#st: the chemist

[postcard-from-the-past]

Memorial of the Russian composer and chemist in St. Petersburg, Russia

British Vintage postcard

[drawing-myself-in-and2-death]

did a project on this bitch

I can’t speak for other social media webbed sites but I really enjoy how tumblr seems to just completely spin a wheel on whatever media is hot right now. Like yeah sometimes it’s a new show that’s big and actively coming out but also sometimes there will be a solid month where half my dash is Columbo memes. Defy authority. Get really into an book from the 1800s. Watch shows that haven’t aired in 40 years. Celebrate the anniversary of the Boston Molasses Flood. Become unmarketable

[aethon-recs]

Tomarrymort HOLIDAY SPECIAL 🌿🍒🎄🎅❄️☃️🎁🦌🎀

Christmas in… February?? Sure, why not!? 🎄❄️🎁 See below for a selection of my favorite fics posted over the last holiday season (20 – 31 December 2024), many of them festive or holiday-themed, all either completed or one-shots 🤍 Check them out if you get nostalgic for the holidays sometime this year!

*

A Life, Stolen by @riverxsong-ao3 (T, 5k, complete)

The Battle of Hogwarts has ended. Voldemort is dead. Harry has told no one that he was a Horcrux, not even Ron or Hermione. He owes it to Ginny to tell her, especially after her own encounter with a Horcrux five years earlier. But Ginny has a secret of her own, one which Harry will regret hearing for the rest of his life.

a pale horse by @ictyn (E, 7k, complete)

Harry, a penniless orphan, struggles to survive under the superstitious judgement of his isolated puritan community. One day, a vile omen is left before the church, an omen which portends only doom. The elders choose to cast Harry out, sending him as a sacrifice to a crumbling castle where a demon is said to lurk and reap souls for the Devil. The Dark Lord waits within, ravenous for the taste of his blood and the sweetness of his soul.

Adhesion by @telelli-writes (T, 5k, complete)

Overachieving sixth-year prefect Tom Riddle is on the fast track to be Head Boy next year, a Department Head by thirty, and Minister for Magic by forty. Harry Potter, Quidditch star and the most popular boy in school, doesn't factor anywhere into those plans or Tom's life. Until Professor Slughorn pairs the two of them together on a Potions project.

AITAH For Seducing My Co-Worker To Get Cadaver Parts? by @jadedandconfusedao3 (E, 3k, complete)

A mysterious person who works for the Department of Mysteries Necromancy Department is in an unusual predicament and needs help from the internet to try and navigate the terms of his terrifying but rewarding new relationship. Chaos ensues.

anxious gods at a fey hour by @endlessburningdarkness (E, 16k, complete)

Auror Riddle has a bad day, unsurprisingly, the fault lies with Minister for Magic Potter. Potter’s ability to attract trouble should be studied by the Department of Mysteries as a heretofore undiscovered magical phenomenon. Tom isn’t about to take it lying down.

Bitter Weather by @known-concepts (T, 1k, complete)

Harry has spent a miserable life in the shadows of his parents. Voldemort's footsteps are tempting in comparison.

Blood of the Covenant by @solelyseeking (E, 10k, complete)

Perhaps more than Parseltongue ran through Tom's veins. The Gaunts carried a hunger in their blood- not just for power, as is their right- but for each other. Tom thinks of the way their legacy had dripped from Harry's tongue, later that night, as his wrist works beneath the covers. He feels no shame for his urges. Tradition is sacred, after all. And Tom had always wanted a family.

Cerulean blue by @albondiguilla007 (T, 5k, complete)

Voldemort and Harry adopt their younger versions and spend the summer in Ottery St Catchpole. They spoil them rotten and get sunburnt. That’s it. Oh, and they nap.

Change Me by @valkyrie-chemist (E, 17k, complete)

Harry Potter had grown up listening to tales of the cursed Lord Voldemort. Trapped in his mysterious manor, the man—the monster—was said to be crueler and more hungry than Death itself. So why then, Harry thought, was the groundskeeper still alive? What sway did Tom Riddle have over Lord Voldemort to stay his wicked hand when Harry had so brazenly trespassed on his lands? Whatever it was, it was not enough. For try as he might, not even Tom could persuade the monster to let Harry leave.

Cold Mornings by @valkyrie-chemist (G, 1k, complete)

“Hey, wake up.” He wants to sound annoyed but can tell he’s failing miserably. Stupid morning voice. “V.” Voldemort breathes in slow and deep before letting out a groggy and put-upon hum. The arms around him only tighten.

CONQUER by @ictyn (E, 8k, complete)

Blood dribbles from Voldemort’s ruined lips. Harry’s gaze catches on the sinkhole of his mouth, red and wet and inviting, a spring trap with ambrosia as the bait. Gravity shifts beneath his knees and Harry finds himself leaning down, forward, forward, forward, until he’s tasting that mouth, the copper and charcoal, the same thing Tom tasted like the last time they kissed, thirty years ago on the charred remains of a battlefield. A kiss to seal the dissolution of their vows, their rings, their promises to have and to hold. A kiss that started a war, a war that neither could ever win.

his love life and death by @noctelier (T, 5k, complete)

Tom Riddle doesn’t get sick. His immune system, just like the rest of him, is extraordinary. Incomparable. No one would dare suggest otherwise. Which is why everyone goes silent when he starts to cough. Or: Tom contracts Hanahaki Disease, knows what he must do about it, and decides he’s better than all that (until he doesn’t).

Ho, Ho, Ho by @moontearpensfic (E, 3k, complete)

Tom's parents take him shopping at the mall, where he scopes out snake paraphernalia and a Santa Claus with pretty green eyes.

How to Stop a Budding Dark Lord: Books. Lots of Books. by Lytri (T, 2k, complete)

Harry is certain that he can prevent Tom Riddle from becoming a Dark Lord by bombarding him with birthday presents.

inhibit by @ictyn (E, 11k, complete) 

The war is lost. The resistance has fallen to the strength of Voldemort’s dark army. Harry cuts a deal to save his loved ones by becoming the Dark Lord’s bonded spouse. In order to survive his wedding night Harry takes a potion that removes all of his inhibitions—and the Dark Lord won’t know what hit him.

it was christmas eve, babe by @ohyondermemphis (G, 3k, complete)

Maybe everyone deserves a second chance on Christmas.

Mistletoe Managed by @tommarvoloriddlesdiary (T, 3k, complete)

“What’s so bad about magical mistletoe?” Harry asks. Hermione sighs, “Well, magical mistletoe won’t let a person go until they share a heartfelt kiss... So he’ll be there a while.”

Naughty Or Nice? by @dragonaireabsolvare (E, 2k, complete)

What do you give the baddest, naughtiest boy of them all? You spank him and rail him nicely against the wall.

No Ribbons, No Tags by @chaos-bear (E, 3k, complete)

Harry finds a strange creature in the mountains of his snowflake home.

O Come, All Ye Faithful by @shyinsunlight (E, 3k, complete)

The sanctity of midnight mass requires dignity, composure, and absolutely not dropping the thurible when Harry fucking Potter walks in fifteen minutes late. Harry, who hasn’t darkened the church door since last Easter, and who’s apparently decided Christmas Eve is the perfect time to make his triumphant return to worship.

picture-perfect by @aitafrog (G, 1k, complete)

Tom loves Harry. Harry loves Christmas. And now, unfortunately, Christmas is Tom's problem, too.

seven by lilacscented (T, 7k, complete)

Harry meets Tom Riddle on the first day of school. He has just turned seven. “So you’re like me,” he says, a statement, not a question. “Meet me in the woods later this afternoon.”

Silence Before the Execution by @liquidluckandstuff (T, 3k, complete)

Instead of dying at the battle of Hogwarts, Voldemort was captured. Now, Harry is being asked to execute him. He decides to sneak down into Azkaban to talk to Voldemort one last time to hear his final words in peace. Too bad there is this hole in Harry's chest where the horcrux used to be, or it would be a lot easier.

Since We've No Place to Go by @marrythemonstersao3 (G, 2k, complete)

In Godric's Hollow on Christmas Eve, Harry accidentally wishes on a shooting star that things could be different. A few streets away in Bathilda Bagshot's house, a bright light flashes, and soon Voldemort, Nagini, and Bathilda wake up without their memories. Harry has no idea how different things are about to get.

Speak in Tongues by @moontearpensfic (E, 5k, complete)

Harry bakes a birthday cake for Tom. It has been said, after all, that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. But nothing in Harry's world ever goes quite the way he expects.

some enchanted evening by @theonceandfuturequeenoftarts (M, 2k, complete)

When the Minister's office catches word of an assassination attempt, Auror Harry Potter steps in to save Minister Tom Riddle. (Who happens to be her partner.) By Polyjuicing as her. Surely this will go well.

stumbling into wonderful by @satflesk22 (E, 5k, complete)

The Ministry sees fit to meddle at Hogwarts in an attempt at curtailing rising pureblood sentiments, to try and lure prospective recruits away from the Dark Lord Nott. Unsurprisingly, the Heir of Slytherin is stuck together in a room with the Chosen One. The worst part is probably that it bloody works.

