#not forrest long friendly

[dent-de-leon]

au where Caleb doesn't escape the Empire's vicious cycle of blood and ruin, where the dreaded Waldhexe is very much a real, living entity sustained by every sacrifice. Caleb being forced to carry that mantle, being turned into something otherworldly against his will, a hag forever bound to those dark woods. Whispers of the powerful mage haunting a cursed forrest, plagued by an endless, gnawing hunger he refuses to sate.

Lucien who was always so terrified of the hag that tormented his family as a child, the witch who tried to keep him as an Empty doll without a soul.

Molly who has no fear of the "monstrous" Waldhexe, who holds out his hand and greets him with all the fondness of an old friend--

[femoso-seben]

Mini witch story part one

Part 1, Part 3,

Rua walked over to the table last to arrive, her wolf familiar probably ran off to who knows where. She looked exhausted and behind her walking in shame was her familiar, Soap as she calls him. Apparently, when he was a pup he ate a bar of soap.

“You’re late,” Cordelia chimes in a teacup in her hand. As the oldest, she was the first to receive her demonic animal familiar, a big ol’ brown bear. For an old man, he sure can move fast when he is needed.

“I think you should put him through dog disciplinary training,” Sula said, this earned a growl from the wolf.

“Enough,” Rua sighs collapsing into her seat, “we are here for you,” she turns to me. You held onto my cup of milk.

As the youngest, physically, and mentally even though we all started at the same time. You were frozen in time and space. You look around, they are so much older, and time has taken ahold of them.

“Our Sire will give you a familiar,” Ophelia spoke up setting her cup of vodka down. “Then you can leave this Forrest and explore the world.”

“Why do I have to have a familiar?” You ask.

“In your absence, the mortals began a witch trial,” Rua spoke, “your familiar is there to keep you safe.”

“How?”

“In their humanoid form, they have their animal attributes.”

“Like eating Soap?” Your sisters broke out into waves of laughter and looked at the poor wolf who looked down at his feet.

“Do you have any animals in mind?” Cordelia asks.

“Fluffy. Likes to be around me. Strong. Friendly. Not so demanding… a cat.”

The forest grew cold as the trees warp around you all. Soon your Demonic sire who turned you all to witches walked from the trees. You get up and bow to him.

“Little one,” he begins, “I have your familiar.” You feel yourself blooming into a smile. From his hands, a black mass forms and falls to the ground.

Slime.

“WHAT IS THIS?” You shout poking the weird slimy creature. It lunged at you and gripped your leg. You let out the most horrific scream, and kick her leg throwing it off you. “WHY IS IT UGLY?”

From the back, you hear your sister cackling at you. The little slimy black thing slithers towards you. You look up at your Demon Sire who gives you a blank stare.

“Give me a cat!”

“He is very loyal.” Your sire says.

“HES UGLY AND SMALL!” You shout back picking it up with your staff.

“It’s an octopus,” Sula stated calmly. “A delicacy in Asia.”

“I DON’T WANT IT!” You look at your demonic father only to find him glaring at you. You stare at the little black blob, his Beaty blue eyes staring up at you. You think it’s glaring at you.

It moves closer climbing up your bare legs and to your chest. It sat right above your breast and two long appendages moved to your face. Your skin crawls and you feel the ICK coming. You grab it and punt it to the ground.

“ITS A PERV!” You scream and turn to your sisters for help. Rua turns away laughing to herself.

“You can always throw it away in a far-off land.” Ophelia offer.

“Don’t be foolish, our Familiars have an innate ability to find us,” Sula said.

Fear seeps into your skin. This creepy ugly perverted little thing was attached to you forever. You wanted to cry.

Your Sire and sister left you with these things.

It kept trying to climb up your leg.

You grab it by the head and look it over. An idea hit you.

“I can eat you!” You said a creepy smile crossing your face. Its little eyes and tentacles began to thrash around. You shove it into your bag and rush off to get some sauces and some vegetables.

How would you cook it? On a stove? In water? In bread? You shrug it had eight tentacles you had eight tries.

Your cauldron boiling, cutting board ready you grab the ugly thing and a knife ready to slice it up.

It transforms. In front of you is a huge tall man. You stare at his naked form. It glared at you, through a hood, holding your wrist.

“Let go!”

“NEIN!” He growls out his voice higher pitch than you would have guessed.

“Transform!”

“NEIN!” He said again.

“I am your master!”

“Du worst much night essen.” He snaps. He glared at him. You grab his hood and soon tentacles come out gripping your fingers. You screech and yank your hand away. He chuckles.

You wanted to strangle this man.

You finally agree not to eat him, and in return he lets you go. You also forced him into some clothes. You glared at him, and he watched you closely.

You grab your grimoire and put it into your bag. You are traveling, seeing the world! Staff in hand you walk out of the forest.

The sunset was absolutely stunning, the cliffside falls to crystal clear waters. The smell of freedom was intoxicating.

You feel the skin-crawling sensation of suction cups crawling up your legs you look down to see the disgusting thing crawling up your legs and to your boobs again. You grab it and shove it into your bag trapping it inside.

This bitch was ruining your moment. ------------

@milkywayhou full verson

taglist: @maylovesyousomuch, @trgraves-valx1f0r

[jamescanningauthor]

The Blood Meridian OCs I realize I never told anyone about

Feel free to ignore this post if it's not what you're here for. Art and designs are coming soon for the canon main cast, and that will always be my first priority!

Long text about OCs under the Read More!

Noel Christie

(Also, a Red Dead Redemption OC, based on a particularly haunting stranger mission in the first game.)

His birth name was Randy Noel (pronounced knoll) Forrester, but he didn't like it. He goes by the surname Christie after Christie Cleek, the cannibal highwayman of Scottish legend he grew up hearing about.

Originally from Virginia and does not talk about his family.

Outwardly, he is a friendly and polite man who mostly keeps to himself in his cabin on the California border. He is a hunter, a trapper, and he keeps pigs.

He offers to let travelers passing through stay in his cabin, the type of people no one would go looking for, the sort who wouldn't be staying long.

I think you can extrapolate the rest. What he can't cook, the pigs eat.

Uncomfortable around women and young children; he just doesn't know how to interact with them.

Some pet peeves that make his affable mask slip include women smoking, men keeping their hats on indoors, folks who don't wipe their boots before going inside, coarse language that is not of a religious nature, and his shoulder(s) being touched when he isn't expecting it. Some little backstory tidbits can be gleaned from this if you squint.

If he's cooking with vegetables, they always turn out burnt or limp.

He has hosted multiple members of the Glanton Gang going to and from California. They ate his stew, not knowing its contents, but were never off guard long enough to become part of the meal.

Lelia Mary Witt

An Englishwoman who left a wealthy but stifling family for the US frontier, inspired by the actor Junius Brutus Booth, with whom she is obsessed.

Her family cut her off entirely; she has very little money from them but uses her education in culture and etiquette as well as the clothes she kept to get her way.

She has something of a unique grift, wherein she convinces her victims that they are the ones scamming her out of the fortune she no longer has. She strings people along, primarily men, convincing them she is still a naive heiress, and their assumed airs and expensive gifts are all part of their long con for her fortune. When they start to get wise or run out of money, she leaves town entirely.

