#D&D Community

[thedreamingteainn]

The Battle of the Broom: Resolving Disputes Over Shared Living Spaces

Ella here, the humble owner of The Dreaming Tea Inn. It seems you’ve found another of my ramblings — a bit of musings from this corner of the inn where I watch over the comings and goings of travelers and adventurers alike. There’s a curious sort of magic in running an inn, I think watching friendships spark, disputes arise, and the delicate dance of shared living unfold. Lately, a particular…

[pocgamer]

The End? Really?

This take from Ben Riggs really bothered me on a number of levels, let’s dive into it a bit. Continue reading Untitled

[saihakkenden]

a tier list of how well i think most of the saiki k characters speak english with reasons

s tier: kusuo could probably speak any language perfectly if he wanted to because of the same reasons why he can communicate with animals

kokomi is perfect so if course she speaks multiple languages

kusuke is a genius and also lived in england for some years

metori i just have a feeling alr

a tier: touma is touma

hairo spoke english in that episode where he walked home with kusuo

shun i jst feel like his mom would make him learn a second language and also i like to think he shares the things he writes online translated into english

mikoto i headcanon that her mom grew up in america and she’s half african-american so her mom would have taught her, she’s also chronically online

chouno has the ‘amazing’ catchphrase and i feel like he’d learn english to maybe eventually preform internationally (which never happened)

b tier: aren probably learned some from his gang days

chiyo reads self insert fanfics on ao3 but can’t speak english that well

kurumi i have no explanation just a feeling

imu knows enough to seem perfect ish but not enough to survive long in an english speaking country

c tier: chisato has like a billion jobs so she probably heard some foreign costumers speak english and picked up a few words

kumagoro, kumi, and kuniharu i also don’t have an explanation for

reita wanted to pick up some international chicks but is awful at languages, he also picked up a few simple words from porno

hii wanted to make sure she would know how to ask for help in another country but doesn’t know anything past that

d tier: pretty obvious, nendou’s an idiot, yuuta is like five years old, amp is a cat

fiery pits of hell: he’s an idol or whatever and probably works internationally sometimes but it feels illegal to put him anywhere but the bottom

[sunthyme]

🎆 New year, new headcanons!! 🎆

Hey, so I've been a bit dead for a hot sec, apologies for that. Hope y'all are having a good break! Now, for something that's been in the works since August (drum roll please)...

🎉 REDONE TWST HEADCANONS!! 🎉

First up, yet again...

♥️ Heartslabyul ♥️

WAHOO! Ignore that you can clearly see which I had to redo lol, that's going to be a bit of a theme as I looked back and wasn't super happy with some so I redid them until I got it right.

Since y'all know the characters this time, I'll be just adding new or changed things to my earlier posts. :D

Enjoy!

♥️ Riddle Rosehearts ♥️

So pretty much nothing changed from the original with Riddle, I just made her look better. Yippee!

Added thing for my University Headcanon/AU is major and I see Riddle being an English and Law major.

♣️ Trey Clover ♣️

Once again, nothing really changed except for the fact that I learned to draw him better. I gave him a labret piercing that I think would have been one of Cater's first piercings, which thankfully went well.

He'd obviously be a Culinary major.

♦️ Cater Diamond ♦️

Speaking of Cater, this one was a bitch to draw. I literally redid him three times, send help. (I'll reblog this with the extra between version for y'all to see)

A new headcanon for him is that he's the kind of character that has his eyes closed for the most part and only opens them when he's like super serious. I just felt it fit him. (I'll also attach that in the reblog)

He's very heavily gyaru inspired (shout out to @/Cayfourdiamonds on Pinterest, I loved his edits of Cater and they were my inspo) and I wanted him to curl his hair in the mornings, princess curl style. He has naturally straight hair and the freckles are indeed fake.

He's a Cosmetology and Communications major.

♠️ Oki Chiang ♠️

She's a Sociology major and her birthday is October 4th (Libra). She's apart of the Poetry Club (OC club).

Nothing much changed here either, though I tinkered with her skin tone to amp up the contrast and shifted to blue to a darker hydrangea-y colour.

(Edit: I forgot, I have UM for my ocs now!)

Unique Magic - "Who Are You?": Creates a mist as Oki recites the spell that induces confusion. The confusion will last up to two hours after the mist fades, depending on the strength of the person affected.

♣️ Luna Madden ♣️

Another one I had to redo twice because GOD, the in between was SO UGLY!! Ew. Anyways, way cuter now! I gave him swirly eyes for funsies and trimmed down the colours in his makeup so it's more cohesive.

They're an Art and Psychology major and their birthday is January 22nd (Aquarius). It's in the Science Club.

She uses mobility aids, alternating between a cane and braces depending on the day, due to Multiple Sclerosis (an autoimmune disease that impacts the spine).

Unique Magic - "It's Tea Time!": Conjures a pre-set tea table fitting Luna's desires. The bigger the table and the more items, the harder it is for Luna to make.

♥️ Ace Trappola ♥️

Oh boy, another redone one. I went a bit ham with his design, I really wanted to make him look like a heart. Found the braid idea on Pinterest, as one does, and ran with it. He's so cute, he looks like a heart lollipop. Also, I gave him braces because I love that idea so so much!

He's undecided in his major.

♠️ Deuce Spade ♠️

I adore how this one turned out, he's my son and my boy. Nothing really changes aside from style improvement and I gave him better bangs.

Also an undecided major. (Adeuce twinning frfr)

♥️ Bunnie Chrona ♥️

She's a Psychology major and her birthday is June 30th (Cancer). A part of the Track & Field Club.

Ooh, she's so cute, I love her sm! I gave her vitiligo and stripes in her hair to imitate those splotched black and white bunnies that are so adorable. I did make the interesting choice to give her blue eyes, not for any particular reason, they just contract the red undertones well.

Unique Magic - "Killing Time": Bunnie's speed will increase for an hour, making her go at an inhuman speed.

