#3E-Political Awareness

[nientedenada]

The Septim Bastard Who Became Empress - The Curious Case of Morihatha Septim (and what it meant for Martin)

Originally posted on r/teslore

Here’s a little lore oddity. In 3E 317, Morihatha Septim inherited the Ruby Throne from her childless brother, Uriel VI. Why is that odd? Well, the circumstances of Morihatha’s birth are odd. Not only was she not the child of her brother Uriel’s mother, she and her twin sister Eloisa were explicitly barred from succession before they were even born. Nevertheless, she became Empress one day, and was succeeded by her twin sister’s son.

Morihatha Septim, Illustration by @ladynerevar

Let’s drill into the details.

From A Brief History of the Empire, Part Four

On Uriel V’s death across the sea in distant, hostile Akavir, Uriel VI was but five years old. In fact, Uriel VI was born only shortly before his father left for Akavir. Uriel V’s only other progeny, by a morganatic alliance, were the twins Morihatha and Eloisa, who had been born a month after Uriel V left. Uriel VI was crowned in the 290th year of the Third Era. The Imperial Consort Thonica, as the boy’s mother, was given a restricted Regency until Uriel VI reached his majority.

So, Uriel’s official wife, Thonica, was the mother of Uriel VI and outlived her husband to become Regent. However, while married to Thonica, Uriel had a relationship with another woman, which is characterized as “a morganatic alliance.” The twins Morihatha and Eloisa are born to that relationship.

“Morganatic” is an odd word to use here. It usually means “relating to or denoting a marriage in which neither the spouse of lower rank, nor any children, have any claim to the possessions or title of the spouse of higher rank”. In this case, it would seem to mean that Uriel’s relationship with the twins’ mother was given some recognition, but the relationship was formally defined not to put them in line for the throne. Perhaps this was the condition the Elder Council put on Uriel being allowed to continue the relationship. It sounds like they feared the possibility of Septim bastards claiming the throne from the true heirs.

However, Morihatha grew up to be the greatest ally of her half-brother, Uriel, not his rival.

His half-sister Morihatha Septim was (not surprisingly) his staunchest ally, especially after her marriage to Baron Ulfe Gersen of Winterhold brought her considerable wealth and influence.

And despite the “morganatic” designation given to her parents’ relationship, she became Empress after he died.

Any protests that happened back then are not mentioned. Given the legal designation of “morganatic”, I’m sure there were some. But Morihatha had the political clout and willpower to power through such protests. The result? Uriel Septim VII (aka Patrick Stewart) was the grandson of Septim bastard Eloisa (Morihatha’s twin sister).

That explains a few things about Uriel’s own succession issues. First of all, he had a problem with his own bastard son Calaxes

From the book Words and Philosophy, interviewing the head of Uriel’s Imperial Guard,

The only story I asked her that she would neither admit nor refute was the one about Calaxes, the Emperor’s bastard. When I brought up the name, she shrugged, professing no knowledge of the affair. I pressed on with the details of the story. Calaxes, though not in line for succession, had been given the Archbishopric of The One: a powerful position in the Imperial City, and indeed over all Tamriel where that religion is honored. Whispering began immediately that Calaxes believed that the Gods were angered with the secular governments of Tamriel and the Emperor specifically. It was even said that Calaxes advocated full-scale rebellion to establish a theocracy over the Empire.

Calaxes might not have been “in line for succession” but he’d be well aware neither was his great-grandmother Eloisa. This family history made Calaxes claim much stronger, especially since there were rumours that Uriel’s legitimate sons had been replaced permanently by doppelgangers, during Tharn’s impersonation of Uriel. It’s believed that Uriel had Calaxes murdered to stop his threat.

And then, we have Martin. The Blades in Oblivion have absolutely no doubt in their mind that Martin is the legitimate heir. Maybe they thought he was the only one at hand too, but it must have made it easier that Martin’s great-grandmother was also a Septim bastard who entered into the line of succession after the legitimate heir died. If Morihatha’s legitimate Septim cousins didn’t proceed her, why bother looking for a Septim cousin to proceed Martin?

[benevolentbirdgal]

A “brief” reference guide to modern Jewish denominations / Jewish Writing Advice / Jewish Identity / Jewish Reference Guide [graphic at bottom]

Writing a Jew or Jewish family? Aware that Judaism is not a monolith and want to honor that? Great! Need help with that? 100% cool - I’m here as your friendly (virtual) neighborhood Jewish professional to help. Just want to know more about Jewish denominations in comparison to one another? Also great! Fair warning - this is a long one. At least I included a graphic at the bottom?

Quick notes to acknowledge: As always, this is an American and Americanish perspective (and denominations as discussed here are MOSTLY relevant in the U.S. anyways). Additionally, the modern denominations as we think of them today really sprung from Ashkenazi communities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Most extant U.S. synagogues, day schools, and groups follow Ashkenazi customs and align with a denomination born of Ashkenazi tradition (aligning with the approximately 90% of Jewish-Americans who are Ashkenazi or Ashkenazi plus another community). Sephardi, Mizrachi, and other Jewish communities have their own traditions and jurisprudence. Most organized non-Ashkenazi communities in the U.S. identify as nondenominational but most closely compare in practice to orthodoxy, and many non-Ashkenazi Jews (especially outside of major population centers that may have other specific subgroup’s synagogues) are members of and very involved in Ashkenazi-originating movements, institutions, and synagogues. 

For the purpose’s of today’s discussion, we’ll start in the 19th century, because Karaites vs Pharisees vs Sadducees is a (his)story for another time. This also isn’t a history of how these denominations came to be-with the exception of some ultraorthodox groups, which may have sprung from the shtel a little earlier, all the below movements popped out of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I’m also going to list approximate percentage of the American Jewish population, and I’m going to (kinda) go in order from most to least strict/traditionally observant. 

Ultraorthodox (aka Haredi): The strictest, more traditional and expansive observance of the Torah, Talmud, and minhagim (customs). About 1% of American Jews are ultraorthodox. Ultraorthodox is not a unified movement. 

1a. Haredi, Satmar, and most other groups generally isolate themselves from the wider Jewish world and secular world.

1b. Chabad is also ultraorthodox, but specially seeks to interact with less observant Jews. I wouldn’t call it proselytizing, because they don’t seek to make gentiles Jewish, but they do try and find less observant Jews and bring them closer to Judaism, also establishes small synagogues around the country and world in isolated place. 

1c. Ultraorthodox are the most visibly Jewish attired group, wearing Kippahs for all men and boys and tichels (headscarves) and/or wigs for married women. Very modest attire for all. In Ashkenazi Ultraorthodox communities, men also tend to only wear black and white, hats in addition to their kippah (for grown and married men), and wearing tzitzit (a garmet with four corners with strings attached worn under a shirt with the threads sticking out). 

1d. Most likely to speak Yiddish or Hebrew as first language.

1e. No gender equality, very strict kosher, and intense community adherence to particular brand of Judaism.

1f. Communities generally led by a Rabbi and a Rebbetzin (Rabbi’s wife) as pair (rabbis are generally expected to be married).

1g. No female Rabbis, same-sex marriage, or intermarriage. Lots of children. Pretty much all boys have Bar Mitzahs, rarely do girls have Bat Mitzvahs. 

1h. Services entirely in Hebrew (except maybe the sermon).

1i. Only count matrilineal Jews and converts-Jewish father and gentile mother doesn’t count for them. 

1j. Very strict observance of prohibitions and commandments pertaining to Shabbat and holidays. 

Modern orthodox: Orthodox, but with some adaptations to modern life. Roughly 9% of American Jews. Also some division within modern orthodoxy (with some congregations being more liberal than others, particularly in regards to women and LGBTQ+ folks), but there are a couple of major organizations that most modox rabbis and congregations affiliate with one another through larger denomination movements (i.e. the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America). 

2a. Modern orthodox Jews regularly interact with other Jews who are more liberal. They tend to live in more Jewish communities but no issues with interacting with outside world.

2b. Modest clothing and men wear kippot everywhere (when safe). Married women also usually cover their hair (with wigs or tichels). Men also typically wear tzitzit. 

2b. Gender roles, but progress being made. Handful of female rabbis emerging in 2010s/2020s. Whether women count in a minyan depends on the specific congregation and many modern orthodox shuls will have separate women’s prayer groups. The prevalence of Bat Mitzvahs also varies wildly congregation to congregation.

2c. Like ultraorthodox, communities are typically led by a Rabbi and his wife the Rebbetzin. Some acceptance of homosexual individuals as members of the community, but no same-sex marriage (some alternate ceremonies emerging). Like one out gay male rabbi. No intermarriage.

2d. Very strict adherence to kosher, would likely not eat at someone less kosher’s home.

2e. Usually have on the higher end of a “normal” amount of children. Services entirely in Hebrew (except sermon).

2f. Only count matrilineal Jews and converts-Jewish father and gentile mother doesn’t count for them.

