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gotjacobian · 1 year

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More thoughts on AI art discourse - there’s a claim I’ve seen pop up a few times that AI art models are tools for “democratizing creative expression’ because they enable people who can’t draw or paint well to make beautiful art about things they want to see. This claim is weird to me, in a way that’s had it rolling around in my head since I heard it. I have zero incentive to begrudge the use of technological tools to help create art - even those that embed strong priors in what that art output looks like that comes more from the technology than the user. That statement applies to many interesting and well-respected mediums, including those that act like AI art in other ways - remixing and resampling existing work is a legitimate way to express creativity. But like, you don’t make a collage of something and tell someone ‘I drew this’, right? Or you don’t say, “this is just like if I drew this”. Which is what I feel like this claim is saying. That making AI art of something will be as if you drew it yourself.

That’s a claim that will elicit immediate backlash in the same way that traditional art theft (“I made this”) would. But I think it’s different than claiming the skills and work of another artist directly. Most people I’ve seen sharing AI art are honest about how the image was generated. The benefit they get isn’t the clout of having the skills to make the image - it’s just the clout of the image… existing, I guess? So I don’t think that’s my issue with the framing. I think, instead, the part of the original claim that stirs me up is this idea that people who use AI models to make art would not otherwise be able to creatively express themselves on as “high a level” without AI tools. And that’s weird to me!

I think it’s common to think of the process of creating art as of translating some platonic ideal of what that piece could or should be from the artist’s brain into an actual artifact. The artist wants something to exist, and they bring it into existence, in a form that’s impacted by not just their self-expression and decisions, but also their physical abilities and the tools available to them. It’s not uncommon to metaphorically label these two parts of the process into something akin to “signal” and “noise” - to imagine that the ideal art in someone’s brain is corrupted by their lack of ability to realize it. In my experience, most people who don’t think of themselves as artists think that this is what making art is. You get better at art to reduce the ‘noise’ and make images that look more like you want to make.

I’m not gonna claim that’s wholly untrue. I think it would be dishonest of me - god knows I prefer digital drawing over traditional because it gives me tools for making my art cleaner, clearer, and more deliberate. But also, the more art I’ve made, the more I’ve come to reject the “signal/noise” framing. Artists are not printers. It is much more common, in my experience, to ‘think on the page’. When you’re making art, you’re communicating with the world, your medium, your own abilities, at every step of the process. I don’t see those influents as noise - or rather, when and whether they are benefitting or hindering the art is extremely contextual to what you’re trying to do. The “democratization through AI art” claim comes in with some very specific ideas of what all artists are trying to do. It implicitly assumes the goal of art is to produce a very polished image in a specific and recognizable style, that features a desired subject or theme, and is appealing to look at. It then follows that people who have creative ideas but who aren’t able, currently, to bring them to fruition in that exact way, are deprived somehow of the experience of making art.

I disagree with that. I recognize that technical art skills and expressive capacity often grow together, but art that is made by a person without those technical skills is just as art-y as what they’d make with years of training. The quality of expression comes from the process of making the art, not the polish of the outcome. I know there’s an eternal, unresolvable discourse about how much certain tools erode the artistic process. Again, the use of new technology to create art in general doesn’t bug me. What does is equating what I see as processes on very different parts of a spectrum - saying they’re doing the same thing, and fulfill the same role for an artist, audience, or art as a whole. (Plus, there’s a whole other piece to be said about seeing the way that art is shared and distributed online currently, where art with certain polished visual styles is more likely to be produced and shared en-masse, and then thinking that the way to make that process more ‘democratic’ is to give everyone the ability to make art that looks exactly like that, rather than to consider and elevate the art that people are already making.)

Which brings me to my last point- I don’t actually think it’s bad in any way to want to have a polished piece in a specific style that you didn’t have to draw yourself. But that need isn’t met by better drawing tools - it’s met by art commissions. The claim that AI models make it easier to make art, rather than to bypass paying artists to make you art, is a spin that should have more eyebrows hitting the ceiling.

#ai art #ai art discourse #ai disk horse #complaining #shoutout to topquarkintown again lol #we talked about this on discord #which somehow stirred the metaphysical fabric in such a way that the two tables next to me in a coffeeshop #also started arguing about AI art

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formally-illogical · 5 months

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Cooling down from finding a discord server for my special interest and rapidly messaging a book's worth of information with people until i was the only one left

#it's philosophy.#the discord server is about philosophy #im not even knowledgable about it i just love trying to get down to these metaphysical truths yo #i literally constructed a “library of babel” type space for logically consistent sets of axia and their consequences #i called it “logic space” i thought it'd solve the problem about whether quality precedes material and im still not sure if it does?#and then godels incompleteness theorem which seems to show logical truths are 'discovered' rather than 'created by men' and and and #fuck ive been missing this my entire life god dammit #felt cute might delete later

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curiouscoven · 6 months

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Welcome to our Coven. Evolving, renewing, recharging and enhancing every level of ourselves and the reality in which we belong

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resu-rlbmut · 1 year

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vent post incoming but. this has truly been one of the months of all time ever. definitely a month with events and happenings and things that took place. i feel. Overwhelmed and Bad. but tbh mostly just feeling tired

i missed a bunch of uni requirements and i probably flunked my exams because i couldn't get myself together enough to actually study!!!

