#they just needed streamlining and focus...

[welcometogrouchland]

Had a class on transmedia and unfortunately I am now thinking about them again (my ocs...the enterprise of evil)

[pickaropoprocks]

Day 44!! Movie Outfits!!

[neodermatologist23]

looking for online consult dermatologist

In an era where time and convenience are paramount, Neodermatologist emerges as a trailblazer, offering premier online consult dermatologist services via mobile phones. With over a decade of expertise, Neodermatologist has revolutionized the way individuals seek dermatological care, providing swift solutions within an impressive 20-minute window.

This cutting-edge service eliminates the need for in-person visits, presenting a convenient, efficient, and time-saving alternative for addressing skin and hair concerns. Neodermatologist’s platform is designed to connect users directly with seasoned dermatologists, ensuring that professional medical advice is just a few taps away. Whether dealing with persistent acne, hair loss, eczema, or any other dermatological issue, users can rely on the platform’s ease of access and expert guidance. By leveraging modern technology, Neodermatologist bridges the gap between patients and healthcare providers, making professional dermatological care more accessible than ever before. The service operates with a focus on user convenience and reliability. Upon logging into the platform, users can describe their symptoms, upload photos of the affected areas, and receive a tailored treatment plan from a board-certified dermatologist within minutes. This streamlined process not only saves time but also alleviates the stress and inconvenience associated with traditional doctor visits. No more long waiting times, travel hassles, or delayed appointments—Neodermatologist brings expert care directly to your fingertips. One of the standout features of Neodermatologist is its commitment to providing high-quality care. The platform employs a team of experienced dermatologists who are well-versed in the latest treatments and technologies. This ensures that users receive accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans promptly. Moreover, the service maintains strict confidentiality and data security, giving users peace of mind that their personal health information is safe. In summary, Neodermatologist is setting a new standard in dermatological care with its innovative online consult dermatologist service. By offering quick, reliable, and professional advice within 20 minutes, it redefines the patient experience, making dermatological care more accessible and convenient. Whether you are struggling with a minor skin issue or a more complex condition, Neodermatologist provides a seamless and effective solution, ensuring that expert help is always at hand. Embrace the future of healthcare with Neodermatologist, where quality care meets modern convenience.

[meanbossart]

I’ll ask what everyone (me) has been thinking, how would a Bhaal-sworn DU Drow react to a Corellon blessed Astarion with his continuing the lineage mindset/breeding kink thing?

And how would a Bhaalist DU Drow act with a pregnant Astarion? (+ Sceleritas because we need more about that guy :0)

You guys want to get this vampire pregnant so bad in the Bhaalist AU, what happened to the good ol' blood sacrifice/nut based wizardry/demonic flesh alchemy days? 😔

Alas! Astarion can't reproduce biologically due to being undead, regardless of sex. Corellon's blessing facilitates the fantasy for sure, so it might spice up the bedroom life for at least a couple of weeks - but DU drow isn't full-on delusional, he knows that it doesn't change anything in practice.

...Well, I guess it would give him reason to pursue a cure for Astarion's vampirism in this AU (something he otherwise would be uninterested in), since him having the ability to conceive would at least streamline the process a little bit. But I don't know if that would be any easier than pursuing alternate ways to breed more Bhaalspawn together, and more importantly, I don't think Astarion would agree to be cured once he realized what the goal is (not that DU drow would force him - I'm pretty over that type of evil - but it would then be a nuisance to avoid that outcome).

Either way, Bhaalist DU drow wouldn't act so differently to a pregnant partner in comparison to his "default" iteration:

The above, but unlike the canon interpretation, he can't be reasoned or talked out of keeping you under lock and key "for your own safety".

And Sceleritas of course would operate as a good little henchman and rat you out were you to ever wander too far or express discontentment about your circumstances - a constant companion whenever DU drow can't be present. He would service his master's breeding mate exactly as instructed, but, in reality, I think he would really resent them for getting so much of the focus and so much lenience - not out of jealously, but due to the impracticality of it. Sceleritas would have probably preferred DU drow take several fertile concubines if he must be distracted by such things, rather than putting so much time and energy into one maybe-baby. Because of that, he would probably always seem a little... Passive aggressive about the whole arrangement, especially in front of the partner. To DU drow, the best he could do was to try and gently suggest alternatives to the pursuit, but once he realized it fell completely on deaf ears he would just feign excitement about the whole thing to keep his master on his side (and trusting him, if opportunity were to ever rise to set him against his own partner.)

[wings-of-ink]

Progress and Updates!

Hello my dears! I hope you are all doing well. I wanted to just make a wee post with some info on where Chapter 6 stands currently as well as some other bits of GOOD news and a couple fun things for subscribers in April. (Little sneak peak below too!)

Chapter 6 is sitting at 52k words! And there's...uh, a ways to go yet. I have begun the third segment which is probably going to be the largest. It's the bit with the most coding as well. Everything is outlined and planned, and I just need the time and energy to bring it to life.

Though Chapter 6 is gonna be a biggun, Chapter 7 will be more streamlined story (a bit like how Chapter 4 was). So, I think it will be quicker to write over all. I would love to release it soon after Chapter 6, but I'm not sure how plausible that will be. There's still too much in the air yet, but that's my goal.

The GOOD NEWS is - I'm working with a character artist! More details will follow later, but I'm currently compiling references and then we'll get to business, lol. I'm very excited for this, but I feel like I am rubbish and finding adequate references, so it's a learning experience for me.

Also a learning experience for me has been this whole year so far. I do apologize for not being as present on Tumblr as I was in the past and that my asks are still a bit restricted, but I'm mitigating a lot these days between myself and my partner. Chief among these is mental and physical health, and making a balance in life to keep us going during the current state of things. Just know that I am still kicking around here and I do check my inbox and respond whenever I can to general questions. I am still learning how to balance having subscribers as well. A lot of this comes down to my energy levels which have not bounced back much since winter.

Anyway, on to more fun things...if you are interested in Ko-fi or Patreon for April, on the 15th, three extras will available. Our focus this month was on our beloved fathers with a bonus for Oswin. The "Crow" Tier will feature some cute highlights from Kip and Dov getting accustomed to life as parents. The "Raven" Tier will feature 1 extra with the fathers that contains spicy content. This story will also be posted without the spice in case you just want to read a little bit about their romance (and not walk away scarred for life). If the daddy spice is not for you, I am also posting a short and spicy extra for Oswin (solo).

Voting will begin soon to determine May's content for both tiers!

In the meantime, here's a little sample of Ch 6:

You look to Oswin thinking he will try to break up this contest, but to your shock, he is trying not to laugh. His cheeks are puffed as he holds it in. Aster just glares back. "How clever." "You're welcome," Duri says with a big smile. "Nothing wrong with a pet name." Oswin nods. "I agree, it's endearing." You look at Oswin as he remains hunched over his meal. You tried to call him Yari when you were kids because he always shortened your name to Ravi… [[You want to give him a pet name.]] [[His name works just fine.]]

Can anyone guess what Duri decided to "affectionately" call Aster? ^_^

[hatsbuckets]

At a Party - TF141 x Reader

Headcanons

Okay so I'm going to assume that we've all been at that party or get together where you just get overwhelmed and find yourself sipping on your drink of choice in a corner. Maybe you are content to stay in that corner and observe in silence and/or maybe you're actually freaking out unable to really move in fear of embarrassing yourself or talking to the wrong people.

Here's how I think the TF141 boys would respond (if you were already in an establish relationship):

Price: He would notice pretty quickly that you were off, even before you found your hiding spot. He would check in with you silently, small touches on your arms or on the small of your back, or short glances in the midst of conversations. When you do retreat from the gathering, finding a corner to observe from, he meets your eyes across the room. He excuses himself from whatever conversation he's currently apart of and makes his way to you. "You alright, Dove?" He would ask, putting his broad shoulders between you and the rest of the room.

