#Why Choose Swift Developers?

[sabelacarsonsblog]

Benefits of Choosing Swift Developers for iOS App Development

It's crucial to opt for Swift developers for iOS app development services to ensure speed, security, and a user-friendly experience.

[mads-hemmo]

It’s Nice to Have a Friend - Jschlatt

Part 5

Masterlist

Reader has been lonely their whole life. They have never been in a relationship. They don’t understand why no one will love them but their best friend, Schlatt has always been in love with them.

Schlatt sends you a text telling you that Aztro and Mika have invited you to join them all for a night at a karaoke bar. They were performing in New York, but coming a day early to hang out. You were excited to not only meet the Sleep Deprived crew, but also go out. It had been a while since you went to a bar and got drunk. Maybe you would meet someone. Maybe your soulmate would be there watching you sing.

All of these thoughts are the reason you spent hours getting ready. Your apartment looked like a mess from the amount of times you changed your outfit. You also spent what felt like hours perfecting your makeup and hair. You finally decide on a tried and true going out outfit of yours. One that makes you feel good in your own skin. You take a look in your full length mirror, actually liking what you see.

You hear your doorbell ring and make your way over to it. You open the door to see Schlatt. He has dressed up himself wearing a tan corduroy jacket over his signature black shirt along with a pair of nice blue jeans. “You clean up nice,” you tell him.

Schlatt looks up at you and he just stares for a minute. “You don’t look too bad yourself. Are you ready to go? I ordered an Uber,” he finally lets out.

You follow him out into the cold New York air, waiting for the Uber to arrive. “Have you got your songs planned for tonight?” You ask him.

“I’m not singing,” he says.

You look at him in disbelief. “We are going to a karaoke bar. You are singing. I know you can sing, so don’t be worried about that.”

He gives you a soft smile. “I’ll think about it, but I’m going to need a lot of liquor before I do any karaoke.”

“Deal,” you tell him as the Uber pulls up. You both hop in the back seat.

Thankfully, the ride isn’t too long. The Uber pulls in front of the bar and you both step out. As you walk in, Astrid and Mika walk over to you. “You must be (Y/N), I’m Astrid and this is Mika. We have heard so much about you,” Astrid introduces.

“Nice to meet you both. You are all a lot taller than I was expecting,” you tell them, feeling a bit tiny. Schlatt was still the tallest out of all of them.

“We were going to take some shots. Do you want to join us?” Mika asks.

You nod, making your way to the bar. Schlatt follows closely behind you. “What’s your shot of choice?” Astrid asks you.

“The strongest tequila they have,” you tell them. “Schlatt will want whiskey.”

Schlatt nods. “Also I’m not telling you what to do, but please be careful with tequila. Last time you had tequila you were dancing on tables.”

“Shut up. I was only 21. My brain has fully developed now.”

“I’ll take tequila shots with you (Y/N),” Astrid says.

After about two shots, you are starting to feel tipsy. “I’m going to pick a song,” you tell Schlatt. He throws back his third shot of whiskey.

“What song are you going to sing?” He asks you.

“It’s a surprise,” you whisper to him. The reality is you weren’t sure what song you wanted to sing. You were just going to look at the list and see what song pops out at you.

You walk over to the book to look at the list of songs they have. You choose to look at the Taylor Swift list of songs first. You’re surprised by the selection they have, including some from The Tortured Poets Department. You ultimately find the right song. You sign your name to go next along with your song choice.

They call your name to go up and you hear Schlatt, Mika, and Astrid all cheering for you. You wait for the words to start before singing,

Summer went away, still, the yearning stays. I play it cool with the best of them. I wait patiently, he's gonna notice me. It's okay, we're the best of friends. Anyway.

I hear it in your voice, you're smoking with your boys. I touch my phone as if it's your face. I didn't choose this town, I dream of getting out. There's just one who could make me stay. All my days.

From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes. I waited ages to see you there. I search the party of better bodies. Just to learn that you never cared.

You're on your own, kid. You always have been.

Schlatt’s eyes don’t leave yours as you sing. He continues to focus on you as he takes more shots.

I see the great escape, so long, Daisy May. I picked the petals, he loves me not. Something different bloomed, writing in my room. I play my songs in the parking lot. I'll run away.

From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes. I called a taxi to take me there. I search the party of better bodies. Just to learn that my dreams aren't rare.

You're on your own, kid. You always have been.

From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes. I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this. I hosted parties and starved my body. Like I'd be saved by a perfect kiss. The jokes weren't funny, I took the money. My friends from home don't know what to say. I looked around in a blood-soaked gown. And I saw something they can't take away.

'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned. Everything you lose is a step you take. So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it. You've got no reason to be afraid.

You're on your own, kid (ah).

Yeah, you can face this (ah).

You're on your own, kid.

You always have been.

As the song ends, you bow and walk back over to the table. “That was really good. You went basic with Taylor, but it was good,” Astrid tells you.

“Thank you,” you say, taking a shot of tequila to calm your nerves.

“You did amazing, Toots. You’re so talented, but why that song?” Schlatt asks you.

“It’s a song I relate to a lot. You know being on your own and all. I saw it on the list and knew I should sing it.”

He nods. He gives you a hug and you tense up a bit. He must be really drunk to have hugged you. He pulls away from you. “You know I’ll never let you be fully alone right?”

You give him a sad smile. “I know. Thank you,” you sigh. “Anyway, no more sappy shit. Are you drunk enough to go sing?”

“Might need some more.”

“You stay here, I’ll go to the bar and get us some,” you tell him, getting up from the table. Mika and Astrid are at the karaoke book finding a song.

You make your way to the bar. “Can I get two shots of Fireball and a tequila sunrise?” You ask the bartender, handing them your card.

“You can put that on my tab,” you hear a voice say beside you. You turn to see a blonde man beside you. “It’s under Fletcher.”

“You don’t have to do that. I can pay for it myself.”

“Don’t worry about it. Add a corona to that as well,” Fletcher says, turning to face you. “I’m Max Fletcher. You sounded amazing up there. I’m a bit of a swiftie myself.”

“I’m (Y/N). Thank you for the compliment and the drinks.

The bartender hands you the shots and your drink. “No judgement at all, but are all those drinks for you,” Max asks, accepting his corona.

You let out a small laugh. “No, the shots are for my friend.” You look over to the table expecting to see Schlatt, but he’s not there. You look over at the stage and see him making his way up as his name is called. “Actually he’s going up to sing.”

“Oh that’s cool. So he’s only a friend right, not a boyfriend?”

“Just a friend,” you tell him as you start to hear the beginning of the song, Creep.

“Well if that’s the case, here’s my number,” Max says handing it to you.

“This song is for a friend of mine,” Schlatt says, before the song starts.

“Thanks,” you tell Max before taking the drinks back to your table. Your eyes meet Schlatt’s as he sings.

You wonder what friend he is talking about. Maybe Astrid? Maybe Mika? You weren’t sure.

When you were here before

Couldn't look you in the eye

You're just like an angel

Your skin makes me cry

You float like a feather

In a beautiful world

I wish I was special

You're so fucking special

But I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doing here?

I don’t belong here

I don't care if it hurts

I want to have control

I want a perfect body

I want a perfect soul

I want you to notice

When I'm not around

You're so fucking special

I wish I was special

But I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doing here?

I don't belong here

Oh, oh

She's running out again

She's running out

She run, run, run, run

Run

Whatever makes you happy

Whatever you want

You're so fucking special

I wish I was special

But I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doing here?

I don't belong here

I don't belong here

You feel your heart swell as he sings. It’s just a song right? He doesn’t really feel that way about himself. You still don’t know who he’s singing to until you realize his eyes have not left you the entire song. It’s probably because he’s most comfortable with you. Nothing else.

Schlatt makes his way back to the table and shoots both of the shots. “You were amazing. Your voice is perfect for that song,” you praise him.

He smiles at you. “Thank you. Did you hear the beginning?”

“Yeah I did and if Astrid doesn’t feel the same, that’s her loss,” you tell him.

“Astrid? It wasn’t about her,” Schlatt says, worry covering his face.

“Oh who were you singing about then?”

“It was,” he starts, but stops himself. “Never mind. It was just a song. I thought it would sound good with my voice too.”

You smile at him. “Shocked you didn’t sing Sinatra, but Radiohead works well too.” You take a sip of your drink.

“Who was that guy talking to you earlier?”

“Some guy named Max. He gave me his number. I’m not sure why though,” you admit. You thought maybe it was for Schlatt when he realized you weren’t dating him.

Schlatt gives you a look. “(Y/N), please tell me you’re joking right?”

“What?” You ask, raising your eyebrow.

“He obviously gave it to you because he thought you were cute,” Schlatt says, muttering something under his breath.

“Wait really? Oh I didn’t realize that,” you laugh at yourself.

Schlatt laughs a bit too. “I’m going to grab more shots. I’m not drunk enough. You just sit here and watch the people sing.”

Schlatt returns after a while. You’re not sure where Mika and Astrid had ran off to, but at least your best friend was still here. You and Schlatt are so drunk you know you’ll both feel it in the morning. After a few shots, the two of you are a giggling mess.

“You know my friend (Y/N)?” Schlatt asks, obviously very drunk.

You let out a giggle. “Yeah I know them, they are pretty cool,” you say.

“Yeah they are cool. They are also so intelligent and so funny and so goddamn talented in everything they do.”

“That’s so sweet. I’ll let them know.”

“Can I tell you a secret?” He whispers to you.

“Of course,” you whisper back.

“I’m in love with them.”

“What?” You ask not sure if you heard him right. You obviously misheard him.

“(Y/N), I’m in love with them. And you want to know the most pathetic thing? They will never love me back. No matter what I do, they will never love me the way I love them. Sometimes I imagine us together in a house with the cats just loving each other. Maybe raising kids. We’d get married in a catholic cathedral like they have always wanted. I would do anything to make them happy and they will never feel the same.”

Tears start feeling up your eyes. “Jay,” you let out. You don’t know what to say. You’re at a loss for words. Everything is starting to make sense. The cuddling, the kiss on the forehead, his wariness about Ted, the way he always does whatever you ask, and even his freaking boner. He didn’t sing Creep for no reason, he sang it for you. You take a look at him and you start crying.

“Are you okay?” Schlatt asks, still very drunk. His calloused thumbs wipe a stray tear from your face.

“I’m fine. I think it’s time for us to call an Uber,” you tell him, trying to wipe away your tears.

You walk outside, carrying behind a drunk Schlatt. You see Mika and Astrid sharing a joint. “Are you going home already?” Astrid asks you.

“Yeah. Schlatt almost passed out at the table,” you tell them.

“Have you been crying?” Mika asks, accidentally blowing smoke in your face.

“No, this happens when I drink a lot,” you lie.

They both nod. “Do you need help with him?” Mika asks.

“No, I got him. It was nice to meet you both. Enjoy the rest of your night.” The uber pulls up and Schlatt sleepily follows you.

As soon as you both get in, Schlatt’s head finds your shoulder. It takes everything in you to not cry more. “Are you able to take me home after I drop him off? I’ll pay you extra,” you ask the driver.

“Just put your address in the app and I’ll pick it up. No extra charge,” the driver tells you.

“Thank you.” You hear Schlatt lightly snoring on you. You smile at him. You’re so conflicted in your thoughts. Obviously you love Schlatt, but do you love him the way he apparently loves you? You’re not sure. You’ve never thought about him that way. He’s always been your best friend, just out of reach. He was never someone you would consider.