♦️ Ness Benoit ♦️

She's a Drama major and her birthday is May 25th (Gemini). They're in the Film Research Club.

Finally, Nessie! They also had an in between but they actually looks more like the OG than that one lmao. Gave her some little devil tail earrings and just made the hair confirmedly into a wig. Also gave them a lil fang :3

Unique Magic - "Devilish Charm": Allows Ness to appear differently or say different things to different people. It takes more energy the more people she is using it on.

Stay tuned for Savanaclaw, up next!

[simulationprincess]

University Gameplay Must Have Mods

Hey beautiful simmers! I've recently started playing in my custom university called Hollis. I'm having so much fun! This is how I've been running an active university including active lectures. These mods are essential!

Build/Buy/Inventory Enabler on Any Lot: https://modthesims.info/d/204467/build-buy-mode-enabler-for-pets.html

Simlogical University Break Mod: https://simlogical.com/sl/Sims2Pages/Sims2_Learning.htm#:~:text=UNIVERSITY%20BREAK&text=Simple%20menu%3A%20%22Take%20a%20break,download%20it%20without%20the%20patch.

Sim Blender: https://archive.org/details/thesimblenderpetsorhigher

Visitor Controller: https://archive.org/details/visitorcontroller

No Relationship Decay: http://www.theninthwavesims.com/2011/04/sims-2-no-relationship-decay.html

I forgot to mention this one in the video but the No Uni Progression on Community Lots mod: https://bstu.tumblr.com/post/670550668735627264/no-college-time-progression-on-community-lots/amp

Merola's Time Controller Mod: https://modthesims.info/d/85710/merola-s-time-control-clock.html

Highschool Cafeteria Counter Functional: https://jacky93sims.tumblr.com/post/729462964839759872/high-school-cafeteria-functional-for-the-sims-2

Sandwich Food Stand: https://jacky93sims.tumblr.com/post/724723960157274112/sandwiches-food-stand-for-the-sims-2

Starbucks Vending Cart: https://jacky93sims.tumblr.com/post/702841769443950592/starbucks-vending-cart-functional-for-the-sims-2

Watch my walkthrough of my campus and lecture set up here:

Happy simming!

-Sims2Princess 🤍

[lutethebodies]

Rainy Day Rambles #12 & 35

It's raining outside and I'm waiting for a freelance client's contract and payment to go through, so I think I gotta make this Tumblr Brain Dump time. Wallpaper images are of this blog's main couple because some of it is about them. Long incoherent thoughts below the cut.

Getting Lost in Sunk Costs

I'm kinda souring on the idea of writing this fanfic anytime soon, if at all. Perhaps I overhyped it when I first had the idea. Regardless, it hasn't progressed much, and I think I may have had the wrong motivations to want to write it. One was feeling like my interpretation of a certain character wasn’t as legit because that interpretation had few or no fics associated with it. Now, that may actually be a great reason to write one for some folks (and that’s fine!). But of course something doesn’t need to be fanfic-ized to be a legitimate interpretation or enthusiasm. 

And I honestly think I’d be better at telling (such as analysis, which I think I've done well on this blog) instead of showing (creative fiction, which I don't do beyond shiposty skits) what I’m interested in when it comes to these things. That only applies to writing, though. I’m way better at songs/lyrics (or writing about songs/lyrics) and designy things than fiction. I once wrote and self-published a novel, which was a really long and tough process and was then wildly misinterpreted by people who should have known better. (The best thing about it was its cover and soundtrack.) I kinda don’t want to deal with all that again.

The other poor excuse for motivation I thought of was sort of a sunk-cost thing. All of my enthusiasms tend to result in me responding to them in creative original ways. I've responded to music I've loved throughout my life by learning to play instruments, write and record songs, play in groups with others, and produce live shows. I've responded to my favorite commercial fiction with the aforementioned novel/soundtrack. I've even done that with hobbies, responding in this decade to all the time I invested in D&D by creating a fantasy atlas and then writing/recording/releasing seven songs by my favorite original character. (I've flogged the latter two here many times so I'll spare my mutuals the repetitive links.)

I think I'd unconsciously (and then consciously) been trying to come up with a way to creatively respond to the substantial time and thought I'd invested in BG3—something I fell into under very specific circumstances, despite being indifferent to video games for decades—and I thought a fic would do that. Creating my own heroes in D&D was one thing, but in BG3 they get to move and (sometimes) talk and fuck! That warrants a serious response, right (don't answer that)? Never mind that I've already had a lifetime of wildly disparate and dubious attempts at plugging into various communities both online and IRL (all long stories for other venues and times). And never mind that I've already responded (maybe as much as I should have) with not only one remake of an old song but also this entire blog.

So I guess the sunk cost fallacy was alive and thriving at LTB HQ when I thought I'd write a fic. And a few of my very kind mutuals said they'd read it. But I think I've gotta shelve it for now (and maybe forever), and I think those folks will understand. I'm just not sure it's the best way for me to express what I want to about my beloved OCs, especially because it wouldn't (to me) feel 100% original. Not in the way my fantasy atlas does, at least—and that has the added advantage of being these OCs home turf, because outside of BG3 I really don't prefer the Forgotten Realms. I know none of that has to matter with fic, I get that. But I'm just not feeling it. It's not something the muse requires of me. 

I could make it a song, though…

And Now for Something Completely Different

Conversely, I'm still pretty amped for BG3’s upcoming Photo Mode. I know it's been promoted in hilariously salacious ways, but I'm actually looking forward to creating images of my blog's first couple (or any of my other BG3 ships) that aren't kiss- or sex-related. Not to be a prude or anything, because I don't think sexy images (or the people who love them) are bad, and of course this site is primarily fueled by such things, but at my point in life I feel like I want to create images that represent couples with more than cutesy puppy love going for them.

