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phoward89 · 22 days

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Based on this ask

Obsessed!Coriolanus Snow x Innocent!Reader, Obsessed!Crassus Snow x Innocent!Reader

WARNING ⚠️ Coriolanus Snow is a warning in and of itself. Cussing, obsession, older man/younger woman, father & son both want the same girl, reader is just too sweet for this world and has no idea that the men in the Snow family are toxic...

Masterlist

Part 1:

You've known Coriolanus Snow and his family ever since you were a little girl. When the war started, you were about 5, and Crassus, Coriolanus' father, helped you, your mother, and your brother get smuggled into the Capitol as a favor to your father, a Colonel who served under him in District 12 while he was a General; the Commander.

Sadly your father, Colonel Javanis Halvir, didn't survive the war. Tragically, Coriolanus' mother died during the first bombing strike on Capitol City. She died in the birthing bed, weeks before she was due, because the bombing had triggered off her labor. Coriolanus' little sister died too. Was stillborn.

But since your families knew one another and lived in the same building they huddled together during the war. Your mother wasn't too thrilled about having to receive help from Grandma’am Snow and a seedy neighbor that owned a nightclub, but she dealt with it in order to survive and protect her children: you and your older brother.

General Crassus Snow barely made it out of the war alive. He was nearly killed in the woods outside of 12. But, alas, he survived and returned home to Capitol City, Panem a war hero. He also came back with a heavily lined pocket although District 13 was destroyed and that's where all of his assets, factories, and science labs were located.

Your mother told you and your brother that Crassus was a cold, cunning, calculating man and that she's positive that he somehow brokered a deal to get paid for the loss of his assets.

What nobody knows, except for the higher powers that be of course, is that Crassus still has his factories and labs in District 13. They're nuclear weapons factories and, since 13 went underground as an independent nation via a hush hush backroom midnight deal between the leader of 13 and Panem's President Ravenstill, a deal that went into effect before the Districts surrender and the signing of the Treaty of Treason. Crassus is a black market arms dealer. He sells his nucs to neighboring countries. Countries that include Canada (yes, they never changed their name after the wars and natural disasters that drastically changed the geography of the world) and a small coalition of old world Eastern European countries that survived the rising sea levels that had eradicated some island countries and shoreline countries of old world Europe.

Crassus Snow takes a lot of out of town business trips to broker illegal arms deals between the underground District 13 and the countries that he's constructed alliances with. General Crassus Snow had no loyalties to Panem any more; his only loyalties were to himself and his family. He also had a sliver of a sense of honor when it came to his old comrade’s family and felt the need to watch over your family: the Halvir family.

But after being shot by rebels, left for dead in the woods, and barely being able to survive long enough to trek back to the PK Base D-12’s hospital, General Crassus Snow truly lost faith in the country that he was supposed to serve proudly. But did he ever truly have faith in Panem as a country since he was in the woods, sneaking like a thief in the night, to get to District 13 to check his assets and his alliances there?

Snow lands on top; Crassus was playing both sides of the war to ensure that his family came out winners. And then when his contacts in District 13 told him of the deal between the President and the Commander of 13, well…General Snow's career as an arms dealer was born.

It paid well and kept the Snow family living high off the hog. Crassus also supported your family with his endless money, much to your mother's dismay.

Your mother couldn't stand Crassus, out on a polite face for Grandma'am Snow, felt sorry for Tigris, and cringed with how you and Coriolanus were the best of friends.

And you remained best friends with Coriolanus Snow as the two of you grew up side by side. You always viewed the friendship as platonic, but a teenaged Coriolanus viewed it as more. He developed a crush on you that quickly turned into a dark, possessive obsession.

But Coriolanus was certain that what he felt for you was love.

And when it came to his father, who he was the spitting image of with the same tall, sinewy build, platinum blonde curls, striking icy blue eyes, chiseled jawline, and prominent nose, well…Crassus Snow had an obsession with you as well. But his obsession was rooted in a darker place than his son's.

The esteemed war here General Crassus Snow has a sick obsession with you because you favor your mother. And, well, when Crassus was a young grunt in 12, serving in the Peacekeepers under his father Xanthos who was the Commander of 12 at that time, he fell for your mother, but she didn't reciprocate his feelings. Instead she fell in love with his friend, Javanis Halvir. Thus the reason you and your older brother were born to Colonel Halvir and Mrs. Halvir.

Feeling jilted and betrayed by the object of his affection and obsession not loving him back, Crassus became a cold, cruel, cold, calculating, and cunning man. He put on his charming smile and wooed a young, pretty, naive girl from Capitol City. Demeter: Coriolanus’ mother.

But he never got over your mother, despite her hating him as the years went on. So you looking just like her once you hit your teenage years has Crassus falling down the rabbit hole into dark obsessive head spaces.

So, unknown to you, your platonic relationships with the men in the Snow family are anything, but that in their eyes. And they don't even know that the other has an obsession with you.

You know what they say…like father, like son.

It's mid-May of your senior year at the Academy and you're so ready for the school year to end. You can't wait for graduation and for summer break. You also can't wait for the opportunity to spend your summer break hanging out with your best friend, Coryo.

Coriolanus Snow.

But you call him Coryo. Always have, always will.

But in the meantime you spend your weekends at the Snow penthouse; you also go home with him after school a couple of days during the week- much to your mother's dismay.

And this afternoon’s one of those days where you go home with Coryo after school.

“You're staying for dinner tonight, darling. The cook’s making your absolute favorite and I'd hate for you to miss out on it.” Coryo told you on the elevator ride up to the 12th floor of your Corso building.

The elevator had been broken for a few years, but after General Snow slapped some money at the apartment building association maintenance fixed the elevator and Grandma'am Snow was able to leave the penthouse and go out into the world with the help of a can instead of being kept locked up inside like a recluse.

“I hope you didn't ask the cook to make my favorite meal just to get me to stay for dinner.”

“Of course not. They plan the menu, not me.” Coryo tells you, a lopsided lipped smile on his face.

What neither of you knew was that Coryo's father, Crassus, and told (more so demanded) that the cook make your favorite meal. He knew that you'd be easier to sway to eat dinner with him and his family if the smell of your favorite dish was wafting in the air as you hung out with his son in his room.

And that was something Crassus was going to be putting a stop to. He can't have you spending so much time alone in Coriolanus' bedroom. What if the two of you start to become curious about- things…

Ugh, Crassus can't imagine you with his son. He thinks Coriolanus is a sassy, whinny, bratty, weakling of an heir. Too bad he couldn't toughen that boy up; too bad he's too much like his mother. Has too much good in him, can be easily pushed and pulled by a pretty face and the promise of love.

Crassus would prefer it if Coriolanus was more like him. More cold, more cunning, more calculated, and didn't wear his feelings on his damn sleeves.

Anyways…

The elevator stops and the doors ding open, revealing the hallway of the 12th floor. A floor that was solely inhabited by the mighty Snow family. They had the upper level penthouse that took the entire floor. It was quite impressive. You love it, but your mother hates it.

And talk about your mother…

“I know you want me to stay for dinner, Coryo, but I really shouldn't. My mother's been getting on me lately about how much time I spend up here with you.” You tell the boy with the light golden curls as the two of you exit the elevator.

“Your mother needs to take a chill pill. You're my girl, darling. It's completely normal to be spending all of your free time up here.” Coryo tells you while leading you over to the front door of his penthouse, palm of his hand resting lazily on the small of your back.

“I know, Coryo, but my mother hates that we're besties and she wants me to meet new people.”

“Meet new people?” Coryo scoffed, brows furrowed in disdain, as he opened the door to his place. “There's nobody new in Capitol City our age to meet, darling. Not unless you go to the mission in the slums by the rail station and start introducing yourself to those District immigrants that conned their way into our grand Capitol.” The cerulean eyes boy told you while ushering you into his penthouse and down the entrance hallway.

