#from action 327

[blorb-el]

this is my absolute favorite lettercolumn i have encountered so far.

inspired by B. L. Bogema Jr’s diligent computations, i googled bulk peanut butter costs ($61.44/35lb) and today, purchasing 1,750 tons of PB would cost over 6 million dollars. which, yes, is, i think, more than reporters are paid

[teriri-sayes]

Reactions to The Incomprehensible's Chapter 327

Brief summary: Cale's plate is broken. Source of the world saves Cale and repairs his plate. Cale briefly sees the true appearance of the ancient powers. Aipotu is revived.

==========

We now had actual confirmation that Cale's plate was broken. Mila was cursing as she tried to fix it, but CH could tell that she was scared of Cale dying. Even CH felt helpless upon feeling Cale's body that was getting colder. Only Ron remained calm and wiped the blood off Cale's face.

Meanwhile, Cale's anger and annoyance at DHB's sacrifice was what kept Cale from losing consciousness. Fortunately, the Source of the World came to Cale's rescue, infusing him with the power of life, as well as using Cale as an air purifier... 😂

Amidst the brilliant pillar of light that enveloped him, Cale's body and plate was healed and upgraded??? The reactions of the ancient powers to Cale's upgrades were hilarious though. 🤣🤣🤣

SR: What? This, huh? This is getting bigger than I thought. Fire to VoH: Hey, hey! Youngest, if this continues, won't Cale's plate be in a problem? SEW: What problem! You piece of shit! It's a good thing! We're fighting gods, not dragons, so we need to strengthen it to this extent! Shield: Mmm. This tastes better than the source of the world. Everyone: silent at glutton's words Shield: munching the life power of the source of the world DA: …I'm scared…

Our poor cowardly DA, scared of all the APs... 😂😂😂

But during Cale's plate upgrade, he managed to get a glimpse of what the ancient powers looked like:

Vitality of the Heart - an elderly man with a sobbing face

Indestructible Shield (glutton priestess) - a woman who looks like a young girl

Sound of the Wind (the thief) - a middle-aged woman with both eyes closed

Fire of Destruction - A jovial, playful-looking young man

Sky-Eating Water - a woman with a pure impression but a disgruntled face

Super Rock - a hulking, rigidly built man who reminded one of a rock itself.

Unfortunately, DA never got a physical description. 🙁 And Wind seems to be taller than Shield because she patted Shield's head.

Air Purifier Cale's appearance though... 😂

There was Cale. And there was a great energy radiating out from him, a stream of light, a pillar of light, stretching out into the world. And the air was so refreshing, warm, cool, and clear, yet also cold, hot, and chilling. It was like- "Yes. This is nature." Heavenly Demon said to himself as he looked at the marvelous sight. Then he heard the voice of a man in his ear. "The world-" No. "It's returning." His enemy, the dragon, gasped. "The world is returning to normal." I didn't have to hear the voice to know it. The world is being redefined. A return to the way things should be. It could only mean one thing. Something they wanted so badly. The white snake of the beast people, Wisha, cried out, unable to contain her excitement. "The world is coming to life!" Aipotu is coming back to life. And we live, too. No, we can live more. In this place.

Is this the birth of God Cale's legend? The birth of Caleism in Aipotu? And with Cale rejuvenating Aipotu, will he be known as some sort of creator god? 😂

Clopeh-nim, where are you? Are you recording this now? Please record it! Cale is now one more step closer to godhood! Slacker life? What's that? 🤣🤣🤣

Ending Remarks Ah, the flags of God Cale keeps multiplying. 😂 Next chapter will be about the aftereffects of Cale and the source of the world's actions. The Aipotu arc is finally reaching its end.

[cyanide-cafe]

REAL ALARM

Z-327, nickname "REAL ALARM", codename [REDACTED], real name Clayton Nebula.

Clayton, and his companion, Nouvel, were released when Z-13 opened their cell during the events that caused the Hadal Blacksite to proceed to the Expendable program.

Z-327 is thought to be highly dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Clayton was aggressive to some extent pre-experimentation, as he was accused of 23 separate cases of kidnapping, manslaughter, and defiling human remains via cannibalism. Only one case was proven to his name, but with the 22 other missing persons, they were assumed to be his other victims. It is expected that with his current form he has resumed these activities to a much more violent extent. His partner- both in crime and in marriage- was imprisoned as well.

327 and 326 were held in the same containment cell [as they were previously wedded and were docile pre-experimentation] and had the same line of experiments commit on both of them. Clayton is comprised of stonefish, pacific dragonfish, moray eel, goblin shark, and, of course, human DNA. Refer to Nouvel / False Alarm's document for their DNA lineage.

Their experiments were used to test genetic differences and how it would result their finalized forms.

327 is an ambush predator, and 326 has been seen scaring [3 or more] individuals towards 327, allowing him to successfully capture and kill one or more expendables. When sighting 326, it is best to inspect nearby vents and dark areas for the light glow emitted by his fins and eyes.

However, if 326 is passive, 327 will give expendables cryptic hints on monsters sighted in the next 5 rooms, like "Keep a hiding place in sight." or "Don't look into its eyes."

327 is capable of swimming extremely quickly, and can often be seen exploring around the minefields slowly and carefully. He is entirely passive while exploring the minefields, but may occasionally press his hands against the glass, staring at any expendables that walk past. If a player stares back, he will wave, before returning to exploration.

On rare occasions, if an expendable makes the mistake of flashing him while he's exploring the minefields, Clayton will retreat before the minefield detonates, causing any expendables inside the room to die instantly.

ADDENDUM: Gametes were harvested from both subjects to test if a viable Zygote would be produced. It seems that despite their differences in species, Urbanshade's science division was capable of creating viable offspring between the two's.. charitable donation of gametes. Offspring Z-327-326-1 was seemingly terminated after confirmation of its health, as its file is incomplete.

ADDENDUM: Nouvel [Z-326] was found to be innocent [via monitored conversations between 327 and 326] past the mutation point of no return. They were to receive elevated status, but the blacksite fell before they were able to be moved to a different location.

ADDENDUM: Clayton [Z-327] was found to be innocent [via monitored conversations between 327, 326, and various staff] on the 22 other cases of kidnapping and cannibalism, though the singular outlying case he confessed to committing, saying that he knew he would have been accused anyway, so he had to hide the evidence somehow. Nouvel asked whether or not they had been fed human remains, which Clayton avidly denied, saying that he had only eaten very little of the victim before being revolted by his own actions, dumping the rest of the body elsewhere.

Due to the fact that he had still commit the singular crime of defiling a human body via cannibalism, and not kidnapping or murder, he was not to be elevated alongside Nouvel.

[Nouvel is owned by @novasolstarr!]

[shiyorin]

The Inquisitor knows about yandere astartes, it won't end well

Inquisitor [REDACTED] report on yandere Astartes (????)

+++ CLASSIFICATION: [LOCK]

+++ CLEARANCE: Obsidian

+++ ENCRYPTION: [LOCK]

+++ DATE: 327.M38

+++ AUTHOR: Inquisitor [REDACTED], Ordo Malleus 

+++ SUBJECT: INVESTIGATION INTO SUSPECTED GENEFLAW AFFECTING ADEPTUS ASTARTES SUBJECTS ACROSS ALL CHAPTERS AND FOUNDINGS

+++ EYES ONLY HIGHEST TRANCHESINQUISITORIAL CASE FILE [EXCISED]

Summary of Findings:

Initial reports of this suspected "Geneflaw" first reached my conclave several terran years ago. Astartes assets deployed to war zones began exhibiting highly erratic behaviors and perverse compulsions unbecoming of the Emperor's finest warriors.

Behavioral divergences included:

Unnatural emotional outbursts and loss of emotional mastery

Uncontrollable sexual urges and deviant acts

Possessive, clingy behaviors violating sacred chains of command

Irrational self-destructive and anti-imperial actions driven by object fixations

At first, these cases seemed sporadic and isolated across different Chapters. However, as more deplorable incidents piled up, a clear pattern emerged. Something grievous had gone wrong on a fundamental level.

Excerpted examples of documented cases:

[REDACTED] - BLOOD ANGELS CHAPTER Audio log of Sanguinary Priest [REDACTED]

"Some dark curse has been visited upon our Chapter. A growing number of my battle-brothers have become… afflicted with wanton hungers. No mere physical needs, but all-consuming fixations on certain mortals within our care."

"They will stop at nothing to "claim" these individuals for themselves, body and soul. Any attempt at intervention results in unthinkable acts of disobedience and violence…"

[SAMPLE ENDS]

[REDACTED] - BLACK TEMPLARS CHAPTER Thought downloading from captured Chaplain [REDACTED] upon interrogation

"The time for restraint is at an end. I can bear this throbbing in my soul no longer! She must know the depth of my unfettered desire, the fever pitch of my infatuation. If she does not return these longings, I shall shatter worlds until the God-Emperor take pity!"

