#the few who get voted to stay train female recruits | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

celestialcrownsvn · 2 years

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Scene Teaser - Demo complete!

Hello tumblr! I have exciting news! 🎉 The demo script is totally complete! There are 57K words of prologue ready for play testing. Sprite expressions have been programmed, and I'm nearly done with the UI.

Overall, massively ahead of schedule! Here are some screenshots of the UI.

The game is really coming together! I'm super excited. All that's left aside from the other art assets is adding some polish. I want to go through one more time for copyediting/checking out any narrative inconsistencies, then I'll be starting on Aalam's route.

Scene Teaser

As voted on Twitter, here is a scene teaser! When King Aalam first arrives at the castle he poses as the ambassador of Andromeda.

There are two choices in this scene, can you spot them? I've chosen "Gentle" and "Impulsive" for this go, as well as a female Terra.

Scene 14

"Sahi is waiting for me. He's removed his sword and bulky armor in favor of a simple tunic."

Sahi "Ready for warm-ups?"

Terra "I'm feeling rather anxious to get started."

"Sahi gives me a disapproving look."

Sahi "Your Highness, you know that a well-lubricated body is an uninjured body."

Terra "Yes, yes, all right."

"I knew Sahi wouldn't allow me to skip procedure, but it was worth a shot. He guides me through some stretches and light exercises. It's not enough to bring my mind to that pleasant blank state the same way the actual lessons do, and I find my eyes wandering around the grounds. I see a few of the recruits standing near the stables huddled close. They speak quietly rather than the usual boisterous voices I hear drifting in through the castle windows in the mornings, and their eyes glance over at me every few seconds. I've been taking blade lessons since I was thirteen, and each fresh wave of recruits takes some time to adjust to being so close to a Royal. Sahi and I started at the same time, and he was the only person brave enough to actually speak with me in our free time."

Sahi "Watch your knees."

"I straighten my legs, breathing through the stretch as my fingers brush my toes."

Sahi "Good."

Sahi "Up now, let's do a few lunges."

Terra "Come now, General, haven't we've done enough?"

Sahi "Just a few."

"I sigh and indulge him. In this arena, I am technically supposed to follow Sahi's orders. He's the teacher, I'm the pupil. It's sort of funny, considering we both grew up training under General Blanchet. Sahi was always better than me, try as I might. I wonder how the old General is doing these days…"

Sahi "Your Highness?"

Terra "Hmm?"

"Sahi regards me with a tilted head and hands on his hips."

Sahi "I said, ready to start?"

Terra "Yes!"

"Sahi fetches our usual practice swords. They're wooden, but still pack a punch when you're jabbed. Or thwacked, as Sahi is fond of. To his credit, I never make the same mistakes after he does that. We bow to each other and then begin. Sahi comes at me quickly, clearly trying to catch me off guard. I block, deciding to stay on the defensive for a time. I let my thoughts empty, nothing but the heat of battle and the whir of reflex in my brain as Sahi and I dance. He's such a gentle man, times like these are the only time I see him with any sort of aggression on his face. I love that he doesn't hold back when we practice. During group drills, whenever I'm paired off with a soldier, they always treat me so delicately, clearly afraid to injure me. Even after all this time, Sahi is the only person who ever truly gives me a challenge. He slashes, and I sidestep to avoid it. As I do, something in my peripheral vision catches my attention." "Ambassador Rift is watching from the edge of the training arena near the castle wall."

Terra "Ow!"

"In my distraction, Sahi takes the opportunity to smack my wrist with the flat side of the blade."

Sahi "Focus, Terra."

"I return my attention to the battle, eager to get him back for that hit. By the time we finish, the score is three to four in his favor. Even still, I can feel the tension that had piled atop my shoulders the past few days completely sloughed away. These lessons always have a cathartic effect. I push my bangs out of my face, grimacing at the sweat plastered across my forehead. While I do enjoy it, the baths afterward are also nice."

Terra "Your game this round, General."

"We bow again, and then Sahi walks closer."

Sahi "You all right? I didn't hurt ya, did I?"

"I nod, rubbing my side where he'd landed an impressive hit."

Terra "I'll be fine. I'm not nearly so delicate."

Sahi "Aw, I know that [title]."

"Sahi walks to put his sword away. Before I can follow, movement draws my eye over Sahi's shoulder, and my lips twitch down."

'Ambassador' "I see you are quite skilled as well. Perhaps we could have a go sometime."

Terra "With any luck, you won't be around long enough."

"The ambassador twists his lips, peering down his nose at me."

'Ambassador' "Very funny. I will remain as long as it takes for you to reach a decision."

"I hum, turning and taking my sword back to the practice rack. To my displeasure, the ambassador follows."

Terra "I don't believe I invited you to gawk at my lesson."

'Ambassador' "I wasn't aware I needed an invitation. Your advisor assured me I was welcomed anywhere in the castle."

"I shoot a glare at the window to what I know is Lune's room."

Terra "Oh did he."

'Ambassador' "Yes."

"The recruits are now staring at both the ambassador and me, and I wrangle back a sigh as I wonder what rumors will start to float through the barracks tonight. With no more excuses, I turn to face Ambassador Rift, standing as tall as I can to counteract our drastic differences in height."

Terra "What is it you want from me?"

'Ambassador' "I am here to—"

Terra "No, I mean at this very moment. Why were you watching me?" 'Ambassador' "Ah."

"He considers the question, folding his arms across his chest in his usual pose. On most people, it looks defensive, but it makes this man look angry."

'Ambassador' "It was…a request from my king."

Terra "Excuse me?"

'Ambassador' "He wants to know the [man] he's going to marry."

"This makes a streak of anger run through me."

Terra "Well, I'm glad he's made up his mind. If he wanted to know me then he should have come himself. Leave me be."

"As I walk away, Ambassador Rift calls out to me."

'Ambassador' "I did not mean to offend. Do you not wish to know more about the King as a potential match?"

"My steps slow. I want to say no, and continue moving, but it is something to consider. As much as I loathe to admit it, I cannot completely write off marrying King Aalam as an option."

'Ambassador' "The King and I are quite close. I assure you I can answer any questions you might have."

"I turn to the ambassador with an unimpressed look."

Terra "And this is why he sent you?"

'Ambassador' "Yes."

Terra "You do not seem like any ambassador I've ever met."

'Ambassador' "Is there a question?"

"I wet my lips and look away. Of course, there is much I would want to know about a man I'm considering calling my husband, but how to ask all of that in a few questions?"

"Part of me is even hesitant to ask because I know I am likely to be disappointed. "It might be better to go in with no expectations at all. Even so, I return my eyes to Ambassador Rift."

Terra "What is the King like?"