(on the bright side it wasn't All of my exams. but sadly i definitely DID flop on the subjects i hate. and the reason why i hate them is because they're the most difficult and boring ones. fuck i hope i won't fail or anything because if i have to retake those courses i will SCREAM)

on a more personal note i finally realized the reason why i resonated so much with the am i a lesbian masterdoc despite being a cisgender man. (yeah yeah i have he/they pronouns on the bio so what. can't a guy also be a they slash them now??? mind your business!!!) because i'm like. 98% sure i'm gay??? ok even typing that was scary to me but also saying that i'm gay felt more truthful, more instinctively true than me saying that i'm bi, so. 100% sure i'm gay

anyway back on topic i really actually resonated with the document because as it turns out, the feelings i was feeling was comphet??? because whenever i imagined a future with myself and a woman it was usually for The Bit. like some sitcom where the premise was "isn't it funny that SHE'S the breadwinner and HE'S the homemaker? gender nonconformity is hillarious!" so yeah. turns out all the people making fun of me when i was a kid were all correct </3

i just really wanted to write this down somewhere, somewhere public, even if it's not gonna be associated with me irl because. idk. i'm hoping that someone comes across this and relates, maybe? just screaming into the void for validation... i would be writing this down on my priv twitter account but. honestly some of the people i knew in middle school that (jokingly?) shipped me with one of my guy friends (don't ask) still follow me there and i don't want them to realize how right they were. i refuse

speaking of like, old friends or whatever, i really do wish i kept in contact with more of them but. here's the thing, i already know about myself that i don't talk to people over the internet unless i see them irl. like i know internet friendships can be just as valid and emotionally fulfilling and whatnot but tbh if i don't see them irl i just forget to talk to them :( like that sounds shallow and i know it's a problem i've known for years i really have. i just. don't know how to solve it??? and now i don't really talk to anyone in my college batch because i'm too tired to even make the effort of socializing and now i HAVE no friends to talk to because talking to other people even on the internet (ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERNET WHERE I CAN'T SEE THEIR FACES) is scary and nerve-wracking anf HDJSDBSJDHSJGH. i hate this i hate this i hate this i feel horrible and guilty and lonely the time thinking about it (<- random but i would be so easy to induct in a cult)

#do not reblog #vent post #eli.txt #yeah new tag for my personal shit because Reasons #elias/eli isn't my real legal name or whatever but it IS a correct name to call me i think #i've been using that name to lurk in various internet spaces for years it's definitely real enough at this point that #if a fairy stole it from me i would be losing a substantial part of my metaphysical soul or whatever #unless i got it back after going thru 1 and 1/2 hours worth of fantasy movie hijinks #and i wanna use this site more for posting&venting maybe even for talking to people if i ever work the nerve up (is that the right phrase?)#so i'm just gonna dump my feelings here as practice #because twitter is horrible facebook has all of my relatives i just don't like instagram and idk what other social media Things i can use #mastodon maybe??? a bunch of insular discord servers?????#anyway i do hope to start uh. expressing my feelings more even if it's in a place none of my irls can see. i owe it to myself i think

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inaconstantstateofchange · 5 months

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Inquiring minds want to see your take...8 INT Tav meets Haarlep in the Boudoir.

asjdaksjdasd oh my god okay, well obviously taking massive inspiration from your og: 8 INT Tav

this got... impossibly long. don't blame me, blame the two competing peacocks.

Raphael rematerializes within the familiar walls of his bedroom, still pinching the bridge of his nose. He normally prefers to arrive at the front hall, to allow his servants to see and feel his presence in their midst, but today… He’ll grant himself an allowance, just this once. A familiar rustle of wings unfurling has him spinning around, looking for the slightest opening to lash out and satisfy even some portion of his wounded pride. He is not kept waiting long.

Haarlep’s mockingly dulcet voice lilts out of the shadows across the room, eyes alight with glee. “How was the visit with your dear paramour, Unseelie lord?”

Raphael raises a clawed fist in their direction, discordant notes like distant screams gathering at the tips. Haarlep leans forward with anticipation, the byplay between them familiar if not yet entirely banal. Just before he releases it, tips them over the edge into simple violence that might ease but not soothe the indignity he has suffered today – and every day since meeting that impertinent, irritating girl – a thought strikes him. He grins, slow and toothy.

Haarlep is far too accomplished a fiend to do anything so obvious as blanch, but they do blink twice in rapid succession, a clear sign of their startlement from one who knows them as well as he. It is not often that he misses a step in their masquerade.

Letting the accrued magic dissipate entirely, Raphael raises his hands to his mouth in an expression of carefree thought, a fine and cutting edge to it that he knows the other feels.

“Why, how delightfully cordial of you to ask after her, Haarlep. In fact, she has been doing the same, nigh incessantly!” He watches the other’s face with barely-hidden glee, tracking every visible micro-expression.

Another blink. Confusion. Haarlep doesn’t see the game yet. And, after all, how could they? That girl is absolutely incalculable. Raphael soothes his vexation with the thought that, at least this time, he can make someone else play the victim to her unique form of nescience.

A brief mantling of the wings. They have determined their gambit then. With a sultry movement of their arm, Haarlep gestures to themself. “But of course! Who could possibly resist such a delicacy in truth? I am glad to hear the little darling has come to her senses and reconsidered.”

Raphael lets them preen, their eyes still watchful behind their long lashes, a moment longer, then claps his hands sharply.

“That’s settled then. I’ll be just a moment, and then the two of you can get reacquainted.” He lets some portion of his own power rise around him for just a moment. No need to put too fine a point on it. “And, Haarlep? I do expect you to give a more proper welcome to guests of the House in future.”

Haarlep looks away for that moment, a pretense at nonchalance, but Raphael trusts his message has been received. He discorporates himself with a moment’s thought, feeling a malefic cheer rising as he considers the treat in store for him.

Haarlep remains where they stand, loath to cede more ground and mistrustful of this turn of their little brat’s whims. They cast back to their first, brief meeting with the subject of his – unwitting and unwilling – current attentions, but nothing materializes that could explain the specific turn of his disposition. She had been too insipid to intrigue, yet somehow survived her visit unscathed where countless others had not.

Their thoughts are suspended by the familiar metaphysical crackle that heralds the rematerialization of Raphael’s preferred method of conveyance. This time, he does not arrive alone. Held stiff and distrustful within the loose circle of his arms is… her. The moment she sets her eyes on Haarlep, they go limpid and soft.

Raphael speaks, face inscrutable but voice tremulous with his mirth, “See, dear one, I told you I’d had a… crisis of conscience. You’ve worn me down with your keen moral arguments, and I’m prepared to… see sense, and let you speak to Haarlep again.”

Haarlep blinks, genuinely caught off guard for one of the first times in recent memory. What… is going on.