*Interrogator's Note: [NEUTRALIZE]

[REDACTED] - EXCORIATOR CHAPTER Recorded pict-captures from helm-cams during incursion on [REDACTED]

-Extreme Battlefield Fraternization between crusaders and human auxiliaries -Acts of exhibitionism and self-mutilation by crusaders -Systematic execution of any battle-brother expressing disgust at above actions -Final pict: [REDACTED]

The list of astartes goes on. Worse, there appear to be no patterns in age, founding, homeworld or even primarch genealogy. These repulsive behaviors are emerging across every Adeptus Astartes chapter at random. The Imperium teeters on the brink of an catastrophic, gene-coded crisis.

Research into potential countermeasures and remedies continues. However, my conclusions thus far firmly advocate an extreme response to contain this threat.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1) Immediate executions for any Astartes subject exhibiting Geneflawed behaviors. No exceptions.

2) Full and systematic extinction-level viral bombings against all potentially compromised Chapters and fleets.

3) Pre-emptive destruction of all Astartes gene-seed repositories, along with any Adeptus Mechanicus factions and forge worlds implicating in its creation or study.

Only through the complete erasure of this genetic stock can the essence of the Adeptus Astartes be preserved for the inevitable darkness yet to come.

The Emperor's work must be done, no matter how abominable the means required.

I await your tribunal's final judgment on this matter.

Thought for the Day: "There is nothing to be gained through mercy, only fleeting weakness and eventual damnation."

-Inquisitor [REDACTED]

[aroeddiediaz]

20 questions for fic writers

Tagged by @cal-daisies-and-briars , @jesuiscenseedormir , @diazsdimples

How many works do you have on ao3?

27!

What's your total ao3 word count?

61,537

What fandoms do you write for?

Currently I’m pretty much exclusively a 9-1-1 writer, but in the past I wrote a lot of Flarrowverse (do they still call it that?). I also have published fics for Fantastic Beasts and a few anime (Given, Haikyuu, Saiki K). Given the number of Bnha wips i have locked away in the vault it’s amazing I don’t have anything published for that.

Top 5 fics by kudos:

(I am omitting all the Flarrowverse fics in my top 5 on the basis that they were written in high school and I’ve changed as a person, and they probably only beat out on the numbers due to being up for years longer)

1. Kabe-Do’s and Kabe-Don’ts (Given, 861 kudos)

2. You’re Not Special (Saiki K, 598 kudos)

3. How Eddie Learned To Stop Worrying And Embrace The Kitten Life (9-1-1, 327 kudos)

4. The Boy Formerly Known As Miracle (Haikyuu, 277 kudos)

5. Under The Hood (9-1-1, 275 kudos)

Do you respond to comments?

Yes!! As many as I can!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

This probably has to be The Crimes of Queenie Goldstein, in which Queenie is put on trial for her actions during the war. Don’t @ me but Queenie turning traitor was bu far the most interesting part of the Crimes of Grindelwald (the only interesting thing, really). There could be such an interesting story between her and Tina if only JKR would let the movies out of her grasp.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Fuck, idk if I have a happiest ending fic, a lot of them tend to not have that much story arc. (A lot of established relationship fluff or smut lmao). I guess if I had to pick one it would probably be How Eddie Learned To Stop Worrying and Embrace The Kitten Life.

Do you get hate on fics?

Not since that one anti-olicity fic that I wrote while deep in the trenches of Flarrowverse discourse, which I totally deserved :/. I have regrets. Also I should probably orphan/delete that one if I haven’t already. In my defense, high school. I have learned.

Do you write smut?

Yea lol. I think my 9-1-1 stuff has been almost exclusively smut. Idk how it happened. (I do know how it happened smut is fun to write)

Craziest crossover?

I haven’t published any of my crossover fics :( none of them have been complete enough. I have many many unfinished RotBTD wips that have never seen the light of day though.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Who would steal my stuff? Lol

Have you ever had a fic translated?

One time someone offered to translate one of my fics into Russian but idk if that ever actually happened.

Have you co-written a fic before?

Nope

All time favorite ship?

Right now definitely Buddie! Percabeth holds a special place in my heart though <3

What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Ok. After the end of the Heroes of Olympus Series, but before Trials of Apollo was announced, I tried my own hand at writing the sequel that was clearly coming based on all the loose threads in the final book. It was going to be a Solangelo quest to save the Oracle of Delphi from Python, while Akhys tries to poison Percy to turn him into an evil god(?). Half the details have been lost and I desperately want to remember them, because I haven’t attempted anything nearly as cool or ambitious since then. The first 5 chapters are posted on my ao3 (Will Solace and the Oracle’s Cry) and I still think high school me had the most interesting characterization of Will out of everyone else on the internet at the time. Even if it is still very 2015.

What are your writing strengths?

I think I’m good at getting into the heads of different characters. Understanding their motives and weaknesses.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Editing.

Lmao I have a lot of weaknesses but I definitely struggle the most with trying to look back on or change things I’ve already written, even when it’s necessary.

Also my tendency to just drop fics if I stop working on them for too long. Rip to my wip graveyard.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

That’s a minefield I’m not willing to play in. Unless it’s Chinese. Very limited amounts of Chinese. Or like, a pet name or phrase that’s already ubiquitous in fandom so I’m not risking anything.

First fandom you wrote in?

Percy Jackson!! That Will Solace quest is the first thing I ever wrote! I definitely had a tendency to jump into the deep end with new hobbies lmao. Like my first ever cosplay that took me 3 years to complete.

Favorite fic you've written?

I think my favorite fic is always going to be the one I’m currently working on writing. But I am very proud of the silly little dramatic ironies in In Hindsight, which I wrote entirely over one long lunch the day after 7x04 broke me. Also I have to shoutout Teacher’s Pet, that one ruler spanking fic nobody ever reads because it’s Eddie/Ana lmao. I enjoyed putting in a bunch of tiny incompatibilities between them. So, uh, I guess my favorite thing in my own writing is dramatic irony?

Tagging: @aspecbuddie @pirrusstuff @jesuisici33 @steadfastsaturnsrings @lemonzestywrites @your-catfish-friend @inkmortal-trash389 @evanbegins s @wildlife4life @eddiebabygirldiaz @epicbuddieficrecs @kitteneddiediaz @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @coatedpanda16 @nicotinewrites @estheticpotaeto @babytrapperdiaz @snowviolettwhite @wikiangela

[whumpy-daydreams]

Psychiatric evaluation

Masterlist

Previous

CW: military whump, past captivity, dehumanisation, brief reference to self harm

The last day of 327's isolation came with a heavy feeling. They'd passed Whumper's test (they hoped), but today was their psychiatric evaluation.

They'd had psych evals before - more than any other weapon in the entire division - but that never made it easier. Each one was a black mark on their record. A sign that they were broken.

The thought made it hard to eat but 327 finished their breakfast anyway. Not doing so would only prove they couldn't follow orders.

327 made their penultimate walk from the cells to their unit's quarters. They were used to the stares they got from the other soldiers, the whispers and contempt. They weren't as used to being accompanied by two guards.

It wasn't a good look. A weapon who couldn't follow commands was a liability, something that only proved to the regular soldiers that they were things to be controlled rather than valuable teammates.

327 supposed it was why they were never shackled when being escorted. Too imply that it was just a formality and not because they were dangerous to other people.

They were grateful none of the other weapons were around to see them be taken to the General's office. 327 saluted at the three people in front of them as the guards left.

"Sit down." The General's face was void of emotion, a indecipherable mask of professional calm. "State your rank and service number for the record."

"Corporal, E3AR2-27."

"327," the psychiatrist began, "this psychiatric evaluation is following the events of operation xenon. Please describe your actions at the end of that mission."

"During the evacuation of civilians squad we were given orders to return immediately to the evacuation point. I disobeyed those orders to assist wounded civilians, resulting in my capture by the enemy." 327 kept their voice as neutral as possible as they spoke, running through the events they had played over and over in their mind.

"Why did you disobey those orders?"

"At the time I believed my commanding officer did not have access to the same information as me." The words were chosen carefully, truthful yet... detached.

"What information did you have that your commanding officer didn't?"

"I believed that the preservation of civilian life was still possible within the time frame given."

"Do you often believe you have information your commanding officers don't?"

"No, sir." It wasn't that 327 didn't think they lacked information, they just disagreed with the best course of action.

"While imprisoned by the enemy did you reveal any information?"

"No, sir."

"They had access to your armour. Do you believe they gained any information about that technology?"

"I am unaware of any information they may have discovered and later eliminated all hostiles at the site to prevent the spread of information."

"Do you believe you made the right decision to disobey orders?"

"No." It wasn't entirely true. 327 knew there had been other options for the situation at hand, regardless of what they knew at the time. And yet they wished they'd followed the orders anyway.

