#Vendetta PC

[canisalbus]

I’d invite machete and vasco to my animal crossing village

They're a package deal, you have to take them both.

[embras-grace]

It's time to rant about my human in Palia: Ori Tian

He is awful and I love him. You can learn more about my human under the cut! This information is not spoiler free as his character changes over time as we learn more about the world.

Ori Tian || He/Him They/Them || 29-30 || The Watcher

Ori's history makes more sense with a few key points (some of which are spoilers you learn when talking to folks/exploring the world):

Kilima was built on the ruins of an ancient human school (I think of it as a university)

The ruins were where humans were forced to go by the human king (the Fire Temple lore) where it seems they were getting more and more ridiculous orders. I consider this to be when humanity's downfall was fast approaching.

The disaster that killed the humans was not just Flow (which I see as a global warming metaphor) but also an attack from Shadow Creatures (the Library you unlock with Jina).

The human downfall took hundreds if not thousands of years until they finally died out. They didn't go out with a bang, but with a painful whimper.

All humans have innate magical abilities. Some humans spend their whole lives learning how to tap into them, others are born with a close connection.

--

Human Life

Ori was a professor at the university and the dean of the humanities department which happened to be part of the school's administration. Their specialty was ethics and mortality, especially when it came to magic and Flow. They helped students organize various clubs and organizations inside the school, as well as supporting them during walk-outs or demonstrations against the king for trying to force people into "safety areas" to "wait out the danger" instead of facing the problem head on and cleaning up the mess humans had made that was destroying their world.

To students, Ori was known as the laid-back professor who was easy to talk to, but who wasn't afraid to talk back and be firm when needed. His tests were hell on earth but his classes were fun to those interested in a good-natured debate of philosophical principles and theories. He took it easy, but he took it.

To fellow professors and adults, Ori was a belligerent and sometimes down-right rude person. He had no problem calling people out for acting immature or acting ridiculous given certain circumstance (despite being hypocritical at times as a very hyper person themselves). The amount of fist-fights Ori has gotten into in university board meetings was too many too count.

He was outspoken against the king and didn't bother to hide his politics, which put them in a lot of danger. But Ori had one special thing that kept them safe from a great majority of threats: magic.

Ori was born with a natural affinity for fire magic and his anger could become explosive (literally). His flames were hot enough to melt iron and--when incredibly agitated--he could make anything he touched spontaneously combust. Yet this natural affinity came with a strict control he tried to keep tamped down... except when he couldn't in arguments. Fire brimming at the edges of his clothes (they never really caught on fire--clothes are expensive!) and his hair becoming bright flames. It's no wonder he was considered one of Embra's chosen.

On top of being a professor, a dean, and an activist Ori also managed the Phoenix Shrine. He was the primary caretaker, although he was as close to secular as someone could get in Palia. Is Embra real? Yes. Is she a goddess? Sure, why not. Does that mean you can't argue with her and have to accept everything she says or does? No fucking way!!! Ori is whatever the equivalent of a Jew is in Palia and he is very proud of his heritage, traditions, and beliefs.

His best friend was a kitsuu who followed him around the university and joined him on a lot of his routines for the temple. They could never be separated, his friend bringing him gifts from the natural world and Ori returning the favor with food and shiny things. His other close friend was Einar--who remembers Ori and what Ori did when he died.

Ori's death happened when the Shadow Creatures attacked the school. Many had already been moved to the temples, but Ori had stayed outside to protect the students that didn't want to go yet. When the evacuation order came to get everyone to safety, Ori was left at what is now known as the Mirror Pond Ruins.

When the last students were fleeing into the library--unable to get to the Water Ruins, Ori stood as the last guard to buy them time to lock the door. His magic was always explosive and he gave the Shadow Creatures the best show he could: he immolated himself in a massive explosion to protect the students he swore to protect. Taking out any Shadow Creatures in the nearby vicinity.

The only thing left behind was a pendant.

--

Kilima Life

Ori doesn't remember anything after being reincarnated. At first when he woke up Jina had to walk him through a lot of things, but slowly some stuff started coming back to him. His traditions, his knowledge of what he once studied, his love of researching, his hatred of authoritarian governments and anyone that bans or burns books, and intolerance for adults acting like immature brats.

He's slowly remembering some recipes he used to cook (thanks to Reth's help), other human languages he learned, more about life for humans, but a lot of it is very fuzzy and comes back slowly.

Still, though, he doesn't recognize the kitsuu who had great fun trying to get his attention with the help of Tau and can't comprehend why they keep little him little presents every day... and he doesn't remember his old friend Einar. Maybe it'll come back eventually, but there is one thing he is starting to remember...

Magic.

And he won't let the Order take it from him.

[eowyn-igneelcheshire]

Just started playing Shadow of War and I'm already crushin on an orc

He was so silly when he killed me. He gives Dagger from HTTYD: RttE vibes and I love him for it.

[ercdouken]

Final Vendetta (PC/Steam) - Claire Sparks Arcade Playthrough

[bloodyshadow1]

I get people being sympathetic to the Rat grinders, I really do, but the way people will out right lie about canon to make the Bad Kids the villains. The Rat Grinders are kids, they're being groomed by charismatic and dangerous teachers who they trusted, they're corrupted by rage so they're not thinking straight. At the end of the day, that makes them cultists, pitiable and sympathetic, but still villains who are perfectly willing to create a hell on earth for the plan.

I've seen posts condemning the bad kids for killing the rat grinders, I've seen posts calling the Bad Kids bullies this season, I've seen posts that blame the Bad Kids for the whole thing saying the rat grinders are just kids who are being tricked. It's all bullshit, whatever your headcanons, whatever your feelings on the Rat Grinders, they're not the good guys here and are very much the villains this season.

The bad kids killed the 3 of the rat grinders this fight, Ivy, Oisin, and Ruben. No, they didn't stop to try and reach out to them, to try and make them see the light. The Rat Grinders are trying to condemn a whole town to become the domain of a the new god of rage and murder a goddess to usurp her domain. They are high level with the capacity to cast 9th level spells regardless of their hp, with two epic level pc's with super abilities that normal class features don't cover. If the Bad Kids hesitated they would be dead, they knew that, the Rat grinders tried to murder them little over an hour ago. They've hated the bad kids for years and now decided to make their vendetta known, they fucked around and found out.