Now, I know that a couple needs a whole lotta cutesy puppy love at the beginning for their relationship to endure through decades of everything else that goes with being a couple. I guess I just find it repetitive, especially when there are so many other ways to convey a relationship's mutual affection, commitment, loyalty, etc. I was only half-joking with posts like "Hecklers Beware," you know? 

I've never commissioned sexy art of my characters and/or the infatuation-stage of their relationships because none of my OCs are actually shipped together in their original 5e incarnations, and I no longer feel compelled to share much about what and who they do that with in, say, BG3. Also at this point it kinda feels private, in that nobody else on here needs to see that—and depending on the character/ship, substantial amounts of people do not want to see that. I dunno. The times that I did do lots of "look at my pixel dolls in love" posts now seem like overcompensation for preferring a particular character ship that still feels relatively uncommon in that character's niche fandom. That might be a very silly thing to believe considering I've rightly spilled many pixels encouraging people to believe the exact opposite.

But like I said, I may have had the wrong motivation. There's a particular kind of knee-jerk, reactively defiant behavior that comes from insecurity, and I'm trying really hard to not indulge that in any context. I have a weakness for melodrama—I've been extremely susceptible to it in the past, both online and off—and constantly worrying about what other people who'm you've never met think about you is no way to go through life. Anyway this all feels quite convoluted—and while it's still worth posting, I think I'd better stop, not least because I have Actual Work to do today. So thanks for your patience. My OC posts/deep dives/shitposts/one-offs will continue as dictated by the muse. If it's compelling for me, it won't be bullshit for you.

[maniculum]

Spice up your D&D campaign with some real medieval magic! We're back with Necromancy 101 with new spells for TTPRG players, GMs, and witches alike. This week, we're discussing spells on charming a potential ally, embitter two friends against each other, and how to win the favor of your local lord. How does sympathetic magic work, and how can YOU adapt it to your game?

Join our discord community! Check out our Tumblr for even more! Support us on patreon! Check out our merch!

Socials: Tumblr Website Twitter Instagram Facebook

Citations & References:

Forbidden Rites: a Necromancer's Manual online version here!

All of Richard Keikhefer's books on magic here!

The Munich Manual of Demonic Magic: info and get one yourself here!

[mangocoal01]

Ramblings I had on Metal Gear Rising and Metal Gear Solid's Differences in Gameplay & Storytelling Integration

Context: I wrote this all up while witnessing a conversation in a Discord server I'm in where two people are lamenting how Metal Gear Rising got panned and blamed it on fans of Metal Gear Solid for hating on it and that's why it'll never get a sequel. Or something to that degree. They never responded to this wall of text I made but I had fun writing it regardless just because it gave me a chance to reflect on my experience with the Metal Gear series. It's not very structured or cohesive but I just like talking about games I enjoy/enjoyed in the past that made me feel things (in a good way). Wall of Text commence: Gonna play a bit of devil's advocate as someone who enjoys the mainline Metal Gear games AND Metal Gear Rising while also sharing my own thoughts. Long messages and yapping ahead because I'm passionate.

TL;DR Alot of Metal Gear fans probably didn't enjoy the massive transition of gameplay-styles and the approach to MGRR's storytelling since it's pretty different from MGS1-4 in those aspects (and some others) esp. because of the legacy it was following up on.

Disclaimers: 

- I don't regularly interact with the Metal Gear fanbase in whatever form that may take like subreddits or speedrunning communities or whatnot. I just like Metal Gear in general and got into it around my later teenage years.

- I played MGS2, 3, 4, Peace Walker, Ground Zeroes, and Phantom Pain. I never got around to playing the entirety of Metal Gear 1 and 2 on the MSX OR Metal Gear Solid 1. I also haven't played any spin-offs like Metal Gear Ac!d or Portable Ops. 

- I don't regularly like interacting with haters or people complaining about games people enjoy anymore. It's just kind of tiring & repetitive for me at this point. So I don't see many of the interactions you're discussing but I can easily see it occurring. Still, discourse and hate in swaths of anonymous online non-faces is what I expect at this point so I try not to get caught up in complaining about other people's complaining, if I can catch myself beforehand. I don't like engaging with large groups or people not open to hearing out other arguments in good faith. I can enjoy engaging in discussion with an individual who actually wants to have a back-and-forth argument, not someone who wants me to be their pillow to scream in and tell me I'm wrong (often alongside some unflattering labels & name-calling), no matter what I say.

- I'd just like to say my piece here because I like adding wrinkles and contributing an additional perspective on the subject.

I like MGRR but I can easily see why it would rub some people the wrong way esp. if they were deeply invested in the mainline Metal Gear games' storylines.  The jump from stealth-action hybrid to high-octane character action combat can be jarring for many and holds different gameplay appeals in their pacing, APM, spectacle, & tone. Many people would've been used to the series being a stealth-action hybrid game for many years and would likely be in their mid to late 20s by the timing MGRR came out if they hopped on MGS1/MGS2 in their early teens, if we're being generous about how early they got into the series. Change and adaptation for new things gets harder & inconvenient for alot of people esp. as they get older and their brains get less malleable like impressionable, fast-learning kids/teens' are.

Not to mention, while Metal Gear as a franchise has always delved into some over-the-top goofy AF anime shit and melodramatic storytelling (it's part of why many love it), Rising definitely amps it up to 11 in at least the action sequences' intensity (which I like btw, don't get me wrong) & how it executes the story it wants to tell. The tone is in-line with the past games but it's a lot more intense and wild about it; plus, arguably, it's even more cartoony than the even hammiest moments of the MGS entries. Whether this is an improvement, just fine and make no difference, or downright irritating for some is dependent on the individual person, their tastes, and why they enjoyed the older games' storytelling. No accounting for taste. But either way, something was different and it didn't click with everyone the same way, for better or worse.