Coriolanus was personally offended by your mother. How dare she tell you to meet new people? You belong to him. You're his girl.

HIS GIRL!

HIS!

Coriolanus was good at schooling his features, considering he's been doing it his entire life to keep from letting his father know how bad his harsh and hateful words affected him, so you didn't catch onto how upset he was with your mother. No, you thought he was fine. As cool as a cucumber as he led you past the kitchen, where the cook was starting on dinner, and into the main room of the penthouse to acknowledge Grandma’am, who's always sitting in her favorite chair watching her soaps on CapitolTV during this time of the late afternoon.

“Oh, Coriolanus, you're home and I see you brought Y/N over to visit with you.” Grandma'am Snow, who was dressed to the nines in her jeweled turbin, silk tunic, extravagant jeweled brooch, and long strand of pearls. She was the epitome of Old Guard aristocratic lady of fineries and class.

“Yes, Grandma'am I'm home and my darling’s staying for dinner tonight.” Coriolanus smiles at his grandmother.

Coryo silently nudges you forward to give Grandma'am a hug while greeting her. It's something you've done you years and he doesn't want you to stop doing it either since his Grandma’am adores you.

If only Grandma'am could persuade his father that you're a good match for him. The old lady gets it, why can't his father get it? You and Coriolanus belong together; make quite the pair.

But if the platinum haired boy with a halo of curls on his head only knew that he wasn't the only one obsessed and lusting after you- well…

“Good afternoon, Grandma'am. It's so good to see you.” You smile sweetly, hugging the regal old woman that you've come to love and think of as your own grandmother over the years.

“It's also so good to see you too, my dear.” Grandma'am replies, patting your back as she reciprocates the hug. “Has our Coriolanus asked you to the prom yet?” She inquired, as a way to push you and her grandson together, your hug broke apart.

“Not officially, but we have an understanding that we'll be going together since we go to all of the galas, balls, and dances together.” You tell Grandma’am while returning to Coryo's side.

Coryo’s fiddling with the strap of his satchel, that's currently across his chest, as he awaits Grandma'am’s reply. Or, a lecture aimed at him to properly ask you. A lecture she's been giving him daily since the beginning of the month.

And sure as shit, Coriolanus gets his prom lecture.

Grandma'am looks at her grandson, who's his father's spitting image, and firmly tell him, “Coriolanus, properly ask her. You're a Snow and as a Snow doesn't assume things, but makes them happen.” Cutting her eyes at her only grandchild, she orders in a grandmotherly way, “Now, properly as her as your prom date before somebody else tries to snatch her up from you.”

You felt a bit awkward. Grandma'am’s lecture was something you felt she should've given Coryo in private, not while you're by his side. It wasn't meant for your ears, or at least you don't think it was.

Coriolanus’ lips draw taunt into a tight line as he tells his grandmother, “Yes, Grandma'am.” He half nods at her before turning to you. Giving you a smile that shows too many teeth, like a wolf baring its fangs before its prey, he takes your hands in his and asks, “Y/N, my darling rose, will you do me the honor of going to prom with me?”

It felt more like a marriage proposal than a promposal. Aren't promposals supposed to be fun and exciting with songs, dances, and glittery handmade poster boards? Not so serious. Right?

Right?

You're already going to prom with Coryo, but since you've been out on the spot with a promposal you have to formally accept. All thanks to Grandma'am.

“Of course I'll go to prom with you, Coryo.” You answered your best friend, causing his icy eyes to sparkle with joy.

It all felt so surreal. A bit heavy too. Honestly, it felt like you were agreeing to give your best friend your hand in marriage right in front of his regal grandmother then agreeing to go to prom.

Unknown to you, you accepting Coryo's proposal was, in fact, you agreeing to a future marriage to him in the delusional minds of both Coriolanus and Grandma’am.

Mhm…

You just signed your freedom away by saying yes to prom and you don't even know it, all because you view your relationship as platonic. Too bad the platinum blonde boy with baby blue eyes and his sophisticated grandma view the relationship as something more.

Coryo's father, Crassus, also views your relationship with his son as platonic. But that's for an entirely different reason; one that would make you gasp from shock if you knew.

After making Grandma’am Snow the happiest lady alive in Capitol City by accepting Coryo's proposal, you went to his bedroom to do homework with him. And when your class assignments were done, you two just laid on his bed while listening to music.

It was a new album that Coryo had to get the neighbor, Pluribus Bell, to smuggle to him because Crassus refused to give his son the money for the album. In fact the former General turned Minister of National Security, and black market arms dealer, hates the music you and his son listens to. Crassus is more of a classical music and soft jazz type, so he hates the poetic lyrics and the vibe of the beats of the alternative indie and pop you and Coryo enjoy so much.

The album was on its second playback while you cuddled into Coryo's side. His large, but lanky frame always made you feel so safe. So protected. And, your best friend's lanky, he does have solid muscles under his skin.

Having you tucked into his side while lying on his bed listening to the new album that an artist the both of you loves just dropped is like being in heaven for Coriolanus. Growing up the platinum blonde boy with a head full of soft curls and striking baby blue eyes always had you by his side. You're his one constant. No matter what, you're always there for him.

It's what makes Coryo crave you like Dean Casca Highbottom craves his morphling fix every 15 minutes. You always being there for him, being by his side for better or worse during your childhood friendship, is what caused him to grow obsessively in love with you.

But the problem is, in his delusional mind, Coriolanus thinks that you're in love with him too. All because of how you're always letting him cuddle you, hug you, and touch you. Letting him call you darling while you often call him ‘my Coryo' while talking about him to others also has him thinking that your feelings for him mirrors the ones he has for you.

You and Coryo are talking about small things, silly things really, whenever the bedroom door opens with a loud band followed by the deep bellowing of Crassus Snow. “Why're you two alone in here listening to this trash?”

“She's not a trashy singer, father. She's one of the best.” Coriolanus retorted, causing his imposing and stern father to fill his icy eyes at him. “Y/N and I were doing homework and decided to listen to some music afterwards.” Your best friend added in, to answer his father's stupid question about why you're in his room.

“General Snow, if me being alone in Coryo's room with him gets him in trouble with you then I'm sorry; I'll just go.” You apologized to the Snow patriarch while making to pull away from Coryo and sit up.

But your best friend wouldn't let you leave his side. No. Actually, his hold around you tightened.

And that made Crassus pissed. His sniveling brat of a son didn't deserve you. You deserved a real man to care for you; to guide you on your journey of womanhood.

Crassus felt that he's the Snow for you. The only man that can mold you into the perfect Capitolite lady you're meant to be. And when he successfully gets rid of old President Ravenstill and wins the next presidential election, well, he plans on making you his wife and his First Lady.

Whether you like it or not.

With a devious smirk painting his lips, the middle-aged man with slicked back platinum blonde hair and cold, hard, bitter icy eyes tells you, “Please, call me Crassus. After all, petal, with as much time as you spend here you're practically a part of the family.”

General Snow's remark went right over your head. You just nodded and simply said, “Okay.”

You honestly didn't think anything of it. If General Snow wanted you to call him Crassus because of all the time you spent around his son, Coriolanus, then so be it.

But Coryo knew that his father had just become, as fucked up as it sounds, his romantic rival for you. As soon as he heard him call you petal he knew, oh he just knew, that his father's lusting after you.

Coriolanus is his father's son after all. Despite being told time and time again by Crassus that he's too much like his mother, too soft and eager for affection- for love. But what Crassus didn't grasp was that Coriolanus didn't just have his father's looks, but his dark tendencies for obsession and over ‘loving’ his intended lover.

And the son just knew that his father was head over heels obsessed with you because, in fact, he was too. Coriolanus saw the way his father looked at you, as if you're a piece of meat ready to be carved and served, and it disgusts him. You belong to the younger Snow, not the older one.

