#posting this after my pc almost died

[reginaldubel]

dinovember day 3: hypsilophodon 🥥

#dinosaur #prehistoric #paleontology #dinovember2023 #hypsilophodon #the isle #YUM COCONUT !!! #posting this after my pc almost died #recovering my files now cus itll die one day for sure #tried fixing drives failing and nothing 😀

[gootarts]

as of 8/3, the most recently updated version of this post is here (it's a reblog of this exact post with more info added)

as a lot of you know, limbus company recently fired its CG illustrator for being a feminist, at 11 pm, via phone call, after a bunch of misogynists walked into the office earlier that day and demanded she be fired. on top of this, as per korean fans, her firing went against labor laws---in korea, you must have your dismissal in writing.

the korean fandom on twitter is, understandably, going scorched earth on project moon due to this. there's a lot currently going on to protest the decision, so i'm posting a list here of what's going on for those who want to limit their time on elon musk's $44 billion midlife crisis impulse purchase website (if you are on twitter, domuk is a good person to follow, as they translate important updates to english). a lot of the links are in korean, but generally they play nicely with machine translators. this should be current as of 8/2.

Statements condemning the decision have been issued by The Gyeonggi Youth Union and IT Union.

A press conference at the Gyeonggido Assembly will occur on 8/3, with lawmakers of the Gyeonggi province (where Project Moon is based) in attendance. This appears driven by the leader of the Gyeonggi Youth Union.

The vice chairman of the IT union--who has a good amount of experience with labor negotiations like these--has expressed strong support for the artist and is working to get media coverage due to the ongoing feminist witch hunts in the gaming industry. Project Moon isn't union to my knowledge, but he's noted that he's taken on nonunion companies such as Netmarble (largest mobile game dev in South Korea) by getting the issue in front of the National Assembly (Korea's congress).

Articles on the incident published in The Daily Labor News, Korean Daily, multiple articles on Hankyoreh (one of which made it to the print edition), and other news outlets.

Segments about the termination on the MBN 7 o' clock news and MBC's morning news

Comments by Youth Union leaders about looking into a loan made to Project Moon via Devsisters Ventures, a venture capital firm. Tax money from Gyeonggi province was invested in Devsisters in 2017, and in 2021, Devsisters gave money to Project Moon. The Gyeonggi Youth Union is asking why hard-earned tax money was indirectly given to a company who violates ESG (environmental, social and governance) principles.

Almost nonstop signage truck protests outside Project Moon's physical office during business hours until 8/22 or the company makes a statement. This occurs alongside a coordinated hashtag campaign to get the issue trending on Twitter in Korea. The signage campaign was crowd-funded in about 3 hours.

A full boycott of the Limbus Company app, on both mobile and PC (steam) platforms. Overseas fans are highly encouraged to participate, regardless if whether they're F2P or not. Not opening the app at all is arguably the biggest thing any one person can do to protest the decision, as the app logs the number of accounts that log on daily. For a new gacha such as Limbus, a high number of F2P daily active users, but a small number of paying users is often preferable to having a smaller userbase but more paying users. If the company sees the number of daily users remain stable, they will likely decide to wait out any backlash rather than apologize.

Digging up verified reviews from previous employees regarding the company's poor management practices

Due to the firing, the Leviathan artist has posted about poor working conditions when making the story. As per a bilingual speaker, they were working on a storyboard revision, and thought 'if I ran into the street right now and got hit by a car and died, I wouldn't have to keep working.' They contacted Project Moon because they didn't want their work to be like that, and proposed changes to serialization/reduction in amount of work per picture/to build up a buffer of finished images (they did not have any buffer while working on Leviathan to my knowledge). They were shut out, and had to suck it up and accept the situation.

Hamhampangpang has a 'shrine' section of the restaurant for fans to leave fan-created merch and other items. They also allow the fans to take this merch back if they can prove it's theirs. Fans are now doing just that.

To boost all of the above, a large number of Korean fanartists with thousands of followers have deleted their works and/or converted their accounts from fanart accounts to accounts supporting the protests. Many of them are bilingual, and they're where I got the majority of this information.

[note 1: there's a targeted english-language disinformation campaign by the website that started the hate mob. i have read the artist's tweets with machine translation, and they're talked about in the second hankyoreh article linked above: nowhere does she express any transphobic or similarly awful beliefs. likewise, be wary of any claims that she supported anything whose description makes you raise eyebrows--those claims are likely in reference to megalia, a korean feminist movement. for information on that, i'd recommend the NPR/BBC articles below and this google drive link of english-language scholarly papers on them. for the love of god don't get your information about a feminist movement from guys going on witch hunts for feminists.]

[note 2: i've seen a couple people argue that the firing was for the physical safety of the employees, citing the kyoani incident in japan. as per this korean fan, most fans there strongly do not believe this was the case. we have english-translated transcripts of the meeting between the mob and project moon; the threats the mob was making were to......brand project moon as a feminist company online. yes, really. male korean gamers aren't normal about feminism, and there's been an ongoing witch hunt for feminists in the industry since about 2016, something you see noted in both the labor union statements. both NPR and the BBC this phenomenon to gamergate, and i'd say it's a pretty apt comparison.]

let me know if anything needs correction or if anything should be added.

#project moon #limbus company #obligatory text post tag #that's all i've got for now. highly encourage y'all to not open limbus until they make a statement

[aaronsrpgs]

In Praise of Random Encounters

I'm in my "responding to frequently asked Reddit r/rpg questions" phase, so please allow me to defend the random encounter. This post is in response to everyone who goes, "Why do people use random encounters? They interrupt the flow of the story, and it doesn't make any sense to have something randomly show up and fight."

Did you know there was a Pokemon named after me?

In this post, I will argue against these strawmen, make a case for random encounters in certain games, and describe my favorite random encounter situations from my own games.

This disputation against random encounters can be broken up into three parts:

they interrupt what is already going on ("the story")

they are illogical

they're automatically a fight

I'm going to address these last to first.

Random encounters shouldn't jump right into fights. If used as intended, they come with an encounter distance, meaning sometimes you just see signs of the encounter, or you spot them from far away. And they should also come with what used to be called a reaction roll, which dictates how the encounter feels about the PCs. These were rolled on 2d6, which meant there was a bell curve that favored results in the 6-8 range, which were usually something like "wary" or "neutral."

Second, the logic of random encounters. If you're using them right, random encounters should make sense. They should only have a chance of happening in places where the encounters could be, and encounter tables ought to be chosen based on location. So you won't get a dire trout in a desert or whatever.

This last bit is the hardest one. If it feels like a random encounter would disrupt "your story," you're probably running a game whose underlying philosophies are opposed to random encounters, yes. It's probably also opposed to many other frameworks that were present in traditional/old-school rule sets. If your game has a pre-planned story or plot, if that plot requires a certain pace or order, and if the injection of outside elements would disrupt that plot, you probably shouldn't use random encounters.

(You also shouldn't use D&D or its cousins. You might also not want to have other players, since they can disrupt those plots. But that's just me being petty.)

A page of random encounter rules from Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. This is a shitty example. I promise it's easier than this.

So when SHOULD you use random encounters? Use them if the game you're running is attempting to simulate a world that has its own logic and background that is not dependent on the player characters. Random encounters help show that the world is in motion at all times and that people and creatures move about of their own volition. They don't show up when it's meaningful to the plot or the other characters; they wander. They're random.

Another key component of this style of gaming is that they usually consider story as something that emerges from or comes after play. "Remember how we tried to cross the raging river full of electric eels, and you dropped your sword, and I almost died, but we made it across? That was awesome." These things didn't happen because they were important plot points predicted by the DM; they are the results of rolls at the table, rolls that are honored in their immediacy and only made sense of after the fact. Does this mean that you risk having a disjointed mess from which no pleasing story can emerge? Yes! But you also risk having a story emerge that no one could have planned, that is equally surprising and pleasing to everyone at the table.

This emergent storytelling is probably the greatest joy of the random encounter. Don't approach the encounter with, "It doesn't make sense that a goblin would be here." Instead, adopt the attitude of, "Let's figure out why this gobllin would be here." (And while you're at it, use that same attitude toward books you read and movies you see.)

A related aside: in some play cultures, the DM is considered to be someone who plans everything out and slowly reveals bits of story as rewards to the other players. As a DM, this can feel really stagnant, and it can be a lot to keep track of, and there is far less joy of surprise. Using dice at the table to introduce new elements can bring some of that fun back to the DM.

Everything I've said so far is a synthesis of dozens of rulebooks and blog posts I've read across a decade of running games, so please allow me to introduce a final element: my own experience with the joy of random tables.

In 2014, when 5E was coming out to great demand on the backs of Stranger Things, Critical Roll, and The Adventure Zone, I started running a campaign for friends and coworkers. There was no developed play culture around 5E at the time, no cottage industry of third-party developers. So in running it, I was drawing on what I had been reading for years: old-school roleplaying and story games.

So I prepped my starting town (doing way more work that I would today), including random encounter tables for the area. And when the players were out searching for some ruins and getting lost west of town, I rolled a random encounter. It was some gnomes. All the gnomes here had escaped from a gnome hell for greed, so they weren't exactly kind. And their reaction roll was just south of neutral, so they were a little surly.

A bad screenshot of my "west of the town of Wall" encounter tables.

They led the players to the ruins and waited, trying to trap them inside after they'd been run down by the undead inside. But the players overcame the trap and told the gnomes off. (They didn't want to get in another fight after going through the ruins; more emergent storytelling.) So the gnomes ran off, but they would remember this.

Flash forward to a different session. In the main mega-dungeon under the town, the players were exploring a new area. Another random encounter: the devil of gnome hell! It was a giant mole with masses of earthworms for limbs, and it was searching for its escaped prisoners. It threatened to kill the PCs unless they gave it a magical item. So Pepper the elf gave up his winged sword, which he'd found in the aforementioned ruins. He loved that sword.

And here's where it all comes together. The gnomes were trying to settle the land west of town, but the humans had a fort there. The players were going to that fort to get some information about the faerie realms. How could I show this situation in a way that would, as succinctly as possible, illustrate the tension while giving the players a choice on who to join? Well, the gnomes would be attacking the fort. This normally wouldn't be much of a battle…but the vengeful gnome from the ruins had made a deal with the gnome devil for power. And now he was wielding Pepper's sword, using it to fly over the fort walls and attack.

Pepper was pissed! He wanted his sword back! The other players were more interested in figuring out a way to stop the ongoing conflict between gnomes and humans. And the gnomes were split between wanting to peacefully settle their new land and get revenge on the players for driving them off from the ruins. Who would prevail?

I hadn't planned a story, but I had created a situation a story was likely to emerge based on the players' actions and the results of the dice.

Conclusion

This isn't me saying this is the only way to play. It's not the only way I play. In a short one-shot or a tightly paced, emotional game, I would never use random encounters. But they can be fun! And they (and their associated suite of rules) can address some of the issues that lead to DM burnout and genre predictability.

If you find me in the wilderness, I will fight you.

#rpgs #dnd #random encounters

[2sw]

🖤Understanding Season 4&5 Sam🖤

long post, 30 gifs

sorry I don't care if my english sucks or not anymore. I live with the urge to defend Sam 24/7, that's what it's about.

this post looks weird on pc… recommend you to read on the app

Supernatural S1E01 Pilot // S1E06 Skin S3E08 A Very Supernatural Christmas S4E19 Jump the Shark

Do you see the parallels here? This is why I think people who say season 4 Sam was annoying also hate every other character in this show, they just don't realize that. It was not a big deal when other characters treated Sam the way they did, but when Sam started to mirror them you suddenly find it annoying? That's absurd. I know almost every filmmaking choice of this show is unfair to Sam and I hate that too, but still we audiences can see things from various angles and think for ourselves. And sometimes you need to see the story as a story, not something to take sides.

