#delphi system

[slythereen]

ik the sainz camp isn't complaining about not following pre-arranged race strategies and plans...

[noohyah]

Delphi vs AC Delco: What Are The Key Differences?

In auto parts, Delphi and AC Delco are two big names that might leave you wondering, “What sets them apart?”  Let’s break it down simply.  Delphi and AC Delco are both brands that make crucial components for vehicles, like fuel pumps and ignition systems.  The key difference lies in their roots: Delphi is an independent company, while AC Delco is associated with General Motors.  Picture it like…

[hrrtshape]

⠀⠀⠀⠀hogwarts sex ed 101 . . . there wasn't one ,

ok so. sex ed at hogwarts. 1977. marauders era. the year god said 'what if i put all the bisexuals in one school and didn't teach them a single thing about genitals, boundaries, or the consequences of dry humping in a cupboard.' he did. welcome to the british wizarding education system. funded by divorce, powered by unresolved tension. narrated by emma. you're welcome for this very necessary and useful piece of information.

so. no. there wasn't sex ed at hogwarts. like. not even the ghost of it. not even a euphemism. not even a pamphlet. there was one stained copy of magical maturity and you in the infirmary and it was locked in a drawer under madam pomfrey's shame. it had illustrations. they moved. someone cursed it in '62 so now it plays low moaning sounds when you turn the pages. sirius black used to check it out "for research" and then giggle in the common room like a french exchange student who just learned the word "thrust."

you've got to understand. this was a school that thought putting a werewolf in an abandoned manor once a month and praying no one opens it was a viable health plan. sex ed??? no. they had banshee management for beginners. they had magical menses: a guide to not hexing your classmates when you're bleeding. they had one seminar on unwanted transformations during puberty but it was mostly about not turning into a beetle when you get horny. which. relatable.

the only people who talked about sex were the portraits. and they were weird about it. sir cadogan once tried to explain contraception using a metaphor involving dragon intestines and a chastity spell invented by merlin's ex. it did not clear things up. students got all their info from older cousins, contraband witch weekly issues, and the backs of chocolate frog cards where someone had scribbled "you can't get pregnant if you're on top" in green ink. wrong. so wrong.

the boys' dorm smelled like socks, and something evil. every time someone mentioned "wand length," james potter made a joke and remus lupin visibly aged five years. lily evans read the female eunuch under her duvet with a stolen wandlight and had a moral crisis every thursday. mary macdonald was the only person in the entire school who knew what a clitoris was. so she became god. people asked her questions like she was the oracle of delphi but for genitals. "mary, can you get pregnant from a bubble-head charm?" "mary, what's foreplay?" "mary, why do my pants feel weird when snape talks about potions?" (and he talked a looooot about them. subtle foreshadowing). my girl was busy. marlene was up there too but she never spoke out so she never got her own hotline.

sex was happening. everywhere. god knows it, i know it, you now know it too. in greenhouses, in empty classrooms, in the astronomy tower. it was a budget rom-com with trauma. there was a rumour that if you made out under the whomping willow at the exact moment it smacked a bird out of the air, you'd lose your virginity by osmosis. again, wrong. someone tried it. got concussed.

teachers pretended none of it existed. mcgonagall's sex talk was "don't get caught." dumbledore's was just making intense eye contact with you over a lemon drop and saying "magic is a sacred bond." slughorn had absolutely hosted orgies in the '20s. sprout once gave a lecture on pollination that made half the class cry and the other half extremely confused about flowers.

if you asked filch where babies came from, he'd say "the ministry" and limp away. if you asked peeves, he'd mime something unspeakable and then chant "one-two buckle-my-shoe, syphilis is after you!" honestly not even the worst advice.

but. like. this wasn't unique to hogwarts. this was just. britain. the 70s. everyone was either having sex or terrified of it or convinced it could be cured with chamomile tea. sirius black had a whole phase where he thought wanking made you go blind. he wore sunglasses for three weeks. refused to explain.

anyways. do not confundus your girlfriend's uterus. do not confundus anything. read a book. read two books.

also let's talk shame. catholic levels of repression. protestant levels of awkwardness. dionysian levels of impulse control. no one knew what they were doing and everyone was pretending. people said stuff like "deflowering" and meant it. they thought it was romantic. they thought love looked like sneaking into the potions dungeon and dry-humping to the sound of dripping cauldrons. they thought "i want to feel your magic inside me" was a line. it was not. it was a red flag on fire.

⠀⠀⠀so. was there sex ed at hogwarts?

no. but there was sexual miseducation. there were bad metaphors. there were prefects giving unsolicited advice in the lav.

and if you're wondering where i was in all this . . . i was that girl. i saw everything. i judged everyone. i'm dating a slytherin boy and i'm never confessing anything, even if the lord shall taketh me away no. absolutely not. expelliarmus.

i'm not saying i saved hogwarts. but i did tape an illustrated anatomy chart to the wall of the girls' bathroom and label it in four languages. i did distribute cursed zines about safe sex that moaned when opened. i did hex someone's trousers off for saying "girls don't get horny." you're welcome, feminists.

sex ed at hogwarts was me. and mary. and trauma. and bad latin. and the slow, horrible realisation that magic doesn't replace literacy.

we learned. painfully. and now i'm sharing it.

⠀i do have a masterlist where you can catch all of my stories oh em gee.....

[theresattrpgforthat]

Thinking about solo or GM-less games, I found myself wondering if there are any TTRPGs that are sort of like Vampire Survivors, or that genre of run-based autoshooters where you collect semi-random power-ups/weapons and face off against hordes of enemies and work to level up/evolve the powers/weapons that you have. It's maybe a bit specific, but do you know of any games like that, or with systems similar to that?

THEME: Vampire Survivors.

Hello friend,

I tried to learn a little bit about Vampire Survivors, but I'll be fairly candid here when I say I'm not sure if I nailed this assignment or not.

Vampire Survivors appears to be a rogue-like shoot-em-up game with special abilities and bonuses applied to your character using upgrades acquired by opening chests.

I tried to spread as wide a net as possible, so I hope you still find something that suits your tastes!

Blister Critters, by stillfleet.

Take the reins of radiation-blasted animals known as Critters starring in an eco-apocalyptic Saturday-morning cartoon show in this goofy and exciting tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) from Odd Gob Games and the Stillfleet Studio!

Using the innovative Grit System, Blister Critters drops players into a bizarre post-human world of Blisters (mutations), physics-bending Nonsense powers, dangerous feral Beasts, and a near-infinite amount of human Stuff.

Blister Critters is all about getting new stuff, but Stuff in this game is a rather broad category. This includes loot that is mechanically helpful, or loot that is more descriptive, and adds interesting flavor to the world. I think post-apocalyptic games in general can have a lot of fun narrative flavor added just through the gear you can pick up.

That being said, the most common benefits Stuff can give you is either additional damage, or additional protection from damage, so that tells me this is a fairly combat-friendly game. The design aesthetic is also so inspirational, and I think you could get a lot of fun ideas just flipping through this game.

Escape from Hades, by only1marek.

Escape From Hades is a roleplaying game inspired by Hades from Supergiant games which uses a card-based twist on the LUMEN system kit. This game follows the escape attempt of Condemned trying to ascend through the underworld in opposition of its Master.

