#code zero sail

[whitehairandtraumatized-bracket]

White Hair and Trauma Preliminary 6: Genshin Impact

this poll will have two winners!

all of them had one submission

trauma and propaganda under the cut!

Trauma!

Furina: Furina was brought into being as the non-divine half of a god who needed a body double during her 500 year long suicide plan. Her very first memories were of being informed by her god-self that she needed to keep up the ruse of being a real god for an indeterminate amount of time, or else everyone in the nation would be condemned to death by Heaven, leaving her to cry alone on her divine throne. Despite having a grand total of zero magical god powers (aside from not aging or dying,) Furina succeeded in making her subjects believe she was a real god, at the cost of being seen as a frivolous, unserious diva and never once being able to confide in another person lest she doom her whole civilization. At the end of her reign as a fake god, her ruse was uncovered by a group including her closest coworkers (she did not have friends.) who attempted to force her into revealing the truth through a public humiliation court trial in which Furina chose to kill herself on stage rather than break character (only to find that the method of presumed suicide was fake and not fatal, so she could continue having her performance picked apart.) After that, she was sentenced to death by her most trusted coworker and left sobbing in her chair as she believed she had failed and everyone was about to die. Even after everyone did not, in fact, die, Furina departed from her role as a god believing that everyone who had worked alongside her hated her for the act she put on, and she had no friends to lean on in her attempt to live as a normal human being. 

Neuvillette: Short version is an ancient dragon got his powers mostly stolen, got reborn as a human, decided to accept serving as a judge under the god wielding his power so that he can learn about humanity and himself, vouched for another species' coexistence with humanity and lost two friends to hatecrime (the coexistence worked out in their present day). Then it's mostly smooth sailing until the present day and main plot, though I can't say he's the one who got traumatized by it

Arlecchino: ok So. she was raised in an orphanage that's a subsect of an (arguably?) terrorist organisation in which, in order to determine who the next ruler of the house would be these children would be forced to fight to the death. throughout all of this she had one friend, clervie, who was the bio daughter of the "mother" of the orphanage and dreamed of someday reaching the outside world and going to snezhnaya (fantasy russia basically) to see the aurora; in the end, however, arlecchino and clervie are the only ones remaining, and clervie lets arlecchino kill her during their fight because she has almost entirely given up all hope of escaping by this point; this then leaves arlecchino to defeat the mother of the house, carrying clervie's expectations of her all the while. 

Propaganda!

Furina: Everyone needs an adorable girlprince failgod who was born to bear a nation’s sins in her fragile human heart. Despite having the exterior appearance and combat capabilities of a singular cream puff, she mustered up the courage and strength of will to serve as her people’s figurehead and unacknowledged savior for 500 interminable years. Even after centuries of unimaginable loneliness, abandoned by her divine self and locked behind the mask of a carefree god, Furina never lost sight of the selfless love that drove her to accept her role in the nation’s grand opera.  

Neuvillette: He loves crisp fresh water, he's incredibly autistic coded, he's imo genderqueer coded, he's a litmus test for who romanticizes what in a justice system, he's the country's power plant now, his gameplay is powerwash simulator, he plans to judge the gods, he falls for marketing scams. I love him

[Arlecchino did not receive propaganda. rip.]

[nenoname]

After finally graduating high school, Ford is ready to put his hometown far behind him, only to end up being abducted on his way to Backupsmore and wakes up on an empty sinking ship with a strange bracelet reading “6” stuck on his wrist… Eight other strangers have met the same fate, all with a different number on their bracelets, ranging from one to nine, and the group receives a message from someone called 0. Their anonymous captor gives them a simple order: participate in a deadly game to escape the boat or drown.

Been thinking about a 999/Zero Escape AU for a bit now! (aka “we may be trapped in a death game with limited amount of time to escape but we will ramble wikipedia articles and thought experiments at you” the game)

Puzzles and quantum thought experiments and digital roots galore! Honestly if he weren't late to college and also the whole. Threat of dying thing. Ford would be having a fun time. Probably.

Participants I’ve thought of so far:

2 - Snakeyes: a self proclaimed professional gambler but is apparently just an old sailor who works on a fishing trawler. Is far too laidback considering this is a death game. He immediately gets on Hex's nerves and seems to have fun doing so.

He’s pretty good at word and number puzzles but he's someone who knows more than he seems...

3  -  Tri: calls himself a salesman, smells suspiciously of formaldehyde (the alleged reason why Snakeyes ignores his code name and calls him Hyde), may or may not be a cult leader/walking corpse from the 50s/a literal triangle. Is also far too laidback considering this is a death game.

Knows too much. Tends to let others take the lead in solving puzzles and prefers to observes as if they all weren't under the threat of death, has fun dropping cryptic and useless hints

5 - Star: This is a child. Who put a child on a sinking ship??? (SE calls her “pumpkin”) Is far too well-adjusted to the situation considering this is a death game.