This also ties in with the story direction and the gameplay of MGRR, and how it goes about resolving the dissonance between the hyper-violent action & the series' common anti-war & killing and the action-heavy gameplay that often calls for it. MGS1 (not including the Twin Snakes Gamecube remake) didn't have a tranquilizer gun so you couldn't exactly do a no-kill run of that game but you could for the sequels afterwards. But even then, a large part of the story was about questioning & often condemning the violent killing of others and even taking a sadistic joy in it. The game's story was simultaneously talking about both Snake and the player (OooOoooOOooOOoH....meta commentary!). But anyway, even when the player/the main character kills even the most generic enemies, the game's framing, storytelling, and gameplay options make a point to emphasize there's a cost to killing, an inhumanity to it, a sort of dark stain on your record as the player, along with the character. You're often encouraged not to fight to begin with in modes like European Extreme difficulty, where it just says "Game Over" the moment you're detected, for example. Not to mention, the games often rewarded you for not killing the guards or non-essential NPCs, a lot of in-game tactics, rankings, item rewards, etc. tied into such things.

Anyway, I'm getting a bit off-topic from Metal Gear Rising Revengeance but I wanted to re-establish a bit of groundwork on the general tone & messaging of the franchise. In short, the Metal Gear franchise's story has always been rooted in anti-war sentiment & that killing is generally not a good thing you should do willy-nilly or be very proud about. I don't believe most people will find that reading highly disagreeable. And to its credit, MGRR also strongly attempts to adhere to this idea in its storytelling. However, the big thing that rubs some people the wrong way about it, is how it goes about addressing the dissonance between what is conveyed in the story and what is conveyed in the actual gameplay design. And believe me, a lot of people are deeply invested in the story of Metal Gear, esp. the Metal Gear Solid titles.

MGRR Story Context: Raiden repeatedly, in his dialogue in the first half of the game at least, makes a general point that he only kills because he has to in order to save innocent lives, stop bad guys, and all that. It's not something he's doing for fun or for its own pleasurable sake. His simplistic justification and viewpoint on his own violence is challenged by Sam when the latter essentially shows Raiden that the mercs he has been killing are also people too with reasonable motives, loving families, and very human struggles. Desperado, the source of villains and mooks in this story, essentially exploits poor & vulnerable people, esp. veterans, to be their "human shields", as Raiden snaps back at Monsoon later. Eventually, Raiden chooses to deal with this inner conflict by giving into his dormant sadistic joy of killing which seems to get him out of the brief depressive funk he was in after realizing he was killing soldiers who maybe weren't complete scumbags by fair choice. And for the rest of the game, he gets a power-up form out of it and he continues his mission to save child brains and stop the next big war.

ANYWAY, how does this work in tandem with the gameplay of Rising? And how does Metal Gear Rising's answer compare to how Metal Gear Solid games address the weight of killing? Well, to state the obvious, the game very much rewards and even encourages, to a degree, wanton violence & killing with the Zandatsu healing mechanic, the over-the-top QTE animations, the ranking system, Blade Mode finishers kinda prompting the player to just ham with the slicing & dicing for the final blow on many bosses, etc. 

Tangent: Yes, I'm aware of the wooden sword that you can use to potentially non-lethally defeat human enemies with but it's an optional unlockable weapon and even then, its use is not actively encouraged by the game's enemy/level design or mechanics within the actual battles themselves outside of a post-fight ranking bonus that congrats you for not killing people; it's kind of like the post-endgame ranking screens of the MGS games in that factor, at least. But regardless, I don't think most people would say playing the game using the low-damage wooden sword was the most fun way to play MGRR, let alone the most encouraged.

To oversimplify my main point here, there's an odd contrast between the story's "killing is cruel and bad" and the gameplay's self-indulgent "KILLING IS FUCKING AWESOME AND BADASS" (to oversimplify things) that probably rubs some people the wrong way esp. in the context of previous entries in the franchise's history. And there's more flattering interpretations of this dynamic that can put this juxtaposition in a more positive light, I'm sure, but it's usually not the kind of thing people bring up or explain in-depth. Most arguments just boil down to, "Ugh, the game is so hypocritical and confused on what it wants to be" followed by someone countering, "I DON'T CARE HE THREW A METAL GEAR!!!! YOU JUST CAN'T PULL THE STICK OUT OF YOUR ASS!" And then cue the name-calling, lack of media literacy accusations, and insults to each others' pretentiousness and/or simple-mindedness. Plus, sprinkle in some "Who cares about story, we skip the cutscenes on the second playthrough anyway"-sentiments and  "Metal Gear's story was never good to begin with and you're dumb for liking it"-type arguments ad-nauseam for years.

My personal thoughts on the matter is that MGGRR's story works well enough for me and I enjoy it, even if I personally feel Raiden's story should've ended with MGS4 (and the series in general tbh). A hopeful ending and cathartic resolution after so much strife & struggle for our characters. But I also understand companies like money and finished products so I understand why Konami & Kojima Productions hired Platinum Games & gave them more creative freedom to make it a sequel post-MGS4 instead of working a story within the confines of a prequel that takes place between 2 and 4. 

Also, I like the gameplay too. How it handles QTE animations, music, timing of said music tracks, fast-paced gameplay, is still some of the coolest shit I've seen in games. Plus, I know the mixed-messaging is weird but, I enjoy the game as a whole, regardless. I am kind of just used to videogame-storytelling compromises at this point so it rarely bothers me too much, even in the most egregious cases for many, e.g. "You utterly dominate the enemy in gameplay but you lose in the cutscene"-scenario. I just shrug my shoulders and think, "That's mildly eyebrow-raising but those are the kind of idiosyncrasies one should expect in the average game." I'm used to it and have accepted it.

[boys-will-dismember-boys]

I made an art piece

It's about trans people and the nebulous of womanhood and my gender and :)

The silhouette is mine. I love it :)

Works Cited:

Benaway, Gwen. “A transgender poet reflects on her first year of experiencing womanhood.” CBC Arts, 2 March 2017, www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4006567

Gibson, Andrea. “My Gender is the Undoing of Gender” YouTube, uploaded by Button Poetry, 26 May 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8NvkY15yGs.