The Uber arrives in front of Schlatt’s apartment. “C’mon Big Guy,” you wake him up. Schlatt follows you out of the car. “I’ll be right back out. I just need to put him to bed.”

The driver nods at you as you drag Schlatt to his bed. “(Y/N)!” He cheers, when he realizes you are the one carrying him along. “Are you staying?”

“Not tonight. I have work in the morning,” you tell him.

He pouts slightly at you as he gets in his bed. As he pulls his shirt off, he gets under the covers. You tuck him in and place everything on the nightstand that he will need in the morning. “Night, Bub. Get home safe.”

“I will. Good night, Jay,” you tell him. You go downstairs and thankfully the Uber is still there. You thank the driver as he drives you home.

When you finally arrive, you make sure to tip the driver well. You quickly rush upstairs to your apartment. When you get inside, the tears start flowing. You go to your bathroom and wipe off your makeup. Once you get in bed, you think about the future of you and Schlatt. What does his confession mean for your friendship? Do you feel the same way? Why did he have to tell you when he was drunk off his ass? You go to sleep knowing that tomorrow an important conversation needs to happen.

A/N: ahh this one makes me so sad!! Sorry I live for Angst. I already have most of the next part planned as well. Thank you for all the support and as always hope you enjoyed!!

[drakorn]

Rewriting Veilguard Part 5 - The Antivan Crows

Rewriting Veilguard Part 4 - The Veil Jumpers

Disclaimer: I don't hate the game, I actually think it's quite great given the development hell Bioware went through in those 10 years. This is more of a hypothetical universe where there was less of that behind the scenes drama. Just a fun writing exercise.

Writing an Origin Story Mission for the Antivan Crows

The Antivan Crows might be the one faction next to the Grey Wardens of whom we know the most about. They’re hired assassins, cold and brutal and calculating. They recruit children and mercilessly raise them to be killers. The Crow training involves killing your own peers to emerge as the victor. They keep a prison off the coast of Antiva City, where they hold people for “fun and torture”. The life of a Crow is rewarding, true, but it is also filled with darkness and a lot of blood. With all this canonical info established, we can confidently say that the Antivan Crows, while undoubtedly resourceful and clever, are not very nice people.

So why are the Antivan Crows in Veilguard so nice?

When I pictured the Antivan Crows before DAV released, “idealistic freedom fighters” wasn’t exactly what I thought of. Yet this is their entire role in the game, slightly controversial freedom fighters who fight against impossible odds.

Well, as you’ve seen with my takes on the Shadow Dragons, the Grey Wardens, and the Veil Jumpers in earlier posts, such a depiction can make sense if you just take your time to explain it in the lore. Why would the Crows suddenly be so much more of a force for good than they were in the other games? This, along with many other questions, shall be answered in just a tiny moment.

This is my take on a potential Antivan Crow origin story. Have fun!

Creating Rook

So, for the fourth time (wow we’re really stuck in that starting phase, are we), we press the start button and listen to Varric’s narration introducing the general state of Northern Thedas. This time, we pick the Antivan Crows as our faction and get this as our little intro blurb:

“You are an Antivan Crow. Swift knives in the dark, the Crows are ruthless assassins, both respected and feared. Some see them as nothing but cold-blooded killers, others as Antiva’s shadowy protectors who hold the nation’s true power. As a member of house de Riva, now a full-fledged Crow, you are summoned to take part in a secretive Crow operation in the occupied Treviso. Your first true contract is waiting for you. But are you worthy of fulfilling it? Are your skills, and your blades, sharp enough?”

Straight off the bat, of all the factions in this game, the Antivan Crows have the absolute easiest way to explain the last name applying to all races. House de Riva is simply the last name all crows belonging to that house choose. It’s just the way it is, no matter what race you are or where you came from. The question is: how exactly did Rook join the Crows?

Well, here’s where we’ll tap into the organisation’s more controversial and darker side. Here we go:

If de Riva is a human, they will have been bought from a poor family as a child, their parents giving them away just so they could have some coin again.

If de Riva is an elf, they will have been bought from Treviso’s Alienage for much the same reasons. In fact, the Crows have a habit of recruiting elves into their ranks because they tend to make the best assassins.

If de Riva is a dwarf, they were picked up as a child beggar in the streets, as their surface dwarf family likely died in some way.

If de Riva is a Qunari, they were taken in as the sole survivor of a group of Tal-Vashoth who sought to escape further inland from the Qun.

The Crows don’t really care about race or status when it comes to recruitment. But no matter who they recruit, the training starts in their childhood and lasts all the way until Crow membership. It’s tough and brutal. And we need to reflect that, guys, Thedas is not a friendly place. Especially in the North. Especially at this time.

In all four cases, Viago, who is now the Fifth Talon and leader of House de Riva, took us in personally and often trained us himself, sometimes along with Andaratei “Teia, please” Cantori. They are, for the lack of a better word, the closest thing to parental substitutes we’re going to get. And we’re going to make this amusing because Viago relentlessly and mercilessly throwing shade at us while secretly carrying some level of fondness is a very very engaging dynamic.

For the sake of this playthrough, let’s go with something a little more unusual and pick a Qunari rogue.

Once we’ve finalised our de Riva, we press the start button and Varric continues his narration. And we get to learn a little bit more about the actual state of the Crows by the time we begin the game: First Talon Caterina Dellamorte called upon a special gathering of Crows in the city of Treviso, the organisation’s ancestral home, which is now being occupied by the Antaam, but not the official branch. This is one of those units that broke off from the Arishok, who is still waging war against Tevinter. This particular unit is led by a warlord called The Butcher. To ensure the liberation of Treviso, Caterina called upon as many members of the Antivan Crows as possible. House Dellamorte, House de Riva, House Cantori, and House Valisti, are now leading an underground fighting force against the Antaam, willing to use their skills to free Antiva.

So you see, we’re still including the freedom fighter angle because it certainly does make sense for the Crows to go against the Antaam. But we provided just a little bit of an additional explanation. Caterina wants the more idealistic and spirited members of the Crows to join the effort because this is something personal. And she needs those who care about a little more than coin and death to accomplish this. The remaining Crows are still out there, doing contracts, being cold and callous. But now, we give an in-universe reason for things to be the way they are presented to us.

Well then, now that we have created our de Riva, let us jump into the game!

The Treviso Chantry

Instead of using the Cantori Diamond, our Crow base is going to be something a little different. Let’s actually implement the lore and explore some history. The original Antivan Crows started out as monks in the area surrounding Treviso. In the years since, Treviso has been nearly destroyed on two occasions and a lot of rebuilding had to be done. So, instead of setting the main crow base in the HQ of one of their houses, we’re gonna set it in Treviso’s Chantry.

The idea is that Treviso’s Chantry is the ancestral base from which the Crows fully operated. But Treviso has been rebuilt so many times that people just forgot that. Well, not really forgotten, the place just looks utterly unrecognisable to its earliest incarnation.

Well, Treviso’s Chantry is grand and beautiful now, think of places like Notre Dame. And just like Notre Dame, it has its secrets. In the years since the last rebuilding, the Crows took the Chantry and secretly kept expanding on it, using House Valisti as the main financial donor. The upper areas were entirely turned into a maze-like collection of rooms that can house a multitude of Crows at once. And the walls were given tons of secret passages and hidden doors. This is the main Crow base, and only fully initiated Crows know how to access it. It is also, most importantly, the one base where Crows are bound by their code not to harm each other. We know how much literal backstabbing these guys get up to, so we absolutely need to establish some kind of neutral ground. Still, ever since the incident in Tevinter Nights, where most Talons met a most gruesome end, there is tension in the air.

We arrive to the Treviso Chantry by rooftop, accompanied by our Talon, Viago de Riva, as well as all the de Riva Crows that were able to join this effort. Like shadows, we traverse the rooftops and ascend the Chantry’s walls like a group of Ezio Auditores. We find some secret passage in the walls and enter the Crows’ main base.

Right off the bat, Viago pulls us aside and tells us to be on our absolute best behaviour. Four of the Crows’ leading houses are gathered here, and we will not tarnish de Riva’s reputation by being ourselves. Classic Viago.

The Nest

The wide attic areas of the Chantry are referred to as “The Nest”, for this is still where the first Crows “hatched”. And now, it’s used as a massive gathering place, including its own opera house-style auditorium. This Chantry is just the definition of extra but that’s what the Crows are about.

As we walk towards our gathering, we can have a few encounters:

We can encounter Viago and Teia Cantori exchanging in something that is obviously flirting to the knowing eye and ear but can very well be masqueraded as diplomatic conversation. Viago also produces his snake…EMIL, EMIL the snake, not…no! His pet snake, which he got in Tevinter Nights. If you join the conversation, Teia acts absolutely delighted to see you and greets you like the cool and loving mom she is, whereas Viago stares daggers into your soul for daring to interrupt this moment.

We meet Antonio Valisti, the current head of House Valisti. He is both a Merchant Prince and Talon, a very powerful combination. He eyes us up and down and seems even more critical of our very air than Viago, and we thought that wasn’t at all possible.

We find some notes and letters regarding Crows being sent out to hunt down Zevran, who is still on the run. He has stopped waging his one-man-army war against the Crows and is currently lying low.

We can overhear a conversation between Jacobus, his cousin Dareth, and Heir, talking about Jacobus’ training and what it truly means to be an Antivan Crow.

NOTE: In this World State, Zevran is still alive.

We meet Illario Dellamorte and can engage him in polite but tense conversation. He seems to still not having gotten over the death of his cousin, Lucanis, the Demon of Vyrantium. He can only hope to keep his memory alive by being the deadliest assassin he could possibly be. We can be friendly to him here, and he seems to appreciate the sentiment.

The Great Contract

We settle down in the Nest’s auditorium and Caterina Dellamorte, First Talon, steps on stage, and we immediately feel the sheer deadly power and authority oozing from her, despite, or maybe because of, her age. She delivers a short and deadly speech on how this broken part of the Antaam invaded Treviso, led by a man called Daathrata, or “The Butcher”, as the locals refer to him.

Caterina announces that all Crows gathered here have a contract now. All four houses have been bought to assassinate the Butcher and as many of his Antaam soldiers as possible. And who is the client with so much coin for this contract? Well, we’ll meet them later.

Caterina orders the Crows to rest up and prepare, they will be carrying out their plan soon enough. A few select Crows will be chosen to accompany their Talons and meet the client in another location.

Later that evening, Viago approaches us, declaring that he’s chosen us to accompany him to the meeting with the client. He’s incredibly grumpy and stiff about it and tells us to better not make him regret it. At the same time, he concedes that out of all the Crows of House de Riva, we have shown some of the most promise.

Meeting the Client

Heading to meet the client is, as with all Crow-related stuff, shadowy business. So we’re not going to take the streets but jump across the rooftops once again. While we do that, we can see a few things happening below:

We see members of the Antaam dragging a mage out of a house to expose them to the qamek treatment. The Butcher hates mages. Nothing we can do for this one, we must remain in the shadows for now. Even if we want to help them, Viago holds us back. There are too many eyes.

We see the citizens of Treviso being lined up for overall inspection by the Antaam, to see how obedient they are under the new regime.