She has a history with Bathcat before he was deported to Van Diemen's Land and knows his given name. (With my headcanon that the crime for which he was deported was S/A or something in a similar vein, in my take on Blood Meridian, she was the victim. This is part of why she was at odds with her family, through no fault of her own.) She does not know he is no longer in Australia.

She is not above putting something in men's food or drink so she can rob them in their sleep if she's on the road.

These two briefly met. Noel was strongly offputting to Lelia, who did not even try to scam or flirt a free meal from him.

[forlornmelody]

Bad Seeds

Rating: Teen (About the same amount of violence, swearing, and angst you'd expect from an animated Batman movie.)

Fandom: DC Comics

Ship: Poison Ivy/Harley Quinn

Ao3

--

Summary:  

And so Ivy happened upon a quiet warehouse on the edge of the construction site. At least, it was quiet. Before it exploded. As Ivy hid behind a concrete wall, heard a familiar voice distorted, this time in the form of a wail. And laughter that made her blood boil. And, much later, the rumble of the Bat Cycle taking off. Honestly, Ivy wondered if perhaps the jet lag was getting to her. This all sounded too much like Gotham.

Well, there was one problem solved. At least for the moment. The explosion would delay the construction by months, if not years. And Ivy had more pressing issues to deal with. Time to find a ride home.

Wait. The Green tugged at Ivy’s senses. She felt the vibrations of something heavy disturbing a patch of trifolium nearby. Ivy reached out with her mind, immersing herself in the Green, and she gasped when she saw it.

A human hand.

Belonging to a child.

A living child.

---

Note: Basically, a canon-divergent AU where Ivy revives and raises the second Robin before Ra's Al Guhl can get to him.

---

“Perhaps a rest is in order, Master Bruce?” He nearly jumped at Alfred’s voice behind him. 

Bruce rubbed his face. “What time is it?”

Alfred set the tray down. “What day is it, more like.” He scrunched his nose as he took up the other two trays, the sandwiches and meat pie both left untouched. “Gotham’s most wanted botanist giving you trouble, sir?”

“You’ve no idea.” Bruce had been staring at the screens so long the images and words blurred together. 

Poison Ivy’s MO had changed so drastically Bruce wondered if it was a copycat. But the DNA checked out. Before it was billionaire CEO’s and the board members of less-than-environmentally-friendly companies. Poisoned one by one over dinner, or sometimes all together in the middle of a board meeting. Well. That stayed the same. 

Tonight Batman had found Ivy’s toxic pollen in the nostrils of the board members of Wayne Enterprises. But why? 

Dammit. Bruce knew each of them. Shelly Marks, Chairman, came to Dick’s graduation. Bill Roberts, Vice Chairman, was the second biggest sponsor of the Thomas and Martha Wayne Charity Gala three years running–they played golf together in the rare moment Bruce and Batman had a day off. Alex Shaeffer, secretary, always brought their homemade cupcakes to each meeting, even the emergency ones. Jade Wong, treasurer, always gave him a card on the anniversary of his parents death, along with a hand-delivered bouquet. Why on earth would Ivy want them dead?

—-

She wasn’t even supposed to be there that night. Poison Ivy primarily worked out of Gotham. Men who cared more about their pocketbooks and ledgers seemed to fester in that cesspool like it was a party. But the Green had whispered about construction of a nuclear power plant near one of the largest river systems in Markovia. Ivy remembered with a racing heart the scars of the “Red” Forrest. Never again, she told herself. 

And so Ivy happened upon a quiet warehouse on the edge of the construction site. At least, it was quiet. Before it exploded. As Ivy hid behind a concrete wall, heard a familiar voice distorted, this time in the form of a wail. And laughter that made her blood boil. And, much later, the rumble of the Bat Cycle taking off. Honestly, Ivy wondered if perhaps the jet lag was getting to her. This all sounded too much like Gotham. 

Well, there was one problem solved. At least for the moment. The explosion would delay the construction by months, if not years. And Ivy had more pressing issues to deal with. Time to find a ride home. 

Wait. The Green tugged at Ivy’s senses. She felt the vibrations of something heavy disturbing a patch of trifolium nearby. Ivy reached out with her mind, immersing herself in the Green, and she gasped when she saw it. 

A human hand. 

Belonging to a child. 

A living child. 

Barely. 

—--

The Botanical Gardens glitter in the moonlight, but Ivy and Harley pay them hardly any mind. 

“You’ve had some crazy ideas, Red, but this is batshit.” Harley has her hands folded behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heels. She watches the kid? Corpse? On the bed closely. His chest rises and falls, but his breath is wet. Fluid in the lungs. Yup. Alive. Not dead. Yet. 

“I’m aware, Harley.” Ivy doesn’t even look at her but waves her hand vaguely as she marches across the room, cradling a hoard of instruments in her arms. “Now are you going to help me or not?”

She giggles lightly, too lightly, like a breath frozen in the air as she steps to the other side of the gurney. “You know me. I love crazy.”

A little too much. “Then let’s put your medical degree to use.” Ivy reaches up, tilting the lamp down across a battered body. “What can we do to nurse this wilted one back to full strength?”

Harley lets out a low whistle. “Think we’re gonna need a lot more than just water.”

—--

“What exactly are we hoping to see here?”

“We’re looking for what we don’t hope to see.” Batman peers through his bat-noculars, the heat sensors showing him what the naked eye will not. As much as he hates to admit it, it’s nice to have Dick around. Tim has been good to him, more than good, but he still wears that damn costume. It’s not the same costume–that one is still on display in the Batcave, starched, with stains removed as if nothing had ever happened. But it still has Jason’s colors–Dick’s colors. And seeing Tim in those colors makes Bruce wonder if Robin was ever a good idea in the first place. Dick wears his own colors, thank God. He’s still here. Gotham hasn’t taken everything from him. Not yet. 

The rail yards once hummed at night, but Gotham’s once thriving freight and passenger trains have fallen into decline, save for the commuter monorail that ends service at midnight. And Batman can’t find a single security guard on site. Something big is about to happen. But what? Or more importantly, who?

One semi rumbles between stacks of shipping containers, its headlights off save for the markers.

“Drunk driver?”

“Or they don’t want to be seen.” Batman turns on the thermal scanner on his goggles and finds two people inside. The back of the truck’s refrigerated, so he can’t get a reading. “We need to get closer.” 

“You got it.” Ever so graceful, Dick Grayson cuts a shortcut across the stacks of shipping containers, cutting the truck off, but landing on its back so the driver doesn’t see him. He jumps to the cab, peering upside down through the shotgun window. Unfortunately, that’s when the driver swerves to avoid hitting a raccoon. 

Spinning off the side, Nightwing grabs the radio antenna for purchase, and that’s when the driver spots him.

“Gnah!!” He honks his horn as if that will help.

“So much for stealth.” Nightwing swings in, boots first, shattering the shotgun window on his way. “Alley-oop!”  He winks at the driver. “Hi there. What’ch’ya haulin’?”

“Oh fuck no!” The driver swerves again, but it’s already too late. 

“You see, the funny thing about escrima sticks—I can’t shock you with them and grab onto you at the same time. You’re conductive as copper wire.”

“GET OUT OF MY TRUCK.”

“No need to yell.” Nightwing twirls the stick. 

“Get on with it.” Batman murmurs in his ear.