Levitt, Heidi M., and Maria R. Ippolito. “Being Transgender: The Experience of Transgender Identity Development.” Journal of Homosexuality, vol. 61, no. 12, 2014, pp. 1727–58, doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2014.951262.

Personal interview. 26 February 2024.

Rees, Yves. “Feminism beyond the Binary.” Lilith: A Feminist History Journal, vol. 28, no. 28, 2022, pp. 123–27, doi.org/10.22459/lfhj.28.10.

Stewart, D-L. “Scenes from a Black trans life” YouTube, uploaded by TED, 11 August 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUmQP6VuDs.

Wright, Mars. “Trans Joy is Resistance.” ProjectQ Community Center, Los Angeles, March 2022.

[theladydame]

Tea For D&D: Horizon's Call Edition!

Horizon's Call is a nautical 5E campaign on Sword & Key. Set in a world that flooded an eon ago, this campaign is full of high seas adventure and sexy pirates! Character art by Mikyl Sandoval. Saturdays 3pm PST. As usual, all tea is from @friday-tea!

First up, everyone's favorite Murder Mermaid, Scarlett Shours! Played by @kayemcea, Siren Storm Sorceror, a former warlock. After a run of terrible patrons, Scarlett has found new love, new purpose, and new power in herself. Tart and spiced were requested.

Introducing: Leo! "Fearless and fiercely individual, worthy of admiration"

Acacia, the centaur rogue/druid. Fiercely loyal and tolerates no bullshit. Carrying the weight of her community on her back, she's looking for something fruity and floral.

Introducing: Happy Place! "Are you longing to return to your favorite tropical place?"

Wynni, the Sea elf artificer/bard. The shining heart of the team. Don't let her optimism fool you, her potions are potent. Notes were light and refreshing, perky.

Introducing: Pisces! "Brilliant strawberry lemonade magicians with sparkly minds and souls"

Proximus, triton paladin/sorceror. If you took the Shape of Water and added a HEALTHY dose of Himbo you would get Proximus. He's still learning what life above the waves is like, but there might be one or two folks who are VERY willing to help. Sweet, salty, seaweed.

Introducing: Cliff by the Sea! "Juicy aquatic daydream"

One of the many amazing NPCs the GM brings to the table this last tea is for Marcus Ash, Fire genasi Swashbuckler. Scarlett's beau and second in command. Very spicy, obvi 😉 He's also the other himbo on the team.

Introducing: Hearthfire! If you're in need of warmth, (or) a toasty friend"

(I'm going to add here that I'm an affiliate for Friday Afternoon Tea, and you can get 10% off any order using the code THELADYDAME, but honestly I'm just someone who really loves tea and super loves supporting this company because Friday and the team are so lovely)

[plumbaleena]

Hate everything default in The Sims like I do? Well, now here's a super easy way to replace default underwear and/or eyes that are originally face paint!

ALWAYS respect the creator's TOU's

Sims 4 Studio / https://sims4studio.com/ 

Slephora's Muddy Eyes Used / https://www.patreon.com/posts/muddy-eyes-105325507?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share 

TSR's Sims House / https://www.thesimsresource.com/members/Sims_House 

PROTYPE ID code / 00001D8E

NOTE THAT IF FOR SOME REASON THE BRA IS SHOWN ON MALE FRAME SIMPLY GO INTO THE PACKAGE FILE IN S4S, CLICK ON CATEGORIES AND SCROLL DOWN TO WHERE IT SAYS RESTRICT OPPOSITE GENDER THEN CLICK SAVE

My CAS background can be found here I use #2 / https://www.patreon.com/posts/creamd-mirrored-95618469?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link 

Stand still in CAS mod found here / https://modthesims.info/d/630172/stand-still-in-cas-shimrod101-amp-shooksims.html 

⭐ Plumbaleena is an avid supporter of the NON gatekeeping community. Too many of The Sims community members gatekeep like their life depends on it. Around here, we believe that the more you know together, the better this community becomes.

⭐ Stop gatekeeping and letting egos get in the way. Practice humility.

"By sharing the things we love we can support creators and enrich our cultural landscape. The next time we're tempted to hide away our favorite finds, let's remember that true appreciation includes showing off the things we love".

[campgender]

do you have any tips for online cruising? I’m new to kink in general but have lost a lot of mobility recently and my ability to socialize offline has diminished so while I want to amp up my sex/kink life I realize it needs to happen primarily online for now…

ooh what a fun question, i’m honored you asked me❣️ + i hope things are going as smoothly as possible for you in terms of adapting to your new mobility level! i went kind of broad here but you’re more than welcome to ask any other questions 💖

ofc all of this is with the major disclaimer that like, i’m just some faggot, i can only speak to what i’ve experienced + read, what works for you may differ substantially & that’s totally okay! on that note this is at times specific to tumblr or a similar posting platform as i’m not personally familiar with grindr etc

it’s fairly common practice in tumblr cruising spaces to make a notes app list or something similar with selected kinks, boundaries, etc, that way you can send it to a play partner for easy reference without necessarily sharing that information on a blog at large (though some people put similar reference lists in a pinned post, which is fine too!) not a requirement by any means but something you might find useful

consider what types of virtual sex acts you’re interested in / comfortable with (of course, it’s okay if this changes). options include sending and/or receiving photos, videos, or audio; a synchronous audio, two-way video, or one-way video call; and long distance app-controlled toys (eg Lovense)

what kind of check-in would you want afterwards, if anything? this can of course vary depending on the person & activity. at the expense of making a vast generalization, it’s my impression that in-person kink spaces promote norms of checking in a day or two after a scene by default (at least that’s what the texts i’ve read across various decades claim, which are certainly biased towards a positive portrayal of these communities in other ways) whereas in my experience (and to my dismay lol) this isn’t as much of a thing online, like there definitely have been people who’ve checked in with me without me asking but they were the exception

