#Effective Prospecting and Lead Generation

[insurance-brokers-india]

What are the next steps after obtaining an insurance broker license, and how can you generate potential leads using Mzapp CRM software?

Congratulations on securing your insurance broker license! The journey doesn’t end here; it’s just the beginning of building a successful insurance brokerage. Here’s how you can proceed and leverage Mzapp CRM software to find potential leads:

Steps After Getting Your Insurance Broker License

Understand Your Market: Research your target audience (individuals, businesses, or specific sectors).

Develop a Business Plan: Set goals for client acquisition, revenue, and operational processes.

Build a Network: Partner with insurance providers and attend industry events to establish your presence.

Create an Online Presence: Build a professional website and maintain active profiles on social platforms.

Offer Value-Added Services: Educate customers on policies, claims management, and risk assessments.

Using Mzapp CRM Software to Generate Leads

Lead Capture: Utilize Mzapp’s integrated forms and web tracking tools to capture inquiries from your website or social media.

Automated Follow-Ups: Set up personalized email and SMS follow-ups to nurture leads effectively.

Lead Scoring: Prioritize leads based on their interaction history, ensuring you focus on high-potential prospects.

Data-Driven Campaigns: Use analytics to identify what works and launch targeted campaigns.

Seamless Policy Management: Impress leads by showcasing how smoothly you manage policies and claims through Mzapp.

Why Choose Mzapp CRM?

Mzapp CRM simplifies lead management, streamlines operations, and provides insights into customer behavior, making it easier to convert prospects into loyal clients.

Learn more about how Mzapp can transform your insurance business here.

[comicaurora]

You mentioned in a previous ask about Arcane that wanting to do something better can be a great motivator, but recently I've seen a lot of discussion about fanworks created out of "spite" like Spiderman Lotus or that Transformers fan film. Do you think these come from different feelings, leading to their end result, or that the motivation just needs to be handled carefully?

Ah, I see the confusion. When you have ideas for what a story could do, and then the story goes in a different direction and bypasses what you thought it would do, that can be an incredibly useful motivator for using that unused inspiration for telling your own story. Taking someone else's completed artwork and saying "move over, idiot, I'll show you how it's done" is a recipe for hubristic self-immolation.

Setting out to "fix" someone's work has to be approached very carefully. Artistic criticism is a complicated skill, but it isn't treated that way. Especially in the age of the internet, several wildly different things have been conflated under "criticism", and I think that's why spite-motivated "fixes" almost always end up tripping on their shoelaces and falling flat.

Art critique - "fixing" someone's work - is about figuring out how to make the art the most effective version of itself. Determine what it's going for, and make suggestions for how the artist could improve the execution of that goal. Clarify a confusing moment, change the score a little to be more emotionally impactful, break up the pacing with moments to breathe, tighten up the pacing to maintain the frantic vibes.

However, the broad perception of what art critique is has been bundled together with several other forms of criticism, including snarky reviews (a judgment of quality rendered after a work is completed and aimed at prospective audiences so they don't end up wasting their money), general knee-jerk mockery (it is easy and fun to score points off of other people's sincerity via a little casual bullying), critical analysis (taking apart how a story works to learn from it, a useful approach for other artists trying to improve their own skills) and, of course, fanfiction.

Ahh, fanfiction! If you don't like a story, you can just take the characters, setting, premise, worlbuilding, and the general shape of the plot - ignoring the fact that at this point you've borrowed about 80% of the work that went into building the original story already - and then you can just make the characters do what you wanted instead. If you think Spider-Man would be better if everyone was miserable and grieving a dead buddy the whole time, you can do that! Two hours of misery for everyone!

This approach is ostensibly trying to accomplish what art critique does - to make a better version of the story. But in practice, it's almost never interested in interrogating what the story was actually going for. In fact, it's actively scornful of what the story was going for. It doesn't take it apart to see what did work, it just says "I didn't like that and I could do better" and produces something trying not to be like the original it disliked.

I kind of think of it like this. If you ate a meal and you were like "there's not enough salt in this," you would not produce a better meal by focusing exclusively on loading it down with all the salt you could find, even if you were starting with all the same ingredients. Do you understand how they were put together to begin with? How the meat was brined, how the vegetables were cooked, what seasonings went where? Do you think all it needed to make it work was salt?

So you get fanworks that do indeed focus on the part that the fanartist thought was missing. You get Spider-Man Is A Sad Jerk For Two Hours. It accomplished what the fanartist wanted, but it fails in its true goal of being Like The Original But Better, because it never actually made the effort to understand what made the original tick. Why do people like Spider-Man in his other movies? Well, there's lots of reasons that work for different audiences - he's funny, he's good-hearted, he's graceful and well-choreographed, his fight scenes are fluid and exciting, his dynamic with the people of New York is lively and comedic, he's hapless and hurting but he always tries his best, he gets knocked down but he always gets back up-- there are many reasons to like these stories. But if all you can focus on is what you wanted them to add, you'll have a lot of trouble parsing out what functional elements you'll need to carry over into your fanfiction to not lose the core of what made it actually mostly work.

If all you focus on is accentuating the bits you wanted them to do without recognizing the parts that were working fine, you end up with a heaping plate of salt.

✨ as the ask states, this post is very specifically about spite-motivated "I can do it better than the writers" fanworks and not fanfiction in general ✨

[mariacallous]

When the cease-fire in Gaza went into effect earlier this week, the joy across the conflict line was palpable from 6,000 miles away. Although it is unlikely that complicated three-phase deal will ever be fully implemented, it will save lives, bring hostages home, and provide Palestinians in Gaza with much-needed humanitarian aid. The initial hostage and prisoner release also provides a moment to reflect on the broader consequences of the war. Among the most striking is how the conflict has not just altered the trajectories of Israeli and Palestinian societies but in important ways forced them into reverse.

No doubt, Hamas has notched a number of notable achievements since it launched the onslaught it called Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Oct. 7, 2023. The group drew the IDF into a ferocious fight in the Gaza Strip that has compromised the international legitimacy of Israel’s military and the state it defends. And not since the announcement of the Clinton Parameters and the effort to rescue the Oslo process at the Egyptian resort town of Taba in early 2001 has the Palestinian question been front and center in Middle Eastern and international politics.

At the same time, when Hamas sent its fighters over and through the fence that separates Israel from the Gaza Strip, they set the Palestinian search for justice back at least a generation, if not more. There was a time, not long ago, when it was possible for people to imagine a Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In the years since the peace process irretrievably faltered, some observers had come to believe that the present “one-state reality,” encompassing the Palestinian areas plus Israel, would likely lead to a “one-state solution” in which Palestinians and Israelis live together. Regardless of the real-world prospects of either outcome, Hamas’s genocidal fever dream of liberating Palestine—from Metula to Eilat and from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea—which the group sought to make reality 15 months ago, has rendered both the one-state and two-state solutions impossible.

Add to Hamas’s bloodlust the international outcry over what Israelis regard to be righteous self-defense, and fewer and fewer of them are now willing to believe that Palestinian nationalism and Zionism can be reconciled. Palestinians may have a right to a state, but given the asymmetries of power that exist, Israelis have the capacity to prevent them from exercising it. After Oct. 7, that seems likelier than ever.

Even while Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are filled with joy over the cease-fire, they remain adrift, confronted with two unenviable political choices: the Palestinian Authority (PA)—a corrupt, repressive, and illegitimate vessel of another era that is irrelevant to the current predicaments of the people whom it is supposed to represent—or Hamas. Even with their limited mandate, the PA’s leaders seem incapable of accomplishing pretty much anything other than remaining in power. Hamas is an undesirable alternative. Its popularity waxes during conflict with Israel and wanes when the reality of life under the boot of the group’s cadres becomes clear to the Palestinians who must endure it. It is hard not to conclude from the last two decades that Hamas’s sacralized claims to resistance has brought Palestinians nothing but more pain and more grief. Yes, there is renewed international sympathy for the Palestinian cause, but the world has long recognized the importance of justice for Palestinians with little tangibly to show for it.

There may actually be other, better options for Palestinians. In distinct contrast to the PA and Hamas, there is a vibrant grassroots movement of Palestinians that is seeking new means of representation and leveraging the past 15 months of bloodshed to deepen the connections between the Palestinian struggle and international networks of progressives, NGOs, humanitarians, and academics. It is an interesting phenomenon, and perhaps an alternative to the PA and Hamas will emerge from this activism. But a significant amount of energy of these groups seems devoted more to Israel’s delegitimization than to any actual effort to forge a new Palestinian political reality. It is also an elite game. Average Palestinians have no such privilege or choice. They are forced between two factions that claim to be the expressions of the Palestinian nationalism but have done little to advance their cause, at times even profiting from their people’s suffering.

Given the destruction of Gaza and the existential nature of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians that Hamas’s onslaught and the Israeli response to it highlighted, the lasting and most tangible achievement of that attack may very well be the permanent statelessness of the Palestinian people.

For Israelis, the days of “bourgeois Israel” are over. The Israel of the Nike Store, fancy bicycle studios, Maseratis prowling the Ayalon Freeway, and glass towers built on the power of Silicon Wadi IPOs will, of course, remain, but there has been a vibe shift among Jewish citizens of Israel. The attacks on southern kibbutzim and towns 15 months ago vaulted Israel back to another time—one of vulnerability and uncertainty. The incomprehensible hostility of the world around Israelis and beyond, especially among governments and publics in the West, added to the collective shock.

Israelis believed that they had overcome their isolation of the past. Yet so strong and striking was the negative sentiment of the global elite toward a wounded Israel that it was as if U.N. Resolution 3379, which determined Zionism to be a form of racism, had never been repealed. In the coming years, Israel will confront even more hostility from influential—but not necessarily powerful—actors within the U.N. system and the NGO world who have demonstrated themselves to be part of a broad anti-Zionist front. Even though Israel enjoys diplomatic relations with most of the world, the war in Gaza has reopened the question of its global acceptance and legitimacy.

Uncomfortable as it may be, there are more discernible consequences of the war than the hostility of U.N. bureaucrats, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and governments from Ireland to Spain. It seems likely that Israel is too well integrated into the global economy—especially its high-tech and health sectors—for the call to boycott, divest, and sanction to succeed. But Israelis, whose security has been ensured and economic development boosted with the help of U.S. subventions, will have to grapple with higher defense budgets and the hostility of a not insignificant segment of the Democratic Party whose lawmakers will be asked to continue security assistance for Israel. That will not matter when Republicans control the executive branch and Congress, but Democrats will not be in the wilderness forever, and the IDF operations in Gaza that over the last 15 months killed more than 47,000 Palestinians (according to Palestinian health authorities in Gaza) have made an impression on Capitol Hill. The bipartisan consensus around support for Israeli security was already weakening when Hamas attacked; Israel’s ferocious reaction to Oct. 7 may very well have broken it.