Supernatural S3E16 No Rest for the Wicked Supernatural S4E04 Metamorphosis

Sam lost his entire family at the end of season 3. He was full of remorse, and to make up for that he was literally following his family's footsteps. Sam became obsessed with revenge like John did after Mary died. Season 4 was about that vicious cycle, the tragedy of it. Dean sold his soul for Sam just like John did for him. Sam tried to be more like his dad and big brother and did what they taught him. And Sam's relapse was a part of the addiction cycle. But Dean locking up Sam in the panic room changed nothing, the final seal was broken after all. So Lucifer gets out, and the oldest family drama is about to start all over again. It wasn't about who was right or wrong. It was about the circle, a never ending story. The next season was about restoring trust in each other and seeking redemption, and Sam eventually broke the chain by sacrificing himself. That's what makes Swan Song the tragic ending of all time. (though it all comes back as the show keeps going on... but what is spn without The Codependency™)

So, yeah, it's beyond me how some people can't see the reason behind Sam's choices in this season cause the context was SO clear. If you watch the show, you can see how much Sam and Dean affect each other and how much both are affected by John in different ways. And it's natural because they are family. We are who we are because of everyone and everything that has happened in our lives, and same goes for every fictional character, including Sam. It's just as simple as that. Sam was just trying to live by his brother's will while battling with grief and loss. He had to keep on fighting without Dean. And the reason why Dean wasn't with him was because Dean sold his soul to save Sam and went to hell for it. It not only made Sam the sole survivor of the family but also made the very being of him their entire legacy. Starting with Mary making a deal with Azazel, every choice ever made in this family is what brought him there. As I said earlier, it's the cycle. And a consequence. In short, if it is a sin, I think it’s everyone’s.

Supernatural S4E04 Metamorphosis

Sam and Dean's fate to be vessels? Their destiny? It doesn't matter in the end. This show was always about fate AND free will. Free will was always there. You always have choices. Sam was the one who believed that most desperately so he became the one who broke the cycle. Even though it was only the last page, he ripped out the written fate anyway and wrote the ending himself. YES HE IS THE MAIN CHARACTER. And after everything he did for the world, the story made him suffer eternal agony with the Devil because he is also a tragic hero figure. (SIGH literally the character of all time)

You can see this all only as an observer, as an audience. For Sam, the only thing he could do at the moment was just find the person to blame―in this case, it's a demon named Lilith― and get revenge. And he was lost somewhere along the road, he became an addict because he couldn't do anything about his loved ones dying, but when he drinks the demon blood it gives him power and a sense of control. (aaaaaand I still don't get why writers wrote this as some kind of diabolical desire in 4x18. I get it sammy what the fuck would chuck know about helplessness)

You can say you wouldn't suck up the demon blood, that's fine, but this story was written in this way, and if Sam didn't do that, the story couldn't go forward. Why? Because he is the main character. (It always had to be you, Sammy!) And reminds you that if you want to watch a show with multiple seasons, you have to remember what happened before to understand what’s going on now. So please don't make up things in your head, just go back to where it all started. There are contexts in everything. Everyone is a consequence of each other, but we don't have to be bound to that fact. We have choices: to change, to make things better. That's why we should be kind to each other, and for that, I love and respect Sam so much cause he didn't let his traumas define him and always tried to be a better person. ♡

I'm not done yet!!! see also this:

Supernatural S3E04 Sin City Supernatural S4E04 Metamorphosis

Dean worried when Sam killed a demon with the Colt to save him cause it also killed a person who was being possessed, and it was 'cold'. But then when he finds out about the demon blood, he is so mad that he doesn't even care about the fact Sam was saving possession victims and just screaming in Sam's face "Use the knife!". It's so??? What is the logic here? This just proves it's always been about his feelings, not really about saving people. Is that an evil thing? No, I don’t think so. Dean is just a human, he can’t control what he feels. But if you use this to beat up Sam, I'll go feral then. Cause Sam is a human too.

And look at Ruby's masterful manipulation skill. Makes Sam feel guilty about everything, and comes back with what he needs when no one's left around him. She really was the best of those sons of bitches.

Supernatural S4E04 Metamorphosis

Seriously, what was Sam supposed to do? Everyone on this show didn't even bother to understand Sam and just decided everything he ever did was fundamentally wrong. Sam was using his own body to change the things outside of him, cause there is nothing he can do about the fact of his body, the blood in it. In life, there are things we can change and we can't. We have to live with that non-negotiable fact for our whole life. Sam learned this most painful way... And one thing about Sam is that he never let the unchangeable things make him give up the things he can change. It's not always a good thing though, cause Sam in s4 was very self-destructive. He was obsessive, and that is one of his problems. Sam is so stubborn and doesn't give up on anything easily. Actually this problem could be solved after s7 cause he tried to move on, but s8 happened… so it got worse, kept getting worse, and look what happened in s10. The most heartbreaking domino effect, I'd say...

Supernatural S5E03 Free to Be You and Me Supernatural S5E06 I Believe the Children Are Our Future

Anyways, back to the point. Unfortunately, Sam started the apocalypse. And what did he do after that? When the whole world tried to hunt him down, the devil wanted to crawl inside him, and an angel called him an abomination? He didn't give up there to remain that abomination. He didn’t surrender. Instead, Sam begged for a second chance. He wanted to atone, wanted redemption. He still believed in others even though he lost trust in himself. He believed there was still something he could do about it. Even when he was possessed by Lucifer, he fought till the end to save his brother and the world. And he did it. He was a fucking hero at that moment, sadly a tragic one too. But the important thing is: Sam Winchester represents hope. (I think Swan Song was a perfect ending as a tragedy. This show got weaker and weaker after s5 which kinda ruined the perfection, but I'm also so glad the show continued cause this message fits more hopefully in Carry On. I needed to see Sam rewarded with something better than eternal agony after all those additional tortures of 10 more seasons.)

One last thing, you know what's funny about Metamorphosis? Dean had nothing to say about the fact Sam saved more people than when they were hunting together, so he just went "That what Ruby wants you to think?" Dude what was going on in your mind. like that was what Ruby intended, he was right about that only by chance, but I still find it funny that Dean said that at this exact moment. And he does this a lot, attacking the messenger when he can't refute the message. He didn't have any rational reasons like Sam, he just didn't like it and that's all(and honestly I think this can be an actual reason too cause there's a history behind it which I talked about it here. I wish Dean had just talked to Sam and had a real conversation. but he never talks about his feelings, that's what Dean Winchester does. so… yep not gonna happen. also, if the brothers have a healthy relationship, that is not supernatural lol), so he brought up Angels and evoked Sam's religious guilt. And the Angels in question also turned out to be manipulative assholes later. Everyone makes mistakes, but somehow Sam is always the one who gets most condemned and blamed. Dean, On the other hand, is justified by the narrative so many times even when it is actually his fault. As I said, unfair. This is not even a Dean crit post, I'm just mad at unreasonable people and the way this show works in general.

I swear I was normal before watching this season. Sam's demon blood arc was what made me insanely fall in love with him, so when I found out all those hate for Sam… that really could be my villain origin story but instead I chose to be on tumblr, so yeah I believe love wins<3 ha what a way to end a post. sorry guys

#sam winchester #dean winchester #spn 1x01 #spn 1x06 #spn 3x08 #spn 4x19 #spn 3x16 #spn 4x04 #spn 3x04 #spn 5x03 #spn 5x06 #s1 #s3 #s4 #s5 #gifs #i don’t agree with this show on so many things and some of the later seasons just piss me off except for occasional good episodes #but the first five seasons of spn are always worth talking about #spn meta

[utilitycaster]

You have such a way of articulating things I’ve been vaguely feeling into intelligent coherent statements. Would you care to elaborate on the way that how Laudna+Imogen “went canon” was a curse?

Hey anon,

Thank you! So this is the thing: obviously I tend towards a fairly critical and snarky demeanor, but like, the best way to put it is in the context of the impending Nein show. I, and most of the people I chat with who are also not feeling Imogen and Laudna's relationship, are not of the "if that PURPLE FLOATY HOMEWRECKER SKANK SHOWS UP I will EXPLODE and SCREAM and DIE" or "fjorester divorce" or pretending Yasha doesn't exist persuasion re: this relationship (or for that matter the WELL if Percy dies after 70 years of marriage to Vex and then she's with Keyleth for the rest of her life WE WIN type of person either). Like, honestly, there was a post advocating for a breakup, but I think it included within it an argument that they reunite after some time apart, and that's kind of the mood. I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed. There's no ship war to be had. I don't dislike the ship because of competition or some fundamental dislike of the characters, and I honestly would like to be able to like it, and the path for it to not suck would have been immensely simple. That path even still exists, though with every week it grows narrow and less smooth and far more awkward, but I think it will require a pretty serious out of game conversation that as far as I know hasn't happen, and I am not holding my breath given the lack of movement.

That's why it's a curse: the generic form of this curse would be "may your ship become canon prematurely, with with only one person really invested, and that person not actually prepared for it or expecting it, and may it have virtually no moments and exist in a very plot-heavy work where it is almost certainly going to be largely out of focus, after the groundwork when things were quieter was never laid, and may it be so close to being good but consistently miss the opportunities for that to happen."

Just to recap the issues, stripping away all the past snark:

It's never really felt like these were two people who had been best friends for two years. They've always felt like friends of circumstance - like people you meet the first week of college and kind of go around with so as not to be alone, or the only other person your age on your street. Because they were both extremely lonely they clung to each other...but they really don't actually connect with each other much in conversation other than just kind of blandly repeating how much they mean to each other and never showing it. They have no real boundaries or limits with each other, likely because of that fear of being alone, but they aren't exploring that in a Heavenly Creatures or Thoroughbreds kind of way either. There's virtually no sense of history - no inside jokes, no shared experiences prior to Zhudanna except for one throwaway line that, like many of their interactions, fell flat. Like...I don't actually think that it's bad to aim for a platonic female friendship and end up with an F/F ship but like. Beau and Jester had a great platonic female friendship that happened to also include Beau's brief crush. Imogen and Laudna didn't even sell me on them being friends, let alone lovers. They have always felt like oddly clingy roommates. Their respective interactions with quite literally every other PC - few of which I find romantic and many of which I find explicitly not romantic - all feel like they have more depth. Orym is explicitly not attracted to either of them and they've both had more meaningful and honest moments with him. Pun unintended but they both felt infinitely more alive during the party split when they couldn't just go to their dull gray comfort zone of each others' meaningless repetitive affirmations.

Zooming into that lack of boundaries and conflict, there's no arc. Once characters get together often the conflict resolves, but there needs to be a build to that point, and we simply don't have that. The two points where this could have happened were: the gnarlrock fight, had it actually played out, could have led to a deepening of the relationship and some honestly and character development but due to what I am again interpreting as fear of losing the other to the point of never addressing any of these points of friction, it just resumed the status quo. Similarly, as I mentioned, Laura flat out said she went in expecting to be rejected. I think that story would have won me over. I think that if Laudna had rejected her, and Imogen had to grapple with that (and, by extension, Laudna's justified anger and trauma from the Team Issylra didn't disappear into thin air) and they spend some time actually figuring out who they are as individuals and Laudna lets herself be more than a validation machine who pushes her emotions down, and then eventually they come back around to each other? I'd be unbelievably on board. And you can go back, to my posts and others, in which we were pretty harsh on the fanon cottage cheese (yes, I am going to try to make this happen) version but said "I trust Laura and Marisha to do this in a way that is interesting" and then they straight-up didn't.