The girl steps forward, turning back to give Raphael a solemn, approving look, before approaching Haarlep tentatively. It is, however, not with the understandable caution they are accustomed to from mortals, but rather underpinned by something saccharine and soppy. Their well-honed survival instincts prick at them as she opens her mouth, warning them without even a bare moment to flee that whatever comes out of it will be harrowing indeed.

“I know, Haarlep. I know what you are.” She reached out toward them with supplicant hands. “You aren’t stuck here. You can be free.”

Haarlep blinks once, then again. “... What.”

She elaborates, but does not in any way elucidate. “I’ve seen this before, you know. It’s not hopeless. Whatever these fey have told you, your nature does not make you one of them. You belong on the Material Plane, with others like you.”

Behind her, Raphael’s face begins to crack into a grin worthy of a true fiend. Haarlep’s distrust is growing exponentially with each passing moment. They paste on a smile and lean forward, “Others… like me. And just what would those others be, little interloper?”

“Oh, Haarlep…” To his stark disgust, a single tear drips from one eye. Gleeful micro-vibrations emanate from Raphael, propagating a shimmering haze around him.

She continues on, after a brief pause in which she stares at him mournfully, “A changeling, of course. I’m so sorry you’ve fallen prey to their lies, that you had to find out this way.”

She clenches her fist, a mawkish determination filling her entire body. “I’ll find a way to free you. I promise.”

[Haarlep.exe has stopped responding.]

On the resounding heels of the vacuum left by her pronouncement, Raphael vibrates himself into the wall of the next room over. His cackling still reaches them unimpeded.

#sky-kiss #prompt fill #my writing #my fic #i can't believe i wrote 1k of these buffoons and 8 INT TAV #what is the world coming to #i hope you enjoy your legacy sky #voidling speaks #not vflu compliant #bg3 raphael #bg3 fanfiction #haarlep #tav #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #raphael x tav #raphael x haarlep #raphael/tav #asked and answered

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who-is-page · 9 months

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Hello! We weren't sure who else to ask, and we trust your sources. x) But, do you happen to have any good information resources on fictionkin? We used to but we lost a lot of things over the years, and we don't know of any good, simple explanations from trusted folks. Thanks for any help!

I actually had to go the The SquadTM on Discord to ask for additional resources on this, because there's really quite a dearth on fictionkin-specific resources in the community at the moment, especially beginner-friendly ones, which is a damn shame. Here's what we collectively have to suggest, though some of these skew past beginner-level resources as you go further down:

A Timeline of the Fictionkin Community by House of Chimeras (liongoatsnake) - A PDF timeline of events that have taken place within or related directly to the fictionkin community. Spans from 1979 to the start of 2021.

FromFiction's Fictionkin FAQ by FromFiction - An FAQ on fictionkin and fictionkin experiences.

Fictionkin.org - Connected to the FromFiction Tumblr, this is a metaphysical fictionkin resource website.

Alterhuman Archive's Fictionfolk Category - A collection of over a hundred different works by and about fictionfolk. YMMV.

Explanation of Fictionkinity by Luteia (shadowfae) - A Tumblr post by Luteia explaining fictionkinity.

I'm Ben, But Call Me Poppy by Poppy (aestherians) - Poppy explores raer personal fictionkinity and introduces the reader to the reader to the fictionkind experience in general.

Living with a “Problematic” Fictional Identity (And Where to Go from Here) by Goratrix (goratrix-betrayed) - A video lecture followed by questions and discussion about navigating through life with a “problematic” fictotype or as a “problematic” fictive. How to find community, how to cope, what responsibilities we may or may not have, what morality means for us and where the line between choices “then” and choices “now” lies. Panel script available here on Goratrix's Tumblr.

Why Using the Term Fictionkin Should be a Power Move, Not your Every Day Label by Daski (indornaga) - A Tumblr post in which Daski encourages readers to rethink about how they use the term fictionkin for themselves.

Filling in the Blanks, Part 1: Questioning: Fanworks, Fan Theories, and Filling in the Gaps by Hange - A Tumblr post by Ranthimi discussing canon and its importance (or lack thereof) to fictionkin identities.

Filling In The Blanks, Part 2: The Worlds Are Bigger Than You Think by Hange - A Tumblr post by Hange discussing how and why looking at multiple sources can be beneficial when trying to understand the world a fictionkin identity originated from.

A Different Approach to Fictionkin by Hange - A Tumblr post that explores the idea of viewing fiction as a form of mythology.

Filling in the Blanks, Part 3: Additional Permutations to the idea of “Being Fictional” by Hange - A short Tumblr essay on using alternative, external, "noncanon" frameworks for fictionkin identity.

There is probably a ton more I could put on here if I spent a few more hours hunting, but I'm super busy today so please accept this humble offering. Followers, if you have any resources to add, please reblog and do so!

#Ask #thelunastusco #fictionkin

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punishandenslavesuckers · 1 year

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Hob tries to be a very normal about the fact that the pretty silver ropes he once tied around the nightmare’s wrists… appear to be rooted like weeds directly into the Corinthian’s spine. One tethered at the center of each rune. They stretch like pale tendon from the tattoos down his back to form the rope loops around his arms.

A friend from the discord shared this art and I immediately wrote a fucked up fic about how binding spells manifest for a mostly metaphysical being. Normal about it. They are kind enough to let me share with y’all. Enjoy the art and the fic. AO3 Link

#the sandman #the corinthian #the sandman netflix #hob gadling #hobrinthian #sandman fic #technically fic is #hobrintheus #and #corintheus

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talonabraxas · 23 days

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Ezekiel's Wheel Talon Abraxas

Metaphysical meaning of Ezekiel (mbd)

Ezekiel, e-ze'-k1-el (Heb.)--God strengthens; God is strong; God is powerful; whom God makes strong.

One of the four major prophets. He was one of a colony of captive Jews by the river Chebar, in Babylon; it was there that he did his prophesying (The Book of Ezekiel).

