#Advanced Science Division

[calebjorgens2024]

This has promptly started me on further continuing on my own Imperial!Tech AU on top of already having an idea where Royce Hemlock coerces Tech to work for the Empire’s Advanced Science Division. To Hemlock in that idea, turning Tech into an assassin would be a waste, as his enhanced intellect is more important; as a result. Tech would be an unwilling Imperial Scientist up until to the time of the Return of the Jedi; This idea would be loaded with tragic angst regarding Tech encountering this fateful position! And so with that idea, Tech becomes an unwilling Scientist for the empire without the need of a chip and is always on guard as to not let any higher ranked imperial know what he plans to do.

Imperial Tech

[reasonsforhope]

"A study looking at the bearers of artificial hearts found that a subset of them can regenerate heart muscle tissue—the first time such an observation has ever been made.

It may open the door to new ways to treat and perhaps someday cure heart failure, the deadliest non-communicable disease on Earth. The results were published in the journal Circulation.

A team of physician-scientists at the University of Arizona’s Heart Center in Tucson led a collaboration of international experts to investigate whether heart muscles can regenerate.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart failure affects nearly 7 million US adults and is responsible for 14% of deaths per year. There is no cure for heart failure, though medications can slow its progression. The only treatment for advanced heart failure, other than a transplant, is a pump replacement through an artificial heart, called a left ventricular assist device, which can help the heart pump blood.

“Skeletal muscle has a significant ability to regenerate after injury. If you’re playing soccer and you tear a muscle, you need to rest it, and it heals,” said Hesham Sadek, director of the University’s Sarver Heart Center.

It was previously thought that when a heart muscle is injured, it could never grow back.

“Irrefutable evidence of heart muscle regeneration has never been shown before in humans,” he said. “This study provided direct evidence.”

The project began with tissue from artificial heart patients provided by colleagues at the University of Utah Health and School of Medicine led by Stavros Drakos, MD, PhD, and a pioneer in left ventricular assist device-mediated recovery.

Teams in Sweden and Germany used their innovative method of carbon dating human heart tissue to track whether these samples contained newly generated cells. The investigators found that patients with artificial hearts regenerated muscle cells at more than six times the rate of healthy hearts.

“This is the strongest evidence we have, so far, that human heart muscle cells can actually regenerate, which really is exciting, because it solidifies the notion that there is an intrinsic capacity of the human heart to regenerate,” Sadek said.

“It also strongly supports the hypothesis that the inability of the heart muscle to ‘rest’ is a major driver of the heart’s lost ability to regenerate shortly after birth. It may be possible to target the molecular pathways involved in cell division to enhance the heart’s ability to regenerate.”

In 2011, Sadek published a paper in Science showing that while heart muscle cells actively divide in utero, they stop dividing shortly after birth to devote their energy to pumping blood through the body nonstop, with no time for breaks.

In 2014, he published evidence of cell division in patients with artificial hearts, hinting that their heart muscle cells might have been regenerating because they were able to rest.

These findings, combined with other research teams’ observations that some artificial heart patients could have their devices removed after experiencing a reversal of symptoms, led him to wonder if the artificial heart provides cardiac muscles the equivalent of bed rest like a person needs when recovering from injury.

“The pump pushes blood into the aorta, bypassing the heart,” he said. “The heart is essentially resting.”

Sadek’s previous studies indicated that this rest might be beneficial for the heart muscle cells, but he needed to design an experiment to determine whether patients with artificial hearts were actually regenerating muscles.

Next, Sadek wants to figure out why only about 25% of patients are “responders” to artificial hearts, meaning that their cardiac muscle regenerates.

“It’s not clear why some patients respond and some don’t, but it’s very clear that the ones who respond have the ability to regenerate heart muscle,” he said. “The exciting part now is to determine how we can make everyone a responder, because if you can, you can essentially cure heart failure.

“The beauty of this is that a mechanical heart is not a therapy we hope to deliver to our patients in the future—these devices are tried and true, and we’ve been using them for years.”"

-via Good News Network, December 31, 2024

[zeropro]

How long have they been away from Cybertron, and is the planet alright or a hustle world?

I think at some point I'm gonna make a post with all my AU content in chronological order, but for now you can just have my notes on the timeline.

(check tags for the tldr on the ask)

Here’s the current timeline so far…

Long ass time ago BCE

The first Cybertronian Golden Age

Luna 1 disappears

Paradise era, Knights of Cybertron leave

Cybertronian Dark Age (The Age of Barbarism)

Rise of the thirteen

Cyberutopia is created somewhere

Onyx Prime (who is NOT Shockwave in this AU) attempts a colonialism

The Dead Universe and Unicron are created

Caminus, Velocitron, and other planets are colonized by Titans

Megatrous kills Solus Prime with the Star Saber

First civil war

During experimentation into gestalt technology, five beastformers are made into the first successful Combiner team: the Predacons

After the war, Nova Prime ushers in the Second Golden Age and resets the calendar

5.7 million BCE

“Functionist sentiment becomes an institution of society overseen by the Functionist Council, with robots expected to stick to a single job determined by their alt modes.” -tfwiki

Nova Prime enacts “The Expansion,” for which the first wave of cold constructed Cybertronians are brought online

Megatron (1st cycle 012) and Orion Pax are born under Functionalism. Megatron is one of the first cold constructed mechs.

The Constructicons are created

Nova Prime disappears into the dead universe and Nominus Prime takes leadership under a new corrupt senate. Expansion is put on hold

Megatron works as a miner in Tarn (demolition=menial labor class) Megs wanted to be a medic but quickly gives up on that dream

Orion Pax works as a dock worker in Iacon (truck=transport class) OP wanted to be an archivist and is able to work his way up to it due to having access to greater social mobility

Cybertron experiences no shortage of violence: civil wars, riots, off-world campaigns, and alien invasions continue to happen sporadically throughout its history. Wanting to bolster Cybertron’s airforce, a new style of war-frame is designed and mass produced. These cold constructed jets received the classification: Seekers (after their intended function: seek and destroy)

Skywarp is born (6th cycle 023) as a first generation Seeker and was immediately sent to the military. He is then at some point reassigned to spec ops due to his powerful outlier ability.

Seekers offline too easily so the next few waves of Seekers are sent to the Cybertronian War Academy for training before joining the military

Skywarp is sent to Praxus and subjected to intensive study. Space bridge and quantum based hyper-drive technology will later see great advancements thanks to his contributions to science

Thundercracker is brought online as one of the last batch of Seekers (24th cycle 124). By then the Cybertronian War Academy roster was too full so he was given the (limited) option to pick his vocation. He chose to work as a courier in Vos.

“Those who were constructed cold face institutionalized apartheid; although this eventually ends due to mounting public pressure, including mass protests and marches. However, intrinsic prejudice against constructed cold Transformers persists in among a sizable percentage of the population.” -tfwiki

Megatron and pax become friends while advocating against cold construct apartheid and functionalism. Pax considered Megatron like a brother to him but Megatron always felt distanced by their class divide

Scientists have been pulling sparks out of the Matrix faster than frames can be constructed for them. Sparks without ready frames will be “frozen” for future use

The Matrix "runs dry" (is replaced by a fake) and cold construction as a common method of creation stops entirely

The Senate’s evil science division, the Institute, establishes Shadowplay and Empurata as common practices

The energy crisis forces a planet-wide rationing of resources

Cryak commissions a Seeker frame to be constructed and has a thawed spark placed in it. Starscream is born (22nd cycle 415).

5 million BCE

Starscream escapes

Thundercracker finds Starscream

4.5 million BCE

Due to the energy crisis, tension is high between city-states. The Senate establish the sport of Gladiatorial games to try and mitigate the animosity. These games are held in Kaon and become very popular

Starscream defies Functionalism by pursuing many different jobs. Whenever he would get in trouble or fall on hard times he’d turn to Thundercracker for help

Orion Pax encourages Megatron to publish his political writings

Orion Pax joins the police force

The first appearance of the pacifist grassroots movement calling themselves Decepticons. Their ideology is based on Megatron’s first published treatise

Megatron is caught in a bar fight and is wrongfully arrested. Whirl beats him up in jail, changing Megatron’s perspective on violence

Megatron loses his job due to automation and signs up to be a gladiator

Starscream goes to college (not really, I just like to call the period of time where he went to work as a Scientist in Iacon "college" cuz it's funny XD) and meets Skyfire. The two become close

Senator Protius promises to make the Decepticons a real political party by way of census. In truth he just wanted a list of names so they can shadowplay all the Decepticons. Skyfire almost signs on but Starscream convinces him not to

Megatron continues to publish his writings while gaining fame as a gladiator. The Decepticon movement takes a shift from pacifism towards terrorism

Skywarp likes watching the gladiator fights whenever they are assigned to patrol the events  

The gladiator Ravage finds a discarded Soundwave struggling to deal with his telepathic powers and takes him under his wing

Skywarp plays a prank on the government

Starscream and Skyfire go off-world on an expedition, intending to travel to the Sol system and back (they're gone for about 40 turns on the Cybertronian calendar, or approximately 50,000 Earth years)

The Senate discover Nominus’ matrix is a fake and have him secretly killed

The Senate enacts the Clampdown

Thundercracker loses his job and is forced to join the military

4.3 million BCE

Senator Shockwave gets shadowplayed

Sentinel Prime takes leadership

The Decepticons begin secretly forming an army under Megatron

Orion Pax and Megatron break up

Starscream returns to Cybertron without Skyfire and is subsequently tried for Skyfire’s murder, for which he was found innocent. He is still expelled from the Academy

Starscream goes back to Vos, and crashes on Thundercracker's couch for a while

Thundercracker takes Starscream to watch a gladiator fight, which is where Starscream takes note of Megatron

Despite his reservations, Starscream joins the military in order to learn how to fight as well as gain rapport with the military Seekers

While stealing a military airship, Megatron finds Skywarp locked up in the ship's engine room and rescues him. Skywarp joins the Decepticons

Tension between Vos and Tarn is at an all time high, leading to outright civil war between the two city-states

4 million BCE

The Bombing of Vos ends the civil war

Megatron shows up to recruit Decepticons in the aftermath of the Vos-Tarn civil war. Starscream stands up and gives a speech that convinces the majority of Vos' Seeker population to join the Decepticons

Starscream joins the Decepticons

Starscream uses Skywarp to get close to Megatron

The Decepticons threaten war by launching an attack on Iacon. Starscream leads the group that levels the Academy to the ground. He doesn't feel better.