Which leads me to my second point, the Bad Kids are not bullying the Rat grinders. They're not pleasant to the rat grinders, but you don't have to be nice to the people who hate you. Other than Fig, who I will admit was messed up with how she treated Ruben this year, but also the Rat Grinders did something similar, they were just bad at it, the Bad Kids mostly ignored the Rat grinders. The worst thing the other bad Kids do to the Rat Grinders is make fun of Kipperlily's name, that's it. They don't even do it in front of other students, unless they legitimately forget her name, other than that it's only in front of each other or not other students like Alewyn or Jawbone. It's not great, but that is literally all they have done.

The Rat grinders however, have done all they could to make themselves enemies of the Bad Kids. Ivy was a mean racist bitch who helped steal the cloudrider engine and place pingpong balls all over seacaster manor for the plan. Ruben tried to get the bad kids to take drugs knowing it would get them in trouble. He intentionally had frosty fair held at Gorgug's home to corrupt it, putting not only Gorgug's family in danger but countless other people. Sure Jace had a hand in that, but at best Ruben was an accomplice. Buddy was a smug creep who vandalized Kristen's locker, threatened her brother, and demeaned her and her goddess, without being corrupted by rage. Mary Ann legitimately didn't do anything wrong this season she was just there and did her best on the field as she was supposed to (not even saying this as a joke, she has literally done nothing bad on screen so it's hard to judge her like the rest). But Oisin tried to honey pot Adaine the first week of school, stole the cloudrider engine and the pingpong ball trap, and sent a whole pack of dragons on them to murder them and hundreds of other kids. Kipperlily has been goading the bad kids since the first day of school, she has tried every dirty trick to try and win. She has murdered people, not even people affiliated with the bad kids, but people like Buddy who was on her side, she's tried to murder the bad kids or at least make sure it's harder for them to come back to life if they die, she's stolen from them, she's tried to kill them, she's done everything bad the fans have accused the bad kids of but worse.

And that's just the Rat Grinder's individually. Why are the Bad Kids monsters for killing dangerous people who have tried to kill them, but the Rat Grinders aren't? The Rat Grinders literally tried to commit mass murder of their school a little more than an hour. 500 students of the Aguefort adventuring academy were in Seacaster manor when it was brought into the sky and beset by dragons. 500 innocent bystanders, almost all children, half of them younger than both parties.

I'll get to the rage stars in another post, but I just want to finish this off with, the Rat Grinders are kids, kids who are being groomed by evil men and corrupted by magic. But the Bad Kids are just kids too. They're kids who have been specifically targeted by the rat grinders. The rat grinders started this feud, the Bad Kids retaliated and were better at it. If you're going to take a shot at the king you better not miss, and the rat grinders have been missing their shots this whole season. I don't get why people are blaming the bad kids for trying to save the world but it pisses me off. I apologize for the rant but the tag is for everyone

[maleyanderecafe]

Apple for a Teacher: A Yandere Love Story (Visual Novel)

Created by: ataraxic

Genre: Horror/Romance

The screenshots on this one are a bit different because I played this game on my mac instead of my pc, so it looks a little weird on the preview. I played a previous game by this creator called Yandere Love: Chains of Fate, which features another character. This one features another character in this world, Ciel. If you've read my previous review on this series, you'll know my overall feelings about this game as well, because despite the couple of years that I haven't thought about this game, I still have the same opinions on it.

The story starts with the MC going to university. They're happy that they're finally free from their professor Ciel as they've finally passed their class. We learn that the MC really hates Ciel as he's very blunt and seems to have a vendetta against the MC. The MC was failing Ciel's class, so Ciel helped to tutor them, as the MC doesn't really know anyone else on campus. They're very happy when they find out that they're able to pass the class and don't have to deal with Ciel anymore and even more excited that they got into an elusive internship on campus. Ciel ends up asking the MC to a fancy dinner at an Italian place as a celebration of them passing their classes. The MC accepts as they want to eat at a fancy place and gets (begrudgingly) driven back to her place by his chauffeur. Ciel waits for the MC to change into more proper clothing as well as criticizes a lot of their outfits in the meantime. At some point, Ciel ends up seducing (?) the MC unintentionally and they can either go further or try to deny it.

If the MC goes further, Ciel and them will end up having sex, with Ciel even confessing that he's always loved the MC. Afterwards, however, the MC seems to be in shock about what they've done and attempts to push Ciel away.

If the MC decides to deny it and push Ciel down, Ciel will get angry and end up raping the MC, traumatizing them. The MC tries to get Ciel to leave afterwards.

Ciel, however, isn't having that as he's been looking for a partner to have children and live together with. He ends up forcing the MC to pack up and essentially kidnaps them. As the MC is forced into the car, they think about how no one will know that they're gone, as they have no family nor friends, with the only people who really would notice would be the fact that their internship might be looking for them. They end up falling asleep in the car before waking up chained to the bed. Ciel waits for them to wake up, introducing them to their new life together.

If you've read my previous review on Yandere Love: Chains of Fate, you'll probably know a lot about my criticisms with this game. The artwork and design of everything looks wonderful as always. The backgrounds, sprites and UI are all really professionally made and the music itself is pretty nice too. Unfortunately, I just don't really like the style of how this person writes too much because the relationship between the MC and the ML is usually just not fun to read (for me).

The MC of this game is different than the one in Dameon's game but instead of being pretty frankly stupid and making dumb decisions, they instead are very cynical and bitter of their position. It makes sense to a specific extent considering that Ciel loves to berate them but it does encapsulate a lot of the things I don't like about MCs in a lot of the more recent yandere vns I've played. A lot of yandere MCs tend to have this kind of cynical attitude- they dislike the job or position they're in, tend to be very grumbly about everything and don't really have any friends, and if they do have family they tend to not be on good terms with them. That in itself isn't necessarily always bad, however, it does get tiring to read. As my friend Cherry says, it's hard to really root for these types of MCs if we the audience can't even see why the yandere might be into them. I usually don't really mention this in my recommendations because the MC isn't really the main appeal of the game (and most people end up self inserting regardless), but it does get annoying when I have to go through the same type of personality over and over again. In some cases, it makes more sense as there is a bit of backstory into why this MC might act like this which is more understandable. This MC falls into a lot of the tropes of the recent MCs including the part where they find the yandere hot and bang him despite only really knowing him for a bit (and in this case also hating him, which is a whole other thing). I know there is such thing as hatesex, however, there wasn't really any indication of the MC finding Ciel attractive until right before the two of them have sex. It's also strange to me that they don't even try to fight (?) Ciel at all when he gets them to pack up their things and get in the car. It makes more sense in the route where Ciel rapes the MC, but otherwise it still feels sudden like it came out of nowhere. I would have thought there would have been at least some resistance or a proper threat that Ciel would have made. To be honest, I think this is likely also a problem with the pacing of certain choices as the MC's actions make a lot more sense if Ciel does end up raping them instead of simply just having sex with him.

