compendium on his desk, cross-referencing material on it compared to a missive in his hand with a growing scowl. The door opening would have startled him, but his guard had already informed him of his incoming visitors. As such, Rigel's Emperor simply sets down the missive atop the book and looks up with a wan smile. "Hey, Rinea. Josephine. Have a seat." It hadn't been a particularly pleasant day, considering his own fiance's recent departure back to Zofia (among other events of late, that was but a nail on the mood's coffin), but at least he does his best to look the most pleasantly neutral he can manage.

The smile, however, goes from struggling to sympathetic to the woman before him. All things considered, it was in fact a pain he was regretfully familiar with. Keenly so. "If there is anything within my power to help ease that pain... well, you have me here at your disposal, you know? Maybe some time off for your husband...?"

Of course, it is then Rinea snatches a paperwork pile. To which he can barely protest aside from an indignant squawk. The small woman's threat, however, stops him from making pursuit (playfully, if anything, he wouldn't dare spook the woman), and the Emperor instead raises his hands in mock defeat. "Alright, alright. Tell that grumpy fox he's got his way today." At the very least, it took some of the work off his shoulders, none of which he considered particularly pleasant.

And then, Rinea was gone, and it was just them. He sighs into his chair, eyes darting back to his guest. "It's a hassle to constantly correct her, but one day, mark my words, she'll feel comfortable enough to drop those pretenses around family someday." At least, he hopes so, reasons she may have notwithstanding (and perhaps, someday, she'd tell him?). Shutting the compendium with the missive inside, he sets it on a side-table to make room for the Countess, only to... frown at the presence of the playing card. A fire lit within, and yet the Emperor's next move is to press his index fingers to his lips and stand.

The fireplace crackled pleasantly, and it is to where he went first, grasping a kindling stick and lighting it, then... proceeding to light the candles around the desk without a word, then those around the room. Putting the fire on the stick out, he then moved to the window, that overlooking the gardens and training grounds below, and closed thick, heavy drapes. Alm's next movement was to a bookcase, which he firmly secures, and finally walking to the door to the study. Opening it, he quietly asks his guard to keep vigilant guard, and confirms his room is also guarded. Door closed, another thick drape is dropped from the side to cover it. Aside from the light the candles and fireplace provide, it is now.. incredibly dark. The Emperor returns to his seat.

"It is now." Soundproofed by thick drapes and ensuring the safety passage to his room was firmly locked, the study had become a small fortress for secrets. "So, tell me... what is this about?"

#devotedrigelianflower #i’m proud to know you | rp #[ Josephine ] #i’ll go. i’ll join the deliverance | SoV verse #this isn’t where things end for us | postgame verse #AU | Rinea Lives

[jasperlion]

YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CARE!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO FEEL!!!!!! FEEL FEEL FEEL!!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND ALL THINGS GOOD AND PURE FEEL SOMETHING!!!! OPEN YOUR HEART! BE VULNERABLE! BE SOFT! BE SO FULL OF LOVE AND MESSY AND CRY YOUR HEART OUT!!!!!!! LOVE AND FEEL!!! FEEL AND LOVE!!! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CARE! IT IS OKAY TO CARE!!! TO LOVE, TO HURT, AND CRY! PLEEEEEEASE FOR THE LOVE OF THE WORLD, CARE. FEEL. LOVE. BE A MESS OF LOVE AND FEELINGS!!! WE NEED OPEN HEARTS AND KIND EYES WITH BEAMING SOULS!!!! PLEASE!!!!!

#it’s man’s individual hopes and fears that shape the world | musing

[jasperlion]

Is Alm ready for Fallen Chrom to attack him? He should be. Watch out, saint king he is coming. [ :3 ] @convxction

[ Evil! Evil!! ]

It's overall a good day. The chill is settling nicely, decor is going up not just in the castle, but in surrounding towns and villages. A good time as any to go out for a walk and perhaps to help some folks in need. And that is, of course, what Alm had found himself doing through the course of the day. And, as every day, it must come to an end — preferably before the sun is down and it's far harder to find his way back to the castle under use of the Order.

It's quite picturesque, really, and he finds his mind wandering as he returns. From dirt to stone, his destination is soon within sight. Perhaps he will be able to find the time to spend with friends he may run into, after all! This lifts his spirits even more so, and he hums to himself. Just a little longer to go.

His only warning is the sound of charging hooves crashing against the stone path and a sinking feeling that someone's gaze bores a hole on his back. Alm jumps to his left, avoiding the horse's charge, but it does not spare him entirely from the blade that swings down brutally and nicking his right arm. Rolling on the grass and stumbling to his feet, his eyes search for his attacker as his left hand reaches for Falchion. The horse has veered off the path, turned to face him along with his rider.

"...Chrom?"