Eventually, we arrive at our meeting spot: Café Pietra. There, we meet Rayan Ivenci, the Governor of Treviso. Now, for Ivenci, I have something slightly different and more elaborate planned than what we see of them in the game.

Turns out, Ivenci is the one who made the contract and paid the Crows to assassinate the Butcher. Antivan nobles do have a well-established history of hiring the Crows to take out political targets, so this is no exception. Since Ivenci is such a wealthy person, they had enough coin to hire all four houses currently active in Treviso.

If we’re feeling bold, we can even mention how superficial this contract is given that we’re planning to kill the Butcher anyway. Viago gives us another death glare and reminds us of the Crows’ ways of operating. A contract belongs in our very DNA.

Ivenci explains their plan to us: They’re planning on negotiating peace talks with Daathrata onboard his Dreadnought, which is docking just outside the Drowned District. And while they’re having these talks, the Crows can swoop in and perform their assassination. They mention that Daathrata’s main reason for breaking away from the Arishok’s Antaam is that, despite his cruelty, the Butcher doesn’t want to fight in a senseless war against Tevinter. Peace talks are, therefore, not outside the realm of possibility with him.

Our plan put in motion, Ivenci departs and the Crows prepare to gather all forces for a massive descent upon the Qunari.

An Old Friend

When Antonio, Caterina, and the Crows they brought along, leave, Viago and Teia remain. When we ask Viago why we’re not leaving, he says that we still have another meeting to attend. Another contract for after this one is over, so to say.

At this moment, Varric Tethras joins us at the table, with a mug of mulled wine, as he needs that alcohol and coffee is just not his thing. Viago and Teia obviously know him from The Missing so that connection is established. Varric greets us and we probably know him very well, as pretty much everyone knows Varric thanks to his books. And being the Viscount of Kirkwall and serving the Inquisition years ago obviously added to his reputation.

Viago and Teia start talking to him about the contract they have been discussing for a while now. We, as players, obviously can already guess what it is, but the language is kept very vague right now. At this point, de Riva may begin to wonder why exactly we were allowed to stay with two Talons discussing a contract with a new client.

Turns out, Viago has proposed we join Varric and carry out the contract. Even though he has his absolute grievances with us and thinks we’re an annoying baby, he can’t deny our skills.

Varric looks us over and we can have our first little conversation with him, in which we express our interest and curiosity in this strange new contract. This first talk is going to determine partially how Varric perceives us. We can be strictly business-like, as a classic Crow like Viago would behave, or perhaps be a little more idealistic towards the Antaam situation, like Teia. In any case, the meeting ends with Varric stating he’ll wait for us after the Butcher contract is done. Viago barks at us to leave and so we do.

Preparations

Back at the Nest, we have a final strategic meeting with the four houses and determine exactly what everyone will be doing. Here’s the plan: House Valisti, since they have the most and longest experience with Daathrata by having fought him the longest, will go straight for the Butcher’s Dreadnought. House Dellamorte will handle the Antaam in the streets of Treviso. Houses Cantori and de Riva will take care of the Drowned District. Now, we have a first choice presented before us, as there are two different sections of the Drowned District we can focus on:

The Prison Camps: We focus on Antaam’s prison camps and liberate those the Qunari have captured. It’s not entirely out of the goodness of our hearts; the Crows need a win in the public’s perception of them to show that they are both a group to be feared and relied upon.

The Military Camps: We focus on the Antaam’s direct military camps and fracture their overall defences and might. This will weaken them in the long-run.

Whatever we choose is what Houses de Riva and Cantori will prioritise first. If there is still time, we shall focus on the second. While Teia is very much for liberating the prisoners, Viago wants to weaken the Antaam’s overall strength. And this is where our de Riva comes in.

NOTE: As you may have noticed, I am referring to Rook as “de Riva” throughout this write-up, for the same reasons I stated in the other background write-ups.

Well, we have already established our de Riva to be a little more on the idealistic side, so we choose the Prison Camps as our battleground. Let me make one thing perfectly clear, though: we do not actually decide this in-universe. We are a regular Crow. Teia and Viago are Talons. Sure, they could ask us for our opinion, but we don’t get the end say. We just chime in with our own opinion and sway them to this decision. In this case, we support Teia’s idea and she convinces Viago to go along with it. Viago gives us a “this is so your fault” look, but lets it go.

The Crows Descend

What follows is a cinematic of Caterina sending us all to take up positions for what is to be a great shadow battle. The idea is to not engage in open warfare but more so in a Crow way, silent and deadly.

We get a scene at the Butcher’s Dreadnought. Governor Ivenci and some of their guards await to be let on. And this Dreadnought is massive, an absolute unit of a ship, easily overshadowing everything else in the docks. The gangplank is lowered and Daathrata, the Butcher, steps out. He’s an imposing, intimidating Qunari warrior who looks like he can snap anyone in two, including other Qunari. But when he opens his mouth, he is surprisingly well-mannered and soft-spoken, which kinda makes him look even more intimidating. He guides Ivenci and their guards on board. We see Antonio and the Valisti Crows hover on the rooftops surrounding the docks, ready to strike.

At the same time, in the streets of Treviso, we see Caterina and Illario getting the Dellamorte Crows ready to ambush groups of Antaam soldiers and clear the populated areas. Caterina pulls Ilario aside and tells him this is his moment to prove himself and lets him lead the house into battle. This visibly takes aback Ilario.

Lastly, Houses de Riva and Cantori gather on the rooftops surrounding the Prison Camps in the Drowned District. There are many guards around, and even more prisoners.

Now, we get to make another choice: How exactly do we approach this? Teia suggests killing the guards quickly and quietly and then let the prisoners out. Viago, on the other hand, wants to poison the guards and let them die from their food and drink. There are some nice campfires with pots of stew around. So, do we:

Attack the guards directly and kill them as swiftly, quietly, and efficiently as possible?

Or do we poison their supplies and let them choke on their own dinner?

Well, we are still a de Riva and at this point we’ve pissed off Viago enough times. Let’s try and placate him again. We’re in the poison camp. Viago comments that finally, a shred of reason still exists in our head. Since we’re a Qunari ourselves, we now get a bit of a unique flavour to this mission: We know that this particular unit broke off from the Arishok’s Antaam, however, unlike in DAV, they did not break off from the Qun, still holding their own belief to it. As such, they still have Qunari cooks and craftsmen among them. As such, we can play a bit of dress-up: we’ll play the role of a Qunari cook and poison the food ourselves. This is where playing a Qunari really comes at an advantage for us because they won’t suspect us nearly as much as anyone else.

Viago gives us some Adder’s Kiss poison, provided by Emil, and asks us to bring back some qamek for him to study if we find any. He asks this in a bit of a nerdy way, like this is the one poison that still eludes his collection. The other Crows will hold back for the time being while we…go in alone. Mierda.

The Prison Camps

Cut to a little later. Instead of the tight, badass, and sexy Antivan Crow leather attire, we now find ourselves in a plain dress and shirt (I’m going for a feminine Qunari de Riva here). We sneak into a tent filled with cooking supplies, and either knock out, kill, or convince the actual cook to go away. Either way, we are now the cook.

We look around in the tent and find ourselves absolutely aghast at the sheer lack of flavour and variety that is Qunari food. Antivans are supposed to be a mix of Spain and Italy, but the food aspect is definitely Italian-coded. So we look around horrified and mumble something along the lines of “Mierda, no wonder they are the way they are.”

We then set about brewing some fresh stew, which we are utterly disgusted by. As an Antivan, we are used to excellent food full of rich flavour and spices. We really have to reign ourselves in to not make the stew too tasty. This is absolute torture for our poor food-loving heart. This food deserves the poison.

Now that our food has become entirely disgraceful to our standards, it’s time to deliver it to the Antaam.

There are three prison camps aligned next to each other in total, meticulously placed upon the still-standing and dry parts of the Drowned District. We have to sneak the poison into three large pots, one for each camp. As we traverse the camp, we get the following encounters:

We see some prisoners, citizens of Treviso who somehow scorned the Qunari, being tested for potential new rules in the Qun. If we pass them, the Qunari will pull us aside and order us to show some people how to cook. We can play along and actually show them some excellent cooking skills.

But we also see those who actively volunteered into the Qun. They are currently being given weapons or infrastructural jobs. They are clearly under pressure but treated exponentially better than the prisoners. Why are we showing this? Well, if you recall DA2, some people actually did join the Arishok of their own free will. We must show that not everyone actually despises the Qun, or would rather join it than be killed. In any case, it’s important to see.

Whenever we pass one of the main cages with Treviso’s citizens inside, we can try to damage the locks to allow them to escape. This, however, adds the potential consequence of some prisoners trying to make a run for it and being swiftly executed. We choose not to damage them for now.

We see a cage full of mages who were exposed to qamek. They are utterly mindless, almost tranquil, but even…worse than that. In the huge tent next to them, we find a Qunari keeping watch over the poison. We quickly kill him and hide the body, and take a few vials with us for Viago.

When we reach the main pots, something happens each time that will allow us to make some more choices:

Pot 1: Another cook is already filling it. We can either tell them to fuck off or convince them that our food is better prepared since the other tents were befallen by rodents from the canal. Yes, we saw that. We do not lie. The Qun has no lies.

Pot 2: Pot 2 is broken because someone knocked it over and is now being punished for it. We can quickly scurry around and find a new pot to fulfil our duty here.

Pot 3: Pot 3 has a more merciful Qunari captain who let some prisoners have their fill first. You see some people eagerly looking up to you, waiting for food. Dammiiiiittttt. I don’t want to kill the citizens! So do we maintain our cover or find a way around this? Since we’re playing an idealist Crow, we choose to bullshit our way out of this. We make it look like as though one of the Antaam soldiers pushed us and we dramatically let our remaining food spill on the floor. Apologies, huge apologies, we shall get a new fill. The guard is being punished.

Once all is done, we get a very Ghost of Tsushima-style scene where de Riva stands amidst the Antaam and watches the soldiers slowly succumbing to Viago’s poison, except for the third camp. And some others obviously see the poison take effect before eating anything. We quickly dash to where we left our gear. A few minutes later, the Crows descend upon the camps. We re-emerge, once again dressed in our Crow outfit. Viago and Teia join us, and Viago begrudgingly admits that yeah, we’ve actually done a satisfactory job, whereas Teia nudges him teasingly, saying that he can be proud every once in a while.

We then battle against the Antaam, with Viago, and Teia fighting by our side. We mow down those who survived the poison. And because we didn’t break the prisoners’ locks, none of them prematurely escape into an early grave.

Ambush

As soon as we start letting out the prisoners, however, something changes. Something drastic. We see a strange light out on the water and look to the Butcher’s Dreadnought, only to see it go…

BOOM

The Dreadnought fully explodes into smithereens and the debris even reaches us here. All of House Valisti was on board that ship, as well as Daathrata and Ivenci. Before we can react, however, we are suddenly ambushed by a whole new wave of Antaam soldiers. Somehow, the military camp made it here in seconds. And they begin cutting down the escaping prisoners. Mierda, maybe letting them run earlier would have been a better idea. Some would have died, yes, but not as many as right now.

We engage in another, much fiercer battle against the Antaam, but the Crows are driven back. We are not used to open warfare. Now the Qunari have the advantage. We retreat onto the walls.