Thundercracker is deployed to help quell the Decepticon activity in Iacon. Thundercracker confronts Starscream and Starscream begs him for help. Thundercracker joins the Decepticons

Megatron is captured and almost gets shadowplayed, but escapes thanks to Starscream, Skywarp, and Soundwave

Megatron no longer thinks the current system can be changed, even with violence. Now his aim is to burn it all down and rebuild from scratch.

Starscream and Soundwave massacre the entire Senate 

Shockwave joins the Decepticons

Megatron officially declares war

Megatron defeats Sentinel Prime and Zeta Prime takes leadership

The Fall of the First Five Cities

Zeta Prime attempts a war crime, Orion Pax and Megatron team up to stop him, and then Megatron betrays Orion and leaves him to die

Orion Pax becomes Optimus Prime

The Battle of Sherma Bridge, where Optimus Prime and Megatron first clash (allegedly)

Praxus falls

Starscream becomes Air Commander. He appoints Thundercracker and Skywarp as his Wing Second and Third. The Trine is complete

Decepticons pull ahead and as a last ditch effort the Autobots thaw previously frozen sparks to construct a new army of MTOs

War happens

The Trine grow close

Megatron gets worse

3 million BCE

War continues to happen

Megatron at this point has tunnel visioned into wanting only one thing: defeating Optimus Prime

Megatron and Prime get into giant hamster balls and play WOW for several vorn. Starscream is mad about it

Starscream starts trying to take over the Decepticons and Megatron physically punishes him for it.

While on a mission, Thundercracker meets Bumblebee briefly

Skywarp accidentally sacrifices himself to protect Starscream, almost dying. Starscream is devastated to find he actually cares about this idiot

1 million BCE

The Autobots (aboard the Ark) and the Decepticons (aboard the Nemesis) leave Cybertron in search of resources

They crash on prehistoric Earth and remain in stasis for one million years

The war continues on Cybertron, lead by Shockwave and Elita1

0.9 million BCE

The Decepticons overthrow Shockwave and he flees to Luna 2

Hot Rod gathers a rag tag crew and leaves Cybertron on the Lost Light in search of Optimus Prime

The Lost Light discovers the Dead Universe and Nova Prime

Cyclonus joins the Lost Light crew

0.7 million BCE

Shockwave clones Sunstorm

The Great Shutdown: Cybertron completely runs out of energy and everyone falls into stasis

The Lost Light return to Cybertron. Upon finding everyone in stasis, they venture back into space to find a solution

1984

Reawakened on Earth, the Autobots continue to wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons

The Decepticons rebuild the Nemisis into the Victory and try to head back to Cybertron, but they crash into the ocean after Autobot interference

Megatron orders Shockwave to build him a space bridge while he collects energy on Earth to revive Cybertron

Megatron begins abusing Starscream

Typical G1 Cartoon shenanigans occur

Wheeljack builds the Dinobots

The Decepticons find Skyfire in the ice. Starscream tries to get Skyfire to join the Decepticons, but Skyfire refuses when Starscream proves willing to harm humans

Starscream starts to have nightmares. He stops sleeping well

1991

Shockwave completes his space bridge and visits Earth, only to find Megatron has completely lost the plot. After serving on Earth for a few years he goes back to Luna 2 with the intent on finishing his doomsday device, only to find Sunstorm has escaped. He begins migrating his lab to the Decepticon's ocean base on Earth in order to finish his work there.

Megatron obtains frozen sparks from Cybertron and builds the Stunticons. The Autobots rescue half the sparks he had brought over and create the Aerialbots

Starscream's plots to overthrow Megatron are becoming more and more unhinged. At some point he goes to Cybertron and steals some incarcerated memory components and builds the Combaticons, effectively freeing these criminals (including Swindle) from jail

Hot Rod and the Lost Light crew arrive on Earth

2008

Megatron goes too far

Thundercracker defects

2009

After the Decepticons destroyed several human cities, the Autobots finally defeat Megatron with the help of their human allies at the Battle of New York

Seeing that Megatron has fallen, Starscream declares himself the new leader, but Soundwave rescues Megatron's mostly dead body and convinces Shockwave to try and fix him

Optimus Prime dies of his injuries and Bumblebee becomes leader

Hot Rod, now going by Rodimus, leaves Earth on the Lost Light

2010

The humans are justifiably angry with the Cybertronians for destroying their world. Unable to leave the planet, the remaining Decepticons either get captured or go into hiding. 

Thundercracker watches a lot of TV and is now friends with Bumblebee

The Autobots are helping capture Decepticons on Earth

Starscream struggles to lead the Decepticons

2011

Sunstorm arrives on Earth

Starscream frees the Decepticons from human containment, but they still wont follow him

2012

The humans have rebuilt the cities that were destroyed by the Decepticons three years ago

Everyone basically living as tho the war is over

Megatron is brought back by Shockwave and immediately goes to punish Starscream for doing a poor job leading the Decepticons, even tho Starscream did his best.

Skywarp's loyalty to Megatron finally breaks apart, and he gets them out of there before Megatron turns violent, effectively defecting from the Decepticons

Starscream tries to apologize to Thundercracker in order to get his help with fighting Megatron, but Thundercracker turns him down. Starscream shoots Thundercracker in the back, much to Skywarp’s dismay

Starscream and Skywarp hide out on Earth for a bit

Megatron is trying to gather his scattered forces, specifically the combiners

Starscream and Skywarp have an argument and part ways for a bit

Starscream comes across some Decepticon activity and attacks them

Megatron shows up and begins beating Starscream to a pulp

Skywarp jumps in to save Starscream but is shot mid-warp and his warp drive destabilizes

With no other option, Starscream turns to the Autobots for help, with Skywarp in tow

Thundercracker gets a dog

And that's where we are now! Thanks so much for reading!

The current plan going forward is as follows:

1 year later (2013): Combiner Wars, which leads directly into Dark Cybertron [feat. Sunstorm] followed by the Presidential Arc, which lasts about 3-5 years ending in the Apology Comic

[avelera]

Can we hear your thoughts on Jayce’s and Viktor’s intelligence? I can’t help but feel like Jayce is often…dumbed down. Which feels insulting to the both of them.

Rarrrr.... I should be doing other things... but this is a rage button issue for me... so....

Jayce is just as smart as Viktor.

The reason he doesn't come across as just as smart has multiple elements:

1 ) Arcane S1 in particular does a lot of sleight of hand to set up Jayce as facing down a corruption arc where he's tempted by fame and power. They achieve this in multiple ways. On an emotional level, they often zoom out for his more tender lines and zoom in when he says something dumb or unfortunate.

Intellectually, they tend to show things like his chalkboard after the fact, when he's not at it, but they show things like Viktor actively working in the lab quite a lot. Basically, we see Viktor doing a lot more active science stuff while he's doing it, but with Jayce we tend to see the effects of the science stuff he's already done, like presenting prototypes that are already made, him holding hexgems that are already created, showing equations and notes of his that are already complete instead of showing him making them.

Overall, this creates a visual impression that Jayce is the dumber of the two, because we see him doing less actively, but if you pay attention he's doing at least as much science as Viktor regularly, it's just more off-screen.

2 ) Viktor wouldn't partner with someone who's not as smart as him.

Viktor reroutes his entire life to work with Jayce after reading his notes on Hextech. It's insulting to Viktor's intelligence to think he would "lower himself" to working with Jayce. Jayce is his equal, his partner, they compliment each other and both accomplish things the other couldn't.

For my money, Viktor is the more out-of-the-box thinker, Jayce comes from a family of tool makers and he tends to think in straight lines, most of his innovations are direct results of the spells he saw his Mage do, like weightlessness and transportation, while Viktor tends to come up with things like the Hexclaw and the Hexcore.

But both are also craftsmen and tinkerers, and it was Jayce's idea originally to do magic with technology, Viktor is working with him to innovate on that vision.

3 ) Jayce is a better public speaker and he's physically attractive and muscular, in a way that makes people underestimate his intelligence. It is very common for people who are good at speaking, people who are of above average attractiveness and, god forbid, people who keep an exercise routine to be seen as less smart even though those things have nothing to do with one another. Because Jayce is seen as the "face" of Hextech it's assumed that he's the lesser intellectual partner, when the truth is, it's just a division of labor. Viktor is terrible at public speaking and doesn't like doing it, Jayce is charismatic so he does it.

He's not a gym jock, his muscles come from the forge where he makes absolutely mind-bogglingly advanced items like Caitlyn's sniper rifle and his own hammer, the guy is basically making Hadron Colliders over an anvil. But because people tend to judge based on appearances, people tend to think he's dumb.

4 ) Jayce thinks in straight lines. He's incredibly direct. The reason he agrees to raid the Shimmer Factory with Vi is because he's sick of politics and he's sick of the corruption, and he wants to just deal with a problem directly. That's why he and Vi bring out the worst in each other, because they both think like that, and straight lines aren't always the best way to tackle a difficult problem, but Jayce is a scientist, he's used to seeing a problem and just fucking solving it.

The problem is, that doesn't work for all problems. He's incredibly smart as an engineer, literally Ambessa can't even find a scientist in Piltover as good as him and Viktor, but he's not widely read. He's not a politician or a diplomat or a social scientist. This also lends to the perception that he's dumb but you'll notice, Viktor is never put in a position to make decisions like that, Mel is never put in lab to solve a scientific equation, and in general, most characters aren't put in a position where they have to perform at the top of more than one field in the way Jayce is, so yeah, Jayce ends up looking dumb because he has to handle being the leader of a city when he spent his life working on Hextech and promoting Hextech. Of course he's not going to be perfect.

