#Drusus is pretty good

[wolframpant]

Domina characters and their busts

[theromaboo]

The Fifth Day of Julius Caesar

The Augustus of Prima Porta does not depict Julius Caesar. Sure, it depicts a Julius Caesar, but not the one that people always think this statue is.

(good jolly I did not know the augustus of prima porta was barefoot this is vile)

This is not just a Julius Caesar problem. I've seen people call this statue Claudius. I've seen people call this statue Drusus. I've even seen people call this statue Nero. It seems to me that the Augustus of Prima Porta is seen as just a symbol of a Roman with power, which is actually pretty interesting if you think about it.

This is not just an Augustus of Prima Porta problem either. Augustus is just always confused with Julius Caesar! You guys should see those lazy YouTube shorts about Julius Caesar... if it isn't an AI generated image, it's Augustus!

That's not Julius Caesar but good try tho <3

[just-late-roman-republic-things]

hi! you say that agrippa postumus would make a nasty emperor if he become one. sometimes i wonder, what about augustus' other grandsons? from what i read (in powell's agrippa bio book) they were spoiled brats but they were young when they died. beside that, i wonder what if agrippa survived and succeeded augustus? would he face the same problem tiberius had with the senate but for different reason (i read that aristocrats hate him)? what about drusus? so yeah.. basically historical what if.

Abandon facts, all ye who enter here!

It's not clear whether Agrippa Postumus was really all that bad. I've got a longer post talking about other reasons he might have been Augustus' least-favorite grandchild. However, Augustus was usually a good judge of competence, so there probably was some reason why Postumus wasn't well-suited for ruling an empire. Augustus had also elevated Tiberius to effectively co-emperor by the last years of his reign, precisely to make Tiberius' ascension as smooth and undisputed as possible.

I suspect that the only way Postumus would come to power would be if Tiberius died just before Augustus did. But even then, it probably wouldn't be for long. Julio-Claudian emperors needed the support of the army and Senate to hold onto power, and Postumus seems to have been very good at alienating people. My best guess is that he'd get displaced by the more popular Germanicus - either by vote of the Senate or by assassination.

What about his brothers, Gaius Caesar and Lucius Caesar? Assuming that both had lived to see Augustus die in 14 CE, Gaius would've been 33, and Lucius 30. Since they both started their administrative/military careers as teenagers, and were widely popular, either one would've been in a great position to take over. This would've been great news for their mother Julia, who'd probably be recalled from exile, and for Tiberius, who didn't want to rule anyway. If both boys lived, the job would most likely go to Lucius, since Gaius asked to be released from public service after he became seriously ill.

Both boys died young enough that it's hard to gauge how capable they would've been as emperors. They weren't spoiled; if anything, Augustus seems to have put a lot of pressure on his (grand)kids. (You're probably thinking of the incidents where crowds greeted Lucius over-enthusiastically at 11, or tried to elect Gaius consul at 14. Augustus was irritated because he thought this could make the kids big-headed, but there's no indication of Gaius or Lucius actually misbehaving. Gaius also was pretty rude to Tiberius one time, but that probably stemmed from resentment of how his mother Julia had been treated, not Gaius generally being a dick.) They probably would've been average-to-decent, simply because most rulers are in peacetime, and they would've had a lot of experience under Augustus' (overbearing) watchful eye.

If Drusus had outlived Gaius and Lucius, he likely would've been Augustus' next choice of successor, and quite good at it, too. He was an able administrator and general like Tiberius, and much better at working with people. Plus, Drusus' grandkids were also Augustus' great-grandkids via Agrippina the Elder, and Augustus wanted his descendants to inherit.

There would be several other benefits, too. For one thing, Tiberius would be much happier, less overworked, and may not have had the depression/breakdown/??? that led him to retire to Rhodes. The Julian and Claudian branches of the family probably wouldn't have been at odds, at least not as much, since both saw their future in Drusus' grandkids. Drusus' outgoing personality and stronger leadership would probably be less vulnerable to the manipulations of Sejanus, so we might have seen Caligula's older brothers survive and rule instead of him. As the most skilled commander of the German campaigns, Drusus would've likely also consolidated Roman control up to the Elbe River.

Anyway, that's just my best guess. It's a shame, because Gaius, Lucius or Drusus taking over would seem more probable than all three of them dying young. Emperor Tiberius was sort of a "bad ending" from Augustus' perspective. Not the worst - worst would be civil war - but if not for some crappy luck, the Julio-Claudians might've been much happier and more well-adjusted.

[mnikhowozu]

Fallout OC asks: 5, 20, and/or 55?

Thank you!! I'll answer them for Chip since he's who I'm most focused on presently and who I've developed most lately :-)

5. What is their highest skill? Lowest?

His highest skill is Speech--I tend to spec him into it pretty early on. At level 16 in my current playthrough, it's maxed out (100)

Realistically I think that Science would be his lowest skill--Terminals hurt his eyes and give him a headache to look at for too long, and he's not very good at the little wordles you have to do to open them. (On a technical level, generally when I'm playing and Arcade is following him, I'll open up the console and just unlock it and say that Arcade opened it for him).

In the actual game, though, his Unarmed tends to be the lowest stat because I'm not great at fighting up close in New Vegas.

20. Who do they consider to be their family?

Chip was really close with his biological family! The whole reason he left home as young man was to find his father (Who was a caravaneer that would often visit the family's settlement a few times a year). He lived with his grandmother, mother, uncles & aunts, and many little cousins. The trouble is that he doesn't really remember them.

He probably considers his companions his family at present, as well as his sons (twin boys), and husband (who Chip also didn't remember until he (the husband, Caelius Modius Drusus) defected from the Legion and went to go seek Chip out), once they show up again.

55. Are they past, present, or future oriented?

I think what's interesting about Chip is that he has a storied past and was an entirely different person before his head injury. In his eyes, the past is a mystery, and the future is yet to be determined. I think he lives in the present for the most part.

[whumperofworlds]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love❤

Ah! Thanks so much anon! :D

Hmm... I'll have to go with:

Tears and Regrets, my Fire Emblem 8 fic that I recently posted! You know how Colm, the thief, always teases Neimi about her crying? Imagine if she died, and Colm's reaction. The way I wrote it, Colm's trauma and feelings after Neimi died, and my descriptions were pretty damn good IMO. It's also the first fic where I did an outline, rough draft, and second draft thanks to my sis @thequestingbunny ! I feel doing those improved the story tremendously!

Prisoners of War (NONCON WARNING!), a Final Fantasy I/Final Fantasy Record Keeper whump fic before I realized what whump meant! In the Final Fantasy Tactics realm, it's considered the most dangerous realm out of the rest, and Drusus and Keme, my FFI OCs, learned that the hard way when they're captured. The way I described their captivity, how they felt during that terrible time, and Drusus' determination... I really outdid myself with this one haha!

