#Forbidden City insights

[travelernight]

Ultimate China Journey: 30 Stops You Need to Make

[kneelingshadowsalome]

Christian Woman

(König x Nun!Reader)

Word count: 5.2 k Summary: Yup it’s König with a Virgin!Nun!Reader folks. This is all @wordstome 's and @melancholic-thing 's and their König & religion post's fault! :( Tags/warnings: PINING. Eventual smut, eventual blood & minor injuries. A cute, sweet, silly story with undertones of religious despair. Watch out for possible mistakes concerning Catholicism, I was more interested in the forbidden love trope.

Part 1

You don’t know how it even happened, but you became friends with a foreign man visiting your city. 

You bumped into him one day. Literally bumped into him, or then he bumped into you; you’re not entirely sure who’s to blame here, but you would’ve fallen to the ground had he not grabbed you by the arm and hauled you back up and against him. 

It was just to prevent you from hurting yourself, but your mind short circuits for a moment when you’re pressed against the broadest chest you’ve ever seen. The man is tall, so tall you have to crane your neck to see who has such lightning-fast reflexes.

Worried eyes look down at you from above, but the man’s expression softens when he sees how frightened you look.

“I’m so sorry. Are you ok?”

“Yes… Yes, I’m fine, thank you.”

He starts to fuss about being in such a hurry without any particular reason and asks if he can make this up for you somehow.

Could he offer you a lunch or something? No, how about a drink? He’s truly so sorry.

His accent is charming, and the genuine regret and worry make you quickly judge him as a safe enough person to grab a coffee with. Accidents happen, and it’s not illegal to sit down with a man you just met, right?

You tell him you don’t drink drinks, but a coffee would be nice. The man raises an eyebrow when you reveal to him that you’re not only a teetotaler, you’re also a nun. 

“Ah… So you prefer a simple life?” 

He takes you to a dark, cosy cafe around the corner. His inquiry leads to a conversation on the joys of silence and simplicity, then on philosophy, faith, and the cons of modern life. By the time he grabs you a table for two, you’re already discussing how people are always on their smartphones nowadays, looking for instant gratification and pleasures and how it wrecks their brains. You both gush about how nice it is to steer away from all that. 

You find yourself talking to him with ease about your life choices. How the anxiety reached a point where you wanted to get away from all the fuss, and how much peace this solution has brought you. How you have meaning and purpose these days, and how you doubt you’d be able to adjust into a modern society anymore. He gets what you mean immediately, saying he only feels at home when he’s alone in the mountains. How he’s been alone his whole life, really, and that it doesn’t scare him anymore, on the contrary.

You feel warm and safe with him, lost inside a soft bubble you quickly create in the corner table of a cellar cafe. Perhaps it’s the dimly lit environment or perhaps it’s just him, but you have one of the deepest conversations ever with this mysterious man.

He’s attentive and curious without being your usual pervert on the sly. You’ve had enough of men looking at you like you’re the forbidden fruit after hearing about your life choices. 

This man doesn’t try to seduce his way into your pants; he listens to your insights and agrees with you on how silence does you good, especially in times like this. You wonder what he does for work and why he’s here because clearly, he’s not local. You never get to ask him because the conversation ends far too quickly. 

He receives a message on his phone, cruelly reminding you that the magical bubble has burst and you’re back in the modern world. He looks crabby about the interruption too, especially when he says he has to go.

You both agree that you had a nice talk and should continue it sometime – why not tomorrow? Same time, same place.

So you meet him again. 

And again… And again. 

You find out he’s in town for at least two weeks, but when he finally reveals what he does for work, your stomach sinks. He tells you he’s working for some private military contractor and can’t really share any details about his work. When you ask him does this mean that he kills people for money, he falls silent.

“I guess you could put it like that.”

He’s looking at his shoes when he says it, somewhat embarrassed or sad. His feet barely fit under the table, so he has them stretched out, leading to a waitress almost tripping on them one day. Your heart is squeezing inside your chest when he rises immediately and apologises like the perfect gentleman, helps the lady up and never gets insulted by the murderous glares the woman shoots at him. 

He gives you his codename, König, and that he comes from Austria, but then refuses to share any other personal details. You don’t even get to know his first name. You do talk about your childhood, you talk about your schools and what you were supposed to become when you grew up. He tells you about his love for hiking, and you tell him about your dance hobby. 

The usual “Oh? Nuns are allowed to dance?” comment has you laughing. 

“Well… I don’t do twerking, but yes, nuns are allowed to dance.”

“What’s ‘twerking’?”

It’s so funny how you seem to know about modern trends more than him. You know about Tinder and TikTok through your friends; it’s just that these things are really not for you. Still, this König knows even less about dating apps and internet challenges than you. 

It makes you intrigued: he could have dozens of women right now if he wanted to. And not only because he’s attentive and kind: he’s so big and tall that most women would beg him to whisk them away. All he needed to do was go to a hookup site and deal out some likes. 

Most of his muscles are packed in the shoulders and chest area, making it challenging for him to fit through a door. You can see he hasn’t skipped a leg day either, and immediately chastise yourself for checking out his butt in the coffee queue. You ignore your filthy thoughts of wanting to get pressed against those pecs again, you pay no attention to the fleeting musings on how good that short stubble would feel against your neck if he ever chose to kiss you there.

A soldier and a nun make an odd pair, but you find yourself enjoying his company more than anyone elses. He seems to wait for your meetings with eager but polite enthusiasm, too. You know it’s an attempt to make you forgive his choice of career when he reveals to you that his best mission was when he saved thirty women from sex trafficking. And it does make your heart crack open a little. Killing is a sin, but he has tried to protect life in his own crude way.

You start to include him in your prayers. First, you ask for the Lord to guide this man away from the path of killing. Then, slowly, you ask him to be protected from harm, you only pray for him to be safe. 

And you say nothing of this new acquaintance to the others. You ought to, but your lips remain sealed.

You’re allowed to have friends and visit them, and it doesn’t matter if the friend is of the opposite sex as long as the meetings are purely platonic. Which they are. This man could be your brother, you tell yourself. He could be a long-distance cousin. There’s nothing fishy going on around here, and he’s just visiting, so why would you bother to tell anyone? It would only lead to troubled sighs and concerned questions, and you really don’t feel like answering them right now.

You miss a few midday prayers, and once, your chores. The relationship turns out to be far from platonic.

König can’t even keep his eyes in check. 

They travel down your neck and land on the smallest amount of cleavage, barely visible in the loose, dull shirts you wear. They slip further down and stop to admire your breasts next, then quickly rise back to your collarbones as if this was just a mistake, just an absent, wandering gaze. You know you’re wearing a semi-helpless stare by the time he meets your eyes. The blue steel in his is completely swallowed by hunger.

You want to believe it was only a momentary lapse, but then he does it again. Actually, you catch him looking at your breasts, scanning your body and cherishing the tender spot between your collarbones more times than you can count. They’re quick, stolen moments, so harmless that you choose to stay quiet. He usually starts to talk about something trivial right after, or asks you a quick question as if nothing ever happened.

Those stolen glimpses stay with you for the rest of the day though. They give you intrusive thoughts during morning prayers and evening silence. You’ve never felt this… adored.

He has a quiet, commanding presence, and you feel like a mouse under his gaze, a mouse who’s always thoroughly examined. At the same time, he’s so polite and so charming that you can’t think ill of him. He always takes your coat and brings you coffee, always asks how your day or week has been, and actually listens to you speak. He listens to your every word with a softening glow in his eyes, a shimmer that spreads across the table and makes you feel warm all over. 

König always softens in your presence... You always tense up in his. 

Your face is flushed, and you blame it on the overcrowded cafe. You feel both safe and in danger with him, and it must be the virgin inside you talking. But you sense there’s something more at play here. He’s simply not like other men. 

You fear he’s seen hell; in fact, he must walk there every day. From what he tells you, you understand that he has suffered a lot and could use your prayers. But it’s also quite clear that he’s not a victim anymore. 

It’s difficult to see this utterly charming teddy bear in front of you, enjoying his large cup of coffee and giving you the occasional husky laugh, then imagine the same man bursting through a door and starting a massacre. Marching in some dark, dirty recess with a rifle or a shotgun in his hands, hunting down screaming people and putting down his already bleeding enemies.

Because that’s what you imagine in your mind when he tells you he’s sometimes used as an insertion specialist; a human battering ram in short.

You look at his hands around the mug, long fingers curled in search of warmth. He has short, trimmed nails and no sign of blood under them… But that doesn’t mean it’s not there.

…

"Oh honey. Soldiers are the worst," your friend sighs when you meet her at another cafe, different from where you meet your killing machine. It’s bubbly and lively and colourful, just like your friend; it’s the opposite of König, the special operations soldier who’s dark, intriguing, and intimate, just like the dimly lit cellar cafe you meet him in secret.

"He probably owns a Fleshlight," she mumbles with her mouth full of croissant.

"A… A what?"

She starts to cough at your innocent inquiry, and you know you didn’t hear ‘flashlight’ in the first place, it’s just that you’re not sure if you want to know what on earth she’s talking about now.

When she finally survives the munch she almost choked on, she politely tells you what a fleshlight is, and you find yourself not rolling your eyes, but actually thinking about König using one with need.

Christ have mercy…

"Soldiers are crazy. I once dated this peacekeeper,” your friend continues in her usual chirpy way. “Couldn't hold a conversation for his life. Unless it was about guns... And when I went over to his place, the walls were covered with pictures of naked women. It was so pathetic I had to keep myself from laughing. And oh god, now I remember! He offered me microwaved mac and cheese for dinner…"

You sip your coffee and listen politely to your friend ramble about some guy she used to date. She has a lot of these stories, and all of them are worth hearing. Sometimes you think if you’re living your unlived sex life through your friend, the way you’re so curious about hearing all the different descriptions of male genitalia and the crazy, funny, downright unbelievable scenarios that have happened to her. 

