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lonelyroommp3 · 13 days

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would you share the video essay? i also would like to be doing nothing rn

honestly it was not very good so i won't share that particular one lol but my favourite casual watch channels in general include -

if you want to get a recap of drama you would otherwise not know or care about:

emma in the moment - craft/fibre arts related drama (think dodgy yarn dyers, crochet plagiarism accusations, etc)

treacle tatts - tattoo related drama; mix of longer drama recaps & tiktok reaction vids. you could definitely waste an entire afternoon just watching the tattoogate series

izzzyzzz - very much in the sarah z/strange aeons school of "old fandom drama i almost forgot about" but i find izzzyzzz's videos tend to focus more on fandoms i'm not as familiar/don't have history with (my little pony, creepypasta, deviantart in general, etc) so it kind of fills a different niche for me in terms of learning something new as opposed to getting a cursed nostalgia hit. their mary sue video is a particular fave

if you like messy pop culture drama throwbacks:

casey aonso. honestly one of my fave youtubers in the game atm as someone with a big interest in 2000s/2010s pop culture, i've mentioned it before but her fifth harmony video is quite possibly my number one comfort watch of all time. cracks me up every time without fail

if you are a public transport enjoyer:

both geoff marshall and jago hazzard do very interesting & informative videos mainly focusing on the transport for london network but also going further afield. mostly shorter form content but there are a couple of interesting longer ones like geoff's video about riding every tfl bus

i find noel phillips' videos interesting from a pov of exploring various niche airlines but i can't lie him talking to camera on an otherwise silent plane & also surreptitiously recording his interactions with airline staff DOES give me potent second hand embarrassment and genuine moral qualms respectively so tread carefully on those ones i suppose

if you REALLY want to turn your brain off and just have some background noise i am a big fan of 1) level crossing videos. just search "uk level crossings channel" and go wild. 2) livestreams of planes landing in various airports. pairs well with flightradar24 in another tab especially if you happen to live somewhere underneath an airport's flight path so you can get what i like to call the "dual monitor experience" of seeing the plane irl and on the stream

if you want oddly satisfying content

HOOF TRIMMING VIDEOS!! if you just want something clean and satisfying watch horse hoof trimming vids. if like me you don't mind or arguably even prefer complex & occasionally graphic medical cases then cows are where it's at. the big two cow hoof youtubers - mootubers, if you will - are the hoof gp (scotland based, mix of straightforward short form trims and longer vlog style videos, more comedy & banter sprinkled throughout) and nate the hoof guy (usa based, more straightforward and calm delivery, come for the hooves stay for his commenters' absolute vendetta against the hoof gp under nearly every single video)

i love girl with the dogs for dog/cat grooming videos. she has two channels, one with very short (2-5 min) grooms and another with longer (15-20 min) more in depth videos

back in my last year of undergrad i got really into soap making videos. mainly watch royalty soaps who can be... a bit gratingly cheerful in her delivery but if you don't mind that the actual content is very relaxing to watch

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epicspheal · 4 months

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Hi! Congrats on making it through your first year of med school, I know that's hard to do so make sure to take some time for yourself 💜

I wanted to know if you could write something for Gordie? I'll take anything, but please take your time before doing this.

Hi there anon! Thank you so much for the kind words. Medical school has been an interesting challenge to say the least I also have to apologize for the delay in getting to this ask! When I first got this I was like "Oh Great, I'm actually working on a Gordie fic right now and I'll let them see this" Only school and writer's block got in the way So I'm going to bend my own rules for this an actually just do a character analysis for Gordie instead. So here we go... GORDIE NEEDS MORE LOVE FROM THE FANDOM Admittedly, I didn't know much of Gordie because I first played Shield. But since I loved SwSh so much I decided to go back and get Sword and there I actually fell in love with his character. He breaks the mold in a number of ways. Let's start off with his name. In Japanese his name is Makuwa which is the name of fruit called muskmelon (or just melon) which is very similar to Melony's name which is also derived from melon. So that's an easy tie between the two's familial connection. But Melons have interesting symbolism of their own as they represent prosperity, good fortune, and abundance in many cultures. And despite the rift between him and his mom, Gordie has abundance, prosperity and good fortune.

He's a major gym leader in one of the strongest gym circuits to date (minor gym leader if we're talking Shield but that's still huge), he has plenty of adoring fans, and his league card talks about how he's highly suspected of becoming a champion one day. Which is something that I don't see talked about much even in SwSh circles that absolutely should be. One for any trainer to be strong enough to considered a future champion is huge as there's only a handful of trainers who can even attain that rank. Even moreso as a type specialist. As we can see in the list of established champions in the series, the vast majority are multitype trainers with only a handful specializing in one type. And of those who specialize in one type only two of them (Wallace and Peony) that solely use Pokemon of their specialty while the others have at least one Pokemon not of their actual type. Gordie is a rock type specialist where all of his Pokemon are at least partially rock. And let's not forget that of the type specialist champions all of them are either Water, Dragon or Steel (yes Alder could count as a Bug type specialist but he's currently listed as a multitype champion). Rock however is often the specialty of the first or second gym leader on a gym circuit with so far only one trainer (Olivia) being representative of the type in the Elite Four. So for Gordie to be a rock type trainer who is strong enough to be considered a future champion is a huge accomplishment that I think bears mentioning.

Now let's take a look at his team. You can see while he does specialize in Rock types, only one of his Pokemon is pure rock while the others are dual type. The typings not only on the Pokemon but the moves he has are quite diverse allowing him to hit multiple types super effectively and cover 3 out of the 5 rock weaknesses. His team and movesets show he prefers an offensive approach prioritizing speed with Shell Smash, Tar Shot, Sticky Web and Coalossal's Steam Engine. In fact one of his in-game quotes alludes to the fact he prefers quick battles "I'll be bringing my matches to an end in a heartbeat—you'll see. No one who sees them will ever forget me."

He also heavily prioritizes breaking through physical defenses with Body Press and Wonder Room, as well as weather and entry hazards like Stealth Rock, Sticky Web, G-max Volcalith and Tyranitar's Sand Stream. It's a very solid set up that shows why in Sword he's the 6th gym leader challengers face and it shows how this team is very well designed to defeat Melony's.

As I've played through Sword at this point more than Shield (as I've decided for the purposes of cactusverse the Sword line up are canon) as I've gone through his gym, I really appreciate how encouraging he is to the player as they try to avoid the pitfalls in his gym. It's a nice touch to have him do that shows despite the fact he is a strict trainer he does have a soft side.

We know he does get frustrated after losing and unfortunately some people take that to mean he's a sore loser but he's not. Yeah he sulks in his locker and openly talks about his pride being bruised but there have been far better examples of actual sore losers in the franchise and he's not one of them. His fans honestly find his sulking sessions endearing and he even apologizes whenever he loses his cool.

"Sorry to lose my cool... I'll be sure to challenge you again."