Meta. That in us which relies on Spirit and encourages us to place our full trust in Jehovah, that the Lord Jehovah (the spiritual I AM in us) may become the keeper of our sheep (our spiritual thoughts). Ezekiel was an enthusiast. His mind was open and alive to things spiritual. He shows us how to demonstrate strength.

Ezekiel saw a vision (Ezek. 1:4-28) in which the glory and splendor of God were revealed to him. The power of God's presence threw him down upon his face, where he remained for a time. But God called him to stand up and commanded him to go to Israel and carry a message to the people there. God encouraged him and told him not to be afraid when trials came (Ezek. 2:1-6; 3:17-21).

Ezekiel means God strengthens. We may apply this story of Ezekiel's vision to our own development, for it is a symbol of what may happen in any one's spiritual growth. When we touch the God consciousness we realize the presence of a mighty power, and at first we fall down; that is, we become inactive, for we feel our insignificance and our inability to do anything but worship. We soon find, however, that we must go forth and carry the message to others. We must be busy. We do not always need to preach in order to carry the message. We may become living messages that will be more eloquent in God's cause than words could possibly be.

God strengthens the one who seeks Him in the inner chamber and finds Him there. God fills that one with an urge that he cannot suppress; he must go forth and carry the message of life to all living creatures.

There is a great work to be done among men. They must be shown that good is real and that evil is unreal. They must be taught that evil is an inharmonious state of mind, an unprofitable state of mind. Lasting health, happiness, and life eternal come only when one lives and thinks in harmony with the divine law of the universe.

There is a great work to be done among men, but there is a greater work to be done within man. Every thought of the mind and every organ and cell of the body must be taught and redeemed before heaven can be established in your earth.

The mind and the body must be taught and assured that they are filled with the life and substance of God. They must be redeemed from the old race thoughts of sin and sickness or they will die; if they die, their blood will be on your head because of your not telling them. God is life and He sends forth the message of life. It is for all who will accept it. An organ of the body that receives God's message is quickened and vitalized. All the cells and organs of the body must be taught the truth about themselves; they must be taught that they are a harmonious part of God's creation and that they are not subject to discord or sickness. Begin today. Find the Father within you and carry His message to every living creature.

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crossing-paths-discord · 2 years

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Crossing Paths is a metaphysical & witchcraft discord geared towards community & collaborative learning. The server currently hosts resource sharing for collective learning and focused chats including divination, baneful magic, altars & tools, and more.

While we encourage education and gentle correction for misunderstandings or lack of knowledge, there are free bans for fascists, racists, antisemites, transphobes, transmisogynists, homophobes, queerphobes, ableists and their bigoted friends.

Crossing Paths is 18+, no exceptions.

https://discord.gg/cJcy4uDMuF

#metaphysical #witchcraft #witchblr #pagan discord #occult #occultism #witch community #witch discord #metaphyiscal discord

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thebardbullseye · 2 months

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“Philosophical and Personal Musings on the Wizard Stone and the Axiom of Proliferation” – An Essay and Divinations for Arc 3 of “The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One”

From the Desk of The Bard Bullseye

Happy Birthday, Worlds Beyond Number!

Spoilers abound! This is an essay discussing the actual-play podcast “The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One” from the fine folks at @worldsbeyondpod It is an expression of my analysis of and engagement with the content of the second arc of the show and also contains some speculation about future plot and current themes. These interpretations are my own, include some reflections on my personal philosophy, and are written in a mostly academic style of writing (be warned, it’s around 3,000 words!). If you do read through it, I hope you find my points interesting and thought-provoking regardless of whether or not any of it turns out to be true (and I have done my level best to adhere to the facts of the story thus far, with transcript pages and timestamps cited when available/applicable).

Abstract (TL;DR, or I ain’t reading all that, but I’m happy for you):

The Wizard Stone’s discovery that the Axiom of Proliferation is untrue has major implications for the overarching story and the direction of the next arc. Herein, I explore my reaction to this moment in Episode 19 and how my experience and own philosophy potentially align with Stone’s. Then, I examine the logic of her argument and its implications for the greater worldbuilding in Umora. Specifically, there is a fundamental problem with the way that wizards are using the lingua arcana that is affecting the link between the Spirit and the Mortal worlds (i.e., the “greater binding”), and this is leading to detrimental effects. This, I believe is ultimately what Grandmother Wren (and now Ame) and Coven of Elders (and possibly the Man in Black?) are concerned with, though they have come to vastly different conclusions about who is at fault and how to solve this problem, which are yet to be revealed in the forthcoming third arc (see footnote 5).

Introduction

Something has piqued my interest and scratched a deep philosophical itch for me in the second arc of “The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One.” While the first arc introduced the characters, explored ideas of ‘quest fever,’ and masterfully wove in lore and character motivations for reclaiming Eursulon’s sword, Wavebreaker, the second arc has expanded upon the characters and their relationship to the greater philosophy of the Citadel and Umora.

I don’t usually speculate where stories might go next or craft my own fan theories. Especially for ongoing projects (i.e. TV shows, actual plays, books in a series, etc.), I tend to be along for the ride, and I spend time analyzing the story being told and the characters within. And rarely do I put these thoughts to paper, at least not coherently; I am more likely to ramble endlessly to a friend or lurk on Discord for others’ opinions, chiming in occasionally. However, I have noticed some things brewing in this arc that I wish to discuss at-length and even speculate upon: my perspective and analysis of the philosophy of the Wizard Stone, and the possible implications for the forthcoming third arc.

I don’t often see myself in stories. Not to say that I don’t see myself or parts of myself represented in media: i.e. demographically, socially, politically, etc., but rarely do I find a specific character or character motivation that ‘snipes through the duplex door’ where I go “oh shit that’s me” or “I relate to this on a deeper level.” This happened to me in Episode 19, when Suvi is investigating the records of her mother’s early time in the Citadel: her expulsion from the College of Divination and readmittance to the College of Abjuration because she had accused one of her professors of “treason against magic itself.”

