#Johann appreciation week

[crystallizedkingdoms]

The Peacemaker pt. 3/3

The final performance. An aubade.

wc: 509, 17 panels || 1 2 3

The Birds in this fic are: Stay. Please. With me.

day 6 of @johann-appreciation-week. thank you to @avijohann for the art. finally, at the end. apologies for the spam hakdjalajsk

[avijohann]

The Protector

My entry for @johann-appreciation-week day 4 i was too tired to upload yesterday.

I really like @crystallizedkingdoms's entry for this, please read it:

[motherfuckingmagicbrian]

Johann Appreciation Week part three let’s goooooooooooooooo

The Lover: The Animus Bell

Bells are signals of beginnings and ends. They ring for births, weddings, and funerals. Strike the hours and call people to meetings. At least that’s what they were used for on their home world. It seemed to change, like most things, from place to place. One plane they would be symbols of good luck and in the next they were dark omens.

At the conservatory they were really only ever used for music. It’s where this whole idea started. Johann was (unfortunately) going through a percussion phase. He learned that the act of creating a bell was far harder than it seems. Such a delicate sound is made by smithing or casted metal. What he found while he hammered silver in a hot smithy was a pair of love. Had he had more time, more then a year, he would have learned to make many other types of instruments. Ideally at least some sort of luthier experience.

There is something particular about creating the very thing you use to make music. It becomes an extension of you. It becomes an expression of love. Every hammer stroke on silver, every shaving etched out for a design, blood sweat and tears combined. You do not create without feeling. You create what you feel. Of course not everything you create will be good but neither is everything you feel.

A creation of love, to be used to lovingly create. What could go wrong?

[my-deer-history]

Francis Kinloch in the Müller-Bonstetten letters: Part 1

Here is the first batch of translated instances where Francis Kinloch is mentioned in letters written to Karl Viktor von Bonstetten by Johannes von Müller, a gay Swiss historian who Kinloch lived with while studying in Geneva. Throughout this period (early 1775 onwards), Müller is attempting to write his history of Switzerland, and the American colonies are starting to actively rebel against England.

The original letters were mostly written in German (source), with some translated later into French (source). I have transcribed and translated most of the mentions, but there's quite a lot, so I'm going to divide this into several posts. (@john-laurens - enjoy!)

My translations below, with the German and/or French transcripts under the cut. As always, corrections and improvements are greatly appreciated!

10 March 1775

I advance in the sciences; you love me, because I do you; Kinloch, who gives away his heart so sparingly, addresses his letters to the beloved of my heart,* and we see each other daily [...] When I am by Kinloch’s side at Bonnet’s, and spend an hour talking with him, I am happy and cheerful; thus, says the Quran, does a lightning bolt suddenly illuminate the darkest of nights, but the shadow becomes darker after him.

*This follows a mention in an earlier undated 1775 letter that Kinloch asserted he needed at least one year before he could call anyone "friend". Clearly it happened in a matter of weeks here.

18 Aug 1775

…and Kinloch’s questions made me more aware of many points of our constitutions, especially our lack of political arithmeticians. […] Keep well. Kinloch will write to you soon.

21 Aug 1775

If cruel fate separates Kinloch from me, I will hope to have 25 to 30 louis more per year, with which I will be able to carry out this plan of study by spending the summer months in some of the cantons.

23 Aug 1775

I also do not have time [in this letter] to continue my observations along the mark, the Zurich lake, into the drawing rooms of Füsslin, Heidegger, Gessner, Hirzel, Bodmer, etc., nor to assure you sufficiently of Gessner’s friendship; nor to tell you how much I augment my knowledge of Helvetia [Switzerland], and with what pleasure I read Livius with Kinloch; nor to paint Kinloch’s enthusiasm* for you, and his anger with me because it has been so long since I wrote to you; nor my irreconcilable hatred for you, B. To declare to you in very thunderous and defeating expressions that, contrary to your word and honour, despite my repeated requests in the name of the holiest friendship, you have committed the atrocious crime of not writing me any letters to this day. Write to me today, therefore!

*The archaic meaning of the German Enthusiasmus is more along the lines of fervour, inspiration, or passionate feeling than the modern “enthusiasm” suggests.

“Thursday” [1775]*

We are waiting at present for a letter from Mr Boone, which will inform us whether we, Kinloch and I, may travel together in France, or if I must stay where I am. In the latter case, I will quietly await some opportunity to travel with an Englishman, which would let me see Europe and fix me some income. If Mr Boone and other friends do not find anyone, I will go to England with K at around the end of next year and I will not leave him even if he goes to America.

*The exact dating of this letter is unclear, but it is placed here in the source. 

Wednesday, Dec 1775

At this very moment, Kinloch is writing a letter to Mr Boone, which might influence my future destination. If I cannot live as I had hoped, according to what I have told you, I would hope that in the case that I must spend my life in solitude, that I may share yours; but that is the way to live!

26 Dec 1775

I find myself in the midst of great doubts. Kinloch cannot stay here past the end of March; we are waiting for letters from England to inform us whether we have enough money to travel together. The American matters make it very uncertain. And even when this journey is over, this unrest will hinder us from carrying out many projects. And now also comes the newly confirmed expedition against Carolina. In this land, so say the letters, is everything in such disarray, that reason has completely lost its power, all courts have decided that no law shall be enforced anymore, all the stations have mixed together, and the clergy preach nothing but rebellion. And the rebellious faction is so powerful that they have decided to send all women and children into the interior of the country, to burn the whole city of Charlestown to ash, and to fight the English over its ruins. Imagine Kinloch’s heart, and his noble mother in this horrid land, fleeing, exposed to all the malice of the soldiers, all the bouts of depredation, hunger and shortages of all kinds. It is very possible that Kinloch himself will lose everything, that his plantations will be laid waste. Imagine for yourself what we must think and feel about all of this. 

9 Jan 1776

We have letters from England that confirm the degree to which the entire coast of the North American sea is given to flames and devastation; they also state that the fleet against Carolina has already sailed. Kinloch and I have developed a project for our destination, which will, in all likelihood, be carried out for our shared benefit. At the beginning of April, my friend will go to France to a provincial town; I will go to Genthod to the wise men (these we, i.e. those from Genthod and I, are still keeping a secret at this time on account of certain people). Towards autumn, I will go to Marseille or Lyon, find Kinloch there, go with him to Rome and from there through Tyrol and Bavaria down into the Netherlands, right to the sea. In this way, I will be able to complete most of my material collecting in the summer and have an educational and enjoyable winter. And beyond that? you will ask me. Within one year, it will become clear if America is still inhabitable, if Lord North is still prime minister, if Kinloch will settle in England or America. We will decide accordingly.

19 Feb 1776

Your letters always bring me great pleasure, but it has been a long time since any letter or occurrence has caused me as much pleasure as your second-to-last one did. Your eloquence is Demosthenic when friendship has inspired you, but your heart is full of the greatest and noblest virtues. Bonnet and Kinloch felt a real enthusiasm for you. I however am more determined than ever to follow your advice. [Lists several of his good fortunes.] Mr Bonnet, Mrs Bonnet and Kinloch and all my best friends, besides philosophy and politics - to whom do I owe all of these? Ask yourself!

10 March 1775

In den Wissenschaften schreite ich fort; Sie lieben mich, wie ich Sie; Kinloch, der so karg sein Herz versschenkt, addressirt seine Billets to the beloved of my heart, und wir sehen uns täglich [...]  An der Seite Kinlochs bei Bonnet, und nun ich eine Stunde mich mit Ihnen unterhalten, bin ich glücklich und heiter; so, sagt der Koran, erleuchtet ein Blitzstrahl plötzlich die dickste der Nächte, aber die Finsfterniß wird dicker nach ihm.

18 Aug 1775

Les questions de Kinloch ont fixé plus particulièrement mon attention sur plusieurs points de nos constitutions, et m'ont fait sentir surtout combien nous manquons d'habiles calculateurs politiques. […] Adieu, mon ami: Kinloch vous écrira bientôt.

…auch haben Kinlochs Fragen mich auf eine Menge Punkte unserer Verfassungen, besonders auf unsre Armuth an politischen Arithmetikern aufmerksamer gemacht [...]  Gehab dich wohl. Kinloch 

21 Aug 1775

Si mon mauvais sort me sépare de Kinloch, je souhaiterais avoir par an 25 à 30 louis de plus pour me mettre à portée de réaliser ce plan d'étude en passant l'été dans quelques Cantons.

Wenn das harte Schicksal Kinloch von mir trennt, so wünsche ich mir jährlich 25—30 Louis d'ors, mit denselben würde ich in einigen Kantonen in den Sommermonaten diesen Plan ausführen können

23 Aug 1775

Je n'ai pas le temps non plus dé vous mener avec moi le long du lac de Zurich, dans les cabinets de Füsslin, de Heidegger, de Gessner, de Hirzel, de Bodmer, etc, ni de vous assurer tout au long de l'amitié de Gessner; ni de vous dire combien j'augmente mes connaissances sur l'Helvétie, et avec quel plaisir je lis Tite-Live avec Kinloch; ni de vous peindre l'enthousiasme de Kinloch pour vous, et sa colère contre moi parce que j'ai été si longtemps sans vous écrire; ni enfin de vous déclarer dans les termes les plus foudroyants une haîne irréconciliable, parce qu'au mépris de votre parole d'honneur, de mes prières et de notre amitié, vous ne m'avez point encore écrit. Ecrivez-moi donc aujourd'hui même!