Some of the tales are so gross you’re quite happy you haven’t indulged yourself in casual sex. And at times, hearing about all the things your friend has gone through, being an onlooker to all that heartbreak and pining and loss, has managed to strengthe your resolve.

Being a nun isn’t so bad... At least you haven’t wasted your time on shallow men.

"He put so much chili in that shit that my makeup started to run," she continues her story about the poor excuse for a dinner and a date. Usually, the food leads to sex in these tales, and you’re a hypocrite for wanting to hear more.

"Did you sleep with him…?"

"After that? No thanks," she looks at you and raises an eyebrow. "I pretty much fled the building."

Even the most sad, pathetic, crappy tales make you both laugh, especially if enough time has passed. You laugh now, too, both at your friend falling for a man simply because he was a hot soldier and at the poor man who was in obvious need of an interior designer and a cook. Or a girlfriend… Or a mom.

"Look. I'm saying this because you're my friend." She says after wiping a few tears from her eyes, "And because you’re a virgin and a goddamn nun. Like come on, how many years have you been locked up in that dreadful monastery?"

"Convent," you correct.

"Whatever. I'm telling you this man is just looking for some easy pussy while he's deployed."

“I wouldn't call a nun an easy…ugh, you know.”

“Perhaps he likes a challenge then, “ she shrugs. “Men like to hunt.”

"It’s not like that,” you quarrel, trying to ignore the way her lips purse with amusement. “He's been very nice to me and… we have these great conversations. We talk about really deep stuff, you know? He explained the difference between Schopenhauer and Kierkegaard to me last time we met–"

"Ok, that's even worse. That's a red flag."

You look down at your beverage, sullen and beaten. She’s the first person you’ve told about meeting a man over a coffee, and you’re already doing it wrong.

"Does he ever look at your tits?" She asks all of a sudden.

"What?"

Your friend crosses her arms over her chest and tilts her head, looking like an overly self-satisfied detective.

"Do you ever catch him staring at your breasts," she rephrases the question as if she’s talking to a lame person.

"Well… Uh. Yes, sometimes–"

"Well there you have it. Man's just bored with his fleshlight."

"Shh! Keep it down, would you…? Good God..."

"Don't take the name of the lord your god in vain," she chimes. “But seriously, it’s no wonder. If only we could get you out of that convent, there would be a line of men at your door.”

“Oh for God’s sake…”

“No, seriously. We’re talking about fistfights and broken bones. Dating apps would explode. People would get killed.”

You roll your eyes - your friend always loves to exaggerate things. If anything, you’re scared of men, and you loathe the dating world. You’re put off by shallow commitments and one-night stands and getting ghosted and God knows what else. That’s why you became a nun: to find something stable in your life. You always told your friend that Jesus Christ is the most stable man you’ve ever met, and you will stick with him. As always, your friend was not on the same page with you.

“Stable? Excuse me, but didn’t he start a riot or something at the temple? Are we talking about the same dude who lead an uprising against the Romans? Hung out with whores, raised corpses from the dead, fucked around and found out until someone nailed him at the cross? Stable my ass!”

“Look, even if he wants something more, I’m not up for it,” you try to convince - both yourself and your friend.

“Mm. What a shame,” she smirks. “Is he handsome?”

“Yes, but–”

“Mmh. Deep voice?”

“Umm… It’s memorable?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know,” you cry. “Okay fine, it’s nice and deep and I like it. And I love his laugh,” you confess, and your friend does a silent little ‘yay’ and ‘I knew it’ cheer. You know it would be a field day for her if you finally got laid. As cliche as it sounds, you’ve always treated your friend as some sort of devil’s advocate.

You allow yourself to gush a minute, maybe two, about his muscles to your beloved devil. You tell your friend about his broad back, how wide his shoulders are, you tell her about the easy smiles he always sports with you. You describe the tactical pants and the snug black t-shirts he wears in detail, you confess he has a nice butt and that he’s so big he can't even fit the table. 

You tell her how König starts to talk with his hands if he gets excited and how you have to fear he’s going to knock something over and make a mess. You tell about his blue eyes and the way they always soften when he looks at you, and looks at you often. All the time, really. He doesn’t even see other women, uh, you mean, other people in the cafe. He’s polite to the waitresses but never fully acknowledges anyone else but you.

Your friend's enthusiastic grin turns into an uneasy, pitying smile when she realises how deep into this man you actually are. 

"I'm sorry babe… Someone has to give you the tough love," she reaches for your hand across the table. "Do you understand that if this guy is not working for the regular military, he's probably doing some war crime type of shit?"

The way you rush to defend your steadfast soldier who probably has his hands covered in blood, would make your abbess sigh.

"No, no, actually, he's working against these human trafficking cells–"

"Ok, he shoots human traffickers too, that's great. Good for him. You're still about to step into a pile of traumatised, immature, emotionally unavailable soldier shit. Trust me."

"Just because your soldier was like that doesn't mean mine has to be," you blurt.

Gosh - that was a good old Freudian slip...

"Yours now, is he?"

"No, that was… It just slipped."

"So you've actually thought about banging this guy?"

"What?! No."

"You have," she insists with a widening smile.

"No. No, I–"

"Oh my god. You're about to forsake your vows," she brings her hands together in excitement. "Oh my god, oh my god. This is amazing!"

You feel your lips snap into a thin line.

Just whose side is this woman on? Does she want to protect you from heartbreak or push you into some man's lap just for shits and giggles? 

If you're chosen by God, your friend is chosen by the Devil, that's for sure. Nothing exciting ever happens behind the walls of your 'monastery', nothing but endless prayers and boring lectures and monotonous chores. Of course she thinks it's about time you got a round of good dick. She just wants to hear a filthy story when you return from your secret little fling, a fling that could get you kicked out of the convent for good. 

"How tall is he exactly...? Does he have big hands?" 

Your friend's eyes are shining with excitement - apparently the possible war crimes and atrocities König has committed are forgiven and forgotten.

"What does that have to do with anything…?" 

"I can tell you what to expect in the dick department," she smiles with an impish grin.

You eventually leave the cafe with a dirty soul and a skittish heart.

The way your friend described your new acquaintance's probable blessings in the "dick department" left little to the imagination, and now you're actually scared. 

This man has been so polite towards you, so kind to you. He's offered you coffee and pastries and cake along with an intellectual challenge, but now it's all ruined because all you can think about is what's inside his pants. How big his hands are, and how they correlate with what's downstairs. How nice it would feel to lay under him, with his chest pressed against yours, how divine it would be to get pinned down by him. How those strong, narrow hips would fit between your legs, broad shoulders eclipsing the view above as he slowly crawls on top of you. How he'd kiss your neck, your collarbones, your mouth, with such hunger that your legs eventually give in and spread wide open.

You return to the convent with a heavy heart and distressed thoughts, but find some solace in your evening prayers.

Nothing has happened, you remind yourself; these are only thoughts. You have seen a man who's interested in you for half a dozen times. You took part in a shallow, mundane, earthly conversation today with your friend, but nothing carnal or wrong has happened. Everything is the way it has always been.

You’re safe now, completely safe here. There’s no chaos and no guns and no tall men with big dicks, no Austrian war criminals trying to seduce you and then discard you after their deployment ends. 

There’s only a man with a kind smile, warm eyes, and a nice, husky laugh. Some good coffee with distant notes of chocolate and perfectly civil conversations about European philosophers and the crisis of modern thought.

Sturdy walls support you; they have held you for centuries, and the crucifix above you has given hope to so many people before you. The ever-safe embrace of your faith envelops you, and you can always trust that you are loved, even when you’re flawed and incomplete.

Even with indecent thoughts, you can pray for mercy and ask for forgiveness. Even if you have impure urges towards your Austrian mercenary, you can still pray for him... It’s the least you can do to repay the kindness he has given you.

But the heaviness follows you to your room; it makes your chest feel dark and thick. You don’t say your last prayer before bed. You don’t want His eyes upon you tonight.

You don’t want to draw the Lord’s attention to you while your hand travels down beneath the sheets, your thoughts wandering to a certain god-like soldier with eyes like burning ice.

…

The next time you two meet, he crosses a clear boundary. 

König has started to take you for walks, sometimes suggesting you two could visit a museum, clearly wishing you’d show him around the city. In truth, he’s the one parading you around like you’re his cute little lady. He pays for your museum tickets and brings you ice cream while you sit on a bench at a park, grabs your arm to draw your attention to a few swans swimming in a pond. And that’s ok - physical touch like that is ok. Holding hands is not.

Because…

One time, when you’re walking down a hill path, admiring the sunset, a big, warm hand wraps itself around yours. 

It finds you in silence, envelops your tiny palm completely, squeezes you softly and emanates so much heat that a cord of fire shoots across your arm and straight into your heart.

You allow yourself to bask in the warmth of the huge, calloused palm for a few more seconds before ripping your hand away. You take a few hurried steps and turn, noticing he has stopped to look at you with guarded hesitation.

“I’m sorry,” you apologise even if König is the one who went off limits, “but this is not appropriate.”

“Entschuldigung… I know. That was out of bounds,” he raises a hand over his heart and bows his head a little, watching you from under his brows. You could keel over from how the gesture reminds you of Arthurian romances, of knights who place their hand on their heart to swear they’ll never disgrace a lady again. 

Instead, you nod, your soul saved but your heart sinking like an anvil dropped in the sea. You’d want nothing more than for him to do it again, to grab your hand in his and never let go.

The rest of the walk happens in awkward silence, and you thought he would keep his distance - Christ, you thought you would keep your distance - but he insists on walking near to you, and so you continue down the path with your fingers still touching each other every now and then. You don't even try to move your hand away.