Upon her dismissal from the Citadel, Stone wrote a dissenting missive to the Archmagi of the Citadel regarding one of the three metaphysical axioms, the Axiom of Proliferation, and how this particular axiom “does not describe any actual truth of the lingua arcana, nor does it more broadly describe any facet of the greater binding” (Ep. 19, transcript p. 12). She goes on to posit that not only is it “pure intellectual technology,” but that its continued acceptance as fact is a “danger to the future of wizardry” and “[a] stain on the face of magic itself” (Ep. 19, p. 12). An axiom in this context is described as “simple… laws that are given to young wizards about broad truths of spell casting in general… that are true across spells [and], … different schools of magic” (Ep. 19, p. 13). That is, “the Axiom of Proliferation is essentially that the more times a spell is written down … the weaker the spell becomes” (Ep. 19, p. 13).

An axiom as defined in philosophy is a statement that is self-evidently true and serves as a starting point for reasoning. Therefore, any argument against its truth would call into greater question the philosophical foundation of the Citadel itself. If Stone’s claim that this was not a true axiom had not been dismissed swiftly and discredited, it is possible (though highly unlikely, given the power of empire) that this would have led to a redefinition of the philosophy of wizardry in Umora.

This is what struck me like a bolt of lighting while listening to this episode. I did almost this exact thing when I was in grad school!

Stone is… me? Faulty logic and its effects

As part of my master’s degree, I took a philosophy seminar on bioethics, which covered some polarizing subjects and more fringe points of view. Most of these topics cannot be directly studied or supported by scientific evidence, so the conversation and academic debate is largely conceptual or theoretical (i.e., conducting research to investigate these ideas have varying states of legality and moral acceptability) (see footnote 1). This course was excellent and a bit out of my comfort zone, but it challenged me to think critically about fundamental logic and accepted ideas that often go unexamined until they are taken to the extreme. At one point in the semester, we were discussing a particular topic and the current state of debate surrounding it. Immediately, I was perplexed by some of arguments made to justify it, and at first, I didn’t have the language to express why. Much like Stone, I found myself screaming (internally) “you’re all idiots!” or “you’re missing the point/the bigger picture!” or “that’s not how that works!” Essentially, I had arrived at the conclusion that if this idea were to be implemented broadly in society, it would likely have major negative ramifications, and furthermore, not even achieve the desired and purported effect that they were arguing for!

Eventually, I figured out what the underlying problem was: a logical fallacy inherent and unidentified within the current debate. Since scholars had just accepted the argument at face value and moved on, most of the debate was concerned with its future implementation or theoretical follow-on effects on individuals and society at large. I did find some existing papers that danced around the idea of fallacious reasoning (i.e., that the theoretical benefits were greatly exaggerated, if not a zero-sum game, or that the negative long-term effects may outweigh the short-term benefits), but none named it specifically or even examined the logical argument the entire debate was predicated on. So, for my term paper, I researched and wrote about this fallacy, and in it, I discussed how the discovery and acknowledgment of it would reframe the debate and perhaps even bring about reform to existing systems!

In the process of writing and researching, I felt incredibly isolated intellectually (this was also peak-COVID so that didn’t help either). Now that I had put the pieces together, it seemed quite obvious to me, but it was difficult to find supporting evidence or other similar arguments to mine (even if they weren’t breaking the logic down so specifically). Was this thing I had reasoned actually true? Why had no one pointed this out before? What if I’m wrong? What if they’re right and I’m a fool for daring to challenge them? What does my professor think? They’re an expert and approved the topic, so I know I’m not entirely off-base, but do they agree with me? I knew that if I wrote a strong, supported, and persuasive argument, that I couldn’t fail, but I deeply cared whether or not I was actually right. It was also probably one of the first times that I wrote with passion (and specific planning ahead of time!), rather than churning out yet another good-enough research paper (that I may or may not have written days ahead of the deadline or the night before).

Thankfully, unlike Stone, my fears that I would not be taken seriously, or worse, told that I was flat out wrong (and be silenced) did not come to pass—my professor agreed wholeheartedly with my argument that this fallacy is pervasive in the current literature. (Though I feel must disclaim that I still could be wrong in some other aspect of my argument, and that simply arguing the existence of a fallacy can be treacherous! In philosophy, no one ever has the only or complete answer—if they claim to, they are either lying or ignorant.) As part of the course, we did a mock peer review in class and my professor sent us further feedback on our papers after we submitted our initial draft of the term paper.

One particular piece of feedback stands out to me upon reflection and comparison to Stone’s experience and the philosophy of wizardry. It said something along the lines of ‘We think that is a very admirable and unique take on this subject. No one found any fault in your logic; however, it is important to consider the practical implications of identifying this fallacy.’ Point taken, of course, that the mere identification of a flaw in logic is not the end of the conversation—it is merely the start of a new discussion and opportunity to surface new arguments.

In my case, the identification of the fallacy was the concrete thing I felt I could verifiably yell about (academically) to explain why I disagreed so vehemently with current literature (and some truly wild propositions made by certain scholars). Of course, one should not commit the ‘fallacy fallacy,’ which is that simply pointing out a fallacy invalidates the argument. Instead, it was a means to discuss practical implications: some less harmful methods, some overlooked existing solutions, and to pull knowledge from other related disciplines that had not yet been considered because this fallacy had yet to be identified (see footnote 2).

The philosophy of Stone’s accusation of ‘treason’ and treatise to the Archmagi

In listening to and reflecting upon this episode and the conclusion of the second arc, I wonder if Stone felt similarly to me: that she had a fundamental disagreement with the way that wizards (and the Empire) conduct magic. I wonder if she learned about the Axioms and something didn't sit right with her, so she dug into the philosophy or history of it. Moreover, I find it particularly striking that her original specialization was divination. Although it has not been stated outright, I think it can be plausibly inferred that Stone divined some kind of knowledge about the fundamental ‘wrongness’ of current wizardry and the disastrous follow-on effects it would have. She may have been unable to fully convey her revelation in the moment, and so just shouted ‘treason against magic’ at her mentor. As was the case with me, the Axiom of Proliferation was just the most concrete thing that Stone could point at to explain herself.