Condemned players are the could-have-beens of Greek myth, favored for greatness by the Gods but condemned to obscurity by Fate; a warrior who trained under Achilles but died of plague before seeing battle, or an oracle who learned the secrets of Delphi just as prophecy was deemed forbidden.

The Master player holds Hades’ authority, and is divinely charged with deploying the hordes of the underworld's greatest soldiers, criminals, heretics, beasts and monsters to stymie the Condemned's escape from their assigned place in the underworld.

Escape from Hades is a LUMEN game, and I wanted to recommend at least one LUMEN game in this post, because this system is so very good at replicating the feeling of video games, and also provides a very satisfying game loop. This particular game is inspired by the Hades video game franchise, and so the items are inspired by the divine power-ups that you get from various deities.

As written, the power-ups aren't very random, but I think some small tweaks from the game master might be able to replicate randomization if you really want it. Finally, leveling up your powers to feel more and more competent is definitely part of these kinds of games: each upgrade to your character can enhance abilities you already have, making future runs more and more effective at taking out some of the higher-level obstacles.

Blood Neon, by Radmad.

Show no mercy because you will be shown none. Bash and shred your way to glory, and become the one thing the fearless fear. The 11th Realm’s elected monarch has reached into another dimension for profit, creating a golden age of consumerism in the material world. That greed has cost the 11th Realm dearly. Now monsters from a plane only known as the Neon tear through into our reality and wreak havoc on the citizens of the land. The only thing standing between us and annihilation are heroes like you, Neon Hunters who become living weapons. Devastate the enemy, die, and die again, and ascend to new heights of power.

Blood Neon definitely has the feeling of fighting large numbers of enemies at great effect. It's also designed to allow your character to meaningfully progress. However, if you really want to get the feeling of variety and surprise, I think you'll also need to check out the supplement called Atomic Shock. It has new mechanics and rewards, new gear, and new enemies. Probably a good addition if you're looking for powerful gear!

Decree, by Phantom Limbs.

The Demiurge is slain, and the Lords of Sol have vanished. Now, we only have each-other, and the ruins that lie beyond our walls.

Decree is a roleplaying game in which you and your friends play as a party of post-human adventurers, who have set out to delve into the great ruins of our solar system far into the future, in search of lost technology and ancient knowledge. It features a simple and intuitive 2d6 resolution system inspired by Classic Traveller and Chainmail, fast and lethal combat, a wealth of character creation options, and a bounty of tools and gadgets to aid you in your delves.

This game is still fairly early in play-test, which means that it's free to download. Each class in character creation includes a d10 table that you can roll on for gear, so you already start out pretty randomized. The game also has an artifact list that the GM rolls on when the players pick up more loot; some artifacts provide mechanical boosts, while others give you money for purposeful power-ups.

At the end of the day however, the gear in this game doesn't hold nearly as much relevance as the narrative, and the focus of the game is primarily exploration, although I feel like combat might come in at a close second.

Sweet Revenge, by World Champ Game Co.

You may be dead but you’re not quite done living. Journey downward through spirals and circles of Hell, laying waste to any demonic beast that stands in your way. Use the method you died to inform your inventory and abilities on your violent quest. Face off against a trove of fallen angels, giants, infernal beasts, and more on your way to confront the devil and demand your final wish be answered… if you don’t succumb to your darkest traits along the way.

Sweet Revenge is a tabletop roleplaying game for 2-6 players including a Grave Master (GM). The Dead make clever use of their wonderful cabinet of items, the fragments of souls they claim, and the powers of the 7 Deadly Sins in lieu of stats to dive into the depths of hell. Each region is controlled by a powerful demon with whom The Dead face off (if they survive long enough) to make their demand.

Your starting inventory is determined by the method by which you died, which feels very unique and helps Sweet Revenge stand out. You're fighting the forces of Hell in this one, which I think is on par with the overwhelming forces you face off in Vampire Survivor.

Sweet Revenge indicates that it pulls much from OSR-style games, which means that your inventory and items (which are dropped randomly) will be about as useful as the players can make them. A lot of things you find in the game won't have concrete mechanical bonuses - instead your players will need to rely on their own creativity to make the most out of what they find. What I'm really interested in is how the game replaces character stats with the seven deadly sins, which you need to lean into if you want to use your dark powers.

Sweet Revenge comes with a couple of circles for you to get started in, including some enemies for the players to face off against. If you want not just a game but also a guiding scenario to help you learn as you go, you might like this game.

1000 HP Planet, by Sandy Pug Games.

Last week, the planet turned evil and killed every single person on it except for you and your friends. Every ocean became a crushing fist smashed against the cities of the world, and every volcano was a loaded gun pointed right at a cowering humanity.

You and your buds are heroes. Super powered beings with near godlike powers. You’re wizards who have unlocked the secrets of the universe, martial artists who can control every atom in their body, and genius inventors who’ve broken the limits of science. And you’re gonna kick the planets arse for killing everyone you’ve ever met.

But you have a dark secret.

You know why it happened.

Maybe you are why it happened.

Play to find out.

TEN MILLION HP PLANET IS COMING FOR YOU!

10 Million HP Planet is GM-less and fast-paced, with damage to your own character abstracted and damage to the planet counted meticulously. You can leverage pretty much anything that you describe on your turn to improve your dice rolls, and deal massive damage to the gigantic, terrible planet.

This game is about dramatic anime-style fights, with mooks who fight for you to provide ambient damage, conditions that you can fill to multiply damage or add dice, and power colours that synchronize to provide combat currency to buy or activate special powers.

One caveat: the game as written was originally meant to be a little bit unplayable. That doesn't seem to have stopped fans, judging by this fan-made Google Sheet to help you keep track of your die rolls. If you want a big, dramatic, larger-than-life game that's primarily one big fight, you probably want 10 Million HP Planet!

You can also check out…

My Hellbusting Games Recommendation post, which might have some overlap.

I have yet to find a game that does randomized power-ups like Numenera, whose Cypher System consistently gives players interesting short-term abilities that are very effective.

Lancer has character development that is very purposeful, but as you build your mech you can do a lot to make your character very effective at one or two things, which can feel so so so rewarding in play.

Plasmodics focuses a lot on mutation, which is something that I think can be really fruitful if it's randomized. The game page also mentions uncovering artifacts, which can change the world if you find them. Artifacts won't be common, but I think they're probably very impactful.

If you like what I do, you can always leave a tip at my Ko-Fi!

[leafyeyes417]

I decided to create a masterpost or two with all the reblogs that I like in hopes that when someone sends out the “help me find that post” I can find it faster. It will be added to slowly because I do not have the patience to do it all at once. Also in no particular order of preference.

Keep in mind none of these posts are my works and I do not claim them as such.

If you see *** they are really good prompts with lots of reblogs.