Hook, Line, And Sinker, my first original story posted here on my whump blog! (Finale linked because all the parts are there). I really like how I used the "used as bait" scenario in this, and expanded upon it, especially with Alder and Hawthorn's captivity. How those two dealt with a lot, Hawthorn's guilt, and his determination to make this right is so good, and I'd love to see more of that in other "used as bait" scenarios!

Promises, my M!Edeleth Fire Emblem Three Houses fic from my Bad Things Happen Bingo! I thoroughly enjoyed writing Thales in this fic, and I can see him be so cold and calculating while torturing his captives. The way I wrote him, Byleth and Edelgard's determination to protect one another during it, and Byleth's reluctance when he's forced to hurt his El... *chef's kiss* Outdid myself with that one! Funnily enough, this is also the first time I wrote Edeleth. Whoops 😆

And last but not least, The Boy Behind the Hands, my Super Smash Bros. fic inspired by a YouTube video that focuses on autism. (Excuse the use of Asperger's in the fic. It was written in 2015 at the time on FFN and didn't realize that the word is... eeeeeeh). It shows what it's like for a child-turned-adult to have autism, and how he reacts to some things and the symptoms he shows that's common for autistic people like me! The first 8 chapters were eh, but beyond that, I LOVE how I wrote the descriptions, Matt's characteristics with autism, and how his toys, the Smash Bros characters who he considered his true "friends", leave a big impact on him and how they helped him. It reminds me so much of myself in many ways. The fic ends after Smash 4, but I plan on rewriting it someday to include Ultimate and the World of Light somehow!

Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to do this, anon! :D

[shcherbatskya]

I’ve been very much enjoying your blogging about Ancient Rome historical fiction, so I thought I’d share this cursed book series with you: https://www.thriftbooks.com/series/the-other-rome/104303/

It’s called The Other Rome, and I forget which other Roman history blog brought it to my attention, but it basically reads as a fix-it fic for Masters of Rome by Colleen McCollough. The premise is that it’s a alternate history being transcribed by a time traveler from another dimension where the Italian/Social War never happened. Notable events include:

Sulla saving Marcus Livius Drusus from assassination

Marius dying mysteriously after “falling off a boat”

Sulla dying mysteriously after “falling down some stairs”

Sulla was a conservative, but he has a surprisingly progressive tax plan?

Julius Caesar actually punished for war crimes.

It can be a hard series to find, but so bizarre that it’s pretty enjoyable if you’re in the right mood.

oh my god that sounds so fun i can totally get behind something like that (when something is so silly you cannot possibly take it seriously it becomes immediately top of my list 10/10 reading because i read stuff that is so dense and just generally a downer sometimes so literally this sounds like something i would enjoy immensely.) and i LOVE a good time travel story esp if it’s ancient rome like that is not utilized nearly enough.

[theres-whump-in-that-nebula]

Livia really said “Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss,” didn’t she?

[dwellordream]

“...Livia cannot have reached Rome before late summer 39. She and her husband, Tiberius Nero, would probably have returned to their residence on the Palatine if it was still available to them. It may not have been. The Treaty of Misenum stipulated that those who had left Italy in fear for their safety would get their property back; those who, like Tiberius Nero, had been proscribed would recover only a quarter. Livia might thus have found herself in considerably reduced circumstances. Where and when she and Octavian met we have no idea, and we cannot exclude the possible irony that she might have been introduced to him through her aunt by adoption, his then-wife, Scribonia. Dio is the only source to report on how the affair began. 

Octavian in 39 bc organised a lavish entertainment to celebrate the shaving of his beard (the event may have been his birthday, on September 23). Dio tells us that Octavian kept his chin smooth afterwards (although coins continue to show him bearded as late as 36). He clearly wanted to look his best because he ‘‘was already (hede) beginning to love Livia.’’ For Livia, Octavian certainly represented a good catch. There are hints that in the eyes of contemporaries she quickly recognised his interest in her and turned it to her advantage. There is evidence that Octavian was already turning to Livia for help and advice well before they were married. 

Scribonia complained about her husband’s mistress—almost certainly Livia—upset not by his infatuation, a situation that Roman wives generally learned to handle, but rather by her rival’s nimiam potentiam (excessive power). Potentia is a term generally used of political rather than erotic power. Tacitus seems also to suggest that Livia may well have been active in encouraging Octavian’s attentions, when he says that Octavian took her away from her husband incertum an invitam (it is not certain that she was reluctant). But what did she have to offer him? We can certainly not dismiss the element of pure sexual attraction. Both Tacitus and Velleius speak of Livia’s beauty, forma, although such descriptions of aristocratic Roman women tend to be formulaic, and beauty in a bride may have been as much a commonplace in ancient Rome as it is today. 

Tacitus asserted that Octavian was driven essentially by lust, cupidine formae, and a tradition that saw his interest as pure infatuation (amore) persisted down to the fourth century. But Livia had much more than sexual charms to offer. Certainly in his previous matches Octavian had always looked upon marriage as a means of furthering his career. He was betrothed first to Servilia, the daughter of Publius Servilius Isauricus, related by marriage to Brutus, Cassius, and Lepidus, in an engagement that was the product of a political alignment engineered by Cicero early in 43 bc. This first arrangement fell victim to the shifting political tides. When he became reconciled with Antony, to strengthen the new alliance he became engaged to Antony’s stepdaughter Claudia, the child of Fulvia (see chapter 7) and her previous husband, Publius Clodius. The marriage was postponed because of his fiancée’s youth, and the clash with Fulvia ended the arrangement. 

The marriage to Scribonia followed in 40 bc. Octavian’s ties to Scribonia would similarly have been weakened when the old problems between himself and Sextus Pompeius reasserted themselves. Velleius, in fact, explicitly places the divorce from Scribonia and the fresh outbreak of hostilities with Sextus in close sequence. In fact, Livia would have seemed an ideal partner. Quite apart from any feelings of affection, she brought significant political benefits to the marriage. Octavian had considerable power. His desperate need now was for status. Although Antony’s taunt of ignobilitas might have been overstated (Octavian’s father had reached the praetorship, which would have given him a technical entrée into the nobilitas), Octavian was seen by the old nobility as something of a revolutionary parvenu, and this formidable obstacle had not yet been overcome even more than a quarter-century later, when, in 12 bc, some of the nobility declined to attend the funeral of his old friend and son-in-law Marcus Agrippa. 

Ancestry was a powerful element in making a marriage advantageous. As Tacitus observed in Livia’s obituary notice, she could boast a lofty lineage (nobilitatis . . . clarissimae), and Velleius describes her father as nobilissimus. Thus she would have helped Octavian to strengthen his ties with the old distinguished families. In fact, the union would have a double advantage. It would link Octavian with the powerful and prestigious Claudii. But beyond this the connection with Livius Drusus would resonate throughout Italy and help to strengthen Octavian’s power base. It is worth noting that the names Drusus and Drusilla, both from the Livian side of the lineage, continued to be used by later generations of the family. If Livia has been correctly identified as the mistress who was the target of Scribonia’s complaints, Octavian and Livia began an affair while he was still married to Scribonia. He waited for the birth of his daughter Julia, then immediately arranged a divorce. 