But beyond my own biases and affinity for Stone, it follows that she may well have examined or done a proof on the Axiom of Proliferation which led to her discovery that the premise of the Axiom was false. Let’s examine the argument that Stone may have made (and the one that Suvi may have done a poor proof of, by her own admission). The argument is as follows:

All Axioms of magic describe a truth about the fundamental nature of magic

The Axiom of Proliferation states that the more times a spell is written down (proliferated), the weaker the spell becomes, which is a truth about the fundamental nature of magic.

Therefore, the Axiom of Proliferation is an Axiom of magic.

This can be simplified:

All A’s have property B

C has property B

Therefore, C is A

This does not necessarily lead to a false conclusion, and while the argument may be valid, it may not always be logically sound, see for example:

All people are mortals.

John is a mortal

Therefore, John is a person.

In the Citadel’s view, there is no flaw here, because they teach (and presume) that the Axiom of Proliferation is true in the lingua arcana. Wizards, of course, are known by their secrets, so it follows that in their philosophy of magic, they would have some kind of justification for keeping magic limited to the select few. But, if one of the premises is false (in this case, premise 2), then this justification is in jeopardy. It stands to reason that Stone must have had serious evidence to declare that premise false, and as she was studying divination, it was likely a vision or prophecy of some kind. Presuming she is correct, then it also speaks to her incredible intelligence (although she did not have the social grace at 19 years old to deftly navigate this accusation) (see footnote 3a).

Although (as far as we know), Stone did not make another public ruckus about the Axiom upon returning to the Citadel, I don’t think this caused her to abandon the belief that the axiom was erroneous. Upon her readmission, she joined the College of Abjuration, specifically studying “counterspelling, dispelling magic, [and] sort of metamagic, … the magic of magic itself” (Ep. 19, p. 11). This might seem to be an odd choice for a backup specialization, but Stone’s issue with the Axiom and metamagic are deeply intwined philosophical concepts, as metamagic is essentially the equivalent to metaphysics in our world.

Wizardry and the nature of magic in Umora

Wizards are defined in Umora to be people that can use a “language of magic” the “lingua arcana” to cast magic, and importantly, that “they believe [the lingua arcana] is the language the universe uses to understand itself,” which was only coined about 250 years prior to the present story (Ep. 19, p. 16). At the end of the first arc, Suvi discovers from her father’s notes that the reflexive indicative, which was taught to her as a necessary component of the lingua arcana, is in fact entirely unnecessary for spellcasting. And further, Stone also doesn’t use the reflexive indicative, which is demonstrated through her unique casting of Mending in the very first episode. It is unclear so far in the worldbuilding (to me, at least) if the lingua arcana is the language the universe uses to understand itself, or if it is a construct used by people to explain, communicate, and more importantly cast magic in Umora (much like math and science are ‘constructs’ that describe the nature of our world, though the fact that it is constructed does not mean it is not true). If it is the latter, then there is likely to be forces at work, be it the components of spell casting (such as the reflexive indicative), the casters themselves, or others yet to be revealed, that are manipulating and restricting the nature of magic in Umora (see footnote 3b).

Thus, I would posit that there is some issue in the way that the restriction of the lingua arcana is affecting the “greater binding,” which is “the theory of magic, that magic is the interplay between the Spirit and the Real—or the Spirit and the Mortal” (Ep. 19, p. 14). Essentially, the lingua arcana describes the nature of the relationship between the Spirit and the Mortal world, while the greater binding is the metaphysical link between them. Stone all but confirms this in her letter to the Archmagi, that if the issue is left unresolved, it would endanger the future of wizardry (Ep. 19, p. 12).

Other pertinent wizarding history and context

Stone and Soft were also part of a group called the Acadator, which was dedicated to rooting out corruption and bad actors within the Citadel. We don’t really know too much else about them, the exact specifics of their philosophy, or if they still exist as a group (given that Steel and Eiorghorain were members). There is also some history surrounding two early wizarding groups pre-Citadel, the Antivoli and the Accordati, that had a philosophical disagreement about accepting the help of the Saraz Imperium for building the Citadel (specifically related to the sharing of magic), which led to a civil war called the Cataclysm of Carrow (Ep. 19, p. 16). In terms of timeline, the lingua arcana was coined in 1423, the term ‘wizard’ was coined in 1456, the Cataclysm of Carrow was in 1467, and three years later, in 1470, the Erien (Citadel) was built. The current story with the three protagonists is taking place in 1670, so it has only been 200 years since the Citadel was created, and the lingua arcana coined only 47 years prior to that (in less than a human lifespan).

Further, the creation of the Irulian Desert, the Erien, and the Citadel is a destructive history—wizards razed a verdant forest and turned it into a hot, unlivable desert with a miles high glass tower at the center. Additionally, the Wizards of the Citadel pool their magic beneath the Erien in an ‘Aerith,’ into which they deposit magical reserves and draw upon its combined strength when in crisis (see footnote 4). Mechanically, we see Suvi ‘donate’ unused spell slots at the end of the day.

We do know that Grandmother Wren’s cottage is located on top of a source of great magical power and serves as her sanctum. Wizards also use the towers of the Citadel as their sanctums, and I believe the following is speculation, as I do not think it has been canonized yet, but it is possible that the Aerith serves a similar purpose as a source of great magical power that previously belonged to the Spirits that wizards alone now use and control. This control is the key difference that may be contributing to, or even causing, detrimental effects on the greater binding.

The Witch(es)’s and the Wild One(s)’s perspectives

Additional evidence to support this theory of the Aerith's origins and purpose comes in Episode 23, when Eursulon meets the Man in Black and discusses their opinions on mortals, particularly wizards and their desire for control. Specifically, the Man in Black states, “that tower is the handle of a knife plunged deep into the heart of this world, a heart that is responsible for… a murder to the world of Spirits” (Ep. 23, 0:09:45-0:10:07).

