#Sanderson Centre

[coochiequeens]

Just JKR being a queen

Daniel Sanderson, Scottish Correspondent 11 September 2024

I need an account to read the article

[sixth-light]

Two new WoT theories about Galad, one Watsonian and one Doylistic.

Doylistic: People super underestimate what a minor character Galad actually is, probably because Sanderson promotes him in ToM/AMoL. His first PoV in the RJ books is the KoD prologue, and otherwise he only appears on-page 1) when Rand visits Caemlyn, 2) when Egwene and Nynaeve go to the White Tower, 3) the infamous quarterstaff duel, and 4) when Elayne and Nynaeve run into him in Samara and he's become a Surprise Whitecloak. Everything else is people talking about him! Given the repeated hints he's romantically interested in Egwene and/or Nynaeve that go absolutely nowhere, plus at least one prophecy/viewing that does the same, I think that RJ may have rejigged his role in the story around TFoH.

He's a goldmine of interesting connections to main characters (Rand, Elayne, Egwene) that don't pay off, and when he does take centre stage in ToM it's about his relationship with Morgase (established, significant to him, but SHE is quite a minor character) and a new enemies-to-allies arc with Perrin which...comes out of absolutely nowhere if we're being honest. Perrin already had a Whitecloak to have an enemies-to-allies arc with! He didn't need another one. Justice for Dain Bornhald. RJ kinda moved away from the Arthuriana stuff by mid-series and I think Galad, Walking Arthurian Archetype, suffered from that.

Watsonian: I will make it super-clear that I think everything that follows is because RJ simply wasn't thinking about Galad that hard outside of his role as the Galahad archetype. NEVERTHELESS.

As @butterflydm noted elsewhere, there's not a lot of reason for Galad to be at the White Tower (much less to argue to stay there when Elayne leaves, as he does) and the more I think about it...for someone who is nearly 30, he's extremely adrift from all the normal markers of adulthood and status in his culture. Morgase doesn't appear to have given him any significant responsibilities within Andor, even though he's treated otherwise as her son. He doesn't seem to have inherited estates from Tigraine or Taringail that he could be administering (a la Gareth Bryne in retirement in TFoH). He's arguably in line to be High Seat of either Mantear or Damodred, or even a candidate for the throne of Cairhien, but he's not apparently considered for any of those. Readers are often surprised at how old he is because he's presented as equivalent to Elayne and Gawyn, literal teenagers not yet old enough when the books start to take up their future responsibilities outside of the emergency situations that later occur. Notably, although Galad expresses clear romantic interest in multiple women through the series he's not married or a parent, though again he's more than old enough. (That last is definitely a Galahad-archetype thing.)

So my "canon doesn't support it but canon leaves room for it" new theory is that this is actually on purpose, because like spare sons of royalty before him he's an incredibly tempting target for conspiracies, especially out of Cairhien. He has a close and loving bond with Morgase but she is very politically pragmatic and likely wouldn't want to put him in a situation where he could become the focus of plotting like that. And also...he would righteously report every plot to her unless and until someone managed to convince him that Doing The Thing, whatever it was, was actually the morally correct course of action. Valda achieves this pretty quickly, so it's clearly a possibility!

So, to sum up: Galad is unmarried, uncommitted, and available to be sent to the Tower in TGH because he's too much of a political hot potato to do anything else with. If he was bonded by an Aes Sedai that would probably be a perfect long-term career for him from a political perspective. Ironically puts him in a position, after all these years of Morgase protecting him, to be radicalised by Valda.

[sam-glade]

Writeblr Intro

Hi! My name is Sam (they/them), and I write SFF.

About me:

I'm queer, in my late 20s, and I live in Europe.

Pets? Two cats + 1 orange braincell

Favourite food? Please don't make me choose.

What I write? Hard fantasy with excessive worldbuilding

Favourite books? The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. The Traitor by Seth Dickinson. Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

Fiction I probably won't enjoy? Romance. Middle grade. Most High School YA. It's just not my cup of tea.

Outside of writing? I'm a mathematician-turned-programmer who wishes they've gone into a more creative career

Silmarillion blog: @ward-of-irmo

Personal blog: @careening-mind

Read all the snippets I've posted under this tag.

DMs/Asks/Tag games? Yes, please

This blog is a mix of things related to my writing, from snippets, through info dumps, to historical trivia and inspirations for the setting. Also, cats.

I'm happy to do beta swaps.

About my writing:

Expect themes of found family, battling inner demons, finding one's identity and strength. But also, superpowered sword fights and epic locations. Don't expect romance front and centre, and don't expect characters who are minors. Most of my characters are openly queer; I enjoy seeing people I can identify with partake in fantasy adventures, without their identities being a burden.

I write multi-POV stories, 3rd person only. I'm not that keen on seemingly unrelated POVs coming together, but I love seeing group interactions through the eyes of a different person each time.

I like turning 'what if' questions into stories - what if the Chosen One was chosen by the villain? What if a Bronze Age civilisation experienced a first contact with an alien race? What would crime-scene investigation look like in a setting where people turn to dust upon death? I also love learning, and I learn by researching random areas that are tangentially related to my writing projects.

Are my fantasy settings too realistic? Maybe. Am I having fun writing it? Definitely.

About my WIPS:

The Sunblessed Realm

Hard fantasy, queernorm setting inspired by Slavic folklore and the history of Central-Eastern Europe. The age of heroes has passed. The heroes remain alive.

A list of all stories and longer snippets in this setting that I've posted.

Days of Dusk trilogy [Tag]

Swords used to be the protectors of the world, channelling the power of the Elements to fight against the Primeval Darkness. Now that the threat is contained, they are perceived as a danger themselves. Their powers are feared, while any advantages they can give are made up for with developments in science.

Info dump posts: Map || Magic system || Fashion || Architecture || Cast || Rites of passage

⚔️Gifts of Fate ⚔️

Intro post || [Tag]

The Witcher x Fullmetal Alchemist

Genre: NA hard fantasy

Pitch: The hero was chosen by the villain to become might incarnate. With all due respect, he'd like to decline.