Aber die Zeit erlaubt mir nicht, meine Observationen durch die Mark, den Zürichersee hinunter, durch Füßlins, Heideggers, Geßners, Hirzels, Bodmers &c. &c. Zimmer fortzusetzen, noch Ihnen Geßners Freundschaft für Sie genug zu vermelden, oder meine Zunahme an helvetischen Kenntnissen oder mein Vergnügen über meine Lectur des Livius mit Kinloch, und Kinlochs Enthusiasmus für Sie und Zorn über mich, der ich Ihnen so lang nicht geschrieben, noch meinen unversöhnlichen Haß gegen Euch, B. Euch in recht donnernden und niederschlagenden Ausdrücken anzukündigen, da` Sie wider Wort und Ehre ungeachtet meiner wiederholten Bitten gegen die allerheiligste Freundschaft das gräuliche Verbrechen begangen haben, bis auf diesen Tag mir keinen Brief zu schreiben. So schreiben Sie mir dann heut noch!

“Thursday” [1775]

Nous attendons à présent une lettre de Mr. Boone qui nous apprendra si nous pouvons, Kinloch et moi, voyager ensemble en France, ou si je dois rester où je suis. Dans ce dernier cas j'attendrai paisiblement quelque occasion de voyager avec un Anglois, qui me feroit voir l'Europe et qui me fixeroit quelque rente. Si Mr. Boone et d'autres amis n'en trouvent point, j'irai en Angleterre avec K. sur la fin de l'année prochaine et je ne le quitterai pas même, quand it va en Amérique.

*written in French

Wednesday, Dec 1775

Dans ce moment même Kinloch écrit à Mr. Boone une lettre, qui influera peut-être sur ma destination future. Si je ne peux pas vivre comme je le souhaiterois, d'après ce que je Vous ai dit, je souhaiterois, que dans le cas, qu'il me fallut passer ma vie dans la solitude, je puisse partager la votre; mais le moyen de vivre!

26 Dec 1775

Gegenwärtig befinde ich mich in sehr großen Zweifeln. Länger als bis im Märzen kann Kinloch nicht hier bleiben; wir erwarten aus England Briefe, ob wir Geldes genug haben, mit einander zu reisen. Die amerikanischen Sachen machen es sehr ungewiß. Und wenn auch diese Reisen zu Ende find, so werden diese Unruhen uns an der Ausführung vieler Projekte hindern. Nun kommt noch die neulich beschlossene Expedition gegen Karolina. In diesem Land, wir haben Briefe, ist alles in solcher Unordnung, daß der Rath vollkommen seine Gewalt verloren, alle Gerichte beschlossen sind, kein Gesetz mehr vollstreckt wird, alle Stände sich vermengt haben, und die Geistlichen nichts als Aufruhr predigen. Auch ist die rebellische Faction so muthig, daß sie beschlossen haben, alle Weiber und Kinder ins innere Land zu versenden, die ganze Stadt Karlstown in Asche zu verwandeln, und über den Ruinen derselben sich mit den Engländern zu schlagen. Stellen Sie sich Kinlochs Herz vor, und seine edle Mutter in diesem fürchterlichen Land, in der Flucht, ausgesetzt allem Muthwillen der Soldaten, allen Anfällen der Verwüstung, dem Hunger und dem Mangel. Es ist sehr möglich, daß Kinloch selbst alles verliert, daß seine Pflanzungen verwüstet werden. Stellen Sie sich vor, was wir bei alledem denken und fühlen müssen.

9 Jan 1776

 Aus England haben wir Briefe, welche bestätigen, wasmaßen das ganze Ufer der nordamerikanischen See den Flammen und der Verwüstung gewidmet sey; auch sagen Sie, die Flotte gegen Karolina sey bereits abgesegelt. Kinloch und ich haben über unsre Bestimmung ein Project entworfen, welches allem Ansehen nach zu unserm gemeinschaftlichen Nutzen ausgeführt werden wird. Anfangs Aprillens geht mein Freund nach Frankreich in eine Provinzialstadt; ich nach Genthod zu den Weisen (dieses halten wir, d. i. die von Genthod und ich gewisser Leute wegen noch zur Zeit geheim). Gegen den Herbst gehe ich nach Marseille oder Lyon, finde daselbst Kinloch, gehe mit ihm nach Rom und von da durchs Tirol und Bayern hinunter in die Niederlande bis ans Meer. So werde ich diesen Sommer meine meisten Materialiensammlungen vollenden können und einen lehrreichen und `vergnügten Winter haben. Und was ferner? werden Sie mich fragen. In Jahresfrist wird es sich zeigen, ob Amerika noch wohnbar, ob Lord North noch Staatsminister sey, ob Kinloch sich in England oder in Amerika niederlassen werde. Accordingly werden wir uns entschließen.

19 Feb 1776

Vos lettres me font toujours grand plaisir mais aucune d'elles et en général, aucun événement ne m'a causé, depuis longtemps, un plaisir aussi vif que votre avant-dernière. Vous avez l'éloquence de Demosthène quand l'amitié vous inspire, et votre cœur est ce qu'il y a au monde de plus noble et de meilleur. Bonnet et Kinloch vous aiment avec enthousiasme, et moi, je suis plus déterminé que jamais à suivré en tout vos conseils. […] Mais, et Bonnet, et Mad. Bonnet, et Kinloch, et mes meilleurs amis, et les lumières que j'ai acquises en philosophie et en politique, à qui dois-je tout cela, mon ami? vous le savez.

Ihre Briefe machen mir immer sehr viel Vergnügen, aber seit langer Zeit hat kein Brief und keine Begebenheit mir so viel Freude verschafft, als Ihr vorletzter. Ihre Beredsamkeit ist Demosthenisch, wenn Sie von der Freundschaft begeistert sind, Ihr Herz aber der größten und edelsten Tugenden voll. Bonnet und Kinloch haben einen wahren Enthusiasmus für Sie gefühlt. Ich aber bin entschlossener, als noch Ihrem Rath zu folgen. [...] Hrn. Bonnet, Md. Bonnet und Kinloch und alle meine besten Freunde, nebst der Philosophie und Politik, wem bin ich alles schuldig? fragen Sie sich!

[th3-0bjectivist]

Dear listener, this will be my final musical post of this year and you know I’m gonna end it on an eternal banger. Godspeed to ALL my followers on Tumblr, happy holidays! Let’s have a great, and positive 24'. Fret thee not, I will be back with more tuneskis next year. That said, I’ve been commenting on classical music for the end of 23'. If you’re just joining me on my page I alluded to Bach and Vivaldi in previous weeks… along with a generous peppering of pejorative comments when I was describing myself listening to modern radio. Modern radio was the REASON I started listening to classical music again this year. Why? Because radio BLOWS. Actually, the programming blows and modern music SUCKS. Classical music on the other hand, for all its technological limitations and despite its clear crow’s feet, is at least quality music. Timeless even! So, for Christmas this year, let’s focus on the excellence of execution for music in the 1800’s, Johannes Brahms. Inventor of great individual and collectivized musical works, and the final exhibition in my three-part 23' classical showpiece. At the end of 24', join me for the likes of Mozart and Beethoven, but for now, smash play and enjoy the uniquely holiday and dream-time piece above. Recognize it? Thought you might, dear listener. For those of you who stay and read my little commentaries on these musical posts I really appreciate it. When you read them, you’re spending time with me in a way. Thanks for your time!

For his time, the mid to late 1800’s in Europe, Johannes Brahms became the tip of the spear in Germanic symphonies and sonatas. Writing something like two hundred songs in his lifetime, he started off in his young teens as a naturally talented pianist and played in inns and brothels around the docks of Hamburg to help his family generate money. For such humble beginnings, he also began composing his own music and performing concerts with other notable musicians such as Eduard Reményi. Through further networking, Brahms became closely associated with other virtuosos and composers like Joseph Joachim and Robert Schumann. Schumann helped boost Brahms’ career when his compositions were featured in a media periodical called Neue Zeitschrift für Musik. Now, I’m not gonna lie, this guy is not my favoite composer and if I’m being 100% honest, I think his symphonies are a little boring. A lot of it is just too lite and plodding for my taste. Don’t get me wrong, the man was a God among normal humans, but when it comes to personal taste, I prefer orchestral symphonies by the likes of Bach and Vivaldi. However, where I think Brahms’ truly excelled was in his original solo piano works, as he was truly a master of vastly intricate mechanisms and capable of very technical applications with music. He invented harmonies with an almost entirely different kind of emotional resonance than other contemporary classical artists; often using instruments to create a warm and introspective noise rather than a lot of the LOUD AND GALIVANTING classical music that you can find a lot of in the 1700’s. In the 1800’s, the tail end of the Romantic period, concerts and festival overtures were the Taylor Swift venues of the time, and the music of Brahms sold BIG in an international way. He also held the Masters of Composition that came before him in high regard, attempting to cling hard and fast to the idea of ‘absolute music’ (the idea being that music should carry no specific or primary meaning) like composers before him. This conservative view of music put him at odds with composers like Wagner, who wrote program music (introducing literary ideas, a subjective drama, an actual scene, etc). Brahms never married but had a few flings. He was known as being prickly and reserved with adults, but kind-hearted and warm around children. He also died of liver carcinoma in Vienna in the late 1800’s after nearly three decades serving as a musical director, principal conductor, educator and perhaps one of the most influential European composers of all-time.