Will be edited later, last updated: 3-10-25

Masterlists

Multi-story masterlists

dcxdpdrabbles

Hdgnj

Tu-turu-turah

Somnoir

Chaoticwriting

Specific Story lists

Jason is Catnip to Danny

Hyena Danny

Finally Getting Help

Wrong Robin

Badger Day

Man has needs

Almanac

Take out for Dummies

Danny is just some guy

Changling AU (part 5, other part links at bottom of post)

Fast Car Driver Danny

Haunted Car

Harmless Series

Don’t eat anything

Hero Tweets

Just a Bite

Batfam & Danny

Twitter AU

Coffee Heart

Single posts

Ellie-centric

Ellie realizes how dangerous Danny’s home is

Danny’s Rescues from the Infinite Realms

Green Lanturn & crew stuck in IR

Dead on Main

Jason courting Danny with a casserole

Overprotective Fenton parents shovel talk

Danny courts Jason by giving him wine cups made from the Joker’s kneecaps

Jason becomes a Ghost Summoner after giving Danny food***

Dream Lover***

Soulmate summoning ring gone wrong

Dead Tired

Coffeeshop accident

Dead Serious

Dead Silent

Danny kills the joker with his thighs

Danny on the run from the GIW

Superman startles Danny and gets a concussion***

Danny In Gotham

Sleepwalker Danny who escapes all traps

Unknowing Fae Danny works at coffee shop

Danny pretends to be a Vampire***

Feral McGee

Danny only gets a Vacation from work in Gotham

Danny seems like an Oracle of Delphi***

The GAV affected by Fear Toxin

Tucker streams while Danny does what Danny does in the background***

Danny is kidnapped(?) by Batman***

Danny gets hired for a money laundering front***

Portal is built in Gotham, not Amity

Naga Danny

Villain Danny

Danny’s obsession is twisted, forcing him to be a villain

Danny teaches heroes their mistakes by being the villain***

Adopted Danny (as in not Bio Fenton)

Danny is Hal Jordan’s son

Harley asks Batman to take away her son

Harvey Dent is Danny’s bio parent

Danny adopted by Bruce Wayne

Danny distribution system

Danny makes a sales pitch to join the Batfam

Reincarnated Danny

They wake up as Talons

Reincarnation

Clockwork reincarnated as Alfred

Misunderstanding’s that end in chaos

High Danny mistakes Batman for Jack

Mis-text-derstanding

Summoning Danny

Number is not in service

Danny: Please get that stalker (Ra’s) away from me

Demon Twin/Brothers

Damian is normal by Amity standards

Maybe(?) his lost twin

Nyssa steals Danny

Danny undercover in Amity

Jazz decided she wanted a brother

Danny’s Obsession to beat Damian

Tim Twins/Brothers

Danny and Tim are half-siblings

Danny sleep teleports to another dimension

Jason and Danny are brothers

Jason is a Baby ghost, adopts babier ghost Danny***

Ghost King Danny

Danny needs to take care of the Lazarus pits

Danny finds out there is a Ghost LOA

Miscellaneous

Danny possesses the president

Danny takes Jason’s online cooking class

Danny forgot what is regular human

Jack was a hitman named Phantom

Ghost Calls

Danny & Jason have the same scars

Superman was supposed to wait for the JLD

Water Core Tim

Fenton Driving curse still applies

Danny asks Wonder Woman to make him a grave on Themyscria***

Kryptonite is actually trapped souls

Danny and self-fulfilling prophecy

Danny pretends to be a demigod son of Hades

Danny gifts Red Robin a jar with Ra’s eyes

Vlad Cloning Danny was actually a much worse offense, breaks oldest ghost law

Amity got put back in the wrong place after the Pariah Dark fight.

Jason involuntarily taken to the ghost hospital

Phantom Letters

Danny learns Astral magic

Jazz the Author

Danny makes environmental cleaning ecto-tech***

Miscellaneous Angst

GIW succeeds in shooting the portal

DPxMarvel

Loki falls through to the IR and is adopted by Danny

Pure DP (not crossover)

Danny was Eldritch the whole time

Danny gets sprayed with a chemical where he hallucinates the person he hates

Demon!AU (with Art)

[royal-wren]

I genuinely still wish people would understand that while myths aren't absolute truths and shouldn't be read as literal, there is a balance. That it doesn't suddenly erase their relevance and importance as the allegory of domains and cultic practice/history.

Examples are Athene being born from the head of Zeus, where thoughts, intelligence, and wisdom are formed and pop into existence, her domains. Hermes intended for his mother and himself to finally join the Olympians instead of dwelling solely in caves, defining the transition of worship they went through as nature & liminal deities and the new system springing up from the land they were already worshipped in, not to mention the mythologized start of friendship between Hermes and Apollon in Arcadia.

Aphrodite traveled across the sea fully formed as she was already a goddess from Cyprus first before being adopted by the Greeks as one of their own. Apollon taking over Delphi as the new oracular deity is a symbolic story about his integration into the pantheon. The same thing explains how Apollon is treated in the epic The Iliad with more respect than say, Artemis or Ares who deal with the humiliation of being beaten up by Hera and Athene respectively by the storyteller because they were worshipped for longer by far.

The many myths of Maia and Hermes taking care of and protecting infants with their domains as nurses and gods that foster children. The anger of Hera in many myths symbolizes her domain over women and marriage and the respect they deserve because of how important and relevant it is in worship and cult practices.

[poiisson]

At some point, Remedy would make his way back to Messatine, only to find the Delphi outpost completely abandoned, and no one left. I imagine someone like First Aid would have left behind notes about what happened, and Remedy, knowing all of Pharma’s clearance codes, would be able to enter the computers/clinic systems, and learn about what Pharma had done, and that he’d “fallen to his death”.

It would be incredibly distressing to learn that the bot who was his world, whom he regarded with so much respect and adoration, could be the same bot who would become someone so deeply despised by others for his actions. A certain level of guilt would rack him, and he'd wonder if there'd been signs he had missed, if he could have done something to change the outcome, and why hadn't he been there for Pharma when it counted?

And yes that last panel is absolutely a lazy redraw of Tarn’s meltdown panel lol, felt like it made perfect sense to recreate.

[shrineoftheprophetess]

Hello, I am Sybill Cassandra Trelawney. The next Great Oracle in training of Delphi

𖤓 Them/they

𖤓 17

𖤓 Blind

𖤓 Ravenclaw

𖤓 House of Apollo

Likes: sweet things, tarot cards, rare crystals and even rarer books on prophecies, beautiful crockery sets and golden jewellery, basilicks

Dislikes: people who make fun of disabled persons, homophobes, bigots and transphobes and also the entirety of Education system

𖤓 If you see my eyes misting over completely or my body undergoing palpitations please call Madam Pomprey immediately and record what I speak too.

𖤓 I have congenital blindness

𖤓 Also, no I can't predict what is going to come in the next transfiguration test. Leave me alone. I will not predict anyone's lovelife nor what the next lottery number.