Ciel is... mean, to say the least. In Dameon's case while he was usually just mean if the player chose decisions that he didn't like, Ciel is just straight up cruel. Not only does he outright insult the MC for not being able to pass his class and berates them while tutoring the MC, he also criticizes the MC's wardrobe choice when they're trying to find the right outfit for the dinner, even calling the MC a whore at one point, which I feel is super uncalled for (although kind of funny out of context), which the MC simply just... brushes off. There isn't really any indication that Ciel even likes the MC, which you could say is part of his more tsundere (well, I'd assume it would be tsundere, though we don't really see the deredere part) attitude, which makes the sudden kidnapping pretty jarring. It's hard to say why Ciel might even like the MC other than they're attractive and possibly easy to control, but the demo doesn't go far enough to tell what is going on. We do know that Ciel has a more traditional view of life, wanting to (essentially) have a "wife" and children, living together- similar to Vincent in Dead Wishes though we have yet to see the full progression of it. This type of yandere is pretty interesting as I don't really see it that often nowadays (and it is pretty cool seeing what they do to try to maintain that ideal) so hopefully in future iterations, this is shown more for the story. Still though, Ciel is very unlikable, even in terms of characters you hate to love kind of way, at least in my opinion. Besides that, he is rich and kidnaps the MC in a fairly nice place all things considered, though he's just as rude to them when they wake up. I can see people liking Ciel in a horror type of way because the game itself does do pretty well in setting up a more horror like story of being kidnapped, raped and forced to marry, but I would not at all call this a romantic type game even in the slightest even though the relationship seems to be more of a love hate one. Perhaps it might change in the future, but as of current, I'm not really buying that Ciel is in love with the MC.

So as I said, this game is not for me, however, if you did like the previous Yandere Love: Chains of Fate, then you will probably like this one as well. If any of this did interest you, then please give it a try.

[nothinggold13]

On Peter and Violence

I think there’s two popular fanon camps regarding Peter Pevensie’s relationship with violence, and though there are certainly plenty of others who, like me, would disagree with both of them, it is those two versions of Peter that I keep seeing pop up again and again.

The first is that of the powerful, raging, warrior king: the version of Peter that speaks more to his mythologized persona within the books than the Peter we actually witness and interact with inside the narrative. His temper is hot, and his sword is fast, and his legacy is soaked in blood. It’s this Peter that lends itself so readily to the (equally fanon) idea that Edmund is the more diplomatic of the two.

The second is that of the pacifist. This idea of Peter is opposed to violence, and only fights under great duress, or because he has been given no other choice; it’s the version of his character that people have snatched from a deleted scene in the “Prince Caspian” film in which he claims he is “thinking about a career in medicine,” and in doing so, distances himself from the war back home. (Although, I would also blame the PC film for the angry, impulsive version of Peter who dominates too much of the fandom; that movie’s interpretation of him is a tragedy.)

Now, of the two, I would prefer the second. It’s at least marginally truer to the boy who “didn’t feel very brave” but did his duty in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” and I appreciate that. However, I also have a personal vendetta against the extreme version of this viewpoint which prioritizes Peter’s peaceful nature over his dutiful courage, and this is why I’m writing out what I believe are the nuances of his character that sometimes get overlooked in favour of idolizing either his strength or his softness.

There is a statement in my mind to describe him that I avoid using, because I know it requires more context than I usually want to give, but here and now, we’ll call it my thesis: Peter prefers problems he can hit.

I don’t think Peter is a violent character. Genuinely, I don’t. And so I imagine those two statements seem pretty contradictory, because how can he not be violent, if violence is also the ideal solution to his problems?

Well, here’s the thing: Peter’s growing up in a war. Heck, he’s growing up in two.

He’s thirteen in the first book, and World War II is breaking out above him, and, more than that, there is nothing he can do about it. What could he do? He’s a kid.

And then, suddenly, he’s in a new world. They tell him he’s meant to be there. They give him a sword, and he takes it silently. They tell him he will be king.

We see him in his fight with the wolf: “Peter did not feel very brave; indeed, he felt he was going to be sick. But that made no difference to what he had to do.” We are told there that violence is not something he takes to lightly; it is a matter of duty for him: to the country that stands behind him, and his sister who is in harm’s way.

He fights a battle. Years pass, and he fights more. He returns to the war he is powerless to fight against, and then finds himself King again, where he comes up with a plan to fight a duel which -- if everything had gone to plan -- would have put no one but himself at risk.

Yes, Peter is steeped in violence. C. S. Lewis tells us at the end of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” that he is a “great warrior,” and when he is mentioned in “The Horse and His Boy,” it is said he’s off battling giants. He is High King, and as such, he has to be a soldier. He chooses to be a soldier. He consistently fights, especially so that others may not have to. He fights to protect. To shield. To provide freedom.

And then he goes back home, and is trapped under war again.

Depending on his birthday, Peter turns eighteen around the time of the end of World War II, meaning I have no reason to believe he ever fought within it; however, National Service continued after the war. And this is where I thought that Peter, ever being driven by duty, would sign up without question. It’s what would be expected of him. And, even more, it’s what he’s been doing for years for a country that isn’t his anymore; how could he not do the same for England?

(I put that in a fic. I had a scene where Peter, freshly eighteen, confessed to Susan he would still have to serve, and Susan said, “But not in the war, and I’m glad of that.” And then -- because it was what Peter did within canon time and time again -- I had him tell her, “But I hope you understand that I’d fight for you. For all of you. If my fighting had any chance of helping to keep you all safe, I would go.” ......And somebody told me that was out of character.)

