#Advanced ventilation systems

[rnadett]

An Analysis of the Concept of 'The Grey' in Arcane.

Also, I forgot to mention, but here's another confirmation that Jayce knew about The Grey, as he completely redesigned the mask.

The versions on the left were the last ones before Jayce, specifically designed for the concentrated gas. These still had a pipe outlet and an oxygen tank. In the version designed by Jayce, there was new technology that helped see through the dense Grey via lenses, and it directly filtered the air, eliminating the need for pipes and extra oxygen tanks.

This mask is closer to the one used by the enforcers, with the distinction that the lenses in Jayce's version are even more advanced, not only protecting the eyes but, as I mentioned, offering better vision. (This feature is visibly switchable on and off in ep 2 of s 2.)

Also here's one more thing about the grey:

It disperses quickly, even within a closed office, when it comes into contact with the air. The Grey back then was only present in Zaun because: 1. There was no ventilation system. 2. Since the factories were still in operation, they continued producing the Grey non-stop. Later, these factories were closed, and the Chem-Barons began using it for different products. The only remaining places where the Grey was still present were the closed pipe system and the fissures in the mines where it got trapped. Also, when the Grey was present in Zaun and the ventilation system was running at the same time, what do you think they did with the Grey? They let air flow from Piltover to Zaun, so that the Grey would dissolve as quickly as possible.

The Grey is a fictional gas in a CREATED show where the laws of physics work differently than in our world. Just like magic (Arcane), the Grey cannot be compared to the laws of our universe.

....

False, one-page or one-sentence ragebait posts always spread faster than detailed content, even though, to get an accurate picture,

it's important to examine the details, not just take something out of context without meaning.

If you're interested, you can find more in-depth analyses on my profiley such as why it was Heimerdinger, whose 200 years of neglect and inaction created the entire conflict between Zaun and Piltover.

(or there is the youtube link: https://youtu.be/y7Y__xyDyG8?si=Td3EuTLMMdcFkTko)

Thank you for reading it!

[another-goblin]

I like Dr. Ratio's mask a lot for several reasons.

1. It kind of plays with breaking the fourth wall.

I mean, you can't have a mask that's more realistic than your actual face. Unless you are a character in a stylized game, and only the player can see the mask this way.

2. Just the inherent silliness of it.

How does he put it on and off? Is this marble bust made of rubber?

It's about the size of his actual head. Does it mean is it a couple of milimiters thick?

Why does he pretend to read a book (he also writes down some equation and plays chess) while wearing the mask in his trailer? If he supposedly wears it to not see people?

How does he breathe? And talk?

Is it just a mask or a super complex piece of advanced technology made to look like something primitive, like his chalk? With an inner screen, a ventilation system, and so on?

How did he even come up with this idea? Doctor, sweetie, who hurt you? who told you it's a good idea?

Imagine putting a blindfold on because you don't want to see somebody. Even that would be super weird. But a whole marble bust?

And I like how everybody just accepts it. Like, yeah, he's a little weird like this.

3. I just like the face. The soft, androgynous features, the feminine hairdo and the little, gentle smile. Why would he choose that?

4. From what I understand, he wasn't even supposed to wear this thing at the beginning. I saw an earlier concept of him wearing an owl mask. They probably decided against it because there is a separate game faction known for wearing masks. So "wearing it to not see 'fools'" must have been a late addition to his personality.

It's also interesting that we only see him wearing it on Herta's station full of scientists, and Herta herself even comments that she doesn't remember how his actual face looks, showing how little he actually values knowledge, education, and being smart in an academic sense in and of itself.

[heliosunny]

Yandere!Zayne x Reader x Yandere!Caleb

Arts cre to artist

Summary: In a post-apocalyptic world overrun by monstrous creatures known as Wanderers, you are one of the last remaining scientists, dedicating your life to preserving humanity. Using cutting-edge biotechnology, you create Caleb and Zayne—two highly advanced humanoid beings designed to assist you in fighting the Wanderer threat. You implant them with memories of being your childhood friends to ensure they feel loyalty, trust, and camaraderie toward you. Caleb is the reliable and determined pilot, wielding gravity-based powers, while Zayne is the calm and resourceful medic, capable of manipulating ice.

The morning sun streamed through the reinforced windows of your lab as the smell of something savory wafted in, pulling you out of your deep focus. You looked up from the maze of wires and circuits sprawled across your workstation just in time to see Caleb entering, balancing a steaming plate in one hand. His dark hair was slightly damp, probably from his morning workout, and his signature confident grin was firmly in place.

“You didn’t eat again, did you?” he said, setting the plate down in front of you.

You blinked at the food—a plate of perfectly scrambled eggs, toast, and even a small bowl of fresh-cut fruit. “Wait… when did you have time to make this?”

“Right after fixing that mess of a ventilation system in the south wing” he replied, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

You gave him a wry smile. “You know, you’re starting to sound more like a housekeeper than a pilot.”

“And you’re starting to sound like someone who’s about to faint from hunger” Caleb shot back, gesturing toward the food. “Now eat before I make it a command.”

Reluctantly, you put down your tools and took a bite. It was annoyingly good. You mumbled between mouthfuls, “You’re too good at this. What kind of pilot cooks this well?”

“The kind that has to make up for the genius who forgets to eat.” he said, a playful glint in his eyes.

Before you could retort, Zayne walked in, clipboard in hand, his icy-blue eyes immediately narrowing at the sight of Caleb and his cooking.

“What’s this?” Zayne asked, gesturing to the plate. “Breakfast in bed? How domestic of you, Caleb.”

“Jealous, Doc?” Caleb quipped without missing a beat.

Zayne’s gaze shifted to you. “You really let him boss you around like this?”

“I didn’t let him,” you said, gesturing to the food with your fork. “But I’m not complaining. He’s saving me time.”

Zayne sighed, placing his clipboard on the counter. “You know, if you actually managed your schedule better, you wouldn’t need someone to babysit you.”

Caleb rolled his eyes. “And if you lightened up, maybe people wouldn’t freeze the second you walk into a room.”

“Caleb. Zayne.” You set your fork down and gave them both a pointed look. “Can we not do this every time we’re in the same room?”

Caleb smirked but didn’t push further, and Zayne gave a small huff before grabbing a tablet to check mission reports. Despite their constant bickering, there was an undeniable ease to their presence, like two opposing forces that somehow balanced each other out.

You looked between them, a small smile tugging at your lips. No matter how chaotic they were, they were your family—the people you could always count on, even in the darkest of times. ----- The mission had gone horribly wrong. Wanderers ambushed you in the dead of night, forcing Caleb and Zayne into combat. Caleb slammed one creature into the ground with a gravitational pulse, his jaw tight as he yelled “Get behind me!”

Zayne’s breath misted in the air as frost spread from his fingertips, freezing a group of Wanderers in place. “How about you stop barking orders and actually focus on not dying?” he snapped, his voice sharper than usual.

“I am focusing!” Caleb retorted, his gravitational barrier flickering as the strain mounted.

Realizing they couldn’t hold out much longer, you made a split-second decision. Pulling out a remote device, you activated the override. Both Caleb and Zayne froze mid-action, their bodies locking up as their systems shut down.

“I’m sorry” you whispered, dragging them to safety before finishing off the remaining Wanderers yourself.

When they woke up in your lab hours later, the tension was palpable. Caleb sat up first, rubbing his temples. “What… happened? Why couldn’t I move?”

“You shut us down” Zayne said flatly, his tone icy. His sharp gaze pinned you in place. “That override… what else have you been hiding from us?”

You sighed, turning away from their accusing stares. “I had no choice. You both would have died.”

Caleb stood, his expression unreadable. “We’re not just tools, are we? We’re…” His voice faltered, and his hand clenched into a fist. “What are we?”

Zayne crossed his arms, his voice low. “Answer him.”

Taking a deep breath, you faced them. “You’re not tools. You’re not experiments. You’re my creations. I built you to help me save humanity. And I gave you memories—false ones... because I didn’t want you to feel like you were nothing more than machines.”

The silence was deafening. Caleb stared at you, a storm brewing in his eyes. “So… we’re not even human?”