I should also be diligent and let you know that his most concentrated and vital works came along after he began visiting Vienna around the 1860’s. His mother passed in 1865, and he afterward created German Requiem, which is widely considered to be a mass for the living. His works such as Hungarian Dances, Violin Concerto, Wiegenlied (also known as Lullaby or the Cradle Song), and his Piano Quintet were all generated in his later years from 1860 to 1885 or so, gimme a break folks I’m not a historian. It’s all about subtle movements with Brahms, or just his harmonic movement in general. On Christmas this year, or every year, consider coming back to this post and clicking on the Best of Brahms. Spend time and mend with family folks! One more musical post and then I need a long break. Enjoy! Image source: https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/latest/best-looking-composers-musicians/johannes-brahms/

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 8.28

Holidays

Bow Tie Day

Crackers Over the Keyboard Day

Criminal Appreciation Day

Crumbs Between the Keys Day

Dream Day Quest and Jubilee

828 Day

Emerati Women’s Day (UAE)

Emmett Till Day

End of the Fairy Tale Day

Giving Black Day (a.k.a. Give 828)

Goldenrod Day

Gone-ta-Pott Day [every 28th]

Grandparents’ Day (Mexico)

Green Shirt Guy Day

Higalaay Festival (Cagayan de Oro, Philippines)

I Have a Dream Day

International Read Comics in Public Day

Makaton International Awareness Day

Manifest 828 Day

Mariamoba (Republic of Georgia)

National Bow Tie Day

National Grandparents Day (Mexico)

Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (NHPI) Equal Pay Day

National Over It Day

National Power Rangers Day

National Sport Sampling Day

National Thoughtful Day

Nativity of Nephthys (Egyptian Goddess of Love)

Race Your Mouse Around the Icons Day

Radio Commercial Day

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Russian Germans Day (Germany)

Scientific American Day

Significant Historical Events Day

Speeding Ticket Day

Tan Suit Day

Tom Thumb Locomotive Day

Watermelon Day (French Republic)

World Day of Turners Syndrome

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Cheese Sacrifice Day

National Cherry Turnover Day

National Red Wine Day

New England Apple Day

Stuffed Green Bell Peppers Day

Subway Sandwich Day

Independence & Related Days

Holy Empire of Reunion (Declared; 1997) [unrecognized]

Kingdom Proclamation Day (Montenegro)

Luana (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Moldova (from USSR; 1991)

Ohio Empire (Declared; 2008) [unrecognized]

Popular Consultation Anniversary Day (East Timor)

4th & Last Wednesday in August

Hump Day [Every Wednesday]

La Tomatina (World’s Biggest Food Fight; Buñol, Spain) [4th Wednesday]

National Meals on Wheels Day (Australia) [Last Wednesday]

Tug-of-War Day [Last Wednesday]

Wacky Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Website Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Weird Wednesday [4th Wednesday of Each Month]

Whatever Wednesday [4th Wednesday of Each Month]

Whole Grain Wednesday [Last Wednesday of Each Month]

Willing-To-Lend-A-Hand Wednesday [Wednesday of Be Kind to Humankind Week]

Wishful Wednesday [Last Wednesday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning August 28 (4th Full Week of August)

Paralympic Summer Games (Paris, France) [thru 9.8]

Festivals Beginning August 28, 2024

Apollonia Festival of Arts (Sozopol, Bulgaria) [thru 9.7]

Best in the West Rib Cook-off (Sparks, Nevada) [thru 9.2]

Halifax Fringe Festival (Halifax, Canada) [thru 9.8]

Johnson County Fair (Clarksville, Arkansas) [thru 8.31]

La Tomatina (Buñol, Spain)

South Dakota State Fair (Huron, South Dakota) [thru 9.2]

Sweet Corn Festival (Millersport, Ohio) [thru 8.30]

Twin Falls County Fair and Magic Valley Stampede (Twin Falls County, Idaho) [thru 9.2]

Venice International Film Festival (Venice, Italy) [thru 9.7]

Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days (Walla Walla, Washington) [thru 9.1]

Feast Days

Alexander of Constantinople (Christian; Saint)

Andraste (Celtic Book of Days)

Assumption Day [Roman Catholic] (a.k.a. ... 

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Abkhazia)

Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Canada)

Feast of the Assumption (Christian)

Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Anglican)

Ferragosto (Italy)

Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God (Eastern Orthodox)

Mary, Mother of Our Lord (Lutheran)

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sacred Heart)

Augustine of Hippo (Christian; Saint) [brewers] *

Ayyankali Jayanti (Kerala, India)

Constant Troyon (Artology)

Edmund Arrowsmith (Christian; Saint)

Edward Burne-Jones (Artology)

Feast of the Mother of God (Georgia, Macedonia, Serbia)

Festival for Luna (Ancient Rome)

Festival for Sol (Ancient Rome)

Festival of the Neon Revolution

First Onam (Rice Harvest Festival; Kerala, India)

Frank Gorshin Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Hermes of Rome (Christian; Saint)

Jack Kirby (Artology)

Jack Vance (Writerism)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Writerism)

John Betjeman (Writerism)

Julian (Christian; Saint)

Junipero Serra (Christian; Saint)

Kanō Motonobu (Artology)

L. B. Cole (Artology)

Marimba (Virgin’s Assumption; Georgia)

Mariotte (Positivist; Saint)

Media Aestas III (Pagan)

Michael Craig-Martin (Artology)

More Rum Day (Pastafarian)

Morris Graves (Artology)

Moses the Black (Christian; Saint)

Norse Harvest Festival (Everyday Wicca)

Pebble Memento Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Rita Dove (Writerism)

Robertson Davies (Writerism)

Tony Husband (Artology)

Uncle Norton the Elephant (Muppetism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 40 of 60)

Premieres

Animal Crackers (Film; 1930)

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are, by Alan W. Watts (Spiritual Book; 1966)

Cain's Jawbone, by E. Powys Mathers (Novel/Puzzle; 1934)

Come Clean, by Puddle of Mudd (Album; 2001)

The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas (Novel; 1844)

Do the Evolution, by Pearl Jam (Animated Music Video; 1998)

54 (Film; 1998)

Flying Leathernecks (Film; 1951)

Gallipoli (Film; 1981)

Get Rich Quick Porky (WB LT Cartoon; 1937)

Honeymoon in Vegas (Film; 1992)

I Have a Dream, by Martin Luther King Jr. (Speech; 1963)

Let’s Get It On, by Marvin Gaye (Album; 1973)

Little Ol’ Bosko and the Cannibals (Happy Harmonies MGM Cartoon; 1937)

Lohengrin, by Richard Wagner (Opera; 1850)

Mary of Scotland (Film; 1936)

Mickey’s Follies (Disney Cartoon; 1929)

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (TV Series; 1993)

Narcos (TV Series; 2015)

The New Mutants (Film; 2020)

Perri (Disney Film; 1957)

Personal, 19th Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child (Novel; 2014)

Pesty Guest (Chilly Willy Cartoon; 1965)

Phineas and Verb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe (Animated Film; 2020)

Pink Pranks (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1971)

Private Lessons (Film; 1981)

Q. Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, by Devo (Album; 1978)

Rope (Film; 1948)

Sink or Swim (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1952)

Smile, by Katy Perry (Album; 2020)

Song of the Thin Man (Film; 1947)

Studio 54 (Film; 1998)

Tease for Two (WB LT Cartoon; 1965)

Travelling Without Moving, by Jamiroquai (Album; 1996)

The Truth About Mother Goose (Disney Cartoon; 1957)

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (Film; 1992)

Victoria (TV Series; 2016)

Walk This Way by Aerosmith (Song; 1975)

Yankee Doodle Bugs (WB LT Cartoon; 1954)

Today’s Name Days

Adelinde, Aline, Augustin (Austria)

Augustin, Tin (Croatia)

Augustýn (Czech Republic)

Augustinus (Denmark)

August, Gustav, Kustas, Kustav, Kusti, Kusto (Estonia)

Tauno (Finland)

Augustin, Elouan (France)

Adelinde, Aline, Augustin, Vivian (Germany)

Damon (Greece)

Ágoston (Hungary)

Agostino, Ermete (Italy)

Auguste, Guste, Ranna (Latvia)

Augustinas, Patricija, Steigvilė, Tarvilas (Lithuania)

Artur, August (Norway)

Adelina, Aleksander, Aleksy, Augustyn, Patrycja, Sobiesław, Stronisław (Poland)