Obviously this has the potential to change - I even think the next episode is finally a case of maybe bringing all the Delilah stuff to a much needed head which in turn might introduce something into the relationship - but man it's been a whole lot of nothing since they kissed. I think Laura's initiated every single conversation, as mentioned Laudna can't even reciprocate 5 minutes of dancing on a ghost pirate ship without wandering off, and they didn't even bother to take watch together.

Something I keep going back to, and which ties into the above, is Brennan Lee Mulligan's whole discussion of how important character creation is to story. The thing is, these characters were created as close friends. Why does this feel so lacking? Like...why do Kima and Allura, two NPCs, feel like they have more weight? Why did the platonic relationship of Molly and Yasha, for which Ashley wasn't even present, feel like it actually was a friendship of 8 months? Sam and Liam came up with an entire system of grifts! Why is literally the only detail we have from the time between leaving Gelvaan and the time arriving in Jrusar is that at some point Imogen and Laudna saw someone with nipple tassles, and that came up once, like 60 episodes ago? Why are people so frequently sold on say, Loquatius/Laerryn, which had less than 24 hours of gameplay over a single night in-game? Why does every single Circle of Needle and Thread member relationship feel more real? Why were Aabria and Travis able to convincingly play ex-lovers in a handful of episodes despite Aabria deliberately surprising him? Like...I am not saying preparation wasn't done, because it very well might have been, but it's not coming through at all and plenty of other people have managed to get across an existing friendship or relationship in a fraction of the time, within the same campaign, so it's not that the plot is moving too fast for it. And again, if prep wasn't done, or if it's not coming across, that's really fixable, but it hasn't been fixed. I think of the 4SD episode where, five or six episodes later, Marisha and Laura still hadn't talked about the relationship and it's like...yeah. We can tell. Literally a two hour trip to a cafe would fix this but god I don't think there's been one.

Anyway, obviously this was an incredibly popular ship, but it's honestly slowed down noticeably since going canon because...it's not that great, and there's not much content in canon. I think a big appeal of the ship was the anticipation and the fanon and now that it's canon...I suspect a lot of people are quietly realizing that actually yeah this is kind of all it is, at least for now, and something is going to have to happen to bring about a change.

And I hope so too - I joke about being a hater, and I am very much a critic...but this really is the realization of that post about being more of a dismayer than a hater. Laura's past two ships are probably my favorites, and Beauyasha is high up there, and even as Vaxleth isn't really up my alley it's sweet and it makes sense and has a lot of great moments. It really would not take a lot of work to make this ship good or at least okay and not...nothingness, but it does take some, and I haven't seen it.

#answered #Anonymous #cr tag #long post

[nopecho]

Aight so I saw your post about getting into writing and I do have a soft whitney story in my brain. Whitney assumes you're an orphan but you're actually Bailey's kid and they soften up in order to not die. If you're after specifics, whitney jokes about "meeting the parents", y'know some shit joke about you assumedly being an orphan, but you take them to the lotus flat and they find out that Bailey's your parent.

Alright this took me a few days, but I finally finished it! This is my first writing ask, and I had a lot of fun with it :) I added some personal headcanons and details. Have a good read!

Contents: M! Whitney, M! Bailey, F! Defiant PC. CW for typical Whitney insults. Other than that, it’s pretty vanilla.

It is cold. Way too goodman cold. You shiver into your jersey jacket- ideal for spring or autumn, but certainly not in a snowy winter. Your footsteps are barely audible as your feet sink into the snowy pavement, as your breath forms clouds on your face. You are just passing through the commercial alleyways, on your way home, when you feel a sudden tug on your long, silky hair. “Hey there, slut.” You don’t need to turn your head to know who it is. “What do you want, Whitney?” You reply. He tugs again, forcing you to come face to face with him. His shit-eating grin is the last thing you needed to see, especially since he was in a nice, warm leather jacket and you were freezing. “Nothin’ much.” he grabs your wrist, and starts dragging you somewhere. You notice it’s weirdly silent. It takes you a while, but you realize that he’s alone right now. Usually, Whitney is followed by his gang of goons. It’s almost uncanny, seeing him alone. “Where the hell are you taking me, jackass?” you ask, as he keeps dragging you. “You’ll see.” He takes you to a building, a metal ladder going up all the way to the rooftop. “Alright, gal. Climb up. It’ll be romantic at the top.” He pushes you to the ladder, as you roll your eyes. As you climb up, the freezing wind sneaks under your long skirt, creeping into your body. You cuss under your breath as you climb up. Once at the top, Whitney soon follows. He grabs your waist, pulling you close to the edge.

The view is indeed pretty. You can see much of the city from where you stand. The houses covered in white, the smoke coming out of the chimneys, the empty trees covered in icicles all make for a very calming view. “Pretty good, am I right?” Whitney says with a smug grin. “But that’s not why I brought you here today.” “Then what is it?” you inquire. “I want you to show me where you live. Meet the parents and all.” he then facepalms, in fake sorrow. “Ooooh, I nearly forgot! Your folks are dead!” He snickers, caressing your jawline. “How pitiful that whoever aborted you has died. Must be pretty pathetic, to live at the orphanage.” You look at him, confused. “And where did you hear that?” “What, that you're an orphan?”  “I don’t know where you got that. I live with my dad.” “Wait, you’re bullshitting me now.” You roll your eyes, annoyed. “Listen Whit, I don’t know who spread that nasty rumor. I don’t live at the orphanage, period.” “Then where do you live?” You let out an annoyed breath from your nose, and it forms a small cloud on your face. You point your finger to the general location of Barb Street. Whitney’s eyes widen. “Barb street? But that’s where the flats are.” “So what?” “No it’s just… nevermind.” You are getting annoyed now. “What, don’t believe me that’s where I live?” “Look, I didn’t think you lived in the same shithole as-” Offended, you grab Whitney’s wrist. “I’ll show you shithole. Come with me, you’re seeing my house right now.” You yank Whitney towards the ladder. “Easy gal! Geez, fucking relax for once…” He rolls his eyes, and starts climbing down. You catch up with him, and soon you’re both on the ground. You start walking Whitney towards your house. As you cross the bridge to the canals, Whitney is weirdly quiet and obedient while you’re holding his wrist. You don’t think much of it, as you drag him along. You soon get to the flat with the lotus doorknob. “Are you crazy, you whore?! You can’t go in-” You fish the keys out from your jersey pocket and open the door. Whitney is speechless. “Wait. You’re telling me you live here?” You just shove Whitney inside. As you enter your apartment, you catch Whitney admiring the location. It has neat wallpaper, the furniture is in excellent shape and is a bit over the top with the decorations, the floor has a thick carpet and the flat is overall very nice and well-kept. Whitney whistles. “Dang girl, I should try and extort you more money. Your dad looks like he’s filthy rich. How did ya even clean up this place so well?”

His eyes then fall to the shelves where the pictures are, and he pales a little. “Wait, is that…?” He picks out a framed photo. “What’s weird?” you ask, still pissed. Whitney is holding a picture of you dad and you, when you were about 12. “Bailey is your father??” He sounds shocked. “Yeah, so what?” “I mean… he’s the big boss here in town. He has quite the bad reputation.  That means I’ve been bossing around the big guy’s kid for months.” His gaze then softens. “Although he probably treats you better than the orphans. I’ve heard some horror stories about that Robin kid. Nasty stuff.” You shift uncomfortably. “I mean… yeah. I’ve heard some stuff, too.” You admit. Your defensive shell is cracking. “Honestly, the things my dad does there? they’re not too hard to believe.” Whitney looks at you, now seemingly concerned. “Wait. Your dad didn’t try and-” “No, it’s not like that!” you put your hands forward. “It’s just… He never really cared about me.” You hold your right arm. “He barely speaks to me. I have to do everything in the house, or else he’ll yell at me for having to hire help around the house. He won’t let me even buy a decent jacket for the winter. The only times he bothers looking at me, is when he’s scolding me for screwing up something. So it didn’t surprise me too much when I heard those stories. He just cares about his money.” Whiney looks at you, tilting his head as a hard to read expression forms on his face. “Can’t you just live with your mom then?” A long, long silence ensues as you look away. You didn’t like reminders of what happened. You feel a hand on your shoulder. The touch is gentle, warm. “Hey… I’m sorry.” Whitney? Saying he’s sorry? You look at him, puzzled. His face is… Soft. He looks almost as if he’s in pain. He notices your confused expression. “It must be hell to live with a dad that doesn’t give a shit about you.” He explains. “I know what it feels like. So… for what’s worth, if you need to talk about it? You know where to find me.” He looks around the house, seemingly uncomfortable. “Now, I’ll get going. Let me know when Bailey is available next time. I want to have two words with him.” He starts to walk out of the flat. As he stops by the door, he turns to bid goodbye. “I’ll see you tomorrow, slut.” the insult is almost said in an affectionate manner. And just like that, he leaves your flat. You are left speechless. For some reason, you feel like you know Whitney a bit better now.

#writing #dol writing #degrees of lewdity writing #my writing #ask #anon #degrees of lewdity #dol #whitney the bully #bailey the caretaker #DOL pc #degrees of lewdity pc #defiant pc #degrees of lewdity defiant #degrees of lewdity whitney #degrees of lewdity bailey #dol whitney #dol bailey #dol OC #dol PC

[pip-n-chips]

how (some) DoL characters play Minecraft

Robin

Mainly sticks with the easy difficulty

Likes building things in survival mode instead of creative for the extra challenge

Has keep inventory on + mob griefing off

Plays multiplayer a lot (sometimes with local orphans, sometimes online), and can get quite competitive during minigames

Parkour is the bane of their existence

Has like 46 dogs in their main survival world

Scared of Herobrine (they know he's fake, but...)

Has thought about streaming their gameplay, but they need some encouragement from you in order for them to go through with it

The peaceful music from the game paired with Robin's commentary is calming, you might take a nap...

Whitney

Griefs your base with TNT and lava buckets, initially

Starts getting more creative with ways to fuck with your shit, you'd be impressed if you weren't so pissed

Got a friend of theirs to help them use cheats, but brags about it + takes the credit for themself

Has been banned from a handful of online servers, takes pride in the ever growing list

Builds,,, questionable sculptures

"lmao get good bro"

Basically a big troll lmfao

Throws their controller/hits their keyboard when raging (they strike me more as a console type of person, though)

Has a dog/cat/horse they name the same thing every single time (perhaps in remembrance of an old pet or stray)

Mickey

Almost exclusively* plays modded singleplayer

* Maybe they used to play with Robin or other orphans (before life got so much more complicated, anyway,,)

Has made their own mods + add-ons but hasn't posted any online

Fond of mods that add RPG + fantasy elements to the game (especially DRAGONS!)

Pretty good with redstone, they like making weird contraptions

Has a complicated + organized base

Sets up traps, hidden compartments + other secrets in their base even though they're the only one who'll see it

Tries to get all the achievements (vanilla + any that mods add) + collects and frames special items

Has a lot of commands memorized + knows how to use command blocks

Sydney

You introduce them to the game and they like it a lot!

It's funny watching them learn more about the game and what to do/what not to do

Punched a bee once and fell off a cliff trying to run from it

Dies a lot tbh, and you see death messages you've never seen before because of that lol

Corrupt!Sydney makes their character twerk (crouch, un-crouch, repeat), laughs at it every time

Surprisingly good at building, recreates locations from their favorite books

Only really plays it when you guys play together, though

If you're gaming together at their house, Sirris pops in to check in on you guys at some point and pauses to smile at the heartwarming sight (as embarrassing as it may be for Sydney)

Kylar

"What if I put my Minecraft bed next to yours? haha jk... unless?"