From there, we see how the streets of Treviso are crawling with Antaam as well and two great Dreadnoughts sail down the river. Where did those come from? Did the Butcher suddenly gain forces? How? Why? How did he know? How…how did he know that we would be planning this? This is too calculated to be a coincidence. Viago and Teia come to the same conclusion: someone betrayed us, betrayed Treviso, betrayed us all to the Butcher. Speaking of…if the Butcher knew this, then the exploding Dreadnought was no accident either. That means he has to still be alive. Maybe we can even save Antonio.

But we also see the Dellamorte Crows struggling in the streets. Teia and Viago begin to argue on what to do next, and we can make a choice here, another big one:

Do we follow Teia and aid the Dellamortes in the streets of Treviso?

Or do we stay with Viago and pursue the Butcher and try to save Antonio and Ivenci?

Well, Viago taught us that a contract needs to be finished, no matter what. We speak out in favour of pursuing Daathrata. Viago agrees with us and Teia rallies House Cantori to help the Dellamortes in the streets. We pursue.

The Butcher

As we race along the docks and fight our way through Antaam soldiers, we are joined by Varric who asks if now’s a good time to make it an outside operation. Viago doesn’t even hesitate to let him join, and so we fight. There are so many Qunari, it’s actually insane. The Crows are way out of their depth here.

While the rest of House de Riva is fighting, we, Viago, and Varric reach the remains of the Butcher’s Dreadnought. We see the corpses of all the House Valisti Crows floating in the water or burning on the wreck. We also find Antonio, who is barely alive and severely wounded. We pull him out of the wreckage and begin patching him up.

We then explore the still-stable parts of the Dreadnought for any signs of the Butcher. Just as we’re about to give up, we see a smaller Qunari ship sailing along the docks. We see the Butcher and Ivenci on it. Well, gotta save the Governor.

Without waiting for Viago and Varric, we hurry over the burning debris, acrobatically swing ourselves back onto the docks, shoot along the piers, jump over gaps and missing parts, see another ship, a fishing vessel, sticking out far enough that we could maybe risk it, quickly make our way there, jump on the boat, climb the mast, the Qunari vessel is almost past us, unsheathe our daggers, SWING OURSELVES FROM THE MAST, DESCEND UPON THE BUTCHER, EZIO AUDITORE!!!

Whoom

We are suddenly stopped, mid-air, as Ivenci stops us with magic, blood magic even; freezing our blood so that our fall is halted. The Butcher calmly turns around and gazes us straight in the eyes. Then, he slowly unsheathes a dagger coated in qamek, and slowly, almost sadistically so, stabs us in the chest.

Ivenci lets their spell go and we drop on deck, our vision blurring, our thoughts dissolving as the qamek spreads through our body. Ivenci is the traitor. But…he made the contract…why would he…

Ivenci looks at us with pure hatred, something unexpected. He looks even more into this situation than Daathrata. Slowly, we fight back and rise to our feet. The Butcher sighs and engages us in battle.

What follows is a very blurry, very short boss battle that basically ends with the Butcher stabbing us again and sending us into the waters of Rialto Bay.

Awakening

We wake up back at the Nest with Viago nursing us back to health. Fortunately, the qamek on that dagger was but a small dosis, so we are certain to recover soon. It’s always good to start acquiring immunity. Viago knows what he’s talking about. As we look at him, we see, for the first time that he’s genuinely worried about us. And no condescension hides that.

He explains that Varric found us floating in the water and dragged us out. If it weren’t for him, we’d be dead. He awaits us at the café when we’re ready. Ready for what? Well, for the other contract. Are you fucking kidding, Viago? Viago dismisses our incredulity by reminding us that contracts are what we’re all about. He asks us what happened with the Butcher. We come back to our senses and tell him that we need to tell something to the other Talons. Viago understands and allows us to get ready.

Slightly slow and wounded, bandaged, we make our way to the auditorium. Teia meets us on the way, glad to see us alive. We see that Viago and Teia are the only unscathed Talons. Caterina is heavily bandaged, as is Antonio. Illario is taking over House Dellamorte while Caterina recovers. Antonio is the only Valisti left. But at least, thanks to us, there is still a Valisti left.

We tell them that Ivenci betrayed us. That they’re a blood mage. That they and Daathrata work together. The Crows are furious, especially Antonio, who wants vengeance for his house. But they also commend de Riva for, albeit while not having finished the contract, at least getting this valuable intelligence.

After the meeting, Viago and Teia take us aside and prompt us to return to the café now. Ivenci and Daathrata think we’re dead and that the other Crows did not receive information on the betrayal. Let us keep it this way for now. Us disappearing out of Treviso on another contract with Varric is a perfect opportunity. We ask what this contract is about but they still won’t say, stating that it’s best for Varric to explain it himself.

Meeting Varric

We meet Varric back at the Café Pietra. He’s glad to see we’re alright and if we’re ready to depart. On our way here we saw that Treviso is currently in a bit of a turmoil. It’ll take a while before all of this is settled. And now, we have two main targets to kill here: Daathrata and Ivenci.

Yeah, the fact that Ivenci’s a traitor is a huge twist in DAV, but I think there is an interesting story to be told if we know they’re the traitor from the get-go. Now, we can wonder why they did it.

We ask Varric what this other contract is about, and Varric says he’ll tell us when we’re way out of Treviso. We can get a little impatient and ask what kind of target this could possibly be that it requires such secrecy. Are we hunting a god or something? Viago and Teia exchange some glances, but we don’t notice.

Instead, Varric encourages us to drop the de Riva name for now, as the Crows…do have a reputation. Best if we just come across as a normal Tal-Vashoth. We need a new name.

We lean back and think. Then, we simply say ��Rook.” Varric raises an eyebrow. We shrug. “Close enough to a Crow while still sounding different enough.” Viago visibly and audibly groans in the background. “That’s not what secret mean-“ Teia can’t help but laugh. Varric smirks. “And the strongest piece on the chessboard. I like it.”

Leaving Treviso

Before we leave Treviso, we can have some final talk with Viago and Teia. We do get a little bit more insight into how both of them kinda raised us while still keeping us as a part of House de Riva. They are basically our parental figures, which is super rare among the Crows unless you are blood-related. Even though Viago demeans us all the time, it’s clear he has grown to somehow care for us. While Teia gives us a lot of advice for how to handle ourselves on the road away from all the Crows, Viago simply says something along the lines of “Get this contract done.” At this point, we exasperatedly ask “Mierda, WHO is the target???” and Varric leads us out of the café.

What follows is a cinematic of Rook and Varric sneaking through the streets of Treviso, dodging Antaam patrols. Once we’re out, we take a look back at the huge old Chantry. Still confused on what this is all about, we turn away and follow Varric into the unknown.

And there we have it! A potential origin story for the Antivan Crows! It’s getting really fun doing these. I’m very much enjoying it, and I hope you are too. Next time, we shall head to the Necropolis and explore a potential origin story for the Mourn Watchers. Stay tuned!

Rewriting Veilguard Part 6 - The Mourn Watchers

[davidtennantgenderenvy]

My Two Cents On The “ Is David Tennant Queer” Drama

As some of you know, I spent a solid third of the past year working on a movie-length video essay about David Tennant. This video essay features an eight minute section titled “Gender, Vulnerability, and Why David Tennant Is A Queer Icon”, which does not speculate on David’s own sexuality, but discusses the queer coding and subversion of gender norms in plenty of his roles and his importance as an ally to the LGBT community. At the same time, I was also coming to terms with my own identity as nonbinary and bisexual, and it ended up playing a crucial role in me finally working up the courage to come out to my parents. Characters like Crowley and the Doctor, both in terms of how they present themselves and how and who they love, have been absolutely instrumental in me developing my queer identity, and my comments section was full of people who had had similar experiences, who’d realized they were trans, nonbinary, gay, etc thanks to David and his characters. And as a result, I won’t deny that if David himself were to be queer, it would mean a lot to me.

Do I think David is queer? It’s certainly possible. I see a lot of how I express my queerness in how david chooses to express himself, most prominently through his frequent queer coding of characters who don’t necessarily have to be played as such. This can especially be seen through his Shakespeare characters, such as Richard, Hamlet, and some would argue Benedick as well. When I was 15 I played Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, who I chose to play as a closeted young gay man harboring an unrequited crush on Romeo. I think I saw this role subconsciously as an outlet for my own repressed queerness, both of gender and sexuality, as I had experienced an unrequited crush on my female best friend the previous year which I was still in denial about. I’ve described my gender identity as “a girl with a chaotic tortured gay man inside of her that needs to be let out every once in a while”, which has never been more true than with Mercutio- a character who I might add, I took a great deal of inspiration from David when playing! In terms of using roles as an outlet for one’s queerness, I could absolutelt see this being true with David, especially when it comes to Crowley, who seems to have had an impact on David’s style, behavior, etc in a rather similar way to how he’s impacted me. I don’t want to act like David wearing pink docs means he must be gay, I think people should be allowed to wear whatever they want regardless of sexuality, but taken in conjunction with so many other things about him, it does make one wonder, and the fact that a seemingly straight man has been so many people’s queer awakening is a bit puzzling to say the least. I won’t pretend that these “signs” (if you interpret them that way), haven’t been increasing somewhat in the past year, and if I got to share my own coming out journey with the man who inspired it, I would be absolutely thrilled. I also can’t specifically think of an instance where David has SAID he is straight, as opposed to Taylor swift, who has.

With all of that said, where I personally draw the line is when mere speculation crosses into interfering with the subject’s personal relationships and the sense that one is OWED something. I believe that what matters to David more than anything is being a husband and a father. I believe he adores Georgia and his children and would not do anything in the world that he believes would jeopardize his family. As happy as I would be for David if he were to come out (probably as bi) I realize that that would put so much unwanted attention on his marriage and family and I think that’s the last thing he wants. I don’t think it’s IMPOSSIBLE that he and Michael Sheen are having a passionate love affair behind everyone’s backs, but I absolutely don’t consider it my place to insist that they are, because as much as I may feel like I do, I don’t know these people! And besides, if David were cheating on Georgia, he really would not be the person I thought he was.

So many queer people see themselves in David and his characters, and that is beautiful. And I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with having theories that David might be queer himself. However, it must be acknowledged that these theories are THEORIES, and they should not be used to invalidate people’s real life relationships- after all, it’s totally possible to be bi/pan and also be in a loving and healthy heterosexual relationship like David and Georgia at least seem to be in! If David were in fact “one of us”, I would welcome him with the openest of open arms, but unless and until he himself decides to proclaim himself that way, I will not expect anything of him other than to be the incredible artist and person we know and love.

