#Inbox deliverability

[digitalmarketingbizz]

The Power of Email Marketing: Why It's Essential for Your Business's Success

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, where social media, search engine optimization (SEO), and influencer marketing often take center stage, it's easy to overlook the tried-and-true method of email marketing. However, don't be too quick to dismiss this powerful tool – email marketing remains a cornerstone of successful business promotion. In this blog, we'll delve into the reasons why you should market your business with email, and we'll also explore some trending keywords to keep your content in tune with the latest industry developments.

Unlocking the Potential of Email Marketing

In an era dominated by instant messaging and social networking, you might wonder whether email marketing is still relevant. The answer is a resounding yes! Email marketing remains a crucial strategy for businesses of all sizes, and here's why:

Direct Communication: Email marketing offers a direct line of communication to your audience. Unlike social media posts that might get lost in a sea of content, emails are delivered straight to your subscribers' inboxes, ensuring that your message is seen.

Personalization: With advanced data analytics, you can tailor your email campaigns to specific segments of your audience. Personalized content resonates more with recipients, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

Cost-Effective: Compared to other marketing methods, email marketing is incredibly cost-effective. There are minimal expenses involved, and the potential return on investment (ROI) is substantial.

Drive Conversions: Email campaigns allow you to guide your subscribers through the buyer's journey, from awareness to conversion. Well-crafted emails with compelling calls-to-action can drive sales and boost your bottom line.

Analytics and Insights: Email marketing platforms provide detailed analytics that allow you to track open rates, click-through rates, and conversion metrics. These insights help you refine your strategies and optimize future campaigns.

Building Relationships: Email marketing enables you to nurture relationships with your audience. By consistently delivering valuable content, you can establish trust and loyalty over time.

Trending Keywords in Email Marketing

To ensure your email marketing content remains current and relevant, consider incorporating these trending keywords into your campaigns:

Personalization: Tailoring content to individual preferences is a hot topic in email marketing. Mention how your business utilizes personalization to enhance user experience and drive engagement.

Automation: Marketing automation streamlines your email campaigns, saving time and increasing efficiency. Highlight how automation can help deliver timely and relevant content to subscribers.

Segmentation: Segmented email lists improve targeting by sending the right messages to the right people. Explain how your business categorizes subscribers to provide them with content that aligns with their interests.

AI and Machine Learning: These technologies enhance email marketing by analyzing data and optimizing campaigns. Discuss how AI and machine learning contribute to your email marketing strategy.

Interactive Content: Interactive emails, such as polls, quizzes, and GIFs, are gaining traction. Describe how your business employs interactive elements to make emails more engaging.

Mobile Optimization: As mobile device usage continues to rise, optimizing emails for mobile screens is vital. Emphasize your commitment to delivering a seamless mobile experience.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, email marketing stands as a stalwart strategy that continues to deliver impressive results. Its direct communication, personalization options, and cost-effectiveness make it a must-have in your marketing toolkit. By incorporating trending keywords and staying up-to-date with industry innovations, you can harness the power of email marketing to drive conversions, build relationships, and propel your business towards greater success.

[croquettish]

I'm the wedding anon - pretend I spelled Radzig correctly I know how to write his name I just wrote the ask very quickly on my phone 😭😭 TY for the response! I ❤️ baselessly speculating about games that are not even announced yet

Anyways yes I can see the scenarios you listed happening, I really like the first one in particular! I can very easily see Hans impulsively swooping in in Vienna (in game terms it should be towards the middle of the game, around the time of the actual heist for maximum drama) and this causing huuuuge problems with Hanush, Jitka and Botschek and straining the marriage. Maybe he runs away during his honeymoon lol

Side note but I wonder how much of the inheritance debacle between the IRL Jan and Hanush will actually play out in the game (if KCD3 indeed ends up being a direct sequel). If Warhorse takes artistic liberties and Hans actually plays a role in freeing Wenceslaus I cannot see Hanush withholding control of the fiefdom for too long - in real life I think Jan had to drag Hanush to court in 1410, which I'm not sure will happen considering how sympathetic Hanush is and how responsible he is for Henry's zero to hero story.

Omg pls you're fine!!! Please typo as much as you want in my ask box, I'm just happy to have my brain picked like this!!! :D

I've actually had some super interesting replies to my super long post both on my post directly and where someone reposted it in the Hansry comm (thank you for that, by the way! always makes me super happy when people think my meta is worth reading).

I'd say that Hans' heavy involvement in the third game is more or less a given, considering the sheer success this game has seen off the backs of us queers alone. This feels very friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend and we're advised to take it with a grain of salt, but in a comment on this post, @bindi342 mentioned that a particular streamer has a frequent chatter who supposedly did some work on KCD2 as a writer, this including the romance. Apparently Warhorse are "discussing ways to further develop the romance." And here @wonderful-calalini and @bucket-fucker (love that username, 10/10) brought up that Warhorse doesn't always adhere to historical accuracy either, which is true!

All that to say that, the idea you just described? I would eat that shit up. Do you hear me, Warhorse??? Runaway groom + Wency heist in Vienna with the boys?? If you're reading this, I need you to know that this is THE DREAM. We get so many runaway bride stories but I don't think I've ever seen runaway grooms??? Hans Capon first runaway groom please excuse me I am manifesting this as we speak.

