#hundred acre hood

[wherethefireliliesgrow]

Moonlight Sunrise (Part 1)

Minatozaki Sana x reader

GENRE: angst, fluff, non-idol

TYPE: Short fic (part 1 out of 3 maybe?)

Slowly making your way down the dusty, unfamiliar roads, you passed several guards waving large indigo-purple flags.

“Only two more days before the labyrinth opens!” they yelled, “Find the Luminite Stone and save the princess from the labyrinth!”

Several men, presumably the best knights and warriors of their kingdoms, crowded around the guards, sizing each other up and boasting about their wins.

As you passed by the crowd, you quickly pulled down your hood, trying to avoid any suspicion. There was a low possibility that anyone recognized you, as you were more of an assassin, always with your face covered. However, you were worried that others from the same profession might be present as well.

It was almost time for the annual labyrinth challenge, where warriors and knights from all over the world traveled to the Minatozaki kingdom, one of the most powerful kingdoms existing, to save the princess and win her hand in marriage. The only child of King Minatozaki had been cursed by one of the eastern witches after they were accidentally omitted from the baby’s birth celebration. It was rumored that she had one of the most angelic faces to grace the earth, but right after her 17th birthday, she disappeared from public view altogether.

A labyrinth of a thousand acres suddenly appeared at the borders of the kingdom, shrouded by dark clouds and vine-covered walls thousands of meters high. In the core of the labyrinth was the Luminite stone, a stone that grants the beholder any wish, and the princess’s soul was also bound to the stone. The princess was said to only be seen in the labyrinth, forever lost in the dark.

King Minatozaki loved his daughter dearly. Although he was reluctant to marry her off to just anyone, he knew that he himself couldn’t manage to retrieve the stone with his daughter's soul from the labyrinth. He wanted his daughter free from the grasp of the labyrinth, so the only way to do so was to hold a competition every year when the gates to the labyrinth opened.

Anyone who managed to make it out alive with the stone would be able to have their wish granted, but at the same time, as they now had the stone, they would be in control of Princess Sana, and the entire kingdom would be inherited. This prompted countless greedy men to try, hoping to have their deepest desires fulfilled and to possess the most beautiful human to grace the earth. However, not once had anyone made it out alive from the past ten competitions, all disappearing mysteriously.

You couldn’t care less about owning an entire nation, let alone marrying a random princess that you had never seen. You were there for the one wish that would be granted by the Luminite Stone. You had someone to save, and that brought you out from the private, invisible life as an assassin.

.

.

.

.

The sun was setting as you finally reached the golden gates of the castle. Its towering walls, adorned with intricate carvings and banners bearing the kingdom's crest, loomed majestically against the dusky sky. Each night leading up to the competition for the week, the King hosted lavish banquets within the castle's celestial halls.

These gatherings weren't just about food; they were a spectacle, ensuring the competitors were not only well-fed but also immersed in the grandeur of the kingdom. Newcomers were welcomed with open arms, and given the chance to register, mingle, and familiarize themselves with the labyrinth's complexities before the daunting challenge ahead. After all, this was probably the last time they would ever have something to eat before they met their end in the labyrinth.

The banquet hall buzzed with hundreds of men, their voices echoing off the walls. You spotted a few familiar faces from your past travels but made a beeline for the reception, preferring not to draw attention. After all, the labyrinth held not only unknown monsters but human threats as well.

“Name?” the page asked without looking up, his tired face buried in countless scrolls of paper.

“Hwang Y/N,” you muttered, shifting uncomfortably and pulling your hood even higher over your face.

The page paused, his hands trembling slightly as he looked up at you. His eyes widened in shock, and he pushed his glasses closer to his eyes, clearing his throat.

“Hwang Y/N? The NightWalker?”

You nodded, expressionless, as the man cowered in fear.

“I-I didn’t expect you to participate in these events.”

“Is that a problem?”

“N-no… of course not. I guess even assassins have an eye for beauty,” he nervously laughed, expecting you to agree.

You narrowed your eyes at his comment, disbelieving how even those who worked for the princess treated her as an object.

“You should keep your mouth shut before I cut off your tongue,” you whispered in his ear, watching with satisfaction as he fumbled with his pen.

Before you could do anything else, a warm arm wrapped around your shoulders. Instinctively, you reached for your small knife, but the intruder's hand firmly grasped yours, firm yet unthreatening.

“Now now, Hwang. That’s not how you greet an old friend, is it?”

You turned to see Momo, one of your close colleagues before she became head of security for the Minatozaki Kingdom.

“Hirai,” you sighed, pulling her into a hug.

“Fancy seeing you here, stranger. It’s been, what, three years since I last heard from you?”

“Five,” you grinned, feeling more at ease with Momo by your side.

“Yes! Exactly! Ever since you took down the Kim Clan, you just disappeared,” she sighed dramatically, leading you toward a table filled with exotic cuisines. She grabbed a bottle of champagne, taking a sip before passing it to you.

“The hero of the century, gone without a sound, forever remaining a mystery. Face unseen, name forever known. Until now,” she said as if narrating a fairy tale. “She shows the world her face, to save the damsel in distress.”

You rolled your eyes and took a swig of champagne. “I’m not here for the princess or power.”

“Whichever reason you are here for, I won’t pry. I’ll just be cheering you on from the sidelines.” Momo smirked, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. Her respect for your privacy was always something you loved about her.

“Anyway, I have to get back to my duties. Let’s catch up tomorrow before the challenge.” She says loudly, before whispering in your ear, “take the door on the left, and go down two flights of stairs. You’ll find the backdoor to the garden.”

As if nothing happened, she straightened up and breezed away toward a small crowd that was about to break into a fight.

You watched Momo easily tackle a barbaric man down to the floor, without drawing her sword. The crowd of onlookers quickly dispersed as Momo stood up with one of her feet on the man’s stomach, looking challenging for anyone daring to cause more trouble in her land. She caught your eye and grinned, giving you a goofy thumbs-up before changing back to her serious face.

You chuckled, grabbing an apple and the champagne, before slipping to the darker corners of the kingdom undetected. Momo working here was a blessing in disguise, she gave you the chance to get to investigate the labyrinth before the challenge.

.

.

.

.

As you navigated down a murky corridor, the air thick with the scent of age and dampness, you descended what felt like more than two flights of stairs, each step creaking under your weight. At last, you stumbled upon a wooden door, its frame nearly crumbling with decay from years of neglect and exposure to the elements.

Pushing it open with a groan, you were surprised to find yourself greeted by a scene of unexpected beauty. The garden beyond was bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, casting ethereal shadows upon the grounds. Dewdrops reflected the moonlight like diamonds on the grass, their gentle shimmering a stark contrast to the dark, cloudy skies looming over the labyrinth just meters away.

The metal walls that surrounded the garden appeared rusted and weather-beaten, their once sturdy facade now worn and rusted. You couldn't help but wonder if they were enough to keep people out, let alone the rumored monsters said to lurk within the labyrinth's depths.

Taking another swig of your champagne, you wandered around the walls, the sound of your footsteps echoing softly in the still night air. Peering into the swirling mist, you strained your ears and thought you heard faint roars emanating from within. Yet, in the eerie silence of the garden, you couldn't be certain if they were real or merely figments of your imagination, born from the ominous atmosphere that surrounded you.

"Guess I won’t be getting anything out of this tonight," you thought, sighing as you took a seat on one of the forlorn benches near the metal bars.

Taking an apple out of your coat pocket, you polished it on your sleeve. Just as you were about to bite into it, an eerily soft voice echoed from the shadows looming over the corner.

"Can I have some?" A hooded figure emerged, causing you to leap to your feet.

Despite your assassin training, you hadn’t heard her approach.

The figure slowly removed her hood, revealing long, almost white blonde hair that seemed to reflect the moonlight. She was around the same age as you, her face perfectly sculpted but haunted, with dark circles under her eyes.

“I mean no harm,” she raised her ghostly pale arms in surrender.

You narrowed your eyes in suspicion but nodded nonetheless, despite the blood in your body pumping in a fight. It was obvious that this being was not entirely human, but you were in no condition to fight a monstrous being before the competition. The stone was what was important, so you were willing to do anything to avoid conflicts before the challenge.

The girl walked slowly towards you, her posture and grace as if she came from royalty, and sat down on the bench. She looked up at your standing figure expectantly, giving you a soft smile as you finally sat down.

You reached into your coat to pull out a small knife, and the girl immediately flinched. But you simply used the knife to peel the apple, before slicing a piece and putting it onto her hand.

“Thanks,” she muttered, before nibbling on the piece of apple.

You took a good look at the girl. She was thin, too thin, as if she would be blown away by the wind.

“You can call me Luna,” she said finally, still nibbling on the small piece of apple.

You gave a small chuckle at the irony of her name. She did indeed look like the moon goddess herself.

“What’s so funny?”

You shrugged, continuing to slice more pieces of apples for the girl. You saw her glaring at you from the corner of your eye, letting out huffs of frustration when you never said anything.

“Normally when someone introduces themselves to you, you do the same in return,” she said annoyed. Her annoyance made her seem human, and this eased your nerves a bit.

“I’m Hwang Y/N,” your lips twitched, trying not to smile at the way Luna chewed on the apple angrily.

“I like your name,” she said grudgingly, reaching over to grab your champagne without asking.

“What about it?” It wasn’t often that someone didn’t flinch when they heard your name.

“Hwang,” Luna explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, before chugging down half the bottle of champagne.

“It means bright, right? Like the sunrise.”

“Yeah, and?” you asked, reaching over to grab the champagne from her hands. “Stop stealing my shit.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the sun,” she muttered. “Wish I could see the sunrise.”

“Why can’t you?” you asked, turning around to look at her.

Luna ignored your question, instead turning her body towards you.

“What are you doing here, Y/N?” she raised her big eyes to look at you, her eyes suddenly glowing a faint crimson in the honey-brown hues.

She was definitely not fully human.

You shivered slightly, both in fear and something else, attraction. No, it must be because you felt sorry for her. The poor girl seemed to not have access to much food.

“Thought I could get some clues here before the challenge,” you said honestly.