it can also be helpful to think about your feelings about fantasizing about scenarios you can’t physically do for disability reasons. there’s absolutely no right or wrong answer, it’s just another conversation i’ve had to hone over time lol. for probably 3 years i wouldn’t sext about stuff i couldn’t do (kneeling, for example) because it made me feel like shit about myself; then for a long while when “stuff i couldn’t do” almost always included “have sex in person,” i got more flexible about that, to different degrees with different people

you don’t have to talk about your sex life with anyone you don’t want to, but when possible it can be helpful to have a buddy (whether they cruise / have casual sex / whatever themself or not) to talk things out with if you have a negative experience or are worried or confused about something. i am very good at construing any situation to be my fault so if i’m triggering it’s helpful to give one of my housemates the basics of what happened & them be like you didn’t do anything wrong / they shouldn’t have done that / etc. i’m also happy to be a sounding board (as long as any ask/dm has the relevant content warnings) with the caveat that i can’t guarantee a prompt response. sex-positive resources like Scarleteen are also good grounding tools for me in terms of like, other people believe in these consent practices too

one aspect to consider especially with D/s play is the (potential) difference between messaging about a shared fantasy versus one person telling the other what to do in real time (for example, “and then i’d make you shake your tits for me” versus “now shake your tits for me baby,” or whatever).

for a lot of people the latter is a different set of boundaries, including being totally off the table. being told what to do, even without videoing it or otherwise ‘proving it’ to the other person, can be an incredibly intense experience and might create feelings in someone that they weren’t expecting

as an example of a boundary i learned the hard way, someone once told me like “shut up, stop typing. do XYZ” & it made me feel like i couldn’t message to safeword if i wanted to. ig just like, even if it’s not a big deal to you be aware that it could be a big deal to others, you know? & if it is a big deal to you that’s okay

personally i tend to tell play partners i’m fine with casual sexting whenever but need to set aside a dedicated time for a scene (for example, telling someone how to touch themself) which usually means scheduling in advance

it’s absolutely not your fault if someone does something without asking, but if you’re interested in subbing, it could be helpful to have a plan ahead of time for how you want to respond if someone just starts ordering you around. there’s nothing wrong with not responding the way you planned, i just feel less overwhelmed & more in control when i’m less caught off guard

as far as like finding virtual play partners i only know what i do lol

go into relevant tumblr tags for what i’m into, sort by most recent posts, read until i find something i’m into, see if that person is looking for hookups. if so check out their blog based on my, like, cruising criteria or whatever lol; if not maybe follow them if other posts are good. repeat

different like communities & kinks & such have different norms for getting around tumblr censored tags, sometimes making things one word or various positions of periods or slashes. “example k!nk” (that’s an exclamation point instead of an i) is a common format, same with adding “nsft” (not safe for tumblr). if you’re looking for disabled play partners and/or disabled porn the “disabled nsft” tag could be a good place to start!

i look in the notes of posts i think are particularly hot (or my own posts) for tags that are hot, interesting, or well-organized & check out those blogs

same for posts that make points about consent etc that i particularly agree with

so you’ve found somebody whose posts you think are hot who’s looking for / open to new play partners, now what? ofc everybody’s different but some of the stuff i look for when deciding whether to message someone:

do they have a tag or similar for serious posts, such as about consent, stereotypes, communication, etc? do they seem to have compatible views to yours?

can they recognize when they should (or when you’d want them to) drop character? some people’s blog personas are “always on” in a way that’s not compatible with what i need; someone adding an aside at the end of an ask they’ve answered to clarify or provide reassurance goes a long way

i’m not sure how to describe this exactly but like, is there flexibility & room for disagreement in their language? this is again a personal preference but while people taking a firm tone & making (unconscious?) assumptions & whatever can still be hot when i’m jerking off or something, it’s super stylistically incompatible with what i want in practice. the play partners i’ve been most compatible with are the ones who’ve answered asks more like “are you into X? if so i would do Y. or if not that’s totally fine, i’d just do Z 💕”

do they express their boundaries with other people?

i hope some of this is helpful! best of luck to you & have fun❣️

[monocodoll]

Government Benefits & Services Mod For TS3 Patch Update

Just wanted to give an update regarding two bugs that have been taken care of. 

-For Welfare there was a bug which would double, triple, etc your Welfare Benefits. Although extra cash isn’t bad, It was a bug nontheless. This bug had been taken care of on 6/27/23

-Second bug would prevent your sims from receiving their Welfare Benefits if they had ever received Child Support in the past. This has been taken care of on 6/29/23.

If you had previously downloaded the first version of the mod, I would recommend to download the V1.3 version of the mod and then simply opt out of Welfare and reapply to Welfare in order to completely get rid of the bugs. Hope the sims 3 community continues to enjoy the mod and I look forward to working on more mods. All the best. https://modthesims.info/d/677759/government-benefits-amp-services-mod.html

[gameringgungke]

hi i hate nintendo

the short version of The (possible) lore is that this could be a troll that's been biting at the gmod community for a while, or the real nintendo itself. either way, this is annoying.

anyways. there was a reddit post a week or few days ago when this started amping up, where pokemon ragdolls were being removed. someone posted a bunch of links archiving the models, along with other nintendo models. by now, the post was removed, and all the links were gone. but you bet i grabbed them before that happened! here they are, copied directly from that post:

Google drive #1: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LH20dwIhLd03mEXAlJISiJUiyLQ_hm3j

Google drive #2: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UEgUYMPP65z1XPWOiTafl9uVPn1poTIp

Google drive #3: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GI6uOqiD1s-mKBBr6_CtOdPJ0AYG7OMT/view?usp=drive_link

Google drive #4: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_ztOEKTjY9b2-pNxoPIvb7rGz1gWd7fx/view?usp=drive_link

Google drive #5: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fTjrIgLO-ft7v7aG2ckglLuKzeLREAEn/view

Google drive #6: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iWsKV9Lr-Vt0j-uhAthDhDuvK0QE-8s6

Google drive #7: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uARE8ZI4W4iCtjT7jj07BJV_3OyHND_e