“No.” you admitted softly. “But that doesn’t change what you mean to me. You’re more than just creations. You’re my family.”

Zayne’s expression softened slightly, though his tone remained cold. “Family? Is that why you lied to us?”

“I lied to protect you.” you said, your voice firm. “I didn’t want you to feel like you were just tools. You’re not. You’re everything to me.”

In the days that followed, Caleb and Zayne’s behavior shifted. Caleb became more protective, shadowing you during missions and watching you with a guarded intensity. Zayne, meanwhile, grew more reserved, throwing himself into his work but keeping a careful eye on you.

One evening, as you worked late in the lab, Caleb sat nearby, idly fiddling with a gadget. “You should let me help you more.” he said suddenly.

“You already help plenty.” you replied without looking up.

“Not enough.” he muttered. “If something happened to you…”

You looked up, surprised at the vulnerability in his voice. “Caleb, nothing’s going to happen to me. I have you and Zayne, remember?”

He nodded but didn’t look convinced. “Yeah. You have us.”

Later that night, Zayne entered the lab, finding you asleep at your desk. Shaking his head, he draped a blanket over your shoulders and adjusted the room’s temperature to keep you comfortable. “She pushes herself too hard” he murmured, his icy tone melting for just a moment.

“Don’t we all?” Caleb’s voice came from the doorway.

Zayne glanced at him but didn’t respond. Instead, he sighed. “As much as I hate to admit it… she needs both of us.”

Caleb crossed his arms, his jaw tight. “Yeah. She does.”

The city was under siege, and the Wanderer threat was greater than ever. Caleb, Zayne, and you stood side by side, ready to face the horde.

“Stay close to me” Caleb said, his gravitational field already forming.

Zayne rolled his eyes but smirked. “Protect her all you want, but don’t get in my way.”

You placed a hand on both their shoulders, your voice steady. “No fighting. Not now. We do this together.”

For the first time, they exchanged a glance of mutual understanding.

As the battle raged, the three of you worked in perfect sync. Caleb’s gravity crushed waves of Wanderers, while Zayne froze others in their tracks. You enhanced their powers, amplifying Caleb’s field to cover the entire city and super charging Zayne’s ice to create massive barriers.

When the last Wanderer fell, the three of you stood together, battered but victorious. Caleb offered you a tired smile. “We make a good team, don’t we?”

Zayne chuckled, his breath misting in the cold air. “For once, I agree with him.”

You smiled, tears in your eyes. “We always have.”

As the world began to heal, so did your bond with Caleb and Zayne. They accepted their origins and found solace in their roles—not as tools, but as your partners and family. Though their playful rivalry remained, it was no longer tinged with bitterness.

----- Life had been peaceful in the months following the defeat of the Wanderers. The lab had transformed into a hub of innovation, with Caleb and Zayne lending their unique talents to assist you in rebuilding technology for humanity. Despite the occasional bickering between them, a quiet harmony had settled over the three of you.

That peace, however, was shattered the day an unexpected visitor appeared at your doorstep.

You were calibrating a new piece of equipment when the lab’s security system chimed, signaling an incoming guest. Caleb, who had been fixing a damaged drone nearby, frowned and stood immediately.

“Expecting someone?” he asked, tension creeping into his voice.

“No” you said, confused, wiping your hands on a cloth as you walked to the door.

The man standing outside was someone you hadn’t seen in years. Dr. Marcus Vell, a former colleague from your days as a junior scientist. His slicked-back gray hair and sharp suit gave him an air of authority, but there was something unsettling in his smile.

“Y/N!” he said warmly, stepping forward as you opened the door. “It’s been too long.”

“Marcus?” you said, startled. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard about your success” he said, glancing around the lab with thinly veiled interest. “I must say, I always knew you’d surpass the rest of us. Your creations…” His eyes flicked to Caleb and Zayne, lingering a little too long. “…are remarkable.”

Zayne, standing in the corner, crossed his arms, his icy gaze fixed on Marcus. Caleb moved closer to your side, his posture protective.

“Thanks, but I’m pretty busy.” you said, trying to keep the interaction short.

Marcus chuckled, unbothered by the cold reception. “Of course. I won’t take much of your time. I’m here with an offer. Humanity needs minds like yours—truly gifted ones. Come work with me. Together, we could rebuild this world far more efficiently.”

You hesitated, sensing the hidden implications in his words. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m happy where I am.”

His smile faltered slightly, and a flicker of something darker crossed his face. “Don’t be so hasty. You’ve barely heard what I have to offer.”

Caleb stepped forward, his expression hard. “She already said no. You heard her.”

Marcus glanced at him, his smile sharpening. “Ah, the pilot. A fine creation. But let’s not forget who’s really in charge here.”

Before Caleb could respond, you held up a hand. “I think it’s time for you to leave, Marcus.”

Marcus straightened his suit, his eyes lingering on you. “Very well. But consider this—talent like yours shouldn’t be wasted in obscurity. I’ll be in touch.”

As he walked out, Zayne’s voice cut through the silence. “I don’t trust him.”

“Neither do I” Caleb muttered.

You sighed, brushing it off. “It’s fine. He’s just an old colleague trying to stir up trouble. Forget about him.”

But Caleb and Zayne exchanged a look—one that spoke volumes.

Later that night, while you were asleep, Caleb and Zayne made their move.

“He’s not going to stop” Caleb said, his voice low as he paced the dimly lit lab.

Zayne, seated at a console, typed rapidly, pulling up information on Marcus. “Agreed. He’s been digging into her work for months. I found encrypted correspondence with other labs—he’s trying to recruit people to take her away.”

Caleb clenched his fists. “Then we stop him. Quietly.”

Zayne looked up, meeting Caleb’s gaze. “For once, we’re on the same page.”

Two days later, Marcus Vell vanished.

You didn’t notice at first, too absorbed in your work to realize he hadn’t “followed up” as he promised. When you eventually thought of him again, Zayne was the one to casually dismiss your concerns.

“Marcus?” he said, adjusting his glasses. “I heard he left the region. Something about funding issues.”

“Really?” you asked, frowning. “That doesn’t sound like him.”

Caleb chimed in, leaning against the counter. “People like him are all talk. He probably realized you weren’t interested and gave up.”

You nodded slowly, still feeling a vague unease. “I guess. Well, good riddance.”

Caleb and Zayne shared a brief glance behind your back, the unspoken agreement between them crystal clear. Marcus was no longer a threat.

A week later, Caleb handed you a plate of food while Zayne adjusted the cooling system for your new project.

“Thanks” you said with a smile, taking the plate. “You two have been unusually cooperative lately. Should I be worried?”

“Cooperative?” Caleb grinned. “We’re just that good.”

Zayne gave a small shrug, his lips curving into a rare smile. “Sometimes, we have the same priorities.”

You tilted your head, sensing an undertone you couldn’t quite place. But whatever it was, you trusted them. After all, they’d proven time and again that they would do anything to protect you—even if you didn’t always know the lengths they’d go to.

As you turned back to your work, Caleb and Zayne exchanged a small, knowing smirk. They didn’t need your gratitude. Keeping you safe was reward enough.

----- Bonus: The Great Dinner Standoff It had been a long day of work, and you were looking forward to a relaxing dinner. Caleb had volunteered to cook, which usually meant something delicious but overly ambitious. When you entered the dining area, the smell of roasted vegetables filled the air.

Caleb turned from the stove, flashing you a proud grin. “Dinner’s ready. I made roasted carrots with honey glaze, some chicken, and mashed potatoes. Pretty fancy, huh?”

Your mouth watered at the sight of the golden carrots on the table. “It smells amazing. Thanks, Caleb!”

Zayne appeared in the doorway, pausing mid-step as his eyes landed on the carrots. His face immediately darkened. “Carrots? Really?”

Caleb smirked, clearly enjoying Zayne’s reaction. “What’s wrong, Doc? Too sophisticated for your picky palate?”

Zayne ignored him, stepping into the room with a tray of his own. “I made something, too.”

You blinked in surprise. “Wait, you cooked?”