And let's talk about the fact that he canonically is very popular and has a large fanbase. As a chubby character that's huge because unfortunately fatphobia exists and chubby characters are rarely portrayed as being popular, desired and highly skilled like Gordie is. Oh and he does backflips too showing his size doesn't mean he is unathletic? There are just so many positive subversions here and it's wonderful to see.

And Gordie cares a lot about his fans. He's stated to take the time to do autographs and meet and greets. He's seen in Twilight Wings opening fan mail in his hotel room. And a lot of what he discusses in Pokemon Masters EX involved him talking about how to best please his fans. It's obvious he cares so much for those who support him and it's heartwarming to see.

Now to get to the main talking point about Gordie...his strained relationship with his mom. I've seen people say that Gordie hates his mom but that's simply just not true! He's frustrated with her for trying to push her training style and preferred typing onto him. He wants to show he can succeed without her methods. But that frustration doesn't mean he hates her and quite frankly it's tiring to see how fandom portrays frustration as hate with Gordie and others. You can be frustrated without hating and I wish people would learn to use that nuance when talking about characters with strained relationships because usually when a narrative wants to display feelings of hatred...it will be very obvious.

In fact when Gordie does talk about Melony it's actually very tame. He mentions wanting to surpass her and how on Pasio the cold nights remind him of her. But nothing that signifies hatred. Sure they aren't on speaking terms but families sometimes go through rough patches. I'm sure at some point they'll begin to mend the rift. But yes, Gordie's a wonderful character that shows how even little details can signify so much. And once again I must say...Gordie deserves more love from the fandom!

#ask epic spheal #gym leader gordie #gordie pokemon #pokemon sword and shield #pokemon masters ex #character analysis

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childotkw · 10 months

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Omg I just can't get enough of reg in the warring states AU

Please more?🥺

We haven't seen him interact a lot with the Uchiha

"Breathe in," Regulus instructed, listening intently through the stethoscope he had conjured. "And out."

He moved the chest piece over to the other lung, closer to the new silvery scar that curled up around Izuna's side. The size of the original wound was terrifyingly impressive, one that likely would have put the man out of commission for good even if his healing had been without complication.

It would have been an ugly thing, gnarling the skin and restricting movement, but under Regulus' delicate touch, the scar itself was thin and would only pull slightly.

The Uchiha healers had been awed, one even saying the wound appeared years old.

It had led to some uncomfortable questions, but Regulus had mumbled his way through the light interrogation; shamelessly using Madara's gratitude as a shield to avoid their curiosity.

Right now, it was just him and Izuna in the room. Madara had been caught up in meetings all morning, having to dedicate his attention to all the matters he had been ignoring while his brother had been dying; and the main healer, Hina, was busy restocking their depleted supplies.

Regulus preferred the easy silence that existed between them, and it was nice to not be subjected to the pointed staring.

He had not left this room, or the house, since he had first set foot inside six days ago, but it didn't save him from the scrutiny.

Izuna was clearly loved by his people, as there had been a steady stream of well-wishers over the last two days. It served a dual purpose for most visitors - a chance to see their revived clan heir, and to meet the mysterious person who had brought him back from the brink.

The Uchiha were intrigued by him, and not just because of his rumoured skills. Regulus had seen more than a few of them staring at his hair and studying his face a little too closely for his tastes. He could see conclusions they were drawing, and it was making him anxious to leave.

"Alright," he said, removing the stethoscope and sitting back, "your lungs are definitely clear of fluid. Are you experiencing any pressure in your chest? Any unusual tightness? Breathlessness?"

Izuna pulled on his loose-fitting shirt, leaving it untied at the front as he turned to gaze at Regulus with deep black eyes. "No pressure, no tightness," he assured smoothly, his voice lighter than his brother's rich baritone.

Regulus nodded, satisfied. Given the state Izuna had been in when he had arrived, he was making a spectacular leaps in his recovery. It was yet another example for Regulus that these shinobi were freaks of nature. Their physical prowess was almost disturbing, but also terribly intriguing.

"Good," he said simply, moving over to his bag to tuck his equipment away. "So long as you rest and take your time getting back on your feet, you shouldn't have any issues in the future. Maybe a bit of tightness around the scar, but you can just massage the surrounding skin to loosen it if that happens."

"Thank you," Izuna said, still watching Regulus with interest. "I don't know if Madara has spoken to you about compensation..."

Regulus snorted, glancing at the younger man. "Your brother barely offered his name before whisking me away from my village, we didn't have a chance to discuss payment," he said dryly, enjoying the flutter of annoyance on Izuna's face at Madara's lack of tact.

As a younger brother himself, Regulus was all too familiar with the frustration that came with an older sibling's brash behaviour.

"It's fine though," he continued, flipping his bag closed and standing straight. "I rarely accept money or trade when it comes to my work. I'll take someone escorting me back to my home as payment."

"Escort?" Izuna asked, both eyebrows raising.

Regulus hummed, his hands resting on his hips. "Yes, I need to get back before winter kicks in. Apparently the roads around here are a nightmare to get through when the snow comes in. I would get home faster with a bit of help."

"Or you could stay."

It took a moment for the words to register. Regulus closed his eyes and withheld a sigh. These bloody ninja, he thought in exasperation.

"Appreciated, but unnecessary. I would like to return to my home."

Izuna hummed this time, head tilting to the side like a curious bird. Regulus very much disliked the mischievous look on his face.

"Whatever you're thinking -" he started to say.

"You won't let us honour you?" Izuna asked, coy. "You performed a miracle, you saved my life - you can't leave before we at least hold a feast of some kind to thank you. Especially if you insist on taking no payment."

"And if organising and hosting such a feast takes just long enough for the snow to start falling?" Regulus asked, because he was an asshole too and could easily read the intent behind that suggestion.

Izuna looked delighted that he had caught on so quickly.

"A happy coincidence," the other had the gall to say.

"This is fucking ridiculous. No," Regulus said, waving his hand. "Absolutely not. If you don't escort me, I'll make my own way."

Izuna snorted, pushing himself to his feet and smiling in a mildly patronising way. "And how will you do that?"

Regulus narrowed his eyes, mouth flattening. "You know what?" he said. "Forget conserving my energy. You want to know how I'll do it? I'll show you."

He reached down and grabbed his bag, looping it over his shoulder, then flicked his wrist and let his wand fall into his hand. Izuna had tensed at the movement, eyes flicking red, but Regulus had had enough of this. He was tired, he was annoyed, and he needed a break from these morons.

He twisted on his heel neatly, just a slight movement, and let his magic sweep him away with an audible crack.

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

"How did he escape again?" Hikaku asked with a longsuffering tone, which was rude - Izuna was his elder, his commander, and recently injured. He should be nicer.

Izuna sniffed at his cousin and finished pulling his hair up into a loose ponytail.

"He teleported."

"And we're absolutely sure he's not -"

"I already you told, brat, it wasn't like what Tobirama used. Trust me, I remember that jutsu well enough."

And what a jutsu it was, Izuna did not say.

Truthfully, if Tobirama were not a Senju, if he were not as totally dangerous to approach as Izuna knew he was, he'd probably even express his admiration at that new trick to the other's face.