I’m going to die, you scream internally while looking at the bleeding sunset in the distance. You can’t look at him; you can’t even talk to him. It’s like your body is pumped full of some drug these days.

Falling for someone so hard is making you feel faint; your insides are churning and turning and your brain is a mess. Your heart is racing so fast that you’re afraid you’ll end up having a heart attack one of these days.

He’s probably used to this: the thrill and the adrenaline, a world laced with rush and extremes, indulging in things such as guns and explosions and blood and women and darkness.

You only have your safe routines, your sisters, a few friends you meet over coffee, a family you visit thrice a year. You’re not used to being bombarded with hormones and raw emotion like this. You have never, ever lusted after a man like this. The only thing you ever craved for was another slice of cake.

“Do you still want to see me?” He asks apologetically when you approach the convent which has now started to resemble a frigid, uneventful prison.

“Of course,” you hurry to say. “Just… No more holding hands. Ok?”

“Ok,” he chuckles softly, and you stop and turn.

He’s never been this near to where you live, and you’re afraid someone will see you if he escorts you to the door. You can’t be seen with a man in your current state, that would be a catastrophe. Anyone in the building could tell that this friendship is far from platonic.

“I’m sure you’ll find some other girl to… hold hands with,” you say, hating how bitter and self-pitying you sound. You even swallow when you look up into his eyes. They’re so soft now that the ice has almost disappeared, devoured by longing, a thick and sinful darkness.

“What if I don’t want some other girl?” 

His voice is so wickedly gentle too.

You can see he’s fighting an inner battle to not touch you again; he’s standing toe to toe with you, towering above you, with his shoulders slightly hunched. If someone walked behind him, they wouldn’t even see you’re there because of how close you two are standing to each other. You can’t back away from him because you’d bump into a tall iron gate - in fact, you’re half-pressed against it now. 

“I’ve enjoyed our conversations,” he continues with a throaty voice. God, how you would melt if he used that voice in bed…

“So have I,” your voice comes out as a wavy whisper. “But there can’t be anything more than that... I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too,” he laments, but the corner of his mouth curves slightly up. “So sorry you wouldn’t even believe…”

It’s mischief and seduction, darkness and deception, and your insides squeeze into a tight little knot.

“Please… Let’s just keep it the way it was,” you plead with eyes that beg the complete opposite.

“Sure... I will try my best, Kätzchen. Is this your convent…?” 

You wonder if he’d pay you a visit if you told him where you sleep. You wonder if your single bed would creak if he tried to make love to you on it... You wonder if you could muffle your cries when you clenched with him inside you. If he’d groan too loudly when he reached his peak…

“It’s just around that corner,” you explain with a frail voice, hating how it betrays every single thing that crosses your mind.

“Good to know,” he replies, with no shakiness to his voice at all. He seems to enjoy making you so flustered; he seems to draw strength from people weaker than him. Which is probably 99 % of the population…

“How so,” you peep, already praying that he wouldn’t come to try his luck with the poorly locked windows. The back door is always open too because some of the nuns are smokers. König wouldn’t even need to use his insertion skills to get in.

“Now I know where to find you if I come to work here again,” he shrugs as if innocent. As if his eyes didn’t betray a few filthy thoughts too.

“Are you… Are you leaving then?”

“Soon.”

Your heart is about to break after two weeks of knowing some random guy, and you feel like the silliest woman in the world.

You try to remind yourself of what your friend said: this man just wants some easy pussy. He’s just bored with his fleshlight. Men like challenges, they like to hunt. You think about Lucky Luke and all the other cowboys who came and went as they pleased, breaking hearts and then riding into the sunset.

This cowboy only got to hold your hand though... And he’s saying he doesn’t want “some other girl”. Of course there’s a chance that he simply visits a brothel after discussing philosophy with you, or goes to a club or whatever, but you don’t want to entertain such horrible thoughts. 

“I’ll miss you, then,” you try to sound neutral while he’s looking down at you like you’re his first love.

“Ganz sicher, I will miss you too. Perhaps I’ll visit you, work trip or not?”

“That would be nice.”

“It might take a while. But you won’t forget me, ja?”

“Of course not. I will pray for you every day,” you smile with a good amount of affection. It has the same effect as saying something like “I want to blow you right here on this street” because your Austrian giant gets visibly excited. His breath quickens, and his eyes start to wander again. 

“...Are you sure I can’t hold your hand?”

You give him a shy smile, then quickly guide your eyes to the pavement. This König is definitely taking it as some love confession when a girl says she will pray for him. Your insides turn to jello when you see his hand close into a loose fist, then open with a spasmlike stretch. He wants to touch you so badly that he has to physically fight against it.

“No…?” He inquires high above you, so desperate that you’re quite sure he’s not frequenting any brothels in the area. He might stroke his cock to the thoughts of you, though…

You shake your head softly, then raise your eyes back to his. What a silly, silly man. If only you weren’t a nun, you’d let him do whatever he wants with you. Even abandon you after using you in every which way, because to be under that adoring gaze is worth a thousand heartbreaks.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

There’s more desperate hope in that question, and you wonder if tomorrow is the last time you’ll see each other. Soon could mean anything, but you can’t bear to hear the exact time and date when he leaves. Not tonight.

“Yes. Same time, same place,” you agree, then flee from under the dark, adoring stare to the safety of your cloister. 

[adiluv-moved]

❥ SEER + HOMEMAKER SPOUSE HCS. ˚⊹꒷

🍞୧・꒰word count꒱ 1230.

🌼୧・꒰warnings꒱ takes place pre-manor, possibly ooc.

🍮୧・꒰adi moment꒱ request here! these were originally supposed to be combined into one post, though i decided to split them since they ended up full length regardless, lol. i had a lot of fun writing this, i think it's a super adorable scenario! hope you enjoy! ꒰ ´͈ ᵕ `͈ ꒱

you can find naib's version here!

꒰🦉꒱・Eli is honestly such a huge softie, and—in my honest opinion—would be one of the more doting husbands out of the entirety of the Identity V cast. He absolutely adores you, a sentiment that he’s never hesitated to make known ꒰whether it be to you or anybody within a five mile radius꒱, and you just can’t help but adore him all the same. The poor man was probably even scouring his visions to try and figure out what married life would be like before the wedding, if it gives you any sort of insight into how in love with you he is. And, since he did go through with it, I think it’s safe to say that he enjoyed what he saw!

꒰🦉꒱・I believe that Eli would also be the type to enjoy living in a cottage outside of the city, though not exactly for the same reasons that Naib may prefer to. Of course, while some of his motivation does relate to his desire to give you a space to decorate to your heart's content—he just loves how cute your personal style is—he’s also… just a big fan of how cozy and quaint it is. The city has its charms, of course, though he’d much rather live more peacefully beside you, away from the ‘rise and grind’ lifestyle. Even still, I’d say that your cottage would probably be quite close to the city, as it would be far more convenient for the both of you.

꒰🦉꒱・For the most part, although he does enjoy keeping your company, he fully trusts you to take care of yourself, seeing no need to try and restrict your personal freedoms. You’re your own person, after all. I don’t exactly see him as the type to become jealous ꒰that easily꒱ or overly worrisome, so he’s very much alright with letting you do whatever you’d like to—just as long as the two of you communicate with each other. His abilities as a seer, which he’d been open about with you since the beginning of your relationship, provide an extra sense of protection—even if he’s unable to tell you about the future that he foresees.

꒰🦉꒱・Although he’s forbidden to inform anybody about the events that he foresees within his visions, he’s come to realize that he can still take steps to act against it. After all, what he sees references a possible future—not necessarily the one that’s already set in stone. As such, any and all attempts to sway the outcomes of events are done incredibly precisely and subtly, years of having to keep the details of these prophecies secret giving him an incredible edge. 

꒰🦉꒱・Most of the time, you don’t even know that he’s acting on his foresight, only realizing afterwards whenever he becomes extra cuddly with you. What better way to celebrate the aversion of a potential disaster than snuggling up with your loved one, right? In the case that you do notice, however, it’s quite easy to confirm your suspicions. You love your husband, you really do—but any and all attempts of lying to you are quickly rendered useless by the small expression of guilt that appears on his face. He’s just… not a fan of lying to you, really.

꒰🦉꒱・He walks a very fine line when it comes to his duties as a seer and his duties as Eli, his decisions to counteract any bad omens sometimes already putting him at risk for ‘punishment’—whatever that punishment may be. And while he may not always spare you the full extent of his stakes ꒰he’d hate to scare you, after all꒱, he’s eternally grateful that he was able to meet you somewhere along the journey of his life. Powers be damned—this man is absolutely head over heels for his spouse!

꒰🦉꒱・Eli’s paycheck isn’t quite as large as Naib’s, a combination of factors having to blame for such circumstances. While you might’ve initially assumed that he’d be loaded—believing that he could easily make a fortune on telling people their fortunes—his restrictions keep that from being a viable option. Not to mention that there’s already many self-proclaimed seers running along, though Eli always says that they rely more on smooth-talking their clients than actually using any sort of foresight.

꒰🦉꒱・His preferred method of acquiring money is usually through picking up smaller jobs that interest him—with his visions helping him realize when certain opportunities are better than others. Simple manual labor, or perhaps even acting as a helping hand for somebody in need—he’s a firm believer in helping those that are less fortunate than him, and it’s something that he takes a great amount of pride in. The only downside is that some jobs require him to leave the house for days at a time, though he does his best to get back to you as soon as possible.