Google drive #8: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rzEvki7YgxMHXhqmS0h80ovNVX0YMhH7

Google drive #9: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xbve0h1rMsz2nT3Yy0xhdjSwkfPlTh1d/view?usp=sharing

Pastebin #1 (Provided by Sinful Mario): https://pastebin.com/QZFA30kj

Pastebin #2 (Provided by Apoc Hedgie and RTB): https://pastebin.com/9TwvrsBu

Mega Drive #1 (Provided by RTB): https://mega.nz/folder/WpN3yIJZ#kZ5lKiwHUFdq6eiGAdWHTw

Mega Drive #2 (Provided bylegoj15): https://mega.nz/file/t8pgULjJ#PwfqC_hwyH9Bagmhhy4F3QMV9xpgnADXtbWxh87FaEg

Mega Drive #3 (Provided by Yunpol): https://mega.nz/folder/iWJlTRSC#ajHnpj8Vv5QY4MrnsOvrvw

Once you downloaded them, put them into the "addons" folder in the game's files: Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\GarrysMod\garrysmod\addons If you wish to find mods updated after the 2020 update, locate this folder: Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\4000 One last thing; you will need the Extended Spawnmenu addon to access them.

___________________________

(all the links still work as of now, i've downloaded most of them.)

mega is.... stupid so get ready for that. i might just reupload the mega zips to drive and add that to this too.

also check internet archive for some other removed mods anyway, maybe upload your own archives to there? idk. just archive what you can, even if it's only to a flashdrive because that's all you can do.

i've got a few mods, not many, that i'm going to work on uploading to a drive, so i'll come back and edit this when i have the time (the ones i have might already be in here but??? idc) main ones i have are: some pokemon PMs, the botw bow swep, the metroid prime sweps, and the botw shrine dungeon map. and if none of the above links for whatever reason don't have the metroid prime ragdolls, i also have those...

not a lot, but shrug. didn't expect to wake up to this mess today lol

[unofficial-sean]

Every time my dad visits, I struggle to understand him. I struggle to assess our common understandings. I struggle to interact with him in a meaningful way.

I used to be a car person. I used to dream up the cars I'd own and what mods I would have on them. I'd try them out in Forza, and this is what drove me to get my GED and become a mechanic. I was obsessed. This worked well with my dad because I'd reckon most white guys are car people, too, to some degree. I was enriched with tools for gifts and our time spent talking was almost always about cars and motorcycles.

But that was before. Now, I'm focused on a deeply personal mission to make my community's HVAC system as efficient as possible; arrived at by personally seeking knowledge over years and years, and also running breathlessly into the world of cars and being knocked on my ass by the intolerance of the people in that world.

I got swept up in the mystical world of radios, which paired well with my dad, as well, who got his technician license shortly after I did, because wireless communication appealed to his sense of independence.

Instead of running face-first into hyper-masculinity, I ran into a door too small to squeeze into. Being a radio technician was not to be.

So, I moved onto biology. Also something my dad is interested in. He likes trees and has plenty of urban wildlife stories. But he is over 50, and a few months ago, I taught him that trees actually consume oxygen at night as part of cellular respiration; it was news to him. Biology wasn't to be, either; I was overwhelmed by the workload placed on my by college and I burnt out.

So here I am, now. I've tried on many costumes. I've learned a little in a lot of places. I've sought out a role for myself to fill. I lost interest in cars and motorcycles. I'm always fascinated by life, but I can't focus on it anymore. Radios are always cool, but there's no one to talk to; or any reason to. I'm terrified of diving.

So I have HVAC, now. It's the current costume I'm wearing. I have a moral mission informed by my experiences roasting in the summer and by my ever-increasing knowledge of the climate crisis. It's all I can do. In my free time, I care for my frogs, I play single-player video games, I prepare for D&D with my club. I dream a lot, too. I don't have any partners, in part because I don't know where to meet my people, and in part because I've lost interest in others, but if I did. . . I just know my family would be weird about it at best.

I don't know how to fit either of my parents into my life, if I'm honest. There's no place for them. There's nothing they can do to enrich it. When I'm around them, I feel tense. I don't want to say the wrong thing. I don't want to hear how far apart we are.

My dad took my brother and I to a car museum. I loathe cars, now. I drive one, sure. But I don't care for them. I learned that there's a completely different way of living, and I desire it dearly; why would there be any ounce of love left for them? But I go anyways, because on some level, I have to. The museum stinks of oily rags. It is a familiar smell, but one that now gives me a headache. I do a circuit, then head outside to breathe in the somewhat-fresh air. I say somewhat because the museum is next to I-5, and the tire noise erases anything sweeter that may have once been in its place.

I walk around the side to look at the building's massive outdoor units; two big, 6-comrpessor, 460v AC + boiler units. I am amazed that the compressors have a locked-rotor amp rating of 125. Can you imagine? I spied a mini-split system, too. A Mitsubishi. It uses R-410A and has a base refrigerant weight of 6oz. For every additional 25 feet of line, though, you must add 0.6 oz of refrigerant to it. There is a spot on the label for the installer to record the total weight of refrigerant in the system after install. It is left blank. Poor practice. Anyone servicing it, now, must estimate it by measuring the lines, if they can access them.

I'm supposed to be spending time with my dad, but instead I'm outside, alone. I don't wanna look at old cars who spewed lead into the atmosphere and probably killed their drivers just as often as they killed bystanders. I don't want to see the machines that my world was built around.

The museum has a section on fossil fuels and climate change. I half-expected to see some denial or distortion of history. No doubt there was some, but it's the solution to these issues that annoyed me the most. In essence, the plaques and exhibits said "let's make use of biofuels, hybrids, and electric cars to minimize emissions; and lets use renewable energy sources to reduce the carbon footprint of automobile manufacturing." fucking what. You wanna keep making cars? Unbelievable.

There was not a single mention of reducing car-dependency or electrified rail. My headache got worse. What did I expect? Car people are going to find a way to keep cars in their place.