[thetrialsandtribulationsofeb]

“come on, you’re finally home”

“and you immediately want me to get into a car and drive 800 miles with a six-year-old?”

the way shannon meant “home” as in “just you, me, and christopher,” but eddie still refers to texas as his home because he’s not ready to let go of his upbringing and choose shannon

and in 8x17, eddie tries to convince himself that he’s supposed to go back to texas but refers to la as home out of “force of habit” - because this time, his heart knows for sure that his home is in la, with both buck and christopher

i wrote a post a while ago using taylor swift’s “you’re losing me” and deleted it, but it was about how both shannon and buck basically begged eddie to choose them (the “this doesn’t change a thing between us” scene) - to let them be a part of his and christopher’s life together

he needed to let go of his past and make a brave decision to unblock the love that life had in store for him

he missed the chance with shannon (for reasons open to interpretation), but he’s not going to lose it this time because he’s finally at a place where he can be free from his parents and let himself listen to his inner voice and actual desires without the past and their expectations tying him down

he can finally see a future there. the only thing left is for him to let himself open that fire burning within, look at it, hold it in his hands, and show it - give it - to buck

buck would obviously say something as soon as he saw the green light, but until eddie shows it, buck isn’t going to put their friendship at risk

and i want eddie to be the one who asks exactly because he has a problem choosing himself and his desires. i really liked the way he “dadded up” and told chris to move in with him instead of asking him

but i guess if buck is the one to express it first and eddie is the recipient and reciprocator, i’ll be okay with it too. i just prefer it to be eddie’s initiative because it all comes down to him and his choice

buck is already at the tip of his fingertips, silently hoping and praying that eddie will be his partner (without admitting it to himself because it’s “wrong” to be “pining” for your “straight best friend,” and it’s also painful to have unrequited love for someone) - just like shannon did

and i mean not as a best friend, but as a romantic partner

so it would be a nice reversal of the shannon situation (which already kind of happened in 8x17, and i was flabbergasted because it felt like the writers pulled this straight out of my head)

and i don’t know - in my head, it always comes back to the “buck is eddie’s joy; eddie is buck’s home” metaphor that’s woven throughout season 8

buck is already there, in his house, and eddie just needs to walk through the door and allow himself to drink the juice

i feel like being able to ask and making the choice to “take care of himself first” instead of “waiting for a sign” would be a significant character development for him

especially considering how his constant procrastination with shannon ended up… it’s all about time and how you can run out of it, so instead of waiting for someone to ask you, sometimes you need to ask them yourself before it’s too late

that’s why my ideal scenario is eddie giving buck some kind of sign about his feelings in the finale (but i love the idea of buck kissing him first after he gets that sign - maybe in season 9)

[immortalthunderstorm]

Criston Cole and Fandom Perception

There seems to be this idea that Criston's character and motivation solely revolves around Rhaenyra, which seems to be a fandom-wide belief. I won't deny that she plays a part on his development, but even that is more about who he is than what she means to him.

I'll provide my personal interpretation.

The overarching theme for Criston, something that was deeply explored by Jaime as well (who in the books refers to Criston as a man of duality), is that the idea of knightly valour in theory is rarely applicable in practice. A knight in theory is meant to be honour-bound, fearless, principled and chivalrous, obey each of their vows. Their name and the Ser they have earned is a badge of prowess and honour.

Especially the Kingsguard, having sworn off all "earthly" pleasures in order to serve their monarch for life, have a deep sense of focus on this as their duty is a singular one, while also having sworn their knightly vows before their Kingsguard ones. The Kingsguard is seen as this incorruptible, elite force of the very best of knights, a high office to have and the dream of even many of the highborn knights. The societal regard for this office is also very high.

Criston is not highborn. He's the son of a steward, Dornish, and unlike many highborn sons who are trained and fostered to rise the ranks and bring glory to their already established name at tourneys, he had to get there the hard way. The show makes this explicitly clear in the scene where Otto suggests choosing a knight with a good name to the Kingsguard, and Rhaenyra chooses Criston for his real experience (points can be made that she's also attracted to him, or impressed by his tourney feats, but she is not in the wrong here. Most knights at this time have never seen real battle, as Rhaenys says to Corlys)

His vows represent everything he has accomplished for himself "all that [he] has to [his] name" - his entire self worth.

Criston's speech on the boat is not about him being in love with Rhaenyra. He explicitly says he thinks it's the only way to wash the stain off his honour and name. He's desperate and of course it's a bad plan, but it's the only way out he sees with the prospect of death and torture now looming over his head in ever waking hour (see Ser Lucamore the Lusty). That's why he's so jumpy the whole episode and the next. He's paranoid about being exposed, and that's why he's so angry that Rhaenyra simply wants him to be her "whore". She's not in love with him either, it's all just about sex for her while it's a life or death situation for him. That's why he breaks down to Alicent so quickly and almost unprovoked, and confesses and asks for a swift death.

"I took an oath. As a knight of your Kingsguard. An oath of chastity. I've broken it. I've soiled my white cloak. And it's the only thing I have to my fսcking name! I thought if we were married, I might be able to restore it."

His devotion for Alicent also isn't primarily motivated by his dislike for Rhaenyra. To him, she's his second chance to live up to his ideals. She's his "Lady of Honour", the person he sees as the perfect example of a dutiful woman (as fostered by the society they live in) . Her he can chain his own sense of honour to, safely devote himself to without conflicting feelings, and be his idealistic version of what a white knight should be.

I'm not saying his behaviour is logical, knightly hypocrisy is one of the central themes across GRRM's work, but it's a lot more complex than what a lot of people make it out to be (everything is about Rhaenyra)

I'm also tired of this situation being simplified to "he's just an angry Incel" by this fandom. It's much deeper than that and I don't get the absolute demonisation of Criston who's a very complex character.

People just love to look for some ulterior reasons to justify their hatred for a him. It's absolutely fine to dislike Criston if they want, but applying these pseudo-psychological frameworks to him is getting old very quickly.

He is not an incel, he pretty much tells Rhaenyra he's been with at least a couple women before joining the Kingsguard, and it's not like he's angry at her because she doesn't want to sleep with him, on the contrary she pretty much offers him to be his 'paramour' and he gets upset because he doesn't want to be used for sex at the risk of his life. The whole point is his extreme sense of honour and paranoia of breaking his vows.

Similarly the Madonna-Whore complex doesn't check out because this only applies to his dislike for Rhaenyra, not sexually active women in general. Criston hates one (1) woman and that's more for personal reasons than religious extremism - he's very respectful and polite to the prostitute in ep 9, does not treat her as someone lesser or sullied or sinful despite being religious. He pretty much says to Aemond that all women should be treated with respect.

This man insults one woman (who he has personal beef with) once, and immediately apologises for it, yet the fandom seems hellbent on him being some raging misogynistic incel.

(If we want to start throwing stones, Daemon calls people bitches, whores and cunts in almost every episode lol.)

[ace-of-hearts-and-spades]

YOU THERE!!!!!! TUMBLR USER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are YOU tired of how Tumblr treats trans people, particularly transwomen and transfemmes? Are YOU tired of how Tumblr treats people of color, particularly black folks? Are YOU tired of fandom trying to police the madeup bullshit you like to draw, write, or read about? Are YOU tired of all this fucking AI bullshit? Are YOU looking for a new online home to settle in?

Consider Pillowfort.social!

I’m not going to go into the nitty-gritty of how Pillowfort functions, because others have talked about that and explained it much better than I can (I recommend reading @/vergesm’s post here for a more general Pillowfort overview). What I’m going to do is explain what I, personally, get out of Pillowfort and why I enjoy it.

To preface, I’m not being paid to make this post or promote Pillowfort or anything. I wouldn’t think that needs to be said, but people make things up sometimes so idk. I’m writing pro-Pillowfort propaganda because I genuinely like the place and want to see it thrive. If you want to take a look at my own fort and get a feel for the place, you can do so here.

So with that out of the way – let’s talk about it!

Pillowfort is quite a bit like Tumblr, in that it’s a blogging platform, but it’s got a few things that make it better than this hellsite imo. For one thing, you can post NSFW content there. Although I don’t draw much explicit stuff, it’s nice to be able to post art there without worrying I’ll get shadowbanned for a picture that’s just a lil too suggestive. It's nice to know that the option is there. Honestly, it’s freeing not to have to worry about that shit. And it’s also really cool that there’s a built-in system for marking certain posts as NSFW, because as well as being able to mark your own posts as NSFW, you can choose whether you want to see other people's posts marked as NSFW. And for minors, the ability to see NSFW content is automatically turned off. Pillowfort’s got a really good system for both allowing NSFW content and keeping it away from people who don’t want to see it. I really like that flexibility, and how that flexibility isn't detrimental to the users.

And speaking of being able to see or not see certain content, the content filtering is pretty solid. You’re able to block tags and even words in the body of a post, and like I said, you can control whether you want to see posts marked as NSFW. You can even control who sees your own posts! There’s blocking users, of course, but you can limit who sees your own posts even further than that. You can make them visible to anyone, visible only to logged in Pillowfort users, visible only to your followers or mutuals, or hell, even visible to you alone!! It’s cool to have that level of control, and I find it reassuring to know I have those options.

Another big appeal of Pillowfort, for me, is the userbase’s strong “don’t like don’t read” policy. A lot of the people there operate under the mindset of “as long as it’s fictional, whatever dude. I don’t have to like it, but you do you." There are still dipshits, of course, but it’s WAY better than the insane purity culture that’s developed here. I don’t have to worry about some wannabe-conservatives telling me I’m just as bad as Ted Bundy for [checks notes] sexualizing Michael Myers or some shit. Plus, this general userbase mindset is backed up by actual site policy! I’ve heard that Pillowfort is very swift in responding to reports of harassment – whether it’s fandom-based harassment or bigotry. I haven’t had any experience with this personally (and hopefully it’ll stay that way), but I’ve heard good things about it, and it makes me feel more comfortable being there.

Also, did I mention Pillowfort has an explicit anti-AI policy? AI generated images and writing are banned on the website, and staff made this decision once its userbase and community made it clear that they wouldn’t welcome that sort of shit. And GOD, does it make me feel so fucking good as a writer and artist to know that.

And that’s another thing – Pillowfort staff actually fucking listens to its userbase. The website is crowd-funded and relies on subscriptions and monthly donations to keep things running. And because it relies on its community, it relies on keeping the community happy. So complaints, bug reports, suggestions and alterations and things the users would like to see on the site – it’s all taken pretty seriously. And again, it’s just really nice to know that the staff of the place actually give a shit and are looking out for its community rather than trying to suck the dick of the biggest investor.

Really, the only problem I have with Pillowfort is the fact that it’s a bit small. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because the people there are lovely. But since a lot of people aren’t happy with Tumblr, and haven’t been happy with Tumblr for some time, I thought I’d just ask you guys – maybe consider it. Consider making a Pillowfort account. Consider making your own little fort, stringing up some colored lights and cool art and making yourself cozy. Consider offering some money, if you can spare it, because it’s genuinely a really cool place that I want to spend more time in and see prosper.

So far, I’ve had a lovely time there. It’s cozy and friendly and it feels like one of the few places where a queer artist like me is actually welcome. And I think a lot of Tumblr users might really like it too.

I hope to see you there! 💜

[astrongshipandaswiftship]

Some info about (A strong ship and a swift ship) to take me home:

What is it about?

It's an AU where I try to incorporate Nausithous and Nausinous (Odysseus' children by Calypso according to Hesiod. (No, not the Odyssey! Odysseus doesn't have any other children mentioned in the Odyssey other than Telemachus!)) into a mix of Epic and the Odyssey. It was originally (very loosely) inspired by Akaittou's fic: Hanging on in Quiet Desperation. I read the latest chapter (9, at the time) and was inspired by the threats, and wondered how horrifying it would be if it Calypso made Odysseus pregnant instead...

And my brain went: well time to write some angst and psychological/body horror! (keep in mind that the mpreg is strictly for angst purposes! There's no kink involved bc 1) I have no idea how I'd write that, and 2) it's Calypso and r4pe is not sexy. Of course, I also tried to write Calypso getting pregnant, but I found that I wanted to keep the body horror aspect instead.)