꒰🦉꒱・Although the both of you may not be able to shop until your heart’s content ꒰not that I see Eli being much of a big spender, regardless꒱he does quite enjoy saving up money in order to surprise you with gifts. Just like many things within his life, his visions do tend to come in handy for this sort of thing, especially considering that all he needs to do is pick up a gift in order to figure out whether or not you’d enjoy it. Throughout all of the time that you’ve known him—whether it be as friends, lovers, or spouses, there hasn’t been a singular instance of him gifting you something you’ve disliked.

꒰🦉꒱・On the other hand, however, shopping for Eli tends to be a far more strenuous task—though not for the reason that you might expect. You know what to get him, and that he’d really just love anything, so long as you chose it for him out of the goodness of your heart… But you also know that you’ll never be able to keep it a secret from him. It’s a little sad, you think, that he knows what’s beneath the wrapping paper before it’d even been wrapped. He’ll at least try to pretend that he’s oblivious, feeling the gift and making some purposefully incorrect guesses before opening it. It’s a small gesture, but it really means a lot to him.

꒰🦉꒱・A big fan of cuddling, a fact that's remained constant throughout the entirety of your relationship—though I don’t quite see him as having a preference for being the big or little spoon. Truthfully, he’s just happy to be there. Do you want him to hold you? Sure! You won’t even have to let him know when you need to get up, he’s already retracting his arms to let you take care of whatever it is that came up! Do you want to hold him? Absolutely! He’s eagerly walking over to you before the words even leave your mouth!

꒰🦉꒱・And, of course, it’s impossible to leave out Brooke! Although she’d take some time to warm up to you when you’d started dating Eli, she becomes very affectionate once she finally does. She’ll allow you to pet and hold her, even abandoning her post on Eli’s shoulder to come and sit on yours—so long as he’s not going out for the day. She’ll even flutter around and try to help you with any chores, something that you deeply appreciate—though she will steal any food that you’ve cooked. The three of you really are just a happy family! 

i have a taglist, which you can sign up for here!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Dearest Rollo, if you meet the Righteous Judge himself in person, what would you do?

DISCLAIMER: Whatever I write here does NOT reflect my own opinions about Frollo or any of the beliefs he held. I strongly disagree with and condemn what he stands for. In this post, I am creating through the viewpoint of a character that has a warped understanding of what Frollo was truly like, and thus I am using this perspective to inform my creative writing.

Like Fire, Hellfire.

A spark lit in Rollo's dark, gloomy eyes. His thin lips curved into a semblance of a smile--too small to be considered in full, but enough to register as different from the null expression he typically showed the world.

"My, what a thoughtful inquiry," he mused softly, uncharacteristically enthralled. "How kind of you to ask."

Rollo ran a finger across the red jewel set in his ring. Contemplative. "Were I to be graced with the presence of such a venerable man... Fufufu. I would humbly confess my admiration, confide that I strive each day to live up to his ideals. More importantly, I would like to discuss a great many things with him. Someone of his stature and moral compass would no doubt have a great deal of wisdom to share."

His eyes shone fondly with a newfound fire. Warmth crept into his voice, kindling a controlled excitement.

"I would invite him to walk alongside me in the City of Flowers," Rollo continued. "Surely he would be proud to gaze upon the place he has spent so long protecting and what it has blossomed into. The people prosperous, businesses booming, the peaceful song of the bells every morning, afternoon, and night..."

It was odd, you thought to yourself, how the same person who was once cackling about destroying all mages and pulling trap door levers was now quietly fanboying. I guess we all that capacity in us.

"We would stop at a bakery I frequent, perhaps share a light meal there. Bread, cheese, and grape juice. It would be a golden opportunity to become acquainted with him on a more personal level. Men allow for their true selves to shine over shared food. Beyond history and law, what I wish to discuss with him most of all is..."

Rollo found himself hesitating.

In his imagination, he was seated before the famed figure, prostrating himself. The Righteous Judge silently stared down at him. Watching, listening.

The busy bakery faded away to nothingness, and the table assumed the form of a confessional booth. It was him and the Righteous Judge, parishioner and pastor.

"Sir, I implore you. Please advise me. Guide me. Grant me your insight," Rollo begged. "Truthfully, I am... lost. I thought what I was doing was correct. That it was just. In his name, I dedicated myself to this cause, the crusade against dastardly mages--but I was not able to recognize those ambitions to the fullest."

Tears pricked his vision then. The stony-faced judge said nothing, did nothing.

"Now I am left with only the ashes and cinders of that broken dream, questioning what is right and what is wrong. I fear that my faith is wavering, that those vile villains have somehow tainted my soul."

His voice cracked like delicate glass.

"Your judgment is always absolute yet fair. Tell me then. What must I do to attain salvation? To soothe the fire that crawls and burns under my skin? To finally be at peace...?"

Finally, the judge's mouth moved, Rollo couldn't make out the answer. He was forbidden from that knowledge.

It was all meaningless noise. Garbage sounds. Nonsense. An answer, obscured.

Rollo closed his eyes and held his tongue. A sharp intake of breath. Then--

"... Well, you needn't know the details."

"Whaaat?!" you cried, pouting. "You're seriously going to leave me off with a cliffhanger like that? You were just getting to the juiciest part!!"

"I've already said enough. No, perhaps I've said too much."

"Keep talking!! I wanted to hear the rest of it!!"

Rollo folded his arms. "You already received quite the sufficient response. To ask more of me would be to cave to your greed. Be grateful that I was in a good enough mood to entertain the question."

[scifigeneration]

What 70 years of AI on film can tell us about the human relationship with artificial intelligence

by Paula Murphy, Assistant Professor in the School of English at Dublin City University

In 2024, AI is making headlines daily. We may be aware of the science, but how do we imagine AI and our relationship to it both now and in the future? Fortunately, film may provide us with some insights.

Probably the best-known AI in film is HAL 9000 from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). HAL is an artificially intelligent computer housed on board a spacecraft capable of interstellar travel. The film was released less than a year before humans landed on the moon. And yet, even in this optimism about a new era of space travel, HAL’s portrayal sounded a note of caution about artificial intelligence. His motivations are ambiguous, and he shows himself capable of turning against his human crew.

This 1960s classic demonstrates fears that are common throughout AI film history – that AIs cannot be trusted, that they will rebel against their human creators, and seek to overpower or overthrow us.

These fears are contextualised in different ways during different historical eras – in the 1950s they are associated with the cold war followed by the space race in the 1960s and 1970s. Then in the 1980s it was videogaming, and in the 1990s the internet. Despite these differing preoccupations, fear of AI remains remarkably consistent.

My latest research, which forms the backbone of my new book AI in the Movies, explores how “strong” or “human-level” AI is depicted in film. I examined more than 50 films to see how they shed light on human attitudes to AI – how we interpret it and understand it through characters and stories, and how attitudes have changed since AI’s beginnings.

Types of AIs

The idea of AI was born in 1956 at an American summer research project workshop at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where a group of academics gathered to brainstorm ideas around “thinking machines”.

A mathematician called John McCarthy coined the name “artificial intelligence” and just as soon as the new scientific field had a name, filmmakers were already imagining a human-like AI and what our relationship with it might be. In the same year an AI, Robby the Robot, appeared in the film Forbidden Planet, and returned the following year in 1957 in the film The Invisible Boy to defeat another type of AI, this time an evil supercomputer.

The AI as malevolent computer appeared again in 1965 as Alpha 60, in the chilling dystopia of Jean-Luc Godard’s Alphaville, and then in 1968 with Kubrick’s memorable HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

These early AI films set the template for what was to follow. There were AIs that had robot bodies and later robot bodies that looked human – the first of these appearing in Westworld in 1973, where a robot malfunction at a futuristic amusement park for adults creates chaos and terror. Then there were AIs that were digital like the evil Joshua in the 1977 horror Demon Seed, where a woman is impregnated by a supercomputer.

In the 1980s, digital AIs started to become connected to network computing – where computers “talked” to one another in an early incarnation of what would become the internet – like the one stumbled upon by Matthew Broderick’s high-school student in War Games (1983), who almost accidentally starts a nuclear conflict.

From the 1990s, an AI could move between digital and material realms. In Japanese animation Ghost in the Shell (1995), the Puppet Master exists in the ebb and flow of the internet, but can inhabit “shell” bodies. Agent Smith in The Matrix Revolutions (2003), takes over a human body and materialises in the real world. In Her (2013), the AI operating system Samantha eventually moves beyond matter, beyond the “stuff” of human existence, becoming a post-material being.

Mirrors, doubles and hybrids

In the first few decades of AI film, AI characters mirrored the human characters. In Collosus: The Forbin Project (1970), the AI supercomputer reflects and amplifies the inventor’s own arrogant overreaching ambition. In Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), Sarah Connor has become like the AI Skynet’s Terminators herself: her strength is her armour and she hunts to kill.

By the 2000s, human-AI doubles began to overlap and merge into each other. In Spielberg’s AI: Artificial Intelligence (2001), the AI “son” David looks just like a real boy, whereas the real son Martin comes home from hospital connected to tubes and wires that make him look like a cyborg.

In Ex Machina (2014), the human Caleb tests the AI robot Ava, but ends up questioning his own humanness, examining his eyeball for digital traces and cutting his skin to ensure that he bleeds.

In the past 25 years of AI film, the borders between human and AI, digital and material have become porous, emphasising the fluid and hybrid nature of AI creations. And in the films In The Machine (2013), Transcendence (2014) and Chappie (2015), the boundary between human and AI is eroded almost to the point of non-existence. These films present scenarios of transhumanism – in which humans can evolve beyond their current physical and mental constraints by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to upload the human mind.

Although these stories are imaginary and their characters fictional, they vividly depict our fascinations and fears. We are afraid of artificial intelligence and that fear never goes away in film, although it has been questioned more in recent decades, and more positive portrayals can be observed, such as the little trash-collecting robot in WALL-E. But mostly we are afraid that they will become too powerful, and will seek to become our masters. Or we fear they may hiding among us, and that we might not recognise them.