Pretty smart in high tension situations but otherwise a bit prone to goofing off to help de-stress everyone, and tunes out when quantum talk is happening. With her weird girl powers, she can help provide a well needed unique perspective

6 - Hex: Had recently left behind a dream of sailing around the world, only to end up trapped on a boat. Great. (Snakeyes calls him ‘kid' despite there being a literal child on board who doesn't get called that. Tri calls him "Sixer" which definitely doesn't piss SE off, nope, not at all)

Is a sucker for riddles and can basically blast through any type of puzzles normally, but there's something about the ones on this boat that tricks him perfectly into getting caught up into the wrong train of thought which forces him to rely on the others

Spoilers for 999 and VLR (and probably won't make sense if you don't know the context anyway):

Li brx’uh idploldu zlwk wkh jdphv, wkhq lw’v suhwwb reylrxv wkdw Chur lv dq roghu Irug. Eloo lv wkh Glr ri wkh jdph, dnd ulglfxorxvob vxvslflrxv dqg xqwuxvwzruwkb exw qrw wkh pdvwhuplqg exw wkdw zrq’w vwrs klp iurp wublqj dqg brx’oo zdqw wr odxqfk klp wr wkh prrq. Xqiruwxqdwhob iru Irug, vlqfh klv eudfhohw lv dfwxdoob 0 dqg Eloo’v lv 9, kh’v vwxfn whdplqj xs zlwk klp lq hyhub sxccoh urrp. Lv Vwdq vshqglqj wkh jdph wublqj wr wklqn ri d zdb wr fxw rii “Vlodv” dup wr jhw wr klv eudfhohw vr wkhb grq’w kdyh wr ghdo zlwk klv vklw? Bhv, exw jrrg oxfn qrw iuhdnlqj hyhubrqh rxw L’p sxwwlqj Pxoohw Vwdq lqwr wkdw lqflqhudwru exw gxqqr zkdw zrxog eh d jrrg sxccoh iru lw frv… kh’v qrw d qlqh bhdu-rog kh fdq gr vxgrnx L ihho olnh YOU’v prwrufbfoh dqdorjb Whqpbrxml xvhv lq Dqrwkhu Hqg, lv d jrrg vxppdwlrq ri Vwdq’v vlwxdwlrq

Maybe I'll come up with more stuff for this au, maybe not

[the-owl-tree]

thoughts on BlueRose or HeatherHolly?

BlueRose is cute!! I love their friendship, I actually really like the idea of them having a brief courting phase, maybe even a bit of a fling! Though I do think Aro Rosetail is funny lol a total matchmaker who snoops in everyone's love lives but has zero interest in her own. It's very cute.

and YEEESSS!! HEATHERHOLLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it should've been Hollyleaf in those tunnels, the moment they end it, it should have been Hollyleaf once again putting the code before everything because that's what she's been taught...even though Heathertail is funny and cheerful and smart and all the games they play are amazing. Has to end in flames though, ultimately Hollyleaf will choose the code, even if it means losing a friend that...that maybe she thought she could be more than friends with. Maybe in this AU, they could have a tentative reunion when they're older. They can't be the same as they used to be, that ship has sailed, but maybe a few words to show the animosity that once existed between them is gone.

[tearsinthemist]

Want to learn something new

Want to learn something new in 2022??

Absolute beginner adult ballet series (fabulous beginning teacher)

40 piano lessons for beginners (some of the best explanations for piano I’ve ever seen)

Excellent basic crochet video series

Basic knitting (probably the best how to knit video out there)

Pre-Free Figure Skate Levels A-D guides and practice activities (each video builds up with exercises to the actual moves!)

How to draw character faces video (very funny, surprisingly instructive?)

Another drawing character faces video

Literally my favorite art pose hack

Tutorial of how to make a whole ass Stardew Valley esque farming game in Gamemaker Studios 2??

Introduction to flying small aircrafts

French/Dutch/Fishtail braiding

Playing the guitar for beginners (well paced and excellent instructor)

Playing the violin for beginners (really good practical tips mixed in)

Color theory in digital art (not of the children’s hospital variety)

Retake classes you hated but now there’s zero stakes:

Calculus 1 (full semester class)

Learn basic statistics (free textbook)

Introduction to college physics (free textbook)

Introduction to accounting (free textbook)

Learn a language:

Ancient Greek

Latin

Spanish

German

Japanese (grammar guide) (for dummies)

French

Russian (pretty good cyrillic guide!)

Jan 2, 2023

Want to learn something new in 2023??

Cooking with flavor bootcamp (used what I learned in this a LOT this year)

Beekeeping 101

Learn Interior Design from the British Academy of Interior Design (free to audit course - just choose the free option when you register)

Video on learning to read music that actually helped me??

How to use and sew with a sewing machine

How to ride a bike (listen. some of us never learned, and that's okay.)

How to cornrow-braid hair (I have it on good authority that this video is a godsend for doing your baby niece's black hair)

Making mead at home (I actually did this last summer and it was SO good)

How to garden

Basics of snowboarding (proceed with caution)

How to draw for people who (think they) suck at art (I know this website looks like a 2003 monstrosity, but the tutorials are excellent)

Pixel art for beginners so you can make the next great indie game

Go (back) to school

Introduction to Astronomy (high school course - free textbook w/ practice problems)

Principals of Economics (high school course - free textbook w/ practice problems)

Introduction to philosophy (free college course)

Computer science basics (full-semester Harvard course free online)

Learn a language

Japanese for Dummies (link fix from 2022)

Ukrainian

Portuguese (Brazil)

American Sign Language (as somebody who works with Deaf people professionally, I also strongly advise you to read up on Deaf/HoH culture and history!)

Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified)

Quenya (LOTR fantasy elf language)

Dec 26, 2023

Want to learn something new in 2024??

Beginner-oriented video on how to sail

This guy has so many videos on baking different types of bread. SO very many.

Coding in Python - one of the most flexible and adaptable high-level programming languages out there - explained through projects making video games

Learn to swim! (for adult learners. I don’t care if you live in Kansas or Mali or wherever. LEARN TO SWIM.)

Learn how quantum mechanics works. Then read some more about it

[Learn about quantum mechanics again, but in a more advanced engineering/mathematics class. Then read more about the math and physics of it]

Poetry Handbook, by Mary Oliver

Something I learned this year: how to sew a quilt (Here’s a very easy beginning pattern that looks amazing and can be done with pre-cut fabric!)