If you said you were fine, he'd press his questions, making sure you didn't want to go home or anything like that. Even if you still affirmed you were fine, he'd leave just for a moment to say goodnight to your hosts, and you'd never be the reason for your leave, always the dog or time or some other excuse, even if it was early in the night. He'd escort you out all gentlemanly, opening the door with one hand and guiding you with his other hand.

Ghost: This man would have a party escape plan before you even arrived at the event. The second he sees you're pent up or uncomfortable, he'd be chasing away whatever other guest is speaking to you with a glare that could cut stone. He only leaves you for a moment to grab a drink with the other boys, and in this time, you ease your way to the corner. You're happy to observe quietly from there, glad that Simon is giving himself a night with a bit of fun.

When he sees you though, cornered and struggling to make small talk with whatever other guest is there, his focus is streamlined. He'd make his way over, the other guest immediately shying away before he takes your hand gently in his. "Ready to go?" You'd ask gently, and he'd confirm only by guiding you through the crowd, to the car, and into the vehicle. He'd kiss your knuckles as you sat in the passenger seat, his silently apology for leaving you for even a moment.

Gaz: You were both excited to go to the party when you were initially invited, but actually being at the party was a different story. Kyle gets along with people so well. He's calm and cool in ways that you don't exactly understand. Sure, you can hold your own, but it's exhausting. After your third introduction to a new person, Kyle was pulled to a different conversation.

The man you were talking with was nice of course, but even he got pulled away too. You drifted to the corner, nursing your drink. You watched Kyle maneuver through the people, his smile pleasing and his wit drawing laughs. He was a natural charmer. His eyes would catch yours from across the room and he'd smile the first time. Then on second glance he'd furrow his brows with a silent question. You'd shrug, raising your glass at him as if to say, "carry on." He'd pull himself out of one conversation to the next, until finally he yanked out of their hold to you. He'd sit next to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulder. He'd ask if you were okay or needed to leave. You'd tell him that you should be fine, but you were tired. He won't have to hear anymore. He'd start to lead the way to leave, but you'd get stopped by those noticing his exit. You'd go to blame yourself, but he'd interrupt, saying the nights still young and he's got such a lovely human with him. It'd make you blush just a bit, and it'd warm you how eager- and how proud- he was to be taking you home.

Soap: Johnny would the life of the party, you knew this going into it. You also knew that sometimes, the life of the party act was simply that: an act. He was Soap Mactavish and all the expectations of being the man who loved to party. And he does, for the most part. He's off flaunting with a group, drink in hand telling some wildly story. You hovered behind him mostly, listening with a smile, your hand in his.

When your grip would tighten ever so slightly around his fingers, his story would slow, and he'd turn his eyes to yours. He wasn't a mind reader, but he knew that look. He'd effortlessly draw the conversation with him as he moved you. You'd sit down and he'd sit right next to you, drawing all the attention and making conversation like it wasn't a problem. You liked to listen to him all happy and sharing and he'd squeeze your knee or glance at you every so often to check in. His conversations would get rowdier, his accent getting ever thicker as the night drew on. The next time you squeezed his hand; it'd be an hour or so later. He, having had his fun, would nod and smile, and quietly agree that this was going on far too long. He looked exhausted too, just waiting for a sign that he should get out of there. He'd make you laugh, helping you relax until you got out the door and headed home.

A/N Hi these thoughts have been eating at me since a Christmas party I was at so now you get them too. Also, it's my first time like idk writing something out like this, but I think it's pretty close to their characterization. Idk. anyway bye.

[phantomarine]

Clam's Quick Tips for Starting Your Very First Webcomic

Howdy! Here are the three bits of advice I tend to give people who ask me about getting into webcomic-making. Maybe they can help you jump into the fray with a little less fear.

1) Make Your First Chapter a Pilot Episode

You will be told by webcomic veterans to start with a short, simple comic idea first - which is wise - but if all you can think about is your big magnum opus, then you might as well hop in, right? Otherwise you'll just be glancing back at the other cooler project forever.

But if you can't start with a small simple story, start on a small, simple part of that larger story. Your first chapter should be a snapshot of the main conflict - show us a simple scene with few characters, ease us in slowly, keep things clear and focus on emotion/impact/clarity. Get the audience to care by offering something easily digested, but full of promise.

Once you're done with that 'pilot' chapter, and you're feeling more comfortable with the whole comic process, you can open the gates and show us the larger world. At that point, you'll be way more ready.

2) Simplify Your Art Style For Your Own Sanity

Always try to make your webcomic's art style as simple as possible - the standard rule is to use only 75% of your artistic skill for every comic page you make. Otherwise you will burn out quickly and terribly.

But you also need to be PROUD of your art style. If you're really feeling itchy, add a couple bells and whistles to your style so you can look at the finished page and say "Yeah, looks cool." You'll find the right balance the more you draw.

Also, don't be afraid to change your art style as you go along. Ultimate consistency is often impossible in webcomics anyway - so embrace your desire to try new things, streamline your work, whatever you feel needs to happen to be happiest. Sometimes the coolest part of reading a webcomic is noticing that style change - so don't hesitate to embrace it!

3) Resist the Reboot! RESIST!

The curse/blessing of drawing the same things over and over is that you'll inevitably get better at drawing those things. The trouble comes when you look back at old stuff and start thinking "Damn, I could draw that way better now."

You must recognize that this feeling never goes away. Not after a hundred pages. Not after three hundred. Not after a thousand.

I think everyone should be allowed one soft reboot for their first webcomic. Redraw some panels that bother you. Change up some dialogue if it doesn't make sense with your new story ideas. Do maintenance, basically. One of the beauties of webcomics is that they can be easily edited, without reprinting a whole book or remaking a whole game.

But if the ultimate purpose of a webcomic is to tell a story, then constant reboots will just be retelling the same story - slightly better each time, but the same at its core. We've heard it before. Most audiences would rather you save your strength and just keep going, rather than circling back year after year and going "Wait wait wait! I'll do it better this time."

Reboot early, not often, and only when you absolutely must! You're a storyteller, and you're constantly getting better at telling your story. Don't be ashamed of it - look back how much ground you've covered, and keep walking!

---

That's a good start. Happy webcomicking - don't be afraid to jump in, but be prepared to learn a lot very quickly. And if this advice doesn't work for you or adhere to how you did it, that's absolutely fine - webcomics are diverse by nature, and so are their creation processes. Feel out what works best for you, and good luck!

[fearfulfertility]

CONFIDENTIAL LOGISTICS REPORT

DRC, Planning & Evaluation Office, Logistics & Infrastructure Division

Date: [REDACTED]

To: Director [REDACTED]

From: Administrator [REDACTED], Logistics & Infrastructure Division

Subject: Facility Expansion: New Paternity Compound Construction

Executive Summary

This report outlines the ongoing expansion of DRC-operated paternity compounds across several strategic locations nationwide. In response to increasing insemination rates and projected surrogacy demands, we have begun constructing new high-capacity compounds to accommodate more surrogates. These expansions will enable the DRC to streamline the conscription process, optimize surrogacy cycles, and ensure our ability to meet the population sustainability targets outlined for the next fiscal period.

The new compounds focus on enhanced security, specialized medical equipment, and increased surrogacy capacity.

I. Facility Expansion Overview

Strategic Locations and Site Selection

To ensure regional coverage and minimize travel time to detain and inseminated surrogates, the DRC has approved the construction of [REDACTED] new paternity compounds in FEMA Zones 4, 6, 7, and 8. These facilities will be situated in [REDACTED] areas, selected for their proximity to population centers, existing transport infrastructure, and relative isolation, ensuring operational security.