“Fine. Fine.” He manages a dramatic sigh, and then he grabs the steering wheel. “But if I grab this? Insulating.” Nightwing reaches over with his other hand, and pokes the driver with the stick, electricity arcing in a way that leaves a sparkle in his eye. 

“What in the world does a crook want with natural gas?”

Batman’s eyes narrow as he listens through his coms. “Where’s he headed?”

“Well, he’s passed out, so I can’t exactly–”

“Look at the GPS.”

“Oh shit.”

“Nightwing. Tell me where he’s headed.”

“He’s heading for the dam!”

“Stop the truck.”

“There’s a driver in the way.”

“Stop the truck, Nightwing.”

Nightwing grunts as he maneuvers the driver in the passenger seat and himself into the driver’s seat. He swerves as the drunk threatens to go past the guard rails, braking so hard that the squeal echoes throughout the canyon. Sighing with relief, Nightwing turns the engine off, and hops out. “Easy peasy.” 

“Police are on their way. En route to pick you up before they do.”

“Oh good.” Nightwing starts stretching his limbs, taking a moment to admire the view of Gotham’s glittering skyline. It’s pretty, from a distance. “I’d hate to have to explain why I have a stolen truck in my--” The engine fires up behind him. “What the–” Whipping around, Nightwing registers a red helmet and a black leather jacket waving at him before he has to dive out of its path. 

“Batman, he’s got the truck!”

“En route.” Batman summons the Batmobile, opening the sunroof and landing in his seat with a flourish.

“Was that really necessary?” Alfred murmurs dryly over the comms. 

“Always.” Bruce takes off after the truck, racing down the windy road to the dam. As he ascends the ridge…something is off. In the mcmansions scaling said Gotham Heights…not a single light is on. It looks like a model train set that’s been turned off. 

“Alfred. Check Gotham Electric. Are there any notices about power outages?”

“No, sir, everything is online.”

“Hm. Check social media.” Batman pulls to a stop, allowing Nightwing to hop in before taking off again. 

“Nothing there, sir. But the Ring cameras are showing a hooded figure knocking on all the doors.”

“What?” Batman rounds the corner, almost reaching the gates of Gotham Dam. 

And that’s when the truck crashes into the dam in a fiery explosion.

[erikahenningsen]

Random Regina headcanons because I have time to kill

Regina didn’t just keep the rainbow pin. She’s kept all of her mementos from her friendship with Janis, including assorted drawings and handmade jewelry and silly things like goofy bobbleheads from vacations Janis took with her family. They’re mostly in a bin hidden in her closet with specifically ordered items stacked on top of it so she’ll know if someone (her mom) went through it.

After the bus, Regina had to start dressing more for comfort. She’d previously rather have died than wear athletic shoes to do anything other than work out but as a coping mechanism she online shops for sneakers and soon her sneaker game becomes legendary. There’s an anonymously run Instagram account documenting her sneaker collection.

Hates animals, especially your ugly dog. WILL yell at you if you let your dog jump on her. (“He’s friendly? Well I’m not.”) After months of relentless asking she finally goes with Cady to the zoo. Regina complains the whole time but secretly she finds Cady’s excitement endearing. She takes one (1) photo with Cady in front of the lions and she looks so over it that it becomes a group chat meme.

When she turns 18, Regina gets a small tattoo of a butterfly over one of her surgery scars that Janis designs. If anyone asks Regina will say she just thinks it’s pretty but to her it symbolizes her metamorphosis/personal transformation after the bus.

Regina needs glasses but she absolutely will not wear them in front of another human being, even if it means she’s squinting at the board in class, because she thinks she looks bad in them. Cady starts wearing her glasses to school to show Regina she’s being ridiculous, but it has the unfortunate (for Regina) effect of making Cady hotter, somehow.

She gets into long-distance running for not entirely healthy reasons and starts doing 5Ks and half marathons, but it actually ends up encouraging her to eat more as she’s training and it becomes a weirdly healing experience. Everyone makes signs to cheer Regina on which she gets emotional about—except for Damian’s relentless Forrest Gump jokes, which she finds SO annoying.

Regina loves reading, and she reads even more while she’s in the hospital/recovering. She loves classic literature especially and Shakespeare, which she bonds with Damian over, and Janis nonchalantly gives her a queer YA novel that Regina pretends she doesn’t want but reads in one night. She secretly buys a bunch more. (I Kissed Shara Wheeler hits a little too close to home.)

As Regina heals her relationship with her body and starts letting go of some of her fears of judgment she starts experimenting more with her appearance, wearing jeans for the first time in years (big for her!), not wearing makeup every day, even cutting her hair a bit shorter and dyeing some of it pink (Janis helps).

[graveltrapping]

F1 Grid as Animals

Was drawing my leonin dnd character and he somehow ended up looking like Max, which obviously had me thinking about the whole Dutch Lion stuff, and then what animal I would associate with the other drivers based on looks, region, and personalities.

Max Vertsappen - Transvaal Lion (obvious reasons and Transvaal sometimes have a naturally have a lighter coat.)

Checo Perez - Chocolate Labrador (look friendly but are still considered a gun dog)

Daniel Ricciardo - Honey Badger (for obvious reasons but also they are know to take on and defend against lions in the wild)/Doberman or Beauceron with floppy ears (ears get snipped at Mclaren)

Yuki Tsunoda - Japanese Sparrowhawk (can be aggressive despite their smaller size. Great agility)

Liam Lawson - Bull Terrier (The look really similar, idk how to explain it)

Isack Hadjar - Striped Hyena

Carlos Sainz - Spanish Fighting Bull/Black Andalusian Horse

Charles Leclerc - Thoroughbred Horse/ European Hare

Lando Noriss - Irish Red Setter (again, a family friendly gun dog. Has the curls)

Oscar Piastri - Whistling Kite (not as aggressive as other birds of prey but still a very agile hunter)

Lewis Hamilton - Black Leopard

George Russel- Sika Deer (very gorgeous but has an aggressive streak)

Kimi Antonelli - Roe Deer

Fernando Alonso - Iberian Red Fox (opportunistic and adaptable, epitome of cunning)

Lance Stroll - Moose

Alex Albon - Clouded Leopard (incredibly elusive and are great ambush predators)/Greater Racket Tailed Drongo (will be aggressive and take on larger predators if threatened. Also flashy courting rituals lol)

Franco Colapinto - Pampas Fox

Logan Sergeant - American Golden Retriever

Nico Hulkenberg - Long Haired German Shepherd

Kevin Magnussen - Eurasian Eagle Owl/Eurasian Brown Bear

Ollie Bearman - Black Bear

Esteban Ocon - Picardy Spaniel (French working breed)

Pierre Gasly - Alpine Chamois

Jack Doohan - Kangaroo/ Carpet Python (big and strong Australian and just pure vibes)

Valteire Bottas - Finish Forrest Reindeer

Zhou Guanyu - Leopard Cat

Gabriel Bortoleto - Maned Wolf

Drawings done while I was high and a bit tipsy lol

[historyartthings]

Absolutely loving, adoring, Le*nda de L*sle’s review of MacCulloch’s work...