Giving Crassus a cutting look with his icy eyes, Coriolanus announced in a smug baritone, “Father, my darling rose is going to prom with me as my date.” And then he twisted the knife in his father's black, soulless heart by adding in the three simple but damning words of, “As my girl.”

Crassus’ face turned to stone. Of course, you'd agree to go to prom with Coriolanus. The former general's seething with jealousy. He wants you, why does his son get to take you to prom? Ugh, why can't you just go to prom with a group of girls? Go stag, like single girls do. But no…

NO!

You just have to go to prom with Coriolanus. And as his girl too!

Crassus' blood is boiling in his veins. Hearing Coriolanus reveal that he’s made you his girl and is taking you to prom makes him want to tear his son apart limb by limb.

Well, he needs to nip that in the bud.

Perhaps he'll talk to his old, estranged friend Dean Casca Highbottom about being a chaperone at the prom. That way he can keep an eye on you, socialize with you, and keep you from spending the night dancing with his son.

Dancing at prom can lead to other things in hotel rooms after prom. Things that Crassus certainly doesn't want you doing with Coriolanus.

Although Crassus is having an internal meltdown, his appearance stays stern and calm. “I'll make sure your mother has enough money to take you dress shopping.” The middle-aged platinum blonde man assured you.

Cocking his head to the side, Crassus flashes you a savvy smile before looking at his son and giving him a look that rivaled that of Medusa herself. “This door stays open while you two are in here. Only one of you can be on the bed and the other must be at the desk.” Crassus instructed in a stern, authoritarian baritone. “And turn off this music. It's giving me a headache.” He adds in an ordering snap before pivoting on his heel and matching off.

Shaking his head, Coriolanus darkly chuckled, “My father's so pathetic. Having a crush on you.”

“He doesn't have a crush on me, Coryo.” You’re quick to tell your beat friend, writing off his remark as you break your contact with him by sitting up. “He's your father and he's old enough to be mine.” You remind Coryo while making to get off the bed.

Coryo stops you by reaching out and wrapping his hand around your arm. “Just stay on the bed with me. Father’ll never know.” He tells you as you look at him, worrying your lip. But after a few moments, you slowly nod your head and take up your spot nestled into his side once again. “And trust me, from the way he was looking at you, my father likes you.”

“I don't think he does, but if you say so…” You sigh, letting your sentence hang in the air.

But Coryo's right, his father does like you. He likes you a little too much. Just like how his son, your best friend, likes you a little too much.

The million dollar ticket is who’ll snag you up and make you theirs? That's a question only the ancient gods of old know and they're not sharing the answer until the time's right. But until then, father and son will be competing for your heart. A heart that you can only give to one Snow.

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arminreindl · 5 months

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Varanosuchus: First Fossil Croc of 2024

We are two weeks into the year and we already had a bunch of big croc papers, so today I'll cover the first of the two new genera named so far. Varanosuchus sakonnakhonensis (Monitor lizard crocodile from Sakon Nakhon) is a small atoposaurid neosuchian from the Early Cretaceous of Thailand, a country that has seen a virtual boom in croc papers this past year between the description of Alligator munensis and Antecrocodylus.

Varanosuchus was a small animal, maybe a meter in length if a little longer with a notably short and deep skull and long slender limbs revealing it to have been at least somewhat terrestrial. We actually have a decent amount of material of this guy. The holotype consists of a 3 dimensionally preserved skull as well as assorted postcranial remains (vertebrae, ribs, osteoderms and limbs), there is a second skull of whats likely to be a differently aged individual also showing a 3D skull and well the third ones just a skull table but 2/3 is still great.

Now this guy was an atoposaurid, which is a group of crocodylomorphs that lived from the Jurassic to the end of the Cretaceous, their last members existing on the island of Hateg some 66 million years ago. Atopsaurids were generally small animals with short snouts and longish legs. Some examples of atoposaurids include Knoetschkesuchus from Germany, Aprosuchus from Romania and Alligatorellus from France and Germany, all three pictured below, art by @knuppitalism-with-ue

Now the matter of ecology for atoposaurids in general and Varanosuchus in particular is not clear. Altirostral skulls such as that of Varanosuchus are generally associated with terrestrial crocodylomorphs as best examplified by notosuchians. Their teeth and size both obviously speak against being shoreline ambush predators like modern crocs and their legs are straight and slender, suggesting they had an erect posture and not the more sprawling one seen in semi-aquatic forms. Though they could have still had some aquatic affinities. The authors for instance argue that the osteoderms, having plenty of pits, are more like those of an animal that spends time in the water and would thus use them in thermoregulation. So maybe they did enter water from time to time, somewhat like some modern lizards, tho I think its fairly certain that they spend a decent amount of time on land. The artwork below is the reconstruction from the paper itself.

Another matter discussed in the paper is phylogeny, more precisely the relationship of Neosuchians and how Eusuchia is defined. On the first front, its worth noting that the paper recovered both atoposaurids and paralligatorids as monophyletic groups and had them be each others closest relatives, a notion that has been recovered before. More interesting perhaps is the fact that the next closest relatives to these two were hylaeochampsids and Bernissartia, which are typically recovered closer to modern crocs. Which in fact form a separate branch that is the sister group to all the afforementioned clades and taxa. And then you got goniopholids, dyrosaurs and pholidosaurs which are all more basal than the paralligatorid+atoposaurid+crocodilian group, which is back to the ordinary really. The second thing is the definition of Eusuchia. So for the longest time Eusuchia has been defined to include those Neosuchians that have choanae that are fully enclosed by the pterygoid bones (I know I know a bunch of anatomy stuff bear with me). So if the choanae was surrounded by the pterygoid, its an Eusuchian, if not, its more basal. Well, atoposaurids don't have that....BUT VARANOSUCHUS DOES. This, coupled with hylaeochampsids also having this feature and being recovered closer to atoposaurids than to Crocodilians basically suggests that the feature is not diagnostic for Eusuchia and instead appeared multiple times independently.

Moving away from anatomy and phylogeny and all that stuff, I think its very cool that croc research in Thailand has kinda picked up this last year. And fittingly enough some people have even worked on a short documentary covering the known diversity of pseudosuchians from Thailand, giving an overview over the named forms from the Jurassic to today, from titans like Chalawan to even these newest dwarf forms. While the narration is obviously in Thai, there are English subs and I highly recommend looking into it (even if I disagree with their depiction of Varanosuchus as arboreal, its perhaps overshooting the goal a little bit).

youtube

Finally here's the paper itself (tho paywalled) New Cretaceous neosuchians (Crocodylomorpha) from Thailand bridge the evolutionary history of atoposaurids and paralligatorids | Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society | Oxford Academic (oup.com) and the wikipedia page I've been working on Varanosuchus - Wikipedia

I'll try to write up a post on the other new genus, Garzapelta, later this weekend so stay tuned for that.

#varanosuchus #atoposauridae #crocodylomorpha #neosuchia #thailand #cretaeous #pseudosuchia #croc #crocodile #land crocodile #prehistory #paleontology #palaeblr #long post #Youtube

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tarmac-rat · 1 year

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Slowly quietly thinking about how water-- the classical element of change, movement, emotion, and community-- is a subtle symbol of every Cyberpunk 2077's love interest's quest once it reaches it's completion

Judy Alvarez wants to enact change. She is, at her core, an idealist, and wants to confront the injustices of the world she lives in even if she doesn't exactly know where to start. Judy sees the way the world chews up the working classes of Night City and spits them out with no remorse and is one of the only people who says "no, this shouldn't stand, we have to do something". Even though her plan to seize of Clouds is ultimately unsuccessful, she walks away having gained at least one thing: her freedom. She's tied to Night City, in many ways always will be, but she realizes her worth extends beyond the place that's done absolutely nothing for her in return, so she chooses to leave it behind. Judy's storyline ends with her sitting on the dock overlooking the reservoir of Laguna Bend.