Zayne set the tray on the table, revealing a dish of cilantro-lime rice. “I thought I’d contribute.”

The moment Caleb saw the cilantro, his expression soured. “Cilantro? Seriously?”

Zayne’s lips twitched into a subtle smirk. “Oh, I know. Just thought it would balance out your… overly sweet carrots.”

Caleb glared at him. “You’re sabotaging dinner.”

“Sabotaging?” Zayne asked innocently, taking a seat. “I’m expanding the flavor profile.”

You groaned, sitting down between them. “Can we have one meal without a fight?”

Caleb pointed his fork at Zayne. “Tell him that. He’s the one ruining perfectly good food.”

Zayne calmly spooned some cilantro rice onto his plate. “I could say the same about your poor excuse for a vegetable.”

You sighed, grabbing a little of both dishes and taking a bite. The carrots were sweet and perfectly cooked, and the cilantro rice had a refreshing zest. “Honestly? They’re both great. You two should just appreciate each other’s cooking.”

Caleb muttered something under his breath but started eating, avoiding the rice entirely. Zayne, for his part, made a show of pushing the carrots to the edge of his plate.

By the end of the meal, you couldn’t help but smile. Despite their endless bickering, you knew they both cared in their own strange ways.

[registeredboykisser]

ok as per my last post I pointed out how forehead touches seem to be a semi-common form of affection in zaun but now I'm really interested in the origins

perhaps I'm delusional but hear me out

okay so if you don't know; the main deity that Zaunites pray to (even if we don't see it much in the show) is Janna, who is a goddess of air. league players don't come for me this is what I know from doomscrolling reddit. Fresh, breathable air is near impossible to find in the undercity, which is the main reason why many Zaunites (especially children) pray to her: for the ability to breathe and survive. It's also easier to observe that many Zaunites are selfish in terms of that ability to breathe, as seen with the control some people keep over the masks with the Grey and stuff. stay with me here-

When you're so close that your foreheads touch, you're in a position where you can practically breathe each other's air. And in an area where it's so hard to even breathe without shortening your lifespan, it's an affectionate and even intimate way of saying that you won't be selfish with them, that you would either survive together or die together.

With technological advancements such as the ventilation system and even Zaunites like Viktor and Vi being able to travel outside of Zaun, it probably doesn't hold as literal of a meaning as it did in the past, but it definitely seems to still be a thriving, cultural form of affection for those from Zaun, hence why we see it with caitlyn/vi, viktor/jayce, and vander/silco.

am I delusional? jaybe, jaybe not. but I'm a yapper at heart so

[canary-prince]

"What do I do if my marriage gets dissolved?"

SO, your state is trying to overturn gay marriage, huh? Wish I could say I'm surprised, buuuuuuuut, I'm not. Good-ish news: I'm a medical social worker. I'm semi prepared for this!

If the state you currently reside in outlaws and dissolves your marriage, you are going to need DOCUMENTS. Documents documents DOCUMENTS!!

"What documents, Jay?" Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare. Durable Power of Attorney for Finances. Living Will. Actual Will. There are probably more but boy howdy these are the BIG ONES. Why? Because these documents are what we in healthcare, those in law enforcement, and those in the court/property law system use to designate your Next Of Kin.

NEXT OF KIN means a lot of things SOCIALLY, but legally? Your next of kin is the person who is LEGALLY RECOGNIZED as having default decision-making power for you. Documents specifying a Decision Maker are often called ADVANCED DIRECTIVES. This means you complete these documents, under your own volition, as set of instructions to be followed if you later become incapacitated.

"What the hell does incapacitated mean?" It means you aren't clinically dead BUT it has been determined that you are unable to safely make your own decisions. Examples of incapacitation include being: unconscious or in a coma; being conscious but permanently mentally unsound due to dementia or a traumatic brain injury; being temporarily mentally incapacitated due to a psychiatric episode.

"What does my decision maker do?" Simply put, they make decisions on your behalf. And actually, if the precious, precious documents are completed correctly and thoroughly, they mostly give voice to your wishes. They are the one (or ones) who decide:

"Burial or cremation?"

"Do you want an autopsy?"

"Who is to be informed of this death and invited to the funerary service?"

OR

"Will you be suspending curative efforts or switching to hospice?"

"Will you be placing [patient] into a care home or keeping them with you?"

"Do you consent to homecare services?"

"Do you accept the current diagnosis or do you wish to hear additional opinions?"

OR

"Do you want to try an organ transplant?"

"Do you want to enroll in a clinical trial?"

"Are we permitted to perform blood transfusions on this patient?"

"Are we permitted to provide this patient with psychiatric interventions?"

OR

"Are we putting this money into a trust or dividing it among family members?"

"Are we selling this house or gifting it to an heir?"

"Are we selling the deceased patient's furniture or donating it?"

"Are we burying this body or giving it to science?"

That is for Durable Powers of Attorney, both healthcare and financial.

"What's a living will, then?" is a detailed list of instructions left regarding care during your period of incapacitation, especially when Death is the expected outcome. Where as a DPOA might specify only a few short things: "No ventilator" or "Don't donate my heart, take everything else" or "No pig valves, not even to save me", a living will can be more elaborate, and doesn't necessarily name a singular decision maker. Many states in the US do not treat living wills as legally binding. But, in the absence of more concrete documents, they can be a valuable guide for family members and key members of your care team. We encourage these often in palliative and end of life care, due to those patients being at risk for extended periods of incapacitation.

If you have MS, Huntingtons, Cerebral Palsy, HiV, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder or a history of psychosis, a family history of Alzheimers and/or Parkinsons and/or Vascular Dementia, I urge you to consider a living will. If you do extreme sports or otherwise frequently risk severe head trauma and/or prolonged oxygen deprivation, I strongly urge you to consider a living will. If you have a history of severe substance abuse and/or suicide attempts, I strongly urge you to consider a living will.

"Ha! No WAY man, I ain't signing away my rights to NOBODY. I'm staying in control 'til the moment I die." Unfortunately, no. You will not. If you are unconscious, you cannot make choices. If you become too psychotic to find your way outside and collapse from dehydration because you think your tap water is poison, they will not let you make your own decisions. If you begin suffering from dementia and believe your are seven years old and still in your hometown, they will not let you make your own decisions. If you are effectively brain-dead but breathing on your own, you cannot make your own decisions.

I have had many patients who thought it worked like this, and I have needed to explain to them that their logic is flawed. Your refusal to acknowledge these laws does not exempt you from them, and if you do not choose an advocate/decision-maker ahead of time and then are determined to need one, The System will simply choose for you.

"If I don't pick somebody, who gets to make decisions about my care?" Your next of kin. Who your next of kin is determined be goes like this:

Do you have a LEGALLY MARRIED SPOUSE? If yes, that is your next of kin. Marriage trumps everything else. Keep in mind, if you are living apart from a person you are not "with" but are still LEGALLY married to, that person is still next of kin. Even you no longer speak to them regularly, they can absolutely seize power over your healthcare and your finances. Even if you are currently legally married to your first choice decision maker, fill it out anyway. They are actively working to strip us of our rights, so dig your heels in.

If there is no spouse, they will seek out any adult children you may have, and assign Next of Kin to the eldest one.

If there are no adult children, they will seek out your parents. Yes, even if you are an out and proud trans lesbian, and they are aggressively cruel MAGA cultists who exclusively refer to you through the use of slurs.

If there are no parents, they will seek out your siblings and give decision making over to the either the oldest one. Or, more often at this point, whoever picks up the phone first. Yes, even if you hate your siblings, they have a much firmer claim over you than your friends or your partner in a world without marriage equality.

If there is NO biological family willing to step up and make choices for you, THEN they will turn to friends and unmarried partners, but, the bio family can sue to reclaim their rights at any time.

"Jay, that's not true!! When I was in the hospital and couldn't speak for myself, I didn't have that filled out and they still knew to call my girlfriend instead of my mom. Doctors understand that families are complicated, they wouldn't do this!"