The Betrayal (and Boon) of One's Own Biology by @riverxsong-ao3 (E, 7k, complete)

Tom Riddle had always known he was destined for greatness. As a young wizard, he was certain he would present one day as an Alpha - strong, powerful, in charge. When he did not, he came to accept that he must, in fact, be a Beta. Then, one day, everything changed.

The Descent by @chaos-bear (E, 5k, complete)

Secrets, grief and blood magic collide in the depths of the Austrian Alps.

tell me, baby by @theonceandfuturequeenoftarts (T, 1k, complete)

Last Christmas, Harry tried to give Draco his heart. It didn't go very well. This year, he's just trying to stay sober enough not to embarrass himself like he's sure he did at last year's Ministry Yule Gala. (He wouldn't know, since he doesn't remember much of it.)

To: Anonymous by @blackseatwenty (G, 2k, complete)

After a failed Transmigration Ritual, Tom Riddle is cursed by the Soul Keeper to endlessly visit alternate universes where his other selves live happy, successful lives. He cannot harm them, his cruel fate is to watch them for eternity. Harry Potter, because of the ritual and a fucked up rule with Death, is magically bonded to Tom, forced to follow him wherever he goes.  And in every new universe they land, it's always Christmas.

Unwinding the Minister (Hypothetically) by @ramabear (E, 4k, complete)

It's the end of December and Head Auror Harry Potter finds himself in the Minister's office once more and he can't help but wonder, how much the young, uptight Minister really just needs to unwind for a night. And how much he'd be happy to help.

what a Christmas to have the blues by @theonceandfuturequeenoftarts (G, 1.5k, complete)

Harry told himself he wouldn’t let Tom wreck his Christmas, and he hasn’t. He spent the day with his family in everything but blood and enjoyed himself. But that doesn’t mean he’s able to go on completely unaffected.

with elder; in yew by @virgil-anon (E, 8k, complete)

When someone breaks Tom's wand, he's furious and as broken as his trusted yew. However, Tom’s Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Evans, is mysteriously able to fix it for him.

whenever you want me (you've got me til the end of time) by @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger (T, 1k, complete) 

The first time it happens, Harry thinks it’s nothing more than a coincidence. The second time gives Harry some amount of pause. The third time, as usual, is the charm.  And, really, Harry should’ve known better.

*

[monstersdownthepath]

Homebrew Horror: Caligine, the Sweltering Saint

(Art by @fishfacedterror!)

The twisted, self-described "Saint of Spices and Suffering" known as Caligine has numerous other titles with varying levels of detail and alliteration, is one of the youngest and most obscure of the shadowy demigods known as the Velstrac Demagogues. As such, his cult is quite small, but it grows every day as it draws in eccentric spice aficionados, brave gourmands, and all manner of uncommon men with tastes and habits bordering (or surpassing) the inhumane. Whether they wish to experience entirely new forms of suffering or simply test their tolerance, the "Trials of St. Caligine" call to all kinds.

Because Caligine prefers to experiment on the willing rather than the unwilling (if only because the willing are more likely to appreciate the molecular gastronomy at play), he is among the most peaceful of all the Demagogues in relation to his interactions with mortal life, going so far as to place his personal workshop just a three days' walk from Shadow Absalom and encourage patronage and trade with its citizens for exotic ingredients he would otherwise not have access to... but do not confuse 'peaceful' with 'harmless,' and do not believe 'prefers' means 'will only.' Anyone who disrupts his experiments is very likely to become a part of them, and the internal excruciations he delights in causing are a far different torture the common flesh-flaying and bone-breaking of most velstrac, a fact on its own which draws fiends from all over to experience them, fiends which have FAR fewer qualms disappearing Caligine's clientele for their own hideous projects.

While most of the fatalities he causes are the results of his gastric atrocities, Caligine relishes the occasional combat, both to make use of the runoff of his many experiments (it's still good for something) and to relieve the tedium that comes with waiting for endless vats of ingredients to boil down into something worthwhile. Despite his primary occupation as both a chef and a chemist, he is a terrifying and resilient combatant regardless of the range one fights him at, either hacking his foes apart with his enchanted cleaver and breaking their bones with his wretched tongue up close, or hurling truly impressive amounts of caustic explosives at more distant foes.

Despite his ferocity in battle, the Saint is willing to live up to his title in his own bizarre ways. An offering of especially rare or exotic ingredients or powerful, unique potions and poisons may see him pausing his assault long enough for one to reason with him. He may even bargain with those he was just trying to kill to get his hands on something he's never seen before (a challenge in and of itself!), and honors all promises he makes to the best of his abilities with very little litigious twisting, something which may change as he ages. He has been known to even provide healing to victims he's butchered or slain, though his prices for doing so always include submitting to his gastronomic experiments, something which has made many a victim wish they had stayed dead.

Saint Caligine CR 27

Lawful Evil Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Kyton, Lawful)

Init: +14; Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Keen Scent, See in Darkness; Perception +29

------ Defense ------

AC 44, touch 24, flat-footed 29 (+14 Dex, +1 dodge, +20 natural, -1 size)

HP 740 (34d10+544) Regeneration 30 (Deific and Mythic)

Fort +35 Ref +24 Will +24

Defensive abilities Mithridatism; DR 20/Epic, good, and silver; Immune Charm and compulsion effects, cold, fear effects, petrification, sleep; Resist Acid 30, Electricity 20, Fire 30; SR 38

------ Offense ------

Speed 40ft, climb 40ft

Melee Cleaver of Caligine +45/+40/+35/+30 (1d8+12 plus 1d6 Acid and 1d6 Fire/19-20/x3), claw +38 (1d8+5), tongue +41 (2d6+9 plus 1d10 Acid or Fire plus grab), OR two claws +41 (1d8+9), tongue +41 (2d6+9 plus 1d10 Acid or Fire plus grab)

Ranged Bomb +48/+43/+38/+33 (10d6+8 Acid or Fire)

Space 10ft; Reach 10ft (15ft with tongue)

Special Attacks Coated Tongue, constrict (2d6+14 plus 1d10 Acid or Fire), Ring of Telekinesis (DC 22/CMB +41), Unnerving Gaze (60ft, DC 34)

Infusions Prepared (CL 20; Concentration +28)

1st- Abjuring Step x2, Anticipate Peril x2, Expeditious Retreat, Long Arm, Shield 2nd- Barkskin, Blur x2, Touch Injection, Twisted Innards, Vomit Swarm x2 3rd- Fly, Haste, Heroism, Nauseating Trail x2 (DC 21), Toxic Blood (DC 21), Thorn Body 4th- Arcane Eye, Detonate x2 (DC 21), Fire Shield, Greater Invisibility x2, Spell Immunity 5th- Delayed Consumption x3, Grand Destiny, Overland Flight, Resurgent Transformation 6th-Caging Bomb Admixture, Heal x2, Mislead x2 (DC 24), Walk Through Space

Spell-like Abilities (CL 34; Concentration +41)

Constant--Discern Lies, Freedom of Movement, True Seeing At-will--Dispel Magic, Plane Shift (self and willing targets only), Teleport (self and willing targets only) 7/day--Acidic Spray (DC 22), Beguiling Gift (DC 18), Contagious Flame (DC 24), Tongues 5/day--Caustic Eruption (DC 24), Overwhelming Poison, Wall of Fire (DC 21) 3/day--Quickened Fireball (DC 24), Incendiary Cloud (DC 25) Transmute Blood to Acid (DC 26)

------ Statistics ------

Str 28 Dex 38 Con 42 Int 27 Wis 20 Cha 25 Base Atk: +34; CMB +44; CMD 68

Feats Brew Potion, Cleave, Close-Quarters Thrower (Bombs), Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, Dodge, Improved Critical (Handaxe), Great Cleave, Multiattack, Point-Black Shot, Precise Shot, Power Attack, Rapid Shot, Splash Weapon Mastery, Throw Anything, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (Bombs)

Skills Acrobatics +24, Appraise +38, Bluff +15, Climb +22, Craft (Alchemy) +55, Diplomacy +22, Disable Device +24, Escape Artist +24, Knowledge (Arcana) +38, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +38, Knowledge (Engineering) +28, Knowledge (Geography) +25, Knowledge (Local) +23, Knowledge (Nature) +45, Knowledge (the Planes) +31, Perception +29, Profession (Chef) +54, Sense Motive +28, Sleight of Hand +24, Spellcraft +45, Survival +25, Use Magic Device +37 Racial Modifiers: +12 to Craft (Alchemy) and Profession (Chef) checks.

Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Ignan, Infernal, Shadowtongue; telepathy 100 ft.