People at Hogwarts:

@swearwolf-lupin The Lovers

@j-potteringaround The Soliel

@blackrosedeity The Death

@pete-the-thief The Tower

@motherfuckin-marls The World

@flower-of-athens The Empress

@a-mist-covered-star The Hanged Man

@0-all-is-fair-in-love-and-war-0 The Justice

@evanofthedead The Judgement

@elegance-and-romance The High Priestess

@dreaming-and-drugs The Fool

@barty-not-barry-official The Heirophant

@followthegossip The Magician

@welltobefrank The Emperor

@al1-f0rtescue The Strength

@sepia-vance Temperance

@psychoblack The Wheel of Fortune

@pandoras-box-of-roses The Sun

All the tarot cards have been decided from this site

[djuvlipen]

tbh can i argue that i don’t like the way radblr treats fgm and sex

like just like gender, sex (as its observed societally, not scientifically) in the eyes of society are two groups of the same individuals, and then the bodies of those (mostly women) who don’t conform to their idea of sex experience fgm, whether it be intersex children at the hands of doctors, woman at the hands of male doctors after giving birth, or kenyan women at the hands of christian missionaries (kenya 1929 fgm)

i don’t like the “sex not gender” or “sex equals gender” because at the end of the day the idea of sex from society is “ideal female genitals perfect for giving birth” and “penis”

like sex shouldn’t be anymore than just. your body. it shouldn’t replace gender or take the place gender has currently. the only reason we observe women as “weaker” is kind of because society doesn’t allow women to be any more than that.

like a man is expected and allowed to have over 2000 calories a day, a woman is forced to diet and stay frail. the ideal male physique is what is the healthiest option for his body and then the ideal female physique is eating disorder or plastic surgery

it’s also the way fgm victims are just used to prove a point, some of the first posts on the fgm tag is discourse of it being used as a talking point in an argument. there’s barely any uplifting of fgm victims experiences.

while we can use fgm in discussions i feel like we should also be uplifting victims of it way more

yupp i agree with you. that's why second-wave materialist feminists like Christine Delphy argued the category of sex is a social construct as well. actually it's interesting because if more self-identified gender critical women were reading second wave feminists, materialist feminists and marxist feminists they'd come to the same conclusion.

from my reading of feminist writers like delphy, de beauvoir and vogel (my top 3 when it comes to theory) the construction of patriarchal oppression takes place in four stages.

1.First, in the state of nature, where the domination of man over woman is nonexistent, there are anatomical differences that separate men from women. These anatomical differences are a biological, scientific, and observable phenomenon (distribution of fat, muscle, and bone mass, exoskeleton, male / female genitalia, lung capacity, pelvic tilt, weight, and height). These anatomical differences are in themselves devoid of any social significance.

2. Based on these anatomical differences, with the accumulation of wealth and in a logic of profit maximization, at the time of the agricultural revolution, a division of labor gradually emerged based on these anatomical differences. Since females are incapacitated: (a) when they menstruate, (b) when they are pregnant, (c) when they are carrying a child, (d) in the weeks following childbirth, all people born female are assigned the task of reproducing the species (bearing and raising children) and are relegated to the home while being required to perform the work also performed by men in the fields. Since healthy adult males are never incapacitated due to menstruation or pregnancy, they are all assigned the duty of performing industrial and agricultural work and keep for themselves the administration of this work (politics). We can therefore see that the economic exploitation of women in the fields and within the home emerges with class society and is inseparable from the sexual exploitation of women within the home (rape of women to produce children, that is, to reproduce the working class). The economic and sexual exploitation of women within the gendered division of labor is the material basis of women's oppression (patriarchy). This material basis is also intrinsically linked to the anatomical differences between males and females on which this division of labor was imposed.

3. To legitimize the economic and sexual exploitation of women, a cultural, ideological, and religious system is created designed to prove women's inferiority: that's gender. Both female and male children are socialized to conform to this ideological system, to support or perpetuate it, hence Simone de Beauvoir's dictum: "One is not born a woman, one becomes one" through the imposition of social norms from which one can in no way escape because this system is universal, it is maintained everywhere, all the time, by everyone, by force and under the threat of violence (domestic violence, femicide, rape).

4. To naturalize gender as an ideology of patriarchy, the category of sex is created: the canonization of a set of biological characteristics (secondary and primary sexual characteristics and, often, the brain and hormones) intended to "prove" the biological and natural inferiority of women and the superiority of men. This is the idea that a woman is supposed to have a fertile uterus and two breasts, that a sterile woman or one who has had a mastectomy is "less of a woman" than others. It's the idea that women's brains and uterus give them hysterical tendencies. It's the idea that a real, virile man is not a eunuch and possesses prominent male genitalia. It's the idea, in some cultures, that a real woman must have undergone a clitoridectomy or that a real man must have been circumcised. Hence Christine Delphy's "gender precedes sex": our social expectations inform how we think about the male or female sex. The creation of the category of sex is also the basis of intersex oppression: we believe that a "real" man or a "real" woman must have well-formed and visible genitalia, corresponding unambiguously to our expectations, and so we mutilate the bodies of newborns with ambiguous genitalia.

We therefore have a four-step articulation:

1. The state of nature: natural anatomical differences

2. Patriarchy: the sexual and economic exploitation of women in the sexual division of labor

3. Gender: the cultural and religious ideology that legitimizes patriarchy

4. The category of sex: the essentialization of gender as submissive feminine nature OR superior masculine nature

Conservatives only acknowledge step 4 and refuse to acknowledge steps 1, 2, and 3. Transactivists stop at steps 3 and 4 and refuse to analyze the roots of women's oppression (steps 1 and 2). Trans-critical people (who are neither gender critical nor radical feminists) only remember step 1, act as if step 4 does not exist at all and are therefore only able to instrumentalize the cause of intersex people and victims of FGM instead of addressing and analyzing their causes

[sublimati0ns]

Hey quick question about "waste processing tanks". I'm just a bit confused at the notion since... I just sort of assumed they had some sort of fuel pump, fuel tanks and fuel lines What "waste" do they even process? Sediments in the energon they inject into themselves? Stuff they accidentally swallow (l think Star's voice actor may have mentioned him swallowing a bird mid-flight - however the fuck that's supposed to work)

Will preface by saying I only have a layman’s knowledge on machinery, so I may not have all my facts straight, but to my understanding most machines will produce waste byproduct as a result of their functioning—so I figure it’s doubly true for Cybertronians, as a result of having mecha-biological processes.

Due to the fact energon can vary in class and quality, I don’t imagine it’s a zero-loss fuel. That’s not a real term I don’t think, but I mean every single drop of energon is probably not converted into pure energy aha—like cars with gasoline, the chemical process of ‘burning’ energon and converting it into energy would probably result in waste like steam, exhaust, and other substances. Like you said, it also makes sense for them to have filtration systems to remove undesirable dregs in the fuel they ingest that may not have been already siphoned out by distilling (I can imagine not every crystal-to-liquid refinery is built equal, and some fuel reserves may become tainted by the environment or cut with other substances).

If Cybertronians are like real machines, energon is probably not the only liquid in their bodies too! They might have coolant, antifreeze, lubricant, oils, brake fluid, transmission fluid, water from dehumidifying processes, etc. On top of that rust/corrosion can build up and grease can congeal… So having automatic processes in their bodies to dispose of carbon deposits and other such waste would be more efficient than having to deep-clean all of their organs manually every few months aha.

I imagine waste processing would include their inner ventilation systems as well, which are responsible for temperature control; it’d be useful for them to have specific vent paths in their body so the airflow isn’t just loose among their other parts. These paths would collect environmental debris and would need to be cleaned out 🤔

Cybertronians can also get sick (cybonic plague, the virus Pharma manufactures on Delphi in MTMTE, etc), which implies the presence of an immune system, ergo processes their bodies have to flush out pathogens (waste). It’s all just my speculation, but hopefully this makes sense and is plausible to you!

[wisteria-lodge]

Thank you! Can you please point me in the direction of those other posts?