I went into this in more detail in the long ass post I linked to up there but Jan Ptáček did indeed have to drag Hanuš of Lipá's ass to court in 1410. So here's the thing. And I will say right away that I'm a little worried about how long this will get because I haven't really gone into my thoughts on Hanush here just yet. But.

Based on what we've seen in the game I actually think it is extremely plausible that we might encounter this conflict regarding the inheritance.

Hans tells us that Hanush laid down the law pretty clearly, that he's not seeing his rightful inheritance unless and until he gets married:

Which is, honestly, quite bold of him! The terms of Hans' inheritance did not involve marriage as a requirement at all, Hanush is just adding that in now.

Henry even points this injustice out!

Why, yes, Hans! That's exactly what you might have to do!!

I think it's interesting that they included that. It seems to hint at the fact that there will be conflict in the future over his inheritance. Hanush feels comfortable adding in his own conditions that he technically has no right to be doing. Legally this is not within his right.

But let's dig deeper, shall we? Because we see a lot of this in his conversation with Hanush before Henry joins them. If you're curious, the whole secret conversation is here (and yes, I did compare and contrast romanced vs. non-romanced Hans, but alas there are no differences. Which is very sad but makes sense for a conversation that the player is never actually supposed to overhear...)

Hanush starts us off beautifully.

Huh. Not the right time yet? Why is that?

He drops that particular claim real fucking fast though:

Oh, so this actually doesn't have to do with timing at all. Now it has to do with "Hans' future." Interesting!

What does that have to do with his ability to rule, exactly?

Recall, if you will, how desperate Hans is to prove himself, especially to Hanush. He wants, so badly, to not be treated like a little kid anymore. It's the reason for the entire journey to begin with!

[ Not pictured: An unnecessary amount of extra words all about how badly Hans wants his uncle's approval and how he doesn't even realize it himself to begin with, let alone think it's possible for him to achieve, that were scrapped for not staying on fucking topic. ]

My beloved mutual @audentesfortunaiuvatt wrote an excellent post about how infuriating this whole conversation between Hanush, Dry Devil, and Radzig while they're at Raborsch is, and I agree 100% with her argument and the follow-up. Hanush still views him as a child. It doesn't matter that he forgave him (what was there to forgive!). Hanush calls his behavior "shenanigans," insisting that he doesn't act like an adult. It's what sparks Dry Devil's suggestion to marry him off. To "straighten him out" and "tame him."

Does Hanush actually believe that this would make him a better ruler? Or would that just make Hans easier to manage? Stop me before I return to the gilded cage metaphor, but it really is alarming that the thought of "a firm woman's hand," as Radzig puts it, is apparently meant to keep him in line here. In what way would this make him a better ruler? If anything, it would just keep him busy.

I find it curious that Hanush felt the need to lie about how withholding his inheritance was about "timing." Because when Hans is (understandably) upset at this argument, Hanush doesn't explain that he thinks having a wife will mature Hans. Instead, he argues that he's just looking out for his future. He even goes so far as to push the whole "this is what your father would have wanted, something I know because I knew him and you didn't."

Why?

Hans would still have been upset if he'd been faced with that argument, but it would have been an easier sell for Hanush than this roundabout thing he's pulling in this conversation. So there must have been a reason why he decided to withhold the truth.

Most likely because he's trying to avoid actually promising giving up the territory.

Because suddenly this whole conversation is no longer about that. It's not about Hans' maturity level or his ability to rule. It's exclusively about how Hans is being pressured into a marriage he doesn't want and that Hanush is, effectively, blackmailing him here by withholding his inheritance in exchange. Which Hanush technically doesn't legally have the right to do. Which is precisely why he's invoking Hans' father here and the status of the nobility:

How interesting! Look at how quickly he switched topics again: now it's no longer about the duties of the nobility or what his father wants, now it's just "this will happen, you don't have a choice in the matter."

This is where Hanush was going with this conversation the whole time. He didn't necessarily want to get there if he could avoid it, but I imagine he expected it would end up there.

Hans does his best to find loopholes, like pointing out that her father might be against it since only her uncle arranged the betrothal and arguing that he might not like Jitka. Hanush doesn't care. It doesn't matter what Hans throws at him, he has an answer for everything!

Hans still isn't happy, but he decides to reroute the conversation back to the thing that's at stake here, which is his inheritance. Which is where things get really interesting.

Not to point out the obvious here but that's a nothing-burger.

You'll recall the conversation Henry and Hans have during The Prey in KCD1 where Hans explains why Hanush is still managing his property even though he's already an adult:

The king is, in fact, still gone, as Henry then correctly points out. One of them would sooner lock Hans up than confirm his claim and the other one is locked up in Vienna and is about to have his claim to the throne revoked.

What exactly would change if Hans marries Jitka? Hanush can try and convene that council to no real result. The country is at war. What if some of them have perished? What if they can't make it? What if some of them have changed sides and/or have a vested interest in seeing Hans not get his title?