Only his rival could be so brilliant as to bend space like that.

But Madara always got weird whenever Izuna acted too interested in Tobirama, hypocrite that he was. So instead he would turn his appreciation onto this new puzzle that had kindly stumbled into their lives and healed him with his strange powers.

"I want our patrols on the lookout for him in the coming weeks, before winter closes the pass. He's likely back at his village, but just in case we'll keep an eye out."

"After after winter?" Hikaku asked.

Izuna smiled.

"After winter we'll just have to go pay him a visit, won't we? He rudely left without letting us express our appreciation."

#anonymous #HP #naruto #regulus black #izuna uchiha #the uchiha seeing regulus and immediately being 'so whose bastard is this???' is so on brand for them #regulus gets so sick of izuna that he risks apparating while magically exhausted just to escape him #which is so valid

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spicykaraage · 6 months

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Tenipuri Complete Character Profile - Kunimitsu Tezuka

[PROFILE]

Birthday: October 7th (Libra)

Blood Type: O

Relatives: Grandfather (Kunikazu Tezuka), Father (Kuniharu Tezuka), Mother (Ayana Tezuka)

Father’s Occupation: Company Employee (trading company), his grandfather was a judo instructor for the police force

Elementary School: Seishundai First Elementary School

Middle School: Seishun Academy Junior High School

Grade & Class: Third Year | Class 3-1 | Seat 12

Club: Tennis Club - Captain

Committee: Student Council - President

Strong Subjects: World History

Weak Subjects: None

Frequently Visited Spot at School: Library

World Cup Team: U-17 World Cup German Representatives

Favorite Motto: “The enemy is within oneself.”

Daily Routines: Writing in his diary

Hobbies: Mountain climbing, camping, fishing

Favorite Color: Green or Blue

Favorite Music: Classical (Beethoven)

Favorite Movie: Famous classics whether Japanese or foreign

Favorite Book: Foreign books ➜ German-Japanese dictionary (he carries it around with him) [23.5]

Favorite Food: Unacha (broiled eel over rice with dashi poured over it), räucheraal (German smoked eel) [23.5]

Favorite Anniversary: August 23rd

Preferred Type: A girl who tries her best in everything (even if she’s a bit scatterbrained), a serious but cheerful person [PP] ➜ He tries not to think about it now [23.5]

Ideal Date Spot: Fishing in a stream near a mountain ➜ Zugspitze [23.5]

His Gift for a Special Person: A letter of gratitude

Where He Wants to Travel: Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu

Thing He Wants Most Right Now: A photobook of famous mountains around the world ➜ Mountain diorama kit [23.5]

Dislikes: Laziness, colorful cakes [23.5]

Skills Outside of Tennis: Woodworking, preparing fish [23.5]

Spends Allowance On: Books

Routine During the World Cup: Keeping a diary in German, watching foreign comedy dramas

[DATA]

Height: 179cm

Weight: 58kg ➜ 61kg [23.5]

Shoe Size: 27.5cm

Dominant Arm: Left

Vision: (With glasses) 1.5 Left & Right

Play Style: All-Rounder

Signature Moves: Drop Shot, Zero-Shiki Drop Shot, Selfless State, Pinnacle of Hard Work, Pinnacle of Great Wisdom, Pinnacle of Perfection [23.5], Tezuka Zone, Tezuka Phantom, Zero-Shiki Serve

Time He Wakes Up: 5:30am

Time He Goes to Sleep: 10:30pm

Number of Laps He Runs in a Year: 5,870

Favorite Brands:

Racquet: MIZUNO (PRO LIGHT S90) MAGNETIC TOUR 100

Shoes: MIZUNO (WAVE DUAL LIGHT <6K93009>)

Fitness Test Results:

Side Steps: 63

Shuttle Run: 121

Back Strength: 131kg

Grip Strength: 55.5kg (left)

Backbend: 60.8cm

Seated Forward Bend: 29.1cm

50m Run: 6.43 seconds

Standing Long Jump: 241cm

Handball Throw: 37.1m

Endurance Run (1500m): 4:39

Overall Rating: Speed: 4.5 / Power: 4 / Stamina: 4 / Mental: 5 / Technique: 6 / Total: 23.5

Kurobe Memo: “I obviously intended for him to thrive as a First Stringer, but unfortunately he withdrew. It’s only a matter of time before he reaches the top level of the professional ranks.” [RB]

[POSSESSIONS]

What’s in His Bedroom [10.5]:

Lure collection // A collection of lures neatly arranged and hanging on his wall, he likes using his lures as decorations

Photo of a mountain he’s climbed // He had it printed extra large and hung it on his wall. Seeing it calms him

Small locker // A locker for storing his fishing rods and equipment. The doors are glass so the contents can always be viewed

Dresser // He always has his school uniforms neatly folded and placed on top

Bookshelves and a boombox // His only objects of entertainment, he has a considerable amount of books in his possession

What’s in His Bag [10.5]:

Glasses case // He is protective over his glasses and handles them with care

Notebook // He writes an extensive amount of notes for each of his classes and keeps it with him for review

Omamori // He’s kept it with him since he was little. He’s not a religious person, so it’s kept more out of habit

A (foreign) novel // The Big Bad City by Ed McBain. He likes foreign stories and reads them often since they help him study English

Reference book // He reads it on the bus to and from school

Wristband // He has several different kinds and changes them each day depending on his mood

English-Japanese dictionary // Used to look up words he doesn’t understand when reading foreign books

Spray-on deodorant // Gatsby brand. He hates uncleanliness and always uses it after sweating in matches. He buys five bottles a month

[TRIVIA]

The Prince of Tennis 10.5 Fanbook | Release Date: 11/02/2001

He likes outdoor activities since they help relieve his stress. He feels that nature heals him

He is actually always tense and nervous about guiding the club members

His favorite mountain is the Matterhorn. His father had taken him to climb it when he was a fourth year in elementary school

He is described to have sharp and fine facial features

Since entering middle school, he has not lost in any official or practice matches

No one else in the Seigaku Tennis Club matches his level

He has trouble looking upward to the right since his hair blocks his view

He gives very terse responses when asked personal questions

He dislikes flirtatious girls and prefers someone as serious as himself. He currently is not interested in romance, however

Despite how skilled he currently is as a player, he was not good at tennis when he first started

When asked if he’s afraid of anything, his reponse is that people cannot grow if they don’t have fears

He is the only member of Seigaku who does not call any of the other members by their nicknames

Konomi states that the editorial staff like to uphold Tezuka’s serious and stoic image despite what he thinks

His personality is described as someone who thinks before he acts and is so perfect that even his friends envy him

His name and appearance is based off of Kunikaze Tezuka, a character in Konomi’s other manga series COOL

Konomi describes him as “strong overall” and considered number one. He had been created since at the time, it was rare to see a character much stronger than the protagonist be on the same team

He and Momoshiro were the first Seigaku members Konomi had created

The Prince of Tennis 20.5 Fanbook | Publication Date: 12/04/2003

It is stated that in a previous life, he was an explorer. He is described to have never stayed in the same place, and always moved forward with a desire to improve. He had lived in extreme situations where failure meant death, and was said to be “calm and collected”and “always prepared for every possible situation”