What does this say about the future for Israelis and Palestinians? Almost nothing. There were more than a few sages who declared at the outset of the war “from crisis comes opportunity.” That sounds nice, but those are just words. The most likely outcome of the war was always going to be something closer to the status quo that existed on Oct. 6, 2023, than some promising change that improved the prospects for peace. As the release of Gonen, Damari, and Steinbrecher made abundantly clear, Hamas remains very much in power in Gaza, which portends a tighter Israeli blockade on the territory and periodic spasms of great violence. All the while, Palestinians and Israelis will remain further away from their national goals than they have been in decades.

[tacitoru]

You can feel the bed dip behind you, Suguru straddling your prone form over the duvet to rest his weight on the backs of your thighs. He leans forward, tucking his face into the juncture of your shoulder and placing his lips by your ear so you have no choice but to continue to hear out his pitiful plea.

“Sweetheart, c’mon,” he all but moans, poking you in the sides. “Satoru isn’t that bad."

"Satoru?" The name rolls around your sleep-addled brain like marbles in an empty jar. A first name? The man above you hums in agreement and settles more weight on your limbs, effectively pinning your legs to the mattress. You keep your eyes closed, hoping he'll give up and go away. Hoping your icy, sour attitude is enough to thwart him off and encourage him to sleep next to his newfound (old?) friend on the sofa.

Dozing in and out of sleep every few seconds while your boyfriend continues to cajole you, you're quickly brought back to the present with a quick nip to your ear. You groan, "Ow!"

"-And you can help him if you want, you’re good at that sort of thing!”

“What sort of thing?” You grumble, feeling your resolve slowly crumble from his persistence alone and the sensation of gentle fingers tracing the space between your ear and hairline. If Suguru has learned anything in his short time with you, it's how to butter you up.

Even turned away from him, face half mushed into the mattress, you can practically hear the shit-eating grin on his face as he whispers, “Being sweet.”

His touch disappears and a chaste kiss is placed beneath your ear. “And patient,” Another placed just beneath your jaw. You attempt to squirm from the constriction of Suguru's legs and the thick blanket to no avail.

“And generous…”He leans back, only to pull back the duvet and expose your upper body to the fan-chilled room. He's met with no resistance when he slides his massive hands up your hands, worming their way under the material of your pullover to rest at the top of your ribcage. His index finger brushes the underside of your breasts with unspoken intent. "...And good."

His touch lights up nerves on the skin of your abdomen, causing your breath to shutter. You’re silent for a moment, but Suguru Geto prevails. He knows any minute now you’re bound to give in, not entirely immune to his charms and...and other means of persuasion no matter how cold of a front you put up. No matter if it never really leads anywhere. It’s been barely two months and he knows well enough by now how to push your buttons.

"How do you know him again?"

He groans petulantly, pushing his forehead into the crease between your shoulder blades to pout into your - his - shirt. “Do me a solid, just this once?" Soon enough, you feel his fingers gently trail from their almost innocent position at your sides to the waistband of your shorts. He doesn't venture far, fingertips dancing just below the curve of your hips.

"Just this once, huh?"

“Need a little incentive?” It’s said with a smile you can’t see.

Teeth graze your earlobe again. To your chagrin, you flinch in his hold, warmth tingling down your spine at the prospect of something a little more substantial than the continuation of his do-gooder reputation and fruitless teasing. Finally, you relent with a sigh, inclining your hips into his embrace and cursing your weakness.

“As long as he leaves in the morning.”

“Promise.”

[yennefer-of-vengerbergs]

Elixir of the Colossus

Kinktober 2024 - Day 12 - Size Difference (from this prompt list)

Look at me, writing something for a prompt event for the first time, and just in time too 😆 (it's already the 12th where I'm from, so it counts, if I do say so myself 😁)

Rating: E (18+)

Pairing: Astarion x Syanna (my Dark Urge OC)

Summary: Astarion accidentally drinks an elixir of the Colossus, which only leads to a very tantalising prospect for both himself and Syanna.

Tags: inappropriate use of Elixir of the Colossus, smut with feelings (and banter), sexually explicit content, oral sex (m!receiving, f!receiving), vaginal fingering, established relationship

Word count: 3472

Divider from here

Tags:

@iizven | @bg3-fanfic-reblogs

If you want to be added to my tag list, please let me know in a comment or message!

Read below or on AO3. Comments are appreciated so please feel free to leave them 💖

Syanna couldn’t help the grin that had spread over her face. The fact that Astarion had managed to accidentally drink an Elixir of the Colossus was something she wasn’t quite surprised by, but the results were certainly interesting to see. 

As expected, if one were to guess strictly based on the name, he had grown much larger and taller, and, if one were to guess once more, much stronger as well. 

He, on the other hand, seemed irritated.

“Honestly, who puts a potion in a wine bottle? Couldn’t they have labelled it at least?”

She laughed.

“I did mention you probably shouldn’t drink it without seeing what it was, didn’t I?”

“Really, darling? That’s what you have to say? What if it was poison, hm? What then?” he replied, despite the fact it wasn’t actually helping his case. 

Syanna raised an eyebrow at that. 

“All the more reason not to drink it then, hm?” she moved closer to him, “And not to worry, I have antidotes for poison anyway.”

“Here I was, hoping for a loving and understanding reaction from my darling, and what does she do? She mocks me!” he said dramatically, as if he had been deeply offended and wounded. 

She giggled at his antics. She then looked up at him, so she wouldn’t be talking to his chest.

Gods, he was tall.

In any case, playfulness and jokes aside, she had a point that she wanted to make.

“Oh, I can be plenty loving and understanding.” she reached up to his face, caressing his cheek, “But maybe consider not being as impulsive? Like you said, it could have been something else.” she looked at him with affection before continuing, “And honestly?That’s what worries me out of all…this.” she gestured in his general direction, trying to mimic the fact that he had grown in size.

He looked at her, eyes widening slightly, in that way that always disarmed her completely, before nodding and pulling her closer to himself. 

He then cleared his throat.

“Well, I suppose it’s a good thing this was the only side effect it had.”

Syanna smiled.

“Mhm, and it suits you, too.”

“Most things do, darling.” he couldn’t help but smirk, which only made her giggle again.

“Modest, as always, I see.”

“And looking perfect as always, don’t forget that.” 

He then took her by surprise, if the startled sound she made was any indication, his hands lowering and lifting her into his arms so he could kiss her. It was gentle, yet firm and full of affection, all at the same time, which only made it all the more perfect and all their own. A small moan left Astarion as he felt Syanna’s fingers grasping his hair, feeling the gentlest of tugs before she slowly dragged her fingernails over his scalp with one hand, while the other arm was wrapped around his neck for support. Smiling into the kiss, he squeezed her thighs as he walked them both over to their shared bed, sitting down with her on his lap, continuing to hold her close against him.

And she felt so much smaller than usual in his arms. 

Astarion couldn’t help but enjoy that feeling, especially with how she seemed to just melt into him, chasing his touch.

A sigh left him when she eventually pulled away from their kiss, her lips swollen and flushed from it. 

Then there was the way she looked at him, with love and affection so clearly on display. Or how she traced his face with her fingers. And how she smiled at him. 

It all made him feel…happy. 

Content. 

All because he had everything he could ever want. 

And all of it was with her.

A pleasant hum escaped him when she had started to trace one of his ears with her fingertips, his eyes closing from the sensation, enjoying every moment of it, every teasing pass she made, back and forth, and oh so slowly. When he opened them once again, she was still smiling. 

“This suits you too.”

He couldn’t help but return the smile.

“Another one of the many things that do, darling.”

Syanna giggled once more before pressing a quick kiss to his lips. She then looked at him.

“Is this alright?”

“Oh, my love, it absolutely is.”

Then, Astarion pulled her closer towards him, so that she was higher up, pressing kisses along her jaw until he reached her neck, making her sigh, just as a shiver ran down her spine. His hands had begun wandering over her body, caressing everywhere he could reach before slipping under the shirt she wore, finally feeling so much more of her skin under his palms. But at the same time, he wanted more, wanted to actually see her.

More of her.

All of her.

It was the only reason why he stopped kissing her neck, shifting them just enough to be able to slowly start undressing her, unbuttoning her shirt, sliding it down her arms, letting his own hands linger on her for longer, each touch filled with need - his own need for her, for closeness, to feel her and how she reacted to him. And for how that was reflected in her, how she needed him, how she continued to reach for him, to keep him close, to melt into his touch. 

He then felt her shifting slightly, the smallest of groans leaving her as she tried to settle more comfortably. 

“Sorry, my leg was falling asleep.” she explained.

So Astarion moved them both - although slightly awkwardly, obviously not quite used to the change caused by the elixir - so that she was laying on her back, with him above her. 

“Well, we can’t have that, can we now?” he smirked.

Another giggle. Gods, he loved it when she giggled like that.

“My hero.” she smiled.

“Aren’t I just?”

He kissed her again, one hand reaching for her once more, cupping a breast, teasing and kneading through the fabric of the brassiere she wore, her breathing starting to quicken. 

The smallest of whimpers left her as Astarion pulled away from her, getting up so that he could continue undressing her. She watched as he removed her boots, his fingers lingering on each ankle each time. And she kept watching eagerly, anticipation building, as he then reached for her trousers, his fingers hooking both into them and the underwear she wore, raising her hips to help him with pulling them off her. Once he had thrown them on the floor, Astarion’s attention was on her once again. 

“Gods, you’re beautiful.” he breathed, as he made his way back to her on the bed, “Always so beautiful.” he kissed along her stomach, moving up towards her breasts, teasing each one, be it with a hand, his mouth, or by gently letting his fangs drag onto every exposed part of her soft, plush skin. 

“Flatterer.” she said, in between the sighs of pleasure she breathed out from the attention he was spoiling her with already. 

Astarion looked at her, amusement obvious in his expression. 

“I’ll have you know, darling, I am being the picture of utmost honesty right now.” 

She grinned, pulling him into a kiss, soft moans and grunts leaving both of them, her hands slowly wandering and caressing, reaching for him as he got back up, watching as he began to undress. 