But that's also another case of sleight of hand, we see Jayce failing at more things because we see him thrown in a position to impact more things. A lot of characters maintain their image of being smarter or more skilled than him because they're not asked to work outside their range of skills nearly so often.

[potatosapien5]

from @derinthescarletpescatarian (sorry for stealing your tags I just thought you worded this very well)

Something I find incredibly cool is that they’ve found neandertal bone tools made from polished rib bones, and they couldn’t figure out what they were for for the life of them. 

Until, of course, they showed it to a traditional leatherworker and she took one look at it and said “Oh yeah sure that’s a leather burnisher, you use it to close the pores of leather and work oil into the hide to make it waterproof. Mine looks just the same.” 

“Wait you’re still using the exact same fucking thing 50,000 years later???”

“Well, yeah. We’ve tried other things. Metal scratches up and damages the hide. Wood splinters and wears out. Bone lasts forever and gives the best polish. There are new, cheaper plastic ones, but they crack and break after a couple years. A bone polisher is nearly indestructible, and only gets better with age. The more you use a bone polisher the better it works.”

It’s just. 

50,000 years. 50,000. And over that huge arc of time, we’ve been quietly using the exact same thing, unchanged, because we simply haven’t found anything better to do the job. 

[etanow]

MASTER POST

The Experimental Monster Laboratory, or Monster Labs, is a TADC AU where the cast is in the physical world! Sorta..

C&A Research Facilities is one of the cornerstones of the science and medical worlds! They do everything; funding research, manufacturing equipment, and research into the known and unknown in an effort to understand everything. To the public, that is.

They experiment heavily in everything, from hiring literal Gods on earth to manage the more ..sensitive divisions; mixing machine and magic, technology and the supernatural, genetic experimentation, you name it, they’ve probably done it! The world outside may not know anything of the advancements they’re researching but there is little C&A Labs won’t allow in the name of progress in understanding and cataloging everything in their universe. Our story takes place in one of the more private residencies deep in C&A, belonging to Caine; a minor God with mysterious origins, unknown limitations, and boundless enthusiasm for learning everything he can about his little science friends.

╰┈➤ Content

╚═ Unnamed fic (Coming soon...) ╚═ Bubble can cook?? .

╰┈➤ Asks

╚═ Does Pomni act like a zombie? ╚═ Is Zooble's Demon Snake Leg happy? ╚═ Gangle is in a Situation.png ╚═ Gangle's temperament ╚═ Has Ragatha ever shocked anyone? ╚═ Gangle love RAAAH ╚═ Do Caine and Ragatha fight over Pomni? ╚═ Why did Gangle summon a demon? ╚═ Why does Pomni wear a bell collar? ╚═ Kinger's eye ╚═ What if there was a baby crying? ╚═ Death trauma [Gangle and Pomni] ╚═ Kinger has ONE hobby outside of Bugs ╚═ Is Zooble protective of Gangle? ╚═ What happens when you touch Pomni's brain? ╚═ JAX DATED SOMEONE?? ╚═ What does Jax do? .

╰┈➤ References

╚═ Intro Cards ╚═ Height Chart Lineup ╚═ Zooble Demon Snake Leg Intro Card /j ╚═ Queenie ╚═ Gummigoo ╚═ The Sun Room ╚═ Logo .

╰┈➤ Arts

╚═ First ML AU Post ╚═ Second, exploring outfits ╚═ Design sketches part 2 ╚═ Pomni + flower language ╚═ Showtime + Ragapom doodles ╚═ Jax not practicing lab safety ╚═ Abstragedy cuddles ╚═ Raga doodle ╚═ Ragapom doodle ╚═ Jax and Meadowsweet ╚═ Pomni staring out a fake window.png ╚═ [Gives pomni flowers] ╚═ more doodles ig

.

╰┈➤ Misc.

╚═ Caine Lemon Rant [Animatic] ╚═ Zodiac signs?? ╚═ Caine gets called a Tumblr Sexyman and cries ╚═ Bubble Looksmaxxing ╚═ Jax wants to take ketamine with you (Romantically) ╚═ Caine eats a lemon [Animatic] ╚═ BUNNYSUITSSS ╚═ Magma doodles ╚═ Magma doodles part 2

.

╰┈➤ Pomniverse

╚═ Wonderland and Zombni are friends :D

.

╰┈➤ Boundaries / Q&A

╚═ Any story plans? I'm not sure yet, currently writing a fic and several comics on the way.

╚═ Any boundaries? None, so go crazy! I am OK with gore, NSFW, angst, violence, etc, just be sure it is tagged/TW'd appropriately as not everyone is OK with that content. I'd also like to see please LOL

╚═ Can we create fanart/fics/content? Can we dub or fancam? Yes of course!! Please tag me, I'd love to see all of it! I'm tracking the tag #TADC Monster Labs AU for other's content

╚═ Is NSFW allowed? Yes, both art and fic, so long as it's marked appropriately I'd very much love to see!

╚═ Can I ship the characters, self-ships, or OC x Canon? Yes, ship away! Just be aware the only au-canon ships are Caine/Pomni, Ragatha/Pomni, Gangle/Zooble, and PAST Ragatha/Jax.

╚═ Can we make OCs? Go on ahead! Here is a PSD file for the blank template and the PNG can be found here.

╚═ Who are you?

✦✧ Hi I'm Audi! 26, she/they. Full-time office worker, I do art in my free time. ✦ My current interests are TADC, RWBY, Looney Tunes, and Trolls. ✧ I draw using a custom PC, a Huion Kamvas 16 (2.5K), and Adobe Photoshop. Currently learning to use Procreate. ✦ I do not RP and this isn't an ask blog, asks interacting directly with characters will probably not be answered. ✧ Asks are not guaranteed to be answered, sorry if yours isn't but please don't spam/send multiple times! ✦ Commissions and requests are not open at this time, thank you. ✧ My main tumblr is Audi-art. My Twitter is Hammerspaced.

[thebearer]

Omg Imagine meeting Lip at college and you are majoring in education, and you only know each other through math or something you need help with. You could just befriend him at first because he is a WHORE phase lol.

Idk your dribbles make me think that Lip and his wife have a strong friendship that blossomed to romance after Lip figures his shit out , and she got knocked up very early on lol.

📢ALSO LIP WILL BE SO MUCH WORSE THEN CARMY WHEN HE FINDS OUT YOU ARE PREGNANT BC KAREN TRAUMAAAAAAAAAAA 📢

"Hey," You stride next to Lip, looping the free strap of your backpack on. "What are you doin' tonight?"

"Uh, kinda busy." Lip hummed, brows creasing lightly when he looked over at you.

"With your professor?" You gave him a pointed look, a devious smile spreading across your lips when he scoffed.

"Yeah. You got plans with yours?" Lip countered.

You rolled your eyes. "Please. I'm not that desperate for a grade." You quipped. "Speaking of, I was going to ask if you were free tonight, because I am going to fail this math test on Wednesday."

"Yeah? And what do you need me for?" Lip grinned, pushing the door open for you. It was so casual, friendly- it made your heart flutter.

"Stop." You shook your head at him. "C'mon, I really need your help. I do your critical theory homework all the time to impress your sexy professor lady, so you owe me."

"Yeah, I guess. I'll, uh, I'll stop by after my last. I gotta check with Youens, make sure I got my shit done. Then I can come help you study." Lip nodded casually.

"Ugh, thank you." You sighed, bumping him playfully with your shoulder. "I swear, I'm not teaching math ever. I don't understand why I'm in the hardest math class for elementary ed."

"I mean, they probably want their teachers to be halfway smart." Lip shrugged. "Well, maybe not at the shit hole school I went to, but, uh, the good schools."

You snorted. "Yeah? Well, regardless, I'm not teaching math. I'll hold down the language arts, or the history, maybe the science if I have to. But math? Out of the question."

"Not even long division, huh?" Lip grinned.

"To be completely honest with you, I don't think I know how to do long division." You giggled. "I can barely do short division."

Many Years Later

"Lip!" You called, your voice carrying out to the garage, where your husband was "working on the car" (which really meant sneaking a cigarette).

"Yeah?" Lip hummed, walking into the house. Freddie sat at the kitchen table, a tiny frown on his features that mimicked yours perfectly. It made Lip's heart melt.

"Let Daddy see the problem, baby. He's better at math than me." You ran a hand over Freddie's curls sweetly, moving so Lip could take your spot.

Freddie had gotten Lip's freakish ability to do math. He was only six, but doing multiplication and long division already in his advanced groups.

"Lemme see, bud." Lip turned the paper towards him, scanning the problem. "Ah, ok, so you're not carrying the number here." Lip pointed to the problem, explaining it to your tiny son.

Your heart swelled, picking Jude up and hoisting him on your hip, trying to finish loading the dishwasher.

"Always thought your were jokin'." Lip hummed, gently squeezing your ass so you blushed, leaning to kiss the toddler on his head.

"About what?" You raised a brow.

"The long division thing." Lip laughed lightly. You gave him a confused look. "Y'know, when you said you wouldn't teach math and all that."

"Oh," You rolled your eyes playfully. "No, I wasn't. Why do you think I teach language arts now? Can't do all that numbers stuff like you."

Lip smirked, taking the dish from you and putting it in the rack. "How do you even remember that?" You cock your head to the side.

"What?"

"That I said that." You giggle. "That was, like, a million years ago."

"Because," Lip shrugged. "I was in love with you."

"No, you weren't." You blushed, dodging Jude's grabbing hands towards your hair. "You had your Mrs. Robinson."

Lip rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but, you were like my best friend." He said boyishly. Your heart melted. "Still are, but then, I just... I didn't want to fuck it up, ya know?"