Zone 4: Atlanta, GA

Zone 6: Houston, TX

Zone 7: Omaha, NE

Zone 8: Denver, CO

Each compound is designed to accommodate [REDACTED] surrogates at any given time, with the ability to scale up to [REDACTED] in emergencies. Construction is scheduled for completion within the next [REDACTED] months, with the first inspections set to begin by [REDACTED] this year.

Paternity Compound Design Features:

High-Capacity Paternity Wards: Each compound contains specialized wards designed to manage surrogates carrying up to sedecatuplets (16), with private rooms for those at risk of premature labor.

Enhanced Monitoring Systems: Advanced surveillance and biometric monitoring ensure constant oversight and swift response to emergencies.

Security Enhancements: Reinforced containment protocols, secure access points, and patrol routes have been established to prevent unauthorized access and ensure surrogate compliance.

II. Specialized Equipment and Medical Support

Given the unique demands and expectations placed on surrogates, each paternity compound will be equipped with advanced medical infrastructure to ensure the safety and effective management of extreme weight gain, reduced mobility, and increased risks of organ stress.

Key Equipment and Infrastructure:

Reinforced Support Beds: Traditional hospital beds have proven insufficient for surrogates carrying high multiples, whose pregnancies can lead to total weight gains exceeding 200 lbs. Each ward will feature reinforced, adjustable support beds capable of accommodating extreme weights. These beds will be equipped with pressure-relief systems to minimize discomfort and reduce the risk of bedsores for near-immobile surrogates.

“I hate that I’m here! But… all I have is this bed! I can’t move, I can’t breathe half the time, but at least I have a fucking memory foam mattress!” - Surrogate S118-176-J, 27 days pregnant with decatuplets (10)

Automated Feeding & Hydration Systems: Automated systems will ensure continuous nutrition and hydration to support surrogates with reduced mobility. Given the caloric intake requirements for such pregnancies, these systems will monitor and adjust fluid and nutrient delivery, reducing the need for frequent staff intervention.

“I’m basically just a machine now, aren’t I? They hook me up, pump me full of these stupid protein shakes, and keep me breathing so I can keep carrying these bowling ball-sized kids. It’s disgusting!” - Surrogate S117-138-N, 18 days pregnant with quattuordecatuplets (14)

Custom Mobility Aids: Custom-designed lift systems and mobility aids will be integrated into each ward to facilitate the movement of surrogates. These devices will allow for safe repositioning, transfers to specialized birthing chairs, and support during transport.

“I don’t know how they expect us to move with this much weight on us. Even standing feels like my legs are going to snap. Those lifts? They’re humiliating... but without them, I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed at all.” - Surrogate S120-494-P, 30 days into a sedecatuplets (16) pregnancy

Advanced Fetal Monitoring: Each compound will have real-time ultrasound and biometric monitoring stations to track fetal development. Given the accelerated gestational period, these systems will continuously update fetal positioning, size, and viability, enabling rapid response to complications.

"It’s terrifying. Knowing how big they are, how many there are… they’re not coming out normal. When I finally pop them all out, they’ll get better care than I ever did!" - Surrogate S119-667-N, 22 days pregnant with hendecatuplets (14)

Dedicated Obstetrics & Neonatal Care Units: Immediate neonatal care is essential, and each compound will include state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to support newborns. Advanced incubators and respiratory support systems will ensure the survival of even the most premature babies.

"They always tell me how important it is to ensure the babies survive, even if I don’t. I get it, I do… but knowing there’s a whole team of people ready to take over the second I’m gone? It’s like they’ve already decided how this ends." - Surrogate S117-856-M, 8 days pregnant with tridecatuplets (13)

Pain Management and Sedation Systems: Surrogates will experience extreme discomfort and physical strain. Each paternity ward will be equipped with integrated IV pain management systems, allowing for both localized and systemic pain relief. Sedation protocols can be initiated remotely if a surrogate's distress becomes vocal, ensuring they can not incite civil disorder.

“I’m so big I can’t even see my dick, which is now buried under all these babies and fat. I’d be lying if I said the meds didn't help to blitz me out of my mind... a caring them I'm a gigantic incubator now.” - Surrogate S119-461-L, 11 days pregnant with dodecatuplets (12)

Future Equipment Developments: Research teams are exploring next-generation mobility aids, including exoskeleton support harnesses, to provide mobility assistance for late-term surrogates. These innovations aim to improve surrogate survival to deliver full-term pregnancies. Once available, prototypes will be tested in select compounds.

III. Expansion Strategy: Future Projections and Scaling

Projected Surrogacy Demand: With the increase in insemination rates, each compound is expected to handle up to [REDACTED] inseminations per month once fully operational. This translates to a need for approximately [REDACTED] newborns annually to meet population sustainability targets. Our current projections indicate that these numbers are achievable.

IV. Conclusion and Recommendations

The successful construction and operation of these new paternity compounds are critical to effectively maintaining the DRC’s ability to enforce surrogacy mandates. Our specialized equipment and infrastructure improvements will ensure we meet demands while preserving control over our surrogate.

Report submitted by: Administrator [REDACTED], Logistics & Infrastructure Division

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

Sending...

Sending...

Sending...

Read...

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

To: Administrator [REDACTED], Logistics & Infrastructure Division

From: Director [REDACTED], DRC

Subject: RE: Facility Expansion: New Paternity Compound Construction

Dear Mr. [REDACTED],

I’ve reviewed the latest progress report on the new Paternity Compounds, and I must commend your team on the impressive strides made thus far, even with the ambitious timeline we’ve set.

I have been particularly interested in the improvements to our birthing suites. As you are well aware, managing multiple pregnancies presents unique challenges.

We are entering a critical phase. I want to emphasize that these upcoming births will set a precedent for all future operations. The successful use of these new facilities will allow us to demonstrate that our methods ensure the next generation's survival and that we can handle the demands without sacrificing efficiency or outcomes.

I look forward to seeing the first results when the initial surrogates reach full term and the birthing suites are fully operational.

Keep up the excellent work, and do not hesitate to reach out if additional resources or support are needed to ensure success.

Regards, Director [REDACTED]

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

Click Here to return to DRC Report Archives

[desos-records]

Well-Built

Red Hood One-Shot

Thank you for your request!: OH!!!! Okokok…. Hear me out… Jason Todd with a tummy… I need him to be built like a construction worker, because it’s more realistic than whatever superheroes have going on nowadays. Maybe an x reader thingy?? I just need more content where Jason isn’t built like a bodybuilder. [Anon]

Word Count: 1,340

CW: body insecurity, but don't worry we're gonna fix that

-

Jason didn't notice the difference usually. To be honest, he never spent all that much time thinking about his appearance—vanity was expensive. But every so often, usually while training or sparring, the sickening twist of self-consciousness dug inside of him.

Today was one of those days.

He knew he'd gotten tall since the Pit, to his surprise as much as anyone else's, and he'd put on plenty of muscle to the point of being in the same weight class as Bruce, but sparring with Dick reminded him that… well, no one would be mistaking Red Hood's shadow for Nightwing's any time soon. Dick still had the body shape of a trapeze artist, a gymnast, all streamlined strength and dexterity. And while Jason could walk a high wire with the best of them, could do anything Dick could do thank you very much, he certainly didn't look the part.

So what? The scum of Gotham's underbelly weren't afraid of gymnasts. They were afraid of Red Hood and he liked to think his size helped.

He liked to think you didn't mind. Or rather, hoped you weren't into chiseled, dehydrated abs like apparently everyone else on the fucking planet. Nobody looked like that all the time, not even Dick.

"Distracted much?" Dick said, holding his hand out to pull Jason up off the sparring mat where he'd knocked him down a second ago—the fact his stupid flips actually had practical merit in generating speed and therefore force behind his hits annoyed him to no end.