How to hit the ball in softball

Tutorial video on what is under the hood of most (gas) cars + weird engine sounds and what they mean

Full beginner mechanics technical training, if you want to go more in depth

Playlist on how car engine physics work if you want to go ultra in depth

Lecture series on architecture design through study of buildings

How (American income) taxes & tax law work (choose “audit course” at checkout for free class)

Pickleball for beginners (so you can finally join your neighbor/friend/distant cousin who is always insisting you join their team)

+ Para-Pickleball for beginners (for mobility aid users!)

School is so much more fun when there’s no tests:

American Law - Contracts

Shakespeare’s Life and Plays

Fairy Tales: Meanings, Messages, and Morals

Modern Poetry

World History [Part 1, Part 2]

Learn a language:

Arabic + Resource Guide compiled from Reddit (includes info on different dialects)

Chinese (Cantonese) (audio)

Urdu (frequently recommended course on Reddit) + Resource Guide

Yucatec Maya

[tobiasdrake]

Guess I'll wrap things up in town and head to the re-sleepover.

Okay, last time I was here, I weirded out this child. This time, I'm gonna TRY. HARDER.

Jackpot. Children love puns about their favorite thing. Now this small child of no clear importance thinks I'm cool.

That is very important to me.

I don't know why.

FROG SPELL

Nyeh heh heh heh heh! I have discovered the cheat code to being popular with kids. It's frogs. The cheat code is frogs.

Now if only I could extend that popularity to adults.

And my teammates.

And now. We have. THE FLOWER. Aggggggggh the flower. So much pressure. Hmm. Maybe I can bribe Bonbon into not hating me.

HEY HALF-PINT, PRESENT FOR YOU

Because I'm trying to improve our team's cohesion and the friction that exists between you and me is basically our only interpersonal conflict. Consider this an olive branch.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and call this one "Mission Failed" since I'm pretty sure I just made things awkward and weird. There might not be a way to bury the hatchet with this kid. They're under a lot of stress.

I just want to know who keeps breaking the bread. I was specifically watching for it and it still crept up on me. I blinked for one second - Well, okay, I had a brief chat with my Lemonfriend about ignoring all of you but that's beside the point - and then there was just this hideous CRACK and the bread was ripped in half.

How!? WHEN!? WHO!?

You could just tell me now and then I'll know it so when I die and you've un-told it to me I can spare you the embarrassment of telling me.

Then again maybe we should keep it on the down-low to avoid making my Lemonfriend jealous. I'm sure they're listening in on every word we say. They're clingy and stalkerish like that.

Wow. We're back here again already. In my defense, I DID check for traps. I very briefly skimmed each pillar so I'm pretty sure there has to be some sort of complex--

Well. Okay then.

I now realize that the cause of my death was, in fact, that I suck at my job. Cool.

I would make a remark here about "going to crawl under a rock and die" but the boulder has a sense for ironic timing so it's best not to chance it. Let's just flick this stupid switch and move on.

Done. Mistake unmade. No longer have I died a clown. DO YOU HEAR THAT, LEMONFRIEND!? I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY NOT DIED.

BOOM, nothing to worry about now. It should be smooth sailing from here. Let's go commit regicide with extreme prejudice.

Cutlery is an interesting subject matter, actually. There's a lot of differentiation in individual sizes, shapes, and compositions of individual cutlery that contribute to a variety of different meal experiences. Even chopsticks come in many different forms.

But this would fall under the category of etiquette. I'm not quite sure if Madame Odile's field of expertise falls into that wheelhouse. Though I could see it....

Hey, give me some credit. You know how hard it is to cheat gratuitously under four different sets of watchful eyes?

You call it cheating. I call it speed practice. That's the kind of manual dexterity that lets me throw signs so fast.

Well that's fucking dangerous. THANKS FOR JUST BRINGING IT UP NOW, BONNIE. What if I slipped on that?

<.<

>.>

What... if I slipped on that....

Zero hesitation. FOR SCIENCE!

YES

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Okay. We have proven that my lemon drop powers will still bring me back in time even if I'm frozen in time. This is a very useful piece of information to establish, so it's good to get that out of the way before we meet the King while the risk is still....

...

...while the risk is still....

...

Oh. Wait. That could have been really bad for me. If that didn't work then--

LET'S NOT THINK ABOUT THAT HAHAHA I'm sure my Lemonfriend wouldn't have left me strander there. It's fine. The important thing is that I now know my ability to loop is immutable even by time.

This is what PROGRESS looks like. >:D

[askauradonprep]

Rise of Red Liveblog Part 1

Just for the record, I'd like to point out there was a Queen of Hearts logo with the kids celebrating coming off the Isle in D3. I saw it not 10 minutes ago. So. :P

30 years is about right, yeah (it's actually 32 but eh)

What distant lands??????????

Also - Beast was elected king. I can see the Isle being part of a winning platform but that's not quite the same thing as this movie suggests.

OH YAY, Uma did sail around a little before she came back! I'm gonna have an updated crew timeline after this.

Huh, is it me or does Auradon look less bright and cheery? I don't mind that necessarily but I kinda wonder if that's meant to imply what's happened since the villains came back. I don't THINK so because that seems pretty 'off message' for this franchise but still.

I kinda like Fairy Godmother's office. It reminds me of a starry sky.

Oh my GOD Uma is literally lounging with her feet up and just has to yell 'pirates' for some of her crew to come do everything for her. LOST REVENGE CREW LET UMA DO SOME THINGS BY HERSELF CHALLENGE

I thought for a second the pirate I have deemed Juno was someone new (only saw her from the back) and the way my eye TWITCHED. I was about to cuss out my favourite character at 1 in the morning.

Fairy Godmother being a nerd who colour codes things should surprise NO ONE.