Augustín (Slovakia)

Agustín (Spain)

Fatima, Leila (Sweden)

Agustin, August, Augusta, Augustina, Austen, Austin, Austina, Austyn, Gus, Gustava, Gustavo (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 241 of 2024; 125 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of Week 35 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Coll (Hazel) [Day 26 of 28]

Chinese: Month 7 (Ren-Shen), Day 25 (Jia-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 24 Av 5784

Islamic: 22 Safar 1446

J Cal: 1 Gold; Oneday [1 of 30]

Julian: 15 August 2024

Moon: 27%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 17 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Worcester]

Runic Half Month: Rad (Motion) [Day 6 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 70 of 94)

Week: 4th Full Week of August

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 7 of 32)

Calendar Changes

Gold (Month 9 of 12; J Calendar)

[brookston]

Holidays 5.23

Holidays

Angelica Day (French Republic)

Aretha Franklin Appreciation Day (Michigan)

Aromanian National Day (Balkans; a.k.a. Aromanians, Vlachs, or Macedo-Romanians)

Asian Corpsetwt Day [Every 23rd]

Best Friend-in-Law Day

Bifocals Day

Bluebell Day

Caracal Day

Climb A Tree Day

Day of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Azerbaijan)

Day of Ukrainian Marines (Ukraine)

Divorce Day (UK)

Empire Air Day (UK)

Empire Day (Bermuda)

EMS Save-a-Life Day Day

Festival of Saint Sarah the Egyptian (Sara Kali the Black Queen; a.k.a. Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France) begins [until 25th]

Go For A Walk In Your Swim Fins Day

Go Nissan Day

Harvesting Healing Day

Heroes’ Day (Ukraine)

International Day of Women’s Football

International Day to End Obstetric Fistula (UN)

International GM1 Gangliosidosis Awareness Day

International Synthesizer Day

Isis Asteroid Day

Kids Ocean Day (California)

Kiss Day (Japan)

Komagata Maru Remembrance Day (Canada)

Labour Day (Jamaica)

Linnaeus Day (Sweden)

Lucky Penny Day

Mass Graves Day (Iraq)

Mayoring Day (Rye, Sussex, UK)

Melissa McBride Day

Mesmerism Day

Moog Day

National Apology Day

National Best Friend-in-Law Day

National Braid Day

National Canine Cancer Awareness Day

National Day (Morocco)

National Ethan Day

National Fill Your Thermos Brand Bottle Day

National Girls Learn Coding Day

National Goat Day

National Infantry Day (Ukraine)

National Medical Coder Day

National MILF Day

National Reed Day

National Stop the Bleed Day

National Tea Cosy Day

143 Day (Mr. Rogers)

PitDark Pitch Day

Stormy Daniels Day

Students’ Day (Mexico)

World Crohn's and Colitis Day

World Day Against Melanoma

World Turtle Day

World Wrestling Day

Youth Day (Tajikistan)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Dunkin Iced Coffee Day

National Asparagus Day

National Drinking with Chickens Day

National Pork Roll Day

National Taffy Day

Independence & Related Days

Ausveria (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Bonumland (Declared; 2015) [unrecognized]

Constitution Day (Germany)

Plan for Palestine Independence by 1949 (Approved by UK Parliament; 1939)

Reberia (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

South Carolina Statehood Day (#8; 1788)

4th Thursday in May

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day [Thursday of Memorial Day Weekend]

Red Nose Day (US) [Last Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

World Chardonnay Day [Thursday before Memorial Day]

Weekly Holidays beginning May 23 (3rd Full Week)

National Safe Sun Week (thru 5.29)

Festivals Beginning May 23, 2024

Asian Festival of Children’s Content (Singapore) [thru 5.26]

Book World Prague (Prague, Czech Republic) [thru 5.26]

Hay Festival of Literature and Arts (Hay-on-Wye, United Kingdom) [thru 6.2]

Hot Luck (Auto, Texas) [thru 5.26]

Kerrville Folk Festival (Kerrville, Texas) [thru 6.9]

Kodiak Crab Festival (Kodiak, Alaska) [thru 5.27]

Main Street Port Clinton Walleye Festival (Port Clinton, Ohio) [thru 5.27]

Patriotic Festival (Norfolk, Virginia) [thru 5.26]

Ware Shoals Catfish Feastival (Ware Shoals, South Carolina) [thru 5.25]

Feast Days

Aaron the Illustrious (Syriac Orthodox Church)

Amaldus Nielsen (Artology)

Anathansius (Positivist; Saint)

Appreciate Reptiles Day (Pastafarian)

Bertholet Flemalle (Artology)

Bluebell Day (Shamanism)

Bufi the Toad (Muppetism)

Carl Bloch (Artology)

Carista (Day of Peace in the Family; Pagan)

Declaration of the Bab (Baba'i)

Desiderius, Bishop of Langres (Christian; Saint)

Desiderius of Vienne (Christian; Saint)

Euphrosyne of Polotsk (Christian; Saint)

Franz Kline (Artology)

Giovanni Battista de' Rossi (Christian; Saint)

Guibert of Gemblours (Christian; Saint)

Harold Hitchcock (Artology)

Ivo of Chartres (Christian; Saint)

John Baptist Rossi (Christian; Saint)

József Rippl-Rónai (Artology)

Julia of Corsica (Christian; Saint)

Leontius of Rostov (Christian; Marty)

Margaret Fuller (Writerism)

Mitch Albom (Writerism)

Nicolaus Copernicus and Johannes Kepler (Episcopal Church (USA))

Peter Matthiessen (Writerism)

Quintian, Lucius and Julian (Christian; Saints)

Rosalia (Ancient Rome)

Simon the Zealot (Abkhazia)

Slim Pickens Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Tubilustrium (Ceremony to Purify the Ceremonial Trumpets; Ancient Rome) [also 3.23]

Turtle Day (Pastafarian)

Vulcan's Day (Ancient Rome)

William of Perth (Christian; Saint)

William of Rochester (Christian; Saint)

Lunar Calendar Holidays

Full Moon [5th of the Year] (a.k.a. ... 

Bright Moon (Celtic)

Buddha Day (Buddhism)

Budding Moon (Traditional)

Corn Planting Moon (Alternate)

Dragon Moon (China)

Egg Laying Moon (Traditional)

Fell Moon (South Africa)

Flower Moon (Amer. Indian, North America, Traditional)

Grass Moon (Neo-Pagan)

Hare Moon (England, Wicca)

Leaf Budding Moon (Traditional)

Milk Moon (Colonial)

Panther Moon (Choctaw)

Planting (Cherokee, Traditional)

Southern Hemisphere: Beaver, Frost, Hunter’s

Buddha Day [Around 5th Full Moon of the Year] (a.k.a. ... 

Buddha Jayanti (Nepal)

Buddha Purnima (Parts of India)

Buddha Purnuma (Bangladesh)

Hari Raya Waisaki (Indonesia)

Lord Buddha’s Parinirvana (Bhutan)

Saga Dawa (Sikkim, India)

Shyadar Pidar (Parts of India)

Vesak Day (Singapore, Sri Lanka)

Visakha Bucha Day (Thailand)

Visakh Bochea (Cambodia)

Wesak (Malaysia)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Addicted to Love (Film; 1997)

The Asphalt Jungle (Film; 1950)

Blended (Film; 2014)

Born This Way, by Lady Gaga (Album; 2011)

Brassed Off (Film; 1996)

Bruce Almighty (Film; 2003)

Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins (Novel; 2012)

Cat Nipped (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1932)

The China Plate (Silly Symphonies Cartoon; 1931)

David and Goliath, by Malcolm Gladwell (Book; 2014)

Doctor Faustus, by Thomas Mann (Novel; 1947)

Dragonquest, by Anne McCaffrey (Novel; 1971) [Dragonriders of Pern #2]

The Dwarf, by Pär Lagerkvist (Novel; 1944)

The Fabulous Riverboat, by Philip José Farmer (Novel; 1971) [Riverworld #2]

Fidelio (Final Version), by Ludwig Van Beethoven (Opera; 1814)

Fish Tales (WB LT Cartoon; 1936)

Follow That Dream (Film; 1964)

Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns (Music Documentary Film; 2003)

The Gong Show Movie (Film; 1980)

I’ll Be There For You, by The Rembrandt’s (Song/Friends Theme Song; 1995)

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Film; 1984)

Injun Trouble (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1951)

Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell (Novel; 1960)

The Kids Are Alright (Documentary Film; 1979)

Law and Audrey (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1952)

Lights Fantastic (WB MM Cartoon; 1942)

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Film; 1997)

The Marshall Mathers LP, by Eminem (Album; 2000)

Much Ado About Nutting (WB MM Cartoon; 1953)

A Mutt in a Rut (WB LT Cartoon; 1959)

Nutty News (WB LT Cartoon; 1942)

Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (Film; 1973)

Patience, by Gilbert & Sullivan (Operetta; 1881)

Persepolis (Animated Film; 2007)

The Shining (Film; 1980)

Silly Scandals (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1931)