Then Dick wiggled his eyebrows and tilted his head in your direction and Jason considered punching him for it as warmth grew over his face. You weren't paying either of them any attention though because you were up to your elbows in engine grease rebuilding Tim's bike after Mr. Freeze turned it into a motorcycle-flavored ice pop.

"Don't make me shoot you," Jason snapped, but he still let Dick haul him back to his feet.

Dick shrugged with that stupid, smug grin on his face and nudged him in the side. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, Jay. That's all I'll say. One more round?"

He opened his mouth to say something cutting, but then…

"Hey, Jason?" you called from underneath Tim's bike, now propped up on jacks and missing its tires. "Can I borrow you for a second?"

He turned fast, glad for an excuse to get away from Dick, but also… you needed something and had asked for him out of everyone you could've asked and so what if he felt like someone had lit a sparkler in his stomach about it.

"Yeah?" He knelt down next to you.

"There's something loose in the engine block and I can't find the damn thing, can you tilt the bike up and see if it falls out?"

"Are you gonna get out from under it? 'Cause if it slips off the jacks—"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm moving."

You stood beside him while he lifted one end of the frame, skeletal looking without its fairing shell, and shook it a little. Something rattled inside, plinking against all the metal bits of the engine, until it finally dropped out onto the concrete floor.

"Fuck me!" you said, angrily, and Jason almost dropped the bike.

"Excuse me?"

You knelt down to pick up the offending piece of metal, holding it up in his face. "Look familiar?"

He blinked. You stood awfully close to him, distracting him easily with your warmth and your eyes and the fact you smelled like an engine—if other people didn't find the smell of oil and gasoline attractive like he did, it was their loss—but he tried to focus on your question. Luckily, he would recognize it anywhere, even bent and half-melted as it was.

"That's a bullet," he said.

"Yes, it is. And now I have to go through this thing with a fine tooth comb to make sure there's no holes or shrapnel or God knows what else that might make it explode."

"Do you want some help?"

"Please, yes, thank you," you said sharply. Then you glanced down at him holding the bike frame and back up. "Are you still holding that?"

"Yeah? You asked me to?"

"That's a 1200cc. It's five hundred pounds."

He felt a smile pulling at him. "Impressed?"

"Sure, I knew you were strong, but you're just holding it like it don't weigh nothing at all. The grunts at my gym are always straining and making rude noises."

"Those guys are all strength and no endurance, that's their problem."

"Do you think?"

"Yeah, it's just for looks, nothing at all about doing anything practical with it." Then he smiled again, teasing a little this time when he asked, "You go to a regular gym?"

"It's good to keep up appearances. Are you sure you don't want to put that down?"

"I will if you ask me to."

You rolled your eyes. "Will you put it down please? Before you start to worry me."

He set the bike back on its jacks. "Where do you want to start?"

By the time the two of you had fixed the bike enough that you were certain it wouldn't catch fire or send Tim flying, you were both sweaty and exhausted and Jason had been sprayed with oil from a loose pipe. He pulled his shirt off and stood up to rummage through the cave's cabinets for a spare one, but not before he caught you staring.

He thought first about the scars. They all had them, of course, you included, but… well, he hadn't died cleanly and the Pit hadn't erased anything. Was he a car wreck you couldn't look away from? Was that why?

"My eyes are up here," he grumbled, a joke, but a bitter one.

"What?" You flinched and looked up, and then to his surprise, you blushed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to stare."

"Never seen an autopsy scar before?" He was being mean about it, he knew, but he couldn't seem to stop.

Even embarrassed, you managed to level him with an irritated look. "It's not that. You're just…" You gestured vaguely at his midsection. "Well-built, okay? I know you have to be. It's just easy to forget under all that armor."

"Kinda ruins the superhero image, huh?" He pinched a little at his stomach, at the bullet scar there, at the extra… well, it felt like extra, all of a sudden.

You frowned and stood up, pushing back gently, "That's not what I said."

"I know." And he turned to go. "Don't worry about it."

"Jason." You caught hold of him, fingers curled a little around his wrist, only there long enough to stop him and bring him back around and then you pulled away. "I think you look plenty like a superhero, for whatever that's worth. I wouldn't change a thing about you."

"Thanks. That… that's worth a lot, actually. Coming from you."

You shrugged. "It's the truth. I mean, you've got the proof written all over you."

And then—then—you reached out and touched the bullet scar on his stomach. 

Jason almost stopped breathing. Warmth burst over his face, all the way to his ears. He glanced down at your hand, blackened from engine grease and already leaving a mark, and when he looked up again, he caught your eye. Immediately, you pulled back, looked away from him, and held your hands tight together as if you needed one to hold the other back.

"Sorry," you said quickly. "I shouldn't've…" You shook your head. "That was a stupid thing to do, I'm sorry."

"It wasn't," he said, before he could think better of it. "Wasn't stupid, I mean. I don't mind if it's you."

You glanced his way again. "Honest?"

"Cross my heart." Then, almost floating on sudden confidence and the smudgy imprint of your hand on his skin, he added, "You wanna go get a drink with me? We've earned it."

You smiled and it made all the difference in the world.

[heartmachinez]

First Major Early Access Update, Buried Below, Launches April 29

Our first major update is a game changer, introducing a slew of new content, including a new Crown and Breaker, along with major quality of life improvements inspired by your feedback...

We're thrilled to finally reveal the Buried Below update, the first major content update for Hyper Light Breaker in Early Access, will launch on April 29!  

This content update will be a game changer, as it’ll bring a slew of new content along with major quality of life changes, including run structure changes inspired by your all’s feedback that will change up the game in Early Access in multiple ways. In a new trailer that debuted today (check it out above!), Michael Clark, Hyper Light Breaker’s Lead Producer, covers everything you need to know about this major update and how it evolves the game in a whole new way.  

New Content  

On the content front, Buried Below will bring a new Breaker, “Rondo” – a Breaker who comes from the same region as the recently-debuted Breaker, Ravona, and has a new SyCom with two SyCom perks – a new Crown, “Maw” – the biggest and most menacing Crown yet, two new melee weapons and new areas to explore, including caves. For the new Crown, you all have seen glimpses of her in a couple of ways-- as she’s shown as a Crown that’s possible to fight when readying up to enter the Overgrowth and you have even entered her arena in the hostile crystalscape of the Jeweled Spire. We've been working hard on getting Maw ready, and we’re thrilled the time has come for players to face her in just a few days!  

Change in Run Structure 

Since Early Access launch, we’ve taken to heart all of the feedback we’ve received from the community across the board. Inspired by your feedback, the upcoming update will introduce the most significant feature overhaul yet with a complete rework of the game's run structure, as you will now have one life for each run and when you die, you will lose items in your inventory, and the Overgrowth will reset. This change was made to balance the game around a more traditional roguelike experience, turning each run into a more consistent and rewarding “zero to hero” adventure than before. This change also allows us to better adjust difficulty and make the game easier to get into, but harder to master, and addresses much of the feedback we’ve received from players since Early Access launch.  

This shift in run structure will introduce a few gameplay loops and progression changes to make runs easier, better and ultimately more enjoyable for everyone, including veterans and newcomers alike, than before.  

Extraction - More Options for Players: Instead of only one way to leave the Overgrowth (via the Telepad), players will be able to extract at any Shrine in the Overgrowth and there’ll be no waves of enemies to defeat like before. This change will make it so players can extract more often, making the game easier as a result, which was one of the main requests from players to change the game’s difficulty.  