My thoughts, feelings, opinions I’ve put below. It gets very long because I cannae haud me wheesht

I don’t know why she’s obsessed with the idea that he mustn’t have loved his wife. ‘the supposedly grieving widower’? I don’t think the arrangement of a marriage for a king - which Henry obviously agreed to - is a sufficient way to judge what Thomas’s relationship with his wife was like. The (foreign and domestic) political, religious and dynastic factors at play there can’t be ignored in favour of extrapolating that he didn’t understand marrying for love. The “happy marriage” in quotation marks😭 have got to laugh. her condescending cynicism is based on nothing tangible, as far as I can work out. She shades MacCulloch as well through the, ‘he believes that although the evidence is sparse, Cromwell was indeed a grieving widower'…. Ngl I would argue it’s not a particularly strained logical leap to assume he might’ve been upset.

We know barely anything about their relationship. Mostly what can be concretely said is he, unusually, never remarried - we’ll obviously never know the reason(s) for that, but still. There was seemingly one notable relationship outside of it, which we only know of because it resulted in an illegitimate daughter, a wee while after his wife passed away. But even that isn’t for 100% certain. He also atypically didn’t have a mistress. There’s also exactly one (1) extant letter from him to his wife, which is pleasant enough, but not much revealing - he asks her for news of home and sends her a deer. she didnt live long enough so as to have any external remarks on their marriage once he entered court spheres. Essentially it’s impossible to draw anything more than speculative conclusions, but based on what can be tentatively extrapolated from his actions, it seems more likely he grieved for his wife than didn’t imo. And also just considering natural, human emotion??

(Even if you want to suggest they didn’t marry for love in the beginning - and/or weren’t in love by the end - they were married for what? Roughly a decade and a half? With no signs of estrangement, and friendly correspondence in letters to Cromwell asking him to pass on their regards to his wife. So even if it was simply an amicable relationship, on a basic level being with someone in such close proximity, for that long, and losing them is probably going to be upsetting?)

On a tangential note, as MacCulloch does point out, the valentine to Mary mentioned here wasn’t at all romantic - it’s misleading to present that, as she does, as an attempt for he himself to marry into royalty. Or more charitably, I think she misremembered the context for it from the book

I’d also question de Lisle’s point about the executions. Personally I don’t think it suggests a greater misogyny than any of his contemporaries? Imo it’s indicative of the broader pattern of a brutal, violent ruthlessness towards those he saw as any enemy, in his way, and/or as going against the crown/policy etc. As opposed to any particular or especial hatred towards women. This isn't meant as an excuse for those actions in any way, because they're - quite obviously - horrific. I just question the rationale behind such a judgement of even-worse-than-usual-for-the-time-misogyny based upon it. Such brutality wasn't isolated to women, men were treated just as abominably. She talks of their humiliation to evidence her point, but again, men were faced with the same. (Ask Richard Whiting who got dragged up Glastonbury Tor at nearly 80, whose case involved, 'to be tryed [presumably for treason] at Glaston and also executyd there' from cromwell's remembrances; or John Forrest, who was strung up in chains, which is a humiliating - to use her term - prolonged death in itself, but was also supposedly burnt using kindling made from a statue of a saint - oh how clever of you!). We don’t (afaik) have letters or remarks which reflect cromwell’s views on women in the same way as for Norfolk, for example. it's just a bizarre extrapolation to me. again, imo it's an incredibly dark, ruthless streak through his personality. it seems to have been his standard handling of any major execution. Also, to be clear, I’m not suggesting he wasn’t sexist/misogynistic, because ofc he was. All men back then were, as a symptom of living and socilisation in such a patriarchal society.

(also interesting for her to pair this suggestion w/ her thoughts about his marriage come to think of it. she seems to be linking the two in a broader picture, I assume wherein this should be added to the ‘evidence’ he didn’t/couldnt have loved his wife)

also the contrast of his physical looks in the Holbein, against his 'becoming' a 'convivial figure' in MacCulloch's work, is disappointing. not reading personalities from portraits, nor ascribing negative character traits to appearances and/or weight (implicitly or otherwise) shouldn't be a big ask, but apparently is. It'd be a wee bit different if she’d pointed to his expression - I still think that’s an unsound way to go about things fwiw - which at least isn’t intrinsically linked to his features, but alas no.

Lastly, re: MacCulloch’s arguments, i would say he’s more impartial than she implies. He might be Anglican, but I wouldn’t say he’s ‘on the Protestant side’ particularly. I struggle to see how his presentation of Catholics - from what i remember, altho it’s been a while since i've read it - is less than fair? He directly praises more and fisher iirc. but someone with a better knowledge of the book could correct me on this point.

also, positioning that he's on the 'protestant side', alongside the next line being about his argument that cromwell was grieving, is an interesting choice. is the suggestion that if you agree with the latter your sympathies must lie with "protestantism"? that it's only through a biased lens you could reach that conclusion? sksjksjk diabolical suggestion that that's the only reason anyone might consider he mourned his wife. like am i going insane or is it genuinely what she's saying??… i cant see why she'd juxtapose those specific points otherwise. Like critiquing mantel's comments about catholics and their presentation in wolf hall is fair enough, but connecting that with the fact she wrote cromwell as 'heartbroken' and that he loved his wife, comes across to me as though she's suggesting the former should invalidate mantel's interpretation of the latter. which again i dont think is fair based on the evidence we do have..

I would also question (because it is confusing to me) despite the fact that MacCulloch and Mantel were friends, why the “”””””happy marriage”””””” across both works is the way in here??? like why are you so bothered as to both lead and finish the article with that?

(And, frankly, MacCulloch paints a picture of a happier marriage - he writes that the simplest explanation is, ‘he couldn’t bear to marry anyone else’ - than Mantel does. Who presents their relationship as literally (as in, textually), ‘loves’ but not ‘in love’. and has him actively wanting to remarry. she had a line in TMATL that goes he was ‘mostly faithful’ which? I’m not sure if she meant to imply infidelity but… altho she did present a picture of him missing her i guess)

[serpercival]

Get to Know Your Mutuals

tagged by @alohawhore!

what's the origin of your blog title?

Trapper quote! From the pilot

otp(s) + shipname(s):

BEEJTRAPHAWKKKKK. Traphawk is a close second. I think BJ provides a really good balance, though;I generally think Trapper needs variety or he goes insane and giving him a second-long term partner—particularly one who's going to spend time with Hawkeye when Trap's out cruising on his own, because he needs to—keeps him sane. Punnitraphawk's the same to me but if I'm writing stuff on my own I generally don't worry a whole ton about the offscreen wives

favourite colour:

Pink!

song stuck in your head:

funnily enough. Stuck In My Head by Forrest Day

weirdest habit/trait:

I put hot sauce on goldfish crackers, does that count?

hobbies:

WRITING. crochet and board games as well!

if you work, what's your profession?

working on my associates degree <3

if you could have any job you wish, what would it be?

uhhhh. macrodata refinement without all that bad stuff. do you get what I mean. I just want to put numbers in boxes.

Legit I want to and am looking forward to doing data entry temp work

something you're good at:

Crochet amigurumi! I'm good at making stuff look nice without a pattern.

something you hate:

what people consider merging speed

something you collect:

w. wayne rogers movies. Also dice

something you forget:

EVERY FUCKIN THING my brain is a sieve

what's your love language:

I had to go take a quiz but quality time apparently

favourite movie/show:

Groundhog Day and MASH

favourite food:

I think the thing I end up eating most often is chicken wings just because those are a safe food for me texture-wise and you can get them at almost any restaurant

favourite animal:

Manatees and foxes :3 we can take a wild guess at when I picked that second one up but I was at Blue Springs, Florida when I was ~8 and got to touch a manatee! We definitely weren't supposed to but they were very friendly fucking surprised us swimming because they were ridiculously early in the season. Turns out it's not easy not to touch a manatee if the manatee wants to touch you.

what were you like as a child:

Weird 👍 not that I'm not weird now. Also very angry.

favourite subject at school:

English!

least favourite subject:

Civics

what's your best character trait?