Expect gratuitous superpowered HEMA fight scenes mixed with fridge horror.

Progress: First Draft done at 107k, beta readers' feedback received

⚔️The Prince's Shadow⚔️

Intro post || [Tag]

NA military fantasy.

The hero of the first instalment was deemed to dangerous to live or be killed. The Army's spymaster and the Chief Strategist set him up to die a hero's death.

Note: This was the first story I've written in this setting, with the pitch being 'the hero has just saved the world and needs to figure out what to do with his life'. It has evolved a fair bit since then.

Progress: Needs rewriting, now that the prequel is written.

⚔️Prodigal Children⚔️

[Tag]

Political fantasy.

The last - the only - war fought by Swords took place two millennia ago, and the memory of its horrors kept the princes motivated to stop it from happening ever again. When an uprising in one of the princedoms spills over the borders, it again becomes a real threat.

Now with more intrigue and sapphic romance.

Progress: First Draft done at 128k

To do: I've got feedback to incorporate

The Truth Teller [Tag]

Intro post

Urban fantasy version of the Eastern Bloc.

Three thousand years later, the heroes of the previous stories have passed into legends. There are no more Swords to protect, Crystals to heal, or Elemental Dancers to mend and build. There are only Knacked, shunned by the society.

Progress: Outline done, writing started.

Other

The Fulcrum

First Contact Sci-Fi from the point of view of the alien species. While their civilisation is comparable to early Iron Age ones on Earth, don't worry, they have nukes.

Progress: First Draft - 24k/100k

To do: more research

[shadeops21]

Hello! I love your Cosplay Guides for COD! It’s very detailed and well done! But I can’t seem to find the character I’d like to cosplay beside Soap! I even found and looked on your DeviantArt, but he wasn’t there. Would it be possible to consider adding Gary ‘Roach’ Sanderson? Thank you in advance! :)

Ah, here’s where it gets difficult as there isn’t a “canon” reboot appearance of Roach that is able to be properly broken down. A lot of the “remaster” Roach images out there are actually just using modified or “kitbashed” versions of AI NPC skins or generic MP “milsim” skins, which share a lot of the same core assets as the campaign characters in terms of clothing, plate carriers, and pouches, albiet in different configurations and colourations.

The OG trilogy doesn’t give us much to work on either as we didn’t really see more than his arms from the first person mode, and what glimpses of his body we do get, he’s wearing the same kit as the other TF141 characters as their appearance was a lot more uniform than the reboot is. The other issue with the OG trilogy is that the equipment, even in the remaster, is too low-poly and generic to really make any kind of identification of specific equipment nearly impossible.

(Post-note: This is turning into a longer response than I expected so I’ll throw this under the cut)

Personally, if I were building a cosplay for Roach that was in line with the reboot’s aesthetics, then I would start with what “theme” I want to capture based on existing trends. Looking at what the other boys have there are about three, maybe four distinct themes:

- Night Raider: the “nightwar” gear where they’re all in black and navy blue, night vision goggles, all that “going dark” angle

- Field Work: what the boys wear a lot during MW19 and MWIII, your more conventional SF look with the green, brown, and camouflage printed clothing and gear, maybe helmets or hats, etc.

- Urban Ops: essentially streetwear or civilian attire with their combat loads just thrown over the top, maybe a thinned out load for mobility or “short duration” actions. Think Soap’s tee & jeans load or what is worn during the tunnel fight in the end of MWIII.

Once you have a theme in mind, draw inspiration from the others for what Roach might have, and don’t be afraid to incorporate headcanons if you so choose.

Here’s what I would do if I were building a Roach costume, using what is known from the canon trilogy and commonly adopted fanon.

Theme: Urban Operations

Clothing:

- Ranger Green Crye G3 combat shirt, rolled up sleeves to below the elbow. UK IR flag patch on right shoulder pocket flap.

- Faded blue and torn denim jeans, single kneepad on the right knee.

- Mechanix Original gloves in Coyote Brown, cutoff the trigger finger halfway on the right glove.

Platform (vest):

- Crye CPC in coyote brown

— Condor Tactical Annex Admin pouch on the top velcro section of the vest

— 2x HSGI Twin AR Taco rifle mag pouches on the front MOLLE panel, occupying wearer’s left and centre row pairs

— Flashbang pouch occupying right row pair of the front molle panel

— Left cummerbund, running front to back: HSGI Single AR Taco rifle mag pouch, Spritus Systems GP pouch, Tactical Tailor PRC-152 radio pouch - all coyote brown

— Right cummerbund, front to back: flashbang pouch, Spritus Systems GP pouch

— Rear platebag just remains empty to accommodate a backpack when needed

— Patches: Green IR UK flag patch attached to the admin pouch

- Ronin Tactics TF Belt, coyote brown

— Left hip: ESSTAC twin pistol magazine pouch, with single HSGI AR Taco behind it

— Small of back: Blue Force Gear Micro Trauma NOW IFAK

— Right Hip: holster of some kind on a low-ride platform, suitable for a sidearm of your choosing. Recommend Safariland brand.

Headwear:

Beanie/watch cap with Opscore AMP headset over the top, half-face neckwrap in black or grey, with tinted wrap sunglasses.

Haven’t covered footwear as I have a few boots I wear personally, can’t go wrong with either Underarmour or Oakley tactical boots, or cross reference my guides and see what the others wear.

I hope this serves as a helpful guide or something to help you out with your own Roach cosplay. And believe me, if we do get a Roach character in the reboot verse you can bet that I’ll have their loadout breakdown done!

Thanks for the ask!

[tkachuktkaching]

Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers takes off his helmet as he prepares to fight against Jake Sanderson as afterwards Members of the Ottawa Senators and the Florida Panthers bang their sticks on the boards after the fight during the third period at Canadian Tire Centre on November 27, 2023 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

(Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

[kiwisinlingerie]

Vocal

Pairing: Roach/König Warnings: N/A Contains: Face riding, copious amounts of biting, minor feminisation the elephant in the room that is König′s dick.  Rating: E Fandom: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2  AU: Falconry Au ( @hurrraaid ) Word length: 1401

Summary: In the grand scheme of things, König really shouldn’t have underestimated the determination of a 5′7′’ man intent on suffocating between his thighs. 