It's hard to believe his eyes — a man he considers a friend astride of a black horse, armor seeping in blood-red and a deep blue, a dark and hateful aura surrounding him like miasma. Yes, he looked just like Chrom, but his heart sinks at the thought of what he truly sees. A man lost to wrath, to something sinister.

He raises his right hand anyway in a plead at surrender, despite the pain it brings. "Hey, now, this is no time to be joking around with sharp objects..." The menacing blade in question eerily pulsed with something somewhat familiar... "How about you put that down and give me a ride back to the castle, eh?"

Worth a shot to try and diffuse the situation. It's worked before...! Sometimes. He really should not be using his friendship a certain Celica as a bar to how well one could communicate with someone under a certain Influence, but it felt wrong not to try.

#convxction #know that you can count on me | feh verse #i’m proud to know you | rp #[ thats cold homie......... ]

[jasperlion]

@fellmother replied to your post:

{THE ESSAY. HAND IT OVER🫱}

[ I think I ought to get around to actually Making A Cool Essay About It because what I find most interesting about Valentian Succession itself (and the fact that people apparently miss it in their quest for wanting it to have Victorian Misogyny for some reason) is that the biggest and strongest example for how it works is Rudolf. He wasn't even the previous emperor's younger son or nephew or anything, he was like the cousin three(?) times removed at that point... but he just happened to have a brand, so Duma thought he was cooler than Rigel IV.

Aside from the fact both Zofia and Rigel were pretty much hyperfocused on who had a brand to pick the next ruler, there's also Mathilda and Clair to consider when people say Victorian Misogyny is real? The only reason Clive and Fernand oppose Clair becoming a part of the Order of Knights was because she was their widdle baby(and not the firstborn), not because she was a girl, or she wouldn't have been able to enlist at all if Women Couldn't Serve. Nobility had a responsibility to serve the crown in military service, sure, but only like the first child was mandatory (like Mathilda/Clive/Fernand) and they only had to serve a few months of the year (barring wars and emergencies), REGARDLESS of their gender. It was their right as to them being nobles. ]

#[ wulf speaks ] #fellmother #noble women who were not married and were the sole descendant of their parents would also have the right to rule the property too. #anyways if i make the post id have to haul over the sources etc but its super interesting to see that class was far more important than #anything else in the timeperiod... and it plays into valentia's thesis about a lot of it being a class war. #berkut had no problem with zofian nobles if they weren't his opponent and neither did the zofian nobles have problems with rigelian nobles #as to their land of origin.. their shared disdain was to the peasantry. #anyway this is getting long tldr i wanna shake people who think conrad should have been the next in line #hi mom (waves) #uuh oh yea postscript women did suffer misogyny but no the victorian version

[jasperlion]

*Claire is gonna help turn the bots into pin cushions/target practice!*

#and i havent seen bots since so i guess theyre all dead now #oh gods i looked right at the sun | crack #know that you can count on me | feh verse #campfire stories

[jasperlion]

[ Something something, small gripe I have with some people that argue Celica shouldn't have been the rightful heir when Conrad exists (older and a man), when what mattered to succession was never gender and age, but above all the brand. Gender was irrelevant, if you were the heir... you were the heir. Hell, the reason the royal house doesn't have the last name Zofia still is because the very first ruler (Zofia I) married and took the name of her spouse. ]

#[ wulf speaks ] #[ tbd ] #ngl its incredibly annoying #and lets not forget people who think victorian era misogyny is the be all end all guide to how women were treated in other times lfmao #anyway zofia i continued to be said ruler even after marriage because SHES THE ONE THAT GOT HANDPICKED BY MILA #which is what happens to fucking matter in valentia

[jasperlion]

"That was a real bad idea— even if you had worse I should apologize... huh?"

"Geez, there really IS no end to them."

Maybe they should toss them all in that big hole that lead to Hel... though that might cause a whole slew of OTHER problems.

"...Lord Alm? Maybe you should not fed your friend strange things anymore." Rinea was concerned. "...Does Sir Mordec need some...stomach medicine?" She wanted to at least try to help. Those bot things must be dangerous.

~*~

#oh gods i looked right at the sun | crack #know that you can count on me | feh verse #devotedrigelianflower #bigbluetiger

[jasperlion]

@bigbluetiger @devotedrigelianflower

and with our powers combined we can get rid of even more

#oh gods i looked right at the sun | crack #bigbluetiger #devotedrigelianflower

[jasperlion]

#thanks homie #oh gods i looked right at the sun | crack #indumasname

[jasperlion]

#oh gods i looked right at the sun | crack #my god these bots are dogs. i will report and block as usual

[jasperlion]

[ I was also liveblogging the fb to bern as i did it bc he doesn't play anymore lol ]

#[ wulf speaks ] #[ tbd ] #me and him going insane over our hcs being sort of canonized

[jasperlion]

[ I have Thoughts on the FB, let me tell you. ]

lets divide it into bits:

The fairies

Idc about them sorry.