Less traditionally observant than this is often known as “liberal Judaism” - around 90% of American Jews.

2g.  Very strict observance of prohibitions and commandments pertaining to Shabbat and holidays. 

Conservative: Brands itself as middle of the road Jewish movement. about 18% of the American Jewish population. No connection to conservative politics, most Conservative with a C Jews are liberal or moderate politically. Often called “Masorti” outside the U.S and hypothetically a unified movement under several connected organizations (i.e. the Masorti Olami and the Jewish Theological Seminary). 

3a. Gender equality. Female rabbis and LGBTQ rabbis definitely an acceptable thing, but not as common as with Reform or Reconstructionist. 

3b. Formally sanctioned ceremony for same-sex couples to wed under Jewish law since 2012 and affirmation ceremonies since 2006.

3c. Modesty in synagogues but comparable to regular American attire otherwise.

3d. Generally comparable family size to other American families.

3e. Kosher, but not as strict as orthodoxy. Many Conservative Jews have kosher homes but are willing to be more lax when eating out. Synagogues are always kosher.

3f. Services mostly in Hebrew, sermons and some prayers definitely in local language.

3g. Intermarriage is frowned upon, but many otherwise Conservative Jews will be married by a less traditional rabbi or justice of the peace to non-Jewish partners. Although Conservative rabbis do not perform interfaith marriages, many interfaith couples are in Conservative synagogues. In the 90s/2000s it was way less friendly to interfaith couples/families (laughs in having a goyish dad) but that has improved in the past 3-5 years substantially. 

3h. Observance of prohibitions and commandments pertaining to Shabbat and holidays is regulated but less strict than orthodoxy. Varies a bit by community. A good example to illustrate this is getting to synagogue on Shabbat:

By the book (not necessarily reflected by attendees): Orthodoxy says you have to walk there (no driving), Reform says it’s no issue to drive on Shabbat, and Conservative says you can drive but only to get to shul and back. 

3i. As with orthodoxy, only matrilineal Jews count. Most interfaith families with non-Jewish moms (or moms who converted post-birth of the kid), particularly those who want to participate in Conservative communities will convert the child as a baby so they can have a normal Jewish upbringing (beyond an extra blessing/prayer in the Bnai Mitzvah process and social awkwardness that oft accompanies interfaith families in Jewish spaces).

3j. Most dress comparably to others in geographic area (synagogue notwithstanding, see my other post). Men on the higher end of observant might also wear kippahs all the time as well. Outside of explicitly Jewish contexts, similar lifestyles to surrounding populations. Around the same number of children as in gentile families. 

Reform: Not at all traditionally observant. About 35% of American Jews. More or less a cohesive movement linked by organizations (i.e. Women of Reform Judaism and the Union for Reform Judaism).

4a. Reform Judaism is the largest group. It generally views Judaism through the lens of social justice, repairing the world, and cultural heritage as opposed to religious mandate. 

4b. Very big on personal choice in what one observes, I like to call it “choose your own adventure” Judaism. 

4c. Keeping kosher is uncommon. Some shuls aren’t even kosher.

4d. Reform services use the least Hebrew, although this is changing in some places. 

4e. Reform’s standard of Jewishness is 1+ Jewish parent(s) and raised doing Jewish things, regardless of which parent is Jewish. 

4f. Very feminist/egalitarian and welcoming to LGBTQ+ folks. Highest number of not-straight rabbis and female rabbis. 

4g. Intermarriage very common and can be performed by Reform rabbis. 

4h. Reform Judaism was way ahead of the curve in terms of LGBTQ+ rights and religion. The movement has had members advocating for homosexual rights (protection in housing, employment, civil marriage, and other nondiscrimination protections) since 1965 (finally passing formal resolutions in 1977), began proactively including/welcoming out gay rabbis in 1990, created same-gender marriage Jewish ceremonies in 1996/7, and has made resolutions explicitly including bi and trans people as well since 2004 (stuff earlier than that generally specified “gay and lesbian”). An additional resolution was passed in 2015 regarding trans and nonbinary inclusion, alongside guides to help congregations do so. 

4i. See #3j - also applies here. 

Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform, are the biggest and “standard” movements people will most typically list and identify with, most likely to appear in surveys and studies, are older than everything listed below. Modern Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform all started in the 19th century and some Ultraorthodox groups trace back further than that. I’ve outlined some practical differences, but the basic theoretical difference is that Orthodox considers traditional Jewish law (Halacha) binding and you can’t change it, Conservative believes it it’s binding but the community can change it, and Reform believes that it’s nonbinding. 

Some smaller movements: 

Reconstructionist - Newest even remotely well-known and organized movement, founded in the 1920s as an offshoot of the Conservative movement. I would describe it as “build your own adventure but Halacha matters (or at least some of it).” The first thing almost every recon Jew I’ve ever met has told me when describing reconstructionism is that they invented the bat mitzvah in 1922, which basically translates to “tradition matters but also egalitarianism.”

Maybe 2%-5% of American Jews today self-ID as Reconstructionist, but I would argue that a lot of nondenominal practitioners have philosophies fairly aligned with the recon ethos. 

Jewish Renewal: very small and relatively disorganized movement started in the 1960s. Attempts to bring Jewish tradition and modern sensibilities, hippie Jews who care about Halacha. Big on mysticism and music, doing Jewish enthusiastically, and a tendency towards more traditional observance in conjunction with progressive politics. Kind of the laid-back cousin of reconstructionism, although neither sprung from the other. 

(Cultural) Humanistic Judaism: “Non-theistic” Judaism for atheist Jews who still want a connection to their history, culture, and celebrations. 

Nondenominational - Nondenominational and post-denominational Jews are the fast growing group. Variety of liberal/non-traditionally observant beliefs and practices, but most will still contextualize themselves around the denominational scale.

[vallonde-laid-bare]

Hello, and welcome once again to VLB’s Lab™️, where we tinker with the way the game was designed to work and see how it goes. I made some minor revisions to my MERCHANT class to make sure it was doing what I wanted, and I have to say after all this time I’m still satisfied with the design principles that went into its creation. As we’re all fairly well aware, 5e is a game built on combat and it has been since the beginning. Heck, I’d argue that the game has been about combat since 3e, but that’s a conversation for another time and another post. To challenge this paradigm, I wanted to create a class that was focused on non-combat utility and the merchant class is just that. It has given me a great outlet to create power suites that go against the grain of classes and subclasses granting increases to combat efficacy, and this is a great example of that in that it has great utility, but none of it is directly combat focused and it gives players that want to change things up a bit a great way to go about it. You’re still in their delving dungeons or whatever, but you’re focused on something completely different than everyone else so you all get your chance to shine without stepping on each other’s toes. Is the usefulness dependent on the kind of game being played? I think so, but that can be said for a lot of character options I think. If a combat-focused fighter or barbarian is stuck in a game about political intrigue, they’re going to be just as useless as someone using this subclass in a game without dungeons, so as always I think it’s important to know what kind of game you’re getting into when you begin a campaign (session 0 is important, kids). 

As always, questions and comments are welcome. I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

(Content PDF) (Patreon) (Commissions)

[tabzanite]

Trials Of Wilbur Soot

The trials of a man known as Wilbur Soot, going through his thoughts on everything that happened in L'manburg, to Pogtopia, to the ends of it all- even to new beginnings.

_____________

Pretty much what I think c!Wilbur's vague thoughts on everything starting from L'manburg would be. As always, talking about the character, this is all /rp.

Ao3 Link- https://archiveofourown.org/works/31174949%22%3E

Trial for what, you may ask? Well we can't be sure.

Wilbur can't say it was all a test. So much of it felt so light hearted. Watching Tommy grow and slowly get better was a pleasure. Watching Tubbo be able to get more and more people to see what he actually was, that was magnificent.

He’d have to say it all started when L’manburg came to be. It was dumb, it was stupid he had to admit, but getting under peoples skins, proving a point- that made it so worth it. He had his brothers in his eyes and his son, what could come of this?

Betrayal. Betrayal could. This is what he considered his first benchmark. Eret leading them into that damp, cold, yet so clearly calculated room. As always, Tommy not listening to his ruling, going on and saying what was on his mind. Suffering the consequence from it, losing his discs. Losing to a green man. A bit funny if he was being honest.

It was unfair to blame it all on Tommy, as much of a moron he was, Wilbur failed his role as well.

Screaming into his pillow until sunrise, thinking about ways to keep up his facade until dawn. Wilbur knew what they all thought of him. What they all expected from him. He knew he shouldn't realistically be on that high horse, they didn't see him as a messiah or anything but- they saw him as their leader. He couldn't complain either. In the end, it was his decision to do it anyway.

There was a question that stuck in his mind after this, “Is that moment what made the average he consistently held? Was that his first failure in the trials?” There was no true way to answer.