"Did you experience any emotional dysregulation prior to the mission?"

"No, sir." Emotional dysregulation. 327 knew what they meant by that. No, they hadn't felt any emotions. No, they hadn't hurt themselves in an attempt to feel anything.

"And have you experienced any in the last month?"

"No, sir."

"What is your relationship with 305 and 323?"

327 blinked. "They're my team, sir."

"Would you say you're close to them?"

"We... maintain a strong bond so that we're able to work well together." 327 struggled to find the right words. They hadn't expected any questions about their team.

"If given the order to neutralise a member of your team, would you be able to complete the task?"

327 frowned. "I don't understand, sir."

"If a member of your team became an active threat, would you be able to neutralise them?"

No. Their team was like family. They were family. Thoughts raced through 327's mind. Scenarios where 305 or 323 were trying to kill them, how the order to eliminate them would sound...

"Yes, sir." 327 knew it was the right answer, even if they didn't believe it.

"This interview is concluded, 327 you will be returned to your cell while we review your evaluation. If cleared for active duty you will be returned to barracks tomorrow."

They didn't need to say what would happen if 327 wasn't cleared. They just hoped they'd done enough to avoid it.

[nitpickrider]

Boys, I know that you're saying she's a criminal from the Nth Dimension or whatever. But this is an American courtroom. And NONE of that shit is evidence unless the court gets told exactly how it works Action Comics 327

[bratshaws]

through the hourglass 359.brb x oc

a/n: AUGH, he's so beautiful !!(comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none uwu

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/

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(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! )

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @novastories @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix @lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2

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-

Her husband had many talents.

He could play several instruments.

He was funny.

He was great for quick fixes!

He could also drink water angrily.

She looks up at him as she fills her own bottle, the gym had more people now and Rooster took on himself to stay close to her at every second they were there. Ever since she told him about the women…well,he was never one to hide when he hated someone. “Roos.” she whispers, “Baby, you look ready to murder someone while drinking water.”

Rooster glanced up from his water bottle, he swallowed the water in his mouth with a deliberate gulp, the muscles in his jaw tensing with controlled restraint.

"Sorry, Bea," he replied, his tone light yet tinged with underlying tension. "Just...keeping an eye on things, you know?"

Beatrice nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She appreciated Rooster's protective instincts, even if they sometimes manifested in seemingly mundane actions like drinking water. "I know, Roos," she murmured, her voice soft with affection. "But you don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself."

Rooster's gaze softened at Beatrice's words, his fingers intertwining with hers as he leaned in closer to her. "I know you can, gorgeous," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I just...I don't want anything to happen to you."

She leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to his cheek. "I know, Roos," she whispered, her breath warm against his skin. "And I appreciate it more than you know. They walked away, they didn’t even notice us."

Rooster smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing a bit at Beatrice's reassurance. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead before pulling away, his gaze however, was still scanning the gym for any signs of trouble.

"Come on," he said, his voice gentle yet firm. "Let's finish our workout and get out of here."

“What’s the next thing you want to do,Roos?”

He glanced around the gym, his mind racing with possibilities before settling on an idea.

"Well," he began, his voice contemplative, "how about we hit the weights next? I could use a good strength training session, and I could show you a few exercises too if you're interested."

Beatrice smiled at Rooster's suggestion, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. "That sounds great," she replied eagerly, her excitement evident in her voice. "I've been wanting to try out some new exercises, and having you there to guide me would be perfect."

“Oh you stop it.” he murmurs,kissing her lips softly, “You are too cute for your own good. You know I wouldn’t mind.”

Beatrice giggled at Rooster's wods, her heart fluttering with warmth as. She leaned into his kiss,  "Alright, alright," she teased, her voice light with amusement. "No need to butter me up, Roos. Let's hit the weights before you start getting too charming."

Rooster chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he stood up from the bench, offering Beatrice a hand to help her up. "As you wish, gorgeous," he replied, his tone playful. "But just remember, you asked for it."

With a shared grin, Beatrice and Rooster made their way over to the weightlifting area of the gym, the sound of clanging metal and grunting exertion filling the area. Rooster selected a pair of dumbbells and demonstrated the proper form for a bicep curl, his movements smooth and controlled as he lifted the weights with ease.

Beatrice watched intently, her eyes focused on Rooster's muscular arms as he performed the exercise. She admired the way his muscles flexed and bulged with each repetition, and she couldn’t look away.

"Your turn, gorgeous," Rooster said, setting down the dumbbells and offering them to Beatrice with a smile. "Give it a try."

“Hm?What?” Beatrice blinked, momentarily lost in the mesmerizing sight of Rooster's muscles. She shook her head slightly, refocusing her attention on the task at hand. "Oh, right," she replied, a sheepish grin spreading across her face. "Sorry, got a little distracted there."

Rooster chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he handed the dumbbells to Beatrice. "No worries, gorgeous," he said, his tone light and teasing. "Just remember to keep your form steady and controlled, and you'll do great." and he leans his elbow against the wall and his bicep flexes again.

Evil.

Beatrice noddedand she positioned herself to begin the exercise. She took a deep breath, focusing all her energy on her biceps as she lifted the dumbbells with deliberate precision.

At first, the weights felt heavy in her hands, and Beatrice struggled to maintain her balance. But with each repetition, she found her rhythm, slowly,her muscles growing stronger and more accustomed to the movement.

Rooster watched on with pride, his gaze never leaving Beatrice as she powered through her set. “Atta girl, that’s my girl, you are doing great!”

“Y-Yea?”

“Yeah.” he smiles, “You are doing amazing.”

Beatrice's confidence soared at Rooster's encouraging words, a sense of accomplishment washing over her as she continued to lift the dumbbells with determination. With each repetition, she felt her muscles burning with exertion, but she pushed through the discomfort.

As she completed her set, Beatrice set the dumbbells down with a satisfied smile, her chest heaving. She glanced up at Rooster, her eyes shining with pride. "How was that?" she asked, her voice tinged with excitement.

Rooster grinned, his eyes alight with admiration. "That was amazing, gorgeous," he replied, his tone filled with genuine warmth. "You've got some serious strength in those arms."

"Thanks, Roos," she said, her voice soft with gratitude. "I couldn't have done it without your guidance."

Rooster reached out, gently cupping Beatrice's cheek in his hand. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Bea," he murmured, his thumb brushing against her skin. "You're stronger than you think."

Beatrice leaned into Rooster's touch, savoring the warmth of his hand against her cheek. She closed her eyes, relishing in the quiet intimacy of the moment, grateful to have Rooster by her side.

After a moment, Rooster reluctantly withdrew his hand, a playful glint in his eyes. "Alright, enough mushy stuff," he teased, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "Let's see what else you've got."

Beatrice laughed, the sound light and carefree. "I'm ready for the next challenge."

“Good.”

They turn around just in time to see the two women on the machine they wanted to use. Normally, Bea wouldn’t…care. But her husband was angry, so he was going to deal with that…”Come with me gorgeous.”

Beatrice followed Rooster's lead, her heart pounding with anticipation ,she could sense the tension radiating off Rooster, his jaw clenched with frustration as he prepared to confront the women.

As they reached the machine, she stood beside Rooster, her gaze steady as she braced herself for whatever was about to unfold.

"Excuse me," Rooster said firmly, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. "We were waiting to use this machine. Do you mind if we take turns?"

The two women glanced up, their expressions shifting from indifference to annoyance as they took in Rooster's imposing figure. Beatrice held her breath, waiting for their response, her heart pounding in her chest.

One of the women rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. "Sorry, handsome," she replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "We're kind of in the middle of something here. Maybe you can come back later? Wait…oh you are the cute pilot."

Rooster's jaw tightened at the woman's flirtatious tone, his expression hardening with annoyance. He glanced at Beatrice before turning back to the women with a forced smile.

"We're actually in a bit of a hurry," he replied, his tone firm but polite. "So if you wouldn't mind, we'd appreciate it if you could finish up here."

The second woman scoffed, her eyes narrowing with irritation. "Oh, come on," she retorted, her voice laced with disdain. "Can't you see we're busy? Why don't you find another machine to use?"

Rooster’s patience wears thin. "Look, we're not asking for much," he said evenly, his voice tinged with irritation. "We just want to use the machine for a few minutes. Is that too much to ask? The gym is full"

The first woman leaned in closer to Rooster, her gaze smoldering with false allure. "Well, if you're nice to us," she purred, her tone dripping with insincerity, "maybe we can work something out."

Rooster's expression darkened at the woman's suggestive tone, his grip on Beatrice's arm tightening in frustration. He took a step back, putting some distance between himself and the women, his jaw clenched with anger.

“I don’t think so," he said firmly, his voice laced with warning. "See my wife and I are just going to do this and leave.” he narrows his eyes when the women looked at Beatrice and he almost dared in his mind for them to say something about her.