"Despite this being a perfectly normal, perhaps mundane question, the ambassador looks a bit confused, like he expected something else."

'Ambassador' "How do you mean?"

Terra "His…personality."

'Ambassador' "He is…a difficult man to describe."

Sahi "I've heard the King of Andromeda is very stern."

"I startle at the sound of Sahi's voice, seeing he looks far more invested in the conversation than I had been."

'Ambassador' "I suppose. He does not tolerate failure or incompetence."

Terra "Most Royals would not."

"Sahi steps a bit closer like he's about to ask a secret."

Sahi "Is it true that he once had someone executed for bumping into him?"

'Ambassador' "Ah…no."

Sahi "Is it true that he has glowing red eyes and can breathe fire?"

"I lift a hand to cover half of my face."

Terra "General, please."

"I clear my throat and lean in to whisper in his ear."

Terra "You are embarrassing me."

"Sahi startles."

Sahi "Oh, sorry Your Highness."

"Ambassador Rift looks at me expectantly, and I realize there is one more thing I'm curious about."

Terra "…What does the King look like?"

'Ambassador' "Average, I suppose."

Sahi "I've never heard of an average Royal."

'Ambassador' "Is that so?"

Sahi "Aren't they supposed to be stunningly beautiful? Like…" "He looks at me and then backtracks."

Sahi "I-I mean, that's the stereotype. Not that you're {i}not{/i} st—I…"

"Sahi clears his throat rather violently and then aggressively punches his fists into his hips."

Sahi "Average, you said?"

'Ambassador' "He is tall."

Terra "Very enlightening, thank you. Did you need something, General?"

"Sahi looks between the ambassador and me, then bows."

Sahi "Uh, sorry. I'll wash out my hair now."

"As he walks off, the ambassador frowns."

'Ambassador' "…Does he normally announce such things?"

Terra "The general just ah, has a few interesting turns of phrases. Pay him no mind. I am still in the midst of drafting the proposal for a new trade agreement, but do not assume that any decisions have been made."

'Ambassador' "I would not dare."

Terra "I do need to be getting to my room. If you'll excuse me…"

'Ambassador' "Seek me out should you have any more questions about the King."

#game development #visual novel #vndev #celestialcrownsvn #interactive fiction #lgbtq #celestial crowns #english otome #english visual novel #otome game

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queenofspades20 · 4 years

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Recruiting tricks

Synopsis: Y/n and Loki have been dating for a few months. Y/n is part of the Avengers, but not well-known (does mostly undercover stuff, so it’s better that the public isn’t aware of her). Loki, as part of his punishment from Odin for trying to take over New York, works with the Avengers. Loki has been with the Avengers for about 6 months. At first, he did not get along with most everyone, but as he proved himself, everyone generally got along with him now. Y/n does not have powers, but was trained in the Red Room after Natasha, who had gotten her out before her graduation. Y/n had been with Shield ever since.

Y/n goes undercover to train with new recruits, to see who would be a good addition to the team. Loki and her plan a fight to mess with everyone.

Pairing: Loki x Reader; Loki x Y/n

Warnings: some descriptions of fighting, implied smut, slight knife play

Word count: 1,276

So, this is based off a dream I had the other night. I’m not sure where this came from but not complaining when I dream of Loki.

“Alright, recruits!” Steve yelled out. “Fall in!”

The group of 20 people and Y/n fell into lines. Y/n kept to the back, wanting to scope out everyone and see who would be the best fit. She wore an earpiece, so Natasha could discuss her thoughts on each of the recruits and give Y/n instructions on how to test them. While Steve was in charge of the physical, Natasha was in charge of the mental. Some of the other Avengers were in the gym, wanting to see how the recruits did with Steve’s obstacle course he and Bucky had designed to test the physical limits of the group. Y/n had already done the course with Clint. She didn’t want to be distracted by the course while testing the recruits.

Steve moved in front of them, his hands on his hips as he looked around. He was dressed in tactical pants and a tight black t-shirt. Bucky stood to the side, his black and gold arm gleaming in the light. A few of the recruits kept glancing at him in interest. Steve was explaining the course to the recruits.

“They better not try anything,” Y/n heard in her ear. She had to control the smirk that threatened hearing Natasha being jealous over attention to her boyfriend.

“You know he only has heart eyes for you, Nat,” Y/n said quietly. She knew how to talk without being noticed from years in the field, a trick taught to her by Nat.

“I know but I don’t want to have to break people.”

“I’ll do it for you. Or I’m sure Loki will help me, give his chaotic side a little exercise.”

“I vote for Loki to do it then. As much as I know you can do it and you’d have fun, I’d like to see what Loki can do.”

“I assure you I would do a most excellent job.” A cool voice could be heard coming from Y/n’s left. Loki was using his magic to keep him concealed and was getting ready to reveal himself when he heard his name come up. “I would hate to let the Black Widow down.”

“What about me?” Y/n asked with a slight pout. Steve was coming close to the end of his talk.

“You, Darling, I would never let you down.”

Y/n felt Loki’s cool lips ghost along her jaw. She held in the shudder that threatened. She bit her lip, turning her attention to Steve. She didn’t want to give away what was happening, though she knew Steve and Bucky could hear everything with their enhanced hearing. Loki pressed a soft kiss to just under Y/n’s ear.

“Shall I begin the festivities?”

Bucky’s eyes flew to where Y/n stood. While he had an idea of what Y/n planned to do with Loki, he wasn’t sure how far they would push it. He fully trusted Y/n, whom he had known for years, and generally trusted Loki, but knew Loki, as the god of Chaos, could still do something that they didn’t approve of.

Loki moved further to the side and made his presence known with a flash of green light. Most of the recruits jumped at the sudden appearance of the god.

“What do we have here?” Loki drawled out. He was dressed in his fighting armor, wanting to make an impression on the recruits. He slowly walked over to the group.

While the Avengers knew he was on their side (most of the time) and it had been reported by a few news stations, it wasn’t common knowledge that he was working for good now. All of the recruits were on edge, watching Loki intently. Y/n put on a bored face. Steve and Bucky pretended to tense up, preparing to fight.

“You mortals, so weak. Always looking to belong somewhere.” His eyes went over the group, trying to get a sense of who would try to prove themselves. “But, in the end, you will always crave subjugation. In the end, you will always . . . KNEEL!” Loki yelled as he got to Y/n, his face close to hers.

“Wow, so original,” Y/n said sarcastically. “I’m good. Feel free to kneel for me though.”

Loki reached out and wrapped his hand around Y/n’s neck and lifted her off the ground. Y/n’s hands grasped onto his forearm, holding some of her weight up. She kept her face controlled, pretending to be slightly panicked.

“I kneel for no mortal,” Loki gritted out. He was using his magic to keep her from choking, though she had told him the night before he didn’t need to when they were practicing it out.