SQ Alchemist Abilities, Crucible

------ Ecology ------ Environment any (Plane of Shadow) Organization Solitary (unique) Treasure Triple (Cleaver of Caligine (a +3 Flaming Burst and Corrosive Burst Handaxe), Ring of Telekinesis, Saint's Spice Bag (a Handy Haversack with three times the normal storage capacity), 1d8+4 random potions levels 1 to 3, 1d3 potions levels 4 to 6)

------

Combat: On any given day, Caligine always has 1d4+3 generically useful spells ready via Delayed Consumption, such as Death Ward, Haste, Cure Critical Wounds, Protection From Energy, and always at least one instance of Greater Invisibility, invoking them the instant they're needed. Caligine begins most fights with Greater Invisibility, then using the granted breathing room to tailor himself to his enemy's apparent might with whatever combination of extracts he feels will give him an advantage. His first order of business in any fight is restraining the hardiest-looking opponent with his tongue to suppress any resistances they may have before striking them with his more debilitating spell-likes such as Transmute Blood to Acid. As a pain fanatic, he doesn't care if he catches himself in the area of his own spells or if he grapples a creature that harms him to touch. He will use any poisons he has access to as early and often as possible, on both his enemies and himself. If his opponents prove particularly vulnerable to poison, he will often teleport away just long enough to craft some especially debilitating ones, bless them with Overwhelming Poison, and teleport back to continue. He utilizes his bombs primarily against foes who keep out of his reach, but will gladly use them against much closer enemies if they group together.

Morale: The Sweltering Saint rarely fights to the death. If brought to below 50 health, he will often concede to his foes' might and congratulate them on an excellent battle, especially if his enemies used Acid or Fire damage or poisons on him. He will attempt to placate/reward them with an offering of powerful potions and, perhaps, more alchemical items at his disposal. If his enemies reject his surrender, he will teleport or shift away, or simply flee with Expeditious Retreat. If he cannot, only then does he fight to the death.

------ Special Abilities ------

Alchemist Abilities (Ex): Caligine has several abilities similar to those from the Alchemist class:

He can can prepare and use extracts as if he were a 20th level Alchemist with the Infusion Discovery. He knows all Alchemist formulae; the above list is his most common selection if he anticipates hostility.

He has the Bomb ability of a 20th level Alchemist with the Fast Bombs Discovery, capable of swiftly hurling caustic chemicals which deal either Fire or Acid damage (Reflex DC 28 dodges the splash damage). He adds his Intelligence modifier to his bomb damage, as well as damage done with other alchemical splash weapons. His bombs have a range increment of 40ft, and he can create 42 bombs each day.

He can create items with incredible swiftness, crafting any alchemical item or poison in a single full-round action and most potions (see Crucible, below) in just 1 hour, provided he succeeds the Craft (Alchemy) check and has access to the materials to do so (he is always assumed to have the materials on-hand so long as he has his gear).

He can apply a poison or oil to a weapon as an immediate action. This includes his own natural weapons, which exposes him to any poison he uses, but see Mithridatism below.

Coated Tongue (Ex): Caligine's tongue is frighteningly dexterous, uncannily strong, and is coated with countless chemicals with deleterious effects on anything touching it. It is always a primary natural attack, and he can grapple and constrict a creature with his tongue without gaining the grappled condition himself. A creature grappled by his tongue has any Fire or Acid Resistance and/or Immunity they possess suppressed while they're grappled, and for 1d4+1 rounds after the grapple ends.

Crucible (Su): Caligine's mastery of chemistry allows him to perform feats that many consider impossible: He can have multiple Delayed Consumption effects in place at the same time. In addition, he can craft potions of spells up to 6th level instead of 3rd. However, a 4th level potion takes one day to create, a 5th level spell takes two days, and a 6th level spell takes three.

Mithridatism (Ex): Caligine is not immune to poisons, but most poisons have an effect on his physiology that is far outside the norm. Whenever he would take ability score damage or drain from a poison, instead he gains a +2 alchemical bonus to his attack and damage rolls, as well as ability checks and skill checks for 1 round. He gains this bonus for each different poison affecting him, and the bonuses stack. In addition, Caligine recovers from ability score damage at a rate of 1 per minute, and ability score drain at a rate of 1 per hour.

Unnerving Gaze (Ex): Any creature that succumbs to Caligine's unnerving gaze becomes suicidally convinced that they can survive his trials, taking a -10 penalty to the next saving throw they make against one of his spell-like abilities or a -10 penalty to their AC against the next alchemical bomb attack he makes against them.

[vintage-london-images]

Cheapside 1912. Seen here is 6-10 Cheapside including Boots the Chemist and Blicks Typewriters. St Paul's Cathedral can be seen at right.

[mariacallous]

Driven by a lust for riches, the 16th-century Spanish conquistadores set out for El Dorado, a mythical kingdom of gold and plenty. What they found instead was Peru, and plenty of potatoes. And that turned out to be the real treasure.

The men brought some potato plants back home with them and the tubers became lifesavers among the poor throughout Europe from Spain to Ireland to Germany to the shtetls of Russia.

At first, potatoes were met with mixed reviews in Europe. The Scots wouldn’t eat them because they weren’t among the foods mentioned in the Bible. Potatoes only became a staple in Ireland, some say, because Sir Walter Raleigh planted them on his estate there. The French originally thought potatoes were poisonous, mostly because cooks discarded the fat, lumpy part and served the leaves, which can be toxic.

It was only after French chemist Auguste Parmentier won a contest to discover a food that would reduce “the calamities of famine” that potatoes became a staple of the French diet. And everywhere else.

To stop massive starvation among the poor in 18th-century Prussia, King Frederick II forced the peasants to plant potatoes — with consequences for those who refused. (To this day, visitors to the king’s grave in Potsdam leave potatoes as a calling card.) Empress Catherine the Great did the same in Russia, for the same reason.

So, despite Europeans’ initial reluctance to accept this South American staple, it became clear to everyone that potatoes are incredibly valuable. They are easy to grow, and they thrive in all sorts of climates. More importantly, potatoes are filling and nutritious (rich in starch, potassium, copper and vitamins B6 and C). It’s a perfect food for the poor.

The potato certainly was a blessing for the poorest Ashkenazi Jews in Eastern Europe, who paid tribute to the tuber by composing a song:

Sunday potatoes

Monday potatoes

Tuesday and Wednesday potatoes

Thursday and Friday potatoes

But on Shabbes [Shabbat] something special

A potato kugel!

Sunday potatoes again

In every culture where the poor depended on potatoes, there’s a recipe for potato soup. France boasts the world-famous Potage Parmentier, made with leeks, in honor of the renowned scientist. In Ireland they serve a St. Patrick’s Day specialty — potato-onion soup garnished with bits of crispy bacon. Our Ashkenazi classic, kartoffelzup, is very similar to both the French and Irish versions.

In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, I offer a rich, but easy, soup based on a combination of Irish potato soup and Ashkenazi kartoffelzup. You can garnish it with crispy kosher beef (or lamb) bacon if you substitute a non-dairy product for the cream. But I prefer the dairy version and use roasted shiitake mushrooms in place of the bacon because it has a similar smoky, meaty flavor. For sheer indulgence, serve the dairy version with a dollop of sour cream on top. Long live the potato.

[scotianostra]

On November 9th 1847 in Edinburgh, Sir James Young Simpson delivered Wilhelmina Carstairs while chloroform was administered to the mother, the first child to be born with the aid of anaesthesia.

Earlier that year, Simpson started using ether to relieve the pains of childbirth, but he was dissatisfied with the smell, the large quantity needed, and the lung irritation it caused. Ether was also highly explosive, which made it dangerous to use in candlelit rooms heated by fireplaces. It was then that David Waldie, a chemist from Liverpool, recommended chloroform to Simpson.

After the recommendation, Simpson and his two friends experimented with it. At first, they felt very cheerful and talkative. After a short time, they passed out. Impressed with the drug's potency, Simpson began using chloroform as an anaesthetic. The following is an account of the birth I found on a blog about the street where she was born, Albany Street in the New Town.

Early in 1847 she (Jane Carstairs) did become pregnant and for the few days up to the birth lodged in Number 19 where, on 8 November, she began her labour. Dr Simpson was in attendance and after his patient had been in labour for three hours, the doctor decided to administer chloroform to see if it would assist in easing Jane’s labour.

Simpson recounted the historical moment: ‘(It was administered) by moistening, with 1/2 a teaspoonful of the liquid a pocket handkerchief rolled up into a funnel shape. In consequence of the evaporation of the liquid it was once more renewed in about 10 or 12 minutes. The child was born in about 25 minutes after the inhalation had begun. The mother subsequently remained longer stuporose than commonly happens after ether. The squalling of the child did not arouse her; and some minutes elapsed after the placenta was expelled, and after the child was removed by the nurse into another room, before the patient awoke. She then turned and observed to me that she had enjoyed a very comfortable sleep and indeed required it as she was so tired…. Shortly afterwards when the baby was brought in by the nurse from the adjoining room it was a matter of no small difficulty to convince the mother that the labour was entirely over and that the child presented to her was really "her own living infant".’ Thus, Mrs Carstair's daughter was the first child ever to be born with the aid of anaesthesia.