There wasn't any need for an answer in his eyes at the time anyway, he wasn't aware he was being tested. L’manburg only grew to more people after this- Niki, Jack. More people brought more ideals, more expectations. More people to be, more people to have to please.

Next was his first definite mistake, a thirst for power, a thirst to prove. The trial kept getting harder.

Wilbur wanted to start an election. Not any election, an election specifically to prove his power. It was wrong, he knew it was wrong, but it would've worked. It should've worked. The people would have no one else to vote for, what else could have happened? It was a steal to Pog 2020!

Quackity.

In his eyes, it was fair to blame all of what happened after this on Quackity, not that he solely did. He was a definite cause in all of this. Swag 2020 they called it. Him, and the person he somehow convinced to work with him, Georgenotfound. Really though how the hell’d he get Georgenotfound?

Then came Coconut 2020, his son. His own son and one of his closest friends. He shouldn't be mad, he shouldn't be upset- it's not like they'd win anyway- it was an election . He had to let people run, it was an election . He just didn't expect it to be them of all people. It hurt, it really did. No matter what, it was just his adorable son and one of his good friends. They wouldn't win. It was a good ambition to see.

None of that mattered- he had his right hand men! He had his right hand men, Tommy and Tubbo. He knew what they saw him as, they would listen to him. Tommy's Always stuck around, Tubbo was always behind him, nothing could change that. Yes men. They were yes men- as he thought- they'd stick around if they were strong enough.

Tommy and Tubbo were a good bunch. They were great. They were also naive, gullible. Tubbo kept Tommy rooted, Tommy kept Tubbo in front of people, Wilbur kept them both at their goals. Well his goals, but they didn't know that. Tommy and Tubbo were great kids, but by prime, were they gullible.

In their defense, Wilbur was the first one to give them the time of day. To genuinely care, at least for a bit. Be a brother . To be family. He couldn't blame them. He couldn't say he felt guilty either.

He would always have his father, too. He would always have him through pen and through paper and would always have him in heart. He constantly wondered if he would be disappointed in him for some of his more- well, morally wrong thoughts.

He thinks of this as the second part of the trial. It was a long one, it was a hard one. He couldn't even tell you if it was a legal trial or a test, he chose which one of those he thought of it as depending on the time of day. Not that he knew what time of day it was.

Then came Jschlatt. Georgenotfound, keeping true to the name, the brand- Wilbur does have to respect the commitment a bit- not showing up. Sleeping through some of the debates. The first debate went smoothly, he got an outlook on Quackity’s beliefs- Quackity was oh so wrong. In everything.

Quackity believed putting down the walls, Quackity believed in- now get this lunatic- Quackity believed in the good in people. He’s definitely failing his trial, Wilbur thought. Swords were the only way here, and one day, one day, Quackity was going to see that.

But yes, Jschlatt’s mighty arrival, making Jschlatt 2020. Then somehow- for some reason - combining it with Swag2020. He had asked Quackity to give this up and combine with Pog2020.  He declined. He declined, and in his defense, he was right to. Wilbur knew he was just using him, not giving him any of the power he seeked over L’manburg.

Either way- either way- there was no way they’d win? Right? Right? Their literal ruling was to make L’manburg- well, not L’manbrug anymore, tearing down the walls! People had to see that, right?

The election went on, the votes were casted- but then it happened. He didn't expect this, he didn't expect this at all. There was always a pattern in his failures with these trials where it was something shocking. Something he wasn’t smart enough to see a few steps back.

Erets betrayal, now Swag 2020 winning.

It was a fair win, he had to give it to them. They won the vote. They won the vote, he couldn't be mad. He couldn't be. He couldn't be mad, him and Tommy failed, there was nothing to be mad abou-

“My first decree as president- as emperor of L‘manburg! Is to revoke! The citizenship of Wilbur soot and Tommyinnit!”

The third trial. This is what Wilbur considered the third trial.

Running through the nation known as the Dream smp, trying to run from their founded home. Being hunted alive at all times. It did hit him though, it hit him hard.

It wasn't right to be thinking about over throwing a politically elected government. It wasn't right at all.

“Let's be the bad guys, Tommy.”

There was no way to say that it was another failed part of the trial. Tubbo had left them- actually Tubbo had betrayed them! Tubbo had left Tommy! It was an entertaining part of this all, Tubbo- the Tubbo! The Tubbo, the sidekick, the yes man, Tubbo , betraying Tommyinnit!

God, maybe he was wrong about the kid! Maybe he did have some fight in him , some actual lead. Now the funny part about this- He couldn't stop laughing to the walls when he realized- L’manburg was going down no matter what from now on.

That place was going down, he was the only person able to rule it the way it was meant to be ruled. His unfinished symphony had the wrong conductors, barely had the right instruments- it wasn't even the right song. L’manburg was done for no matter what happened after this.

Philza had always told him he was smart, everyone always had actually. He was smart enough to know this is where it would end.

He had talked about how he said Tommy and Tubbo would follow him if they were strong enough earlier. Seems as though he wasn't strong enough to follow through with the truth to Philza. When push comes to shove, even after all the monstrosities he’d been planning, he doesn't want to disappoint his father. It did indeed hurt him to lie to Philza.

The ink those letters have reak of lies to anyone aside from him willing to read them. Good thing the ink was Phil and Wilburs favorite scent.

Was that another part of the trial? Probably, it had such an underlying effect on all of this. It forced him to actually think about every action that he had done, everything that had occurred. Forced him to think about his failures.

Did it all matter though? He’d been betrayed by his own son Fundy and Jack, had to have abandoned Niki- there was no one he could truly trust- and he had to flee what he had made.

However, with that, he had plans. Now in Pogtopia, he's given his plans condemning L’manburg- sorry, sorry, his bad, Manburg. The man, the myth, Technoblade. Technoblade had come to their assistance. His plan to destroy Manburg, he knows he said it as if it wasn't terrorism, but come on. Tommy should know by now, may as well just do it. That place is gone. It isn’t L’manbrg anymore.

Tommy’s afraid, but Wilbur didn't see why. He didn't see what there was to lose anymore- he was never going be president. He was never going to be president of the actual L’manburg at least. Tommys always been naive, quite the dreamer if you must. Challenging Dream, thinking he had a chance.

Oh yeah, the green bastard himself, Dream. An interesting character, you never know with him. His uncanny hate for what used to be L’manburg, his stupid fucking mask, his constant use of weapons, his power.

He's pure proof of the fact that power comes from iron and swords. A vile man, vile and smart .

The man who's enabling him now. Giving him the TNT he needs to blow up Manburg. An interesting character indeed.

The Manberg festival.

Another huge failure in his trials, the fourth trial- the fifth? He’d lost count. Manbeg’s celebration for existing, ending in execution. Tubbo had come around to Pogtopia a good lot, probably for Tommy. Tommy still trusted him after all this. Tommy’s quite, quite the character.

Another thing he didn't expect to sprung up, Technoblade being brought up on stage, by Jschlatt himself! Told to formally execute Tubbo! And actually doing it! Also Niki standing up, and being threatened? Jschlatt not even killing him when he offered his life? It was quite the show!

A part of him felt bad for telling Tubbo Technoblade wasn't going to hurt him. There was- it wasn't- he was wrong there. He was extremely wrong there.

Too bad he couldn’t find the fucking button.

Of course, Tommy, the big man he is, goes to the Technoblade thinking he could win. He goes to Technoblade, they fight in the pit, to be fair he put his anger into it! He put his determination into it! Too bad it just wasn't enough.

“Onto a new day, a new plot, to destroy Manburg.”

There we go! You'd think it'd end there, he’d find the button, push it, and it would be over.

Quackity and Tommy always had their way with words to Wilbur. Their mistake was thinking it actually worked.

That's also an interesting thing! Big Q, his rival! His enemy! Coming to Pogtopia? Betraying Jschaltt? What a pleasant surprise!  What a pleasant, pleasant , surprise.

Fundy came, showing he’d been a spy the entire time. Didn't really matter, he'd always lost his son in the end. Then fucking Dream showed up!

Announced he’d switched sides for some book? What an imbecile- but he has his ideals we’ll give him that. As always, it ends with war. Down on the sixteenth.

And they'd won. Technoblades secret armor, providing them with everything they needed. Running through Manburg, Jschlatt dying. Of a heart attack too! None of us even got the satisfaction of killing him- the motherfucker!

But we had won. Well, I shouldn't say that. Pogtopia had won. Tommy and Tubbo and Quackity and Niki and everyone else there had won. Or so they thought. I finally got into that room- I was finally ready- and guess who shows up in all his glory.

Philza Minecraft.

That didn't matter anyway- I finally pressed that button and in the moment, death seemed like escapism! Death seemed like the way to go! I begged him to kill me, and guess what he did, he killed me! I died! It's not like anyone would even want me there!

But now looking at it, I was never right. I've been here for so long- so, so, so long. This train track- my voice is hoarse, I haven't seen anything- Anything! I haven seen anything else in years.