Livia for her part secured a divorce from Tiberius Nero in turn, and it is likely that in late September or early October, 39 bc, Octavian and Livia became betrothed. They do not seem to have proceeded immediately to the marriage, probably because by early October, Livia was six months pregnant. Tacitus and Dio say that Octavian sought the guidance of the pontiffs on the problem that the pregnancy raised for her remarriage. Both historians present this consultation in sarcastic terms, perhaps reflecting Antony’s propaganda. Tacitus says that the question was put, per ludibrium (in a farce), whether Livia, with a child conceived but not yet born, could legally wed. Dio provides the same question, and also records their answer: that if there was any doubt about the conception the marriage should be postponed, but if conception was confirmed, then the marriage could take place. Dio is sceptical about their finding this decision in the rules, but says that it was a moot point because they would have given the answer Octavian needed anyhow. 

…But there was another bizarre twist to the event. In two places Tacitus retains a tradition that Livia was forcibly removed from Tiberius Nero, that she was abducta Neroni uxor (a wife abducted from Nero) and that Octavian aufert marito (carries off [Livia] from her husband). The cruel characterization of Octavian’s conduct may, again, have originated in Mark Antony’s propaganda. Tacitus and Suetonius refer to letters of Antony’s which apparently survived the triumvir’s disgrace and death. They are brimming with bitter invective against Octavian. The seeds of the story of Livia’s abduction may have been sown by a claim made by Antony that Octavian carried off (abductam) the wife of an ex-consul (unnamed) from her husband’s dining room before his very eyes and took her into the bedchamber, from where she returned with her hair in disorder and her ears glowing (rubentibus auriculis). Was she Livia? Suetonius seems to relate the hasty marriage and the case of the unidentified consular wife as two separate events. Also, Livia’s husband was not of consular rank. 

…In fact, Tiberius Nero had always been prepared to bend in the political wind, even if he failed to benefit much from his compliance. Pliny describes him as Octavian’s enemy (hostis), and although this would not, strictly speaking, have been true after the amnesty, there would still have been an inevitable tension between the two men, whose mutual animosity went back to the time of Perusia. The marriage would have offered Tiberius Nero an ideal opportunity to bury his differences with the rising star of the state. Cicero described him as the kind of man who was excessively eager to show gratitude in return for a favour, and most of the ancient sources speak of him as the perfect model of the mari complaisant. This motive may well have been sweetened by another consideration. Octavian’s divorce from Scribonia and marriage to Livia would cause a rift with Sextus Pompeius; this would be to the advantage of Antony, to whom Tiberius Nero might have had a residual loyalty. 

And we must also remember that he had received a personal snub from Sextus. Suetonius says that Tiberius Nero petenti Augusto concessit (gave her up to Augustus at his request). In fact, both Dio and Velleius allude to what seems to have been an active, even eager, role for Tiberius Nero in the union, Velleius repeating the same information in two different sections, that he was the one who pledged Livia. Dio says that he officiated at the ceremony, giving away his wife as a father would give up his daughter. It is possible that Antony’s propaganda might have exaggerated his willingness to comply. But there were historical parallels for such behaviour. When the great orator Hortensius persuaded Cato Uticensis, a man known for his upright attachment to principle, to divorce his wife Marcia so that he could marry her, Phillipus, her father, refused to betroth her to her new partner unless Cato joined with him in the formal ceremony. They betrothed her jointly. 

Much later, Caligula compelled Memmius Regulus to betroth his ex-wife Lollia Paulina to him. Tiberius Nero’s eagerness to please did cause one embarrassing moment, when he chose to attend the feast following the betrothal. Present at the event was one of the pretty slave boys, the delicia, who were trained in clever and naughty comments and appeared naked as a regular feature at social events of the fashionable. These slaves were selected for their talkativeness, and were particularly appealing if they were impudent and adept at risqué language. Seneca notes that they were trained by special tutors in the art of abuse and observes wryly that because their vulgarity was a matter of professional expertise, what they said was considered not offensive but smart (nec has contumelias vocamus, sed argutias). The slave attending the betrothal feast seems to have lived up to expectations. When he saw Livia reclining next to Octavian, he told her that she was in the wrong place since her husband—as he pointed to Tiberius Nero—was in another part of the room. This would not have been a simple social gaffe, but a deliberately outrageous joke. 

The story may, of course, be apocryphal, but it does at the very least suggest that relations between Tiberius Nero and Octavian were cordial enough for the discarded husband to have attended the celebratory feast. Some scholars associate this banquet with a notorious event from Octavian’s past, the cena dodekatheos (Feast of the Twelve Gods), recorded only by Suetonius. At this infamous festivity Octavian and his guests appeared in the guise of gods and goddesses (he took the part of Apollo). Suetonius reports that Antony attacked the escapade in his letters, naming the guests (the list is not provided), and there was also an anonymous and ribald lampoon which suggests that Octavian produced a burlesque about ‘‘novel debaucheries of the gods’’ (nova divorum . . . adulteria) ending with Jupiter falling from his throne. According to Suetonius, the scandal became the subject of common gossip, which was all the more avid because there was a severe famine in the city, leading to the jocular comment that the gods had eaten all the grain.

In 40 bc Sextus Pompeius had cut off the corn supply and there were popular disturbances; Octavian was even stoned. The Treaty of Misenum would have removed the root cause of these supply difficulties, but it would have taken a while for the problem to be totally alleviated, and there are reports of famine in the years 39, 38, and 36, any one of which might in fact have been the year of the banquet. Whatever the date, Livia would almost certainly have been one of the guests at this celebration. Following the betrothal it seems that Livia joined Octavian at his home on the Palatine. It is probably safe to assume that at this stage they were not yet married. There is, however, some confusion in the sources about the relationship of their wedding to the birth of Livia’s second son, Drusus. The information in Suetonius and Dio that Drusus came into the world after the marriage may have resulted from a confusion between the betrothal and the wedding. Antony seems to have been the source of this confusion, for he maliciously charged that the ‘‘wedding’’ was hasty (festinatas Liviae nuptias), probably in allusion to a hasty betrothal in early October following their initial meeting in September.

Early in 38 Drusus was born in Octavian’s Palatine home (intra Caesaris penates). The actual day can be deduced as January 14. The marriage took place very soon afterwards, in a year that began with a number of compelling omens. The hut of Romulus was burnt down on the Palatine during a religious ritual. The statue of Virtus fell on its face. A rumour spread that the Magna Mater was angry with the Romans, causing panic. Purification rites were carried out, and people were reassured when four palm trees sprang up near her temple on the Palatine and in the Forum. Dio reports that in the midst of these dramatic occurrences Octavian and Livia married. The Fasti Verulani record the date as January 17 (38 bc). It seems that Octavian had simply waited a brief while for Livia to recover from delivering Drusus, then proceeded straight to the wedding. Inevitably, these events led to considerable gossip about the true paternity of Drusus, and humorists coined a line in Greek, preserved in Suetonius and paraphrased by Dio, about some being lucky in having trimena paidia (children in three months). 