Authors Note: I typically write WLW so this was a nice change of pace for once haha. Also apologies for any incorrect German, my grasp of the language is basic at best. 

‘words here’ - thought “words here” - Sign Language 

[AO3]

-----

Garry 'Roach' Sanderson is a demon. 

A foul tempter hidden beneath a boyish face that gave away nothing of his nature. It had started off simple, a touch that lasted too long in the staff room, lingering stares across the weathering lawn that made König's stomach churn unexpectedly. 

He'd taken to learning sign before departing for Price's centre, the concept of not being able to communicate with a future co-worker had filled him with anxiety more than the move to another country. 

This decision has only served to provide him with regrets he barely comprehends. What had begun as a simple help with learning, casual conversations about birds, had dissolved into the smaller man stating his desires to him with unabashed confidence, surely enjoying the way his cheeks flush over the mask and his stumbled excuses to Soap as to the fluster. 

It's the statement about riding his face and the aftermath that lead to this, König knelt over the smaller man's face, trying not to combust from embarrassment. 

Roach had been unrelenting once behind closed doors, having shown up to König's temporary home with a cheeky look, the Austrian man barely able to greet him before he's near snapped in half with the force used to pull him into a kiss. 

König barely hears the door click shut and lock, too distracted by Roach and the feel of hands pulling at his clothes to pay anything else attention.

They shuffle backwards, brief moments of relief as t shirts and jackets are peeled off before the kissing resumes, coming to a stop at last as König's calves hit the bed. 

"Ah, wait-" 

Roach doesn't wait. König's not sure if the other knows how to, cold hand pressing flush against his bare chest before pushing, sending the giant of a man sprawling across the bedding. 

His dick twitches, already half hard since the pain of being forcefully bent had rippled up his spine. The sight of Roach looming over him, smug look on his face, making him both want to hide and pull the smaller man down to his level. 

The latter wins, a strange bout of confidence, no doubt caused by Roach's undivided attention, causing him to take the brunette by the wrist and yank him down, dominance remaining in his favour until he catches sight of the look Roach is giving him. 

A brief moment of surprise gives way to a smirk, König's mind filling the silence of how the other would tease him were he verbal. 'eager are we?' 

Perhaps. It was hard not to be when Roach had seemingly read him like a book and found ways to push every button correctly without ever being told. 

"Be vocal for me." 

The kiss this time isn't as desperate. It's almost sweet even. Roach' s hand on his cheek stops him from chasing his lips when the smaller man pulls away, an inaudible chuckle from him before he begins to trail kisses down his neck. 

Every scar gets attention, a kiss to each one, sinking teeth into his chest with enough force that König swears, whining in his native tongue as the Brit showed no signs of stopping. 

"Bitte… Please…" König near begs, words escaping how to properly voice his wants. Bite me until I cum. Mark me as yours. Blow me until I'm breathless. Fuck me into the sheets relentlessly. All thoughts he craves to express but can't vocalise. 

Roach pulls up from his assault on König's chest, drool extending from lips to a chest already starting to bloom with bruises and bitemarks, eyes flicking down to his groin, still clothed and straining, before laughing his phantom chuckle once more. 

He keeps his eyes on König's as he continues his descent down his body, both lips and teeth graving skin until stopping at the waistband of his trousers. A kiss to his cock through the fabric before Roach withdraws, tugging both sweatpants and underwear down to leave König bare. 

König feels his cheeks bloom darker, squeezing his eyes shut and looking away as Roach's eyes darkened with lust. He's big. Big in all ways. The expectation creeping in that Roach had changed his mind, that he'd just want to ride him and nothing more becoming more and more present. 

His brain is stuttered into silence as his leg is folded up onto the bed, a loud moan ripping from his throat as the biting resumed. Roach isn't gentle and, frankly, König prefers it that way, the perfect blend of both pain and pleasure swirling in his brain as bites turned to sucking and back again. 

He's teasing him, König realises, trailing bites up his thighs only to begin on the other, painting pale skin like a canvas with purples and yellows. "Schnecke, bitte, stop teasing me." He whines, swallowing thickly as Roach stops and peers up at him from between his legs, mouth releasing skin with a near inaudible pop. 

Roach stands, crawling back onto the bed, up and past König, the redhead following the smaller man with his eyes, utterly bemused. What was he doing? Watching the other move pillows, lay down on his back, wiggling to make himself comfortable before looking back over to König, tapping his chest expectantly. 

Oh. That's what…fuck. 

He thought that had been a joke. Another means to get under König's skin. Harmless flirting that had haunted the Austrian's dreams these past few weeks. He hadn't believed Roach was completely serious until now, the mute man huffing at the lack of speed from König as he aggressively signed "My face. Now."

There's a level of apprehension to his actions as he follows Roach up the bed, cautiously positioning himself with his knees either side of his head, cursing as he looked down only to be greeted by a face of pure satisfaction. Roach was, if anything, the cat who got both the cream and the canary. 

"I need you to-fuck!" König starts only to stutter to a stop as Roach kisses his shaft, a brief contact that flatlines his thoughts to nothing beyond a mantra of Roach's name. Small hands guide his hips, tip brushing against an all too eager mouth, König releasing a pleased little gasp and moan as lips wrapped around him. 

His pace starts off slow, a conscious effort to not hurt the smaller man, never more aware of the size of his dick, thighs and strength. It's not enough for Roach, however, hands gripping into thighs and hips tightly, pulling him down and deeper into his throat, König's thighs tightening as Roach moaned around and down him. 

"Fuck my mouth like a good girl." Is rapidly signed before hands grip large thighs once more, König electing to live up to the praise and doing as he's told. Its near overloading, the wet warmth of Roach's mouth, the nails digging into flesh, his hand gripping brown hair tightly as his hips snap forward and back with deep, unrelenting thrusts. 

He can visual the praise, the smaller man telling him how good he's being, how he's such a good, good girl for him. It drives him to thrust harder, to be rougher with Roach's mouth, waiting for him to tell him to ease up only for him to adjust and swallow or moan around him. 