He has always been somewhat mature and sensitive to beautiful things since he was younger

He is very self-disciplined, independent and has a personal set of rules for himself

He’s described to be suited for professions such as starting his own business by himself or being a novelist

He is an honors student

His secondary sport would be kyudo

He is the character Konomi would like to go up against if he was in Tenipuri

His injury and departure was to initiate Seigaku’s growth without him. Since he was their strongest member and final trump card, Konomi felt that there was no sense of urgency in them losing and wanted to emphasize the whole team’s changes by the time he returned

The Prince of Tennis 40.5 Fanbook | Publication Date: 12/04/2007

He writes in his diary to record his daily efforts as well as take time to analyze himself. It is a custom he’s set to identify his weaknesses and continuously improve himself

His I Ching Hexagrams are 1. Qián and 13. Tóng Rén, respectively

He often makes (unnoticed) efforts in order to facilitate his relationships, such as forcing himself to socialize and/or subtly trying to lighten the mood of situations

He actually has a side to him that gets lonely easily and he also dislikes being in dark places

He’s surprisingly gotten into comedy programs. He’s recently been watching “The Battle of Big Eaters” and actually really enjoyed the “Yakiniku Battle” in Genius 341

He is currently unsure who will be the next captain (it is eventually revealed to be Kaidoh)

He is the second character Konomi has the least in common with, the first being Ryoma

Konomi states he would like to form a doubles pair with him and be able to perform his Tezuka Zone and Tezuka Phantom

Konomi had wanted to depict Tezuka having great difficulty during his match against Kabaji

He’s described to “not do doubles” by Konomi, which is why had played one-on-one with Chitose during their doubles match. However, Konomi states he may team up with Ryoma in Wimbledon someday

Konomi states Tezuka will most likely be seen in Germany sometime in the future

#tenipuri #tenirabi #profile #my post #seigaku

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inkedmyths · 9 months

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Sell me on monster hunter, go

OHHHH YOU'RE GONNA REGRET ASKING THIS ARE YOU READY

Concept is very simple: Kill hig monster before it kills you (hence the name)

Onto the selling points

Monster Design

The monster design is widely regarded as some of the best out there. In a series dedicated to fighting monsters, it has to be, and it doesn't disappoint. It ranges from dinosaurs, to wyverns, to dragons, to things that don't fit into any of these categories! The designs also generally have a basis in some concept of biology, taking notes from real life creatures and using fantasy concepts to create creatures that feel almost believable.

A few monsters found in Rise, for your consideration: Aknosom, Rathalos, Zinogre, and Magnamalo

These are just a sampler, from some of the Early stuff in base Rise. There's quite a few things you can fight, and the DLC features some of my absolute favorite monsters ever: Gore Magala and Malzeno

Gameplay

Rise admittedly works a bit differently from classic MonHun, but the base concepts are still there.

In this game, it's all about hitting the monster and trying not to get hit. You have to memorize attack patterns, dodge them at the right time, figure out where to get the best damage in. You're opponent doesn't have a health bar; rather, you have to try and determine how close you are to winning based on the monster's behavior. It gets slower, shows signs of damage, will often run off to rest when near death.

There's also not a standard player leveling system. Instead, you upgrade your gear, and get better at playing. In order to get new gear, you have to kill monsers, and use their parts to make new weapons and armor. The armor design is also very neat, and occasionally very very silly.

Speaking of weapons, there are 14 different different weapon types, one for everyone. I prefer the fast paced and acrobatic Dual Blades, while my mom prefers the heavy hitting and complex Charge Blade. Theres simple, theres complicated, there's close combat, and ranged. Whatever floats your boat!

Rise's special mechanic that sets it apart is Wirebugs. Think of them as a gear piece that lets you grapple hook in midair, and perform all kinds of fancy moves. They take some getting used to, but once you master them, you'll be virtually unstoppable.

Pets

One of Monster Hunter's longtime traditions are Palicoes! They are little cat friends that help you fight in combat, and can also act as support. Very cute and useful.

Rise is also the first game to introduce Palamutes! If you're more of a dog person, congrats, you can have a dog that will help you in combat. They have different uses than Palicoes, so mix and match as needed

Music

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED PARTS OF THE SERIES I SWEAR

I could talk about about the soundtrack for days and days. Some tracks are better than others, of course, but they're generally very good at creating a good atmosphere

For your perusal:

Proof of a Hero, the Main Theme of the series. Often played in the final phase of major boss fights (The version I have linked is the original, and doesn't actually play in Rise. Rise has it's own version, as does the DLC, Sunbreak, which has my favorite version)

Spark of Blue, Zinogre's theme (a personal favorite)

Barbarous Beast, Magnamalo's Theme

Brilliance Eclipsed, Gore Magala's Theme

Scarlet Feast, Malzeno's Theme

The soundtrack is really fun, and Rise puts a fun twist on several tracks

Co-Op Play

You can play alone, but it's really fun to play with friends. Nothing like watching your buddy get smacked across the map and dying. Up to four friends can play together, and you can tackle everything in the game alongside them

Okay I have to pay attention to stream now but this is my sales pitch hope you enjoyed

#answers #monster hunter #monster hunter rise #i am so so passionate #we haven't streamed it in a while but one of these days we will. and we can play w/newcomers. its always fun

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megahorous · 2 months

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This time, I replayed Pokemon Scarlet [my 2nd time] ! It was the best game of all time

-- I liked this batch of rivals/Gym Leaders the most, I think, since Black/White

-- I think Larry's my favorite. I could imagine his interactions with Iono to be amusing; like he'd be her guest star. They should let you watch an Iono stream; I wonder if she keeps advertising the Raid Shadow VPN

-- I like Ryme too; I've never mentioned this before but I discovered PaRappa the Rapper 2 years ago and it became my favorite thing. And it's nice to see an older Lady. It's kind of interesting she has a twin sister, and does double battles, but is not a dual Gym Leader [like Tate/Liza] though I think I prefer it this way

-- My character has such a healthy and active social life; they should make school real! Maybe he marries Nemona when they grow up, and Arven marries Penny. And they live next door, like the Flintstones and the Rubbles

-- The ending is legit kind of creepypasta, in a sense. Poor Arven! What a Sada tale...

--May try to catch 'em all this time, if I can. I have the Discord for trading

#Grouvee #Pokemon #Pokemon Scarlet #Nemona #Arven #Penny #Gym Leader

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cypheroxide · 1 month

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So, last week I tried streaming on Twitch for the first time ever. I wanted to show the process I go through for installing and setting up my workstation for cybersecurity and gaming. The catch is that I use Linux as my main operating system and **WHILE I WAS STREAMING**, my capture desoldered itself and my Arch install disc got corrupted.

45 minutes into a stream, a week of posting on my socials, setting up OBS and reconfiguring my desk setup for dual pc streaming, and my social anxiety was correct. I should have never hit "start streaming".