This became a proverbial saying, and seems to have been parodied by Caligula, who married his last wife, Caesonia, when she was close to the end of her term so that he could beget a paidion triakonthemeron (a thirty day child). There was also a rumour that Octavian was Drusus’ real father, a belief no doubt encouraged by his deep sorrow on the young man’s death in 9 bc. This last particular ghost can surely be laid to rest. Livia must have conceived in late March or early April 39, before the Treaty of Misenum and the amnesty that brought her and her first husband back to Rome and into the company of Octavian. It may have been to discourage such gossip that after the birth Octavian sent the infant Drusus to his father and made an entry in the record (hypomnemata) of the fact that it was Tiberius Nero who was the father. But it should be noted that it was normal for a man marrying a pregnant woman to send the child to the natural father.

In the event Tiberius Nero does not seem to have made much, if any, political capital out of his compliance. When he died, some six years after the wedding, in 32 bc or the end of 33, he named Octavian in his will as guardian (tutor) to both his sons. In accordance with Roman tradition, his first son, Tiberius, now nine years old, delivered the funeral elegy. Tiberius Nero, Livia’s first husband, thus quitted the scene, a tired failure, the brilliant hopes of his youth unrealised. The scandal provoked by the unusual marriage continued to haunt Octavian. A decade later (29–28 bc), while he was exercising the power of censor, someone brought before him a young man who had committed adultery with a married woman but then had afterwards married the woman in question. Octavian was in a major quandary, but he dealt with it prudently. He suggested that they forget the quarrels of the past and look to the future.”

- Anthony A. Barrett, “Marriage.” in Livia: First Lady of Imperial Rome

[germanicseidr]

Frisii

This is a rewritten post on the Frisii tribe, my previous post is over a year old so I wanted to update it by adding more information.

The Frisii were a Germanic tribe who lived above the Rhine in areas that are now known as modern day Noord-Holland, Friesland, Groningen, the Wadden islands in the Netherlands and East-Frisia in Germany. They should not be confused with the Frisians, a tribe which settled in the same area at a later time period, The Frisians and Frisii are however not completely foreign to each other, some Frisii stayed behind and were absorbed by the Frisians, the oldest still existing Germanic culture. The Frisii were neighboured by the Cananefates to the south and Chauci to the east, the west and north were part of the north sea.

The meaning of their name is derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'frisaz' which means 'curly'. There is a common misunderstanding that the word Frisii, and the later Frisian, comes from the word freeze/vriezen or freedom but this is not correct although understandably a good possible meaning.

The origins of the Frisii is still a bit unclear but there are viable theories. Unlike other tribes, like the Chatti, Lombards, Batavi, Cananefates etc.. who all migrated southwards and settled in their territories around 100BC, the Frisii are a lot older. In fact we do not know how old exactly they are but there are several theories:

The most likely theory is that the early Frisii, also called Proto-Frisians, migrated southwards from northern Germany and Denmark around 1000BC. Somewhere around 700BC they migrated from modern day Drenthe towards modern day Friesland, Groningen and Noord-Holland. There is however a more controversial theory that suggests the birth of the Frisii started with their patron-mother the Goddess Freya.

According to this theory a line of matriarchal rulers, known as folk mothers, were descendants of Freya herself and responsible for the creation of the Frisii, this would mean that the origin of the tribe is not around 700BC but around 2200BC. Here is a line of Frisii folk mothers starting with the Goddess Freya: Freya - somewhere around 2000BC Fasta, Medea, Thiania, Hellenia, Minna, Rosamond, Hellicht, Frana, Adela and Gosa. Of course if there was a continuous matriarchal line for about 1500 years long, this would include many more names but those are lost in time. This theory is based on the information found in the Oera Linda book, a highly disputed manuscript worthy of its own post so I will write about it in the near future.  An altar stone has been found near modern day Xanten however with the following description: "MATRIBUS FRISAVIS PATERNIS" which could refer to these ancient Frisii matriarchs making the Oera Linda book theory possible.

By 100BC the Frisii were quite a large and powerful tribe who had established themselves fully in their current territory. Their first encounter with the Roman empire was around 12BC when Drusus Germanicus, one of Rome's most succesful generals, invaded Germania with the intention to turn the land into a province of Rome.

Drusus Germanicus, not to be confused with the other Roman general called Germanicus, was incredibly succesful with his invasion. He subjugated every Germanic tribe in his path including the Frisii who were forced to be allies of Rome. The Romans also built a fort, their most northern one, at modern day Velsen to keep an eye on the Frisii. It is likely that all of Germania would have become a Roman province if Germanicus didn't die after a fall from his horse in 9BC.

The Frisii delivered auxiliary troops to Rome and they had to pay taxes which led to high tensions between the tribe and Rome. The taxes were incredibly unfair as the Romans demanded large skins of cows which did not even exist in Frisii territory, they only had a small breed of cows. This rising tension eventually led to the Frisii revolting against Rome in 28AD. The Frisii hung Roman tax collectors which infuriated Rome.

Olennius, a Roman centurion in charge of Frisii administration, escaped the lynching party and hid himself at Castellum Flevum, the most northern fort the Romans ever built. The Frisii however marched onwards to this fort but were unable to capture it, archeological research shows traces of heavy fighting at this fort. The Frisii retreated back towards their sacred grove dedicated to their Goddess of war, Baduhenna, luring the Romans with them.

The Romans chased the Frisii right into the sacred grove. This was however a dreadful decision since the Frisii knew their swampy estuary terrain very well and were extra motivated by being in the presence of their battle Goddess. Almost all of the Romans were slaughtered, 900 of them, some according to legends, were captured and sacrificed to Baduhenna right in her grove. Another 400 Roman soldiers killed each other out fear of treachery, the event has been quoted by Tacitus:

"Soon afterwards it was ascertained from deserters that nine hundred Romans had been cut to pieces in a wood called Baduhenna, after prolonging the fight to the next day, and that another body of four hundred, which had taken possession of the house of one Cruptorix, once a soldier in our pay, fearing betrayal, had perished by mutual slaughter." - Tacitus

The Frisii name thus became famous in Germania and Roman emperor Tiberius tried to keep the Roman defeat a secret, not wishing to entrust anyone with the war because of the shame. The Roman fort in modern day Noord-Holland was abandoned after the revolt and the Frisii became free people once again and remained so until the medieval ages.