Creativity, I hope!

what's your worst character trait?

Insecurity

if you could change any detail of your life right now, what would it be?

Wish I didn't live with my parents 👍

if you could travel in time, who would you like to meet?

sigh. I wish I had a better answer but hyperfixation brain would really like to talk to Wayne Rogers

tagging @hballegro @remyfire @trappper-johnathan @hearteyespierce @goofo @eddie-redcliff @emsposterwall @erikraven if any of you feel like doing it! Open to anyone else as well <3

[autumnvine]

Fire and Frost

Chapter 2

Summary: Valeia, a witch on earth is forced to hide deep within in the shadows of the forbidden forrest alone with powers she doesn't understand and can't control. Only to be found and taught by the God himslef.

Loki stayed true to his word, agreeing to help you controll your power, he wasn't sure what your power was entirely and to be fair neither were you. "There's a clearing anout three clicks up east, we follow the path, don't stray, we can practice there. I can't controll it, any of it. I don't knwo how, noone ever showed me. Magic here isn't accepted Loki, people are killed here because of their magic, that's why I live here, in the forrest. Everyone is affraid of this forrest you see, you need to understand, you must stick to the paths always, never ever stray from them , and never ever follow anything which calls your name. Nothing in this forrest is friendly, trust none of it. There are beings, that call for you, sounding like your loved ones, it tricked me once, nearly killed me, so don't aknowledge it. If you think you saw something, you didn't, if you think you hear something you didn't. It is very impotant, do you understand. "

"I understant, what's your name?

"Valeia Hearborn,  I'm the daughter of witches, the daughter to bring choas and corruption. But you can call me Leia if you prefer." Loki smilied in amusement, Chaos was right up his street. You asked him where he was from or where he fell from but Loki shared little to no detail of his home life, or where he came from. Loki remained silent the rest of the walk

"Where here"  standing at the top of the east hills, nothing but clear barran land for miles. "Remember if you think you see something, you didn't. The east hills is particularly unsafe, there is little shelter from the trees here."

"You needn't be frightened, you will learn to controll your abilities and protect yourself. Controll oyur emotion, then controll your abilities. Now, show me what you've got."

You stood there unsure of how to make anything happen, controll your emotion, but which emotion fulled your powers?

Loki started raising his voice a little, slightly veering off the peth you had told him clearly not to leave, making you nervous, he whistled, "No" you shouted to him, he ignored you and continued, your nerves grew, as did the wind, your firey red hair blowing gently behind you "That's it" Loki smiled partly proud of what you had accomplished. Loki stood whistling somemore stepping further and further off the path, he could see clearly an entity appearing upon the horrizon, coming closer to him, "It's coming! Get on the path, stop making noises" you shouted, but he ignored once again, your heart quickening in your chest, the wind grew stronger and stronger as Loki fulled your nerves. Before long a hurricaine surrounded you, kneeling in the middle trying to controll yourself, trying to controll your power. The hurricaine pulling up chunks of the grass, twigs, pine needles, Loki becoming louder, shouting things you can't hear from the wind, "stop yelling at it." you called out to Loki, watching an entity run toward him, coming closer and closer, until you decided enough was enough, you threw your arm off to the side, infront of Loki "I SAID ENOUGH!" as you shouted a red hot stream of fire shot out from your hands, your veins now a burning orange colour up your arm, Loki stood inn awe of you and your gift, the entity screaming as it was scorched, turning to a pile of ash at Loki's feet. The ongoing hurricane picking up the flames still expelling from the ball of your palm, "I can't stop it!" you yelled as you watched the barran clearing infront of you become a smoking, fire field. "Close your eyes" you did as Loki told you, and the hurricaine calmed, now holiding a small ball of fire within your hands, Loki stepped closer to you, "Well done, now make it bigger" focusing on the ball in your hand you watched as it grew, bigger and bigger, "Now throw it," The god told you, "Trust me" you threw it and Loki froze it mid air. creating a single ball of crystal clear glass, he waved his hand over the flaiming feild infront of you, killing the fire.

You took some deep breaths composing yourself, "That was incredible"

"You see, now we understand your power is controlled by your fear, you protectiveness. You thought that thing would hurt me and you burnt it to a crisp, you thought I was in danger from leaving the path, and the hurricaine grew wilder. Now all you need is to manipulate your emotions, don't be afraid of them, don't let them controll you. Remember you controll them. You did well Valeia. You are a fast learner."

"Now then , let's see what else you can do shall we? I want you to sit, facing me, close your eyes and take a deep breath, clear your mind, think of nothing. Now look at me Liea what am I thinking?" No matter how hard you tried you couldn't do it. Instead you did something far more interesting. Looking at Loki you saw the space between him and the grass widening, you could elevate him with your mind, "My my my, look at you" Loki exclaimed while three feet abouve the floor. "Gently lower me back down" you did.

"That's enough for today I think" you smiled at Loki as you walked back down the hills to the cottage.

-----

Ch.1

Ch.3

Taglist

@plutoispurplw

[ghostcond]

HOUNDS!!!! my hounds

extra info.....

in my canon, the hounds are a group of wizards led by arlen. they are a major part of my arc 1 and some of them help reed with some things, not for very long but they're there so i gave them ally bonuses (idk how balanced these would be in game but whatever.......)

in terms of the hounds themselves, they all get along well enough when they're in a group. forrest and nikolai are besties outside of the group, arlen is friendly with everyone but sort of avoids blaine because he knows he doesn't like him, and blaine is polite with all of them but mostly out of respect and not because he actually likes any of them (dw they all get closer as time goes on)

all of them have swords (except nikolai...... and also arlen's sword is haunted)

[forrestdabeevee]

Hi Forrest! I really want some sfw/nsfw headcanons for Gastrodon! Male, if you will.

The goopy boi!!!! Sadly couldn't come up with much for the NSFW section. :c

SFW

A lot of their characteristics and oddities are surprisingly similar to the Goodra line, but I suppose that makes sense since both lines are very slimy and friendly.

I'd say this pokemon is one of the most low maintenance pokemon to be a partner with, especially compared to a lot of other water types or ground types. Just be ready to water them a lot, just like a majority of grass type partners.

Be prepared to be squished underneath them whenever they hug you or you try to hug them. They are just as cuddly and as big into hugs as Goodra's are, and also just as slimy too… 

And sadly said slime is stickier than Goodra's so be prepared to buy tons of detergent specifically for Gastrodon slime. If you think you can handle having all your clothes slimed you can't, believe me I tried.

Be careful when trying to lift your Gastrodon, they may not be too heavy but Arceus almighty are they really hard to hold. Not only will they get your hands and arms sticky with their slime, but they may act like goop in your arms if they don't want to be moved, so good luck trying to carry that without tripping and stumbling around.