Most of the recruits had backed away, with two of them running forward to help Y/n.

“There’s always a first time.” Y/n put her foot on Loki’s thigh and kicked herself out of his grip. She did a flip in the air and landed lightly on her feet, slightly crouching. The two recruits rushed forward and tried to hold him down. Loki easily threw them off and moved towards Y/n again. The recruits landed on their backs. The rest of the recruits were too far away to be of any help. Steve and Bucky moved forward but made no move to stop Y/n and Loki, wanting to see them fight it out.

Y/n and Loki proceeded to spar, Loki magically making his daggers appear. The pair moved gracefully, almost like a dance. Y/n had managed to get one of the daggers away from Loki. They were taking swipes at each, with Loki making a few strategic cuts on Y/n’s shirt. Finally, Y/n managed to get the upper hand and knocked Loki on his back. She had knocked his dagger out of his hand and held her dagger against his neck. Y/n leaned down with a smirk. “Bet I can make you kneel for me.”

“You are not just a mortal, Darling.” Loki’s face was soft.

“Oh, that I’m completely aware of,” Y/n said as she kissed his cheek. She dragged the dagger along his neck lightly, not pressing the blade. Loki shuddered and his pupils blew out.

Y/n got up, though not before subtly grinding her hips into Loki’s, and helped him to his feet. She looked at the two recruits who had tried to help her. “I say keep those two, lose the rest.”

Steve nodded. “Agreed.”

The two recruits, a male and female, looked pleased with themselves. The rest of the recruits looked angry. One of the guys spoke up, “But it was all planned.”

“Anyone who tried to help, even if they didn’t know the outcome, shows they have what it takes. The rest of you didn’t move. We need people who will run towards danger and not hesitate. We help people.” Steve recalled his own experience with a dummy grenade pre-serum. “This was a test. You two,” he said pointing to the two recruits, “stay. The rest of you are dismissed.”

Y/n walked up to Steve. “We were going to wait for after the obstacle course, but I didn’t want to run it today.”

Steve shrugged, while Bucky laughed. “You saved us some time. Your demonstration was more effective than my course could have been. The new recruits can run it for training now.”

“True. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Loki and I have something to finish.” She grabbed Loki’s hand and practically dragged him towards the door. “Oh!” she exclaimed and reached into her ear to remove the earbud. She tossed it to Bucky, who caught it easily. “Don’t need Nat listening in again.”

After Y/n and Loki rushed out of gym, Bucky could be heard yelling, “Again?!”

#loki x reader #loki x y/n #Loki Laufeyson

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may8344 · 4 years

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The Journey of a Forgotten Soldier (Levi x OC)

Finally, I’ll now be caught up with this fanfiction on Tumblr, Wattpad, and AO3. Updates are still going (try) to be on Thursday at 6pm CT.

Relationships:

Alana Frey (OC)Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Female Character(s)Levi Ackerman/Alana FreyFurlan Church/Original Character(s)Furlan Church/Alana Frey

Characters:

Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)Furlan ChurchIsabel MagnoliaAlana Frey (OC) - CharacterErwin SmithHange ZoëPetra RalGunther SchultzEld JinnOluo BozadoKeith ShadisSpecial Operations Squad | Squad Levi

Additional Tags:

Graphic Description of CorpsesBlood and InjuryViolenceMurder

Summary:

Alana Frey, a girl born in the Underground City, longed to see the true sunlight every morning that she would wake up. Alongside her comrades: Furlan Church, Isabel Magnolia, and Levi, Alana’s life as a thug continued with no way around it; until the sudden day she and her companions were offered the deal of a lifetime.

“Once you complete this job, not only will you be generously compensated for your work,

but you will also earn the right to live above ground.”

Word Count: 2.2k

CHAPTER 5: The Survey Corps

A couple of weeks prior to the quartet’s capturing, an important meeting had taken place. Erwin Smith was accompanied by the Commander of the Survey Corps, Keith Shadies, and the Supreme Commander of the three military branches, Darius Zackly, who sat at his desk.

“I cannot accept that!” Kieth yelled in disagreement at Zackly. However, he paused, discouraged by the look he earned from the Supreme Commander. “Sir, have you looked at the proposal I sent you? If it’s put into practice, we should be able to drastically reduce the number of Survey Corps deaths outside the Walls.”

In a low, grumbling voice, Zackly lightly touched the packet of papers that sat on the wooden desk in front of him. The papers had contained a whole new proposition for the regiment. “Commander… Keith Shadis. Of course I’ve reviewed your request.” His gaze made its way to the younger blond who stood further back. “This ‘long distance enemy scouting formation.’ I hear you developed it, Erwin.”

“Yes sir.”

“It’s ingenious. I mean that sincerely.” He put a hand to his chin in thought, his finger’s ruffling his gray beard. “On previous expeditions, the corps focused entirely on how to defeat the Titans it encountered. But your proposal puts greater emphasis on how to reduce the number of Titan encounters. This totally original thinking is most admirable.”

“I am honored that you would say so, sir.”

Humanity lived inside of three fifty meter tall, concentric, stone walls: Wall Maria, Wall Rose, and Wall Sina. On the outside of their protection, monsters known as Titan’s roamed around, eating any human in sight. They ranged from three to fifteen meters tall and mostly resemble humans but with... deformities. Most walk on two feet, and some on all fours.

Three Regiments were created in order to keep humanity alive. The Garrison Regiment is the group that maintains and patrols the Walls. If there were to be any emergency, they would help evacuate the citizens to a safer area. Their badge bore two red roses.

The second is the Military Police Regiment. They keep order within the Walls and dedicate themselves to protect the King or Queen. Only the top ten training cadets get the option to join them. Despite having the best recruits, they are often known as corrupt and incompentent due to them staying deep within the Walls and far from the dangerous Titans.

Finally, there is the Scouting Regiment. This division is tasked with reclaiming the treacherous land beyond their outer wall, Wall Maria. Despite being very well trained, they suffer many losses and poor results in their reclamation. More often than not, they are under the constant threat of being disbanded by the government.

“If we use conventional formations together with this new formation… we should be able to embark on even further-ranging expeditions with fewer casualties.”

The brown haired Commander spoke once more, “General. If you understand it, then why…”

“I can’t get approval of the council.” He replied bluntly. “For a long time, many members have opposed continuing the expeditions beyond the Walls. In the past, I’ve managed to persuade them to provide funding. But now, even the public doesn’t particularly believe in sending you beyond the Walls.”

“Of course. We know that.”

“Now I have Councilman Lovof demanding the outright dissolution of the Corps. He has great influence even in the house of peers, and has a lot of cronies who sympathize with him.”

