#some of them exist independent from the others and some just kind of come and go from the others' 'verses

[harmonia-university]

Some history facts with Prof. Elsie!

Hey! The name's Elsie, and I'm a history professor at Harmonia University! I specialize in human history, but I'm pretty passionate about history in general so I guess the Askblog Council came to me with all these questions from you guys, heh heh!

You probably saw me a while ago anonymously answering a few of these questions. But I think I'm brave enough now to show my face to everyone and be an official member of the Blog! I believe these questions were asked a while ago, but now I have the time to answer them so...well I guess I should address them eh?

What can you tell us about humans?

Well I think I've mentioned before, and it's probably obvious just by looking around, but they're nonexistent here! They did exist at one point, we were all living harmoniously together...until some unfortunate circumstances that led to a big war between humans and Pokemon. From then on, humans began to disappear and then just...completely vanished, without any warning.

Was it ever stated how all the humans disappeared? Is it simply an extinction event or more of a supernatural thing?

That's a pretty big topic in today's history research actually! After the war, although the Pokemon won by a landslide, there were still a good amount of humans left. Although the roles shifted a little bit, as before Pokemon were often companions to humans, almost like a pet...but now we were more independent. Living among them as civilians.

The complete disappearance is truly an enigmatic event that is a big debate among experts nowadays! Some associate it with a giant meteor shower - the biggest one seen in history that wiped out humans, as us Pokemon are quite durable. There's also been recounts of a blinding, soul crushing flashing beam of light that wiped them all out. Either way, life was becoming more unsustainable for humans as things evolved to fit Pokemon-kind more...that probably accelerated things. But from how fast it happened and the fact that the event was very poorly documented...there's more reason to believe that someTHING supernatural caused it.

What are your thoughts on humans as a whole? How do you feel about their unfortunate fate?

My family was always very close with humans. I've only heard great things about them, and all the cool stories of how my family, against all odds, won the biggest battles in international leagues and tournaments, all thanks to a trainer that knew how to make a small, weakling species like ours, very strong! I grew up with a very positive outlook on humans, and it makes me really sad that things ended the way they did. Like I said earlier, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for the humans. That's probably what led me down this path, honestly. Haha!

What's the geography of the world like? How has the geography changed since the human times?

The humans were in the midst of restructuring and renaming the regions in the world. To make them more...friendly sounding I guess. Certain areas also wanted to be their own thing...so that's where regions like Unova and Alola come from.

When the humans were wiped out, this was an unfinished project that Pokemonkind were determined to finish. Physically, the world is the same. But how everything is divided is probably different from what you're used to.

The region that Harmonia University is in - Arboria - although one of the biggest regions in the world, remained in one piece, somehow! Our downstairs neighbour got split into a few parts...Unova and Alola, as Ive mentioned, and some of the desert areas became known as the Orre region.

Another example where things are different...the Freyurr region! This was comprised of 3 different regions before - collectively known as Scandinavia. After the human extinction, this region became one with 3 distinct areas with their own language and culture.

What happened to Pokeball technology? It seems like it could be dangerous, but on the other hand it could be useful - especially for transportation! And it's low cost, low space, I'm surprised I haven't seen any evidence of the technology being converted for modern use.

Pokeballs are pretty much nonexistent nowadays, near impossible to get your hands on as a normal civilian! It was one of the biggest things that the Pokemon back then had a gripe about with the humans. Although not completely inhabitable, living in a Pokeball was very unpleasant - it's basically like being put into a very deep slumber, for who knows how long. Not much room to do anything or move around in there. Plus, many humans caught and collected tons of Pokemon with no rhyme or reason - many of them were left abandoned in Pokeballs and PC’s, never being able to see the light of day.

Other than for research and education purposes, Pokeballs have been banned all around the world ever since Pokemon civiliazation was born. We don’t even use them to capture our own ferals.

I've heard rumors that humans had experimented with themselves to turn into Pokemon before, but I'm assuming it's all just a myth. Was there ever a possibility that some of the humans ended up becoming Pokemon due to their experiments?

Pah, I'm pretty sure that was all a hoax. I'm sure humans have tried, but honestly they didn't make any breakthroughs in that front. I don't think human genetics were wired in a way that would even make that possible. They were able to kind of do it with Pokemon due to there being a particular species with properties that could allow it. But humans to Pokemon...nah that'd be a complete rewrite of everything! Or maybe...a really fun dream.

Do the Galar fossil Pokemon exist? How do fossil Pokemon work, are they revived or have they just always been around?

Yep, they do exist. But there's a bit of a catch...all of the fossil-revived species living today were revived during the human era, or are descendants of those that were. We've had to abolish a lot of those fossil revival labs, as newly found fossils would just come out as feral Pokemon with really nowhere to go. Now there are some such Pokemon in captivity, but it's strictly for ethical research purposes!

Anyways, I think that's all the questions that were left over for me! Hope that was informative. Our history isn't pretty but I think it's still really important to learn about it all. Haha! Well, if any of you still have questions, or just want to come chat with me...I'll be available!

[dungeons-and-dragon-age]

ok sorry i'm just. ????

rant and spoilers ahead because i gotta yell into the void a little

first of and most of all. WHY does it sound like Solas front and center of everthing now??? Including both Inky's and Rook's stories/motivations???? Like okay i understand that Solas will inevitably be important in Rook's story and that's chill! We knew he was gonna play a part in this story! But why do they make it sound like half or Rook's purpose is just there to further Solas's story/character

and it quickly becomes clear that Rook will have their own unique relationship with Solas, as the Inquisitor did before them. I think what's been fun for us, too, is trying to build Rook as kind of almost a mirror of Solas.

Epler also acknowledges that the Inquisitor “obviously has a very personal relationship with Solas,” one that will need to be reckoned with in The Veilguard.

“And I'd say the Inquisitor, to some degree, feels guilty or responsible for what Solas is doing to the world. So while we're not going to get too far into details about what role they may play, they absolutely are somebody who is going to be interested and invested in the outcome of Rook's journey in The Veilguard.”

Why. are you telling us how our Inquisitor is supposed to feel about this?? When you play DAI you agree to play The Inquisitor, yes, but you don't agree to play someone who Cares About Solas. Like. Yes. I get that he is important. That much has been clear since Trespasser. And i'm ok with that! But how come you say "this is a game about Thedas and a world in conflict" and then also talk like this story is About Solas, Actually.

The other thing i absolutely do not get and do not like. At All

Those decisions are: who your Inquisitor romanced (with the options gender- and lineage-locked in the same way that they were in Inquisition), whether or not you disbanded the Inquisition, and whether you vowed to stop Solas or save him.

?????

No "who drank from the WoS"? No "who is Divine"? No "does OGB Kieran exist"? No "is Hawke alive" (Varric is there. SURELY he cares about this a lot)? No "what happened to the Mages & Templars"? No "were Wardens banned from the south"? Arent't those uh. Really Relevant Decisions???? WHY is one of the whole grand three (3) decisions that carry over if Inky wants to save Solas or not. I mean ok i guess i get it cus that was The Big Decision TM at the end of Trespasser but again. Why is that the big thing that matters. out of all the things that SHOULD matter.

There's not as many decisions you have made up to this point that have an impact on what's happening in Northern Thedas.

But it’s also part of the advantage of moving the setting up to Northern Thedas, Epler says, with the prior games in the series taking place in Southern Thedas, a significantly different region both geographically and sociopolitically.

Uh. Yeah they do. See above points and also some that i forgot probably. Northern and Southern Thedas don't operate independently from one another that's not how this works. Especially again with things like the WoS or the Divine decision. Also half our companions from the other games are from the north?? Like yes ok i know get what you mean kinda and it's true to an extent but not like this

for one, the team focused on choices that they felt they could react to meaningfully – not just a cameo or one-liner.

“There's never a sense of, ‘Oh, that decision doesn't exist.’ But maybe we don't touch on it in this particular title,”

The. Cameos and one-liners are what make it special though?? You can't say "We want those stories to be personal." and then say you're not making any of those small decisions matter. And i don't mean matter as in having A Big Impact TM but i know that a lot of us LIVE for those small tiny nods to previous decisions that make the world feel actually alive and connected. I understand that we can't have full on-screen cameos or questlines or whatever for every little tidbit but not even. idk. Background convos about what's going on in Orzammar? Gossip about Ferelden's monarch? A line from Varric about Bartrand? Dunno man. Again not to mention the Big Things like Kieran. or the Well of Sorrows consequences. Or the Divine (which. yknow. is directly relevant everywhere except maybe Tevinter??). Those were always the things that made importing a worldstate so charming! because you could see the small little impacts that you have on the world. The tiny things like the line about the pigeons in Ferelden in DA2 or a wartable mission with Wade and Herren in DAI are so so special to me

[vespertine-legacy]

I'll still never have a nice OC page, but I am working on individual profile pages for each of my OCs that will help keep information about them a little better organized.

The "canon" (or most canon) 8:

Jedi Knight: Battlemaster Enex Qadara

Jedi Consular: Barsen'thor Kestrel Fortuna

Smuggler: Nizhuvi Kenno, the Voidhound

Trooper: Colonel Cershaa Vadesh

Sith Warrior: Atmena Jenkari'uul, the Empire's Wrath

Sith Inquisitor: Cassija, Darth Nox

Imperial Agent: Razimiri, Cipher Nine

Bounty Hunter: Dao-Mox Brood, Champion of the Great Hunt

Side, canon divergent, and non-canon characters:

Jedi Knights: Veld'arelith, Em'leekha, Ev'enai Kesh

Jedi Consulars: Hinah Ulresse, Minnalle, Gen'norirr

Smugglers: Vyshtal Sekra, Vradath Malaran, Min'avos'imirri, Kott'erret'imirri, Lusk Omyava, Tantivi Ysat, Fasuur Varim, Hypatia

Troopers: Azi'kesti, Kott'ozet'imirri, Sunena Krasul

Sith Warriors: Khynan Xandal, Akise Toradte, Em'laizha, Rom'neln, Alindhra

Sith Inquisitors: Shrodinger's Cathar, Juryata Dhezhini, Eleison Kirnah, Zurrium

Imperial Agents: Nulis Ziureti, Gezta Eitryr, Ayadi Morora, Tulia Neperi, Min'yr'imirri, Hrassim Malaran, Zvedac, Strilbe, Zhailto

Bounty Hunters: Orcodaa Vadesh, Ath'ey'anil, Min'ikaz'imirri, Aurin Alteiho, Arvionto Trehalt, Werota

I try my best to tag spoilers for new swtor content (when we have new content), but I'm pretty bad at tagging anything that could be considered spoilers for older content and for class stories. My general tagging scheme is "swtor [thing that's being tagged]", whether that be the name of an expansion, the name of an origin story, or the expansion number when content is new.

New and Not-SWtoR: My Guild Wars 2 Characters

[running-with-kn1ves]

Satin Pillows To Cry On

CW: coercion with money, age gap(7 yrs), transactional marriage, obsessive/yandere behavior

gn! reader

﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀

You’ve got nothing else, no one else to rely on. 

‘You’re something he bought to keep from growing old.” 

Your clothes are worth small countries. Your cars stacked in 3-level garages. Diamonds, emeralds, pearls hanging from your wrists and ears, satchels made of endangered animal skins, different shoes for each day of the year. 

Your boyfriend of three years spat at your feet when you told him what you were doing. 

“His money can’t love you, not like I can.”

The wedding was only two months away when you broke up with him, told him you couldn’t live in his broke-down apartment anymore, that you couldn’t live with debt trailing wherever you went. You went so far as to make him hate you, to tell him that you never wanted to see him again, that you never loved him, that he better not bother showing up to the wedding. You didn’t want him there, you never wanted to see him again. 

“You’re lying to me; he’s making you say these things, he’s using you against me! You’ve known him what-- two seconds, and you’re going to marry this man?! He’s nearly a decade older than you!” 

Seven years of an age gap or not, he was still a thousand times more independent, wealthy, and a safer choice than your boyfriend. You weren’t some fresh college student new to the world, you had graduated over two years ago, still finding no luck in getting a stable income-- forget about whether or not it was in the field of your degree. 

You left in a single day, fitting all of your scavanged belongings into one of your fiance’s awaiting cars. You left anything worth of value with your ex-boyfriend, knowing he’d find more use out of it than you would. You would even leave the rest of your things there if he could find use for them, but you knew they’d just be one more painful reminder of your betrayal. 

He did as you said, not showing up to your wedding, staying clear, never appearing in your line of sight since the day you left. It made it easier…. For both of you that way. 