SyComs - Follows a Class-Like System, More Loadout Potential: Character customization has been redesigned giving each Breaker one assigned SyCom with fixed stats, and players have the option to equip a perk to the SyCom that gives the Breaker a new passive ability. For instance, Rondo’s SyCom has an equippable perk called “Bladedancer” that increases Rondo’s damage and attack speed. You can upgrade your SyCom stats further at Shrines in the Overgrowth. This change, inspired by player feedback, will make it so each Breaker is similar to a “class” making each Breaker feel different from one another, and make it so you can come up with distinct builds per Breaker.  

Inventory & Vendors - More Streamlined: The Vault system will be changed as when you die, the inventory in your Vault will no longer carry over between runs except for Golden Rations, the main meta progression currency in the game. This will allow you to focus solely on acquiring new gear during your runs instead of having to focus on managing their inventory so often like before. Additionally, vendors in the Overgrowth and Cursed Outpost will also have new roles, with Bright Blood and Materials now used for purchases and upgrades. While gear sales have been removed from hub vendors, players can still use them to enhance equipped items.   

Improved Onboarding     The second major addition in the upcoming update is a brand-new onboarding tutorial that launches automatically the first-time players start the game after the update, regardless of save status. This guided experience introduces core mechanics through a structured level that leads to the Cursed Outpost hub. From there, you will gain access to a dedicated space for learning and practicing advanced combat techniques such as dash attacks and parries. Designed to align with the game’s reworked structure and expanded mechanics, this revamped introduction provides a smooth and informative entry point for both new and returning players. 

Future of Breaker – Your Feedback Matters! 

Since Early Access launch, we’ve been working hard on evolving Breaker across the board every month, including but not limited to making performance updates and gameplay improvements, releasing a slew of new content, and implementing so many other changes based on your all’s feedback! As we continue our Early Access journey and set our sights for 1.0 launch, we want to thank all of you for feedback and support – you’re helping us make Breaker bigger and better every step of the way.  

There’s still so much more to come for Breaker in Early Access, including our next major content update this summer that will be our biggest content update yet! Expect to fight double the trouble, embark on quests and where no Breaker has gone before in our next major content drop.  

For now, we can’t wait for you all to jump into the Buried Below update in just a few days and see how it evolves Breaker in a whole new way! 

[whumpandothercomfort]

Any more ideas on what an institution for training pets would be like?

OH BOY, DO I.

I've got endless thoughts tbh. For this ask I'll focus on how pets would be assessed for training:

Some of these companies just put all of their pets through the same brutal training regimen regardless of their temperament. This is associated with poor outcomes for pets who need a gentler touch... but if you're buying up ill-behaved pets in bulk, oh well!

Other companies have streamlined ways of assessing their pets and customizing training programs for them.

Initial behavioral assessment starts the moment Whumpee is acquired. They're kept in a small, dark cage for transport to assess their tolerance for confinement.

Then during their physical examination, they're assessed for their tolerance in being physically handled. And their ability to obey.

Pets who act out during the physical examination are swiftly disciplined. Notes are made on which punishments cause them the most distress. Is being physically immobilized or being shocked worse? Depends on the pet! 💕

Pets are then given a customized training program best suited to their needs. If pet is claustrophobic, they'll spend non-training time in a dark cage until they stop panicking about it. If pet hates physical handling, they'll spend a lot of time with their trainer's fingers in their mouth and other hands holding them still.

Obedience and compliance is the end goal of most of these training programs. However...

Sadist Whumpers may contract these companies to train their personal pets, in order to achieve, ah, certain desired results.

These can include the inducement of specific phobias, nerve sensitivity, anxiety, or pain. It's very easy to reinforce negative stimuli!

[centrally-unplanned]

Japanese website Forest Page is shutting down ~today, a tragic loss of "Heisei otaku memories", as so many are calling it. Launched in 2003, Forest Page was a "Geocities for mobile", a site that hosted user-created websites and gave them tools to allow non-coders to make them. In practice, it became one of the premiere places for fanfiction in Japan, with the stories hosted on author-created sites.

It wasn't quite the Fanfic.net of Japan, as for one the Japanese fandom just never centralized quite the way the 2000's western one did, instead being spread out over a half dozen or so sites. But additionally, it wasn't initially popular for fanfic so much as cell phone fanfiction, because in 2000's Japan the "cell phone novel" was a specific thing. These websites were being made for flip phones, not smartphones, and not only would people read them on those phones, they would often write them. None of that was very conducive to the creation and consumption of a "traditional" novel; so starting in the 2000's Japanese writers started making stories fit for the medium, namely:

Very short

A huge focus on dialogue and inner thoughts, with no/minimal description or scene detail

Using a limited POV of a specific character

Often employing the medium-as-message, like using emojis, structuring the story as IM's or emails, etc.

Also they all had huge gaps between lines, I'm not really sure what that is about:

Probably for readability on the phone given the small screen size? But it was absolutely part of the genre. A few of these novels actually made it big, got movie adaptations, people wrote articles about the "cultural phenomenon", it was the 2000's so Hiroki Azuma had a take on it of course, and so on. It slotted neatly into the vibe of the time of technology changing culture, paralleling discourse around otaku in the same era.

In fanfic those trends met up, and anyone familiar with fanfiction probably read that list of traits of the cellphone novel and thought "oh, this is perfect for fanfiction". Skipping out on description? I don't need it, I know what they look like already. Focus on conversation and POV? Perfect for shipping fics. Short lengths? Yeah, we are shortcutting to the good stuff, that is the point. Mirroring trends in the west, Forest Page's userbase was ~95% female, and the most common content on the site was romantic or edgy-dramatic stories in the franchises you'd expect. The closure page linked above actually summarizes the site's history by year, and lists the biggest fandoms:

Which is exactly what I would expect from a female otaku fanfiction website. Congrats to Pirates of the Caribbean for making it though, freeaboo's represent.

I do think the fact that the site was a website hoster as opposed to a fic hoster did align with the way the Japanese fandom was more "creator focused" and embraced the media mix more. There were "fic circles" a la doujin circles who made their own pages, people would make fanart, fan video games, and so own to host alongside it, and all of it was centralized to the creator; it made following them-as-a-person just a little bit easier. Most websites were simple text, but others did have the full Geocities experience:

Something that was somewhat common were basic visual novel concepts where the reader could make choices, or even insert their own name so they would be the "MC" of the story:

(Dream novels are in fact their own thing in Japan) My understanding is the site was quite popular through the 2000's and into the 2010's, though over time the "cellphone novel" as a concept fizzled out. People got smartphones, more people got PCs, and the constraints didn't make sense anymore - you can read ebooks and normal websites on your phone now after all. You can probably draw a line between these kind of stories and the webfiction/light novel boom of the late 2000's/2010's, something that was equally born on the internet, that streamlines the novel to "shortcut to the good stuff" but without the need to fit on a flip phone's screen. Though I will admit my own understanding of their histories shows them more as two sides of the same "youth demand for new literature" coin.

In 2017 Forest Page launched Forest Page Plus, a new service fully optimized for the smartphone era; but it did not transfer over all the old content, starting the clock ticking on the original Forest Page. My understanding is that in June they announced Forest Page was officially closing down; and from what I have gathered from reminiscing writers on twitter, they did not provide any easy, one-touch way to save any of the content, so people are archiving Wayback Machine links or sharing tips on how screenshot-save stories (I think the rub is they gave people a way to transfer content to FP+, but most don't want to do that, as places like Twitter & Pixiv are the content kings of this era).

As of tomorrow I would bet the large majority of the content will be gone; quite sad given both the quantity of stories there and how many got sometimes millions of readers. I am sure most of the biggest stories are archived at least, but particularly the early stuff was a very ephemeral genre, one that doesn't make sense to revisit once you aren't a 16 year old teen writing and reading fics on a flip phone in between classes. Which means another legion of the ghosts of the Wired is being born today. May we pour one out for a fellow online community that lived and died!

[isagrimorie]

This is a really good interview with Jac Schaeffer about episode 7 of Agatha All Along.