And now I'm reconsidering.... I wonder, now that my setup is finished and tweaked to my preference, should I try streaming again? Maybe this time I'll do the install in a VM instead of a live production machine... Or maybe I should just listen to the 8 pounds of anxiety meat slopping around in my head and stay a social hermit.

#social anxiety #196 #reddit refugee #cyber security #Dear gods please let me live peacefully #Twitch Fails could use me like the last roll of toilet paper on a camping trip

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kierans-crow · 10 months

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m'kay. changes upcoming and catching up on a few "announcements" so to speak:

so I wanna keep the "courtlycrow" username to art, I think.

This blog's URL will change in the near future. I'm looking at "kierans-crow" right now, as I've picked up Kieran as my chosen name. It's not the name I was given at birth, but I'm also not the gender I was given at birth. I'm not killing my birthname. I just prefer Kieran to it. You can call me Kieran or Crow. You do you. (my pronouns are they/them).

I'll be sacrificing polyhedric-fate, which is the username for my DnD OC side blog. It's not getting used as well as I wanted it to. I'll be changing Polyhedric-Fate to CourtlyCrow and giving it several updates, while this, my main blog will be for my general reblog bullshit :)

Polyhedric Fate does see some reblogging though, but since I mostly draw OCs, it's perfect for a dual-purpose art blog and space for me to yell about my OCs!

My public Writing Blog which - also not seeing much use, and I've changed how I plan on using some features will remain the-corvid-scriptorium.

I will be also launching a Ko-fi and Community discord soon!

More info under cut.

the Ko-Fi will have 2 tiers, a $1 tier that gives you discord access, including WIPs and probably art that will never see the light of Greater Social Media. They will also get holiday discounts to the Ko-Fi shop.

The $5 tier gives you all that, special bonus discounts outside of Holidays or greater discounts on holidays (we'll see how it works in practice) as well as exclusive shop content.

the shop will contain packs of character art you can use in your DnD games under a private licenses (though, you will have permission to use the character in streamed Actual Plays, even if the streams/VoD are monetized)

the $5 tier bonus shop content gives you access to character packs that can be used for commercial purposes, and permission to ask for slight modifications to purchased Characters, like adding scars, or tattoos, or other markings.

#thanks!

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maggielindemannsource · 16 days

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youtube

Twitch stream on April 11 - "getting ready and a haul" (makeup live)

PS: I know there are 3 parts where the audio is missing, it's because she was listening to music and got copyrighted on those parts!! Sorry I can't do anything about it 😭

all the makeup products she used in the video (in order):

Cetaphil Moisturising Cream 450g

Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation

Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick

Real Techniques Expert Face Makeup Brush

Hoola Matte Powder Bronzer - Benefit Cosmetics

Nose contour brush (i don't have the exact reference)

e.l.f Cosmectics 16-Hour Camo Full Coverage Concealer

White Baking Powder (i don't have the exact reference)

Triangular Powder Puff (i don't have the exact reference, similar: Sephora Velour Makeup Powder Puff)

Patrick Ta Beauty MAJOR SCULPT DUAL-ENDED SCULPTING BRUSH

Benefit Cosmetics Sunny Warm Coral Blush

Blush brush (i don't have the exact reference, same set as nose contour brush)

Blush she prefers to wear when she’s tan :

Benefit Cosmetics Butterfly Golden Orange Blush

Patrick Ta Beauty Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo (Shade "Just Enough", the light powder one)

She doesn’t do powder blush over wet

Rare Beauty Always An Optimist 4-In-1 Mist | Makeup Mist & Spray

Maybelline Express Brow Ultra Slim Defining Eyebrow Pencil

Charlotte Tilbury LIP CHEAT (Shade ICONIC NUDE)

Revlon Super Lustrous The Lip Gloss in Shade 306 Taupe Luster (this one is her fave lip gloss of all time, but she also likes 207 Sky Pink)

Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil - Fenty Beauty (Shade: How Many Carats?!)

Jet Black Volumizing Mascara - about-face

Benefit Cosmetics 24-Hour Brow Setter

Her fake eyelashes are Ardell 3D Faux Mink 863 (she bought them at Marshalls but she usually doesn't care for the brand, she buys whatever lashes)

She doesn’t like putting mascara on her bottom lashes

Brown eye pencil on upper waterline

She was drinking Alani Nu Cosmic Stardust Energy Drink

Random:

she would like to dye her hair light pink after she goes blonde, she said she always wanted to have pink hair

she wants to get botox in her forehead because when she performs, she thinks her facial expressions make the pictures look bad

prisoner is her favorite wine

she’s going to san srancisco to see jordan’s last game, then they’re going to hawaii and then to texas. she plans on installing a streaming set up there too.

#maggielindemannsource #maggie lindemann #twitch #makeup #Youtube

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seokiloquy · 11 months

Text

Shift Pt 3 - Kozume Kenma

Au: Regular (timeskip)

Tags/Warnings: Dual POV, use of a pseudonym (username: ForestFire) instead of (Y/N) in most cases, swearing.

Word Count:2.3k

Pt 1 | Pt 2 | Pt 3 | Pt 4

“No way.”

Uvo groaned at Kodzuken’s response. “You don’t have to stay long if you don’t want to, Kenma. But, It would be great if you came. Solarii doesn’t get to celebrate her birthday often.”

“Doesn’t sound like my cup of tea.”

“But talking with strangers online is?”

Kenma sat silently, but the clicking of his keyboard could be heard through the phone.

“Okay, look. There’s going to be maybe 12 people there, max. And only a bit of it will be filled. You can avoid the camera if you’d prefer. We just want you there.”

Kenma remained silent, thinking over the possibilities of what could happen. Likely, he ends up tucked away in the corner, trying to call for Solarii’s dog to keep him company or play video games on his phone. The latter of which seemed a bit more enjoyable.

“We’ll be playing Mario Kart and other stuff!” Uvo sang in a final attempt to sway Kenma’s mind.

“Who’s gonna be there?”

“Uh, well, Solarii, of course, me, Forest—”

“I’m in. Send me the details.”

“Aweso—”

Kenma hung up, going back to his game.

As Uvo gathered everyone and everything for Solarii’s birthday, you were tasked with distracting her for the morning until you got the okay text to bring her back to her apartment. After a full day of streaming, so she could take the day off, she was desperate just to go home and relax.

You tugged at her wrist, dragging her behind you while she slouched, long black hair hanging like curtains in front of her face. “I’ll buy you a dress, candy, cute cat ears or something, please! Just spend an hour with me!”

She let out a tired laugh, standing straight so that she could rest her forehead on your shoulder. “Can we just sit down and eat fries or something?”

“Fine,” you sighed. “I’ll get you all the fries you could dream of!”

“It's so early. How are you so loud?”

“It’s mid-day.”

“Early,” she groaned, letting you drag her to the mall’s dining hall, where she sat, head flat against a table with her eyes closed while you got the fries.

With the moment to yourself, you checked your phone.