Commander Shadis began to raise his voice. “But, sir! If we stop here, all of our sacrifices up till now will be in vain! If we use Erwin’s formation, we’re sure to-”

“Keith. Please understand.”

Erwin spoke out, his voice calm and collected, “Have they already decided to suspend our activities?”

Zackly sighed as he stood from his chair. Peering outside of the window, he responded quietly. “The council won’t vote on it for another five days, but… there’s probably no way to stop it.”

“Understood, sir.”

Commander Shadis and Erwin retreated from Zackly’s office and into the horse-drawn carriage awaiting them outside. The men sat across from each other on the nicely cushioned seats. Light clomping from horses could be heard from the outside as they began moving towards their next destination.

After a bit of silence, Erwin spoke up, “It was just as you suspected, Commander.”

“...Yes. So the leader of the dissolution faction really is Nicholas Lovof...”

“According to the information I’ve gathered, Lovof has connections to the Lang Company which is delivering goods to the Military Police Brigade. He must be hoping to redirect the funds that will be freed up by suspending our expeditions.”

“Is your information reliable?” Commander Shadis questioned, shocked by the details.

“Lovof sent someone to infiltrate the Survey Corps and report on it from the inside. That spy is our source. I believe the information is highly credible.”

“And if that’s true, what do we do about it? Do we appeal to the Commander in Chief? I think that, to some extent, General Zackly is already aware of it.”

“It’s likely that there are circumstances preventing him from going public.”

Their driver slowed the horses to a stop as he hopped off of his seat and made his way to the door of the vehicle. Disrupting the two soldiers’ conversation, he opened the door and notified them that they had reached their destination. “We’ve arrived, sirs.”

Commander Shadis gave him a nod, but sighed at Erwin. “I see. I’m useless with these political intrigues.” He began to step out of the carriage, but stopped as the blond called out to him.

“Sir, would you leave this matter to me?”

“What’ll you do?” Commander Shadis turned his head over his shoulder, intrigued by the sudden request.

“I have a few ideas.”

“Ideas?” Shadis continued to walk out of the carriage.

“Even if you did have contacts in the nobility, they’re not the type to be convinced by words alone.”

“You can’t mean… Lovof himself?”

“Sir. Please don’t ask me any more than that. All of these decisions must be mine alone.”

“Erwin… you’re planning to use some shady method to force Lovof to change his position, aren’t you? Even if it is for the sake of the expeditions beyond the Walls, for a young man like you to…,” He paused, worried thoughts filling his mind for his subordinate, “The palace is a bed of vipers. Do you have a way to get out in one piece?”

“Sir.” Erwin stood up, standing in the doorway of the carriage. One of his hands held onto the side and his foot rested on the small running board. His face was stern and determined. “When I entered the Survey Corps and fought the Titans face-to-face, I learned exactly how perilous humanity’s situation really is. Wealth, authority, lofty ideals. If the Titans make it inside of the Walls, all of them will disappear in an instant.” His voice suddenly rose, “And that is why… no matter what four means we must use, we can never abandon our efforts to take this world back from the Titans. Come what may!”

The commander stared at Erwin in shock and his thoughts were scattered. It took him a moment to decide what would be the best course of action. “...very well. I will leave it all to you. No matter what, we must hold onto our hope for the future.”

“Yes, sir. And at the council meeting five days from now, we will lose the first arrow in that fight.”

Days later, both Keith Shadies and Erwin Smith were called to Darius Zackly’s office once again. The older Supreme Commander readjusted his round glasses as his eyes focused on Shadis. “It passed. I never would have imagined that Councilman Lovof would change his mind. Keith, do you have any idea why he did?”

“No, sir, not personally.”

Zackly eyed him with suspicion before turning towards Erwin. “I see. There are still many voices calling for dissolution. This time, you got the go-ahead, but I can’t guarantee there will be a next time. You’ll have to produce significant results this term if you want to change the situation.”

“Yes, sir! We’ll do our utmost!” Both Scouts declared.

“General,” Erwin added, “what about the matter we asked about the other day?”

“Hm? Oh. You mean the plan for the underground operation? I passed it along to the Military Police.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“But, Erwin, no matter how good they may be with Omni-Directional Maneuvering Gear, are you sure street thugs will be of any use outside the Walls?”

“Sir, I happened to see them with my own eyes recently. I believe their skill cannot be overestimated. The man who seems to be their leader, in particular, is on a level beyond even that of even a Survey Corps veteran.”

“Is that so? Remarkable.”

“I intend to make use of anyone who has even the smallest potential during this expedition. But first while I’m close by, I plan to make contact.”

[~]

“This is humiliating, plain and simple!” A voice boomed as his fist slammed against a table.

Deep within the capital city of Mitras, securely within Wall Sina, an important meeting was held. Five figures sat at the wooden table inside an older, rundown building shaped like a castle. Each person wore a military uniform with the Survey Corps' badge attached to both shoulders and the front left pocket of their brown jacket. Both Erwin Smith and Keith Shadies were in attendance.

The angered Captain continued his ranting as he turned to Commander Shadis. “Are you honestly telling us to accept criminals into our fold when we’ve always held dutifulness in the highest regard!? The morale of the men will plummet if we allow those bottom feeders to join the ranks!”

“I agree with Flagon,” another admitted. “And to suggest we take these criminals with us on the next reconnaissance mission…”

“I understand your concerns. But I can personally vouch for their ODM Gear skills,” Erwin said, staying calm and collected as always.

Their Commander was the one who had the final decision on the matter. He was a man in his later years, amber eyes sunken in, with wrinkles and a receding hairline. He was positioned at the end of the table with his arms strongly crossed. “The new formation that Erwin has been working on is ground-breaking. It takes the emphasis away from how best to kill Titans, and places it firmly on how best to avoid them. I believe it’ll greatly reduce the number of casualties we sustain.”

Continuing his argument, Erwin spoke up, “This formation is likely to become accepted as the norm for our forces.”

“What those cretins lack are discipline and manners. It shouldn’t take too long to drill it into their skulls. They seem to have brains in their heads. Right, Erwin?”

“Correct.”

Coming to a conclusion, Commander Shadis stood from his chair. “Meeting adjourned.”

[~]

“Attention!”

The clattering of boots rang through the air in response. About fifty military soldiers were each lined up in an orderly fashion of rows awaiting commands.

Commander Shadis’ deep, authoritative voice rose as he continued. “Starting today, these four will be fighting alongside all of you! Introduce yourselves!”

Isabel, Levi, Furlan, and Alana each were dressed in a military uniform as they stood in front of the soldiers on a pedestal type area. However, Levi wore a white cravat around his neck.

“Name’s Levi.” Levi had his arms crossed and spoke with complete indifference. He wanted absolutely nothing to do being here, and he wasn’t afraid to show it. This act caught the eyes of almost every soldier and they stared in disbelief at his disrespect.