And now you were happy-- well, maybe not happy, maybe not even content, but you were… safe. You had everything you needed: a working car, a stable job that you felt productive in, a clean and comforting house to come home to, a spouse. Sure, maybe you didn’t get your new job yourself, or your house or your car-- but did that really matter, in this economy? Who wouldn’t trade their life and their independence for this kind of wealth?

And your husband… he wasn’t all bad. He might have only wanted you for the sake of having you at first, like a new jewel or the latest technological invention. But he was doting and caring in his own way. Maybe just a tiny bit too invested in you, in your schedule and who you talked to. A little too hateful towards your ex-boyfriend, the one who had you before he could. But everyone had character flaws, and on good days you could distract him from his grumpy mood and stress and obsessive behaviors by being the loving and oh so perfect spouse you had trained yourself to be ever since he asked to marry you. 

“Colder than all that gold…” You repeated in your mind, the words your family whispered to each other at your wedding reception only a few feet away from you. 

That was over six months now, though… the honeymoon phase never existed, you rarely saw your husband except for his midnight appearances back from the office, and whenever he would whisk you away for a weekend vacation to savor the time he had with you. For someone more sophisticated, much wealthier, and dare you say handsomer than the average man-- you were surprised to find he didn’t have a line of divorces behind him. 

No; he said, he had been “waiting for you.” whether  you or he knew it, he understood right from the moment of meeting you that you were the one he’d have for the rest of his life, even if it killed him. That severity… scared you. But in a sick sense, it made you feel relieved. Forever? This could be yours, forever? Your family would never have to struggle again, you would never have to worry where your next meal came from?

“I cleared your schedule until tuesday; we’re going to the isles. A mini vacation, you might call it. Get your things.”

He was cold, that was for sure. But, was he any worse than your ex-boyfriend, especially when he was offering you an expensive experience on top of that?

“All right..” You acquiesced. 

And now, you lied sunken into the bed feeling his loving, hot breath on your navel. Going so sweetly slow, so oddly and uncharacteristingly lingering with his touches as he gazes into your eyes. You didn’t like this; didn’t like that when he was cherishing you, making love to you, holding you so intimately, he was appearing… like a husband should. Where did he get the nerve to ignore you everyday, to have hardly any time for you, only to come back and beg for your love when it was convenient for him? 

But you keep your mouth shut, like you should, if you want to keep eating breakfast in bed, keep wearing silk robes while watching the view of the ocean outside your window.

“So beautiful…you’re like a work of art, the kind no amount of money can buy.” 

That was funny, hilarious even. Enough so to make you cry. 

A familiar face passes by the slightly ajar door to distract you, likely one of the housekeepers leaving for the night. But you swear the man’s figure reminds you of someone from your past, someone you loved and left for good. 

Your husband brings back your attention by placing a gentle kiss to your temple, blindly undoing the clasp of the necklace he bought you.

“I’m so lucky… so lucky to have been the one to catch you, forever. No one could’ve done it, not without what I have.”

He wanted you to kiss and caress back, but sometimes lying still was just enough. It was enough for him to witness you, basking in the glow of everything you wore from him, lying in the Egyptian cotton sheets he paid extra for, your body molded to the diet his personal chefs cooked. 

Even as he pushed a knee between your legs, traveling from your navel to your stomach with open-mouthed sucks and kisses in the rawest form of affection, you couldn’t help but turn your face deep into the pillow. So soft, the soft purple shielding your eyes from his tender gaze.

You might’ve given up love, given up everything familiar and those who you’ve cared for-- but at least you had satin pillows to cry on, and the finest jewelry to wipe your tears with. 

[fishnapple]

THE MAP TO YOUR SOUL, YOUR DEEPEST SELF INSIDE

A simple map to help you find who you really are inside. The reading will have 4 parts: the focus, the obstacle, the gift, the guide.

This is a general reading meant for multiple people. Take only what resonates and leave out the rest.

Your feedback is much appreciated. If you find the reading resonated with you, leave a comment, I’d love to know 🎐

About me | Masterpost Book a reading with me - KO-FI (→ personal reading)

CUBE 1

The focus: Balancing opposites

It's very straightforward and direct. Your deepest self yearns to express itself openly, without masks or veils. You will find authenticity through the words you say and the beauty you cultivate. Your identity is not meant to stay in one place, stagnating but to constantly evolve, transform and refine. This can be expressed through your thoughts, your physical appearance, as within so without. Kind words and self-love go a long way. You're here to learn the way of being independent, of self-authority, standing up for yourself without being selfish.

Life's various responsibilities, the burden of being and existing, the confusions of bonds. Those are the forces that pull you in many directions, away from a simple truth: yourself, the one you've built, the one you are, the one you want to be. The moment you can be at peace with yourself will be the moment you've arrived at home, inside you.

The obstacle: You tend to lose yourself in the connections with other people. The sense of self is dissolved by the desire to connect with the other person. You might find yourself morphed into various identities with each connection. You're one person in one relationship, but you're a different person in another relationship. Relationships shape your identities. There would be a point when you're confused about who you really are, without other people. This is a challenge for you, to find your sense of self outside the connections with people. To have a stable core no matter what relationship you're in.

The gift: Your obstacle is also one of your gifts. You have the talent to connect and understand people. Navigating relationship dynamics come naturally for you. Negotiating, harmonising, understanding. So use this gift to understand yourself too. To see yourself, standing alone, independently and connect with that person. You can be with other people without sacrificing your autonomy and independence.

The guide: Find out what can spark your joy and what makes you want to act, what are you wishing for. Write them down and see the pattern, the interconnection between them. The fastest and safest path to your soul is to constantly seek expansion of your mind. If you're feeling lost, trust in your intuition and the signs given to you at the present moment. You heard someone mentioned a book, a movie, a place? You suddenly get a desire to learn something? You might want to note them down and try them for yourself. Hidden treasures of knowledge are always just around the corner. And through these seemingly random encounters, you've already been treading on the path to your soul.

CUBE 2

The focus: Freedom of creativity & uniqueness

You have a powerful presence that can touch people in a subconscious way. There's a light, a force that is constantly swirling, rolling, unfolding. The question is, how can that light exist among the sea of people without blinding others or without dimming itself? A star is bright and blinding when someone looks at it alone and closely, a star is also bright but its light is gentle and it dances on the cosmic tapestry when it exists together with other million stars on the sky. Together, they create a picture of the universe in harmony.

The path to your soul is not a lonely path that you go alone, it's a merry one with people from all different corners of the world going together, some will go away after a while, some will stay with you till the end of the journey. You will find yourself in the crowd, in the people around you, in the distant dream for an ideal world. How do you connect with people without fusing yourself with them? How do you stand apart but still be a part of something? How do you give to the world and grow in the process?

The obstacle: There's a hidden fear inside you. It's about the loss of the self, the disappearing into the mass. Order, stability and the concrete are desired. You have a lot of hidden force within you. If repressed, it can result in general resentment and anger directed at the world at large with no particular target.

Struggling to find motivation can also be a big obstacle. You need to find the roots of that struggle. Is it because it's hard to be motivated when you can't find the meaning for it? It's hard to act when you can't see the direction ahead clearly? Everything needs a meaning and a purpose. Without them, mobilising your incredible pool of energy will be difficult.

The gift: You have the gift of creativity, creating things for the world and creating your own self. You're like a sun that gives life and shines brightly. Expressing your individuality is an impulse that cannot be overridden. So wherever you go, people notice you, they will applaud you light. use this gift to bring light into other's life, help them find the courage to shine brightly like yourself.

The guide: Delve into the realm of your fears and the unknown. The more clearly you see them, the calmer it will feel. Embrace the mystical parts of life. There are certain things that can't be completely understood by just sitting down and thinking about them in practical terms. Sometimes, letting go and just observing is more effective.

There is a connection between the path you choose to go and the influences of the collective. No matter how much you deny those influences, they are still there, lying dormant in your deeper self. It's the force that keeps you connected to everyone, the sense of belonging. If you have the desire to stand apart, to not be drowned in the sea of the collective, understand that you have enough power and strength to swim gracefully alongside others.

CUBE 3

The focus: The lightness and feeling of safety

Building a home for yourself, for your soul, is what you're called to do. I see the image of someone dragging their feet through a storm, they are exhausted, all they're searching for is a shelter, a place for warmth and rest, a place to stop their weary feet. The burdens of life weigh heavily on your shoulders. There might be a time when you want to escape, to let go, that's when you need to grasp at something to anchor yourself back to the reality of life. Life can be heavy and demanding, but you can navigate it in a simple and calm manner. You may have dreams you want to fulfil, aspirations to achieve, big things to expect but at the end of the day, a safe place, a calm mind and a rested body maybe are all you really need. There's a need to strip back to simplicity and find enjoyment in your own world.

The obstacle: You might project a certain assertiveness and a competitive image to the world. But it's a cover to hide your deeper feeling. The more vulnerable you feel, the harder you tend to fight. The more confused you're about your own self, the more likely you're to chase worldly achievements without a real sense of satisfaction. This discrepancy between your inner self and your outer self will hinder your sense of peace. There's a need to find a way to communicate yourself clearer, with more coherence to the story.

The gift: You have the gift of the gab, expressing ideas and convincing other people. Your mind works in a lightning fast manner, gears constantly turning, information flows indefinitely, ideas churned out like a blinking light. You understand things instinctively, sometimes making logical leaps to arrive at the answer, making mental shortcuts. This gift can help you sail through life more smoothly and help you get out of sticky situations, which usually are the results of your expression of assertiveness or anger.

The guide: Taking small steps towards your soul in a slow and steady manner. No need to rush and worry all the time. Everything is built from the culmination of small efforts.

You will find the guiding arrows through listening to your body, to feel the concrete body of yours, the pains that arise in different place, the warmth feeling in the stomach, the hands getting cold, the electricity running through your spine, all those sensations. Don't ignore them. They help you to feel more alive, and they call you to take more care of your body. Without a healthy body, how can you live and go after your goals?

Humility is another guiding arrow. No matter how much knowledge and wisdom you have, there's always something to learn from others, assume the role of a student and try to listen. Challenges might only appear when you refuse to open your mind and learn.

CUBE 4

The focus: the potentials of transformation

I see the image of someone standing from afar, looking tentatively at the vista before them. They want to go towards it, to see for themselves is there a deeper wonder to this life that they haven't known of. The call is ever louder and more tempting each day.

There's still a distance between them and the vista, but they are looking in the right direction. Now, they just need to figure out how to close the distance. They need the courage to take the first step. They can see the rewards, they can also see the hardship. But turning away is not an option anymore. There's so much more to see, so much potential to grow.

The obstacle: I think deep down, you've already figured out the path you need to go, you just need a little nudge because of the uneasiness in knowing what needs to be done to go towards that path. It will require changes, it will require you to discard things you might have held dear in the past but are no longer serving your growth. And it all starts from the mind. You might not like to think too much about the future, the bigger plan for your life, prefer to stay in the details of your surroundings. Maybe you feel that it's never enough, you don't have enough experiences or skill, you don't have enough resources, you don't have enough visions. Which is not true. You are ready to take the plunge, much like the Fool in the Tarot.

The gift: You already have an instinctive understanding of the world around you. Learning comes naturally for you. Your deposit at the bank of knowledge is getting larger everyday and will spill over if you don't use them. The door that can lead you to the path forward is your mind. Use your mental energy to figure out the steps instead of over analysing and excessive worrying.

Putting your voice out into the world, make a statement, make a commitment to your goal, and you will be surprised how far it can take you.

The guide: If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to be done in order to have the life you want deep down. Start small and build steadily. The word "transformation" may sound dramatic and scary, but micro-transformations happen at every moment. Grab hold of the visions floating in your heart and mind and hold them steady, study them, don't mystify them, bring them out into the mundane by backtracking the steps leading to them. You see the farthest step, then backtrack until you arrive at where you are now. Start with doable things, and gradually, you will find that a lot more are doable for you.

[phoenixyfriend]

Why I think it's important to understand the geopolitical anxieties of Israelis

Oftentimes, it feels like even recognizing that those anxieties exist is viewed as siding with Israel in the current conflict.

And I think that it's... weird, to do that. Dismissing the anxieties wholesale makes it harder to resolve the situation. Addressing them directly is possibly the only way to resolve the situation, because America.

Let me explain.

This will have three parts:

Why the propaganda works

How it affects current policy

How we can pressure the (mostly US) government about Israel using what we know about propaganda

Why the propaganda works

A lot of it is just propaganda, yes, but a lot of it is based in history, and a lot is also sort of self-fulfilling at this point. They have had reason to believe that some of their neighbors want all Jews dead or gone for a long time (see: Syria, Lebanon, Yemen), so it's not that it comes from nowhere. When over half the population is either Mizrahi Jews who fled from nearby countries that were happy to have a place to kick their Jewish populations out to, or their descendants, it's not hard to see that 'if someone else is in charge, we'll have to flee again.'