Her eyes widened once he stood in front of her, fully naked. He was always a sight to behold, even more so in that moment, given the circumstances, but there was no denying it, they would certainly have to find some…workarounds.

“Well, that’s going to be…a tight fit.” she quipped.

“Oh good, puns…” Astarion groaned, his face the image of mock annoyance.

Syanna giggled at that, followed by another grin. 

“Fine, fine, how about…a bit of a stretch?”

She fully laughed when she saw him rolling his eyes, still trying to hide his amusement.

“Gods above…”

“I’m a comedic genius and you know it, love.”

He raised an eyebrow in reply.

“Do keep telling yourself that, darling.”

“I will, don’t worry.” she sat up, extending a hand towards him, “Now, get back here and let me spoil you.”

“Now that, I like the sound of.” he replied, already making his way back towards her, his mouth finding hers once more, his hands moving over her until they reached her brassiere, finally removing it, baring her to him fully, before lowering them both on the bed once more. 

Syanna sighed into their kiss when she felt his length between them, rested onto her stomach, enjoying the tantalising feel and  sheer size of him on her. Astarion pulled away shortly after, looking smugly at her. 

“And I think we can still find a way or two to enjoy ourselves.” he purred. 

She stretched languidly underneath him, her eyes closed, humming in agreement. 

“I may have a few ideas already.”

“Is that so?” he leaned in closer to her, “ Why don’t you show me then?” he whispered in her ear, making her shiver. 

She did so love it when he whispered to her, his voice not unlike a low purr. Opening her eyes, she placed a hand on his chest, gently guiding him to lie down for her as she moved to be the one straddling him. Leaning down, she began to tease him, gently nibbling at an earlobe, one hand resting on his shoulder, while the other traced his other ear, then along his jaw and down his neck, enjoying the small, breathy sounds he made, all for her. All because of her - she truly loved seeing him enjoy himself in this way, with her bringing him pleasure in whichever way she could, in whichever way he wanted, something that always added to her own enjoyment of their intimate moments. 

And how she knew just what he enjoyed…

Astarion groaned when he felt her lips moving to his neck, the hand which was tracing his features making its way lower and lower between them until she reached his cock, which she teased just as gently with her fingertips, smiling when she felt his hips moving towards her, wanting more of her touch. Shifting slightly, she took him into her hand, slowly moving along his hardening length, her thumb teasing his tip every now and then, spreading the precum that had begun to gather. At the same time, she watched him, taking in each of his reactions, each moan, each sigh, each movement he made, finding it truly intoxicating, heat already pooling inside of her. 

Wanting nothing more than to feel more of him in any way she could, Syanna let go of him briefly as she moved lower, trailing kisses along his chest, his stomach, his hips, until she finally reached his cock. Keeping her eyes on him, she kissed his tip, a smile appearing as Astarion squirmed at the sensation. All she wanted was to give him more of that, of anything he would have wanted, so she carried on, taking him in her hand once more, her tongue darting out and licking along him, all the way from the tip to base, savouring the taste and feel of him, pleased to see the way he responded to her attention. 

Finally, she took him in her mouth, her lips closing around him, a low moan leaving her at the sensation. 

Gods, he was so much bigger now.

She began moving her head, slowly taking more and more of him, as much of him as she could handle, with each movement she made, Astarion’s hands gripping the sheets as he moaned, which only spurred her on.

Perfect, everything about him, about the intimacy they were sharing, was so utterly perfect…

Her hand reached for his own, holding on to it as he gripped it in return, wanting more of the closeness that they shared, all while she continued to suck and lick and swallow around him, only stopping to catch her breath. Even then, in between those moments, she would still shower him with her full attention, her mouth finding his balls, kissing and teasing and sucking on them as well, her free hand lazily moving along his twitching cock, the low coil inside of him tightening more and more with each moment, bringing him closer to the edge, the lewdest of noises leaving him. 

“More, darling…I need…more.”

She couldn’t help but smile, pleased at how he was melting under her touch, panting and moaning.

“Only if you ask nicely.” she teased, her thumb paying particular attention to his sensitive tip.

“You wicked-” he groaned when he felt her tongue running over his slit, tasting and teasing him again, his back arching, his hips thrusting upwards in an attempt to get his point across, “-little witch…”

“Now, that’s not very nice, is it?” she smirked, before licking along his length once more, earning another sigh from Astarion.

“...Please.”

Syanna hummed, taking him into her mouth once more, her tongue swirling around him, greedily gathering all of the precum from his leaking slit, savouring the taste of him. She could tell he was close, what with the way he was gasping and moaning her name, or how he twitched and tensed when her mouth found him, or how his hand gripped hers even tighter than before. 

And she wanted nothing more than to push him over that edge…

Her other hand had begun to wander across his stomach, caressing him wherever she could reach, all while she took as much of him as she could in her mouth once again, a low, throaty moan leaving her as she felt each twitch, each shallow thrust into her mouth - so careful not overwhelm her - that perfect outline of him, even that vein that ran along his length, that she so enjoyed focusing on each and every time. And she carried on doing so, time seemingly stretching, with nothing else mattering in that moment, Astarion’s own moans and gasps acting like music to her ears until finally, his climax washed over him, filling her mouth with his seed, which she swallowed even more greedily than before. Once he was fully spent, a dazed look apparent on his face, she let go of him, moving to rest her head on his chest.

Astarion, on the other hand, had pulled her into a kiss, holding her close to himself, stroking her back lazily, enjoying just how blissful everything had been, and still was.

Eventually, he moved them so that she was underneath him once again, one knee then hooking under her own, spreading her legs to accommodate him. She looked at him through her lashes, gasping as his hand slipped between them both, teasing her slick folds before finding her clit and gently rubbing circles on it. She moaned at the sensation, her back arching and a shiver running down her spine as he continued his ministrations, followed by a whine when he pulled his hand away. 

Astarion leaned closer to her.

“Look at you, so needy already.” he whispered, his fingers ghosting over her before teasing her entrance, feeling just how wet she already was.

She squirmed under his touch, wanting, needing more of it. 

“Ah, patience, love.” he dragged a finger along her, spreading more of that same wetness over her folds, “This isn’t something you want to rush.”

Of course he would be a relentless tease, what else did she expect?

Rush or no rush, teasing or no teasing, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t at least try to get what she wanted. 

She reached for his hand, wanting to guide him to where she wanted him to be, but Astarion was quicker than her, moving it out of reach, tutting.

“Naughty, aren’t you?”

Syanna smiled a cheeky smile.

“Only for you.”

Besides, two could play at the game he had started.

She started running her own fingers over her skin, starting from her throat, then moving lower, towards her breasts, stopping only to tease a nipple before continuing to go lower, and lower and-

Astarion stopped her, grabbing her hands, bringing them back up and above her head, holding them in place with his own.

“Whatever will I do with you, darling…” he purred.

She arched her hips into him. 

“You could always touch me yourself, you know.” she suggested, looking at him as innocently as she could.

Astarion pretended to think about her suggestion.

“Only if you ask nicely, darling.” It was his turn to smirk at her. 

Syanna exhaled sharply, an amused sound leaving her as she grinned.

“Please, Astarion…” she sighed.

Letting go of her hands, he pulled her into a kiss before his mouth made its way lower, nipping at her skin, kissing over it, enjoying the way she continued to sigh and softly moan whenever he’d reach a particularly sensitive spot. 

And the way she would run her hands through his hair, or splay them wherever she could reach, or just hold on to him…

And then there were those delightful noises she made when his mouth found her breasts once more, lavishing each one with all his attention, be it by placing kisses on them, or by flicking his tongue over her nipples, or by teasing her with his fangs.

He made his way lower, trailing kisses all along her stomach, his hands gripping her hips as he reached her mound, placing a kiss there as well. 

Pulling her closer, he settled in between her legs, his mouth so tantalisingly close to her that her heart was racing with anticipation. 

She gasped when she felt his tongue on her, overwhelming as it was. He was overwhelming, in the best possible way, as he lapped at her folds, his tongue dipping into her, indulging in her, savouring everything she offered. Every moan, every little shake of excitement, every gentle tug on his hair and every pass of her nails over his scalp as he spoiled her thoroughly. And especially the louder moan she let out when his tongue made its way back to her clit, teasing and licking before catching it between his lips. Or, even better, how she gasped and arched her back as he looked up at her when he slid a finger inside of her, surprised by the size of it.

Syanna then met his eyes as he went to grip her thigh with one hand, while the other reached for hers, holding on to it, mirroring her own action from before. 

He slipped a second finger inside of her, made much easier by just how deliciously wet she was. She moaned his name, enjoying the way he stretched her as he fingered her, the sensation truly incredible to her. 

It was almost dizzying. 

Then he had found that spot that always drove her mad, making her cry out.

“Gods, Astarion-” she moaned again, so wantonly, moving her hips, leaning more into him, wanting more of his mouth and fingers. “Please…”

He grinned at that, stopping briefly. 

“Please what, my dear?”

Syanna groaned as she tried to move her hips. 

He let go of her hand so that he could still her movements.

“Ah, use your words, love.”

Another groan left her. 

“Please don’t stop…”

His fingers resumed their movements, although much slower than before, making her squirm.

“Although…” he teased her clit with his tongue as he spoke, “I don’t think that’s what you wanted to ask before, is it?” Astarion looked up at her from between her legs, waiting for her reply. 

“...Harder, please…” she sighed.

Astarion’s only reply was to pump his fingers in and out of her in a rougher manner, just the way he knew she enjoyed, his tongue lapping at her again. Her breath hitched, her legs tensed, all while one of her hands reached for him once more, the other making its way to a breast, kneading and teasing. 

All she could focus on was him and how he made her feel. 

On the wet, lewd noises from between her legs. The groans and humming coming from Astarion as he thoroughly ravished her.

On how she clenched around his fingers, the heat that had been pooling inside of her eventually turning to fire, until it could no longer be contained, a mixture of moans and curses leaving her lips as her climax finally washed over her so intensely, she thought she would see stars. 

She wasn’t sure how long it had been when Astarion had pulled her into his arms, one hand caressing her back. Probably only moments, but time had seemed to stretch once again. 

If only it could actually do that. 

Because, being in his arms like that, feeling nothing but bliss and love? It certainly was one moment she would not have minded lasting indefinitely. 