Two days later the drug was used four more times at Simpson’s Queen Street address to remove a tooth and for three surgical operations.

The first pic is of Wilhelmina Carstairs aged 18, there are articles around the net saying her name was actually called Anaesthesia, this is myth, although Anaesthesia” and “St. Anaesthesia” were affectionate nicknames Simpson had given the baby, so the story was obviously, borne out of this, the child was baptized Wilhelmina on Christmas day, 1847. Wilhelmina married in 1868 and died in 1910.

[misscammiedawn]

I Am Also A We - Integration and Functional Multiplicity in sense8

CW: sense8 depicts suicide, transphobia, medical trauma, deadnaming, chronic alcoholism, drug abuse, homophobia, homophobic slurs, intense sexual themes, plays sexual assault towards men for humor. Check DoesTheDogDie for more information.

If you watch the show be warned the first episodes involve a family forcefully trying to (allegorically) detransition a transgender woman and circumvent her agency in a medical setting. This may be more than most can handle.

"I've been thinking about my life, and all of the mistakes that I've made. The ones that stay with me, the ones that I regret, are the ones that I made because of fear. For a long time, I was afraid to be who I am because I was taught by my parents that there's something wrong with someone like me. Something offensive, something you would avoid, maybe even pity. Something that you could never love. My mom, she's a fan of St. Thomas Aquinas. She calls pride a sin. And of all the venal and mortal sins, St. Thomas saw pride as the queen of the seven deadlies. He saw it as the ultimate gateway sin that would turn you quickly into a sinaholic. But hating isn't a sin on that list. Neither is shame. I was afraid of this parade because I wanted it so badly to be a part of it. So today, I'm marching for that part of me that was once afraid to march and for all the people who can't march - the people who living lives like I did. Today, I march to remember that I'm not just a me but I'm also a we. And we march with pride." Nomi Marks (sense8 - Season 1, Episode 2)

Humans are fascinating and varied creatures.

Imagine for a moment, a transgender hactivist in San Francisco, a closeted homosexual movie star in Mexico City, a cop in Chicago, a Nordic expat DJ living in London, an orphaned gangster in Berlin, a bus driver in Nairobi who has never lived in a home with running water, a Hindu bio-chemist in Mumbai and a kickboxer in Seoul whose father owns a powerful investment firm.

Lives so disparate that it would be simple to create walls of division to keep them wholly separate and incapable of acting as a whole...

And yet the show is all about erasing the division between people and as the show goes on these 8 people with all their unique and individual perspectives and backgrounds, will become one and many. A collective as one.

That seems like something I may want to talk a little about.

sense8 is a Netflix drama that ran for 2 seasons (and had 2 specials) between 2015-2018. Created by the Wachowski Sisters of Matrix fame and J Michael Straczynski of Babylon 5 fame.

It is a show about radical empathy, the full spectrum of the human experience and the virtues of living openly and connected in the face of a world that pressures the marginalized to hide and remain divided.

Yet in listening to our contributors, especially those with Indigenous ties or who identify as people of color and/or not bound by the ties of Western medicine, dissociation as it’s been described so far [...] can mean many things that are not helpful. A general consensus from these contributors is that trauma survivors ought never be shamed for doing what they have to do in order to survive, especially because so many of the contexts into which people are born promote division, disconnection, and marginalization. Usually this context is shaped by a dominant culture that relies on separation in its most unhelpful and wounding sense to uphold the power that the dominant culture so readily craves. (Dissociation Made Simple - Jamie Marich)

To acknowledge the flaws in both shows and creators, The Wachowski's tend to have a lens of privilege and blind spots to their works that undermine their messages of radical empathy, most famously their fumble in the diversity of Cloud Atlas' cast and the use of white actors in Asian roles (Natalie Portman was originally offered the role that went to Bae Doona).

sense8 is not immune to this and does have issues with connecting the 8 main characters without consideration to certain biases. Some mild examples are that the Christmas special having all 8 unanimously celebrating the Christian holiday (including a Hindu and a character with religious trauma centered on Christianity specifically) to the unchecked Copaganda and the show completely erases asexuality as a valid lifestyle with dialogue even going as far to say that sex is why we exist and to deny it is to deny being human.

Also as someone with an extreme aversion to depictions of suicide... this show does like to offer suicide as The Only Way Out a lot. The show opens on a suicide and the final episode involves no fewer than 3 attempts by various characters when they are cornered. One even succeeds. Lana's experience with her suicide attempt was important to her coming out as a trans woman. A version of that moment is even depicted in the 4th Matrix movie with Neo (allegorically Lana herself) helping someone else wake to their own identity in a suicide attempt. I do not want to rob her of the transformative power of that event and memory. It's clearly important to her and her work, but it's troublesome that averted suicide attempts are always depicted virtuously in her work. Again... it's a matter of blind spots and biases.

I acknowledge the show is flawed in these and many more respects but it does speak to empathy and connection in a way that though not perfectly placed upon the screen, is a message worth internalizing. Though it's okay to be uncomfortable with how it is presented and opt out.

Regardless of imperfect execution and the early cancellation, it is still a miracle of a show. In many ways it is a show that shouldn't exist. It cost $9 million per episode and its filming schedule required flying between 11 cities for 3 weeks of shooting a piece. It features full nudity, multiple sex scenes involving huge swaths of the cast at once.

To put all of that in perspective, the entire experience is literally bookended by a rainbow strap-on glistening from use.

But... this is not a show about dissociative disorders. Mental illness is only represented in that characters briefly question their sanity. So why am I talking about it in my Media, Myself and I essay series on positive representation of dissociative disorders in fiction?

Well... it just so happens to also feature the best depiction of Functional Multiplicity in all of television.

Functional Multiplicity or "Integration" is a goal in treating complex dissociative disorders where the dissociative system are able to function as a single person with minimal division between parts.

It is important to note that intergration and fusion are two separate concepts and are both valid outcomes for treatment within CDD therapy. Where fusion is the concept of merging all dissociated personalities into a single unified personality, integration allows the system to communicate and cooperate with full access to memories and skills with no inner-conflict exacerbating symptoms.

The final approach in Fraser’s article addresses the issue of fusion or integration, a strong area of potential controversy for those diagnosed with or identifying as DID. Many individuals with DID strongly resist or oppose a psychiatrist or any other provider’s insistence that they integrate the various aspects of their personality into a cohesive whole. This process can feel disrespectful to the members of a system, and if you are reading this passage and have ever felt triggered at the suggestion that you need to integrate, you are not alone. (Dissociation Made Simple - Jamie Marich)

The terms “dissociation” and “integration” have long been synonymous with one another—meant to signify that the only reasonable goal in working with splitting and compartmentalization must be the fusing together of dissociated parts to create one single “homogenized” adult. Daniel Siegel, however, makes a strong case against defining integration as fusion. He asserts (2010a) a different view: “Integration requires differentiation and linkage.” Before we can integrate two phenomena, we have to differentiate them and “own” them as separate entities. We can’t simply “act as if” they are connected without noticing their separateness. But, having clearly differentiated them so they can be studied and befriended, we then have to link them together in a way that fosters a transformed sense of the client’s experience, facilitating healing and reconnection. - (Healing the Fragmented Selves - Janina Fischer)

Acknowledging the separateness and clearly differentiating people to befriend, link and foster a transformed sense of experience, facilitating healing and connection.

Now that sounds like sense8 to me.

As mentioned above the shows protagonists are from different walks of life. Nomi, Lito, Will, Riley, Wolfgang, Capheus, Kala and Sun are all "born" into a "cluster", a nest of 8 connected minds who share their every thought and experience with one another.

The core 8 are able to share control of one another's bodies as well as speak telepathically in one another's heads. "Sharing" and "Visiting" respectively, if we are to play the YA Novel game of naming every single concept in a fictional world.

Each character has their strengths and weaknesses and connections that make up for their weaknesses.

To give an example Lito is an actor who has a little bit of a diva streak. He's good at lying under pressure, he can flirt with women effortlessly, he is deeply in touch with his emotions and he lives in absolute terror of his homosexual lifestyle being discovered for fear it will ruin his career and the comfort he has earned in life.

Wolfgang is ruthless and blunt and so leans on Lito's ability to lie under pressure, something that he is typically incapable of doing because he does not value roundabout methods of deception when he can just brute force his way to solutions. Lito helps him lie when the situation calls for it.