You could tell the French in Algeria to go back to France, but are you going to tell Mizrahi Jews to go back to the ME countries that they left? Sure, some left willingly, but that kind of wholesale eradication doesn't happen unless there's some degree of systemic discrimination or threat of violence. You cannot send Yemeni Jews back to Yemen.

The threat is real. It is not as large as the propaganda claims. It does not in any way justify nearly 30,000 deaths, half of them children. But the threat is not just imagined.

The fact of the matter is this: the propaganda is fueled by actual violence and legitimate fears.

And unless those fears are recognized and accounted for, Israel cannot be talked down.

Being told that a threat does not exist when recent history clearly shows otherwise is not going to convince anyone. I cannot emphasize this enough: even if the far-right government is replaced tomorrow, those fears will persist.

Israel's current government is violently and militarily opposed to restructuring itself in a way that allows for either a secular democratic single state, or a truly free and independent Palestine in a two-state solution. Due to mandatory army service and large scale propaganda, many have been taught since early childhood that the only way for Jews to be safe is for Israel to exist and to be so incredibly overpowered for their size that other nations won't invade them. The fact that both distant history and more recent, across the world, is filled with antisemitic discrimination, feeds this paranoia. A lot of people are out to get them, and have been since well before Israel was established. The destruction of Judea, the Edict of Expulsion, the expulsion of Jews from Spain, pogroms, the Holocaust, the near-total eradication in Yemen, Jordan, and Syria, and so on... this shit keeps happening. Some of it long ago, some if it very recent.

But it does keep happening, and that is why the propaganda works. That is why the fearmongering has teeth. It has happened before, over and over and over again, and it is being loudly threatened again. The propaganda works in Israel, and it also works in Jewish communities, and non-Jewish people who just happen to hear it, based elsewhere in the world. Like America. (This is important.)

Before moving forward, I need to make this clear: There are Jewish Israeli activists, both within Israel and without, that are vocally against Israel's actions against Palestine. Some are organized, and some are individuals. Some stories even go viral: Israeli-born Natalie Portman's been criticizing Netanyahu for years and politicians have called for her citizenship to be stripped for it. Tumblr loves the story of the Swiftie Twitter that went to jail for refusing to join the IDF, and that's very common; plenty of young people get months-long prison sentences, sometimes multiple times. Right-wing mobs go after Jewish Israelis who speak in support of Palestine in any way, and these things get violent.

(In that same article, it also talks about how Israeli Palestinians are suffering much, much worse under the government's crackdown on free speech.)

How it affects current policy

The thing is, there are only really four ways for this to resolve:

Israel wins. They succeed in pushing Palestinians out of Gaza by killing anyone who doesn't comply, and take it over for themselves. (This is bad.)

Israel is cut off from any and all support from abroad, both 'here, you can help yourself with these guns' and 'here, we will fight your enemies for you,' and is very suddenly at risk of invasion, mass murder, and removal from the Palestinian Mandate by those groups they fearmonger about, the ones that include slogans like "death to Israel, a curse upon the Jews." (This is also bad.)

Israel is convinced to stop attacking Gaza, possibly through the threat of no more support, and settles in to figure out a solution with Palestine, whether two-state or secular single state or whatever, and normalizes relations with neighbors enough that they can start cutting back on their military. (This is the best option.)

A foreign power or coalition of powers invades and forces Israel to stop, and oversees a transition from military state to peaceful state while protecting from outside attack, like was done to Japan and Germany following WWII. (This one is... interventionism is bad, but also almost 30k people have died with no end in sight, so it's starting to look like a real possibility.)

We can all agree, I hope, that the first option is not an option. That is Bad.

I also hope we can agree that the second option is not an option. A number of Israelis may be settlers in the traditional sense of the word, but a lot of them are refugees from neighboring countries, survivors of the Holocaust, or descendants of such. "Just go back where you came from" doesn't work when many of them came from places that were also saying 'go back where you came from' because Israel now existed to expel them to. It's also been around for 75 years now, and some three-quarters of the population were born in Israel. Expelling them all, even the ones that were there before the early statehood aliyah? It's... I don't know. I understand in theory why some activists push for it, but I do think it is fundamentally different from any comparative colonization or settlement.

(Note: I do not include Israeli colonies in the Palestinian West Bank. Those do need to be returned to their owners. Give people their houses and land back.)

The third option is the one that most people, I think, would like to see happen. However, the Israeli government is clinging to the propaganda that they will be eradicated as a Jewish people if they do not forcibly take power where they can, and they are spreading it out among Israelis. Dissent by Israeli Jews may not be criminalized, but the society around them sure isn't receptive to it. The recent invasion of Gaza has also inflamed tensions across the region, which means that even countries which were slowly normalizing relations, or at least.

Netanyahu has not been convinced, and by all appearances cannot be convinced. The only thing that may force his hand is the threat of no more military aid, so he suddenly has to start conserving what missiles he does have in order to fend off a possible attack instead of continuing to hammer on Gaza.

Sounds great, right? This is why we are all (I hope) calling our senators or representatives or whatever your country has to tell them to stop supporting Israel monetarily or with military aid. This is why I keep giving suggested topics for Americans to call their senators about, even if I'm just one voice, and there are much louder ones saying the same thing, but better.

And yet, the Senate passed the aid bill. They snuck it into a Veteran Affairs thing as a last-minute amendment, but they passed it, and any failure in the House will have little to do with sympathy for Palestine and a lot to do with domestic border policy.

So... Americans are also pretty convinced of the whole 'if we stop supporting Israel, they will be invaded and killed off by the Iran-backed militias' thing. Many do feel sympathy for Palestinians, hence the 'Israel, you need to knock that shit off' comments, but they also are genuinely of a belief that the Israeli propaganda of 'we will be overrun by antisemitic Muslim extremist militias and exterminated like in the Holocaust' is true.

Like. Either they fear for Israelis due to the antagonistic forces in the region, or they belong to Christofascist ideologies about how supporting Israel is the way to avoid suffering in Armageddon.

You can't get to the latter on ethics or morality or whatever. You can only rely on ulterior motives (the border things) or telling them 'your reelection is in jeopardy, change your mind or you're going to be voted out.'

The former, though... you can. They believe the things that Israel claims and has been claiming since 1948, with regards to threats.

And if you acknowledge why the propaganda works, you can address it.

How we can pressure the government about Israel using what we know about propaganda

If you say that there is no threat to Israel from Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, or so on, you will be dismissed as an idealist who hasn't done any research. If you say that Israelis should be left to their own devices, you will be viewed as cruel, and if you say they should be removed and the land given back to Palestinians, you will be laughed away (silently, but it'll happen). You cannot convince the American government with these tactics.

What can you say?

Israel is making things worse for itself in regards to these exact threats. Pushing on Gaza is making neutral and nearly-normalized countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia less inclined to get in the way of the 'death to Israel' militias. The campaign is creating a whole new generation of extremists who will join the militias out of a desire to prevent more of these deaths by Israeli hands, and that will only increase the threat to Israel.

Destroying Hamas isn't going to do shit if Hezbollah, Iraq, Iran, the Houthis, and so on, invade. Especially if twenty years down the line, all those orphans that Israel just created these past few months start a new Hamas for revenge because, hi, look how many orphans you just created.

Netanyahu is working against the interests of the Israeli people. He is trying to remain in power, and the Gaza war is a distraction from the charges being levied against him.

Netanyahu has a vested interest in seeing that Donald Trump is elected, as they are much closer than the at best strained relationship with Biden. This is very complicated but if your senator or rep is a Democrat, it is relevant.

Israel's continued offensive is leading to the risk of millions of Palestinian refugees entering Egypt and destabilizing them, which, in an already unstable country in an already wobbling region, is going to risk another war across the Middle East. The US still has not pulled out all troops from the last one.

The US cannot afford, monetarily or in terms of foreign relations, to aid in causing a new regional war.

If Israel slows, halts, and withdraws peacefully from Gaza, tensions will settle enough to avoid possible invasion by those hostile forces they're so worried about. The UN can, if necessary, deploy forces to maintain relative stability until peace treaties are worked out. We'd like to avoid option 4 if possible.

The only way I can see to convince the US government to stop supplying weapons to Israel is to push on the fact that continuing to do so will, due to Netanyahu and his party's actions, put Israel in more danger rather than less.

There are other things to say to your senators, and I'll be making a post about that soon (not today, but probably this weekend; stuff like Michigan, UNRWA, international reputation), but in regards to just the geopolitics surrounding the propaganda, this is it. This is why we have to understand it. Because the way we get the United States government to stop giving aid to Israel to defend itself is by telling them 'this is putting them in more danger due to their head of state's aggression.'

This was very long, but I've seen a lot of misinformation and a lot of generalization, and a lot of it is... not great. Well-meant, sometimes, but not great. I felt it necessary to be very clear and very specific. I'm anticipating a lot of comments to the effect of "you forgot about this" and "but that doesn't excuse their actions" and "well, not all activists believe--" and I know.

I know.

But I've had people say "Nobody is advocating for the removal of all Jewish Israelis" to my ask box hours after I was talking about Yemen, a country that enacted a removal of all Jews and largely under the control of a group that has a slogan about doing just that to the Jewish Israelis.

So let me be very clear that I have seen a lot on tumblr recently, a lot of it extremist, and I'm not pulling any of this out of my ass or making up a guy to be mad at. I may not know everything on this topic--I may not even know much at all, given that it covers centuries of conflict due to the Ottomans--but I've been listening to hours upon hours of news from a variety of sources (Al Jazeera, BBC, NPR, and more) every day just to make sure I understand.

Please trust that, even if I get some things wrong, even if I don't cite every detail or generalize just a bit here and there, that I mean well. Please trust that I am making this in good faith and am trusting you to respond to it in kind.

Call your reps. Write them an email. Donate to a Palestinian charity.

It's a slog, but we can make a difference.

[cosmic-ghost-hermit]

Pick a Card: Who's been thinking about you? Why are you on their mind?

Take what resonates and leave the rest behind, baby. But always be open to new experiences. Decks used are the necronomicon tarot, alchemy oracle, wizard tarot and the crystallary oracle.

🌊Tip your Reader🐋

PILE ONE

Astrology: Taurus, Libra, Leo

Song: Taking What's Not Yours by TV Girl

Vibes: Blue, green, yellow, orange, overactive third eye, prophetic dreams, gold jewelry, masks, vulnerability, candles, 555, 7777, swings, volcano, picture books, Hephaestus, Apollo, Aphrodite

Cards: The Empress, Knowledge, 5 of Pentacles, 10 of Books, Autumn, Mystical Sister, Labradorite, Larimar

Hey, pile 1. I see 2 different people who have been thinking about you. I see one of them used to be your other half. Someone you felt close enough to they felt like family. I think y'all had a falling out of some kind. The second one is someone you only knew briefly. You met them right before they started to know themselves. You weren't destine to really know them and they weren't destine to know you. You may have worked with them or went to school with them. It looks like they have been talking about you to each other. It isn't gossip talk by the way. It seems very positive. They both feel like Leo's by the way. I could also see them as Aquarius's.

The former friend is telling this former acquaintance about you. The friend has needed to talk to someone about what happened between you two. They want to make up with you but are a bit too stubborn and prideful to admit they were wrong about whatever you two were fighting about. They miss you a lot. They think they made a mistake by causing such a fuss about this. They regret the falling out. They saw how gracefully you handled the conflict and they feel pretty guilty about acting so childish.

The former acquaintance is learning so much about you from the former friend. They knew little to nothing about you before they started talking to this person. Before, their view of you was very vague but they loved how you dressed and wanted to emulate their style. They really wanted to know you but were too shy to really ask to hang out or to ask where you got your clothes from. The more they learn about you the more they wished they had taken a chance because even though this ex-friend is the one telling them about you they aren't saying anything bad. They hear the stories of you and I think they feel envious of how close this former friend got to you.

You probably know these two are hanging out now. You don't really care because you have moved on from that part of your life. You would totally be open to forgiving your ex-friend and getting to know your former acquaintance but they won't take the chance. You shouldn't reach out either. They have to be brave enough to seek you out on their own. You are very forgiving and kind. I think the only reason they wont come forward is because of their own insecurities. They don't feel they are worthy of your light. They know you are a strong independent individual and they might not know how to handle how good you are at setting boundaries.