One reason I actually don't hate Beast, Belle and Fairy Godmother as much as some in this fandom is because even though they knee jerk shoot some things down, they can also take a deep breath and hear people out.

I've ranted enough about Wonderland not joining Auradon before, I don't like it, moving along.

Yeah, okay, I didn't need my heart anyway. That Carlos mention punched me in the chest. Thank you Uma. I like how that's also what convinced FG to help. She loves the VKs so much and I am not hearing alternatives.

"Nobody bears to talk about it" - WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT BEFORE. WITH ALLY.

Uma still not standing for a VK being left behind. <3

I love the QOH still having her off with your heads tendency. Remind me to write about the Queen's Forest sometimes.

HELP I LOVE RED SO MUCH ALREADY

The helmets remind me a little of the wheelers from Return to Oz. That's not a bad thing.

Red reminds me of a more rebellious Aladdin.

"I'm a lost cause" Ow.

Even without evil, being the next in line to royalty is rough. Poor girl. It's never just about you when you're royal.

New HC - the Queen of Hearts (and Red) were originally on the Isle and then Maddox made his time machine and meddled.

Go figure she's got sticky fingers. Definitely a VK

I love Chloe already. <333 And her parents seem great <3

Chloe's parents' embarrassing her is so funny and so cute.

THE GLASS BOOTS

Yeah, I'm standing by my head canon - these two have absolutely zero idea how Chad behaves when they aren't there watching him and would be heartbroken to be told so nobody's had the nerve to tell them they raised a douchebag yet.

Wait. Chloe's going to be queen? That can't be right. Surely as the oldest, Chad would be next in line? Chloe must be younger than him. Okay, maybe they know Chad is a douchebag after all. Or maybe they want her to be queen by marriage of somewhere, that's also very possible. Or hey, maybe their traditions have female-preference primogeniture and Charming (and his dad) just didn't have any sisters. That's possible too. That's probably it.

Damn, Queen of Hearts IS ruthless. I'm digging it.

Red, that hat trick wasn't going to work. Poor girl. She so clearly doesn't want to hurt anyone.

Okay, the Queen of Hearts clearly knows Uma and 'another villain gone soft' - sounds like rehabbing ex-villains has gone pretty well.

Awwww, it is cute how excited Chad is for his dad to see him play. And now I stand by my head canon again of nobody wanting to admit to them that he is a jerk.

HA! The Queen of Hearts driving cracked me up.

Love Ain't It is the villain parent theme song. I want to give Red a HUG.

Cinderella, Chloe, you tried, but Red and the Queen of Hearts are not having it. Red, be nice to Chloe!

I'm kinda stanning the Queen of Hearts. I also really like Cinderella's explanation of why she's like this to Chloe.

Queen of Hearts actually seems hurt when Red doesn't want to be like her. She reminds me of Maleficent a little.

[jexified]

Voices of the Void spoilers (and just a generally long post) below the cut

i dont really plan on posting stuff about my votv run, but a lot of shit happened in one day that i feel would be funny to share

so, day 16, past few days have been smooth sailing - got a radio, put some Beatles on it, gave out shrimp to the cat overlords, been gettin' hashes and signals as easy as i can.

i wake up at 2:00am (not due to anything new i just have a horrible sleep schedule in game) and am greeted with this

now i dont know what this means, i just woke up for gods sake. this is my first run, im doin' this mostly blind. i dont fuckin' know what to do. i thought about sending kerfus to check it out but i dunno if itll be dangerous to him and he's the only buddy i got here.

i elect to wait until sunrise to check it out, and of course by the time the sun's up all the dots are gone.

(well all were gone but three to the west, near Yankee - i used kerfus to check them out later as he had to go to Yankee anyway, but nothing was there, and when i had to quit to the menu and back to fix a bug the signals were gone.)

So, shit happens, i move on. Get up, send kerfus out to fix servers, and start grabbing and processing a few signals. but then the universe said fuck you.

i check the radar again a bit later to find a new dot southeast, and approaching. fast. i panic, obviously, and just kinda run in place for a minute trying to figure out whether i should hide in the basement or not. by the time ive (not) decided what to do, the thing is right outside. i look out the window and only see what i can describe as fucking lightning strike directly outside the window, sending shit inside flying. i look to what i assume is the source only to see this

HELLO? WHO ARE YOU?

i have zero fucking clue what this is - remember, mostly blind.

this thing just showed up, scared the shit outa me, said "fuck you" and zapped the floor, then up and left. this fucker

perhaps the most terrifying bit of this whole encounter, however, was the fact that when i tried to enter the menu to get a screenshot, this fucker said "nuh-uh" and went on to move anyway, while the menu gui started to freak out. weird glowy 4th-wall breaking orbs were not on my bingo card today.

anyway, it leaves, big deal. i can deal with a little zappage now and then (though it was annoying having to re-organize some of my shit). but thats not all folks.

later on, when kerfus is headed home and ive gotten all of my hash codes, i spot another dot on the radar - right outside the base.

i check with kerfus but theres nothing there, and im tired of the bullshit at this point, so i head outside and deal with it.

theres nothing there - just kerfus stuck on a ledge like the little idiot goober he is. i pick him and loop back to the front, only to be greeted by a familiar face.

a fucking mannequin, standing right where nothing was just 10 seconds earlier

im done with all the crap at this point (and especially hate the mannequins in specific after the staged power outage around day 4) so i send kerfus inside, pick the mannequin fucker up, and drag that bitch down to the basement while verbally berating it through the screen.

i chucked it in the incinerator. sent that bitch to hell, same day shipping.

so, after that happened i just send my daily report off (writing "there's glowy orbs outside" at the bottom, just cause) and head to bed.

but of course it cant end here, so i get woken up at fucking 10pm greeted with the votv equivalent of "there are monsters nearby"

i am way past tired with this shit at this point, and am starting to embody the essence of the fed-up twink that is Dr. Kel.

i head downstairs, check the radar. theres another dot far northwest.

open the menu, its freaking out again. the orbs cant rest with simply having zapped my parking lot, they gotta disturb my sleep as well. anyway, the dot was leaving as i checked it regardless.

i just say "cool" and head back upstairs. the game lets me go back to bed.

day 17 now, im quite excited to see what happens next.

this game is so fucking good.