Has the most OVERKILL gaming PC setup you've seen (way too many screens, everything has lights, etc etc. looks pretty dope tbh)

Likes designing Minecraft skins! (there's like 10 separate skins of you in different outfits)

Plays heavily modded Minecraft, but will play vanilla or lighter mod packs with you

Definitely tried that one Girlfriend mod at some point

Has attempted a few speedruns (in the Top 10s for some of them!)

Gets SO excited when you tell them that you like Minecraft too (but it's not like they didn't know that already)

Alex

Doesn't have much time to play with their current workload

When they do, the most they do is play it as a farming sim (???) (you get them to explore more options to do in the game)

Becomes a BIG fan of parkour!

Downloads parkour + adventure maps so they can play it offline (farm WiFi can be unreliable)

Learns some basic redstone, mainly to improve their (in-game) farms

Automatic farms + mob grinders, though they still like the experience of doing it themself

Builds a Minecraft version of their real farm, excitedly shows it to you

Names some in-game farm animals after their siblings as a joke

Gwylan

Only plays offline because they live in The Forest ™️

Loves potion brewing! (they don't have an internet guide so they experiment with different combos all by themself, gets quite good at it)

Hoarder. Has so many items scattered across their chests, they forget what they do and don't have

Aesthetic matters to them a lot when choosing where to put their base + building it

Went to the End + defeated the dragon just to get the blocks there + the egg for decoration

1.17 (first part of the Caves And Cliffs update) is their favorite yet, all the new blocks and cave biomes make them go aaaaaaaaa

Felt so bad when they had to kill animals for food in the beginning, has a good farm system now though

Definitely keeps mobs you can't tame as pets

#degrees of lewdity #dol #robin the orphan #whitney the bully #mickey the hacker #sydney the faithful #sydney the fallen #kylar the loner #alex the farmhand #gwylan the shopkeeper #thoughts-n-hcs

[microscotch]

Girllll I've been spending my holidays with rereading Nobody's Home and I just wanted to ask, are Circe and Loki divorced? If so, what made you divorce them?

YUP the story is set post psp, and part of my backstory for the beakers is them getting a divorce!

so when looking at their relationship i tried to take everything into consideration that the pc and psp game gave to us. let me put a below the cut though so not everyone has to be witness to me inflicting the makings of chronic joint pain on myself:

we know poor nervous died at one point. the implications from both games about how he came to be their test subject are quite conflicting, but i went with emily and annies claims that he signed up to be their test subject for money, as it, from my perspective, tied better into explaining their current situation and provided more detail in general as opposed to maxis' sloppy memory distribution.

with their first subject, the beakers could to some extent rest on the risk a job like this entails and neatly detail it in the contract they had nervous sign to avoid charges as much as possible. in addition to that, they were able to throw a lot of money at preventing the sensationalization of it, but it did come at a cost: 1) selling the castle to make up for it and 2) circe losing her license and the hospital ceasing any affiliation with her. cut to the sad little paradise place house and circe only being hinted at doing 'business' by that time:

left with a less extensive financial repertoire, loki is eager to do whatever it may take to get his precious castle back, and, once he invented something he believed to be a future gold mine, secured some secret patents that will net him millions (quote: circe). with loki, by her assumption, not being willing to share the profits with her, it makes sense for circe to be uneasy and distrustful about this, as the two are already on less safe ground, both in regards to finances and the law, and now he wants to keep all the money he'll be making to himself? her secret about harbouring some underlying resentment for loki's independence and distinction is also pretty convenient here and can be used as an implication that she wasn't as lucky as her husband, particularly regarding him not facing repercussions the same way she did. circe, on the other hand, is having an affair. while that was a product of mind control and not her fault, neither she or loki know that. all that is being revealed to loki is his wife cheating on him. this is where they're left at. depending on the string of dialogue, loki will say that if anyone moves out, it will be his wife, cause it's his house.

after thinking about it, circe would most likely move out immediately. after all of that happening inc. circes slap interaction loop, i can't see either of them comfortable spending even one more night at the same house together. while it is revealed at the end of the game that newlow was mindcontrolling the citizens, we don't know when and how fast these news will actively be passed along, what investigations are being led, etc. - point being, the trifecta of the beakers still being in each others presence, these news reaching them by that time and drawing the correct conclusions from it is the best case scenario but, after the considerations given above, not the most likely one. especially because there's an urgent issue that would capture their attention almost immediately after the game storyline is over: gimi branko. unlike nervous where they could rely on a contract, they literally kidnapped this guy and kept him locked up against his will, and someone had to save him aka he can press charges and tell everything in great detail, with a witness to top it off. they don't have the financial resources to buy themselves out of that anymore (loki's patents aside, but as of now he hasn't seen a cent of that and sure wouldn't consider his wife given recent events), the charges are more dire AND they're at odds with each other.

so i totally had them rat each other out, both hoping to get the lower charge by placing as much blame on the other person as possible. even if gimi being gone were the very first thing they noticed after being at each other's throat, judging by the way they already talked about each other before both their suspicions turned out to be true, there's way too much mutual distrust that built up over a long period of time for them to suck it up for the occasion and not prioritizing their own asses. and thats the end of the evil couple.

#wtfaq #strangetown #loki beaker #circe beaker #nervous subject #gimi branko #nh

[pencil-for-a-dog]

I heard some rumors about him (because heroes are good at gossiping)

Summary: Valerie Gray is in her twenties, goes to university, is an established superhero known as Red Huntress and has a boyfriend but, apparently, no one really noticed it until she mentioned it.

The first time someone heard of him in the hero-world was on the edge of a roof, during a casual conversation among two vigilantes of different cities.

“You have a boyfriend?”

“Wow, you don’t have to be that impressed, Spoiler”

Or: 5 times someone hearded of Red Huntress' boyfriend and 1 time they get to met him

Relationships: Danny Fenton/Valerie Gray, Stephanie Brown & Valerie Gray, Zatanna Zatara & Valerie Gray, Kara Danvers & Valerie Gray, Bruce Wayne & Valerie Gray 

Characters: Valerie Gray, Danny Fenton, Stephanie Brown, Zatanna Zatara, Kara Danvers, Tim Drake, Bruce Wayne, a lot more.

Tags: Established Relationship, Grey Ghost, Not Phantom Planet Compliant (Danny Phantom), Aged-Up Character(s), Valerie Gray-centric, Badass Valerie Gray, Valerie Gray Knows Danny Fenton is Danny Phantom, Valerie Gray is Red Huntress, Valerie Gray is a hero, valerie Gray is part of the justice league, whatever is going on between Batman and Red Huntress, Danny Fenton is in college, Danny Fenton is not a full-time hero, Danny Phantom's Identity Is A Secret, Danny appears at the very end, Almost no one knows Danny Fenton is Phantom, cultist, There are like 2 bad words and are censored, Mistakes were made, I do have a beta for this, this idea born at 3 a.m, It was supposed to be a crack fic but I don't know what is this, Tim Drake needs a nap, Tim Drake Needs a Break, I don't know how to write in spanish I know less english, definitely ooc here.

[AO3]

First of all! I'm not a native speaker of english but I did my best, and so di my beta! I really appreciate them for beta-ing for me <3

Second, I edited some things just now (sorry beta!) and my knowledge of comic's characters are more from the fandom than the comics, but I tried to look for the most accepted ways!

Tell me if there's any mistakes! Edit: My laptop/PC almost explode when I tried to post this before xddd

The first time someone heard of him in the hero-world was on the edge of a roof, during a casual conversation among two vigilantes of different cities.

“It’s… kinda quieter than I expected,” said the distorted voice of a woman.

“There’re less screams than what you expected?” Asked the one by her side in a joking tone.

“Not… Not exactly,” she mumbled “I expected more movement and… yeah, more noise.” she admitted in a low volume, a little ashamed of her first assumptions.

“Don’t worry.” She said after a little giggle “Tonight is particularly calm for Gotham”

And she was right. it was an unusually quiet night in Gotham; well, as much as it can be in the cradle of crime without becoming suspicious.

“Is it?”

“Yeah, it’s a slow night Red, even though the crime won’t stop I can allow myself a little break.” She said calmly, moving her legs in the air. There were more bats tonight than the normal, a little break won't hurt… Probably.

The black helmet turned towards her, almost like doing a second take, creating a silence between them.

“Huh.”

“What?” She asked after a few seconds.

“You just sounded a little like my boyfriend.” The other answered after a little pause.

“What?”

“It just took me by surprise, it’s not that weird.”

“You have a boyfriend?”

“Wow, you don’t have to be that impressed, Spoiler” Red replied, clearly annoyed by her tone of disbelief.

“It’s not… It’s not that I’m impressed by you having a boyfriend-”

“Wow”

“-It just took me out off guard.” She said nervously and, without a pause, she took a breath to recover herself and talk again “Sooooo, tell me, what kind of man was capable of winning your heart?”

The Red Huntress laughed a little bit to calm herself and keep talking. She knew Spoiler wouldn’t do that on purpose but her temper was always strong, and more if someone is messing with her loved ones.

She took a breath and started to speak “Well, at first sight you wouldn’t know, because he's kind of lanky but he’s totally a fighter, even if he doesn't know how to pick his fights, or just doesn't choose them at all-."

The sound of a gunshot interrupted her talk and their break in general but, hey, they expected too much for a quiet night in Gotham.

The second time someone heard about him was later that week, not because Steph talked, not even because her comms were online and she didn't notice. Is just that they asked for some help and Danny is way better in that area.

That didn't stop the big bat from getting on her nerves.

To be fair, Batman didn't like her improvised girls night with Spoiler, but there was nothing she could do. The ghosts didn't appear near enough of Amity and she chased them to Gotham city, and after she finally caught them Spoiler asked for a girls night and she was free, so she accepted - even with the knowledge that Bats had something against her and the people who break into his city without permission, because it is his territory. 

Nevertheless, he asked for her to come to the cave after patrolling with Spoiler, and Val, like a sweet, poor and innocent child, didn't think about it too much. Batman may have wanted to talk about the incident, it was near enough to become their problem and it wouldn't hurt to talk about it, after all, the natural portals had been becoming more common and they surely want to be prepared for ghosts.

Spoiler alert: it did.

Before anything, Val wasn't wrong at all, the bats were working with some new technology because of the last ghost incident out of amity, not this one, the one before this, and something wasn't working at all with the new ecto-weapons, and they wanted her opinion about this because Red Huntress' suit is made of this technology.

But she can't stand Batman.

Don't take her wrong, she always admired him, since her earliest childhood and she still does. The day when they offered her a place in the justice league was a dream, meeting all of them, Superman, Batman and The Wonder Woman, it was everything she ever wanted as a kid.

That day still feels like a vivid dream for her.

But once she met him in person he was all growls and grunts and cold looks, especially with her. But she got used to it, now he was just a little annoying. However, the look he gave to her was worse today, was more intense and started in the second she arrived, it's getting under her skin.

"Let me see the problem." She said without losing a single second of time, she might like Spoiler, and Red Hood in a minor level, but it is not enough to make want to stay in the cave longer than necessary.

Batman didn't make a single sound while he guides her to the station where they were working to modify some of their gadgets to make them effective against ghosts.

After some time analyzing and looking for an error she couldn't find what's wrong with the process they're making, it seemed right for her in every step, but something is wrong with it and she can't understand what and she's not going to stay any more time under the big bat sight.

She sighed, it's time to bring a specialist on this.