"Watch it." You glared at him lightly, though it wasn't very convincing. "That's sweet. I was, like, very much so in love with you too, for the record."

"Yeah?" Lip grinned. You nodded, laughing when he kissed you sweetly over Jude's head. "Kinda had an idea."

"Really? What gave it away? The wedding or the kids?" You said sarcastically.

"No, it was the night that I had to pick you up from that dive bar downtown, and, uh, you were so drunk-"

"-Alright, Gallagher-"

"-And you kept telling me how much you loved me-"

You glared at him. "Jude, Daddy is being mean to me. Can you believe that?" You cooed, frowning exaggeratedly at your son. Jude just babbled, trying to grab at your hair again.

[mspopstar]

...Susie, are you trying to clone Meta Knight? (If so, why?)

"Ahahaha! How silly! I would never do such a thing! Yes, Haltmann Works Company bio-sciences division does indeed experiment, streamline, and utilize its highly advanced cloning through nano-genetic technology but I would never do such a thing without providing informed consent to any and all sentient individuals or organisms whom can consent."

"In the case that we do use samples that have been collected past and or subsequent to the statue of limitations in place for genetic collection for nano-genetic experimental usage we do not inform the individual or organisms of the who, what, how and why regarding the use of their genetic materials. However, please know that Haltmann Works Company promises and continues to uphold a value that while no clone has any forms of rights or humanity, all clones are treated with the utmost care and consideration both when performing orderly upkeep and possible termination. For any questions or concerns, please contact Haltmann Works Company Ethics Morals, and Responsibility support line Thank you."

-Executive Secretary of HWC, Susana P. Haltmann

[Arc Controller | "Clone Wars" | Previous <--> Next ]

[fafnir19]

Engineering a Dark Legacy

The military assessment center loomed before Lewis like a monolith, its stark concrete façade reflecting the early morning sun. He stood, clutching his folder, heart racing as he scanned the entrance. Soldiers in crisp uniforms marched by, their sharp boots echoing against the pavement—*thud, thud, thud*—a sound that filled him with a mix of awe and trepidation. “Why did I even apply?” he muttered under his breath, adjusting his horn-rimmed glasses. He felt out of place, a nervous science PhD student among a sea of tall, confident soldiers. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead. Today marked the beginning of the assessment center for a coveted position as an aviation engineer, a role that could catapult him into the elite R+D department of the military—if he passed the grueling selection process. The military had never appealed to him and aviation engineering wasn’t exactly his forte. But the military’s elite center promised cutting-edge research and had a reputation for groundbreaking innovations - and he needed a job after graduation.

As Lewis stepped through the imposing gates of the military center, a rush of excitement and anxiety filled his chest. He was greeted by a stern-looking Sergeant, who handed him a bundle consisting of a pair of olive bomber pants and combat boots. “You’re Lewis? Get in line—gear up.” Gear up? Lewis blinked, his stomach twisting into knots. “Uh, is this really necessary? I thought I’d just be in my regular clothes,” he stammered, glancing down at his checkered shirt and slacks. “Military protocol, kid. These will help you get into the mindset.” The Sergeant crossed his arms, his gaze fierce. With a reluctant sigh, Lewis slipped into the oversized pants, the fabric sleek against his skin. He laced up the combat boots, the weight of them grounding him in a way that was terrifying intimidating.

The next three days blurred into a relentless cycle of logic puzzles, engineering simulations, rapid-fire questioning, and psychological evaluations. Three days of relentless pressure, each moment a gauntlet of intellectual challenges designed to break down even the most brilliant minds. Stress gnawed, exhaustion settled deep, yet a strange thrill persisted. The final meeting arrived. He found himself in a sterile conference room, facing General Radu across a polished table. "Lewis," Radu began, his voice a low rumble, "your performance was…impressive." Hope flickered in Lewis's chest. "However," Radu continued, shattering that hope, "we’ve decided to move forward with a candidate with more specialized aviation experience." Disappointment stung. Lewis had dared to hope. "That said," Radu continued, a glint in his eye, "we have another position. One we haven't advertised." Lewis's heart skipped a beat. Radu rose and gestured toward the door. "Come with me." They descended into the bowels of the military complex, passing through layers of security that made Lewis's head spin. The air grew colder, the silence deeper. A sense of anticipation thrummed through him. Finally, they reached a heavy steel door. Radu punched in a code, and it hissed open, revealing a brightly lit laboratory. Computers hummed, strange devices blinked, and scientists in lab coats huddled over complex equipment. "Welcome to our…special projects division," Radu said, a hint of pride in his voice. Lewis's eyes darted around the room, taking it all in.

This was it. The cutting edge. The kind of research he had only dreamed of. Radu led him deeper into the lab, explaining the various projects underway. "Here, Lewis, we push the boundaries of what's possible. Hypersonic propulsion, advanced materials, directed energy..." He let the list trail, allowing the sheer scope to impress the young scientist. This was beyond anything Lewis had imagined. Then his gaze snagged on something odd. A black silk cloak hung on a mannequin, its red lining a stark contrast.

"What's that?" he blurted, unable to contain his curiosity. Radu smirked, a glint in his eye. "Ah, that. We found it on one of our excursions, deep in a cave in Romania. That, Lewis, will be your project." "My project?" Lewis echoed, bewildered. "What is it for?" Radu's smirk widened. "Try it on, and you'll see. Believe me, you'll be impressed." Lewis approached the cloak, his fingers tracing the smooth, cool silk. With a deep breath, he donned it. A jolt of energy coursed through him, his muscles rippling and expanding. His shirt strained, then vanished entirely. The olive bomber pants he'd been given now fit perfectly, molded to newly sculpted thighs. He felt an unfamiliar force coursing through his veins, he felt…powerful. "Wow!" he gasped, flexing his arms, marveling at the transformation.

Radu chuckled. "Now you have not only the knowledge about combat jets but also the body to fly one." Lewis laughed, still caught up in the spectacle. "Maybe the body, but not the mind. I'd be too afraid to risk my life in a jet fighter!" The general's expression hardened. "You are a warrior now, and a soldier follows his superior's commands." Shock slammed into Lewis. "That's a misunderstanding. I'm not a soldier, I'm a scientist! I guess it…" He trailed off, a strong pain gripping his mouth. He felt something…sewing his lips together. He tried to speak, but no sound came out. Panic flared. He reached up, fingers tracing the rough, red yarn that now sealed his mouth. He could only mumble inarticulately.

Radu's voice was sharp, unforgiving. "The cloak doesn't accept contradicting your general. This is the punishment." Lewis's eyes widened in horror. "If you wonder how you should eat with sewed lips…" Radu continued, his tone laced with dark amusement. "This cloak was used by Dracula to form an army of loyal warriors. You aren't exactly human anymore, and you will feast on the life energy of your enemies." Then, a new sensation flooded Lewis's senses. He could see it now: a faint aura of light surrounding each person, a shimmering field of energy he hadn't noticed before.

Radu sensed his dawning realization. "Just suck the life energy off a human, and your transformation is complete!" Lewis shook his head frantically, a silent scream trapped in his throat. Radu's smirk returned, colder than before. "Or resist your hunger for more than three days, and you'll be restored." Hope flickered within Lewis. Three days without food – he could do that. He had to. Radu removed the cloak, the stolen power receding slightly. He replaced it with a simple black bomber jacket. "Welcome to the team, Lewis!"

General Radu steered Lewis down a sterile corridor. The path ended at a stark, reinforced door marked 'Restricted Access – Level 5.' Radu punched in a code, the lock clicked open with a heavy thud, and they entered a section that felt colder, more isolated than any Lewis had seen.  "This is where we keep our… more challenging guests," he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. The metallic tang of fear hung heavy as they entered the high-security wing. The cells lining the corridor were made of thick, reinforced glass, each housing a figure of varying degrees of menace. They passed a hulking brute covered in tattoos, a woman with eyes that darted around like trapped birds, and finally stopped before a cell where a man in an orange jumpsuit sat cross-legged on the floor, laughing. The glass walls did little to contain his arrogance. Terrorist, the label screamed in Lewis's mind. The man, Ahmet, looked up, a sneer twisting his lips.

"Look who's here," Ahmet sneered, his eyes glinting with disdain. "The clowns in uniforms. Come to grovel some more? Tell me again how you'll break me?" He spat on the floor, a gesture of pure contempt. Radu's smirk didn't falter. "Ahmet, meet your new roommate." He gestured to Lewis, clad in the black bomber jacket against his bare skin, the sewn lips a grotesque parody of a smile. The laughter died in Ahmet's throat. His bravado crumbled, replaced by a primal fear. He scrambled back, pressing himself against the far wall of the cell. "What is that thing?" he croaked, his voice barely a whisper. "Enjoy your company, Ahmet. I trust you'll make him feel at home." Radu's voice dripped with amusement as he unlocked the cell and shoved Lewis inside. Ahmet's eyes, wide with genuine fear, darted between Lewis and Radu. Then, Radu turned and strode away, the heavy door clanging shut behind him, leaving Lewis and Ahmet alone in the oppressive silence.