“Are you looking to win the princess over, too?” she asked with a hint of bitterness in her tone. “To control her as if she was a puppet?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

You hesitated, knowing it wasn’t smart to share anything with strangers, you knew that. But there was something about this girl that you couldn’t seem to put a finger on, it was as if her aura could power all your feelings. You couldn’t do anything but tell her the truth. It was as if she casted a spell on you, her glowing eyes controlling every move.

“I need that stone. I need to get that wish so that I can save my sister.”

Luna’s eyes softened slightly, the glowing red fading and turning back to the original brown color. You felt your body instantly relax.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s sick. She’s been sick for a few months and there’s nothing the doctors can do. Time is running out so I have to hurry.”

The image of your little sister lying in bed, her once lively face now sunken and yellow, her eyes devoid of their usual spark, sends a shiver down your spine. The very thought grips your heart. It was her condition that drove you to show your true identity and take part in this dumb challenge, revealing yourself to the public eye, and relinquishing your assassin status. Now that everyone knew what you looked like, it was inevitable that a bounty would be put on your head.

“I’m sorry,” Luna said, her voice gentle.

Her hand raised slightly as if she wanted to hold yours in comfort but thought better of it.

You shook your head and looked down at your knees. You couldn’t let anyone sense your weakness.

You heard Luna get up from you, this time finally being able to hear her movements.

“I hope you win, Y/N,” she said, her voice soothing, passing warmth throughout your body, instantly making you feel better.

She put a small black object in your lap, a compass.

You looked up and found her walking backward towards the metal walls, a smile playing on her lips. She looked younger when she smiled, innocent even.

"Take the path on the far right, then follow my compass," she instructed, her voice echoing faintly as she effortlessly passed through the metal bars and vanished into the dark mist.

"I'll lead you the way."

You shivered, utterly enchanted and spooked by that humanlike being.

After a moment, you finally shifted your attention to the compass in your hands. It was an exquisite piece, adorned with golden rings and silver arrows.

You flipped to the back of the compass, and there, engraved in elegant wording:

Minatozaki Sana

Next chapter

Been wanting to get this out to you guys for a while now! It's quite different from what I usually write, so let me know if you want to see more of this.

#gxg #kpop fanfic #kpop imagines #wlw #twice x reader #twice fic #kpop fic #wherethefireliliesgrow #itzy #twice #sana #twice sana #sana x reader #minatozaki sana #minatozaki sana x reader #sana imagines #fem reader

[seat-safety-switch]

"Oh bother," said Winnie the Pooh, who was at this exact moment in time very much outside of copyright and placed well into the public domain, "my car won't start." Indeed, Pooh Bear had quite the predicament on his hands. His 1966 Charger's numbers-unmatching 318-cubic-inch polysphere V8 had been equipped, largely inexplicably, with a four-barrel Rochester Quadrajet® carburetor. A previous owner's work, no doubt.

Eventually, his little friend Piglet came tootling down the lane. Piglet had been out earlier that day, in his twin-supercharged Nash Metropolitan, and he remembered that when he left, Pooh Bear had been under the hood of the Dodge, swearing loudly. And now: he still was. A repair that took longer to complete than it did for Piglet's relatively easy-going highway cruising speed to traverse the length of the Hundred Acre Woods? That did seem like a Very Large Problem.

Eeyore was already there, in Pooh's carport, telling the bear exactly what was wrong. "Torn carb gasket," the donkey sighed. "I'm sure of it." Pooh, being a bear of very little brain, did not listen to his friend's measured suggestion, and looked straight past the glob of RTV that clung, half boiled, to the top of his intake manifold.

That's when Tigger showed up, bouncing on a Vespa travelling at a significant portion of c. The exposed connectors of the pouch-style vape batteries powering the Vespa's eight-kilowatt e-bike motor threw a shower of sparks onto the road with every jounce and pounce.

"Hoo hoo hoo!" shouted Tigger. "Can't stop now, my throttle cable just caught fire!"

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This is Blackberry Castle built in 2004 in Portland, Oregon has 6bd. 6ba. and is listed for $5M. 

This particular home does have lots of castle-like elements, but it also has a number of modern luxury features mixed in, so it’s kind of a castle hybrid.

For instance, in the courtyard garden, they have some Medieval architecture and some modern. Note “The Oasis” sign for the bar. You wouldn’t see that in a castle. 

The bar is very well-equipped. 

This is beautiful. 

You’ll notice that there are small spaces, like this one, throughout the house.

Looking at it straight on, the kitchen doesn’t look gigantic. 

But, it’s a very convenient work setup and has a wonderful exhaust hood. I love the two toned cabinets and the fancy farm sinks.

Plenty of space for dining in. 

Look at the big stone fireplace in the sitting room. Floor to ceiling windows provide great views of the gardens. 

Above is a mezzanine. I don’t know what other color wall there could be, but I never cared for gold. It would cost too much to redo. 

A 2 story library with a 2 story fireplace. Giant clock and compass in the ceiling.

Look at the carpet in the home theater. This is more like a Baroque style- love the blue lights in the ceiling.

All castles need a tower staircase. Look at the clouds painted on the border.

Here’s another one of those small spaces. This one has only an organ. This would give off cool Addams Family vibes. I wonder if it conveys.

I would say that this is the main bd. The ceiling looks like a wheel (I wonder if it’s an antique farm tool) and it has a nice stone fireplace and a terrace.

A bronze tub and beautiful shower.

Look at the fancy sink.

One of the secondary bds. 

Now, this is beautiful. Pink clouds. 

What a large wine cellar. It would hold hundreds of bottles.

This must be the patio under the main bd. terrace.

The house comes with 6.40 woodsy acres.

View from the upper floor.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/14125-NW-Germantown-Rd-Portland-OR-97231/53996641_zpid/

#castle house #stone architecture #houses #house tours #home tour

[disney-is-mylife]

Your list of Disney genres sounds very interesting

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED

(fair warning: I am Bad at Making Graphs, so I'm literally gonna just type out the lists. Hopefully, it'll make some sense shbdgvdf)

OKAY SO

The 61 (so far) of the Walt Disney Animation Studios feature films can be split into 5 major categories:

Animals (20 films)

Princess (14 films)

General Fantasy (11 films)

Sci-Fi (8 films)

Package (8 films)

~~~~~

Tier 1 - Package:

We start the list with the film that encapsulates several genres, but with an emphasis on music:

Fantasia (1940)

Fantasia 2000 (1999/2000)

Then, we morph into more story features, with music still being the focus:

Make Mine Music (1946)

Melody Time (1948)

and then it becomes more "proper" feature-length, only split into two:

Fun & Fancy Free (1947)

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

and finally, a bit of a wild card, but we delve into "societies" and fully bipedal anthropomorphic characters with Donald, José, and later, Panchito:

Saludos Amigos (1943)

The Three Caballeros (1945)

From there, we drop down to our biggest category:

~~~~~

Tier 2 - Animals:

There are 20 Disney films that are solidly Animal films, which makes up a THIRD of Disney's line-up. The three major sub-categories are:

Animal Society

Domesticated/Trained Animals

Wild Animals

Jumping down The Three Caballeros in Tier 1, we start with movies with a fully Animal Society, with zero humans:

Zootopia (2016)

Chicken Little (2005)

Robin Hood (1973)

then it blends more into human society, but with a still distinct hidden animal society that wears clothes and walk like humans:

The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

The Rescuers (1977)

The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

We then go into the Domesticated Animal category, with The Aristocats as the "bridge," since it features animals that wear clothes and play instruments lol:

The Aristocats (1970)

101 Dalmatians (1961)

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Oliver & Company (1988)

Bolt (2008)

Home on the Range (2004)

Dumbo (1941)

The Fox and the Hound (1981)

The last one is another "bridge," this time to Wild Animals, which is split more or less evenly between "with humans" and "no humans":

Brother Bear (2003)

Tarzan (1999)

The Jungle Book (1967)

Bambi (1942)

The Lion King (1994)

Dinosaur (2000)

Now, let's go back to Brother Bear and drop down to:

~~~~~

Tier 3 - General Fantasy

This category is bit harder to split, but in essence:

Children's Lit

NOT Children's Lit (lol)

Okay, so, let me go down the list to see if it makes sense:

With Brother Bear as our drop-down from Tier 2, we start our list with mythological settings (the "NOT Children's Lit," if you will), starting with another arrogant youth who is unwittingly transformed into an animal, then classic mythology:

The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

Hercules (1997)

Which then leads to more "grounded" fantasy, but still fairly "mature" audiences:

Encanto (2021)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

and then deeper into medieval style...

The Black Cauldron (1985)

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

except now, with Sword in the Stone as the "bridge," we're officially in "Children's Lit" territory, with a focus on British Lit:

Pinocchio (1940)

Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Peter Pan (1953)

slowly becoming more and more dreamlike, until we reach the "wonderful world of make-believe" with our friends in the Hundred Acre Wood:

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

Winnie the Pooh (2011)

Now, let's go back to the start of this tier, Emperor's New Groove, and drop-down to another "royal turned into an animal for a lesson" with....

~~~~~

Tier 4 -Princess:

Okay, first context: I know there's some debate on which Princess films "count," but for this list's sake, here are the ones I'm counting:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Cinderella (1950)

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

The Little Mermaid (1989)

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Aladdin (1992)

Pocahontas (1995)

Mulan (1998)

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Tangled (2010)

Frozen (2013)

Moana (2016)

Frozen 2 (2019)

Raya and the Last Dragon (2020)

(Remember, this is ONLY including WDAS, so Brave doesn't count here. Moving on.)