"I don't know what's wrong," She admitted looking at all of them at once, without having a visible reaction from them. "I'm gonna to call an expert, this is not my field anyways"

"It isn't?" Nightwing asked with clear confusion in his voice.

"Nope, it's more my boyfriend's area." Now, that had a reaction.

"Your boyfriend's area?" Batman asked slowly.

The implied question was right there, almost screaming at her.

'You have a boyfriend?'

And Val smiled, it's not like the polarized glass would betray her.

Whatever the ghost things made to her technology was very appreciated because it allowed her to keep her identity a secret from everyone, even from Batman and his crew.

Especially from Batman.

And she knew because of that he would take every piece of information she drops as if it was a drop of water to a thirsty man in the desert.

And, if it didn't give her all the satisfaction she could get then she doesn't know what the feeling was, but it was a really good feeling.

And this is probably the main reason why Batman has something against her, because he hates not knowing enough and she enjoys his lack of knowledge on her, and Val is not going to please him, not if it isn’t necessary.

And this little piece of information might not be necessary but she's tired and doesn't really want to stay longer in the same room as Bats or in this city at this point.

"Yes, my boyfriend might be the biggest space nerd ever but he's really talented in this area, let me call him to know what's happening here." 

She didn't want to stop and think about how much information she just gave to them with that single comment, it's too late, she's tired and dealing with the bats, she doesn't care at all right now, she just wants to get home as soon as possible, and whatever happens is a problem for future Val.

Future Val has hope that ghost things may be able to help her in this situation and hide everything, even if it makes Bat's glare worse for her.

"Isn't it too late to wake him up?" Spoiler asked. "It's like 3:00 a.m."

Val did a double take.

She forgot they must think Danny is just another civilian.

She also forgot he is, technically, just another civilian now. And he must be sleeping like most people.

"Oh, right. I'm gonna text him, just to make sure he's awake." 

Val loves the pockets of her suit, it shouldn't have them, not in the strange way it does, but Technus practically did her a favor modifying the original one and his ghostly abilities helped her a lot, like keeping her phone safe and undetectable.

It's always nice to see the surprise in the face of anyone who watches her take her phone from the weird pocket.

Are you awake?>

Luckily for her and her mood, she didn't have to wait too much time to get an answer 

Danny 💕

yeah, just finished studying

She frowned looking at the text. She may be glad for not having to wait too long, but Danny shouldn't be neglectful with his necessities. He might be not all human but he's still part human, and sometimes he forgets it.

It's too late to study, why aren't you sleeping?>

Danny 💕

couldn't sleep

do u need smth Val?

Yeah, a little bit of help with some ecto things>

Can I call you?>

Danny 💕

of course

"Fortunately for us all, he's awake and able to help, I'm gonna call him." She said and, before anyone could interrupt it one more time, she called him with her helmet.

She loves her suit, it allows her to make calls, turn them into video calls and doesn't let anyone else hear or see them.

After 25 minutes, a lot of pressure and an awkward silence, during which they probably tried to hack her suit to find out who’s on the other side of the call, the diagnostic was "probably corrupted ectoplasm" because "it's harder to make it work and it's more probable it corrupts something, than work" and "It may hurt the ghosts, but it’s way less effective then using pure ectoplasm against them."

And she repeated everything Danny said word by word and then asked from where they got that corrupted ectoplasm just to get the awkwardest silence of all the night. Once it was clear they wouldn't say a word about that, Val didn't think twice and ran away before anyone could question anything.

On her long way to go home she couldn't stop thinking about sleeping the rest of the night in the arms of Danny. She deserves all the hugs, especially after this night.

The next time someone else heard of him was months after the last time and, unlike the first two times it happened, it wasn't from Red Huntress' mouth. 

"Are you telling me that the Red Huntress has a boyfriend?" A blond girl said without believing it.

"And that's the reason why you couldn't go out with us before?" A black haired teen asked just after her

"That sounds stupid,"

It was from Tim's mouth.

On a video call.

"Yeah, B had been acting like a maniac trying to discover her identity." He said, drinking a sip of his coffee.

"Why?" Bart asked in a curious tone.

"Because the last time she came, she said something pretty specific about this boyfriend, and B thought he could use it to get more information, but, somehow, we couldn't find anything," Tim said, frustrated by the situation. He knows there’s not many people that can manage themselves in any ecto-related field, and even less who are experts on weapons against specters. 

A space-nerd who knows enough should be weirder, and it means that it should be easy to find Red Huntress’ boyfriend, everyone knows that. And yet they couldn’t do it because somehow, somehow, they're still unable to find any information about any of them.

Tim doesn’t want to cry or scream until there's no more oxygen in the air, his vocal cords break, or his mind goes blank, no, that stage was two weeks ago and now is over. He wants to throw the towel away yelling “F*ck you!” with some tears and never seeing it again, he wants to quit, but he runs with coffee and spite and they’re his new target. He wants to curse Bruce, his name, Red Huntress and her mysterious boyfriend for getting them, for getting him, in this mess.

It's not like Tim or the bats knew this but Val was very glad about the ghost things that hid her identity, and Tucker who helps with the things that escape from them, like Danny’s link with any ecto-thing. She's not glad about other ghost things. 

"But you told us it happened, like, months ago" Bart said with a certain level of disbelief.

"Yup." He drank another sip of coffee with a dead-look in his eyes. It makes a perfect match with his eye bags.

"... You can't be serious," Kon said this time

"I'm very serious… and so is he" Tim said in a sight, contemplating to drink a long sip of his coffee, he frowned after realizing he’d drank all of it, took a long and disappointed breath, and keep talking "Guys, you already knew she and B have this strange "rivalry" because we still don’t know her identity, this must be the most awkward pissing contest that we’ve all seen and everyone is getting tired of it. Even Jason is getting tired of it and you know how much he loves when B is that pissed." Another sigh, he hasn’t had a real sleep with all the increase of ghost activity where there was zero before. He doesn't have energy for anything.

"...That sounds even more stupid." Kon commented after a while.

"I know, right?" Tim said, making eye contact with him through the screen, he looked a little like a maniac himself for the validation, Kon noticed. "It's even worse when you have to watch them in their not-so-passive-and-more-aggressive fight-"

"How much time have you been into this?" Cassie asked, interrupting Tim. 

"Too much," A femenine voice answered from somewhere behind Tim, scaring him and surprising the rest of them. "Are you talking about B's latest project, right?"

"What are you doing here, Steph?" Tim asked, turning himself towards her.

"Alf asked me to tell you that dinner is ready" She said, walking to Tim and getting in the camera area. "Anyways, what were you talking about?"

"Hey Steph!" Cassie started before Tim could say anything "Did you know Red has a boyfriend?"

"Yeah, he sounds like a nice guy from what Red Huntress says." 

"What?" Everyone asked at the same time, creating a weird sound. Tim in particular was looking Steph at her eyes with some mix of unbelief, surprise, betrayal and despair.

"I mean, it's not like she talks a lot about him but she drops a comment or two when we talk, she doesn't even seem to notice it and she gets really soft when it happens, it was a little scary at the beginning but you get use to it." Steph threw like if it wasn't the bomb that it is. Maybe on purpose. Probably on purpose.

"Soft? Red Huntress gets soft when she talks about him?" Someone asked as if the information strangled them. But Tim didn’t care, because Steph knew things, she was learning about the guy who was the doom of his existence right now behind his back, the reason why he racked his brains day and night for the last two months.

And she didn’t said a word.

"Huh? Yeah, amazing I know, but not as amazing as the dinner, Tim-"

"Why didn't you say something?" His voice sounded like strangled by all the betrayal he felt. He was drowning in that feeling and coffee right now, maybe too much coffee, and Steph should be drowning in shame, not him in betrayal, just she in shame.

"Because she never dropped anything that important, just some comments of stupid, nerd, sweet and nice he is." She replied rolling her eyes "And I'm Team Red Huntress, I wasn't going to give any advantage to Bruce, duh,"

“Red Huntress being soft?”

"Steph." Tim groaned with a mix of feelings he couldn't even identify. It was more than what his sleep deprived brain could process and now it had melted, was nothing more than mashed potatoes with some ketchup and a half cooked egg in the cleanest pot you could find at 2 a.m after touching the bottom of your life two days ago and still being in the midst of a crisis. He hadn't slept enough for this amount of sh*t and the coffee can't replace sleep anymore. He wants to get in his bed and forget all this situation as he slips slowly into unconsciousness and falls to the earth's-

"Nuh-uh, Timmy, sleep can wait, dinner can't." 

Yes, eating sounds good for him right now.

After that time it became difficult to say when next someone found out that Red Huntress has a boyfriend, because the Bats can be a bunch of dirty gossipmongers like any old lady at tea time. By the end of the month, everyone knew about her mysterious boyfriend.

Well, almost everyone.

"’Sorry guys, I can't go with you because it's date night’? What, is she seeing someone?"

"Her boyfriend, duh, she's been all busy because of all of the ghosts in the natural portals that are becoming more common."

"Ugh, don't say a thing, they have been my new headache for the last month or two."

"Well, you have this free night to get rid of it." The other replied, "However, it's nice to know that it hasn't affected her relationship, the guy seems nice from what she said."

The one who read the message wasn't following this conversation.

"What do you mean?"

"That she has a boyfriend?" And the silence arrived. "Seriously, you didn't know?"

The next time someone found out that Red Huntress has a boyfriend because she told them was this time. Kinda. A text still counts, I guess.

"No! I was out for ages!" Kara exclaimed, making a huge move of arms to express how unexpected the information was for her.

"It was like, a month," Katana said without paying a real attention to the conversation behind her.

Kara shrugged "Ages. A month. Same thing." And then sighed a little bit "The world is changing."

"I know I said something similar but now I know how weird it was for her." Cassie muttered as she watches Kara and Zatanna's talk

"I know, right?" Steph didn't do better when she found out, neither did Zatanna or Katana or most of them. The only exception is Black Canary, but only because she was able to hide it better.

"What do you mean?" Kara asked.

"She mentions him a lot," Zatanna said, getting closer to the blond one.

"No," Kara knows how reserved Red Huntress is, everyone knows that! It's hard to not know what is happening between her and the bats. They all assumed it is some kind of fight because Batman doesn't know her identity.

They think nobody notices how she ignores the strange Bat's question or how Red Huntress will look in his direction every time someone says something like "privacy".

"She does." Zatanna is smiling as she watches Kara's face fall in some mix of unbelief, despair, oh-my-lord-this-is-a-so-weird-dream, hope? And betrayal.

"You are lying," was said in that exact same tone "I can't believe you."

"You’d better," Zatanna chuckles, "I'm not lying about how much she talks about him, it may be like two or three comments per talk, which are not that much but definitely more than what anyone expects." 

"She's not lying though," Steph gets in the conversation, "She makes some comments like "I know someone who dance better than you, criminal" or "I would say a joke but that would mean he won, ugh" You really won't notice unless you know it, and once you do it's really obvious."

""Even he makes better decisions than you"," Kara was mortified as the words got out of her mouth.

"Just like that." 

"How didn't I know?"At this point, Kara already questionated all her life decisions and everything she knew. She knows nothing now and Red was the biggest liar. It doesn't matter that she actually never told any of this theme to them but still a liar.

"To be honest, you need to know where to look to find the clues." Zatanna finally had mercy, Kara wouldn't forgive her right now, this all happened all of sudden, but she is grateful for her mercy.

"Bats almost went crazy because of that" Steph said happily as it wasn't the understatement of the year.

Kara can see that. She feels better now, not even the big bat noticed it at the beginning.

She could live with that.

"So, are we having our girl's night with questionable legality or what?"