The earliest known written record that we have about the Frisii comes from a Roman poet Albinovanus Pedo. In one of his poems, he describes a disaster that occured during Germanicus' campaigns to avenge the Teutoburgerwald battle. This disaster took place around the Eems river in Frisii territory around 16AD and involves a storm destroying parts of his fleet:

"For a long time they had left the day and the sunlight behind them, for a long time they looked exiles from the well known part of the world, who had dared to go through forbidden darkness to the boundaries of nature and the furthest coast of the earth.

From here they saw him, the sea, carrying huge monsters under slow waves with rising wild whales and the dogs of the sea on all sides grabbing ships. The fleet was already in the mud, left behind by a rapid storm. They believed that their unfortunate fate was to be torn apart by these wild sea monsters.

The world was robbed, nothing could be distinguished, his breath was taken from him, and thus he spoke from his heart: Where do we end up? The day itself is fleeing and nature closes the rest of the world with eternal darkness. Do we sometimes look for people untouched by wars? The gods call us back, forbid that mortal eyes see the end of everything. Why do we violate a strange and consecrated sea with oars? Why do we disturb the silent dwellings of the gods?" - Albinovadus Pedo

The next written mention is quite an interesting one. It involves a dispute about land on the Roman border area. Two Frisii leaders, Verritus and Malorix decided to travel to Rome in 58AD and defend their case about this piece of land. During their stay in Rome, they amused the Romans greatly by refusing to sit down amongst the common people in a theater exclaiming that: "No people can match the Germanics in loyalty and bravery!" They then proceeded sitting down next to the Roman senators present in the theater. The Roman emperor, Nero, found the whole event quite amusing himself and granted Verritus and Malorix roman citizenship. This account, described by Tacitus, is also the first account of foreign tourists visiting Rome who were mentioned by name.

In 69AD, during a particulary tough year for the Romans, the Batavi revolted against the Roman empire. The Frisii joined this revolt which was initially quite succesful. Unfortunately the revolt was put down by the Romans the following year, resulting in severe trust issues between the Romans and the Batavi and Cananefates.

By 98AD Tacitus published his work 'Germania' and also provices us with a small description on the Frisii. He separated the tribe in two parts, the Frisii Maiores and the Frisii Minores. The Minores lived in what is now Noord-Holland and the Maiores lived in what is now Frisia and Groningen. Here is a description on the Frisii landscape:

"The terrain is fierce, the climate is rough, life and landscape are bleak. You only come here if it's your homeland." - Tacitus

No significant recorded events exist after 98AD, the history on the Frisii between 100AD-300AD is pretty much unknown. We do know that parts of the Frisii joined the Cananefaat pirate/proto-viking Gannascus in his raids on several settlements, mainly in Gaul. These attacks infuriated Rome and led to improved defenses being built by them. Gannascus is eventually assassinated by the Romans under the pretence of a negotiation which caused great outrage amongst the Chauci, Frisii and Cananefates. The Roman emperor of that time, Claudius, feared a violent conflict with these tribes and withdrew Roman forces from the Rhine in order to ease tensions.

Around 300AD the Saxon confederation came into existence and bordered the Frisii directly to the east. The Western Roman empire started to decline rapidly during this time period as well leaving the borders vulnerable for invasions. With the Huns invading Europe, economic hardship, climate change, failed harvests and empty Roman borders, came the great migration. Many Frisii migrated either southwards to become absorbed by the Franks or to the west by invading Britannia together with the Angles, Saxons and Jutes. Only very few Frisii remained in their original homeland, we have archeological evidence that some did indeed stay.

Frisii lands were now almost completely deserted until the arrival of Saxons and Jutes who settled the area together with the few remaining Frisii. These new settlers started to call themselves Frisians, after the ancient Frisii. The Frisians still exist until this day and they have a rich history which deserves a post of its own, which will be coming very soon.

The last thing I want to mention is the auxiliary troops that the Frisii supplied Rome with. The Notitia Dignitatum, a Roman document that describes details of the administrative organisation of the empire, mentions a Frisii cohort stationed at Vindobala, a fort located at Hadrian's wall. This entry 'Tribunes cohortis primae Frixagorum Vindobala' however contains a possible spelling mistake, Frixagorum instead of Frisiavonum. This entry might however also refer to the Frisiavones tribe unrelated to the Frisii.

Here are images of: A map showing the location of the Frisii, A reconstruction of Castellum Flevum, A depiction of the Frisii fighting Romans by an unknown artist, A reconstruction of a Frisii fortification, A small piece of a Roman helmet, bottom left, found at Velsen where once the Castellum Flevum stood which was attacked by the Frisii, A depiction of the Goddess Freyja, the ancestral mother of the Frisii, from 1874,

[elcctra]

domina thoughts (with mild spoilers) under the cut

the second half of the season was SO messy and i also don’t think this show made much sense if you didn’t already know about the history behind it lol

that being said, livia and octavian had good characterization thoroughly and their relationship was allowed to be layered and loving and flawed and complex in a way i wasn’t really expecting but that delighted me

i think livia was a good Powerful Female Character in a way that didn’t feel cheap or forced... actually, she was pretty awful lots of the time and the show allowed her to be that and didn’t try to turn it into a #girlboss moment

why was everyone pissing all the time???

loved loved loved the dynamic between octavian/livia/agrippa/maecenas you really felt like they were old friends and all that <3

octavian/agrippa gay asf. as it shoul be,

the antagonists annoyed me sooo much with the exception of marcellus and i’m really mad that they felt the need to include that scene with julia because the actor was really good and was able to make him a little shit and humanize him at the same time

about the scene with julia, this show tried soooo hard to be edgy and got-ish and it failed big time

also, speaking about people who got terrible characterizations, poor tiberius can’t catch a break in these shows lol loved his relationship with drusus, though! reminded me of them in i, claudius and they were my favorite thing about that show

wish julia and iullus had more development but i undertand that it was a huge cast and had lots of stuff to cover. they were very pretty together so i’m willing to forgive a lot.

they included so many members of the family and gave them all different personalities and storylines, i appreciated that so much

the way they mentioned cleopatra ONCE in the entire show made me howl it was like she was a character they didn’t have the rights of lmao

i wish these shows (and i’m looking at the spanish princess as i say this) would stop making these half assed attempts at diversity and just commit to it. very tired of the black best friend/sidekick trope (i feel like it was even worse here than in tsp, actually)

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #4 Aether Transference

Prompt #4: Baleful

Character: Akihide Shibata

Timeframe: Past

The first thing that he was aware of as he came to was that he couldn’t seem to move any part of his body. It actually felt like there was something holding him down for some reason. Slowly his eyes started to adjust to the dark only for him to notice that he was in some kind of container. Where was he? What was going on? Instead of fighting against his restraints he tried to figure out what was going on.

The last thing that he remembered he was in Drusus’s office advising him of a letter they received from the capital. He delivered the letter, turned to leave, and then nothing. No amount of straining could call to mind what happened next. It was like he had been ambushed there, but why? None of it made any sense or added up at all. Instead all he had were even more questions than before. That was until he heard talking outside of the container.