But at times, too, we feel sympathy towards them: AI characters in films can be pitiful figures who wish to be accepted by humans but never will be. We are also jealous of them – of their intellectual capacity, their physical robustness and the fact that they do not experience human death.

Surrounding this fear and envy is a fascination with AIs that is present throughout film history – we see ourselves in AI creations and project our emotions onto them. At times enemies of humans, at times uncanny mirrors, and sometimes even human-AI hybrids, the past 70 years of films about AI demonstrate the inextricably intertwined nature of human-AI relationships.

[annierosesim]

The Sims 4 Taylor Swift Eras Challenge

Dear Reader,

It’s me! Hi! Welcome!

I sometimes fancy myself as a Mastermind. I had an idea of making a new Sims 4 legacy challange based on Taylor Swift’s Eras. First things first, I googled if something like it exist. I found @gillysims “Swiftacy” challenge and it was really awesome! (Tumblrhttps://gillysims.tumblr.com › postthe sims 4: swiftacy a 10 generation swiftie legacy challenge - Gillysims) We basically had the same idea but I still wanted to make the stories in my head happen. I decided there is no harm in trying. I could still make my own. So you might find a bit of similarities in our challenges. I also combined it with a little of @lilsimsie ‘s “Not-so-Berry” challenge. (Tumblrhttps://lilsimsie.tumblr.com › postNot So Berry Legacy Challenge - lilsimsie - Tumblr) I hope I didn’t do something bad and that it’s not forbidden or something.

I cooked it up in my head. I based every generation to a Taylor Swift era and songs from the corresponding album to make a story for each sim. I have no idea if the challenges are doable in one normal sim lifespan but hey, this is me trying. 😅

If you’d like to try it out for yourself please go ahead and don’t forget to share your experience and insights to me. Or if not, I guess I’m on my own, kid. #ts4TSeraslegacy

P.S. sorry for all the Taylor Swift puns. 😅

Gen 1 - Debut Era

Matriarch: Taylor Swift

Color: Emerald

Song inspirations: Our Song, Teardrops on My Guitar, You Should Have Said No

Aspiration: Musical Genius

Traits: Romantic, Creative, Music Lover

Story: You’re from a small town and loves country music. You have always wanted to be a musician ever since you can remember so you spend every minute making your dreams come true until you meet, fall in love and marry a guy who eventually broke your heart leaving you with child. You struggle at being the best mother tou can be to your child while also fulfilling your dreams.

- [ ] Complete Musical Genius aspiration

- [ ] Join the Entertainment Career (reach level 8 musician)

- [ ] Master Guitar Skill

- [ ] Master Singing Skill

- [ ] Achieve Global Superstar Status

- [ ] Marry someone who will eventually cheat on you

- [ ] Get divorced

- [ ] Become a single mother to one kid

Gen 2 - Fearless

Color: Gold

Song inspirations: You Belong with Me, Love Story, Fearless, The Way I Loved You, The Best Day

Aspiration: Big Happy Family

Traits: Romantic, Family Oriented, Good

Story: Being an only child raised by a superstar single mother, you have spent your childhood mostly alone and you have always longed for a big happy household. You meet the love of your life as a teen but your parent hates him so you’d always sneak around. You help your boyfriend and mother patch things up and you marry him right after graduation. You become an ever loving partner and a super parent.

- [ ] Complete Big Happy Family aspiration

- [ ] Marry your teenage sweetheart

- [ ] Become a stay at home mother

- [ ] Have 6 kids

- [ ] Become best friends with your heir

- [ ] Be good friends with all your children

- [ ] Master Parenting Skill

Gen 3 - Speak Now

Color: Purple and Lavander

Song Inspirations: Dear John, Enchanted, Mine

Aspiration: Soulmate

Traits: Romantic, Perfectionist, Foodie

Story: You have always loved food and would always cook with your parent, your best friend. You dream of being a chef someday. You’re parents had a perfect relationship and you have always wanted to find what they have. As a teen, you become good friends with a young adult whom you develop feelings for. When you come of age, you move with him to the city. He strings you along only to break your heart and ask you to just be friends. He marries another and move out. You’re heartbroken but you kept going until you meet the right person and spend the rest of your life together.

- [ ] Become best friends with your mom

- [ ] Cook together with mom all the time

- [ ] Move to the city

- [ ] Reach Level 9 of Culinary Career

- [ ] Master Cooking skill

- [ ] Master Gourmet Cooking skill

- [ ] Be married to a sims you are extremely attracted to

- [ ] Complete soulmate Aspiration

Gen 4 - Red

Color: Red

Song Inspirations: 22, I Knew You Were Trouble, We are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Everything has Changed, Begin Again

Aspiration: Best Selling Author

Traits: Bookworm, Ambitious, Outgoing

Story: You have never found it hard to make friends. You are always surrounded by your good friends bur most of all you can always count on your childhood best friend. You strive to be a best selling author and you best friend have always supported you in everything. You marry a person who turned out to be insecure of your ambition and drive. As an adult, you caught him cheating with one of your good friends. You divorce him and turn to your best friend for comfort. You discover you are in love with your best friend and get married to them.

- [ ] Complete best selling author aspiration

- [ ] Master Writing skill

- [ ] Reach Level 9 of the writer career

- [ ] Have at least 3 good friends

- [ ] Have a childhood best friend

- [ ] Get married to the wrong person

- [ ] Have child/children

- [ ] Get a divorce

- [ ] Marry your best friend

Gen 5 - 1989

Color: Baby blue and white

Song inspirations: Welcome to New York, Blank Space

Aspiration: Villainous Valentine

Traits: Non-Comital, Hates Children, Snob

Story: You are a Style Influencer who moves to the city to pursue the high brow crowd. At a young age, you learn that love is fleeting so you get out of every relationship you ever had. You never wanted a family but a one night stand has gone wrong and you reluctantly became a single parent. You never liked children so you hire nannies regularly and you could focus on your career. A relationship with your heir is basically non-existent

- [ ] Complete Villainous Valentine aspiration

- [ ] Reach Level 10 of Style Influencer Career

- [ ] Master Charisma

- [ ] Master Painting

- [ ] Level 9 Writing

- [ ] Become a single parent

- [ ] Hire nanny regularly

- [ ] Have little relationship with your heir

- [ ] Become a Proper Celebrity

Gen 6 - Reputation

Color: Black

Song inspirations: Getaway Car, I Did Something Bad

Aspiration: Public Enemy

Traits: Evil, Slob, Materialistic

Story: You were neglected by your parent so you act out and chose a bad path. You had a relationship with a co-worker but you leave them at the altar not knowing you were pregnant. You raise your kid alone but realized that the criminal career is not working for you anymore because you wanted to be there for your child and be a good example so you changed careers to a mixologist because you have always liked a good drink.

- [ ] Complete Public Enemy Aspiration

- [ ] Become a minor crime lord

- [ ] Have a bad reputation

- [ ] Master Mischief skill

- [ ] Master Parenting skill

- [ ] Master mixology skill

- [ ] Change career to mixologist

- [ ] Leave someone at the altar

Gen 7 - Lover

Color: Pink and blue

Song Inspirations: Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince, Paper Rings

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim

Traits: active, geek, cheerful

Story: You couldn’t shake of your parent’s bad reputation but your teenage sweetheart knows the real you. You are very indecisive so you enter different careers. You are fascinated about fitness, technology and space but ultimately decided that your ultimate dream is to explore space.

- [ ] Complete renaissance sim aspiration

- [ ] Marry your first love

- [ ] Enter the athlete career (Level 3)

- [ ] Enter tech guru career (Level 3)

- [ ] Enter astronaut career

- [ ] Master fitness skill

- [ ] Master Logic skill

Gen 8 - Folklore

Color: White and gray

Song inspirations: August, Illicit Affairs

Aspiration: Botanist

Traits: Romantic, Loves Outdoors, Vegetarian

Story: You have always dreamed of a simple life out in the country, growing your own vegetables and keeping the perfect garden. You plan to move to the and make your dreams come true but you fall in love with someone who ended up being married. You had an affair but when you found out you were pregnant he freaked out and said he can’t leave his family and that he loves his partner. So you move away to fulfill you dreams while raising your kid.

- [ ] Complete botanist aspiration

- [ ] Master Gardening skill

- [ ] Master Piano skill

- [ ] Have a cow plant

- [ ] Have an affair with someone married

- [ ] Have a kid

- [ ] Move to the country (simple living lot trait)

- [ ] Live off the land

Gen 9 - Evermore

Color: Brown and orange

Song inspirations: Tolerate it, Willow

Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire

Traits: Creative, Art Lover, Family Oriented

Story: At a young age you have always known you love art. You start a career as a Painter as a young adult but you me someone and have whirlwind romance. You elope and get married and start a family together. You leave behind your career to raise your children and support your partner in their political career but you continue selling your art. The stress of being a politician gets to them and you get taken for granted by them. More and more you and your partner became less romantic but you are determined not to give up so you do everything to bring back the spark. Ultimately, the two of you fix things because you learned you are meant for each other.

- [ ] Complete painter extraordinaire aspiration

- [ ] Join the painter career and quit after marriage

- [ ] Marry a politician

- [ ] Have 3 children

- [ ] Master painting skill

- [ ] Master parenting skill

- [ ] Win back your partner

Gen 10 - Midnights

Color: Dark blue

Song inspirations: Maroon, Midnight Rain

Aspiration: Master Actor

Traits: Ambitious, Self-assured, perfectionist

Story: You move to the Big City to become an actress. You are driven and would do anything to make your dreams come true. Being a Global Superstar was priority number one so when you meet and fall in love with someone nice you found that it was distracting you from your dreams so you break their heart and move to Del Sol Valley. You never fall in love again and never have a family but you got what you ultimately wanted.