König is aware of how loud he's being, his anxiety to his neighbours evaporated as his brain overfilled with Roach's name, curses and demands to know if he was the other's good girl, all of which spilled from his lips in fervent prayer. 

"I'm gonna-" His attempts to pull out are stopped by the painful grip on his scratched up thighs, climaxing down the smaller man's throat and its then, and only then, that Roach allows him to remove himself from his mouth. 

Roach looks dishevelled, cheeks flushed and panting, fingers tracing the letters of 'good girl' into König's flesh. He tries to ignore how the words make his dick twitch, plays ignorant to how Roach fully noticed his returned arousal. 

He slips out from beneath him, Roach kneeling and capturing his lips. König can taste himself on the other's lips and tongue, the hand curling gently in his hair, surprisingly gentle considering moments ago he was riding the smaller man's face.

"Can I fuck you?" König's eyes flick from hands to eyes post kiss, taking in the request before licking his lips and swallowing. 

"Please."

[thoughtlessarse]

At the point Nigel Farage announced his intention to stand for parliament “my heart sank”, admitted Trixy Sanderson, 42, formerly known as Annabelle Fuller. “It’s very triggering,” said Farage’s former lover and press aide. The overriding emotion of Doug Denny, 76, a former member of Ukip’s ruling body, was frustration. “I don’t like frauds,” he said, with a shake of the head. As for Nikki Sinclaire, 55, one of Farage’s former MEPs, she said she felt cold anger. It was inexplicable to her that this particular political bandwagon was still rolling on. “I get very frustrated because the media have had the tools for many years to down Farage.” That collective sense of foreboding deepened on Thursday night as Farage’s Reform UK party summoned up Rishi Sunak’s worst nightmare, nudging ahead of the Conservatives in a YouGov poll for the first time, with its support reaching 19% to the Tories 18%, while Labour powered on at 37%. “This is the inflection point,” said Farage, 60, in a hastily shot video for social media. “The only wasted vote now is a Conservative vote. We are the challengers to Labour. We are on our way.” For all of Farage’s apparent national popularity, it has not been an entirely comfortable opening to his eighth attempt to gain a seat in parliament, this time in the Essex town of Clacton-on-Sea. He has been drenched in banana milkshake and been forced to duck projectiles thrown at him while on a bus tour through Barnsley town centre. Yet as unpleasant as those scenes have been, the truth is that such scuffles have long been part of the campaign appearances of people as divisive as Farage. There is, however, something quite peculiar about the level of antipathy that is also felt towards the Reform party leader by so many of those who have worked closely with him over the years.

continue reading

He was a racist? He still is, FFS!

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

WALK, WALK, FASHION BABY | The Princess of Wales returned to a stalwart classic - flag dressing - alongside a recent addition to her wardrobe for her visit to the Ukrainian Community Centre in Reading. She wore a new LK Bennett dress (which was far more sheer than her usual choices) which was blue and yellow spotted, a touching nod to the colours of the Ukrainian flag. She also rewore the Max and Co camel-coloured wool coat she first wore last week. Catherine also wore her Annoushka pearl drop earrings on her Kiki McDonough gold hoops, and carried her Jaeger quilted clutch - the 'Kate'. Catherine's shoes are likely (although not certainly) to be Rupert Sanderson

[dontcxckitup]

"Okay so, Delta Squad you take the East, Gamma you go West, Omega Squad you take South port and the Alpha team here are going North, you're going to park up, bay there at the coordinates on the watch for 80 minutes..."

He reels off the instructions just like he did the first time they practised this scouting mission. Only this is a different team. Gareth is with him this time. He glances at the newly appointed Lieutenant literally just given the promotion the same morning, he couldn't keep the smirk off his face, Gareth had been so excited all day that he'd now got his official clearance to drive the squad car on a scout and not just sit bored in the back of McGregor's car.

"Ready pup?"

@mr007pennyworth

   With his elbow propped up on the door, fist pressed against his cheek, and the other hand resting on the steering wheel while holding onto a chocolate bar, Gareth sits waiting on the driver's seat. He barely listens to Alfred listing the instructions, having heard them so many times already he knows it all by heart - also because he is spending most of his time with the older, anyway.

His gaze shifts over to Alfred at the question, brow rising, hand sinking down and moving to the steering wheel to join the other instead. He has been ready all day, frankly. Perhaps a bit too excited to finally be in the centre of it all, too, not just in the back of a car with McGregor and Sanderson breathing down his neck. No, this time is different. He starts the jeep’s engine, chewing away on his chocolate before shooting Alfred a smile. “Born ready,” Gareth jokes. “Waiting for your orders. Sir.”

[thekilda]

Just a few days left to vote in the Audio Verse Awards! We have so many wonderful people up for awards, and everyone involved in every production has worked so hard! Please consider voting if you haven’t already!

Image 1:  The background is a blue-washed photo of the island of Hirta. Text reads ‘audio verse award finalists.’ At the centre of the image is the St Kilda logo. The left column of text reads ‘Best cover art of a new production, Scott McCartney. Best writing of a new production, Naomi Clarke. Best environment and action sound design of a new production, Michael Ireland, Tracy Barnett.’ The right column of text reads ‘Best composition and musical direction of a new production, Shane Rutherfoord-Jones. Best vocal direction of a new production, Michael Ireland. Best new audio play production.’

Image 2:  The background is a blue-washed photo of the island of Hirta. Text reads ‘audio verse award finalists, best guest performer in a new production.’ At the centre of the image is the St Kilda logo, and surrounding it are circular, black and white cast headshots and names underneath. From top to bottom, left to right, they are: Kirsty Woolven, Marguerite Kenner, Sasha Sienna, Sally Walker-Taylor, Andrew Gorman.