The rest of the plot (up to chapter 5 so far) follows Ody's mental state, as well as his complicated relationships with his children and captor Calypso, all while Telemachus haunts the narrative.

Now, for those of you who are familiar, how about some more specific questions/trivia?

1) The boys' names meaning:

(One of the readers actually noticed this and commented, so I'll include my response below:)

Initially, I read somewhere that Nausithous' name was translated as "swift ship", while Nausinous' was "strong ship", so I wrote the first chapters with that in mind, but after some research, I couldn't find any translation of Nausinous' name meaning "strong ship". Instead, the academic source I found translated the name (roughly) as "smart ship". It was too late for me to rewrite it into the title by then, so instead, I just included it into Nausinous' character (his amazement with wisdom, and his imagination)(see ch 4)!

Additionally, Nausithous shares a name with Nausicaa's paternal grandfather/maternal great-grandfather, a son of Poseidon. Idk if I'll do anything with that, but I think it's pretty funny that both Odysseus and Poseidon have sons that share a name.

2) Why did I choose Nausithous to be the oldest, and not Nausinous like some other fics do? And why did I choose to give them an age gap?

Hesiod's Theogony (aka the source I found of the boys' existence, since they aren't canon to the Odyssey (I cannot stress this enough! I really don't want to spread any misinformation!)) doesn't mention who's the older one, or whether there was an older one to begin with, so it's basically fair game. I interpreted Nausithous as the older one since Hesiod mentions him first. "And the bright goddess Calypso was joined to Odysseus in sweet love, and bore him Nausithous and Nausinous." (Hesiod, Theogony, 1020)

After I already wrote up half of story, I found out that it was more popular to have Nausinous be the older one/more responsible (in the case of twins) (I still don't know why? Is there another source I haven't found? Or is it just the popular headcanon? If anyone knows the reason, please tell me!) At that point I just decided to go with my own interpretation since it felt weird to just switch the boys' names after I already gave them different personalities...

Speaking of personalities... The reason the age gap between them exists because it was easier for me to give the boys distinct personalities that way. If I kept them at a similar age, they would have had very similar roles, and I would have had problems writing the story. Instead, I had Nausithous going through the more obvious struggle, while Nausinous serves as a more subtle example of what Ogygia can do, as well as being a break from the angst (to an extent, I guess.) Additionally, the pregnancies happening twice as well as the circumstances behind them, serve as development (not necessarily good) for Odysseus, and I think it wouldn't have as big as an impact if the boys were twins/one pregnancy, or if they were only a few years apart...

3) Are the boys going to leave Ogygia/will there be a happy ending?

I get this question a lot, and I'm pretty sure it's because I keep cranking up the angst for each chapter... Oops...

Well, for the sake of not torturing you all with the what-ifs: yes, there's going to be a happy ending, and those boys are definitely getting off Ogygia.

Sure, I love angst, but even I'm not that cruel!

4) Can I send headcanons/fanart/questions about your fic or the boys?

Of course you can! I'd love to hear your own characterizations of the boys, even if it has nothing to do with my fic!

(Idk if this needs to be said, but keep in mind that this is strictly a no AI space! I'd love to see your fanart, snippets, headcanons, etc, AS LONG AS it's purely your creation! I won't tolerate anything if I learn that it's made with AI!)

And if you all have questions about my characterization of the boys/other characters (or if you just wanna chat about them), feel free to send an ask!

[iwantedtoforgetyou]

Smokey Library, Benedict Bridgeton

Relationship: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader

Word Count: 1.1k

Summary: You encounter Benedict Bridgerton smoking in the library and choose to join him. What could possibly go awry?

"You're aware that habit is destined to be your demise someday?" Benedict muttered a self-curse under his breath upon hearing that familiar voice—your voice.

He had been darting between rooms, attempting to elude the watchful gaze of his family's friends, and you were the last person he anticipated encountering that evening. Yet, oddly, he felt an unexpected longing for your clever remarks.

Your mere presence.

Leaning against the closest bookshelf, he rested his head against the wood, never taking his eyes off you as you approached. A cigarette dangled from his lips.

With swift precision, you plucked the cigarette from his mouth and took a drag for yourself.

Benedict grinned. "I thought you said this habit would be the death of me?"

You smiled, exhaling a stream of smoke from the corner of your mouth, and Benedict discovered himself gazing at you more intensely than ever before.

More intently than he had ever looked at any woman in his entire life.

"Not your kind of gathering?" You nodded toward the door, where the distant sounds of music and conversation filtered through.

He dipped his head slightly, his gaze narrowing as he regarded you.

"You're well aware of the response to that," he stated.

He longed for the sensation of a cigarette between his lips, the smoky flavor filling his lungs.

Yet, he remained steadfast in keeping his attention fixed on the enchanting woman before him, smoke gracefully billowing from your mouth.

"Why are you here?" He prodded, leaning closer to you.

You drew another drag from the cigarette, casting a glance back at the door.

"My mother," was your succinct response, and that was enough for Benedict to understand.

Your mother had been incessantly pressuring you to find a suitable partner for months, and it had escalated significantly in the past few weeks.

The entire town had become well aware of your mother's desperation, with the Bridgertons especially privy to it.

As you inhaled the cigarette smoke, feeling its lightness coat your throat and exit through your nose, a sudden, sharp pain flared in your ribcage.

Overwhelmed earlier, you hadn't noticed the pain, but now it consumed your thoughts.

Swiftly, you handed the cigarette to Benedict and began fumbling with the strings at your back. Benedict watched, perplexed, as he extinguished the cigarette in an ashtray nearby.

"Need some assistance?" he quipped, a smirk on his face.

Your eyes met, momentarily distracting you from the stabbing ache in your ribcage. But with a deep breath, the pain resurfaced.

Without a word, you turned toward the door. Benedict straightened up from the bookshelf and gently started to undo the strings of your corset.

The air around you grew heavy and tense, and the only sound that filled the room was the steady thump of your heart.

His hands meticulously loosened each string, gradually relieving the pressure of the corset. You closed your eyes, savoring the freedom and the touch of another person.

The hands of Benedict Bridgerton.

He cleared his throat before speaking. "Is that better?"

Turning around slowly, you became acutely aware of your proximity to him. Your eyes traced over his face, taking in every detail that had eluded you during your childhood.

"Much better," you whispered.

A smile graced his lips at the sound of your relief, and he welcomed the closeness between you.

He had never imagined himself yearning for the girl he had known for years. Craving her laughter, her smile, and her red-stained lips.

He yearned to kiss those lips.

"Y/N," he murmured, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Benedict," you replied, your voice infused with a hint of reverence.

He had never been particularly fond of his own name, but when it passed through your lips, he developed a newfound appreciation for it.

“Benedict," you repeated, this time with more fervor.

Quickly, he raised both hands, pulling your face towards his, and your lips met with a forceful collision.

The flavors of smoke and alcohol melded within your mouths.

His hand fell away from your face, and it began to explore the exposed fabric left bare by your corset.

You let out a moan that only encouraged him to proceed, as his hands moved lower, reaching your buttocks and squeezing them firmly.

You both started to move, and in no time, Benedict had you pressed firmly against the bookshelf.

His hands explored every contour of your body, yearning for more. Meanwhile, your own hands were entangled in his hair, pulling and tugging gently.

Another moan escaped your lips just before the sound of the door interrupted.

Benedict swiftly moved away, pretending to browse the bookcase.

"Mr. Bridgerton, your mother is requesting you," a younger boy chimed in, a grin stretching from ear to ear.

You couldn't help but smile in return. "Tell her I'll be right there," Benedict replied, adjusting his shirt.

The boy dashed out of the room, the door closing with a loud click.

You remained in place, observing Benedict as he haphazardly fixed his shirt and smoothed his hair.

A smile remained on your lips, and the memory of his touch lingered.

Benedict sensed your smile and paused briefly in front of you before leaving the room.

“Until next time," he said, his grin wide. He leaned in quickly, kissing you lightly at first, but your response deepened the kiss.

"I must go," he whispered into the kiss, and you groaned softly against his lips.

He pulled away slowly, leaning in for one more lingering kiss. “Goodbye, Y/N." he said while exiting the door, winking at you as he left.

[carpenoctem-if]

Carpe Noctem - Intro Post

DEMO - tba

You are a nobody. A supposedly ordinary human in a world full of powerful beings. Your life is all in all pretty average if not bordering on mind-numbing, like watching paint dry... That is until you were kidnapped and tossed into one especially small carriage to be delivered somewhere only the ancients knew of.

From now on nothing will ever be the same and you need to adapt to the ever-changing outside world as fast as possible. All the while trying to decipher your past and with that your part in an every-growing political conflict that borders to develop into an all out war the world has yet to see.

General content warnings: Bigotry & prejudice, horror elements, interspecies awkwardness, explicit language, depictions of violence, injuries, blood and death, explicit sexual content (if selected), flashbacks of a dark past to unveil, sprinkled with some homophobia here and there & general an unfair treatment of people with disabilities.

FEATURES

-> customizable MC (name, pronouns, appearance, identity)

-> semi-set personality due to evolve (MCs reclusive upbringing forces you to start as someone that's not entirely comfortable with other people and as such you'll be able to choose coping mechanisms your MC will use to compensate such a deficit)

-> 5 characters to romance (3 in book 1, not sure if the other two will follow, they'll probably be fully romanceable in book 2)

-> POVs of the ROs included

-> an open-minded author that is inclined to change some NPCs to fully fledged ROs depending on the general opinion/wishes of readers

-> an emotional roller coaster, all in all nothing for ppl that want a light-hearted theme

-> later on you'll be able to choose part of your race (vampyres, merpeople, demons, shapeshifters, phoenixes -and many more) & with that you can determine and further develop your special skillset. Your heritage will reward you with quite different flavour texts for every possible race there is, so yes. It will matter greatly what you chose. And each of the available races will have disadvantages that could prove quite...fatal in certain situations.

romanceable characters:

the master [Alois|Alice|Alix] (m|f|n) 24 winters

An aloof demeanor at the first glance, A has a cold, strangely shrouded gaze. They're reclusive as fuck, so there isn't much the general population knows about them. Oh. And A is your esteemed master -as if any of you actually want this dynamic... A seems to hate you and your position even more, especially the hidden context it supplies to everyone they meet...

A has almond-shaped silver eyes that always seem distant and unfocused. They have defined cheek bones with mostly soft facial features and quite long, silver hair that is often tied to a simple ponytail. A wears fine dark clothing without other prominent features to despict their wealth.

Content warnings for A's route: denial of feelings aka one of the slowest burns imaginable, domestic violence, implied/referenced rape/non-con, anxiety attacks, self-harm, angst & hurt/comfort

the protector [Leto] (m|f|n) too many to count

Leto is a raven-like creature most would describe as monstrous-looking. They are rarely seen and the few moments they are, death is certain. For many commoners it's enough to see one of Leto's black feathers to warrant a swift escape.

Their past eludes them and you have to wonder - why does some antics of them seem kinda...familiar?

Content warnings for Leto's route: survivor-guilt, body dysphoria, angst, captivity & enslavement, torture, ptsd

the assassin [Zane|Zoey] (m|f) 28 winters

Z is everything their mother wanted them to be. Her own personal weapon. One she is now inclined to use for her vendetta against you.