Schaeffer orchestrates “Death’s Hand in Mind” to unfold with an emotional clarity that allows LuPone to shine in one of her best ever on-screen performances.

[snip]

What sort of feedback would she be giving?

She has a number of mini-monologues, and as we got closer, I tweaked a few of them. She came to me and was like, “Can we please just do it how it was?” And I was like, “You’re the boss, absolutely.” She’s a theater actor. She respects the page. I was trying to streamline and get us moving, and she was like, “No, I want to say all these things.” And bless her, I’m so glad she said all the things.

There are really two different tracks in the episode: the linear timeline as the other characters are experiencing it, and the emotional timeline as Lily is experiencing it. How did you and Patti navigate that?

Patti asked for a script in correct order so she could understand what she was doing. She really did have a solid handle on it, but she would get lost a little bit. Her focus was, “Where is the big emotion? When do I really unravel?” That’s why she wanted to see the episode strung out linearly, but I was like, “You’re the one bouncing around.” She’s the constant, so whenever she’s feeling the deep emotion of it, that is correct, because she’s being wrenched all over the place. So I think her process was finding when the pulling around really starts to trigger her vulnerability.

[SNIP]

The other thing that was very complicated about this episode was the practical part. Those swords are real, and they’re on piano wire. We had to number them and know the order and decide where they went before any actors set foot on the set. So we had this sword map that was nuts, and Ishi was my sword angel, keeping all that in both our minds. And the actors — they were so lovely — they were willing to let me say, “We cannot explore dancing around the space. I need you here right now, otherwise a sword is going to hit you in the face.”

THEY USED REAL SWORDS. When they said that they used minimal CGI… they were not kidding about it!

[snip]

Lilia, Alice, Mrs. Hart — are they all really dead?

I anticipated this question today, and I’ve been thinking about my answer. What I want to say is that this is a show about death. We actually have the character of Death in our show. I am interested in that conversation, and I am fascinated by how death is used in the comic space and in the MCU. Personally, I feel that when a person dies, you can still talk to them and feel them, and they can still be in your lives. But death is immutable. It is permanent. With this show, we wanted to pay respect to that. So this a more earnest and grave conversation about death than maybe you would find in another superhero project.

I like this actually. I like that in WandaVision the show dealt with grief and trauma. This time it’s dealing with death face to face and having an honest discussion what death is.

I think what it will end up showing is that death… is not evil. Death just is. It is a fact of life.

To paraphrase the Ninth Doctor: Everything has its time and everything ends.

So are the Salem Seven dead?

Yeah, the Salem Seven are dead. They’re off the board in our show, is what I will say. Lilia has saved everybody!

And true to my hypothesis, when Jac is fibbing or not telling the whole truth, she answers as succinctly as possible. Because it is technically true the Salem Seven are dead because the remaining Salem members are now just the Salem Two.

Since only five appeared in the Tower.

Lady Death has been a significant character in the Marvel Comics for a long time. When did you decide to include your version of that character in the show?

Oooh, it’s so fun to be talking about this now. We wanted a pursuant character. We wanted somebody who was going to be after Agatha, and therefore after the coven, because we liked the logic of whatever Agatha’s problem is, once they become a coven, it becomes the problem of the whole group. Very, very early, we had this character we called the Debt Collector. Witchcraft is a lot about intention and exchange and checks and balances. So we had this notion of someone being after them for unpaid debts of witchcraft. I don’t remember when we pivoted to death, but it was just so sexy. We were just like, who is the perfect ex-lover of Agatha Harkness? It was just so obviously Lady Death. It felt so right. 

It’s so interesting what they conceptualized for the ‘pursuant’ character before locking on to Rio/Lady Death. The ‘Debt Collector’, it says a lot about their initial thoughts and rules for Witchcraft which sounded (to me) something similar to Fullmetal Alchemist’s philosophy of ‘Equivalent exchange’.

The intention of checks and balances and unpaid debts of witchcraft.

Also, I still love that the person, the character who brought Lady Death, the cosmic being into the MCU wasn’t Thanos with his trillions of death via snap. It’s not Deadpool.

The character who brought Lady Death into being is Agatha Harkness.

Executive producer Mary Livanos and writer Giovanna Sarquis were instrumental in the character. Giovanna came in with the Dia de los Muertos [look] and having her be Latinx, and Mary was very much an influence on Rio’s darkness and toxicity and how enmeshed Agatha and Rio are. It was something that needed approval from on high. We had to get the sign off from Kevin [Feige]. There was a moment where we were all holding our breath, worried we weren’t going to get it. We were really delighted that we got the OK.

I love this, @mswyrr pointed out that Santa Muerte and Lady Death actually has similarities. And to know now that it’s deliberate? It’s so amazing.

Also, Mary pointing out the darkness and toxicity knowing that Mary Livanos is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan and quite possibly a Buffy/Faith shipper… The knife scene in the first episode feels more like a deliberate reference now!

This is what happens when fangirls become in charge! Wooo!

You said Rio is a “pursuant character” — is she a villain, or at least an antagonist?

Yes, I would classify her as an antagonist. I would classify everyone in the show as a villain and a hero at one point or another.

[snip]

Again with a carefully short answer. But also the emphasis that she is an antagonist and Jac’s insistence that in the show no one is purely a hero nor a villain. Because people are more complicated than that.

we designed this show to really take off dramatically in the back half. I’ve been really interested to see how that lands with people. I think for the most part, people are on the track that we hope they will be. It’s not about the specifics of characters showing up or cameos or revelations, really. But it sounds to me like what people are emotionally interested in, I hope that we deliver on that. There is more Agatha, there is more Rio, and there is a conclusion to this story, and there is some truth to be shared about Agatha.

I like that— for Jac it’s not the cameos or the revelations, it’s the emotional interest and investment. It’s the unpacking of Agatha as a character, its Agatha and Rio individually and together. This is what Jac and the writer’s room are interested in.

I love that in superhero show, they’re tackling the very heavy subject of death. And I trust this team of writers to bring it home.

[butterflydm]

WoT 3x06 Deep Dive (additional book spoilers)

spoilers through 3x06 of the show and A Memory of Light for the books (final book).

Everything that the show has been saying about the Dark Oaths that are sworn to the Dark One by regular people are, I'm pretty sure, a show-only situation. In the books, the Black Ajah swear oaths to the Dark One on the Oath Rod (replacing their old Oaths) and it's implied that part of the reason for that is so that they'll keep their 'ageless Aes Sedai' face. But regular old darkfriends are just stuck in it because of either their own character and choices, or good ol' sunk-cost fallacy. This change in the show does mean that it's much harder for a Darkfriend to choose to leave the Shadow, and that trapping a person into it young leaves them with few options.

It also makes it a stronger metaphor for extremist religious organizations which, since Rafe grew up in the Mormon church (as we learned on the 'making of' for s1&2 during the fan global event), I feel like was probably not a coincidence. "If you leave us, you lose your chance at eternal life" is a pretty big refrain in a lot of those high-control religions. We have three high-control groups in Wheel of Time -- darkfriends, the Whitecloaks, and the Seanchan. We've seen youth recruitment in both the darkfriends and the Whitecloaks; and the Seanchan system is embedded deeply into their culture.

The show choosing to have Elayne be the character to keep bringing the focus back to the danger that the collar poses to Rand feels like subconscious seed-planting on the part of the show. She mentions Rand to her mom ("I healed the Dragon Reborn") and now she keeps making sure that the danger to Rand is forefronted when they're talking about their mission here in Tanchico.

Tanchico also continues to feel like a mix of book!Ebou Dar and book!Tanchico, and we eat away at another Ebou Dar thing (Mat and Elayne are clearly getting along much better at the end of this episode than they were when they were trapped together on a boat during 3x05).