Even more importantly, Hanush is not the only voice here. He'll "recommend that they decide in [his] favor," but that is far from a guarantee. For all he knows, they could still decide to deny Hans the claim. This is all extremely wishy-washy!

Beloved mutual @audentesfortunaiuvatt mentioned in her post that this could all be a ploy to just keep moving the goalposts and thereby keep Hanush in his position for as long as possible. But I think there's an additional layer to all of this. Which is that historically speaking, not only was Hanush a robber knight/baron (KCD1 confirms this as being the case in the games as well), but he had a gambling problem and thus a serious issue with debts. This is even hinted at during the conversation between him, Radzig, and Dry Devil!

And at an earlier occasion, we learn that he's a bit of a skinflint:

This conversation happening, of course, with the context of Hanush potentially ransoming (or not ransoming!) Hans out of captivity.

Hanush insists several times that he's only pushing this wedding on Hans because he gave his word to Botschek and that "his word is his word." But I think there's more to it than that.

Namely, the fact that Jitka is implied to all but be made of money. Even Hans acknowledges this in his conversation with Henry afterward. With those coffers full, Hanush would 100% benefit. And if we consider that angle, suddenly Hanush's extreme reactions to Godwin's news about the betrothal makes a lot of sense. Because first, he's under the impression that it's because Hans got someone pregnant:

And not just anyone, not even a peasant girl, a specifically impoverished noble's daughter. As if he would have been fine with it if only it had been a wealthy noble's daughter!

And then, it also explains his extremely positive reaction to the news of whom he'd be marrying:

Why else would he be celebrating to that extent? If this didn't affect him at all, I think his reaction would have been a lot less enthusiastic.

With that in mind, it also makes sense why he wouldn't want to give up control. His noble standing is quite meager compared to Hans', and he'd lose access not only to all that money but also to quite a few privileges he is afforded while acting as Hans' ward. Historically, we know it took seven more years before he was served up a court order for Jan to contest his claim in 1410 and two more after that until he got full control of his territory in 1412. Considering all the hints we've been given, I think Warhorse would be foolish not to use this to their benefit.

Even if it's just used in the name of Hans and Henry either a) ditching the wedding to rescue the king so he can declare that Hans gets his territories, or b) finding that Hanush is still clinging on to control and coming up with excuses at every turn even after the wedding and deciding to go rescue the king because of that. Hilariously, by the time Wenceslas was rescued, he was no longer king, so... that would actually be a fantastic way to finish things off, seeing as both games so far have ended on a note of "you win some, you lose some."

Mind you, none of this is to slander or villainize Hanush in any way. @koolcatses has put out two excellent posts that defend the man quite beautifully, and I agree with those. Hanush is an excellent ruler. We've been shown time and time again that this is the case. The people like him a lot and he quite clearly did a fantastic job teaching Hans how to be a good ruler. What I do, however, also think is that he wasn't (and still isn't) the best at providing for Hans a) enrichment in the enclosure aka his gilded bird cage, b) helping him grow emotionally, c) loving him the way he needed to be loved. He is a fantastic guardian. He is a terrible parent.

@georgecostanzaatemysoup made an excellent post on a similar topic recently, specifically about how Hans most likely learned that negative behavior got him attention, thus reinforcing said negative behavior. There's a lot of learned behavior there, and I agree with people who have said that Hans is the way he is because of Hanush. All that in mind, I don't think he's painted as the most sympathetic character tbh.

As for him helping Henry... that's really more Radzig's doing imo. Hanush is hosting them because Radzig doesn't have a new castle yet, but beyond that he doesn't have much of a relationship with Henry aside from him being squire to Hans, who happens to be Hanush's nephew.

And also, like, listen. When I play CK3, all the feminism and belief in love and free will that I normally have in me leaves my body while I do everything in my power to accrue more power and more territory. I will be the last person to judge Hanush in terms of just the pure... politics of it all. He is technically entirely correct in terms of this being good for Hans and his house! But from the perspective of someone who cares about Hans' emotional state, if he was unwilling to ask Hans he should have at least talked to him about it beforehand. Talked him into it, if need be! Hans says as much as well, and it's heartbreaking to see how little agency Hans is afforded in his life choices.

But that's another post entirely.

[ladysussurbloom]

Here's a short little fic about Henry helping Hans with his injury after Suchdol.

I'm taking prompts from here, this one is "where does it hurt? Let me see."

Hans shifts on the wooden bench outside the Devil's Den, wincing when he turns to grab a tankard of ale. His shoulder burns, his arse is sore from riding and he feels ready to copy Sam. He dozed off a while ago, head lolling to one side, his tankard of ale slowly slipping out of his hand. Kubyenka was quick to snatch it up; Hans held his a little tighter after that.

"Did you still want me to take a look at your shoulder?" Henry is eyeing Hans up with a concerned, analytical gaze.

"That would be kind of you, thank you." He's in no mood to mince his words or put on a show. Everyone is far too in their cups to notice how quickly he stands and follows Henry up the rickety wooden stairs. Once they're finally alone and the door is closed, Henry latches the lock and sets to work on closing windows and lighting candles.

Hans makes himself comfortable on Henry's bed. He kicks off his shoes and watches quietly as Henry moves around with purpose.

"Do you ever slow down?"