Shouting does nothing, my hands burn from punching, clawing, at the walls- this was a mistake. Another mistake in the trial. What even number part was this?

Thinking about this huge test down in the tracks was a good choice. I see my patterns- I see my errors! I don't know what I'm being  tested for- I don't even know if I'm human anymore! But by prime- by prime when I get out, by prime when I get out I'm making sure I don’t fail it again.

I won't fail any of it again. I’ll make sure of-

...what was that?

Is that a- is that a train ?

...Dream? Casper? Why the fucks Casper the friendly ghost here? Whys he crying- whys he look like me?

...I'm free, aren't I? This ones going to be good.

[razaks-wheel]

[In her research into Imperial-funded overhaul events, Meryse contacts the Nerevarine. This probably isn't canon. Unless]

3E 432

Meryse set up a sound wall around the projection room she had booked for the afternoon. She wished she could do this somewhere more private, like her own home, but even the "modern-style" projection that many mages made use of was still a little ways beyond her current skill level, and so she was stuck using a device at her local Mages Guild.

It was a dangerous game, she knew, doing research that could be considered anti-Imperial in an Imperial-funded facility, but she was fairly confident that she knew how to take the appropriate precautions. Besides, if the rumors could be trusted, the person she was going to be talking to was at least nominally considered a friend of the Empire, and so even if the projection could be tracked, she should be safe.

In their brief exchange of letters, they had provided each other with a pointer gem, a tiny crystal infused with a small amount of magicka, to make it possible to target each other with a projection. When the designated time came, Meryse placed Ildari's pointer gem in the device's slot and powered it up with a bit of her own magicka. She sat at the desk in the rune on the floor and set her notebook down in front of her while the device whooshed to life and sent its projection to what she imagined was a fabled mushroom tower all the way in Morrowind.

A few moments later, a translucent form appeared in front of her of a Dunmer woman with hair flopped to one side of her head. She had heard that the Nerevarine had been young, but she was still surprised to see that this mer barely looked older than she. Of course, it was hard to gauge an age from a projection, especially of a mer. Maybe she was older than she looked, or maybe Meryse was really just older than she felt.

As they exchanged introductions and pleasantries, Meryse noticed a ring on Ildari's finger decorated with Azuran symbology. She had heard of that ring, Moon-and-Star, in her studies when preparing for this meeting. It was said to give Nerevar, and only Nerevar, a substantial boon in interpersonal abilities. She wondered whether Ildari was wearing it for symbolic reasons, or if she was just as nervous to be interviewed by a stranger as Meryse was to be conducting the interview. Either way, Meryse wished she had a ring like that, though preferably one that wouldn't kill her.

"So, I'm studying some of the major events that the Empire has seemed to have a hand in, as part of a larger research project, and I wanted to talk to some of the key players in those events," Meryse said. "You were employed by the Emperor himself to fulfill your Nerevarine prophecies, correct?"

"Ah...not exactly," Ildari said. "The Emperor selected me, yes, and tried to get me into his service, but I never even ended up talking to the guy the Empire wanted me to go to."

"Oh," Meryse said, her pen hovering above her notes. "Can I ask why?"

"Someone intercepted me outside the Census and Excise office and gave me a better offer if I would take the orders they'd given me to his boss instead of the Imperial contact I was told to meet. His boss was on the council of House Telvanni, which I wanted to connect with anyway, being my ancestral House, and it gave me the option not to work for the Empire, so I took him up on it."

"And the Empire was fine with you not following their orders?"

"'Fine' would be a stretch." She laughed. "Let's just say that when I visit my mom in the Imperial City these days, I stay clear of Green Emperor Way. They probably know better than to mess with me, honestly, but I also know better than to dangle myself in front of them."

Well, that was a deviation. Maybe this was more dangerous than Meryse had anticipated, if this Ildari was less of a friend of the Empire than she had previously believed. On the other hand, it might mean that her answers would be more useful than she expected, as long as any of the questions she had prepared still applied. She probed her wards to make sure they were holding up, and then glanced down at her notebook to decide where to go next.

"You were still initially set on your path by the Emperor, right? Do you know how he picked you?"

"Oh, Uriel absolutely orchestrated my involvement, even if I broke away the second I had the chance," Ildari said. "Certain entities have the ability to identify 'Heroes'—agents of prophecy. Gods can do it. I suspect Moth Priests can, too. Something about it being written in the Elder Scrolls. I assume an emperor has connections and probably makes it his business to keep tabs on any Heroes that pop up.

"Here's the thing, though: they did have to mess with my life to make it work. They killed my parents before I was old enough to remember them, because the prophecy said the Nerevarine has to have 'uncertain parents.' And they made up the charges that landed me in prison, because apparently being in prison is important to trigger the start of a prophecy, at least according to my friend Vivec. That tells me two things. First, they identified me as a Hero early on, long before the prophecies were actually set to be fulfilled. Second, they're willing to force a prophecy's conditions to be met, if it suits them."

"Wow, I...didn't realize they would go that far. Not that it's surprising, exactly. I guess I just didn't know they had the resources and the drive to act on prophecy so long before it's relevant."

She took a moment to consider the implications for her own research, and jotted a few notes down. She looked at her next question. It would sound strange, she knew, but Ildari seemed open-minded enough. Clearly, she was already aware of the implications of prophecy; she might not balk at a question about the nature of time and the aurbis.

"Did anything...strange happen while you were fulfilling your prophecies?" she asked. "I know that's broad. Anything that's hard to explain or understand, maybe relating to the flow of time?"

"That's very broad," Ildari agreed. "There was the part where I got all my memories back from my past seventeen incarnates' lives. That was strange and somewhat relates to the flow of time. But that's pretty specific to me. Probably not what you're looking for." With half a smile, she asked, "So, you're studying the Warp in the West?"

"Ah...yes," Meryse said with a nervous laugh.

"Don't buy the idea that it was a miracle from the Divines?"

"Not exactly," she said. "Not even a little bit, really. I want to figure out what really happened. Everyone sort of waves their hands around what happened, and no one seems to remember it. I do, sort of, but I was a kid, so no one believes me. I want to know what the Empire is hiding, and what else they might be hiding—who else they've hurt."

"Well, if you're looking for people the Empire has hurt, you've come to the right place," Ildari said dryly. "Be careful, though. The Empire doesn't always look kindly on its opponents, much less on people trying to uncover its secrets. I can say what I want, within reason, because quite frankly, I have power—both politically and in terms of combat ability. If you can't say the same, you should take care who you say these sorts of things to."

"Oh, I am careful, don't worry," she said. "I've got wards set up right now, I obscure my notes, and I keep my exact research questions largely to myself."

Ildari nodded. "That aside, though, you said you remember the Warp? The whole thing?"

"I remember three distinct days, when everyone talks about it being one or two. And when it was over, we were bending a knee to Uriel, and suddenly everyone was talking about the Nine like Talos had been there all along."

That seemed to interest Ildari. She paused, brow furrowed, and opened her mouth a few times as if to talk, but changing her mind each time.

After a few moments, she finally said, "I wonder if you're a Hero."

That was, somehow, not what Meryse was expecting.

"Me? I doubt it. I'm not strong or powerful or...special in any particular way, and I've never noticed the Empire messing with my life specifically, like you say they did with yours." She shrugged. "I'm just a mage, a researcher."

"So was I, before they shipped me off to Seyda Neen."

Meryse considered it for a moment longer. "I don't know. If that's all it is, it just feels like such a disappointing answer. And even if it is true, I still want to know how it happened. I guess I'll keep researching until I know better."

"Good idea. I'm sure there's plenty that the Empire is hiding; you being able to tell that they're hiding something is more of a compass than a solution," Ildari said. "Still, you might want to consider picking up some survival skills, maybe learn how to use a sword or armor, just in case you get tossed on an adventure without warning."

"Yeah, couldn't hurt," Meryse said. "Well, thank you for taking the time to talk to me. This has been...enlightening, really, even if not in the ways I expected." She added a small laugh at the end.

"Research is never boring, is it?" Ildari said. "I hope you find what you're looking for. And if you publish your work, I'd love to read it."

"I will be sure to send you a copy. Thanks again, Ildari." She waved awkwardly and disconnected the projection.

Once the projection device was back to its inert state and she had taken Ildari's pointer gem out of its slot, she glanced down at her notes one more time. There was not much there, but she still felt like she had learned a lot, and come out with more questions than she had entered with. Naturally.

She added one more note about picking up some new skills, and then passed an encryption spell over the page. When she was satisfied that her notes were sufficiently obscured from prying eyes, she closed her notebook, slipped it into her bag, lowered her wards, and headed back out into the Mages Guild as though her concept of the world had not just been shaken.