[falsenote]

when it comes being completely alone in regards to romantic relationships, it's been an endless list of compromises without any positive response from any person i have come into contact with in return: i have accepted a long long time ago that i would never have a family of my own; after or around that same time i have re-evaulated what i think of myself in terms of physical appearance and i have given up on appealing to some level of physical attractiveness, since i thought/think(?) it is all about the chemistry with the right person after all and being natural (?) is how i would ensure that i could be comfortable and 'myself' with the given person; i have, at least for now, given up as well, on searching for some ideal person that i could be with all my life in some trancendent state of perfect union, like i have -or at least i think i have, no way of telling bc of the lack of actual experience- accepted that some people are only there in your life for a limited amount of time, they give or take something, it is an experience, and then you move on with the knowledge that, be it good or bad, you have gained something. essentially, i feel i only expect from a person to be entertaining enough to spark an interest. and yet, regardless, the one thing that is constant in this ongoing development of modifying expectations, is the absolute nothing that i get from all situations with the supposed prospect of some dating / romantic and/or sexual interest scenario. over time, i have been in different stages, there were periods, where i was more closed off, then when i was more open, it was and is changing constantly. naturally, since i am the one connecting dot throughout all these situations i could say it is my own fault that it's not working, which is i am sure is true to a level, but then again, the latest experiment where i have stepped up and demanded more attention only managed to show me that it was better for that person to disappear right away -like the others- bc she turned out to be not compatible with me at all, just as i suspected at the beginning. but in effect, blaming anyone really doesn't seem to be any way constructive for me in the long run and that leaves me with the only explanation that actually seems satisfactory to me, which is that it all depends on chance. it is a kind of futile action to console myself with this and i definitely don't see the point in saying 'nothing matters, whatever', but then again at the heart of things, chance really seems to be behind all things that have or have not worked out for me in life. and it is a sad thought, but it makes me think of how, after his imprisonment, pierre clementi made the irony of chance 1974, which is in essence really is about how almost anything can be replaced with anything else, it all depends on the place and time and the chances that occur or do not occur. which is definitely not that philosophically enlightened opinion and maybe it also makes for a quirky movie, but it makes me reconsider that and see a connection with the film in the context of his release from prison, where he was imprisoned unjustly and on forged evidence: without dismissing his strong presence in political activism in the late 60s, technically, he really wasn't the leading, most important figure in those circles and in that generation. he was there, yes, he had convictions, yes, and was popular for that time being, but from what i know it really seems to me how him being jailed wasn't because of his person, but more like making an example of state power, to put it simply. maybe, it could have been anyone, it was just, the choice fell on him, by chance

[nanshe-of-nina]

Favorite History Books || Sybil, Queen of Jerusalem, 1186–1190 by Helen J. Nicholson ★★★★☆

As a child, Sybil’s future prospects appeared excellent: as the eldest child of King Amaury of Jerusalem and as a member of the dynasty that claimed descent from Godfrey de Bouillon and the other heroes of the First Crusade, we might expect that she would have been an attractive marriage prospect. Yet European noblemen did not queue up to seek her hand. One reason for this might have been that commanding the defence of the kingdom of Jerusalem in the face of aggressive Muslim expansionism was a daunting prospect for any warrior, no matter how ambitious. Moreover, as her brother Baldwin’s illness became generally known in Europe, Sybil’s potential husbands may have wondered whether she and her children would be similarly afflicted. In addition, as her brother Baldwin and his council made clear to Philip of Alsace in autumn 1177, outside aid was unwelcome in the kingdom except on the terms they dictated. Robert VI of Béthune, Philip of Alsace’s candidate for Sybil’s hand, might have made a more effective count of Jaffa and Ascalon, regent of the kingdom and king consort than Guy de Lusignan, but Baldwin – aged only sixteen at the time of Count Philip’s crusade – preferred to marry his sister to a man he knew. If King Baldwin IV had supported his elder sister as the heir who – given that Baldwin V was very young and in uncertain health – would almost certainly inherit the kingdom, it might have been possible for Sybil to unite the nobles of the kingdom behind her as her brother had done. But his contradictory and changing policies left her rights of inheritance unclear and the nobles of the kingdom divided. He married her to one of his household knights, then attempted to divorce them; he appointed her husband as procurator, then shortly afterwards deposed him and appointed her son as his co- ruler, and then appointed another procurator, then finally appointed two regents, one to care for the young king Baldwin V and the other to govern. If he made further arrangements for the succession after Baldwin V they were unworkable. By marrying his younger half-sister to a leading noble of the kingdom but forcing the bridegroom to surrender his inherited estates in return, King Baldwin IV ensured that both his sisters and their husbands and supporters had grievances against him. While his measures reduced any threat that he would be overthrown during his lifetime, they boded badly for the kingdom after the death of his immediate heir. Given the rivalries between the leading nobles of the kingdom and Saladin’s need to win a decisive victory over the Franks, no one could have prevented Saladin from taking Jerusalem and conquering most of Sybil’s kingdom; Sybil was doomed to failure as queen. Not only did she lose Jerusalem, but she also failed in the most fundamental function of a noblewoman: she failed to provide an heir for herself, as both her son Baldwin and her daughters died in childhood. On the other hand, in the face of disaster she did not abandon her kingdom and flee to Europe, nor did she retire to a religious house. Instead, she stayed in the crusader states and did all she could to oppose the invader. She tried to defend Ascalon, she remained in Jerusalem until it was surrendered to Saladin, she obtained her husband’s release from Saladin’s prison, and by accompanying him in the months that followed she gave him the authority to continue as king of Jerusalem. As husband of the eldest daughter of King Amaury of Jerusalem and as a crowned king, Guy had a stronger claim to royal authority than Conrad of Montferrat: crusaders from Europe rallied to him and the representatives of the Italian maritime cities supported him so that he could begin the fightback against Saladin which was continued by the Third Crusade and enabled the kingdom of Jerusalem to continue to exist until 1291. When Sybil died, Guy’s authority died with her; but she had ensured that her kingdom would not die, at least for another century.

[your7oxygen]

3D Printing in Architecture

3D printing, once a novelty in the tech world, has now firmly established itself as a game-changer in various industries, including architecture. The ability to create intricate models, prototypes, and even full-scale structures has opened up new possibilities for architects, engineers, and builders. In this blog post, we'll explore how 3D printing is revolutionizing architecture, from design concepts to construction practices.

Design Innovation

One of the most significant impacts of 3D printing in architecture is the freedom it provides in design. Traditional methods often limit architects to certain shapes and structures due to material and construction constraints. However, with 3D printing, these limitations are lifted. Architects can now experiment with complex geometries and organic forms that were previously impossible or too costly to achieve. This has led to a surge in innovative designs, pushing the boundaries of what architecture can be.

Prototyping and Modeling

Before the advent of 3D printing, creating detailed architectural models was a time-consuming and expensive process. With 3D printing, architects can quickly produce accurate scale models of their designs, allowing for better visualization and refinement. This rapid prototyping capability enables architects to identify potential issues early in the design process, saving time and resources in the long run. Additionally, clients can better understand the architect's vision through tangible models, leading to more effective communication and collaboration.

Sustainability and Efficiency

3D printing also offers significant benefits in terms of sustainability and construction efficiency. Traditional construction methods often generate a considerable amount of waste due to material overuse and mistakes. In contrast, 3D printing uses only the necessary amount of material, significantly reducing waste. Additionally, many 3D printing materials can be recycled or are made from sustainable resources, making this technology more environmentally friendly.

Moreover, 3D printing can streamline the construction process. Structures can be printed on-site, reducing the need for transportation and minimizing the carbon footprint associated with moving materials and equipment. This method also allows for faster construction times, which is particularly beneficial for large-scale projects or emergency housing needs.

Cost-Effective Construction

The cost of building with traditional methods can be prohibitive, especially for complex or custom designs. 3D printing offers a more cost-effective alternative by reducing labor costs and material waste. The precision of 3D printing ensures that only the exact amount of material needed is used, which not only lowers costs but also increases the structural integrity of the building. For developing countries or regions with limited resources, 3D printing presents a viable solution for affordable housing and infrastructure.

Challenges and Future Prospects

While 3D printing in architecture holds great promise, it is not without challenges. The technology is still relatively new, and large-scale 3D printing for buildings requires further development. Issues such as material limitations, regulatory hurdles, and the need for skilled operators must be addressed. However, ongoing research and innovation in the field are likely to overcome these challenges in the coming years.

[columboscreens]

You know they've rumoured for years to either be remaking Columbo or shooting a movie. If they did, who would you like to see in the lead? I remember reading Mark Ruffalo was linked & yknow what I ain't mad.

as an actor and writer myself, i don't make a habit of inextricably tying actors to roles. i believe media is meant to be interpreted and reinterpreted freely.

but peter falk, man...peter falk was more than inextricable from columbo. he was columbo.

it's funny because the show's creators, levinson & link, had a totally different vision going in their heads during the casting process--they saw a much older, balding irish/anglo type. for reference, burt freed first played the character in a brief TV appearance; thomas mitchell first played him onstage; bing crosby was one of the first choices for TV.

then peter falk frantically waltzed in (quote: "i'd kill to play that cop") with his overpowering, mensch-y charm and sold them on columbo as the whimsical, dark-featured little guy we've come to know and love. falk's columbo was such an earth-shattering hit that NBC was practically on their knees begging him to sign a serial contract; when he did, he swept the nation. i don't have exact figures handy, but he was earning hand over fucking fist playing him, and NBC spent the better part of a decade kowtowing to his sometimes famously insane demands just to keep the hits coming. needless to say, despite the insanity, peter falk's dedication to his craft and the character of columbo was second to none.

on a decidedly darker note, i confess that i often think of it this way: when falk had alzheimer's in his twilight years, someone leaked from court documents that his doctor noted he could "no longer remember playing columbo". you can still find those news articles everywhere online; it was so widely reported and discussed that it was effectively treated as a death announcement. the public treated the "death" of peter falk's memory of columbo as effectively the death of both he and the character.

to me, it's pretty difficult to top that.

so yeah, frankly i'm just not interested whatsoever in seeing anybody else as columbo proper. if the character had to return, i'd rather see something actually iterative like a prequel/origin story or something. i'm also sick of reboots in general so seeing inspirations from columbo in new media rather than directly revived is a much more inviting prospect for me.

speaking of which, take natasha lyonne in poker face (you knew i was gonna go there!). she's a huge peter falk/columbo fan herself and was widely rumored to play "female columbo" in a reboot, but she did the far more creative thing and teamed up with rian johnson to devise a character/show inspired by columbo but fresh and new, neither a reboot nor carbon copy. if only the rest of mainstream flim/tv these days could take note.

tl;dr i would like to see absolutely nobody in the lead of a columbo reboot except for a terrible PS2 graphics render of peter falk clipping through the floor

[the-strength-of-the-wolffe]

Finally! I get to share my headcanons about this loveable piece-of-work, my boy Sinker.