- [ ] Complete Master Actor Aspiration

- [ ] Move to the city

- [ ] Become an actress

- [ ] Break someone’s heart

- [ ] Move to Del Sol Valley

- [ ] Master Acting Skill

- [ ] Master Charisma Skill

- [ ] Master Fitness Skill

- [ ] Become a global superstar

[th3-0bjectivist]

The Great Unlearning, and the ruined Tri-Towers in the Ash

In the western center of Atma’Zae, the bent and skeletal remains of what was once a city of higher learning lies abandoned, broken and cursed under a hazy and poisoned sky. Those that dare to gaze upon the remnants of the Ash Crossroads speak of the sight of gloriously colorful and enigmatic ruins. Stabbing ever skyward, three decimated towers still arise from the embers of a capital city which was contaminated by volcanic powder and shook by a series of earthquakes not but four decades previously. These are the Towers of Magick, Industry, and Insight. Now resting in the desolate, nothingness of the Ash, the books of the Realm’s history are piled messily in fields of stacks below the Tri-Towers. It is rumored that so much as the delicate touch of one’s fingertips can turn these fields of books to hovering cinders, for their information is forbidden and forever better unlearned. Once known as Qraeto, this once-city is best left entirely evaded by travellers seeking to avoid the loss of their sanity, and their very lives.

The Tri-Towers once represented a delicate balance of illusion and devices, a place where the Ancient Gods first placed the Tomes of Foundation into a mound that became a great tower by men in the Enlightened Age. The southern and northern towers once represented the concentrated magic of the South, and the impressive and innovative industrial technology of the North. Written knowledge, and the application of this knowledge was vital to this city’s identity and was stored in the tallest and most ancient tower, the Tower of Insight. Only dedicated scholars, magickal bards, holy paladins and ethereal mages of the Realm were allowed access to study in the Tower of Insight. All through the Enlightened Age, cultures of the North and the South waged a cold and then hot war for control over the Realm. When this war reached its very peak, two twin-volcanoes thought to be inactive suddenly spewed molten lava and smoke. Mount Eden of the Northwest, and Mount Eve in the Southeast suddenly came to life once again, and covered the World in an ashen shroud that permanently concealed the Three Suns and the Moon.

The Ruins of Qraeto still sparkle, as the shattered stones and stained-glass ruins bend the light of the region’s aether into constantly changing neon hues that still make the city appear alive and active. Those that dare to amble through the Ash Crossroads have reported intense nightmares just before, during and months-after their journey through this region. To stay in this province for a mere fortnight is to go gradually mad, and then suffocate and perish beneath a visually stunning and toxic atmosphere. Over the millennia that defined the Age of Enlightenment, ten God-Kings and five God-Queens ruled the Realm, educated by great anthologies, technical manuscripts and magickal reference books of spells and incantations carefully stored and catalogued in the Tower of Insight. For when the Ancient Gods faded into irrelevance, and there were no longer any immortals to worship, humankind began to worship their own reflection. In that vanity and egocentricity, we were borne into current times, the Days of Ash.

The Remnants of Atma’Zae: The New and Once-Great Settlements of The World, After the Nemesis. Lore Entry # 2 (click here for art)

[fareehaandspaniards]

Oh so your baby squid hunter got a happy end too?? 🥺 Could you share more details?

Yes! To make a long story short, it's a Modern AU, but with a link to the past. I didn't think the idea through in detail, just a couple of things and the basis of it.

When I completed my playthrough of the game, the ascension of our own hunter gave me a great hope, for this is essentially the beginning of a new life for Yharnam as well, which they will now protect!

My idea was that a hunter (in my case, my Guillermo) has had his heart broken by the story of Old hunters, so as the Great One, he watches the passage of time - as Yharnam empties out completely, becomes a dead city, and then people - foreigners, settlers, and others - return there. Our new Great One simply watches the natural course of events, with only a little influence on people's fates to prevent something like previous Yharnam tragedy from happening. Eventually, most references to the Great Ones disappear from Yharnam again, knowledge of the Blood and Eyes is lost, and normal life begins again. Laurence's theory of healing Blood is preserved in passages of his manuscripts, so in part people use it in medicine, but it becomes something commonplace rather than innovative. The new generation doesn't know about insight.

And eventually, after so 400-500 years, Yharnam becomes more or less a modern city similar to our reality. (Modern world + ancient beliefs + old medicine)

In our hunter's soul there is still sorrow for the past times and for the people who died. The souls of many of them have remained untamed and have found no rest, and the New Great One decides, as it was in your post, to give them a second chance! The souls of hunters, scientists are reborn in the new reality, the only difference is that most of those who were separated by years - now exist in the same time and have a small difference in age, about 10 years or so (for example, Edgar in my interpretation was 26 when he died in a Nightmare of Mensis, Micolash was 43, and Damian was 55. In the new version, Edgar could be 18 y.o., Micolash - 24, and Damian - 29 y.o.)

Guillermo himself also takes on the guise of a human being to observe the new lives of his charges, who take on roles in their new lives that are similar to their past! And many hobbies they have retained even after death lol

But because people are incorrigible, something strange starts to happen again, because they are all in one way or another drawn to the forbidden, the secret, and even delighted when they find references to themselves in the past (only they don't know it's themselves)

The task of our Great One, however, is to prevent a new apocalypse from happening, but to do it as a human being - affecting them spiritually and physically.

This is my seedling! And a couple ideas for this AU:

Micolash is a DnD fan, this I know absolutely, though I've never done such a thing myself xD I even had a sketch of him with glasses and braces, I think he'd be a typical “nerd” that no one would take seriously at first until his creepy weirdness and calm attitude towards dismembered bodies is revealed… yeah… ahahaha…..

In this AU, it seems to me that Edgar could be his best friend and support, and they would both be consumed by the idea of unearthing the remains of an ancient civilization near Yharnam

Ludwig has a big Saint Bernard living with him:

And Logarius has this LOL:

(I really wanted to do a headcanon post on which character would get which pet, but Ludwig and Logarius' dogs are too firmly embedded in my head xDD They fit them xDD)

This AU has titles like Duke, Earl, etc., and Annalise would have been born into a wealthy ducal family, but would have found herself in university with the rest of the characters.

Logarius is a religious fanatic and a member of a blood cult. These are just facts, but I haven't thought about them yet.

Tomb Prospectors, Old Hunters - basically most of them become students at the new university in new Yarnam! But the ones like Damian, Valtr, Ludwig, Willem, for example, are still older than the rest. And Damian is still trying to patronize Micolash and keep him from getting hooked on drugs.

Gremia is a local criminal and hooligan who asks to help Damian with his studies and learn manners from him (I made up a whole romantic story there xd)

Laurence and Rom will definitely get married in this AU

Caryll can walk! Since there was no injection of the Great Ones' blood for him, he has very poor health, but is not limited in movement. And he would most likely be the lever that would have been the one out of everyone reaching for the Great Ones again. He's an empath and would have been led by the voices straight to the Hunter-Great One

Anything else is hard to remember! Honestly, I've left this idea in the “closet”. If it's to be taken seriously, it'll have to be done later and paired with someone else.

AND I forgot to mention that everything will end fine! They all will find peace, happy life (In their special ways) and say sorry to each other.

[gorbalsvampire]

𝖃𝕴𝕴𝕴 𝕿𝖆𝖑𝖊𝖘 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝕱𝖊𝖚𝖉𝖆𝖑 𝕭𝖔𝖍𝖊𝖒𝖎𝖆

𝔄𝔠𝔱 ℑℑℑ, 𝔰𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔢 𝔦𝔦𝔦

Our story smash cuts across the city, to the catacombs beneath Josefov. In those hallowed depths, Mariam and Marsillius have passed a day away - and it's a good thing she stayed, 'cause otherwise he'd have woken up to Othelio her brother standing over his monkish little self with a headsman's axe and a grin.

Marsillius wanted to return to St. Lawrence and ask his sire about the Prophet Octavio. Mariam was hung up on that document - the treatise that had been hidden in the late rabbi Zachary's desk. Why was that left pristine when everything else was trashed? Was the scroll a plant? Was this, and I quote a player here, "some sort of King In Yellow thing, where you read the scroll and start simping for Shaagra?"

But first, Mariam needed to hunt. The Nosferatu had built their lair around an underground stream, and it happened that one end of that stream broke the surface near the edge of the Quarter and the city walls - a good spot to leave contraband, if contraband you had to leave. So it was tonight: a woman named Ruth was there to collect her sealed keg of FORBIDDEN BREAD! Yes, it's another leavened bread crime, and Mariam's Herd is clearly a small ring of Bread Criminals that she's allowing to continue their business so she always has someone to "punish."

The two Cainites made their way to St. Lawrence's for a conversation with Garinol, which would be cut off at some stage by the return of the novices from vespers - Garinol's chamber being above the dormitory. Marsillius confessed to his sire that he may have been mistaken about Vysehrad - but Mariam came to his defence, saying they did learn something, quite a lot of somethings in fact. She asked Garinol about the treatise: had he read it, did he still have it, had it... was it actually in Zachary's handwriting?

Garinol, like Prince Brandl in the previous session, had a Discipline that was relevant here, and I asked another of those questions to see how far he should push his pool: "how keen are we here?" It was deemed pretty central to investigations, so with an effort of will Garinol completed the puzzle, using The Spirit's Touch on the treatise and coming to understand why Zachary had hidden it.

He'd been writing it for Garinol - they were sharing perspectives on life and afterlife, as part of a grand necromantic project of which Garinol could not speak - but it also happened to serve Octavio's ends, the Prophet having called on the rabbi some ten years prior for insights into the unwritten laws of Heaven. What Octavio wanted was some way of cheating Shaagra out of her entombment - she hadn't chosen to hide beneath a building her grandchilder couldn't enter at all! The Basilica had been raised to contain her.