I have watched this happen. I have watched lovers and friends and "chosen family members" who lived with the patient for years be tossed out like fucking trash in favor of blood relatives the patient despised, all because those same lovers and friends couldn't be bothered to sign two sheets of paper one time. While I am thrilled for those of you who have escaped this sort of nightmare, not everyone will be as astronomically lucky as you were. Doctors are fully capable of picking and choosing their moment when it comes to using "protocol" to hurt you, and the sheer number of institutions meekly showing Trump their belly should make you think twice before trusting a bureaucratic machine to protect your rights out of compassion.

[ranticore]

kettle's warren was post-apocalyptic? 👀

sometimes the development of a colony is interrupted by the dragon leaving or dying or whatever, which makes the colony go cold and so on. but that still ensures a kind of continuity from one generation to the next within that same colony. when the colony goes warm again (new dragon, old dragon returns, etc), it will be the same colony with the same history, even if it was only in basic survival mode for years and years.

kettle's colony is a mature colony which has experienced a cold stage in the past. it has advanced infrastructure (more than holly's) and tertiary industries outside of basic primary production, simply because it has been around for a long time. BUT it was not the first colony to settle in that particular cave system.

these are creatures who never leave their cave unless seriously pushed to. the first colony who lived there was also a mature colony, potentially more advanced than the one that followed, and this one did not die out after going cold and failing to persist. it died because the dragon left to go hunting, which is a regular occurrence lasting a night or two outside and accidentally caved in a major ventilation duct. the kobolds can survive in poorly ventilated areas where oxygen % is reduced, but in this case it was carbon monoxide poisoning that wiped out the colony overnight.

the dragon was unable to return as the entrance had caved in so the system went cold and froze. the cave was discovered while cold by the founders of kettle's colony, and they cleared the cave-in to make it an attractive place for a dragon to settle. it worked, and a new dragon came to warm the place up again. so by post-apocalyptic what i mean is that kettle's colony was built on top of the ruins of an existing colony, so they have an entire area of study dedicated to this mysterious ancient civilisation. but also the scavengers don't just gather resources from the cave itself, they live in what is essentially a huge landfill/dump/etc of refuse left behind by a more technologically advanced dead civilisation.

leadership in kettle's colony is painfully aware that one day their civilisation might be ancient ruins, too, and they are more proactive about trying to preserve themselves at all costs. it has a 'last throes of a dying empire' kind of feel, as the cultural consciousness starts to turn towards a potential future annihilation. this is why their religious practices are so intricate and formal.

[cherryjamandtoast]

UPS TEAMSTERS-UNION WON !!!!!!!!!!!

From the article:

[(WASHINGTON) – Today, the Teamsters reached the most historic tentative agreement for workers in the history of UPS, protecting and rewarding more than 340,000 UPS Teamsters nationwide. The overwhelmingly lucrative contract raises wages for all workers, creates more full-time jobs, and includes dozens of workplace protections and improvements. The UPS Teamsters National Negotiating Committee unanimously endorsed the five-year tentative agreement.

“Rank-and-file UPS Teamsters sacrificed everything to get this country through a pandemic and enabled UPS to reap record-setting profits. Teamster labor moves America. The union went into this fight committed to winning for our members. We demanded the best contract in the history of UPS, and we got it,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. ... This contract sets a new standard in the labor movement and raises the bar for all workers.”

“UPS came dangerously close to putting itself on strike, but we kept firm on our demands. In my more than 40 years in Louisville representing members at Worldport — the largest UPS hub in the country — I have never seen a national contract that levels the playing field for workers so dramatically as this one....” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. “We stayed focused on our members and fought like hell to get everything that full-time and part-time UPS Teamsters deserve.”

“Rank-and-file members served on the committee for the first time, ... “Our hard work has paid off — from those members and leaders negotiating for more at the table to my sisters and brothers building a credible strike threat around the country. Our union was organized and we were relentless. We’ve hit every goal that UPS Teamster members wanted and asked for with this agreement. It’s a ‘yes’ vote for the most historic contract we’ve ever had.”

Highlights of the tentative 2023-2028 UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement include:

Historic wage increases. Existing full- and part-time UPS Teamsters will get $2.75 more per hour in 2023, and $7.50 more per hour over the length of the contract.

Existing part-timers will be raised up to no less than $21 per hour immediately, and part-time seniority workers earning more under a market rate adjustment would still receive all new general wage increases.

Wage increases for full-timers will keep UPS Teamsters the highest paid delivery drivers in the nation, improving their average top rate to $49 per hour.

New part-time hires at UPS would start at $21 per hour and advance to $23 per hour.

All UPS Teamster drivers classified as 22.4s would be reclassified immediately to Regular Package Car Drivers and placed into seniority, ending the unfair two-tier wage system at UPS.

Safety and health protections, including vehicle air conditioning and cargo ventilation. UPS will equip in-cab A/C in all larger delivery vehicles, sprinter vans, and package cars purchased after Jan. 1, 2024. All cars get two fans and air induction vents in the cargo compartments.

All UPS Teamsters would receive Martin Luther King Day as a full holiday for the first time.

No more forced overtime on Teamster drivers’ days off. Drivers would keep one of two workweek schedules and could not be forced into overtime on scheduled off-days.

UPS Teamster part-timers will have priority to perform all seasonal support work using their own vehicles with a locked-in eight-hour guarantee. For the first time, seasonal work will be contained to five weeks only from November-December.

On July 31, representatives ... will meet to review and recommend the tentative agreement. All UPS rank-and-file members will receive a list of improvements in the contract. ... Member voting begins August 3 and concludes August 22.

The UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement is the single largest private-sector collective bargaining agreement in North America.]

Check the article for the full list; but ho ho holy shit.

This is huge. It shows the collective bargaining WORKS. The Teamsters sent a message to UPS and this win will send a message to Corporate America that unions can WIN for rank-and-file workers!!!

[emperor-kumquat]

The new alt-modes given to certain Transformers: Mercy characters

In the process of creating TFP versions of characters for my game, sometimes I make unique choices and give them new alt-modes. Or if it was unclear what they transformed into in IDW, I made something up. Here are some examples!

Nightbird: she is of the Corvicon species introduced in RID 2015, an actual bird to fit the name!

Trepan: he is a two-wheeler with a body type very much like Arcee's (boobs included to break gender norms). I wanted him to be very small and prickly.

Rung: he is a three-wheeler, though he isn't too fast. I was inspired by a scooter Rung was on in IDW.

Froid: he is a copter but he can also change his long arms into wings for gliding. Due to his ventilation system disease in Mercy, he refrains from transforming at all unless necessary.

Kaon: he used to be a three-wheeler like Rung, but after experimentation, he now transforms into a power pack with sleeves. He is meant to cling to the backs of bots so he is hard to pry off as he electrocutes them.

Vos: she is not just a gun, but now a six-winged Seeker with a massive laser gun. Yes, a gun that will pursue you!

Helex: Originally a heavy vehicle, but mostly just a furnace after experimentation that sucks up lava to spray at bots.

Tesarus: Once a heavy vehicle, but after experimentation, a heavy vehicle with many chopping blades at its front. You know that scary tractor from Cars that chased McQueen and Mater? That kind of vibe.

(Tarn is still a tank but with a power to kill not related to her voice)

Krok: he is a Croctobot (another RID 2015 concept). In the War he adopted a Seeker body from advanced Decepticon surgery, but then he wished to revert back to his natural body type.

Fulcrum: he is a copter-jet instead of a bomb now. He likes to hover at a distance in bot-form, wear his goggles, and watch the bombs he made go off.

Rewind: he is a torpedo-like Minicon like those from RID 2015. He can also magnetically stick to walls and ceilings and slip around like some kind of black roomba bug.

Browning: he is a tiny, tiny, tiny tank. He isn't a pistol anymore and can roll around on his own, but can only really hurt the zap-mice and retrorats that might attack him.

Devcon: he is secretly a triple-changer. The Seeker mode is obvious, but he is very closeted about his third mode which I have given him. No one could guess it by looking at him!

Vehicons: they start obtaining new alt-modes thanks to Knockout. You will see the extra forms from the TFP video game (copters, tanks, trucks) and also motorcycles, animals, and more! Wolf Vehicon, anybody?