Like Boost, he didn't choose his name; their batchmates came up with it because of his pessimism, a quirk that stress exacerbated (more on that below).

He was a reluctant “older” brother—not naturally responsible or nurturing but arbitrarily chosen to be in charge of his batchmates by their superiors. Although it felt unfair at the time, it’s the reason he’s a sergeant at the start of the war.

One of their trainers didn't get on with him (personality clash) and took every opportunity to beat him down. He put on a front of insolent indifference, but the harsh words (on top of Kaminoan indoctrination) eroded his spirit, leading him to develop that famously bleak estimation of himself and all clones.

For an engineered soldier, stress had an unusually adverse effect on him. It didn’t just sway his mood; by young adulthood, his hair started to thin and show gray roots. He couldn't stomach shaving it off, nor admit his shame by dyeing it black, so his solution was to dye it entirely gray and pretend to own it.

Needless to say, he isn’t in the healthiest frame of mind as we meet him in “Rising Malevolence.” He has a callousness about him that strikes me as a defense mechanism. Sadly, he doesn't take General Plo's words to heart that day. In fact, he isn't sure what to make of the General for some time.

If he had met Wolffe under any other circumstances, they wouldn't have become friends; they're too different, and Sinker is nothing if not realistic. Suffering the massacre together, and later rebuilding the 104th, bonds them like nothing else could. Even though rank and duties often keep them apart now, they hold fast to that bond.

He tries to move past the loss of his old squad by falling back on cadethood excuses ("I didn't want this job!") and cold memorized truths ("that's the reality of war"), but the horror and guilt get to him on occasion. For a while, he's at turns distant and aggressively protective toward his new squad.

He takes an immediate disliking to Comet, regarding him as a liability at best and a threat to the squad's safety at worst. Truthfully, he sees a bit of himself in the rookie (that defensive apathy), and he hates it. The tension between them erupts one day into physical violence, which he immaturely instigates. The brawl puts a bad mark on his record (and is my explanation for why he doesn't seem to climb any higher in rank). However, by coming to blows, the two of them are able to confront their issues with each other. Gradually, they work toward a more amiable relationship.

His personal beliefs and his mixed feelings about General Plo come to a head during a dangerous search-and-rescue operation. When half his squad (including Boost) become trapped in a damaged building, he fully expects he'll have to leave them to prioritize civilians, a prospect he suddenly finds chilling. To his shock, Wolffe and the General converge at once, the former taking over evacuations while the latter goes after the troopers. In the end, not a single one is lost.

Because of this harrowing event, he realizes first how much he cares about his men, what their lives are worth to him (not expendable!), and second that he's not alone in feeling that way—General Plo meant what he said. He still has some qualms about the General (e.g. the health considerations are a source of stress), but his love language is acts of service, and the General's tremendous act of saving his squad wins him over.

From this point onward, he's able to shoulder his responsibilities with less fear, and that confidence does wonders for him. He really evolves as a character—just look at how different he is in "Mercy Mission"! (I've got a separate post about this here.) He doesn't lose all of his rough edges, of course (he can still get nasty when stressed, and be rather angsty at times), but overall he rounds out to be a tough, conscientious, steadfast individual.

His sense of humor, however, does not improve.

[coniangray]

Whos watching life in Hawkins??

This hit me earlier when I realized all four stories of st4 had someone/ something being a know-it-all god or a heterodiagetic narrator watching and knowing everything all at once.

But not everywhere (pun intended)

All four storylines have both types of narrators:

A homodiegetic one, this being a character involved in the story and showing their prescription of things

A heterodiagetic one, aka the know-it-all god, recording and watching all the other characters.

Homodiegetic:

For the Hawkins plot it was max. For California it was Will and Mike. For the lab it was eleven, and for the prison it was Hopper (and I think Joyce on her way there, since the prison plot is somehow separate from Joyce and Yuri's plot).

I can tell, because we SEE all of those characters feelings displayed on screen in one way or another. Max was curious during the curse, therefore bringing the whole team together, Wills lingering in California was also shown through him only, Hopper's desparation and fear for joyce not making it safe ect.

The only one I'm on the fence about is Mike, since the last time we got a scene from his prospective was in s2 or at the rain fight in s3 I think. Aka, Mike's pov was not shown enough in s4, but it was there.

Heterodiagetic narrator:

This might sound tricky at first but it's not. Even though this narrator is not supposed to be a character at all: instead, they're just a messenger who convey the story from the writer to the reader (as all narrators do). They're a ghost, an entity, aka the camera of the characters.

But in this case, the narrator is in the show. Each plot has its own one, and that's what considered a god of their own nature.

I realized this from the security cameras and the memory storage of Brenner in Nina scenes. He was keeping and choosing which ones to show to El, aka choosing her path instead of her, which becomes clear in the show later on.

In Alaska, there was also security footage to which jopper had also access to later on.

As for California, they were also recorded/watched at some point. When? Right before the shooting.

The jokes about house arrest in this scene made me think the guards that were supposed to keep them same weren't just sitting, they were most likely recording the activity in the house due to protocol (at least i wanna believe it, considering Mike's house was anf might still be bugged since the end of s1 and the flashbacks in s2).

Also, in the van, they were most likely watched by El after she gained her powers.

And if all of these plots were watched by someone, then who was watching Hawkins?

Vecna.

I realized it from this video; vecna was legit searching for a source, another mind to curse in order to complete his plan.

The camera panning made me think he had access to anyone he wanted to. He could've chosen literally anyone in replacement of mike, but he went for Patrick instead.

Why? Because he knew he was in the same group with Lucas and Jason. As we saw, attacking Patrick triggered not just these two, but in total five people and the entire Hawkins team.

And became the wirters chose to plot wise.

My point is, the dynamics changed after his death, even in the slightest, bringing Lucas closer to max.

Now, because these gods are characters too, their own thoughts may interviene with what we see/ are shown, therefore leading everything back to homodiegetic or 1st person pov.

The main occupants here are Henry and of course, Brenner. Its like a domino effect, once brenner was watching one and now one is watching hawkins.

Their motives also beg to differ; Brenner was focusing more and only on logic, hence one disobeyed that rule and only relied on emotions, especially anger, to get his powers to their fullest potential, and thats what he also taught eleven.

But the main know it all god; The Mindflayer.

It literally watches everyone. Dustin said it himself:

A five star general that can open gates and watch. Tell us just His side of the story, messing with others memories, especially Wils, and everything related to him and el.

Aka, he can just change every detail he wants simply because he was watching.

Because his lenses were stronger than the other characters, and becuase he had and still has a devoted spy. A spy that can absorb information from inside.

And that spy is Will. even in season 4, even in the byler scenes, EVERYWHERE.

That kiiinda sounds like a hyperboly, but because the connection was there, it doesnt mean it was strong. The closer he got to hawkins, the stroger it got, thats why he felt him so intenesely at the cabin.

And here comes the unreliable narrator.

Most scenes are not shown excactly how things happen. Theyre not objective, theyre subjective, given how at least one persons pov is always involved.

This is also why there are a lot of variations of just one memory, why the void version of their timeline is slightly differrent, and why even though will saw mileven happy during the rinkomania skating scenes, an outsiders pov showed how they actually felt, dissapointed by everything.

One other thing id like to add, will MIGHT be playing the god role here too, taking in mind his ongoing connection with vecna and how this could eventually be displayed in vecnas mind if he wanted to. Hence the whole spy thing.

There was a post i read about El trading places with max and exchaging herself with a variant from another timeline, and that adds another layer to the unreliable narrator imo, thinking how the two days later el has different memories and knowledge than the el we knew from before and is now possibly dead.

The thing is, this unreliable narrator thing has SO many layers, and therfore shapes somewhat smalll plot holkes within scenes, especially in s1,2 and 4.

And it got even messier im 3 given hoe focusing solely on the mainstream 80's summer slasher movie vibe, some characters arcs were lost or outshined by others that had the chance to change their arcs for the better.

Yes, im talking about will who was sidelined a lot and then this was decided to be used as a weapon for the connection between him and the ud.

All the arcs are intertwined, but i CANT solve this untill we get s5. Its honestly frustrating like GIMME THE SOLUTION BRUHHHH

[mariacallous]

With another Trump administration incoming, the future of trans-Atlantic cooperation is receiving fresh scrutiny—as is the U.S. security umbrella that has largely, if imperfectly, kept the peace in free Europe since 1945. As uncertainty over the endurance of U.S. security commitments to Europe intensifies, European leaders are grappling with the prospect of an increasingly challenging threat environment without the surety of American backing.

While this is leading to some shifts in European strategic thinking, even a major policy overhaul tomorrow would not be able to compensate for U.S. military advantages in mass and sophistication; that would take at least a generation of dedicated European defense investment. The bad news is that Europe needs a credible conventional deterrent in the near future. The good news? It has one right under its collective nose: Ukraine. To safeguard Europe, and save Ukraine, European states should move quickly to endorse and implement the Ukrainian Victory Plan and work now to put Kyiv in a strong negotiating position tomorrow. Ukraine can then offer Europe a highly militarily credible conventional deterrent, and key insights for European deterrence, defense, and resilience.

Should Ukraine emerge from the war more or less intact, it will be exhausted, bloodied, and bruised, carrying the scars and traumas of an epochal war of liberation. But it will also be a, if not the, premier land power in Europe, with a large, battle-hardened, and heavily equipped force that has experience taking on and often besting Russian forces. It will be among the few armies on the continent with real, practical experience in large-scale combined arms and maneuver warfare. Ukrainians have experience integrating varied and secondhand weapons systems from across the world and forming them into coherent and lethal operational elements. They also boast a rapidly innovating, specialized suite of advanced, battlefield-iterated domestic weapons—particularly drones and a growing array of long-range, precision-strike platforms—and real-life concepts of operations for their employment.