He's rummaging through his trunk, pulling out various vials and bandages when he looks up. "I haven't had the chance." If it were anyone else, Hans would accuse them of being bitter about it, but this is Henry. If he's not gathering herbs for locals or smithing horseshoes for strangers, he's throwing himself headfirst into fights that aren't his own. Hans truly can't believe how lucky he is to know Henry.

Once he's found what he was looking for, Henry sets the vials, bandages, and a plump skein of water on a small table and drags a small stool over. He sits between Hans' legs and leans forwards, one hand gently resting on his knee.

"Where does it hurt? Let me see."

"It only hurts when I think about it." Hans says, deft fingers working open the buttons at the bottom of his pourpoint. He winces when he reaches half-way, so Henry brushes his hands out of the way and takes over.

"You'll have to think about something else while I do this, then." Henry carefully removes the pourpoint and begins to unravel the bandages Godwin had tightly wrapped around his torso and shoulder. It's stained with blood and sweat, desperately in need of a change. They hadn't wanted to stop for too long on their ride back to the Devil's Den so Hans had put it out of his mind and washed away the pain with wine. He'll find time for a bath in the morning.

"I missed you." Hans confesses as Henry wets a cloth with water and begins carefully cleaning away the muck and grime. "We were beginning to worry you hadn't made it."

"'Course we made it." Henry looks up at Hans from his place between his knees. "After your encouragement I don't think it was possible for me to fail."

"Henry- ow!" Hans flinches when Henry dabs at the wound with some kind of concoction. It stings, sharp pain radiating from the centre.

"Sorry," Henry tosses the rest of the dirty bandages in a pile and presses a chaste kiss to Hans' collarbone. "I'll make it up to you."

"Oh, you better." Hans says with a smirk. He raises his good arm and gently runs his fingers through Henry's hair.

The future may be uncertain, but for now he has this, and Hans is content.

[godsholyhat]

The Storm has to be one of the most stressful quests I've ever encountered in gaming

[phntasmgoria-moved]

@soulsbetrayed  requested  :

I have not broken your heart — you have; and in breaking it, you have broken mine. - hokma to angela

ANGELA  SIMPLY  STARES    at  hokma  for  a  moment  or  two,    her  brainwaves  still  processing  the  words  that  the  man  had  spoken  to  her.    for  even  a  machine  such  as  herself  is  able  to  feel  emotion,    even  as  the  script  demands  for  such  things.    the  floor  of  religion  is  warping,    distorting,  even,  as  anger  bubbles  up  like  lava  inside  her.    though really,    she  isn't  sure  if  this  anger  is  directed  at  the  man  in  front  of  her  or  angela  herself.   

she  takes  a  step  closer  to  the  patron  librarian,    mechanical  whirring  echoing  as  deliberate,    erratic,    movements  are  made.    she  does  not  know  what  to  say.    for  once,    the  woman  of  many  remarks  is  at  a  loss  for  words.    

but  what  is  there  to  say  ?

'    .....    hokma,    '    angela  begins  at  last,    catlike  pupils  narrowed.    '    i  may  have  broken  both  of  our  hearts,    but  where  does  that  leave  you  ?    we  can  never  hide  our  ghosts  forever,    and  you  are  certainly  no  exception.    but  you  have  hurt  me,    too.    you  cannot  push  all  of  this  blame  onto  me.    for  no  one  is  perfect.    no  one  is  free  of  sin.    '

and  then,    almost  as  if  a  switch  has  been  flipped  inside  her,    angela  pushes  the  sephirah  against  the  wall,    cold,    mechanical  lips  meeting  warmer  ones  as  she  kisses  hokma  hard.

[aequitaes]

"I almost admire you. It takes a rare kind of fool to dance so close to the fire and still think he won’t burn." a pause as he turns to look at him. "Tread carefully, Phainon. Even the gentlest river can drown the careless."

“Is that your way of telling me you care, Professor?” The smile that curved his lips was almost too amused—sharp, knowing, but not unkind. It was rare, unheard of, for Anaxa to offer anything resembling concern. He’d made a habit of commentary, not comfort. Observations, never attachments. Yet here it was: a warning laced in metaphor, dressed in that usual aloof precision, but there all the same. Phainon’s gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, eyes gleaming with something harder to place, half gratitude, half challenge. “You’re slipping.”

The words were light, but they struck close to something real. And maybe that was his way of acknowledging it. He turned back to the path ahead, where destiny loomed ever closer, heavy and burning and far too vast to outrun. For all the theatrics and flair he used to shield himself, the truth had never been more clear: this wasn’t about him anymore. It hadn’t been for a long time. It was just his name on the prophecy. His shoulders beneath the weight.

“You don’t need to worry, Anaxa-- " he added, pointedly, knowing exactly how the name grated, “I’m still not foolish enough to believe I’ll come out of this unscathed.” He paused, his voice quieter then, barely above the wind.

“But I do still believe it’s worth it.”

[dreadseareverie]

gen/ooc tag dump.

[clevertalelover]

SendValid Review: The Game-Changer for Email Campaign Success!