Image 3:  The background is a blue-washed photo of the island of Hirta. Text reads ‘audio verse award finalists, best performer in a new production.’ At the centre of the image is the St Kilda logo, and surrounding it are circular, black and white cast headshots and names underneath. From top to bottom, left to right, they are: Alan Burgon, Meabh de Brun, Ben Meredith, Shogo Miyakita, Sam Yeow, Alasdair Stuart, Michelle Kelly, Marie Anello, Danilo Battistini, Amina Koroma, Erika Sanderson, Rhys Lawton, Sarah Golding, Axandre Oge, and Dean J Smith. End ID.

[hocuspocus-revengeisawitch]

FIC COMPLETED!

Summary:

Nora's and Winifred's unconventional relationship keeps developing just fine, so the time has come for Nora to finally be the centre of attention and find herself at the receiving end of the witch's ministrations.

Rating:

Explicit

Category:

F/F

Fandom:

Hocus Pocus (Movies)

Relationships:

Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson/Original Character(s)

Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson/Orginal Female Character (Nora)

Characters:

Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson

Nora (FemOC)

You Wouldn't Be Surprised If I Gave Away Too Much in the Tags

Strong Female Characters

Mentioning of Sarah and Mary Sanderson

Yup We Finally Get Dominant Winnie

The English Are Depraved

Black Flame Candle Origin Story

Language: English

Series: Part 7 of Sticks And Stones I'll Break Thy Bones And Shall Forever Curse TheeNext Work

Completed: Yes | Words: 4,183 | Chapters: 1/1 | Comments: 5 | Kudos: 74

[rubireads]

the well of ascension by brandon sanderson

3.75 stars

the second book of the mistborn trilogy is a relatively slow-paced one with a powerful climax sequence that is typical of most fantasy series.

the story takes place a year after the conclusion of the final empire, centring on the difficulties involved when attempting to rebuild a empire whilst facing multiple external threats - one being elend’s own father. because of this, the well of ascension is a plot of political intrigue that admittedly became tiresome in some parts. however the mystery of the mists were still very much explored through vin’s pov, with exciting new characters and metals being introduced.

i liked the focus on vin and elend and how everyone deals with the aftermath of the first book in their own way. whilst some actions i found frustrating, my brother highlighted to me sanderson’s insightful way of representing certain characteristics and emotions in such a realistic way. alongside this, sanderson has a great talent of shattering belief systems, making the reader wholeheartedly believe one thing whilst hiding the true facts until the very last moment.

unfortunately the conclusion of the book felt quite unfulfilling as so much had been discovered in the last climax yet i still felt as if i knew nothing. however, i assume that will all be forgotten when i read the final book in the trilogy which promises to contain revelations abound, connections of early chapters clicking into place and surprises, as satisfying as they are stunning, blossom like fireworks. just this description is reason enough to build up hope for the hero of ages.

[someonelookingpraediti]

2023 Yearly Roundup

Stats. Total Books Read: 97 New Reads: 68 Re-reads: 29 DNFs: 3 5 Star Books: 24

I set myself an ambitious goal this year of 100 books. I didn't quite make it, I only managed 97. If I'm being completely honest, I had enough free time in the last week of December to catch up and hit my target, I was just being lazy.

I was sort of planning on upping my goal each year, but I just don't think I can find any more time in the day to read, and the objective is to read more often, not to read faster. So in 2024, I'm not setting a number goal, but a series of objectives instead.

The Cruel Prince - Holly Black (re-read)

The Wicked King - Holly Black (re-read)

The Queen of Nothing - Holly Black (re-read)

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories - Holly Black (re-read)

The Stolen Heir - Holly Black ★★★★★

Tress of the Emerald Sea - Brandon Sanderson ★★☆☆☆

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - (tr.) Bernard O'Donoghue ★★★★☆

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: An Adaptation - Elizabeth Jewell ★★☆☆☆

Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo (re-read)

Hell Bent - Leigh Bardugo ★★★★★

The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan ★★★★★

The Son of Neptune - Rick Riordan ★★★★★

The Mark of Athena - Rick Riordan ★★★★☆

The House of Hades - Rick Riordan ★★★★★

The Blood of Olympus - Rick Riordan ★★★★★

Wild - Cheryl Strayed ★★★☆☆

The Foxglove King - Hannah Whitten (DNF)

Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie ★★★★★

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Jessie L. Weston ★★★★☆

The Screaming Staircase - Jonathan Stroud ★★★★★

The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie ★★★★☆

The Murder on the Links - Agatha Christie ★★★★☆

The Whispering Skull - Jonathan Stroud ★★★★★

The Hollow Boy - Jonathan Stroud ★★★★★

The Steps up the Chimney - William Corlett (re-read)

A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara ★★★★★

Stories of Your Life and Others - Ted Chiang ★★☆☆☆

The Door in the Tree - William Corlett (re-read)

The Tunnel Behind the Waterfall - William Corlett (re-read)

The Bridge in the Clouds - William Corlett (re-read)

My Friend Anna - Rachel DeLoache Williams ★★★☆☆

Maurice - E.M. Forster ★★☆☆☆

This is How you Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone ★☆☆☆☆

The Foxhole Court - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

The Raven King - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

The King’s Men - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

Captive Prince - C.S. Pacat ★★☆☆☆

Prince’s Gambit - C.S. Pacat ★★★★☆

Julius Caesar - William Shakespeare ★★★★☆

The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller (re-read)

Kings Rising - C.S. Pacat ★★★★★

Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson ★★★★☆

Belladonna - Adalyn Grace ★★★★☆

Icebreaker - A.L. Graziadei ★★★☆☆

Bunny - Mona Awad ★☆☆☆☆

I’m Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy ★★★☆☆

Howl’s Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones ★★★★☆

The Summer Palace and Other Stories - C.S. Pacat ★★★☆☆

Owain Glyndŵr - Terry Breverton ★★☆☆☆

The Secret History - Donna Tartt ★★★★★

Small Miracles - Olivia Atwater ★★★☆☆

The Maidens - Alex Michaelides ★☆☆☆☆

Lux - Brandon Sanderson and Steven Michael Bohls ★★★★☆

The Red Pyramid - Rick Riordan ★★★☆☆

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss ★★★★☆

Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir ★★★★☆

The Foxhole Court - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

The Throne of Fire - Rick Riordan ★★★☆☆

Cemetery Boys - Aiden Thomas (re-read)