The women exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from annoyance to frustration as they realized that Rooster wasn't going to be swayed by their flirtatious advances. Beatrice bit her lip, resisting the urge to intervene, knowing that Rooster could handle himself.

"We're not interested," Rooster said firmly, his voice leaving no room for negotiation. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a workout to finish."

The women exchanged incredulous looks, their attempts at seduction falling flat in the face of Rooster's resolve. With a frustrated huff, they reluctantly stepped aside, allowing Rooster and Beatrice to pass.

Beatrice breathed a sigh of relief as they walked away from the women, her hand still tightly clasped in Rooster's. She glanced up at him, "Thanks for handling that, Roos," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth. "You didn't let them push you around."

Rooster smiled down at her, his eyes softening with affection. "Anything for you, gorgeous," he replied, his voice gentle. "I won't let anyone disrespect you or make you feel uncomfortable."

“Well they did talk about you but…”

“Bea,baby,” he smiles, “The only woman who can tell me things is you…and your mom sometimes.”

Beatrice chuckled at Rooster's playful remark,she leaned into him, pressing a tender kiss to his cheek. "You're the best, Roos," she murmured, her voice filled with gratitude.

Rooster wrapped an arm around Beatrice's waist, pulling her close as they made their way towards the weightlifting area. He glanced around, his eyes scanning the room for an available bench press. "Looks like there's one over there," he said, nodding towards an empty bench.

Beatrice followed Rooster's gaze, her eyes landing on the vacant machine. She watched as Rooster adjusted the weight settings, his movements fluid and confident as he prepared for his workout.

As Rooster settled onto the bench, Beatrice stood beside him, offering him words of encouragement and support. She admired the way he focused all his attention on the task at hand, his muscles rippling with strength as he lifted the weights with ease.

With each repetition, Rooster pushed himself to go harder, his determination evident in the set of his jaw and the intensity in his eyes."You're doing great, Roos,"

Rooster flashed her a grin, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Thanks, gorgeous," he replied, his voice tinged with exertion. "I love having the visual reward.”

Beatrice smiled, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her as she stood beside Rooster, “I can say the same– how many of those you usually do?”

Rooster paused for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly as he considered Beatrice's question. "Hmm, it depends," he replied thoughtfully, "I usually aim for three sets of ten reps, but I can adjust the weight and repetitions based on how I'm feeling."

Beatrice nodded in understanding, her eyes following Rooster's movements as he continued his workout. She marveled at the way he effortlessly lifted the weights, his muscles flexing with each repetition. “Hmmm…so you are going overboard to impress me?”

Rooster chuckled, his cheeks flushing slightly with amusement. "Maybe just a little," he admitted with a grin, his gaze meeting Beatrice's. "But you know me, I can't resist showing off for my gorgeous wife."

Beatrice laughed, "Well, you certainly know how to make a girl feel special," she replied, her voice filled with warmth.

Rooster's grin widened at Beatrice's words, and as Rooster completed his final set, he sat up on the bench with a satisfied sigh, his chest heaving with exertion. He glanced over at Beatrice, a playful gleam in his eyes. "Your turn, gorgeous," he said, patting the empty space on the bench beside him.

Beatrice raised an eyebrow in surprise, her gaze flickering between Rooster and the bench press. She had never tried weightlifting like that before,"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Rooster nodded, his expression encouraging. "Absolutely," he replied, his tone filled with confidence. "I'll be right here beside you, every step of the way."

“...okay…” Beatrice settled onto the bench, her hands gripping the barbell with trepidation. She took a deep breath, channeling her inner strength as she prepared to lift the weights.

Rooster positioned himself behind Beatrice, his hands resting lightly on the barbell as he guided her through the proper technique. He offered words of encouragement and support, his voice gentle yet firm as he helped her find her rhythm.

Rooster watched with pride as Beatrice completed her first set, a wide grin spreading across his face. "You're doing amazing, gorgeous," he praised, his voice filled with admiration. "Keep it up!"

Beatrice smiled, trying her best to stay focused. It doesn’t take long for Beatrice to finish her final set, she sat up on the bench with a satisfied sigh, her chest heaving like his was. She glanced over at Rooster, a proud smile on her lips. "How did I do?”

"You did fantastic, gorgeous," he replied, his voice filled with genuine warmth. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Roos," she murmured, her cheeks going red. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Rooster leaned in closer to Beatrice, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. "Anytime, gorgeous," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. "I'll always be here to cheer you on, no matter what."

With a shared smile, Beatrice and Rooster made their way towards the water fountain, their bodies buzzing with energy from their workout. They refilled their water bottles, savoring the cool liquid as it refreshed their parched throats.

"Hey, Roos?" Beatrice spoke up, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them.

"Yeah, gorgeous?" Rooster replied, turning to look at her with a gentle smile.

"I was thinking..." Beatrice trailed off, her mind racing with possibilities. "Maybe we could make this a regular thing? Going to the gym together, I mean."

Rooster's eyes lit up with excitement at Beatrice's suggestion. "I'd love that," he exclaimed, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "It would be a great way for us to spend more time together when I’m not deployed."

"Great, it's settled then," she said, her voice brimming with excitement. "It was fun.”

Rooster nodded in agreement, his smile widening at the prospect of their future gym sessions. "I can't wait," he replied, his voice filled with anticipation. "Now,come on, time to get our kids back.”

[daydreamingatnight209]

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes- Analysis 🐍🌹

- I found this story very compelling and interesting as we finally get to learn how Snow becomes the dictator we see in the original Hunger games books/films. Telling the story 64 years earlier adds more depth and complexity to the character. In the book you see the internal struggle Coryo has with himself and his morals. He had so much potential to be a good person and in the first half of the book at least you can see that potential where he tries his best to stay on the right side of the that line This stands out to me particularly when he states that “if he didn’t have honour he had nothing, no more deception… from now on he’d live honestly and if he ended up as a beggar, at least he would be a decent one”. You see here that he is at the very least attempting to stay on the right side of the line and be a good person.

- The books shows that at a time 64 years before his rule Coryo does indeed feel things like shame/ guilt ( for his and other peoples actions) relief and very brief moments of happiness before his conscience is overridden.

- I don’t defend his behaviours or actions but thanks to the book I can understand and depict his psyche to see that his actions were influenced by those who were around him. While Tigress was a good influence and saw good in him, people like Dr. Gaul and his grandmother who see those in the districts as rebels and as the enemy push such thoughts onto Snow exploiting his paranoia and unease. Alongside this Coryo notes briefly that perhaps it’s the pressures of living up to his family name and status that leads to a lot of the situations he finds himself in and that the name sometimes feels more like a hindrance then an advantage (Page 327) and that he felt like he’d most likely be a disappointment to his father. (Page 378)

- Dr. Gaul sees Snow’s ambition and pride and uses it to her advantage to exploit him as she sees potential in him for evil and it can even said that she sees herself in young Coriolanus. I think realistically for such a dystopian world, after everything Coryo has heard, seen and been through it probably isn’t surprising that he turns out the way he does but it is disappointing because in the beginning he wasn’t so evil, he showed us glimpses of goodness and what could of been had he been mentally stronger.

- A driving force that comes with Coryo is his family. When you learn of his family situation you find that they are poor despite appearances and Coryo is desperate to fix this and live through his father’s legacy. This is where his faults leak though as a lot of his choices are for his family in his mind even though they are seen as wrong or immoral.

- As the story continues we see that Coryo’s ambitions and pride seem to control him as he cares more for wealth and his reputation rather than caring for others or seeing other people as human, this is when he crosses the line into evil rather than staying good.

- When it comes to love, once again it comes down to potential. Coryo spoke kindly of his mother and despite the fact that he has clear trust issues I think that he was at one point he was capable of some sort of level of love, both him and Lucy Gray have there moments with each other and in the book he states that he “felt remarkably close” and that he was “genuinely fond” of her quite early on even almost crying with her the night before the games (which shows a level of empathy and compassion) and the fact that the both of them believe that their ‘love’ was written in the stars.

- People underestimate how powerful of a feeling love truly is. It’s such a powerful emotion that can make us feel and do a number of things for those we care for. I’d like to believe after analysing Coryo’s monologue regarding Lucy Gray that he did love her, at least to the best of his capability. I saw a post online that I believe sums up Coryo and Lucy’s dynamic and it’s that love doesn’t always display itself as positive. Love can sometimes be unhealthy and toxic but it doesn’t mean that the couple don’t feel deeply for one another. Coryo and Lucy Gray’s love wasn’t exactly the picture of the perfect relationship, that’s impossible in such a dystopian world but that’s not to say that they didn’t feel something for one another especially after everything they had been through, it was just that both of their need for different things and self preservation was the stronger emotion.