They have dark brown hair with intelligent hazel green eyes that seem to observe their surroundings constantly. Z was raised with stories about you, stories you know nothing about. How can it be that they seem to know more of you and your family than you yourself?

Should it worry you that they sound extremely resolute in stating their sole purpose is to rid the world of your existance?

Content warnings for Z's route: enemies to frenemies to lovers, eating disorder, alcohol-addiction, a tendency of morbid jealousy, past emotional abuse & manipulation

??? [redacted]

??? [also redacted]

more info tba

Small note of the author:

Everything is slow burn in this - even the character customization, cause I want to add those moments seamlessly into the story.

I tend to take my time. You can expect me to heavily focus on the characters and their feelings, with a slight disregard to describing the environment and such. I work with minimalistic efforts to still give a sense of what I imagine everything to be but with the intention to leave fine details to the reader's own imagination.

I'll try to be considerate of everyone's preferences, especially in the more kinky parts of the story. There'll be versions for more assertive characters as well as more passive one's. Though I should add that the ROs all have their own set of bias that they prefer. However there will be growth throughout the story, including that.

The gravity of your choices will intensify throughout book 1, especially as you get to know the Circle and the Court and every other political hive of intrigue.

And yes. You can die. The ROs can die. Almost everyone will be able to at some point, I guess. Though I don't like the idea of writing a total distopia, don't expect me to change my mind regarding that one that easily.

More infos will be added over time. I'll post lore snippets of my sketchbook soon, like the worldmap, the general outlines of the Circle & the Court, the different races and such.

Asks are welcomed.

[mrmistakes666]

I drew these late at night, currently being 2 a.m., such fun to draw my other tranformer oc Outburst in this au <] Might try to draw Veganova next.

(Organic Human/Animal Transfomer AU by @kommbee )

I little bit about why I chose a Dragonfly is that they symbolize change, such as self realization, mental and emotional maturity, and living 'IN' the moment. I did the research because I wanted something that will stand true to his character development. Though I chose those examples due to his backstory that is a bit influenced by watching Tramsformers One, just a way to get his origin story going. I also wanted him to match with Bumblebee, with the both being insects.

* A bit of spoilers for the movie, I'm just kinda rambling about this so if you don't feel like reading then you can skip it it's alright *

In self realization is when he finds his potential to be useful, but at the wrong time, which leads him to belive he has a future joining the decepticons and leaves B-127 (Bumblebee) behind after spending time developing a friendship with him when trying to find the lost signal in the surface. Then later matures mentally and emotionally when noticing no progress but pure destruction and sparks (lives/souls) being extinguished by explosives or a swift blast to vulnerable weak points. He has been accustomed to death like any other bot or con would, being a few moments away from never seeing the end of a battle or friend again. He has to own his emotions to be able to face the front lines in enemy territory, and hopefully not run into Bumblebee while at it. However, he wants to change and not live under a big shadow of expectations. So he chooses to switch teams after a few cycles of battles and with the decepticons. He learns, eventually, that there are some moments worth living to the fullest. To be honest he only felt out casted from the other decepticons. So having to try make amends to hopefully be accepted by not only the opposite team, but with Bumblebee too. Only time would tell if he is forgiven or not, (he is, he don't know it.)

Dayum I wrote a lot for my first ever au I had to include my oc in. Anyway here is a drawing of how Outburst actually looks like as a transformer with his human brother Baxter :]

[eretzyisrael]

Confrontation with Iran: Who Won?

The West likes its Jews passive, dependent, and weak. When American officials say “Israel has a right to defend [herself]” they mean that they will allow her, and even assist her, to ward off the blows of her enemies. But their “rock solid support” does not extend to Israel taking offensive actions. Israel is allowed passive defense, but not to take the war to our enemies. And don’t even think about preemption.

Insofar as Israel obeys her Western “allies,” she is placed at a great disadvantage for several reasons. The most obvious one is that an entirely passive defense does not deter enemies from attacking over and over again. Why shouldn’t they? They have nothing to lose. The opposite: they will learn valuable lessons from their failures, which they can apply to the next round. And everyone is encouraged to keep trying for the honor of being the one who finally broke the Jewish state.

Then there is the relative high cost of defensive weapons. Each Arrow 3 missile like the ones used to intercept missiles fired at Israel on Saturday night, costs $3.5 million. Each Tamir interceptor used by the Iron Dome system to destroy the cheap Qassams of Hamas, the Katyushas of Hezbollah, and the drones of Iran, costs $50,000 (and two are usually fired at every enemy weapon). Each Iron Dome battery costs $50 million. The cost of using F-35s to shoot down drones is also high relative to the cost of the drones. Passive defense is expensive.

A purely passive defense strategy is so expensive, in fact, that no small country can afford to sustain it for a long period of time (and passivity guarantees that it will be needed forever). As a result, there is no alternative but to turn to one of the great powers as a sponsor. The price is loss of control and ultimately of sovereignty. It is already clear from the way American officials talk about Israel (e.g., President Biden is often described as “furious” with Israel), that Israel is seen as a satellite at best and a satrapy at worst.

Finally there is the message that is inherent in passivity. Shooting at Jews, because there are no consequences for it, becomes normalized. The Jews, people think, must deserve being shot at because, after all, everyone is doing it with impunity. This is particularly important in the Middle East, where honor is a paramount element in most cultures. Individuals, tribes, or nations that are hurt by an enemy must strike back or suffer a loss of honor, a mark that invites others to victimize them as well. Even in Western cultures – well, at least in the recent past – children were taught that failure to strike back at a bully invites more bullying.

An active defense, on the other hand, creates deterrence and restores lost honor. Nobody will attack Israel if they know that retaliation will be swift and disproportionate. If they are hurt badly enough, they will think twice about attacking again – if they have even retained the ability to do so. There is also an economic advantage: offensive weapons, like drones, rockets, missiles, and artillery, are far cheaper and simpler than technological marvels like Arrow and Iron Dome.

Israel has come a long way down the road to losing her sovereignty to the US as a result of her increasing dependence on military aid, in part to finance astronomically expensive systems of passive defense, and in part because she chooses to adopt other super-sophisticated weapons systems that are “free” even when they may not be optimal for her needs (e.g., the F-35). She has developed a culture at the top of her military hierarchy which is as loyal to the American military-industrial complex as it is to the State of Israel. The American government has, for its part, extended its influence deeper into all the affairs of our state, and in particular her management of her wars.

After the horrific atrocities of 7 October 2023, Israeli leaders had no choice but to adopt the strategic objective of removing Hamas from power and destroying its military capabilities. The US opposed this from the start, forced Israel to delay her ground invasion, and now – for several months – has prevented her from entering the last Hamas stronghold, Rafiah. The US has pushed for an extended (in effect, permanent) ceasefire, and has tried to turn Gaza over to the corrupt, terrorist, Palestinian Authority, a step which would nullify the gains made by the IDF at great cost.

After Iran attacked Israel with hundreds of drones and missiles on Saturday night, President Biden called for Israel to treat its success at intercepting most of them as “a win,” and not retaliate. The media in Israel are trumpeting the success of our air defense array, which – with some significant help from the US, the UK, and Jordan – managed to down 99% of the weapons before they could land in Israel. This is a remarkable technological achievement, but it was an expensive operation, estimated to cost 5 billion shekels, or more than $1.3 billion.

Israel has not yet retaliated, and it is clear that the price demanded for accurate American intelligence about the impending attack and assistance in defending against it was that any retaliation will be at best symbolic – and certainly not include an attack on the Iranian nuclear project.

But the 99% figure is not as “phenomenal” (Israeli media love this word) as it looks nor is it likely to be repeated. Respected Israeli analyst Yigal Carmon wrote that the whole operation was choreographed by Iran with the cooperation of the US in order to allow the Islamic Republic to come down from the tree of needing to retaliate for Israel’s recent assassination of an Iranian general:

Iran wanted to retrieve its deterrence after the killing in Damascus of Iranian General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who, by Iran’s own testimony, was the mastermind of the October 7 attack. … [The US] coordinated with the Iranians so that civilians would not be struck. Arab media are already reporting this coordination. Iran made it easy for the U.S., Israel, Britain, and Jordan to know what it would and would not do, and where it would do it. Israel was not part of this coordination. …

The Americans played Israel and they are continuing to do so by preventing an Israeli reaction. In fact, they began the pressure on Israel not to react even before the attack took place. CENTCOM’s commander General Michael Kurilla went to Israel on April 13 and pressed for prior coordination with the U.S. of any action by Israel. Now President Biden said it himself: You were not hurt, they failed. Do not do anything. Do not escalate because you will be dragging us into a war. We protected you and no one was hurt. The answer will be diplomatic.

What did the various parties gain and lose from this exercise? Iran’s top priority today is to avoid triggering a serious confrontation that might result in damage to her nuclear weapons program, which is on the verge of completion. However (unlike Israeli leaders), the Iranians understand the psychological importance of at least appearing to get revenge when they have been injured, and this massive attack achieved that end. At the same time, the coordination with the Americans insured that Israel will not strike back, and therefore will lose points in the calculus of honor that is so important in the region. Israel also lost an opportunity, perhaps her last, to take action against the Iranian nuclear project before it becomes operational.

The Americans gain exposure for their defensive weapons systems, establish themselves as the protector of their allies, and increase their influence over Israel and her dependence upon them. Israel will have to replenish her supply of American weapons and ammunition, and the military aid is an important subsidy for the US defense industry. The Biden administration also maintains its (still inexplicable to me) policy of protecting and even encouraging Iran’s drive to become the nuclear hegemon of the region.

Carmon also notes – and this is a critical point for Israeli planners – that the 99% success rate in interceptions is not likely to be repeated in the event of a real surprise attack by Iran.

Israel can’t continue on the path of subservience to the US, because American objectives in the region are inconsistent with the continued existence of a Jewish state. She must reduce her dependence, develop her own defense industries, approach other great powers (e.g., China), and become a “nonaligned” nation rather than a satellite of one side or the other. In the short term, she must enter Rafiah, crush Hamas, repel Hezbollah, and keep Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

May Hashem give our leadership the sense to see this and the strength to act.

[mackiebeth]

wanda maximoff headcanons [01]

Warnings: brief mention of loss (it is canon compliant…), brief mention of internalized homophobia

A/N: these headcanons are canon-compliant and are independent of my one-shots and such. please let me know if you want more of my headcanons (compliant or non-compliant) thru this link — i have so many lol.

Main Masterlist | ao3 | Wattpad

…

when you first meet her, it was after coming home from the fallout in Sokovia. the two of you never crossed paths on the ground, but you knew she was powerful from the burst of energy you felt when Pietro had fallen (you did not know this until later, though).

you hesitated on introducing yourself and trying to get to know her at first. part of you wanted to give her space, given the course of recent events, but the other part of you could not help but be utterly fascinated by her.

therefore, the first time the two of you spoke was two days after returning to the compound. Wanda had limited herself to her bedroom and brief appearances in the kitchen and the training room. in a moment of bravery, you decided you were finally going to formally introduce yourself and put your best foot forward.

you spent that morning researching Sokovian cuisine. you were not the best cook, but you were not the worst either. thus, you settled on a relatively simply dish and decided to make two servings: one for you, the other of your new teammate.

it is shocking that you do not drop the two dishes on your way to her bedroom. shaking from anxiety, your knuckles barely tap the door. you wonder if she could even hear you knocking. before you can knock again, though, the door is cracked open.