What does this have to do with my dad? In a way, he's a barometer for sentiments on certain things. He still thinks I'm interested in internal combustion engines. I hate them. I hate their noises and their fumes. I know precisely how they work, and I could fix a broken one, but I despise what they represent and I just wish they would go away. I wish they weren't the topic of conversation anymore.

I'm tired of grave stakes and the horrors of the world. I want to feel hope again. I want to meet people who share my goals. I want to talk about a thriving future. But fuck, it is hard to do in Tacoma. I want to put a heat hump in every home. I want my tools to be part of a tool-sharing program. I want enough resources to contribute to mutual aid. I want electrified public transit so I can get rid of my car. I want bike infrastructure so I can use the damn thing to get around. I want empty parking lots torn up and replaced with green spaces.

I want to be part of it all and I want to talk with the people who already are. And instead I have my family and everyone else in this city. I'm too afraid to speak, lest I risk showing that I don't know enough. Too afraid to tell my dad I'm not interested in these things anymore because then we will have NOTHING. That will be very sad.

I'm tired. I put together a playlist of things to give me hope because I am trudging through a depression, again. Putting them on in the background while I click through Baldur's Gate 3 again because I can't sleep, but I don't have the brain power to write out my next session or do something bold and creative. I'm soulsapped.

Tomorrow will be the last time my niece celebrates her birthday in this state. She, her brother, and my sister are all moving to Illinois. We'll be at our grandparent's place. It is being referred to as the "last time we'll all be together." Grandpa's health is failing. He's about to be in hospice, if he isn't already. On one hand, I should be there just for the sake of it. I know I'd want as many people around if i was dying. Grandpa's always been cooler than his wife. She's the true reason I don't want to go. I don't like being around her.

I don't like all the "God Bless America" shit in her home. What is there to be proud of? I'm getting off track.

There's no point in raising my voice. I must be a neutral vessel everywhere I go. This is the only place I can ever express myself. Outside, I weight my guilt against my desire to push them all away. It is those days where I am compelled to spend time with family where I feel the most trapped.

[hiswordsarekisses]

An incredibly wonderful post from Troi Cockyane:

I get thoughts in my head that lead me to Bible studies. This week I started thinking about the concept of believers arming themselves with guns and other forms of self defense in this crazy world.

I started to think of zealous Peter violently chopping off the high priest servants ear. Then Jesus rebukes Peter and tells him to put his sword back into it’s sheath.

The only indicating scripture I see in the New Testament regarding Jesus being ok with weapons of self defense is Luke 22:31-38.

Listen carefully to this.

“Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift [all of] you like grain; but I have prayed [especially] for you [Peter], that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith].” And Peter said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death!” Jesus said, “I say to you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will [utterly] deny three times that you know Me.”

And He said to them, “When I sent you out without a money belt and [provision] bag and [extra] sandals, did you lack anything?” They answered, “Nothing.” Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money belt is to take it along, and also his [provision] bag, and he who has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. For I tell you that this [Scripture] which is written must be completed and fulfilled in Me: ‘AND HE WAS COUNTED WITH THE CRIMINALS’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment [and is settled].” They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

Peter goes on to deny Christ. Jesus restores him after He appears to Peter and asks him three times, “Do you love Me?”

JOHN 21:17 Jesus looks at Peter, “He says to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you dearly love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you dearly love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I dearly love You." Jesus says to him, "Feed My sheep.”

Jesus restored Peter with the clear mission statement for all future followers of Christ, “Feed My Sheep”.

Peter would later echo this mission statement in 1 Peter 2:2 AMP, “like newborn babies [you should] long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may be nurtured and grow in respect to salvation [its ultimate fulfillment],”

After the restoration of Peter I find nowhere in the New Testament any emphasis of arming oneself with weapons.

But when I look up the scriptures that say ‘arm yourselves’, this is what I find;

1 PETER 4:1

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin.”

Even the full armor of God spoken by Paul in Ephesians 6:14 is in reference to the believers [spiritual] warefare preparedness, not AK-47’s.

WOW, listen to this! 😳

EPHESIANS 6:14-17 AMP

“Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground, HAVING TIGHTENED THE WIDE BAND OF TRUTH (personal integrity, moral courage) AROUND YOUR WAIST and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (an upright heart), and having strapped on YOUR FEET THE GOSPEL OF PEACE IN PREPARATION [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

As believers, what’s the best way to arm ourselves for what’s coming to our country, towns and communities??

What does God say?

We are to be the Salt and the Light in a darkened world. We are to emulate the love of God in the midst of devestation, loss and heartbreak. Like a Lighthouse. A city on a hill.

The milk of the Word feeds Faith, Hope and Love. As the LORD told me once, ‘The greatest commodity on earth is not silver or gold, it’s real Hope’. We are the carriers of that ‘real Hope’.

Again, Peter emphasizes this point in 1 Peter 3:15, “But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,”

I’m trying to find the scriptures that talk about stocking up on weapons to defend yourself. Do you see any?

I do know there’s a scripture that says we are like ‘lambs to the slaughter’ and endure suffering, etc.

FINAL THOUGHT:

As I have sought the instruction of God over the years, He spoke this word to me years ago and I think it applies to the natural sense of anxiety we all experience as we see increasing evil and potential war on the horizon… The LORD told me, “Submit your anxious thoughts to Me and I will calm your waters. Rest in Me. Enter My rest and allow My power and My peace to radiate from a posture of quiet trust. My Pillars will radiate calm assurance and comfort to those who will be soon shaken. Your soundness in your circumstance is critical to your ability to bear My presence effectively to those around you. Abide, Abide, Abide.”

This is our identity in the world and our purpose. May the troubled world around us see Christ Jesus magnified in our lives and faces. But especially in our actions.

Meditate on this beloveds.

God is ‘with us’. 🔥🦋

www.KingsGallery.net

“Restoring intimacy with God”