I don’t mind if somebody really likes the idea of Peter becoming a doctor rather than a soldier. Truly, I understand the appeal. But I do have a problem when somebody tells me I’m wrong for believing Peter would continue to do what he had always canonically done after coming back to England.

Because Peter does have a relationship with violence. He doesn’t have a love for it, but he has been tangled in the necessity of it too many times not to follow through when it needs to be done.

And what happens when you raise a boy in war? What happens when you let him fight it? What happens when he learns the chain reaction: fight the battle, win the war, set them free? And then what happens when you put him into situations that can’t be solved with his hands? Give him enemies he can’t fight? Give him wars he can’t be a part of?

And that’s what I mean by “Peter prefers problems he can hit.”

Not that Peter rushes to violence when it isn’t called for, or that he craves war when he finds himself in peace, or anything else of that angry, vicious nature that some people have come to believe--- Gosh, I think Peter would far rather lay the sword down than ever have to pick it up again.

(But it’s what he does. Time after time.)

Peter is a big brother, ever looking after the others. Peter is the High King, ever doing what Narnia requires. Peter is the loyal servant, ever following Aslan’s instruction. Even if it scares him, it’s what he does.

So I don’t think he likes feeling helpless. I think he likes knowing what to do, and I think intangible problems drive him a little crazy, and I think a sword is a very physical thing that has served him well too many times.

Despite my very obvious complaints against “Prince Caspian’s” movie characterization here, I have to say that this is something I love about “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” Peter’s older in the film than he is in the book. He’s closer to going to war himself. And what do we see him do? We see him distracted by passing soldiers-- not much older than himself. We see him reading on the train: “Biggles Goes To War.” We see him consumed by the war, even up to the point that he mimics WWII battle strategies against the Witch’s army.

This is the Peter I’m talking about: the one who feels sick at violence, and shakes and cries and hugs his sisters when its done, and yet...... does it. Every time.

I feel like there’s a dozen things I may be missing, but I think that’s the gist: Peter’s an unwilling soldier who doesn’t know how to put down his sword.

He’s a great warrior, but not an indiscriminate one. He’s a gentle spirit, but not a passive one. Violence made him, but he is so much more than his violent acts. He’s complex. He’s dutiful. He’s faithful. He’s capable. He fights because he has to, and as long as it’s asked of him, he will continue to do it.

So that’s where I stand. That’s why I may seem to show contradictory versions of Peter throughout my fics and edits and commentary; why I may say he’s not violent and then paint an image of him that ties him to violence anyway.

Whether you disagree is your prerogative. This is, by nature, a nuance-based take, and while I do think there’s wrong interpretations of Peter Pevensie out there, I also believe that there is a lot of room within that nuance for various interpretations to be equally right. This isn’t me making an end-all-and-be-all analysis that everyone else must follow to the letter.

This is just me explaining -- for myself or for anyone else who cares to listen -- what I believe, and how it affects the things I create. <3 So there’s my take on Peter’s complicated relationship with violence: the way it coats him, and yet, doesn’t define him: the way he’s so softhearted, and yet not himself without it.

“For never since we four were Kings and Queens in Narnia have we set our hands to any high matter, as battles, quests, feats of arms, acts of justice, and the like, and then given over; but always what we have taken in hand, the same we have achieved." ~Peter [The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Chapter XVII: The Hunting of the White Stag]

Disclaimer: none of this is anti-Aslan “look how he traumatized this poor boy” propaganda, and if that is your viewpoint, kindly do not interact with this post. :)

[magdolene-s-class]

Evil, But Lame

(Why I dislike Leighton more than Bailey or Whitney)

DOL Character Analysis/Comparison (sort of)

Disclaimer:

This post contains Degrees of Lewdity (DOL) content and spoilers, as such sexual themes and violence. No minors allowed.

Please don't take the listed explanations below as 'excuses' for criminal behaviour. I am not defending or condoning the actions done by these fictional characters.

Also, the sprites are just the result of me fucking around Character Viewer + bad edits.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything and everybody sucks in DOLville (or my other favourite nickname - Rapechestershire), but in my books, Leighton deserves a special mention. 

This dastardly disgusting failure of an educator cultivated within me a personal vendetta and now I always make it a point to antagonise them and make them the butt-monkey in all my playthroughs. The reasons are as follows:

They love to power-trip and lord it over students and teachers alike.

Their demeanour is so slimy. Compared to two other ‘villains’, he’s all gross but no substance (at this rate, their personality can be used as mediocre lube). 

Bailey (the main villain) is impassive and mostly fearless, and Whitney (the school bully) is sometimes so over-the-top that it comes across as theatrical (which makes sense - they’re putting on a show for their gang and the nearby audience) that I don’t take them seriously (most of the time).

I currently have minimal info on Leighton’s backstory, but I have yet to see a ‘sympathetic’ reason for their actions and behaviour.

Leighton's victim count is high and he has been blackmailing/molesting students for decades, and it’s not a stretch to say that he’s probably a big reason why so many adults (Spoiler: D) in town are also traumatized or fucked up.

He revels in the current power structure and town dynamics, while Bailey (implicitly) and Whitney (explicitly) acknowledges how fucked up everything is.

Also, here’s a comparison (again, I only included Bailey and Whitney as these are the two ‘antagonistic’ characters I have the most interactions with):

Vs. Bailey

Bailey’s motivation is primarily money. They will blackmail you (among other things) for profit, whereas Leighton will blackmail you to satisfy his lust and ego.

I can respect Bailey's character (not his actions 😭) -  they’re callous and ruthless, but they’re also strong and reliable. Personality-wise, I like that they’re impassive, calculating, and dangerous, fitting for the overarching villain. Bailey generally won’t regard you lustfully, unless you go out of the way to do so (cough Troublemaker cough). While steep, their payments do have a cap. Also, I personally believe they dislike orphans who play it safe to gain money because they themselves got their hands really dirty to make money (like the PC, potentially).

Defeating Bailey is also incredibly difficult...because they're impossibly fit and tenacious.

Leighton is petty (they will retaliate if you blackmail him), weak-willed, complacent, (his computer is easier to break into and he easily gets distracted by his own lust), and a serial molester (with a high victim count and long track record - it’s not a stretch to say that he’s probably a big reason why so many adults in town are also fucked up).