(Yes, I do incorporate many RID 2015 concepts! The show wasn't all bad!)

[globalalarmsae]

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[girlkisser13]

hephaestus cabin headcanons

children of hephaestus

• OIL, SOOT, and GREASE STAINS EVERYWHERE.

• the have the most intense games of hide-and-seek in bunker 9.

• a lot of them lose limbs, become disabled in some way, or are born that way, and they often use it as a reason to build themselves cool robot prostheses and other tools to help them get around.

• along with the athena cabin, they come up with weapons and armory specifically for disabled demigods.

• they build advanced prosthetics for campers who have lost limbs in battle.

• they’re warmer than most demigods, even if they don’t have fire powers.

• they always know when someone is in need of a weapon and they just create it without thinking about it. like they just know when someone needs a weapon before they ask for it.

• they're the only ones who can pick out stuff from hephaestus's junkyard without getting hurt.

• everything, the cabin, the forge, the bunker, is 100% handicap accessible.

• they worked with the athena and hecate cabins to upgrade bunker 9 to allow better lighting, safer rooms, new areas to test weapons, etc. they wanted it to feel like an underground space station.

• they name each of their tools and inventions.

• on birthdays, they give each other personalized gadgets that solve everyday problems, like a self-tying shoelace or a self-stirring spoon.

• they design and wear fireproof clothing.

• they actually have numerous secret hideouts and mini-workshops hidden around camp half-blood (bunker 9 is the only one we know about).

• they keep detailed journals filled with sketches, ideas, and notes about their inventions, passing them down through generations of hephaestus kids.

• they build small, mechanical pets or companions that help them with tasks around the forge, each one with a unique personality programmed in.

• they all have a set of personalized tools that they've crafted themselves, often with special engravings or modifications to suit their style.

• they have made so many modifications to their cabin over the years that none of the original material is still there, and there’s a constant debate at camp as to weather it’s still the same cabin.

cabin exterior

• the cabin has an industrial look, with a mix of metals like iron, copper, and steel. rivets, bolts, and exposed beams are prominent features.

• life-sized metal automatons, resembling ancient greek warriors and mythical creatures, stand guard at the entrance.

• they have created intricate metal sculptures that decorate the cabin’s exterior. these range from small, detailed pieces to larger, more abstract art.

• the entrance has large, reinforced double doors, that are automated.

• these doors swing open smoothly despite their weight.

• they have a pulley system for lifting heavy materials, a retractable awning for shade, and a mechanical clock tower that chimes periodically.

cabin interior

• the floor is covered in spare parts and tools that never get picked up (unless somebody wants to use them for something).

• they have underground bunkers for bedrooms.

• the walls are adorned with gears, cogs, and blueprints of various inventions. some of the gears are part of intricate mechanisms that move or serve as storage spaces.

• their cabin has several fire extinguishers and a state-of-the-art ventilation system to manage the smoke and fumes from the forges.

• emergency buttons are strategically placed around the cabin to shut down all machinery in case of accidents.

cabin traditions

• every month they hold a competition to see who can make a device that fits a certain theme.

• they’re judged by a panel of five consisting of the head counselors of hephaestus, athena, hecate, and a volunteer counselor, as well as chiron.

• each judge judges something different on a scale of 1-5: safety and usefulness, ease of use and functionality, utilization of magic, presentation/looks, and on-theme-ness. chiron calculates and delivers the final score, which is the total points given by the counselors.

• the winner receives a medal and bragging rights (until the next competition), as well as first pick when it comes to tools each morning.

• anyone in camp is allowed to participate (though it’s mostly just the hephaestus and athena kids) and contestants have a week to create their contraptions, during which they have access to all the tools and spare materials in the hephaestus workshop (and later bunker 9) that nobody has yet claimed (whether for the competition or not).

• the event is taken very seriously by everyone involved, and even athena and hephaestus have been known to show up from time to time to watch from the shadows, but they always watch from olympus.

divider by @anitalenia

[cemeteryspider]

Good Luck, Babe

Wanda Maximoff x Mutant! Reader

Past Jean Grey x Mutant! Reader

Summary: You try to recover from the betrayal of your teammate and girlfriend, Jean Grey. You leave the X-Mansion and move to a place where you feel welcome for the first time in a long time.

Trigger Warnings: Cheating (Jean Grey), Emotional Distress, Heartbreak, Violence/Anger, Mention of Death, Themes of Mental Health

Word Count: 2431

When you walked into your girlfriend's room after training the last thing you expected to see was Jean Grey, said girlfriend, and Scott Summers making out on her bed. By the looks of it, it was getting hot and heavy with Jean's shirt off, and discarded on the floor where your's was not just yesterday.

When Scott's lips met her neck she was able to look at you, and a shocked look crossed her face. Quickly her distress leached from her mind into Scott's who stopped and turned around.

"Get out!" She pushed you out the door with her powers, and slammed the door in your face as you stumbled back. You heard the lock click.

Behind the door you heard the hushed conversation that followed.

"What was she doing here?" Scott whispered.

"Nothing, Scott. She's nothing..." You scoffed and brushed the dust off the skirt of your suit. Your hands heating up, anger beginning to jump start your powers.

The air around you started to heat up as you practically ran downstairs and through the hallways.

Quickly you stalked back to the danger room, yelling at Morph, Wolverine, and Gambit to get out. Seeing the flames erupt from your hands they got out of the room mid-fight without a word. 

You turned the danger room into an inferno. The walls started to melt slightly from the amount of heat you were putting off. The boys outside could feel the burning heat and the harsh scream you emitted. 

This went on for a minute before you could feel the smooth entrance of the Professor entering your mind.

"Pyromancer, it's getting quite hot in there, maybe it would do you good to cool down" You allowed yourself to let go of your anger, despite knowing the professor was helping you still let go. Once the heat of the moment, no pun intended, wore off you felt a pit in your stomach start to grow.

Once the room was back down to a bearable but still warm temperature, thanks to the advanced ventilation system, Rouge came in and held you in her arms. You let yourself collapse and feel the other side of your emotions that you usually kept hidden.

Rouge knew the hot and cold nature of you and Jean’s relationship, and it didn’t take a telepath to understand what happened. She knew Jean was the only person who could work you up like this.

“I guess I’m the fool…” You whispered into her shoulder, and she just held you tighter. 

~~~

Later that week, the X-Men were out at a bar and you couldn't get out of it this time. Gambit and Rouge forced you out of your room after a successful mission and took you to what used to be your favorite bar with the rest of the team.

Despite the near constant conversation with your friends, you couldn't help but look over at Jean Grey. Sitting at the bar between Wolverine and Cyclops laughing at stupid jokes, and touching their arms. Getting drinks on the house from any man who looked at her long enough to notice her beauty.

Once the conversation around you died down you got up to go to the bathroom. Rouge shot you a concerned look, which you quickly shut down with a shake of your head.

On your way there Jean saw you and stood up to follow you. Internally you groaned knowing you weren't getting through the next few minutes without talking to Jean or Rouge, about avoiding Jean so you continued your walk to the bathroom.

You went up to the mirror to fix some strands of hair that came loose from your hair style, and nudged the flecks of mascara from under your eyes when Jean came in.

"What's up with you recently?" So the interrogation begins, you thought.

"What's up with me? What's up with you? Kissing Summers?"

"Come on, you know that I'm just looking for a little fun, and you were busy"

"No it's not just that Jean. Why don't you tell people about me? You say that we're nothing but you know the truth"

"You know it's not that simple... I'm figuring things out ya know"

"Yeah well when were you gonna tell me, huh"

"I don't know, I just thought you would be more open about this kind of thing"

"What the person I love making out with other people behind my back and not calling what we have what it is." You saw Jean visibly cringe when you said the word love, "You know what this, whatever this is, is over"

You made your way to the exit of the bathroom.

"Wait... I do love you"

"No you don't," With that the conversation was over. You left the bathroom, left the bar, and left the mansion. When Jean came into your room that night to try to work something out, you were gone along with most of your stuff. Even Charles was unsure of where you'd gone.