Ongoing Russian advances in Ukraine should be taken seriously, but they should also not be overemphasized, either. They do not represent strategic breakthroughs and are instead periodic operational gains at best. Yet Russia has paid dearly for these minimal gains, with casualties well above 600,000, and even above 700,000 by Ukrainian estimates. Still, should the United States suspend arms shipments again, as they did earlier this year, Russian momentum could turn into localized breakthroughs and provide Moscow with a commanding negotiating position in potential ceasefire talks. In that case, Ukraine may be forced to carry on the fight without U.S. supplies, perhaps increasingly desperately, or effectively capitulate to Kremlin suzerainty.

In either case, Europe is extremely vulnerable if the United States effectively abrogates its commitments. If Russia were to test NATO’s mutual defense clause, as many analysts fear it will, no time would be better than amid American disengagement, Ukrainian weakness, and alliance uncertainty. On its own, Europe may lack the sufficient conventional deterrence posture to give Moscow too much pause. In many ways, Western strategic forbearance has rewarded Moscow for its boldness through successive colonial adventures in Georgia and Ukraine, as well as further afield, despite its military’s incompetence.

Moscow certainly believes that without Washington’s influence, decision-making and the already cumbersome process of consensus would likely grind to a halt in the North Atlantic Council. Although Europe has some credible military capabilities in aggregate, including specialized areas of excellence, Moscow does not see Europe as being able to cooperate effectively to mount a decisive conventional defense without U.S. leadership or cajoling.

Meanwhile, national governments with varying threat perceptions that are not used to acting decisively in concert may opt to sit out joint action—or offer only token contributions—even if a decision were made.

In the absence of a strategic bulwark, Europe’s relative weakness would likely spiral into further fragmentation, as accommodationist elements gain ground in national politics and coalitions of states move in different directions while some states choose to resist as best they can. The end result is very unlikely to be continental Russian domination, but rather a return to the multipolar status quo before 1945—when Europe was far from a postmodern, pacific garden but rather the world’s laboratory for contagious, industrialized mass conflict.

What makes the United States an effective security partner is that its forces were combat credible, capable, and could be relied on to defend Europe. While there is no replacing U.S. troops and the symbolism of American backing—at least not immediately—Ukraine has the advantage of being battle-tested, evidently capable of inflicting pain on advancing Russian forces, and already in a state of total mobilization.

Earlier this fall, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Western capitals, touting his government’s five-point (eight-point if you include three classified annexes) Victory Plan. The plan’s five pillars included: (1) an invitation to NATO; (2) defense assistance; (3) a conventional deterrence package; (4) strategic economic cooperation; and (5) a Ukrainian bulwark for Europe. By many assessments, the plan was sensible and even realistic when taken as individual elements, but as a whole it was mostly coolly received by Western capitals—particularly those looking for a solution that would swiftly end the war without increased outputs from them. More broadly, the plan quickly disappeared into the news cycle as the U.S. presidential election dominated proceedings.

Yet in the wake of that election, Europe may wish to reconsider the merits of the plan. In some ways, it is already being enacted. Since the U.S. election, Washington has agreed to massively boost and accelerate its defense assistance to Ukraine in advance of the new administration taking office. At the same time, the Biden administration eased its caveats on using longer-range precision strikes against military targets within Russia—a sharp reversal on a longstanding policy to the contrary—which was quickly followed by green lights from the UK and France on using their long-range supplied munitions. Notably, France has also revived rhetoric about potential European troop deployments to support Ukraine, though the idea remain in a conceptual stage.

If residual U.S. military aid and additional European tranches can restore Ukrainian military momentum, or at least significantly sap Russia’s, then Kyiv could enter ceasefire negotiations from an improved position and deter Russia over the longer term. For Europe, this will require significant resources, particularly if U.S. arms flows peter out, as well as a determination to adopt a more decisive approach to enable Ukrainian battlefield success and longer-term conventional deterrence. While this is a tall political order in Europe’s fractured and multivariate strategic environment, there is a strategic reason it is very much worth doing—it is easier than the prospect of urgent wholesale, multiyear military rearmament in preparation for responding to an Article 5 event.

While Ukrainian troops may lack the symbolism that U.S. forces currently offer, they may more than make up for it with their real-life experience hunting and destroying advancing Russian forces and demonstrating that they can inflict damage on Russia by land, sea, and air.

For this to work, however, European leaders need to move quickly. Committing to Ukraine’s survival, and providing it with the means to ensure it does so, should be the consensus position. That means creating a viable plan for surging arms quickly and sustainably to Ukraine and working closely with Kyiv to hammer out a common security concept that brings Ukraine into the fold in full and in earnest. In this way, if European fears come to pass, with the United States no longer seen as a viable guarantor to trans-Atlantic security, Ukraine and its forces offer a ready-made and highly compelling alternative.

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - June 1-7

Like these weekly compilations? Support me on Ko-fi or $Kaybarr1735! Also, if you tip me on Ko-fi or CashApp (and give me some way to contact you if it doesn’t automatically), at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week!

1. Hundreds of Mayors, City Leaders Commit to Protecting Monarch Butterflies in Annual Pledge

“The 300 participating communities are taking a record number of actions to advance monarch conservation by planting or maintaining pollinator gardens at prominent locations, supporting native plant sales and giveaways, and partnering with local gardening organizations and experts to advance monarch conservation and community engagement.”

2. Basic income can double global GDP while reducing carbon emissions, analysis suggests

“Researchers suggest that charging carbon emitters with an emission tax could help fund such basic income programs while reducing environmental degradation. [… G]iving basic income to the entire world population could boost the global GDP by $163 trillion, which is about 130% of the current GDP. Every dollar spent on implementing basic income can generate as much as $7 in economic impacts, the analysis shows.”

3. Los Angeles-area wildlife crossing over freeway expected to be ready in 2026

“The crossing will be a vegetated overpass that will help isolated animals safely cross U.S. 101. […] Officials said the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will "reconnect habitats and improve the health of the environment for many species in Southern California." They added that currently, U.S. 101 is a huge barrier that disconnects Southern California wildlife. […] “We need to move beyond mere conservation, toward a kind of environmental rejuvenation," [Annenberg] said in a statement. "Wildlife crossings are powerfully effective at doing just that — restoring ecosystems that have been fractured and disrupted.””

4. ‘Many waterfowl are very gay’: Elliot Page set to narrate LGBTQ+ animal documentary Second Nature

“According to Deadline, Second Nature will be executive produced by Page, who will also narrate the documentary set to explore instances of same-sex attraction in species other than humans. And, spoiler alert, they’re everywhere. [… Page said,] “Second Nature reveals the full spectrum of life and how when it comes to gender and sexuality in nature, the diversity is endless. I learned so much and am thrilled others will too.””

5. McKenzie River Restoration Benefiting Threatened Upper Willamette River Chinook

“Salmon have successfully reproduced at the Finn Rock restoration site in Oregon’s McKenzie River watershed. Another project aims to bring salmon back to lower Quartz Creek. […] Historical accounts document the presence of Chinook salmon and bull trout in Quartz Creek, but neither species has been seen there for decades. Project partners have replaced an aging bridge that constricted Quartz Creek. Previously, the stream constriction forced the water to gush like a fire hose, blasting salmon and sediment downriver. […] The restoration work will increase groundwater and expand the amount of wetlands, which can reduce the impact of forest fires.”

6. Leading Scholars Call for Global Treaty on Free Education

“According to the experts, well-established scientific evidence shows “unequivocally” that education is foundational to children’s healthy development and lifelong prospects[…. Seventy scholars from thirty countries] call on all governments to support a new optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to ensure recognition of the right to free early childhood education and free secondary education, alongside the existing explicit right to free and compulsory primary education.”

7. Water is key as study shows restoration of drained tropical peat is possible

“Rewetting of tropical peatland that was drained for agriculture can lead to the recovery of the native ecosystem, a long-term study of a former pulpwood plantation in Indonesia shows. Researchers studying the 4,800-hectare (11,900-acre) plot that was retired in 2015 by Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) found the water table had risen, soil carbon emissions had gone down, and native trees were springing up and replacing the planted acacia pulpwoods.”

8. Antioxidant gel preserves islet function after pancreas removal: New approach could reduce diabetes complications

“Before surgeons remove the pancreas from patients with severe, painful chronic pancreatitis, they first harvest insulin-producing tissue clusters, called islets, and transplant them into the vasculature of the liver. […] Unfortunately, the process inadvertently destroys 50–80% of islets, and one-third of patients become diabetic after surgery. [… To] create a healthier microenvironment for the islets, the researchers adhered the islets to the omentum with an inherently antioxidant and anti-inflammatory biomaterial[…,] significantly improving survival and preserving function of transplanted islets.”

9. Restoring Indigenous aquaculture heals both ecosystems and communities in Hawai‘i

“The loko i’a system of native fishponds in Hawai‘i has for generations provided sustenance to Indigenous communities[….] Unlike commercial fish farms, loko i‘a thrive without feed input and need little management once established[….] “We are using science to translate ‘ike kupuna, or Indigenous knowledge, into policy,” said study co-author Kawika Winter […] “Loko i’a are really built to work with the ecosystem, whereas not all forms of aquaculture are made to do that.””

10. Meet Neo Px: the super plant that attacks air pollution

“Neo Px is a bioengineered plant capable of purifying indoor air at an unprecedented scale[….] "It's the equivalent of up to 30 regular houseplants in terms of air purification," said Lionel Mora, co-founder of startup Neoplants. "It will not only capture, but also remove and recycle, some of the most harmful pollutants you can find indoors." [… The plant comes] with packets of powder that contain a microbiome, essentially a bacterial strain. "This bacteria colonizes the plant's roots, soil and leaves [… and] absorbs the VOCs to grow and reproduce. The plant is there to create this ecosystem for the bacteria. So we have a symbiotic system between plants and bacteria.””

May 22-28 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[quyotes]

Presented with the prospect of its own eternity, capitalism—or anyway, financial capitalism—simply explodes. Because if there’s no end to it, there’s absolutely no reason not to generate credit—that is, future money—infinitely. Recent events would certainly seem to confirm this. The period leading up to 2009 was one in which many began to believe that capitalism really was going to be around forever; at the very least, no one seemed any longer to be able to imagine an alternative. The immediate effect was a series of increasingly reckless bubbles that brought the whole apparatus crashing down.

David Graeber, Debt

[skybristle]

ok fuck it here's the entire pre mass ascension section of my lore doc. are you guys fed

Before the void fluid revolution, the area that would eventually host the BH local group was very, very highly populated by ancients. Close-ish to the equator, with a coast to the west and a mountain range to the east, it became a breeding ground for multiple societies, most notably a fishing/port city that would become highly influential in a future important ancient’s development [winky face].