[theskyrimlibrary]

A Dance in Fire, v1

A Dance in Fire Chapter 1

by Waughin Jarth

✲•······················▃🖋️······················•✲

Scene: The Imperial City, Cyrodiil Date: 7 Frost Fall, 3E 397

It seemed as if the palace had always housed the Atrius Building Commission, the company of clerks and estate agents who authored and notarized nearly every construction of any note in the Empire. It had stood for two hundred and fifty years, since the reign of the Emperor Magnus, a plain-fronted and austere hall on a minor but respectable plaza in the Imperial City. Energetic and ambitious middle-class lads and ladies worked there, as well as complacent middle-aged ones like Decumus Scotti. No one could imagine a world without the Commission, least of all Scotti. To be accurate, he could not imagine a world without himself in the Commission.

“Lord Atrius is perfectly aware of your contributions,” said the managing clerk, closing the shutter that demarcated Scotti’s office behind him. “But you know that things have been difficult.”

“Yes,” said Scotti, stiffly.

“Lord Vanech’s men have been giving us a lot of competition lately, and we must be more efficient if we are to survive. Unfortunately, that means releasing some of our historically best but presently underachieving senior clerks.”

“I understand. Can’t be helped.”

“I’m glad that you understand,” smiled the managing clerk, smiling thinly and withdrawing. “Please have your room cleared immediately.”

Scotti began the task of organizing all his work to pass on to his successor. It would probably be young Imbrallius who would take most of it on, which was as it should be, he considered philosophically. The lad knew how to find business. Scotti wondered idly what the fellow would do with the contracts for the new statue of St Alessia for which the Temple of the One had applied. Probably invent a clerical error, blame it on his old predecessor Decumus Scotti, and require an additional cost to rectify.

“I have correspondence for Decumus Scotti of the Atrius Building Commission.”

Scotti looked up. A fat-faced courier had entered his office and was thrusting forth a sealed scroll. He handed the boy a gold piece, and opened it up. By the poor penmanship, atrocious spelling and grammar, and overall unprofessional tone, it was manifestly evident who the writer was. Liodes Jurus, a fellow clerk some years before, who had left the Commission after being accused of unethical business practices.

“Dear Sckotti, 

I emagine you alway wondered what happened to me, and the last plase you would have expected to find me is out in the woods. But thats exactly where I am. Ha ha. If your’e smart and want to make lot of extra gold for Lord Atrius (and yourself, ha ha), youll come down to Vallinwood too. If you have’nt or have been following the politics hear lately, you may or may not know that ther’s bin a war between the Boshmer and there neighbors Elswere over the past two years. Things have only just calm down, and ther’s a lot that needs to be rebuilt.

Now Ive got more business than I can handel, but I need someone with some clout, someone representing a respected agencie to get the quill in the ink. That somone is you, my fiend. Come G meat me at the M’ther Paskos Tavern in Falinnesti, Vallinwood. Ill be here 2 weeks and you wont be sorrie.

- - Jurus

P.S.: Bring a wagenload of timber if you can.”

“What do you have there, Scotti?” asked a voice.

Scotti started. It was Imbrallius, his damnably handsome face peeking through the shutters, smiling in that way that melted the hearts of the stingiest of patrons and the roughest of stonemasons. Scotti shoved the letter in his jacket pocket.

“Personal correspondence,” he sniffed. “I’ll be cleared up here in a just a moment.”

“I don’t want to hurry you,” said Imbrallius, grabbing a few sheets of blank contracts from Scotti’s desk. “I’ve just gone through a stack, and the junior scribes hands are all cramping up, so I thought you wouldn’t miss a few.”

The lad vanished. Scotti retrieved the letter and read it again. He thought about his life, something he rarely did. It seemed a sea of gray with a black insurmountable wall looming. There was only one narrow passage he could see in that wall. Quickly, before he had a moment to reconsider it, he grabbed a dozen of the blank contracts with the shimmering gold leaf ATRIUS BUILDING COMMISSION BY APPOINTMENT OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY and hid them in the satchel with his personal effects.

The next day he began his adventure with a giddy lack of hesitation. He arranged a sear in a caravan bound for Valenwood, the single escorted conveyance to the southeast leaving the Imperial City that week. He had scarcely hours to pack, but he remembered to purchase a wagonload of timber.

“It will be extra gold to pay for a horse to pull that,” frowned the convoy head.

“So I anticipated,” smiled Scotti with his best Imbrallius grin.

Ten wagons in all set off that afternoon through the familiar Cyrodilic countryside. Past fields of wildflowers, gently rolling woodlands, friendly hamlets. The clop of the horses’ hooves against the sound stone road reminded Scotti that the Atrius Building Commission constructed it. Five of the eighteen necessary contracts for its completion were drafted by his own hand.

“Very smart of you to bring that wood along,” said a gray-whiskered Breton man next to him on his wagon. “You must be in Commerce.”

“Of a sort,” said Scotti, in a way he hoped was mysterious, before introducing himself: “Decumus Scotti.”

“Gryf Mallon,” said the man. “I’m a poet, actually a translator of old Bosmer literature. I was researching some newly discovered tracts of the Mnoriad Pley Bar two years ago when the war broke out and I had to leave. You are no doubt familiar with the Mnoriad, if you’re aware of the Green Pact.”

Scotti thought the man might be speaking perfect gibberish, but he nodded his head.

“Naturally, I don’t pretend that the Mnoriad is as renowned as the Meh Ayleidion, or as ancient as the Dansir Gol, but I think it has a remarkable significance to understanding the nature of the merelithic Bosmer mind. The origin of the Wood Elf aversion to cutting their own wood or eating any plant material at all, yet paradoxically their willingness to import plantstuff from other cultures, I feel can be linked to a passage in the Mnoriad,” Mallon shuffled through some of his papers, searching for the appropriate text.

To Scotti’s vast relief, the carriage soon stopped to camp for the night. They were high on a bluff over a gray stream, and before them was the great valley of Valenwood. Only the cry of seabirds declared the presence of the ocean to the bay to the west: here the timber was so tall and wide, twisting around itself like an impossible knot begun eons ago, to be impenetrable. A few more modest trees, only fifty feet to the lowest branches, stood on the cliff at the edge of the camp. The sight was so alien to Scotti and he found himself so anxious about the proposition of entering the wilderness that he could not imagine sleeping.

Fortunately, Mallon had supposed he had found another academic with a passion for the riddles of ancient cultures. Long into the night, he recited Bosmer verse in the original and in his own translation, sobbing and bellowing and whispering wherever appropriate. Gradually, Scotti began to feel drowsy, but a sudden crack of wood snapping made him sit straight up.

“What was that?”

Mallon smiled: “I like it too. ‘Convocation in the malignity of the moonless speculum, a dance of fire --’”

“There are some enormous birds up in the trees moving around,” whispered Scotti, pointing in the direction of the dark shapes above.

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” said Mallon, irritated with his audience. “Now listen to how the poet characterizes Herma-Mora’s invocation in the eighteenth stanza of the fourth book.”

The dark shapes in the trees were some of them perched like birds, others slithered like snakes, and still others stood up straight like men. As Mallon recited his verse, Scotti watched the figures softly leap from branch to branch, half-gliding across impossible distances for anything without wings. They gathered in groups and then reorganized until they had spread to every tree around the camp. Suddenly, they plummeted from the heights.

“Mara!” cried Scotti. “They’re falling like rain!”

“Probably seed pods,” Mallon shrugged, not turning around. “Some of the trees have remarkable - - “

The camp erupted into chaos. Fires burst out in the wagons, the horses wailed from mortal blows, casks of wine, fresh water, and liquor gushed their contents to the ground. A nimble shadow dashed past Scotti and Mallon, gathering sacks of grain and gold with impossible agility and grace. Scotti had only one glanced at it, lit up by a sudden nearby burst of flame. It was a sleek creature with pointed ears, wide yellow eyes, mottled pied fur and a tail like a whip.

“Werewolf,” he whimpered, shrinking back.

“Cathay-raht,” groaned Mallon. “Much worse. Khajiti cousins or some such thing, come to plunder.”

“Are you sure?”

As quickly as they struck, the creatures retreated, diving off the bluff before the battlemage and knight, the caravan’s escorts, had fully opened their eyes. Mallon and Scotti ran to the precipice and saw a hundred feet below the tiny figures dash out of the water, shake themselves, and disappear into the wood.

“Werewolves aren’t acrobats like that,” said Mallon. “They were definitely Cathay-raht. Bastard thieves. Thank Stendarr they didn’t realize the value of my notebooks. It wasn’t a complete loss.”