“Is everything set?”

‘Wait, that sounds like Drusus. What in the Seven Hells is going on?’

“Yes sir! The prisoners have been secured in their respective pods!”

“Good, and the special one?”

“It took some work sir, but yes he is in there too.”

‘What are the- No, I can’t be in that pod. I don’t have nearly enough aether to power one of them.’

“Is there something else Soldier?”

“Yes sir, some of us are… uncertain about your decision to use Shibata for this. We understand that His Excellency won’t let you test on any more pure bloods, but is it necessary to do this? He is pretty much your right hand man.”

“That is precisely why it must be Shibata. He understands that everything hinges on this. The future of this program is at stake and out of everyone he is the closest fit for it. He will forgive me in time if this works.”

“I understand sir, we’ll prepare the Transference.”

‘No, he put me in the receptacle pod! What is he thinking?! I’ve got to find some way to damage the pod.’

Try as he might, he couldn’t get his limbs free enough to try and break anything. Not that it stopped him from trying even harder as the machines all started to power on. There was no way he could let this happen, he had to stop it. If the process started he wasn’t going to survive, none of their test subjects had managed to survive without going completely insane. They hadn’t figured out a way to separate the donor’s aether from their memories. Soon the confusion from unknown memories caused each of them to start breaking down.

Then a needle jabbed itself right into his back causing him to lock up. All too soon the alchemical concoction that they had designed to start the process of fusing aether was injected into him. There was nothing he could do at this point, if he was being injected that meant he was about to feel the full force of all the aether from others being forced onto him.

Being on the other side several times didn’t do anything to prepare him for what happened next. An overwhelming pressure took over, but there was more to it than just simply a burst of pure aether. Something dark and sinister, baleful even, was lurking in the outpouring of aether that was washing over him at that time. And yet, even then there was nothing he could do to stop it. Not even when he began to scream from it feeling like every shred of his being was being torn apart by aether.

After what felt like an eternity the pressure of the aether began to slowly abate leaving him there alone in the darkness, panting and in pain. At the very least he had survived the injection portion of the process. ‘Perhaps something we-’ It was right as that thought crossed his mind that a flood of whispers took over his consciousness. To make matters worse there was something underneath them all that was far more concerning. What had happened to him?

[ask-the-blade]

40k OC x OC week: Day 1 - First

“And might I say - looking good, ma’am.”

The day has been eventful to say the least. It isn’t every day that one realises one might have come too late to snatch a compact this vitally necessary to one’s house and lost it to one’s ancient rivals at that. This could have gone better. This could have gone so much better.

Aenor Galliarde, rogue trader and lord-captain, rests her forehead against the armasec glass in her hand and sighs. They still have a chance - the Helas blew their first impression on the governor. She didn’t. Not everything is lost, even if threatens to feel that way. Tomorrow, she will start sounding out compacts with the large fishing conglomerates of Anyanka. They might already be bound in in deals with the Helas, yes, but they might also not be and she owes it to her house to at least try. They cannot tell her more than no, can they?

The thought puts a sinking feeling in her stomach and she straightens a little to down the contents of the glass. The cheap alcohol burns as it goes down and she winces a little but refills the glass anyway. Bit of a shame to use glasses as expensive as this for liquor this bad, but if it gets the job done…

She will have to keep an eye on that junior officer though. Cocky little man, that one - that he flirts with Jane, who has only been recently promoted to her new status, that she can understand. The man clearly has had enough romantic successes under his belt to be confident in his good looks and his charm and if he wants to dally with the lord-captain’s personal pilot: So be it. She’d prefer to be unaware of their entanglements, as those are really none of her business, but at the end of the day - so be it.

But that he flirts with her - now that she hasn’t seen coming. It’s a little adorable in the same vein a kitten or a puppy is adorable: bumbling, cute and wholly unthreatening. At least he isn’t afraid of her (which is rare in junior officers; most of those seize up the second she looks at them) and competent he is too - he had everything she asked of him on hand mere moments after she had finished her sentence, which is a good trait in someone in the First Lieutenant’s staff. He is also adaptable, perfectly capable of taking a backseat and equally capable of subjugating himself to others. Well. The latter shouldn’t come as much of a surprise - he works for Roxanne, after all, and even Aenor knows how strict a taskmaster her First Lieutenant can be. That he dares as much as he does is a small miracle in itself.

Aenor tries to imagine him flirting with Roxanne for a moment, winces in sympathy and downs the glass to wash away that image. Floggings never look pretty and she’s never had the stomach for them either - barring special circumstances, that is, but Hemlock has done nothing to earn her ire just yet.

She’d thought he’d toe the line more after that initial comment, come to think of it. A man with only one bar on his epaulets establishing that he has the sheer wherewithal to flirt with his lord-captain first thing is a man with curious priorities and enough self-confidence for several people his size. That he’d be perfectly meek and well-behaved for the rest of the day is either a testament to his adaptivity - Anyanka is a matriarchy, after all - or a testament to her lukewarm response to his cockiness. She almost hopes it is the former. No, she definitely hopes it is the former: Not only would it mean he is far more useful than anticipated, it also means that he is not afraid of her.

With station come demands appropriate to the station, she understands that. She also understands that ordinary people will react with awe and fear to her now that she bears the title, but sweet Drusus, it is lonely. And even if it weren’t, she has no interest in officers that cringe before her: She needs her senior officers to think and reflect before they obey, not jump to it blindly. The more highly trained people evaluate a decision, the more likely it is that mistakes are caught before they can wreak havoc. She needs people with backbone, not mewling toadies.

Suffice it to say, she has no idea which category to put Hemlock into. A toadie he isn’t - though he can play at being one - but she isn’t sure whether he has backbone either. He might just have delusions of grandeur for all she knows.

She will have to keep an eye on that one, but then that doesn’t quite come as a surprise. Anyone who badgers Roxanne into acquiescing without losing the skin on their back is someone to keep an eye on, and be it simply out of slight disquiet. Hemlock certainly doesn’t simply rank among the usual low-level aides - very few of them manage to make her laugh with only introducing themselves - but what he ranks among, time will have to tell.

It might be trouble. It might be interesting. If she ever grows bored during Warp travel, she might have to test that one a little - if Roxanne keeps him around despite his toeing the line he must be competent enough to make up for it, after all.

[marecalrandomstuff]

ok so we learned this in history and i thought i’d share, in the roman empire before it fell there was a man named tiberius he wanted to change the empire and give some of the land from the rich to the poor, the rich didn’t like that (obvi) and they killed him for it. he had a younger brother who tried the same thing but that’s not important. and victoria is releasing info. on march 15,the day caesar was killed, who was a roman emperor,who was also killed by senate/rich. i jump to conclusions...