[greypetrel]

4 and 17 for all your lovely ships <3 (for the questionnaire!)

Hello babu! Sorry for being late, but thanks for asking! There you go. :3

Tis the prompt list

4. Have they ever been forcedcd apart due to circumstances? How did they handle the distance?

Cullaisling: As Inquisitor, Aisling travelled far and often. They wrote each other, Aisling insisted for Cullen to write her more and not only three short sentences. He tried, also because she generally sent back three papers full of everything that happened and silly (ugly) doodles back. After Trespasser, and particularly after mostly everyone went their own way and all that was left was settle the disbandment of the Inquisition and close Skyhold, Aisling was in such a depressed state that Cullen organized for her to stay at Stone-Bear Hold, remembering she had the time of her life in the Frostback Basin. He wrote her, even if she didn't read any letter she received for weeks. She got better, they bought a farm in Ferelden, they moved following Sera around Thedas for some missions. They kept writing for old time's sake, but with sending crystals (of course she and Dorian built more) it was far easier. Later Aisling stayed South to fight the darkspawn in Veilguard time, and sent Cullen north with kid number 2, Taralin, to retrieve kid number 1, Niamh.

Hawkemerribela: Yes. Post rebellion, Raina disappeared for a while. In my mind she sailed with Isabela and they went north to Rivain, lived as pirates for a while, Merrill stayed in Kirkwall to fix the alienage. Here again, letters smuggled through a complex net of messengers, all coded (Raina signed herself as Rambunctious Raccoon, I think Cassandra got her hands on one, but didn't recognize who it was), and sent through the Carta that Varric has zero absolutely no contact whatsoever with. I think Raina just left for the Inquisition with her brother and Ferris telling only Bela where she was going to, after she left, with a note not to tell Merrill (She would have come helping her and she didn't want her to get involved for her unnecessarily with the Chantry). After Inquisition and a good fight, I think Raina settled down in Kirkwall, enough adventures on her shoulders.

Morriwarden: Morrigan never stayed, it was long distance for a long time. Alyra had a net of spies, personally chosen and interviewed and thus thrustworthy (read: scared shitless into loyalty). They had safe places to send letters to, when Alyra travelled to seek for a cure. Found their way to see each other, spend some days together here and there, Kieran needs his Genitore 2. Again, Vigil's Keep was a safe spot Morrigan was convinced to travel back to, but they made do. I think Morrigan settled in Vigil's Keep most of the time after the Inquisition and the Well.

Neverook: Since they met, the weeks Priscilla spent in the Fade prison, and that's it. It was a miserable time for both of them, Priscilla made it out by the skin of her teeth and part of her never truly left, Neve read it as the confirmation of all her fears. They made it out, after the war Priscilla had had enough travelling and adventures for a lifetime, was absolutely sure not to want any important role ever again in her life. They settled in Minrathous, shared Neve's apartment with Priscilla's vast wardrobe (it's a roommate by itself, no she can't donate anything yes she wears ALL those evening gowns watch her shopping for groceries in a long dress of silk and pearls). They bicker like an old couple married since 50 years, but would never separate.

17. What did they do/would want for  a wedding ceremony? Would it be a large occasion, a simple one or would they elope?

Cullaisling: Cullen had his mother's ring in his pocket for three months at least. All the inner circle had an open poll on whether he would have found the courage to ask her, eventually. When he asked, they eloped in half an hour. He found an officer (Cassandra), Aisling found a dress, the mabari acted as witness, they would have done it quicker if Cassandra hadn't been crying throughout. Both are happy like that, less troubles, less fuss. Probably the Lavellans threw them a party very sneakily, later on.

Hawkemerribela: Merrill gave bonding gifts to both, she got gifts back, there was a party at the Hanged Man, but it was so big because it was a Friday night. Everyone saw partying people and joined. It was very chaotic, very loud, sadly Raina got her hands on the medieval karaoke machine (read: got too close to the minstrel) and broke some eardrums singing. But she's the bride and it's her day, if she wants to sing, she'll sing.

Morriwarden: Nope, Alyra gets claustrophobic when the topic falls on marriage, wouldn't ask it herself and I can't see Morrigan asking, either. They're together, the couple is open, they enjoy their freedom sharing the same blanket on the porch, drinking tea as Alyra barks to the recruits that they're arms stolen from agriculture and they're lucky she gives them the time of the day (affectionate).

Neverook: I think they will marry, in time, and it'll be quite the party. I think they'll start agreeing that oh no it'll be a party for few people, just the closest friends. Priscilla does want a party and the full experience, but the three-tiers cake will be half fake, no problem. Then the list will start to grow. Neve couldn't say no to the poor grandma that always asks her to find her missing cat (it's always in the wardrobe) and pays her in home-made cookies. The granny needs her niece to accompany her. Two more people, that's fine. Of course the Viper and Tarquin must come. The voice spreads amongst the Shadow Dragons and it feels bad not to include them. All. Harding brings her Ma (of course!), her Ma wants a +1. Niamh must come with her family, Dorian is already invited, a pity her family is 18 people MINIMUM. Emmrich brings Strife, who brings Irelin, who brings- By the end of the week the Viper has lent them his villa because nothing will fit everyone anymore, half of Docktown is there, Priscilla is elated because she thrives in attention, they'll party for two days straight.

