#domain hosting aws

[ckret2]

I've seen some folks saying that the reference to The Great Gatsby in TBOB was just a joke Alex didn't put deeper meaning into—which might be true, IDK the man's motives for choosing Gatsby specifically—and that there's no way the book has any deeper relevance to Bill's character beyond the eye doctor thing—which is totally wrong. Whether or not Alex intended parallels, there ARE parallels. So, for those of you who didn't read or didn't pay attention to The Great Gatsby:

the book's about a guy who started out as an unimportant loser with starry-eyed dreams, who very quickly gained a lot of power/gold and now presents himself as this dapper fancy well-dressed super important guy.

He constantly throws huge parties, he's got a reputation for being THE party host. But it's a sham, he's pouring all these resources into this party to make himself look so cool but he's living at the very edge of his means.

He lies about his history, lies about how he got his money (spoilers: he's a criminal), lies even in how he presents his personality—he's a con artist, he's always wearing a mask.

The reason he's doing all this—putting on the mask, making himself look so great—is because he's trying to reach across this very thin boundary to a better life he can see, JUST out of reach, so close but something he's never quite clever enough and rich enough and persuasive enough to reach. Every night at his parties he stares at his goal, he can LITERALLY SEE it, he just can't reach it himself.

The best he can do is briefly charm and dazzle someone on the other side of this social boundary, but he can never quite persuade that person to help him cross over; in fact no one on the other side of the boundary thinks he has a right to cross it.

He finds somebody—the guy narrating the book about him—who's very lonely, socially awkward, and disillusioned, whom he can easily awe with his stories and persuade to help him reach his goal, come on please, it'll be harmless! (It is not harmless.)

He loses control over the act he's putting on and over the people who only follow him around as long as he's still got the resources to keep them entertained and loyal.

It ends with him getting murdered by a guy he has LITERALLY never met before—by which point everyone has realized that he's a nobody making it all up as he goes along who was just desperately chasing the illusion of a good life and the admiration of everyone around him.

The narrator ends up disillusioned with him and the whole culture around him of grasping and clawing for a glitzy glamorous life at the expense of the regular people who are manipulated, trampled, and discarded in the process.

Now tell me that Gatsby doesn't have any parallels to Bill's character. And this is just based off reading the book a decade ago—there's probably tons of little details I don't even remember. The book may well have been chosen as a coincidence, it did recently hit the public domain. But if so, it's a VERY GOOD coincidence.

[thewertsearch]

TT: It reminds me of when Dave and I were trapped in the doomed timeline, and he left to change the past. TT: The timeline ceased to exist, along with my dream self, who in a way became merged with my dream self of this timeline. I kept some of her memories. TT: Is the situation similar? Similar, but more severe. Since this timeline will undergo such a violent upheaval, such a merger of memory cannot happen.

Unlike Future Rose, we're not merely fleeing a doomed timeline - we're resetting the timeline, the real deal.

If you squint, it kind of looks like the Davesprite situation, but the rules are completely different. This isn't a rewind, it's a reboot, complete with entirely new incarnations of John, Rose, Dave and Jade.

It doesn't sound like the original Players are supposed to survive the process - but if you pay attention to Scratch's phrasing, he doesn't actually confirm that it's impossible. He asserts that this type of memory preservation is impossible, but that doesn't mean there's no way for the kids to reach the reboot. I strongly believe that our endgame here will feature both iterations of the kids, allowing us to develop their personalities from two completely different angles.

I'd love to speculate about what Scratched!John and his team will be like, but I don't want another theory that's dead on-arrival. Let's wait and see if Rose learns anything more about the reboot first.

TT: So if the Scratch isn't specifically meant to banish Jack from the session, TT: And our quest to destroy the sun is meant to kill him, TT: Why is the reset necessary at all, especially if it means oblivion for us? Because you cannot achieve the ultimate reward in this session. […] Don't you want to fulfill your purpose?

Whether they should actually want to make a universe isn’t exactly a trivial question. Rose is a little too emotionally compromised to consider it, but I’m not.

For starters, what if their universe is an awful place? Alternia is proof that Sburb's universes can be complete dystopias. We have no idea if Alternia's creators intended for the Empire to exist, but the fact that it's even possible should make any Sburb Player very, very nervous about releasing a new Genesis Frog into the cosmos, lest it become another host for an intergalactic empire.

I suppose the question is kind of moot. The kids still need somewhere to live after the session, and I doubt their own universe is still an option. Their planet certainly isn’t.

[…] if you are inventive, you may find a way to survive the reset and participate in the renewed session. It's up to you.

...hmm.

Do you think the effects of the Scratch extend into the Furthest Ring? Surely not, right? Surely they're localized to the session in which the Scratch was triggered, lest a Scratch reset the entire multiverse.

Could it really be that easy? I guess it would normally be dangerous to enter the domain of the Gods unprotected, but Feferi's alliance should keep them safe. Plus, Rose has an accord with them herself. This feels workable to me - provided the Gods are willing to let our heroes influence the reboot.

[bahbahhh]

begin again

a lot of change happens in between Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. let’s fill in the gaps. zelda pov | zelink | totk spoilers | multichapter | rated T zelinkweek2023 | @zelinkcommunity [ ao3 ]

Chapters: [2 ] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

The Calamity is gone. The remaining leaders of Hyrule gather for a Summit to determine the future of the kingdom, starting with how to repurpose all the Sheikah Technology. Zelda is among them, and while everyone still calls her Princess, she’s not sure she wants to lay claim to an old throne. What she really wants is to move on. She wants to continue her research, to prove her worth beyond her bloodline, and to spend as much time with Link as she can…which sounds an awful lot like what she wanted a hundred years ago…

[ A story set between BotW and TotK, containing many spoilers for TotK as it was born from my need to explain many of the changes we see. A tremendous thank you to @zeldaelmo who volunteered to beta read this before she knew what she was getting herself into. I am immensely thankful for your eagle eye and your patience. ]

chapter 1

for the prompt “yearning”

Zelda doesn’t have a bed. 

She thinks about this lying on the spare one in Purah’s study. She’s staying with Purah for the Hyrule Restoration Summit, which is what they are calling the first official gathering of Hyrule leaders since the fall of the Calamity, and the more she thinks about it, technically speaking, it's a cot.

It’s not unlike the one she uses when they are in Kakariko, albeit a few inches shorter, like everything else customized for a child in Purah’s lab. Zelda has to lay at an angle to fit and even so, her feet dangle over the edge when she straightens her legs. Symin offered her his bed, as Paya had in Kakariko, and like there, Zelda declined. 

When she traveled a century ago, families were forced to give up their entire homes to host her. Royal quarters were permanently built in Kakariko, Rito Village, Gerudo Town, and Zora’s Domain. Due to the hostile environment surrounding Goron City, the Gorons agreed to travel to Akkala Citadel whenever there was official business with the Royal family which, in addition to a military fortress for the Hyrulian armed forces, acted as a second residence for her family. Another bed.

But that was all before. Akkala Citadel is in ruins, all the Royal quarters have since been repurposed by their respective domains, and Zelda will never ask anything more of the people of Hyrule so long as she draws breath.

Still, selfishly, and in the safety of her own thoughts, she yearns for the comfort of a real bed. Nothing extravagant, no need for anyone in Hyrule to forfeit their comforts on her behalf. Just somewhere she can readily count on for rest when sleep decides to visit. 

That’s what Link says: a visit of sleep. 

They are alike in this way. Their internal clocks recalibrated in the prolonged absence of waking, such that their bodies don’t readily cue the need for sleep. In the beginning, it took her weeks just to register the sensation of fatigue again. She stayed awake for two full days after the final confrontation on Hyrule Field before collapsing abruptly during the climb up to Kakariko’s western entrance. Link had to carry her the rest of the way. She slept for ninety-two hours straight. 

When Zelda finally awoke, someone was smoothing her hair out of her face. Another sensory experience she needed to register again: touch. Not toxic oil on her skin, claws of shadow raking down her spine, or darkness pulling so tight it feels like it might become one with her. Actual human touch. 