Taking the Long Way, by the Dixie Chicks (Album; 2006)

The Thin Man (Film; 1934)

Tommy, by The Who (Album; 1969)

X-Men: Days of Future Past (Film; 2014)

Today’s Name Days

Alma, Desiree, Renate (Austria)

Deziderije, Nada, Vilim, Želimir, Željko (Croatia)

Vladimír (Czech Republic)

Desiderus (Denmark)

Lii, Liidi, Liidia, Ly, Lydia (Estonia)

Lyydia, Lyyli (Finland)

Didier (France)

Alma, Désirée, Renate (Germany)

Dezső (Hungary)

Desiderio (Italy)

Leontīne, Ligija, Lonija (Latvia)

Gertautas, Ivona, Tautvydė (Lithuania)

Oddlaug, Oddleif (Norway)

Budziwoj, Dezyderiusz, Dezydery, Emilia, Iwona, Jan, Leontyna, Michał, Symeon (Poland)

Mihail (România)

Želmíra (Slovakia)

Desiderio (Spain)

Desideria, Desirée (Sweden)

Allard, Desirae, Desire, Desiree (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 144 of 2024; 222 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 21 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 12 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ji-Si), Day 15 (Ding-Hai)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 15 Iyar 5784

Islamic: 15 Dhu al-Qada 1445

J Cal: 24 Magenta; Threesday [24 of 30]

Julian: 10 May 2024

Moon: 100%: Full Moon

Positivist: 3 St. Paul (6th Month) [Anathansius]

Runic Half Month: Ing (Expansive Energy) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 66 of 92)

Week: 3rd Full Week of May

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 3 of 31)

[wiredaughter]

day one = depression;

Corrupting

b.p.r.d. // abe sapien×ofc // unresolved angst // first person pov // amoral oc // ao3

Grief. What an alien word. So often associated with loss, and loss I know, but whatever this is I don’t. I’m more prone to anger and avoidance, but there’s nothing left in me at this, at Sapien’s…  Abraham’s motionless body suspended in a test tube of sorts. It's like those directories have been overwritten, leaving me to crash. And crash I do. Anger would be easy, at Devon and Manning and Corrigan and the whole bureau, since I’ve never cared about precision in my wrath. At Hellboy for leaving and Sherman for disappearing, even at the homunculus for dying off. 

Only Johann Kraus joins me in my watch, when he's not away on a mission. You'd think they'd given that up, world going to shit and all. You’d think he’d say more encouraging things, as a ghost psychic, but I don’t have it in me to resent him his uselessness. I think he thinks I appreciate the company, but I’m beyond caring. I join him as he leaves now, figure I could use a shower, only to run into Andrew Devon in the hallway. He was there when Abraham got shot, like as not he did it himself. I’m reminded I’m alive by the loathing that bubbles up my throat. 

‘You’re dead, Devon!’ Not my brightest, but I’m bereaved if you’ll allow it.

He mutters some smart reply or other, but I only barely hear it. I’m sliding off Kraus’ preventative hold on my shoulder, even if he doesn't know my suspicions he knows there's no love lost between us with the way he bought into the Black Flame's assertions, and shoving my way past Devon and, were his mates here all along? And the gutter psychic? Unimportant. Everyone’s so irrelevant. I just notice her because she was there too when it happened, they could all be here or in hell like I care.

It’s all the same when I go back in, alone now. I don’t know what I’m doing, but there’s no other place for me here. And next to him, much to Manning’s chagrin, I spend my days. I lay my hands on the glass, step away, reach out with my thoughts trying to make any contact. Trying to find anything to make contact with. I stare. At some points I even trick myself to think I’ve seen his fingers twitch, his eyelids flutter. No use.

Just like I'm no use now. I don't forget the entire planet is under attack, it's more like a secondary thought for me. To hell with the bureau and the country and the entire earth. There's outbreaks, giant bat beasts or whatever it is this week, my father writes from safety. It's only that last one I spare a thought to, but can't bring myself to reply. I've ran into an unhandled exception and I'm, for once in my life, unable to debug.

It’s over, eventually. His vitals crash, and the whitecoats suspect extensive brain damage. Even Kraus says his soul is fighting to leave. Well and good, so should I. I don’t make an attempt to hold my tears back, I let them out freely for I won’t need them where I’m going. And I'm going; I feel the code of my life corrupting, line by line. I wasn’t able to save Abraham from his own bleeding heart, but I’ll still make sure those who pushed him to this pay. 

I’m in every computer here, should have thought of that before they made me head of R&D, I know of the correspondence between the higher ups and the Zinco frauds. As fate would have it, I’m also in their system, thanks to a polymorphic I piggybacked through Manning’s emails. They’re, as only I understand it, the enemy. Now I’ll be the enemy too. Sapien thought honesty would win this, get the bureau to actually work with the special agents instead of working them. He’d be horrified if he knew I’m to defect for the frog terrorists, but that’s just a distant consideration to me. He was wrong and now he’s as good as dead. He’s as good as dead, and now I’m going to make them sorry.

[pathfinderunlocked]

Sheoldred, The Whispering One - CR20 Aberration

A Praetor of Phyrexia from Magic: The Gathering.

Artwork is official art from Magic: The Gathering, by Jana Schirmer & Johannes Voss, copyright Wizards of the Coast.

This creature was a commission.  Sheoldred is one of the five leaders of Phyrexia.  Like I said when I posted the stat block for Vorinclex earlier this week, I’m no expert in Magic: The Gathering lore, but if your idea of a cool enemy faction is if the Borg invaded Planescape and assimilated an entire dimension, check out the MTG wiki.

3.5e stats for some other Phyrexian creatures, items, effects, and so forth can be found here.

This boss creature is essentially something adjacent to a necromancer, using her artificial power to repair her allies' broken bodies and refuse to let them die, so she should typically fight alongside several minions (probably at least 4).  The combination of Sheoldred’s Touch and Transfer Life gives her an unusual way to revive her allies over and over, although it also requires that she stay in the thick of battle, so players do actually have a chance to focus-fire her down.  She can use her touch attack on herself if she’s feeling cocky, counting on her fast healing to recover afterwards, or use it as an attack of opportunity if someone is dumb enough to move adjacent to her and provoke.  She should probably be using Lunge almost every turn, even if she doesn’t attack, just for the sake of attacks of opportunity.

Swarm Shape is a good defensive ability, especially if the targets are mostly using physical attacks.  Note that a swarm uses its swarm attack as a free action, so she can do that and also cast a spell on the same turn.  Your players will not appreciate this, especially since she can usually auto-pass the checks to cast defensively.  She can’t use Sheoldred’s Touch in this form, though, and thus also can’t use Transfer Life; as a result, Swarm Shape is mostly a thing to do once she runs out of useful minions.

Separate is an emergency escape maneuver for when things go horribly wrong.  Live to fight another day.  Fighting to the death is for her underlings.

Sheoldred, The Whispering One - CR 20

This massive being takes the form of a feminine humanoid torso emerging from a huge-mouthed, many-jointed fiend.  Her movements are spiderlike in their grace, and her body is covered with plates of oily, corroded metal.

XP 307,200 NE Huge aberration Init +7 Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +26 Aura fast healing aura (60 ft.), selective greater death knell aura (20 ft., DC 24)

DEFENSE

AC 38, touch 16, flat-footed 30 (+8 Dex, +22 natural, –2 size) hp 262 (21d8+168) plus 31 temp hp; fast healing 20 Fort +21, Ref +15, Will +18; +5 vs. exhaustion, fatigue, fear, paralysis, +9 vs. mind-affecting Defensive Abilities fortification (50%) DR 10/epic and good Immune death, disease, fear, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun Resist acid 20 SR 31

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., climb 25 ft. Melee bite +22 (4d8+12 plus poison) or bite +17 (4d8+8 plus poison) and sheoldred’s touch +21 (14d8 negative energy, see text) Space 15 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bite) Special Attacks separate, sheoldred’s touch, swarm shape, transfer life

Spell-like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +29)     1/day—death clutch (DC 27)     3/day—finger of death (DC 26), greater false life (already cast x1), quickened enervation (ranged touch +20), quickened hold monster (DC 23)     At will—sow thought (DC 19), enervation (ranged touch +20), final sacrifice (DC 20), mindlink

STATISTICS

Str 26, Dex 27, Con 25, Int 25, Wis 23, Cha 24 Base Atk +15; CMB +25; CMD 43 Feats Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Lunge, Quicken Spell-like Ability (enervation), Quicken Spell-like Ability (hold monster), Spell Focus (enchantment), Spell Focus (necromancy), Toughness, Uncanny Concentration, Weapon Focus (bite) Skills Acrobatics +18, Climb +22, Craft (alchemy) +29, Diplomacy +3, Escape Artist +31, Heal +27, Intimidate +35, Knowledge (engineering) +31, Knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering, local, planes) +28, Perception +26, Use Magic Device +22 Languages Common, Phyrexian; telepathy 100 ft. SQ phyrexian traits, praetor’s traits, swamp strider

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Fast Healing Aura (Su) All allies within 60 ft. of Sheoldred gain fast healing 20.  (Multiple sources of fast healing do not stack - only the highest applies.)