Sun is emotionally repressed, choosing to work her emotions through her fists, though she is one of the most privileged members of the cluster she has more than enough reason to be sad with a father who refused to show her love, the worst brother on the planet, a dead mother and a plot that involves her being wrongfully imprisoned and subject to multiple assassination attempts. She can offer the rest of the cluster her fighting skills but it is Lito who helps her to be able to cry when she needs it. In a beautiful scene late in season 2 a depressed Lito is crying in Sun's hotel room and Sun admonishes him saying that she is the one with reason to cry and Lito responds plainly "But you never would. Maybe that is why I am here."

On the flipside whenever Lito is in conflict about his life in the closet he pulls up Nomi, a transgender woman who has been through the entire coming out process, and leans heavily on her.

Though it takes much of the first season for the characters to understand what is happening to them we eventually get to see all 8 of them completely at home with one another's thoughts and perspectives.

They are separate, yes. But they are of one mind.

This is akin to the end result of trauma focused parts work in therapy. When a person is not yet treated for trauma based dissociation their inability to integrate their experiences creates a fracture and a disharmony that breeds emotional volatility and a breakdown in inner experience.

Disowning requires selective attention, a focusing away from whatever is “not me.” The senses fail to register what is taking place around us; we don’t feel our emotional responses, good or bad; we are in a zone. We can’t “own” our anger or dependence or fear when we don’t feel them. We can’t “own” traumatic events that we haven’t witnessed. We can’t know ourselves as whole human beings because only those qualities valued in a traumatic environment are accessible to consciousness. Segregating intense feelings, though, results in affect intolerance: if we can escape our emotions by automatically and involuntarily shifting into a different part of the self or different feeling state, we never get the opportunity to exercise our “emotional muscles,” and all feelings gradually become more and more intolerable. Inner conflicts are never resolved, just distanced. When that happens, acting out (self-destructively or addictively) and “acting in” (through self-hatred, self-judgment, punitive introspection) become the only avenues for regulating emotions and autonomic arousal. Splitting or fragmentation must become more complex and creative. - (Healing the Fragmented Selves - Janina Fischer)

As the main cluster of the show are able to expand their horizons via empathy and connection to one another they are able to challenge their blind spots and achieve a level of comfort in their world that was not accessible before. From our above example Sun can process her emotions thanks to Lito.

In a similar fashion, in Season 2 Kala becomes guilty about her lifestyle because she discovers that the company she works for is sending inferior medication to Capheus' region of the world and through experiencing life through Capheus' eyes she is aware of her position of privilege and uses her power to make positive change.

Had the show have been able to continue on this empathy would have been the center of the show with Capheus running for political office, Lito embracing his role as a queer icon who can inspire others and Riley risking exposure by touring her music and making contact with other sensates.

Alas. We'll never get the promised potential of the show's premise.

Another factor that was promised but was not fully paid off on was the concept of blockers.

In the show other sensates could visit (but not share) with a single member of a cluster if they make eye contact (Cloud Atlas which shared 3 directors and 3 writers with this show also included this concept of eye contact creating a human connection) and the only way to prevent their intrusion was to take blockers. A medication that cut off their empathetic connections and turned off their psychic ability.

The blocker allegory was about masking and hiding and working to blend in with the dominant culture without standing out. Part of the show's humanity was the characters wishing to go against the narrative that they needed to hide and to live loud and proud and inspire others to do the same.

It would have been interesting to see each of the sensates on blockers learning to act in ways their cluster would without being able to let them take control of their body. Show that the integration of the system is not a matter of separate parts in their own boxes but a cluster that is fully connected and capable of sharing their sole life.

To go back to my discussion on functional multiplicity, the concept of being able to share memories and skills is emphasized as a part of both integration and fusion models.

Sharing roles, responsibilities or tasks also enables other parts to help the System’s successful functioning in the outside world. Then, these parts can grow and mature individually. It also gives the System the opportunity to feel first-hand appreciation for what parts have done and contributed to the System’s survival and success, as well as better understanding of what it takes to keep the System functioning well today. (Got Parts? - ATW)

We are all in this together.

A beautiful thing that the show displays outside of the core cluster is the radical empathy and acceptance that exist within the side characters.

In the final episode of the show Wolfgang's surrogate brother and only true family Felix arrives to the help the cluster Capheus rushes over to him and embraces him exclaiming "MY BROTHER, FELIX!" and laughing with joy. This was Capheus' first time meeting Felix but the empathetic connection travels between them.

The same connection causes Kala's love for her husband to be felt by Wolfgang and allow the three of them to engage in a polyamorous relationship. The final orgy scene of the show literally climaxes with Kala's non-psychic husband exclaiming "My god, I didn't think such things were possible" after a threesome with his wife and Wolfgang who share the same love for him. This is the very last line of the show.

In a dissociative system conflict can breed between parts that are not integrated when their needs, desires and drives are not in alignment.

To give an example from our own life, Wynn is a part that is capable of turning off our empathy. When she perceives a threat to us from the idea of someone emotionally manipulating us (a parent trying to shame/guilt us into ceding to their demands or a partner threatening suicide) she will lock out the rest of the system who may be swayed and force us to act with hostility and coldness. More than once this has ended with us in further danger or emotional turmoil and it leads other parts to over compensate to try and "fix" the damage done when we were "emotionally compromised" by the part acting in our interests of survival over the harmony of the system and our relationships. Especially because the dangerous situations that necessitated her existence are not part of our present and her reactions may no longer be appropriate.

This kind of divide is natural in a dissociative system early in their healing journey.

The range of emotional experience, including both positive (e.g., joy, love) and negative (e.g., anger, fear, grief) affects, plays a vital role in human adaptation by promoting closeness in relationships. Relational distortions result when emotions repeatedly fail to achieve their purpose, when they are persistently activated, or when their expression is blocked or punished. Distortions in emotional regulation (and associated defensive distortions of behavior) refl ect distortions in care (Bowlby, 1969/1982) that manifest as dysynchronies between caregiving behavior and child emotional experience and needs (Sameroff & Emde, 1989) [...] A lasting split between self-preservation and integrative self-regulation leads to a vicious cycle. Extreme affective states become infused into the person’s selfand other-representations (“bad objects,” Benatar, 2003), producing disorganized and unstable mental representations, which further destabilize and fragment affect, perception, and behavior. Thus, dissociation results when extreme stressors necessitate a lasting split of the integrated relationship between self-preservation and selfregulation. (Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders, DSM-V and Beyond - Paul F Dell)

But towards the end of therapy parts, even when activated, are able to act in a way that benefits the stability of the shared life, preventing further dissociation and division between parts.

It is when one part, who wants to deny our condition to prevent thinking about our trauma, accepts that our multiple nature is integral to who we are and how one of our closest relationships function and in accepting this allows for us to carve spaces in our life to exist as a system. To take off the mask. To stop hiding.

To march and state boldly I Am Also A We.

There are times where we worry about using the term "Plural". We view our condition through a lens of psychopathology and constantly try to justify our existence through reading psychology textbooks and working with our therapist and constantly justifying.

We play by the rule books written for us and about us but not by us. Not by others like us. Well... mostly.

One of the quoted books in this essay is from Jamie Marich who is openly a diagnosed dissociative system. Her book is written from an insiders perspective there to promote love and acceptance. I selected her quote at the top of this post with care. She does get it. Got Parts? Is also written by collaborators with DID sharing lived experience.

There are so many things which divide us as people who experience plurality. There is syscourse raging in Tumblr inboxes Just Asking Questions about whether a person should be diagnosed to openly present as a system, there is fakeclaiming trying to witch hunt those who really have a CDD and those who are "roleplaying", the tone policing in support communities that admonish anyone who glorifies or fetishizes that which is a hard to live with disorder...

Over the years we internalized many of these narratives ourselves. We lived in fear of scrutiny, worried for the day we were exposed as Not Traumatized Enough, Not Performing Our Disability Correctly, Not Divided Enough or a number of other accusations.

We still are. It's terrifying to think that at any point someone could just deny all of our truth and no amount of paperwork, testimony or evidence would be able to make us any more legitimate than we already are.

In some regards we shouldn't be proud of being who and what we are. The fact that there is always going to be a part of us stuck in London reliving the worst experiences of our life is not a source of pride.

But we survived.

We survived. We kept one another alive. The part that needed to be an adult when we were a child kept us safe. The part that needed to seal off our heart kept us safe. The part that kept our emotions alive kept us safe. The part that pretended to be what our abuser wanted us to be kept us safe... and yes. The part that handled erotic concepts kept us safe.

We survived and we protected one another and we are the only Family who have been here the whole time. Experienced everything. Shared in all the pleasures and all the joys. We survived. And we will continue to... but not we're not surviving anymore. We're living. And we choose to live together. We choose to be 5 and 1. We are an I.

I am proud of that and this show helped us feel just a little bit more confident in saying that outloud. We are plural... and there is no shame in that. None at all.