She hoped it might be Link in a delayed return of her affections for a heartbeat, but when she opened her eyes, it was an old Sheikah woman at her bedside. Zelda’s expression must have soured or pulled with confusion, because the woman began to laugh. Laughter. Warm and inviting and familiar. The sound vibrated inside Zelda like a bell. She gasped, set her hands on either side of the women’s face and felt a sudden and painful ache that has accompanied every subsequent realization of her losses. 

She will never age like she was meant to. With the people of her time, with the people she loved.

And after a century in stasis, she is on the verge of being completely left behind.

“Now, it’s not that bad, is it?” Impa teased.  

Zelda didn’t answer. She wept.

It has gotten a little better in the months since she returned to her physical form. She’s started to suspect Link is “visited’ by sleep out of preference more than necessity. But really, he slept for a hundred years, so she can’t blame him for rejecting a more traditional sleep cycle. She, on the other hand, was frozen. Not sleeping, not waking, just there—like gravity itself. Holding everything and everyone in place, unnoticeable until she wasn’t, when the Calamity would slip free of her grasp, swirl about the castle, and remind Hyrule of the horrors that awaited them if she failed again. 

Zelda smudges a tear against the side of her face and turns onto her back. Regardless, she can’t help but feel like having a bed, a ceiling overhead she recognizes, and the freedom to get up and roam down to a kitchen for a slice of fruitcake when the night is still young, that she might be visited by rest more willingly when she wants it. Needs it.

Like tonight. 

“So, what you're really talking about is wanting a home,” Zelda tells herself, a habit formed in the decades of solitude. Sometimes, in periods of dormancy or resignation, the Calamity would growl back at her in a tone that was almost human. But for the most part, she started talking to herself in and out of days and throughout the years until her sense of time too was a thing Hylia claimed in penance for her failures. 

“That’s not accurate,” she chides herself and flips onto her stomach. Blaming the Goddess is a bad habit she is trying to change. When she finally unlocked her Powers, suspended in divinity, the closest to holy she’s ever been, the Goddess didn’t even answer her then. It was just the sound of her own voice, echoing back at her from inside the Calamity. 

A bed. Something simple and fixed, like the one Link has in his house right on the outskirts of the village. Zelda’s caught glimpses of it when they’ve stopped there to replenish supplies; nestled against the wall on the second floor, beneath the only window so natural light kisses him awake when he finally decides to rest. He has a small dresser for linens and travel spoils, and a bedside table that is home to a painted vase from Rito Village he often fills with fresh flowers. 

She wonders which flowers are watching over him right now. Has sleep visited him? Or is he rolling about his sheets, worrying about the Summit, trying to break old habits, or craving something warm from the cooking pot down the stairs?

If he is awake, it is likely the latter. He would be able to sleep on a night like this. The air is cool. Everyone at the Summit knows him personally; is indebted to him in some way, although he carries no ledger. He is known. Respected. Tomorrow is just another day. Sleep will visit.

Zelda’s role in all of this is yet to be defined. While news of Calamity Ganon’s defeat spread quickly, there was no whisper of the lost Princess’ return at first. Rumors focused on the disappearance of the shadow around Hyrule Castle and then later, turned into formal requests for Link’s presence in the aid of investigating the Divine Beasts sudden malfunctioning. No one asked about her.

And it was nice. 

For a brief moment, she fantasized about cutting her hair, burning her dress, and letting Zelda disappear with the embers into history. Maybe she would accompany Link as a traveling scholar under another name? Or join the Sheikah and train with the weapons she was forbidden to touch a hundred years ago?

Impa, however, had other plans. She suggested Zelda travel with Link to investigate Vah Ruta so the Zora could verify her identity. They found her old travel clothes, Link presented her with a descendant of her horse, Storm, and the dreams of obscurity ceased. The Zora instantly recognized her, adding credibility to the announcement of her return and soon, her identity grew heavy with an unspoken claim to a throne that needed rebuilding.

No one has officially said anything, but there is a generous amount of speculation surrounding tomorrow and the opportunity to reestablish a centralized and unifying governing body. If they asked it of her, she would have no choice but to accept, right? It is the duty tied to this life. This title.  

Maybe she could convince them of her usefulness as a scholar? She no longer has any restrictions on time spent researching. She could help the Sheikah redesign their technology. Perhaps to aid in the great restoration…if she could just get the Divine Beasts up and running again, they would prove so useful in the rebuilding! 

This part of her, shunned by her family and now forgotten with them, could be the key to proving her worth beyond a head to carry the crown. She will show them. She has to.  They don’t seem to know what else to do with her, otherwise. Rarely does anyone use her name, even after they realized who she is.

They all call her ‘Princess’.  

Except for Link. 

Zelda turns onto her side and inspects the empty sliver of cot beside her. She runs her hand across the weaving and thinks about how she used to be able to visit Link. When the Calamity was dormant and her Power was still new and untaxed, she would separate a part of herself from Hyrule Castle and ride the wind to the Great Plateau. She watched the seasons turn by Link’s side in the shrine until the Calamity would wake and pull her back into herself like a rubber band. This went on for decades. 

When he finally woke up and the shrine’s toll for restoring his life was realized, Zelda felt her strength begin to waver. She is not aware of a word that accurately describes the feeling of being forgotten by the person you tethered your heart to; to have it remain connected to that person and witness it drift behind them, becoming more of a dark cloud than guiding light.

Her love for him burned for a hundred years. Somehow, in the depths of a living, breathing, rageful hell, it grew. It grounded her within the swirl of eternal darkness, the unyielding burn of malice, the mourning of time. As his memories of their kingdom, their comrades, and of her, returned to him, his reckoning of it all remained indistinguishable. 

The last six months between them were uncomfortable. He never outwardly answered her question on the field. He extended his hand and led her away from the castle. He was gentle yet reserved, closer than the three paces he once stood as her appointed knight and still somehow further than when he sunk into the glowing waters of the shrine and she stepped into the center of the darkest night.  Did his love die with him on the field that day? Was it left in the spot where he bled out, where flowers now grow? Has one unknowingly ever made it back to his bedside table? Could he recognize it now? 

Did he want to? 

She glances over her shoulder quickly, half expecting him to be there like he always was all those years ago, appearing out of thin air, as a part of her as her own shadow. 

But there is no one else in the room. Her shadow is empty. Her window shut. 

Zelda turns her attention back to the empty spot beside her and begins to imagine the weight of his arms around her. The sound of his sleep. His breath on her face. The cot is small, like his bed, but in the way she imagines they might fit together, it would be enough for sleep to find her. Even on a night like this. 

But there is no one else in the room. 

Just her and a bed, that's not even a bed, that doesn’t belong to her. 

—

Sleep doesn’t visit her. 

Zelda eventually gives up and pours her energy into drafting up a proposal on how to repurpose the Sheikah Technology. The Divine Beasts will be a tremendous asset. Vah Ruta can create new water reservoirs. Vah Medoh can mass transport supplies and people across Hyrule. Vah Rudania and Vah Naboris will be essential for maneuvering the harsher terrains of each region. 

She is confident she and Robbie could reprogram the guardians and assign them different purposes. She will recommend they remove all of the mechanics for combat, save for a select few machines that will be assigned to aid in monster defense.

Their greatest challenge will be finding a new power source. When Zelda obliterated Calamity Ganon from the realm, her Light purified every non-living thing it held influence over; every pool of Malice evaporated instantly and every guardian -earthbound, skyward or decayed- from the North Akkala Beach to Daval’s Peak stopped working. Robbie has yet to find a working ancient core and hypothesizes Zelda “nuked the network”. Whatever that means. 

The Sheikah Towers and shrines remain functional, so once they isolate the remaining source of power, she is confident Robbie and Purah will be able to design and power up new cores. 

 If only she had access to the old blueprints in her study…

On her way down to the main floor, she scribbles a note about returning to the castle upon acceptance of the proposal. She folds the pages carefully and tucks them into the small leather satchel Link gave her. Purah assumes ownership of the Sheikah Slate whenever they come to Hateno, so Link presented her with a satchel enchanted by the koroks so she can carry multiple items outside of the Slate on her at all times. Link has an identical one. 

He jokingly calls it an ‘adventure pouch’.  