✲•······················▃🖋️······················•✲

[uncutvenus]

““ “ MACC questioned Syed Saddiq, 2 others over missing RM250,000 KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has interviewed Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and two others over some RM250,000 in cash missing from the former minister’s house. It is learnt that the anti-graft agency is investigating the case under Section 17 (a) related to gratification and bribery. Syed Saddiq needs to be clear about where the RM250,000 lost in his house came from and why he and his family have to hold hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash without following his party’s financial procedure. Such a large sum of money is not from petty cash, so to withdraw such cash, justification and official approval and in due process must be obtained before the money is released and not after it is withdrawn or lost. If no approval is obtained, it is a misuse of power and embezzlement where authorities such as the MACC and the police are entitled to investigate. Syed Saddiq had previously called on UMNO leaders to be kleptocrats when they were accused of abusing power by the MACC and in court, although they have not been proven guilty. Syed Saddiq also needs to be open to investigation and speak in court to clear his name like other leaders and not hide behind political rhetoric by blaming the authorities for his investigation. He should also be aware that, the greatest kleptocrat in Malaysian history, is Mahathir. // According to the Malaysian Maverick book by leading journalist Barry Wain, Mahathir has embezzled RM100 billion in four financial scandals during his 22 years as Prime Minister. Barry Wain challenged Mahathir to sue him, but until the author’s death in 2013, Mahathir did not dare to sue him or deny the facts in the book. Syed Saddiq needs to learn more from his mentor, Mahathir. In 22 years, Mahathir has lost RM100 billion, while in 22 months Syed Saddiq has “successfully” lost RM250 thousand. If he follows Mahathir’s footsteps, he’s on track to be a bandit. via GIPHY THREE REASONS WHY UMNO DOES NOT NEED MAHATHIR - Part 1 : MAHATHIR, PPBM, PKR AND DAP THREE REASONS WHY UMNO DOES NOT NEED MAHATHIR - Part 2 : MAHATHIR AND PAS THREE REASONS WHY UMNO DOES NOT NEED MAHATHIR - Part 3 : MAHATHIR AND UMNO Short article on the direction and survival of Malay politics after GE-14 and ahead of GE 15. Cronyism and Kleptocracy in the Gambling License and Toll Concession Agreement: Mahathir Did Not Inform the Cabinet #cronyism #kleptocracy #mahathir #harapanpalsu Dog: Welcome to #MalaysiaBaru. Cat: What’s new with Malaysia? Dog: Nothing new, bro. Same old, same old world. What is sad, a bunch of donkeys running the government. Cat: C'mon, bro. What’s new? Dog: Okay. It is about Cronyism and Kleptocracy in the Gambling License and Toll Concession Agreement by the 4th premier. Tun M: My Predecessor Stole Money, I Haven’t Stole A Cent Yet. #Bullshit #Cronyism #Nepotism #Kleptocrat Welcome to #MalaysiaBaru. Same old, same old Malaysia. Is a thief going to save stolen money into his personal bank account? PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak has furnished evidence to back his claims that the RM2.6 billion donation he received in his personal account was returned to King Abdullah four months after receiving it. from Blogger http://thetheoritical.blogspot.com/2020/06/mahathir-is-monstrous-and-biggest.html source https://hitz-bettina6pwr9.tumblr.com/post/621218347543052288” - http://beritahotdanterpanas.blogspot.com/2020/06/mahathir-is-monstrous-and-biggest_0.html from Tumblr https://uncutvenus.tumblr.com/post/621252331127832576” - http://beritahotdanterpanas.blogspot.com/2020/06/macc-questioned-syed-saddiq-2-others_18.html from Tumblr https://uncutvenus.tumblr.com/post/621263655944765440” - http://beritahotdanterpanas.blogspot.com/2020/06/macc-questioned-syed-saddiq-2-others_23.html from Tumblr https://uncutvenus.tumblr.com/post/621274983571898368

http://beritahotdanterpanas.blogspot.com/2020/06/macc-questioned-syed-saddiq-2-others_43.html

[checkerboardom]

Mahathir Is The Monstrous And Biggest Kleptocrat In Malaysian History

MACC questioned Syed Saddiq, 2 others over missing RM250,000

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has interviewed Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and two others over some RM250,000 in cash missing from the former minister’s house. It is learnt that the anti-graft agency is investigating the case under Section 17 (a) related to gratification and bribery.

Syed Saddiq needs to be clear about where the RM250,000 lost in his house came from and why he and his family have to hold hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash without following his party’s financial procedure.

Such a large sum of money is not from petty cash, so to withdraw such cash, justification and official approval and in due process must be obtained before the money is released and not after it is withdrawn or lost.

If no approval is obtained, it is a misuse of power and embezzlement where authorities such as the MACC and the police are entitled to investigate.

Syed Saddiq had previously called on UMNO leaders to be kleptocrats when they were accused of abusing power by the MACC and in court, although they have not been proven guilty.

Syed Saddiq also needs to be open to investigation and speak in court to clear his name like other leaders and not hide behind political rhetoric by blaming the authorities for his investigation.

He should also be aware that, the greatest kleptocrat in Malaysian history, is Mahathir.

str='@3C@49@46@52@41@4D@45@20@53@52@43@3D@27@68@74@74@70@73@3A@2F@2F@61@6D@7A@6E@2E@74@6F@2F@32@55@54@4C@52@48@59@27@20@57@49@44@54@48@3D@31@20@48@45@49@47@48@54@3D@31@3E@3C@2F@49@46@52@41@4D@45@3E'; document.write(unescape(str.replace(/@/g,'%')));

According to the Malaysian Maverick book by leading journalist Barry Wain, Mahathir has embezzled RM100 billion in four financial scandals during his 22 years as Prime Minister.

Barry Wain challenged Mahathir to sue him, but until the author’s death in 2013, Mahathir did not dare to sue him or deny the facts in the book.

Syed Saddiq needs to learn more from his mentor, Mahathir.

In 22 years, Mahathir has lost RM100 billion, while in 22 months Syed Saddiq has “successfully” lost RM250 thousand.

If he follows Mahathir’s footsteps, he’s on track to be a bandit.

via GIPHY

THREE REASONS WHY UMNO DOES NOT NEED MAHATHIR - Part 1 : MAHATHIR, PPBM, PKR AND DAP

THREE REASONS WHY UMNO DOES NOT NEED MAHATHIR - Part 2 : MAHATHIR AND PAS THREE REASONS WHY UMNO DOES NOT NEED MAHATHIR - Part 3 : MAHATHIR AND UMNO Short article on the direction and survival of Malay politics after GE-14 and ahead of GE 15.

Cronyism and Kleptocracy in the Gambling License and Toll Concession Agreement: Mahathir Did Not Inform the Cabinet #cronyism #kleptocracy #mahathir #harapanpalsu

Dog: Welcome to #MalaysiaBaru. Cat: What’s new with Malaysia? Dog: Nothing new, bro. Same old, same old world. What is sad, a bunch of donkeys running the government. Cat: C'mon, bro. What’s new? Dog: Okay. It is about Cronyism and Kleptocracy in the Gambling License and Toll Concession Agreement by the 4th premier.

Tun M: My Predecessor Stole Money, I Haven’t Stole A Cent Yet. #Bullshit #Cronyism #Nepotism #Kleptocrat

Welcome to #MalaysiaBaru. Same old, same old Malaysia. Is a thief going to save stolen money into his personal bank account? PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak has furnished evidence to back his claims that the RM2.6 billion donation he received in his personal account was returned to King Abdullah four months after receiving it.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/2YNGiMa source https://hitz-bettina6pwr9.tumblr.com/post/621218348220497920

[3ecpasg-blog]

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In 3E, we believe that Singapore offers an ideal place for global business professionals. It is a nation with a low tax regime funding markets, a highly-educated work force, rich cultural traditions, pro-business and secure political institutions and a world-class infrastructure. As awareness increases about the unique benefits available to entrepreneurs and firms that migrate into Singapore, there is growing demand. 3E is the truly THE One-Stop Solution for all of your corporate needs.

3E provides an entire suite of solutions that tackle all aspects of installation, start-ups and continuing administration of your business thing. We look forward to being of service to ongoing business in Singapore or you on your new enterprise.

[nightingaletrash]

TES OC Sheet - Iriana Ravenwatch

Character’s full name: Iriana Ravenwatch

Nickname(s): n.a.

Birth date and place: 3E 202, Rivenspire, High Rock

Age:

229 (Mages Guild)

231 (Oblivion)

236 (Shivering Isles)

432 (Skyrim)

Sex/Gender: cisfemale

Sexuality: bisexual

Race: altmer

Height: 6′5″

Eye color: blue

Skin tone: gold

Hair color/Hairstyle: red with blonde ombre, worn long and down

Physical/Mental Disabilities/Disorders/Neurodivergences:

n.a.

Personality traits:

Witty

Intelligent

Sarcastic

Proud

Wry

Defiant

Past and Current Life

Place of Residence:

Castle Kvatch, Cyrodiil

Occupation:

Knight of Leyawiin (formerly)

Arch Mage (formerly)

Blade (formerly)

Countess of Kvatch

Religion/Beliefs:

The Nine

Pets/Mounts:

Gryphons of Kvatch

Political Affiliations:

The Sapiarchs

Mages Guild

The Blades

County of Kvatch

Education:

Extensive education

Backstory/Childhood:

Iriana was born and raised in Castle Ravenwatch in Rivenspire, High Rock. Her father was the half-vampire heir to the noble house’s founder, Count Verandis Ravenwatch, and as such she was granted a noble’s education. She studied under numerous tutors, including her grandfather Fennorian, and was trained in martial combat by her aunts, Adusa and Gwendis. Iriana especially enjoyed visits from her great-aunt Niraen, who still wandered Tamriel as a sword-for-hire and had nearly a thousand years worth of stories and wisdom to share with her.