Of the fourteen films, there are four sub-categories:

Prince/Princess (3)

Prince/Peasant Girl (3)

Princess/Peasant Boy (technically 4, counting Frozen 2)

Technically Not a Princess (4)

Now, that said, how do these categories work with my "drop-down" point from Emperor's New Groove? Well, we start with Prince/Peasant Girl first with:

The Princess and the Frog

Beauty and the Beast

Cinderella

All three had direct enchantment lead to their romances, to varying degrees, starting with genuine transformations to merely a magic dress and coach. But naturally, so did others, which takes us to our Prince/Princess pairings, starting with the OG:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Sleeping Beauty

The Little Mermaid

Now, we switch things up and go to the "Technically Not a Princess" category, jumping off the ocean theme to:

Moana

Raya and the Last Dragon

Mulan

Pocahontas

leading lastly to Princess/Peasant Boy:

Aladdin

Tangled

Frozen

Frozen 2

And as it so happens, the Frozen films are the only "official" princesses who turn into queens..... which drops-down into a largely forgotten film with another Disney princess-turned-queen:

~~~~~

Tier 5 - Sci-Fi

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

from there, we travels to other worlds, with some familiarity of our world,

Strange World (2022)

Treasure Planet (2002)

Lilo & Stitch (2002)

to our futuristic worlds,

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

Big Hero 6 (2014)

and finally, a "hidden" world within our own:

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

~~~~~

So! There you have it! I wish I had graph making skills to make this easier to understand lol ^^"

#Star answers #Starling ramblings #anon #Disney #Walt Disney Animation Studios #Disney animation #Disney movies #Disnerd #Disnerd issues #this is what keeps me up at night lmao #you get me going on Disney films and I will literally NOT STOP #20 notes

[pluckyredhead]

Red Hood and the Outlaws #2 (2011)

I'm continuing to make choices.

At least Roy remembered to string his bow this time.

When we last left our hero, he had returned to the headquarters of the All-Caste to find a dead old woman named Ducra. Issue #2 begins with a flashback of Talia taking a recently resurrected Jason to "the Hundred Acres of All," which I guess is supposed to sound cool but just makes me think of Winnie the Pooh. Jason meets Ducra, he sasses her, she kicks his ass but agrees to train him.

Cut to "three hours ago" and Jason and Roy on a plane:

Jason dresses extremely formally in this run and it does feel pretty incongruous to me because Jason doesn't strike me as someone who cares for formality or appearances. I've chosen to headcanon this as Jason rigidly emulating Alfred and Bruce's notions of adult male fashion, especially in situations in which he's uncomfortable, because if he can project wealth and power the way Bruce does, maybe people won't see his painful backstory and soft underbelly. It doesn't really work with Jason's love of telling everyone his trauma to make them feel bad for him, but...look, man, RHATO is incredibly bougie, I don't know what to tell you.

Roy, meanwhile, is essentially just a series of scribbles. "Stage three clinger" is kinda funny, though.

(Roy is actually historically very, very good at not clinging to the people who are constantly abandoning him, but he latches onto Jason for dear life. I know that's because this Lobdell has never read a Roy comic before this, or anything at all including a cereal box or his own sentences he has just written, but I choose to believe it's because Jason is special.)

Oh, Isabel, honey. Don't bother climbing unprofessionally into the next seat like a lunatic. The man is Undateable.

(I'm not posting every panel but on the next page she gets him a second drink - "Soft drink, extra ice" - and Jason's like "Good memory!" "SOFT DRINK" IS NOT THE NAME OF A DRINK. "Liquid in a cup." "Good memory!")

Anyway Isabel hurls herself at Jason for a few more panels and then gives him her number and Jason fully and completely cannot process it for some reason:

I know Jason is supposed to come off in this series like a cool macho dude getting all the ladies, but scenes like this just...don't work? If Jason is supposed to be a stud who has already hooked up with Talia, Essence, Rose, and Kori, why can he literally not complete a sentence here? I feel like this reads much more like a very, very young man who missed most of his teen dating years to death and vengeance and has very little experience.

They arrive in Hong Kong, where Kori meets them in a limo. Why fly away from Kori and then meet her in a limo? Apparently just to show Jason and Kori both spending conspicuously so that readers will know they are rich and therefore cool, and for no narrative or characterization purpose. How did Kori get money? Hush your mouth.

Is the "gorilla" in the room Dick? Both Kori and Jason explicitly stated in the previous issue that she doesn't remember him, so why would she be upset here? Is it that Jason and Kori have supposedly slept together and now Roy and Kori are sleeping together? Both Jason and Kori have ALSO explicitly stated that they don't care. Is this dialogue meaningless? Yes!

Jason refuses to take them to his safe house because last time he did they "soiled [his] sheets," which I'm taking as confirmation that they did in fact fuck in his bed last issue. In the safe house, he finds a woman named Suzie Su and her henchmen, who he quickly shoots a bunch and seemingly kills. We don't know who Suzie is or why this matters.

Cut to the team jumping out of a helicopter over the Himalayas during a freak thunderstorm, where we learn that Jason has gloves with metal wings that allow him to fly or at least glide. This is dumb, but it's extra dumb when you remember that Lobdell gave Tim an almost identical gimmick at the same time in Teen Titans. (He writes Jason and Tim identically in general: hyper competent and extremely bougie Gary Stus with the comebacks of a dull 12-year-old.)

They land in the All-Caste HQ to find everyone dead.

NOW HOLD ON JUST A DING-DANGED MINUTE. In issue #1, we explicitly saw Jason leave Roy and Kori in bed and come here for that scene in the middle panel, alone. Now supposedly Roy and Kori are there? We are an issue and a half in and there's already a massive continuity error? WHY DID THIS MAN GET PAID TO WRITE THIS BOOK FOR TEN YEARS???

The All-Caste come back as zombies (why? not explained) and the Outlaws fight them while Jason flashes back to being trained by them, which is just another generic fight scene. At one point Jason calls the All-Caste warriors "the greatest people I have ever known," but like...we haven't gotten a chance to know any of them, so who cares.

Anyway. Jason is sad, and then tells the others "Let's go kick some ass...team." THE END.

Here's the thing. Whenever you're starting a new story, a new comic, a new universe, whatever, there are always going to be things the reader doesn't know, and gradually learns as the story unfolds. It's not a bad thing that there are some unanswered questions.

However, we don't have any actual sense of who the All-Caste were, what they can do, or how long Jason stayed with them. We aren't shown any significant interactions or relationships between him and Ducra or the generic warriors, none of whom have names or distinguishable faces. There's a little uncreatively quippy dialogue from Ducra, but no actual reason for us to care. To follow this plotline, we need to either like Jason or understand the importance of this relationship or the stakes of the Untitled, and none of that has been sold in these two issues. In fact, I don't think the Untitled are even mentioned in this issue. (I mean, I do like Jason, but not because he wore a fat suit, bragged about fucking Kori, and killed some people, which is all he's done so far in this book.)

We also don't know who Essence is or what her history is with Jason or the All-Caste. And we don't know who Suzie Su is, why she was in Jason's safe house, or whether it matters that he (apparently) killed her. We know nothing about Kori except that she knows nothing about herself, and even less about Roy.

Again, some questions are fine and even good, but this many questions makes the book a parade of disconnected, uninteresting events we don't have any reason to care about. Which isn't a big deal when you're marathoning the series through dubious means in 2023, but I sure as hell wouldn't have paid $2.99 every month for this shit back in 2011.

#jason todd #red hood #roy harper #arsenal #starfire #red hood and the outlaws #rhato reread

[rrcenic]

hey you guys should read the winnie the pooh/bee movie (with a camp camp reference because i was a basic bitch) short horror story i wrote in 7th grade

cw for blood, violence, substance abuse, addiction, and overall gore/horror

Morning dawned on the little cottage in the Hundred Acre Wood. The little yellow furry yawned, stretched his legs, and slowly waddled to his bathroom. He looked in the mirror and saw Winnie the Pooh, an innocent little bear.

Well, at least, he used to be an innocent little bear.

It had been 6 years since Christopher Robin left for boarding school.

6 years since the honey addiction started.

6 years since he started trying to find his father.

8 months ago, Owl’s black market trade of honey smuggled in from America had gone dry. Apparently, the bees had revolted against the honey companies. But Pooh had enough. 

Until he didn't.

Honey substitutes kept him sane, but they weren't enough. He had psychotic breakdowns, he was shaky, unstable. And worst of all: Christopher Robin never responded to his texts.

Piglet couldn't take it anymore. He did some digging online and found records of possible families. He gave Pooh the address of an investigation bureau. 

So he traveled to America, with a note to the office. But at this point he’d given up on finding his family. He now had one goal in mind: 

Find honey

Pooh pulled his black hoodie over his head as he jumped out of the white van. He quickly clipped the barbed wires and snuck into the abandoned honey farm. Sneaking in was highly illegal, and just the slightest creak made 

Pooh jump. He took a deep breath and kept walking.

The abandoned hives had started to decay, the honey had rotted and turned red. In this lighting, Pooh could have sworn it looked like...blood… 

No! he thought, It's just my imagination… 

He stopped, and sniffed, his little black nose sticking tentatively out of his hood, his yellow snout scrunched up...did he smell what he thought he smelled?

Honey!

Pooh ran towards the hive, forgetting about the idea of staying secret. Sweet, sweet honey! He began to shovel it into his mouth, when he heard a small voice.

“Hey! Don't you know the laws!” shouted a bee, standing there with his arms crossed.

“It's just a little honey!” Pooh pouted.

“If you take another mouthful of that honey, you will forever pay the consequences!” the bee continued. “You’ll face the wrath of me, Barry B. Benso-”

Pooh had run out of patience. He quickly stomped on the bee and continued eating, convinced that the bee was dead and he wouldn't be bothered again. He scampered over to another hive.

Behind him, Barry’s hand twitched.

When he was full, he filled his van with as many jars of honey as possible. Pooh knew he had to get out of there fast, so while he left, he didn't pay attention to the 25 mph speed limit sign, and was half-an-hour away from the old farm when he first heard the police sirens. He sighed and pulled over.

However, the police officer immediately noticed the sticky red stuff on his yellow paws. “And one more question,” the officer asked after Pooh received the ticket. “What is that?”

Pooh panicked. Honey was illegal now, and he didn't want to be put in jail. “Uhhhh, corn syrup?” he cringed.

“Oh, really?” the officer scoffed. “It looks suspiciously like... blood.”

“It's not! I swear!” Pooh shouted.

The officer grabbed his paw. “Wait, is this honey?”