Purah, Symin and a few others are already buzzing about the lab. Purah has the Sheikah Slate in the Guidance Stone, a tear drop of crystal blue bouncing between the stone and the Slate every few seconds. Zelda always thought it was interesting that information takes the shape of a teardrop. Was it intentional by the Sheikah who created the technology all those years ago? Or is it just the natural form of data? Of memory? 

There is so much for them to learn.

“Good morning, Princess!” Purah says without looking up from her work. Zelda decided earlier this morning, just as the sun started peeking through her window, not to fight the title of Princess anymore. She would help them rebuild the kingdom, sit on a new throne if they asked it of her, but she would have a hand defining the responsibilities of the title. 

“Good morning,” Zelda answers. 

Purah rapidly flaps her hand in Zelda’s direction. Zelda moves into the spot beside Purah, who is balanced on her knees on a pillow in order to sit level with the table. There are sketches of the Sheikah Slate, looking very much like a six year old drew them, along with an unflattering portrait of Symin, and handwriting Zelda won’t even attempt to decipher. 

“I think I can duplicate the Slate,” Purah says, snapping her fingers.

Zelda grins. She imagines each region having their own Slate. The possibilities for research, for communication. How quickly Hyrule could share information…the problems they could solve! 

Link pushes open the door to the lab. Zelda imagines how his shoulders might relax the more Hyrule becomes connected. His burden would finally be eased...then maybe…

“Good morning!” She practically bursts. 

Link waves and crosses the room to the cooking pot. Symin starts explaining what he is cooking and Link casually dumps the entire contents into the fire. Symin sighs in relief and pulls out a notebook. Link produces the ingredients one by one from his pouch, displaying each carefully so Symin can copy the recipe. A dozen eggs, Hylian tomatoes, assorted mushrooms, a handful of greens, and a tiny bottle of Goron spice. Zelda’s mouth waters before he even starts cooking. 

She watches Link demonstrate how to slice the tomatoes before setting Symin to work, involving Symin in the salvaging of the meal and in doing so, lessening the blow of his failure. It is a change in Link’s behavior she has loved witnessing: he is eager to share his knowledge after awakening from the shrine; to spread it generously with everyone who asks for his help. In this way, he is teaching Hyrule how to need him less in the long run, a step forfeited a century ago by the pressure he felt and the structure of the role assigned to him. 

Hero, knight, swordsman; whatever title he is to carry moving forward, she will protect his freedom to define it as well. 

They eat quickly and head down the hill toward the village together. Hateno is the chosen location for the Summit because it has the largest settlement of Hylians, who, as a whole, have been without formal leadership for over a century. Central Hyrule was initially considered given the proximity for all participants, but the general consensus is six months of calm is not enough time for anyone to meet comfortably in the shadow of the castle. 

“I heard this is the first time King Dorephan has left his domain in two hundred years,” Purah whispers to Zelda as they turn the corner down the split in the road to Hateno Pasture. A farmer named Dantz offered up his land, which borders Lake Sumac, to host. The water provides an added measure of comfort for the Zora. Zelda spots King Dorephan sitting close to the shore with several elder Zora and Prince Sidon.

There are a handful of Hylians mingling with leading members of the Sheikah, Rito, Gorons, and Gerudo. 

Purah and Symin split off to join Impa, who is sitting in the shade of a nearby tree with Paya. Their movement pulls the attention of the crowd in Zelda’s direction. She watches recognition ripple across the group. The conversations soften and then die off completely at the mere sight of her. Just like old times. 

Zelda flexes her fingers. 

Suddenly, there is a hand in hers. She jumps, glancing to her side where only Link stands. He’s looking right at her, the same way everyone else is, but she doesn’t feel the weight of the crown on her shoulders in his gaze. He squeezes her hand and nods her forward.  

“Right. Okay, then,” Zelda whispers.

Link leads her around the crowd so she can make introductions before the Summit starts. She is already known to the Sheikah, who are represented by Impa, Robbie, Purah, Symin, Paya, and Cado, and the Zora. Prince Sidon embraces her and compliments Link relentlessly. 

It is Zelda’s first time meeting the Goron Boss, Bludo, who introduces Zelda to a young Goron named Yubono and emphasizes he is a descendant of Daruk, as well as the Rito Chief, Kaneli. He is joined by a Rito warrier named Teba, and his son, Tulin, who begs Link to go shooting with him later that day. Link offers the fledgling a thumbs up and then gestures like, you want to go now, quick? 

Teba scolds them both. 

Her favorite introduction is the last one. Chief Makeela Riju, who insists Zelda calls her Riju, informs Zelda the Gerudo sun has missed her and personally invites her to come meet her pet sand seal. 

There certainly is a lot of personality, but Zelda feels certain the proposal will appease them all equally. The fact Link’s hand has remained in hers the entire time only boosts her confidence. Should she request the floor immediately or wait to see if there are region-specific needs she can weave into her proposal? She wants to emphasize the importance of each region’s involvement. 

“I think it’s time,” Impa makes her way out of the shade with the other Sheikah and takes the spot closest to Zelda. “that we begin again, don’t you all agree?”

“Well said. The Zora recognize the start of the Hyrule Restoration Summit,” King Dorphean says. 

“As do the Rito.” 

“And the Gerudo.”

“The Shei-kah!” Robbie throws his hand in the air and postures. 

“Gorons,” Bludo grunts.

“The Hylians have elected four representatives: I, Reede of Hateno Village, Elder Rozel of Lurelin Village, Hudson of Tarrey Town, and Traysi for the Stable Association. We recognize the start of the Hyrule Restoration Summit.”

“I officially call this meeting to order.” Impa claps her hands together and sits. She thanks everyone for traveling and for the village of Hateno for their hospitality. She summarizes the objective of the meeting as a gathering of the people of Hyrule in preliminary discussions about plans for a massive restoration following the purge of Calamity Ganon. She explains the forum will be open, but organized, in order for accurate minute keeping. Everyone motions in favor of detailed records. There are too many nameless ruins, too many stories and lessons lost to time scattered across Hyrule.

“Since there is no old business to attend to, I suppose it might be best to open the floor up to hear any initial recommendations for the restoration?”

Link raises his hand. 

He so rarely speaks out loud that the anticipation of it commands the attention of the entire Summit immediately. It might be her imagination, but Zelda swears the wind stops, too.  

“Let the record show the Hylian Champion and Hero of the Wild, Link, has the floor,”  Impa dictates and gestures for Link to continue. Zelda fishes her proposal out from her adventure pouch and folds it in her lap. Whatever he says, she’s assuming he will have some brilliant suggestions on how the former trade routes can be optimized or offer insight into the state of Central Hyrule for an exhibition, it will provide the perfect opportunity for her to follow. 

Link turns and smiles at her as he rises. It’s small. Relaxed. The kind of smile that’s only meant for the space between two people. Which means it is meant for her. 

She smiles back. 

With her plans for the Sheikah Technology, which will no doubt be strengthened by Link’s expertise, they can face this new Hyrule together. Self-chosen, this time, not forced by fate and the responsibilities of an old kingdom. 

Her heart flutters so rapidly at the thought, it takes her brain a moment to register what he actually says:

“I propose the first step in the restoration of Hyrule should be the destruction of all Sheikah Technology.”

[lovelytreehugger]

As a cleric, I fell in love with Eilistraee. She's so loving and cares a lot about the drow. So here is an Eilistraee appreciation post.

Eilistraee the Dark Maiden

Godess of beauty, dance, freedom, hunting, moonlight, song, and swordwork.

THE MESSAGE OF EILISTRAEE

"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."

DOMAINS

Light, Nature, Life

CHANNEL DIVINITY

Preserve life, Radiance of the dawn, Charm animals and plants

FAVORED ANIMALS

Silver moths & Silver-striped tabby cats

FAVORED MONSTERS

Aasimar, Light archons, Lythari, Pixies, and Silver dragons

FAVORED MINERALS

Mithral, Moonstone, and Silver

FAVORED COLORS

Silver

Eilistraee;

was the chaotic good drow goddess of beauty, song, dance, freedom, moonlight, swordwork, and hunting. She was the patroness and protector of the few dark elves who longed to return to the surface and live there, at peace with other races, and to abandon the endless conflicts and intrigues that dominated the lives of most drow. She was often referred to as the The Dark Maiden, the Lady of the Dance, or Lady Silverhair, and sometimes The Dark Dancer, among other titles. Briefly, she was known as The Masked Lady, when her faith subsumed that of the Masked Lord Vhaeraun, her divine brother, while the Seven Sisters nicknamed her Darkfire of Love.