This high population inspired multiple gen 1 iterators to be built in the same rough area, an unusual practice normally! [this would end up being disastrous, but foresight doesn't seem to be the ancients’ forte].

The first iterator to be constructed was Plunging Flows of Ash, by the architect Black Sand Hourglass, Racing Towards the Start, for the exclusive purpose of… well… solving the problem, as all early iterators. This is notable however because it kind of defines his entire character. He takes his original purpose to heart - to solve the problem for his creators, but nothing more. As a prototype iterator, he has a LOT of struggles with functionality especially when being stretched beyond his means, but it’s also an attitude thing. When he eventually gets his city, Novus, he’s pretty pissy and negligent to it, not to mention his systems cannot keep up especially as his city continues to innovate and modernize on his old bones. He’s generally just… very lazy and apathetic and self centered, wanting to push anything he sees as ‘not his problem’ onto others and refusing to adapt and change.

ENTER Pleas to Limitless Light, Three Scorched Corridors, a very hardworking ancient whom was set on building her own iterator through the Global Iterator Project. Through a very long and arduous construction, she led the Countless Swirling Sparks project- named after her incredibly elaborate and intuitive AI base designed to approach problems in a streamlined and innovative manner- her name originally refers to sparks of innovation!

As Corridors spent decades on the project, she got increasingly more exhausted and lost passion for it, though had to see it through. After a point, she was mostly concerned about leaving behind her legacy of the House of Currents she hailed from and raising an equally brilliant successor. So, as the project is closing, she has a son, Seven Praised Rays, Sun Setting West, laying the pressure on thick for him to take her place as soon as possible so she can ascend. We’ll get back to him later. :3c

The third iterator to be constructed is Erupting Maw- notable because her architect, An Empty Caldera, Rope Held Taught is foreign- sent by the Global Iterator project to prospect and lead construction. While most of the local area is generally accepting, there’s been a much growing tension regarding the effect of building so many iterators, not just in their area but also globally. The rains are getting worse, and a lot of people who can’t afford to move up to live on top of the iterators are dying or suffering in hastily built shelters. In theory, while divisive, Maw’s construction would have led to much more living space for the local population in her city, many people were frustrated that this was just adding to the problems. Many were leaving, with plans being drafted to gain more space by any means necessary- though they awaited Maw’s construction with baited breath.

…This faith would end up being severely misplaced.

After Maw was online, but before Solaris was constructed and the only population was the workers who spent decades building up her divine superstructure, she noticeably began to… shift. This could partially be attributed to her creator, Caldera, a rather judgemental and egotistical person who was extremely prideful of its work, but Maw went far beyond that. Slowly but surely, she convinced her dear creator that, frankly, her purpose was misplaced- they spent decades building a god of biomaterial and metal, only to force her to waste her time attending to impoverished surface dwellers and solving a meaningless problem when they already had void fluid. Maw could instead spend her time being a generous god to the few who earned it by building her. Especially as time went on, Caldera, and future admins, essentially became a puppet to Maw’s will with her being the sole god of her city. And to her devoted followers, Maw was a generous and devoted goddess- but to outsiders looking in, the city was essentially a cruel and xenophobic cult with unknown limits on what they would do to protect the sanctity of their holy grounds.

Considering that everyone was waiting on Maw’s construction to escape the rains- and her structure only accelerated the issue, and the Great Equalizer really began to set in, there was all out panic. Novus couldn’t take on any more than Ash already had, Axon was already densely populated, and Solaris’ puppet government was refusing immigration on any basis even as people were dying from floods below.

To understand the following- I have to pick back up on Rays’ story, a bit before the point we’re currently at. This is where the lore and characters start getting really fleshed out and juicy I promise

After Sparks had finished development in Rays’ infancy, he practically lived and breathed her existence. From when he was very young- she was a continued presence in his life. Back then, Sparks was a very kind and friendly, maybe even a little whimsical, iterator- very committed to her task and to helping people both within her city and far beyond it, Ancients and other Iterators alike. She’s a bit jittery, nervous, enthusiastic, and maybe too hardworking for her own good- but generally speaking she’s happy!

This often manifests in the actions towards her mentor [later this would be labeled ‘Senior’], Ash. He is… not very excited to have the iterator equivalent of an eager puppy pestering him, especially with his established disdain for being given work outside of the Problem. Rather than actually help his appointed mentee, he spends much of Corridors’ administration and beyond whining to her about his problems with his city and all of these distractions, especially later on as his disdain for the younger iterators ‘replacing’ him grows.

Sparks looks at this less with annoyance and rejection and- initially, with pity. She thinks, with her innovative structure and the big aspirations behind her development- it wouldn’t hurt to help her group member out, yeah? And Ash just… keeps taking and taking and taking and sucking her dry, basically since construction, as she begins to shoulder this feeling of responsibility that she really shouldn’t have especially at the prospect of more iterators being built in the local area. She is however desperate for companionship and someone to listen, especially someone older and more respected than her- so she persists. She doesn’t really begin to realize how fucked the whole arrangement is until way, way later- she’s a bit lost and young and just trying to be kind.

As for Rays, he’s a very nervous, somewhat sickly, and isolated child, almost entirely consumed by the weight of his family’s reputation and Corridors practically breathing down his neck for a successor. He struggles to remember the time when he was very young and she was kinder to him. He’s very aware of the fact he will inherit the administrative position [nepotism is pretty common in elite ancient circles], and while he’s far from lazy he’s almost kind of… detached to and afraid of it? Trying to languish in the present rather than confront the future, as the work piles on from an early age. He’s very stressed and antisocial.

Until college [or well, their equivalent], that is, in one of the many prestigious schools located in Axon. He meets two very key people who change the trajectory of all of their lives, making a deeply bonded friend group along the way.

A Cherished Melody, from Riverbeds to Reefs comes from the surface, specifically the western coastal city, having fought tooth and nail with a brilliant and hardworking mind to make it up onto the prestigious iterator cities. It’s loud and rambunctious and brings a very radical perspective to the table- in basically all things, but especially religion. It essentially believed that the construct of the karmas and the crushing societal norms that came with it were ultimately unimportant in the face of the void- and that you should just live life to the fullest and take the plunge to the void when you felt ready. Beyond that, it is an immensely earnest, loyal, and inspiring person, if extremely stubborn.

Similarly, Glowing Amber Sap, Weeping from a Punctured Abyss also hails from the surface- but under much different circumstances. Coming to Axon from the deeply religious areas of the southeast [near the fissure/in the future where Starlight’s can is], the intention of their education was for future monkhood. However, especially living in the somewhat more liberal city, they end up growing deeply dissatisfied with that future and place their perspective more on their love for humanitarianism and conservation. As the world is reshaped under iterators and populated by purposed organisms, and their home temple is razed by rainfall, they feel like they’re the only one seeing this disaster about to unfold as the general tensions [mentioned in the maw section] bubble. Though, knowing they’re well past the point of no return on iterators, they instead wish to conserve pre-equalizer fauna and build more green space for everyone.

Those dreams are far in the future though- for now, Amber’s still grappling with religious guilt and the tear between their aspirations and their home, and consequently they find themselves drawn to Reefs and its radicalism. Similarly, they end up taking Rays under their wing, initially out of Reef’s conviction. As a bonded little pack, Reefs especially motivates Rays to be a better person- rather than cruise on the nepotism, to truly work and earn the position he has, not for reputation or glory but to do good as he’s been handed the chance to. Together, the three of them move into iterator technician work and education with genuinely really purehearted intentions!!! [i sure hope nothing crushes that]

Predictably, about as soon as Rays can support himself, his mother Corridors departs to the void and leaves big shoes to fill. He fumbles, badly, especially at first, but as he matures and evens himself out [especially with the support of his growingly ambitious and prestiged best friends] he becomes a genuinely really capable administrator! He ends up getting genuinely really close with Sparks- she’s friendly and receptive and he spent much of his childhood around her, after all. They’re good friends and he takes his role as her voice in High Council matters extremely seriously, working hand in hand with Reefs especially as it becomes her head technician after a couple decades.

Meanwhile, as the rain crisis accelerates, Amber departs from work on Sparks to instead focus on their own iterator proposition in line with their ideals from college, eventually formulating into the plans for Budding Ochre Opportunities and more importantly to them, her city of Haven where they can execute all of their plans. That project will take many years- and the crisis is here, now, especially as the situation in Solaris boils over and they make it known they will not accept citizens [I know, I’m finally getting back to where we left off]

The response is- predictably, all out fucking panic, as people on the surface begin trying to clamber to Axon in droves and its impossible to accommodate them as the surface becomes practically unlivable.

As a consequence of this, Axon’s High Council comes to a horrifying conclusion- They resolve to expand Sparks’ structure to accommodate more living blocks. Anyone actually working in the iterator and understanding their function [rays and reefs] are rightfully extremely opposed to this- they are living breathing people and you can’t just go tacking on additional body parts and expect it to go well when Sparks was already highly ambitious at her current scale. Even from a mechanical standpoint- they’re incredibly complex machines and trying to slap on additional support structures and jamming iterator neural tissue in there is essentially bound for disaster, power or coolant failures, etc.

Given the decades of bubbling fear and tension that have exploded, however, their protests fall on deaf ears. While Rays is forced to manage this unfurling catastrophe and break the news, Reefs has its arm twisted into actually carrying it out. Sparks… reacts as well as one would expect.

While she recognized the growing tension and unease, and was kind of anticipating a high workload and perhaps a rather large and mismanaged city- this was beyond precedent. Especially considering this decision was made for her in High Council meetings, behind closed doors, no overseers allowed. Her pleas are basically ignored, as Rays tries in vain to placate her [out of deep care and knowing he really doesn’t have the power here, but from her perspective it looks terrible], as her piping and external plating are torn open to quickly and painfully assemble half-assed expansions.

Beyond the betrayal from her creators, her world also begins closing in on her from the fellow Iterator side of things. Scared and desperate, she pleads to Ash as an authority and as her senior to do something, but he at best makes a halfhearted attempt to force broadcast Maw which only gives her the opportunity to mock Sparks, step all over her, and then promptly go ‘lol no’. Ash throws in the towel then and there, acting incredibly dismissive and ambivalent towards Sparks’ agony despite how much she felt she did for him and her desperation, fragmenting even more of her trust and eventually leading her to believe any relationship is transactional and she will inevitably be stabbed in the back. [that’s a GREAT and HEALTHY lesson to internalize sparks GOOD JOB this will not lead to any consequences whatsoever]

And Sparks is fucking angry, not to mention beyond hurt. Beyond the extreme overstimulation and immense pain and electrical storms from desperate overclocking to get this whole mess functional- her trust and compassion and eagerness has been completely shattered under a tide of exhaustion and agony.