Phyrexian Traits (Ex) Phyrexians have a +5 bonus on Fortitude saves, and a +5 bonus on saving throws versus fear, sleep, stunning, paralysis, fatigue, exhaustion, and mind-affecting spells.  They have a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate and a -4 racial penalty on Diplomacy.  These abilities are already included in Sheoldred’s statistics.

Phyrexians also have 50% fortification against critical hits and sneak attacks, and are immune to the effects of the Glistening Oil.

Praetor's Traits (Ex) Like all members of the New Phyrexia hierarchy, Sheoldred is immune to paralysis, sleep, stunning, and death effects, has resistance 20 to Acid damage, has DR 10/epic and good, and receives a +4 bonus on saves versus mind-affecting spells and abilities.  These abilities are already included in her statistics.

Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 27; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 Str and 1d6 Dex; cure 2 consecutive saves.

Selective Greater Death Knell Aura (Sp) Sheoldred is constantly affected by a greater death knell aura spell (DC 24), except that she can choose to exclude creatures from its effect.

Separate (Ex) As a move action, Sheoldred can separate her humanoid upper body from her insectoid lower thorax and move her upper body up to 15 feet, leaving her lower thorax behind.  Her lower thorax is treated as a separate creature, but can take no actions and is considered helpless while Sheoldred is separated.  Her upper body and lower thorax each have half as many maximum hit points as her original form, and she can choose how to distribute her current and temporary hit points when she separates (including choosing to leave her lower thorax at any number of negative hit points, up to the amount needed to kill it, usually -25).  If her lower thorax is killed while she is separated, it can only be restored with a spell or effect such as regenerate.

When Sheoldred separates, any physical conditions and physical ability damage or drain affecting her are transferred to her lower thorax, while any mental conditions and mental ability damage or drain affecting her remain in her upper body.  If she is affected by any effects that are not clearly physical or mental (such as the bonuses from death knell, and many other magic effects), she can choose whether they remain in her upper body or are transferred to her lower thorax.

Sheoldred can separate even when helpless or unable to take actions, as long as the effect causing her to be helpless or unable to take actions is not mental in nature.

She can climb back into her lower thorax as a move action when adjacent to it, ending the effects of Separate.

Sheoldred’s upper body and lower thorax retains her original statistics when separated, except for the changes described above, plus the following changes:

Sheoldred’s upper body is medium-sized.  It loses its bite attack, and its natural armor is 8 points lower.  Its land speed is reduced to 30 ft., and it loses its climb speed.  Its fast healing and fast healing aura both lower to 10.

Sheoldred’s lower thorax loses its auras.  Its fast healing lowers to 10.  It cannot benefit from Sheoldred’s fast healing aura.

Sheoldred’s Touch (Su) By making a touch attack, Sheoldred can draw the life out of a living target, dealing 14d8 negative energy damage and granting herself temporary hit points equal to half that amount.  A successful Fortitude save (DC 26) halves the damage.  This attack has no effect on undead creatures or constructs.  This touch attack must be made with her humanoid limbs, which have a reach of 5 ft.; she cannot deliver it through a bite.  The save DC is Charisma-based.

Sheoldred can use this touch attack on herself, either normally as part of a full attack action, or as a swift action, and automatically succeeds on the Fortitude save to halve the damage if she does so.

Swamp Strider (Ex) Sheoldred suffers no penalty to speed or on Acrobatics or Stealth checks in bogs and undergrowth.

Swarm Shape (Su) As a standard action, Sheoldred can convert her body into a swarm of Tiny spider-like vermin.  While in this form, she gains a +12 size bonus to Dexterity, takes a -12 penalty to Strength, gains swarm traits and the swarm subtype, and gains the distraction universal monster ability (DC 27).  She loses all of her attacks but gains a swarm attack which deals 8d6 damage.  Her movement speed changes to 30 ft., with a 30 ft. climb speed.  This is a polymorph effect.  Sheoldred retains all of her extraordinary and supernatural abilities in this form, except for Sheoldred’s Touch and Separate (although she can use Separate first and then use Swarm Shape while under its effects).  She can dismiss this effect as a standard action.

Unlike a typical swarm, she is considered to be Huge in her swarm form and takes up a 15-foot space, unless she uses Swarm Shape while under the effects of Separate, in which case she becomes a typical-sized Large swarm.  Either way, she can still reshape her space like a typical swarm.

The bonuses and penalties for polymorphing a creature that is larger than medium are already included in the above effects, and do not need to be added separately (regardless of whether Sheoldred is under the effects of Separate).

Transfer Life (Su) As a move action, if Sheoldred has temporary hit points that were gained from Sheoldred’s Touch, she can sacrifice them to heal any creature except herself within 30 ft. for twice that amount, or to resurrect a dead creature within 30 ft.  A creature resurrected in this way has 1 hit point, gains 2 negative levels, and can stand up as an immediate action.  If this would cause the target’s negative levels to meet or exceed its hit dice, it cannot be resurrected in this way.

[nade2308]

Could you write meta on Jim/Artie, pretty please?

Thank you for the ask.

I have been thinking on this for a while now, wondering what I can do the meta on and then I was like WAIT, I did watch an ep like last week or something, or should I say last year now? I think this ep is perfect to be analyzed in this way, "The Night of the Grand Emir".

I mean, in general, whether you ship them or you think of them as a bromance, these two have the best chemistry. There is so much in their touches and looks and the worry, chef's kiss. But I chose this ep because there were so many hints about these two being together and having such a strong bond that I can only sigh and stare at. And admire.

First of all the number of messages exchanged between me and @thethistlegirl when we watched it for the first time:

There's just so much that I can say about it, but I'll let the picture speak for itself.

This episode was full of Jim and Arte moments that made me scream, like, HELP.

I think that this episode out of all the episodes I have watched from this show was overflowing with imps. Ever since it started, all I could do was watching and typing my screams to Thistle. There is something about these types of eps, you can see everything and anything.

Speaking of the shippy part, there was this character in the episode that gave me the weird vibes since he appeared, Jones. The way he looked at Jim and the way Arte looked at him made me think of Jones doing something to Jim at some point and Arte wanted to keep Jim away from him. There is a lot that Arte is not showing, being the actor he is, but when it comes to Jim, he cannot control his reactions and he really looked like he waw going to lunge at Jones for even looking at James wrong.

Then there was Jim being half-naked and Arte looking at him appreciatively when he reappeared, even though he already put on a shirt haphazardly. Like, Artemus, please gather your jaw from the floor.

Now for the moment that made me yell, because how did we get this in 1965? Like, HOW??? Sharing a room, and all I could think of was "there was only one bed" trope. I guess that that trope existed 57 years ago too, huh? And if anyone wonders about the moment, it is the moment Arte tells Jim that he put their luggage in one of the rooms down the hall when Jim says he needs a change of clothes. THEIR LUGGAGE. IN ONE OF THE ROOMS. It did nkt take a lot of imagination to get my head going, that's for sure.

There's also that segment from Johann Strauß the son's Kaiser Walzer that the creators seemed to prefer since it was present in many episodes during dancing scenes. And right back at the end when Arte plays it on the piano and Jim dances with Ecstasy on it. Just... chef's kiss.

Also, another point where I had to stop from actually screaming was the numerous times they were both passed out and the other one woke them up in worry. The sheer worry and care they showed every time the other one was in danger, I could write a thesis on that.

Last, but not least, that moment when Arte asked "Is Jim okay?" with such a sad voice, like, buddy, you are not subtle that your world is falling apart without Jim in it. And at the tiniest notion of him being hurt, or worse, you are crumbling. Same energy as when they whacked Arte on the head and Jim watched it happen. He was so startled, but couldn't do anything about it because he had to do something for them to prevent bad things from happening. And you could see it pained him to do so because the look on his face was devastated. If that is not something special these two have, then I don't know what it is.

Let's not forget about Jones trapping himself in that thing he put Jim in and even after all that was done to Jim by Jones, Jim still tried to get him out of there. Talk about Jim being the kind of man that wouldn't leave his enemies to die a slow, painful death if he could prevent it. Something about that gives you the vibe of restoring the faith in humanity in the end.

There are probably many more thoughts about this ep and Jim and Arte in general that I could include, but they are escaping my brain right now. Bottom line is that these two have a special bond, and there's nothing else like it, something about their friendship or the ship, if you ship them, it makes you feel alive and invigorating. It is much good and I am recommending this show to anyone who likes to get many feels from it

[noodyl-blasstal]

New prompt! New prompt! New prompt! :D

26 and Magnus? Lol

Thank you so much for this Gab, sorry for the wait, but this evaded me despite starting it about four times. I wanted to make sure it was worthy, and it turns out I just needed to go feral.

“Please. Please tell me what podcast your horse is listening to. Please tell me, in excruciating detail, why, and how you chose this, and whether or not the horse in fact notices”

Prompt from @juicywritinghoard Prompts for Fun and Profit which can be found by clicking here.  