Later, in a flashback with Mirara and Grandmother Wren, Mirara argues that “the world has burned before” (perhaps in reference to the creation of the Irulian Desert), that “[wizards] cannot be allowed to do this thing” (still unclear what that thing is), and the coven must make some kind of decision before it is too late (Ep. 23, 0:58:46-0:59:00). Wren pleas for another option, points this out as a false dichotomy, that they must not “be forced to choose between one slaughter and another,” and they should work to find common ground and coexist (Ep. 23, 0:59:07-0:59:33). Mirara retorts that she could never imagine the day that she would see “the will of wizards debase themselves” (i.e., that wizards would ever lower themselves from their current position of power) (Ep. 23, 0:59:39-0:59:52).

Wren then asserts a key point that correlates directly with Stone’s perspective: “There is nothing I have seen in the world of Mortals or of Spirits that shows me that there is a path that is wrong to tread” or anything that proves the pursuit of wizardry as inherently wrong (i.e., the lingua arcana), only those who “tread paths hurtfully, with cruel intention” (i.e., those abusing the lingua arcana for political purposes and imperial gain) (Ep. 23, 1:00:08-1:00:28). Wren also questions Mirara’s stance of wizardry as “an abomination against the natural order of the world” (Ep. 23, 1:00:40-1:00:47). Mirara then challenges her to consider her point of view and insists that even Wren cannot deny that “the poison of wizards does not spread so quickly as to choke the life from this world” (Ep. 23, 1:01:03-1:01:09).

My pure speculation and fan theory:

From this conversation, I postulate that Mirara and the Coven has taken an extremist and doomed perspective on the harm that is resulting partially from the Axiom of Proliferation (and perhaps the Aerith as well), while Grandmother Wren took a reformist stance. This would put her and her position as the Witch of the World’s Heart at odds with whatever plan the Coven intends to enact. Given what we know of the Witch Class and the other domains of the Coven, their plan is quite possibly violent, retributive, and holds little to no concern for the Mortals or people of Umora.

The third arc will begin with Ame’s meeting with the Coven of Elders at the North Pole, where they will attempt to destroy her station as the Witch of the World’s Heart. For all of the reasons above, I believe this event will connect directly to Stone’s declaration of “treason against magic itself,” but I will just have to (patiently) wait and see (see footnote 5).

Footnotes:

(1) I am well aware that I am being quite vague and obtuse regarding this subject and what specifically I was researching. Mainly because a) that’s not really the point of these musings, this is just some background info and context to explain my philosophy which is already longer than I would like, b) it would be impossible to do justice to an overview of this complex subject in an essay about something that resonated with me in a D&D podcast (and which does not engage with that subject directly, at least not in this context), c) I’ve already written a paper on this subject and am not interested in regurgitating it here, and d) Nunya Binyess (i.e. I could still be wrong about this fallacy and I’d rather discuss WWW than start a tangential IRL philosophical or political argument on this forum).

(2) Though on a deeper level, I partially disagree with the idea that I needed to account for the practical implications of the fallacy within the paper. I disagree that when challenging the fundamental nature of something (e.g., an erroneous argument, a misinformed policy, or an unjust system), there must be an immediate remedy or solution offered up. In my philosophical opinion, once a fallacy like that is identified for something that we hold to be fundamentally true, we need to sit in that revelation and undo the thought processes created by the incorrect assumptions. You cannot flip a switch and suddenly reverse all of the justifications that have gone into supporting a flawed, ingrained argument. To undo a pervasive, incorrect fundamental idea that has been implemented, internalized, or proliferated, first it must be fully examined for all its flaws, rescinded, and only then do we start from square one and think about practical changes (in a perfect world, of course, I am fully aware that the world does not work this way). I do often wonder about this reactive nature in society to demand immediate alternatives and solutions when norms are challenged, though I recognize this is a result of different lived experiences and worldviews. After all, this reactionary nature is true in Umora as well, and the wizards of the Citadel “tend to be a lot more about praxis and practice” (Ep. 19, p. 14).

(3a) Perhaps Stone rolled a nat 20 on some kind of intelligence check for the vision, but rolled a nat 1 on her Persuasion check against Sleep!

(3b) There is another essay I could write here about the history of science and empire (another grad school course) and the reflection of this in the Imperium, its taxonomy, and the (anti)-democratization of knowledge, but perhaps another time.

(4) Something that occurred to me when piecing together the Erien and the Aerith was the similarity to Morrow’s derrick that harnessed Naram’s power in the first arc. Both serve similar purposes as well, of generating magic and magical items. It makes me wonder if it was intended for the derrick to be Morrow’s poor attempt at recreating the glory of the Citadel, or if this is just a happy coincidence/connection between the arcs.

(5) I do want to briefly acknowledge the nature of improvisational storytelling in this situation, and that anything can change, be clarified, canonized, etc. at any point. This is partly why I don’t like to speculate much myself, because I trust the creators to tell the story the way they want to and follow the paths that appear, without projecting my own hopes or prescriptions when I listen to their wonderful creation that has been crafted with such care. It is also why my theory in the end is limited to the meeting with the coven- truly anything could happen at the beginning of the next arc, and whatever I might come up with is likely less interesting than what will happen. (NB: There is nothing wrong with fan theories or head canons! It’s just not usually something that interests me!) I merely saw a connection and through-line that deeply resonated with me in this second arc and felt compelled to write about it. Also, Worlds Beyond Number and WWW is just so fucking great, and it truly astounds me that this story is so deep that I have somehow written a 12-page essay analyzing essentially a 20-minute segment of one episode. I pray to Enzo that there are no grievous errors or spelling mistakes, but I wanted to post this on WBN’s first birthday! 🧡

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fromfiction · 7 months

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Server interest check

Checking interest in a discord server geared toward:

21+

metaphysical/spiritual kin and fictives

lightly moderated-- no long topic/word blacklist

no irl political discussion

no discussion of kin/fictives from a mental health standpoint

no fandom wank (fandom talk fine, fandom politics bad).

primarily but not exclusively geared toward villain kin and fictives.