__________

PILE TWO

Astrology: Capricorn, Cancer, Pisces

Song: Welcome to the Family by Watsky

Vibes: White, blue, orange, silver, apples, trees, storms, ex-christian, reflection, boomer, garden, moon cycles, sea gulls, POS, irregular periods, feminine, 222, 4, birds, Demeter, Hera, Persephone, Artemis

Cards: 5 of Cults, Shame and Decay, Growth, Ace of Wands, Tin, Dissolution, Almandine Garnet

Hello, pile 2. There is one person thinking of you. It is a family member. I feel a feminine energy but it could be someone of any gender. I feel that this person believes you inherited your power and your abilities from them. I don't think this is true, this is just a belief of theirs. They have a lot of believes about you that aren't true to be honest. When they look at you all they can see is a mirror and they see nothing beyond that pre-existing belief. They could be a Taurus or a Libra but I also see Leo energy here too.

This person does not like how you live your life. This person has a predetermined idea of how you should be living. They can't seem to get the idea that you aren't their copy. They think because you aren't following the life they think you should that you are somehow sinning or demonic. They can't seem to understand you are an individual. In their eyes you are an extension of themselves. This way of thinking is really cancerous. They make wild and outrageous claims about your life that are made with no proof or evidence. They are honestly just poisoning their own mind by doing all of this. I hear them praying for you but they don't really know what they are praying for. What they say they are praying for is your uprising and for you to "come to your senses" but they are just praying for your down fall. They gossip to their friends about you and honestly some of the friends that have stood up for you and said that this person was being ridiculous. This person immediately and immaturely cut off anyone who didn't agree with them.

Do not reach out to this person. If you are still in contact with this person I recommend removing them from your connections. They do not have your best interest at heart and I think contacting them would add more fuel to the fire. They are sick in the mind and refuse to admit that they could be wrong. They do not take criticism well and they do not like anything different than themselves. They surround themself with yes-men who will do anything they say. Please, stay safe and protect yourself from such a mean person. They do not deserve your light.

____________

PILE THREE

Astrology: Scorpio, Sagittarius, Aries

Song: Hey, Runner! by The Arcadian Wild

Vibes: Black, brown, rainbow, teal, tendrils, doorways, stairways, 6666, 1234, snakes, crows, ravens, dogs, squirrels, spiders, animals, burrows, wild, water, skeletons, halloween, keys, cats, Pan, Artemis

Cards: 10 of Curses, Rotation, Darkening, Smokey Quartz, Queen of Pentacles, 2 of Pentacles, 6 of Books

Hi, pile 3! I see one person thinking of you. This person was not good to you. They abused you. It could be a former romantic partner or a family member. I also see you might have worked together. Either way they are not a good person. This person made you feel very helpless. I'm sorry they treated you so bad. You deserved better. They did something awful to animal you really loved. They somehow removed this beloved pet from your life. They didn't like that you gave more attention to this creature than them. They were jealous of this animal. They wanted to control you and your emotions. They took joy in your mourning. For some of the people reading, I think this person could have hid that it was their fault that this animal left your life. They could have acted totally innocent when you cried about your loss but for others I think it was very obvious that it was their fault.

The reason they have been thinking about you is because they have been feeling bad about themself. They used you to regulate their self hatred and emotions overall. They miss the power they had over you. They miss being a predator. It looks like you found an out from a life around them a while ago. You escaped their grasp like they always said you couldn't do. You made your own life and you made it beautifully. I don't think you have very active social media or at least not social media they have access too. They have tried to find you online but they can't seem to locate you. When they do find you they text you immediately and you block them like always. They don't like how you see yourself as equal to them now. They are such a piece of shit for real. They do not like that you live is flourishing without them. They are so pathetic lmao.

I'm proud of you for getting away from them, my dear. You have taken such good care of yourself since you left. You are a wonderful and lovely person who did not deserve to get fucked over by someone who was supposed to care for you. This person is tied up in knots about not having control anymore. They will never have control again. They used to feel powerful when they bullied you but now your power over your own life makes them feel weak.

__________

PILE FOUR

Astrology: Aquarius, Gemini, Virgo

Song: Cherry Hearts by The Shin and RAC

Vibes: Iridescent blue, dark blue, turquoise, gold, cicadas, moons, spilled water, tears, 888, mountains, wings, snakes, mourning star, water, swimming, ocean, copper, eldritch horror, Ra, Horus, Aphrodite Urania, Mother Mary

Cards: Queen of Swords, Moonstone, Chrysocolla, Uranus, Virgin's Milk, Death, 8 of Cups, 8 of Pentacles

Hi, pile 4. So there are two separate people thinking about you. They are unrelated to each other and they do not know each other but they have the same reason for thinking about you. The first person was a friend that was crushing on you hard. I think maybe you had a one night stand with this person and it changed their life. I think they are probably an Aries. The other was a very close friend that moved away. Or maybe you moved away from them. I can see you guys being friends in college. I think this person is a Cancer or an Aquarius. They both were deeply and irrevocably in love with you.

The Aries person followed you around like a puppy. They are a very masculine person but you made them feel a lot different than they usually do. I think you might have been their first real crush or their first fuck. They put a lot of effort into getting to know you even though you made it very clear you did not want a relationship. They still attempted to get into a relationship with you despite your boundary setting. They were a fool. You taught them about their passions which makes me think you have a "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" kinda vibe to you. They really were head over heels for you. I don't think you are in their life anymore. I think this person will think about you for the rest of their life.

The Cancer/Aquarius person was a really close friend of yours. I think either you helped them through a break up or they helped you through a break up. Either way during the mourning process they fell for you so hard but they kept it secret. They didn't know if their feelings were real or if they were just because of the situation. This person might still be in your life but I don't see them ever telling you about their feelings. I think they see you as this really cool and independent person. They don't think someone like you could ever love them. They try to keep their feelings down. They tell themselves their feelings are not real but their heart always skips a beat when they see you. They still catch themselves imagining a future with you. They have some naughty dreams about you too. They can not get you out of their head.

Both of these people love you a lot, my friend. I don't know if it's just your personality but you are just a really lovable person. You might be accidentally flirtatious. I hope this gave you some insight on who was thinking of you, my dear.

[matan4il]

"That means that if the UN correctly represents the global population, about 1 in every 4 of its members, is antisemitic" i...hadn't actually considered that. a representative body of a world that hates jews isn't going to be fair to jews now is it

Hi Nonnie!

Absolutely it would not be.

I'm glad I can point that out. Just to repeat, a global survey by the ADL found that 26% of adults worldwide (slightly more than 1 in every 4 adult humans) responded in the affirmative to at least 6 out of 11 antisemitic statements. TBH, I think it's very possible that this is an underestimate (it's easy to only respond affirmatively to the more "socially acceptable" statements, like "Jews are more loyal to Israel than to their own country" and stay below the minimal 6 out of 11 statements required on this survey to be labeled an antisemite), but it's still the best measure we have, and it's probably very telling that it could be that easy to be antisemitic, but not be defined as such in this poll, yet 26% of all people surveyed were still classified that way.

Regarding the UN, we can talk about the fact that it has never excluded Iran, a country that officially denies the Holocaust, and has repeatedly called for the destruction of Israel, the biggest Jewish community in the world today.

We can talk about its long history of treating anything in which Israel is involved, as if it causes much graver harm than any other global crime, which means it belittles countless atrocities, ignores crimes committed against Israelis, while also blowing out of proportion anything that can be weaponized against the one Jewish state. This pattern of discrimination against the only Jewish state in the world, in a way that's inconsistent with how every other country is treated, reveals an antisemitic bias. In fact, even some of the UN's heads have acknowledged that Israel was treated unfairly there.

We could talk about the UN's 1975 resolution that "Zionism is racism" (UNGA resolution 3379, which was eventually canceled in 1991 by UNGA resolution 46/86). Because the term 'Zionism' has been distorted by so many Israel and Jew haters, let's be clear: Zionism simply means accepting the Jewish right to self determination, meaning that Jews, just like every other nation out there, have the right to self rule in the Jewish ancestral homeland. From 1975 until 1991, for 16 full years, the UN actually said out loud that it's not racist for the Irish to want an independent Irish state, it's not racist for the Germans to want an independent German state, it's not racist for the Japanese to want an independent Japanese state, it's not racist for the Sudanese to want an independent Sudanese state, it's not racist for the Kurds to want an independent Kurdish state, it's not racist for the Indians to want an independent Indian state, but it is racist for the Jews to want an independent Jewish state. This resolution, denying the Jews their right to self determination, coming from an institute that supports and recognizes the universal right to self determination for every other nation, is discriminatory against Jews. It is antisemitic. Let that sink in, that the UN did not hesitate in passing an openly antisemitic resolution, and it took them no less than 16 years to wipe this stain from the UN's record.

BTW, resolution 3379 was sponsored by the members of the Arab League and several Muslim majority countries (25 sponsor countries in total). So, the starting point was a ratio of 25 Israel hating countries to 1 Jewish state. It was then further supported by countries that were aligned with the Soviet Bloc (most of which were dictatorships with no human rights, and not caring at all about fighting racism of any kind), because during the years of the cold war, Israel was a part of the democratic west, while the USSR supported the Arab League. This anti-west, anti-democracy axis still exists to a great degree (with some changes regarding which country is aligned with which side), and is probably even more relevant today than 12 years ago, as recent events in the Middle East show. Lastly, the resolution was supported by additional anti-democracy countries. What chance do the Jews have at the UN? We are outnumbered at this organization, that applies no penalties or limitations for non-democratic or antisemitic countries. It's an example of how treating anti-democratic countries democratically is just a reward for the enemies of democracy.

And in continuation to all that, the UN has also repeatedly created bodies dedicated solely to Palestinians, their needs and rights. Again, it implies they must be treated worse than every other nation, if they get special treatment. But you're not gonna find the Palestinians on any list of the deadliest conflicts in history, or even just since WWII, or even just currently active...

Even if we were to accept every grievance the Palestinians make at face value (maybe other than Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas' antisemitic and Holocaust distorting statement that "Israel has committed 50 Holocausts"), then it's still nowhere near many other atrocities. So WHY are the Palestinians being treated differently? There's only one thing that stands out about their grievances, and that is that they can be used to harm the only Jewish state in the world, which protects all Jews, and is home to the biggest Jewish community we have today. To use a Hebrew phrase, it's not done out of the love of Haman, it's done out of the hatred of Mordecai.

I hope this expansion on the way the UN's structure makes it inherently prone to antisemitic abuse of Israel helped a bit. I also hope you're well! xoxox

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[witchthewriter]

𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏 𝑫𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 | 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝟑

⤷ gender neutral, Valyrian blood (dragon rider), and any size reader. Requests are open, thank you for reading!

a/n: I kinda personified this group of dragons more than I have with the others...

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ | ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ ᴵᴵ

𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑

・You're actually apart of the royal family, your siblings already having bonded with either eggs from their crib or great beasts already living

・It felt embarrassing being the only one without a mount. It was true that not everyone in your family were dragonriders, but you didn't want to be anything but a dragonrider.

・You had heard stories of untrained dragons and with great bravery or stupidity, you went to find one

・Sheep Stealer and Grey Ghost have always stayed out of each other's ways. Not knowing what kind of dragon the other is (especially when the other wild dragon was a CANNIBAL)

・So neither Sheepstealer nor Grey Ghost stay in the Dragonpit

・With you, Sheepstealer is a lot more soft. It took time to build up that trust and reliance on one another.

・But once he realised that you weren't going to hurt or leave him, then the bond became one of the deepest ever seen

・When you're dreaming, it's as if you're in Sheep's head. Not controlling him, but seeing things from his eyes.

・And you can feel each other's emotions (like all dragon riders and their dragons) but it feels a lot deeper

・His favourite song would absolutely Sweet Carolina by Lana Del Rey. It would actually make him cry.

𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐘 𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓

・Doesn't like to share food (not that you'd eat his food? Never once have you tried to either. But every time he's eating, he you're near - he frowns and grunts)

・He was just used to being independent and fighting for his food.

・It took a long time for him to warm up to you. Not liking human interactions

・Knows many, many good secret hide outs... you love hiding in them with him. You aren't a people person either

・Once bit a handler... on the butt. It sounds comedic, but there was blood everywhere and holes in the man's buttcheek.

・Your father had to spend a lot of money for the man to be healed.

・(Grey Ghost wasn't chastised, your father too thought it hilarious)

・No one is allowed near Ghost except for you, I'm talking even existing near him.