The last time they heard of her mysterious boyfriend before they finally met him, was after a year of knowing about him, just after a catastrophe.

A ghost related catastrophe.

In retrospect, it was obvious, the natural portals were becoming more common, the ghost attacks were more and more frequent, something felt wrong and it was only a matter of time until this happened.

A big mess in red and green that happened just because a crazy man thought he had enough power to control all this entities to take over the world.

Key word: thought. He couldn't control them.

Ghosts are chaotic and have some very specific obsessions. Sometimes they opposed and they had to solve it with the best method they knew.

Fights.

It was a mess from the beginning.

Luckily for them, Batman's paranoia does something good, and prepared a lot of weapons and gadgets that works on them.

They were, at least, a little prepared.

The most worrying part of this was the crazy man screaming "You haven't seen the real power! If I don't show you they will!" Because after that he escaped from the biggest heroes in the world, somehow. Probably because of all the destruction.

They hope he won't become a real problem, but knowing their luck, he will.

But it doesn't matter right now, because this story isn't about crazy people and ghosts against the justice league, no. This story is about what the people know about Red Huntress' boyfriend.

So, the last time they heard of her mysterious boyfriend before they finally met him, was in the Atalaya after a year of knowing about him, just after the catastrophe that I just mentioned.

They all were getting some rest after that exhausting fight.

Val was grateful that this place has some kind of living rooms and got the good couches in them, even if now she was part of some pile.

To be honest, she doesn't think she would like to get a break in the meeting room.

Because yes, there's a reason why the most of them are here and it's because they need to close this case as soon as it's possible and, even though they just fought, there's a crazy man who has been learning things he shouldn't know and started to using them, and that, that's a real big problem.

But not Valerie's biggest problem right now.

"Huh," she said as she frowned, breaking their comfortable silence. There was this tone in her voice that said something feels bad, and that's very important when you just fought with a horde of ghosts and some maniac screamed "You haven't seen the end of me! You'll regret this!" Or something like that.

And that's exactly why it called everyone's attention.

"What happened? " Zatanna broke from her position, sitting on the floor with one of her legs close to her chest, her back on the couch and her head in Red Huntress' stomach now.

"My boyfriend hasn't called yet." Red Huntress said with clear confusion in her tone.

"And?" There wasn't anything really bad, it may be just that it collapsed because of a lot of people must have called their loved ones to check on them after the situation.

"Not even a message." She started to sound a little frustrated. "He was in Amity Park visiting family."

And the silence arrived. Everyone knew the problem with that.

Amity has the door to the other side. The portal, the bridge, the hole among the live and the dead.

Ghosts aren't unusual there, even before this.

That city would have been a hell on earth.

"But… Wasn't Phantom there?" Spoiler was a little worried. She may have not met the guy but he sounds strong enough to protect the city and its habitants. She hopes he could be able to protect The boyfriend™. He sounds nice and makes Red Huntress happy. It would be a lame if something happened to him. She moves a little uncomfortable in the puff because her position didn't allow her to look at the Red huntress's head and her neck wasn't happy.

"Uh… I mean, yes, but this is still being a little strange," Red Huntress said in a weird voice. "No one has texted anything to me and he has the costume to get in weird and bad situations" She mumbled, clearly worried.

"... Phantom?" 

"No, D- my boyfriend." 

"... He could be tired," Kara offered from her position upside down on the couch, Red Huntress’ legs above her stomach and Steph's head was close to her own.

"... It wouldn't be the first time," She accepted, a little ashamed, a little more worried.

They all fell in a silence more uncomfortable than the last one, the expectation was growing as the time ran and it was suddenly broken by the sound of a message notification.

Valerie took and turned on her phone so fast she could, and unlocked it. The name wasn't Danny's but it would work.

Sam

He's fine

They weren't really powerful but were a lot, but nothing he couldn't manage, he just got tired lol

He arrived to his house and fell asleep before even touch his bed

The relief washed over her as she couldn't be more grateful for that. Sam and her aren't the best friends but Valerie knows she can trust her with Danny's safety, at least, now that they're young adults. Teenage her wouldn't trust Sam after knowing why the accident happened, especially not with Danny's safety, but as an adult she knows that she grew up and is worthy of trust… Most of the time anyways.

"He's fine, just fell asleep." She said, visibly relieved, bringing calm to the atmosphere in the room. 

"Good to know." Kara said a little sleepy "I'm feelin' sleepy too."

"Yeah, me too," Zatanna agreed as she closes her eyes.

"A nap sounds nice." Valerie was already falling.

"Yay, sleepover in the Atalaya." Steph barely mumbled before anyone fell asleep.

After some seconds, none of them were awake.

The day they met him was just the day after that. And it was in the weirdest but precise way it could be.

"Danny?!"

"Uh, hi V- I mean, Red" He laughs nervously "I'm so grateful you're here because I couldn't text you to warn you and-,"

"What are you doing here?" She asked in some mix of surprise, anger, exasperation and resignation.

"Uh, well, you'll see-,"

"He is the chosen one to bring the ghost king to this realm!" Said the main cultist

"- I'm the sacrifice." Danny chuckles, clearly nervous.

The silence would have fulfilled the entire place if it wasn't for the little laughs of Danny.

"W-What happened?" Kara asked, feeling out

The first time they met Red Huntress' boyfriend is 24 hours after the end of the ghost catastrophe.

They made a meeting just 6 hours after because everyone was tired but there was a menace running away to only-gods-above-knows-where. In the same meeting they agreed to make an assault group to face this menace, it was small but powerful because it was conformed by a Green Lantern, Supergirl, Batman, Flash, Zatanna and Red Huntress. Half of them were there because they were less tired.

Once they were ready, they chased the track of the crazy man™, which was way more difficult than what they expected. But they finally found his lair, a just abandoned building, and they, somehow, were able to get in the middle of, and interrupting, a ritual to summon the most powerful ghost, the ghost king, in which, Danny, Red Huntress' boyfriend, was the main sacrifice.

It was certainly a shock when they arrived just to watch a bunch of people, in some big odd clothes that hide their entire figure, singing in a dead language around a lanky guy, with messy clothes, tied to a table in the center of a summon circle.

Which leads to this situation.

Red trusted Sam one time. Just one time and THIS happens.

She is concerned and impressed.

(Okay, she trusted Sam a lot of times before but how did this keep happening its a real mystery).

"How?" The impulse to cover her face with her hands was surprisingly big. She would like this to stop happening.

"That's not of YOUR concern!" One of the cultists said, he sounded suspiciously like the crazy man™.

"To be honest" Danny interrupted, calling everyone's attention "It's kinda funny, I just woke up and saw that my parents didn't have milk, which is normal, so, I went to buy it and in the middle of my walk someone screamed "You!" But I was really tired to pay attention to it, and I didn't stop, the next thing I knew it's that I'm here." The more of them looked at him with incredulity as he spoke, it sounds just ridiculous.

"... I can't believe you" Valerie really wished she could mean it but, sadly for her, she totally believes it. Dating Danny is a way to find out that Danny doesn't look for problems, problems look for him in the weirdest ways.

"It happened, though." Danny sounded exhausted, maybe of his luck, maybe of his life.

Red Huntress sighed under the watchful and expectant gaze of everyone else. 

"So, let me get this straight," Valerie started. "You went to buy milk, alone."

"Yes"

"And someone screamed "You!", and you ignored it?"

"Yup."

"And that was a kind of warning before getting kidnapped."

"... In retrospective, yes, it was," Someone snorted, she didn't care enough, this was ridiculous anyways.

"Why, Danny, I- just-" Valerie sighed, Sam may differ but she didn't sign up for this "Why?"

"Because I just knew he was the perfect offering the moment I saw him walking on the streets."  The man answered the question proudly. His capacity to feel the power in a human being should not be underestimated.

"Thank you man, I really appreciate that, but I'm not… I don’t look like one." Danny was tense and he was right, he was in his clothes from yesterday because he slept with them. A big age-worn green sweater with a white shirt, that Val just knows is that one parodying NASA's logo with a UFO, peeking out, his oldest and ripped jeans and just one, single, and untied, shoe. Everything was wrinkly and his hair was practically a nest because of the mess that it is. To be honest, he looks like a lanky and sleep deprived nerd that goes to college. Maybe one step from death from the chaos in his life but not like the perfect offering.

It created a silence, a big silence that was just broken by Red Huntress' voice.

"That's it, I'm done." She said in an inexpressible tone "You all are doomed, I'm done with this".

"But V- Reeeeed" Her boyfriend groaned in a miserable voice. "I'm scared and unable to do anything." 

It was the way he said "unable" that impacted Valerie, because it means: "I can't go ghost or use my powers, I'm out of ecto-sauce."

She breathes, magnificent, Danny is powerless right now, it means like she wasn't stressed enough for all this situation.

"Okay, okay," Red Huntress says, lowering her voice and entering a more serious mood. "I can work with that." Her voice was silent and sent shivers down everyone’s spine.

She moved her body into a better position to fight. 

"We can work with that."

And it took just one (1) little move to start the fight.

It was chaotic, half of the cultists went to fight and distract the heros meanwhile the other half started the ritual to summon the ghost king again, just at a lower speed, because, apparently, the amount of people was important to define it.

And they were just six (6) heros against a lot of cultists, but they were four (4) with superpowers or similar, one (1) with a super-suit, and Batman.

The fight was messy and exhausting, the number of cultists never seemed to end, but, luckily for Danny, they didn't know how to fight, so the heros were able to end  it in time.

And now, with a worrying amount of unconscious people and the six of them, well, exhausted, Danny was finally safe, tired and safe.

Valerie went to free him once for all, and when she had her arms under his knees and back, his arms around her neck, she finally felt the relief of knowing he is safe in her arms.

"You-" She said with all her mixed feelings in her voice, trying to explain how she felt. After struggling for some seconds she kept it in silence.

"You didn't have to carry me, you know?" He broke the silence in a low and playful tone under the gaze of the other five heros, looking to Val's eyes behind the polarized glass.

"I know," she mumbled in a breath looking at his eyes, keeping it for a time. Her tone had a little of shame and Danny knew she was worried enough to need this.

Not all the days someone manages to get you when you're vulnerable just to sacrifice you to summon you. He was a little scared too.

"Kiss me." He said after just a few seconds, taking by surprise most of the room. 

"In this place? Under everyone's eyes?" She asked without being really surprised but a little doubtful

His eyes softened as he saw the doubt on his girlfriend, "Can I?" was asked in a whisper looking for permission.

"Yes." She said in a silence but sure of what it implied right now

And with that simple word, Danny moved his hands to her helmet, pressed some buttons and cradled her face in his hands to give her a soft and long kiss, after which he brought their foreheads together to have a moment of intimacy.

"I'm so grateful you saved me, my hero," Danny said in a playful voice, mocking his girlfriend.

"You are welcome, damsel in distress," She replied with a smile on her face.

Danny laughed, surprising the rest of the heroes, who kept looking at the moment.

"That was so baaaad," Danny laughed a little bit more. "I love you." he said when he finally stopped the giggles.

"I love you too, but put the glass on," And Danny did it.

Batman, finally, interrupts the moment by cleaning his throat. "Let's go." he said looking at Red Huntress, and then, her boyfriend. "You can bring him too." And he started to walk out of the place

"Thank you Batman." Red Huntress said.

“Are we going to THE Atalaya?! To SPACE?!" Danny asked.

After the mysterious medical check (Valerie did it alone because neither she or Danny would let anyone else to check Danny's health), they finally had another meeting, mainly because Red Huntress asked for it.