Peony was wholesome and good on Triandra for finding out nightmares aren't hated. That's about all I have to say. I'm not sure how I felt about the Tharja segment tbh.

Sonya's Solo Story

For this I have nothing bad to say at all. I think Niime as a choice for someone for Sonya to talk to was a great idea, especially because they have a very similar history with the kind of magic that took away some of their family. Granted, the circumstances were Very Different, as is highlighted in the FB, but at least they have this to share in and research on together.

The Celica bit took me by surprise, I actually did not expect her to show up. However, I think it was also a good idea, seeing as Celica is probably the only person alive who has been turned into a witch and lived* to regain her true self. (*she did, however, have to die for it) Clearly, her circumstances were Special to say the least, but the fact it happened means saving a witch could be possible, perhaps even without the death part, they just have to keep looking. "The day I give up on trying to save my sisters is the day they truly die." Damn.

Mycen's Solo Story

It was nice to see FEH acknowledge that Alm was his own war tactician and is quite experienced and knowledgeable as a commander.

That said, we really could have done without Fjorm here beyond perhaps her role in being the player stand-in explaining Alm and Rudolf's beef if they hadn't played Gaiden/SoV.

I also feel it's a little odd of Rudolf to be avoiding Alm considering the Paralogue for Valentines literally ends on Alm and Rudolf trying to make amends and Talk (Celica pushing for it), and all of them going to the festival together. That said, it's not TOO odd, especially since this is a *different* Alm. It does feel like a bit of backpeddaling on the valentines event, though. Idk, I think this could have been elaborated more on.

Also, very silly of two old men to be arguing on who is responsible for Alm being who he turned out to be lol. No complaints on that, as much as it shows a little bit of what each other believes.

I do think it makes sense that Alm is a little sensitive about the patricide thing towards Rudolf and not Mycen simply because Rudolf in his world is already dead. There's no way to make peace with that, or amends with that. Mycen, however, is still alive. He probably already buried the hatchet with his adoptive grandfather by the point he got sent to Askr, so there's no need for sensitivity and hostility. To a point, anyways.

Anyway, mainly, all of this is minor 'eh... huh', my main issue is Fjorm being so prevalent in the story when it feels like she's just there to be a soundboard. Poor woman.

RIP Anna btw.

The FB Story Itself

I got jumpscared by the fact that it starts off ad verbatim like one of me and Bern's (@indumasname ) threads lol

I think the concept of the nothing, and the nightmares, is interesting.

Sonya's resolution with her own nightmares about being unable to save her sisters before she dies, and how they question her resolve, were touching and ended on a strong note. Very good stuff.

Mycen's, however...

That's the one I take issue with, of course, lol.

Mycen doesn't do anything to disprove what Alm and Celica say, he just speaks over them. Sure, they're nightmares, but they have a good point — he kinda threw two kids in a conflict he should have lead or at least could have assisted in.

In a way it felt more like writers trying to justify Mycen, but having no actual reasonable reason for him. Just "Well, he's right because they weren't shouldering it alone". Except adults around them forced them to take responsibility, and so did he, over a situation and world they had no hand in making at just 17.

It'd have felt more resolute if he had faced the children he harmed and admitted they're right, he DID put them in that situation. Maybe they weren't alone, but he set them on a path that forced them to grow up and suffer when they were barely adolescents, because he believed there was no other way to end the reign of the Gods. He believed in the prophecy, and while it worked out, they suffered for it. That would have at least felt like he was answering what the nightmares said… not just speaking over them and ignoring what they said. In a way, it made Mycen look like he constantly avoids the responsibility of what he did to those kids, and the writing put him in the right for it.

Closing thoughts

Alm vc

#[ wulf speaks ] #[ im not sure how to tag this lol ] #know that you can count on me | feh verse

[jasperlion]

"Oh, it's Grandfather! And... uh...

....

... Huh. Well! I can't imagine this will go... well?"

#know that you can count on me | feh verse #[ i havent played feh for 1000 years but the one time there's a new valentia banner its uh (checks notes) halfway taken over by fairies ] #[ anyway hi marla (waves) and hestia maybe? im not sure if hestia is here. i didn't see her ] #[ sonya gets an alt and also trauma ig ]

[jasperlion]

Friend Shaped it is

"So, uh... is this... a cat or a dog?"

#know that you can count on me | feh verse #oh gods i looked right at the sun | crack #for a while dog was winning. but in the end. the people spoke.

[jasperlion]

{Quotes:Nitya prakash/Richard siken ,crush}

#it’s man’s individual hopes and fears that shape the world | musing