Hours crawled by. Lewis stood motionless, his gaze fixed on Ahmet, who huddled in the corner, his eyes darting around the cell, fear etched on his face. The hunger began to gnaw at Lewis, a deep, primal craving that grew with each passing moment. He could see it now, the faint aura of life force that shimmered around Ahmet, beckoning him. He fought it, clenching his fists, trying to hold onto the last vestiges of his former self. *Three days,* he thought. *Just three days and it will be over.* He remembered his lab, his research, the life he had before. But the memory felt distant, fading like a dream. The hunger was a relentless tide, pulling him under. "Stay away from me," Ahmet whimpered, his voice trembling. "Please, what do you want?" Lewis remained silent, his sewn lips preventing him from speaking. But his eyes, burning with a newfound intensity, told a story of their own. He could resist no longer. With a guttural growl, he lunged at Ahmet. "No! Get away!" Ahmet screamed, scrambling to his feet. He threw a desperate punch, but Lewis brushed it aside, his strength far surpassing anything he had possessed before. He grabbed Ahmet by the throat, his fingers digging into flesh. "What are you doing?!" Ahmet choked, his eyes bulging. "Let me go!" Lewis stared into Ahmet's eyes, a dark vortex of hunger and desperation. And then, he began to draw the life force from him. Ahmet's screams turned into gurgling gasps as his body withered, his skin turning grey and papery. Lewis drank deeply, savoring the rush of energy, the satisfying calm that washed over him. Radu watched from the observation window, his face a mask of horrified fascination. He had expected a transformation, but the sheer brutality of it was shocking.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, Lewis released Ahmet. The terrorist’s body crumpled to the floor, a shriveled husk devoid of life. Radu entered the cell, his face a mask of grim satisfaction. He surveyed the scene, his gaze lingering on the lifeless remains of Ahmet.

A slow smile spread across his face. "Impressive," Radu said, his voice low. "We suspected that the more intelligent subjects would become the most horrific … uhm, I mean …efficient. It seems we were correct." Lewis stood panting, his body buzzing with newfound power. He felt a strange sense of calm, a dark satisfaction that settled deep within him. He looked at Radu, and a surge of loyalty coursed through him. His general. His commander. "Your transformation is now irreversible," Radu announced, his eyes gleaming. "Welcome, my warrior!"

The following months passed in a blur of training and combat missions. Lewis excelled as a pilot, his enhanced senses and reflexes making him a formidable force in the air. But his victories came at a terrible cost. He left a trail of desiccated corpses in his wake, each one a testament to his insatiable hunger. He never took prisoners. Why bother, when they were so much more useful as sustenance?

One morning, Lewis awoke to a strange sensation. He ran a hand over his mouth, feeling the smooth skin where the stitches had once been. They were gone, dissolved as if by magic. He opened his mouth, testing his voice. It was deeper, more resonant than he remembered. He could speak now, but he had nothing to say. He knew, with chilling certainty, that his transformation was complete. The last vestiges of his former self had been erased, replaced by a cold, ruthless efficiency. He was no longer Lewis, the nerdy PhD student. He was a weapon, a predator, utterly loyal to his master. He kneeled before Radu, his eyes cold and empty. "General," he said, his voice flat, devoid of emotion. "What are my orders?" 

Radu surveyed his creation, a handsome, daring killer with ancient powers. Then a satisfied smile spread across his face that revealed the depths of his ambition. "Excellent," he said. "You are exactly what we needed." He had created a monster, a perfect soldier with no conscience. And he knew, with absolute certainty, that Lewis would obey his every command.

[mariacallous]

A prominent computer scientist who has spent 20 years publishing academic papers on cryptography, privacy, and cybersecurity has gone incommunicado, had his professor profile, email account, and phone number removed by his employer, Indiana University, and had his homes raided by the FBI. No one knows why.

Xiaofeng Wang has a long list of prestigious titles. He was the associate dean for research at Indiana University's Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, a fellow at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a tenured professor at Indiana University at Bloomington. According to his employer, he has served as principal investigator on research projects totaling nearly $23 million over his 21 years there.

He has also coauthored scores of academic papers on a diverse range of research fields, including cryptography, systems security, and data privacy, including the protection of human genomic data. I have personally spoken to him on three occasions for articles here, here, and here.

“None of This Is in Any Way Normal”

In recent weeks, Wang's email account, phone number, and profile page at the Luddy School were quietly erased by his employer. Over the same time, Indiana University also removed a profile for his wife, Nianli Ma, who was listed as a lead systems analyst and programmer at the university's Library Technologies division.

As reported by The Bloomingtonian and later the The Herald-Times in Bloomington, a small fleet of unmarked cars driven by government agents descended on the Bloomington home of Wang and Ma on Friday. They spent most of the day going in and out of the house and occasionally transferred boxes from their vehicles. TV station WTHR, meanwhile, reported that a second home owned by Wang and Ma, located in Carmel, Indiana, was also searched. The station said that both a resident and an attorney for the resident were on scene during at least part of the search.

Attempts to locate Wang and Ma have so far been unsuccessful. An Indiana University spokesman didn't answer emailed questions asking if the couple was still employed by the university and why their profile pages, email addresses, and phone numbers had been removed. The spokesman provided the contact information for a spokeswoman at the FBI's field office in Indianapolis. In an email, the spokeswoman wrote: “The FBI conducted court authorized law enforcement activity at homes in Bloomington and Carmel Friday. We have no further comment at this time.”

Searches of federal court dockets turned up no documents related to Wang, Ma, or any searches of their residences. The FBI spokeswoman didn't answer questions seeking which US district court issued the warrant and when, and whether either Wang or Ma is being detained by authorities. Justice Department representatives didn't return an email seeking the same information. An email sent to a personal email address belonging to Wang went unanswered at the time this post went live. Their resident status (e.g., US citizens or green card holders) is currently unknown.

Fellow researchers took to social media over the weekend to register their concern over the series of events.

“None of this is in any way normal,” Matthew Green, a professor specializing in cryptography at Johns Hopkins University, wrote on Mastodon. He continued: “Has anyone been in contact? I hear he’s been missing for two weeks and his students can’t reach him. How does this not get noticed for two weeks???”

In the same thread, Matt Blaze, a McDevitt professor of computer science and law at Georgetown University, said, “It's hard to imagine what reason there could be for the university to scrub its website as if he never worked there. And while there's a process for removing tenured faculty, it takes more than an afternoon to do it.”

Local news outlets reported the agents spent several hours moving boxes in an out of the residences. WTHR provided the following details about the raid on the Carmel home:

Neighbors say the agents announced "FBI, come out!" over a megaphone.

A woman came out of the house holding a phone. A video from a neighbor shows an agent taking that phone from her. She was then questioned in the driveway before agents began searching the home, collecting evidence and taking photos.

A car was pulled out of the garage slightly to allow investigators to access the attic.

The woman left the house before 13News arrived. She returned just after noon accompanied by a lawyer. The group of 10 or so investigators left a few minutes later.

The FBI would not say what they were looking for or who is under investigation. A bureau spokesperson issued a statement: “I can confirm we conducted court-authorized activity at the address in Carmel today. We have no further comment at this time.”

Investigators were at the house for about four hours before leaving with several boxes of evidence. 13News rang the doorbell when the agents were gone. A lawyer representing the family who answered the door told us they're not sure yet what the investigation is about.

This post will be updated if new details become available. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of events involving Wang, Ma, or the investigation into either is encouraged to contact me, preferably over Signal at DanArs.82. The email address is: dan.goodin@arstechnica.com.

[dedrameeroapologist]

Take this with a grain of salt because I just think too much about something most likely irrelevant. So, I rewatched all S1 scenes with Dedra for science (rebel!AU), especially to remind myself whether Dedra really was expected to be better than everyone, or if it was just her ambition. Partagaz specifically says,

"There's a high bar for your performance."

I did think it's perhaps just ISB standard because later he says,

"That's why we're bringing in officers like you."

And it can easily be interpreted like she's not meeting ISB standards here, but no. She is expected to do better than ISB standards

"There's a high bar for your performance. Unfair perhaps, but senseless to ignore, and potentially the foundation of a uniquely superior career. You're supposed to be more competent and tucked away, that's why you're here."

So maybe I'm stating known things here, and came late to the party. But Dedra isn't just held to the ISB standard and never was. I was thinking what reason would have Partagaz to actually dot on Dedra. We don't see him giving any advice to anyone else privately. Not even to Heert, who is under Dedra. And he backs her all the time, even to Yuralen who seems to not be impressed with her.

I wonder if it's cut part of fitting 3 seasons into one, but it looks like she was supposed to be shown that she specifically is groomed for far higher positions - "uniquely superior career." If it were just about power and outranking others, it would be a "superior career.". So, Dedra herself is a unique case of an officer within the Empire.

Which moves us fast forward to S2 and Kalkite meeting. She was specifically selected by Krennic despite Ferrix (which honestly should be blamed on that guy who kicked B2), and as he said, he wanted her plan specifically, and she already had one "before they finished talking". But like, why would Krennic even know about her? She's just a Lieutenant Supervisor at ISB. He's in the Imperial High Command, and his branch is the Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research. ISB has an affiliation with it, but again, Dedra had no idea how the attendant who gave her information was called. So it kinda makes no sense for Krennic to know someone far below him, from a different division. Especially when he's clear in S2 that Supervisors are just "clerks" to him and beneath his reputation to care about. Technically, you could say they know her because of Ferrix failure, but also if it were any other supervisor in her place, they would have no career. So my theory is that Dedra, because of being raised by the Empire and having potential, was part of some gifted kids group that she didn't even know about.

So everyone demanded exceptional results because she was meant to be a perfectly shaped mold. High Command and Partagaz, as the one directly above her, would know they needed to shape her with challenges. Results of an ordinary supervisor would be lost in the ether, but if true, Dedra would be closely monitored. It would also explain why Partagaz considers Dedra his pupil. He was aware that her mind alone would be worth ten others combined. This would also fit within my theory that Dedra is actually pretty young. From my calculations, the ideal age would 25 yo in 5BBY* when Andor starts. It's enough to finish Royal Imperial Academy, even so if she was good enough to skip some classes. What makes me think that is that in S1, everyone treats her like a newbie, like she doesn't know how ISB even works. If she really was younger than most Lieutenants, it would make sense. It looks like she wasn't an attendant and came a Lieutenant straight from Enforcement. Where I suspect they saw in a short time she exceeded the expectations for that branch and would be more beneficial in Investigations, which is exactly what happens. So I would say in a way, Dedra wasn't aware that she was a sophisticated tool for the Empire. As long as there were results, she could bend the rules more than others; she could slip here and there because, in the long term, it was still beneficial. Her chain of luck ended when Lonni stole her codes. Even when Krennic is interrogating Dedra, he still admits "How does one balance such passionate competency with the mindless decision to confront Luthen Rael on your own?"