She was the daughter of Araushnee (later Lolth) and Corellon Larethian, a free-spirited and kind-hearted goddess, with a fiery streak in her personality. When, during her youth, a host of evil deities assaulted Arvandor (her home), Araushnee's treachery almost made her slay her own father. Even though she was cleared from any guilt, Eilistraee chose to share her mother's exile because she knew that the drow would need her light in the times to come. After the descent of the drow, Eilistraee tried to be a mother goddess to her people and bring them the hope of a new life. She fought to lead them back to the lands of light, helping them to flourish and prosper in harmony with other races, free from Lolth's tyranny and the conflicts that dominated their lives.

Hers was an uphill battle, however, as her power was little, and she was opposed by all the gods of the Dark Seldarine. But, despite having to overcome many hardships and setbacks, Eilistraee never gave up fighting for her people. In the 1370s DR, her conflict with her mother over the souls of the drow race ultimately led to Eilistraee's defeat and disappearance. It lasted for about a century, until the Second Sundering (circa 1480s DR), when Eilistraee returned to life and to her followers.

As an avatar, Eilistraee appeared as a drow female of glowing beauty. She was tall (9 feet/2.7 meters in height) and lithe, with graceful, strong limbs and a glossy, obsidian-dark skin. She usually appeared unclad, cloaked only by her ankle-length hair that shone with a bright silvery hue, and by motes of moonlight that were ever-dancing about her body.

Her face bore a certain similarity to that of her mother, Lolth, as it possessed delicately sculpted features and shape, but her eyes were large, with irises that held the shifting hint of blue of a moonstone, and expressive of her mood or emotions.

When Eilistraee spoke, her voice always carried a soft musicality that made mortals instinctively drawn to it. Such attraction didn't cloud their minds, nor was of magical origin—it was as simple as the sound of a beautiful song.

Overall, the Dark Maiden's appearance inspired utter awe and astonishment, as well as emotions so deep to move mortals to tears. Those who contemplated and listened to her felt as if they had found the answer to all that their soul ever longed for. However, upon her leaving, they would experience a feeling of deep loss, or even desolation, though only for a brief time (as Sharlario Moonflower and his son, Cornaith, felt when the Dark Dancer manifested to them, warning them of the dangers of Ilythiir).

Personality

One moment she was a carefree child dancing like a moonbeam or running like a silver wolf through the forest; the next moment, she was either as seductive as a siren or as serious as a dwarven god.

~ ARAUSHNEE, ON EILISTRAEE.

As a young goddess, Eilistraee was a free spirit with an unpredictable temper. Even as she matured, these traits never really left her: she had a fiery streak and was prone to wild action, especially in protection of her faithful when they were harmed. The evil that was inflicted upon—and perpetuated by—most drow caused a burning anger within her, one that could cause her to lash out, but she was comforted that some worked their way free of the Spider Queen's web.

Due to a history of grief and losses and to the suffering of her people, melancholy and sadness were deeply rooted in Eilistraee's heart. It was a hard battle to endure, one that could weigh her down. However, it had also taught her to search for and nurture beauty everywhere, even in places like the Underdark, where it didn't seem to belong. Eilistraee fought her melancholy by striving to bring hope and joy where there was sorrow so that no moment was lost to gloom and to make life flourish wherever she went. She learned to find happiness in peace and arts, especially music and dance; in simple things like seeing artists composing and performing, craftsmen at their work, and people doing acts of kindness. She especially took delight in helping the needy in various practical ways, with a soft spot for outcasts, and in blessing artists with sudden bursts of creativity and inspiration. Eilistraee valued love in all its forms, be it passion and dedication towards something or someone (nor in elvish), the act of deep and unselfish love (alurlssrin in drowish), longing (ssinssrig in drowish), noble sacrifice (lurraggath in drowish), lovemaking (raggath in drowish; arkhlavae in elvish), and love and loyalty towards one's family and kin (immaea in elvish). She knew all the elven and drow words for all kinds of love, and seeing lovers during tender moments made her happy. Among the Seven Sisters, this earned her the nickname of Darkfire of Love.

The Dark Maiden was particularly close to her people

Aside from providing practical help in their everyday life, she was known to offer comfort and support in various ways, including listening to them as they let out or vented their personal emotions and experiences. When the right time came, she also personally accompanied her followers who died in battle to their afterlife in a moving celebration known as the Last Dance.

According to Rowaan Vrinn,

Eilistraee didn't test her followers, as the challenges of life were enough of a test themselves. She valued the intent behind their actions more than the actual success.

Moreover, Eilistraee refused to act as a commander: she saw herself fit to give advice and help in practical ways, to uplift and make people flufil their potential, never order.

"The Dark Lady smiles on those who see the deeper beauty within."

~ LORDS OF WATERDEEP

Though focused on the drow, Eilistraee accepted folk of all races who danced along her path, who delighted in life and in the free-form expression of it in all its forms. She fought so that all races could live peacefully together, helping and accepting each other despite their differences, and strongly believed in the possibility of redemption for those who had fallen to evil, especially the drow.

♧

[yeehawpim]

Hello pim

I really like your art. It feels like a childhood memory.

I have a practical question. You have a website, how did you do that ? And host it ? And have a domain name ? The logistics are very obscure to me but I would love to have one someday, for art or for games. There are so many options out there I'm not sure where to start.

Thank you !

Aw thanks!!! I feel like I'm pulling from my childhood when I make a lot of my stuff so I'm glad the vibes come across

I'm honestly a total noob when it comes to this kind of stuff and it was a STRUGGLE for a good week or so lol but I'll tell you what I did.

Mostly I tried to follow this guide, it's helpful but very old and some places I just had to wing it.

Stuff I use for "we go together":

Theme: Comic Press

Plugin for webcomic: Comic Easel (I tried Webcomic first but some functions didn't work for some reason? Comic Easel also has stuff that doesn't work for me, but it's less of the important ones. Try switching plugins if you get super stuck maybe.)

Plugin for stats: Visitor Traffic Real Time Statistics

There are other ones in that guide that I tried to track down and use too.

Wordpress is really jank and I really just spent a long time messing with the settings and seeing if they did what I wanted them to in another tab. Some stuff I just never ended up figuring out, like how to have bigger buttons for the <pref next> buttons (I think there's coding involved 😭). Sometimes things just. Don't work, for whatever reason. I still can't figure out how to hide part of the list of chapters even though there's literally a thingy that's supposed to do that in a widget.

All that's to say, there might be an easier way of doing it but this is how I did it HAHA

[prisiidon]

🔱 Caeruleis - Ocean Zora 🔱

Expanded my ocean zora city from 2017 >:) Feel free to add zora residents to this city!✨ {Zora Cybele lore courtesy of @mochamart-tm} 🐳 here's the toyhou'se page if its easier to read there!

Refer back to the og page for the most updated version

Location: In the distant Eastern Sea (East of Necluda) | Type: Republic capital city (no monarchy) | Alliances: Zora's Domain, Arctic Kingdom, Yona's Domain, Deep Sea Empire @cassielsunstone

Summary: Far out to sea lies a massive and somewhat hidden underwater city renown for their military superpower, airpocketed architecture, oIympic stadium, large market, prestigious learning institute and their colourful glowing plant-life. This city is home to a variety of species where their culture is intertwined with their guardian leviathan cybeles: Circa and Vellanora (c) @mochamart-tm.

Due to ongoing tensions with the Forbidden Sea and the abundance of sea monsters and pirates, Caeruleis appointed itself the protectorate of the eastern sea {extended military notes here}. The most formidable and tactile soldiers are in this ocean.

Filomena is the current Head Governess. General Lionel is an honorary member of the high council, accompanied by his adjutant (Lieutenant General) Byers.