This is in reference to a very nice person interested in doing podfic versions of some of my hp metas. They were particularly interested in my recent post about weddings in the wizarding world / my personal rules for filling in and developing hp worldbuilding, but I thought that it might be nice to put together a list of some of my popular hp posts:

Character Analysis

Albus Dumbledore: Character on the page vs character in JKR's head

Molly Weasley: Character on the page vs character in JKR's head

Severus Snape: Character on the page vs character in JKR's head

Lucius Malfoy: Character on the page vs character in JKR's head

Draco Malfoy: Character on the page vs character in JKR's head

Coda: Draco's shiny, shiny hair

Femme-coding and Draco Malfoy

Boy Bands and Draco Malfoy

How Narcissa and Lucius use power

Draco using Narcissa vs Lucius' problem-solving strategies

Series Analysis

The Harry Potter Pretty People's Club - most attractive characters in HP ranked by number of descriptions.

Queer-coding in the Harry Potter series

JKR's use of the color pink

Male Crying in the Harry Potter Series

How JKR writes Romance

Jack Thorne and the Cursed Child / His Dark Materials connection

Inconsistencies & ret-cons: the DADA curse and apparition

Inconsistencies & ret-cons: James, Neville, Lucius

Worldbuilding

Taxes and Ministry Power

Religion and Ministry Power

The Malfoys' historical relationship with the muggle community

Malfoys vs Blacks: in-universe reputation

Malfoys during the first Voldemort War

House elves vs squib/muggle caretakers vs automated magic: why I think Dobby was the only Malfoy house-elf

Translating the Malfoy family motto

Fixing Delphi and Scorpius' backstories in The Cursed Child

Fixing the Sorting system

What if: Draco was the Chosen One

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

IT'S 11:30 PM BUT I AM HAVING THOUGHTS

THOUGHTS ABOUT APOLLO AND ORESTES

I HAVE NOT READ THE ORESTIEA BUT DW I HAVE IT AND I'M GONNA READ IT AFTER THE ILIAD

I MAY HAVE MORE THOUGHTS AFTER THAT WE SHALL SEE

I made my Apollo & Cassandra post a while back so now it's time for Orestes :)

just. ahhhh. how do i begin.

at the beginning i guess.

Orestes is a young child when he's smuggled out of Argos. By his sister to keep him safe when their father is murdered by their mother. He's a young boy exiled from his home because of the actions of a vengeful queen.

Years later, he receives a mission from Apollo - kill his mother to avenge his father. And he does just that.

Apollo was a young god, not even born yet, when he was exiled from the very earth by a vengeful queen. His mother fought and ran to find a place to deliver him and his own sister to safety. In his mother's honor, he goes out of his way to kill those who dare to harm her - Python and Tityus, to name a few.

The parallels get me okay? Even if it's not a deadringer, they are sill there.

Apollo defends his mother while Orestes kills his.

Orestes was ordered to kill his mother while Apollo murdered others for Leto on his own accord.

And what REALLY gets me is their different motivations in this situation - Orestes believes he's avenging his father, the man he never quite knew. Apollo meanwhile wouldn't loose sleep over Agamemnon's death.

Apollo wasn't aiming to avenge Agamemnon. He was avenging Cassandra.

But he couldn't tell Orestes that, now could he? After all, what was a mere slave girl from Troy to Orestes? Especially since he didn't know her at all.

Avenging Cassandra wouldn't be enough to convince Orestes to commit matricide. So Apollo uses Agamemnon's death as incentive for Orestes.

And it works. Apollo's goals are met - Clytemnestra and Aegisthus are killed, and Cassandra's soul can rest easy now in Elysium.

He could cut his losses and leave Orestes to the Furies. He no longer has anything to do with this.

But Apollo stays with Orestes. He helps him rest in Delphi before getting him a headstart to Athens. He defends him in court from the Furies, in front of the jury of Athenians and Athena herself. He puts himself firmly on Orestes's side and uses whatever means necessary to get him off the hook.

And if that means manipulating the city of Athens via their sexist ideologies? It's free real estate. When you're in court, you use whatever you can to help your client.

And Apollo wins. Orestes is free to go, and the curse of the House of Atreus is gone for good.

just. vibrating from this. the similarities between Apollo & Orestes in their youth that diverges in stark ways. How Apollo could have dropped Orestes the moment his own goal was finished, but chose not too - he chose to take it a step farther and get rid of that curse for good. So Orestes and his family could live in peace.

When I first heard about the Oresteia, and what Apollo says to free Orestes, I had a hard time reconciling it. Apollo just didn't give off those sexist vibes to me (as a matter of facts, very few gods do - after all, they appear how they want when they want. gender is meaningless to gods.).

But I did some digging. Some thinking. And really, Apollo is quite in-character during the trial - he's in Lawyer Mode. He manipulates the system to his advantage as well as the Athenian citizens with their misogynistic beliefs.

Because think about it. Apollo uses the argument, in brief terms, that a mother has no claim on the child because they are only for making babies. This gets half of the Athenian jury to immediately side with Orestes.

Is this a bullshit argument? Absolutely. But sometimes a bullshit argument gets your client out of trouble and that's the job of a lawyer - to help their client.

For a closing statement, I also want to say that I don't think Apollo himself believes that sexist opinion. After all, Leto was the one running around the world to find a safe place to deliver him and Artemis - Zeus did very little to help.

It was his mom who did all the work, and Apollo is very clearly a mama's boy.

Plus, 99.9% of the people Apollo hangs out with are women. Leto, Artemis, the Muses, Athena, Hecate, Aphrodite, ect ect

There's no way he actually buys that argument. He just used it to gaslight the very-sexist Athenians into voting in Orestes's favor because godsdammit that curse needs to go!

thank you for coming to my TEDTalk. I have feelings. goodnight now. happy new year. i shall post a snippet of a storyboard idea for my mythology series tomorrow that features apollo & orestes because I HAVE FEELINGS.

[a-d-nox]

Can Alice, Marchare, Mockturtle, and Lewiscarrol be included in the next (4th?) "asteroids that aren't getting anymore attention than this" list?

asteroids that aren't getting more attention than this and aren't related to my typical mythological shenanigans but that i still love (part 4: alice and other wondrous asteroids)

if you have no interest in the history, look for bolded statements to avoid all the reading lol. an asterisk in the OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS section indicates that the other mentioned asteroid(s) can be found in this post!

paid reading options: astrology menu & cartomancy menu

enjoy my work? help me continue creating by tipping on ko-fi or paypal. your support keeps the magic alive!

alice (asteroid 291)

Alice is the main character of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. She is a young girl from a rich Victorian English family, who finds herself accidentally or perhaps on purpose in Wonderland. It is Alice's curiosity and wish to understand the world around her no matter how complex or confusing it is. Her manners remain true despite Wonderland's lackluster etiquette (or lack thereof); though it is her manners that Wonderland seems to target as it aims to teach her individuality and how to speak up for what she believes and wants most. Wonderland forces Alice to question everything she knows about the world and even herself. IN MY OPINION Alice in your chart can represent a) where you experience curiosity, b) where you experience a lot of self growth, c) where you tend to be very naive and are forced to mature, and/or d) where you are most resilient.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: lewiscarrol (6984)*!

bandersnatch (asteroid 9780)

The Bandersnatch is one of the most frightening creatures from Lewis Carroll’s works. It is described as an unpredictable and a fast-moving beast. The Bandersnatch is aggressive and difficult to escape from. IN MY OPINION Bandersnatch in your chart can represent a) what scares you, b) something that is bound to be unpredictable and slightly threatening to you, and/or c) what can be considered a predator in your realm of existence.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: lewiscarrol (6984)*!