Okay first off I just wanted to apologize for giving such a late answer. Secondly after I got this ask I was so excited and started researching about Tiberius’s whole life story, I’ve jotted down points on how similar both Cal and Tiberius (The Emperor). I went back to this ask and realized that this Tiberius had nothing to do with giving land to the poor.* Insert long sigh* It was a different guy. lol. 

Anyway, I get what you’re trying to say- but I really hope he doesn’t get killed. I hoping this is all just a coincidence because I don’t know how I’ll actually handle Cal’s death.But I mean I see a chance of that happening, and I feel like if he does die it’s because he would be killed by a silver rather than any member of the Scarlet Guard. When I did a quick introduction to Tiberius Gracchus it didn’t really remind me of Cal, maybe I just didn’t do my research well enough. But I mean Cal does want to help but at the same time he want’s to do it the way all his ancestors have ruled the country. 

Correct me if i’m wrong, because hey i could be completely wrong in your opinion and that’s fine for me. :) I really like your enthusiasms though, I like how you put it all down together. But I really don’t know if this is actually what Ms. Aveyard plans to do, but you might be correct! Maybe- we’ll only find out tomorrow. Anyway I’m no proper historian, I’m just a fangirl… But if you want to see some facts that I found VERY similar to RQ and Cal then read under this. It might not seem a lot but let me just say I tried to simplify it as best as I could. Roman history is pretty long and complicated and I’m sure you’re aware of that.

J

Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus –

To keep it short and sweet Tiberius was the second RomanEmperor to rule, he made great advancements to the empire and left it quitestable even after death. He was a great general and had also once been inexile…I mean Cal was in exile too.

Comparisons –

Tiberius’s parents divorced when he was still at a youngage. Tiberius also had a younger brother. His mother remarried to Augustus (Thefirst Roman Emperor) and had plans to help secure her son a good position inthe future. Augustus later adopted him and due to the death of his real sonsTiberius became the next emperor.

Cal’s parents were no longer together due to the death ofCoriane Jacos and so Tiberias VI had to marry Elara. Cal also has a youngerbrother… We all know well who it is. Maven freaking Calore. And we also know ofElara Merandus’s plans for Maven’s uprising as well, after all it was her son.

-

Before getting the title of “Emperor” Tiberius was alsoknown to be a very good General.

Cal was also trained to be a good General and was supposedto lead his army in the fronts before Maven’s betrayal.

-

Tiberius had a son Drusus, who was named after Tiberius’sbrother. According to some historians Drusus was murdered by his wife Livillaand her other lover Sejanus (who at the time had a strong rivalry and feud withTiberius). They believed that Sejanus had seduced Livilla to kill her ownhusband.

Similar to the whole murder of King Tiberias VI, word goesaround that Mare seduced Cal to kill his own father.

-

After the death of his son, Tiberius became more distant andwould isolate himself.

 I mean if this doesn’t remind you of Cal after the death of his father…

-

Here’s some quick facts on Sejanus:

He was the chief administrator of the Roman Empire duringTiberius’s rule. After the death of Tiberius’s son, Sejanus had plans to marryLivilla (Drusus’s wife) but was denied by Tiberius. Tiberius was later worriedof Sejanus, after all he did want to be emperor and so Tiberius had himexecuted. Apparently according to some sites (It was a bit different in eachbut all quite gruesome) His dead body was dragged along the streets toterrorize anymore of his allies to avoid any uprising.

This reminds me of how Elara’sdead body was used in the Scarlet Guard’s broadcasting video and how theywanted to terrorize any other of her remaining followers.

Tiberius Gracchus:

Okay so the guy you were talking about was ‘ TiberiusGracchus’ he was a Roman Tribune. And like you said he did try to change thelaw so that the poor would be able to get the rich people’s land. Basically howthis all happened was when the romans would defeat an area those who were keptalive were sent to Rome to become slaves. Those Slaves were used to helpproduce food, this made the rich richer and vice versa.

The little farmers were not coping with the situation; theyhad to sell their land and slowly became bankrupt. Until it basically wiped outthe entire middle class leaving the nation to be split into rich or poor whowere basically the same as slaves. Tiberius here didn’t like that and wanted tochange the law. Basically he wanted to even out the money and give some fromthe rich to the poor. He kept trying to change the laws but he never gave up despite all the rejection. Long story short he was killed. And so was Julius Ceasar…

I have to say this does remind me of the whole Red and Silver situation in RQ. Right?

[thermocoil-boilmaster]

Ironworks LIVE!

From “A Clone in the Crowd”, Part II.

Nero: ...but if my theory is correct, applying the Cancellation Frequency directly to the source ought to decrease the number of cloned instances significantly. However, with this method, it yet remains mathematically impossible to eliminate all of them.

Jessie: Some is better than none. What’s your guess?

Nero: The signal should remove one eighth of them at a time. And since the number of instances is estimated to be somewhere in the upper hundreds of billions, well...

Jessie: So? Seems easy to me, you just need a master plan. And you happen to be speaking to someone who is a godsdammed master at making master plans. See, you’re not the only person here who’s in it for the gravy, honey.

Nero: I can see that.

Jessie: First! First. Okay. We gotta hogtie Drusus mal Whats’isname—

Nero: Hogtie, what—

Jessie: —now wait. Wait a minute. See, I can take care of that part ‘cause I actually have experience. From babysitting.

Nero: Surely not literally?

Jessie: (Groans) Now you shut your yap before I shut it for you! I’m trying to make us a master plan here, alright? Time is money, Nero, and right now, both are a-wasting. Okay? Then after we got him good and roped into a chair or whatever, all we gotta do is fire your cock-a-leekie signal beam at him, however many times we need to do it to make all the clones vanish, just like what our budget’s gonna do by the end of this show! Easy as paissa!

Nero: Paissa, she says. Something else she’s hogtied before, no doubt.

Jessie: Then, after that’s done, you just chuck the chair into an active volcano or something, just chuck it. (leans in, conspiratorially) You can do that part, sunshine. And then we all dust off our hands and pat backs and say job well done, world saved, good gods save me my bottom’s on fire—that’s from the guy you chucked into the volcano. And then! The best part, when we go to the casino, because I have buffet tickets and they expire (looks at watch) in 45 minutes. So 45 minutes, Nero. That’s the time frame we’re looking at.

Nero: Not quite. When I say the frequency will cancel one eighth of the clones at a time, I mean one eighth of the remaining total, whatever that number may be. The curve of decay is asymptotic. And you know that means it is always approaching, but never actually reaching—oh, speaking of zeroes.

(Cid Garlond returns to the scene, looking more determined than ever)

Nero: Oi, Garlond! I’ve got something for you.

Cid: No.

Nero: No?

Cid: No. Absolutely not. And listen. No, you listen, because it’s high time I got this off my chest.