↓ Keep reading for more info about main features, culture, history and characteristics etc below!!

🔱 Main Features 🔱

Floating Trade Dock: A small village on the ocean surface, above the citadel. For trading purposes.​​​​

Zora OIympics: As a capital city they host grand sport events in their own stadium.

Grand Caeruleis Library: In the capital lies an awe-inspiring underwater library affiliated with their university. Philosophers, historians, alchemists, artists and scientists work and study here. One notable zora residing here is Sea-monster Specialist Niles.

Lumina Park: Like a botanical garden but underwater, where the plantlife are colourful glowing corals and seaweeds like in Subnautica.

Market: Huge market for food, artisan crafts, jewelry and other knickknacks

Cybele Statue: (lore @mochamart-tm) In the city plaza stands a statue of the Cybele leviathans Circa and Vellanora. Due to the reappearance of the Cybeles, the citadel occasionally provides offerings and prayers to their deities to continue being blessed by their protection. The biggest celebration is the return of the large Cybele Festival that now occurs once a year on the date the Cybele Circa reappeared. It's tradition for child zoras to weave garlands for the Cybele for this day.

Valley of The Fallen: A barren seabed of staked weapons (graveyard) honoring deceased soldiers.

Kelp forests / biomes: like you see in Subnautica

Twisting Tunnels: dangerous and fast currents flow through a labyrinth of tunnels. Very fun, but can give you some decent bruises if you're not careful.

Current Highways: like you see in Nemo lol, allows faster travel as they’re far away. Depending on the route you may need to travel with a Guardian Travel Leviathan!

Travel Guardians: Highly respected giant zora and leviathans who know the safe routes and travel with you. They keep tabs on creature territories and know how to negotiate passage if there's  any run ins.  E.g giant basking shark zora who vacuums up sea octoroks.  Some take mail with them!

The Big Conch: Tourist attraction. They say you can talk to an ocean god if you go inside of it, but it never answers. Actually worked in the far past, but that ocean deity is gone now. Rarely, some may hear whispers...

Statue of Volitan: This statue is located near the city garrison, a notable commander in the ancient past

Alliance specifics: Weaponry, auxiliaries, military aid, events, trade, underwater fantasy veg, knowledge, prosthetics, alchemy, sea monster management

🔱 Other 🔱

Accent: Cultivated Australian Accent

Depth: between the light zone and twilight zone.

Common regalia: anything is fine! Mainly it's whitegold, white gold palladium (14-18k), champagne stainless steel, bronze, red kelp, red or orange fabric, light blue/cyan gemstones and/or pearls, with shell shapes in the regalia. All waterproofed. Some stones have magic properties (water lol)

Social: Many don’t speak as formal as Zora’s Domain as they have no royalty. While being altruistic, protective, humble, food-driven and mighty, they tend to like spending time in mutual quietness (vibing). They have expressive hand/facial gestures, languidly flick their headtails and undulate/flare their fins. As there's much larger creatures than them in the open sea, they stick together and watch eachothers back, just like schools of fish. Toddler zora do infact school like fish.

Physique: Bigger lung capacity, may have bigger/more gills and not really used to walking on land (sore neck/back too on land due to less neck musculature that holds their head up out of water) More likely to be bioluminescent. Improved cold tolerance than land zora. (cannot withstand the arctic without cold resistance elixirs tho)

Diet: High fat thermal diet like Hearty Salmon, Mackerel, abalone etc as they swim aLOT. Also eat mussel, crustaceans and edible anemone. Low tolerance to land food (fiber/sugar/milk etc so they have their own fantasy underwater veg lol) Consuming Lantern Fish allows them to glow in dark areas of the ocean, like Cave Fish in-game

Stronger zora weapons: including underwater bow/harpoons.

Incubation: Their nursery for their eggs are nearby the city's hydrothermal vents (they call them Vent Springs), for the warmth and rich minerals they expel. Also where zora can rejuvenate.

Sonar communication: Other than verbal communication and signing, ocean zora have become adept at their own sonar clicks and tunes to communicate/locate eachother out of earshot. Whale/dolphin zora have greater range: they're ecolocators who can detect distant sea monsters.

Conch Shell Communication: Like a shellphone lol but the communication isn't that far!

Military headquarters: Only accessible through another currented tunnel network that only authorized officers know how to  navigate. The magic of the tunnel will spit anyone it deems an intruder back outside the walls or into a trap room.

Wedding traditions

seaweed-based packaging

Fin & Headtail Prosthetics: If ocean zora have these amputated, they will sink and wouldn’t be able to swim. Thus they've designed prosthetics. Esp bc soldiers can have accidents with aggro seamonsters.

Calamity: During this time Kahn was the General, and they were essentially cut off due to so many maliced leviathans blocking the route. Attempts to send auxiliaries and reinforcements were in vain despite their best efforts due to this. They also had their hands full with the Forbidden Sea taking advantage of the chaos. Many alliances were affected because of the calamity. Not long before the Calamity ended, Lionel became General, and Filomena was elected as Head Governess. Trade and reforming alliances resumed!

⚔️ History - story time ⚔️

Leviathan Cybeles, when there were more, were heavily worshiped in ancient times.. out of fear. Ancient Caeruleis zora had to relocate countless times from seamonsters or natural disasters (e.g coral bleaching), becoming cautious and territorial of large creatures that ate them, even of the cybele leviathans, who did not. Whether it was be cybeles themselves or by corrupt zora leaders, cybeles were imprisoned as threats. The Eastern Sea is dangerous. 

The cybeles were offered sacrifices, even zora sacrifices. These cybeles however did not eat them, and gained a collection of uneaten sacrifices over time. The sacrifices preferred to stay with the friendly cybeles anyway. Over time, cybeles became myth as rituals were lost. Remaining cybeles that hadn't been imprisoned yet had ventured away. The only remnants being forgotten temples, statues and ruins on the deep sea floor and in the Depths' waters. There may even be a fallen cybele lost there, who knows.

Now that Caeruleis is stronger and more fortified, current era Caerulian zora became more open and curious of ancient history and myths, which led to the search and release of deities. They are revered and loved by the ocean zora once more, while also atoning for their past.

Chief Commander Volitan: Having been accused of conspiracy/treason against the corrupt leaders for wanting change, they went as a sacrifice instead of execution. Some of his loyal soldiers also volunteered to be sacrificed. Seeing these cybeles as no threat, Volitan had an idea to form a secret platoon, who then overthrew the corrupt leaders with the released cybele by their side.

Return of the Cybele Circa (current era): Upon Lionel touching Volitan's staked glaive that called for him in effort to stop a war to end all wars with the Forbidden Sea, led by former General Kahn, a series of images flashed of a legendary leviathan, lost to time. The power within the glaive urged Lionel to take it as his. With Niles finding old folklore scriptures within the archives, they sought distant Shrine Priests and Priestesses of the cybeles who deciphered it to be a puzzle.

Taking a platoon with him, Lionel was dropped into the eye of the storm by a brave Rito to investigate. With the glaive's ancient stone, he had finally set her free. From then on the legend resurfaced, now being worshiped and provided offerings just like old times in exchange for her protection.

[kccinstitutes]

Cultural Extravaganza, Anugoonj 2024

On the inauguration of the biggest cultural extravaganza, Anugoonj 2024 Prelims Zone 2, an annual fest of GGSIPU hosted by the KCC Institute of Legal and Higher Education, a splendid array of diverse and vibrant cultural and artistic competitions took center stage.

The extraordinary day was marked by awe-inspiring performances, exceptional talent, and a palpable electrifying ambiance, particularly in the domains of Musical and Fine Art Events. The audience witnessed fierce competition in singing across various genres, including classical in both Hindustani and Carnatic styles, light vocal Indian music, and Western genres. The Battle of Bands added a thrilling dimension to the festivities, captivating the audience with its intensity.

The campus of the institute was further beautified by the incredible work of talented artists who participated in creative art contests, including on-the-spot painting, clay modeling, collage creation, and cartooning. Stunning rangoli designs adorned the surroundings, enhancing the overall atmosphere.