“Levi, the first thing you need to learn is some goddamn discipline.” Shadis responded in annoyance. “Next!”

Isabel proudly stepped up, head held high. With a solid voice and her thumb pointing towards her, she spoke, “I’m Isabel Magnolia! Nice to meet ya!”

“My name is Furlan Church.” Furlan introduced himself with a saluted fist on his chest, palm facing down. His eager smile lined his face, and then he turned to Alana who was beside him.

Unlike her friends, Alana lowered her chin as she cowered away and her left hand gripped onto the charm on her necklace. Strangely enough, the girl was afraid of the crowd. With a soft, welcoming nudge from the blond, she mumbled. “Alana… Frey.”

“Speak up, soldier!”

She raised her voice and repeated herself. “I’m Alana Frey!”

“Flagon, these three will be assigned to your squad. Look after them.”

“M-My squad, sir?” Flagon, the dirty blond haired captain, looked up to his superior in shock. Just earlier that day, he had been arguing the idea of having them here in the first place.

“Any objections?

“N-No… But shouldn’t Erwin…”

Shadis cut him off immediately. “Erwin is tasked with overseeing all the soldiers. The new recruits will be your responsibility. Is that understood?”

Flagon quickly saluted his commander; right fist on his chest, palm upwards, and the other behind his back. It was the sign of ‘devoting your hearts’. “Yes, sir! Understood!” Even with his words, it was clear that he was uneasy about all of this.

Especially under Levi’s glare.

---

Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

#shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan #levi #levi ackerman #fanfic #levi x oc #OC #attack on titan fanfiction #levi ackerman x oc #furlan church #isabel magnolia #alana frey

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bedlamgames · 7 years

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Q&A #60

Ones where I appreciate the report and will look into it: owned slaver issues, squirm and writhe/spawn of light issue, unbanning from the pit, Hold back the dark reccs, and after the break the ones that need a more specific response including whether bigger is indeed better, sourcing some parts of the latest HMV, and the living who may or may not be also dead.

asapien1: Wouldn't it make sense to have a bonus value spot for more petite slaves as well? (rather than the value just going up as you increase asset size). Im thinking in particular of the "girlish" package from the Keldan missions, it seems odd to "pay" someone to physically alter a slave to have significantly less value. Maybe if both chest/ass size are at that point they should have a "Physical Assets" value modifier for having a proportional, girlish figure.

There’s a couple of reasons why it works the way it does currently. Bonus value for a start is only a reflection of what you think the slave is worth at auction rather than a judgement of size preferences. While the higher sizes are worth more this is counter acted by losing positive traits and gaining negative traits which penalizes value.

I’m also planning to expand the Fulfil Opportunity assignments when more training options are done where the reward is purely based on what is requested and how the slave matches and there will be clients looking for more petite slaves.

Anonymous: What is this TF version you keep mentioning in you update posts?

There’s a full explanation linked to the $5 tier on the patreon but to give a quick description it gives more freedom for your starts allowing you to play scenario starts in regular games, be able to play the gender transformed portraits from the start rather than need to go from male to female, and be able to select certain things at the start that normally that would need to be unlocked like being Possessed, take some of the aspects that normally are scenario only, or are normally certain races only like Insatiable.

Pledging at that tier also helps support continuing development, you get to vote in the commission poles, and I really do deeply appreciate it :)

Anonymous: imgur /a/bKFo0 can't seem to be able to get to endurance x4 after healslut training.

x4 you can only get with a crit on x2 so that’s correct. It’s a really, really minor bonus compared to the difference from x2 and x3 and it’s only in there as there as I didn’t want to have a different reward based on how many times it had been completed.

Anonymous: in your some kind of warrior hmv where did you get the illidari, the raided-camp, nightelf deathknight horde toy, corrupted ysera and tyrande/sylvanas/jaina 3girl BJ scenes?Mind give me time stamps as I’m not sure all of those bits you’re referring to. I think most if not all of them are from Rexxworld but I’m happy double checking.] time stamps are 1:12 ish for the illidari, 1:15ish for the camp, 1:52ish for the deathknight, 2:16ish for corrupted ysera, and 2:26ish for the triple BJ

1:12 - zombinansfw.tumblr

1:15 - batesz2.tumblr

1:52 - audiodude.tumblr

2:16 - liard.tumblr

2:26 - dude017.tumblr

Heh whoops, so none by Rexx then though on checking I did find the fourth one from a Rexx reblog.

celticcernunnos: Have you thought about implementing Undead into No Haven? The player can play Necromancers and recruit other Necromancers and the Necromancers turn Slaves into "Undead (Race) (Gender)". The key premise will be that Necromancers are rare and stay at camp while the Undead have few traits and can't train slaves. You swamp tasks with expendable Undead that you don't have to worry about losing. Have the ability to recruit super rare Vampires that are rare Necromancers but with super good traits.

Undead are tricky to me as it’s could be viewed as necrophilia, saying that Blightomancers are already in the game who share many of the same themes as Necromancers while being not quite as in your face about it, there are Wrights as recruitable race who may or may not have been dead once which is something I’m planning to explore, and there are two assignments already involving blight magic.

Vampires I’ve had on the drawing board from day one as one of the advanced races I’ve mentioned on occasion, and I’m really looking forward to finally implementing them as race so you can see all the fun stuff that I have planned for them.

Anonymous: imgur /a/vB4ln so the only way to actually change race/create futa currently is during the arcane winds? (excluding corruption/keldan alley)

Arcane winds don’t work either. Consider those two options as a preview of what incredible feats of biomancy you’ll be able to accomplish later after an assignment chain.

Anonymous: imgur /a/7fieb a bit confusing having the same text for success and failure. Also, like 90% sure it should be "has proven themself"

follow up to text guy, somehow in spite of "failure" she became a slaver anyway?

That’s correct. It’s less likely but it’s possible that even though the assignment wasn’t a success your slavers can think that your slave did enough to prove anyway them self anyway while they were out there.

Anonymous: how about you make a subreddit dedicated to your games, that way people could "publicly" report bugs, collaborate on more detailed reports etc. and have a centralised hub for complaining about dice rolls/percentages

Heh well there’s one reason not to have one right there :D

Seriously though there are already large threads on TFGames and the Hypnopics Collective which I do look at every so often, I believe there have been reddit threads about No Haven before, and I’m sure there’s discussion in other places too.

Anonymous: do you have a hidden biomancy/corruption counter that increases resistance with every application to a person? or am I just that talented at failing 90% rolls?