Nero: What, the end of the final act? You better hurry, I imagine the audience is growing impatient. Ms. Jaye here has promised us numerous times that Drusus mal Soranus would get thrown into an active volcano "by hook or by crook”, and after sitting through an hour and a half of your meandering around a wobbly set going on about the morality of cloning, I rather think they deserve the payoff, don’t you? Hmm?

Cid: Enough! I’ve had to go through this entire mission being the butt of your insufferable nonsense and I’ve had it. I’ve had enough. I’ve had it with you. I’ve had it with your rat bastard scheming and your interminably mad bouts of pointless rambling. I’ve had it with your (disgusted) hair and the way it sticks out in the front like that. I’ve had it with you leaving your orthodontic headgear in the washbasin like that, just out in the open like that! And I’ve definitely, utterly, absolutely, outright had it with whatever impossibly dangerous, ill-conceived, potentially cataclysmic idea you’ve got cooked up right now. Whatever it is, I’ve had it.

Nero: I beg your pardon! You don’t even know what it is.

Cid: And I don’t want to know! In fact, do you know! Do you know, Nero, that of all the things I never want to hear from anybody at any given time, “Oi Garlond I’ve got something for you”, coming from your mouth, ranks pretty damned high, if not first on the entire sodding list. So whatever it is you say you have for me, I don’t want it! And I’m never going to want it! Never! Never, ever, ever, ever, ever!

Nero: But—

Cid: —never!

Nero: ...alright.

Cid: (Heaves a sigh of relief) Now! 86 whatever it is he had you doing, Jessie.

Jessie: Right-o, Chief. In fact, it was my idea, y’know. (looks at watch) 43 minutes now.

Cid: What?

Jessie: Never mind.

Cid: 86 it anyway. I’ve been doing a little research on our friend Drusus and his methods. Turns out we’ve got the solution to dealing with his billions of clones and we’ve had it all along. It’s simple, it’s impossibly fast and it will definitely work.

Jessie: Will it work in 43—(looks at watch)—42 minutes?

Cid: It’ll work in 42 seconds! Get the big ceruleum-powered generator from the cabinet, the emergency spotlight and the amplifier lens. And I’ll need a spool of carbontwine rope!

Jessie: On it, Chief!

Cid: We’re taking to the skies! Biggs and Wedge are already on deck, readying the Excelsior Jr., I just need the ignition key... (searching) Ah. Nero, you drove her last, give me the—

Nero: ... (folds his arms and beams crookedly towards nobody in particular—in fact, one could swear he was glowing)

Cid: (Meanwhile, a darkening horror breaks over his face, slow as the oncoming light of an Ishgardian winter’s dawn) ...

Nero: What was that? Give you the what, Garlond...?

[spirited-confections]

Getting to know me (& you) (Tagged by @vegan-vendetta)

I’ll tag my gals @intergalactix, @aveganmermaid, @katieblooming, and @seitans-princess

Nicknames: My sister and my bestie in Vegas call me Mags

Gender: Female

Zodiac: Rabbit

Height: 5’4, I think

Time: 4:13 pm

Fave band: A tie between Alkaline Trio, VNV Nation, and Everclear in terms of bands I’ve loved consistently for ~20 years

Fave solo artists: I mostly listen to bands, but Kesha and Jojo are my go-to pop artists

Song stuck in my head: None

Last movie I saw: I literally can’t remember 

Last show I saw: When I have the chance, I’ve been watching episodes of Psych b/c it’s back on Amazon for free, but I also DVR the new X-Files and Supernatural

When did I create my blog: I’m pretty sure I renamed this one from an older blog, so in total maybe…7-8 years??

What do I post: Vegan food, vegan activism, social issues I care about, potato love, updates on my failing mental health, etc.

Last thing I googled: looking for vegan restaurants in Claremont, CA b/c we’ll be up that way this weekend for an engagement party

Do I have any other blogs: Nope

Do I get asks: Rarely

Why did I choose my url: When I went to pastry school for funsies back when I lived in Vegas, I had a brief ambition to open a combo dessert + cocktail bar called “Spirited Confections”

Following: 145

Followed by: 1,011

Average hours of sleep: 8 hours on weekdays, 10-12 on the weekends

Lucky number: None

Instruments: I can’t even read music =( I always wanted to learn the violin as a child, but my dad decided that I’d be a failure and he didn’t want to waste the time/money on lessons (this was the running theme of my childhood/teens)

What I’m wearing: Currently at work, so “dressy” leggings, a turquoise tunic top, a brown sweater, and brown flats

Dream job: I’d love to work in a museum or do something in archaeology perhaps. I mean, the real dream is to have a job that allows me enough free time and financial flexibility for proper self-care – honestly anything that isn’t as intensely stressful as literally every job I’ve had thus far in my adult life

Dream trip: An epic solo trip somewhere remote where I can spend my time hiking and meditating and being blissfully alone

Fave food: Potatoes for life.

Nationality: I live in the US

Fave song: From my top 3 bands, my fav songs from each are “Every Thug Needs a Lady” by Alkaline Trio, “The Good Witch of the North” by Everclear, and “Arena” by VNV Nation

Last book I read: Currently reading the “Annals” by Tacitus and “Eager for Glory: The Untold Story of Drusus the Elder, Conqueror of Germania” by Lindsay Powell

Top three fictional universes: Stargate and Star Trek are my jams

[whumperofworlds]

Eyyy WoW!!

Keme for 4

Alder for 6

Drusus for 14

Hawthorn for 19

And for you, 21!!!

Eeeeey! Thanks for the asks!!

4. mythical creature you think/believe is real?

Keme smiled. The answer was quite obvious, as he remembered how he met a creature during his adventures to restore the crystals. "Dragons, definitely! Heck, I've met one before, Bahamut! Pretty swell guy; he even made us stronger! Though I wish that he didn't ask for a rat's tail to prove our worth, of all things." He stuck his tongue out and let out a "blegh!"

6. do you use a watch?

Alder tilted his head. He had never heard of a "watch" before. Was it something that people use to watch out for something or someone? "I... am not sure what a watch is..." When you explained what it was, however, he nodded in understanding with a small smile. "However, by the way you described it, it would be valuable to help me tell time. I would like one if possible."

14. do you think you’re dehydrated?

"Only when I'm training," Drusus admitted with an uninterested shrug, "Keme usually reminds me to stay hydrated when I train. I'd rather not pass out from dehydration if I keep training without drinking water." As if on cue, he took a water bottle and took a swig of it.

19. the veggie you dislike the most?

Hawthorn stuck his tongue out and nearly gagged when the one vegetable--ugh, that vegetable--came to mind. "Brussel sprouts. Not only are they disgusting by smell, they also don't taste good. I still wonder how people like Evergreen could even eat them... I don't mind other vegetables but..." He wanted to throw up, as his mind ended up imaging the disgusting smell.

21. a number that weirds you out?

Any number that goes over 10,000, especially if people called it "ten hundred" or something. I always read it as "ten thousand", and hearing someone call it that always confuses the hell out of me. LOL