The day was nothing short of a memorable extravaganza, as excitement and enthusiasm charged the air, leaving a lasting impression on all those who were fortunate to be a part of this splendid occasion.

#kcc #kccinstitutes #kcciilhe #kccitm #ggsipu #ipuniversity #aktu #bba #bca #bajmc #bcomh #btech #greaternoida #Placements #Job #placement #mba #bballb #ballb #mtech

#KCC #Institutes #Greater #Noida

[crimezi]

okay so i was thinking about how the winners of the life series get assigned a celestial body that corresponds with their personalities

grian - the sun: the origin of life, an authority or divinity, that which everything revolves, light of the server, a ever burning source of shock and awe

scott - the stars: all the light that’s too far to reach, unchanging predictable path, always reliable, infinite and unattainable, a sort of destiny

pearl - the moon: that which inspires insanity, a constantly evolving and always present force, can change the tides, she’s got range <3

martyn - mars: the symbol of war for wars sake, rather easily manipulated despite his own knack for manipulation, ancient to the point of rusting, willing to betray everyone for a leg up in the terror

so i came up with at least my reasons for the rest >:3 i did my best to mix different symbolism and a few of them are more sound in their reasoning but i’m happy

mumbo - mercury: two sides of an extreme either too hot or too cold, constantly making insane twists in logic, a follower of sorts (he’s insane constantly in an out of control, seeks out information and spreads it around)

skizz- venus: the goddess of love <3, from afar a simple bright light but upclose the most volatile mix of elements, incapable of hosting life (he just wants to see everyone together but also he loves it when he’s given a reason to go a little crazy he’s so Aphrodite coded)

scar- earth: being returned to which sustains us, something something cycles and rebirth, potential, the roots that connect us, the feeling of stability and belonging, a strength that goes unnoticed (he is the flesh maggots adore, where would we be with out him)

gem- aurora borealis: the goddess of the dawn, circle of life, a connection to the dead, power and wonder (i only have so much to work with but also she is the embodiment of a spectacle the shimmering chaotic brightness and also dawn imagery is her thing)

bdubs- eclipses: a doom or foreboding sense of darkness, something so profound that can extinguish even the brightest light, seemingly inextricably connected livable chaos (bdubs is simultaneously very dark and very bright he’s always on edge and genuinely i think we should be more terrified of his ability to flip in a dime he’s very volatile and i love him)

jimmy - meteorshowers/shooting stars: gift from heaven, mystery beyond human comprehension, forces beyond control (boy falls so much, no but his brief but beautiful existence like transience, he moves so fast he burns himself always right before or at the beginning of the unravelling chaos)

cleo- ceres : the mother <3, death and rebirth, the rhythms of the seasons, fostering and adopting, unconditional love, all the issues of devotion, attachment, separation, sacrifice, loss and grief (big sad feelings every season, they always have a deep connection that’s brutally severed)

joel- jupiter: lonely despite all his efforts, all about improvement and good karma, lots of energy spent in forming relationships, calls forth miracles and changing fates, big eye for an eye vibes (he’s the big man!!, he’s always very focused on improving his game and making good deals but still incredibly stubborn)

etho- saturn: a very divorced married divorced planet, very focused in discipline and wisdom, lots of personal responsibility but can also represent shame and suffering (he’s got this very interesting balance going on between being very civil but also very anxious, i could study him for hours)

tango: uranus: hehehe, raw genius and eccentricity, upheaval and innovation hand in hand, out of balance a little rebellious!!! (tango is oops all unconventional ideas also he’s always better off in groups but his individuality and need to discover stop consistently leads him into unexpected sudden issues)

lizzie - neptune: the mystical realm the domain of dreams and delusions, always just a little to vague with intentions, idealism to a fault, a emphasis on creativity and intuition (she is confusion incarnate, listen everything about lizzie comes back to magic fairy shit)

bigb- pluto: a new approach and new perspective, the underbelly of emotions what lies beneath the surface, an unconscious mind exploring dark domains and cycles of harm, spirt over matter (listen bigb is the physical embodiment of ‘what happens if i exculswively go with the flow and just sorta stuble upon answers to questions nobody had?’ and i love him)

impulse- the void: all things ambiguous, the gap inbetween your real self and the replacement ego, incomprehensible emptiness (impulse always has like five facades up and behind all of that is nothing knowable there’s a gnawing sense of dread in all his seasons)

ren - supernova: an explosive transformation, change itself, unleashed potential, fusion in a strange and tragic ways, the afterlife, never ending chain of destinies (he’s just got so much energy he fucking exploded that’s why he’s not in the last 2 seasons he’s crazy powerful he’s just sets things in motion so often, he’s also very pretty <333)

okay i think all of that makes sense lmao

[to-myalphonse]

Sagau moments part 2~

These are just some moments I had in game. If you’re tired of my sagau ramblings feel free to ignore. I dont want to write sagau drabbles , but here’s some small stories that happened to me.

Childe boss fight

Me and someone we’ll call.. Ace were co-oping and were fighting Childe. I entered the domain, and suddenly he started targeting me. I ignored it of course and continued fighting until we reached the end. Once he went down, Ace mentioned that Childe usually only targets the host of the world not the 2nd player. I don’t know if this has happened to anyone but yeah.

Amber (weird voice over line)

One time I was trying to get a chest from one of the time limit red test things (I forgot the name of it at the moment). When I messed up the third time, Amber said this weird line “Aw, don't (incoherent words) it.” It sounded like she said, “Don’t jag it.” Which is something I completely don’t know. This isn’t an actual line in her voice over by the way, and she still says then sometimes when I use her. 

These stories aren’t that interesting, so sorry if they disappoint you~

@intothegenshinworld (sagau stories)

[willshipanything-blog]

Rules of the Game- Epilogue

Here it is. The final FINAL chapter. And I mean it this time! 😅

Thanks to everyone who's shown this fic some love, it's been so so appreciated! ♥

Short and Sweet epilogue, but tags still apply to the whole fic- detailed tags on AO3.

Full Chapter Index here

Read on AO3 here

Chapter 26- A Sense of Direction

The basement room had long since been abandoned. You imagined it decaying from disuse; mildew seeping in from the cracks in the walls, damp forcing its way through the cold stone via the thin glass plating of the small, grimy window. The old fashioned black rotary phone affixed to the wall concealed by layers of dust, obscuring the numbered dial. Mold speckling the damp mattress, housing only mites and fleas now. And in a dim corner, the knife lying untouched since being flung away in disgust, oxidizing in the damp air, rusted and forgotten. But these things were not seen; Al had sealed shut the metal door to that awful place, closing it one last time with a final thud and click. You could only imagine that room below you, though most days it was not a place that occupied your mind. 

Up the narrow staircase, the kitchen still hosted Naughty Girl on certain nights, when you gave the signal you were eager to play. You would commit a purposeful transgression, and would be duly punished. Normally, Al would take position in his chair and you retrieved the frowning mask, affixing it for him before giving yourself over to his sinful, wicked, gratifying whims. Submitting to his punishments and receiving pleasures alongside them. But currently, it was just the kitchen, dinner finished and dishes cleaned and drying out on the rack. A grocery list, in your handwriting, stuck to the refrigerator for Al; ingredients you’d need to cook tomorrow night’s dinner. 

Through to the lounge, where so little seemed to have changed since your arrival, but on closer inspection, almost everything had. No bicycle lock latched the door closed; it was redundant now, and only likely to cause suspicion for anyone who might knock. Plus, Max had mentioned he might be swinging by at some point, excited to hear about Al's new squeeze (Max's words, not his, according to Al). Books were littered across the room: a few on the sideboard next to the phone, a couple stuffed in the magazine rack, a small, ever-growing pile stashed under the coffee table. You’d seen to it that Al’s record collection had an update too, more vinyls from this decade sporadically placed between his 50s and 60s albums. And of course, the side table, which was more densely populated in recent weeks, a cluster of photographs instead of one lonely frame. The monochrome picture of Al and Max still stood there, but joined by two others now. An even older, sepia-toned photo of a young woman holding a young child- Al and his mother. You’d encouraged him to remember the good parts of his past. And, in a small square frame- just the right size to fit a polaroid print taken at home- a saturated picture of you and Al together. You wore a wide grin on your face, rivaling that of Max’s elated, buck toothed smile in the adjacent photo. Behind you, holding you from behind and pressing his face into your hair, obviously camera-shy, was Al. It was an odd angle (you hadn’t quite got the hang of holding the camera and taking a photo at the same time), but it was the best one you took after using the whole sleeve of instant films.