Defeating Leighton is way easier and he’ll throw a lame insult at you afterwards.

In terms of administration, I dare say Bailey’s better at running the Orphanage than Leighton running the School.

Spoiler: IIRC, Bailey was also an Orphan, he made the Orphanage better since the last caretaker, and he also has debt. I believe the money they collect from the orphans goes into that debt.

Vs. Whitney:

There’s little revealed about Whitney’s actual motivations but their demanding and bullying behaviour is most likely because of their personal circumstances, the need to gain status, and maintain the approval of their gang. In the most sympathetic light, they’re a neglected teenager who thinks being bigger and badder is the best way to protect themselves in a shitty town. Private moments (esp as an LI and w/o his gang’s influence) show they can be rather responsible and capable of showing concern for the PC.

By contrast, Leighton is an adult authority figure who perpetuates systematic abuse and currently shows no sign of remorse as this helps to keep themselves in power. With their backstory unrevealed, they’re just a pervert who likes preying on the young and vulnerable. They either view you as “Oh, you’re still here?” or “I’m gonna have my fun with youuu”🤮

As shown in some Whitney scenes, Leighton still has some sort of control over Whitney (they give Whitney lighter punishments in exchange for keeping other students in control, and even Whitney won’t refuse a summon from the Headteacher) and most likely has the means to harshly punish Whitney if they’re not useful to them anymore.

You can make Whitney pay for their crimes or retaliate against them, but Leighton, as a major figure in town, can easily get off scot-free (in most cases).

While Whitney will pimp you out (which I hate, they're my primary LI ffs, I really hope this improves in future updates), you can escape some encounters (if you have high Athletics or they have Low Dom) and he mostly does so for the money (they even split the profit with you in one encounter lol). Leighton will force you to have noncon sex (with other students or a freaking dog) as a punishment.

Tbh, both are bad: Whitney can also force you into noncon but they can be fought off easily and they often do so in the spur-of-the moment if you defy them (please don't interpret this as excusing this unhinged behaviour), but Leighton plans their attack, coerces multiple students, and records it for blackmail, which I think is more damaging to multiple parties and harder to navigate (game-wise).

Honestly, Whitney, if left unchecked and goes the criminal route, can probably end up similarly like Leighton (abusing power), but I imagine they’d be more dangerous and calculating as an adult (more similar to Bailey, but cockier).

And if you guys are interested, here’s what I’ve done as revenge so far 😈:

Overpowered him (as a Tiny MC) during his spanking detentions with an audience

Humiliated him and made them cum (Feat: Leighton’s Nightmare)

Eloped with someone else during the aftermath of their card game victory 

Pegged them and took their butt v-card (in their own words: “Yes! Make me your strap-on bitch!”)

In progress: Sending him to the Pillory during the Police Infiltration quest

In conclusion: Leighton is a slime ball, currently has no sympathetic reasons for their behaviour, and is an old pervert with an ego. I also like picking on them but I have to say, my initial vehemence for them has now softened into petty annoyance (possibly even grudgingly fond).

If you read up to here, bless you. Gotta go make cream buns now.

~ Magda's Maker

[satoshi-mochida]

Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog launches February 20, 2025 - Gematsu

Science-fiction visual novel Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog will launch for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam on February 20, 2025, publisher Astrolabe Games and developer Space Colony Studios announced. It will feature English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese language options.

The companies also unveiled the new “Full-Color Mode,” which makes the game playable in full color. An update for the previously released demo featuring this new mode is available now for PlayStation 5 and PC, and will launch for Switch on September 19.

As previously announced, PM Studios and Meridiem Games will publish physical editions of Stories from Sol: The-Gun Dog in North America and Europe, respectively. The physical edition will be available for PlayStation 5 in North America, and for PlayStation 5 and Switch in Europe.

Here is an overview of the game, via Astrolabe Games:

About

War is over. War is just beginning. Planetary Calendar 214. Four years have passed since the end of the Solar War. Our protagonist, scarred from the loss of his crewmates in the war, is re-assigned to the Jovian patrol ship Gun-Dog as it’s dispatched with orders to investigate mysterious signals coming from the edge of Jovian Space. Unknown to the Gun-Dog’s crew, a new danger looms deep in the ocean of stars, threatening not just the Gun-Dog but all her crew. Take on the role of the Gun-Dog’s security officer as you attempt to save the ship from an unknown assailant whilst navigating the paranoia, conspiracies and vendettas that break out amongst the crew. As camaraderie falls apart can you overcome the challenges that await?

The Game: A Love Letter to Retro Anime and 80s Science-Fiction

Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog is a visual novel adventure in the spirit of classic PC-9800 titles. Featuring a vintage green screen aesthetic, Space Colony Studios strives to create an “era-accurate” game that exudes retro vibes in every way, from the text to the visual effects. As the Jovian patrol ship sails into the darkness among the stars, the players will feel like they are on an adventure in an 80s Sci-Fi as they solve the mystery they find themselves in.

The Story: A New Threat Emerges From the Void

Humans have long since freed themselves from the grasp of gravity, but they are still unable to escape the hold of war. It’s year 214 of the Planetary Calendar. Four years have passed since the end of the Solar War and an uneasy peace persists throughout the solar system. The Jovian patrol ship Gun-Dog is sent on a reconnaissance mission to investigate mysterious signals coming from the edge of Jovian space. What starts as a routine assignment quickly escalates into a battle for survival as an unknown threat terrorises the crew.

The Gameplay: Investigate. Interact. Analyze. Advance.

Utilizing traditional point-and-click adventure mechanics, during your time on the Gun-Dog, you can navigate various locations on the ship, examine the details of the richly realized backgrounds or talk with the different crew members on board. You will need to listen closely to the characters’ words to reveal important clues or duplicitous intentions and keep your eyes peeled for key items and interactive elements in the backgrounds that you can use to advance the story.

The Characters: Get on Board With the Crew of the Gun-Dog!

All stories are about people and the cast of The Gun-Dog bring the story to life, so much so that their charm and charisma convinced the team at Astrolabe Games to board the Gun-Dog and sign up to be the publisher. From the elegant yet distant Captain Bartermews, to the bubbly Lieutenant Commander Cassandra Quinn, to the assertive and domineering Chief Mackenzie Cathays, The Gun-Dog features an extensive cast of characters for you to meet. Each crew member has a distinct personality, role and history. Get to know them and their quirks and decide whether to work with or against them to unravel the mystery that lies at the story’s heart.