“Please. Please tell me what podcast your horse is listening to. Please tell me, in excruciating detail, why, and how you chose this, and whether or not the horse in fact notices.” Magnus looked up to see who had spoken. One of the twins was standing in front of him, definitely Lup. She squatted down next to him so she could look him in the eyes and grabbed his shoulders. “I have to know.” 

Magnus wasn’t entirely sure what to do with this. The twins had never spoken to him. They never spoke to anyone. They worked their shifts, they went home, they didn’t hang out to shoot the shit, they never came to the staff campfires, and now here she was. But, well, looks like he'd finally gotten through to her! New friend! Everyone else was going to be so pleased. “Okay, so I have a rotation. Today it’s Twiback Tuesday.” Magnus said, matter of fact. He was happy to explain.

“Magnus, it’s Friday.” Lup said.

“I know, but there’s a system! You said your wanted detail. You can ask questions at the end.” Magnus said firmly.

Lup looked like she was going to argue for a second, but flopped onto the ground next to him, leant herself against the fence of the paddock, and mimed locking her lips and throwing away the key.

“Okay, cool. So, I’m going to go back to the start. Johann was really nervous when I first started working here, he gets anxious you see. I had the time to spend with him because I was the third stable hand they took on. So, we started chatting…”

“...You started chatting to Johann… the horse?” Lup asks, sounding genuinely delighted.

“Obviously.” Replied Magnus. “But you said you’d save your questions until the end.” He mockingly narrowed his eyes at Lup. She grinned and pretended to scramble for the invisible key to lock her lips again. 

“Okay, so we started chatting and I realised that it helped him feel less anxious. He was way happier with going out and about when I was there to talk. So then I started reading him stories.”

“You, you started reading to the horse?” Lup interrupted again.

“Well there’s only so many things I could think of to say, but stories have all the good words in the good order already and I didn’t have to think about it. Easier for me, and he loved them! Anyway, so I started reading him stories…” 

“What are his favourite books?” Lup had turned herself round to face him now, smile cracking wide.

“Well I started him off with the classics.” Said Magnus, as if this was obvious.

“Like Pride and Prejudice?” Lup asked.

“Percy Jackson.” Magnus replied. Ignoring Lup’s snort of laughter to continue. “Anyway, it turned out he liked a lot of different books, so I got him a library card.”

“Wait, no, hold on. Magnus… You got Johann a library card?”

“Yeah, you can sign up online.” Magnus said. He wasn’t sure why Lup was confused about this, the instructions were in the welcome pack they gave everyone on the staff. “Anyway, once they sent over his card number and pin I just used the app to get books online for him so he didn’t just have to read what I had and could develop his own tastes.” He paused here, just in case Lup had anything else to say, but she just looked at him in wonder. Magnus was glad she appreciated the value of a library membership. 

“So, then we started trying different genres, and it turns out he loves a good mystery, but he can be a bit of a wuss sometimes, so you need to balance it out. I read him a Shaun Huston one time and he had to have the light on in his stable all week."

"You gave Johann nightmares?" Lup asked. Her voice wobbled slightly. Oh no! She was worried about Johann.

"Shaun Huston gave Johann nightmares, but it's okay!" Magnus reassured her, we have a system now. 

Lup let out a strange noise which she quickly turned into a cough.  "Sorry, just a tickle. Please go on."

"Right, so, the books were working well. We just had to balance the content. So we started reading two books at once. One was horror or mystery and the other was romance or fantasy. We read the scary one first, then the other one as a palate cleanser."

"And he doesn't get confused about the plot?" Lup asked. 

"Of course not! He's an avid reader, he knows what he's doing." Magnus says. "So the reading was going well, but then he was reluctant to go too far into the paddock where he couldn't hear me. So I had to start yelling…"

"Had to, yes, of course." Lup nodded wisely.

"And one day I was yelling Breaking Dawn at him when Davenport came over and suggested it might be impacting the guest experience…" Magnus still disagreed, the guests were here on the ranch for the horses, happy Johann = happy them.

Lup did another weird cough. "Uh huh."

"Dav's the boss, so I had to think of a way to read to him that he could hear better across the paddock."

"And that's why you rigged up the speakers?" Lup asks. 

"That's why I rigged up the speakers! At first I got the karaoke machine and just read to him that way, but all the yelling had actually done a number on my voice and Dr Merle said I had to rest it when I went to see him. But, then I got thinking, what's like a book that I can play to him?" Magnus looked at Lup expectantly.

"Podcasts?" Lup replied.

"Podcasts!' Magnus confirms.

"Then it was just about finding the right mix. He really likes Wine and Crime, NADDPod is one of his favourites because he loves to play d&d…"

"Magnus, Magnus this is very important. Have you been playing dungeons and dragons with the horse?" Lup asked, eyes wide.

"He really likes to roll the big dice I made him." Magnus confirmed and Lup started coughing again.  "Anyway, so he likes the Magnus Archives too, but he gets scared of the stories so I have to play him an episode of You Can Sit With Us or We Have the Receipts afterwards. He's going through a sci fi phase at the moment, so we just finished Girl in Space and started The Strange Case of the Starship Iris."

Lup nodded along enthusiastically.  "And you said there's a schedule?"

"Yeah, it's good for him to have routines, he knows what to look forward to. Monday is The Strange Case of the Starship Iris to get the week started with a nice story. Tuesday is Wine and Crime and sometimes he listens to two because there's a big backlog at the moment. Wednesday is The Magnus Archives and whatever we pair it with because he tends to feel mentally strongest on Wednesdays…"

"How do you kno… nevermind, ignore that one." Lup sat back against the fence and looked at him expectantly.

"Thursday is a tricky one, because it's nearly the weekend, but not yet. At the moment we listen to 8 Bit Book Club and then when I groom him I explain the game they talked about - most of them were before his time."

"Does he know a lot about recent video games then?" Said Lup.

"I keep him up to date with new releases." Magnus said. 

"I did not have you pegged for a gamer." Lup said thoughtfully.

"Oh no, I don't play them. They're not my thing. Johann just likes to stay current." Magnus wasn't sure how Lup had made the leap to peg him as a gamer, maybe she needed to chat with Angus about deductive reasoning, he was always happy to explain it.

"Right, so then we have Twiback Tuesday on Fridays. He wasn't that into the books, but he does like the way the hosts analyse them, puts him in a great mood for the weekend. Then Saturday and Sunday he has the longer podcasts because he's out in the paddock longer to wait between the rides from guests and day trippers. They're the d&d days. NADDPod is Saturday, then Dimension 20 on Sunday. They've done Starstruck Odyssey lately which was great timing for his sci fi thing. He couldn't stop prancing during the Plinth fight." 

"Have you ever tried switching the order up?" Lup asked.

"Of course, this was a lot of trial and error, but it's what works best for him. At first I just put one on for him to listen all the way through, but he didn't like that. He likes the variety. We just have to have a conversation about it if we run out of episodes and need to find something new. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to get the schedule sorted out again, but we work together and get it done. He's so much braver now, look at him!" Magnus gestured to where Johann was playing with Fisher and Avi. 

"He'd barely look at them before." Okay, so he didn't mean to get teary, it was just nice to see how far the nervous horse had come. 

"You're right. He seems much more carefree. I'm glad Dav didn't have to sell him. You did great work, Mags." Oooh, a nickname? He had her! He knew he could make friends with the twins eventually. He'd have them at the bonfire before the month was out.

"But anyway, yes, to answer your questions, he notices which podcasts I play." Magnus finished.

"Thank goodness you have the same taste I guess." Lup said. 

"What? Oh no, I listen to The Infinite Monkey Cage sometimes, but podcasts aren't really my thing."

[crystallizedkingdoms]

The Twins pt. 2

It’s the end of their world and Johann, for a brief moment, does not care. A flame dies into ash.

wc: 1,062

The Birds for this fic are the same as yesterday’s.

day 2 of @johann-appreciation-week! this can also be read on ao3 (I added some commentary in the chapter notes on my thought process for these two fics). art by @avijohann

The bard of lore and the researcher of space think of death as they come to their senses.

There are no words. When the chase is gone and they are out of those black tendrils reach, neither Johann nor Kravitz say anything. Though they both run towards the window they had originally watched through, looking down at their world being devoured under that black mass, they say nothing to each other.

They don’t even hold each other’s hands when Keats screams as loud as he can beside them. They cannot bear to listen to those cries for his siblings, siblings, siblings. They can’t listen to Sloane and Hurley’s panicked hurrying around the ship for any sort of plan of what to do next. When Maureen and Hurley, kind as they are, beg them to step away from the window, please, boys, it won’t do you good, they don’t move an inch. Johann and Kravitz stand there, beside each other, as they always have. Looking for a world that lives only in memory.

Memory. Johann clings to memories as he stares at the wobbly in between space of the planes they now traverse through. He remembers practice room introductions, drunken conversations, café pleas, conference interview questions. Memory is a space not unlike the area in which they travel through, a space that Johann has longed to reside within. Legacy depends on memory, a constant state of remembering. Johann always thought, always prayed, he would be the one remembered.

What does it mean to be the one to remember?