River Ward doesn't know how to change. Blue-blooded through and through, an NCPD detective whose traumatic experiences with crime has shaped who he is. River's morality drives his work, but it also pushes those closest to him-- his sister, his niece and nephews-- away from him. As a result, we see him as the thing society shaped him to be: a no-nonsense, by-the-book cop who genuinely believes in the morality of those he works with until he's forced to look it's corruption dead in the eyes. And the second he realizes how unjust the law he fought so hard to uphold really is, he severs his ties with it and returns to the people who care for him the most. River's storyline ends with him sitting on top of a water tower.

Kerry Eurodyne is resistant to change. Why wouldn't he be? Kerry Eurodyne is the last of the old guard, a rockerboy still living 60 years in the past who's in a mansion he hates and in a corporate deal he can't break out of. So what happens when change comes along in the form of a J-Pop band that's covering his songs without his permission? He confronts them, old-school style, because that's what rockerboys like him've always done. But Kerry soon realizes that the world moving on isn't a bad thing-- what is bad is him digging in his heels and not moving along with it. The new ways can be hard to accept, but Kerry's done with spending the rest of his life grappling with a past he refuses to reconcile with, so he ushers in a new era of his life the only way he knows how to: with songs and flames. Kerry's storyline ends with him lying on the shoreline of Del Cornado Bay

Panam Palmer is desperate for her people to change. Stubborn, hardheaded Panam saw the writing on the wall and broke out for a fresh start the moment she realized Saul's 'promised land' was nothing but dust, Raffen, and dealings with Biotechnica. She struck out as a merc in Night City, running drugs and working with the local gangs. But Panam's loyality is as much a blessing as it is a curse. She comes back when her family needs her, but she is done sitting on the sidelines and watching the Aldecaldos fall further under a corporate's thumb. So she does the only thing she feels she can do: steals a panzer and shows her leaders that their clan can still be something great. She's rewarded for her actions, and the Aldecaldos retain their independence for good. Panam's storyline ends with her driving the Basilisk over a lake in the Badlands.

#Cyberpunk 2077 #CP2077 #Judy Alvarez #River Ward #Kerry Eurodyne #Panam Palmer #Yeah yeah smth smth 'Water is the element of change we have a sense of community and love that holds us together through anything'#Also bonus fun fact that Johnny is very often paralleled with fire and Fire and Water are direct inverses of each other lolololol #This has been your once-every-two-months Cyberpunk meta analysis with Seta thank you for coming and please tip your waiters #Aldi speaks

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taleofturtleclan · 1 year

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MOON 0

“Come on!” the black tabby yowled to be heard over the wailing of the storm. “We have to keep moving, we’re not safe here!”

“How could something like this happen?” The old brown molly murmured, her voice nearly lost amidst the crashing waves, fur plastered to her thin frame. “What will we do now?”

The dark tabby dragged the old cat to her feet by her scruff, ignoring her friend’s yowl. “We’ll worry about that after we survive the night, Dustjump,” she growled into her ear. “Right now, I need you here.”

Dustjump shuddered, collecting herself, and gave her friend a shaky nod. The black tabby nudged her along towards the forest.

As Dustjump disappeared into the undergrowth, the black tabby looked over her shoulder, taking stock of the cats who had made it to shore. There was a young cream and white tom-Jasper, she thought his name was- close behind her, looking terrified but determined to keep a grasp on the struggling kit in his jaws.

“Let go of me!” The orange tomkit yowled furiously. “I can walk by myself!” Jasper’s eyes met hers, a silent question. She shook her head. Any other day, she would have respected the kit’s independence, but tonight... It would be far to easy for the little tom to be separated from the rest of the survivors. He’d simply have to suffer the humiliation of being carried. Just behind Jasper, another young tom was padding up the beach slowly, looking almost serene, but the black tabby knew he had passed beyond panic and into shock. She glanced worriedly at the limp kit in his jaws, relief flooding her when the tiny ginger kit coughed up a mouthful of salty water. If she was still breathing, she might survive yet.

“Algernon, where’s Panko? I thought he was on the boat with you.” the big brown and white tom stared at her blankly for a few heartbeats before finally processing her question. He gestured behind him with his tail to a skinny young cat just struggling free of the crashing waves. Though he was drenched to the bone, the black tabby could see him spitting with fury. That was good. if he had enough energy to be angry, he would most likely be fine. As Panko caught up to the group, the black tabby waved the cats along into the undergrowth after Dustjump. She hesitated, scanning the shoreline for any more survivors, hoping to see a flash of ginger fur... but there was nothing. Her heart clenched painfully. She had hoped that Pearl would be among the survivors. The old molly had taught her how to be a proper ship’s cat, hunting the rats that threatened the grain stores on the Twoleg’s mighty vessel. Pearl had practically raised her. Losing her was like losing her own mother all over again. The tabby took a deep breath, hardening her heart. She would mourn Pearl in the morning. Right now, she needed to be amongst the living. Their survival was her responsibility now. She disappeared into the forest without another glance back.

Tidechaser narrowed his eyes against the pouring rain, gazing down impassively from his perch atop the cliff’s edge at the small, bedraggled group of cats pulling themselves free of the waves. He blinked slowly. The shore was not deserted by any means, but most of the cats living here kept to themselves, and that was just as Tidechaser liked it. But these strangers would bring change, as surely as the clouds heralded a coming storm. Tidechaser did not question the will of the tides. If they had brought these cats safely to shore, then he would accept their presence. He knew that his only choice would be to ride the wave of change alongside them, or allow it to swallow him up. If they survived the night. He curled his tail over his paws and watched their procession into the shelter of the forest. He could go to them now, offer them help and shelter. But he would not. it made no difference to him whether they lived or died. This was their trial to endure, set out for them by the ever restless ocean. He would go to them tomorrow, if they still lived. If. As they disappeared into the thick foliage, Tidechaser turned away from the shoreline. There was no reason for him to sit out in the storm any longer. He retreated to his den amongst the rocks to wait out the rest of this night of chaos.

#warrior cats #warrior cats oc #warriors #warriorcats #clangen #turtleclan #moon 0 #storytelling #art #Tidechaser #Dustjump #Shellstar

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cabinboy100 · 1 year

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1899: Season 1: Reverse-engineering the sim…

Beware: Season 1 spoilers! If you have not watched all eight episodes of 1899 season 1, get thee to your streaming device and watch! Then come back for some boring rambling and probably way too many occurrences of the words "sim" and "simulation". =)

In the 1899 season 1 finale, we see a "survival ship", the Prometheus, in the year 2099. If the destination coordinates provided define a point in the sky on Earth, then it the ship is built for interstellar travel, as the point does not correspond to a body in our solar system.

When Maura wakes in 2099, she sees 16 total sarcophagi, fourteen with familiar faces from the simulation, her own, and one more empty one. She doesn't seem to be restrained in any way when she disengages from the sim and steps out of her coffin. Based on this and some familiar science/science fiction conventions, I am going to assume that all the people aboard the 2099 Prometheus voluntarily went into some form of induced hibernation to retard the aging process while on a possibly lifetimes-long journey to a planet orbiting another star. At the same time, to maintain their mental health while their body slows its functions, their consciousnesses enter a shared simulation.

Based on what we see of the travelers and their experiences aboard the 1899 Kerberos and Prometheus, I'm going to try to piece together how the simulation is designed to run, before any modification or corruption of its code.

WHY A *SHARED* SIMULATION?

A shared simulation, as opposed to 1423 + 550 independent and perhaps customized simulations. I do not have a great answer that clicks into place for this. Some possibilities…

1. A single shared simulation is less taxing to maintain than almost 2,000 individual ones. I doubt this, but depending on the scope and allowances of the simulation/s, the nature of the simmersion tech, and the limitations computing power, who can say?