Welcome to my SendValid review. In the ever-evolving email marketing landscape, one tool promises to transform how you interact with your audience: SendValid. Dubbed the world’s first AI-powered email list cleaner and optimizer, SendValid claims to guarantee an impressive 99.99% deliverability rate.

With promises to significantly enhance open rates and engagement, this revolutionary app is set to redefine email marketing standards. But does it truly live up to the hype?

In this review, we delve into the features, benefits, and potential drawbacks of SendValid to determine whether it’s a worthy addition to your marketing toolkit. Dive in to explore how SendValid is positioned to become a game-changer for businesses reliant on email marketing.

Read the full review here>>>

[vigilantekisser]

Fic Masterlist

MINORS DNI – 18+ NSFW and DARK CONTENT present!!! be responsible for curating your own reading experience - don't like, don't interact

masterlist under the cut | last updated jul 11 2025

most works linked below will take you to ao3 where they were originally posted!

links with violet tags will open here on tumblr instead.

inbox always open but i go through them at my own pace

✧ Matt Murdock/Daredevil ✧

Scent of Peace (fluff, office romance, mutual pining)

Voicemail, Vase, Vigilante (crack, pining?)

nsfw:

Let It Be Done Unto Me (husband!matt, breeding kink)

Cross The Line (professor!matt)

✧ Dex/Ben Poindexter/Bullseye ✧

Ring Toss (fluff, carnival date, jealous/possessive dex)

Off Target (fluff, sick dex)

Cat, Interrupted (fluff, cat dad dex)

Dex vs. The Emoji Industrial Complex (fluff, crack)

nsfw:

Trigger Happy (rough sex, hate sex, gun kink, blood)

Backslide (rough sex, knifeplay, choking, dacryphilia)

Loser (sub!dex, oral f receiving, stalker bf)

Misfit (part 2 to loser)

Reroll (sub!dex, prejac, handjob)

be my skin (sub bottom dex, pegging)

Take Everything (TW: NON-CON/SA (ooc), stalking, drugging, somnophilia, dead dove do not eat!)

✧ etc ✧

nsfw:

deliverance (dexmatt hate bj, canon typical violence)

foggy nelson x reader - joint effort (college au, getting stoned, handjobs)

other tags: #🖋️ - all writing #☎️ - thoughts and ramblings #📥 - stuff from inbox

do not feed my works to generative ai!

[matchanon]

you know that doomed apocalypse isekai plot had given me some thoughts too and as the inspirator for this im holding u responsible for these ideas so im dumping these in your inbox (im sorry haha)

<<being isekai'd into an rpg-like otome game>>

- first of all, unlike the other reader, this one had lowkey highkey been playing this game and all its routes so they KNOW their shit. maybe this game is notorious for its difficulty and bad endings, maybe it's rng bullshit all together, who knows but the reader lmao

- the moment they wake up they either go panic mode until they realize what world is this or they excitedly roam around and figured out which faction they had woken into.

- if they had awoken into castrum kremnos, it's the hardest faction to stay alive and keep yourself afloat in the original game. it has so many hard events and scenarios, not to mention even meeting the main guy of this route (mydeimos) is a task and a hurdle. but wooing him is probably the easiest when you can prove yourself worthy and stay by his side.

- waking up in the grove is the easiest place you could start at as the beginning stages are the best places to level up and grind, only at the end is where the big harder events come in (and in game by the time you get there, you should be fully equipped and leveled) the hardest part about this route is no doubt the guy (anaxagoras) as he takes nearly as long as the entire route even for him to begin acknowledging you as he's much more interested in uncovering the secrets of the tide.

- the third route in okhema seemed to be the most balanced out of the three. There would be random battles and scenarios that would be hard when you are unprepared but it's nothing brain-numbingly hard like in castrum kremnos. and the main guy (phainon) isn't half bad or too easy to go for either! no, the main game isn't the hard part--it's the endings he would pursue. care too much and he becomes the villain deadset in only caring about YOU and not the world. care too little and why would he bother with anything else except for his revenge? make a minute mistake and he ends up as flame reaver rather than the deliverer. forget to do something and he fails his final trial.

so, what where would reader end up in and what route would they choose?

i didn't want to air out this ask cuz we were VERY close to anaxagoras banner, so i waited a bit for it, though it doesn't make particular difference in this case, the outline remains pretty much the same. anyways... have you ever watched overlord? i personally find it fun when game translates terrifyingly into reality :3

since we don't have an actual otome plot to go off from, i will be free balling this.

————

you, the reader, do not have the luxury of choice.

and of course you don't have a choice. if you did, you wouldn't be here. you would've never chosen this world from all the games and novels you could've chosen. you wouldn't have chosen to transmigrate, period. in this reality that should've remained a game, you do not choose the hows, the whys, the whens, or the whats.

games are games, novels are novels, they are fun to play or read after 8 hours of work, but the real thing is decidedly not fun.

in fact, it’s downright horrible.

no matter where you start off, it’s a very horrible world years (in the two digit numbers at most) away from utter annihilation. the people are on edge. the regulations are strict. the food is managed and the population in each city kept an eye on. the monsters are hideous and smelly and terrifying. they have dinosaurs for pets and one of them almost crushes you beneath its foot. this world sucks balls.