~~~

When you left you had no idea where you'd go. A mutant with barely controlled powers, you had very few options. Luckily, you found someone to help you. Rather, someone found you.

Magneto brought you into his sanctuary for mutant-kind, Genosha. You befriended Glob, Pixie, Leech, and Nature Girl there, eventually becoming a mentor-figure to them. You met people from your past who you thought you would never see again like Kurt and Emma.

The bright colors and futuristic buildings quickly became your home. Magneto helped you hone your powers, knowing what it was like to have a power that people feared and was difficult to control. In time you learned to separate your emotions from your powers allowing for more controlled use of them. You were able to more accurately aim balls of fire and dazzle people, dancing with rings of fire.

For the first time in your life you felt safe. You were no longer afraid of hurting people with your powers, and you never felt threatened by people on the island. Finally, you met someone.

Wanda Maximoff, Magneto's daughter, and the love of your life. You were truly yourself around her, and never has she made you feel like you were not enough.

"Baby! Come here, I want you to try this!" She yelled from the kitchen, and you smiled as you placed your book on the side table and made your way there.

Before you could even ask what it was Wanda had shoved the spoon into your mouth. All you could do was groan as you tasted the slightly spicy dish.

"Mmmm. What is that?"

"Traditional Sokovian paprikash. It's made with chicken, paprika, and lots of love, dear" You felt your cheeks heat up, and you put your arms around her waist and swayed the two of you gently as she continued to stir the pot on the stove.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you," You lovingly whispered in her ear.

"Oh I'm not sure, maybe just many times every day we're together, but who knows?" She smiled and slid the dish off the hot burner, and started plating three dishes.

"Who's not joining us tonight?" You asked as you grabbed the silverware and napkins, and set them on the table.

"My father left for America, something about the death of someone close to him" You stopped in your tracks for a moment. You knew of the strained relationship between Charles and Erik, and of how important Erik was to the Professor. You were lost for a second. If it was Charles who had died, then you had lost your first father figure and mentor without realizing it. You became lost in thought.

"Draga? Where did you go?" Pulled from your thoughts you felt Wanda's hands on either side of your face.

"Who?"

"Father instructed me not to tell you,” She continued to set the table where you left off.

"Wanda, please, I have to know" Her eyes looked deep into yours and she gave a small sigh.

"Charles Xavier is what he said"

"Oh..."

"Are you okay?" She again reached for your face and you leaned into her.

"Yeah. I just need to process this. I'll grab Pietro," Slowly you made your way through your small home, and up the stairs. Many thoughts raced through your head like why didn't Magneto tell you? Why didn't Charles contact you? Hell why did none of your old team try to find you?

As tears welled up in your eyes, you struggled to process the news. Charles had been a father figure to you, guiding you through your struggles with your powers.

Tears rolled down your face, and instead you turned into the room you shared with Wanda. You curled up in the bed, and started to really feel your emotions. After a few minutes you hear Wanda's feet pad into the room, and the bed sunk down next to you.

"It'll be okay baby. We'll get through it"

~~~

A couple of months passed until Erik made his way back to Genosha, with familiar faces in tow. You saw your two friends in the market being led by Kurt. Quickly you dropped the fruit you were holding and ran to see them. Gambit turned at the right moment, and you jumped into his arms.

"Woah, cher, long time, no see," Gambit held you tight for a minute, and let you go.

"I missed you guys," and you gave Rouge a squeeze.

"Ah, this is where you been all this time, sugah," She continued to look you up and down for any injuries, "Shoulda guessed"

"Look guys I'm sorry for not telling you I was leaving, but if I did Charles and Jean would have come looking for me... I just couldn't deal with her anymore," You looked down at your shoes as you confessed to the only two people who made you feel at home at Xavier's. You felt your eyes watering as they didn't say anything right away.

Rouge sighed, "It's okay, we know you did what's best for you. We're just sad we couldn't be there for the new you" You hugged her once again, this time she truly hugged you back.

"Gambit was never worried, cher, you're a good one. You always find your way" Gambit's hand found your shoulder, and you followed them around on your tour, pointing things out as you went along.

~~~

Finally, you had made it back home, which you were surprised to find everyone else already there.

"Guys there is someone you have to meet! She is amazing, you will love her!"

"Sugah, wait there's something..." but before she could finish her sentence you had already swung the door open. In the little living room was Magneto, Wanda, Scott, and Jean.

Your eyes widened as Jean turned to smile at you. Wanda was giving Jean the meanest glare, you had even seen from your sweet girlfriend.

Still you recovered quickly, "Remy, Rouge, this is my girlfriend, Wanda" Jean's smile left her lips, and you could feel her looking through your mind.