The report wasn't immediately necessary but Red insisted, so there they are. Sitting in their respective chairs with the obvious exception of Red Huntress’ famous boyfriend, Danny, who sat in her lap.

"I called you all here because I wanted to make some presentations now that the cat is out of the bag," Red Huntress said with his boyfriend giggling a little bit because of the last part.

She breathes and presses the buttons on the side of her helmet, revealing her face.

"I am Valerie Gray and he," Danny turns his face to see everyone in the room, avoiding the eyes of Constantine and Zatanna "is my boyfriend, Danny Fenton".

"Nice to meet you". He said with a large grin that allowed them to see his fangs.

#ghost king danny #danny fenton #danny phantom #danny phantom x dc #Valerie Gray #Fanfiction #My writing #Stephanie Brown #justice league #grey ghost #bruce wayne #batman #this tags are a mess #aged up characters

[christiansorrell]

RPG Read-through: Himbos of Myth & Mettle

After my recent read-through of .dungeon//remastered (originally posted to Twitter), someone there was like "I really like your old read-throughs. Have you put those somewhere else for when Twitter inevitably dies?" I hadn't! So here is a read-through I did last year about one of my favorite releases from the last few years Himbos of Myth & Mettle! - Christian

----------------------

Time to read-through one of the most fun games I've played this year: Himbos of Myth & Mettle by Maxwell Lander!

Right out of the gate, this game has such an exuberant, fun energy to it, and I like the voice throughout the writing. The concept could be done much more impersonally/traditionally, but it really wouldn't carry the same feel at all.

Straightforward d20 roll-under system with guidance to create drama and fun over everything else. I've played with the dice chain optional rule and enjoyed it! It's something I love in other games and it's fun to see its inverse here (smaller dice are better).

Interestingly, the system has a mixed success component as well - although you may not expect it with the d20 base. It takes something like your ability modifiers from a traditional game and makes that into a window of error that gets you success with a complication.

The magic system is a lot of fun here. Any himbo can use their Heart stat to attempt superhuman or supernatural things. You answer some quick questions to determine the cost and roll to see if you pull it off. There's an effect table too if things go wrong with some wild results.

The Heart system is a good encapsulation of what I enjoyed about this when I've had the chance to play it. It has this vivacious, positive, and often cartoonish energy to it where things almost always go big, in good and bad ways. It's very heartfelt (no pun intended).

Fun art (by Mary Verhoeven) and quotes throughout this book too. I wonder if these were real player characters from playtesting or maybe in-universe Legends of Himbodom?

One of the most memorable lists of player stats out there. It stresses letting players use most stats for most things. Doing something very courageous in combat? Roll Breast over Thighs. Flirting with an NPC to distract them while you pick their pocket? Roll Lips over Hands.

Death is rare, rather Himbos take Scars when they fall to 0 Heart (acting primarily as health but also "mana" to some extent). Each scar makes them more and more jaded, a bit more negative. After 4 scars, they retire - becoming a hero maybe (yes, heroes are bad here!)

There are special abilities, skills (gained from a lifepath system), and Heat (a bonus pool that reflects how sexy you are in the moment). I had a lot of fun with the special abilities in particular when I played.

D20 tables throughout help build the tone really well. It's clear what kind of characters this game is focused on after looking these over. I really like lifepath systems in games, and this one is surprisingly extensive. It's fun to roll a random character and see who comes out.

Tips section gives some guidance about trying to create a different type of story and different types of conflicts than you typically see in fantasy RPGs. I really like the take on Heroes here. It's a great twist on the genre (and is probably more accurate, honestly).

It's got two adventures in the back, including the 12th Annual Fresh Meat Games which was the adventure I got to play through at EFCon. It's a local festival and competition that the PCs join to test their mettle in front of big crowds. Lots of fun.

Nice little thing: there's a library check-out card holder on the back inside cover with little character sheets in it!

That's the game! It's a lean little book, quick to read and quicker to play. It's got a straightforward central system with fun twists and tables throughout to ramp up the drama and really the entire text just exudes a unique, over-the-top, heartfelt tone I love.

It's available digitally for $10 USD on Itch!

The hardback version is great - really nice quality, it has a ribbon and those cool sheets in the back! I'd recommend picking it up HERE.

Lastly if you'd like to hear more from me, you can do that in my monthly newsletter (includes an article, an RPG freebie, and a list of cool stuff from myself and others over the last month): https://meatcastle.substack.com

#ttrpgs #fantasy #rpg #dnd #ttrpg #indie ttrpg #himbo #read through #himbos #maxwell lander

[a-d-nox]

Hiiii🧚🏻‍♂️

Can u speak about asteroid lacrimosa? That intrigues me so much, I can't find almost any information. I also would love to know how it would work in synastry?

I also have lacrimosa in scorpio conjuct venus and conjuct rising in asc pc in capricorn, that could give me a nostalgic look? or suffered? people ask me if i'm ok all the time lol also have chiron conjunct asc so yea anyways?

thank u for read love your blog sorry for the lenght 🌨️

lacrimosa, our lady of sorrows - mother mary (asteroid 208)

hi, i won't be answering the aspects portion of this ask because i do not respond to asks regarding asteroids i have not covered out of fairness to others and to the asker (it is for the best that you see where i may draw from when doing interpretation). after reading the my interpretation of the myth and you are still interested in your prior question please resubmit your prior question/ask!

on to mary.

Lacrimosa, Latin for "weeping" or "teary," is most often linked to The Virgin Mary, or "The Lady of Sorrows." The appearance of the phase "Lacrimosa" is linked to the Roman Catholic Requiem sequence "Dies Irae": "Lacrimosa dies illa / Qua resurgent ex favilla / Judicandus homo reus. / Huic ergo parce, Deus: / Pie Jesu Domine / Dona his requiem. Amen." In English this roughly translates to: "Tearful is the day / When risen from ashes / Guilty men are to be judged. / Spare him, God: / Pious (righteous) Jesus / Grant them rest. Amen." As a mini crash course: Mary is Christian derived figure referred to as St. Mary, the Virgin Mary, Miriam, Maryam, second Eve, the immaculate one, etc. In the Biblical section the book of Luke, Mary is visited by an angel while she is engaged to be married to Joseph, who is a descendant of Abraham just like Mary herself. The angel tells Mary that God has favored her and she is to give birth to God's son, whose name will be Jesus. Mary was confused because she was a virgin - the angel stated that the Holy Spirit would be upon her. Mary told the angel that she was God's faith servant and that what the angel said would be divinely done to validate her understanding. When Mary informed Joseph that she was to have God's son he continued, as planned, to marry her because he too was a loyal servant of God. Mary would later travel to Bethlehem and give birth to Jesus. Mary and Joseph had many more children - Mary appears again in the Bible when Jesus performs His miracles and to witness His crucifixion. Which brings us back around to why is Mother Mary called "The Lady of Sorrows." Mary's title of "The Lady of Sorrows" comes from the moment of his death, as she is said to have faced intense suffering/grief during the passionate death of Jesus. IN MY OPINION Lacrimosa in your chart can represent a) where you experience heartbreak, b) where you grieve someone you look up to, c) where you are innocent and trusted with a divine purpose, and/or d) what your greatest sorrow is.

i encourage you to look into the aspects of lacrimosa along with the sign, degree, and house placement. for the more advanced astrologers, take a look at the persona chart of lacrimosa!

like what you read? leave a tip and state what post it is for! please use my "suggest a post topic" button if you want to see a specific post or mythical asteroid next!

click here for the masterlist

click here for more biblical myths & legends

want a personal reading? click here to check out my reading options and prices!

#astrology #astro community #astro chart #astro placements #asteroid astrology #asteroid #natal chart #persona chart #biblical #biblical mythology #christian bible #bible scripture #bible #lacrimosa #mother mary #asteroids #astrology notes #astroblr #astro content #astro notes #astro posts #astrology tumblr #asteroid208

[vvatchword]

Freewrite Traveler versus Alphasmart Neo 2

So I have an Alphasmart Neo 2 and a Freewrite Traveler. One of these cost me about $300. The other cost me $30. And I'm about to give you a review because I love one of these things more than the other.

The Alphasmart Neo 2 is from the 00s and was used in classrooms to help kids practice typing without the distraction of a computer attached to the Internet. They come with some basic little functions like a calculator and are powered by three AAA batteries. They have eight files that can contain 10,000 words each, can copy, cut, and paste, and you can go back into the document to edit. There are no Undo or Redo functions. To transfer the files to your PC, you hook up a cable while the Alphasmart and your word processor of choice are turned on. That easy. The batteries last for-e-ver. I'm taking about years. I am on my second set of batteries and I've owned this dealio for five years or so with almost daily use. This thing cost me $30 plus s&h a few years ago. Word has gotten out about these, so they're more expensive than that these days, but not significantly so--maybe $50? You'll see some being sold for $100 or so but that's ridiculous tbh.

At the time I purchased the Alphasmart, i had already backed the Freewrite Traveler on Kickstarter for about $300. I felt pretty dumb and wondered if I would regret my choice.

As it turns out: yes. I do.

The Traveler uses the same kind of screen as a Kindle, has three files of infinite words each, is rechargeable, and can back up your work to the cloud and send your files to your email address. It's sleek, small, and exceptionally cute. I just like looking at it. But after getting it, I couldn't help but compare it to the Alphasmart, which kicks its ass every day.

Recharging sounds fine, but it runs out of juice FAST. A full day's work will knock it out; I ran out of juice anywhere from three days to three weeks, depending on how much I was using it. Inevitably there is a point you forget to recharge and wham bam fuck you ma'am, it's going to take four hours to charge now and you can't use it if it wound down to 0% while you were sleeping. It posts to the cloud, which you'd think is great--infinite words! Back it up anywhere you find free WiFi!--but to do this, you need to sign up for Postbox, a service through Freewrite, which means that if the company dies, so does the cloud feature. You can also transfer your files via the charging cable, so they thought of this, but it feels dangerous and a little disingenuous, not gonna lie.

Unlike the Alphasmart, you can't copy, cut, paste, or edit. When I say you can't edit, I mean that you can't arrow up to some previous point in the story and add or delete. The point of this feature--and it is a feature!--is to emulate typewriters and encourage first draft flow. Problem is, that's just not how I write. For $300, or whatever it's selling for now, I want to be able to use cut, copy, and paste, maybe even redo and undo, and I want to be able to go back and add extra bullshit. Also, the full-sized Freewrite has a backlight, but the Traveler does not. Why does my $300 machine not have a goddamn backlight.

The Traveler also has a hint of lag and it drives me fucking crazy. This may not be a problem for you if you hunt and peck or are a slower typist, but I type almost as fast as I think. I have gotten up to 190 wpm before. Long story short, Traveler can't keep up--but Alphasmart can!

The Alphasmart is also more comfortable to type on and takes up about as much room in a bag as the Traveler does--just lengthwise rather than width-wise, if it makes sense. The Traveler is better for a purse, perhaps, but it's just bulky enough that I sometimes found it troublesome to make room in my bags. It's about the size of a clutch when folded up.

At one point, I got caught in a rainstorm while my Alphasmart was in my backpack. The rain seeped into my backpack and ruined a book. Meanwhile the Alphasmart was like lol whatever do you feel like writing queen?

Anyway, I'm going to see if I can't sell my Freewrite. I'd rather have a second Alphasmart rofl

#alphasmart #freewrite #writing #vvatchword

[suzuran777]

Koshotengai no Hashihime ~Noma~ (Adelta) Review

I just finished playing Koshotengai no Hashihime ~Noma~, Hashihime's portable version which is available on the PS Vita and Nintendo Switch! This game does contain some extras the PC version did not have, like some post-game content. This includes the short stories which are also available in Japanese on the official website. I did read these before, but they added voice acting and many new CGs, so I had a lot of fun playing these!