-

Forgive me for the less than stellar work on this one. This essay was more a vehicle to talk about positive integration and use the show as a framing device for the topic. Plus I just wanted to be a bit Plural Pride because the show made a compelling argument as to why I should be.

The promised Act 6 of In Stars and Time essay and the Umineko follow-up essay are both in the research phase. Act 6 of ISaT is looking at characters who share a common history and I want to make sure I have some good examples without treading on other creators I respect's toes and the Umineko follow-up requires replaying all of Chapter 7 of that game and it's a long one.

Media, Myself and I is a series of Tumblr Essays for positive depictions of dissociative disorders.

Other essays include:

Time Loops and Dissociation (In Stars and Time) A History of Murder Alters Discworld and Plurality Incidental, intentional and accidental representation Gender, Dissociation and Clinical Stigma in The Third Person Recontextualized Memories in Umineko Derealization in Night in the Woods and Metal Gear Solid The Dangers of Hypnotic Personality Play in Penlight System Origins in The Incredible Hulk Relationships with Systems in The Incredible Hulk The Healing Journey in Mr. Robot

[idoweirdcrap]

3D HELP MASTERPOST

Below are resources, tips, and tricks to help people with e@ting d!sord3rs. (Please do not continue reading if you are triggered by such topics).

Help lines/services

Below are some helplines for eating disorders.

Australia - 1800 33 4673

America - (800) 931-2237

(I couldn't find any others, but I'm sure a quick google search would help you. Let me know if you'd like me to add extras!)

In addition, therapy can be funded by the Government if you get an assessment and diagnosis. I'm aware not everyone can afford this, but if you have access to this, it could be a great tool!

HEALTHY coping mechanisms

For not eating (do NOT try these if you suffer from 4n4rexia, or are in a position where you are hungry/st@rving. These are intended for people who suffer from unhealthy amounts of binging, bvlim!a or binge eating d!sord3r).

-Drinking water (can replace the motion of eating, as that's normally what we get addicted to)

-Eat some fruit (like berries or grapes, because eating a lot of them won't do anything - in fact, they're healthy and sweet, so they're a great replacement for sweets!)

-Gum or chew toys (give the stimulation of eating without consuming anything!)

-Gelatin water (mix some gelatin with water, it's simple and chewy :>)

For eating more

-Eat little bits at a time (if you eat small pieces of food - like yoghurt or some crackers, but eat more of them over long periods of time it feels like you're eating less while still getting nutrients!)

-Tablets and meds (you can buy some vitamins and other p!lls from your local chemist to help your digestive and immune systems! This might assist your desire to eat :3)

-Juices (drinking your c4lor!es can help, because it doesn't feel like eating! Just make sure you're eating solid food too, though.)

Affirmations

If you don't feel confident in your appearance, look for the little things! Look for the way your shoulder bones stick out when you suck in your breath, the way your hair looks (if you don't like your hair, maybe try styling it into a way you like it!), or your nose (if you don't like your nose, try putting a bandaid on it! I think it looks really cute, and it makes your nose less noticeable. However, don't hide forever because you're beautiful.

Perhaps your calves have nice curves, or a distinguished jaw, or wide eyes! I think eyes are really beautiful, so take a closer look! I think all eye colours are pretty, but if you have a unique colour that's really cool too!

Just remember that you're not alone - seek help. And if you don't want help, just know that it's only going to get worse. There are healthy ways to get to a desired weight or appearance. Please consult a professional or a loved one.

Love y'all! Feel free to vent in the comments or in asks, but please not in dms!

Thank you <3

[iamthepulta]

Hi! If you're still answering questions about Ea Nasir, do you know anything about how the translation job got done? Or have any sources referring to the translation of akkadian cuneiform, with regard (but not necessarily) writing used in trade business?

I do! Please feel free to elaborate more if you have specific questions.

I highly recommend Chen, 2021: Sumerian Arsenic Copper and Tin Bronze Metallurgy (5300-1500 BC) for a start. They highlight a few dozen trade words, along with a fairly complete overview of copper metallurgy, which could be helpful if you're new to processing.

If you dig a little deeper, you'll notice that a good 90% of the sources Chen references are from Levey, a mid-20th Century chemist who had an (absolutely valid) fascination with Golden-Age Islamic and Mesopotamian chemistry and trade. They've written about 15 papers, 10 of which I haven't read yet, but all of them discuss trade processes and are well-researched and well-written. However, without knowing Akkadian myself, it's very difficult to validate how correct his interpretations were and if they hold up today. I can verify his chemistry is correct though. JSTOR has most of his papers, and there's at least three copies of "Chemistry Technology of Ancient Babylonia" floating around in libraries around the US. I have one checked out right now, haha. If you're investigating the influence of translation qualities as a whole, you might start here.

I think the only other source you'd find interesting is Leemans, 1960: Foreign Trade in the Old Babylonia Period. Unfortunately, as far as I know, it's only available on Internet Archive. Leemans is the original/most popular translation of Nanni's complaint, and I believe he did the translation with occasional comments from other researchers in the footnotes. If you're investigating the word choices and translation quality specific to Ea-Nasir, I'd start here first.

Strictly on Ea-Nasir, if you're interested in the original archaeological works, good fucking luck, lol. I have a feeling "House IV" and "Old St. 1" are mixed up in the British Museum Archives, or there's additional context lost because it was where Woolley started his excavation on H-area and they changed the street name later. But you can find the original tablet reference (and associated archival numbers) here:

Figulla, H. H., and W. J. Martin. Ur Excavations Texts V: Letters and Documents of the Old-Babylonian Period. Vol. 5. Publications of the Joint Expedition of the British Museum and of the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania to Mesopotamia, 1953.

(^ This is available via inter-library loan, but not online as far as I know. It's very useful for referencing things on Ur Online, maybe even the most helpful because of how long Ur Online's system takes to load. :') )

Last but not least, SumerianLanguage on tumblr did a brief review of Akkadian that I found in Forbes, 1950: Metallurgy in Antiquity. Given the above sources, you might also find this a good starting point, although it focuses on copper translations and not trade as a whole.

[ajhoyter]

Hi, my name is Andrew Hoyt, some of my friends call me AJ. I am from Hornell New York and I attend St. Bonaventure University. I am currently studying for my bachelor’s in biochemistry and plan on going to med school to ultimately become a medicinal chemist.

[masterblackoak]

“Angwin gave him a warning look. ‘Nuns have had their troubles in that line,’ he said. ‘Demons threw St Catherine of Siena into the fire many a time. They pulled her off her horse, and tipped her into a freezing river head first. Sister Mary Angelica, a nun from Evreux, was followed for two years by a devil in the form of a green scaly dog.’ He paused, enjoying the effect he was making. ‘A Mother Agnes, a Dominican, was attacked by the devil in the form of a pack of wolves. St Margaret Mary had her seat pulled from under her as she sat before the convent fire. Three other nuns testified in writing that they saw the holy person repeatedly and by supernatural forces dumped on her backside.’

   ‘There must be some other explanation,’ the bishop said pathetically.

   ‘You mean a more modern explanation? A more relevant one? Some ecumenical kind of a reason why it occurred?’

   ‘Do not torment me, Angwin,’ the bishop wailed. ‘I am a man sorely tried. I feel there must have been some chemical reaction that caused it.’

   ‘The devil is a great chemist,’ Angwin said.”

(This passage comes from a novel called Fludd, which was written by Hilary Mantel.)

[hiraethhq]

Welcome to HIRAETH, Vince & Ophelia! Make sure to follow the checklist and send the link to your blog to the main within 24 hours.

name: vincent hyde

age: 38

gender & pronouns: he/him

sexual orientation: straight(?) pan? bi? Hasn’t had time to figure it out.

status: resident

class: virtue

hierarchy: queen

additional: went from vice to virtue

occupation: chemist / inventor

housing: st. catherine’s abode

face claim: andrew garfield

good: brilliant, curious, witty

bad: hypocritical, impulsive, emotional

ugly: [redacted]

background: 

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Orphaned at one and a half when his scientist parents (Rejected) died in a factory fire, Vincent Hyde was raised in Vice by his uncle, whom he knows as his Father.

Showed exceptional intelligence from a young age; studied, trained, and treated as an asset.

Met Amelia (Virtue) at age 6—his first friend and rival. Their competitive friendship sparks creativity and ambition.

By 9, he created "Glow Ink" for a science fair—later used for coded messages and forgery. He wins first prize, and his father rewards him, reinforcing his love for invention.

At 10, Amelia beats him in a science fair. Vince is more than happy for her… But then he disappears for a week, returning with dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. His Father wasn’t exactly as happy then.

In high school by 11, eating lunch in a science teacher’s classroom. Begins innovating independently.

At 12, he develops an experimental painkiller tonic with Amelia. It’s in the very early stages and works a little too well. They giggle over their temporarily numbed limbs.