You huffed, heat blooming in your lungs as if you could breathe fire. Uvo and, by association, Solarii were great socialisers. Making friends and lasting connections everywhere they went. Including Kenma.

You weaved through the crowds of people to return to the table where Solarii looked like she was napping, but at the sound of your chair, she perked up. Immediately jumping on the bag you placed on the table.

She practically moaned the moment she got a bite.

"You're in public, Sol."

"You brought me here. Deal with it."

Your phone buzzed in your pocket, leading you to quickly pull it out and check out the text from Uvo.

<Ken's here!>

"What's that?" Solarii tried to peek over the top of your phone.

You scramble, forcing your phone back into your pocket. "Nothing!"

"Can't fool me. What was it?"

"Nothing! I promise!"

"Liar, you're lying to me!" She lifts herself up, trying to reach over the table to get in your pocket will her greased fingers.

"Fine! Fine, stop it!" Your mind races for something to fill the lie. "It's just a stream notification."

She glances you up and down with a sparse eyebrow raised. "For who?"

"Kodzuken."

While they knew each other, you were confident Sol didn't keep track of Ken's streaming schedule.

"You still have his notifications on? Wow, you must really like him."

You groaned internally, wishing you had watched anybody else in college. It had truthfully been months since you last managed to attend one of his live streams, since before you blew up on the platform in your own right. And between streaming and voice acting, there just wasn't the time to catch up with anything that wasn't just short videos.

"I find him calming." You squeezed out.

"Really." She smirked, "is that all?"

"Please, don't do this to me."

"Do what?"

"Try and get out every little embarrassing detail of my… infatuation with Kodzuken."

"So you admit it!"

"No!"

"You just said 'infatuation'. You like him!"

"Who doesn't?"

"A sane person."

"What does that mean‽"

While you had managed to get Solarii both awake and distracted. The consequences left your temperature running higher than normal. Every word from her lips seemed to be delicately created just to torment you.

"Look. I don't have a crush on Ken, I hardly know him! His videos and streams were a great comfort to me in school, so I appreciate him."

"I'm still stuck on the comfort thing. He's kind of a gremlin."

You were happy to leave the mall when Uvo finally texted and eagerly gathered Sol's languid body to your car.

Kenma had already found himself playing with Solarii’s dog before the party even started. While everybody either put food in bowls and plates or hooked up the tv for them to play games, Uvo intermittently filmed the progress until sending a text.

You weren't there, though, apparently keeping Sol busy.

Kenmas hands pushed through the small dog's fur, scratching the creature the same way he did cats, which she seemed to tolerate, while occasionally barking at X when he walked by.

With two people not currently in the room, Kenma already felt cramped, content with letting the little fur ball keep him company until he felt the need to move.

"They're here!" Uvo shouted from the kitchen, grabbing the cake to bring to the apartment's entryway. Tawny followed with candles and a lighter.

Picking the dog up, Kenma walked over, standing at the back of the crowd as everyone waited to surprise Sol. Everyone screamed as the door unlocked. But Kenma's attention immediately caught your startled face over Sol's shoulder.

The chanting around him seemed to disappear as if the crowd had vanished, leaving him in the middle of the room. His vision tunnelled, vignetting around your face. Everything seemed to stop as if he were there to greet you when you came home.

You let out a loud laugh, shaking Sol's shoulders to encourage her while she blew out the candles, which led the dog in his arms to bark. Kenma glared, the loud sound being sharp in his ears. The crowd moved to the kitchen, leaving Kenma with the small canine to stew.

He glanced away from you toward the TV, nodding to himself.

You eagerly ate the collection of cake, chips, and candy that was laid out on the kitchen counter before your eyes caught sight of Ken crouched in front of the TV, Fuwafuwa wagging her little tail by his feat. Maybe he was like a gremlin in a cute, unkempt and endearing way. His grown-out hair, which he had bleached in high school, had been trimmed but still had some blond ends that brushed against his shoulders. Wore a plain baggy shirt with his ever-recognisable high school track pants, which had holes in the knees and tattered threads along the bottom from petting and getting scratched by cats. His casual, almost lazy attire made you feel overdressed when you weren’t.

It was hard not to admire him in person, finally being in his presence instead of watching him on a 2D screen image.

Something hit your shoulder. Sol’s wrist, a plate of cake in hand, as she nodded for you to approach the quiet gamer. You pinched your brows, shaking your head fervently, but Sol dropped the plate with a slice of cake and a fork in your hand and pushed you before turning around to talk to Uvo, who had his camera in hand. Sighing, you greeted Fuwafuwa as she ran around your ankles while you approached and crouched next to Kenma.

“Hey, Ken.”

He gave you a sideways glance before crouching lower and searching through the collection of games on the tv stand’s shelf.

“Here’s your slice of cake,” you continue holding it out for him. He takes it and sets it on the coffee table behind him.

“Thanks.”

“What game are you looking for?”

“Mario Kart.”

Oh. “Hold on.” You step over Fuwafuwa and reach for the plastic box that’s tucked against the wall. Opening it up, Mario Kart is at the top, placed half haphazardly amongst the neatly stacked collection. “It goes in the box; otherwise, they won’t stop playing it.”

Kenma hummed, lips pinched together as he took the game from your hand. The tips of his fingers hit your knuckles, and he shuffles back, quickly slotting the game into the console.

At the sound of the game booting up, everyone gathers on the couch, leaving you and Kenma to sit on the floor. He grumbles, snatching a pair of pillows, and handing one to you.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Let's just grab the controllers before they steal that too.” As he settled onto the pillow, Fuwfuwa jumped into his lap.

“She likes you.”

“I think she just doesn’t like how loud everyone else is.” They’re all yelling at each other while picking and choosing their karts and characters.

Reaching over, you give the dog a scratch around her ears.

“They’re competitive.”

Kenma hums and sets his kart up. Immediately earning a groan from X behind you.

“What’s up?” glance over your shoulder.

X drags a hand up his forehead and back against his buzzed hair. Before leaning forward, one hand squeezing your shoulder as his head appears between you and Kenma.

“Oh, dear Forest.” He emphasised his words by shaking your shoulder and pulling you close, so your cheeks shooshed against his. He whispered. “Kodzu here has a signature setup for Mario Kart. It’s not even considered the best set-up, but when he uses it, we’re all bound to lose.”

“Uh.” You glance at the screen, then Kenma, who leaned forward to glare at both you and X. “Truthfully, I don’t know much about Mario Kart.”

“Oh,” X sighed dramatically. “Well, your set-up happens to be nearly the complete opposite from his and since you don’t know how to play. Well,” X pushes his cheeks in closer to yours, nearly giving you an eccentric smooch. He sang, “Good luck,” before being dragged back by the collar of his shirt that Solarii had taken hold of.

Kenma shoots a glare at the buzzed-cut PvP gamer before turning back around.

The game starts.

Before you can realise what’s happening, you’re shifting your body with your character on the screen as if it’ll make it turn sharper and prevent you from falling off course. You lurch again, shoulder crashing into Kenma’s and you lose balance, staying there, and yet, your character falls off the map. Startled, Fuwafuwa runs off.