- At the end of the book it’s Coriolanus paranoia that wins in the end and shows us truly the beginning of his evilness and his descent into controlled madness. We see exactly when ambition, pride and wealth become more important to him than being with Lucy Gray. He sees an opportunity to get his life back in the capitol and takes it without even considering his feelings for his lover and what she would wants. It’s about him and him only.

- Although it is important to note that Lucy Gray is isn’t innocent as it seems on the surface. She will do what needs to be done to survive and protect herself, similarly to how Snow protects himself. She Strikes Snow with a snake while attempting to escape but also taunts him with the music he learned to love from her making him slide deeper into hatred, anger and paranoia. Lucy Gray is also described as clever and devious, showing the reader that her innocence and charm is only part of her. Snow may be a villain but I would consider Lucy Gray as an anti hero. She’s a relatable and likeable character in comparison to who Snow becomes but it obvious at the end that it’s impossible to retain your innocence and all levels goodness (this isn’t me saying that you can’t be good, just that you aren’t as pure as you are when born) in a world like Panem and The Hunger games. You do what you have to do survive.

- It can be considered debatable on if Coriolanus is a prime example of nature vs nurture.

- I do feel sorry for Tigris because she had so much hope for Coryo and he left her with so much to deal with in regards to their family and although Coryo does become successful and money is no longer as issue Tigris can see that Coryo has lost his way and has changed which upsets her deeply.

- Last but definitely not least I want to mention the scene with Reaper and the Capitol flag. It definitely had more of an impact visually and I’m glad that they kept it in the film.

[grailfinders]

Grailfinders #327: Izumo no Okuni

merry nobumas, everyone! sadly, this event doesn’t have any new nobus, but at least it gives us cool builds like Izumo no Okuni! first we make the puppet with some Creation Bard levels, then we fuck demons up with the puppet with some Watcher Paladin levels.

check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

next up: our good personal friend Ranmaru

EDIT: huh, okay, Izumo does use her own sword. okay then, ignore most of the negatives then. sorry about that, this is one of the perils of trying to get stuff out the second the story drops

Ancestry & Background

Okuni is a Human, but she also has a puppet- to make that, we’ll start by giving her a Mark of Making, giving her +2 Intelligence and +1 Charisma. this gives her an Artisan’s Intuition for an additional d4 added to all arcana checks and anything involving artisan’s tools, which covers both halves of your expertise! we also grab a free proficiency with woodworking tools so you can get started on building your puppet.

while you’re working, you already start off as a Spellsmith, giving you the Mending cantrip for free redos and you can cast Magic Weapon once a day, but it’s both spell-slot- and concentration-free. speaking of spells, your Spells of the Mark add some options to your spell lists- the full list of spells you can use is in the character sheet, but if you see us take a spell that isn’t on the bard list, that’s why.

you’re a shrine maiden, that’s an Acolyte, so you have proficiency in Insight and Religion as well.

Ability Scores

Charisma is your highest score, as you could probably guess from being a bard. you dance, you hit people with puppets, both of those are charisma. somehow. after that, Dexterity. it’s kind of weird dexterity doesn’t affect dancing, now that I think about it, but you’re a caster so you don’t wear plate mail. that being said we do need to make Strength higher than I’d like, but you’ll have to carry your puppet around most of the time, so it’s kind of a workout, I guess. Constitution is above average because it would suck to die before you even get a chance to use the puppet at all, so you’ll have to live for five levels without it. that means your Wisdom is lower than I’d like and we have to dump Intelligence pretty harshly. it’s far from ideal, but we only need those for skills and saves. thankfully, being a bard and a paladin both help a lot towards making up for these shortfalls, eventually.

Class Levels

1. Bard 1: starting off as a bard gives you proficiency in Dexterity, and Charisma saves, as well as three skills off the bard skill list, a.k.a. the entire skill list. we’ll use Performance to puppet our boy around, with Nature and Arcana to build him in the first place. you’ve got five levels, best of luck.

while you’re whittling, we can also bring up your Bardic Inspiration- you’ve got a couple d6s you can throw at a friend as a bonus action, and then they can use ‘em to improve an attack roll, save, or skill check in the next minute. you get those back on long rests.

also on the same time frame are your spell slots, which you use to cast Spells. Okuni’s a caster, so you can be a bit more liberal with her spell list than you are with most characters- most of the spells on the character sheet are my personal recommendations, or just ones I thought would be useful. if they’re vital for the build, I’ll bring them up here as they’re added. there aren’t any of those this level, but I do recommend picking up something like Identify- Okuni’s bio states multiple times how hip and with it she is, so she knows what’s going on a lot of the time.

2. Bard 2: second level bards are Jacks of all Trades, adding half their proficiency to any skill check they make that doesn’t add it, including your initiative check! you also learn a Song of Rest, adding a d6 to the healing your party does over short rests. standard issue, we’ve all seen it by now.

also, your bardic inspiration becomes Magical Inspiration, so now someone holding onto it can add their d6 to the damage or healing of a spell!

3. Bard 3: but I know that’s not enough uses for your inspiration, right? thankfully creation bards have another addition to it, the Mote of Potential. now when your allies use their inspiration on one of the three original effects, they get a bonus to boot! on a check, they can roll their inspiration twice and pick the higher number. on an attack roll, the die also deals whatever it rolled as damage to nearby enemies, and on a save they gain their roll in temporary hp! this practically turns your inspiration into a spell in its own right!

making your puppet also got… slightly easier, as you can now put on a Performance of Creation, creating any medium or smaller non-magical item as an action, with the only other limitation being your imagination, and your wallet. you can only create items with this feature that are worth 20 times your bard level or less- even a normal-sized puppet is worth 100g, so this hasn’t saved us too much time. it also only lasts a few hours, so you’ll still have to find a more permanent solution anyways. still, while it’s not a cure-all for our lack of puppetry, it does have a million and one uses besides! this recharges on long rests, or you can use a second level spell slot to use it again- just know that you can only have one summoned item at a time.

speaking of second level spells, Borrowed Knowledge is a great pick for Okuni, giving her proficiency in a skill of your choice for an hour, concentration free. again, she’s always in the know of the latest fads, so now you can make sure that’s true!

you also get expertise in two skills, doubling your proficiency bonus in Arcana and Performance checks. she’s good at dancing, that much is obvious- otherwise she wouldn’t be in this game.

4. Bard 4: fourth level bards get their first Ability Score Improvement, so improve that Charisma score for stronger spells and more inspiration. dancing better is a nice bonus.

if you’re really jonesing for a puppet by now, you can use something like Phantasmal Force to at least plant the idea of a puppet in someone’s head and have it hurt them that way. honestly sounds terrifying to me, even scarier than a real puppet beating me up.

5. Bard 5: fifth level bards have d8s for their inspiration now, as well as become a Font of Inspiration, recharging all spent inspiration uses on short rests as well as long ones! you also get third level spells now like Dispel Magic. demons like using magic, so you’d best spoil their fun.

6. Bard 6: sixth level bards get the Countercharm ability, and for once it’s good for the build. a lot of demons charm or frighten people, so now you can spend your action to give all your allies nearby advantage on saves against those effects. it only works for a round each time, so you’d have to spend each turn keeping the effect up- still, if you’re fighting something like Shuten-Douji, it’s a good idea to have on hand.

if you’d like to use your countercharm while also keeping the fight going, then good news! your puppet drought is over, and your cuppet runneth over thanks to an Animating Performance. as an action you can animate a large or smaller object and turn it into a Dancing Object for the next hour. you then have to use your bonus action each turn to control the puppet, but you can also give out inspiration at the same time.

you can bring out the puppet once a day, or by spending a third-level or higher spell slot.

7. Bard 7: seventh level bards get fourth level spells like Fabricate, letting you spend ten minutes to turn any kind of raw materials into processed goods- for example, a log into part of a puppet, perhaps. you can create a large or smaller object if you have enough material, though using metal shrinks down the possible puppetude to medium size. also, you need proficiency with the sorts of tools you’d have to use to make an item normally in order to make it with this spell, hence our focus on grabbing woodworking proficiency earlier and smithing later.

so yeah, during your next downtime, puppetry is just a spell away!

8. Bard 8: eighth level bards get another ASI, and we’re grabbing the Skilled feat for more proficiencies. you get the proficiency with Smith’s Tools I mentioned a second ago, as well as proficiency with Acrobatics in case your DM thinks that dexterity and dancing thing is as weird as I do, and History. you are history, after all.

9. Bard 9: at ninth level your song of rest grows to a d8, but more importantly you get fifth level spells. if you’re in a pinch, you can use Animate Objects instead of your usual puppetry to give your friend some backup- you can animate up to ten small objects, with bigger sizes doubling how many “objects” they count as for each size larger they are. that being said, they also use your bonus action to control, so trying to use both at once isn’t always the greatest idea. still, they make a good distraction if you need time to drag your bigger puppet out of the fight.