I was surprised when I saw that the game was also available in English and Chinese because all the other Nintendo Switch ports I've played so far were only available in Japanese. I decided to play the English version this time and the translations almost seems exactly the same as MangaGamer’s version of the game? I noticed a few differences when I compared both versions, but in general I think the translaton was quite good! 

Because most routes didn't have that many 18+ scenes in the first place they really didn’t cut a lot of content if I compare it to the original game, though I still recommend playing both versions if you want to get the full experience. I also like how VN Switch ports in general allows you to skip forward and backwards really easily, so you can always go back and re-read lines.

The five routes (contains some spoilers!) It has been a long time since I played this game for the first time but I had a lot of fun re-playing it and understanding references I missed the first time. Minakami’s route is a good introduction to Hashihime’s story and worldbuilding, I remember I couldn’t stop playing the first time because I was so curious how Tamamori was ever going to prevent his death. The extra story was interesting too, especially the one in which you see everything from Minakami’s perspective.

Kawase’s route remains my favorite route because I just love his attitude and slowly discovering more about the character. Kawase and Tamamori’s arguments are also always funny and I like how they secretly both care a lot about each other. The extra story was super funny, Kawase I can’t believe you let some creep record your ‘’intimate moments’’ with Tamamori only to take the recording with you and watch it at home... (of course Tamamori did not appreciate that). Is this the real reason why he asked for help setting up a home-cinema...?

Hanazawa’s route has always been quite controversial, but I do think his route is interesting in its own way. In the final route it's mentioned that Kawase, Minakami and Kawase are all based off the works of real authors (Kyouka Izumi, Ruikou and Oshikawa). Oshikawa, whose work inspired Hanazawa's route, was a writer who would write many stories about the Russian - Japanese war, but he was also the pioneer of Japanese science fiction writing and seemed to love kaiju stories. I think his style can definitely be recognized in Hanazawa's route (the military parts, but also his ending when they end up in the past and fight monsters), so I think those are some really interesting details. 

I think Hikawa’s (Or Hakase’s) route is very unique because it’s the first route in which another character can immediately time travel together with Tamamori. The extra story shows how their relationship is still very awkward even after the good ending, but I think that’s expected from Hakase who likes Tamamori a little bit too much lol! I miss Hitotsurugi and Sazan... They were such nice characters so it’s kind of a bittersweet ending.

The last route (or Kaoru’s route) is pretty short, which is a bit of a shame because I do think it’s an interesting timeline in which all of the other main characters died a long time ago. Kurosawa Rinko confirmed that it's not like the other routes didn't really happen, they just take place in different timelines (although Kaoru route seems to be the original timeline). It definitely adds some variety to the routes and endings and I enjoy seeing older Tamamori...! 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Overall I definitely think this game becomes even more fun if you're familiar with some of the novels and authors the writer references in the story. It's not a necessity of course, but to me personally it was even more fun than the first time I played this game years ago! I also like how the Switch port now has a full glossary, the PC versions did explain terms, but the glossary is even more useful. 

I love Taisho era Japan VNs so I definitely think it’s great this game is available in multiple languages, even the Switch port. I own a few other portable versions of BL games like Taisho Mebiusline and Omega Vampire, but these versions are a little bit hard to recommend to people because of the language barrier. When you play on PC it’s at least possible to use some kind of translation software, but I don’t think there’s a way of doing this on a console.

#koshotengai no hashihime #hashihime of the old book town #hashihime #review #blvn

[beloved-femboyish-girl]

i've started to go through Serial Experiments Lain. due to the type of show it is, i've decided to collect my thoughts on each episode here, tagged as #Serious Experience Lain; in these posts, you'll find part impression, part reflection, as well as review and speculation.

that said: Layer 01: Weird.

Serial Experiments Lain is utterly oppressive. did it even have music? mostly (60 Hz) mains hum; every scene and presentation is unapologetic and delirious. and, as such, i took it as a mood piece at first. the plot takes its time, so everything lingers, suffused with unreal imagery for Lain's severely dissociative world, and cast in harsh concrete scene when we step outside it.

in this, the show seems to bounce between cold passive observation (third person) and lain's perspective (first person?). they're different, certainly, but both present: the first train scene where Lain's cacophonous cabin gives way to silent, confused passengers when she speaks up shows this. in third person, the show is willing to let cruel reality stand, like when nobody responds at the dinner table, or her dad is too caught up with his computers to truly talk to her (more on that later). in lain's world, the vivid underbelly of the world bursts in bloody tragedy and uncertain miasma. this isn't to say there isn't interplay or ambiguity, of course, because we follow lain, both object and subject.

curiously, though, we don't really get a grasp on her. sure, we share her confusing world, but what the fuck is she thinking? is she even thinking? she glazes over and falters acting in the world, mostly. her emotions are not easily mapped to what she sees, either, unless those emotions are complete detachment from everything. the camera's almost antagonistic like this, taunting; look into her big, brown eyes. try to guess what's going on in there.

as such, with its impenetrability, i didn't even bother trying to analyze at first. truthfully it seems resistant to it even with dedicated effort. i don't think it's a mood piece, though; a few potent wells stick out for closer examination.

the first is, as covered earlier, gaze. i know something's gotta be here. why else include the train scene? but i need further data.

the second is the train crash scene. this is one of the purest views into lain's psyche we get. while it's unclear if the dripping blood was real, it's vital to contextualize post-crash as lain having suicide on the brain. it only happens after someone suggests the train might've hit someone, in fact. so the surreal, which first takes the form of detached jumps between scenes, becomes located and precipitates onto train tracks, lain observing someone (her classmate?) in mocking delight and terror and oblivion superimposed getting hit and killed by a rushing train as she cowers under the buffeting wind.

but it's not a call to oblivion. contextualize, too, with her question to the dead classmate email: why? why did you die?

the finale is in the conversations. while sluggishly responding to direct address or accosting by her classmates or teachers, her attempts at conversation are utterly discarded. first no response from her mother, then a conversation with a father who's too focused on his computer to treat lain seriously (the laugh! after lain says she wants a new PC to talk to a friend, her father laughs!! presumably at his fuckin computer, but the (un)intentional cruelty is let ring), and finally the email.

It's tempting to treat the email as a conversation, but it isn't. Lain wants it to be, treats it as one. But it doesn't actually respond. It wears the skin of a personal, intimate conversation with a friend or an acquaintance. Open with a direct address, follow with an anecdote of a time they shared, one which only requires an acknowledgement. Slip her name in. Here, here I am, I'm still alive in here! Trust me! But it can't answer why, why she died, and it doesn't care to. Lain takes the assertion that god is real as an answer to why she died, but this is no answer. It's dead, cold, prewritten. It talks past her, but Lain wants to grasp on... truly a tragic portent.

One small last detail, though. I think it's adorable and excellent framing to have Lain wait silent and still in her room propped up against the wall for her dad to get home. Just like her stuffed animals. Truly a great way to reflect the place she makes for herself.

#Serious Experience Lain

[stellamancer]

i got back on my pc to fucking write fanfic, but instead i am just posting about my dnd oc i’m sorry to anyone who comes here for fanfic content bUT THIS A MONDAY NIGHT THING FOR ME.

anyway, i love adrien a lot. he’s my baby, my sweet sweet baby. who is misunderstood simply because he has trouble voicing his thoughts without stammering or stuttering!! 

like, he’ll be talking to someone, and they will just be staring and full of expectations and adrien is just gripped by the fear that he cannot meet those expectations because he could never meet his father’s expectations and so he stumbles on his words. he has to be absolute sure in whatever he’s saying to not stutter!! 

he is not the type to let the past get to him. so what the people in his hometown kicked him out for taking care of a vicious and violent plant creature!! it’s whatever! he almost died? yeah sure! it was out of his control, more or less. but when it comes to things he can control... well, i’m sure the DEATH OF HIS BEST FRIEND AT HIS OWN HANDS IS GONNA HAUNT HIM!!!  compartmentalizing is his number two hobby after touching plants. 

friends first!!! he will do whatever he can for his friends. if they say they want to do something he won’t tell them no! he’s never had friends before and so they’re very special to him. his friends wants and needs are his wants and needs. he doesn’t need anything else. even more so now. actually i think he’s scared they’ll leave him lmao.  

#adrien tag #someone love that boy #he's so.... #he was just kind of blank space before #but now he's full of self-loathing!

[kaiserrreich]

An Almost Comprehensive Interactive Guide on the British Branch of the Malfoy Family

This is to help fanfic writers get a clearer view of the tree and who's related to who any things like that, as well as to discuss genealogy in the wizarding world, cause I'm deeply into ancestry and etc rn. Most of the characters here are completely fanon and I just came up with them on the spot.

For viewing  (click here) the family tree, it is preferred you looked through the tree on the PC version, as there's a lot less clicking, scrolling and general issues you'll have to do/fix

Notes on specific members of the family:

Armand Malfoy and Ermesinda Malfoy (of Normandy) arrive in Pevensey, England with William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest. He is given a piece of land in Wiltshire as reward, which soon becomes Malfoy Manor. Later on in life, Armand sires a son named Adelemus.

Marie Malfoy neé Devereaux marries Jacques Malfoy II and has Nicole and Jacques Malfoy III. The latter who died a year before she, both dying from the Bubonic Plague.

Nicholas Malfoy II courts a young Elizabeth Tudor I in 1550 before breaking it off the same year. (Also correction: Elizabeth was born 1533, NOT 1553. A mistake the sign of my sleep deprivation yuh 🤠)

Bernadette Black neé Malfoy, eldest sister of Florian and Artemis Malfoy marries Eridanus Black. The pair produces one child Hercules Black. Bernadette, deeply resentful at the slow descent of her marriage, after a more violent argument than normal, informs muggle wizard hunters and allows for Eridanus Black to be burned at the stake. (Inspired by Artemisia Blackwood's story)

Septimus Malfoy marries Abigail Weasley, who has two children named Magnus and Josephine. Septimus divorces Abigail for his young mistress, Geraldine Yaxley and disowns his children, not allowing them to use the Malfoy name. This conflict will fuel the feud the Malfoys and Weasleys have even in the present day.

Constantine Malfoy's brother-in-law, Marianus Flint taught Arithmancy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for nearly 70 years! (1884 - 1952)

Abraxas Malfoy was allegedly involved in a shady plot that pertains to the attempted sabotage of the first muggleborn Minister's political campaign that was unsuccessful, later on, the Minister in question, Nobby Leach, contracted a mysterious illness and left the post in 1968.

Lucius Malfoy is the current patriarch of the Malfoy Family, the son of Abraxas Malfoy, husband of Narcissa Black and father of Draco Malfoy and paternal grandfather of Scorpius Malfoy. Believing strongly in pureblood supremacy, he joined the Death Eaters who agreed with his stance on blood purity. He was Lord Voldemort's right hand man throughout the First Wizarding War, but was replaced by his sister-in-law, Bellatrix Lestrange during the Second Wizarding War. (I basically "copied the homework but don't make it look obvious" for Lucius's bio lol)

Also more sidenote: If you see a Malfoy sibling have a child and their children seemingly died childless. (Nicholas, Athena, Hermes Carrow and Hercules Black) they had children, I was just too lazy to add it in. Same goes with Hardwin and Emmeline Potter.

(I originally posted on Reddit)

#harry potter #genealogy #ancestry #family #malfoyfamily #draco malfoy #lucius malfoy #narcissa malfoy #narcissa black #scorpius malfoy #repost #bellatrix lestrange #bellatrix black