So, going over that list again, of the Ebou Dar things we have lost:

Renna is dead.

Seta is dead.

Suroth is dead.

Jaichaim Carridan is dead.

Aviendha and Elayne have already bonded over Aiel culture, which is their main arc together in Ebou Dar in the books.

Mat and Elayne have already bonded, with Mat realizing that actually she can be a lot of fun. Mat and Elayne having an enemies-to-friends arc was their main story in the Ebou Dar section of the plotline.

It feels like Egeanin's entrance from the books (where Elayne believes that she's being kidnapped for being the Daughter-Heir, though it's not a correct assumption in that case) was given to Thom's reintroduction here, with him stepping in to help Elayne out of a tight spot, so if they wanted to introduce Egeanin, it would need to be in a different way

Tanchico being given vibes similar to the Rahad area of Ebou Dar in the books

Now could they still do some of Ebou Dar with cutting all of this out? Yes. We still have Tylin (ugh), we could introduce Bethamin and give her all of Renna & Seta's stuff, we could do the Seanchan invasion with Tuon and Semirhage, and we could do the Bowl of the Winds. So this might be more about streamlining Ebou Dar into one or two episodes as opposed to cutting it out entirely. We will see! (if we get renewed for enough seasons)

In addition to doing some more Ebou Dar stuff, we also touch on Elayne's 'circus arc' from the books by how hard she embraces going undercover here, and we get a bit of the "gleeman's apprentice" stuff that Mat & Rand got to do with Thom in book 1, plus the idea of Thom having a female apprentice (though obviously with very different and a non-sexual context than the books had), plus the scene of Elayne singing on stage pulls at least one line from the books as well.

The show also has chosen to prioritize Min getting bonding time first with Mat, and now with Nynaeve, which I think is an indicator as to where they plan to take Min's character in the future. Bonding with Mat to improve their relationship for the Seanchan storyline at the very end. Bonding with Nynaeve improves the potential time in the future when the two of them are the ones watching Rand spiral down further into isolation and darkness, and trying to help him (basically taking what they're trying to do for Mat here, and applying it to Rand).

And so it continues to be interesting that we have not gotten any Min and Elayne bonding time. I do think that it makes sense to lean away from Min being in the polycule if they are still doing Min's Seanchan-ending from the books, because her being in the Seanchan empire while the others are all in Andor does kinda make it feel like she got the raw end of the deal after the epilogue ends (and I don't think the show will make Rand a deadbeat dad at the end, like the epilogue does - they've shown his affection for children and the desire for a simple life with his loved ones too strongly).

We might get some Min-Elayne bonding in 3x08, but it's pretty packed and I feel like we're more likely to get Min and Nynaeve helping Mat with his memories, while Elayne has a moment with Thom where she remembers him from her mother's court, so I feel like an Elayne-Thom and Mat-Min-Nynaeve split may be more likely for the events of 3x08. I think there might even be a shot of Elayne & Thom running from some trouble together in one of the trailers. Plus, we didn't get any initial reaction from Min when she was introduced to Elayne -- she basically just seemed willing to vibe along with whatever Mat's feelings about Elayne were.

We also get Min lying about one of her viewings in this scene! Very exciting for me! She never does this in the books and I kept wanting her to (especially after she hooks up with Tuon -- like, why are you so devoted to sharing every detail of every person's future with the empress of the Seanchan Empire? why don't you just LIE to her? well, this Min would just lie to Tuon and it makes me like her so much more).

So, Egwene's scene with the Wise Ones, where they call her out on lying to them: the way Egwene reacts here very much fits show!Egwene's behavior as a whole.

I saw people saying after 3x05 how good it was to see Egwene embracing Aiel culture and that is... not what I saw in her at all during 3x05, and this episode confirms that reading for me.

It's Rand who has embraced the Aiel culture much more than Egwene has. She has been interested in learning how to access her power through the Wise Ones' teaching so that she can stop what's happening to her in her dreams, so in this episode, it is Rand that we saw genuinely interacting with the concepts of ji and toh, while Egwene brushes off her lying to the Wise Ones as not important.

This does feel like a deliberate change that the show has made, but very much in line with also not having Egwene be all "the White Tower is my home" after only having been there a handful of months, the way that she is in the books. Show!Egwene considers herself loyal "to the Light" -- not to the Aes Sedai, not to the Wise Ones, not to Rand. And I do feel like that fits her overall story arc better, tbh.

It also makes sense to give the "acclimates to the Aiel culture" storyline to Rand instead of to Egwene, since it's more relevant to him and to his future. It's clear that the show is leaning more into Rand being curious and interested in his Aiel heritage, including having the walk through the columns affect him more deeply than it does in the books.

In 3x01, there were book fans who felt like the show needed to explain why Egwene didn't want to stay in the White Tower but show!Egwene never developed that fast affection & loyalty for the Tower that book!Egwene did, so no explanation was needed for me (and show-onlys were all expecting her to walk out on Siuan and were completely unsurprised by her attitude towards the Tower, from what I saw).

In retrospect, not developing Egwene and Aviendha's friendship feels like an early sign of this decision to make Egwene embracing the Wise Ones' teaching her as more of a pragmatic decision. It's Elayne and Rand, Aviendha's two future love interests, who are interested and invested in learning more about Aiel culture, while Egwene has her own separate path to focus on.

Given the limited time that the show has, it's a choice that makes sense, even if it does contribute to Egwene not having any friends in the Waste storyline (though that might have been a feature and not a bug for the plotting of the season -- much like how I feel like Mat was removed from Rand's plotline more to isolate Rand away from any of his close friends than for anything vital that Mat has needed to do in Tanchico, Egwene not being close friends with Aviendha might have been a narrative decision to help keep Egwene emotionally isolated while on this journey - now I personally think keeping Egwene so emotionally isolated hurt what the show was going for with the Randgwene break-up but... it is what it is).

And the show choosing to have the Wise Ones care more about Rand aligning with the Aiel than Egwene embracing their culture also makes sense.

(of course, they could also choose to have Egwene pivot and become "Aiel-hearted" later on, but as of what we've gotten so far, there isn't any groundwork laid for it yet, and since Egwene's storyline takes her away from the Aiel in the relative near future, I'm not sure that there's any long-term gain from them doing that storyline with her when it seems like there's a greater return in doing it with Rand)

Something I mentioned in the show spoilers only post is that we didn't get any breaks in Egwene's mask to show us the vulnerable woman underneath who is genuinely struggling with the idea that Rand might go mad -- and it reminded me of that being a major issue that I had with a book character. That's one of the reasons that Tuon falls so flat for me in the books -- her mask never falters, not even in her own PoV chapters. And that was kinda the issue that I've been having with Egwene re: her relationship with Rand this season.

Maybe this is them leaning on their "unbreakable" characterization of Egwene, but I feel like we really needed a moment of vulnerability from her earlier this season specifically on the topic of Rand and madness. Before we get her flat-out accusing him of having already gone mad in 3x06. We needed something before that. Or I did, anyway. As it was, she went from zero to a hundred real damn fast. I am hoping that we are finally let more into her emotional conflicts in 3x08, though I'm sure time will be tight.

During Rand and Moiraine's talk, when I closed my eyes and just listened, I'm pretty sure I hear a whispered "Ilyena" which was so exciting! I did not catch that on my first viewing at all. So if Rand is starting to have the beginnings of memories about Ilyena, that's another piece to throw into the pot of "things that were likely affecting Rand's behavior during the Randgwene break-up scene". Also -- the first whispers of Ilyena coming the day after he kisses Lanfear (the first time he kisses her knowing that she's Lanfear and having seen her as Mierin)... that is delicious. I don't think LTT approved of the kiss, you guys.