・He likes his personal space

・Ghost actually got a bit of colour once you spent more time flying. He turned a beautiful silver instead of a dull grey and had a bit of a glimmer to his scales

𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐗

・A pyromaniac; likes to hear the command 'Dracarys' (it's the fastest one he responds to)

・Likes hitting you with his tail and when you turn around to look at him, he's obviously looking somewhere else - but his lil dragon laugh gives him away

・But you got used to it and remember to duck everytime your back is towards him

・Is very competitive, especially against Arrax, who is the closest in age to him

・Crushing on Morning; likes her pretty pink scales. You know this because he rolls in anything pink (especially pink flowers)

・Would love country music unironically.

・Gives Dennis the Menace vibes but he is acutely aware of the trouble he causes. Loves chaos.

・Likes to gently bite your shoulder when your attention isn't on him

・IS afraid of cats. Pretends he's not but once when he was a baby dragon, your pet kitten swiped at him and from then on he was terrified...

・Vermax loves being called a "beautiful boy," "handsome man," etc but DO NOT DO IT IN FRONT OF ANYONE, HE WILL GET EMBARRASSED.

𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐗

・Bit shy for a dragon, still courageous and honorable. But prefers to be away from ... everyone

・Does like Tyraxes though; they seem to have similar souls. Some say they could've come from the same clutch of eggs

・Definitely a Libra or Pisces.

・For a long time he was scared of getting into trouble. But you've been working on it ... constantly reminding him he's a goddamn dragon.

・When Arrax is happy, he makes a trilling noise and the red scales/flaps on his neck and head shimmy

・Vermax has made fun of him for it but Moondancer growled at Vermax (therefore he never made fun of him ever again)

・LoVES LAYING HIS HEAD IN YOUR LAP. A very affectionate dragon, loves pets, being brushed down, having his wings gently touched.

・It's safe to say his love language is physical touch

・It took some time for him to be a confident flyer. But once he took off, he never looked back.

𝐓𝐘𝐑𝐀𝐗𝐄𝐒

・A good boi, a very good boi. Does as he's told because his trust in you is unwavering

・When you look into his eyes, they almost seem ... human. They're a beautiful blue/green colour and seem to stare into your very soul

・You realised that at a young age, and swore to treat him exactly how you'd like to be treated

・Has youngest sibling energy (but the kind where the parents have a bunch of older children and for some reason have a baby in their 50s by accident)

・So technically youngest but basically grew up as an only child vibes

・...Loves baths. Like proper baths. You would bathe him as a little dragon. A tradition you and your mother started (because you, yourself hated bathing. So poor Tyraxes was subjected to it as well)

・Now that he's grown ... well ... the blacksmith had heavy pockets and no extra time on his hands for quite a while

・When the bath tub arrived just on the outskirts of the dragonpit, Tyraxes' tail wouldn't stop thumping. He knew exactly what it was for

𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆

・Aquarius asf

・Always pliant when it comes to be saddled up. Very good girl, you trained her yourself (or you were there for the majority of it)

・From a young age you found yourself talking to her as if she could understand you perfectly well. And now you still do it;

・She gives huffs and chuffs in response, smoke coming out of her nose when she heavily disagrees with something

・Knows about Vermax's crush on her but expects a lot of romantic gestures.

・She's also an Aquarius so they're pretty difficult to shack up with; their independence is highly important to them.

・Like a dog with bad experiences with men, Morning can sense when a person is trustworthy or not

・If they aren't ... SCORCHED. If they are ... UNSCORCHED.

・Literally takes it upon herself to administer justice

𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐑

・Quite calm in stressful situations

・Definitely more than you - not trying to be shady to you but Moondancer seems to know exactly what to do in like ... every situation?

・Nuzzles you with her nose

・Does adore when you clean her horns, I mean they're PEARLESCENT! (or chrome, however you want to see it)

・Absolutely adores music and will fly you to towns that are having festivals. (She's learned from experience that she can only fly over the top of the crowd and sit from afar...there have been some messy incidents in the past)

・Seems calm but is VERY overprotective of you. Will let you handle arguments until she can feel your heart racing and then she jumps in

・Likes adventure but not dangerous adventure. More so like finding pretty fields or lovely waterfalls.

[homunculus-argument]

In worldbuilding - like in many things in life - the best route is choosing the second laziest option. If you want to come up with a new culture for your setting, starting from scratch would mean insane amounts of all kinds of research. And the laziest possible route would be just picking a real, existing culture and just changing a few details - flat, one-dimensional and boring at best, and insanely offensive at worst.

Therefore, the best option is to pick two. Decide on one key defining feature for the people you want to write, and then pick two otherwise completely unrelated, real historical cultures, read up a bit about them and find two things that they have in common. Like let’s say you picked two cool nomadic cultures. Oh, they’ve historically both largely relied on one specific animal - a large even-toed ungulate - and though one of them farms them as livestock and the other one just hunted them, they’ve both revered this animal, and regard them as a sort of a divine gift to their people, that has freed them from having to farm like sedentary peoples? Yoink.

Two warrior cultures that believe in some kind of a Warrior Heaven where you can only get into by dying in battle? One of them were raiders who only went outside their borders to pillage other peoples, and the other were aggressive conquerors, but both had a very organised society in their own land, and women had a strong legal status and could be financially independent? Yeah makes sense, a man can’t really look forward to dying gloriously in battle if he’s worried what’s going to happen to his widow. You’re gonna use that.

The key to doing this kind of “compare and contrast” groundwork is to build up a framework, an outline that you’ll start building your own fictional peoples’ culture on. Do not just grab two cultures and mash them together, I’m explicitly forbidding it now, because that is still a variation of the laziest possible option. After you’ve figured out what sort of elements tend to naturally emerge in a specific kind of cultures, or what elements they require to function, then you take that framework and start making shit up. That is an order.

[charleslee-valentine]

Franklin Hardesty Enright and disability.

So Franklin is a wheelchair user, presumably a paraplegic full-time user. But his chair is not designed for independence. His is a folding frame, as we know because we see it folded up in the Sawyers’ kitchen.

Folding frames are known for being very low cost, so they’re some of the most common, such as in stores, hospitals, zoos, and amusement parks where they’re available to rent. However, an independent wheelchair user probably won’t be able to use one full time.

For starters, their shock absorption is awful. Every speed bump, crack, or blemish in the ground makes the entire frame rattle and bend. This can range from destabilizing and disorienting to downright painful for the user. In the case of being pushed by someone else using the handles on the back, the frame still shifts, and often deviates from a straight path, rocking and gliding side to side. These movements are so subtle, they’re usually only noticed by the individual in the chair.

Wheelchairs are also quite heavy to begin with, and folding frames are some of the heaviest. It takes a large amount of force to propel a folding wheelchair forward. Getting over doorframes can be a pretty extreme feat, let alone climbing stairs in one like Franklin did. His complaints in that moment were well goddamn earned considering I got stuck on a supposedly accessible door just the other day.

An independent wheelchair, known as a rigid frame chair, is designed to prevent these flaws. It will have better balance, so it can be tipped back onto its back wheels. Experienced users would likely be able to climb small porch stairs relatively painlessly (although still hard, just less excruciating.)

Rigid chairs also often do not have arm rests, allowing a larger range of motion and longer, easier strides in the chair. Distance traveled takes less effort and it the friction from manually propelling the wheels is reduced. When the friction is too high, users will get blisters and sores on their hands from even minutes of use. Other ways this can be avoided is tilted wheels and gloves. Franklin notably has neither of these, because tilted wheels come on rigid frames themselves, and it’s probably too damn hot to wear gloves, even the ones designed to be worn at all times.

Independent/rigid wheelchairs often look something like these examples:

Another precaution paraplegic wheelchair users often take for their safety and comfort is a wheelchair cushion. Nowadays, they can be scanned and fitted perfectly to a wheelchair user, but back in Franklin’s day, there were already cushions he could’ve gotten. For even a couple of dollars, just a little foam pad would’ve meant a world of difference to his body, but seeing as we would’ve noticed one when he tumbled down the hill, he doesn’t use one.

If you’re like me, you might’ve wondered why Franklin doesn’t have any of these things.

There’s actually virtually no reason.

Modern independent frames were already on the market in the 70s and being developed with additional features and reducing the weight around the time of tcm canon.

Here’s a photo from 1970 of various types of wheelchairs including independent frames:

Not only is his wheelchair behind the times, so is using wooden slats to enter the van. Lifts had existed since 1966!

To be specific, his wheelchair is a 1950s design.

This is his frame almost exactly, which was a 50s Everest and Jennings design that was still in production without any advancements or changes into the 70s.

So Franklin could hypothetically have a new wheelchair, but looking at the picture above, this wheelchair came with leg pads. Franklin’s doesn’t have those anymore.

Either he removed them or they were missing from his chair when he got it, and I see no reason why a man with paralyzed legs would remove support from his wheelchair. Franklin may have an older, second hand wheelchair.

At the very least, he almost definitely is using the wrong kind of frame for his needs, and with no additional technology to support him.

Still, all that being said, it’s important to remember that Franklin may *want* a folding frame wheelchair.

I myself am an ambulatory wheelchair user, with a pain disorder that makes it impossible to propel myself for more than a couple minutes at the most. I *need* someone to push me most of the time.

The question isn’t about why Franklin isn’t doing this or that or buying this, it’s about why isn’t anybody helping him.

Motorized chairs had existed commercially since the 50s, he could have one of those, except they were still very expensive and also extremely fragile. He may very well use one in normal situations, but he’s on a road trip, not navigating his safe home. Franklin is relying on somebody to help him, and they don’t :(

His frustration with Sally when she’s pushing his chair isn’t because he’s ungrateful, it’s because he’s not being listened to and hasn’t been all day. Given that trust to someone is hard, especially if the chair he’s using is temporary and he’s normally self propelling when he’s not rolling down hills in the woods at night.

Ableds will never understand the frustration of asking somebody to help you get around, only for them to get mad at you when you advise them they’re doing something wrong or unsafe with you. Imagine someone else controlling your legs and getting mad when you tell them which direction you’d like to go.

And in Franklins case, he can’t very well stand up and do it by himself. We might not know the specifics of his disability, but we do know he’s paralyzed.

Sure, he’s able to shift and turn and lean from the waist, but his legs and hips never move. Paul Partain was pretty dedicated to portraying Franklin and even when rolling down the hill or dragging himself up the steps doesn’t move his legs.

While it isn’t ever specified his exact condition, Franklin is dependent on his friends. But they let him down, and even bullied him for his emotions about that let down. And in the end, he’s the one that is killed for it, without even entering somebody else’s property willingly like the rest of them.

Franklin Hardesty deserves goddamn better. In universe, and in fandom spaces where he’s treated as deserving of his death for *daring* to complain about using already outdated disability tech that doesn’t meet his needs. Oh, and being called an offensive term from the 1920s and before in the opening of the film.

But let’s say “invalid” was a good word to use for him. That word usually means someone is not only disabled, but also sick or weak to the point of needing care and assistance. If Franklin is having this word used to describe him, it should at least be recognized that he’s not capable of dragging himself around in the middle of nowhere!! Like if they just absolutely have to call him that, the least they can do is even know what it means and not throw him to the damn dogs.

[sheyri]

My Triple A experience at Pride

I love going to Pride. Being among fellow queer people, loud music, blocking traffic with our demonstration, and just vibing. I try to attend as many as I can and travel for hours on full trains if necessary.

Big Prides are great, but I especially love smaller ones in rural areas. It's less of a party and more of a demonstration, as it should be. Unfortunately rural in my area means risking confrontations with nazis, but that's a different story.

But no matter how much I love being at Pride, there's always this underlying feeling of being excluded.

Even at smaller Prides, I'm usually not the only person with an ace flag. Occasionally you can find someone with an aro flag, sometimes even an aroace person. Rarely someone with an agender flag. Though there are more people with those as pins or other accessories. But hey, most people just have the rainbow flag and no one has to disclose their sexuality or gender. In short, the people in the demonstration are great!

But from the organisation side? It's almost like the A doesn't exist! Stage discussions? Nope, at most they name asexual when they go through the list of labels. Info material? I saw one flyer about grey asexuality. Stickers? Yeah, okay, those exist in the mix, but mostly ace.

On the other hand you see lesbian and gay, trans and bi everywhere. I love penis/I love vagina, love is love, love who you want, etc. Great to see that political parties don't look past the LGBT. Nice that discussions include non-binary people as an afterthought.

When talking about love all the time, is it too much to ask to mention there are different kinds of love? That love doesn't have to be romantic to be valid? That it can be whatever you want it to be? Mention the split attraction model in info material? Have info material about aromanticism at all? Some parties actually have an aromantic sticker, but those are even rarer than ace ones.