The Princess Bride - William Goldman ★★★☆☆

The Wicker King - K. Ancrum ★★★★★

The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt ★★★★½

The Legend of the Golden Raven - K. Ancrum ★★☆☆☆

Around the World in Eighty Days - Jules Verne ★★★☆☆

Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer (re-read)

Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident - Eoin Colfer (re-read)

Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code - Eoin Colfer (re-read)

Artemis Fowl and the Opal Deception - Eoin Colfer (re-read)

Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony - Eoin Colfer (re-read)

Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox - Eoin Colfer (re-read)

Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex - Eoin Colfer (re-read)

Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian - Eoin Colfer (re-read)

The Raven King - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

Mr Briggs’ Hat - Kate Colquhoun ★★★☆☆

Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Jules Verne ★★☆☆☆

Elysium - Nora Sakavic ★★★★★

Plain Bad Heroines - Emily M. Danforth ★★★★☆

The Last Sun - K.D. Edwards ★★★★★

The Hanged Man - K.D. Edwards ★★★★★

The Hourglass Throne - K.D. Edwards ★★★★★

The Silent Companions - Laura Purcell ★★★★★

The Eidolon - K.S. Edwards ★★★★★

Wild is the Witch - Rachel Griffin ★★☆☆☆

Goth - Otsuichi ★★★★★

The King’s Men - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

The Serpent’s Shadow - Rick Riordan ★★★☆☆

The Winter Spirits - various authors ★★★★☆

Clytemnestra - Costanza Casati ★★★★★

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (re-read)

Zoo - Otsuichi ★★★★☆

What the River Knows - Isabel Ibañez ★★★★☆

Mythos - Stephen Fry ★★★★★

The Good Son - You-Jeong Jeong ★★★★★

The People in the Trees - Hanya Yanagihara (DNF)

Murder Most Festive - Ada Moncrieff ★☆☆☆☆

The Foxhole Court - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

Collected Ghost Stories - M.R. James (DNF)

The Raven King - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

Long Chills & Case Dough - Brandon Sanderson ★★★☆☆

The King’s Men - Nora Sakavic (re-read)

view my rating system here

[biohazzard121]

                                           “SEDUCTION”

                                              Female Poses

A couple of the poses will encounter a few clipping issues with skirts/dresses & for obvious reasons the ladies will look different in poses when wearing underwear rather than fully dressed lol

All the sims modelling the poses can be found in my catalogue on Gallery.

Sim 1: Teresa Campball

Sim 2: Sandra Fairchild

Sim 3: Shannon Kimble

Sim 4: Reyna Sanderson

Sim 5: Suzanna McGovern

Sim 6: Holly Benson

Pose Link: http://www.simfileshare.net/download/3480375/

If you use my poses Please Tag me #Biohazzard121 i do not use the tag #Bio121 this was only what i named my files as they weren’t 5 miles long lol.

I recommend you use No Mirroring MOD so the Poses showed come out properly and not off centre or flipped, Please see another post for the link if required.

I have finally linked my Tumblr to Twitter Biohazzard_121, i only really use it to keep track of the games i follow so don’t expect much on there from me lol. 

[super-unpredictable98]

I Put a Spell on You (Misfits x Hocus Pocus Crossover)

Word Count: 2k Warning: Strong language, mention of death a/n: Here's my first contribution to @sheehalloween 2022. I hope you all understand I grew up watching this movie in Portuguese and only just recently watched the original, so I have no idea how to write the 1600s English the Sanderson sisters speak lol

(Masterlist)

"I don't see how this is any different from the Community Centre party," Nathan grumbled, hating that unfamiliar feeling from being so far away from home.

"What do you mean? You don't see a difference between a party at the Wertham Community Centre and a party in Salem? The city of witch trials?" Lydia laughed.

That year, she had the idea to take the gang to America so they could celebrate Halloween in style. As fun as the parties were back home, there's nowhere else in the world that takes the holiday as seriously as the USA. 

Kelly, Nikki, and Curtis didn't really adhere to the dress code, simply wearing dark makeup and clothes instead of a proper costume. 

On the other hand, Simon and Alisha were dressed as Lloyd and Yor Forger, his idea mostly because he wanted to see his wife in that black dress. 

Lydia and Nathan were dressed as Fran Bow and Itward from the game he had never played, but more often than not, he would accept whatever costume his wife wanted him to wear.

"Well, I suppose you'd rather do something else then?" Lydia asked. "We could hit a double feature of some old horror films, if you really want to we can try trick or treating..."

"No! We do this every year. Let's find a haunted house, not one with scare actors and shit, a real one! We're in Salem, there must be a real haunted house somewhere!"

"No way, you'll get there and you'll totally shit yourself," Curtis laughed. 

"You're the biggest chicken here, you'll just run away and leave us there," Kelly agreed. 

"Me?" Nathan screamed, extremely offended. "I ain't scared! I wanna see a real ghost!"

"Don't you see real ghosts all the time?" Simon asked. 

"Fine, y'twat! Then I wanna see a real werewolf! A real vampire! A real witch!" 

Right then, a pair of teenagers rushed into the venue. They all looked a mess and were absolutely terrified.

"Everyone! Everyone! Cut the music, it's an emergency!" The girl jumped on stage and grabbed the microphone from the vocalist of the band that had been playing. "We have a serious warning! You are all in danger!" 

"Fire! Is there a fire?" Alisha looked around. 

"Three hundred years ago, the Sanderson Sisters used to bewitch people, now they're back from the grave! The legend isn't a legend, it's real! This boy lit up the black flame candle at the house in the forest, and he's a virgin! I know it sounds dumb, but it's true!"

"He's a virgin? What a loser, am I right?" Nathan snorted.

Nobody was taking the group seriously, but to be fair it all seemed like a bit they planned, like some sort of skit. 

"What are they talking about?" Curtis asked. 

"The legend of the Sanderson sisters, they say three witches were killed centuries ago during the witch trials for eating the souls of children to stay young. They cursed the town with a prediction that said they would come back to life for one night if a virgin lit up the black flame candle," Lydia explained. "I read about it in the brochure, did nobody read the brochure?"