2. The social interaction between living minds is vital to the mental health of the travelers.

Honestly, it may very well be that each 2099 sleeper is the star of their own simulation, but for the purposes of this ramble, I'm assuming they are all in a single shared sim.

WHY SET THE SIM ON A CRUISE IN 1899?

Using a cruise ship as a setting means the sim only needs to manage a closed and finite environment. The ship's simulated crossing is an elegant substitution for the actual voyage of the travelers, and is a perfect pretense for having almost 2,000 strangers share the same space for a time. Simulating the technology of 1899 requires less power and processing than that of a more advanced era and also restricts travelers' exposure to and ability to communicate with and travel to the world beyond the ship.

WHAT IS THE BASIC SIM EXPERIENCE DESIGNED TO BE?

The simulation is of a transatlantic cruise set in 1899, from England to America. By design, it runs for eight days and does not include the departure from London or the arrival in New York (unnecessary complexity/processing of cities, people, shorelines, weather, etc). It begins when the ship is already at sea, perhaps with the passengers and crew waking on the second day of their journey, and ends with them going to sleep on the second to last day, still at sea. Every traveler enters the simulation as a first class passenger. Every crew member enters as an officer. All service and labor roles are assigned to NPCs (unless a traveler has specifically requested such a role — why not, right?).

WHY A LOOP OF LIMITED TIME?

The simulated voyage of the 1899 Prometheus covers eight days. That means that the most time a traveler can experience, the greatest duration of new memories they can create during a single loop run, is eight days. At the end of those eight days, the ship is archived and a new one is launched with rebooted passengers and crew who have no memory of the previous run. (No one aboard the Kerberos except Daniel, Elliot, and First Mate have any awareness of previous simulation runs.) This prevents the minds of the 2099 travelers from living every minute of their journey between the stars. I hypothesize that in the show's world, the creation of memories that amount to a lifetime or more (the duration of the 2099 space voyage) of experiences would result in damage to or malfunction of a person's mind.

THE TRAVELERS CANNOT KNOW THEY'RE EXPERIENCING A SIMULATION…

Awareness that the world of the simulation is virtual invites irresponsible behavior, ranging from abuse of the environment to violence against other travelers to self harm. To avoid this, the travelers' 2099 knowledge and memories are blocked/suppressed and replaced with backstories and memories that fit the 1899 setting and as much as possible, reflect their own personal characters and histories.

These backstories are adapted from their real lives to help preserve within the simulation their already developed personalities and natures, as well as established relationships with other travelers if they have them. Their real life data might be collected via interview and/or memory scan. Adapted 1899 memories are conjured via AI and implanted via a kind of technological hypnosis and suggestion. Within the simulation, at least one backstory "cut scene" is built for each traveler to experience, providing scripted dreamlike experiences and a sensory touchstone from which their minds can extrapolate the details of the rest of their implanted memories.

I think that the nature of the induced hibernation and simmersion technology put the mind into something similar to a natural dream state, and minds in the simulation cannot truly dream within the pseudo-dream of the sim, so when travelers do sleep in the sim, the scripted backstory cut scene is played for them in the worlds connected to their cabins by the hatches under their beds.

TRAVELERS ARE GIVEN A CHOICE…

Before being immersed in the simulation, each traveler is given the option to remove or preserve certain traumatic life-defining events. Removal is allowed if the predicted effect on the traveler's experience is judged to promote better mental health and decrease stress, anxiety, conflict, and/or depression in the simulation experience. If a traveler has experienced a traumatic loss that pains or haunts them at the time they enter the simulation, imagine the impact on their mental state if they must live with it in an almost arrested state in loops for decades, or even centuries, while in hibernation?

HOW IS THE SIMULATION DESIGNED TO CHANGE…?

One simulation loop consists of eight days aboard the Prometheus at sea, traveling from London to New York. The ship travels with many empty cabins (perhaps all first class cabins are full, but second and third class are empty) and carries very little cargo. That amounts to a lot of unused and uninhabited space. It is in this space that the simulation constructs the backstory worlds of each traveler, within the bowels of the ship itself.

Travelers spend their time doing whatever they wish, enjoying the sea air, dining, relaxing, and socializing. The voyage is meant to be a pleasant experience and the AI running the simulation monitors brain activity to gauge whether that is true for each and every traveler. If it discovers that a traveler has had a suboptimal loop, it makes adjustments to the traveler's memory and environment to improve their experience in the next loop. Over time, it's possible that this iterative optimization process can result in radical changes to some travelers' backstories and even their relationships with other travelers.

SO, WHAT HAPPENED…?

If the sim is designed to be a pleasant journey, how did it transmogrify into what we witness in the eight episodes of season 1? I have several theories, and almost all of them build on the idea of an original benign purpose and design of the 1899 simulation that is ultimately modified and/or corrupted. Yes, the 2099 that Maura wakes up to may be a simulated world as well, but the above notions of the 1899 simulation still work. These 2099 travelers voluntarily entered it.

Will try to put some of my theories into posts soon, but wanted to get this Out There as a starting point.

Wake up 🜃

Keep on keepin' on~

#1899 #theory #spoilers #season 1 #simulation #prometheus #2099 #Maura #Maura Franklin #netflix #1899netflix #1899 theories #1899 spoilers

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maladaptive-jcb · 10 months

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Chapter 8: "Home"

Jamie x female!reader

(fluff, safe for under 18)

Click here for chapter 7 if you missed it

Summary: Reader is an independent artist who lives on her own in a small town and meets Jamie, a musician, in an art studio where their budding relationship formed through shared interests of different forms of art.

Warning: There will be talks about trauma and PTSD from sexual assault, domestic abuse and dissociative episodes throughout the story.

Swimming with Jamie was something I never thought would be so enjoyable. The moment our feet touched the waters and the glance we shared before getting into it was the moment I knew that the trajectory of our bond would change from then on. For the first time in a long time, he made me feel so free. All the crashing waves and laughters we shared when we stumbled upon each other made me forget every single bad thing that haunted me. I was just... me. Not my scars. Not my trauma. It was Jamie that made this happen.

While we walk along the shoreline, fingers still intertwined, we share a peaceful silence between us. The night has fall and we're both taking the starry night and the cool breeze in. In some moments, I managed to steal a few quick glances at Jamie. Noticing the dripping water from his now-loose curls, tracing down to his inked skin illuminated by the distant campfire. It's a sight I feel exceptionally lucky to have at the moment. Of course, normally I'd be embarassed about it. Yet, I also notice Jamie doing the same. I caught a few glimpses at his longing stare down my lips whenever I try to speak. Deep in our hearts, we both knew that it's not the right time yet and I can tell that Jamie is still being cautious about it.

"This was really fun," he finally breaks the peaceful silence.

"It really was," I reply, heart filled with contentment.

"Are you ready to go back?" Jamie asks.

"Yes, let's go!" I grip his hand in mine tighter and runs towards our laid out belongings, playfully causing him to stumble forward making both of us breaking into laughter.

We dry ourselves with towels and put our clothes back on. After packing all of our stuff up, a middle-aged man approaches us with a box of roses in his hands. I turn to look at the box and it says "$2 each".

"Flowers for your lady?" he asks Jamie.

"Oh, actually we're not-" he stops himself. I turn to look at him.

"You know what, yes please," he takes a rose and proceed to hand the man some cash with a generous tip.

"Bless you, young man," the man says and continues to walk to the other crowd.

"Here. For the pretty girl," Jamie smiles and hands me the rose.

I slowly take the flower from his hand. Although I wholeheartedly like Jamie, the flirting sometimes confuse me to where we are headed. But maybe it will be okay. Maybe the uncertainty behind it is just part of the journey that will lead to something good.

"Y/n. I'm not pressuring you into anything, okay? Don't ever think that whatever I do, it's to get something out of you," he says after noticing my sudden silence.

"No, yeah. It's beautiful. Thank you, Jamie," I squeeze his hand reassuringly.