The Place: Adventure in an Entirely Explorable Ship!

The main stage of the first installment in the Stories from Sol series, as the Jovian patrol ship Gun-Dog heads into deep space it serves as the setting for the game’s story. It has been exhaustively realized. Rich and evocative descriptions of the ship, including the constant rumble of the engine room, the bustle of the bridge, the silence of space pair with an extensive range of scenes that have been meticulously designed and animated in detail to deliver an immersive experience. Inspired by the best that anime has to offer the ship even features “Armored Frames,” mechanized, human shaped, weapons of war.

Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

Release Date and Full-Color Mode Trailer

[tequitoclown]

List of programs and stuff I use

[pt: List of programs and stuff I use ./end pt]

Disclaimer: This is in no way trying to say I have the best setup of all time or anything. The point of this post is mostly to introduce people to cool things they may not know about, or a place to point to when someone asks what I use!

(Last updated: 6/28/24)

Browser

[pt: browser ./end pt]

Firefox (Windows/Linux/MacOS/Android/IOS) - Obviously I recommend Firefox above all else, especially with chromium-based browsers moving onto manifest V3.

Bitwarden (Windows/Linux/MacOS/Android/IOS) - Good password manager! Used it for years with no complaints!

AdNauseam (Firefox/Chrome) - My adblocker. It's built upon uBlock Origin and has all the same features, but it actively clicks on the ads to waste advertiser money. If that's not up your alley, uBlock Origin is fantastic too!

Wayback Machine extension (Firefox/Chrome/Safari) - Allows you to make snapshots of pages, or view old snapshots if a page isn't loading correctly!

XKit ReWritten (Firefox/Chrome) - Pretty much a must-have for Tumblr. Has a ton of features to make navigating this site much better. Full feature list here!

Discord

[pt: Discord ./end pt]

Vencord (Windows/Linux/MacOS) - A modified Discord client that adds support for plugins and themes. Basically allows you to install plugins from a massive list that improves Discord. (Technically against ToS. Basically, don't post that you're using it in big servers, and turn off your themes before sharing screenshots.)

Bunny (Android/IOS) - If you miss Vendetta for Discord, Bunny is an actively maintained fork of Vendetta! Basically the same as above, but for Android/IOS instead of desktop. Same warnings about ToS apply.

Aliucord (Android) - Miss the old Android app feel, and still want to have plugins/themes? Pretty cool but has a less impressive theme/plugin selection. Same warnings about ToS apply.

Bluecord (Android) - Another Discord modification without the new Discord UI!

Youtube

[pt: Youtube ./end pt]

Freetube (Windows/Linux/MacOS) - A desktop Youtube client with adblock and sponsorblock built in. Still in beta, but very good.

Sponsorblock (Firefox/Chrome) - Pretty much a must-have for watching Youtube these days. Automatically skips over sponsors, self-promos, interaction bait, outros, intros, etc. Highly configurable!

Dearrow (Firefox/Chrome) - Haven't used this very long but I love it. Gets rid of vague or clickbait titles/thumbnails and replaces it with descriptive and more accurate thumbnails. Also built into Freetube now!

Newpipe (Android) - Lightweight Youtube client. I haven't used it myself much but people swear by it!

ReVanced (Android) - Modded Youtube client with Sponsorblock, Return Youtube Dislike, and Youtube Premium features. Doesn't support Dearrow as of 6/25/24 :( (PLEASE BE CAREFUL INSTALLING THIS. If you don't know what you're doing, you can cause some damage!)

Spotify

[pt: spotify ./end pt]

Spicetify (Windows/Linux/MacOS) - Spotify modded client. Has adblock, themes, etc! Think Vencord, but for Spotify.

Misc.

[pt: Misc ./End pt]

Obsidian (Windows/Linux/MacOS/Android/IOS) - Basically a personal wiki for notetaking! A bit of a learning curve. Fanfic writers and worldbuilders... go feral.

Notepad++ (Windows) - A must-have text editor. Might be on more platforms but can't confirm?

Mullvad VPN (Windows/Android) - The only VPN I can 100% recommend. Cheap, fast, and really cares about your privacy. It's a little under $6 USD a month!

NVDA (Windows) - A free screenreader I use for reading large blocks of text. (Notice: I am not visually impaired to the point I rely on a screenreader to navigate my PC. I use it on occasion to read text to me because I have a hard time reading. If you're looking for advice on screenreaders for the visually impaired unfortunately I'm not a good source! Maybe check out the #visually impaired, #blind, or #accessibility?)

Syncthing (Windows/Linux/MacOS/Android) - Lets you sync folders across devices. It's especially good with Obsidian.

"Tequito, I didn't find what I wanted!"

[pt: "Tequito, I didn't find what I wanted!" ./end pt]

I'm sorry. :( If you're looking for a program I have personally mentioned using in the past, feel free to shoot me an ask or DM! Or hey... maybe try searching the letters "FMHY" and having a look around? *wink*

[capn-twitchery]

i had a dream last night that i reached building the railway and the start of it was mr fires inviting the PC to a masquerade ball via a very flirtatious letter. i was posting i was excited for it, i sent asks like "damn i get why you like mr fires now" and everyone was laughing like "just wait"

but the ball was a coverup bc while fires is dancing with you he was talking railway strategy the entire time. you spend so much money on your outfit and he just shows up in the same robe. it was a trend to draw your character super dolled up next to 0 effort mr fires

for some reason not going to the ball was devastating to me and i decided i had a vendetta against mr fires. i woke up genuinely convinced it was real

[daitranscripts]

Solas Cutscene: What Pride Had Wrought

Forgive My Melancholy

Solas Masterpost Related Quest: What Pride Had Wrought

The PC speaks to Solas in the rotunda.