Wanda walked over to you, and took your hand in hers. "Hi, I've heard so much about you two. It's a pleasure to meet you!" She stuck out her hand to which both of your friends accepted. A little smirk crossed Rouge's face but you pretended not to notice.

~~~

You spent the rest of the night avoiding Scott and Jean like the plague. Every attempt to start a conversation was quickly shut down by Rouge or Wanda, who were experts on keeping you from shutting down at this point.

However; when you went to the kitchen to get a drink, and Wanda was in the bathroom and Rouge was talking to Magneto, Jean was able to sneak in with you.

"Hey, it's been a long time since we last spoke," She was treading the water carefully and using rehearsed words.

"Yeah, it was kinda intentional," You were still fiddling with the glass of water in your hand and looking out the window.

"I married him, and it's not what I thought it would be like"

"Sorry to hear that," Your eyes were half-lidded and you were sure with a few more sentences Jean would cause them to roll right out of your skull.

"I miss us... I miss you... I thought by marrying him I would feel better about choosing him, but I don't feel better," You continued to stare out into the dark streets illuminated by scarce streetlights and other houses with the lights on, "Let's run away together. We can be happy again!"

"We?" You scoffed at her, "When were we ever happy?"

"We were happy! I know we were..."

"No, Jean! You were happy! You were happy dragging me along, calling you baby, saying that I loved you but you never did that for me. Every kiss ended with you leaving me to do something more worthy of your time, every date interrupted by Scott, and when we finally shared a memorable moment in your bedroom the next day Scott Summers was in your bed. The sad thing is you can see into my mind, you know how I feel, and yet you ignore it," You allowed yourself to yell, and be angry. The patter of feet stopped right outside the doorway, but the conversation wasn't done just yet.

Jean’s voice wavered as she pleaded, "Please, I can make it right, just give me a chance"

You could feel the anger bubble up in you, resentment dripping off every word, "God, Jean, not everything is about you! I don't want you anymore! I'm sorry you're nothing more than his wife. You know I hate to say, but, I told you so"

Jean stood, slack jawed, and after a moment or two of silence, you turned your heel and left the kitchen. You didn't look back at Jean. Everyone hurried back to their seats as soon as the door opened, but you didn't feel like chastising any of them at the moment.

You walked through the crowd of your friends and family running up the stairs. Wanda was just leaving the bathroom when you passed her.

Wanda’s gaze softened as she reached out to you, her voice gentle and reassuring, "Is everything okay?" You turned and looked at her. Beautiful red tinged hair framed her face, and you couldn't help but place your hands on her cheeks.

You took a deep breath, "Everything's okay when I'm with you," You placed a kiss on her lips, which she happily responded in kind.

[arcane-ish]

@sorceressofthesky

I hope it's okay that I pull this out as the threads can have a tendency to get very long :)

Personally, I find it super hard to buy that that Silco was the one who talked Caitlyn's mom into building the ventilation systems after he took over from Vander.

Part of it is: if Silco was that good at talking to the council and getting them to do pro-Zaun things, why would he stop talking to them? Especially since season 1 shows how easily the council can be swayed into granting Zaun independence. I always read it as Silco not being interested in the council and not paying much attention to it, maybe because he has a low opinion of it. If he was already that involved with the council in the past, it just seems like big events from Jayce becoming a councilor, Heimerdinger being ousted or the Piltover reaction to the bridge massacre would be something he would show more interest in then he does.

The other part of it is that the Kiramman vents just … feel older? From the pathos of Caitlyn being handed the Kiramman key like it's a family tradition to the picture that presumably show the vents being opened. Either by a young Cassandra or by some even older ancestor. It just seems like if the vents were being built not just within Caitlyn's lifetime but also while Caitlyn is already pretty grown, it just seems like that would have come up?

The women is opening the vents together with miners in the background, evoking more the young Silco and Vander era.

And she's wearing the same or a very similar outfit to the portrait in the middle which is why people think either very young Cassandra or Cassandra's mother.

I'm not sure if I find the idea that Cassandra wouldn't know about the plight of the undercity just because a very sheltered girl like Caitlyn didn't know all that plausible. We know she is sheltered because Cassandra even ordered for her to do boring prestige guard duty rather than even encounter just crime in Piltover. So if she has never been to the undercity and the papers don't write about it, how would she know?

And while the Pilties maybe are unlikely to casually care about the plight of the Zaunites, árguably them caring if it impacts their business is well in character (there's this really cool WIP by @out-there-tmblr that is just doing a plot about how the mines dug to deep, the Gray is getting worse so miners are start refusing to work those particular shafts so the Piltie engineers are coming in to install vents that imo feels plausible in "that's what Pilties would do" way).

And again, if Silco was responsible for it, why wouldn't he show up in those pictures compared to the Kiramman woman posing with miners? (it doesn't help that modern Zaun feels like it's more about factories than about mines)

So yes, I definitely leaning towards the vents being older based on the look of the Kiramman woman. But it being done within Vander and Silco's youth I think is an interesting idea.

I personally find it generally confusing how bad the air situation is. Yes the enforcers wear masks in Act 1, but none of the locals do. Then we have the sumps. The implications are that the sumps are low and "the bad parts" right?

So a headcanon could be something like:

Silco and Vander and some of the chem barons are young => The Gray is bad.

Cassandra installs the vents => air quality gets better. Maybe sections that weren't livable before are livable now.

Silco and Vander take their mining knowledge and maybe carve a middle section, somewhere between the upper levels that are already lived in by people and maybe too expensive and the sump that is still dark and shitty to live in.

There being more air systems in Silco's time could be advances in technology or it could be the factories causing a new, different type of pollution?

(an interesting facette here is the AU where the air is clearly much better but the implication is that it's done with more plant/nature based technology rather than more chemtechy one)

[complete side note, due to the 3 years Heimer has been there my head canon for the AU is that Silco and Vander reunited over Vi's death, together they made political advacements and that after a while in Heimer arrives and gave them a boost in regards to technology]

Silco saying to the chem barons he brought them up and gave them "a taste of topside" could also be explained by

the literally moved them from the lower levels to the higher levels (either by moving them to the lanes or by making them so rich that they can live even in the areas above the Lanes, just like their meeting tower is very high up even while Silco is the one who stil lives far down) after Vander was killed because they for some reason were stuck down there

or all people that lived lower moved to the Lanes when Silco and Vander "built the lanes".

or maybe a young Silco was among the miners that convinced the Kiramann's to build the vents

Finn's line is interesting, because it doesn't sound like Silco pulled him from the mines/depths. It sounds more like he was around during Vander's time watching from the sidelines and not liking how Vander was doign things. As opposed to he lived elsewhere and was lifted up.

But he also looks a bit younger, so he has a different backstory than the others (but there's generally the problem that I think the Caitlyn files said that at least one chembaron is actually a Piltie, so wouldn't at least that guy have a different backstory than the other chem barons? so when he's giving his speech to the chem barons there's at least two people in the room to whom that speech doesn't really apply?) . After all we have the "You're too young to remember

what the undercity was before it became an "enterprise"."

So this exchange suggests:

there was a time where the Undercity was a lot more primitive and Vander does remember it but Finn is too young

but already under Vander the undercity became more like an enterprise (maybe because Vander and Silco turned the Lanes into a more smuggling/trade based economy rather than a mining/producing based one, or maybe also because of the protection money) at least in Finn's eyes, or at least he thought it had the potential to be one if run better

Another thing I find confusing is okay, so there's the region where the shimmer addicts live, right? And the implication to me was that is the bad part of Zaun? The part where the air is bad, where the lowest of the low live, that's why Jesus!Viktor goes there to make his commune.

But according to season 1, this is where Vi, Powder, Connel and Felicia lived. Ie the place where presumably all the fluffy Powder and Vi as kids memories from the Remember Me flashback take place. At first I thought maybe that place was like just a shack where maybe they just played and Felicia made the height charts, but it looks like a comparatively nice house with a staircase and ornaments?

Again, if this the shitty place of the Undercity, why would Vander and Silco's cherished friend live there when the Last Drop was available?

Benzo talks to Vander about "rounding up the collections",

Yes, just like Sevika talks about doing the same for Silco in season 2.

IMO both Silco and Vander were taking protection money. I personally think that they both can be seen as as a system of proto-taxes and it's more a question whether people got anything back from it. Maybe that's a reason why Vander seemed to be more popular with the people, if people saw it more as Vander building up infrastructure/houses for them while with Silco the money goes more towards building up factories or making weapons. (with factories likely being useful infrastructure as well, but maybe people don't see it because it's more indirect).

But that's kind of an interesting question in itself: What does Vander spend his money on? He seems to be living a well enough maybe "middle-class-y" lifestyle with his kids, but Vi certainly doesn't feel rich, hence her rants about how they have nothing compared to Pilties.

I would presume he has an income from the bar. So if he the bar money and the collection money, was is the money being spent on? Paying the guys who do the collections? Maybe they serve as guards/police against those unwanted elements that according to Jinx's season 2 line started fighting as soon as Vander was gone? But if Vander has like organized supporters, why on earth did Vi think it was a good idea to collect her kid brothers as support to spring Vander free from Silco rather than fetch whatever remaining allies Vander might have had? Or at the "guys" Benzo speaks off more like loose contractors, maybe not even particularly powerful people and people pay their taxes just out of fear of Vander?