collins (asteroid 6471)

Michael Collins was an American astronaut best known for his role in the Apollo 11 mission, the first spaceflight to land humans on the moon. As the command module pilot, Collins orbited the moon in the spacecraft while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon's surface. Though he didn't set foot on the moon, Collins played an important role in ensuring the mission’s success by maintaining the spacecraft, performing system checks, and being the lifeline for his crewmates’ safe return. He often reflected on the experience of being “the loneliest person in the universe” while orbiting the moon alone... IN MY OPINION Collins in your chart can represent a) where you might be part of a team yet you feel left out, b) having others rely on you to do your part, and/or c) where you feel completely alone/isolated.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: aldrin (6470) and armstrong (6469)!

deidre (asteroid 165574)

Dr. Deidre Ann Hunter is an astronomer renowned for her research on irregular galaxies; mainly focusing on their origins, evolution, and star-formation properties. IN MY OPINION Deidre in your chart can represent a) an interest in the formation of stars, b) having an understanding of evolution, and/or c) your scientific education. This asteroid was asked for by @danihodgs.

delphi (asteroid 73769)

Delphi was a major religious site in ancient Greece, dedicated to the god Apollo and known for housing the Oracle of Delphi. The oracle, where priestesses delivered prophecies believed to be inspired by Apollo, was highly influential in personal and political decisions. IN MY OPINION Delphi in your chart can represent a) your connection to religious meccas, b) where you feel closest to religion, and/or c) where you can influence others with your wisdom.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: apollo (1862)!

ekaterina (asteroid 6955)

Catherine the Great was a Russian empress who reigned from 1762 until her death. Originally from Germany, she married Emperor Peter III of Russia, but after he was overthrown, she became empress and expanded Russia’s borders significantly. Known for her intelligence, political savvy, and reforms, Catherine modernized Russian society, promoting the arts, education, and Western European ideas. She also strengthened Russia’s military and led successful wars that extended Russian territory. Catherine’s reign is often seen as a golden age of the Russian Empire (the golden age spans beyond Catherine as well; as many great Russian works like Tales of Belkin and War and Peace come of out of this era). IN MY OPINION Ekaterina in your chart can represent a) where you are progressive, b) where you can expand the views of others to dream and act upon those dreams, and/or c) where you are savvy/intelligent.

empedocles (asteroid 6152)

Empedocles was an ancient philosopher known for his contributions to early cosmology and the theory of the four elements. He proposed that all objects are made of four elements: earth, air, fire, and water, which combine and separate through the force. These elements and forces were central to his worldview and influenced many people. IN MY OPINION Empedocles in your chart can represent a) what you are made of, b) what drives you to create, and/or c) where you experience constant change.

fantasia (asteroid 1224)

Fantasy is a genre typically featuring magical or sometimes supernatural elements that are not rooted in universal reality. It often takes place in imaginary worlds or alternate realities where extraordinary events, creatures, and powers exist. Often adventure, quests, and heroism are present in this genre, as well as the exploration of the theme good versus evil... IN MY OPINION Fantasia in your chart can represent a) your enjoyment or dislike of the genre, b) what in your world is not rooted in reality, c) what type of fantasies enchant you, and/or d) where you are likely to experience the struggle between good and evil.

freud (asteroid 4342)

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, which revolutionized therapeutic practices. His work greatly influenced psychology, psychiatry, literature, and culture as a whole. He had theories regarding the unconscious mind, the three divisions of the psyche, psychosexual development, the Oedipus Complex, dream analysis, and much much more. IN MY OPINION Freud in your chart can represent a) your connection with psychology, b) what part of your psyche lords over you, c) why and what brings you pleasure and strife, and/or d) what your dreams are trying to tell you (using horary astrology immediately after waking up).

frieden (asteroid 3642)

Frieden is the German word for peace. It refers to a state of harmony, the absence of war or conflict, and overall tranquility, both in the societal and personal sense. IN MY OPINION Frieden in your chart can represent a) where you have harmony, b) what can make feel most tranquil, and c) the chances that your life will be touched by war or conflict-free.

hesiodos (asteroid 8550)

Hesiod was an ancient Greek poet, and is often considered one of the earliest literary influences of our world today. His works provide insights into Greek mythology, cosmology, and daily life during that era. IN MY OPINION Hesiodos in your chart can represent a) what you speak about and write down, b) whether you believe in ancient Greek cosmology, and/or c) how you may blend you beliefs with everyday life.

homerus (asteroid 5700)

Homer is a legendary ancient Greek poet credited with having written two of the most important epic poems of Western literature, The Iliad and The Odyssey. His works are considered foundational to Greek culture. They helped to shape later literature, philosophy, and storytelling. IN MY OPINION Homerus in your chart can represent a) your love for classics / epic poetry, b) what you believe to be heroic, and/or c) what can inspire your writing.

jabberwock (asteroid 7470)

The Jabberwock is a mythical creature from Lewis Carroll’s poem "Jabberwocky", which is a part of the collection Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. It is depicted as a dangerous, dragon-like monster that is ultimately slain by the poem’s young masculine hero (not Alice like those of you who saw that one movie might believe). IN MY OPINION Jabberwock in your chart can represent a) fears/obstacles you must overcome, b) something that is anxiety inducing, and/or c) what causes chaos and destruction in your life.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: lewiscarrol (6984)*!

jubjubbird (asteroid 9781)

The Jubjub Bird is a mysterious yet dangerous creature from Lewis Carroll’s literary universe, appearing in a couple of his works. While not as famous as the Jabberwock, it is equally unsettling. It's described as “frumious” (furious + fuming) in "Jabberwocky", suggesting it is both aggressive and temperamental. One character warns that when encountering a Jubjub Bird one requires extreme politeness and compliments, or else one risks being torn to shreds (sounds a bit familiar? I'm looking at you, Rowling, and Harry Potter's encounter with the hippogriff). It appears to be similar to a raven or a tropical bird (lol yes I do imagine Kevin from Up) with violent tendencies... IN MY OPINION Jubjubbird in your chart can represent a) where aggression can be found in your life, b) uncertain encounters, and/or c) where you might subconsciously be overly formal.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: lewiscarrol (6984)*!

kaali (asteroid 4227)

The Kaali Crater is a group of nine meteorite impact craters that are surrounded by ancient myths. Some scholars believe the crater was a sacred site for Sun worship. The Kaali lake that formed in one of the craters may have been seen as a representation of the Sun, and thus considered a revered celestial bodies. Finnish epics describe a fiery ball falling from the sky, breaking into pieces, and causing destruction, which closely resembles the Kaali impact event. Others speculate that the Norse Ragnarok myth may have been influenced by real meteorite events like Kaali. IN MY OPINION Kaali in your chart can represent a) what you consider sacred, b) how your reality is shaped by belief, and/or c) what you feel is worthy of worship. This asteroid was asked for by @blackmoonoracle.

lewiscarrol (asteroid 6984)

Lewis Carroll - who's name was actually Charles Lutwidge Dodgson - was an English writer, mathematician, and logician. He is best known for his iconic works in the genre of nonsense literature: Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, etc. These works help to redefine children literature - it doesn't have to just be imaginative, it could also be thought provoking. IN MY OPINION Lewiscarrol in your chart can represent a) how imaginative and intellectual you are, b) how whimsical your dissociations can get, and/or c) where you can inspire others to transform who they are.