a world based off an otome is still a shitty world. you are not protected by a screen nor do you get to go back and redo your mistakes. you work, eat, sleep, except this time you're utterly alone. you're also kind of useless in stuff except game knowledge.

you can't use swords or bows. you don't know how to plant corps, sew a straw basket, or even skin an animal. you don't know the protocols and unspoken rules set in place. you only know that the world is real. you bleed. you hurt. you can die (or worse). a seven year old here has more survival skills than you do and had even comforted you when you had broken down like, twice, patting your back like your mom used to do when you were small (and what humbling experience that had been).

no one knows you. no one cares about you. you are truly, horribly, indescribably alone. you are terrified, and you must fight for your very survival now. the world is going to end soon. you are going to die if you don’t do something, but what can you do?

if “you” try to “wander” around, you are going to die either by monsters or fellow humans. if you stay without doing anything, the world marches to destruction. any day there is danger of corruption swallowing the place you live. what is knowledge worth when you had been a law-abiding civilian form the modern era and cannot act, fight, or survive on your own?

you know the characters. you know the routes. you know the items, the cheats, the lore. things you used to pour over in forums and discussion groups for fun are now things you desesperately try to recall and depend on for survival.

after mere weeks living in this game world, this knowledge is exactly why you can understand just how fucked you are.

the world is infamous for its bad ends, fights, and rng (oh god, the rng is the worst, you are NOT lucky), and so far none of it looks pretty in person. you certainly haven't been very lucky. if a single dromas can almost accidentally send you to heaven (not a fun experience, 0/5 stars review, despite the cuddle afterwards that left your face wet from licks), what makes you think you can survive fighting by the capturable targets' side and aid them?

drastic circumstances, you think, call for drastic measures.

ROUTE #1: YOU WAKE UP IN 《 "MURMURING WOODS", GROVE OF EPIPHANY》

one of the most hated routes ever because the gameplay used to have math problems in real time :) in the real world, it's even shittier.

after you transmigrate, you suddenly have to cram religion, quantum physics, history, agriculture, arquitecture, magic voodoo, alchemy, and math. you are not going to survive. might as well lay down and wait for death.

time is ticking. you don't have the time - nor the brain cells - to get into any of anaxagoras' classes. just thinking about studying masters degree levels of stuff makes you want to pass out. he might think you are lying, and by the time you can for sure prove you're not, you are pretty sure it's going to be late and you're all going to die.

this is the real world. you are not constrained to routes and choices in a screen. you must use think outside the box. think hard, and realize this: your only option is not professor anaxagoras.

instead, before doom decimates the grove of epiphany and you become a faceless face amongst the statistic, you must find a way to attract the gaze of cerces, the titan of reason residing at the core of the academia.

alriiiight, time to prep yourself to spout some of the biggest bullshit in your two lives.

gods, you can't believe all those hours pouring over game lore for shipping purposes is going to save your life.

(of course, your other option is to shoot all your subjects to hell and get yourself expelled, but that runs the dangers of being sent to a city that is not okhema.)

ROUTE #2: YOU WAKE UP IN 《 "BLOODBATHED BATTLEFRONT", CASTRUM KREMNOS》

simply put, you are fucked.

figuratively speaking, the dynasty of castrum kremnos had long since become an abandoned fortress by the time you meet the warrior of okhema, mydei, in the main storyline. it becomes a plot device used to bond with mydei and something many fans had gushed over and cried about. despite being a mere plot device, there is enough lore on castrum kremnos for you to know enough and understand that when you wake up in the still standing city of castrum kremnos, you are in deep, deep trouble.

the city was not felled by the black tides, instead, it had been taken down in rebellion against its current king eurypon by the banished and presumed dead crown prince, mydeimos. by the timeline of the main story, castrum kremnos is only an abandoned wastelant of madness and rubble.

(you don't know, you don't know when and where mydeimos is...!!! what year did castrum kremnos fall? when did he finally leave the sea and meet his comrades? how many years did he spend wandering? how long did the rebellion last? has aglaea already sought him out in alliance?)

it is not a kind city for the weak. glorious though its walls and warriors might be, its customs are steeped in might and war. people die for pride, glory, and senseless slaughter, something you have read in the game but cannot truly understand when seeing it with your own eyes.

even now, lurking in the whispering crowd, you watch as men and women venture into a labyrinth and come out as mangled corpses. more keep going in, and just as many come out. the kremnoan warriors are proud and seek glory through strife. your problem here is not the supernatural forces that will destroy the world, but the human civilization you find yourself locked within, like prey surrounded on all sides by predators.

you have to survive until the rebellion. you must.

but hey, at least you didn't wake up in the castrum kremnos ruins of present day, right? you would've died five minutes in, either because of titankins mobs or the boss monster itself, lmfao.