As for what the change in Faile's backstory does to Deira Bashere... similar to how I felt about the changes to Abell Cauthon, it literally doesn't matter to me. Minor characters exist to bring depth and flavor to more important characters. Deira needs to be a mother that is appropriate for show!Faile and how she interacts with the world, just like Abell and Natti needed to be the parents that were appropriate for show!Mat and how he interacts with the world. Bringing Faile to life and making her a good fit for Perrin is much more important than trying to stay true to book!Deira's characterization.

Theory about Melindhra: she is going to free Sammael from whatever captivity that Rand has placed him in during 3x08 (because I don't think Sammael is dead). It also seems likely that Sammael is the one who put the dragons on Couladin's arms, since he's working with the Shaido in this episode. This may mean that Asmodean is out entirely, or he may still be in but in a different kind of teaching role. We might get either Taimodean or Taimandred in s4. Could go either way! Depends on how long-term a baddie that Sammael is, possibly.

Relatively shorter post this time, since I was able to say most of what I needed to say in the show spoilers only post.

[brodygold]

Liquid GOLD

Journal of Todd Halpern Spring Semester, 2025

January 15

First day of the drug trial. I’m feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. This is my shot at making some easy money. The trial is for a drug called Liquid GOLD. Dr. Ellison, the lead scientist on the project, explained that it’s designed to boost energy, focus, and overall well-being. They’re really hyping it up as some revolutionary formula. Honestly, I don’t care about any of that—I just need the $1,500 stipend to help with tuition.

The instructions are simple enough: take one pill every morning with a glass of water and document any changes I notice. They even gave me this little notebook to record my thoughts and experiences. Took my first dose today, and so far, nothing’s changed. It’s just another normal day filled with studying, gaming, and avoiding the gym. I’m not expecting much, but who knows? Maybe this stuff will actually help me focus.

Anyways, I just took the first pill. They're kinda gross if I'm being honest. There's this golden liquid inside the pill that's almost acidic in a way? I don't really know how to describe it.

January 22

It’s been a week since I started taking Liquid GOLD, and I think I’m starting to notice some changes. My head feels clearer, like a fog has lifted. I’ve also been feeling this insane burst of energy. Usually, I’d crash after my afternoon classes, but now I feel restless, like I need to do something physical.

In a moment of madness, I went to the gym yesterday. I didn’t plan it at all. It just felt like the right thing to do. I only stayed for about half an hour, but I found myself enjoying it in a way I never have before. A bit weird for the guy who avoided PE like the plague in high school.

The strangest part? I feel good when I look in the mirror. My arms look a little bigger, and my posture is better. I don’t know if it’s real or just a placebo, but I’ll take it.

February 5

Wow, okay. It’s been three weeks now, and I can’t believe the changes I’m seeing. My body is transforming in ways I never expected. My arms are thicker, my chest is broader, and my waist is tighter. It’s like my muscles are waking up for the first time. Even my face looks different—more angular, less soft.

I’ve been spending more and more time in the gym. It’s not just a chore anymore; it’s become the highlight of my day. There’s something satisfying about pushing myself, lifting heavier weights, and seeing the progress. My old hobbies, like gaming and watching anime, don’t excite me as much anymore.

Mentally, things feel… different. My thoughts are quieter, more focused. I don’t get lost in overthinking or procrastination like I used to. It’s hard to describe, but it feels like my mind is streamlining itself, getting rid of all the unnecessary clutter.

February 19

Something’s definitely happening. It’s not just my body—it’s my mind, too. I feel so focused, so driven, but my priorities are shifting. Things that used to matter to me, like schoolwork or hanging out with friends, feel unimportant. Instead, I’ve been obsessing over routine.

Wake up.

Take my pill.

Work out.

Eat clean.

Sleep.

Repeat.

Clothing has become a weird fixation for me. I can’t stand how baggy my old hoodies and jeans feel. They don’t fit the new me. I’ve started wearing fitted shirts and athletic shorts. Today, I spent hours online looking at rubber gear—polo shirts, shorts, even gloves. I don’t know why, but I felt drawn to it.

Dr. Ellison called it “progress” when I mentioned this during my checkup. He said I’m adapting well to the trial. His words were comforting, even though I’m not entirely sure what he meant by “adapting.”

March 3

The changes are accelerating. My reflection in the mirror is barely recognizable. I’m massive now—broad shoulders, thick arms, sculpted abs. I never thought I’d look like this, and honestly, I’m not complaining.

But it’s not just about how I look. My thoughts are simpler now. Cleaner. I don’t worry about grades or what other people think of me. I’ve been finding satisfaction in following routines and staying disciplined. It’s like my mind is trimming away the excess, leaving only what’s necessary.

The strangest part is how natural this feels. I’ve stopped questioning why I’m drawn to certain things, like rubber clothing. I ordered a polo shirt and shorts made of shiny black rubber, and when they arrived, I felt this overwhelming urge to put them on. The way the material clung to my body was exhilarating. It felt like it was meant for me.

March 17

Obedience. That word has been stuck in my head all day. I used to think of obedience as something restrictive, but now it feels… freeing. There’s a comfort in knowing what’s expected of me and fulfilling that role.

During today’s checkup, Dr. Ellison introduced me to the concept of the Golden Army. He said that’s what this trial is all about—creating a team, a collective, a purpose. When he said I was almost ready to “serve,” I felt this rush of pride.

He gave me a new uniform: a shiny black rubber polo shirt and matching shorts. When I put them on, it felt like coming home. The snugness of the material, the way it shimmered in the light—it was perfect. He told me to wear it proudly, and I do.

April 14

It’s hard to put my thoughts into words now. Writing feels inefficient, clunky. My mind works differently—it’s all about action and purpose.

I have stopped thinking of myself as Todd. That identity has been erased. I am PDU-092, a loyal servant of the Golden Army. My uniform defines me. My purpose is simple: obey commands, serve the collective, and maintain perfection.

Everything is clearer now. I exist to follow orders, to train, to serve. There is no hesitation, no doubt. The Golden Army is strong. The Golden Army is eternal.

Transformation complete.

Identity secure.

Loyalty unwavering.

092 ready to serve. Disciplined. Focused. Controlled.

Journal of Brody Gold

April 14

Dr. Ellison has informed me that the trial drones have progressed smoothly, with a 100 percent conversion rate. Thanks to Liquid GOLD, or Gathering Obedient Loyal Drones, we have a new batch of polo drones at our command. With their blank minds and jacked bodies, they should be perfect servants both on and off the field.

Of course, more test subjects are required.

[probablyasocialecologist]

For most of the history of linguistics, scholars have tended to focus on written language, in large part because that’s what they had records of. But once recordings of conversation became available, they could begin to analyze spoken language the same way as writing. When they did, they observed that interjections—that is, short utterances of just a word or two that are not part of a larger sentence—were ubiquitous in everyday speech. “One in every seven utterances are one of these things,” says Dingemanse, who explores the use of interjections in the 2024 Annual Review of Linguistics. “You’re going to find one of those little guys flying by every 12 seconds. Apparently, we need them.” Many of these interjections serve to regulate the flow of conversation. “Think of it as a tool kit for conducting interactions,” says Dingemanse. “If you want to have streamlined conversations, these are the tools you need.” An “um” or “uh” from the speaker, for example, signals that they’re about to pause but aren’t finished speaking. A quick “huh?” or “what?” from the listener, on the other hand, can signal a failure of communication that the speaker needs to repair. That need seems to be universal: In a survey of 31 languages around the world, Dingemanse and his colleagues found that all of them used a short, neutral syllable similar to “huh?” as a repair signal, probably because it’s quick to produce. “In that moment of difficulty, you’re going to need the simplest possible question word, and that’s what ‘huh?’ is,” says Dingemanse. “We think all societies will stumble on this, for the same reason.”

9 April 2025