Pooh hit the gas

He quickly found a place to sleep. A dingy motel, the color of mildew, that smelled like wet socks. Pooh was so tired from the police chase and the jet lag, and the honey effects were starting to wear off. Pooh sighed and rolled over. He tried to sleep, but a little scratching noise on the wall kept him awake. Eventually, he sighed, took a swig of honey, and stood up.

“What is that noise?” he asked. Pooh looked over to the small, dirty window. It was open, and there was a hole in the bug screen. Small enough for a bee to fit in...

I'm just paranoid, he assured himself. Barry is dead. I killed him...didn't I?

“You didn't do a good job of it.” a buzzing whisper echoed around the room. 

“Barry?! How are you alive! How do you know what I'm thinking?!” Pooh screeched.

“Oh Pooh, I was never alive. I’m not a normal bee.” Barry smiled a crooked, dead smile. “And you’ve destroyed my mortal body and taken my bee syrup. I'm here for revenge.”

“B-b-but where are you?” Pooh whimpered.

“We are right outside your window” the voice responded.

We? Pooh though. But he’s only one bee...

Pooh looked outside and let out a shriek.

Swarms of bees crowded around his small window. And they looked intent on revenge. Pooh quickly hid the jar behind his back and slammed the window.

Two hours had passed and Pooh was still cowering in his room. Sure, he had stolen some honey. Sure, he had squished the lead bee. But how did Barry get here so fast? Who were the other bees? Eventually, his curiosity got the better of him.

Pooh cracked the window. “Uhm, so sorry to bother you, but...who are you?” he whispered cautiously.

“We are Barry B. Benson, the reincarnation of every bee you’ve ever stolen honey from, and we are here to make sure it never happens again. Barry NEVER forgets. In fact, we are already on the path to vengeance.” the bees screeched in unison. 

“What-what have you done?” Pooh whimpered.

Barry smiled. “Why do you think Christopher Robin won't  talk to you?”

“H-he’s at school, he may have forgotten-”

The bees began to cackle as Barry held up a rotted head. Pooh’s vision clouded. No, no, no- 

He was paralized by the indescribable sight.

(authors note: i edited this at age 12 im sorry)

Pooh ran.

The flight back is in 20 minutes, Pooh told himself. I’ll be fine, it'll be fine. He had all of his honey hidden under his fur coat, which blended in with his fuzzy yellow figure. As soon as he could see the JFK check-in, he slammed on the breaks and ran for it. Through check-in, through security, through international customs, and to Gate 1B of British Airways. The stewardess offered him a cup of coffee. He panicked and threw it back at her, covering her in boiling liquid and mumbling something about wanting tea. The seatbelt signs came on, and Pooh relaxed. He was safe now, there was no way Barry could find him here.

On the back of the plane, a woman asked the grumpy stewardess why there were thousands of bees outside her window.

Cameron Campbell was not your average man. He’d had several crumbling careers, including a failed fast-food chain called McCampbells, a Russian honey-smuggling business, a mini war with Kentucky, and a summer camp. But he’d spent his time in jail towards becoming a better person, and was ready for his first day as a co-pilot. His partner had gone to use the bathroom and left him steering the plane. He smiled, his grey mustache shining in the sun, and turned on the speaker. 

“This is your captain speaking. We’re currently passing over the Atlantic Ocean. That island you can see in the distance is-” 

He was momentarily distracted by a half-decomposed bee holding an ax above his head. Cameron dropped the speaker and screamed. “WHAT?! WHO ARE YOU- PLEASE DON'T KILL ME, PLEASE-”

With the speed of a bullet, it lodged itself deep into Cameron’s eye. With one last scream, his body went limp. Barry B. Beson was deep in Cameron’s brain. Barry concentrated hard, and bees swarmed Cameron’s eyes. Barry was now in complete control. Cameron’s body smiled and steered straight down, towards the ocean.

“We apologize for the noise and turbulence. Please remain calm. Everything will be fine.” 

He clicked off the microphone and locked the cockpit door.

Pooh knew what had happened. He didn't know how it had happened, but he knew that voice. Barry had found him. Pooh ran as fast as he could, but he knew it was pointless. He was trapped. 

The bees began to swarm throughout the plane, attacking the other passengers. Pooh hid under a seat, in an empty dog cage. The buzzing suddenly stopped. Pooh looked up. 

There were people sprawled everywhere, covered in stinger scratches and dripping with red. Pooh tried not to vomit at the sight. A small child stirred. Pooh ran over, trying to see if he was alive. 

“H-hello? Are you quite well?” he whispered.

The child turned around. In her empty eyes, Pooh could see the familiar glare of Barry B. Benson. 

“Oh, I feel just nifty, Winnie benson.” it creaked softly. 

“B-Benson? What?” Pooh stuttered.

“That's right, pooh. Why do you think you like honey so much? It runs   in the family.” Barry’s voice echoed.

In a way, Pooh realized he’d succeeded. He’d found his father. But all these people would be alive if he hadn't. 

The lifeless bodies of the passengers stood up and smiled at Pooh, blood dripping from their empty sockets. There was nowhere Pooh could run. He slammed on the cockpit door, knowing it would make no difference. Tears streamed down his face. No, no, no, this wasn't how it ended!

The door opened. Pooh ran inside and leaned against the door. He had about 3 minutes till the swarm penetrated the metal barrier.

Pooh curled up into a ball and screamed. He shouldn't have come here at all. Should have listened to his friends. There was no one to blame but himself. All the bees he’d killed had come back to find him. He’d tried to hide from it, but it was true. There was nowhere he could go where his past couldn't catch up. Nowhere he could run where his problems couldn't find him.

He noticed the parachute bag, 5 feet away from him. There was still hope for the little yellow bear! He wiped his nose, then quickly strapped the bag on and opened the emergency exit door.  Pooh thought about everything he had to live for, took a deep breath, and jumped.

Pooh was falling fast. He fearfully pulled the parachute. It opened and-

He kept falling. Pooh panicked and looked up. The parachute was full of little, bee-shaped holes. In one last moment of paralyzing fear for what would happen now, he managed to squeak, “Oh, bother!” before he hit the water.

They never found any trace of Winne the Pooh ever again, except for a small, empty jar of honey with his TikTok username scrolled on the bottom. They never found the bees, either. But legend tells us that every time you take the life of a bee, its soul joins the ever-growing form of Barry B. Benson.

And Barry never forgets.

#i found it when going through old old docs and it made me giggle #i got an A because my teacher was lazy #nics stuff #winnie the pooh #the bee movie #camp camp

[ultraericthered]

So this post and this one got me thinking more about what a darker, grittier, more twisted and deconstructive (but still very whimsical, wholesome and heart-filled) take on Winnie The Pooh would look like, and since Pooh’s now in the public domain, such a thing isn’t in the realm of the impossible anymore, and would certainly be a more worthwhile contribution to Pooh canon and society as a whole than...that thing. What I lean towards is a three season TV series in a similar vein to Amphibia where low stakes small stories and comedy meets with a larger, steadily building overarching narrative that leads to bigger revelations and higher stakes conflict. Said conflict has to arise from somewhere, so I thought up four OCs to bring it with them!

Context: This hypothetical series would be an Elsewords take on Winnie The Pooh from the main Disney depictions that reframes the Hundred Acre Wood as a vast, magical Eden of regrown nature and wildlife located in Sussex, England on a post-apocalyptic Earth. Christopher Robin is a orphaned boy who lives in a nature-overgrown neigborhood in Sussex and has secret access to the Wood, where he’s befriended some friendly cryptids with very plush animal-like appearances. All the classic Pooh tales transpired until one day Christopher had to leave at behest of his caretakers. In this story’s present day, Christopher is a young adult who returns to the Hundred Acre Wood and learns some deep, dark secrets about it that he’d never known in the childhood he left behind, such as the connection between the Wood denizens and the higher spirits of nature, the crystal stones that keep effect the way time flows within the Wood, why creatures such as Heffalumps, Woozles, and Jagulars are as they are, and the unnatural evil that lurks beneath the Wood’s soil...

Credit to @disneyfan50​, who put forward what could very well work as an ongoing flashback storyline in the first season, prior to the emergence of the first OC seen on this post in the present day tale.

And now, here they are - my OC Bad Guys!

John Jagular emerges as the chief antagonist of the story, the ruler of the hidden Jagulars’ Vale who, in response to the natural resource scarity in his dominion, seeks to turn the Hundred Acre Wood into his first ever colony and tax the shit out of them so that a portion of their goods (hunny, hacorns, sticks, herbs and plant-life, Rabbit’s vegetables, etc.) can go to Jagular’s Vale. Much as he wants to be taken seriously as a soverign monarch, King John is quite a hapless and oafish figure who normally fails. His basis is the character of King John, who appeared in a handful of poems by A.A Milne, and he is a partial Expy of Prince John from Disney’s Robin Hood. He’d be voiced by Alan Tudyk (w/ his Clayface and King River voice)

Kaleb Jingswell is the unexpected human antagonist, a competitor of Christopher Robin’s who’s put his foot down in land development and real estate business, meaning yes, he does exactly what you’d think he’d do: tries to secure a deal for the Hundred Acre Woods to get bulldozed and made into the future site of homes for humans. While many are in need of homes in this post-apocalyptic setting, his intent is not to help the needy but simply to spite Christopher by desecrating his childhood playground. Much like John Jagular, Kaleb is heavy on comedic relief despite his cruelty and wickedness. He is a suspiciously similar character to Giles WInslow Jr. from Christopher Robin (2018), but he also has influences in Big City Greens’ Chip Whistler and El Hazard’s Katsuhiko Jinnai (same initials even!) He’d be voiced by Kyle McCarley (Simon Laurent from Infinity Train, etc.).