Down the hallway, at the end of the corridor, lay Al’s bedroom, your bedroom too, now. Your shared domain. It had become your favorite place to spend most evenings recently; the window to the back of the house was west-facing, you discovered, affording a perfect view of the distant Rockies just before dusk. Spring was gradually seeping into summer, and the view behind the mountains was getting more beautiful each evening. Heavy, rolling clouds gave way to the developing colors of sunset; lavender to lilac to mauve, before the sun gradually receded behind the Rocky Mountains. Although, by the time twilight arrived and the sky was painted an inky blue, you and Al had long since closed the curtains and found other things to focus your attentions on, better things to admire.

————————

You were reading by the late afternoon glow of another Denver sunset. It was Jane Eyre (the beautifully bound copy Al had gifted you for your birthday), and you were trying to finish your chapter before the last of the sun’s rays meandered away. Al was with you, of course; you were nestled snugly against him on the silky sheets of your shared bed. You had the book propped on your knees and were wrapped cozily in his blue cardigan that still smelled of cologne and smoke. The comforting smell hadn’t dissipated since he’d given you the jacket; you had a sneaking suspicion that he sprayed it every now and then, so you’d always have his scent near to you, even when he was away at work during most weekdays. 

Al stayed quiet so you could read in peace. You knew he enjoyed these tranquil moments just as you did; casually brushing his fingers through your hair, squeezing you gently (perhaps to check this was actually real, that you were really there with him). Enjoying the quiet, shared serenity of the late afternoon. The only sounds to be heard were rustling paper as you leafed through the pages of your book and low, intermittent hums that Al exhaled as he held you close to him.

You wondered if Al wasn't half snoozing, his breaths slow and deep. One hand entwined loosely in a lock of your hair; the other had found its way to your waist, where it rubbed rhythmic circles in your skin. 

“Something funny, dove?”

“Hmm?” you asked, having been lost in the words on the page. You closed the book and tilted your head to half-face him, a little tricky when you were leaning on his chest. Al placed a soft kiss on your temple as you turned before speaking again.

“I thought you laughed at something.”

“Oh. Um-” you stumbled a little “No- I wasn’t laughing. Just one of my favorite parts of the book.” You hadn’t realized, but you must have let out a soft exhale at the section you had just read. You thumbed back through the book to find where you were, blushing slightly before reading it aloud at Al’s suggestion.

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you.”

You sat for a moment in the stillness of the room, doused now in the last few minutes of sunlight. The book sat in your limp hands, those words seeming to burn a hole in the paper. Al was quiet too, as if both of you were sadly contemplating the quote. It seemed a stark contrast to your own story, diverging down a different road completely. You weren’t some brave heroine who always did the right thing, the conscionable thing. 

Unlike Jane, you were a bird, you were Al’s little dove. All his. And you had been ensnared in his net. By force at first, but now through your own choices, your own independent will. You were unsure how to feel about the passage. It was one of those unfortunate triggers, like when you’d read Griffin’s name on that card, or had seen that flash of rage in Al’s eyes, that reminded you of all the reasons you shouldn’t have stayed. But it was getting easier to forget the past, when the present (and the thought of the future) seemed so perfect. Each sunset marked the close of another day with Al, a beautiful marker that signified another day of being his. Of him being yours. Each other’s entirety. 

As if sensing your disquiet, Al grabbed you from behind, pulling you in closer to the heat of his body. His arms felt protective and you closed your eyes, sinking into the embrace. A comfort for the both of you; him, savoring you in his arms, his little bird. And you- safe and happy in the cage you had chosen to stay in. 

“Did she leave him? In the book?” Al questioned, whispering in your ear. He already knew the answer, but you obliged.

“No. She left for a while, but she knew she’d made a mistake. She knew she loved him. She went back.”

“A happy ending, then.” Al said. 

“Yes, a happy ending.” 

You thought a little more, still held tightly in his grip, and you smiled to yourself in the dimming light of the room. You had made a choice, had been given the opportunity to leave everything behind. To leave him. And you had chosen to stay. It wasn’t an easy choice, but you didn’t regret the decision you made all those weeks ago. It felt like the right choice after all. That burden, the guilt of the choices you’d made, you knew you’d carry with you forever. An inevitable consequence to your actions. But you hoped it was worth the cost. You had to believe it. 

Al rose from his position, and you shuffled to allow him to get up. He switched on the bedroom lamp before moving to draw the curtains. Dusk had come, ending another day together. But the night was only just beginning. Those heavy thoughts, those guilty feelings and questions you asked yourself- they were lost in the darkness. As if the setting sun, the closed curtains, kept them at bay, at least for a little while. 

“Did he punish her for leaving?” Al asked, his rumbling voice laced with an impish tone. He’d chosen his words carefully, and stalked back to the bed with a beautifully dangerous glint in his eyes. Just as the day had given way to night, his eyes too had darkened to that glistening onyx color. 

“No, he didn’t.” you said knowingly, placing the book on the nightstand beside the bed.

“Well, that doesn’t sound like much fun now, does it, dove?”

A playful titter escaped your lips. He climbed back onto the bed as you began to undress- his scent would be on you again soon enough. The game was resuming, and you both knew the rules by now. 

“My good girl. My precious dove. You’re not leaving, hm?”

“I’m right here, Al. I’m yours.”

[mvishnukumar]

What are Some Really Helpful Datasets for a Data Science Project?

When embarking on a data science project, the quality and relevance of your datasets are crucial. Several resources provide access to valuable datasets that can help you build and refine your projects:

Kaggle Datasets: 

Kaggle is a popular platform for data science competitions and provides a vast repository of datasets across various domains. From finance and healthcare to sports and social media, Kaggle’s datasets come with community discussions and kernels (code notebooks) that can be helpful for learning and experimentation.

UCI Machine Learning Repository: 

The University of California, Irvine, hosts a comprehensive collection of datasets used for empirical studies of machine learning algorithms. The repository includes datasets for classification, regression, clustering, and more, making it a valuable resource for academic and practical applications.

Google Dataset Search: 

Google’s dataset search tool helps you find datasets across the web. It aggregates data from multiple sources and provides access to datasets on a wide range of topics, making it a versatile tool for discovering new and relevant data.

Government Databases: 

Many governments provide open data portals that offer datasets on various topics such as economics, health, education, and public services. For example, the U.S. government’s data.gov and the UK’s data.gov.uk are rich sources of public data that can be used for analysis and research.

FiveThirtyEight:

Known for its data-driven journalism, FiveThirtyEight offers a range of datasets related to politics, sports, and other current events. These datasets are often used in conjunction with articles and analyses, providing context and insight.

AWS Public Datasets: 

Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides access to a wide array of public datasets through its cloud platform. These datasets cover various domains, including genomics, satellite imagery, and machine learning.

Utilizing these datasets can help you practice data cleaning, analysis, and visualization, and build a strong portfolio of projects. Each source offers unique advantages, so selecting the right dataset depends on the goals and scope of your project.

To learn more drop the message.

[getinthehandbasket]

This blog is AO3-positive

Friendly reminder:

If you think AO3 is awful and people donating need to die, go to hell, etc. - get the fuck off my Tumblr.

If you think AO3 is doing something with whatever "extra money" you think they have - get the fuck off my Tumblr.

If you think you need to "pay content creators directly" instead of supporting AO3 - get the fuck off my Tumblr.

AO3 exists for a reason. It's an ARCHIVE. It's not here for your political agenda. It's not here to alleviate your icky feelings. It's not here to only host you-approved content. It is here as an ARCHIVE. It is here as a NON-PROFIT. It does not allow things that are illegal in the US. It does not host CP. It hosts words. If you find any actual CP, not written words, please fucking report it.