marchare (asteroid 6736)

The March Hare is a character in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. He appears at the Mad Tea Party alongside the Mad Hatter and the Dormouse, where they engage in nonsensical conversation and absurd behavior. He himself is jittery and unpredictable, often speaking or acting in sudden outbursts. He frequently interrupts and dismisses Alice, which reflects Wonderland’s lack of conventional manners which Alice has. His often pointless conversations and refusal to follow logic are meant to be satire of Victorian society’s rigid thinking and meaningless social rituals. IN MY OPINION Marchare in your chart can represent a) where you tend to find people who match your energy, b) why you can be very jittery/unpredictable, c) where you tend to be very rigid in your thinking, and/or d) where you are possibly unnecessarily following meaningless societal norms.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: alice (291)*, lewiscarrol (6984)*, and madhatter (6735)!

mockturtle (asteroid 8889)

The Mock Turtle is another character in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. He is described as a depressive creature who constantly reminisces about his past and weeps for no understandable reason. I believe Carroll is mocking (excuse my pun) the Victorian tendency to be overly sentimental. His nonsensical school lessons and confusing recollection of them show that memories are often distorted or exaggerated over time (your memory is not a recorder). IN MY OPINION Mockturtle in your chart can represent a) where you tend to be reminiscent for no real reason at all, b) where your memory can fail you, and/or c) how your personal stories can be unreliable.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: lewiscarrol (6984)*!

neverland (asteroid 5405)

Neverland is the mythical island from Peter Pan. It is the home of Peter Pan, the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, etc. Neverland is a place where children never grow up, time doesn't flow, and adventure never ends. IN MY OPINION Neverland in your chart can represent a) how and where you never grow old, b) where you have very little or no responsibilities, c) where you might feel stuck or stunted, and/or d) what dangers immaturity holds.

ophelia (asteroid 171)

Ophelia is a tragic character in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. She is the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes, and Hamlet’s love interest. Ophelia is known for her innocence, obedience, and her eventual descent into madness, making her one of literature’s most tragic characters. She gets caught between her love for Hamlet and her family’s warnings about him. Hamlet’s behavior and cruelty end up shattering her trust... She ends up loses her identity, torn between Hamlet’s rejection and her father’s need for control. When Polonius is killed by Hamlet, Ophelia ends up losing her grip on reality and singing songs about love and death. She then drowns in the river, in what is often interpreted as suicide or a tragic accident. IN MY OPINION Ophelia in your chart can represent a) where your purity gets corrupted, b) where your fate feels controlled by men, c) where there is a chance you will be overwhelmed by your grief, and/or d) where you could snap and lose yourself.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: shakespeare (2985)!

redqueen (asteroid 17518)

The Red Queen is a character from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass (1871), and she is not the same as the Queen of Hearts, though they are often confused. Unlike the quick-to-anger Queen of Hearts, the Red Queen is calm, strict, and highly intelligent. She serves as a guide to Alice, by teaching her the rules of the chessboard of the Looking-Glass Land. IN MY OPINION Redqueen in your chart can represent a) where you have a lot of order and strategy, b) your dislike for chaos and over emotionality, and/or c) where you tend to think ahead.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: alice (291)* and lewiscarrol (6984)*!

tweedledee (asteroid 9387)

Tweedledee and Tweedledum are portrayed as nearly identical in appearance, speech, and behavior. Lewis Carroll does not give them distinct personalities, and they mostly function as a unit, finishing each other’s thoughts and acting in unison. However, there are some subtle differences that emerge over time. Tweedledee is sometimes portrayed as the slightly kinder or calmer of the two. Tweedledee is often ever so slightly more excitable. Tweedledee is a little more cautious than Tweedledum too. IN MY OPINION Tweedledee in your chart can represent a) where you might struggle for individuality, b) where your kindness is seen in comparison to others, and/or c) where being cautious pays with excitement.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: lewiscarrol (6984)* and tweedledum (17681)*!

tweedledum (asteroid 17681)

Tweedledee's twin, Tweedledum, is slightly more aggressive as he is the one who typically declares they must battle... Though they never actually fight because they get distracted. Tweedledum seems a little more stubborn or argumentative. This often makes Tweedledum more reckless and impulsive. IN MY OPINION Tweedledum in your chart can represent a) where you might struggle for individuality, b) where your aggression and argumentativeness overshadows other's, and/or c) where being impulsive presents you with new opportunities.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: lewiscarrol (6984)* and tweedledee (9387)*!

utopia (asteroid 1282)

A utopia is an ideal or seemingly perfect society where everything functions harmoniously - there is no suffering, injustice, or conflict. While utopia represents hope for a better world, it also highlights the impossibility of achieving true perfection (perfection also looks different to so many people). IN MY OPINION Utopia in your chart can represent a) where everything seems perfect in your life, b) where life gets better, and/or c) what utopia means to you.

whiterabbit (asteroid 17942)

The White Rabbit is a key character in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. He is the first wondrous character Alice encounters - his frantic appearance sets the entire story into motion. Alice, being curious, chases after him and slides down the rabbit hole - landing her in Wonderland. Though anxious, he follows orders, reflecting Victorian concerns about duty, class, and obedience. IN MY OPINION Whiterabbit in your chart can represent a) anxiety energy in your life, b) where you are constantly stressed about time, and/or c) where you catch the attention of many people (got to remember the white rabbit is also the Queen of Heart's herald). This asteroid was asked for by @faris-al-aryan.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: alice (291)* and lewiscarrol (6984)*!

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© a-d-nox 2025 all rights reserved

[delphiecafe]

this system has very poor memory

requested by anon

image IDs: two pink userboxes with the left image being a human head with a clock next to it and a question mark inside the outline of it. the left image reads "this system has very poor memory, please be patient," while the right one reads "this system has very poor memory." end image IDs

the icon was made by Adrien Coquet found here

thank you for choosing Delphie Cafe!

[bellobambino]

The Claim That Broke the Camel's Back

828 words

Summary: Frustrated CS student, Luigi Mangione, battles the maddening bureaucracy of his insurance company while juggling midterms and back pain. An underwhelming trip to Panda Express inspires him to make a change. Luigi's POV Author's Note: I could write about incompetent insurance reps all day. My whole life is working with this broken fucking system. Free Luigi.

I'm on my third cold brew of the day to get ready for this evening Machine Learning lecture. I'm wired, to say the least. I've written down a few questions I have for the professor that I'm hoping will be covered by the midterm review he's “gifting” us today. 

"Good evening, folks!" he booms, addressing the class. There’s a few murmurs from some students giving a half hearted hello. "I was debating whether or not to make a midterm review for this section of the course. Considering your test scores from February..." 

My phone vibrates with a 1800 number I know all too well. Dammit. I've been waiting a whole week for them to call me back about this billing mistake. I can’t believe they’re calling right now, but I have to settle this billing issue. I sigh, and claw my way out of the row of backpacks and purses, answering the phone as quietly as possible.

“Hello, this is Luigi.” I spit it out like I've said it a thousand times, flinging open the back door to the main hallway.

“Hi, Luigi, this is Tiffany calling from Blue Cross Blue Shield. I’m returning your call about a claim you want to appeal.”

Appeal? Appeal. Because nothing says "customer service" like making me clean up a mess they made and then gaslighting me about it.