"No, thank you. For making my day," he expresses back with a thankful hug, feeling the tightness of his muscular arm around me with it.

We walk back to the car with my bag on one hand while the rose and the blanket on the other. I insist on carrying them, wanting to contribute after Jamie's perfect day planning. He eventually concedes, giving up on arguing with me. I keep shifting our stuff in my hands to balance myself and cracking more jokes until I suddenly feel a sharp pain.

My lower waist.

My scar.

My wound.

I fall to the ground and I'm now back to that harrowing night. I'm on the hardwood floor. Breathless. The searing pain in my waist is getting unbearable. I lift my head up and I see him. Aaron. Yelling at me like I've never seen him does before. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I plead him to stop but it only makes him angrier. My eyes are burning in hot tears now. Why am I here? Another smash on the floor sends a shock to my whole body. I can see all the glass shards around me. Drips of blood trickling down my waist. "I can't believe I wasted all these times with you! God, what a useless woman!" I can't make a sound, I can't. I'm gonna make him even angrier. My hands violently shake as they're pressing on my mouth, trying to cover any noises that might escape from it. I shut my eyes hard.

I hear him yelling out my name over and over again but this time it sounds like his voice is coming from a far away distance. My ears are ringing so bad I feel like my head is about to explode.

"Hey, hey, hey. Y/n. Can you hear me? Y/n, I'm here. Stay with me. I'm here."

I can finally hear it.

"Y/n. Can you hear me?"

The voice is clear now.

I open my eyes and find myself on the ground trying to catch my breath. I look at my lower waist. Trickles of blood seeps into my dress.

"You accidentally unwrapped the rose. You got cut by the thorn. It's okay it's not deep. You're okay. You're safe," Jamie is holding me on the ground as I regain my breath again.

"Just breathe. You're okay. Breathe with me, y/n. Come on."

I look up at Jamie staring back at me. His familiar face brings me back and I quickly wrap my arms around him. My body is trembling in fear and I just need someone I know to hold onto. In an instant, I finally feel the sob coming out of me. I don't think Jamie has heard me sob like this before but I can no longer hold it. All I feel at the moment is fear trembling through my body.

Without hesitation, Jamie quickly gathers all our things. I then feel his arms securing around me and lifting me off the ground.

"I have a first aid kit in my car. We're gonna get you patched up, sweetie. Just hang in there," his voice soothing me.

In the car, he helps me into my seat, offering me water and gently tending to my cut.

"You're doing so good, sweetie. You're gonna be okay, alright," he keeps reassuring me while I'm still holding onto his arm.

When he finishes, he quickly gets on the driver's seat.

"I'll get you right home, okay? Don't worry you're gonna be okay-"

"NO! Please... please I don't want to be alone tonight," I beg him to stay.

He pulls me in and starts comforting me again. "Okay. You won't be. I'm not leaving you."

He starts the car and his mind racing to find a solution.

"Hey, I have a guest room at my place. You can stay with me for the night. Would that be okay?" he asks.

I nod.

He squeezes my hand and without hesitation, he starts driving.

____

I walk with him into his big apartment. His arm still wrapped around me as he walks me to the guest room.

"I have some tees and jammies in the closet if you need to clean up and change. I have another extra bandage over there if you need to and the bathroom is right there. Feel free to use the shower," he points at all the stuff he mentions.

I hold onto him tightly and not wanting to let go. "Thank you so much," I mumble under his chest. His hand stroking my hair.

"Don't you worry about it, sweetie."

He lets me settle in and making sure I feel better before I get up and clean myself. His constant reassurance slowly took my fear away and I manage to breathe better and compose myself. After the shower, I check on the cut on my waist. It's definitely a nasty scratch but it's not too deep. Still, it might bleed for a while. I fix myself up with the new bandage and pull out some clothes that belongs to Jamie from the closet. I put them on, his familiar scent on them calms me down even more.

I then hear a knock on the door.

"Can I come in?" his voice soft from the other side.

"Yeah, go ahead," I respond.

He opens the door slowly. His hair wet and messy from the shower and now wearing some fresh new clothes too.

"Hey, how are you doing?" he sits next to me on the bed.

"I'm doing better. Thank you for doing this," I say with a relief and gratitude in my heart.

"Of course. I can't imagine leaving you alone like this. Look, if you wanna talk, I'm right here, okay?"

"I know," I put my hand on his.

"I'm really sorry about the rose. It was so stupid of me for letting you hold it."

"It's not your fault. You've been nothing but sweet to me the whole time," I tell him.

"Well, you just take care now. Just let me know if you need anything else again."

"Okay."

A yawn escapes from my mouth. Suddenly realizing how tired I am.

"Let's get you to bed. You had a long day," as he helps me get under the cover. "Goodnight, sweetie. You just rest tonight."

Jamie gets up to leave and suddenly my stomach turns at the thought of being alone again.

"Wait!" I yell out.

He turns.

"Can you... lay beside me?"

He walks back towards me and kneels on the floor to meet me in the eyes.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks.

"Yes. I am. Please," pleading him.

"I promise, I won't try anything."

"I know you won't," I hold his hand to reassure him.

He dims the light and climbs onto the bed next to me. He makes sure to have a comfortable distance between us in the bed. Jamie starts humming a tune and ocassionally tucks my hair behind my ear. Every second he's with me, I feel even more comforted. His humming feels soothing to my ears that I can feel my eyes drooping heavier by the minute. I finally feel safe enough to allow myself to drift off.

_____

I feel the warm sunlight hitting my face and I slowly flutter my eyes open. My eyes start focusing my surrounding and I notice that the side of the bed next to me is empty. I look around the room and Jamie is nowhere to be seen. I sit up in panic until I get distracted by something.

There's music playing. The sound of a piano.

I walk to the living room following where the melodious tune came from and see Jamie on the piano. Only now, realizing how spacious the apartment's living room is that a whole piano can fit in it. I guess my mind was really far off last night that I didn't realize it.

The music is lovely and it feels like he's now playing the climax of the song. It's emotional, moving and powerful. His body sways as his fingers dance along the keys. I slowly approach him and he welcomes me with a warm smile as he continues playing it.

He stops after a while. "The song's not done yet that's all I got. Good morning, by the way," he smiles. I return the smile too.

"That's beautiful. Do you have a title for it yet?"

"It's called "Home"," he says with a hint of smile as he thinks of that response.

"Home? That's interesting."

"Y/n, I need to tell you something," his tone turns serious.

"Alright," my curiosity grows.

"Do you really want to know why I actually came to the art studio?" he suddenly asks me.

"Because you were just looking for something to do, right?"

He snickers and shakes his head.

"Do you remember when you painted the London view? It was a road overlooking the Big Ben. The sky was blue with a bit of orange tint to it," he says again.

"I do! That was when-" My eyes widen as I realize something. "Wait you haven't even signed up for the class yet... You weren't there."

"I actually was."

"What do you mean?" I ask in confusion.

"I passed by the studio while I was walking and stopped when I saw your painting. I just moved here and was feeling terribly homesick. So, when I saw it I was intrigued, you know? Your art was... is... breathtaking. Remember Mr. Hayes showed off your painting to the whole class?"

"Oh, don't tell me you saw that too?" I laugh feeling slightly embarrassed.

He chuckles. "Yes, I did. You had this really lovely laugh as Mr. Hayes praised you in front of the whole class... and your smile... your whole face just... lights up," he smiles as he remembers it in his head. He turns to look at me again.

"I... I didn't know that," I say in surprise.

"All I know is that I have to hear that laugh again. I have to see that smile again. It was beautiful... You're beautiful," his eyes searching for something in my face now.

"Jamie, I-"

He cuts me off by gently cupping my face. His eyes with a tender look met mine.

"Listen to me. It doesn't matter what you look like to me. I will always see you as the girl with the smile that lights up the whole room."