"You have to listen to us!" The boy, allegedly the virgin who lit the candle, took the microphone. "They're coming for your kids, no one is safe. They are brewing a potion to steal their souls! They're right there!"

"These kids are hilarious," Nate chuckled.

To corroborate the idea that it was all an act, the lights flickered and everyone cheered as three middle-aged women parted their way through the crowd. They wore elaborate dresses and makeup, the youngest was a beautiful blonde, the middle one was a clumsy brunette, and the oldest had red hair and huge teeth like a rabbit. 

"Nate was wrong, this party is way better than the ones back home," Nikki clapped, entertained by the act.

"Thank you for the marvelous introduction," the red-headed one said before she started to sing the song that was playing before they arrived, I Put a Spell on You. 

Everyone was laughing and having a great time, except for the poor teenagers and Lydia, who somehow felt like something was wrong. Nobody was that good of an actor, the kids were actually desperate.

"Don't listen to them! They're trying to bewitch you!" The boy pleaded, but it fell on deaf ears.

"Hello, Salem! My name is Winifred, what's yours?" The oldest witch climbed on stage, followed by her sisters.

"Nathan, do you smell something rotten?" Lydia asked.

"It wasn't me!" He held his hands up defensively. 

"No, you wanker, like a dead body! We all know that smell quite well, ain't it?" She looked around and her stomach twisted when she spotted a real zombie chasing the teens around the party while everybody danced. "Oh shit, oh shit, they might be telling the truth, we gotta get out of here!"

"What? No, you're bein' paranoid, this is fun!" He insisted. "Tell me you're not believin' this hocus pocus... Aren't you a little too old to believe in witches?"

"We're superheroes! Everyone is chanting what this old lady is singing, don't you think this is a little weird?" 

"Let loose, Lyds!" Simon giggled, looking like he was actually under some kind of spell. He was never that relaxed, ever, it just wasn't in the Bellamy nature. "Just dance with us!"

Meanwhile, on stage, the three witches were talking among themselves, planning their next move when Mary, the middle one, turned towards the audience with an evil lopsided grin as she sniffed something.

"Winnie! Winnie, I smell-"

"Children? Yes, you moron, there is a child right there! Now how do we snatch her?" Winifred elbowed her on the stomach.

"No! I smell... Immortality."

"Immortality?" Sarah, the youngest and prettiest one, gasped. "How come?"

"Oh fuck!" Lydia grabbed her husband's hand and made a run for the door, leaving the others wondering what had gotten into her. 

Seeing the young couple running away left it pretty clear to Winifred who was the immortal one they were smelling.

"Come on, sisters! After them!"

"Where are we even goin'? We don't know the town, we'll get lost," Nathan protested.

"Better to get lost than be eaten by witches! I refuse to have your pretty face fuel those old hags' youth potion." 

"What are you saying about us?" Winifred drawled, riding just above them on her broomstick. 

"Run!" Lydia cried, but it was hopeless. The witches were way faster flying than they were running.

When they reached a dead end, she started to think of a plan. She didn't have to outpower them, just outwit them. How hard could it be to bamboozle three women who died in the late 1600s? 

"What happened to you? What made you cry blood?" Mary asked, taking Lydia's face and squishing it between her hands. 

"Seeing your ugly faces!" She spat.

"Oh, how rude..."

The Fran Bow costume consisted of a yellow dress with a blue bow, a messy brown bob, a jar of red pills (which was actually her purse), and tears of blood staining her face aside from the fake blood covering her hands.

"Is the girl the immortal one?" Winifred asked.

"No, it's the gentleman, the nice gentleman behind this skeleton glamour," Mary said, referring to the makeup for the Itward costume.

"Can I play with him, Winnie?" Sarah giggled, jumping at the opportunity, her hands snaking under his blazer as she drew his gaze to her cleavage. "I love men with curly hair."

"So does my wife!" Nate yelped, not knowing how to react. "Look, you're cute, wouldn't push you off the bed, but I'm married," he flashed his wedding ring.

"That is not a problem, your wife doesn't need to know," she brought his hand to her chest and he quickly pulled it away, turning to check how angry Lyddie was.

"She already knows, I'm right here!" Lydia yelled.

"Is the immortal gentleman married to a child?" Sarah grimaced.

"I'm not a child, halfwit! I'm dressed as a child! I'm a grown woman!"

"They speak with interesting accents, Winnie," Mary pointed out. "Could they be travelers?" 

"Actually we are! We are from England, from a dark horrible place called Wertham. The three of you don't scare me!" Lydia crossed her arms defiantly. 

"Technically I'm from Ireland, but the point still stands," Nathan added quietly.

"Quit the chatter! You look thirsty, boy," Winifred held up a bottle with a smoking green liquid and tried to force it down Nathan's throat. "Just drink it, it'll be so much easier if you cooperate."

"He won't fucking cooperate! You're not gonna eat my husband!" Lyddie demanded. "You stupid old bitch!"

"Oh, quiet! Boooook!" The oldest witch called and a book with a leather cover and one eye flew into her hand. "Did you hear it, sisters? This foolish girl has no manners at all, I think we ought to correct her."

"How, Winnie? How?" Marry rubbed her hands together. "Can I kill her? She looks so plump, she must be tasty too..."

"And then I get to play with her widower!" Sarah added, bouncing in excitement.

"You bumbling idiots!" Winifred pushed the book against her sister's chest, nearly knocking her down. "Let us do to her what we did to the Binx boy, it worked so well the first time."

"You wanna turn me into an immortal cat?" Lydia winced. "Well, good fucking luck!"

"Twist the bones and break the back," she started.

"Itchita kupita melaka mystika..." the other two witches chanted.

Before Winifred could try to get the second part of the incantation out, Lydia punched her square in the jaw and Nathan simply watched it, marveled. It wasn't their first time dealing with supervillains and the solution was more often than not violent and simple.

The older witch fell with a screech and her sisters quickly rushed to help her up, muttering questions to make sure she was okay.

"You pest! Dirty harlot, how dare you?" 