2012 skype community vibes

#fictionkin #kintype #fictionkind #alterhuman #fictives #fictive system

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ml-nolan · 4 months

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Kick's 2023 Fic Roundup (YEEEHA!)

[Please use the Kayne Malevolent voice for that title]

SOOOOOO all domains included—fics, original fiction, nonfiction, and copywriting—I wrote over 300k words this year. Of that, fic was 132,449 words! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I'm pretty proud of it, honestly, so I thought I'd hop on the rundown bandwagon.

Thanks to everyone who read my stuff, kudos-d it, commented on it, and yelled with me about it on Tumblr and Discord (Honk-Honk to all my honkos!!! 💜🖤💜🖤💜🖤). Y'all have made my life so much more fun this year.

The Sandman - Dreamling

Music When You Speak [Rated E | 72,075 words]

When incognito rock star Dream of the Endless drifts into Hob Gadling's record store, it's instant attraction. Neither of them expected things to get this serious.

This started out as an experiment in "taking time to enjoy the scenery," so naturally I had to [SPOILER ALERT] add a kidnapping subplot that ends with Dream naked and covered in blood.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Oops.

I'm so glad so many people loved it. I loved it too. Still do.

Playlist here

Aaaaand complimentary ficlet, Piece by Piece [Rated T | 610 words].

I'll Make You Sorry [Rated E | 12,035 words]

Things from Hob's past are making Hob's hookups run screaming into the night, and it's really freaking him out. Dream is very concerned (both that other people are dreaming Hob's dreams and that Hob takes so many lovers).

This is my only canon-adjacent fic (so far) that isn't ficlet or pure smut, and I enjoyed making both of them so deeply uncomfortable. Also I need to write more Corinthian because I found his voice disturbingly easy to emulate. 😂😂😂

On Sex Dreams and Anachronisms [Rated E | 1,818 words]: Two embarrassing times Dream dropped in on Hob's sexy dreams and one much nicer one. Second silliest thing I wrote this year.

(Not) Spellbound [Rated E | 1,192]: This is just bondage smut. You're welcome. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

How to Extract Your Boyfriend from Toxic Internet Culture [Rated G | 704 words]: By far the silliest thing I wrote this year. Features retired Dream's stint as a True Crime Wine Mom.

One Tall Dark Stranger [Rated G | 565 words]: From the prompt "Accidental Hand Touching."

You Will Not Be Bothered [Rated G | 420 words]: From the prompt "picking a leaf/flower petal out of their hair, or brushing dirt off of their face."

I'll Be a Better Man Than My Father Ever Was - Chapter 4 by @chaosclimber | for the Dreamling for Ukraine fundraiser.

[PODFIC] Inappropriate Uses of the Dewey Decimal System and Coworkers by Hob Gadling, no PhD (Chapter 2) by @chaosheadspace | for the Dreamling for Ukraine fundraiser.

Metaphysics by @quillingwords

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The Sandman - Femslash Weekend!

This was so fun, and I have at least one more femslash idea I really hope to have the spoons to finish in January. 💜🖤💜🖤

You're Gonna Catch Hell [Johanna/Mazikeen | Rated E | 2,116 Words]

Johanna Constantine, a gun for hire, is meeting a very dangerous new client at Club Hell. A mysterious woman who spots her right when she enters the club might pose some complications.

Pure smut, although I have an enormous hc around this AU that I'm not sure will ever see the light of day.

Obliterate All Prior Things [Lucienne/Gault | Rated E | Words 3,421]

Whatever horrible thing Lucienne says is happening to The Dreaming is certainly happening. But the other part—the bit where Lucienne thinks she is the reason for it—cannot be allowed to stand. Run away with me, Gault wants to say. We'll find our own way. Be whoever we want. And you can finally rest.

I have huge feelings about Gaulcienne, which will become extremely clear if you read this.

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The Magnus Archives — Goof Troop (aka., TimGerry)

Just an Animal Looking for a Home [Rated E | 33,349 words | Love and Nonsense AU - WIP]

When Tim Stoker came to Pinhole Books, it was like someone jammed a foot on the accelerator of Gerry's life. After a health scare, a wedding to his (let's be honest) soul mate, and the exponential growth of the shop, it's showing no signs of slowing down. Now, Pinhole is opening a second location, their beloved Fiona Law is retiring, and Tim and Gerry are bringing a new canine member into their family. But even good changes can be overwhelming, and Gerry finds himself dealing with old trauma he thought he'd left far behind him. Plus, Tim is unexpectedly forced to face old conflicts, which takes him places where Gerry can't follow. With all these stressors on top of the typical growing pains that come with a still-new marriage, Tim and Gerry have to learn to work through their issues together. It's either that or fall apart.

This is the sequel to Hiding in Plain Sight, which I actually started this in 2022 and took a hiatus while I was writing Music When You Speak (so the word count includes 2022 chapters, don't @ me 😂). It's pretty heavy but I think the break will make the story that much better for it, honestly.

Playlist here.

Also in this AU, a couple ficlets set before TimGerry got together.

What's His Deal? [Rated T | 608 words]: Gerry tries to find out what Tim's deal is. Jon is completely unhelpful. From "Blossoming Romance" Tumblr prompt: "Attempting to find out if they are single/available"

Scoop [Rated E | 682 words]: Gerry has just hired a new employee at Pinhole books, and it may just cost him his sanity. Involves ice cream.

Ad Libitum [Rated E | 1,861 words - WIP]

It's Tim Stoker's first week at The Magnus Conservatory, and his piano accompanist hasn't shown up for auditions. An imposing goth swoops out of the shadows to save him, but Tim worries his instant attraction to the man may make it hard to control himself.

I just started this one! Music conservatory AU where Tim is studying voice and Gerry is a pianist. Excited to see where it goes (honestly, your guess is as good as mine at the moment).

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And of course I've got a book and a Patreon with two serials in progress if you're interested.😉😉😉 But I hope to write a LOT more fic in 2024! Love y'all. 💜🖤💜🖤💜💜🖤💜🖤💜💜🖤💜🖤💜

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