A tear falls down my cheek, not knowing how to respond.

"And even when I felt homesick, I found a reason that makes this town finally feels like home," he looks at me longingly. "This song. It's you. You make me feel like home."

Without hesitation, I close my eyes and crashes my lips into his. He pulls my face even closer. His soft lips sink deeper into mine until I pull away and meet his eyes again.

"You're sure about this now?" His smile is different this time.

"Yes, I am. Jamie I... I really like you. But I-" my voice falters.

"I know. I promised you not to push you into anything and I mean that. Waiting for you was worth it and nothing makes me happier than to see you smile when you're with me. I'll do anything to let it stay that way."

Our unspoken feelings finally found a voice. At this moment, both of us knew that this is going to be a new chapter of our relationship and my heart finally found its journey towards healing.

Chapter 9

_____

I know this is a long chapter but woooooo they finally kissed! I hope the slow burn was worth it. This is not the ending yet btw so stay tuned and reblog if you like it 👀💖 Thanks for all those who kept following the story!!

#fanfic #jamie x female reader #jamie bower #jamie campbell x reader #fanfic fluff #jamie bower fanfic #jamie bower x female reader #jamie bower x reader #jamie bower x y/n #jamie campbell bower

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xrgl40 · 7 months

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>>Entry 41, "Monsters and Champions --A Collection of World Folklores (First Edition)".

Published by: Jennamite Media Ltd., Omashu, Earth Continent. Year 60 Post Restitution.

>>Category(s):

Property of Kyoshi Island Public Library. Reserve Material. Antique.

>>Last Inspection:

Year 1341 Post Independence/ 1071 After (Air Nomad) Genocide/ 900 After Harmonic Convergence/ 115 Post Restitution.

"Ten generations back, The Regime dropped a fiendish bomb. Avatar Sheng'shi gave his all to stop it, yet died trying. The Cycle was no more.

Shattered were the Three Portals. The spirit and the physical world, two parts of a whole, severed from each other. Spirits remained transformed, violent, twisted monsters they became. Forty years, ashes covered the sky, blocking out the sun. Millions starved, slaughtered by dark spirits. Survived fewer than one in ten.

The Regime, emerged from their bunkers, tamed the dark spirits to their use. Wielding dark spirits they enslaved us, feeding on our drought ration. Eight generations passed, all hope was lost --or so it seemed.//

Four misfits, fugitives of The Regime, ran towards the desert.

From the east, a brawny man in washed out robes, his beard overgrown but his head shaven clean. The airbender Hao'tian, a descendent of Zaheer. Traversing the world, taking the air away from our oppressors was he. Flying weightlessly over the sky, like wind, like his ancestor did.

From the south, a towering woman in rusty armours, her greying hair secured in a topknot. The firebender Jing'lei. A Colonel she might be, couldn't change her troops' gruesome ways. Desertion she went, white flames she bent, one in each hand, cutting her ties with The Regime.

From the west, a wiry man wrapped head to toe, in cream-coloured fabrics, all but his eyes and nostrils. The earthbender Xuan'tie, a prisoner of war, experimented upon. Bending the purest metal, mowing down a hundred men, gliding seamlessly across the sand was he, to freedom.

From the north, a dwarfish woman, ragged cloak over her robes. The waterbender Gu'yue. Nimble beyond her age, she witnessed the Sozin's Comet passing, thrice. Gazing over the horizon, her blue eyes contained knowledge and secrets of many lifetimes.//

Red lotus flower outshined the moon, destiny brought them together.

'Do you see what I see?' Said Hao'tian the airbender.

'A red lotus, in the sky.' Said Jing'lei the firebender.

'So I wasn't insane.' Said Xuan'tie the earthbender.

'This is a sign.' Said Gu'yue the waterbender.//

The lotus transformed, into a cyclone of pedals. Emerged was an old monk, translucent was his figure.

'You must be a spirit.' Said Hao'tian.

The spirit spoke. 'My name is Xai Bao, your ancestor was my disciple.'

'I am an instrument for your will.' Bowed Hao'tian.

'You spoke in my dream, claiming you hold the key to immortality.' Said Gu'yue.

'I lost my ways, now I seek to right my wrongs.' Said Jing'lei.

'I seek Zong'heng the Tyrant's head.' Said Xuan'tie.

'Pledge your loyalties to each other, restore balance to the world. You will atone to your past, bring down The Regime, become legends, live forever through the words of people.' Spoke the spirit Xai Bao, vanishing in a cyclone of red lotus pedals.//

Four masters, sworn their lives over each other, a red lotus branded onto their palms.

Hao'tian summoned a cyclone, Xuan'tie added sand and metal, Jing'lei mixed in the lightnings. A storm with the power of a hundred storms, stroke like ferocious spirits, erasing our oppressors from earth.

Four Bringers of Balance, one unstoppable force. From the forest of Wulong to the shorelines of Gaoling they travelled. From the mountains of the Fire Isles to the icy tundra of the South Pole they travelled. Thirteen years, nine thousand towns and villages they freed.//

Outside of Caldera they stood, first Stronghold of The Regime, fortified by nature, in the belly of a dead volcano.

'About the crystals, are you certain?' Asked Hao'tian.

'I saw how it was done, with my own eyes.' Said Gu'yue.

Xuan'tie moved an arm, a tunnel stretched deep into the mountain. Under the half moon, The Four headed into the tunnel.

In the heart of the Stronghold lied a giant machine, tubes ran all over it, purple lights pulsed from the tubes, a hypnotic rhythm. In this chamber The Four emerged, surrounded by four hundred men.

Gu'yue, who bent their blood, wielded men like puppets. Four hundred men, turned against each other. Four hundred bodies, covering the floor like a carpet.

'How? There isn't a full moon.' Said the last soldier, in his dying breath.

'With centuries of practice.' Said Gu'yue, cryptic was her tone, impossible to decipher.//

'Tear off its shells, the crystal is inside the engine.' Said Gu'yue.

'The entirety of the machine is pure platinum.' Said Hao'tian, who flew in circles.

'Hah, platinum. I bent it once, I will bend it twice.' Said Xuan'tie.

A chasm spilt the machine in halves, recovered was a green crystal, the size of human fist. A third of enslaved spirits, free from The Regime's spell.

'Beware, of the Creeping Crystal. One touch, it shall set its root upon you, growing until you are buried in whole.' Said Gu'yue.

'Shall we destroy it?' Asked Jing'lei.

'Nay. Take it with us, safely contained.' Said Hao'tian.//

The second Stronghold, west sector of the Air Archipelagos, hanging downward from the cliff. From the sky The Four stroke. Few hand gestures by Xuan'tie, sealed were the windows and vents. Hao'tian, the guider of wind, drew the air out of the chamber. Four hundred men, without gas filling their lungs, collapsed onto the ground, lifeless.

Two machines destroyed, two-thirds of the spirits freed, as did two-thirds of the world. Two creeping crystals in the collection of The Four.//

The last Stronghold they approached, built upon an ancient ruin.

'It used to be a city, captial of the United Republics, my childhood home. A shame they left it in this state.' Said Gu'yue.

'Zong'heng is desperate, we might not survive.' Said Hao'tian.

'Then we will take him with us.' Said Xuan'tie.

'We will never get through his army.' Said Jing'lei.

'You aren't alone.' Said a voice.

Four hundreds spirits, four hundred warriors across the world. Eight Hundred Liberators, rallied behind The Four.

'Get to the machine, we will hold back the tyrant's army.' Said a warrior.

'Xuan'tie, Jing'lei, your ancestors created the Third Portal, you carry the knowledge in your blood. Reconnect the Two Worlds, and the restitution shall be complete.' Said a spirit.//

The Tyrant Zong'heng, with two thousand men, clashed with the Eight Hundred Liberators. Under the half moon they battled, bodies stacked in piles, the river ran in crimson.