Sylvester T. Reynard is the true villain of the piece, a suspicious fox who roams around the woods in clownish get-up, always claiming to be conveniently exactly what someone might need him to be at that given moment. Feigning friendliness to Pooh and friends, Reynard is constantly scheming up ways to dupe them, will never hesitate to stab them in the back when it suits him, and eventually starts playing them, the Jagulars, the Heffalumps and Woozles, and even Kaleb Jingwell’s human demolition team against one another. While as comical a figure as John and Kaleb, Reynard differs in that he does more long term thinking than either of them and has moments where his darker, more intimidating true nature shows itself. His animation would also notably differ from that of other characters, with his movements being stange and jerky and his feet sometimes lifting above the ground, signifying something very off about this particular critter. His basis is the obscure one-off antagonist Sly Fox from the book Pooh’s New Clothes, who duped the Hundred Acre Wood residents and got away with it with a handful of hunny jars, and the clown-like garb and make-up along is an allusion to none other than Pennywise the Dancing Clown from Stephen King’s IT. He’d be voiced by David Tennant (w/ his Dread the Evil Genie voice)

The Thing From Below is the overarching villain, though we’d not learn he exists until near the very end when it’s revealed he’d been sealed beneath the Hundred Acre Wood for ages. A beast who knows no morality, the Thing wishes to swallow up all the mystical supernatural power within the crystal stones in order to strengthen itself so that it may dominate the Wood and leave a wasteland of dust, decay, and bones in its place. It is said that more of its kind used to exist and are what brought the planet to an apocalypse a good many years ago, the effects of which are still being dealt with, and the older forest spirits imprisoned this last one because it was the strongest and cruelest of them all. Not pictured is that on the tip of its tail a tall, thin branch sprouts out, and on the edge of the branch is a long, crooked wire-like thing, and on the edge of that is Sylvester T. Reynard, who the whole time was the Thing’s puppet working to get it released from beneath the earth (yeah, turns out my “Professor Pericles” idea from 5 years earlier ended up a little more on the mark than I’d expected). As you’ll most likely notice, the Thing is indeed the Skullasaurus, the fabled fearsome monster from Pooh’s Grand Adventure, though it would not be addressed as such. And as an additional Mythology Gag, it’d be voiced by Jim Cummings using only growls, grunts and roars, as all of his “speaking” is done by Reynard.

By the by, I'm also still waiting for that Madeline Robin-centered spinoff, but that should be its own thing entirely, obviously. The poor girl doesn’t deserve to be put through anything like these nightmares!

#Disney #Winnie The Pooh #OCs #my ocs #villains #headcanon

[jovialtorchlight]

Sellsoul

I don’t need my soul. I’m not even sure if it’s in there, buzzing around like a fly in a shoebox. Or like Shrodingers cat, the paradox of a thing being dead if it is believed in and existing—alive—only in a vague abstraction. But it doesn’t really matter. If I do have a soul, it’s shriveled up and dead, and if I don’t have one  and I really am just an animated chunk of ham with chronic diarrhea and crippling anxiety, I am at peace with that as well. Even I have a soul, it doesn’t matter either way. I sold it. 

I put a joke ad up on Craigslist a few months ago. I was dead broke. I was a writer that didn’t actually have the will to write, a scatterbrained man still making the same mistakes I was making a decade ago. Being a lovable screw-up eventually just bleeds into being a fucking screwup, and being a fucking screwup eventually bleeds into being a goddamn puddle of grease, tears, and untapped potential.

 Anyway, the joke was that I was broke enough to want to sell my soul for three grand. Three grand would have kept the lights on, kept food on the table, kept my car from being repossessed. I thought at the very least I might go viral, or get some vague attention and use it for some fleeting leverage into popularity. 

I got one or two joke emails back. Then came the cryptic, red flag blaring siren reply. 

“I’ll buy. Number is 207-899-6840.”

I would say the decision to text the number back was against my better judgment, but obviously, I don’t have better judgment.  As far as judgment is concerned, texting a random number about buying my soul is the absolute pinnacle of my ability to judge a circumstance. So I texted back. 

“Cool. 3k sound good? Where do you want to meet?”

“Goodson Mill Cemetery, midnight Tuesday, come alone. Will send deposit. Will pay 10k.”

As I finished reading the message, my Cashapp dinged. 3k sent from a “Vec Phillips.”

This couldn’t be serious, right? It had to be a scam. Someone trying to steal my cashapp account, jump me, scam me. But what if that 3k sitting, waiting to be accepted, was legit? I could pay for my car, keep my lights on, get something to eat. 

I accepted the cash. The moment I did, I looked up from my couch to the window facing the front porch, and I could have sworn I saw something moving, like someone rushing out of sight. I got up, opened the door, and was greeted by a dark, cold night. I went to bed, and slept well.

Tuesday came around. I had put the meeting to the back of my mind and had decided to do it. I’d bring a baseball bat, just in case. I’d record the whole thing. Even if it was some kind of setup, I’d at least have some footage that might go viral on YouTube or something like that. I played some Skyrim until 11 p.m., grabbed my old aluminum baseball bat from the basement, and headed out towards the cemetery on the outskirts of town. 

The cemetery was down a dirt drive, surrounded by trees, towering and old before it cleared out into a very old half acre scape of headstones dating back hundreds of years. I parked my car, took out my flashlight. I couldn’t see anyone, so I headed towards the spot where every single nefarious teenager congregated when they went to the cemetery; the Mausoleum. I hadn’t been to the Mausoleum since the Black Parade came out in middle school and a bunch of us snuck out to do whippets, smoke weed out of an apple, and weep along to the album. 

I out my mask on before I got out of the car. 

My flashlight bobbed as I walked the uneven, slight decline down towards the mausoleum, I thought I saw a flash of an eye behind a headstone, like an iris briefly illuminated. I stopped. 

“Uh, hello?” I called out.  It was probably some kind of animal, right?

I kept walking. About halfway to the mausoleum, I heard some shuffling behind me, and a soft voice call out

“Hello.”

I turned on my heels. My flashlight lit up a semi-circle of six hooded figures, each clad in scarlet robes. They seemed to materialize out of the air, and they stood, motionless. One stepped forward.

“Did you bring it?”

“Uh…” I thought for a moment. He was here to buy my soul, right? Of course I brought it. It was impossible to forget to bring a soul, right?

“What…what do you mean? I think so,” I finally spat out. 

The hooded figure held out his hand, and motioned as if he wanted to grasp mine. 

“Uh, wait.” I said, hesitating. “So, just ‘cuz of COVID and everything, I kind of thought this could be a contactless sort of deal…you know, can’t be too careful. I heard cats can get it, and I really don’t wan’t-“

“Fine, yeah, that’s fine,” the cultist said, withdrawing his hand. “We just need some blood.”

I guess I should have figured blood would be involved with this deal. 

“Okay, yeah, was I supposed to bring my own knife, or..?”

The cultist sighed. “It’s fine. We have one you can borrow, just make sure you give it back afterwards.” Another cultist stepped forward, and handed a jet black obsidian dagger to me. I took it, and cut a small slice in my finger, wincing. 

“Okay, so I’m, uh, bleeding”

“Shit, sorry,” said the cultist. “I almost forgot the ritual slab.” 

I’m not sure how, as he didn’t have any pockets, but the cultist pulled a dark slab of some kind of stone from beneath his robes. Etched into the surface were intricate carvings, and words in a language I didn’t understand. 

“Just put your finger in the middle,” said the cultist. I followed instructions. As the blood touched the stone, the whole slab lit up a sickening green, runes illuminated, terrible runes of torn apart flesh and monsters long dead rising up from the depths of the deepest abyss—

“Oh yeah,” the cultist said, putting the slab back behind his robe. “Here’s some neosporin and a band-aid,” handing me both items. I thanked him. 

“So…is that it?” I asked, patching myself up. 

“Yup. Pretty much. Vecna thanks you, we thank you. You might have some pretty vivid nightmares about hell and demons and all kinds of infernal madness, but they should wear off in about a quarter of a century, if you live that long. Stay away from holy water and anything with basil in it.”

My cashapp dinged. The rest of the money. 

And yeah, the nightmares do suck. But I’m able to separate my work life from my private life, and put it in a place. Compartmentalize and move on. 

#current wip #short story #comedy story

[equinoxts2]

Sim advice needed

I think I’ve accepted that I will never have another TS2 hood besides Kulo Seeri. I’d have to keep them all in separate Sims 2 folders to minimise purple soup, but I hate having to update mods in more than one cut! Believe me, I’ve tried... and no matter what else I set up, I always feel dissatisfied with it and come straight back to KS. Especially since I also despise building with a fiery burning passion.

This means I will have to scratch most of the ideas I had off my TS2 bucket list, and that I’ll probably never use any of the hundreds of gigabytes of non-KS-appropriate CC on my external hard drives, so it’s a little bit of a depressing revelation. It means I’ll never actually play any of the following: - that Elephant Sea uberhood I keep wanting to do - Turnstone, the haven for misfit supernaturals I planned out last year - my Plants vs. Zombies 2 inspired 15-gen legacy idea with each generation named after one of the mint families - or even the mining subhood I was planning to attach to KS in this iteration.

Worst part? Kulo Seeri itself sort of feels like it lacks purpose at times. I mean, it’s my escapism and my comfort blanket, but at least I had a goal fifteen years ago when it was a third-rate alphabet legacy. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t actually want to play to a challenge ruleset - escapism and bookkeeping are polar opposites for me - but most of the time, when I go into the next household in my rotation, I’m like “what do I even do with this bunch?!”

Gameplay becomes a little repetitive. My sims don’t farm, have careers or businesses, or even use that many of the Sun&Moon manufacturing stations. Very few of them actually have a role - just the headwoman, shaman, loreleepers and Vedraloga - and not much distinguishes those households either. I’ve added ACR and other romance mods back to my game, and I’m sort of regretting that decision because I already have four pregnancies in KS and I’m only on household 3. My sims look like they’re wearing uniforms - I wish I had a more varied and colourful clothing selection, but I couldn’t mesh or texture my way out of a paper bag, and most of what’s available for tribalish settings turns my aroace stomach.

I think I need a little more time for soul-searching. I want to play, but I can’t focus because of all this. Half my mods were added in anticipation of having a subhood that does actually trade and farm and stuff, and now that’s rendered useless by purple soup, and I have too many conflicts again and it’s frustrating me. But I refuse to redo anything while I’m still testing positive.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Any advice is appreciated :)

#vt's simming problems #rambly post #complainy post

[whitepolaris]

Southern Vermont College

by Scott A. Johnson

Every school has its legends, and most have their share of ghosts. But few are a steeped in tragedy, intrigue, and mystery as Southern Vermont College, in Bennington. Though the names of the key players are revered and their histories well known, the ends of their lives left questions-and in some cases, hard feelings-behind. Despite, or perhaps because of, the passage of years, the stories persist and grow, constantly giving students something new to talk about. And the stories at Southern Vermont begin with a very rich man named Edward Everett.