You cannot live somewhere cold and icy or somewhere dry and arid as Gastrodon's NEED water to keep their body nice and smooth and sticky, living in those places can freeze or dry their bodies fast. If they get dry they can start to get cracks on their body as well as start to act grumpy and mean, if they stay dry for a long period of time they can start to worsen in health and start lashing out, and if they stay dry for almost a month they may perish or fall into a coma.

Speaking of keeping their bodies hydrated, a nice hose or letting them relax in your bathtub or shower as you fill it up/shower them with water should do. I'd recommend staying with them as they get hydrated, not only so you don't over water them but also so they have someone to be with. They appreciate the company.

Do be careful about over watering them though, it won't cause any damage but it can make them heavier and fatter but they'll still be just as happy and cuddly as before. Just heavier and more jiggly until all the excess water is drained away.

If you live somewhere with a pool or a large tub, be prepared for your partner to ask you to sleep with them in the pool/tub every now and then. And don't worry about getting cold or uncomfortable, they'll keep you nice and comfy with their body on or around you.

You can have multiple Gastrodon partners, they aren't usually territorial with their mates so you can have an East and West Gastrodon partner and they'll get along just fine! Don't believe everything you read on the pokedex. Just be prepared to be squished beneath them and carried by the two of them as they can and will team up on you.

NSFW

So mating with a Gastrodon is definitely an interesting experience cause you will either be beneath them and filled or on top of them as they drain you of everything. It's hard to describe everything they can do with you, you'll just have to believe me when I say it's an interesting experience from both sides.

If you have multiple Gastrodon partners be prepared to used and filled completely for a long, long time. From both sides no less, so prepare in advance to be unavailable for multiple hours as you will also need time to recover and empty yourself.

Fun fact some Gastrodon's can lay, non fertilized, tiny eggs into you if it's mating season for them so if it is that time they will be heavily territorial with you and try to pin you down from the start of the day until they are empty and satisfied.

If you are on top however do expect to be sucked or licked dry by them as they are extremely good with their tongues and throat. If you've been with a goodra before it's pretty much like that but smaller.

Very comfy and soft to lay on if you're on top, would recommend at least letting them hold you or laying on them at least once or twice just for a more pleasant experience.

[mariacallous]

Forty-seven years ago today, everything changed. True believers might already know what it was: On May 25, 1977, Star Wars hit movie theaters and irrevocably altered nearly everything pertaining to the act of moviegoing. Lines around the block, overly excited nerds, an appetite for action figures. Star Wars taught Hollywood that certain genres—sci-fi, fantasy, anything that percolated in the offbeat TV shows, books, and comics of the 1950s and ’60s—had fans, and those fandoms would show up. Star Wars made a meager $1.6 million in the US in its opening weekend. But people kept coming back, and by the end of its initial run it had made more than $300 million. Hollywood’s Next Big Thing had arrived.

Common wisdom dictates that Jaws, which came out in 1975 and made some $260 million, was the first summer blockbuster. That’s true, but it was Star Wars that shifted the idea of what kind of film future popcorn flicks tried to be. In the years after its release, a trove of sci-fi and genre films landed in theaters: Blade Runner, Alien, E.T., the Mad Max sequel The Road Warrior. By the ’90s, the summer movie energy had shifted to action fare—Twister, Speed, Jurassic Park, Independence Day—but nerd stuff still ruled. For every Forrest Gump there was a Batman Returns or Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Then came a little juggernaut called Marvel. By the time Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies started clearing nine-figure opening weekends in the aughts, it was obvious that comic book heroes’ true superpowers involved making your money disappear. The Avengers opened in early May 2012 and nearly recouped its $200-million-plus production budget in three days. Suddenly, there were at least two superhero movies every year, if not every summer, and some new Star Wars flicks at the holidays.

The one-two punch of Covid-19 theater closures and streaming pretty much kneecapped this entire process. The summer of 2020 had virtually no blockbusters, and by the time moviegoers returned to multiplexes in 2021 and 2022, there had been a vibe shift. Movies like Black Widow and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did well, but they weren’t events. Rushing to Fandango for tickets didn’t feel as urgent as it once did. Last summer, Barbenheimer was the buzziest thing in movies. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 made money, but they still got beat by Barbie’s might.

Overall, this year could be a wake-up call for studios that superhero fatigue has fully set in, says Chris Nashawaty, author of The Future Was Now, a new book out in July about how the movies of 1982—Blade Runner, E.T., Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, among others—ushered in the current blockbuster era. That epoch, he says, “was always going to be something that couldn’t last forever; I’m frankly surprised that it lasted as long as it did.”

Nashawaty says the success of Barbenheimer—both movies—indicates that audiences are hungry for smart films, but Hollywood’s risk aversion likely means studios will greenlight more projects based on toys and games like Monopoly rather than movies about physicists. “This is a real existential moment in Hollywood right now,” he adds, and studios need to be bold to stay relevant.

Summer 2024, which unofficially begins this weekend, promises a move away from the formula that has been in play for decades. There are only a handful of big popcorn-ready movies coming, and they’re decidedly less family-friendly than the blockbusters of yore. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which dropped on Friday, is a teeth-chatteringly gritty prequel about a kidnapped woman (Anya Taylor-Joy playing the younger version of Charlize Theron’s character from Mad Max: Fury Road) who ends up in a war between two overlords and has to fight her way out. Deadpool & Wolverine is a Marvel movie, yes, but it’s apparently a paean to pegging and cocaine so hard-R that Ryan Reynolds won’t shut up about it.

The series of weird indies coming in the next few months—the thriller Cuckoo, Ti West’s latest horror flick MaXXXine, a new collab from Poor Things pals Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos called Kinds of Kindness—finally have some room to get into the summer movie conversation.

Make no mistake: I am typing these things with glee and admiration. Glossy family movies have their place, but they’ve grown awfully predictable. Safe—not necessarily in their plots, but in their substance. No matter how fun last year’s barn-burner The Super Mario Bros. Movie was, you can’t say anything about it was surprising, much less new. No one walked into the theater for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and walked out as gobsmacked as they were when they saw Star Wars, or even Speed.

This is not a “Hollywood is so homogenized” argument. Rather, it’s a reminder that Tinseltown wasn’t always this way. Its influence used to introduce people to the future. What’s happening now has the potential to mark a return to the kind of startlingly original movies that used to be hits. Between the pandemic, streaming, and the Hollywood strikes of last summer, a lot of old habits got broken, and there’s a sense that a renaissance is afoot.

This revitalization won’t come easy, if it comes at all. Summer 2024 still has its share of redos and sequels—a new Inside Out movie, reboots of ’90s summer staples The Crow and Twister. (The latter is the aptly-named Twisters; there are more tornadoes this time, apparently.) But even those movies at least feel like they’re grasping for the prefranchise days, even if they’re birthing franchises in the process.

Furiosa is currently projected to bring in more than $40 million at the US box office this weekend, a figure that would bring it close to Fury Road’s tally but may not convince Hollywood execs that it should bankroll more R-rated, original shockbusters. It would, presumably, best The Garfield Movie, which is also out this weekend and has the makings of a more surefire hit: well-known IP, animated, PG-rated. (For the record, though: Critics seem to think it sucks.) Early ticket sales for Deadpool & Wolverine are already breaking records for an R-rated movie. Should it dominate the conversation for a couple weeks while also raking in money, that embrace of a very not-Disney Disney movie—coupled with Furiosa and Hot Barbenheimer Summer—could signal a tipping point.