Fanfic writers are not "content creators". We do not create "content" for you to consume. We do not (or at least legally cannot) make money off of our writing. We cannot use someone else's IP that is not in the public domain to make money. That is illegal. We also do not create things necessarily for your consumption. This is not a capitalist creator/consumer place.

You know what AO3 does with any money that isn't needed to cover their current bills? They use it to invest in their own infrastructure, to pay for professionals to come fix things or build new things, to pay for the lawyers' time when it's needed to defend YOUR constitutional right (according to the US constitution, since it's based in the US) to free speech. They don't make profit off this. No one is getting bonuses, or perks, or (in 99.9% of cases; the .01% have pretty much been already listed above) even a salary/paycheck!

You wanna go back to the bad old days? Fine, stay off AO3. You want to make your own archive where you can enforce your own rules? Feel free. You can even use AO3's existing code, as it's open-source and available to all! You want to make money off of your fanfic? Good fucking luck with that, I hope you can afford lawyers. Or don't mind filing off the serial numbers to publish it as original fic. Because no one noticed that Twilight was bad Harry Potter fic, that 50 Shades was bad Twilight fic, that the Mortal Instruments series was bad Harry Potter fic. Nope, absolutely no one.

[ettawritesnstudies]

Trick or treat!

Happy Halloween! Treat! this part is from Runaways but its spooky because its a villain chapter

The White Witch makes her entrance riding on a chariot of ice, carried by a blustry wind that makes everyone shiver. She’s serene, but everyone knows her wailing is the shrillest of her hosts. Her wind is driven by a ghost with a glowing pumpkin head. His name is Jack, and he’s an awful prankster. The Taken has taken far too many snowballs to the face to trust him anymore, and she pinches her nose against his nipping. She never learned his whole story, and she never wants to know. Behind them trail the calvary. Her wards are an eclectic mix. A few are lost children. She lures them away by promises of sweets and royal treatment, but freezes their hearts instead until they're as cold as she is. Most are adults though, taken for their arrogance or vanity, hearts already as hard and brittle as ice. They’re called the Wild Hunt, and every winter, they tear through the night sky, terrorizing the world with their screams and taunts. Some ride emaciated horses, others just run in a pell-mell sprint. All of them have blackened frostbitten fingers and toes. The Taken would never admit to spending those nights, curled in terror in the smallest corner of her cell, hoping that she doesn’t catch their attention. It’s known that the Unseelie Court makes a game out of playing for keeps with their wards, and if she’s stolen away to another domain, she’ll be trapped with that guardian forever.

[loosiusgoosius]

If I disappear from society, don't be surprised.

I am so so so tired of capitalism.

For Christmas I got a Raspberry Pi. The goal was to host my own website off it. This was entirely for fun.

Step one: set up raspberry Pi so I can host a site on it. Easy. Ubuntu is free (thank fuck), I know how to set it up, but hold on! According to xfinity, I cannot change dmz or dms rules on their router. I can't even REQUEST it. I can't even use a workaround because I'm not allowed to edit the port forward that was automatically added to my router. I dig through years old forums and find out that this is because I'm using the modem provided by xfinity. I now have to buy a new modem from xfinity's "approved list".

Step two: get a domain. I swim through 4 million outrageous prices that say shit like "pay $0.01 for the first year!" with the text below saying "with purchase of 3 year agreement". I finally get to godaddy and am able to convince the stupid checkout to give me 1 year of my domain (after, of course, it corrected my awful mistake to 3 years and, if I hadn't been hyper-vigilant, I wouldn't have noticed. I have to dig through 5 pages in settings to find a way to turn off auto pay because I know better by now. While I'm there I also turn off all email notifications, which were all automatically on. It also didn't tell me that I can't transfer my domain outside of godaddy for 60 days, so I just essentially paid for something I can't use for 2 months. Great. (out of curiosity, I dug through godaddy for some time. The 60 day thing appears nowhere except on the help center page when specifically searching for it.)

Step three: create a site. WordPress, once my most beloved website creation software, now slams subscription fees on me like cardi B audios on teenager girls's tiktoks. Unrelenting. Bloodthirsty. I power through to just get past "let AI design your site!" and "pick one of our patterns" so I can reach the point where I can edit the template. I already have a free template zip file. I drop it in the box. "wait!" says WordPress, in a screen-covering popup "upgrade to the creator plan to access the theme install features!" I click the only button on the screen. It takes me IMMEDIATELY to a filled out checkout page. WordPress Creator is $300 per year. Per. Year.

I read through the "features included with your purchase" to see things like "sftp/SSH certificates", "github deployments", "free staging site", and "install plugins and themes". All of these were free 5 years ago. "Save 20% by paying for two years!" No, I don't think I will.

Out of pure spite against the demon that is modern capitalism, I'm teaching myself html and css. I would kiss the creator of w3schools on the mouth, right after I kiss the creator of Ubuntu. I'm so angry. The internet is useless now.

[cea-tide]

So I have been using Windows mail for ages—mostly because I never looked into e-mail clients before. I probably should have long ago, given it is owned by Microsoft. (I still need to switch to Linux, but haven't had time to really look into it. You'll probably see another post about that when I finally do.)

Anyhow, Microsoft is forcefully migrating all Windows Mail (and Calendar) users to Outlook right now, to retire the aforementioned programs before the end of the year. Apparently Outlook is showing ads in the inbox though, which I do not look like at all, so I started hunting for other e-mail clients.

I stumbled upon Thunderbird, a free donation-based e-mail client that is part of the Mozilla Foundation (the same non-profit that owns Firefox). It is for all major OS's, so I can use it on Linux too when I switch. That also means it is mostly a similar privacy policy as you are used to with Firefox. It does share your IP address with AWS (Amazon), as it uses that for its CDN. And it also shares some info with Gandi.net and Mailfence if you create an e-mail address via Thunderbird, as those two are the mail server hosts it is partnered with. It is also most notably open source, so you can look at the code yourself if you want.

So I set that up on my desktop computer and laptop, and took a little while to import all my e-mail accounts, mails, and set all settings to my preferences. I won't bore you with the details unless you want them, so I will put those under the cut. I did not succeed in importing my Gmail account, but all my other accounts are linked. There's not much of importance on my Gmail account anyway—only Facebook spamming my inbox; I need to delete that account again, hopefully for good this time...

I digress. So what's next? It is one less link to Microsoft, but I still own 2 hotmail (Microsoft) accounts, which means I am still using their servers for all my e-mail traffic. The next step would thus be to use a different e-mail domain. I could use some other mail hosting server (I heard ProtonMail was decent? There's a free tier too.), but there's another option for me too.

Now I do have a Arduino Uno that I still haven't used, so I theoretically could link a subdomain of mine (like mail.<domain> or something) to that device with some port forwarding sprinkled in, and have it function as my own e-mail hosting. Almost no extra costs involved as I am already paying for the domain name. Since I then own the mail server, I could also have unlimited e-mail accounts link to the same inbox. E.g. etsy.<user>@<domain> and patreon.<user>@<domain> would both go to the <user>@<domain> inbox. It's useful when you want to know which company leaked your e-mail to scammers. That's all for a later follow-up though, as that's a distant goal for now.

So you want the details?

Here are some preferences and settings you'll likely want to set when setting up Thunderbird.

First of all, some settings are hidden in the menu bar (made visible with the alt key), that is hidden by default. To make it visible at all times, right click in the empty space at the top and enable "Menu bar" in the context menu that appears.

Privacy settings

Go to the settings under the Privacy & Security tab. For starters, you'll probably want to disable allowing remote content by default (used as read receipts by certain websites), disable allowing cookies, enable sending the DNT signal, and enable the scam alert. The rest can be changed as you see fit; I mostly left that alone.

Dark mode & addons

If you're like me and want that sweet dark mode for your e-mails, you can add an add-on (just like you would in Firefox). To do that, go to settings and click on the "Add-ons and Themes" button in the bottom left. For dark mode I use the add on Dark Reader, but you can use whatever you want. You can copy that link into the address bar of Thunderbird.

Adding another account

To add another account, click on "File" in your menu bar (see above for how to make that appear), and then "New > Existing Email Account". Follow the instructions where needed.

There are other settings and things, but you'll probably want to explore those yourself.