Mariam, her eyes wide, started to wonder if the prophecy the Tzimisce were following had come from Octavio - if the Malkavian was playing them as well. It became clear that finding Octavio was paramount. Perhaps they could track him somehow... perhaps Alzbeta would know something, with that strange Malkavian insight?

But first, Marsillius had to check on Christof. He'd asked the knight to do a deed for him, after all, and also he was hornt hungry. They came on Christof shirtless and going through his broadsword drills (in sooth). Once he'd dressed himself and bumbled through an apology, explaining that he had the inscription from St. Vitus' but had also been thrown out for asking if he could simply take the relic, and had a historygasm among the tombs of the old Dukes of Prague, and also - did Marsillius know how like him the Archbishop looked? The semblance is uncanny - older, and meaner of cast, and lacking a beard, but...

We broke down for a while here, as @friends-of-beetlejuice confronted with horror the idea that Octavio had been impersonating the Archbishop all along. I almost regret that I'd already decided where Octavio was, and that Christof had met the Archbishop in the daytime, because that was a good twist. Questions were asked about the age of Sister Berta, too - was she secretly Marsillius' mother?

While Marsillius and Christof had another of their extremely heterosexual and godly moments, Mariam excused herself and went out into the orchards of Petrin Hill, where she encountered none other than Theodericus, coming up the hill to consult with Marsillius! This was largely an opportunity for the player who was in the last session to fill in the player who wasn't - but it did leave the three Cainites able to make their plan.

Mariam was going to scour the Jewish ghetto, pulling every string she normally yanked to hunt. Theodericus and Marsillius were going to consult the Cainites in the best place to know exactly when the Basilica was built and for what purpose, and what had transpired the last time Octavio visited Prague, and where he might be now - the Brujah of the Old Town. After all, Ecaterina claims to be a Carthaginian - that makes her the oldest active Cainite in town. And if she knows not - Cosmas is the chronicler who wrote the definitive history of the Bohemian people, alive and undead. One of them must have a clue, right?

We pre-rolled this bit. I'm not sure when we'll be able to roll again - the players have very incompatible schedules over the next few weeks, and while at least two of us are free on any given game night, this feels like something nobody should miss. We'll need to talk about that.

[dangerously-human]

Two things that struck me, rereading all of Marissa's monologuing in the final battle:

The fact that she's monologuing at all, and just how much time she wastes doing it, stands out, especially when Ezekiel calls her on it and tries to hurry things along. But unlike a lot of villain monologues, that serve as thin cover for sort of sloppy infodumping and poorly paced reveals, Marissa's actually reveals something about her character. She is so enamored with her own cleverness, and she's been so deeply drawn into evil by the siren song of forbidden knowledge. She tries to offer that "above it all" insight to Lucy, and is outraged when Lucy dismisses it for the unnecessary wickedness it is. Lucy does not wish for nor fear death, contrary to Marissa's claims in their verbal sparring. Instead, she has accepted it, and has no desire to subvert the natural order or stick her nose in where it does not belong. Marissa may have unique knowledge, but Lucy has true wisdom, and that's far more valuable. (Anti-Gnostic themes, my beloved!!)

I snickered a little at Marissa's grand ambition being so limited to London, like she can't see any bigger world than that. But you know, that actually works so well; I am impressed with Stroud's grasp of scope here. For one thing, while the question of how far the Problem has truly spread remains unanswered, it makes perfect sense that London would remain the epicenter, that Marissa couldn't have spread her interference that far, certainly not to the same degree, in only fifty years. More importantly, one of my pet peeves in storytelling is all the constant one-upping and raising the stakes too far, so you lose all sense of scale and our heroes' stake in the conflict ceases to have any meaning. Spiderman claiming Queens as his turf has heart; the Avengers trying to save all of New York makes sense, ish, even if they don't all have a personal connection to it; but once we were looking at worlds and universes, the emotional impact was blunted. Marissa's set her sights on one city, and that city is beloved home to our protagonists: this sets the tension right, and it leaves the conflict solvable by the means the narrative has laid out.

[the-boobrie-dude]

The line from the hint that caught my eye the most was “it's not my secret to share”

Everyone thinks it's going to be a short story but I think book ten is still going to be released but maybe in dual pov like now Shannon did with 8.5

We also get the subtle mention of Rex and him being talentless as well as Keefe’s new ability I think we are going to see the talentless come into play somehow I'm this book and see Keefws powers restored.

Maybe Ro is going to have insight in this book as well because she has been gone.

Possibly the forbidden cities has a bigger role in this book.

Lastly the page ended with Sophie giving Dex an ultimatum of tell her what's going on so she can react I wonder if Sophie will either face an ultimatum in this book and or become more harsh towards those around her and start acting on the threats/ getting back at the neverseen.

[your7oxygen]

5 Iconic Architectural Landmarks

Five Iconic Buildings and Their Significance

Throughout history, architectural landmarks have served as symbols of human ingenuity, cultural expression, and artistic achievement. These structures not only reflect the architectural styles of their times but also stand as enduring testaments to the creativity and ambition of their creators. Here, we explore five of the most iconic architectural landmarks in the world, each with its own unique significance.

1. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

The Sagrada Familia is perhaps most renowned for its association with the legendary Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí’s visionary interpretation of Gothic architecture, combined with elements of Art Nouveau, makes the Sagrada Familia a truly unique masterpiece. Though construction began in 1882, the cathedral remains unfinished, with efforts underway to complete it by 2026, marking the centenary of Gaudí’s death. Gaudí’s influence is evident throughout Barcelona, and visitors to the city are encouraged to explore his other works as well.

2. Taj Mahal, Agra, India

The Taj Mahal, a stunning white marble mausoleum, was commissioned in the mid-17th century by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal is one of the most revered architectural marvels in the world, celebrated for its intricate design and breathtaking symmetry. In addition to the Taj Mahal, visitors should also explore the nearby Agra Fort, which offers spectacular views of the Taj Mahal and provides a deeper insight into the rich history of the Mughal Empire.

3. Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France

The Palace of Versailles, located just outside Paris, served as the primary residence of French royalty from 1682 until the French Revolution in 1789. This opulent palace is famous for its lavish architecture, expansive gardens, and the iconic Hall of Mirrors. Versailles is easily accessible from Paris and offers various tour options, including a visit to the King’s Bedchamber, the State Apartments, and the historic collection of royal carriages. A stroll through the palace gardens is a must for any visitor.

4. Forbidden City, Beijing, China

The Forbidden City in Beijing was the imperial palace of China during the Ming and Qing dynasties. As one of the most significant cultural landmarks in China, the Forbidden City consists of nearly 1,000 buildings, each steeped in history. The Palace Museum now manages the complex, offering visitors a chance to explore exhibitions showcasing artifacts from the Ming and Qing periods. It is essential to purchase tickets online in advance due to government regulations.

5. Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia

Located in the heart of Moscow, Saint Basil’s Cathedral is often mistaken as part of the Kremlin, but it actually stands just outside the Kremlin walls on Red Square. Commissioned by Tsar Ivan the Terrible in 1561, the cathedral’s distinctive onion domes and vibrant colors make it one of the most recognizable examples of Russian architecture. Although affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, the cathedral is state property, offering tours nearly every day of the year for visitors to experience its historical and cultural significance.

These five architectural landmarks are not only physical structures but also cultural treasures that have stood the test of time. Each landmark tells a story of the people who built them, the societies they served, and the artistic and engineering marvels they represent. Visiting these iconic buildings offers a glimpse into the rich tapestry of human history and the enduring legacy of architectural brilliance

[hangelbel]

Beijing, the vibrant capital of China, is a city steeped in rich history and culture, offering a plethora of tourist attractions that cater to every interest. Visitors staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Beijing are in for a treat, as they are conveniently located near some of the city's most iconic landmarks and must-see destinations.

One of the top attractions near the Grand Hyatt Hotel is the legendary Forbidden City, a sprawling palace complex that served as the imperial palace for centuries. Visitors can explore the ornate halls, grand courtyards, and lush gardens of this UNESCO World Heritage site, gaining insight into China's imperial past.

Just a short distance from the Grand Hyatt is Tiananmen Square, one of the largest public squares in the world and a symbolic heart of modern China. Here, visitors can see important sites such as the Monument to the People's Heroes and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, as well as take in the grandeur of the imposing Tiananmen Gate.

For those interested in Chinese art and culture, the nearby National Museum of China offers a treasure trove of artifacts spanning thousands of years of history. From ancient ceramics and scroll paintings to modern works of art, the museum provides a fascinating glimpse into China's diverse cultural heritage.

Nature lovers will also find plenty to enjoy near the Grand Hyatt Hotel, with the lush greenery of Jingshan Park just a short walk away. This peaceful oasis offers stunning views of the Forbidden City and a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Beijing provides the perfect opportunity to explore the city's top tourist attractions, from historic landmarks to cultural treasures, ensuring an unforgettable experience for visitors of all interests.

[robotnik-mun]

I've been thinking more on Ken's Echidna Lore as of late, and I really think that the Knuckles comic might have worked better if Echidnaopolis wasn't as technologically advanced.

I say this for a few reasons. For one I think that Echidnaopolis being not some utopian future world would allow for two things- It gives the Dark Legion more of a motive and it also makes them more of a threat. Think about it. Knuckles finding a whole society of Echidnas who have been sealed away and are now suddenly in the middle of whats now a battleground adds tention and stakes to the plot. Knuckles (and by extention the Chaotix) now have to protect these people from an emposing threat with lots of numbers and weapons.