Look, nothing will ever completely derail Hollywood’s reliance on sure things. Video game adaptations remain poised to take the crown long held by superhero flicks. (Borderlands, starring Cate Blanchett, is coming to theaters this August.) But if this summer’s ever-sprawling slate turns up just enough weird hits, maybe we’ll once again know the feeling of walking out of Star Wars for the first time.

[rockislandadultreads]

July is... Disability Pride Month!

Celebrate Disability Pride Month with these nonfiction picks highlighting a range of voices & stories within the disability community!

Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau

People with disabilities are the world’s largest minority, an estimated 15 percent of the global population. But many of us – disabled and non-disabled alike – don’t know how to act, what to say, or how to be an ally to the disability community. This friendly handbook on important disability issues is an approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally, with actionable steps for what to say and do (and what not to do) and how you can help make the world a more accessible, inclusive place.

Easy Beauty by Chloé Cooper Jones

Born with a rare congenital condition called sacral agenesis, which affects both her stature and gait, Chloé Cooper Jones's pain is physical. But there is also the pain of being judged and pitied for her appearance, of being dismissed as “less than.” The way she has been seen - or not seen - has informed her lens on the world her entire life. But after unexpectedly becoming a mother, Jones sets off on a journey across the globe, reclaiming the spaces she’d been denied, and denied herself.

Sitting Pretty by Rebekah Taussig

Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), inspirational (Helen Keller), or angelic (Forrest Gump). None of this felt right; and as she got older, she longed for more stories that allowed disability to be complex and ordinary. Writing about what it means to live in a body that doesn’t fit, Rebekah reflects on everything from the complications of charity, living independently and dependently, experiencing intimacy, and how the pervasiveness of ableism in media directly translates to everyday life.

Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco

Before becoming the actor, producer, advocate, and model that people know today, Nyle DiMarco was half of a pair of Deaf twins born to a multi-generational Deaf family in Queens, New York. In this moving and engrossing memoir, Nyle shares stories, both heartbreaking and humorous, of what it means to navigate a world built for hearing people. Through his stories and those of his Deaf brothers, parents, and grandparents, Nyle opens many windows into the Deaf experience.

[furiousofpanda]

Another unnamed concept for an oc time except for its a basis for a creepypasta that I'm never going to make cause I don't have the time or effort to try and make it real

So I used to go hiking a lot, and even now I fucking love just running around in the woods UH BUT ANYWAYS thus is very inspired from a mountain I climbed with my family called Tiger Mountain. Despite its name its no actually that difficult and is a very beginner friendly trail last I remember. I don't remember If camping or hiking during the night was allowed but for my story I'm assuming they arent.

The concept is that there are masked figures in the woods near dusk. They scare visitors from staying overnight in the woods but also save lost individuals just so nobody ends up sleeping in the woods on tiger mountain.

They say if you sleep overnight there you are giving your soul to the mountain, and you will become one with it over time. This basis is important to understand the several characters I have in mind. All it takes in this scenario is someone to go unconscious and their soul belongs to tiger mountain. You'll know it's taken because a mask will appear. The masks are animal masks of animals that can survive in the forest but also metaphorically represent the individuals strengths and weaknesses. Over time (after 10-20 years) the person, even if they reside in the forest or have moved far away, will turn into that creature. The more damaged the mask is the less time you have, and trying to throw away the mask? It'll just re-appear in your line of sight the moment you take eyes off of it unless it's on you/your holding it.

Now to the actual characters. All of them are victims, none of them chose this but do what they can to make sure nobody ever sleeps in the forest.

I'll refer to each character by their mask as none of them I've come up with names yet.

Rabbit - Quick on feet, impatient, not very talkative, can fight but rathers to flee, tripped and got knocked unconscious by a rock, woke up head bleeding and a mask next to them. Trans FTM, learns about the curse and become friends with Turtle, witnesses turtle turn into a turtle, freaks out, tries to figure out how to reverse the curse but ends up being unsuccessful and runs out of time. He moved into a home nearby tiger mountain before becoming part of the mess to escape a transphobic environment. 26

Fatima (i think i spelt her name wrong but this is Turtle) - thinks before speaking, calm and collected, accepted her fate and has made a secret garden not only for the masked members who live in the woods bit also so that once she turns she has food for a long while. Got ditched by her abusive family in the mountain (they left her behind and never went to find her ever). 19

Ferret - a bit of a Comedian, fast on foot but clumsy, impulsive, ran away from home and doesn't want to return (abusive family), actually willing to kill people if it comes to getting them out of the forrest, needs therapy (he's not okay), 17

Mouse - Mother abandoned them in the forest because she wasn't ready to be a mother/ plus some dark shit im not going to drop on yall yet /. Mouse is curious and doesn't understand right from wrong, still learning who they are, 3 years old.

Woodpecker - crafty, always making things, good at math. worked low end jobs and has a passion for construction, fell asleep on accident while on break while making direction signs that he was hired to put up on the trail. Kinda just doesn't mind living in the forest because he doesn't have to pay taxes and gets to build houses and random things. 42

Coyote - loud, actual asshole, probably storywise turns first. He is pushy, likes to steal or cause harm on purpose, throws away his Mask or damages it every chance he can because "its stupid", gets into fights with others oftenly, everyone hate him but he has nowhere to go. Literally no remorse and triggers/sets off everyone's family issues whenever he exists in the same room as anyone else. 16

There's more but it's 2:30 am my ass needs sleep, I'll write more if I remember to

[unikittybigbrightworldau]

Citizens of Botania

Head over to Botania and rustle up your leaves as I tell about the folks who live there.

(I know- that was bad.)

Lucinda Fox is Dr. Fox’s great grandmother, and she seems to be the matriarch of the clan. She and many other foxes reside in Veridan, Botania’s forest area (with both deciduous and coniferous trees in it), in a neighborhood called Fox Hollow. As you can probably tell from her coat, science runs in the family; back in her day, she discovered five new elements and made the earliest motherboard. She also had a hand in designing environmentally-friendly power systems. She still continues to explore the world around her today, and she has a close bond with her tight-knit family.

Lucinda’s two children are Jessie, Dr. Fox’s grandmother, and Jay, her great-uncle. Jessie has a degree in environmental science and took Dr. Fox to Botania’s natural history museum when she was a little kid. She created a device to measure and keep track of soil fertility. She’s a stylish and lighthearted woman. Jay likes to feed birds and let them land on his fingertips. He’s a lights operator who works at the Flytrap Theater in Veridan. He’s carefree, much like Jessie. Jay and Jessie are twins.

Forrest, Felix, Don and Rosemary are Jay’s children and the cousins of Dr. Fox’s dad, Benton. Forrest Fox studies physics and loves being outdoors, all the way down to sleeping outside. Felix Fox is a mathematician who’s logical yet compassionate. He can’t see very well out of one of his eyes. Donaldo Fox, or Don, is the only known member of Dr. Fox’s family who is actually licensed to practice medicine, and does it professionally. He cooks pastas and veggies in his spare time. He's all about the truth, so he can't stand when people don't get facts right. Rosemary Fox, or Rosie, is a mirthful teacher with a sharp memory. She teaches at a general school, which means she teaches basic life skills to young kids. One of her students just so happened to be Rose, and they’ve always joked about the likeness of their names.