10. Bard 10: tenth level bards have a bigger inspiration die again, and you get another round of Expertise, this time doubling down on Religion and Nature. also, you get Magical Secrets- two spells from any spell list in the game. Legend Lore is a must for any bard, giving you the lowdown on whatever famous person or thing you’re faced with so you can dance appropriately. on the other hand Circle of Power is a must-have for combat, creating an aura around you that lasts up to ten minutes with concentration- during that time, friendly creatures (including you) have advantage on all saves against magical effects- furthermore, succeeding on that save prevents all damage instead of half if it’s that kind of save. demons like fireballs, puppets don’t. simple stuff.

11. Bard 11: with our last level of bard you get sixth level spell slots for stuff like True Seeing to see through demonic illusions and the like. though if I’m being honest we haven’t gotten too specialized yet- let’s fix that.

12. Paladin 1: moving over to paladin gives you a Divine Sense- spend an action up to five times a day to sense celestials, fiends, and undead within 60’ of you. you know the type and location, but not their identity. being able to sense demons feels pretty important for.. y’know, a demon hunter.

you can also Lay on Hands to heal an ally, you have a pool that scales with your level and it refills every long rest. worth noting, this does not work on constructs, so you’ll have to patch up your puppet the old-fashioned way.

13. Paladin 2: second level paladins get a Fighting Style, and with your Defense you get a +1 bonus to all types of armor. I know you don’t wear a lot, but I’d still call your first ascension fit light armor at minimum. also, since you’re attacking via puppet they aren’t “your” attacks, so none of them count for fighting styles.

they also don’t count for Divine Smites, which is problematic, but we’ll find a workaround soon enough. if you do end up using them though, you spend a spell slot when you hit something with a melee attack, dealing radiant damage that scales based on the slot’s level. also it deals extra damage against fiends, which is a nice bonus for a demon hunter.

speaking of spell slots you get another set of spells from being a paladin, but you’ll have to check the multiclassing rules for what slots you have when. for now you can perform Ceremonies and Detect Evil and Good, but you can swap around paladin spells every long rest, so don’t sweat over getting the perfect setup right away.

14. Paladin 3: at third level you devote yourself to defeating demons and other extraplanar monsters as a Watcher, giving you two kinds of Channel Divinity that you can use once per short rest. your Watcher’s Will gives most of your party advantage on intelligence, wisdom, and charisma saves for a minute, or you can Abjure the Extraplanar to send aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, and fiends nearby running for up to a minute if they fail a wisdom save.

you also gain access to a pool of permanently prepared performances, like Alarm and Detect Magic. finally, your Divine Health makes you immune to disease.

15. Paladin 4: a fourth level paladin gets their own Ability Score Improvement, so power up your Charisma for stronger spells, channeled divinity, and a stronger puppet as well.

16. Paladin 5: fifth level paladins get an Extra Attack, but that only applies to you, not your puppet. on the plus side, you also get second level spells! now you can cast Magic Weapon more than once a day for your puppet. you can also See Invisibility to detect hidden demons, and use Moonbeam to expose them or other shapechangers.

17. Paladin 6: as a sixth level paladin you emit an Aura of Protection, adding your hefty charisma modifier to every save you make, as well as the saves of nearby friends. up until now you had a +0 in wisdom saves, so that’ll really come in handy!

18. Paladin 7: seventh level watchers also get the Aura of the Sentinel, adding your proficiency bonus to your and nearby allies’ initiative rolls. this technically isn’t adding the proficiency directly, so you get a 1.5x bonus!

19. Paladin 8: eighth level paladins get one last ASI, so let’s bump up your Dexterity so you’ll get hit less often, dance better, and be better with a dagger in case of emergencies.

20. Paladin 9: we finish our build by gaining access to third level paladin spells, including your subclass specialties, Counterspell and Nondetection. more importantly, you gain access to the spell Crusader’s Mantle, finally giving your puppet the chance to deal radiant damage. and so can everyone else within thirty feet of you, for that matter!

Pros & Cons

Pros:

while you don’t get counterspell until very late in the game, you’re great at using it- and dispel magic to boot. both spells use ability checks to counter magical effects, and wouldn’t you know it, bards are great at those! with a maxed out charisma modifier plus half proficiency, you have roughly a 50/50 shot of countering even a ninth level spell while only spending a third level one.

your decent dexterity plus your watcher aura makes you great at hitting first in a fight, and when you add in your puppet’s ability to speed you up and slow down enemies, and you’ll be running circles around them in no time.

while focusing your build so hard on your puppet does create some challenges, it also opens up some great adventuring opportunities. this one’s more a plus for your DM so they don’t have to start power-creeping all the magic loot- instead of getting a +1 sword, maybe you’ll get better metal for your puppet’s armor and raise its AC, or wood that conducts magic better and lets it stay animate for longer, or maybe new puppetry techniques that let your extra attack or divine smites carry over to it. basically, having a physical object you’ll be building up the whole adventure will give you and your dm new avenues to find fun in D&D.

Cons:

that last bit, of course, requires your DM to be flexible, so if you’re playing in adventurer’s league games or just have a new DM that wants to stick to the book, it’s going to cause a problem. by the time you reach level 20 the base stats for your dancing items are woefully outmatched by just about everything you could be facing, so maybe run this idea by your DM before committing to it.

we did what we could to fix up your soft stats, but the hard truth is you still only have 10 intelligence and wisdom. you get an aura of protection, sure, but not until level 17. in the meantime, you risk falling for illusions and mental games from your more otherworldly foes.

your puppet only lasts one hour, so keeping it up and running for longer periods of time will eat through your magic like nothing else. if you burn through every spell slot you have, you can keep him walking for 12 hours a day, which is nice, but that leaves you with almost no magic for anything else. basically, if you’re traveling a lot, invest in a cart. your 13 strength ass is not dragging him around the whole continent.

[cantsayidont]

September 1978. Among the many missed opportunities in DC's haphazard approach to reprinting its massive back catalog is the run of "Mr. & Mrs. Superman" stories from 1978 to 1982, which kicked off with a backup strip in SUPERMAN #327 (above). Created to follow up "Superman Takes a Wife!" from ACTION COMICS #484, which showed the marriage of the Golden Age Clark Kent and Lois Lane, this short feature picked up soon after that story — the first installment has Clark and Lois moving into their new apartment together in the early 1950s. These little stories, mostly written by Nelson Bridwell (although Cary Bates, who wrote ACTION COMICS #484, wrote the first two installments), are very charming, with appealing art by Kurt Schaffenberger and some noteworthy guest-stars. "Superman Takes a Wife!" has been reprinted a number of times, but to my knowledge, the rest have not.

The "Mr. & Mrs. Superman" strip ran in the following issues:

SUPERMAN (1939) #327 and #329

THE SUPERMAN FAMILY (1974) #195–196, #198–199, and #201–222

Most installments are only seven to nine pages, so even including the 22-page "Superman Takes a Wife!" all of this material adds up to only about 280 story pages, which would fit into a reasonably sized single-volume compilation of around 300 pages with covers, title pages, and editorial matter. There are various odds and ends that could fill out a desired page count, like the table of comparisons between the Earth-1 and Earth-2 Supermen from ACTION COMICS #484 and the Golden Age Superman's WHO'S WHO entry from 1986.

Given how much modern Superman stories focus on the partnership of Clark and Lois, "Mr. & Mrs. Superman" was ahead of the curve, and I think this material would appeal to a lot of the people who like SUPERMAN AND LOIS or MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN. Often, DC's approach to older reprints is driven by tie-ins with some media or merchandising project, so this seems an obvious move.

[call-me-remi]

My family has a thing for wheelguns.

My grandmother carried a Ruger Speed Six since the 70s until her death in 2013.

My mother carried a 4in S&W 66 for a very long time before getting a 586 L-Comp, which she still carries every now & again.

The uncle I'm closest to has a 4in S&W Model 19 that he carried until he switched over to carrying an S&W 645, then switched to .45 ACP Glocks, which he still carries to this day. He still has & shoots the Model 19 and also just bought a recent production Colt Anaconda as a Christmas gift to himself.

My grandfather had, and carried, a blued Colt Python that my grandmother got for him as a birthday gift. He carried that thing on him until his death. He apparently carried an S&W model 10 for quite some time before the Python.

And then there's me:

My 329 Night Guard is still one of my main "wilderness" guns, and I have hunted with my S&W 500. Like my mother, I carried a 586 L-comp for years.

And while my general carry piece is my CZ P-01 SDP, my 327 is either a "backup", or the thing I carry when I don't "feel" like carrying a gun, due to how easy it is to pick it up and essentially not feel as if there's a hunk of metal on me. Also, it has an 8 shot capacity, cut for moon clips for some speedy reloads, has a very nice (and quick) double action trigger, and out of all my handguns, I have the fastest (non-telegraphed) draw to hit inside 15 yards with that gun, best being a T-Zone hit at 15 yards, from concealment, in .47 seconds. Can also regularly run a sub 2 second Bill Drill, non-telegraphed & from concealment with it as well. The thing works for me pretty well.