“How do you guys do this?” your head sags.

“By getting good, Little Sprout.” You huff at X’s response but he’s immediately knocked off the course. “Who just Blue Shelled me!”

Next to you, Ken chuckles, making you realise that you were still leaning against him and he had to notify X of the culprit.

“Oh, watch your back Ken! I’m getting my revenge!” you lean back as X trashes forward.

Every round, Kenma seemed to win, and X seemed to lose, only seconded to you, who kept falling off the Rainbow Road track.

“This is going to haunt me forever.”

Kenma gave you another glance from the corner of his eye, but you paid it no mind, instead choosing to get to your feet and grab something to eat from the kitchen.

You watched the rounds continue from a stool in the kitchen, munching on chips while everyone began to yell at each other.

“They’re loud.” Ken sighs, sitting on the stool next to you and lifting his knees up.

“It would probably be more fun for you if you had more of a challenge. You just kept beating everyone.”

“I didn’t beat you.” He hugged his knees to his chest.

“I came consistently in last place! You beat me every round!”

“That’s just because you don’t know the game. I never made you lose. I made X lose plenty.”

It didn’t really matter. You still lost every round, sabotaged or not. “Think that might actually be worse, I lost on my own merit instead of getting hit with anything… I’m just that bad.”

“You have other talents, I’m sure.”

You huffed, cheeks burning as you turned away to hide them.

There was a loud cheer, and finally, X had won a round. Kenma grumbles and gets to his feet.

“Where are you going?” you ask, chest aching at the sight of him walking away.

“To take X down a notch. He’s loud.”

Two days later, Kenma is still feeling the sting of your shoulder against his. It wouldn’t leave his mind, burnt into his skin and memory. He wanted to scrub it all off, but it wouldn’t leave. In the moment, at first, he was ready to win each game. Until he realised, you didn’t even know how to play. X, however, made it easy for him to be a target. But still the winning didn’t stick around in his mind like you did.

He glared at his phone screen, just scrolling through until he saw an image of a familiar scene. The footage of Solarii’s birthday had been posted, and people had already started posting about it. Including a screenshot of him and you in the background.

<They’re so cute together!!!> The caption said.

He tossed his phone aside and dragged his hands down his face. Hoping he could wake up with a clearer head.

Guess whos super tired? Me. I took a 3-hour nap while writing this…..nearly deleted everything on accident. -Bacon

Posted: 06/06/2023

#Kozume Kenma #Kenma Kozume #kenma x reader #kenma kozume x reader #Haikyuu x reader #haikyuu #x reader #oneshot #oneshots #haikyuu oneshots #haikyuu reader insert #reader insert #aus #haikyuu aus #fluff #haikyu #haikyu x reader #anime x reader #anime

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theuncrucified · 1 year

Text

Calibration is upon us, which means the Exalted Secret Santa is nigh! I'm offering two different flavors of Kalara this year - Solar vs Abyssal! Check out the details behind the cut.

Kalara Vadras, The Uncrucified Solar Exalted, Eclipse Caste, Righteous Devil

A passionate Merchant Prince (though most people refer to her as a 'Merchant Queen'), Kalara can often be found traveling Creation using her charm and wit towards the cause of achieving a more equitable economy and the abolishment of slave labor throughout the threshold.

While she has a friendly public face, her enemies whisper of her spy network, Kalara's "Tongues", who work quietly throughout Creation eliminating threats to her ambitions for Creation.

For more reference, see Kalara's full bio for more pics, etc.

Art Notes

She has a scar from a failed crucifixion on her left hand only, not both hands

NSFW art is ok! She's quite famous for her tastes in brothels and being a free spirit with multiple unattached partners, but please nothing too hardcore into chains. This lady likes luxury. Tis silk or nothing!

Fashion

Feel free to play with her hair and clothing style without sticking too close to the ref. Kalara mixes things up a lot to either blend in on her travels OR to make a big impression, depending on the occasion. She's quite the fashionista! Note that in her art she's dressed in everything from a Chiaroscuro glass gown to more casual wear with her green shirt. The look with the teal and gold with the jacket resting on her shoulders is her signature look, however.

Iconic Anima

Her totemic anima involves chains of sunlight wrapping around her arms and ankles as the links fall off one by one. Spikes of sunlight, which do not harm her, appear in her hands and melt away. Behind her, a phoenix with a long, trailing tail rises up behind her.

Weapons & Combat Style

Kalara prefers not to let others onto the fact that she's as powerful as she is and has created a whole other persona named Koh to do her gunslinging. She and Koh are rumored to be lovers, much to her amusement.

However, if she's ever backed into a corner as Kalara, her fighting style involves acrobatic agility while dual-wielding two Prayer Pieces made of jade and orichalcum with the punishing glory of the Righteous Devil martial art.

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The Crucified Dreamer Abyssal Exalted, Moonshadow Caste, Deathknight of the Lover

This alternate universe version of Kalara spends her time wandering Creation nurturing revolutionaries and visionaries...then leading them to their beautiful deaths after they follow her pursuing their foolish dreams. Those she finds useful, she scouts as possible servants for her Deathlord, The Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears.

Unlike Kalara, the Dreamer was never saved from her death by crucifixion by The Unconquered Sun. Rather, the Lover came to her in her final moments after a torturous three days and nights and offered her a chance to equalize all in the embrace of death.

Her full name is The Crucified Dreamer Veiled in Truth.

Art Notes

The Dreamer has crucifixion wounds in both hands and both feet that never heal. She tends to 'dress them up' with jewelry and henna.

NSFW art is ok! She's very BDSM-themed as-is. You know she gets up to some kinky vampire stuff!

Fashion

The Dreamer prefers gold and finery usually with a subtle skeletal theme. Gold, fire opals, and garnets suit her well. The three tears below her eye, however, are not makeup, but etched by blood ink into her skin when the Lover 'welcomed' her as an Abyssal. They traced the last tears she would ever shed.

Weapons & Combat Style

The Dreamer doesn't usually engage in direct combat, much preferring to seduce her victims, but if she is driven to conflict, she utilizes the Laughing Wounds martial art, a set of bejeweled claws, and a segmented whip sword with a blade like sharp gold vertebra as it unfurls.

I have no references for her whip sword or battle claws yet, so go wild with your interpretation!

Iconic Anima

The Dreamer's aura flares as her crucifixion wounds seep streams of blood that form tendrils and wrap around her arms and legs. The blood also pours to the earth where scarlet Spider Lilies spring up from the droplets. Behind her, a glowing red mandala materializes with the lotus pointed downwards.

I have no reference of this anima yet, so feel free to go wild with your interpretation from that description!

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That's it for now! I hope my Secret Santa has fun. I can't wait to see what they’ll choose!