Corruption yes though that’s mainly just to stop the old really ridiculous outcomes when they’d picked up so many corruptions it kept hitting tornado as one of the few applicable results left, biomancy no, and quite possibly yes :)

Anonymous: Have you ever considered doing a scenario that is less slaver band, and more slaving "company", less reliant on supplies? I actually quite like the management feel of the slave training, but, and this may just be my own play-style, sometimes I feel like less of a slaver and more of a bandit or something who also happens to capture capture and train slaves. Mostly because a combination of marauding and infiltration missions are so lucrative that the profit from selling slaves is just icing.

Possibly yes as the game is more complete. I do think this might well resolve itself as the game progresses and there’s far more variation on what assignments are available. Something I’m keeping an eye on basically.

Anonymous: the 0/0 assigning to bedwarmer is great, but I still can't assign a dominated slave to bed warmer.

Not sure what you mean on the first part, but yeah the other is a good point and will sort.

Anonymous: Hey, what about vaginal virginity? It should be something magic here! Like resistance to fel, power of pure priestess, bonus slave value, and tasty virgin blood for vampires and dark ritual sacrifices!

There’s the Innocent trait already which currently partially reflects virginity as part of a general state of mind and does give a hefty slave value bonus. As others have pointed out though it does have some issues with the descriptions and I’m looking to sort those for the next update.

#Q&A

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withthebreezesblown · 7 years

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Fully Qualified: A Knight Shop Fic

I blame @trulycertain for this ridiculous nonsense (and by blame her, I mean I thank her for inviting me to be part of such good fun. I also thank her, @aphreal42, @cherieofthedragons, and @celeritassagittae [and anyone I might have missed] for creating such a spectacularly fun universe that they are willing to share).

The woman at the counter is tapping her nails against the surface, the chipped nail polish flashing between pink and gold with the movement. When Cullen approaches, she tilts her chin, peaking over the top of a pair of oversized teal Jackie O sunglasses that clash magnificently with her magenta hair, before snapping it back up.

“I need a knight.”

Although he can’t place the woman, she’s familiar in a way that raises a sort of sixth sense in him. She’s going to be a difficult one. His voice is perhaps a bit more suspicious than necessary when he responds, “What services do you require?”

There’s the slightest hesitation before she says, “Animal assistance,” and suddenly he remembers precisely why she seems familiar, though her hair was not such a memorable color the last time he dealt with her.

It isn’t the most professional response he’s ever composed, but before he can help himself, the words are coming out: “Dear Maker, don’t tell me that beast of yours needs a suppository again.”

Her nails stop tapping at last. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. And Kitten is my only pet, and she is a purebred mabari princess of the highest caliber, not a beast, so you clearly have us both mistaken with someone else.”

Cullen’s expression is nonplussed. He draws a terse to compose himself. “Six months ago I administered a suppository to Kitten, after which you told her, ‘Don’t be mad at me! He’s the one that jammed that up your--’” Cullen clears his throat, replaces the word from the quotation with the noise ahem, and continues, voice flat, without any mimicry, which somehow seems to make the quotation all the more amusing to the woman. “‘You can bite him if you’re so angry.’ At which point she did. At which point you asked her, ‘Who’s a good girl?’ In a ridiculous voice.”

“Hm.” The woman adjusts her sunglasses. “Doesn’t ring a bell. But really, if a mabari bit you and you still have use of your arm, it wasn’t so bad. I mean, it could have been much worse. Paralysis. Actual limb loss. Sounds like whoever bit you wasn’t even really trying.”

“I didn’t mention that it was my arm she bit.”

“Well.” Laying the glasses on the counter, the woman flashes what she obviously thinks is a dazzling smile at Cullen. “Lucky guess. I read tarot cards sometimes, you know. It’s a bit of a gift. So, anyway. I need a knight. This afternoon.”

He considers telling her that after the last… task she hired the Knight Shop to complete for her, she is considered in breach of contract and no longer eligible to buy their services. He considers telling her that services need to be booked at least a week in advance. He considers just telling her no one is available in the afternoon, a lie to get rid of her. And then he looks down and sees who is available in the afternoon, and suddenly a polite smile crosses his face.

“Yes. Well, you’re in luck. I have just the knight for you.” It’s only a polite smile, he reassures himself. There’s certainly no smug self-satisfaction as he marks the appointment on Alistair’s availability. After all, he’s entirely over the suit of armor incident. This isn’t revenge. That wouldn’t be professional.

That is, much to Cullen’s misfortune, the moment she notices the sign at the counter that reads, “Ask how to become a knight!” It had seemed like a good recruitment idea when Josephine had printed it after a recent upsurge in popularity had left them frequently short handed, but Cullen feels himself cringe when the woman’s face lights up.

“Are you hiring?”

“No.” The answer comes rapidly enough to sound honest. He hopes.

Her eyes narrow. “I happen to be fully qualified to be a knight, I’ll have you know. Do not offend my honor, ser, or I will be forced to prove it.”

“A fully qualified knight who is incapable of administering a suppository to her own dog.” The statement is so flat and blunt that it doesn’t even qualify as a question.

If her face had lit up reading the sign, the spark that comes into her eyes now is something else entirely. For an instant it almost makes him reconsider the wisdom of responding as he did.

“A thousand dollars says I can knock you, fully armed, on your ass with nothing but a quarterstaff. You win, I give the Knight Shop a thousand dollars. I win, you hire me. Come on, now.” She plants her palms on the counter and leans in again, brows wiggling suggestively. “What have you got to lose?”

Two days later, Marian is standing in the middle of the Knight Shop’s training room floor, testing the familiar weight of her favorite quarterstaff, the smooth-worn wood comforting in her hands as she smiles to herself. The piously, stoically chivalrous type can be so easy to bait, she thinks.

As she turns to face her audience, she waves enthusiastically. “Hello, future coworkers!”

She’s met with varying levels of skepticism and curiosity.

“Oh!” She tips her head to examine the arm of the tall, tattooed bloke beside her. “You’ll have to tell me where you get those; they’re excellent.”

His only response is a slight tip of his head, which she assumes is a nod of affirmation as she turns toward Cullen.

“All right, Ser Grouch-a-lot, are you ready to have your ass handed to you?” She leans against the staff, hip propped out.

Cullen just snorts and gives a few practice sweeps with his fencing sword.

The “duel” begins very officially, presided over by a pretty woman with an Antivan accent.

“So.” Marian wastes no time launching into her shittalking. “Just how fast can a big guy like you move?”

As she expects, he assumes she’s distracted by her mouth (they always do), moving in immediately, thinking to end this before it’s begun, but she is the one who moves faster than he anticipates, spinning and darting so that she’s nearly circled him by the time he realizes she’s moved. Oh, no. Not without a show. She stays on the offensive, letting him get close enough a few times to make the point that she knows what she’s doing with the quarterstaff, blocking easily.