ROUTE 3: YOU WAKE UP IN 《 "ETERNAL HOLY CITY", OKHEMA》

you spill the beans to aglaea.

before aglaea decides you're a threat and kills you, you seek her out and swear to help okhema reach the most optimal ending to the prophecy. you would've even fall to your knees if necessary (it doesn't come to that, gratefully). of all the characters, she's the one you know will believe your words because you cannot lie to her strings.

all routes, all hidden endings, all enemy weaknesses, all hidden npcs, all the tricks, all the hidden items and weapons, all the knowledge you can remember-- you will offer it all up to the flamechase prophecy. you have seen the endings and the devastation of the world. you cannot presume to be smarter than aglaea or tribbios or even crown prince mydeimos, but by the gods, you will offer everything and also use your tiny brain to pour through everything like a good, obedient, obsessed fanfiction writer and seasoned reader of novels and games.

you do not even consider taking phainon's route. his routes are infamously easy to enter and just as infamously hellish to progress. even on other routes, he is the epicenter of the game and is embroiled in all manners of political nitpicking and conflict.

of all the targets currently stationed in okhema, he had been one of your favorites otome targets ever, but the fondness for character does not translate well to reality when you realize this is the very same man involved in approximately 325 endings (both his and the others'). haha, no, you are not touching him. you don't have the brain cells to deal with him. get out.

no, no, your best bet is the golden weaver, aglaea.

she's beautiful and smart and scary as hell. you regret not taking her seriously in the game. she is your most dependable benefactor for survival in this world-game. her goal is the completion of the prophecy and the era nova of amphoreus. just as well, they coincide with your survival.

no, your survival depends on her.

ironically, despite your allegiance to aglaea, anaxa might be interested in you if you land first in okhema, because you can't lie your ass about your faith and aglaea's strings pouch for it. your knowledge (which is affirmed as your truth by aglaea's strings) will also keep him close.

.

[brandycranby]

ty to @americas-ass-writing and @krirebr for tagging me in this game. i'm so very late but i have some time off from work until new years to work on writing (and answering all my asks!!) so please vote for the wip that sounds the best to you

rules: make a 24 hr poll for wips you're working on and write a sentence per vote for the winner or every entry (i'll be writing for every entry)

hehe tagging you, yes you reading this!! if you have any wips, pls share and tag me so i can vote >:3

[ariadne-mouse]

Dark Sonia Work Gothic

Hello, again. We've emailed before. Your Teams status is different. Mine is the same. You've begun to know my Outlook profile image. You already know my name. I am the one who calls you. Who says, provide the deliverable by COB. The voice that whispers from within your inbox so you never feel alone. I wait in all your open tabs and files. I watch you while your auto-reply says "out of office this week". I live right here inside all your communication channels, knowing, growing, squirming deep. I've taken the meeting slots you loved the most. One by one by one. And I have come to take you next. Will you fight? Evade me? Run? I am the unread message in your inbox. The overdue task alert that carves your notifications like a knife. I am the fear that you've forgotten a deadline. The long voicemail that drank your cell phone's life. I am the unread message that lives within you. As now, at last, you see. I am the obligation you've always carried. You belong to me.

[phntasmgoria-moved]

@soulsbetrayed sent an ask:

"Angela?" the Patron Librarians were all gathered together with Gebura holding a gift box in her hands and at least one of them from each section of the Library had a gift of their own to give her. "Happy Birthday!"

Angela wasn't expecting everyone to surprise her like this. Though she supposed she should have expected it, considering the kind of people the Patron Librarians were. A warm smile came across her expression as each person stepped forward to offer their respective gifts for her. "Many thanks to all of you. May good fortune find you all as well, even in a place such as this."

She had opened Yesod's present first: a navy blue and gold bookmark with her name etched into it so intricately that it almost looked like it was done by a machine. But no, looking closer, she could see slight imperfections that indicated that her name was likely hand woven into the object itself. She treasured it deeply, and thanked Yesod with a gentle nod of her head.

Next was Hod's gift, and while Angela was slightly dreading opening it, all of her worries flew out the window when the sketchbook came into view. Opening it gave her eyes witness to pages upon pages of beautiful artwork, most definitely all from Hod's own hands. "These are beautiful drawings, Hod.... Are you sure you want to give them to me?" She was clearly delighted and surprised by this one.

Netzach's gift was the next one she opened, and the pressed flowers made her smile. It was very thoughtful of him to do this all for her. It almost made her feel a little more human with each and every present she opened.

Chesed and Gebura gave theirs to her at the same time, and thus Angela opened them both at the same time. The card Chesed gave her wasn't as intricate as some of the other presents thus far, but she still appreciated it all the same. And attached to it was Gebura's gift, a photobook containing all of the memories the Patron Librarians have shared with her up to this point. It almost made her tear up, seeing all of the captured memoirs of their time together.

And last was Hokma's gift, though she waited until the two of them were alone to open it upon request. When Angela opened the box and took out the amethyst hairclip inside, her eyes lit up like never before, and her mouth fell open in surprise. She wasn't expecting something so beautiful, let alone from him of all people! She stood up, then, wrapping Hokma in a tight hug. "Thank you, my dear Hokma... I love it so much...." She stepped back and allowed him to interweave the clip into her pale locks.

[luxurybrownbarbie]

barbie any advice on how to deal with colleagues who try to steal your work (or don't give credit) and also just management messes at work (there's no set work procedure, things keep changing constantly) when leaving said job is not an option for the time being?

Four words bestie, ✨Passive Aggressive Paper Trail✨.