[drdogjpeg]

can’t find the post rn about sailing etymology but i think it’s interesting that it’s shifted a lot to a point where now on a pro crew there’s a lot more allusion than actual abbreviation eg.

spinnaker —> kite/chute

asymmetrical spinnaker —> a-kite

gennaker —> code zero (don’t ask me, man)

downhaul/foreguy —> downfucker

cunningham or main halyard —> upfucker

boom vang —> kicker

haven grip —> cable dog/dogger

run-away —> sky

pontoon/fender —> finger(s)

idk i’ll add to this if i think of more

[olderthannetfic]

https://www.tumblr.com/olderthannetfic/727075499261689856/726864398686240768-hi-anon-here-i-didnt-mean

remus and sirius were never 'harry's two uncles that live together'. that is straight up simply a thing that never actually happened in the books, it's very popular fanon that spread and became indistinguishable in people's minds from canon because there was so little in canon to work with but the potential was there for fans to make something out of. (i don't think he ever even thought of them as his uncles. sirius was his godfather and remus a trusted mentor/friend/confidante, but the ship had unfortunately sailed on the kind of courtesy uncle dynamic they undoubtedly would have had with harry had he been raised by his parents.)

it's just not queer-coding. remus only even stayed in the same house as sirius for a time because it was the place the order used for headquarters/home base, and sirius was rather permanently under house arrest because he was a wanted fugitive still believed to be guilty of mass murder.

--

Much was made of "lying low at Lupin's" or whatever that phrase was, but yeah.

I can believe that Remus was some sort of coded AIDS metaphor along with several other possible interpretations of JKR's exact brand of werewolves. There's zero sign there was a conscious or unconscious invocation of Confirmed Bachelor Who Lives With His Friend type tropes.

[quohotos]

So about the Serpents in the Prophecy of Bane...

I'm almost certain this is an allusion to Jules Verne's seminal piece of speculative fiction about going underground Journey to the Center of the Earth. Exerpt from the Wikipedia page:

The story begins in May 1863, at the home of Professor Otto Lidenbrock in Hamburg, Germany. While leafing through an original runic manuscript of an Icelandic saga, Lidenbrock and his nephew Axel find a coded note written in runic script along with the name of a 16th-century Icelandic alchemist, Arne Saknussemm. When translated into English, the note reads:

Go down into the crater of Snaefells Jökull, which Scartaris's shadow caresses just before the calends of July, O daring traveler, and you'll make it to the center of the earth. I've done so. Arne Saknussemm

Lidenbrock departs for Iceland immediately, taking the reluctant Axel with him. After a swift trip via Kiel and Copenhagen, they arrive in Reykjavík. There they hire as their guide Icelander Hans Bjelke, a Danish-speaking eiderduck hunter, then travel overland to the base of Snæfellsjökull.

In late June they reach the volcano and set off into the bowels of the earth, encountering many dangers and strange phenomena. After taking a wrong turn, they run short of water and Axel nearly perishes, but Hans saves them all by tapping into a subterranean river, which shoots out a stream of water that Lidenbrock and Axel name the "Hansbach" in the guide's honor.Édouard Riou's illustration of an ichthyosaurus (which is actually more like a mosasaurus) battling a plesiosaurus.

Following the course of the Hansbach, the explorers descend many miles and reach an underground world, with an ocean and a vast ceiling with clouds, as well as a permanent Aurora giving light. The travelers build a raft out of semipetrified wood and set sail. While at sea, they encounter prehistoric fish such as Pterichthyodes (here called "Pterichthys") Dipterus (referred to as "Dipterides") and giant marine reptiles from the Age of the Dinosaurs, namely an Ichthyosaurus and a Plesiosaurus. A lightning storm threatens to destroy the raft and its passengers, but instead throws them onto the site of an enormous fossil graveyard, including bones from the Pterodactylus, Megatherium, Deinotherium, Glyptodon, a mastodon and the preserved body of a prehistoric man.

So that's our culprit. That basically fits the description of the Serpents. Thought that was just a cool detail and reference.

The underground jungle is an element that you could potentially say is also an allusion to Verne, though I think the version in the underland chronicles is significantly different since the depiction in Journey to the center of the earth has light from above whereas all the plants in the underland are basically carnivores and/or feed off of volcanic heat.

It's also possible that this allusion is not deliberate, as much like War of the Worlds, Journey to the Center of the Earth has basically been subsumed into pop culture cannon and referenced so many times that a lot of it's unique elements have just become tropes. Dinotopia also used dinosaurs in a cave surviving the asteroid, Minecraft, Terraria, Spelunky, Noita, and basically any other video game that involves digging will at some point put a Verne styled underground jungle in there.

One YA series that leans really hard into the Journey to the Center of the Earth inspirations is the Tunnels series. I actually read them in 6th grade to attempt to scratch my TUC itch. Let me tell you, they're not as good and don't even come close. Whereas TUC has some tasteful allusions, Tunnels goes all in. The underground people are more evil (if that's possible) and are intent on wiping out all life on the surface. Worst of all, it's set in England!!! There's cool world building, but no giant talking bats so I have no choice but to award it zero stars. It was supposed to be turned into a movie in 2009 and all the books got stickers for that... said movie appears to have never materialized.