There's also the MR73, which was a dream purchase for me ever since I messed with a 4in & a 8in model while I was in France some time ago.

TL/DR, revolvers are cool, and I & my family love them.

[tomorrowusa]

A Conservative politician is making millions off of slavery 190 years after slavery was abolished in Britain and its territories.

Tory Richard Drax comes from a filthy rich family notorious for having established the model for slave-based sugar plantations in the Caribbean in the 1620s. Even by the standards of a slave-based economy, the record of the Drax family was appalling.

The Barbados plantation was worked by up to 327 slaves at a time, with the death rate for both adults and children high. Sir Hilary Beckles, chairman of the 20-state Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) Reparations Commission and vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies, estimates that as many 30,000 slaves died on the Drax plantations in Barbados and Jamaica over 200 years.

Thanks largely to their their ill-gained riches, the Drax family owns a 700 acre walled estate in Dorset which includes a deer park. And apparently they are getting even richer.

Despite threats to make Richard Drax pay reparations and seize his family’s plantation – described by one historian as a “killing field” of enslaved Africans – the government is now planning to pay market value for 21 hectares (about 15 football pitches) of his land for housing. The move has angered many Barbadians, especially those who say the Drax family played a pivotal role in the development of slavery-based sugar production and the Barbados slave code in the 17th century. This denied Black Africans basic human rights, including the right to life. Critics have called the planned deal an “atrocity” and said this is “one plantation that the government should not be paying a cent for”. Trevor Prescod, MP and chair of the Barbados National Taskforce on Reparations, said: “What a bad example this is. Reparations and Drax Hall are now top of the global agenda. How do we explain this to the world? “The government should not be entering into any [commercial] relationship with Richard Drax, especially as we are negotiating with him regarding reparations.”

It's baffling why the Barbadian government would enter into such a deal.

Drax, the MP for South Dorset, travelled to Barbados to meet prime minister Mia Mottley. It is understood he was asked to hand over all or a substantial part of Drax Hall plantation. If he refused, legal action would follow. Mottley’s spokesperson said the current Drax Hall purchase was not linked to reparations and the government “constantly acquires land through this process”. Mottley has pledged to build 10,000 new homes to meet demand on the island, where there are 20,000 applications for housing. A senior valuation surveyor said the market value for agricultural land with an alternative use for housing would be about Bds$150,000 (£60,000) an acre. At this price, the 21 hectares could net Drax Bds$8m (£3.2m). The land would be for 500 low- and middle-income family homes, which would be for sale.

I'd just grab the land and pay Drax a token £1 just so he legally can't claim he wasn't compensated at all for the transfer.

Barbados poet laureate Esther Phillips, who grew up next to Drax Hall, said the planned deal was an “atrocity” and a case of the victims’ descendants now compensating the descendant of the enslaver. “He should be giving us this land as reparations, not further enriching himself … at the expense of Barbadians. As Barbadians, we must speak out against this.”

And with the reported thousands of deaths during the 200+ years of slavery at the Drax plantation, how many people will be comfortable with the idea that their new home is built on what was essentially a forced labor camp which became a model for regional slavery? Isn't the Drax property on Barbados a large cemetery?

[dailyanarchistposts]

Section J — What do anarchists do?

This section discusses what anarchists get up to. There is little point thinking about the world unless you also want to change it for the better. And by trying to change it, you change yourself and others, making radical change more of a possibility. Therefore anarchists give their whole-hearted support to attempts by ordinary people to improve their lives by their own actions. We urge ”emancipation through practical action” recognising that the “collective experience” gained in “the collective struggle of the workers against the bosses” will transform how they see the world and the world itself. [Bakunin, The Basic Bakunin, p. 103] Ultimately, ”[t]he true man does not lie in the future, an object of longing, but lies, existent and real, in the present.” [Stirner, The Ego and Its Own, p. 327]

Anarchism is more than just a critique of statism and capitalism or a vision of a freer, better way of life. It is first and foremost a movement, the movement of working class people attempting to change the world. Therefore the kind of activity we discuss in this section of the FAQ forms the bridge between capitalism and anarchy. By self-activity and direct action, people can change both themselves and their surroundings. They develop within themselves the mental, ethical and spiritual qualities which can make an anarchist society a viable option. As Noam Chomsky argues:

“Only through their own struggle for liberation will ordinary people come to comprehend their true nature, suppressed and distorted within institutional structures designed to assure obedience and subordination. Only in this way will people develop more humane ethical standards, ‘a new sense of right’, ‘the consciousness of their strength and their importance as a social factor in the life of their time’ and their capacity to realise the strivings of their ‘inmost nature.’ Such direct engagement in the work of social reconstruction is a prerequisite for coming to perceive this ‘inmost nature’ and is the indispensable foundations upon which it can flourish” [“preface”, Rudolf Rocker, Anarcho-Syndicalism, p. iii]

In other words, anarchism is not primarily a vision of a better future, but the actual social movement which is fighting within the current unjust and unfree society for that better future and to improve things in the here and now. Without standing up for yourself and what you believe is right, nothing will change. Thus anarchy can be found “wherever free thought breaks loose from the chains of dogma; wherever the spirit of inquiry rejects the old formulas, wherver the human will asserts itself through independent actions; wherever honest people, rebelling against all enforced discipline, join freely together in order to educate themselves, and to reclaim, without any master, their share of life, and the complete satisfaction of their needs.” [Elisée Reclus, quoted by John P. Clark and Camille Martin (ed.), Anarchy, Geography, Modernity, p. 62]

For anarchists, the future is already appearing in the present and is expressed by the creativity of working class self-activity. Anarchy is not some-day-to-be-achieved utopia, it is a living reality whose growth only needs to be freed from constraint. As such anarchist activity is about discovering and aiding emerging trends of mutual aid which work against capitalist domination, so the Anarchist “studies society and tries to discover its tendencies, past and present, its growing needs, intellectual and economic, and in his [or her] ideal he merely points out in which direction evolution goes.” [Peter Kropotkin, Anarchism, p. 47] Indeed, as we discussed in section I.2.3, the future structures of a free society are created in the struggles against oppression today.

The kinds of activity outlined in this section are a general overview of anarchist work. It is by no means exclusive — we are sure to have left something out. However, the key aspect of real anarchist activity is direct action — self-activity, self-help, self-liberation and solidarity (“We wish,” as French syndicalist Fernand Pelloutier wrote, “that the emancipation of the people might be the work of the people themselves.” [quoted by Jeremy Jennings, Syndicalism in France, p. 18]). Such activity may be done by individuals (for example, propaganda work), but usually anarchists emphasise collective activity. This is because most of our problems are of a social nature, meaning that their solutions can only be worked on collectively. Individual solutions to social problems are doomed to failure, at best slowing down what they are opposed to (most obviously, ethical consumerism as discussed in section E.5). In addition, collective action gets us used to working together, promoting the experience of self-management and building organisations that will allow us to actively manage our own affairs. Also, and we would like to emphasise this, it can be fun to get together with other people and work with them, it can be fulfilling and empowering.

Anarchists do not ask those in power to give up that power. No, we promote forms of activity and organisation by which all the oppressed can liberate themselves by their own hands. In other words, we do not think that those in power will altruistically renounce that power or their privileges. Instead, the oppressed must take the power back into their own hands by their own actions. We must free ourselves, no one else can do it for use.

Here we will discuss anarchist ideas on struggle, what anarchists actually (and, almost as importantly, do not) do in the here and now and the sort of alternatives anarchists try to build within statism and capitalism in order to destroy them. As well as a struggle against oppression, anarchist activity is also struggle for freedom. As well as fighting against material poverty, anarchists combat spiritual poverty. By resisting hierarchy we emphasis the importance of living and of life as art. By proclaiming “Neither Master nor Slave” we urge an ethical transformation, a transformation that will help create the possibility of a truly free society. This point was stressed by Emma Goldman after she saw the defeat of the Russian Revolution by a combination of Leninist politics and capitalist armed intervention:

“revolution is in vain unless inspired by its ultimate ideal. Revolutionary methods must be in tune with revolutionary aims … In short, the ethical values which the revolution is to establish must be initiated with the revolutionary activities … The latter can only serve as a real and dependable bridge to the better life if built of the same material as the life to be achieved.” [Red Emma Speaks, p. 404]

In other words, anarchist activity is more than creating libertarian alternatives and resisting hierarchy, it is about building the new world in the shell of the old not only with regards to organisations and self-activity, but also within the individual. It is about transforming yourself while transforming the world (both processes obviously interacting and supporting each other) for while “we associate ourselves with others in working for … social revolution, which for us means the destruction of all monopoly and all government, and the direct seizure by the workers of the means of production” we do not forget that “the first aim of Anarchism is to assert and make good the dignity of the individual human being.” [Charlotte Wilson, Anarchist Essays, p. 43 and p. 51]

By direct action, self-management and self-activity we can make the words first heard in Paris, 1968 a living reality:

“All power to the imagination!” Words, we are sure, previous generations of anarchists would have whole-heartedly agreed with. There is a power in humans, a creative power, a power to alter what is into what should be. Anarchists try to create alternatives that will allow that power to be expressed, the power of imagination.