The only way to stop work thieves and credit hogs is to be unabashed and upfront about your work before they have the chance to take it from you. You need to make yourself visible and get comfortable with it. They’re getting the benefits of your hard work. They steal from you because they know no one will question it. Beat them to the punch. Push back.

Start keeping a paper trail of everything. Make sure your inbox retains emails for at least a year, and if you can, forward any important emails to your personal email address if need be. Or set up a new one specifically to house them.

Get any and all objectives in writing and do not allow yourself to fall victim to scope creep. This also means being very explicit about what is expected of you with each deliverable. Ask as many questions as you need. If management is messy, it’s unfortunately on you to make sure your part is as clear as possible. That way you can say you delivered exactly what was expected of you when the time comes. People can’t pretend to be shocked because it was outlined clearly for all to see.

Get comfortable with pushing back on people. Make sure you reassert control if someone starts elbowing you out of your own work. Make sure to tactfully redirect to the fact that you came up with the idea. And sometimes that means only bringing up the idea once you have a fully formed process and plan, that way people are less likely to be able to take credit for it.

When you leave meetings, send an email as a follow up and put everything agreed upon in writing. It’s even easy use it to say thank you and reinforce your contributions.

And my favorite, and one that will be most impactful, CC your boss. Bosses are notoriously busy, and if they’re good, they won’t know exactly what you’re doing at all times. As things move, make sure your boss is CCd strategically, or hell, even as often as you’d like, so they know. If they have an issue with it, they’ll let you know. But most will be fine with getting a few emails during the week about what’s happening. And the people who are taking credit for your work are not afraid of being visible to higher ups. Let that fear go.

Keep your head up darling! This too shall pass. 💛

[nicetryfed]

Writers' Guild Presents The Nice and Accurate Guide to TPS Reports (Or: The Office Space inspired AU Literally No One But Me Asked For)- Chapter 17

@goodomensafterdark

I haven't posted since Chap 13, so if you haven't visited since, here's Chapter 14.

If you haven't visited it at all.

If you have been reading, first of all, bless you, darling. Secondly, this chapter is the big reveal, so just so you know, this might be a spoiler.

Chapter 17- Do You Pair Dystopian Nightmares with Red or White?

Aziraphale and Crowley exchanged a glance before they both reached for their laptops. Crowley muttered under his breath as he scrolled through his inbox. "If it's buried under some pointless jargon-filled nonsense, I swear—ah, there it is. 'Milestone Expectations and Deliverables Update.' Sent at 1:47 p.m."

"Wait," Aziraphale said, holding up a hand as his eyes darted to the top of his screen. "There's a second email. Sent at 1:49. 'Urgent Follow-Up—Do NOT Open Attachment.' It looks like he tried to recall the message, but the message is still here."

"Recalls fail when at least one person has already opened it," Anathema shrugged. "Oops."

He frowned, tilting his screen toward Crowley. "Should we open it? I'm tempted, just to see what they're up to."

Crowley smirked as he zoomed in on a boldly colored PDF. "I'm already on page two."

Anathema let out a small laugh as she flipped through her folder. "I skimmed through it and printed out three copies." She pulled out a sizeable packet and slid it over to Aziraphale.

Aziraphale sighed, taking the packet and skimming the top page. "Of course you did."

Crowley glanced up at him, one eyebrow raised. "You'd've done the same. It's our civic duty at this point."

Aziraphale huffed though his lips twitched with reluctant amusement. "Alright, what does it say?" he asked as he picked up Anathema's printout with a mix of curiosity and dread.

"It's a breakdown of the trial run," Crowley said grimly. "Hackney, Lambeth, Southwark. Testing' efficiency optimization' with detailed metrics on public services, urban density, and…" He trailed off, his jaw tightening. "Flagging populations deemed 'non-aligned with optimization standards.'"

"Non-aligned?" Aziraphale echoed, his voice a mix of disbelief and outrage. "What on Earth could they mean by that?"

"What is that… code for 'the poors'?" Anathema asked bitterly. She stared absently down at the paper in her hand, her eyes clouded over with racing thoughts.

"Wait a minute," Aziraphale interjected, his brow furrowing. "Hackney, Lambeth, Southwark? Those areas are—well, they're some of the most diverse in London."

Crowley nodded somberly. "Lots of immigrants, working-class families, queer-friendly spaces. Makes sense they'd paint a target on them."

Anathema suddenly froze mid-page. Her breath hitched. She blinked. Once. Twice. Then, in a low, careful voice, "What did you just say?"

Crowley frowned. "I said—" He gestured vaguely like it was obvious. "Those areas. Immigrant-heavy, working-class, queer-friendly—"

Anathema inhaled sharply, her whole posture snapping upright.

"Wait. Hold on."

She read a line once, then again, slower this time as if her brain struggled to process it. Then, like a switch flipping, the pieces locked into place. Her fingers tightened around the edges of the page.

Then, panic.

Her hands flew through the stack, flipping faster and faster, her voice sharpening with every breath. "There was something... something I saw earlier that didn't sit right, I didn't think—"

 Random syllables and half-spoken words tumbled out in a frantic murmur as she hunted for confirmation, her movements growing more desperate. "Oh my God. Oh my God."