(I have played around with the idea that maybe Vander spends the collections on more charitable things like families in need (and Silco is more the "I will build a factory that gives you employment so you can make your own money" guy) and that's why people remember him fondly. But with the whole "build the lanes" thing, maybe there's a chance that there are still building projects/they are still expanding? I think a big thing with the whole "building the lanes" in an engineering way that I just don't pictured neither Vander not Silco as that much of a construction/engineering guy, but who knows. Maybe just Zaunite ingenuity again)

[literaryvein-reblogs]

words to use instead of air/wind?

Air—the mixture of invisible odorless tasteless gases (such as nitrogen and oxygen) that surrounds the earth

Wind—a natural movement of air of any velocity

Airflow - a flow of air; especially: the motion of air (as around parts of an airplane in flight) relative to the surface of a body immersed in it

Airstream - a current of air

Billow - to bulge or swell out (as through action of the wind)

Blast - a violent gust of wind

Blow - an instance of air moving with speed or force; a blowing of wind especially when strong or violent

Bluster - a violent boisterous blowing

Breath - a slight breeze; air inhaled and exhaled in breathing

Breeze - a light gentle wind

Buran - a northeasterly wind of gale force in Russia and central Asia usually identified with sandstorms in summer and blizzards in winter

Chinook - a warm moist southwest wind of the coast from Oregon northward; a warm dry wind that descends the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

Current - the part of a fluid body (such as air or water) moving continuously in a certain direction

Cyclone - a storm or system of winds that rotates about a center of low atmospheric pressure, advances at a speed of 20 to 30 miles (about 30 to 50 kilometers) an hour, and often brings heavy rain

Draft - a current of air in a closed-in space

Eddy - a current of water or air running contrary to the main current; especially: a circular current

Flatus - gas generated in the stomach or bowels

Flurry - a gust of wind

Gale - a strong current of air

Gas - a fluid (such as air) that has neither independent shape nor volume but tends to expand indefinitely

Gust - a sudden brief rush of wind

Headwind - a wind having the opposite general direction to a course of movement (as of an aircraft)

Mistral - a strong cold dry northerly wind of southern France

Northeaster - a strong northeast wind

Norther - a strong north wind

Northwester - a strong northwest wind

Puff - an act or instance of puffing; whiff

Respiration - the movement of air or dissolved gases into and out of the lungs

Scud - a gust of wind

Sigh - the sound of gently moving or escaping air

Slipstream - a stream of fluid (such as air or water) driven aft by a propeller

Southeaster - a strong southeast wind

Southwester - a strong southwest wind

Squall - a sudden violent wind often with rain or snow

Storm - wind having a speed of 64 to 72 miles (103 to 117 kilometers) per hour

Stream - any body of flowing fluid (such as water or gas)

Tailwind - a wind having the same general direction as a course of movement (as of an aircraft)

Tempest - a violent storm; a disturbance of the atmosphere accompanied by wind and often by precipitation (as rain or snow)

Tornado - a violent destructive whirling wind accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that progresses in a narrow path over the land

Updraft - an upward movement of gas (such as air)

Uprush - an upward rush (as of gas or liquid)

Vapor - a substance in the gaseous state as distinguished from the liquid or solid state

Ventilation - circulation of air

Waft - a slight breeze; puff

Westerly - a wind from the west

Whiff - a quick puff or slight gust especially of air, odor, gas, smoke, or spray

Whirlwind - a small rotating windstorm of limited extent

Williwaw - a sudden violent wind

Windblast - a gust of wind

Windflaw - a gust of wind

Windstorm - a storm marked by high wind with little or no precipitation

Zephyr - a breeze from the west

Hope this helps with your writing. Do tag me, or send me a link. I'd love to read your work!

More: Word Lists

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

In patients with long COVID, lower pulmonary gas exchange may be associated with impaired cognitive function, according to a study being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 17.6% of adults in the U.S. have experienced a post-COVID condition commonly referred to as long COVID. People with long COVID may exhibit a wide variety of symptoms, including difficulty concentrating ("brain fog"), change in sense of smell or taste, fatigue, joint or muscle pain, dyspnea (shortness of breath), digestive symptoms, and more. These symptoms may persist for weeks, months, or even years after COVID-19 infection.

Researchers from the University of Iowa in Iowa City set out to assess associations between pulmonary MRI gas exchange, structural and functional brain MRI, and cognition in long COVID patients. In pulmonary gas exchange, oxygen moves from the lungs to the bloodstream, while carbon dioxide moves from the bloodstream to the lungs.

"This is the first time that MRI has been used to jointly assess lung and brain function to investigate their relationship in long COVID," said the study's lead author Keegan Staab, B.S., graduate research assistant in the Department of Radiology at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. "This research is new in that it combines multiple unique imaging types to study a multiorgan relationship in a disease population."

Senior study author Sean B. Fain, Ph.D., professor and vice chair for research in the Department of Radiology at the University of Iowa, added, "If these findings can be generalized to the long COVID population, the study suggests that there may be a causative relationship between cognitive dysfunction and lung dysfunction, suggesting a potential treatment strategy using methods that target improved gas exchange."

For the study, 10 female and 2 male patients (median age: 59 years) who had persistent dyspnea and/or fatigue following the resolution of acute COVID-19 infection were recruited from a post-COVID-19 clinic. Hyperpolarized Xe pulmonary MRI, structural and functional brain MRI, pulmonary function tests and cognitive tests were acquired.

"129Xe MRI allows for advanced measurements of ventilation and gas exchange," Staab said. "The literature also indicates that 129Xe may be more sensitive to pulmonary injury compared to standard breathing tests, making it better suited to study long COVID in which patients typically have normal breathing tests."

Perceived cognitive difficulties were measured using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System, and objective cognitive performance was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Toolbox V3 Cognition Battery.

"There was a range of cognitive difficulties among the patients in the study," Staab said. "Some were mild and indicated slight dysfunction, while others were more serious and indicated that some patients have slow thinking and trouble concentrating several times per day."

The results showed that lower pulmonary gas exchange may be associated with cognitive dysfunction, as well as lower gray matter and white matter volumes in patients with long COVID. In addition, the researchers observed significant relationships suggesting that increased cerebral blood flow is associated with decreased gas exchange in long COVID patients.

Staab said larger studies are needed to investigate the association between gas exchange and cerebral blood flow in long COVID.

"This relationship could be a compensatory mechanism where lower lung function is compensated by higher cardiac output and higher brain perfusion," he said. "It's also a possibility that the disease mechanism that impairs pulmonary gas exchange also leads to higher brain perfusion through downstream vascular injury in both lung and brain."

Based on the findings of this study, gas exchange abnormalities may help identify long COVID patients who require additional treatment or long-term management.

Other co-authors are Marrissa J. McIntosh, Ph.DDD., Jonathan L. Percy, B.S., Andrew D. Hahn, Ph.DDD., Natally AlArab, M.D., Conner J. Wharff, B.S. B.A. RT(R)(MR), Eric Bruening, M.S., Alejandro P. Comellas, M.D., Eric A. Hoffman, Ph.DDD., Carinda Linkenmeyer, M.A.E., Tara Lanning, B.S., and Karin F. Hoth, Ph.DDD.

Note: Copies of RSNA 2024 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press24.

RSNA is an association of radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. (RSNA.org)

[alyssa-ai]

It's always a huge pleasure to share these challenges with my friends, but here, it's often an opportunity to imagine things,

AI Challenge No.5 - A Time and a Place

New Era: A Morning on XO-521-A

May 11, 2132.

A stream of golden light, filtering through the biodome of the capsule, caressed Alyssa's sleeping face. She stretched languidly, a smile playing on her lips even before she opened her eyes. At her feet, curled into a ball of black, silky fur, Cachou, her faithful cat, let out a small, plaintive meow, signaling that it was high time for the first cuddle of the day.

"Hello, my purring explorer," Alyssa murmured, scratching Cachou behind the ears. The cat responded with a vibrant purr that filled the silent cabin.

Outside, the spectacle was breathtaking. XO-521-A was awakening in a symphony of colors and sounds. The sky, an azure tinged with lavender, stretched endlessly above a lush jungle of emerald and turquoise hues. Plants of extravagant shapes, some bioluminescent even in broad daylight, swayed gently in a light breeze. The air entering through the capsule's advanced ventilation system was exquisitely pure, laden with the sweet and spicy scents of alien flora. It was a beautiful day.

Alyssa rose and approached the large panoramic bay window. Her capsule, one of hundreds sent as part of the "New Era" project, rested on the edge of a majestic forest, near a small pond with crystal-clear waters. The capsule's ovoid and sleek design blended with surprising harmony into the landscape. The mission's purpose was clear: to study this new Earth, understand its complex ecosystems, and integrate with the utmost respect, without repeating the mistakes of the past that had made Earth uninhabitable.

She slipped on a light suit and stepped out onto the small composite wood platform that extended her capsule. Cachou followed her, his bushy tail sweeping the air with curiosity. The cat, despite his terrestrial heritage, seemed to have adapted with disconcerting ease to this new environment. He spent hours observing the small, multicolored flying creatures and stalking (without ever catching them, fortunately) the agile lizards with iridescent scales.

"Ready for a new day of exploration, Cachou?" Alyssa asked, her eyes shining with anticipation. She took a deep breath. Every day on XO-521-A was a promise, a blank page to be written in the great book of this new humanity. Earth was now but a distant memory, a painful lesson. Here, hope was reborn, vibrant and pure as the morning air. The "New Era" project was just beginning, and Alyssa, with Cachou by her side, was ready to be one of its pioneers, with respect and harmony with this generous and unknown nature as her only compass.

She sat on the edge of the platform, her feet almost touching the cool water of the pond. Cachou came to rub against her leg. The sun of XO-521-A rose gently in the sky, illuminating a world full of promise.

It was, indeed, a very beautiful day.

*****************************************

AI Challenge n°5 Organized by @sarahwellshunter

With :

@gigiprinceton2 @ai-satin-chic @danni-gurrl @mohairmaster @anderii @dryndelicate @sarahwellshunter @astogurlnikkipinkai @andysfantasie @alyssa-ai @celestmilena2 @mistressmaurahypno @danni-gurrl @synth-ai, @fluffyfaza

@miphisticated

HD version : https://www.deviantart.com/stash/026isgs8kcbr