Such a social movement will change how we act as individuals, with anarchists seeking to apply our principles in our daily lives as much as our daily struggles. This means that libertarians must change how we relate to our comrades and fellow workers by applying our egalitarian ideals everywhere. Part of the task of anarchists is to challenge social hierarchies everywhere, including in the home. As Durruti put it:

“When will you stop thinking like the bourgeoisie, that women are men’s servants? It’s enough that society is divided into classes. We’re not going to make even more classes by creating differences between men and women in our own homes!” [quoted by Abel Paz, Durruti in the Spanish Revolution, p. 341]

So we have a interactive process of struggle and transformation of both society and the individuals within it. In the sections that follow we will discuss the forms of self-activity and self-organisation which anarchists think will stimulate and develop the imagination of those oppressed by hierarchy, build anarchy in action and help create a free society.

[ynx1]

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ، وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ

‘Allāhumma innī as-aluka al – Jannah, wa mā qarraba ilayhā min qawlin aw ‘amal, wa A'ūdhu bika min an-Nār wa mā qarraba ilayhā min qawlin aw ‘amal.

O Allāh, I ask of You for Paradise and that which brings me closer to it of statements or actions. And I seek refuge with You from the Hellfire and that which takes me closer to it of statements or actions.

Authenticated by Albāni in Ṣahīḥ Ibn Mājah 2/327

[whumpy-daydreams]

Capture the flag

Writing Masterlist

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apologies this got so long and its not even that whumpy?? anyway have a sci fi action sequence

CW: guns, military whump

327 missed their team. They wondered what they were doing, how training was going, whether they missed them too. They wondered if 305 would be angry.

But the month was almost up. Only two days before they reunited with their team. First they had to get through two days of evaluation, and the first was with Whumper.

327 had no idea what to expect as they were escorted from their cell. They weren't led to the training rooms though, instead heading to the armoury, Whumper standing with crossed arms in the doorway. 327 saluted, keeping their eyes forward.

"For your combat evaluation you will be assisting with Company 4's defence training. You have three hours to retrieve the flag in sector seven and return to the extraction point. Any questions?"

327 knew Company 4. They still had 3 years of training left before getting deployed, though that didn't mean they were harmless. Like 327 they had been trained since birth, moulded into perfect weapons.

"Am I to engage with Company 4, sir?"

"What the fuck do you think?" Whumper stepped aside. "Suit up."

327 didn't waste time getting into their armour. It felt comforting to be inside the padded gel suit again, to know there was a layer of metal between them and the world. As they slipped their helmet on the neural interface fired up, the visual display merging seamlessly with their vision.

_

A sea of jungle spread out below them. 327 stood at the edge of the open jet door, waiting for the order to jump. They were glad Whumper had chosen this location - it was a place they'd trained in many times before.

"Preparing to drop in three... two..."

327 stepped off the jet. Arms tight to their sides they plummeted towards the canopy top, numbers dropping at the edge of their vision as the suit calculated the time to impact.

The armour was designed to absorb the force as 327 hit the earth. They rolled, retrieving their rifle, scanning the trees for any heat signatures.

All they had to do was think and a translucent map of the area was displayed, overlaying the jungle around them. Three miles north-east. 327 doubted any of Company 4 would spread so far away from the site they were protecting.

Unless... They activated their camouflage, the surface of their black armour rippling to refract light instead of absorb it. It wasn't perfect, but it would help.

327 set off through the jungle. It didn't take long before they were close to where the flag should be.

But there were still no heat signatures. No signs of movement. No signs of anything in the forest. 327 checked the map again. Yep, they were definitely in sector seven. So where was Company 4?

They made sure to scan the area thoroughly, on guard for ambushes. There was nothing there though.

"Colonel Whumper this is 327 in sector seven. No sign of Company 4 or the target, sir. Over."

327 waited for a response. "This is 327 requesting situation update. Over." Their comms were silent, not even static to suggest interference. 327 was on their own.

Maybe this was part of their evaluation. Think. What would you do if you were hiding a flag? The answer was painfully obvious. They weren't protecting a location, they were protecting an object. So Company 4 had left sector seven.

It was just a question of which direction they'd gone in. 327 scanned the ground. They didn't know how many people weapons they were trying to find, but they would have left signs. It didn't take long to figure it out.

327 moved north. Company 4 hadn't left much to show their path, but that didn't matter. They'd made enough of a dent in the forest for them to follow.

_

Finally there was a flash of movement. The heat signatures were low - the suits shielded a lot of radiant heat - but it wasn't hard to miss three figures in black armour in a sea of green.

327 crouched down, silently ordering their armour to engage cooling mechanisms. It could only maintain it for an hour before draining the power, but when you were outnumbered... well, it was worth it.

Attacking now wasn't the right choice. 327 was made for stealth, designed to infiltrate behind enemy lines or eliminate targets from a distance. The three figures weren't heading anywhere. 327 recognised the stance, the bored alertness of being on guard.

As silently as possible they crept to the left, hidden in the undergrowth as they went around the first set of guards. A voice in their ear almost startled them.

"327, this is Colonel Whumper requesting status update. Over."

Why now? "Colonel, this is 327. I've located Company 4, preparing to advance. Over," they whispered, quickly setting the suit's settings to silent.

"Understood. Over." 327 resisted the urge to grit their teeth, turning their attention back to the mission. Enhance heat signatures, they commanded the neural interface.

Glowing yellow shapes brightened, revealing fifteen- no, twenty - people scattered through the jungle ahead of them. From the way they moved, 327 could guess the flag was at the centre of the concentric circles they made.

327 got as close as they could before opening fire. Four people were on the ground before a single hit landed on 327. The beam of a stun laser glanced off their electromagnetic shield as 327 sprinted, using the trees for cover as much as the could.

Rays of light shot through the jungle, the quiet ambience turning into a symphony of energy as Company 4 began to group together.

Their suit could take ten full hits before the shielding failed, and another five before it would malfunction completely - a simulation of mortal injury.

327 changed tactics. Using the undergrowth as cover they changed position constantly, able to down another five people before taking a full hit. The biometric display flashed orange.

That wasn't right. It was registering three hits, not one. 327 didn't have time for this. They'd spent almost an hour finding the company - they'd have to be quick if they wanted to get to the extraction point on time.

From their position they picked off one person after another, keeping an eye out for any sign of the flag they were supposed to be retrieving. Finally they saw it: a piece of black fabric wrapped onto the arm of one of the weapons.

327 ran. Orange flashed again, another warning that their shields were compromised. It didn't matter.

They dropped the people flanking the flag-bearer and tackled them to the ground, straddling their chest as they grabbed their pistol. As 327 neutralised the flag-bearer, their shields went down.

It was time to get out. 327 sprinted west, their map overlaying the trees as they headed for the extraction point. They didn't need heat signatures to know there were six people on their tail.

A flash of light went overhead as 327 ducked just in time to avoid a stun ray. They rolled, taking position behind a tree. Light filled the air again as they went up against six opponents, keeping one eye on the charge left in their weapons as the felled two people.

Suddenly it occurred to them that Whumper had tampered with their equipment. The realisation was unwelcome but not unsurprising. 327 pulled back as a stun ray zoomed dangerously close to their head.

There were still three people left when their weapons ran out. If 327 wanted to reach the extraction point without 'dying' they needed to eliminate the others.

When another shot hit them, the visual display shot red.

But 327 was already there, swinging out a leg to down the person on the right, fist knocking another's head back. They grabbed a handgun from the first, quickly shooting three rays at their helmet, not bothering to watch as their armour disabled, rendering them motionless on the ground. Two more to go.

Red spilled across their vision again. One more hit and 327 would fail their evaluation. They spun, each shot hitting its mark as their target fell prone.

The visual display shuddered as a powerful kick to the stomach sent 327 to the ground. Their gun fell to the side, their opponent scrambling to get to their own. 327 got there first.

Luck was on their side. The last member of Company 4 fell to the ground with only one shot.

327 clambered to their feet, fallen opponents scattered around the jungle floor. One hour to get back to the extraction point. Tying the flag to their arm, 327 started running.

_

They could see the jet through the trees, positioned in a clearing, already prepared to take off. Whumper was waiting by the door, focused on his watch as 327 halted in front of him, saluting. Two minutes. Just two more minutes and they would have failed.

"The flag." Whumper held out a hand. 327 handed it over. "Cutting it close. Get on."

It was as much praise as they could hope for.