Choice dependent dialogue:

PC drank (romanced/high/neutral approval) [1]

PC drank (low approval) [2]

Morrigan drank [3]

1 - PC drank (romanced/high approval)

PC drank, Solas was at the Temple: Solas (romance): I begged you not to drink from the Well. Why could you not have listened? Solas: Why did you do it? I warned you not to. PC: Solas… [4]

PC drank, Solas was not at the Temple: Solas (romance): Why did you not bring me to the Temple of Mythal? I could have warned you. Solas: I wish I had been with you at the Temple of Mythal. I could have warned you. PC: Warned me? [4]

4 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: Meaning? [5] +Solas slightly approves

General: I’m still myself. [6] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: Why does this bother you? [7] +Solas slightly approves

General: It’s done. [8] -Solas slightly disapproves

5 - Investigate: Meaning? PC: What does that mean, exactly? Solas: You are Mythal’s creature now. Everything you do, whether you know it or not, will be for her. You have given up a part of yourself. [back to 4]

6 - General: I’m still myself. PC: I have not become Mythal’s slave. Solas: Not yet, but if you remove the layer of nostalgia from stories of the elven gods, you might see the danger. They were arrogant and fickle. They warred amongst themselves. They had feuds, vendettas. And you are bound to one of them now. I suppose it is better you have the power than Corypheus, which leads to the next logical question… [12]

7 - General: Why does this bother you? PC: You don’t even believe in the ancient elven gods! Solas: I don’t believe they were gods, no, but I believe that they existed! Something existed to start the legends! If not gods, then mages, or spirits, or something we’ve never seen. And you are bound to one of them now. I suppose it is better you have the power than Corypheus, which leads to the next logical question… [12]

8 - General: It’s done. PC: I had to do it, and I can’t very well take it back now. Solas: I know. I only hope it is worth whatever price you pay. I suppose it is better you have the power than Corypheus, which leads to the next logical question… [12]

2 - PC drank (low approval)

Solas: How does it feel to have the power of an ancient elven goddess flowing through you? Is it everything you hoped?

General: I had to do it. [9]

General: It was the witch or me. [10]

General: I’m fine. [11]

9 - General: I had to do it. PC: I didn’t ask for this, Solas. Solas: You drank. That is all that matters. I look forward to seeing how this works out for you. [12]

10 - General: It was the witch or me. PC: Would you rather I give Morrigan that power? Does that sound like a good idea? Solas: You see power as little more than a larger weapon. I look forward to seeing the price you pay. Until then… [12]

11 - General: I’m fine. PC: I don’t feel any different. Solas: I will try to suppress my surprise. Nevertheless, the power is yours… until Mythal chooses otherwise. [12]

3 - Morrigan drank

Solas (was at temple): The Temple of Mythal was extraordinary. In all my journeys, I never dreamed of finding anything like it. [12] Solas (was not at temple): The Temple of Mythal sounds truly astounding. I would have liked to have seen it. [12]

12 - Scene continues.

Solas: What will you do with the power of the Well once Corypheus is dead?

Dialogue options:

General: I’ll restore what was. [13] +Solas approves

General: I’ll make the world better. [14] +Solas slightly approves

General: I’ll rely on those I trust. [15] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: One thing at a time. [16] -Solas disapproves

13 - General: I’ll restore what was. PC: I’ll use whatever power I have to undo the chaos that Corypheus and his allies have caused. Solas: You would put things back the way they were before? PC: Yes. I mean, not exactly… Solas: I know what you mean. Thank you. PC: For what?

Solas (neutral/high approval): You have not been what I expected, Inquisitor. You have… impressed me. You honor the past and work to recover what was lost, even if the cost is high. I respect that, and I am indebted to you for the reminder. [25] Solas (low approval): I do not agree with everything you have done, Inquisitor. Your actions have been shortsighted. You have made mistakes. But you understand the importance of recovering what was lost, even if the cost is high. I respect that, and I am indebted to you for the reminder. [25]

14 - General: I’ll make the world better. PC: This war proved that we can’t go back to the way things were. I’ll try to help this world move forward. Solas: You would risk everything you have in the hope that the future is better? What if it isn’t? What if you wake up to find that the future you shaped is worse than what was?

Dialogue options:

General: I’ll keep trying. [17]

General: That won’t happen. [18]

General: That doesn’t matter. [19]

17 - General: I’ll keep trying. PC: I’ll take a breath, see where things went wrong, and then try again. Solas: Just like that? PC: If we don’t keep trying, we’ll never get it right. Solas: You’re right. Thank you. PC: For what? [20] ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ 18 - General: That won’t happen. PC: We’ve done all right so far. We’ll have problems, yes, but we can handle them, Solas: Such confidence. PC: What’s the alternative? Do nothing? We have to keep trying. Solas: You’re right. Thank you. PC: For what? [20] ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ 19 - General: That doesn’t matter. PC: If that happens, it happens. We’re doing the best we can. That’s all we can do. Solas: You’re right. Thank you. PC: For what? [20] ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ 20 - Scene continues. ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ Solas (neutral/high approval): You have not been what I expected, Inquisitor. You have… impressed me. You have offered hope that if one keeps trying, even if the consequences are grave… that someday, things will be better. [25] Solas (low approval): I do not agree with everything you have done, Inquisitor. Your actions have been shortsighted. You have made mistakes. But you never give up. You never stop trying, even when the consequences are grave. For your determination, I offer thanks. [25]

General: I’ll rely on those I trust. PC: I’m not arrogant enough to think it’s my decision alone. Whatever happens, we’ll do it together. Solas: You think to share your power, to avoid the temptation to misuse it. A noble sentiment… but, ultimately, a mistake. PC: Why? Solas: Because while one selfless [person] may walk away from the lure of power’s corruption… no group has ever done so.

Dialogue options:

General: We will. [21] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: What, never? [22]

General: I will still lead. [23] +Solas slightly approves

21 - General: We will. PC: I trust my friends. Solas: I know that mistake well enough to carve the angles of her face from memory. PC: Why is this so important to you? [24] ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ 22 - General: What, never? PC: There’s a first time for everything. Solas: Perhaps… but it will not be this time. I believe even you know that. PC: Why is this so important to you? [24] ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ 23 - General: I will still lead. PC: If other members of the Inquisition overstep their bounds, I’ll be there to stop them. Solas: Ah, then I misunderstood. You will be first among equals. Good. PC: Good? [24] ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ 24 - Scene continues. ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ Solas (neutral/high approval): You have not been what I expected, Inquisitor. You have… impressed me. You must not let false modesty allow you to pass your power to someone else. There are few regrets sharper than watching fools squander what you sacrificed to achieve. [25] Solas (low approval): I do not agree with everything you have done, Inquisitor. Your actions have been shortsighted. You have made mistakes. But they are your mistakes. You cannot correct them unless you claim them. Honor your mistakes. In the end, they may be all you have. [25]

16 - General: One thing at a time. PC: I won’t know the answer until Corypheus is defeated. Solas: Yet they are already asking you to answer. Restore the Chantry? Destroy the Chantry? If you do nothing, someone else will answer in your stead. Whatever you do, choose wisely. [25]

25 - Scene continues.