Johann hates that the first lucid thought he has as he stands there is about death. That topic is one that he and Kravitz still refuse to touch upon, even when Kravitz moved in and brought all his death with him. Music filled that gap, a common interest between them, one that didn’t bring so much pain to one and discomfort to the other. But the music is gone now. There is nothing to face. Nothing but the agonizing, bitter death that they watched not too long ago.

Johann hates even more that he wonders what Kravitz thinks of this death. Except no, not really. He doesn’t hate it that much because it eats at him like necrosis. What about this death was factual? he demands only in his head. What fascination can bring you joy here? 

I bet there isn’t. I bet you see the cold, hard, “factual” reality of death and recognize it isn’t so fucking easy to look at. We are best friends, Kravitz, you know this as well as I do. We’re practically siblings— (Keats cries for his siblings behind them, crying Edwards and Lydias that ring across the Starblaster) —but this is not something I have ever let go. How can I? How can anyone ever let go of this devastation?

It is not productive to go searching into Kravitz’s heart at this moment. He knows this, Johann knows this. What use is this? What vindication can he possibly achieve from looking at Kravitz and asking, is this what you imagine death to be? It’s how I’ve imagined it. In a billion, tiny different ways that will all be inevitably forgotten if you aren’t great enough. His eyes glance over to Kravitz anyway. Any answer to cling to and rip into to make the pain inside his chest go away.

Johann quickly realizes that what hurts more than death is seeing Kravitz cry.

What else is he expecting? Some evil grin on his face like some Machiavellian death machine? Kravitz stares out of the Starblaster’s window with tears streaming down his red, puffy eyes, and Johann is struck with the obvious reality that of course he feels bad. Of course Kravitz is crying! The world they lived and shared and breathed in is gone. The crew and the Starblaster are all that they have left.

Kravitz shifts, and Johann tries to look away before he has seen him staring (how can he look at him after thinking such things?), but it is too late. Kravitz’s eyes meet Johann’s, same as they always have. His mouth opens to speak, but no words come out. Johann’s mouth is similarly dry. Any words of comfort or agony can not grasp the feelings bubbling in Johann right now: the devastation of a world ending and the guilt for immediately assuming the worst to eat him up on the inside. So Johann does not try.

Kravitz’s hand reaches out towards Johann’s. It stops just before his fingers. A question awaiting an answer. Johann’s fingers twitch, searching for something to fidget with, anything to avoid touching Kravitz’s hand— did he deserve to after such doubt? But when he looks at his friend and sees watery eyes and trembling lips, Johann breaks. His fingers reach to intertwine with Kravitz’s. Silently, gently. Kravitz feels his hand and cracks. One small sob escapes his lips. 

And Johann falls apart. 

He throws himself onto Kravitz, wrapping his other arm around his shoulders and pulling him closer. Johann keens, and fuck, when was the last time he’s cried so hard? Johann sobs, full of guilt and memories and every other disgusting thing in between, and just holds Kravitz tight. There’s nothing else to do, Johann cries. There’s no one else but you. The world has ended and Johann only cares about Kravitz.

Kravitz clings to Johann with thoughts that hang on him like a plague. To watch his world disappear (this is no death, this is not a song with an end, this is cruel and unnatural, against everything we know, it would be wrong to categorize this as death), everything comes crashing down on the both of them. Forced to watch and forced to persevere. The thought makes Kravitz sick.

Neither Kravitz or Johann think about letting go. Even when Captain Boyland landed them in the plane they were just staring at, they didn’t let go. Even when they took their first step outside the ship, onto the soft, verdant grass beneath their feet, and it became achingly apparent that this really wasn’t their home, they never let go. The rest of the team embrace each other for comfort. When Johann feels Kravitz’s hand inch forward, he tugs him back. Kravitz does not fight it. They just watch together,

Wordlessly, they both agree to never let go. No matter what.

[avijohann]

The Wordless One

My final entry for @johann-appreciation-week

Thank you @crystallizedkingdoms for giving me an excuse to participate. Read their accompanying fic here:

[motherfuckingmagicbrian]

I’m late to Johann appreciation week. I’ve not kept up with general Johann fanon. I am going to make up some egregious head canons. Enjoy.

The Twins Part 1 - The Phoenix Fire Guantlet

Johann stood infront of the charred figure of a woman. He placed his hand against hers as if touching a mirror, but touching ash and char instead. He knew what did this.

This was his fault.

Why did he make it?

The others had put so much thought into their relics. This was simply his fourth pass at a shoddy idea. (He could hear her voice in the back of his head “You are too hard on your creations.”) He tried to go against his natural instinct. He wanted to make something serious. Protective. He had always needed to be protected. He was always the lackadaisical one. So he made a flame gauntlet. It was a ridiculous thing and the only good it’s done was burn his original drafts.

He crumpled to the ground and looked down to the perfect obsidian beneath him. Instead of his own face looking back at him, the only thing he saw was his sister he left behind. The one who encouraged him to apply with his theory of audio resonance on a planar level. The one who always listened to his music and saved his notations from the trash. More than half his soul, his heart. His twin.

He needed to find it and soon. He couldn’t let this be his legacy in this world. He would be back soon enough. At least that’s what he said in his note, the one he left on the music stand.

[subtile-jagden]

Max Immelmann - Part 3

“Ever since I became a fighter pilot, I've always wanted to shoot down two enemies in one day”. This wish was granted on 13th March 1916 when Immelmann got his 10th and 11th victory. Until the end of the month he had already shot down thirteen enemies, which earned him a personal letter from the Kaiser: “I am pleased to learn that you have once again disabled an enemy aircraft, your thirteenth. On this occasion I am pleased to express to you once again my fullest appreciation for your excellent performance in air combat”. He was also called to the Crown Prince of Saxony and was awared the Kommandeurkreuz des St. Heinricht-Ordens. Immelmann was very happy: “For me as a Saxon, the Kommandeurkreuz is a higher order than the Pour le Mérite.” A comrade of Immelmann reported that everytime Max got a new award he would take a professional photograph.

Last weeks

In April and May, flight operations were mostly suspended due to bad weather, end of May it got better and the pilots were eager to get back up in the air. During these days, Immelmann experienced for the first time what it felt like to be shot down. While trying to support a comrade in combat and shooting at the enemy, he shot himself in the propeller due to a malfunctioning machine gun. This was a problem that had occurred frequently and Fokker got put under pressure to ensure that his areoplane did not turn into death machines for their own pilots. Immelmann was able to land the plane.

In June 1916 Immelmann had to part from his beloved unit and his beloved Hauptmann Kastner. He was tasked with setting up his own Staffel.

Last Day

On the 18th June 1916 Immelmann and his Staffel were notified that seven British fighters were crossing the lines. They immediately started their airplanes to greet the enemy. Immelmann attacked one plane which went down but then his comrades saw how Immelmann himself had trouble, his plane turning downwards and rushing towards the ground. Eyewitnesses reported that the plane broke apart while falling. From everywhere people came rushing towards the crashed plane but the pilot was dead on impact; identified only by the monogram in his clothes.

There were several rumours about Immelmanns end. Shot down by the enemy, shot down accidentaly by someone from his own Staffel, shot down by flak. But after a thorough investigation, it was found that, as on previous occasion, the propeller had been shot by its own machine gun fire. But this time Immelmann wasn´t able to keep controll of the plane and land it safely.

RIP Max Immelmann (1890 – 1916)

Sources:

Immelmann, der Adler von Lille, by Franz Immelmann (1934)

Boelcke, by Prof. Dr. Johannes Werner (1932)

[johnandtracyslittleones]

Haven Box: Evergreen Trees

Nature Play

Our friends are back! 4.5 hours of play at the creek involved lots of whittling, digging pits, and adventuring off into the grass.

Science & Nature

This week we got another field guide - this time to trees and wildflowers. The kids used the guide to identify the pine cones on our mantle that we have collected over the years.

The science experiment involved observing how pine cones react to heat and cold. Since we had already observed this phenomenon in our yard earlier this year, we skipped it.

Nature Notebooking

Yeah…we didn’t even bother. But we did the tree coloring page!

Art & Handwork

In one of our books this week, The Night Tree, a family decorates a tree in the woods with food for the animals. We were meant to make a popcorn garland and bird seed ornaments and decorate our own Night Tree. I suggested doing this with a small evergreen we have seen at Sloan’s Lake - and I was met with much upset. Both kids felt certain you were NOT supposed to do that in a public park and did not like the idea. So instead we just went out at night and scattered our birdseed around the base of the tree. (It was probably for the best - we couldn’t make the popcorn garland work anyhow.)

We were also instructed to make a garland of pine cones. Grandma and Grandpa let us collect pine cones from their snowy backyard.

We sat down to make the garlands, but after about three minutes the kids complained that “No one wants to do this Mommy!” Project scrapped.

Forest to Table

The Holiday Punch recipe was well received with our Sunday dinner.

Literature, Art & Music

The favorite book this week was The Little Fir Tree, art appreciation was Great Pine Near Aix by Cezanne, and music appreciation was Tales from Vienna Woods by Johann Strauss.

We have a long break for the holidays - Haven Box activities will resume in January!