Wanda is surprised to see you on the other side. it is not that she is inherently opposed to your presence; it's just that she does not know you very well. to say she does not like strangers, especially within the confines of her bedroom, was an understatement.

however, her eyes drift downwards from your face, and she notes the dishes in your hands. the familiar smell is comforting. two days ago, it would have probably made her sob; today, though, she is able to provide a soft smile with her tears contained. so, she widens the door and allows you to enter.

you take the chance to walk into her room cautiously (not because you are afraid of her but because you are afraid of scaring her in some way). Wanda watches your actions closely, almost quizzically, as you set the dishes on a nearby desk, finally turning to face her.

the two of you bonded on some level that night. you told her some stories from your past, from growing up in the States to your journey with joining SHIELD. Wanda did not share as much in return (and you understand why); but when she did mention some part of her past, you listened attentively.

as weeks pass, the two of you only grow closer and closer. you watched her favorite sitcoms together, and she made dinner for the two of you each week. most times, she would choose a Sokovian dish, and you loved each one.

(when you moan from the delicious meal and tell her as such, she smiles, and a soft blush floods her cheeks. you were too engrossed in the food to notice.)

your favorite thing that you introduced her to was spotify. from a young age, you loved music. there was something about certain songs that made you feel something like nothing else could. so, you made sure to download it for her and show her how to use it.

(you made her a playlist titled "for my little witch," inspired by the nickname you recently branded her with. each morning, Wanda would listen to each song you added throughout the previous day.)

her current favorite artists include taylor swift, phoebe bridgers, lorde, and fiona apple.

Wanda starts to develop feelings — romantic feelings — for you about two months after you had come to her door with dinner. at first, she wonders if it is simply codependency — perhaps she was merely attached to you due to the fact you made an effort to get close to her earlier than others on the team?

however, she knows it is more than friendship (at least, on her end) when she watched you lay out the food items out on the blanket. the sun was in the process of going down, creating this hazy orange appearance in the sky. you had decided that day to take her out for a picnic, except this time, you were preparing all of the foods — more specifically, you were preparing all of the foods you grew up with as a child. there was something about the glint in your eye when placing the ham and cheese sandwiches on the blanket that made Wanda's heart skip a beat.

(that does not mean she was keen to accept her feelings at first. given her upbringing in eastern europe during the 90s, she was always taught a woman should only feel this way with a man. moreover, it is not like she had much experience in the romance department due to her years with HYDRA. she gets over this issue somehow, having this odd, albeit vivid, dream one night of her talking to Pietro about you, about her feelings for you. 'i did not see that coming,' he had said. 'you falling for an avenger? wow. she sounds nice, though.' he noticed her apprehension. 'it is okay to let yourself be happy, Wanda, even if it is with her. that is all i could ever want for you.')

(it is safe to say she cried the following morning.)

she begins to wonder if you feel the same once you add a few new songs to the playlist one day: 'sparks fly,' 'we fell in love in october,' '400 lux,' 'crush culture,' and 'you are in love.'

(she definitely does not lay in her bed that next morning with butterflies floating throughout her entire body about what this could possibly mean.)

you were a coward. you knew you could not confess your ever-growing feelings for Wanda verbally, afraid you would spill your guts out if you even tried. so, you opted to do it the only way you knew how: hint at your feelings through the songs you added. retrospectively, it was so stupid.

thankfully, Wanda was not, and she got the hint. though she was often relatively quiet, she could be unusually confident around you. maybe it was your constant awkwardness around her (which she found endearing and, sometimes, entertaining). she decided she would bring it up later went the two of you had your weekly dinner in her room.

"so, i listened to the songs you added yesterday."

"oh? what um- what did you think?"

"i liked them..."

(you stayed silent, continuing to eat the food she made, still shocked that she was bringing it up right now.)

"... i couldn't help but notice they all had a common theme, though."

"hmm."

"if i didn't know better, i would think this was your way of saying something... to me."

you began rambling, apologizing if you made her uncomfortable and promising to not do anything like that again. before you can get very far, however, she stops you by grabbing your hand, weaving her fingers between yours, and squeezing it.

(your mind is screaming at how soft her hands are. then, it is screaming at the fact that she is holding your hand.)

Wanda does not say anything, looking directly into your eyes.

she takes this as her chance to lean closer toward you, noses lightly brushing. knowing you would not be the one to officially break the distance (not only were you a coward, but you were a 'self-proclaimed believer in chivalry'), Wanda finally leans forward enough that your lips graze hers, softly but surely.

it only lasts for a few seconds before she pulls away with a smile on her face, but those were the best few seconds of your life thus far.

(she had vowed to never read your mind without permission, but your mind is practically screaming past its mental walls and into hers: 'oh my god. oh my god. she kissed me. she actually kissed me.')

she chuckles at your internal response and leans forward to place a peck on your lips before grabbing the (now) empty and dirty dishes from dinner and taking them back to the kitchen. in her exit, she leaves you in her room, dumbfounded but ecstatic at what had just occurred.

End.

[bigprofitpulse]

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[plague-of-insomnia]

Will Snake Choose Finny?

Note this post has spoilers for the current arc, especially ch 205.

The biggest question of this arc has been once Snake learns the truth about the circus troupe, which side will he pick?

The time for him to make that choice is approaching, and I have some thoughts.

After finally finding out the truth of the fate of the circus troupe in chapter 205, poor Snake is faced with a terrible choice: side with Doll and help get revenge against Ciel for killing his previous “family,” or stick with Ciel (and Finny), his new family—especially now that he knows Doll is effectively already dead.

I think Yana may have been hinting that Snake will pick Ciel and Finny. Why?

Firstly, Snake makes it clear that he and the snakes consider Finny and the other servants his family, and speaks of them all being footmen, which to me implies just how much they’ve been accepted by Ciel and Sebastian.

But that’s not all. In this arc, we met a new snake—Jonathan.

Jonathan is the one who found the hidden entrance to the underground lab, and what’s more important—he is a rattlesnake.

Why is this significant?

Rattlesnakes have hemotoxic venom. In other words, venom that breaks down red blood cells—it destroys blood.

We know that bizarre dolls have few weaknesses, especially the more advanced models, but ones like Doll and Real Ciel still require regular infusions of blood in order to continue to function.

While most snake venom would probably have no effect on a bizarre doll, hemotoxic venom could potentially destroy them (if they can, in fact “die” again), if not disable them until they can be given a new transfusion.

I think it’s unlikely that Yana would have introduced a new species of snake now after so many chapters for no reason.

It’s possible that they may end up using this to their advantage to give them a leg up in the fight against Undertaker. For instance, having Sieglinde develop a poison that has similar properties to the snake venom that they could coat their weapons with, to give them a more even chance.

But this isn’t the only reason I suspect that Snake will pick Ciel’s side.

All of Snake’s snakes are named after writers from the UK, and while we can’t say for sure who Jonathan is named after (as that’s a common enough name), it’s possible he’s intended to be named after Jonathan Swift.

He was an Irish writer and satirist, and one of his most well known pieces is a very biting essay called A Modest Proposal, in which he proposes to solve the problem of the Irish having too many mouths to feed by having them sell their babies to the rich as food. (It is a commentary on how the Irish were seen as less than human by the English; he wasn’t actually suggesting people do this.)

While we still don’t know exactly what or how Undertaker is using the orphans, or why he’s had them dissected into parts, the horror of using children as “food for the stars” isn’t too far from the world of Swift’s famous work.

Considering how carefully Yana sets things up, I think it’s hard to ignore these details, though if she follows her past habits, we may be launching into flashbacks next month and may not know how this will resolve for several more months.

[ x • x ]

[greatestwizardofthisage]

assigning each of the bad kids a taylor swift era because i am feeling deprived of tswift content now that she's on break from the eras tour

Kristen: Fearless. I can't even explain why, but to me that album is just so sunny and in my mind it fits Kristen perfectly. I think maybe it's because Fearless was one of the first album I ever really loved, then when I was older the rerecording is what got me back into tswift and I can totally see Kristen going through a similar journey with it where maybe she loves it as a kid but then stops listening to it as she distances herself from her childhood/family, only to fall in love with it again later on. Also I feel like the country vibes fit her well. (She would also LOVE betty but she would pretend it's a lesbian anthem)

Gorgug: Ok this feels controversial but he's a Lover stan. I just fully belive that to his core Gorgug is a lover not a hater and he would un ironically love Lover. Like to me that album is all about having gone through some bad shit and choosing to only carry forward the best of it? And that fits with my perception of Gorgug. ALSO the end of afterglow 'I want to be defined by the things that I love, not the things that I hate, or the things that haunt me in the middle of the night' just feels very Gorgug coded to me dont ask me why. However if you've seen any of my other posts about music and the bad kids you know that I wholeheartedly believe Gorgug loves all music so I think he'd be hard pressed to choose a favourite album.

Riz: Midnights. And not just because this kid never sleeps. Bassically I really couldn't decide which album he would listen to because none of them really fit, but then I started thinking about specific lyrics and I think Midnights has the most that he could relate to. I mean 'no one wanted to play with me as a little kid so I've been scheming like a criminal ever since' is about him. You can't change my mind. I do think though that Riz is definitely more invested in all the easter eggs and firguring out which album is coming next over actually listening to her music. Like he would for sure be among the first to figure out all her clues.

Fabian: 1989 and Folklore. I fully to the bottom of my heart belive that until his sophmore year Fabian would exclusivly be listening to pop music, sea shanties, and weird elven music. So obviously he would love the greatest pop album ever made. He wouldn't listen to Folklore until post sophmore character development. Also he would For Sure learn the choreography for the dance in the background of Dress on the Rep tour and recreat it perfectly using his sheet.

Fig: Speak Now. I mean do I even need to explain this? It's the perfect album for Fig. It's the kind of thing she would have loved when she was in her Preppy Cheerleader phase, but it has just enough of that pop punk influence that I feel like she could still appreciate it when she's older. I feel like she would definitly take issue with some of the misogynistic lyrics used in some of the songs, and would be all for the lyric change in Better Than Revenge. Also as I've mentioned many times before, Fig would love Paramore, and would LOVE Castles Crumbling. Like you're going to sit here and tell me that lines like 'They used to cheer when they saw my face, Now I fear I have fallen from grace' + 'Their faith was strong, but I pushed it too far, I held that grudge 'til it tore me apart' + 'Ones I loved tried to help, so I ran them off, And here I sit alone, behind walls of regret' + 'People look at me like I'm a monster, Now they're screaming at the palace front gates, used to chant my name, Now they're screaming that they hate me, Never wanted you to hate me' weren't written by Figueroth Faeth? I also just think songs like Never Grow Up and Long Live would perfectly fit with her not so secret sentimental streak.

Adaine: Evermore and Folklore. I think theres just a sort of elegence to these albums that really reminds me of Adaine. I also think theres so much vulnerability in them and a lot of the songs touch on feelings of not being good enough for others (mirrorball, tolerate it, this is me trying, right where you left me) that I think she could relate to not from a romantic relationship standpoint but from all the expectations placed on her by her parents. I also think that although these are probably the most low key of tswifts albums, they have some good angry songs (no body no crime, illicit affairs, mad woman) that she would definitly love. But yeah this is mostly based on aesthetics. Evermore and Folklore were albums written with a quill and Adaine is the kind of girl to appreciate this.