Which also fixes another issue I took with those stories in how the Dark Legion doesn't really have a motive besides "bad guys". Echidnaopolis already is technologically advanced. If they weren't the DL would actually have an apparent cause.

To conclude with these changes the comic would maybe be less "melodramtic drama with contradicting themes/messages". Have it be about a rag-tag group having to protect a civilization once thought to be lost.

(And thats not getting into characters and how Another easy fix would be to make the Brotherhood be a morally grey third party manipulating things from the shadows, but this is already long enough as it is. )

If you have read this far through my incoherrant ramblings, godspeed.

Yeah, pretty much. It's been observed multiple times that the Guardian-Legion conflict, as presented, comes off as a load of nonsense given that Echidnapolis is a modern city with high technology and all that jazz and as such you'd think the Legion wouldn't really have any reason to keep invading beyond spite at this point. The closet we ever get to the absurdity of it all comes from the observation that Echidnapolis' ruling council decides what pieces of technology can be re-introduced, and the multiple times its been brought up that the Guardians use Forbidden Technologies themselves.

Of course, nothing really comes of any of that, and Penders' emphasis on the idea of this being a war of philosophies just highlights how absurd it all is the longer it goes on. Not because that's the POINT, but because of how sloppy the writing and worldbuilding is. He'd have been better off just leaving it at "They were pissed off at being forced to live in the Twilight Zone and want Revenge."

You're correct that Echidapolis being a less high tech place might've given more incentive to see Knuckles and friends protecting it from harm in a more active way. That said, one approach I've seen with regards to the Legion thing is that it's not Pro-Tech vs Anti-Tech, but more like "Pro-Limitiation vs No-Limitations". Echidnapolis, thanks to the Enerjak incident, now has a very conservative mindset regarding technological progress and how it impacts the Echidna people. The LEgion by contrast would see things as "Progress No Matter What Damn The Consequences"... for them its not a matter of asking "SHOULD we replace our bodies with non-medically neccessary cybernetics" and more a question of "How MUCH of my body can I replace and how soon?", and them basically deciding they're going to force everyone to see how correct they are regardless of what people actually feel about the matter.

Of course, all of that would rely on a degree of insight and nuance that Penders couldn't manage if his life depended on it. Whatever merits his ideas have, they're always going to be hampered by Penders himself.

[edisonblog]

Realism in Portugal was a literary and artistic movement that reached its peak between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. It was a reaction to romanticism, seeking to portray reality in a more objective and critical way.

Eça de Queirós is one of the most prominent names of this period. His work, such as "Os Maias" and "O Crime do Padre Amaro", reflects Portuguese society at the time, criticizing aspects such as the decadence of the aristocracy, the conservatism of the church and political corruption.

Realism in Portugal also extended to other forms of artistic expression, such as painting. Artists like José Malhoa portrayed everyday life, with a more objective and less idealized look.

This movement played a crucial role in the modernization of literature and art in Portugal, influencing later generations of writers and artists.

"O Crime do Padre Amaro" is one of the most important works by Portuguese writer Eça de Queirós, published in 1875. The book is a scathing critique of Portuguese society at the time, addressing themes such as religious hypocrisy, morality, corruption and the decadence of society .

The plot revolves around Father Amaro, an idealistic young priest who goes to work in a city in the interior of Portugal. There, he becomes romantically involved with the young Amélia, a devout and naive woman. The forbidden relationship between a priest and a woman is the central point of the plot and is explored from the perspective of religious and social hypocrisy.

Eça de Queirós uses the love story between the priest and Amélia to expose the moral values of society at the time, highlighting corruption in the church, false morality and the contradictions between religious precepts and human conduct. The narrative is a profound and insightful critique of the morality of 19th century Portuguese society.

"O Crime do Padre Amaro" is considered one of the masterpieces of Realism in Portugal and one of Eça de Queirós' most significant contributions to Portuguese literature, for his social criticism and his insightful analysis of the human and social contradictions of the time.

edisonmariotti

.br

O Realismo em Portugal foi um movimento literário e artístico que teve seu auge entre o final do século XIX e o início do século XX. Ele foi uma reação ao romantismo, buscando retratar a realidade de forma mais objetiva e crítica.

Eça de Queirós é um dos nomes mais proeminentes desse período. Sua obra, como "Os Maias" e "O Crime do Padre Amaro", reflete a sociedade portuguesa da época, criticando aspectos como a decadência da aristocracia, o conservadorismo da igreja e a corrupção política.

O Realismo em Portugal também se estendeu para outras formas de expressão artística, como a pintura. Artistas como José Malhoa retrataram a vida quotidiana, com um olhar mais objetivo e menos idealizado.

Esse movimento teve um papel crucial na modernização da literatura e da arte em Portugal, influenciando gerações posteriores de escritores e artistas.

"O Crime do Padre Amaro" é uma das obras mais importantes do escritor português Eça de Queirós, publicada em 1875. O livro é uma crítica contundente à sociedade portuguesa da época, abordando temas como hipocrisia religiosa, moralidade, corrupção e a decadência da sociedade.

A trama gira em torno do padre Amaro, um jovem sacerdote idealista que vai trabalhar em uma cidade do interior de Portugal. Lá, ele se envolve romanticamente com a jovem Amélia, uma mulher devota e ingênua. O relacionamento proibido entre um padre e uma mulher é o ponto central do enredo e é explorado sob a ótica da hipocrisia religiosa e social.

Eça de Queirós usa a história de amor entre o padre e Amélia para expor os valores morais da sociedade da época, destacando a corrupção na igreja, a falsa moralidade e as contradições entre os preceitos religiosos e a conduta humana. A narrativa é uma crítica profunda e perspicaz à moralidade da sociedade portuguesa do século XIX.

"O Crime do Padre Amaro" é considerado uma das obras-primas do Realismo em Portugal e uma das contribuições mais significativas de Eça de Queirós para a literatura portuguesa, por sua crítica social e por sua análise perspicaz das contradições humanas e sociais da época. @edisonblog

[sterlester]

#DoctorDonnathon Part 1 - Call To Adventure

    On Friday 13th October 2023 I had a surprising email in my inbox. I'd entered the BBC's free competitions and ticket lotteries before, including a failed attempt at their Doctor Who Concert in September (as well as a wonderful evening at the Eden Project celebrating Cornish wildlife with Sue Perkins' Radio Four show Nature Table). So opening this invitation to the Series Four #DoctorDonnathon in London was a delight. At the time I had little idea what this actually meant, only that as a devoted Whovian (yes I like the term) I needed to go. As a Cornish Whovian, however, this meant this decision had a few caveats. How would I get there? Where would I stay? Would there be ample cream tea breaks?!

    These questions hung over me, and as my personal calendar started to fill with other events and work, I felt more and more pressured over this opportunity. Sure, I have watched Series Four many times before, and at the end of November would be able to do so from home with the newest remastering available, but when was the last time I ever watched Doctor Who with an audience? One of my most treasured Whovian memories was watching City Of Death for the first time at the BFI for the Blu Ray release of Season Seventeen, and it was an INCREDIBLE experience. Seeing that wonderful adventure with fresh eyes with a welcoming crowd of enthusiasts made for an unforgettable experience (let alone the presence and insight of actor Julian Glover), but Series Four? What new lens could this endurance challenge of a screening grant me for the cost of travel and accommodation? At first I wondered if this viewing may be of the new remasterings, so I sent an email to the #DoctorDonnathon team, but understandably this technical question went unanswered. Even if it was, would seeing that on the big screen a few weeks before my copy arrived justify the 600 mile-round trip?

    I sat and thought about where I was when this series first aired. Stand out memories from this time of airing include the agony of the two week break between Unicorn And The Wasp and Silence In The Library due to Eurovision, being blown away by Midnight with my cousin at my Grans, the weeklong speculation on TARDIS Wiki between The Stolen Earth and Journey's End, and sitting alone at a friend's birthday party watching Donna's memory be wiped. I also thought about the COVID-19 watchalongs, with the following of Russell T. Davies' tweets about The Stolen Earth/Journey's End being a particular highlight. Would the #DoctorDonnathon improve upon these memories and further enrich my appreciation for this stellar series?

    With those thoughts in mind, I decided that the trip simply wasn't worth it. I love Doctor Who, and this month is going to be FILLED with excitement, anticipation and surprises - I didn't need any more. As I was writing my email to the team to decline the invitation, however, I thought back on my City Of Death viewing. Was it really the experience of seeing a new episode that made that day special? We are lucky enough to be living at a time when RTD has all but guaranteed new Doctor Who annually for the next few years, and every time I watch a new episode it is always an event regardless of the final outcome. But that viewing was special for another reason - the fans. I have friends who watch Doctor Who down here - friends I can talk to about the show for a good two minutes at a time. My best mate and my cousin can both hold fort for a while, and I love them both dearly aside for their passion for nerdiness, but I worry I bore them to a degree. But Doctor Who FANS are exceptional. I remember standing in line at Forbidden Planet in April 2018 to meet RTD and Steven Moffat and having so many great discussions with fellow Whovians (yes I'm sticking with it). I remember meeting Dominic G. Martin outside the BFI and taking a selfie with him after commending him on his cosplay and new producing role on the Peladon set with Big Finish. I remember sending a message of thanks to Fio Trethewey during the first virtual Quiz of Rassilon for their awesome artistic contributions to the fandom (including their brilliant badges which I have several of), and since then have had the joy of following their transition journey online (congratulations on the recent surgery if you ever see this!)

    Simply put - Doctor Who fans are awesome. Worth any journey. And if it takes having to sit through one of the best runs of Doctor Who episodes in a row to have to spend time with them, then I guess I'll have to do just that.

    See you on November 4th!

Cornish TARDIS #DoctorDonnathon

(Picture from the City Of Death screening at the BFI in 2018 - thanks Dominic!)

@doctorwho