Dedra was really good in their eyes, probably too good, and because of that, she started to break the mold that Empire created for her. When she saw the outside through the cracks, she noticed the incompetence of the Empire, superiors, and how most go after their own benefit rather than the benefit of the Empire. This is why paradoxically she started to rebel against her own. Unaware of it, she started to fight the system that created her to be greater than most. When that happened, it made the system flawed and imperfect. It couldn't feed her enough.

Since I love parallels, it's like the Empire is Kronos, whose children were more powerful, and he feared they would overthrow him, so he ate them instead. Dedra, Krennic, Partagaz, Lonni, Tarkin, etc., could be seen as children who were eaten, while Vader fulfills the role of Zeus, who "kills" Palpatine. Together, all of them had their part in the fall of the Empire, just like Zeus killed Kronos with the help of his siblings.

*She couldn't be in her 30s or 40s as it would make her around +/-20 years old when the Galactic Empire was created, so her kinderblock past makes absolutely no sense. Honestly, I don't even have an idea what I'm saying, my mind is literally this.

[talonabraxas]

“All perceptible matter comes from a primary substance, or tenuity beyond conception, filling all space, the akasha or luminiferous ether, which is acted upon by the life giving Prana or creative force, calling into existence, in never-ending cycles all things and phenomena.” ― Nikola Tesla

Quetzalcóatl - Force of Nature Talon Abraxas The Fifth Pachakuti and the Rise of Quetzalcoatl The Era of Potential Unity

The Fifth Pachakuti, which began in the 1990s according to the Pachamama Alliance’s interpretations, marks a prophesied era of potential reconciliation and unity between the disparate paths of the Eagle and the Condor. This era is viewed as a pivotal moment in human history, where the aggressive, industrious, and mind-oriented energies of the Eagle could harmoniously integrate with the intuitive, nature-connected, and heart-oriented energies of the Condor. The prophecy suggests that these two forces could metaphorically “mate,” merging their distinct virtues to give rise to a new, elevated form of consciousness that transcends their individual limitations.

This new epoch is characterised by a global awakening to the interconnectedness of all life and a renewed appreciation for the principles of balance, respect, and reciprocity with nature. It is a time when humanity at large is called upon to blend the scientific advancements and technological innovations of the Eagle with the ecological wisdom and spiritual insights of the Condor. This synthesis promises the advent of a more sustainable, just, and peaceful world, embodying a higher state of collective consciousness and a renewed societal paradigm. Symbolism of Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatl, often depicted as a feathered serpent, embodies the culmination of this metaphoric union. In Mesoamerican cultures, Quetzalcoatl is not only a deity of significant religious importance but also a symbol of the integration of the heavens (bird) and the earth (serpent), mirroring the desired amalgamation of the Eagle and the Condor. This powerful imagery captures the essence of balance between opposing forces: the sky and the ground, spirit and matter, intellect and emotion.

Drawing a parallel with the Mayan quetzal bird, known for its strikingly vibrant plumage and revered in Mayan culture as a symbol of freedom and wealth, Quetzalcoatl enhances this symbolism. The quetzal bird’s ability to thrive in the air yet remain connected to the earth encapsulates the ideal of living in harmony with both the material and spiritual dimensions of existence. Quetzalcoatl’s representation as both bird and serpent effectively symbolises the integration of heart and mind, art and science, and masculine and feminine energies.

In the context of the Fifth Pachakuti, Quetzalcoatl represents the potential for humanity to reach a state of enlightenment where scientific and technological prowess is used wisely to enhance life and honour our deep, innate connection to the Earth and each other. This new consciousness is characterised by a holistic worldview where art and science, mind and heart, male and female are no longer seen as dichotomies but as complementary forces that enrich human experience and help solve the world’s most pressing challenges through creativity and collaboration.

Thus, the rise of Quetzalcoatl in this current era symbolises hope and the potential for a profound transformation within human society, pointing towards a future where balance and harmony prevail over division and conflict. This emerging consciousness invites all of humanity to participate in a grand synthesis, which promises to reshape our world with wisdom, compassion, and equilibrium.

[lonestarflight]

Proposal: Dyna-Soar/Little Joe II Suborbital Flight Test Program

Artist concept of Little Joe II/Dyna-Soar concept. (Convair)

"The X-20 Dyna-Soar program is often remembered as one of the biggest lost opportunities in the history of manned space flight. Evolving from the WS-464L Program, Dyna-Soar had great potential for use as a military space platform as well as civilian science laboratory. Unlike the earlier Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules that were single-use vehicles returning to earth under a parachute system, the X-20 was a winged vehicle, capable of landing on select runways, then refur- bished and utilized again.

Initial flight testing of the Dyna-Soar had the vehicle dropped from a modified B-52C, 53-0399, carrier aircraft to test atmospheric handling qualities and landing techniques. The USAF selected Ed wards AFB, CA, and White Sands Missile Range, NM, due to their natural runway surfaces. (AFTC History Office)

The initial phase of the X-20 flight test program had the vehicle dropped from high altitudes from a B-52C mothership to test atmospheric aerodynamic handing of the vehicle, as well as develop landing techniques at Edwards AFB, CA. The second phase of testing involved sending the X-20 on unmanned and manned orbital spaceflight test mis- sions powered by a Titan III rocket booster which left a large gap in the standard progression of flight testing. The Convair Division of General Dynam- ics proposed making suborbital test flights using a Little Joe II booster.

The Little Joe II was a clustered, solid-propellant rocket booster designed as unguided and controllable versions. The vehicle could accommodate one to seven, 40-inch diameter, 100,000-lb thrust, Aerojet Algol 1D solid rocket mo- tors. With minor modifications the im proved launch vehicle (IPLV) could ac commodate the more advanced 44-inch diameter Algol IIA motors.

Little Joe II had the reputation as a reliable work- horse of the early manned space program, testing Mercury and Apollo escape and recovery systems from various launch locations. The Little Joe II booster was a versatile rocket with capabilities not found on many systems of the day and could be adapted and configured for several different flight profiles.

This detailed dimensional drawing shows some of the modifications required for the Little Joe il booster in order to carry the Dyna-Soar test vehicle. In addition to the upper adapter fairing, the booster required larger aerodynamic stabilizing fins to compensate for the larger payload. (Convair)

Convair proposed making test flights of the Dyna- Soar/Little Joe II combination on an overland range between Edwards AFB, CA and the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Launching from Edwards AFB provided a lakebed in case of an aborted launch . and emergency landing. Range instrumentation was already in place at both sites, keeping the range support cost to a minimum.

Two different versions of the modified Little Joe II booster

The Dyna-Soar test vehicle would be mounted atop the Little Joe II booster with a two-part transition fairing, gloved over the X-20 to minimize drag and would be jettisoned prior to separation. This variation of the Little Joe II booster required movable aerodynamic fins, larger than those used on standard Little Joe II launches.

A Boeing/USAF X-20 Dyan-Soar is boosted skyward for a suborbital test flight from Edwards AFB, CA towards White Sands Missile Range, NM, aboard a Convair Little Joe II. The larger stabilizing fins and aerodynamic fair- ing around the Dyna-Soar are noteworthy. (Convair)

Utilizing a standard Little Joe II booster, the X-20 could be propelled to a maximum speed of 10,000 fps (approximately 6,800 mph) at an altitude near 170,000 feet. With the improved Little Joe II launch vehi- cle, those figures would rise to a speed of 15,000 fps (approximately 10,200 mph) and an altitude near 200,000 feet. The entire flight covered approximately 582 nautical miles, with the booster impacting the desert floor just over halfway through the flight. The Dyna-Soar test vehicle would experience considerable aerodynamic heating during the reentry phase with the final landing on the alkali flats of the White Sands Missile Range.

The Dyna-Soar suborbital program required a minimum of five test flights: two unmanned flights utilizing the existing automatic guidance, and three manned flights. Convair projected the total price of the five-flight test program at $12.2 million, considerably less than the projected $18 million per flight for a Titan III booster (figures are in FY 1965 dollars)."

AFMC History & Museums Program HQ AFMC/HO 4225 Logistics Ave, RM S133-Wright-Patterson AFB 45433-5006-DSN: 713-1797

source

NASA ID: 63-Little Joe II-3

SDASM Archives: 86914210, 47209426

[anghraine]

I've missed several WIP Wednesdays due to the move and outlining/writing rambling meta instead, but I wanted to write something despite feeling tired and asthmatic. So I went for maximum self-indulgence w/ the other TOS-only AU, which I don't have detailed plans for but am still very fond of thinking about:

Spock did not experience emotions, and therefore, he did not dislike Dr. Price. But he certainly had little enough respect for him beyond the man’s adequate medical expertise. “Mr. Spock, I’ve heard that you’re going to be first officer to the new captain,” Dr. Price said, upon interrupting Spock’s breakfast. Spock took a sip of orange juice. He had discovered years ago that it was one of the few benefits to returning to San Francisco, and it seemed somehow apropos to his experience of life here to have the experience disrupted and rushed. “To Captain Uhura, yes,” said Spock. Without an invitation, Price seated himself in the empty chair opposite Spock. “Right,” he said. “Uhura’s the youngest person to get command of a Constitution-class ship, isn’t she? And the first woman?” “Yes,” Spock said. He did not particularly care about either consideration. He hadn’t met Captain Uhura, but naturally, he’d read everything there was to know about his new commanding officer. She had received a sequence of awards and commendations throughout her years in the Starfleet that all appeared entirely merited, and her record was largely spotless, as humans put it. He saw no reason to suppose that either her gender or age—she was thirty-two—would affect her qualifications for command of the Enterprise’s forthcoming mission.

Price tapped his nails on the glass table, the irregular clicking sound a decided irritant—on the physical level, of course, not the emotional. Registering unpleasant sensations did not constitute emotions, either.