#Exalted Secret Santa #Exalted RPG #Exalted Secret Santa 2022 #Kalara Vadras #The Crucified Dreamer #Solar Exalted #Abyssal Exalted #Eclipse Caste #Character Reference #Moonshadow Caste

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justforbooks · 1 year

Photo

The greatest notoriety – and critical and sales success – enjoyed by the writer DM Thomas, who has died aged 88, came with his controversial novel The White Hotel (1981), inspired by his readings of Sigmund Freud and by Anatoly Kuznetsov’s Holocaust novel Babi Yar. Thomas’s novel combined these two influences in a driving, non-naturalistic plot centred on Lisa Erdman, a fictional patient of Freud’s, who progresses through sexual obsession to being shot down by Nazis in a ravine outside Kyiv.

The sex and violence were described in lingering, some said lubricious, detail. Although the novel was variously hailed – by Graham Greene and Time magazine, among others – as a powerful new departure in fiction, and an insight into the dark heart of the 20th century, it was attacked by some as pornographic and misogynistic.

In addition, Thomas was accused (a charge also levelled at his later novel Ararat) of plagiarising his factual material from Kuznetsov: he defended himself by counter-charging the authors whose works he had plundered of wanting to “copyright genocide”. At any rate, his pastiche of Freud’s epistolatory style was convincing enough to fool the great man’s daughter Anna, who demanded: “Where did he get those letters?”

A runaway bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic, The White Hotel was pipped, to Thomas’s immense chagrin, to the 1981 Booker prize by Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children.

The course of Thomas’s life and his work, in poetry and prose, was determined by his sometime tumultuous relations with women. A crisis brought on in the late 1970s by a domestic life divided between dual households, the deaths of his parents and the closure of the college in the American midwest where he was working, led him to undergo prolonged psychoanalysis and to produce his first fiction, The Flute Player (1979), written with the aim of winning a Gollancz fantasy award – which it duly did.

In 1980 he returned to his former university, Oxford, for postgraduate work arranged by his former tutor John Bayley. However, he preferred to use his freedom to write his own fiction, which, liberated by his analysis, spurted up from the wellsprings of his psyche in a seemingly unstoppable stream. He was not interested in the traditional formal structure of the novel, explaining that he was too impatient to get his characters from room to room, or continually intersperse “He said” or “She cried”. Instead of naturalism, he relied on streams of poetic prose, dream sequences and coincidences.

Thomas strove to repeat the success of The White Hotel with other novels dealing with genocide (Ararat, 1983) and Freud (Eating Pavlova, 1994); and key moments of 20th-century history including John F Kennedy’s assassination (Flying in to Love, 1992).

Always readable and often compelling, none of the later novels quite achieved the white-hot shock of The White Hotel. Bolstered financially by selling the film rights – though frustratingly for Thomas the movie was never made – he returned to his native Cornwall, settling in a large house in Truro. Long after it was written, a screenplay by Dennis Potter was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2018.

Born in Redruth, into a tight-knit, working-class community around the village of Carnkie, Donald was deeply attached to his Cornish roots, particularly his family, mythologising his close relationship with his parents, Amy (nee Moyle) and Harold Thomas.

He discovered sex as an adolescent during an abortive emigration to Australia with his parents after the second world war. It would remain an all-consuming obsession.

Precociously intelligent, after Redruth grammar school he followed in the footsteps of the Cornish historian AL Rowse in winning a scholarship to New College, Oxford, where he discovered literature via the teaching of Bayley and Lord David Cecil. Never orthodox in his literary tastes, he was told by a female don at his vivas : “I should read a little more about the medieval rhetoricians, Mr Thomas.” Gleefully he reported: “I never did.” Despite this deficiency, he secured a first, to his family’s intense pride.

He was already involved with a steady girlfriend, Maureen Skewes, who shared his Cornish childhood and in 1958, the year he graduated, became his first wife. But strict monogamy was not for Thomas, and his sexual explorations continued apace whenever opportunity offered.

National service at the height of the cold war was ameliorated by his selection for a course in Russian. Not a natural linguist, he passed out with sufficient knowledge of the language, his course assessment reported, to “conduct low-level interrogation”.

More importantly, he acquired a passionate enthusiasm for Russian life and literature, particularly for the poetry of Pushkin and Anna Akhmatova, both of whom he later translated, in versions whose technical limitations were more than made up for by his intuitive feel for the spirit of the poetry.

A respected poet in his own right, he produced eight books of verse before he turned to fiction, beginning with science-fiction in the influential magazine New Worlds, alongside Michael Moorcock and JG Ballard. His themes were sex, death, rebirth and the infinite world of the imagination.

Much influenced by the Cornish landscape, his poetry had a mystic, Celtic tinge. Physically, too, in his youth, he resembled his Welsh namesake, Dylan Thomas, with bulbous nose, wild curls and a cigarette moored to his lower lip, and some of his poems shared the mystically charged erotic preoccupations of the “Rimbaud of Cwmdonkin Drive”. Thomas’s own favourite Celtic bard, however, was Yeats, whom he would read aloud or recite, the lines rolling evocatively out from his barrel-shaped body.

His reputation as a poet grew through the 60s and 70s as he taught at a succession of schools and then at a teacher training college in Hereford, where his children by Maureen, Caitlin and Sean (who followed him into fiction and journalism), grew up, and where he acquired a parallel family in Denise Aldred and their son Ross, juggling his time between the two households. Following his divorce from Maureen, in 1976 he married Denise.

Feeling imprisoned by this awkward situation, he escaped by guest lecturing at various American colleges, where his homesickness was ameliorated by affairs with some of his students.

Once established as a writer, he ran creative writing courses at the Arvon and Skyros centres in various locations, and at his own home. An inspired and inspiring teacher, he acquired the status of a literary guru among certain female admirers of The White Hotel. His belief that sex, art and literature were at the very centre of life was palpable to his fans. To others less enamoured, his self-absorption was repellent. Exploring the psychotherapy he underwent led to an autobiography, Memories and Hallucinations (1989).

In 1992, Thomas was set up by the ever-mischievous Julie Burchill, who got the then-aspiring writer Louise Doughty to report the results of a one-to-one erotic writing course with Thomas in the Modern Review, and his reputation as a lady-killer solidified into myth. There was no shortage of female applicants to join his courses, or his ever-changing harem of transient lovers. However, Denise’s death from cancer in 1998 hit Thomas hard, and he wrote movingly of her final illness.

Never lost for long, and unable to endure solitude, later that year he married Victoria Field, whom he had met on a Skyros course in Greece.

His biography Alexander Solzhenitsyn: A Century in His Life (1998) was warmly received, and went on to receive the Orwell prize. He continued to publish poetry – including a verse memoir, A Child of Love and War (2021) – and prose, and ran a group of Cornish writers called the Stray Dogs, after a famous early 20th-century Russian literary cafe in St Petersburg.

Thomas had huge vitality, a charismatic presence and considerable charm and humour. Into the often stifling and prissy world of English literature, he introduced a welcome raw honesty, an imaginative widening of limiting horizons, and a distinct whiff of sulphur.

His marriage to Victoria ended in divorce, and in 2005 he married Angela Embree. She and his three children survive him.

🔔 Donald Michael Thomas, poet and novelist, born 27 January 1935; died 26 March 2023

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