This year there's a lot of talk about legally changing your gender, because they finally changed the law in Germany to make it a lot easier. The stage discussions are all about how it used to be and how much easier it is now. I'm not sure if I heard mention of non-binary and intersex people in this regard. If, then it wasn't much. Would've been nice to hear them mention that "diverse" is an option for your legal gender, or that you can have it removed all together. And why and for whom that is important. Especially since some federal states banned gender sensitive language from schools and government places, to "protect the German language". (They criticised that and it's a whole different rant.) Come on, gender isn't a binary, some people exist somewhere in the middle, or outside of it, or don't have a gender at all. That's not new information and queer organisations like Pride should be well aware of that and speak about it! But I guess that topic is too risky and too uncomfortable for a stage in a public place.

TL,DR Pride is great, but as an aroace agender person I often feel excluded and unseen at least to some extent.

All that said, I have to end on something positive: my favourite Pride so far - CSD Göttingen 2023.

Organised by the community, for the community. No political parties were present, because they were not invited and not welcome. Instead we had queer organisations talking on stage and manning booths. Including the local asexual and aromantic network.

There were banners along the demonstration route, saying love is love. They were put up by the city, independently, without asking the organisers if those banners were wanted. They were not. (The organisers said that.)

Out of 15 Prides I went to so far, this one was the one where I felt most at home. Unfortunately it's quite far from where I live and this year it shares a date with another Pride I want to attend, so I can't go there again. Hopefully next year. And hopefully they can keep going like this. Independent from politicians.

[grishaverse-chaos]

okay SO. it took longer than I expected for various life reasons but here is the massive conlang masterpost, featuring all the languages and prominent dialects that I imagine would exist within the grishaverse. under a cut bc it got really long!

RAVKA

"standard" Ravkan. this is the language spoken in Os Alta, as well as most other places in East Ravka. used on any official documents within Ravka. spoken by most nobility, including those in West Ravka

West Ravkan. this dialect formed only after the creation of the Fold - because the two sides of the country were separated from each other, linguistic drift occurred. over the 400 years that the Fold existed, the two languages diverged from each other significantly, but are still mutually intelligible - they're still very clearly dialects of the same language, not separate languages altogether. most West Ravkan nobility don't use this dialect, although those who are in favour of West Ravka becoming an independent country WILL use this dialect to promote independence. many West Ravkans also speak "standard" Ravkan, because of military service; they would have to communicate with people from across the country - however, many of them would still speak West Ravkan at home, with family, etc. most East Ravkans, especially nobility, wouldn't speak West Ravkan and would probably look down on those who do; I imagine Nikolai speaks at least some because it's the kind of thing he'd do (and the place he's Grand Duke of, Udova, is in West Ravka)

Suli. definitely a completely separate language from Ravkan; they don't have much in common. spoken predominantly by travelling Suli, and very rarely by non-Suli - although in canon, it is taught at the Little Palace, and some Grisha will learn the language. diplomats who often have dealings with Suli communities, and soldiers who serve in areas with high Suli populations, will often learn some (though probably not enough to become fluent) - canon states that it's useful for travelling in the west and northwest of Ravka.

Suli/Ravkan dialect. in areas with high Suli populations (predominantly in the west and northwest), locals may have adopted parts of the Suli language, and vice versa, to create a pidgin language that can be understood by both groups. probably NOT spoken by soldiers/diplomats/etc, who prefer to learn the original Suli language

various other dialects! while the most significant difference is between "standard" and West Ravkan, small towns and communities across the country will speak slightly different versions of the language, just because of how big Ravka is

ancient Ravkan. this is briefly mentioned in canon - I imagine it bears a similar relationship to modern Ravkan as that between Old English and modern English; ie, it's a completely different language! very old books that were printed in ancient Ravkan probably still exist; I imagine it's spoken by some members of the clergy, similar to how the Catholic Church uses Latin in our world. often studied by historians or other scholars. iirc Mal's tattoo is also written in ancient Ravkan, which means that either he or somebody around him must have spoken it fairly well. I would guess that Tamar and Tolya probably speak at least some ancient Ravkan because they grew up in the church

FJERDA

"standard" Fjerdan. again, spoken in Djerholm, by the military and by the government. fun canon facts I found while researching for this: all nouns are both plural and singular (similar to English words like "fish") and the language has three grammatical genders, but they are called wolf class, hare class, and tooth class!

Hedjut. the Hedjut, in canon, are an indigenous group living on Kenst Hjerte, a pair of islands off the coast of Fjerda. though some have come to live on the mainland (I believe Ylva, Jarl Brum's wife, is Hedjut?) most still live on the islands and speak their own language, separate from Fjerdan

liturgical Fjerdan. religion plays a huge part in Fjerdan culture, and imo their holy texts would have been written in this liturgical version of the language, many centuries before canon takes place. drüskelle are probably taught liturgical Fjerdan. some people might also prefer to pray to Djel in liturgical Fjerdan? speakers of modern Fjerdan can probably understand it, but with some effort

again, multiple other dialects. Fjerda has a lot of peninsulas; the language would have developed differently in different places. when Nina is in the Elling peninsula in KoS, she probably has to speak the local dialect rather than the "standard" Fjerdan which she probably learnt in training

other indigenous languages. now, this is purely conjecture, but the grishaverse map shows other small islands off the coast of Fjerda, which don't seem to be part of Kenst Hjerte. it's entirely possible that there's other indigenous groups, like the Hedjut, living there, with their own separate languages. on the other hand, in an age of sea travel, it's likely that Fjerda would have colonised those islands and brought them into the larger country, meaning that the groups living there would be classed as Fjerdans and encouraged to speak Fjerdan

KERCH

"standard" Kerch. this one is so interesting because Kerch is canonically the language used for international trade, so diplomats and politicians across the grishaverse would likely be able to speak Kerch. knowing the language is probably also a sign of status in other countries, including Ravka. it's spoken by most people within Kerch, as well as being the language used for any kind of international relations. for example, I imagine that at the summit at the end of Rule of Wolves, both the Ravkan and Fjerdan delegations spoke Kerch

Barrel Kerch. has a similar relationship to "standard" Kerch as Cockney does to "standard" English - they're recognisably the same language, though spoken with very different accents, but Barrel Kerch has created so much new vocabulary that doesn't exist in "standard" Kerch. I also think that this is why Wylan didn't recognise the word "mark" in Six of Crows - it simply didn't exist in the version of Kerch he's used to speaking!

other dialects. Kerch is much smaller than Ravka or Fjerda, so I imagine there's fewer separate dialects, but people living in the Kerch countryside probably speak a slightly non-"standard" version of Kerch. Kaz probably grew up speaking a country dialect, and had to adjust when he started living in Ketterdam

SHU HAN

official Shu. probably? we know very, very little about the language(s) within Shu Han, but it's a fair bet that there's an official version of the language used by the government etc. this is probably the dialect that's taught to students studying Shu, particularly noble children or diplomats. its main difference from common Shu is that it has a smaller, simpler vocabulary and is easier to communicate effectively in

"common" Shu. in canon, we get a lot of references to words or phrases in Shu that are untranslatable - often in poetry or literature. that would probably be really impractical for a language used in business, so imo the dialect used by most people would be slightly different from the dialect used in government. this dialect has a lot of flowery, poetic language.

other dialects. while Shu Han is smaller than Ravka, it's still pretty big, so I imagine that again, there would be slightly differing variants of the language spoken in different places

THE WANDERING ISLE

there is no standard version of Kaelish. in my personal headcanon, the Wandering Isle is based on a mix of multiple different Celtic cultures and so has multiple different languages. honestly I could make a whole other masterpost based on my headcanons for the Wandering Isle, but I'll stick to the languages for now

Central Kaelish. this is what I imagine Colm and Jesper speak; it's loosely based on Welsh, given that Jesper's middle name is Welsh. it's probably Colm's first language, but he taught Jesper to speak it so he wouldn't lose touch with his Kaelish heritage

North Kaelish. this is what I think Pekka Rollins's dialect is; loosely based on Scottish Gaelic

basically, there's dozens of dialects across the country; some of them overlap somewhat with others, while some are more distinct

NOVYI ZEM

okay SO. once again there's like, zero canon material to work with here, but it's fine. canonically the language spoken is Zemeni. like with most of these countries, there's probably a "standard" version which is used for official purposes, spoken in and around the capital city, Shriftport

Northern Zemeni. the capital city is in the south of the country, so the dialect which differs most from "standard" Zemeni is probably spoken mostly in the north

other dialects. if I had to guess, I'd say that the other big separation of dialects is between coastal areas and inland areas - coastal cities which see a lot of trade would probably use "standard" Zemeni, so they can communicate with people who've learnt Zemeni (who would likely have studied the "standard" dialect), while inland areas would have developed their own dialects

OTHER AREAS

the Southern Colonies: is canonically a colony of Kerch, so their official language is probably "standard" Kerch. it's also canonically a place where criminals from Kerch are exiled (and the former King and Queen of Ravka, but that's almost certainly a rare exception) so there's probably also a lot of Barrel Kerch being spoken, that the criminals have brought over

there's almost certainly at least one indigenous language spoken there as well, though. whatever culture it used to have before being colonised by Kerch probably hasn't been entirely erased. the closest real-world comparison is probably Australia, where English criminals used to be sent? so I do think that there are indigenous groups living there, with their own culture and languages

a dialect has probably formed that mixes parts of Kerch with parts of the indigenous language, forming a new pidgin so that locals and new arrivals can communicate

if the Southern Colonies ever gets independence, I imagine that the original indigenous language would become its official language - the pidgin is probably used more day-to-day, though

it's also possible that the Southern Colonies used to be a part of Novyi Zem before being colonised; in which case, the indigenous people might speak Zemeni? I personally think it's separate, though

the Bone Road: a set of islands, near the Wandering Isle. apparently there are dozens but only two have names - the names they've been given sound vaguely Ravkan. I imagine that those two, Jelka and Vilki, have been "discovered" by Ravkan explorers (though probably not colonised? I think if they were Ravkan territories that would've been mentioned when Nikolai takes Alina to the Bone Road in S&S) and given Ravkan names

however, all of the islands have their own cultures and languages. they're pretty small islands so I don't think that there would be many different dialects within each island. on the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if the languages spoken on each island were all quite similar to each other, though recognisably distinct. they're probably all at least from the same language family

[lorei-writes]

Amberian Demonology AU Headcanons feat. Ikemen OC Community ~3.95k

Thank you for allowing me to write your OCs! When I asked to see who'd trust me, I never expected so many replies >///< I hope that the little something I've come up with is a fun surprise... I'd say you can think about it as of a Dark Fairytale AU as well >:)

Amberian folklore introduces a hierarchy of supernatural beings. At the bottom of it are dushki, generally kind-hearted spirits of little power who co-exist with humans in symbiosis, often for their own safety. Then, there are s’lna dusha – this class consists of spirits of various powers, but unlimited freedom. They can and generally do exist independently of any other beings, although there exists a substantial disparity in level of might between them. At the top of the hierarchy exist minor gods and goddesses, idit. They are the most powerful among all of the spirits, however, they lack freedom. Each of them has a duty which completely binds them. Their lives are not their own to live for as long as it remains unfulfilled. They are not worshipped; rather, they are the expression of the laws binding the universe and introducing the order to it.

The introduction of monotheistic fate to Amber did not fully erase the old beliefs; rather, it turned them into superstition and beings of lesser importance, placing the God-Father as the only true deity, the maker and the architect of all order.

Dragini – Melinda @dododrawsstuff

Find her at the crossroads, sitting alone on a stone or staring at the sign with unseeing eyes. Which way should she choose? Dragini does not know. Hopefully, the coming of the next traveller will bring the end to her struggle… Until then, until that yet unseen person arrives, she will bless those who meet her on their journeys.

A kind protector spirit – meeting a dragini is a sure sign that a traveller will reach their destination safely.

The Dragini are no stranger to homesickness and at times, will appear before the lonesome souls who long to return home. They can take them there, or gift them a piece of it – although it may be realised in a rather unexpected form.

Some of the legends claim that draginins are born from spirits of women who died away from home and were not granted a proper burial. Often accident or war victims.

A polyglot, although her preferred language seems not to be of this world. Only few are humoured and have a conversation with her, and even fewer can recount it. It is alleged that they’re the ones to escort a dragini back where she belongs.

Generally seen wearing outfits from faraway lands, a different one each time she is spotted.

Glodomer – Oliver @evansnoir

He lurks in the corners of barns, in mice nests, in the buzzing of flies. He lives in every ear of wheat, rocked by winds as in a cradle, and dutifully observes the human hands. Dare not disrespect him – to waste food is a sin. A punishment will await those who fail to understand as much.

The Glodomer is a powerful spirit of dual nature – usually a gentle observer, he is capable of calling various plagues upon a region if he so desires.