I’m whisper-shouting now, rehashing for the millionth time how I never got the bill they insist they mailed to an address I haven’t lived at since MySpace peaked. Tiffany’s hitting me with the most insincere “mm-hmm”s—" i've ever heard.

“Why did you send the orthopedic bill to my parents’ house? I don’t live there,” I say, trying to keep the vein in my temple from exploding.

“Mr. Mangione, can you confirm your address for me, please?”

Confirm my address? I swear to God, these people couldn’t find their own ass with both hands and a Garmin. “Which address do you have on file for me? Because you’re sending this bill to Maryland, and I live in Pennsylvania.”

Tiffany pauses like she’s consulting the Oracle of Delphi. “Mr. Mangione, I’ll need you to confirm your mailing address in order to continue discussing your account.”

Breathe, Luigi. Breathe. “Fine. 212 Fairway Lane, Baltimore, Maryland, 20906.”

There’s the familiar clackity-clack of her keyboard, a sound I’ve come to associate with malicious incompetence. “Okay, Mr. Mangione, can I put you on hold?”

“Hold? You guys are killing me. I’m a full-time student; you called me in the middle of a lecture.”

“I’ll need to review your account information in order to transfer the case to the billing department.”

Hold on. “You’re not the billing department?”

There’s a pause so thick you could spread it on toast. “This is the claims department.”

I could scream. I peek through the window of the lecture hall door. The TA’s handing out the review sheet, and I’m out here playing phone tag with someone who doesn’t even have the power to solve this issue. “Alright, Tiffany, can you just give me the billing department’s direct line? So I can call when i'm not in class.”

She rattles off a number. I punch it into my phone notes like I’m defusing a bomb. I thank her—halfheartedly, because I was raised right- and hang up.

I'm back in my seat, having missed the professor going over test expectations. I unlock my phone and look at the number Tiffany gave me. Wait. I look at my recent call log.

No way. It’s the exact same number I’ve been calling for weeks. The member services line. An automated phone directory service that will "connect you to the best department", but only sends you in circles for hours just to disconnect you when you’re waiting to speak with a supervisor.

They’ve already threatened to send the bill to collections—a bill I’ve never even seen. They told me the procedure was 100% covered. Now I’m supposed to fork over cash I don’t have for something they said I didn’t owe in the first place.

Back at my dorm, I'm eating Panda Express alone like a fucking schmuck. The noodles taste like cardboard. I’d kill for my Ma's chicken parm. I gotta call her.

I finish up, and grab the take out bag to throw away the container. 

Oh, thats right. There’s the fortune cookie. I almost chuck it in the trash, but ... maybe Lu deserves a little treat today.

I crack open the cookie, shoving one half in my mouth, and unfurl the little piece of paper.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

I immediately roll my eyes. The change I want to see is insurance companies prioritizing patients' well being over shareholder profit. If I could do anything about that, I would. Trust me, I would.

I tape the fortune to the inside of my laptop, right next to the sticker of Breloom my sister gave me, and fling myself onto my bed. 

Be the change. Maybe I could.

[thebrokenbean]

... Somehow I fully anticipated you being the first/only person to respond, and I thought I was prepared for the angst I knew you were going to throw my way.

I wasn't prepared.

I had to re-read LL #25. It's been a year and a half, and it hurts just as bad.

Anyway, 3 hours, two wiki pages, and too many tears later… I think I'm done? Might do a better proofread tomorrow when I'm not tired, might not. Either way, enjoy the angst!

"Your eyes… your aura… have you been drinking?"

The door hisses shut behind him as he enters his habsuite. He leaves the light off.

The flight back to the Exitus was… fine. Thunderclash greeted him personally, which was… cool? But his optics were sympathetic, observant - even more than what might be called for, when a friend is grieving a loss. Which is ridiculous, because Rodimus is fine.

...Ratchet's gone.

It's fine.

Rodimus glances at the datapad that was handed to him on his way to his quarters. The screen is dark. The bot who handed it to him seemed so hesitant, like they were trying not to spook him or something. Captain Thunderclash said not to rush you. It's only a few reports. They can wait.

He drops the pad on the table as he passes by with a light flick of his wrist. It skids across the surface to join the rest, all addressed to 'Assistant Navigator'.

He's not putting it off because he needs time. He just hates reports.

Magnus knew that.

Meg- Everyone knew that.

He swipes a cube off the counter, only half-filling it from the dispenser in the corner.

He glances at the board on the wall as he takes a slow sip of energon. Scribbles of drawings are pinned there. A few photos he printed off. A daily to-do list he rarely follows. The board was a gift, years ago - from Magnus, of course. A way to keep himself organized.

A ping comes across his HUD, cheerfully reminding all crew members that tomorrow Captain Thunderclash will be leading the Exitus out of the Acklaw System, towards their next exciting destination! Captain Thunderclash encourages all crew members to be prepared for the next adventure in-

He dismisses the ping and drops his unfinished drink on the counter. He's not really hungry.

His foot catches a bottle as he moves further into his habsuite, sending it spinning into the shadows under his berth with a clink.

Another grand adventure.

"It's not the same though, is it?"

One of his friends would have said that it's impossible to recreate something we hold dear, especially when it comes to treasured memories. It would probably be Drift who said it, or Cyclonus. They're both poetic enough for that. Rodimus is pretty sure there's someone else, but he can't quite remember who he's thinking about.

It doesn't matter anyway.

"A few quantum jumps into the neighboring system and back - with no detours, no mishaps, and no mutinies. One last jaunt."

He still has the top of his desk, from his co-captain's office. The worn, scarred slab is leaning in the corner against the wall, his lovingly-carved map on display.

Hedonia. Temptoria. Scarvix.

The Nanocons. Time-travel. The Vis Vitalis.

"As far as I can make out, all you do is argue, crack jokes, and get sidetracked doing pointless, silly things that only you find amusing!"

He scoffs at the memory of what Skids recounted to him, amused for a moment. The Lost Light did far more than that!

Delphi. Luna 1. Swearth.

The Functionist Universe.

Necroworld.

… Far more.

"I suppose you had to be there."

The berth creaks when he flops down on it to stare up at the ceiling, his feet still brushing the floor. He should recharge. He really should. He doesn't feel tired, but his energy readings are low enough Ratchet would have smacked him upside the helm with that wrench of his.

Ratchet.

"Even in death, he chose life."

"…A month, a week, a year… what's the difference? There'll always be an ending - and if you're lucky, you'll get to see it coming."

Rodimus blinks a few times, his brow furrowing as he fights the sudden stinging sensation.

"If we're doing this, I'd rather do it properly. A proper ending. No going back."

"We'll all drink to that."

He presses the heels of his palms to his optics, inventing sharply. The air catches in his throat, his ventilations stuttering. He grits his teeth.

Not everyone came to the funeral.

Not everyone could.

"Do you think I should-" "Go. Go with him."

"Shut up! I gave you that-" "819 years ago, yes. It's never left my possession."

"…They've reached a verdict."

"Whatever happens next - whatever my fate…"

A frustrated noise escapes him as he pulls his feet onto the berth and rolls over, curling up. His ventilation cycle refuses to keep from stuttering, no matter what he does.

His hands are resting on the berth in front of him, now. They're trembling. He curls them into fists with a huff and tucks them close to his chassis.

It's fine.

Everything's fine.

Everything's great.

"… Do you think it worked?"

Ha.

… No going back.