Idk, something I thought about while listening to today's @returntoregalia episode

Okay bonus details about how I made this connection: As a kid, wishbone would come on once a week at like 4 pm or something, I didn't get to see it often, but I vividly remember one of the episodes. For anyone who doesn't know, wishbone was PBS show that followed a dog and his human family as they go through some struggle that wishbone (the dog) finds allegorical to a piece of classic, public domain literature. The episodes are split in half with the parts in the present, and the reenactments within the dog's imagination of the classic piece of literature. In one of the few episodes I caught was about Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. I do not recall how this novel was relevant to the characters lives, all I know is that it's way to long to fit into half of a 20 minute episode, so they had to really rush through a lot of parts. In one shot the characters are in this jungle and they run away from a Plesiosaurus puppet.

[scrunglepaws]

Some more attribute scales- this time the more interesting ones (imo). For a key to know who's who, see the original post. Otherwise, peek under the read more for some more context on these ones. I didn't talk about every single character, just some things I thought were noteworthy.

Puts Others or Self First? Nine is just canon Nine in this sense. You know how it goes. cT Tails has always been alone, so he can’t afford to put others ahead of himself. He has a big heart and often desires to, though. If he actually got close friends, a mate, community, ect, I’m sure he’d steadily start sliding towards the right. sP Kit is SUPER tricky because he’s essentially cut himself off from others and is intently trying to put himself first. But his literal gosh dang coding is to serve others (specifically Surge, but the fawning nature bleeds into others easily). So he can VERY easily swing all the way over to the right, to the point of his own detriment, if he’s not extremely diligent. Sails spent his entire life in closeknit communities, brought up in a culture that deeply ingrains the importance of cooperation into you. He’s actually considered kind of self-serving in his society due to his somewhat lazy, carefree nature. But that still lands him pretty easily to the right in Mobian society. He looks out for others. And if you’re a loved one? He’ll lay down his life for you, no question. K-Tails is like canon Tails, so of course he’s putting others first all the time. Mangey wants everyone to get along and be happy; he’ll do whatever it takes! Folklore Tails is like canon Tails but… Extreme. He’ll work himself to damn near death to help others. Way to his detriment. It’s not healthy.

Confidence Mangey and Sails tend to be overconfident… Especially Mangey. cT Kit struggles with confidence a bit because of shitty people in his life that put him down. *coughStarlinecough* >_> cT Tails is just a bit of a bashful guy in general. He knows he’s pretty capable overall, but will crumble if actually given a compliment. Aw, shucks! Folklore Tails is an extreme version of this. And Nine, oh boy. He hides his shyness under a well-maintained mask of haughtiness and rudeness. He is very easily embarrassed in social situations since he has zero experience with them. Take Nine from the show and tack another 10+ years of isolation onto him. He’s not doing well.

Humbleness But weirdly, Nine can be very cocky when it comes to certain things, like his prowess with machinery and whatnot. The shyness is more about personal and emotional stuff. Kelpie is normally incredibly cocky just because he’s so strong and has never had any problem easily overpowering and dominating his prey. Mangey generally has a bit of an ego just because he’s so self-sufficient and proud of his accomplishments and skills. Folklore Tails is so dang unconfident despite how incredibly skilled he is! 8( But even if he was more confident, I don’t see him ever growing an ego. He just wants to help; he doesn’t need praise or fame.

Openness Nine and sP Kit will bend over backwards not to share personal info because, who knows, you might find a way to use it against them! They’re not paranoid at all!! Sails is deceptively secretive- his mannerisms generally give the impression that he’s very open and has nothing to hide. But he’s a good liar (even to himself, but that’s… another thing altogether >_>). Kelpie ain’t got shit to hide; he don't care. Mangey and cT Tails are so open that they’re um, likely to overshare. o_O

Affection Affection in a general sense (not specifically romantic), more in terms of physicality. As in: Mangey will snuggle anyone anytime anywhere. He's always giving little shoulder touches, tail brushes, kisses, nuzzles... He has no filter for affectionate touch. And it's usually all platonic, which has led to confusion in others- especially with the kisses. xD Sails is also a really touchy-feely dude, but is very picky with who receives this affection. Just family and close friends, really. Or people he's flirting with. K-Tails is about average- he’s chill with hugs, but is more keen on fist bumps and high fives. Tbh, I’m kind of unsure with Kelpie Kit- he might be farther to the left? Nine is INTENSELY AWKWARD with receiving affection because that is just completely alien to him. Touching? In a nice way? That isn’t being punched in the face? Wtf even is that??? Folklore Tails has a warm heart, but he’s just not one to initiate touch like, ever. He’s a bit awkward to receive it as well, just because he generally likes his personal space. It doesn’t bother him per se, it’s just… Not his thing. Idk.

Not Romantic vs MUSHY To be clear, this has no bearing on their aro/ace status (that's a different scale). More in the uhhh, traditional sense? Nonphysical affection, sorta??? Anyway! Sails. He’ll tell you every day how beautiful and wonderful you are, bring you breakfast in bed, give you a massage, write and perform love songs for you, listen to and confide in you… Dude is mashed potatoes mushy. More than anything, he craves emotional intimacy with his partner and that just kinda adds to it. It’s so funny that his Kit is on the opposite side. Sdfjlsd It’s okay; they’ll make it work. Oh and Nine? He doesn’t know HOW, but like… He would TRY to be romantic for his partner… And would probably kind of suck at it, but in a really endearing fashion. Except no he wouldn’t, who told you that, shut the *(@# up, he’ll kill you.