Edward Everett's career began inauspiciously as a salesman of jars for his stepfather, the man who invented the Lightning jar-a canning jar designed to be easier and quicker to open than a Mason jar. He turned his years of experience into innovation and money, becoming the first man to discover oil and gas in Ohio. Everett's wealth was estimated at nearly $50 million, which made him one of the wealthiest men in the world.

In 1910, Everett purchased a five-hundred-acre parcel of land southwest of Bennington, Vermont, and with his wife Amy built what was to be their dream house. Construction began in 1911 and continued for three years, with materials imported from Italy, England, and even Cuba. The couple had three daughters and lived happily. Then tragedy struck: Amy died, reputedly by drowning in the upper pond near the mansion.

Everett married again, this time to a woman thirty years his junior. Her name was Grace, and Everett's daughters took an immediately dislike to their father's new wife. After Grace bore Everett two more daughters, the older girls' hatred intensified, leading to considerable family friction.

In 1929, Everett died, leaving behind a huge fortune. Hostilities between the children of Amy and their stepmother, Grace, led to a bitter struggle for the inheritance-a battle soon rendered moot by the stock market crash of 1929, which quickly drained Everett's accounts. Grace Everett continued to live in the house for nearly thirty years, then sold it to the Order of The Holly Cross for use as a seminary in 1952.

For twenty years, the estate was used as a home for those seeking spiritual enlightenment and piety. Then in 1974, the property was traded with St. Joseph College, which blossomed into Southern Vermont College.

A Quartet of Ghosts

The ghost stories at Southern Vermont, told by students and employees alike, center around the main house and grounds, giving the stately old Everett mansion a slightly darker cast once night falls. Many of the spirits who haunt the campus have yet to be identified, but four apparitions date from the site's early days.

The Black-Hooded Monk. The most common sighting harkens to the days of the seminary, Though this specter's face is never seen, he is recognized by his black hood. The so-called Black-Hooded Monk is accepted by the students and whispered about to those who haven't seen him. Yet.

Edward and Grace Everett. Also seen in the mansion are a man and a woman identified as Edward and his second wife, Grace. While the reasons behind their presence are unknown, certain assumptions can be made. Perhaps Grace roams the hallways of her previous home because she loved the place so much. Edward may wander the halls in despair over the family unrest surrounding his lost fortune. Whatever the reason, they persist in making themselves known, albeit infrequently.

Amy Everett. Though the story of her death by drowning in the upper pond has never been verified, several people have supposedly seen Amy Everett near her watery grave. She is sometimes described as a woman in white, other times as a shadowy in the moonlight. Some accounts place her alone at the site, while others see a ghostly child as well. No one knows whether Amy died accidentally or as the result of foul play, but if numerous reports of sightings are to be believed she still walks her beloved estate.

Supporting Players

Inside the mansion, the third floor seems to be the center of activity. Phenomena in the Abbey room are common, with some claiming the room to be virtually alive with energy. The room, which now serves as a classroom, was once part of the servants' quarters in which a maid supposedly hanged herself. Other reports speak of smoke or fog in the hallways, as well as lights that go on and off in locked rooms, doors that unlock themselves, and windows found open after previous security sweeps.

The old carriage house, now housing classrooms, is also the scene of curious activity. It's been reported that doors and windows lock themselves form the inside and that computers power themselves off and on at will.

The ghosts who reside on the beautiful hilltop campus of Southern Vermont College hold to no schedule. The best way to see them is to enroll in a class or two. Barring that, campus tours can be arranged. Just take care to pay the proper respect. You never know who, or what, might be escorting you.

#type read #weird ghosts

[apratments]

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Well-planned green areas, sports amenities, parks, pergolas, and walkways adorn the open spaces in SOBHA Neopolis. Individuals and families need to stay in the project to enjoy these facilities. Additionally, shopping areas and reputed educational & healthcare institutions are located near this apartment complex.

SOBHA Limited designed the project with world-class quality, architectural themes, and excellence in construction in mind. No wonder the launch of this highly anticipated project was quite successful, with hundreds of homes getting booked within a few days. SOBHA Neopolis Panathur Road is expected to become a landmark in Bangalore’s residential real estate, thanks to its dedication to excellence & its commitment to creating an opulent, fulfilling lifestyle for its customers.

Importance of Amenities in Luxury Residential Living

In India, amenities are one of the significant differences between regular flats and well-planned apartment complexes. The difference becomes more pronounced in large gated communities.

In luxury residential living, amenities transcend mere convenience; they are an oasis of relaxation, recreation, and wellness — fostering a balanced life. For example, state-of-the-art fitness centers help residents achieve their fitness goals, opulent clubhouses help them form social connections and host important events, and modern technology & security systems ensure peace of mind.

Amenities go beyond opulence and foster a sense of community by encouraging social interaction and contributing to creating a close-knit neighbour hood. Community bonds are formed when families and individuals perform activities together — amidst impeccably landscaped gardens, sparkling water bodies, and curated social spaces. For instance, office goers can play an invigorating game of tennis after their workday ends, while children can make friends in the play area, skating rink, or cycling track.

Amenities offer thoughtfully designed spaces with purpose and tranquillity in an urban setting. An escape from the bustling city life, amenities create a sanctuary of comfort and exclusivity for residents. These indulgences aren’t mere additions to the residential project; they are essential facets that enrich lifestyles, elevating them beyond the ordinary.

SOBHA Neopolis Amenities — A Summary

At SOBHA Neopolis, over 65 amenities across four distinct zones are curated for all age groups — from toddlers to seniors. Residents can pursue their interests at the Recreational Zone and celebrate amidst verdant greenery at Park & Plaza. Individuals and families alike can follow a healthy lifestyle at Active Zone, while kids can indulge in diverse activities at Kids’Kids’ Zone amidst enhanced safety. This luxury apartment complex offers many spaces for workshops & classes and areas to host cultural & community events.

5 Types of Amenities Available at SOBHA Neopolis

Active Amenities

SOBHA Neopolis benefits from multiple amenities for active living — including swimming pools, fitness centers, wellness facilities, and more. From intense workouts to serene meditation sessions, many health & wellness activities will keep residents healthy and recharged at all times. Here’s a detailed list of amenities in this Zone: Reflexology Walk, Basketball Court, Jogging Park, Fitness Corner, Activity Field, Grecian Trail, Leisure Pool, Tennis Court, and Indoor and outdoor Swimming Pools.

Swimming pools, gyms, basketball, and tennis courts are integral in helping families prioritize fitness amidst busy lives. Swimming is a full-body workout that supports cardiovascular health and is suitable for all ages. The well-equipped gyms at SOBHA Panathur Road cater to varied requirements, such as strength training, cardio, group classes, and more. Team sports such as basketball and tennis encourage community bonding and enhance agility & coordination.

This Zone is the ideal antidote to sedentary lifestyles and long-term stress typical of today’s urban lives. These amenities in still healthy habits in individuals & families, foster a culture of fitness & well-being, and help counter lifestyle-related health issues prevalent today.

Recreational Spaces

Handpicked recreational amenities at this Zone will enable SOBHA Neopolis residents to pursue their interests in the company of like-minded individuals. Varied activities like reading, open-air dining, relaxing by the water bodies, catching up with friends & family by bonfires, and watching favourite movies & series can be pursued at the clubhouses and community gathering areas.

Spread over 77,850 sq ft, the three clubhouses feature Santorini architecture characterized by vibrant blues and whites. Pristine water bodies and the finest indoor pastimes make these clubs the epitome of luxury. Residents can experience unique community living and socialize over various indulgences designed for all ages.

At Club Santorini, Club Athinios, and Club Syros, the amenities include a multifunctional hall, salon, spa, indoor play area for kids, coffee shop, restaurant, mini theatre, indoor games, coworking space, conference room, hobby room, banquet kitchen, banquet store, laundromat, banquet hall, necessities store, guest rooms, creche, clinic.

Other recreational amenities at SOBHA Neopolis are Santorini Village, Meandering Pool, Floating Deck, Eco Pond, Seniors Corner, Bonfire Court, Meditation Pads, Bio Pond, and more. Santorini Village is a unique space with multi-level decks, dome gazebos, a postcard alley, and a canopy dining area. Residents can enjoy al-fresco brunches and take photos in this area with their near & dear ones. While kids can spend time at the play area & activity lawn, elders can enjoy delicacies at the open kiosks and shop at the flea markets.

Children’s Play Zones and Parks

SOBHA Neopolis benefits kids of all ages — from toddlers to teenagers — as they can enjoy varied activities. Since all these amenities are located in areas where vehicles are not allowed, the safety of children is enhanced. A notable feature of this luxury gated community is Water Park, which is rarely seen anywhere in apartment complexes. The little ones will have a great time with their friends at the water slides, kids’ kids’ pool, play decks, and splash pool with fountain jets. At SOBHA Neopolis, the list of amenities for kids includes Aqua Park, Toddlers’ Toddlers’ Pad, Cycling Track, Skating Lane, Play Park, and more.

Green Spaces and Landscaping

A special mention must be made of the Park & Plaza zone, a respite from the concrete jungle that usually characterizes our cities. At SOBHA Neopolis, multiple green spaces host amenities that bring residents closer to nature. The outdoors comes alive with dense foliage, water cascades, pathways, lawns, theaters, and gardens. Couples can indulge in stargazing, families can celebrate festivals together, friends within the gated community can organize gatherings, officegoers can work from nature, and seniors can take leisurely walks.