“Well, as first officer, you’re the one in charge of personnel,” said Price. “And you’re still chief science officer, I gather?”

“Both are true, yes,” Spock said, and took a longer, more bracing drink of juice. He considered also eating more of the falafel he’d ordered, but it was of a lesser caliber than the juice, and Price had already put him off his appetite.

Price was now jiggling his leg as well, the clack of his boots joining the periodic click of his nails.

“I’ve got a problem,” he announced. “In life sciences, that is, which makes it your problem, too. Starfleet’s transferred dozens of social scientists into the division. More archaeologists, xenoanthropologists, psychologists, you name it—a lot more. New people from all over.”

Spock felt very certain that from all over meant humans from various parts of Earth and perhaps some Terran colonies. He had never served on a vessel in which he was not the only alien, and even he partly owed his post on the Enterprise to the impossibility of splitting him between all-human and all-Vulcan vessels. He would not have put it beyond the admiralty to try, had there been any possibility of success.

“An increased number of experts in the social sciences seems entirely logical,” he informed Dr. Price. “A five-year mission dedicated to exploring wholly unfamiliar regions of space will benefit from that expertise, and in all likelihood, advance those scientists’ disciplines.”

Price waved this aside. “Yes, yes, undoubtedly. The problem is that I’m not exactly a cat herder.”

“A cat herder,” Spock repeated. For the first time in a year, two months, and six days, his bafflement at the idiom was entirely sincere.

Price was already rushing on, his voice picking up speed. “I know medicine, I know biochemistry well enough, I’m good at what I do. And what I do isn’t manage a stable of psychologists and archaeologists and who the hell else, all of them convinced of completely different theories and insisting they’re not at each other’s throats. And honestly, a mission like this, on a ship like this, needs counselors as well as observers and researchers. I’m not suited to it, Chapel’s not trained for it, and—”

Spock spared 3.2 seconds to wonder who, exactly, had thought this man suited to a staff officer’s position. Yes, head of life sciences and chief medical officer were not differentiated by much on most vessels. This had always struck him as unwise, given that the ability to oversee a medical staff hardly translated into the ability to administer a large team of scientists across wide-ranging disciplines in which the life science chief would not necessarily have personal expertise. He felt it was a greater than usual error in this case, however.

“I see,” he said. “You doubt your qualifications for your position with regard to the increased number of scientists.”

“Not for my position, no!” Dr. Price exclaimed, his scowl deepening even as his voice rose higher. “This wasn’t part of—”

Spock believed he had sufficient data to estimate that Price would not last above six months on the mission. Fortunately, he would be easy enough to replace.

“I take it that none of the present social sciences team struck you as qualified to oversee the others,” he said. “In addition, you suggest that the current personnel seem to lack the desired number of clinical experts in favor of pure researchers, despite the probable strains of the mission on four hundred and thirty human crew members. I assume you are recommending that appropriate qualified officers be transferred to the Enterprise to remedy the situation as soon as possible?”

Price’s shoulders visibly relaxed as he nodded his head eagerly. Somebody, Spock felt, would be receiving a rather thankless degree of authority, given Price’s inadequacies when it came to managing other people. But he at least understood his own weaknesses well enough to seek some way to compensate for them before the personnel arrangements had progressed to a point where the request couldn’t be accommodated. Spock inclined his head.

“You were correct to bring these matters to my attention,” he said. “I will make the necessary requests.”

“Great!” said Dr. Price. “That’s great. It’s a massive relief to me, I don’t mind telling you.”

“Clearly,” Spock said, and stabbed his falafel. “Did you have any other concerns?”

Price all but leapt out of his chair. “Not at all. I’ll, uh, leave you to your work. And food.”

Thankfully, he suited actions to words, and hurried further into the city, his figure soon indistinguishable among the uniformed crowds that were always in motion about headquarters. Spock banished him from his mind, but reflected on the practical difficulties. The Enterprise's current personnel arrangements could accommodate five more counselors, he decided, with some minor rearrangements to Security. The general request should be simple enough. The matter of this cat herder, someone to manage the large and critically important swath of social scientists, required far more specific qualifications than the others, however, and greater familiarity with those qualified than he himself possessed.

After an hour exactly of contemplation, Spock wrote to a respected superior of his, Commodore T’Vana, an eminent sociologist embedded deep within Starfleet’s administration, and detailed the suggested position and requirements. He received a refreshingly direct and concise reply forty-seven minutes later, informing him that the request had been approved, official recommendations had passed to Starfleet Command, and he would be immediately alerted once the decision and transfer passed through all official channels.

Logic did not suggest thanking her for performing a necessary task. Spock commended her efficiency and left it at that.

-

Nyota Uhura did not haunt the San Francisco docks and watch the progression of the Enterprise’s refits for an hour out of every day. Every other day, well. It was her responsibility, and she hadn’t gotten to where she was by shirking her responsibilities. And in a matter of days, it would be her ship, too.

On the last day of refits, Uhura arrived just after sunrise to a mid-sized observation room that she had long since discovered had the best view of the ship. Her entire nervous system still thrilled at the thought of the next five years of her life, though she was far too much of a professional to show it, even before she caught sight of an unfamiliar science officer standing at the window she preferred. She paused, then decided not to disrupt her routine; there was plenty of room at the window, and she wasn’t the only one with a right to be here.

As she strode up to the window, the officer turned to her. He was younger than she expected, about her own age, and like her, had painted eyeliner and mascara around his eyes with a precise hand. She returned his smile without hesitation; his light, mobile attractiveness wasn’t to her personal taste, but he looked friendly.

“Good morning. I don’t often see other people here off-duty,” she said, and held out her hand. “I’m Captain Nyota Uhura of the Enterprise.”

It was the first time she’d said it, and another shiver of delight shot down her spine.

“Good morning, ma’am,” he replied, firmly clasping her hand. Her quick glance took in the rank braids around his wrists: a full commander’s, surprisingly. “Dr. James Kirk. I’m a new member of your crew, actually, so it’s an honor.”

“To meet me or to meet her?” Uhura asked as they dropped their hands, both turning back to the Enterprise. The ship gleamed brighter than ever in the soft morning sunshine.

He laughed outright. “Both, I’ll admit. I was just transferred from the Oxford and figured I could get an unofficial look at her before I need to be professional about it.”

“In all honesty, I’m here for the same reason,” she said, watching the engineers scurrying about the ship like particularly animated specks of dust. Then she glanced back at Kirk. “I know your name. You’re the chief of psychology that Dr. Price and Mr. Spock were requesting, aren’t you? And we’re getting new counselors, too. It certainly makes sense for a mission like this.”

“I am,” he said, and then his lips twitched. “Chief of a lot of things that aren’t quite written down, I gather, but I’m a psychologist and that’s the title. And yes, I didn’t have any difficulty imagining why the request got made—over four hundred people in deep space for five years? But I certainly felt my luck.”

“Luck?” She shook her head, eyebrows raised, but on this of all days, she felt no need to repress the same smile curving her own mouth. “Nobody ends up on this ship by luck, Dr. Kirk.”

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

By Jonathan Howard

It doesn’t bode well for the future that leaders of major American institutions say naked emperors are wearing beautiful clothes.

We need to make every effort to get people who disagree, even sharply, in dialogue with one another. In a previous article, I wrote an open letter to the Stanford President, Jonathan Levin, regarding a conference at his university, Pandemic Policy: Planning the Future, Assessing the Past. As SBM readers know, this conference featured doctors who mostly didn’t treat COVID patients, but instead spread misinformation about it and tried to purposefully infect people with it. My letter predicted that the conference would be a giant exercise in deliberate amnesia. As such, I encouraged President Levin to reject censorship and simply play videos of the speakers from the first two years of the pandemic.

Sadly, President Levin embraced censorship. Instead of honestly informing the conference attendees about the speakers, he whitewashed their pandemic record with the following speech:

Good morning and welcome to everyone. I appreciate the opportunity to be here.

Now, you might wonder: Why is Jon Levin opening this conference on pandemic policy? You might say, Jon is no public health expert. And I might say: Well, I did run a business school during the COVID pandemic, so I have some experience making pandemic policy decisions. They also say you learn most by making mistakes. So I think there are probably a thousand Stanford MBAs who are willing to argue that I’m basically a world expert.

However, that’s not why I’m here.

When I was invited to participate in this event a few months ago, it was with the understanding that the goal was to bring together people with different perspectives, engage in a day of discussion, and in that way, try to repair some of the rifts that opened during COVID.

That struck me as a valuable goal, and the sort of goal we should aim for at Stanford. So I agreed to give a few brief remarks to that effect.

What followed was disappointing. When I was invited, I asked around and indeed the organizers were talking to some well-known people with quite different views who were likely to speak. However, it was not so straightforward. Some invitees weren’t able to make it, or withdrew, or didn’t want to participate in an event with other speakers whose views and behavior they found attacking or abhorrent.

When an initial and partial agenda was posted, it was immediately perceived as one-sided, and as I’m sure you all noticed became the subject of op-eds and social media posts.

Ironically, instead of repairing rifts as intended and perhaps spurring fresh thinking, the process seemed to reopen old and existing divisions.

As an observer and as the leader of this university, I found the episode dispiriting, in a way that goes beyond the specifics of this particular event.

We have many issues today at Stanford, and on other campuses, where views are divided, and in some cases, like this one, where feelings are raw.

Yet I believe we need to make every effort to get people who disagree, even sharply, in dialogue with one another. I believe it’s essential for us to do that as members of the faculty and university leaders – not just because it’s a way to advance knowledge, but because we need to model that behavior if we want to expect it from our students. And in today’s world, we absolutely need to ask and expect our students to be able to engage with, listen to, and debate with people with whom they disagree. My view is that we need to err on the side of talking to one another.

So I hope today’s conference will come off in a way that involves just that – thoughtful and robust discussion across different perspectives. I hope it yields some important insights about future pandemic policy – we certainly need that. Perhaps it does even bridge a few divides among those in the room.