They’re well past the point where she expects him to start panting when she accepts that she isn’t going to wear him out that easily. High quality knights indeed. When she finally makes her move, staff swiping out to knock his knees out from under him, she underestimates his agility. He lands hard on one knee, but keeps his sword up, nearly catching her with it as she attempts to knock him the rest of the way backwards.

The next several attempts are no more successful. After her fifth attempt, there’s an instant of uncertainty, and she responds to as she always does: with belligerence. Skittering away to get some distance between them, with one fluid move she pulls her shirt off and tosses it aside, revealing the lacy bra beneath.

She’s already moving when she takes in the look on Cullen’s face. It is every bit as appalled as she expects, and doesn’t even particularly change until a moment after he lands flat on his back. There’s an immediate uproar, though Cullen is easily the loudest

“You can’t--That’s not--” He’s sputtering.

She can’t help giggling. “No one said a bit of magic was off limits.”

“That is not magic! Those are your--that’s--”

“I have most certainly been told that my tits are magical. Look at them. They definitely count as magic. Magic is a perfectly fair fighting technique.”

“No. Absolutely not.” He’s finally regained his feet, but his face is still flaming red as he adamantly refuses to look at her. “You forfeit. You did not just win.”

“No, no!” A long legged woman is laughing so hard that she has to prop herself up against the wall--a rather exquisitely legged woman, Marian can’t help noticing as she admires the armor print leggings the woman has on. “I think it counts! She won! We should hire her.”

“That’s absurd! She--for the Maker’s sake, can you put your shirt back on?!”

It comes down to a vote. Erren, the leggy one, votes yes immediately, and the tattooed one, who seems to be named Gal, follows suit quickly enough. Cullen is obviously against her employment, and a dour faced if beautiful woman beside him backs him up. The only other female knight votes no with a faintly apologetic smile.

She’s quite relieved she didn’t let Kitten bite Alistair when he votes yes, which leaves just Beardy and Josephine, the Antivan proprietor.

Beardy votes yes with a look of amusement, and though that leaves four in favor and three against, Marian doubts that if the proprietor votes no anyone will ask for a tie breaker.

She draws a breath and makes sure her smile stays casual, because she’d sooner choke on her own tongue than admit how badly she wants in on this strange get-up.

The woman contemplates her a long moment before sighing. “Technically there were no rules against--” she clears her throat sternly “magic in the contract. That will be modified immediately. And,” her expression down right steely, “there will be a probationary period.” The hard look on her face softens and warms after a pause. “But, yes. We’ll try it out. Welcome to the Knight Shop, Marian Hawke.”

#breezes drivel #dragon age fanfiction #the knight shop au #i had way too much fun writing this

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alamante · 6 years

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Democrats need a net gain of 23 seats to wrest control of the House away from Republicans. And they need a net gain of two seats to take a Senate majority, although the path to get to that number is difficult.

Trump got some welcome news on Friday, with the announcement that the economy grew at a 4.1% in the second quarter, the best number since 2014. Trump will surely make that growth part of his midterms pitch to voters.

But despite a strong economy, the GOP’s woes are evident in Trump’s sagging approval rating and Democrats’ edge in the generic congressional ballot. They’re even more stark with Democratic candidates outraising Republicans in the vast majority of competitive races.

But the biggest problem for the GOP — which has played out consistently in special elections over the last year — is that Democratic voters are much more enthusiastic, and therefore more likely to vote in November.

It has left Republicans split: Some are banking on Trump’s appeal to turn out their base, while others are seeking ways to distance themselves from a President who is unpopular with moderate and independent voters and has sparked a ferocious backlash on the left.

Trump has urged Republicans to focus on base issues, like immigration, which the President has hammered Democrats on for much of the year, accusing them of wanting open borders and encouraging gang violence. Democrats are laser focused on attacking the Republican health care bill and attempts to repeal Obamacare, two positions unpopular with moderate voters.

Here are five key themes to watch over the next 100 days:

Democratic performance in special elections

Democrats are fired up.

A recent study from Pew Research found turnout — particularly on the Democratic side — has been up considerably in primaries. According to Pew, the total number of votes cast in Democratic primaries is up 84% from this point in 2014.

Yes, some of that is because there have been more contested primaries, which increases turnout. But that excitement has also extended to a series of special elections. Democrat Conor Lamb won earlier this year in suburban Pittsburgh in a district Trump won by 20 points.

Democrat Hiral Tipirneni came within a few points of turning blue a reliably red district in suburban Phoenix, Arizona.

The result, coupled with Lamb’s win and other strong Democratic special election performances, worried Republicans.

“This was not supposed to be this close,” a senior Republican said when the results came in. “We really can’t blame anything. We got killed among independents. It shouldn’t have been this close.”

Democrats have also won on the local level, too, using special elections to flip 43 seats in different state legislatures since Trump stepped into the White House.

The next test will come in suburban Columbus, where Democrat Danny O’Connor is looking for a Lamb-like performance next month over Republican Troy Balderson to flip the reliably red district.

The year of the woman

Women are the most dominant force in Democratic politics — one that crosses age, ethnic and ideological lines.

The fury of the Women’s March the day after Trump’s inauguration has led to record numbers of female candidates. And in competitive primaries, women are winning.

Among the stunners: Progressive Kara Eastman beat former Rep. Brad Ashford in a House primary in Nebraska; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ousted the No. 4 House Democrat, Rep. Joe Crowley, in New York; and Amy McGrath, a fighter pilot who bested Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, a top Democratic recruit, in a House primary in Kentucky.

Many of the winners have been backed by EMILY’s List, which trains and funds female Democratic candidates for office.

But the trend goes much farther than who’s on the ballot.

Women favor Democratic candidates for the House by a 25-point margin — helping Democrats to a 12-point edge in the generic ballot, where those surveyed are asked whether they’d prefer a Democratic or Republican member of Congress to represent them, a Quinnipiac University poll out last week found.

The shift, most drastic in suburban areas, could be insurmountable for Republicans in some districts, much like the rise of rural voters helped catapult Trump to the White House two years ago.

Trump’s tariffs beget Republican fears

That brings up another issue for Republicans: Those rural voters, though, may not be as rock solid in 2018.

Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on countries he believes have treated the United States unfairly on trade has caused China, the European Union, Canada and Mexico to raise trade war fears and, in some cases, impose retaliatory tariffs. Those moves have shaken farms in Trump country, spreading fears that markets once seen as critical to soybean growers, pork producers and apple farmers — to name a few — are about to dry up.

The President and his supporters have looked to tamp down on concerns, arguing that short-term pain is worth the long-term gain.

But Republicans tasked with holding the House in 2018 have grown increasingly worried that trade fears could dampen otherwise good economic news.