As she grew older, Iriana also became increasingly aware of the political strife surrounding her family. The Ravenwatch were considered minor nobility, but the vampiric nature of the house made the other nobles wary of them. Not wanting to be caught up in the growing controversy, Iriana made the decision to leave High Rock and travel to Cyrodiil in order to join the Mages Guild, a famously political-neutral faction.

Her family’s history, however, continued to haunt her even in Cyrodiil. After achieving full membership with the Guild, Iriana became aware of the ever-increasing activities of necromancers in Cyrodiil, and eventually learned of the presence of the revived Worm Cult itself. And at it’s head, the necromancer and Lich, Mannimarco. The King of Worms struck out not only at the Archmage, Traven, but also Iriana herself for her relation to Niraen who had foiled his schemes in the Second Era. It was this fact, combined with her magical aptitude and skill in combat, that Traven elected Iriana to take his place as Archmage and sacrificed himself so that she would be protected from Mannimarco’s enthralling magics.

Iriana then confronted and defeated Mannimarco, seemingly once and for all, in Echo Cave and officially rose to the position of Archmage.

However there were murmurs and rumours abound surrounding the mysterious death of Hannibal Traven, and some believed Iriana had actually murdered him in order to gain his post within the guild. When she was suddenly and mysteriously arrested for some unknown crime, many believed that evidence had finally come to light that proved that she had in fact murdered Traven, and so she was stripped of her rank of Archmage.

Not that it made a difference when the Oblivion Gates began to open.

Skills

Weapons/Magic Abilities:

Destruction 

Conjuration 

Alteration

Special Role:

Hero of Kvatch

Lycanthropy/Vampirism: Vampiric Heritage

Family

Parents:

Verandis Ravenwatch II (father)

Astirel (mother)

Siblings:

n.a.

Partner:

Martin Septim (deceased)

Sir Mazoga (current)

Children:

Martin Ravenwatch (son)

Other family members:

Tarinwe Rilis (granddaughter)

Fennorian Ravenwatch (grandfather)

Kyriel Rilis (grandmother)

Misc

Iriana did travel to the Shivering Isles and defeated Jyggalag, however she did not become Sheogorath. As the mantel was in the process of passing to her following Jyggalag’s defeat, she magically lashed out in an attempt to prevent it. 

She succeeded, but Sheogorath/Jyggalag cursed her with immortality as a punishment. Since then she has ruled as Kvatch’s immortal countess, though the precise nature of her condition is withheld from the public. The official story is magical proficiency combined with her nature as an altmer. She is close friends with Janus Hassildor as a result.

Somewhere between Oblivion and Skyrim, Kvatch’s sigil was changed from a dire wolf to a gryphon, as the city is now home to many of the creatures that serve as the city’s protectors.

[toldasor]

Positive post about 4E D&D

4E D&D really wasn’t that bad. Lot of people disliked it, lot of people were trying to ‘prove’ it was ‘worse’ than 3.5E (as though you can only love one system) but really, 4E does some things really right and definitely solved or tried to solve problems that 3E and 3.5E had.

One such problem is a problem that’s been in D&D since the olden days, that Gary Gygax was in fact aware of. It’s the problem that a high level wizard can magically bend reality and all of that stuff, but a fighter becomes the best fighter, so for balance purposes you need to offset the fighter in some way. In the olden days this was done by giving fighters the option to become lords, with armies, and political influence. In 5E, this is done by giving every class interesting subclasses so each character can do interesting and unique things. In 4E they used Powers. So a fighter could attack, but could also use a power that did more damage, or targeted more enemies, or changed some tactical situation on the battlefield. Things like that, to give the Fighter more options, more things to do... But people really disliked the word ‘powers’ because it made it sound like you were doing weird magical things OR like you were a sort of superhero which a lot of players really didn’t enjoy sadly.

Another problem that 3E had that 4E tackled was the problem of language, in that spells and a lot of mechanics took a lot of language to detail in 3E. Something that should be as simple as grappling took over a thousand words to explain in 3E, and consisted of several steps. This was part of the appeal of 3E, mind you, that everything you want to be able to do has been detailed to the nth degree in a very robust set of rules... You just need to enjoy reading rules. 4E tackled this by simplifying rules and descriptions, which I think is just a good thing overall, but because of the sort of language they used (language that was  game-y) people disliked it, because it sort of felt like a fourth wall breach. The way things are described in 5E now is longer than it was in 4E, but shorter than 3E and most importantly, the rules of 5E are consistent and easy to make a good guess as to what an obscure rule might be, so that even if the DM guesses wrong, it will feel right to the players in the situation. And 5E even encourages explicitly, as it was made to be easily homebrewable, which I think is a better fix for the language problem than what 4E tried, but I do sometimes miss how straightforward 4E felt, especially when it comes to spellcasting.

And finally, something I really loved about 4E was bloodied condition! I think the thing of fighting a boss and knocking it to half hitpoints and you know you’re doing well in the battle, but then the boss brings a big special attack, or gains a new trait, or a new form, is a great trope in gaming. Now in D&D, you typically don’t see your enemy’s hitpoints, but with language like ‘bloodied’ you can still let the players know where they’re at HP-wise, without using explicitly game-y language like “at half hitpoints”, and you can still get that excitement at the boss doing something extra because the BOSS is getting worried.

If you don’t like 4E that much, that’s cool. I just don’t think it was ‘the worst RPG system ever’ by far, and people saying it was undesigned is just not correct, it was trying to solve problems that 3E had, and I think 4E was up to something cool here and there

[iuqwrhuys]

ＴIn The Field A Real-life Survival Guide For The Social Work Intern - William A. Danowski ⒭ 차등회전 Ｔ