And I hope even more that all of you will join in the larger project of trying to make Stanford and other campuses forums for the type of robust and thoughtful discussion that is at the heart of universities when we’re at our best.

I wouldn’t have been have afraid to mentioned that many of these doctors predicted COVID would kill less than 50,000 Americans and that the mass infection of unvaccinated youth would lead to herd immunity in 3-6 months.

We’ve had more flu deaths among children this year than COVID deaths. With President Levin’s admonition to “listen to” people in mind, let’s revisit just one of the videos I presented to him. In this video, from November 2020 Dr. Jay Bhattacharya said “we’ve had more flu deaths among children this year than COVID deaths”.

The first reported COVID death in the US was on 2/28/2020. By the time Dr. Bhattacharya recorded that video, COVID had killed at least 133 children according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. During that same time frame, the flu killed 9 children. The next year, just 1 child died of the flu while COVID killed several hundred children. Currently, the CDC reports 1,935 COVID deaths and 438 flu deaths amongst children since the start of the pandemic, though obviously children should be vaccinated against both viruses.

Yet, according to President Levin, its fine for people to have “different views” on this topic. He feels “we need to make every effort to get people who disagree, even sharply, in dialogue with one another.” Sounding more like a college freshman than a university President, President Levin feels everything is a matter of opinion and what really matters is that no one get their feelings hurts. In President Levin’s telling, it’s not wrong for Dr. Bhattacharya to say that 9 is larger than 133, however it is wrong for people like me to say this isn’t a “different view” and it shouldn’t be a topic of “dialogue”.

I supposed I’ll be accused of silencing debate and discussion, but 133 is larger than 9. This wouldn’t have been controversial in 2019. When someone spreads dangerous, blatant misinformation, honest brokers call it out, even if the person spreading the misinformation has fancy credentials and can speak in scientific jargon. It’s not that hard. President Levin, however, expects us all to be open to the possibility that 9 is larger 133, and it doesn’t bode well for the future that leaders of major American institutions say naked emperors are wearing beautiful clothes.

[theresattrpgforthat]

Games with an atypical division of Player/GM responsibilities? For example, in Fellowship, the players have final say in lore/world building questions, not the GM. (Not counting GMless games, which have atypical GM duties by default)

Alternatively, if that's too niche: any games explicitly designed for rotating GMs and/or 'West Marches' style campaigns.

THEME: Unique Player Responsibilities / Rotating GMs

Hello there! I hope to do your ask justice, although I feel more at home talking about the first half of your question than the second. I’ll ask my followers to supply some more suggestions in the tags/reblogs, and throw at you what I have!

Fae’s Anatomy, by Hebanon Games.

Fae’s Anatomy is a comedic storytelling RPG wrapped around a challenging logic puzzle, recreating the high-stakes melodrama of medical procedurals like Grey’s Anatomy, House, and General Hospital. 

Anybody can be an expert in Fae’s Anatomy. The game is set in a world where all forms of magic, spirituality, and mysticism are science. Science? Just another form of wizardry. Quackary, superstition, and pseudo-science work, but so does chemotherapy, antibiotics, and sound medicine.

In many ways, I’d say Fae’s Anatomy feels like a typical ttrpg: you have one person giving hints and clues to the rest of the players, who will use certain skills and abilities to solve a problem. But the closest role to the GM role - the Patient - is simply different from the doctors in what limits them. The Patient is suffering from some kind of mysterious illness, and while they have a little bit of information available to their general illness, the app presented to them to help them run through the diagnosis keeps the solution obscured enough to keep them on their toes. The Patient also has to role-play their symptoms well enough to help point the doctors in the right direction. In some ways, it feels like Fae’s Anatomy is an elegant form of charades - and if you want to hear how this game plays, you can check out the special episodes that Lawful Great Adventures recorded using this game!

Apocalypse Keys, by Rae Nedjadi @temporalhiccup

The Doomsday Clock is ticking down and emotions run high as you and your team of DIVISION agents struggle to find the Keys before the villainous Harbingers unlock the Doors of Power and bring about the apocalypse.

As an Omen class monster, you are the only thing capable of holding back the apocalypse. Combat occult threats and investigate supernatural phenomena alongside your team of supernatural agents working for the shadowy DIVISION. But in a world that shuns monsters like you, only your deepest, most heartfelt bonds can grant you the power to stop those who seek to unlock Doom’s Door.

There are two ways in which Apocalypse Keys uniquely empowers the players in ways I consider slightly unorthodox. Firstly, there’s the fact that the lore of DIVISION, the shadowy government agency that holds your monsters leash, isn’t fully fleshed out at the beginning of play. It’s slowly uncovered with each mission and playbook advancement, with the players being presented with questions and workshopping the answers together.

Second is the mystery mechanic, which was popularized by Brindlewood Bay and The Between, and also made its way into games such as External Containment Bureau and Bump in the Dark. While the GM designs clues and thinks about what kinds of Harbingers might be responsible for this specific apocalypse, it’s up to the players to decide what the answer to the mystery actually is - and it’s the player’s roll that determines how accurate they are.

Brinkwood, Blood of Tyrants, by Far Horizons Co-Op.

Mask up. Spill blood. Drink the Rich.

The world is not as it should be. The rich feed, literally, upon the poor, as blood-sucking vampires who barely bother to conceal their horrific, parasitic nature. The downtrodden peoples of the world struggle under the burdens of rent, payable through the sweat of their labor or the blood of their veins. Evil has triumphed. Many have given in to despair. But all is not lost.

In Brinkwood, you take on the role of renegades, thieves, and rebels struggling for freedom and liberation in a castylpunk world controlled by vampires. Radicalized by tragedy, you have taken up arms and fled into the forests, where you were taken in by unlikely allies - the fae, forgotten creatures of myth - who offered a different path and the means to fight back against your oppressors. Masks, forged of old wood and older magic, are the final tool left to fight a war long ago lost. If you wear them, they will take their price, etching themselves upon your very soul. But they will also let you spill the blood of the rich and powerful vampires that now rule the land, and from that blood strengthen yourself and your movement.

There’s a lot of things about Brinkwood that I absolutely love, from the way the mask playbooks are meant to be swapped among the characters/players with every mission, to the slow but steady revolution that you build by fostering connections with various factions in the Bloody Isles. But for the purpose of this request, we need to talk about Your Exquisite Fae.

Your Exquisite Fae is the process by which the group collaboratively creates a faerie patron, otherworldly and uniquely powerful. It’s inspired by the game Exquisite Corpse, which has each player draw a piece of a drawing without knowing what the others have already created. In Your Exquisite Fae, the players receive answers to prompts written by other players but aren’t given hints as to what the context was - and then they elaborate on what those answers mean. For example, one player might state that the Fae has eyes that reflect the night sky, gleaming like a thousand distant starts. The second player might decide that those eyes see the deepest fears of the enemy, giving the group an advantage at finding weaknesses and secrets when spying on vampires.

Ars Magica, by Atlas Games.

Ars Magica is the award-winning roleplaying game by Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein•Hagen about wizards and their allies in Mythic Europe. This flexible, deeply built world can support games that are historically accurate or fantasy-based, epic or small scale, political or personal.

Players work together to tell the story of their covenant — all of the magi, their companions, and grogs. This history can span decades. It might be heroic, tragic, or both in turn. The covenant could influence the entirety of Mythic Europe or the fates of a small corner of the world.

Spells will be cast. Duels won and lost. Houses may rise and fall. But magic is forever.

The last time I talked about this game, one of my followers pointed out that this was an incredibly complex game that was designed to accommodate rotating GMs. The game styles itself as a troupe-style game, which means you’re not just responsible for your mages, but also your companions and servants. If you want a game with complex relationships and big-picture conflicts, this might be the game for you.

Slugblaster, by Mikey Hamm.

In the small town of Hillview, teenage hoverboarders sneak into other dimensions to explore, film tricks, go viral, and get away from the problems at home. It’s dangerous. It’s stupid. It’s got parent groups in a panic. And it’s the coolest thing ever.

This is Slugblaster. A table-top rpg about teenagehood, giant bugs, circuit-bent rayguns, and trying to be cool.

It may look like a small thing, but during crew creation, each character playbook has specific roles in determining the crew’s resources and relationships. The Grit picks a faction that trusts the crew. The Guts chooses a faction that the crew has somehow annoyed. Each player draws a portal between the known multiverses, but the Smarts draws two. The Chill has final say over where you hang out when you’re not Slugblasting, and The Heart has final say over your crew name.

I’ve drawn direct inspiration from this setup in my own game that I’m playtesting, by giving each playbook final say over some element in the world, and I think it really boosts player agency and gives them control over the kind of story the group wants to tell.

Planedawn Orphans, by Sharkbomb Studios.

Planedawn Orphans is a campaign kit that helps you prepare a campaign for the fantasy role-playing game of your choice. It provides a flexible and versatile framework to start a campaign. The campaign kit will help you get started and provide structure and support, but some assembly is required.

Set in the Planar City, a strange melting pot that connects the vast diversity of the multiverse. You all play Planar Orphans stranded in this city, your original home worlds destroyed, corrupted or lost. A mysterious Patron has brought you together, provided you with a base of operations and tasked you to complete a Planar Key. This key will let you create a new plane for you and your fellow refugees. Your quest will bring you to exotic places filled with strange creatures and bizarre phenomena.

This isn’t a standalone rpg, but rather a campaign kit for whatever system you like - or even multiple systems! I’m recommending this toolkit because I’m actually planning to use it to run a series of rotating-gm games later this year, with a friend of mine. You’re building your own custom dimension by jumping into a series of vastly different worlds, and your home base is built collectively. There’s a lot of player agency and GM agency here, as players have plenty of control over their home dimensions (since they can’t ever go back) and the GMs can take turns designing custom worlds for the party to jump into. I definitely recommend checking it out.

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