There’s a long list of amenities in this Zone, including Entrance Plaza, Fiesta Park, Portico, Amphitheatre, Olympus Plaza, BBQ & Picnic Park, Celebration Lawn, Pergola Trail, Outdoor Workspace, Cascading Waters, Foliage Cross, and Moon Garden. A glimpse of these amenities can be found in the Entrance Plaza, which also has a spiral staircase, a clock tower, and a telescope that can be used to gaze at stars, planets, comets, and more. The centrally located Olympus Plaza is designed with grand steps and water cascades. Inspired by the Parthenon of Acropolis, this space features columns in a graceful arc. In Bangalore’s bustling and ever-expanding city, amenities such as lush gardens, landscaped areas, walking trails, jogging tracks, picnic spots, and outdoor seating hold immense significance. These sanctuaries of serenity offer residents a retreat amidst the urban chaos — improving mental well-being and enhancing their connection with nature.

From enabling active lifestyles to creating avenues for socializing and community bonding, these green spaces strike the right balance between the reality of urban life and the calming embrace of nature, which is a necessity. Thanks to these thoughtfully designed and carefully located amenities, SOBHA Neopolis is a holistic haven that offers an elevated quality of life.

Security and Safety Features

While finalizing one’s residence, some of the most critical parameters are the presence of 24/7 security personnel, measures taken to ensure surveillance, and access control for entry & exit of visitors. SOBHA Neopolis features related to safety & security provide peace of mind for its residents. From alert security personnel to 24/7 monitoring and stringent access control, this apartment complex has all systems & processes in place to enhance the safety & security of the numerous families and individuals residing within its premises.

Additionally, regular maintenance and housekeeping services ensure cleanliness & aesthetics and preserve property value. Timely upkeep enhances living standards and creates a sense of resident satisfaction, contributing to this community’s harmony.

Sustainability Initiatives

At SOBHA Limited, sustainability is a way of life. The company has yet to leave any stone unturned in ensuring that SOBHA Neopolis features are eco-friendly and energy-efficient. At the home level, design features such as large windows help reduce lighting-related energy consumption. Advanced rainwater harvesting techniques help conserve water resources at the gated community level.

Moreover, recycled water is used in gardening and bathrooms, reducing the strain on groundwater and ensuring responsible water usage. At SOBHA Neopolis, clean power is generated through solar panels — this helps reduce carbon emissions and the dependence on power sources that are harmful to the planet in the long run. Close to 78% of the project is open spaces — verdant greenery & many green spaces help residents experience organic living & biodiversity.

Conclusion

Every resident at SOBHA Neopolis will be spoilt for choice regarding indulgences and experiences. Over 65 amenities are curated for all age groups — ensuring that multiple activities, hobbies, or necessities can be fulfilled anytime for anyone from a toddler to a teenager.

With active, recreational, kids, and green themes, these amenities offer individuals, couples, and families a holistic lifestyle. Residents, guests, friends, and extended families can revel in luxurious living experiences at SOBHA Neopolis — thanks to the thoughtfully designed world-class amenities.

To know more about SOBHA Neopolis and its amenities

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RELATED ARTICLE Sobha Neopolis

[loveforpreserumsteve]

Love Grows (demon!Bucky and pre-serum!Steve omegaverse au)

17

A WAILING CAME from down the hallway. High pitch and cracking in their desperateness. The shrillness made Steve's ears ring and a shiver run down his crooked spine. His body's way of warning him to stay away despite how the cry beckoned him. And ultimately, Steve never put his own safety first. Especially not when there was something more precious needing him, and what was more precious than a baby?

Rolling out of bed, Steve glanced over at his sleeping husband. How Hodge managed to go undisturbed was something that Steve envied as much as he adored it. Most days, he just wished that he could sleep that deep and soundly. All Steve got was restless sleep and strange dreams of a dark silhouette watching him, getting closer and closer every night.

Another impatient cry broke through the darkness and Steve turned to leave their bedroom. In the darkness, he continued down the hallway towards – towards where? To a nursery? But they didn't have a nursery. Not yet, at –

WAAAH, a shriek caused Steve to jump, completely unaware how such tiny lungs could be so strong and loud.

Heart racing, Steve hesitated. Holding his breath, he debated whether he should return to his bed and to his husband. Glancing back in the direction of the solo bedroom, something inside of him was screaming, yes! Turn back now!

"But the baby," Steve reasoned as the noise grew louder, pounding in his ears more aggressively than the blood rushing in his veins.

Turning to face in front of him, Steve was confronted with the den door. There was a Hundred Acre Wood sign hanging on the door, letting everyone know that this was the nursery and that the baby was sleeping. Steve reached out to touch it, to trace his fingers along the name. The name that he couldn't quite make out in the dark.

WAAAAAH, WAAAAH!

Reaching for the doorknob instead, he didn't need to touch it. It opened on its own. Not completely, just a crack, but that was more than enough to make Steve pause.

Don't be stupid, Steve, he heard a voice akin to Sam admonish, you know you should turn your white ass around and go back to bed.

"But the baby," Steve repeated, pushing the door open the rest of the way.

Moon peeking through the floor to ceiling windows illuminated the sparsely furnished room. Shining a spotlight on the bassinet as it rocked in the center of the room. The cries had eased, matching the creaking of the wooden floor beneath Steve's feet.

"Shh, shh," Steve softly soothed as he crossed the room. "You're alright now. You're alright. Papa's here now."

Finally reaching the bassinet, Steve was at a tug of war with himself. Half of him wanting to run, the other half easing into his place beside the black taffeta sleeper. His sleep-addled, hindbrain rationalized, "But the baby."

In the darkness of the bassinet's hood, the baby's face was shadowed. For a moment, Steve imagined Hodge's blond curls and blue eyes. Imagining that cute little chin quivering as another cry erupted from the little bundle.

Going off instinct, Steve unbuttoned his sleep shirt before lifting the baby into his arms. Guiding their little face to his chest and only briefly wincing when they finally latched. Easing into himself, Steve could admit to himself that this was what he always wanted.

The moonlight shone brighter, revealing a plush glider beside the bassinet. Sitting, Steve started a gentle sway as he gazed down at the baby. At his baby. A precious little cherub of a blessing with rosy cheeks and blood-red lips. As they nursed, their little hand came up to cup Steve's chest. Steve couldn't help but admire the little hand, even if their little claws were too sharp as they dug into Steve's flesh.

Wait.

Claws?

Staring down at the baby, they opened their eyes. Their completely black eyes. Deep and monstrous and not their father's eyes!

Pulling the baby off his nipple, the milk dripped down a dimpled chin. No, not milk. Blood. Steve's blood!

In shock, Steve stared in horror at the evil creature as it started to scream in distress. Their white skin turned blotchy before breaking out in a deep red, like a rose. Little horns sprouting from their dark hair while they scratched at Steve's hands and kicked their hooved feet.

Their hooved feet!

He couldn't help himself, he screamed. His screeching was almost as loud as the baby's. This is wrong! This is WRONG! THIS IS –

Stevie?

STEVIE!

Jerking awake, Steve took a moment to try and catch his breath. His heart was racing as though it was trying to escape him to get away from the dream. And that was what it had been, a dream. Just a dream, Steve reasoned even as he buried himself deeper in his husband's strong arms. Nothing could ever hurt him when he was in his alpha's arms.

Alpha?

Freezing, Steve inhaled deeply, hoping that the dream had just messed with his senses. However, he got a nose full of deep, musky alpha. Instantly, Steve pushed the man away as he scurried back to his side of the bed.

Big steely eyes blinked at Steve as though the omega had grown an extra head or something. Reaching for Steve again, Bucky asked, "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?!" Steve's voice rose into hysteria, "What are you doing in my bed?!"

Trying to grab onto Steve and pull him closer, Bucky started, "Stevie –"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

Stunned by Steve's scream, Bucky held his hands up in surrender. The brunet admitted, "You're scaring me."

"I'm scaring you?!" Steve screamed, putting more and more space between them.

Sleep rumpled, Bucky nodded, confirming that, yes, Steve was scaring him. Hell, Steve was scaring himself. What the fuck was going on? Where was Hodge? Why was Bucky in his –

Landing on the floor with a loud thud, Steve rubbed at his sore bum. Cursing himself for not kicking the interloper from the bed instead. And cursing himself even more that he had toppled over the edge of the bed.

"Babe?" Hodge's voice came from the bed as he looked down at Steve on the floor. Switching the light on, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Standing, Steve looked at the bed. Everything was the way it had been when they had gone to sleep. Just him and his husband and their bedding.

"Sorry," Steve apologized and yawned after the muscular blond did.

"It's alright," Hodge said, moving back to his side and beckoning Steve to join him.

Throwing himself at Hodge, Steve was relieved to tears to have his husband, his beta beside him in their bed. Sobbing, Steve buried his face between the crook of Hodge's neck. This was where he was safe. Nothing could touch him here. Nothing and no one.

Hodge hesitated for a moment before wrapping his strong arms around the petite omega. Kissing the top of Steve's sweaty head, he assured, "It was just a dream."

Steve nodded, nuzzling into that warm, sun-kissed skin. Repeating, it was just a dream. Just a dream, Steve soothed himself, despite the heavy emptiness he felt in his unoccupied womb.

[hubert43]

2023 Title Sponsor Pacesetter Truck & Auto Accessories

We would like to welcome back Pacesetter Truck & Auto Accessories as this year's title sponsor. We would also like to congratulate them for celebrating 30 years in business!!

Established June 1993, Pacesetter opened their doors in a small retail and service space in Bourbonnais, Illinois. Initially only a handful of truck caps, bed liners, bed mats, hood shields, vent visors, and a few assorted accessories were available at that time.

Locally owned and operated, Pacesetter now occupies 10,000 square feet on 3 acres of land located at 563 Larry Power Rd, Bourbonnais, Illinois. Today hundreds of products and services are available under one roof. A professional sales and service staff are on hand to sell and install a complete compliment of truck and auto accessories.

Over the past 30 years Pacesetter has grown into one of Illinois leaders in the accessory industry. Numerous awards and recognitions have been bestowed from manufacturers, suppliers, and national organizations.