At 13, they co-create Phantom Filter, an air purification mask inspired by Amelia’s firefighter mother. In their excitement, a small kiss follows their success.

By 15, he’s in college, challenged for the first time. Begins work on Nano-Healing Patch, but early models have major flaws.

At 16, he continues his work but is distracted by his Father. He’s unable to live in the dorms due to his age and his Father still insists upon seeing his work every night. He’s told that it’s for his safety but Vince begins to question that… Especially as his Father Begins to discourage him from continuing the patch, saying it’s a waste of his precious time. 

At 17, Amelia helps fix the patch, urging him to give it to the Doctors in Vice. While difficult to replicate without constant Virtue tech, the Hearts finally have something small over Virtue.

By 18, He graduates college and becomes an assistant to the Dean of Science who doesn’t seem to mind where he’s from. It’s nice. He and Amelia start developing White Rabbit, a tonic for trauma, anxiety, and depression, in secret.

They would have to work in a Vice lab in order to easily get their hands on tonic, but Amelia easily brought the equipment from Virtue. A combination of what both sides did best. They just had to avoid exposure.

He finally learns about his father’s connections to illegal tonic trades and how dangerous his people are. To distract and stay under the radar, Vince also picks up his work on painkiller tonic, providing his father with updates so he’ll stay away from their experiment… And their relationship.

At 21, they unofficially marry—Amelia chooses Virtue, Vince stays in Vice to keep up appearances. It allows them to fully continue their project… But Vincent knows it’s only a placeholder until he switches sides again for her later.

Then at 22, A breakthrough in the tonic. It’s no longer deadly by any measure and doesn’t cause numbness anymore. The downside is that now, it has other unintended side effects and it’s still dangerous when used over and over again… Back to the drawing board.

During this time, both Vincent and Amelia have become notable figures in their separate spaces as well. Their inventions, in between their combined project, begin to shape a better world for everyone. If only everyone could know they did it all together.

At 24, his father discovers White Rabbit and forces Vince to produce it under threat to Amelia. The tonic is dangerously addictive, but his father sees only profit. A way to keep creating more and more later. All Vincent can see is the number of people that will be injured if it gets out this early… It was the exact opposite of what they ever intended.

Amelia urges him to expose the truth, destroy their research, and flee to Virtue or the outside world together. They set fire to everything—then she was shot before they escaped.

They thought it would break him, scare him into submission… It did break him—but not in the way they expected. He snapped.

Vince played along, pretending to submit, producing White Rabbit for them in excess.

At 27, finally trusted, he immediately sets fire to his own lab, destroying all research except evidence of the truth, which he takes with him. 

His father tried to stop him, told him that he was loved and they could do so much more together than a drug. It was just the beginning now. Vince almost went back… But he knew deep down that his Father wasn’t looking out for him. Maybe he never was.

He flees to Virtue, seeking refuge with Dorothy and then the Kings like Amelia had told him to.

The Kings see him as a prodigy who defected from Vice. But only Dorothy knows the full truth of the situation… However, the truth keeps Vincent safe— so she keeps it to herself for now.

To secure his place like everyone else, he undergoes the Virtue Trials. He’s not sure he’ll ever completely recover from everything he saw… What he was forced to face. But he succeeded.

He was now a Virtue Queen. Just like his wife had been. From then on, no one in Virtue saw a criminal. They saw a success story.

To Virtue, he was the prodigy who walked away from sin and chaos. A brilliant scientist who “saw the light” and chose excellence over corruption. They didn’t know. They couldn’t know. 

He spent years in isolation, grieving, secretly using his own tonic to dull the guilt and grief. He claimed to be testing it on himself for a solution— but that was just a poor excuse.

Meanwhile, White Rabbit floods Vice, more dangerous than ever. It wasn’t as pure as it used to be, not without him. In fact, in many ways, the formula was tweaked to turn up “fun” and turn down the safety.

At 32, he was called to the university where a photo of Amelia winning the science fair sits in a case, her smile beaming and bright— it rekindles his purpose. This wasn’t what she would want. What he did already wasn’t enough respect for her memory or worth of redemption… 

He shifts to studying addiction and the Slightlies, finding his research could potentially help them too. 

Now 38, he is a leading Virtue scientist, working to rehabilitate Slightlies and those harmed by his tonic. He tells himself this is redemption, but deep down, he knows it’s desperation.

Sometimes, he still needs to talk to his wife from time to time… It helps him solve problems faster… He swears.

His father still haunts him in Vice. If the past comes calling, he’s not sure he can escape again.

name: ophelia woodhouse

age: 27

gender & pronouns: she/her

sexual orientation: bisexual (questioning)

status: visitor

class: virtue

hierarchy: pawn

additional: slightly

occupation: florist at apples of eden

housing: Joan of Arc’s Refuge

face claim: havana rose liu

good: supportive, artistic, inquisitive 

bad: quiet, spacey, fragile

ugly: [redacted]

background: 

The youngest of a large family, Ophelia struggled to stand out. So, eventually, she stopped trying. She found solace in quiet places—her camera, her notebooks, the soft rustle of creatures in the park.

She loved watching birds, pressing flowers between the pages of her journal, and writing beautiful words about the world around her. The outside was beautiful. Safe.

When she was ten, a man began meeting her in the park. He taught her how to properly birdwatch, how to listen for the different calls. He was kind, charismatic—he gave her attention.

He told her she was special, different from her siblings, and she believed him. She told him everything. She had so much unreleased energy. She loved to talk.

One day, he gifted her a small gold cross necklace. A token, he said, to remind her she was protected.

Their meetings were a secret. Just for them. He said she shouldn’t have to share everything with her family. These meetings were hers and hers alone. 

Then, one day, he forgot his journal at home. He asked if she would walk with him to retrieve it.

She never made it home that day.

She spent six years in his shed, held captive, subjected to horrors she couldn’t speak about.

It wasn’t just him. There were others—a cult, a following. They spoke in strange tongues, performed rituals she didn’t understand.

He told her never to take off her cross. It was the only thing still keeping her safe.

Other girls came and went. Some stayed longer than others.

They were kind. Beautiful. Scared. She would braid their hair to calm them, whispering soft reassurances.

She never knew why they left. She hoped they made it home. She hoped they felt loved while they were with her.

When she was good, calm, and quiet, she was given books and notebooks. They became her escape. Romance, fairytales—her favorite princess was Rapunzel.

Then, one day, unceremoniously, it ended. The police found her.

She was a ghost of herself. Selectively mute. Trembling. Afraid to leave the shed that had become her world.

Her face was everywhere—newspapers, milk cartons, TV screens. She didn’t even know how to be a person anymore, and yet, everyone seemed to be expecting some heroic story of survival.

She took to spending time in the garden. The open sky helped when the walls started to close in.

Her journal became her second sanctuary—a place to trap the dark thoughts that threatened to consume her.

Then came the trial. The flashing cameras. The weight of a thousand eyes pressing down on her. Her hands trembled again. Panic set in.

She ran to the restroom to breathe—

And instead, she found herself somewhere else entirely.

The air was different. Pure. The world around her was sharp, vibrant. People passed by without recognition. No cameras. No reporters.

She was just another girl here. The more she learned, the more she wanted to stay—to heal.

However, staying meant she would be housed with someone. A sponsor. She was still underage… Just barely, but she was.

Few were willing to take on such a fragile case. Only one man agreed.

She was terrified of him. Weeks passed before she could be in the same room without flinching. Even longer before she could speak.

But he was patient. Gentle. He took her to public places, let her set the pace. Slowly, she started to trust him.

Sometimes, he’d make a face or wink at her, and she would stare, fascinated. She didn’t understand him yet, but she wanted to.

On her 18th birthday, he threw her a small party—just them, with dancing, movies, and cake. She had never had a whole party before. It was perfect.

When the academy asked her privately if she wanted to move into the dorms, she surprised herself by saying no.

That afternoon, he welcomed her home with a teddy bear and a little garden out back for her flowers. 

At that moment, he became a father to her.

With tutoring and therapy, she began to heal. Words returned, slow but steady. It was everything she had ever wanted from the outside world.

At 21, she made her choice: Virtue. Her adopted Father needed her as much as she needed him.

Slowly but surely, she earned her degree, found a job as a florist at Apples of Eden, and even took more classes to expand her skills.

But then something happened.

She was walking home when a loud noise shattered the air. The next thing she knew, she was in a hospital bed.

“She’s slightly,” they said. “Something will always be a little off. We can’t tell what yet.”

She felt spacey. Daydreamed too much. Forgot things that should've been second nature.

Headaches pounded behind her eyes constantly.

Some memories felt wrong—like they didn’t belong to her.

To this day, she still doesn’t know what happened.

Either way, she had to postpone her studies. She couldn’t keep up anymore.

But she was still loved. Especially as a florist. The people at Apples of Eden kept her job for her… It was kind, even if some of them stared at her. 