Solas: Forgive my melancholy. Corypheus has cost us much. The Temple of Mythal did not deserve such a fate. The orb he carries, and its stolen power… that, at least, we may still recover. With luck, some of the past may yet survive.

Dialogue options:

General: Thank you for everything. [26]

General: Sounds like you’re leaving. [27]

General: Enough. Let’s finish this. [28]

General (romance): We’ll do it together. [29]

General (romance): So… good luck kiss? [30]

General (romance): Hey, stop worrying. [31]

26 - General: Thank you for everything. PC: Thank you, Solas. We couldn’t have done this without you. Solas: You are welcome. Scene ends.

27 - General: Sounds like you’re leaving. PC: You planning to leave before we take down the bad guy? Solas: No, but there may not be a later. It seemed wise to say my goodbyes now. Scene ends.

28 - General: Enough. Let’s finish this. PC: We can talk more once Corypheus is dead. Solas: I hope so. Scene ends.

29 - General: We’ll do it together. PC: Whatever comes, I will have you by my side. Solas: Come with me, vhenan. Scene ends.

30 - General: So… good luck kiss? PC: You’re being grim and fatalistic in the hope of getting me into bed, aren’t you? Solas: I am grim and fatalistic. Getting you into bed is just an enjoyable side benefit. Come with me, vhenan. Scene ends.

31 - General: Hey, stop worrying. PC: You’re talking like you’re going to die. Stop. We’re going to get through this. Solas: I hope you’re right. Come with me, vhenan. Scene ends.

[daemon-in-my-head]

I don't wanna sound bitter. Cuz I'm not. But I am very much disappointed. And probably a tiny bit mad.

Larian, I very much appreciate it that we get a new patch every 4 weeks or so and that you guys continously throw in "new" content, but; please for the love of everything that is holy take your time.

Patch 6 broke the game. Hotfix 18 made it even worse for modders, those with modded games and even just the vanilla experience. Patch 6 was very much still playable, whereas Hotmess 18 crashed the game round about every 30 minutes for reasons beyond human comprehension. Hotmess 19 fixed the .exe resulting in most script mods working again and Aron stopped his personal vendetta against me, but even now there's random funny lil bits and bobs of what the hell? and apparently some lines are marked as impossible again.

Please, for the love of god, test your patches. This is a fully released game, not EA and your players didn't sign up to be your beta testers. I know it's modern custom to treat your user base like they are, but speaking as part of the user base; I'd rather not.

I don't want to start the game directly from its .exe, continuously stay offline in Steam, or turn off auto updates for fear they will break everything yet again. I know my game is volatile because of mods; I understand that, and I'm not complaining about it, but mods didn't cause the bugs and crashes I've faced, and y'all confirmed it with the patch notes. Especially since I had the very same issues on my very much vanilla Steamdeck myself.

I do appreciate the work you do, but I don't appreciate the way how it is done. There will always be bugs and all. That much is normal. But they shouldn't be this severely game breaking or change the whole fucking .exe. That, to me, screams 99% untested, maybe on 1 particular notebook or PC and in some very small capacity, but not really. That's not a simple "oversight" anymore.

It happened before with Patch 4 which was incredibly broken and caused me to stay away from the game for weeks and I'm seeing it happen again right about fucking now.

Also the whole discord drama bit. If you know what I mean, you know how fucked up it was. Shall I add that some characters received a bunch of idles and some barely any or straight up none? If you commit to such updates, why not wait until you have something ready for everyone instead of stoking the flames by yourself voluntarily? Your players don't mind waiting longer if the end result is worth it, you know.

Please get your shit together Larian. You guys advocated for your players, but this isn't that anymore. This feels like a sellout. The very thing certain people tried to complain about at the Game Awards. Love you guys, but please. Please. Get it together again.

Okay. Got it out of my system. Back to my usual bullshit. On the bright side, this did trigger me to go write again after spending the entirety of yesterday asleep.

FYI; even if this was caused by the whining, get mad at the devs, not at your fandom. It wasn't their fault, the devs made these changes. Some of these people were right to complain (can we be adults about it this time pretty please? We all just want our ships to sail smoothly and our blorbos to be as developed as they deserve.)

[clairethecutepup]

Finally, I completed it! As you can see, I also made some changes to the banner, compared to the original one by George Abingdon himself.

I made Johnny seem more isolated, I had the non-ostracized Cul-De-Sacians together on one side, I put the Eds right beside their respective Kankers, and I had a jealous Sarah eyeing Double Dee and Marie (the PC wiki says Sarah and Edd once dated). You can't forget Jimmy gazing sneakily toward the Eds, plotting a new way to inconvenience them and so on for his personal vendetta. Needless to say, he scares me in this series... For a full-on comparison, here's the original.

Also, Happy 25th, Ed Edd n' Eddy!

[cleverartcollection]

Arwyn, one of the PCs in my campaign. He’s a noir-ish warlock and detective, with a talent for blending in and an anti-crown vendetta. He plays alongside Dawn, world’s most noticeable tiefling, and together they’re a pretty unstoppable duo.

Timelapse:

[treshmind]

37 and 38 for naeris :0

*cries from attention*

Ahem. Thank you! So!

How would they respond to a player character prompting them with, "Tell me about yourself"?

"Who? Me?" turns around and closes her journal. Stares at the distance for a moment. "Apparently the only person without vendetta with some god or any authority! Just some druid, my friend.'' chuckles nervously and lets the PC know the conversation is over, returning her gaze to the journal. The question haunts her for the rest of the day. If a player character asks them to consider consuming tadpoles or using the Astral tadpoles, how would your Tav/Durge respond?

"Of course, like this can't go wrong!' sighs. "Maybe we should consider all pros and cons first? I'm not touching that until you have really good reasons"... goes on about how the unknown should be studied of course, but not when their priority is getting rid of the said tadpoles.