Winifred pointed her veiny hand at the girl and a flash of green lightning left the tips of her long, bony fingers, but before her spell could have any effect Lydia covered herself and Nathan in a force field. The magic bounced back and hit the caster like a gunshot.

"How d'you like that?" Nate taunted. 

"The overgrown child is a witch too!" Sarah's eyes grew horrified.

"Yes! And the immortal warlock is already mine! Fuck off, you cunts!" 

"Warlock?" She gasped.

"I- I'm a man witch, yeah, I totally am!" Nathan nodded, producing a bottle of water out of thin air and proceeding to drink it. "I'm like Harry Potter!"

"Harry Potter? I think we knew him, wasn't he the one who died in that barn fire when he tried to roast a little girl like a pig?" Mary whispered.

"The point is, sisters, he is one of ours. You can't hurt your own, it's... Unethical."

"Unethical? Unethical... What does unethical mean, Winnie?" She asked.

"Clearly it is some sort of word from their corner of the world, how am I supposed to know?" Winifred hissed. 

"Unethical means it is morally wrong, you can't steal from another coven. We are already so few and rare to find, if you kill him for your potion, you are no better than the people who burned you at the stake!" Lydia proclaimed, still covering them with her thin blue field, scared of what they might do otherwise. 

The three sisters looked at each other completely confused. Was she... Right? Besides, wouldn't it be easier to just collect a bigger number of children, who are defenseless and wouldn't fight back? It wasn't immortality, but-

"We were hung actually... That isn't important. How did you become immortal, boy?" Winifred asked finally.

"Oh, that was easy! I was struck by lightning," Nathan explained.

"Struck by lightning, I think we can do that. Book, show me a spell to conjure rain!" 

While they were distracted by the idea to become immortal by other means, Nathan and Lydia ran the other way, escaping the dead end street and finding their friends waiting by the entrance where the Halloween party was.

"Where were you? We've been lookin' everywhere!" Kelly scolded.

"Sorry, we were nearly killed by witches, one of them wanted to turn me into a black cat and eat Nathan's soul!" Lyddie sighed, finally lifting their protection.

"Oh, I guess we've been in worse situations before," Simon shrugged. 

"Definitely, this was nothing compared to the Virtue virgins," Alisha agreed.

"Or the crazy guy from the video game," Nikki held her fiancé's arm.

"Yeah, they were pretty stupid... Does anyone fancy a drink? Just nothing green please," Lydia groaned, followed by the others as she headed to a nearby pub, hoping the black flame candle would go out soon.

Tag List: @seanfalco @firstpersonnarrator @elliethesuperfruitlover

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

Princess of Wales - 2022 Statistics (FULL YEAR)

In 2022, the new Princess of Wales completed (by my count) 168 engagements, around 53 more than the amount of engagements she completed by my count in 2021 and 39 more than 2020. As well as this, she was sighted (or appeared) 16 times and appeared in a whopping 26 official (or unofficial and leaked!) photographs.

She gained four new patronages throughout the year and finished with 25 patronages. Of her 168 engagements, 67 were related to one of her patronages, averaging at one patronage visit every 0.39 engagements. Her most visited patronage was, of course, the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales (formerly, the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge), with 46 visits. This was followed by the Lawn Tennis Association and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (with 3 visits). She performed no engagements on behalf of The Air Cadet Organisation, the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, Evelina London Children’s Hospital (she unofficially visited the hospital during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations), Family Action (she supported them in an article in Good Housekeeping), the Forward Trust, the National Portrait Gallery (her birthday portraits were released in conjunction with the NPG), the Natural History Museum, Place2Be, the Royal Photographic Society, the Scouts, or the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Of her engagements, 64 have been solo and 73 accompanied by her husband, the Prince of Wales. Five were also with either Prince George or Princess Charlotte, five with a range of foreign royals (including the two in Denmark), as well as 20 with either the whole or most of the working British Royal Family (note: some of the events with foreign royals also included a lot of members of the British Royal Family), and one with one other solo royal (the Princess Royal).

105 of her engagements physically took place in England, with all bar 48 physically occuring in the United Kingdom (with none in the Republic of Ireland). Of the 105 engagements which took place in England, 70 occured in London. Catherine's engagements also took her to 19 other areas of the UK. Only 7 were online or via telephone. Catherine also performed engagements in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Catherine also undertook a working trip to Denmark, a tour of the Caribbean (which saw her visit Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas), and an official visit to Boston in the USA.

During the year, she performed engagements on a variety of themes. 32 of those engagements were predominantly related to her Early Years initiative, while 15 were linked to culture and 13 linked to sports. Due to the return of overseas trips, State Visits, and the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II, 35 engagements were diplomatic in nature. 10 engagements were on the theme of mental health, while she also completed 9 engagements linked to children and young people, 7 linked to the military, 5 linked to Covid-19, 3 linked to the outdoors, and 1 which was specifically linked to the Commonwealth. Catherine also completed 38 engagements which could not otherwise be categorised.

Clotheswise, her most worn designer has been Alexander McQueen, with 25 outfits, followed by 10 outfits from Catherine Walker, while 18 items of clothing were unidentified. Her most carried bag designer was Mulberry (12), followed by Emmy London with 9, and 5 which were unidentifed. Mulberry has been her most carried bag designer in every year apart from 2020. Her most worn shoe designer returned to being Gianvito Rossi (with 37 wears), followed by 11 pairs from Emmy London, and 6 from both Rupert Sanderson and Jimmy Choo. Gianvito Rossi was her most worn shoe designer in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Despite Kiki McDonough creeping back into her earring rotation (with 18 wears), Catherine predominantly wore pieces inherited from either Diana (20) or the Queen (19). Aside from them, she also wore Annoushka jewellery 11 times. When it comes to accessories, she continued to wear face masks from Amaia Kids (5 times), although the return of hats meant her top accessories designer was Philip Treacy. She also wore 8 unidentified pieces. According to my (100% wrong) calculations - created from my own criteria (where items are counted each time she wears them), she wore £109,654.98 worth of new clothes this year and £271,423.79  worth of clothes in total.