Please visit them online at www.pacesettertrucktoys.com

#fairbury #racing #motorsport #auto racing #automotive #dirt track racing #illinois #pacesetter

[cambridgeautowreckers]

Found! Auto Parts In The Kitchener And Waterloo Area

You’re here because you are a lover of cars. You’re always getting your hands dirty under the hood, and you know there is no better feeling that pulling apart a vehicle and meticulously putting it back together one piece at a time until its as good as new. In order to get the job done right you need the right parts. Not just any parts will do you need to find the best parts the city has to offer. Kitchener Auto Parts is just where you want to head over to. With an extensive 11 acres of property, you just know you’ll find the exact part you need for that car or truck. With over one hundred thousand parts you can spend hours just browsing and choosing the part that will work just right for your project. The best part for you is that you can even same some money by pulling your own parts off of the millions of used vehicles at the yard. 

Kitchener Auto Parts buy used and scraped cars and trucks in order to stock up their extensive inventory of parts. The specialists who operate this yard will expertly remove parts from the older vehicles to ensure they are handled with care so that by the time the part is with you, it’s in the best condition possible. All parts are then cleaned, tested and tediously entered into their inventory system which just goes to show this place is way beyond the average junk yard. Kitchener Auto Parts will only accept used auto parts made by the Original Equipment Manufacturer so they are sure to fit your exact make and model of car. You will be able to find the right parts from the same year and model of the ones you need replacing. Of course, this is all to say that the price will be at a fraction of the cost you would normally pay if you went directly to the OEM. 

This is undoubtedly the place to go if you’re looking for a wide variety of car and truck parts. Kitchener Auto Parts carry all types of parts including engines, fuel pumps, speedometers, fuel tanks, steering gear boxes, steering wheels, fenders, doors, wheels and the list just goes on. There’s no need to go anywhere else when Kitchener Auto Parts is conveniently located near you. They always have you covered for parts. Don’t forget to ask about their 120 day guarantee, so that if there is a problem with a part they will work with you to find a solution. Shop here 365 days of the year, all you have to do is tell them exactly what you’re looking for and they’ll enlist the help of their state of the art inventory system to find just the right part for you. Foreign and domestic cars and trucks and not a problem here. 

So if you’re building a car or are in need of parts to repair your vehicle, check out http://www.cambridgeautowreckers.com/ today to get started on finding that perfect part. Save money and time and get back on the road as fast as can be with Kitchener Auto Parts. 

#kitchener auto parts

[harperthejay]

Hullo!

I wanted to share a bit of what's going on behind the scenes for me at the moment. I always talk about how I get distracted by projects, so I wanted to do two things: figure out exactly how many projects I have going on right now; and let people know what I've got in the works!

After the Great Beast has already been released, but I'm working on a decent sized update to it. This is very similar to what I did with Substitution; I released it as a one-page game to get it out there, then updated it with more detailed rules, progression systems, and lore. That's what I'm doing with AtGB; new rules, expanded weapon and armor mechanics, progression system, bestiary, lore, the whole kit and kaboodle! AtGB: Expanded Edition is getting very close to completion, and I'm super excited for this one.

Minted in Blood is my largest project to date, and one I've been working on for many months. It's made with the Charge system, a personal favorite, and it's meant as an homage to games like Final Fantasy VI; fantastical stories, personal drama, character driven plots, oppressive empires, plucky heroes, and of course, magic and magic-powered technology. I'm really stoked for this one too, folks. I plan on itchfunding this project when it gets closer to completion, and while that makes me really nervous, it will also let me create what I hope to be an awesome product. I've already reached out to an artist to get some prices, so I can start budgeting! It's still a ways out, but I hope you're all gonna like this one as much as I do.

The Church Sucks Because They Won't Let You F*** Dragons started out as a silly little game, and ended up turning into a pretty cool punk story about fighting against an oppressive church for the rights and lives of dragons. Development has paused for the time being, as I got distracted by the projects above, but I definitely wanna come back to it soon. One note about TCSBTWLYFD; while it started as a LUMEN project, I think I'm going to be moving it to Hopes & Dreams. This isn't anything against LUMEN (as you'll see below), but more that I was trying to force that system on to my game, instead of letting the game breathe in another system. I'll release info about the switch when I start working on it again!

The Neverending Dungeons of Chaos is one of my earliest games, and much like AtGB and Substitution before it, I've been wanting to go back and rework it for a while. It was initially created using Caltrop Core (a fantastic system!), but I realized earlier this year that LUMEN is perfectly suited to the game. As with the above projects, I'll definitely make some announcements when I start working on it again.

The other four projects that are on the backburner and/or in the conceptual phase right now are: Octomech, Superhero Robin Hoods, Vitrification, and You're Never Alone in the Hundred Acre Wood. The first two are very very light concepts at this point, but with the other two, I've started making some preliminary notes on possible systems and details. Vitrification is actually a sequel game to Substitution, taking place in the 2300s. It will be a kind of cyberpunk game about inventing time travel to avert the apocalypse - I promise it'll make sense! Substitution is a game about time travel, and Vitrification is a game about making sure the Substitution Initiative comes to fruition. I'm pretty stoked about this one. AND FINALLY, You're Never Alone in the Hundred Acre Wood is something I've been working on here or there for months now. Ever since Winnie-the-Pooh has entered the public domain (just the first book!), actually. Details are light, but think Winnie-the-Pooh meets Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; players will be animals, stuffed animals, or maybe other things, helping out Pooh and Piglet and the others with tasks that need done, before sitting down to have nice chats with friends. It's gonna be wholesome and warm.

WHEW. That was a long post, folks! Thanks for hanging in with me, and I hope you found something to be excited about. I'm always happy to answer questions, so please, feel free to ask if you have any.

Happy Holidays, and I hope you're all doing well!

Harper

#projects #upcoming projects #ttrpg #ttrpgs #ttrpg community #game design #game dev #ttrpg designer #LUMEN #hopes & dreams #hopes and dreams #charge #breathless #fari games #gila rpgs #winnie the pooh #winnie-the-pooh #pooh #piglet #final fantasy #final fantasy 6 #final fantasy vi #ff6 #ffvi

[glowyjellyfish]

I ran out of sufficient interest in struggling to make my medieval game function—don’t worry, I am not planning to abandon it, I just cannot generate the wherewithal right now to spend many hours checking the last couple hundred files and then install new ones without having time to play. But I got very excited about the 50+ new LTWs mod, and decided to start a new ubermegahood in the same install folder as my Disney BaCC. It’s possible that was a mistake, but I am not planning to play that hood anytime soon, soooo…

Anyway, this means I am going to start playing a much more standard UberMegahood, with Gestation-based Aging, Traits, and several extra supernatural lifestates in addition to the LTWs mod.

I’m not at all sure whether all the clean templates I installed have preserved the normal bin families for Megahood purposes—pretty sure I did an elaborate routine of activating the main hood before installing the templates for the Megakingdom, but we’ll see—but my intent is to play with all the premades, and if they are not in my game I might have to figure something out to obtain them. Including, this time, the Kat and Kim families. I will have to decide where to put all the bin families that aren’t hood-specific; I used uniquely MCC criteria for divvying them up in the Megakingdom. For a normal ubermegahood, I want to place them based on which EP they came with, which subhood is too low on population BUT ALSO which subhood is clearly meant to have a higher population (eg, Belladonna Cove and Downtown, as opposed to say Strangetown).

I’m keeping my age calculation from the Megakingdom, and just added a millennia to the dates. The Megakingdom will be starting with a date of Summer 5, 1001; the modern Ubermegahood will be starting with a date of Summer 5, 2001. I find starting in a Year One like that to be clean and easy to remember, and it’s very nearly accurate to the game’s release date as well. Traits will be given via the randomizer, and I am thinking I ought to make ACR generate hood-wide gender pref too. And maybe I should come up with some trait-based aspiration-picking ideas? Traits and interests maybe?

I’m not planning to do any sort of taxes or unlocking system, but will be playing sims according to their LTWs and keeping track of the wealth of each subhood just to see how things go. Oh, and I might impose a pyramid of career slots just to limit careers a bit—that is, one sim at a time in the top level of a career, two in level 9, three in level 8, etc. I did this in a past Megahood, and never even got to a point where the slots actually filled up. Anyway, I might eventually add in some taxes or expenses if sims accumulate too much money, but usually no20k does the trick for me. And everyone is allowed to go to college, with the location selected based on the sim’s hometown and aspiration and maybe traits.

Roll 1d3 for base: 1 SSU, 2 LFT, 3 ALT

For sims from Pleasantview, Strangetown, or Veronaville, roll 1d4 with +1 chance for the college matching their hometown.

For primary and secondary aspirations, add two to the die sides as follows:

Family: +1 SSU, +1 ALT

Fortune: +1 LFT, +1 ALT

Popularity: +1 SSU, +1 LFT

Romance: +1 SSU, +1 ALT

Knowledge: +1 LFT, +1 ALT

Pleasure: +1 SSU, +1 LFT

So, a Romance/Family sim from Pleasantview would roll 1d8 1-4 SSU, 5 LFT, 6-8 ALT.

You may also add +1 for every preceding generation that attended that college, giving weight to the family tradition. Meaning +1 to the college a parent attended, another +1 if a grandparent attended the same one, and so on.

I will have to think through the extent I want traits to effect this, and I reserve the right to ignore rolls for the sake of a. drama or b. avoiding overcrowding.

I’m also going to have to figure out how best to incorporate the new supernatural lifestates I have; because I planned my mix of mods for my Disney BaCC, I’ve got fairies, mermaids, and genies. I am pretty sure I am going to make the Summerdream family be fairies, and I think I am going to rule that sims who make the last wish of a lamp have a 50/50 chance of becoming a genie afterwards. Not sure how to get mermaids started in a sensible way, maybe something with the tropical vacation hood?

Anyway. Here’s hoping I don’t have to do much finagling to get this started (re bin sims and the like), I just want to plaaaaaayyyyy. If I wanted to spend lots of time setting it up and making it work, I’d just keep working on the Megakingdom! I don’t have big storytelling plans, but I’d like to take some pictures and share updates once in a while. I am sure there are people out there who will be fascinated with the different directions this could take the popular premades. I made a copy of my Megakingdom spreadsheet and am altering it to fit a modern ubermegahood which should give me ways to amuse myself until I have game access…

#the sims 2 #sims 2 #simblr #ubermegahood #I might have to name this something that rolls off the tongue a little better