Her adopted father became more protective than ever, pouring credits into medicine (Clear Skies). She tried to help, but he almost never let her.

At 25, she decided it was time to move out. She learned how to ration her medicine, how to take care of herself again. She even got a roommate—someone to check in on her.

Now, she’s starting to head back to class again… Or trying to, at the very least. It’s a challenge but she wanted to try. Someone there was willing to help her.

Normal life—friendships, relationships—are difficult. They always were, but especially now.

However, when she loves, she loves deeply. Fully.

She shows affection in small ways: handwritten poetry, soft touches, photographs, tiny thoughtful gifts.

Though, even after everything, one thing constantly remained… The small gold cross necklace given to her when she was 10. She wears it constantly and hates to take it off.

Old habits die hard.

[rabbitcruiser]

Chocolate Day

Rich, velvety sweetness, cocoa's delectable cousin tempts with its luscious allure — a universal favorite that transcends borders and brings joy.

Since it falls as part of the celebration leading up to Valentine’s Day, Chocolate Day brings with it all sorts of ways to celebrate with love and affection.

History of Chocolate Day

Many chocolate lovers would say that the history of chocolate is directly related to the history of the happiness of humans! For thousands of years, cacao beans have been enjoyed and appreciated for their incredible benefits. Originally imbibed as a bitter beverage, chocolate has had a long and rich history, eventually evolving into the delicious confection as it is known today.

Chocolate actually has a number of days throughout the year when it is appreciated in its many different forms. From National Bittersweet Chocolate Day to National Chocolate Covered Anything Day, certainly chocolate offers tons of reasons to celebrate.

Today, Chocolate Day has been incorporated as part of a week-long celebration of days in conjunction with Valentine’s Day. The second of six days leading up to the holiday, Chocolate Day comes after Rose Day and before Propose Day. This week of gearing up to the ultimate celebration of love and affection is a natural space for Chocolate Day to find itself. Because everyone knows that chocolate is just one of the ways that lovers and romantics show each other how much they are adored!

Chocolate Day offers a variety of delicious and delightful ways to show affection and love. Get ready to celebrate Chocolate Day!

Chocolate Day Timeline

1894

Hershey’s Chocolate is started

One of the most famous purveyor’s of milk chocolate in the US, the company gets its start in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

1828

Cocoa powder is created

Changing the way chocolate is enjoyed, a water soluble cocoa powder is created by a Dutch chemist.

1922

Valentine’s chocolate is introduced

As part of the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day, chocolate is introduced by Baci as part of the holiday.

2017

World’s largest chocolate truffle

Made in Texas, this huge truffle weighs more than 2350 pounds and is flavored with mint.

How to Celebrate Chocolate Day

Consider implementing some of the following ideas for celebrating Chocolate Day in a deliciously fitting manner:

Give Chocolate as a Gift

Chocolate Day is a beautiful time to enjoy and celebrate the love that comes along with this week in February. And one way to show someone how much they are loved is to gift them with an amazing assortment of chocolate candies. Choose a collection of truffles, caramels or bon bons that a lover or friend would most certainly appreciate.

Those who are celebrating Chocolate Day by giving chocolate to friends or coworkers might want to consider gifting them with one of these popular brands of chocolate:

Godiva Chocolate. Named after the legendary 11th century noblewoman, Lady Godiva, who rode naked through town to convince her husband to lighten up the taxes, this chocolate company hails from Brussels, Belgium.

Harry & David Chocolate Basket. Known for their gift baskets, Harry & David has been offering fruit, popcorn and, of course, chocolate for many years. They even offer chocolate dipped strawberries.

Toblerone Chocolate Bars. Sure, just giving a lover a long, yellow, triangle shaped chocolate bar might not feel that special. But when it is special ordered and personalized with their name on the label? Incredible!

Dylan’s Candy Bar. Accessible from Nordstrom’s, Dylan’s offers their chocolate lover’s tackle box, a stack of signature chocolate swatches, and so many other delectable chocolate options.

Take a Chocolate Factory Tour

Those who live in or near a town that has a chocolate factory may just find that Chocolate Day is the perfect time to take a little tour. Learn how chocolate is made, see the processes and – hopefully! – get some sample tastes of the finished product.

Of course, there’s Hershey’s Chocolate World in Hershey, PA; the Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience on the pier in San Francisco; Big Island Candies in Hilo, Hawaii; or Anthony Thomas Chocolates in Columbus, Ohio. Whether sampling milk chocolate, dark chocolate, truffles or fudge, it’s fun to watch the candy making process from start to finish!

Try Making Chocolates at Home

Some people might think that making chocolates at home for Chocolate Day would be a massive project! But actually, it’s possible to offer homemade chocolates for friends, family and other loved ones in honor of the day – without going to a huge amount of trouble or spending a lot of time. Some of them even have as few as four ingredients! Check out some of these types of chocolate sweets that can be made at home in a fairly simple manner:

Four ingredient chocolates. The key ingredients (which may need to be purchased at a specialty baking store) are cacao butter, cacao liquid or paste, maple syrup and vanilla powder. Simply use a double boiler to melt and mix the ingredients. Add a pinch of salt as desired. Pour into chocolate molds, place in the freezer, then pop out and enjoy!

Peanut butter cups. Also only needing four ingredients, these little homemade chocolate peanut butter cups take Reese’s to the next level. Mix peanut butter with powdered sugar and salt. Fill mini-muffin cups halfway with melted chocolate, add a layer of peanut butter mixture and pour more chocolate on top. Yum!

Chocolate peanut clusters. Super easy, these just use melted chocolate mixed with peanuts and placed on baking sheets in circles to harden.

Cook with Chocolate

Of course, chocolate is mostly associated with baking, sweets and candies. But getting creative on Chocolate Day might mean including some chocolate in each and every meal that is cooked for the day! Consider making some unique savory meals that are cooked using trace amounts of dark chocolate that change the experience completely.

For instance, try a Chocolate Chipotle Sirloin Steak recipe that has been made with a rub of cocoa powder, chipotle peppers, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Chicken Mole (pronounced mo-LAY) is another traditional Mexican favorite that uses bittersweet chocolate in the tomato based sauce. Some people also love to put chocolate and cinnamon in their chili and serve Cincinnati-style, with pasta, red beans, chopped onion and cheese.

Choose a Chocolate Beverage or Cocktail

Going out for drinks after work in honor of Chocolate Day? Choose a spot that has some chocolate cocktails on offer! Of course, just a mug of toasty hot chocolate with whipped cream might taste just right, but ask for a shot of cinnamon or peppermint liqueur and make it super special. Other options might include a chocolate martini, chocolate mint julep, or chocolate old-fashioned to bring a unique flavor to Chocolate Day!

Chocolate Day FAQs

Is dark chocolate good for you?

Dark chocolate, when not filled with sugar and saturated fats, offers health benefits such as antioxidants and many nutrients.

Should chocolate be organic?

Organic chocolate can be purchased on a matter of principle, but it may not taste any different.

Is chocolate vegan?

Made from cacao beans, chocolate is a plant-based food and can absolutely be vegan.

Does chocolate have caffeine?

Yes, chocolate has caffeine and the darker the chocolate, the more caffeine there is.

Do chocolates need to be refrigerated?

No–don’t store chocolate in the fridge. Chocolate should be stored between 65-68°F at low humidity.

Source

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 8.30

Beer Birthdays

Samuel Whitbread (1720)

Johan Van Dyck (1975)

Stacy Marie Fuson; St. Pauli Girl 2005 (1978)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Lewis Black; comedian (1948)

Molly Ivins; writer (1944)

Fred MacMurray; actor (1908)

John Swigert Jr.; astronaut (1931)

Ted Williams; Boston Red Sox LF (1918)

Famous Birthdays

Elizabeth Ashley; actor (1939)

Geoffrey Beene; fashion designer (1927)

Joan Blondell; actor (1909)

Shirley Booth; actor (1898)

Timothy Bottoms; actor (1951)

Warren Buffett; gazillionaire (1930)

Michael Chiklis; actor (1963)

Robert Crumb; cartoonist (1943)

Jacques-Louis David; French artist (1748)

Agoston Haraszthy de Mokcsa; vineyard importer (1812)

Cameron Diaz; actor (1972)

John Gunther; writer (1901)

Jean-Claude Killy; French skier (1943)

Peggy Lipton; actor (1947)

Huey Long; politician (1893)

Raymond Massey; actor (1896)

Tug McGraw; NY Mets/Philadelphia Phillies P (1944)

John Phillips; singer, songwriter (1935)

Andy Roddick; tennis player (1982)

Ernest Lord Rutherford; New Zealand physicist (1871)

Theodor Svedberg; Swedish chemist (1884)

Frederique van der Wal (1967)

Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff; Dutch physicist (1852)

J. Alden Weir; artist (1852)

Kitty Wells; country singer (1919)

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley; English writer (1797)