Of course, being subjected to this with virtually no outlet gives her cause to turn her rage and frustration on someone, and who better than her admin, the person who swore to be her voice and then “””stood by””” while this was done to her. Their relationship breaks down over several meetings as she turns on him and basically just takes everything he says as bad faith as possible to further her rants, barely listening to him no matter how desperately he cares and the guilt crushing both him and Reefs [more on that later].

Hitting a fever pitch in one of their many many arguments, as Rays attempts to humanize her by thinking of the little things with a gift and Sparks reacting as if he’s trying to buy her complacency, the electricity failures Sparks experiences overflows into her chamber and electrocutes Rays. Reefs is the one to catch his drone’s SOS signal and drag him out. [hey i made a comic about that!]

While Sparks is shut down while they figure out what happened, Rays recovers in hospital with Reefs at his side [also trying to manage the unfolding crisis as the second in command for Sparks- yeah it’s not having a good time] as Amber rushes back to Axon from Ochre’s groundwork.

At this point, Rays has fully sunk into his guilt and self hatred for what he feels he let happen [it would have happened regardless but that doesnt matter] and urges his friends to leave Axon [and leave him behind] while they still can. Reefs protests this, of course, its loyalty runs deep and not even these circumstances will shake it, but in the end both of them are extremely guilty people over what they did to Sparks and Rays convinces it it can do something right by departing and building its own iterator- to help relieve this burden and as an excuse to escape Axon sponsored by the House of Currents. Reefs’ iterator drafts go on to become Resonant Chimes. [hey i ALSO made a comic about THIS!] [this is the last comic don't get excited]

As Chimes is developed [again, gen 2 iterators still took quite a while], he goes from a project of obligation to something Reefs has fallen in love with [in a familial way]. It ends up very dedicated to its kid, even with all of its stress about Rays and its past, but it is able to move on through working on him. Unfortunately, this is where their tight-knit friend group begins to fragment and part ways, with Rays ascending not too long after Chimes and Ochre complete construction.

Yeah, with all that guilt and baggage and him never being able to reconcile things with Sparks? His ascension comes less because he’s prepared and more because he’s so desperate to escape while not betraying his family legacy and Corridors- and this is the only socially acceptable way for him to leave his position behind. He echoes, lingering about Sparks’ structure long past his society’s time. [HEY i made a PMV about this!]

As for Ochre and Chimes- they come to be as a pair, basically inseparable from the beginning. Besides their creators being long term friends and their twin constructions, they also compliment eachother very well!

Resonant Chimes was established with his kindness in mind- fostered very much by his parent Reefs. He had a focus on citizens, rather than working much on the problem, and took to that job with great pleasure! Following Reefs experiences with Sparks, it puts immense stress on his autotomy as a person and gives him a lot of freedom. Continuing that thread, its House of Tides [named after its mother, who passed due to the rains during the Sparks crisis] was built on a fundamental level of trust and a very close working relationship between technicians and maintenance & the governmental structure, which Chimes even occasionally got the opportunity to partake in [and even then, the point was that everyone in power over him was trusted by him. If he ever got extreme icks from someone who he was placed in the care of then he had the option to do something about it, unlike so many of his kind]

His deep relationship with his city manifests out of his choice to help the people of his city above all else because that’s just… the kind of person he is. Helping people, engaging in their rituals, getting dressed up, etc makes him immensely happy for CENTURIES. He loves being social and helping people, even with his awareness of their incompatible lifespans. He’s completely dependent on them to feel whole, in a way. The mutualism and synergy between him and Chorus is incredibly notable.

Ochre, meanwhile, has a much more modest personality. Flor’s facility is more focused on quaint things like pigment production and local manufacturing of crafts, with the city of Haven itself being on the smaller side and largely self-sufficient with their vast green spaces and solar panels. Not to mention, her own admin and architect, Amber, remained more focused on the conservation efforts within Haven. Their relationship with Ochre was typically cordial, but distant. Due to her shy personality, she ended up really drawn to Chimes and his kindness and sociability. Paired with a close working relationship and her own earnest passion, they stay extremely close as friends [and more later on].

Events within the Local Group became significantly more relaxed after that, though the expansions crisis would continue to haunt the group, both in its iterators and politics. Sparks would continue to substitute as senior for Ash as the group expanded, though would long shed that enthusiasm and joy that drove it, sinking into a sense of obligation as she slowly grew more disillusioned and frustrated with Ash as her pain and workload piled on and she forced herself through it all. She created such a complex mask- because she had to- that as events proceeded she would genuinely begin to believe she was okay and had moved on. [trust me, she hadn’t, and it's festering! we’ll get to that :3]

The next iterator to be constructed is Reaching For Caged Starlight, by a foreign architect imported by the Global Iterator Project, At Place Among the Stars, Spirals of Billowing Silk. While generally unremarkable, it is notable that these circumstances of construction led to a sort of mistrust and distance from the interconnected trio of Axon, Haven, and Chorus. That was fine for the most part, with both xeir government and Starlight herself more interested in quietly working on the problem without external management.

Based on asts location, next to a natural fissure close to the void and a corresponding temple that was once of great importance, its city develops a culture where void baths certainly cannot be a true path to the void, as only the great Sea is holy in of itself, with void fluid extracted from it just being a material. Essentially, they believed in a fundamental version of the “old path” where one must travel directly to the void sea at the end of their life. While Starlight doesn’t care much for her citizens and they in turn respectfully leave her to her work, this mindset became a fact of life that would be warped severely when they were gone,the solution became a point of frustration, and a dash of Sliverism on top.

Proceeding onwards, the 7th iterator to be built in the area is A Glittering Aurora, likely the last without certain circumstances transpiring. Her project was spearheaded by Ten Hollow Pines Pointing Towards Snowcapped Poles, with the most notable parts of their background being their upbringing in Chorus. Though born well after its ascension, he took Reefs’ methodology to heart and greatly admired it, as well as having a background in bioengineering working with Chimes, an iterator he cared deeply for.

When it was allowed to work on an iterator of its own, it, of course, carried this relaxed attitude and immense stress on autonomy into the project. Unfortunately, his view of Reefs was greatly warped, and he frankly neglected the immense amount of work and patience Reefs put into it to make the whole thing work, even long past its death and without any enforcement towards Chimes- largely in thanks to the person Chimes already was.

Pines' relationship with Aurora was friendly, but not nearly close as they would have wanted. While he gave her all the freedom in the world to do whatever she wanted, and often acted towards her as if they already had an established relationship which… didn’t exist. Pines expected, after all of its hard work to build him, and all of its leniency, for the relationship reflected with Chimes and his admins to fall into its lap. However… Aurora simply isn’t the same person Chimes is, and rather than want to spend his free time working with his city and engaging with them, he was more interested in chatting away on Global and general drama and discourse observed through overseers. Regardless, Pines still held hope, and often would refuse to put their foot down on Aurora's ambivalence even as Albedo’s citizens [mainly politicians], especially of the more religious type, got frustrated with this behavior.

Of note was an at the time somewhat high ranking member of the overall government, A Silent Refrain, Banners Mottled by Shadows, primarily an expert in encryption and security with a powerful background and access to Aurora’s superstructure. Capitalizing on the frustrations with Pines, decades into his administration, possibly as the beginnings of an attempted coup, he illegally modified certain parts of Aurora’s structure and AI base to restrict her access to Global. This was with the intent to make her more ‘motivated’ and ‘behaved’, and other such things.

Predictably, when Pines found out, it was fucking LIVID. Refrain refused to budge and was very rigid in the idea that iterators were designed to serve and should act like it. This resulted in a rather violent confrontation, ending with Refrain almost crushed under the claws of Pines' pet lizard and the demand to leave Albedo in what was essentially exile. [Aurora would end up restored to normal and okay- though come out of it extremely fascinated with the same locks that had hurt him- specifically within breaking code and the like. Rarely would she ever go as far as taboos, though…]

Frankly sick of both Pines’ and Aurora’s bullshit and the generally ‘immorality’ of Albedo, he complied and took his more religious bunch with him and went running back to the Global Iterator Project with exaggerated stories. Given his influential background and patronage to the project, and undeniable skill, the wing of the Project in Orrery eventually approved his long effort to get an Iterator grant.

Given his track record and his rather cruel opinions of iterators, the ensuing project went about as well as expected. As ancient society in general grew more frustrated and impatient with the lack of a solution, matching with the increased availability of void fluid, the bubble that would eventually burst to form the mass ascension was already well over their heads as Wandering Whispers began construction.

While rushed, there was also a lot of intentional cruelty in their design, manifesting from the same expertise Refrain used to hurt Aurora. Their own autonomy was heavily restricted, with barely any access to their group beyond their senior. Paired with Refrain’s iron fist over their work quota, general cruelty from both him and their citizens in general, and isolation, they ended up a very scared and meek iterator with almost no grasp on personhood.

Seeing a very alarming reflection of herself, Sparks urged Ash [who she was already rather out of patience with at this point] to get off his ass and offer an outlet to their poor groupmate as Whispers was supposedly allowed to contact him for ‘iterating and training purposes only’. Surprisingly, Ash took to this task and actually grew somewhat fond of the younger iterator- mainly due to their vulnerability and immense trust to the only kindness they were given. Sparks, exhausted from keeping up her facade for so long, chose not to intervene further [and I mean, what would she have done?]

In the end, this wouldn’t amount to much, as the overarching global government eventually sent out the Mass Ascension mandate within only a couple decades of Whispers’ construction, simultaneously shutting down the Global Iterator Project. Though the population had been dwindling for quite some time- this was the nail in the coffin, and all ancients were expected to meet their fate in the vats. The few stragglers who managed to escape the often forceful baths could not sustain society on their own in the wastes below.

This of course had an immense impact on each Iterator, though I will get to that in the next section. :3

Notably, one of the last events to happen- just before their ascension, Chimes’ last admin descended into his chamber to give him a gift. His blanket, made of countless quilt squares made by generations of his close friends, admins, and technicians, a tradition started by Reefs before it left. He would cling fiercely to it and what it represented for the rest of the timeline.