He lives among the smallest of beings, just barely out of the sight of human eyes. His stealth allows him to come close without being noticed, which he uses to satiate his bottomless curiosity. A glodomer can bring hunger, but he is also hungry and craves to expand his knowledge.

However, glodomers not an omnibenevolent dusha – do not disrespect them or those they rule over. A glodomer is the king of all that lives despite being invisible, including the sick air. With one uttered curse, he can poison an entire village. It is said that he can be appeased with a hefty offering of freshly butchered beef.

Very few people have seen him, but the legend says he can be found napping in black hollyhocks.

Usually portrayed as an androgynous man around the size of a walnut.

Le’shni – Maeve @keithsandwich

Whenever you cut down an elden oak tree, place an offering at the stump. Spare no expense. The feast must be lavish – ready your goat milk, and cheese, and the freshly brewed beer. Raise your cups and praise Le’shni, and leave some bread for her as well. It is only due to her generosity that you are able to celebrate. Do not take it for granted.

A spirit protector of the forests.

The Le’shni are the force of nature personified, they arethe life and soul of the forest they inhabits. A le’shni cannot ever leave it, for their existence is tightly interwoven. She is its mother.

She takes on the appearance of a woman and wields the human speech. However, be not deceived – the aura of gentle helplessness is but a deception. To protect what is dearest to her, a le’shni will cast away all pretence of humanity.

It is believed that for every cut down tree one must hold a feast to appease the local Le’shni and help her replenish her strength. The alternative offerings include a pot of berries or a mug of warm tea, planting a bush or a tree, or… leaving a child alone in the forest at night, to give the le’shni some solace as she mourns her lost offspring.

Lay-la-lay – Beatrice @bicayaya

Lay la luli lalalala lay, sleep, my sun, stay asleep, may kind people live within your dreams, the rain is pelting right outside, lay la luli lalala, lay-la-lay…

A household spirit, the bringer of many blessings.

Fairy-like in appearance, female or feminine, with butterfly wings and usually light hair.

It is believed that lay-la-lays are minor nature spirits who, in their kindness, have chosen to watch over the children. They arrive at human houses soon after a baby is born to ward off any beings who’d like to consume their vitality. However, it temporarily severs the spirit’s connection with nature. As such, a domestic lay-la-lay depends on their hosts for sustenance.

Good parents – and by extension, hosts – will offer their lay-la-lay a saucer of milk or heavy cream, a slice of bread, and something sweet to go with it (depending on the season: berries, or a spoonful of jam or honey). If they fail to do so, she may have to move out.

A well-fed lay-la-lay may choose to remain with her family well after the child comes of age. Humans lose the ability to see them with age; in that case, a feline companion must be obtained, to ensure that the lay-la-lay does not feel lonely and will continue on blessing the household.

Each lay-la-lay possesses a pleasant voice. Her melodies are thought to heal and to be particularly effective against colic.

Rusla – Leyla @violettduchess

Beware of the sudden cold and the mist that follows. One must retreat indoors [once it starts], however, were that not possible… he shall say “Our Father” until he reaches safety, spitting over his left shoulder at the end of every last verse. If that too fails and one begins to hear music, he shall confess his sins while waiting for Rusla to pass her judgement. The innocent will be found safely asleep on the shore. The bodies of the guilty will float at sea until currents carry them into the shallows. [As believed in northern Amber.]

A minor deity, the paragon of justice watching over the coastal regions of northern Amber.

Rusla takes on a form of a naked young woman with long, flowing hair, always surrounded by mist. Whoever hears her call falls into a trance and follows her into the sea, where she draws the crimson thread from their heart to appraise its purity. Only the innocent need not fear – Rusla will call upon the waves to deliver them to the shore.

The legend says a man has once avoided Rusla’s judgement by stuffing his ears with flax tow and wax. He followed her to the sea of his own will and they both disappeared for precisely a year. Not a word had left his lips since.

Epoha – Iris @yarnnerdally

Tic-tac, tic-tac, tic-tac, the spinning wheel turns. Epoha’s hands are gentle and dexterous as they pull at the roving. She’s done it for all eternity, and for all eternity she shall continue, the patient mother of all time.

A minor deity, responsible for the cycles of time.

A young woman or a mother, sometimes described as pregnant, usually portrayed by a spinning wheel or with a spindle in her hand; less often – with weaving tablets.

Epoha rarely appears of her own volition, however, it is believed that she can be invited over for dinner. To do that, one must prepare a feast of sweets. Anything less than twenty eggs for a sponge cake is insufficient. Cream and pudding, kutia, and poppyseed roulades… Once everything is ready, the shutters must be parted. A cloaked woman should arrive within the next hour.

One may dine with Epoha and ask her questions about his future. She is a compassionate deity and will answer them truthfully, but only until the first moths arrive, lured inside by the light.

She disappears at the sight of the insects, together with the food that has been so thoughtfully prepared for her. Worry not if not much information has been obtained – she may spin the thread more favourably still, thankful for the refreshing meal.

Zorana & Nichna – Viva & Esther @lorei-writes

[…] And so it would be known as the equinox, for the day split as they were born. Zorana, that dedicated to the red glow of morning skies, and Nichna, that weaving silver constellations on the night sky. Together they are locked in an eternal game, passing the sun and the moon between each other so that they do not ever get lost. [As told in the story of the Father’s creation of the world.]

Minor deities, recognised in the entirety of Amber. Their other names include: Porana & Nechna, J’sna & C’mna, Zorja & Stra.

Twins, usually depicted as naked women throwing the sun and the moon between each other as if the celestial bodies were balls. Their eyes are said to be as dark as the starless nights, spun light the hair over their heads.

Although none have ever seen them, it is commonly believed that every new moon the twins come to the Krasnawe Oka lakes, where the sky and the ground meet as one. Their laughter carries over the water as they play, more human than divine, yet undeniably unreal.

It is believed that it is the only time the moon or the sun – or either of the celestial sisters – could be stolen. To have a chance of succeeding at that, however, one must brave the marsh in the dark, without the guidance of any light. Cursed be those who fail.

Banialuka – Katsuko @the12thnightproject

Hear not a word in a crowd unless you know which mouth bore it. Discord and venom all but fly over the instigator’s heads; there is one even above them, however. Do not trust the talking birds.

A shapeshifting spirit that can take on a form of any flying bird, although cases of small rodents have also been reported.

The Banialukas are seen as rather self-serving, although nobody knows their true intentions. Free as the wind itself, they fly above cities and towns, instigating mischief wherever they go. A master manipulator and an adept liar, a banialuka capable of mimicking any voice she has heard – and using that for her own purposes.

According to the legends, she traverses the world in search of treasure, to then return to her castle-nest in faraway mountains. It is said to be built entirely of twigs, dawn and hard, cold stone. Only those willing to brave the steep slopes it oversees can hope to browse through its treasury.

Be careful, however. A banialuka’s tongue is sharp, but it is hardly the only weapon in her arsenal.

When in human form, she usually assumes the appearance of a mildly eccentric-looking woman. What gives her true identity away are the brightly coloured streaks in her hair – some claim they resemble rooster’s tail feathers.

Skrzyp – Romarin @ikeprinces-stuff

Come to the moorlands at dawn to find the common horsetail. Break its stem thrice, each time with an audible creek, and throw it over your right shoulder. Clap your hands three times and bow as deeply as if the most renowned violinist stood before you. If the heathers hum, the skrzyp has arrived. Otherwise, try another day. [As believed in the central regions of Amber.]

A lonesome spirit that is believed to spend the majority of her life in the form of a cricket. However, she can take up the appearance of a young woman in an intricately embroidered (sometimes with emerald-looking insect wings) gown, usually with long hair let loose down her back.

The Skrzyp are virtuosos of music. She can play nearly any instrument, however, she is most adept at the art of violin – the notes she conjures have arcane properties, and so, many seek her in hopes of hearing her song for their own benefit. Some also hope to become her apprentice… Or to convince her to grant them her gift.

However, everything comes at a price. It is believed one can make a request of a skrzyp, but only if they pass her trial. Those who play even one false note will be turned into escargots.

Gon – Aino @dicenete

They ride on the nights of the full moon, the bellowing of a splendid war horn the signal for their arrival. Close the shutters. Close the doors. Do not let any passing visitors into your house, however innocent they may seem… It is the hunt, and the sinners are the hunted. Hide until they pass.

Gon is one of the minor deities at the head of the hunt, infamous for the duality of her nature – usually a warrior, she can appear as an innocent woman to lure her prey out of its hiding.

She leads the party of spirits together with her lover and his twin brother, the deities of the cycle of rebirth.

It is believed that the hunt targets those who have sinned and have shown no remorse nor will to change their ways. As such, they will be followed through the nation, from woods to the ballrooms of the royal castle. No place will be safe and their torment will know no end until they are hunted and their souls are handed over to the deities of rebirth, to be reshaped and forced to start over in their new lives.

Commonly pictured as either riding an enormous warhorse with a crossbow on her back, or as dancing gracefully in a ballroom, dressed in the finest of velvets.

Didko – Sigfrit @wordycheeseblob

Young men should be especially cautious when they notice a mysterious woman sitting alone in an inn. Do not tell her a word of any weight until you look into her eyes and hold her gaze – if the briefly change colour or shimmer unnaturally, it is not a woman you are talking to, but a didko. Do not talk to her.

A spirit commonly found traversing the roads and lounging in the inns, among other places where information can be found. It is uncertain what she does with the acquired knowledge, however, it is known it will bring forth mischief. By the end of the torment, the matter will be resolved favourably… for the person the didko sides with.

Didkos are infamous for their charming personalities and adaptability. Some believe them to be living false mirrors that reflect precisely that which one longs to be.

Observant and highly adept at reading people, didkos are susceptible to bribery. Offer her a night of blissful gluttony to win her favour… Be careful, however, as your tongue may unravel, thus revealing many more secrets than you have originally intended to.

Commonly seen among merchants and pilgrims, especially during the Lent.

Brzdęk – Ciel @floydsteeth

If you hear the metallic jangle of coins out in the middle of nowhere, you ought to stop. Any horse you may have with you will not take a step forward – you, however, should follow the sound. Those quick enough will be rewarded with finding the brzdęk’s liar, where all sorts of treasures are kept. Catch the little spirit before they enter it to demand a hefty ransom. [As believed in eastern-most regions of Amber.]

A lesser spirit commonly found living on the steppe.

Brzdęks tend to share their liars with mice – in exchange for protection, the rodents provide the spirits with food and company. The bottommost chamber of their nest thus becomes the brzdęk’s treasury, filled with precious stones, cut glass, coins, and other marvels big and small.

Their aversion towards horses is infamous – a brzdęk will go to any lengths to prevent the animal from coming anywhere near them. Usually that means casting spells and preparing enchanted rings, however, traps may also be employed.

Commonly depicted while riding on tops of mice and rats… or flying on magpies’ backs. The elder brzdęks may have special saddles made for them as well.

It is believed that they are born out of magpie eggs hatched by hens that are yet to have their own chicks.

Ohenna – Ava @writingwhimsey

Burn dried grass from wild flower fields to summon her; Ohanna will dance in the bonfires, her body made of flames. Hold her fiery gaze and utter the name of your enemy five times. If you can withstand her scorching breath, you will have your revenge; however, if you falter but once, you will known Ohenna’s wrath. She is the just anger. Do not think you can deceive her. [As believed in the mountains of south-western Amber.]

A minor deity, the embodiment of rightful anger.

Ohenna is not somebody you can stumble into – her existence is tied strictly to the fire. Unless she’s been summoned to talk, she dwells in each flame equally, silently watching over the world through them. She’s the executor, the one to deliver justice to those who have been otherwise wronged and forgotten.

Her will is stronger than iron that she smelts. Ohenna’s judgement is absolute.

One is advised to pick his words carefully while pleading with Ohanna, for she is known for her intelligence and strong feelings.

It is believed any summer or fall fires are Ohanna’s war dance. Many young men gather to witness it, although few manage to follow her movements.

Bza – Yara @fang-and-feather

If you see forget-me-nots growing by the side of an abandoned house, wipe the soles of your shoes clean upon entering it. One shall never be too certain that a bza does not inhabit it. Do not be rude to her – it is those spirits that prevent the decay.

A timid spirit that generally prefers solitude. Can be found dwelling in abandoned buildings or old houses, less often – in attics, among drying herbs, or in hospital wards.

Despite keeping to themselves, bzas are rather friendly and helpful spirits. They maintain properties and prevent the decay and rot from seeping inside – they keep the space clean and adorned in fresh flowers. It is believed that their presence soothes plants.