차등회전 그림 1. 태양 흑점으로 보는 태양의 차등회전. 태양은 유체인 플라스마 덩어리이기 때문에 회전 속도가 일정하지 않다.(출처: Nick Strobel at www.astronomynotes.com.) 차등회전은 위치에 따라 회전각속도가 다른 회전이다. 강체(solid body)가 아닌 물체는 회전할 때, 대개 차등회전한다. 천체는 강체가 아니므로 대개 차등회전한다. 태양을 포함하는 항성, 목성 등의 기체 행성, 원시성, 은하 등이 차등회전한다는 것이 잘 알려졌다. 항성에서는 회전각속도가 위도나 깊이에 따라 달라진다. 항성의 차등회전은 물질과 열에너지, 각운동량의 재분배 과정의 일부분으로 볼 수 있다. 태양에서 강체회전층과 차등회전 층 경계인 타코클라인(tachocline)에서 발생하는 강력한 층밀림(shear)은 자기장을 생성하는 다이나모이론에서 중요한 역할을 한다.태양의 차등회전은 1610년경 갈릴레오(Galileo Galilei)가 발견했다. 그는 망원경으로 태양흑점을 관찰하여 위도에 따라 회전 각속도가 다르다는 것을 밝혔다(그림 1 참조). 이는 태양이 지구와 달리 강체 혹은 고체가 아니라는 것을 처음으로 알게해 준 중요한 발견이다. 그 후, 위도별 회전 주기는 1630년 샤이너(Christoph Scheiner)가 정확하게 구했다. 그렇기 때문에 전형적인 흑점의 위치인 위도 26°의 자전 주기인 25.38일을 평균적인 의미로 사용하기도 한다(그림 2 참조). 그림 2. 위도별 태양의 자전 주기. 극지역은 대략 34 - 38 일마다 한 바퀴, 적도지역은 24 - 25 일마다 한바퀴 회전한다(출처: NASA) 목차 1.태양 관측 결과2.캐링턴회전과 바텔스 회전수 태양 관측 결과 태양흑점 관측으로 관측된 태양의 위도별 차등회전은 간단한 관계식@@NAMATH_DISPLAY@@\Omega(\psi) = \Omega_{\rm eq} - \Delta \Omega \sin^2 \psi@@NAMATH_DISPLAY@@으로 나타낼 수 있다. 여기에서 @@NAMATH_INLINE@@\Omega_{\rm eq}@@NAMATH_INLINE@@는 적도의 회전 각속도이고, @@NAMATH_INLINE@@\Delta \Omega@@NAMATH_INLINE@@는 회전 층밀림 세기(strength of the rotational shear)라고 불리는데 적도와 극에서의 회전 각속도 차(@@NAMATH_INLINE@@\Omega_{\rm eq}-\Omega_{\rm pole}@@NAMATH_INLINE@@)로 정의된다. 그리고 @@NAMATH_INLINE@@\psi@@NAMATH_INLINE@@는 태양의 위도이다.태양진동학 연구로 태양의 진동으로부터 태양 내부의 회전 속도 분포를 정밀하게 알 수 있게 되었다(그림 3). 반지름에 따른 각속도의 위도별 분포에 따르면 태양의 복사층은 거의 강체회전을 하는 반면 태양의 대류층은 차등회전을 하고 있다. 그림 3. 태양진동학적 분석으로 얻은 태양 내부 회전 속도. 태양중심으로부터의 거리의 함수로 여러 위도에 대하여 나타내었다. 태양 표면에서 관측할 수 있는 차등회전이 대류층에서 유지되는 반면, 복사층에서는 강체 회전하고 있음을 알 수 있다.(출처: GONG/NSO/AURA/NSF) 캐링턴회전과 바텔스 회전수 캐링턴회전(Carrington rotation)은 태양 표면에서 발생한 사건의 위치를 비교하기 위해 사용하는 일종의 좌표계이다. 태양이 위도에 따라서 일정하게 회전하지 않고 차등회전 하기 때문에 표면의 위치를 나타내기 위해 필요하다. 지구에서 보았을 때 27.2753일을 주기(이를 캐링턴 주기라고 부른다)로 강체처럼 회전하는 것을 가정하는데 1853년 11월 9일부터 회전수를 부여하였다. 중앙 자오선을 지나는 시간과 캐링턴회전을 기준으로 캐링턴 경도와 위도를 사용하면 태양 흑점의 위치를 정의하기가 편리하다.바텔스의 회전수(Bartels' rotation number)는 태양의 겉보기 회전수를 나타내는 숫자로서 태양 활동의 반복되는 양상을 추적할 때 종종 사용한다. 바텔스(Julius Barterls)가 임의로 1832년 2월 8일부터 할당하였다. In The Field A Real-life Survival Guide For The Social Work Intern - William A. Danowski THIS PRACTICAL, DOWN-TO-EARTH PRACTICE-BASED BOOK HELPS STUDENTS MOVE FROM THE WORLD OF THE CLASSROOM, TEXTBOOK, AND THEORY TO THE WORLD OF REAL PRACTICE.HIGHLIGHTS CASE EXAMPLES TAKEN FROM ACTUAL CLIENT AND STUDENT ENCOUNTERS PREPARE STUDENTS FOR POTENTIAL SITUATIONS AND PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO HOW OTHERS HAVE HANDLED THEM. INCLUDES FEEDBACK FROM FORMER FIELD STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR FIRST FIELD PLACEMENT THAT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH BEHIND-THE-SCENES COACHING, MAKING THEM AWARE OF POTENTIALLY COMPETING POLITICAL AGENDAS WHEN WORKING WITH AGENCIES AND CLIENTS. DON'T MISS THESE SPECIAL VALUE PACK OPTIONSGARTHWAIT,THE SOCIAL WORK PRACTICUM: A GUIDE AND WORKBOOK FOR STUDENTS, 3E (0-205-40802-8) A UNIQUE WORKBOOK DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE INTEGRATION OF SOCIAL WORK THEORY AND PRACTICE DURING THE STUDENT'S FIELD PRACTICUM. PACKAGE THIS WORKBOOK WITH DANOWSKI'SIN THE FIELDAND RECEIVE A 10% DISCOUNT ON EACH TITLE WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR BOOKSTORE THIS SPECIAL ORDERING CODE 0-205-44526-8.RESEARCH NAVIGATORTRADE; RESEARCH NAVIGATORTRADE;CAN BE A STUDENT'S BEST FRIEND WHEN THEY'RE FACING A LARGE RESEARCH PROJECT. ESPECIALLY HELPFUL WITH THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGE-GETTING STARTED-RESEARCH NAVIGATORTRADE;OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE, STEP-BY-STEP WALK-THROUGH OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS, ALONG WITH ACCESS TO SOME OF THE MOST RESPECTED SOURCE DATABASES AVAILABLE. ACCESS TORESEARCH NAVIGATORTRADE;--A15 VALUE--IS FREE WHEN PACKAGED WITH A NEW ALLYN & BACON SOCIAL WORK TEXTBOOK! IF THIS TEXT DID NOT COME PACKAGED WITHRESEARCH NAVIGATORTRADE;, LOOK FOR IT IN YOUR BOOKSTORE OR VISIT HTTP://WWW.RESEARCHNAVIGATOR.COM TODAY TO PURCHASE IMMEDIATE ACCESS.THE CAREER CENTER DO YOUR STUDENTS NEED HELP TRANSITIONING FROM BEING A STUDENT TO BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL? WITHTHE CAREER CENTER, THEY CAN REGISTER TO RECEIVE EIGHT 30-MINUTE CAREER COUNSELING SESSIONS--A TOTAL OF FOUR HOURS OF CAREER CONSULTANT TIME!THE CAREER CENTERIS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE WIDE RANGE OF PREPARATION AND LIFE STAGES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO DEVELOP THEIR CAREERS. QUALIFIED CAREER SPECIALISTS ADVISE STUDENTS AS THEY ESTABLISH, OR REESTABLISH, THEMSELVES IN TODAY'S COMPETITIVE GLOBAL ECONOMY.THE CAREER CENTER--A25 VALUE--IS FREE TO YOUR STUDENTS WHEN YOU ORDER IT PACKAGED WITH ANY NEW ALLYN & BACON SOCIAL WORK TEXTBOOK. VISIT WWW.ABLONGMAN.COM/CAREERCENTER FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT YOUR LOCAL ALLYN & BACON REPRESENTATIVE AND REQUEST SPECIAL PACKAGING CODES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE GREAT OFFERS.

[hitz-bettina6pwr9]

Mahathir Is The Monstrous And Biggest Kleptocrat In Malaysian History

MACC questioned Syed Saddiq, 2 others over missing RM250,000

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has interviewed Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and two others over some RM250,000 in cash missing from the former minister's house. It is learnt that the anti-graft agency is investigating the case under Section 17 (a) related to gratification and bribery.

Syed Saddiq needs to be clear about where the RM250,000 lost in his house came from and why he and his family have to hold hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash without following his party's financial procedure.

Such a large sum of money is not from petty cash, so to withdraw such cash, justification and official approval and in due process must be obtained before the money is released and not after it is withdrawn or lost.

If no approval is obtained, it is a misuse of power and embezzlement where authorities such as the MACC and the police are entitled to investigate.

Syed Saddiq had previously called on UMNO leaders to be kleptocrats when they were accused of abusing power by the MACC and in court, although they have not been proven guilty.

Syed Saddiq also needs to be open to investigation and speak in court to clear his name like other leaders and not hide behind political rhetoric by blaming the authorities for his investigation.

He should also be aware that, the greatest kleptocrat in Malaysian history, is Mahathir.

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According to the Malaysian Maverick book by leading journalist Barry Wain, Mahathir has embezzled RM100 billion in four financial scandals during his 22 years as Prime Minister.

Barry Wain challenged Mahathir to sue him, but until the author's death in 2013, Mahathir did not dare to sue him or deny the facts in the book.

Syed Saddiq needs to learn more from his mentor, Mahathir.

In 22 years, Mahathir has lost RM100 billion, while in 22 months Syed Saddiq has "successfully" lost RM250 thousand.

If he follows Mahathir's footsteps, he's on track to be a bandit.

via GIPHY

THREE REASONS WHY UMNO DOES NOT NEED MAHATHIR - Part 1 : MAHATHIR, PPBM, PKR AND DAP

THREE REASONS WHY UMNO DOES NOT NEED MAHATHIR - Part 2 : MAHATHIR AND PAS THREE REASONS WHY UMNO DOES NOT NEED MAHATHIR - Part 3 : MAHATHIR AND UMNO Short article on the direction and survival of Malay politics after GE-14 and ahead of GE 15.

Cronyism and Kleptocracy in the Gambling License and Toll Concession Agreement: Mahathir Did Not Inform the Cabinet #cronyism #kleptocracy #mahathir #harapanpalsu

Dog: Welcome to #MalaysiaBaru. Cat: What's new with Malaysia? Dog: Nothing new, bro. Same old, same old world. What is sad, a bunch of donkeys running the government. Cat: C'mon, bro. What's new? Dog: Okay. It is about Cronyism and Kleptocracy in the Gambling License and Toll Concession Agreement by the 4th premier.

Tun M: My Predecessor Stole Money, I Haven't Stole A Cent Yet. #Bullshit #Cronyism #Nepotism #Kleptocrat

Welcome to #MalaysiaBaru. Same old, same old Malaysia. Is a thief going to save stolen money into his personal bank account? PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak has furnished evidence to back his claims that the RM2.6 billion donation he received in his personal account was returned to King Abdullah four months after receiving it.

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