Four Restorers of balance, carving a way from the swarm of two thousand men, approached the last machine.

'Halt, you insolent peasants." Said The Tyrant Zong'heng.

Four Bringers of Balance, surrounded by two hundred men, led by The Tyrant himself.

Gu'yue, bender of blood, pupteered The Tyrant's troops.

The Tyrant Zong'heng, with one simple move of his arm, stripped Gu'yue's control over his men. With his other arm, he bent the blood of Gu'yue, who struggled to control her own limbs.

'You shall all perish for your transgressions.' Said The Tyrant Zong'heng.

The tyrant bent the blood of his own men, compelling them to charge. Two hundred men, attacked without preservation.

Hao'tian, guider of wind, summoned a downdraft, holding the men at bay.

'Go, destroy the machine!' Spoke Hao'tian to his comerades.//

Xuan'tie, wielder of metals, glided to the top of the machine, ripped open its platinum shell, exposing its core, where the creeping crystal lied.

'Jing'lei!' He yelled.

Jing'lei, master of electricity, shot lightning to the core, a bolt matching the size of a sea serpeant.

Inside the tubes that fed the machine, purple light turned to a blinding white.

Stepping out of the chaos was The Tyrant Zong'heng, hands folded behind his back. He brought his hands forward, one held the head of Hao'tian, one held the head of Gu'yue.

'See this? Your fate is set, when you made the first act of insubordination.' Said The Tyrant.

Resuming their work, Jing'lei and Xuan'tie glared at The Tyrant. A split second, it carried a thousand words.

Xuan'tie, two boxes he opened, two Creeping Crystals he bent, casted into the machine's core.

Jing'lei, two lightnings from two arms she shot, hitting the two crystals, front and centre.//

Pure energy, from the machine's core, expanded outward. Everything inside it, vaporized without a trace.

Over the sky, a dome it formed, miles it covered. Then it shrank, condenced into a column of golden light. Birth of the New Portal, reconnecting the Spirit and the Physical world.

Eight Hundred Liberators, two hundred lived to spread the tale--

Four martyrs, slayers of The Tyrant Zong'heng, liberators of men and spirits, bringers of Balance."

--Narrated by Elder Yulduz, performed by the Misty Palm Players at the sunset of Autumnal Equinox. Red Lotus Village Carnival, Si Wong Desert, Year 57 Post Restitution.

NOTE

The name of each character has meaning:

Shen'shi (盛世) -- "era of prosperity"

Hao'tian (昊天) -- "clear sky"

Jing'lei (惊雷) -- “terrifying thunder"

Xuan'tie (玄铁) -- "black iron" (magnetite)

Gu'yue (古月) -- "ancient moon"

Xai Bao (翟豹) -- "翟, an ancient last name, 豹, leopard"

Zong'heng (纵衡) -- "(acting) without restraint"

#avatar universe #atla #legend of korra #lore #original characters #red lotus #poetry #worldbuilding #post canon #far future

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stiffky · 2 years

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(ATLA) Earth Kingdom's northern jungle?

While working on the 'The Deserter' episode (ATLA 116), DiMartino y Konietzko had the idea of an Earth Kingdom town whose architecture had been modified by Fire Nation colonists―hence the contrasting roof style between the temple and its surrounding buildings. Jeong Jeong's camp was located deep within the wilds enclosing the colonial town, close to a shallow pond. For this forest, or jungle, the creators got inspiration from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (1899), so… is there ivory in this jungle? What's its name? If we translate Heart of Darkness into Chinese we get Hēixīn, which is similar to Hu Xin, one of the earliest Fire Nation conquest during the Hundred Years War. Are this jungle and the colonial town in the Hu Xin provinces? Could be. An isolated tribe lives in the jungle. Little is known about its people, as only the leader―Lin Yee―is named. DiMartino and Konietzko only said they're extremely isolated, having little contact with the outside world and no modern technology. They are masters in lancery and their clothes allow them to camouflage. The clothes appear to be made of dried yellow-green leaves and grass. They go barefoot, and wear bamboo hats called douli (斗笠) in China. If they were of Cambodian inspiration, the hat would be named do'un (ដួន). They have also made rudimentary wooden armor for combat. This tribe remind me of the Xiongnu, a mysterious confederation of nomadic steppe peoples who dominated central Asia for centuries. And since we don't know anything about Lin Yee and his tribe, this is the lore I give them: The Xin people are nomads from the northwest of the Earth Kingdom. They come from the northern steppes of the Taihua Mountains, but the rest of their history is a mystery. Their leader receives the title of Chanyu and for centuries the Earth Monarchs have tried to convert them into a tributary state, but they remain independent. Isolationists and with hardly any technology, they live in the northernmost jungle of the Earth Kingdom, a rainforest covered in wild, majestic and extensive shorelines, wetlands, rocky outcrops and glaciers. Guess this jungle could be inspired by the Chugach forest, which is America's northernmost greenwood. The headcanon name I'd give it would be Xin Wilds, I guess. I really, really love the complex and vast worldbuilding we can discover in 'The Last Airbender', 'The Legend of Korra' and Yee's book. I'll share mor little details and piece of worldbuilding soon!

#ATLA #avatar the last airbender #history #my writing #the deserter #earth kingdom #fire nation #avatar lore #avatar worldbuilding #book 1 water #ATLA: the art of animation

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charlesandmartine · 11 months

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An epilogue

Canada was great and in many ways not how we expected it to be. For one thing, the weather was good, warm, sunny and dry. We were able to join in the celebrations of Canada Day in shorts beside the lake in the heat. Constitution Act of 1867 signed off by Queen Victoria created Canada, formally joining several colonies into a single, unified, semi-independent Dominion of Canada. Essentially, Canada became a self-governing dominion within the British Empire on the 1st July 156 years ago. And to some extent, Canada as an entity was something we found odd. Why did it never join the USA (some say Alberta would like to become the 51st State of the USA), why did the US buy Alaska above Canada in 1867, incidentally the same year Canada was created, and why do half the people still speak French despite the French being licked by the British in the Battle of Quebec in 1759? Well I don't think anyone knows. It's odd thinking of a French speaker as Canadian and not, well, French. The second largest country in the world and the longest border with another country in the world. Shoreline on 3 oceans and just 40 million or so population. The Rockies were like a massive version of the Lake District and Norwegian Fjords superimposed onto the Alps. Alaska reminded me very much of Norway. Equally stunning in its own way with tiny communities happily coexisting in their geographically imposed isolation with whales and fish as company but invaded regularly by vast armies of cruise ship guests many times in number greater than their own population. Canadians were lovely, pleasant, polite people; we called them nice Americans. They seemed very like the English in being almost apologetic of their country and sometimes it seemed not realising just how good it is. It is easy to overlook though the reality that this lovely place, basking in 30° heat will soon be shivering in temperatures as low as -30° in those dark winter days. I couldn't live in that. We covered a lot of road miles seeing the foothills gradually convert to rocky mountains and then seeing them from a different perspective from the massive picture windows of the brilliant Rock Mountaineer railway. We have seen a shed load of Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Whales, Elk, Ground Hogs, Chipmunks and just two Bears. We have discovered that British Columbia produces a very fine SB and it was a great delight to sit on the terrace of a small independent winery drinking some of its output. Who'd have thought that Canada could have rainforest, huge fruit growing communities and a dry, arid desert. Apart from the hiatus caused in the first week by a rampant Cockerel on steroids and the forest fire which caused a radical change in itinerary, we have had a great time. We most likely will not return to the Rockies, but we are intrigued by what we might see were we to peer over the top of the mountains and looked east at Québec (pronounced keybeck by locals) and beyond to the coast at Nova Scotia.

In the meantime, greeting us in our mailbox on our return was the Lonely Planet guide to Northern Territories. There's something to think about.

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laurelcovecommunity · 3 months

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youtube

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