Prefers to be Alone or with Others? This is sort of a combination of intro/extrovert and social/asocial. Folklore Tails can straight up be a hermit for the rest of his life and be completely content. However, he stays near society because he loves to help people. He’s incredibly introverted and can be drained by others easily, but he in no way dislikes others because of this. Kelpie likes to be alone primarily, but is content with being in the silent company of very close, trusted individuals. Nine prefers to be alone out of necessity. Since it’s all he’s ever known, social situations give him anxiety. But at the same time he’s very lonely and craves emotional connection… He’d be very happy to have 1-2 close friends and/or a partner, but doesn’t like crowds/parties. Kit is in a very similar boat to Nine, except he doesn’t know what he really wants. Sails spent his entire life in close quarters with others, with basically zero privacy. He’s used to it, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t absolutely love having moments truly to himself. He likes a balance. cT Tails is just incredibly lonely and would prefer to have friends or just be in good company most of the time. K-Tails loves to be around others, but he’s usually just so dang busy… Mangey absolutely languishes without social interaction for too long.

[a-solitary-sea-rover-backup]

In the dynamic and challenging realm of solo sailing, few feats are as awe-inspiring as navigating the treacherous waters of Cape Horn. In its first edition, the 2023-24 Global Solo Challenge has been graced with an extraordinary display of sailing prowess by Cole Brauer (USA).

Her journey around the legendary cape has been an excellent display of strategy, skill, and resilience.

On her rounding of Cape Horn on January 26, she was congratulated by sailing legends such as Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, president of the International Association of Cape Horners, and Dee Caffari, the first woman to sail solo nonstop around the world in both directions (eastward and westward).

…

She is still hard on the chase of the front running boat Mowgli, an Actual 36 sailed by French skipper Philippe Delamare currently leading the competition. Delamare rounded Cape Horn on January 9 in heavy weather conditions just ahead of a cold front that was threatening to bring messy and dangerous seas.

…

Sharing her experience live on Instagram, she conveyed tears, joy, and relief as she reached east under fractional code zero and a reefed mainsail. Too far to see the Cape, she chose an offshore route to avoid the risks associated with heavy seas in shallower waters.

Her achievement at Cape Horn is a significant milestone in her sailing career. As a 29-year-old aiming to become the first American woman to sail solo nonstop around the world by the three great capes, her performance in the Global Solo Challenge 2023-24 has been remarkable.

More so, we strongly believe that on completion of the event, she will have managed to open many doors for her future self, having fully demonstrated she has what it takes to be a professional offshore solo sailor. A profession that requires a vast mix of skills including her down to earth positive communication skills which earned her a huge following on Instagram and other platforms.

[bllsbailey]

Former TDS Survivor Goes on Epic Rant About Tariffs on 'Piers Morgan,' Leaves Lefties Shellshocked

Journalist and author Batya Ungar-Sargon

admits that she once succumbed to TDS—Trump Derangement Syndrome—and even stopped going to her local bar in 2016 because people there voted for Trump. But now, she’s had a conversion and describes herself as a "MAGA lefty."

I’m not one who refuses to accept those that have seen the light—there’s a plethora of progressives who are coming to the belated realization that the Democrats and the mainstream media have been gaslighting and brainwashing them for decades—and we should welcome them, not shun them (with caution, of course, because some of them are just sailing with the prevailing winds and have no core values whatsoever).

Ungar-Sargon delivered an epic monologue on Piers Morgan’s “Uncensored” show Wednesday night where she left liberal “Young Turks” host Cenk Uygur looking shell-shocked and speechless.

Watch:

The clip is long, but I encourage you to watch it all. Her passion is contagious, and I'll try to sum up some of the key moments. Piers Morgan and the other guests didn’t even interrupt her fiery speech because they looked absolutely transfixed:

But what I find so frustrating about the conversation around tariffs is that we all agree on the problem. We all agree that the de-industrialization of America led to the downward mobility of the American working class, depths of despair, people working multiple jobs and not being able to afford the American dream… We all agree that it is deeply unfair for the American middle class to be bearing the burden of unfair tariffs from other countries...

But what's the point of these tariffs, and why are we coming down on our neighbors like Canada and Mexico? Because they're not stepping up to the plate on the fentanyl crisis and they're happily taking crucial manufacturing out of the U.S., she argued:

We have already seen these tariffs work, Piers; the number of people crossing the southern border is at zero. Fentanyl is at record lows... We have already seen $1.2 trillion in manufacturing invested in this country since January 21st. So they have already worked. 

Then she unloaded on Wall St.:

Now, how long is Wall Street gonna keep trying to punish this president for standing for the American working class? I don't know, but I can tell you that the view from the street is people cannot believe that there is a president who is working for them, who is putting them first and telling Wall Street to go screw itself. Wall Street, which picked the Democrats for the last three election cycles in a row.

Read Related: 'MAGA Leftist' Columnist Explains Why She Believes Support for Trump Extends Beyond Conservatives

Bill Maher Asks Batya Ungar-Sargon If She Regrets Supporting Trump—She Levels Him in Response

Senior Advisor for the U.S. Agency for Global Media and fellow panelist Kari Lake liked what she saw:

My favorite part of the whole exchange was watching the other panelists (not including Lake, who seemed appreciative of the hot take) glaze over as they realized they had no response.

Trump’s tariffs are a complicated issue, and much is unknown about the effect they will have. Ungar-Sargon, however, laid out one of the best arguments I have seen on the matter. She may be a former leftist, but she’s breathing “MAGA lefty” fire now.

Trump is fighting for America, and even formerly TDS-infected libs are taking notice.

Help us continue to tell the truth about the administration and its major wins. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.

[kiteboardblog]

Code Zero Pro 2025 I North Kiteboarding

Borrowed from our North sailing heritage, Code Zero is the name of a sail born to go fast in light, shifty conditions. Super fun and easy to fly, the Code Zero Pro is a highly efficient one-strut kite with a wide wind range and impressive power delivery – so you can ride the smallest possible kite in the least amount of wind. Code Zero Pro 2025 Light years ahead #itcalls #NorthKiteboarding…