Vita Fox is Dr. Fox’s older sister. Like her cousin Lila, she lives by herself, and her home isn’t too far from where her relatives live. She likes to skate, and she also studies the behavioral habits of people. She’s generous, selfless, and is close with her family just like her great grandma. She and her sister were close when they were younger. To this day, she thinks about her a lot.

Then, there's Needle Herichon, the sea urchin who ruined the lives of many Marevians. I put him here because he's now in a banishment hold a ways away from Botania. It's a place where Marevi and Botania try to rehabilitate their worst offenders. He is controlling, dishonest, and doesn't care what happens so long as it benefits him. He won't admit that, though. He's a social urchin who has no problem talking with other people. However, he's also selfish and hungry for fame. He married Celina and built Spike with her just to get achievement points. He disrespected their boundaries, spreading mean rumors to discredit them while claiming he was helping them. He also tried to force Celina to stay with him, and lured a sea monster to a marketplace, hoping a battle would win her back. The Doom Lords are attempting to recruit Needle and give him the title of Master Deceit. His headcanon voice? Hadrian from Minecraft: Story Mode.

Lord Terran Monarch is the fairy ruler of Botania. He acts as a conscience towards his people and does his best to guide them down the path of life. He's selfless, environmentally aware, and very hail-fellow-well-met. He'll do what he can to ensure that the world will have a future to protect. Lord Terran is also good friends with King Nettle and Queen Moonlily, just like Botania is with Marevi. He wears glasses that help him see and read; without them, he can’t see at all. 

Zora is a dragontail butterfly and a close friend to Kira. He doesn’t like being in just one place for very long, nor does he like getting wet. He travels around Botania’s desert and grassland areas. He is able to fly at great speeds, which makes him hard to spot. Moving at quick paces, Zora gets easily impatient and bored. But, he's a loyal and sympathetic friend and a resilient guy.

Allegra is another one of Kira's friends. She is a graceful performer who is regarded as one of the most beautiful fairies in her tree. She is a skilled trapeze artist, and she's part of the circus at her school. She is the peppiest and liveliest in Kira's friend group, and she loves when people watch her flip and swing. Trapeze isn't an easy art, and Allegra isn't a trapeze expert. She sometimes falls down, but she doesn't let her misses define her.

Bia is also part of Kira's friend circle like Zora and Allegra. Though feisty, she is inventive and problem-solving, and she tinkers with things she finds in the nature that surrounds her. She fixes things and also makes sure that they don't leave behind waste or use lots of energy. She's never been able to feel her wings, so she has these flight aids to help her fly. Her headcanon voice is Tink from the Tinker Bell movies. 

Fern is Kira’s older brother. He is a farmer who is learning to care for crops and plants. He has no problem with getting dirty when he works. He's considerate, so he checks in on Kira most often.

Kira and Fern were raised by their grandmother, Emi. She is a funny and sweet woman who likes to draw pictures. Her works are hung up in restaurants and libraries in the tree. Much like Kira, she likes having fun, so she's always up for some playtime. She also helped the siblings stay safe.

Desiree is a deer/mole hybrid known for selling tickets at cinemas and amusement parks. She lives to experience things, so in her time off, she heads in to see a flick or hop on a ride herself.

In Botania, the Gemflowers are the only people whose names are based on what they are. In their case, it's either their flower or their gemstone. Rose is a dashing Gemflower who's fine with being called either Rose or Ruby. They're also fine with being referred to as a he, she, they, it, or something else. He's energetic, vehement, and is good at chasing monsters or beasts away. They've considered joining the Bramble Wall, which defends Botania by doing that. They're also friends with Fern.

Carnation is an investigative young lass who says something important when no one expects it. She is technically siblings with Snapdragon, the sound effects artist for the Petalstones. Like her, she was created in a lab by Dr. Fox's aunt Daisy. People who Carnation is friends with, such as Allegra and Bia, know this, but she'd never brag about it.

Sapphire is an early bird who never seems to run out of stamina. He likes to work out every morning and makes sure he's getting enough sunlight. He lets fairies and insects rest on the top of his head flower.

Cherry Blossom is a friend of Kira's. He's sweet on one side but sour on the other. He's generally courteous, like Botanians usually are. But on some days, he'll be direct and open, and on others, he'll be tired and want to be left alone. He's always moving forward.

Freesia is a Gemflower who's only a young kid. She's innocent and a little bit superstitious. She often goes to hug the fairy trees, believing it'll make her wishes come true.

Moonstone is an instinctive friend of Kira's who also likes to call herself Brugmansia. She's an animal lover, just like her. She doesn't take kindly to people who don't show basic decency. She shows respect like most others, but knows that she doesn't owe anyone that respect.

[adulthumanproblem]

Sorry OP, I get this post recommended 15 billion times a day and am confused every time

Because wdym "bring back" ? It's never left! There's SO MUCH atheist content, especially on YouTube! So many people putting out videos with debunks and rebuttals and pushbacks and debates every single week, multiple times sometimes, for the last decade and longer. More and more actually, and more call-in shows than ever before!

And "mean" ones too! Or rather, you know, people not catering and bowing to religious people's abuse (because have you heard how they talk about us? But we're the mean ones? Well alright then!)

Forrest Valkai can get pretty mean aka he's not beating aroung the bush. He's a fantastic science educator and so very passionate, which is why he isn't taking kindly to the lies especially creationists spout

Gutsick Gibbon is a biological anthropology PhD student and she LOVES debating creationists. To the point that they won't debate her anymore lol

Viced Rhino and SkepTick are super snarky and often do more comedic videos (despite the subject matter). Logicked was admittedly too mean even for me (but you can't deny his style)

Trevor (Belief It Or Not) makes wonderful and thought out essays about fundamentalist Christianity and its culture

Despite his name, Hemant Mehta the Friendly Atheist is a snark machine too when he's covering news surrounding religion and atheism as well as human rights in general

Matt Dillahunty should be a household name too

And everyone who's on The Atheist Experience (which I don't watch anymore because I don't like ThinkingAtheist for his bodyshaming) and however many call-in shows Jimmy Snow now has (who I don't like/watch because of his misogyny especially towards Rachel Oates)

Oh yeah, Rachel Oates is sometimes doing videos about Paul and Morgan and Girl Defined (both extreme purity culture Christian fundie channels) as well

Alyssa Grenfell is an ex mormon and she's exposing the church on her channel

ExJW Panda Tower does the same for Jehova's Witnesses

Paulogia makes educational content and his partner Shannon Q is a fierce feminist oft seen on call-in shows as well

AronRa is an unapologetic atheist and public speaker

And there are so, so many more. These are just the ones I currently watch or have watched in the past, and even that list is still incomplete. And then there's so many more people who are atheist and snarky but don't make specific atheist content. They just mention it sometimes

So yeah. "New Atheism", however that's defined didn't go anywhere

But as mentioned before, none are really all that "mean". Religious extremists just don't like the word "no". They abuse and harass us all day long, call us rapists and murderers and every insult in the book, take away our human rights and try and force us to live how they dictate, but as soon as we say "uh, no?" they clutch their pearls and call us "mean"

We absolutely need to get much meaner.

I am going to personally bring back New Atheism out of sheer fucking spite at every asshole who's still whining about how it's okay to hate atheists because some of them are mean online