One is considered fortunate if he manages to invite a bza to live at his house. To do that, he must press three dozens of pansy flowers and then sew them into a garland. Once hanged above the entryway, it will signal that bzas are welcome in the house; however, it is only an invitation. It is only the spirit’s good will if she accepts it.

Appears as a semi-translucent woman with, at times, vividly coloured hair. She invites the smell of fresh herbs, mint, irises, or – often – jasmine.

Deshen’na – Caroline @coral-relevium

Find her in every drop of rain, from a warm spring mizzle to a summer thunderstorm. Look closely – she passes through the fields in her long gown, dark against the surrounding greenery. One ought not to talk with Deshen’na, however, just meeting her gaze is enough to ward off a draught from one’s crop for the following months. [As believed in north-eastern regions of Amber.]

A minor deity, commonly associated with the coming of rain and mourning. (The latter is not the case in north-eastern regions of Amber, which are often stricken with droughts. There she becomes a sign of impending good fortune and everlasting love.)

It is believed that the rain is the tears Deshen’na shed while mourning the death of her husband. Her duty is to walk the land and nourish it with her grief, in a loving memory of the deity of deceit.

A few men believe that draughts haunt north-eastern Amber as it is Deshen’na’s last stop during her pilgrimage to her husband’s grave, where they can briefly reunite once every year. It is said he has tricked even the death itself.

Pale, generally seen in intricate black gowns, giving her the appearance of a noblewoman.

Ne’zvana – Adria @eternallyfrustratedwriter

Do not say her true name lest you wish to summon her; one who does so willingly shall be cursed out, for it is only chaos that follows her. One ought not to even think of her nor picture her in his mind.

An infamous spirit, commonly considered to be the bringer of misfortune or broadly understood chaos.

A ne’zvana is hardly welcomed anywhere, however, it does not mean she lives in solitude. Rather, she hides her existence from those around her. It is said that a person followed by bad luck or otherwise surrounded by unusual events may be haunted, possessed, or in fact be a ne’zvana.

It is believed that a ne’zvana is born when a child grows too moody. Chastising them is one of the few instances when the ne’zvana get brought up.

Due to the fear of summoning her, her original name was used so rarely it has since fallen into complete obscurity. Similarly, hardly any records of her appearance remain, although many believe her to take on a form of a traveller or an insect, such as a bee.

It is said that a ne’zvana can be recognised by her smile. The exact specifics of how, however, are unclear.

Kania – Marigold @violettduchess

Be careful while in the forest – a batting of powerful wings above your head and a high-pitched screeching are no things to be ignored. Stand still whenever you hear them and take three deep breaths. If no voice comes, you are safe to go on as you were. However, if a stranger woman extends her greetings, you must leave immediately. Do not answer Kania unless you consider yourself the master of riddles.

A shapeshifter spirit inhabiting Amber, generally taking on the appearance of a kite (bird) or a scholarly woman with thin-wire-rimmed glasses.

Kania is a voracious spirit that enjoys toying with her prey. That being said, she is also honest and stays true to her word – as per the agreement from days gone by, she can target only those who acknowledge her presence.

Once that is done, one is given another chance to save his life. He must answer three riddles correctly. Achieving that is said to gain the respect of the spirit who then releases her prey.

It is believed that Kania’s appetite is directly connected with her hunger for knowledge. Feasting on humans during the day, she sneaks into noblemen’s libraries and church archives at night to indulge in the consumption of knowledge.

Tag List: @lancelotscloak @solacedeer @keithsandwich @bicayaya @faustianfascination

@sh0jun @queengiuliettafirstlady

Tell me if you'd like to be added to my tag list :)

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

What kind of music does Professor Crewel like? He strikes me as a classic rock kinda guy, especially British Invasion & punk rock…maybe some jazz thrown in there too. Anything that’s seen as rebellious, especially when he was young.

Has he entered the (inevitable) stage of adulthood where most new music, especially stuff popular with his students, sounds like garbage?

… What’s British, that doesn’t exist in Twisted Wonderland/j

If he doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will.

“I enjoy anything that has the spirit of rebellion in it. There is of course classical rock and jazz, genres defined by breaking free from conventions... but I find that songs that resonate with me are not restrained to one particular genre. Each has its hidden gems."

"I see, so Crewel-sensei is a connoisseur of music too," you mused. “Do you have any thoughts about the musical performances you've heard from your students?”

"They are... of varying quality," Crewel said hesitantly. His face scrunched as a discomforting memory returned to him. "You pups make up both extremes of the spectrum. I've heard Zigvolt's 'singing' in Musicology from the opposite side of the school. ‘Singing’, bah! It was more like screeching from a seagull.”

“Others are technically sound, but uninteresting. Draconia's violin recital comes to mind. It is impressive, yes, but fails to change tradition. The same goes for the signature trumpets that sound at Heartslabyul.

"When it comes to group performances, the circumstances complicate. Every student of Night Raven College desires to be 'top dog', and that often results in petty in-fighting and squabbling to attain that coveted spot.

"There are nights I dine at the Mostro Lounge where the jazz is as smooth as a well-waged wine, and times when the drummer breaks free and does a solo at random. Pop Music Club is no better off. Their compositions are frequently discordant, each band member's vision fighting to be heard."

Crewel laughed—not at his students, but with them.

"I do not dislike that kind of a performance. Unpleasant it may be to the ears, but pups must stumble before they can learn to stand on their own. From that cacophony, something independent and innovative be born.”

“I think you’re right about that, sensei.” Your smile was full of hope. “Our VDC team did argue a lot during their training camp but they still put up such a good fight against RSA. Were you able to see that?”

“In fact, I did. The headmaster was gracious enough to provide free tickets to staff.”

“What did you think?”

Crewel narrowed his eyes. Harsh planes like mountains encased in jagged ice.

“The execution may have been acceptable for the layman, but you cannot trick this Crewel-sama. It was clear to me that your dance moves and vocal performance were sloppy and needed tightening. Five times I counted obvious fumbles and twice when someone fell out of time with the music. Did you pups fail to rest properly before stepping onto that stage?”

You gulped. “Uhh, yeah. Something like that…”

“Well, correct it for next time! You cannot perform at your best if you don’t take care of your bodies and minds first.”

“Y-Yes, we’ll keep that in mind…”

“Good.” Crewel nodded approvingly. “Night Raven College may just make a strong comeback next year. That being said… I found myself quite enjoying what you pups performed this year.”

Your heart leapt at the surprise praise. “R-Really?!”

From a critic as stern as Crewel-sensei…!!

“That’s right. It’s different than what I typically listen to, but I could feel every ounce of your determination coming through. The desire to rise above it all and claim the victory…”

The feral glint held in his gaze could have ended worlds.

“It was absolutely beautiful.”

[cannellee]

NARUTO OMEGAVERSE ☆

୨୧ alpha!naruto x omega!reader (f)

— how does he act around his omega s/o ?

MY MASTERLIST: ☆

this is my first time writing for anything other than tokyo rev. I've just entered another naruto brainrot and was baffled by the lack of naruto omegaverse content on tumblr, so I decided to diversify my blog and write for naruto too!

I'll post a headcanon about being team 7's omega later in the evening!

ALPHA!NARUTO

naruto truly is an energetic person, the reason why he approached you in the first place is because of your empathy for others.

you know him since childhood, while his personality and his curse might have driven others away, you never treated him differently.

you were kind and thoughtful, but you still stood your ground and never hesitated to speak up for others.

naruto was always by your side. he was a noisy kid and whenever you voiced something, he often felt the urge to say it even louder to make sure people heard you or to back you up. you did feel a bit embarrassed sometimes, but his clumsy actions were endearing in their own way.

you noticed how he always seemed to protect you without never overstepping your boundaries. he wanted you to know he would always defend you, but never overwhelm you with his presence.

he would always challenge the other kids whenever he saw them as threats, possibly taking your eyes away from him.

always your #1 defender, never letting any other kids treat you badly, especially since you hung out with him. he wasn't afraid to get mad and pick a fight if he considered that your pride or integrity was involved.

growing up, he still didn't stop following you like your shadow.. the only difference was the way he carried himself, he seemed so much more reliable you found yourself falling for him.

COURTING

his actions towards you were no longer clumsy attempts to impress you, instead, he started an enthusiastic pursuit, his determination was impressive and you knew he meant every words he ever said to you.

as mindless and forgetful as he might look, naruto is one to spoil you with thoughtful gestures.

during the courting process, he would gift you handwritten notes, try his best to carve a wooden necklace with your initials behind it.

his gifts are surprisingly delicate and he's paying extremely attention to your interests.

naruto is always so supportive of you, cheering you on, congratulating you for any reasons and ready to help you for anything as well.

he's so reassuring, affirming that everything will be fine whenever you're doubting.

if you're in trouble for example, he'll simply tell you to go rest. he'll take care of the rest, you don't have to worry about anything! he'll throw you a big smile and come back with his same happy face, and your problems are all gone in a minute!

even as a teenager, naruto still is pretty jealous, not in a possessive way, but he will get upset when other alphas are looking your way. once again, he will not hesitate to challenge anyone if it means keeping you for himself. yes, he will be the main reason why you don't have any alphas asking you out anymore.

naruto wants to seduce you by showing you how strong and reliable he is, always bragging about his strength and how his training will turn him into one of the best shinobi to ever exist.

he tells you about his ability to protect you, and that he'll never stop working out nor neglect his training. you can rest assured that you'll always be safe by his side!

he is protective of you, that's a fact, although it's not as intense as some other alphas. he trusts you and values your independence, he doesn't want to become a burden or a nuisance to your happiness.

that's why he learnt to take it easy and let you live a normal life most omegas don't even have access to.

but don't worry, naruto isn't scared to step in, in order to shield you from whatever he considers compromising to your safety. he wants you to be 100% comfortable, doing everything in his power to keep you away from harm.

you're his priority and he will offer you his unwavering support in times of distress and doubt.

even during the courting process, you both are comfortable enough to let him spread his scent around you. he'll shower you with his pheromones to calm you down and talk to you in a reassuring manner, so foreign to the naruto people usually have in mind.

RELATIONSHIP

once you get together, he's attached to you, more than before if that was even possible.

he's dragging you to surprise dates, gifting you everything that reminded him of you and kissing your forehead every chance he gets.

his nose is always buried in your neck : he's whipped for you and your sweet scent, and he's shameless about it too.

he takes deep breaths with his face pressed against your scent gland and doesn't stop until you push him away. once you look at him, he has the most satisfied grin ever and profusely kisses your whole face with love struck eyes.

he's crazy about pda and isn't embarrassed at all to initiate it, even in public. you're his omega, why would he restrain himself from showing you his love?

he is so proud to be your partner, everyone knows about it the second you start dating.

you're the prettiest omega he ever laid his eyes on and naruto knows how lucky he is that you have chosen him out of everyone.

that's why he's so desperate to show you that he's the right one for you, that he's trustworthy and that you can lean on him.

oh yes please, he's so devoted to you he'll do anything! especially during your most vulnerable moments, when he thinks he's blessed that you chose to trust him near you when you're in this state.

ask him to bring you this type of snacks and he's running outside to get it! ask him to give you more blankets or soft items for your nest and he'll go straight to your favourite shop to buy them.

he's delighted the first time you ask him to scent one of your clothe. sure, he had gifted you a couple of his shirts when you weren't dating, when he was still courting you, but it was always coming from him, and he didn't really know whether you accepted them or just politely threw them away without him knowing.

to have his beautiful omega, directly ask him to be scented by him is a dream come true and you swear he has heart eyes when he eagerly starts scenting all of your wardrobe.

being in your nest, cuddling with you is quality time he'll never neglect or refuse. he loves it so much! everything smells like the both of you, an intoxicating mix of your flowery scent and his own, which makes him soo dizzy.

he's even happier when you start cooking for him, always packing his lunch before a mission or any normal training.

food is one of the things he loves the most, and to have it prepared by his precious omega is such a blessing. you're the best cook and your food is so delicious he can't get enough!

but you're not the only one who can make him giddy, naruto has his ways when he wants to make you flustered.

he actually doesn't do it on purpose, but when he suddenly acts all serious and talks to you with his reassuring and soft voice, looking at you like you're the most beautiful and delicate thing he's ever seen, you can't help the blush from making its way to your cheeks, nor the rapid heartbeats his manly scent sparks.

he smells it in your scent, it's subtle but he's able to decipher such change in you. when you get shy or a bit more submissive than usual, you scent also gets sweeter and softer. it drives him crazy and he has to dig his nose closer.

he teases you a bit about it, but he doesn't want to ruin the romantic mood so he tones it down for now.

his omega needs his love and attention, and he'll give it to her!