The Republican Party still dominates rural America, and there is little on the Democratic horizon to break the hold, but the fear among Republican operatives is that voters who were once animated to stand with the President will stay home in November.

Eying a shot at Trump, Democratic presidential hopefuls test road message

Ask any Democrat considering a run at Trump in 2020 about their prospects and they will say they are focused on the midterms.

And that, to a degree, is true. The nearly two dozen Democrats rumored to be considering a presidential run have blanketed the country with endorsements, fundraisers and events, hoping their work impresses Democratic activists and wins favors from lawmakers they help elect.

But these Democrats, like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Vice President Joe Biden, to name just three, are also honing their messaging ahead of a possible run, using the midterms to road test their vision of the party they hope to lead.

“I don’t talk about Clinton voters or Trump voters. I don’t talk about white workers and black workers and Latino workers. I talk about workers and I talk about voters,” Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, said of his party earlier this year.

Sanders, for example, has used his star power to endorse liberal candidates, some of whom are not backed by the Democratic establishment. California Sen. Kamala Harris, likewise, has focused on Democrats of color, and Biden has used his claim to the Obama mantle to back Democratic heavyweights and call more in his party to reach out to Trump voters.

“The 2018 election will be a massive uphill climb,” Warren said earlier this year. “And while we’d rather talk about great ideas, we can’t climb that hill by ignoring the millions of Americans who are angry and scared about the damage this president and this Republican Party have done to our democracy. We can’t ignore it, and we shouldn’t want to ignore it.”

There are post-2020 factors in November’s midterms, too: 36 governor’s offices are on the ballot this year, including 26 for states with Republican governors. Democrats hope to pick off several of those seats, which would in many states give them the power to veto gerrymandered congressional maps. It’s a technical concern, but one with ramifications for control of Congress for the next decade.

Unsettled Senate map

The most uncertainty 100 days out from the midterms is over the Senate landscape — where many of the most competitive states are largely rural and voted for Trump in 2016.

There are at least nine major battlegrounds — with six pick-up opportunities for Republicans and three for Democrats.

The most vulnerable Democrats appear to be Sens. Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota, Joe Donnelly in Indiana, Claire McCaskill in Missouri and Bill Nelson in Florida. Montana Sen. Jon Tester and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin also have tough races on their hands.

One thing most of those states have in common: They’re rural, which means the fallout from Trump’s trade wars is likely to hit farmers, who are largely-pro-Trump, first.

Another factor looming large in Senate races is the battle over the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Republicans see a court fight as a way to energize a turned-off base — but with the timing of a vote uncertain, it’s not clear how potent an electoral issue it will be.

Democrats, meanwhile, are focused on ousting Republican Sen. Dean Heller in Nevada — the only competitive Senate seat in a state Hillary Clinton won in 2016 — and winning open-seat races in Arizona and Tennessee, where former Gov. Phil Bredesen’s moderate message has so far helped him appeal to Republicans and independents.

One to watch: Texas, where Republican Sen. Ted Cruz faces a fundraising juggernaut in Rep. Beto O’Rourke. Polls have shown Cruz with a consistent lead, but O’Rourke raised more than $10 million largely through online, small-dollar donors in 2018’s second quarter and will be able to afford what’s sure to be a nasty campaign.

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The post There are 100 days to the midterm election. Here’s what to watch appeared first on MySourceSpot.

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repwincoml4a0a5 · 7 years

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The 'Nerd For Science' Challenging The Biggest Climate Denier In Congress

WASHINGTON — On Memorial Day weekend 2015, three storms converged over Texas and Oklahoma. The clouds that gathered over drought-stricken Central Texas promised rain, but no one expected the record-breaking rainfall and catastrophic flooding that hammered the region.

The storms dumped up to 10 inches inches of rain and brought tornadoes and historic flooding. Near San Marcos, the Blanco River surged to 2 feet above flood stage, sending water raging into the city, ripping homes from their foundations and causing nearly $3 billion in damage. More than two dozen people died in Texas alone. Emergency personnel had to rescue hundreds more.

In the wake of the catastrophe, The Texas Observer declared it the “climate disaster” that had finally hit home. But Rep. Lamar Smith — the Texas Republican whose persistent opposition to climate science ironically landed him the top seat in the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology — made no mention of climate change’s role in the disaster and instead praised fellow Texans for their resilience and spirit.

His congressional district, which includes parts of Austin and San Antonio, was among the hardest-hit areas. For Smith, the storm’s lesson was that weather forecasting needed to improve, saying, “We must do everything we can to save lives and protect property from severe weather events.” But not only did Smith continue to ignore the role climate change may have played in the storms, he also has spent the last five years as chair of the committee trying to defund climate research and harassing federal climate scientists whom he has accused of playing “fast and loose” with data.

Smith, who lives in San Antonio, has sprinted to defend the fossil fuel industry ― namely Exxon Mobil Corp. ― from probes into their own records on climate change and has used his power on the science committee to push his own anti-science agenda, stacking hearings with coal and chemical lobbyists and climate skeptics.

These are the antics that prompted Derrick Crowe, a 36-year-old climate activist and progressive organizer, to announce his Democratic bid to unseat the 16-term congressman earlier this month.

“It was really alarming to watch as people like Lamar Smith were not responding with alarm or with concern but were trying to stop that message from getting out,” Crowe said. “And that I felt was hugely dangerous and really worrying.”

Crowe also pointed to the fact that Smith has received more than $700,000 from the oil and gas industry since 1989.

“Lamar Smith has shown us exactly what it looks like when our worst fears about corporate power in politics come true,” Crowe said. “Here we have a member of Congress who’s being told by every reputable expert in the field that if he does not change his policies that his communities are headed for disaster, and he is ignoring them. And it just so happens that it’s very lucrative for him as a campaigner to do so.”

Crowe’s campaign comes amid a groundswell of support for scientists and climate advocates running for office, a response to the Trump administration’s assault on research funding and scientific integrity. The nonprofit 314 Action political action committee, launched last year, recently kicked off a fresh effort to fund and support scientists and give them a crash course in political campaigning, similar to EMILY’s List support for female Democratic candidates who back abortion rights. Climate Hawks Vote, a political action group founded in 2013, will lead a training program April 30 — the day after the People’s Climate March — in Washington, D.C., to support climate leaders interested in running for office. And Lead Locally, an environmental group launched earlier this month, is recruiting candidates for local government who will fight against fossil fuel interests.

Crowe has roughly six years’ experience working on Capitol Hill, including as a staffer for Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and most recently as communications director for Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), so he understands the challenges of congressional life. And while he didn’t envision running for public office himself, he said he couldn’t sit back and watch Smith ignore his constituents, dismiss science and threaten future generations.

Crowe grew up in Sunray, a small town in the Texas panhandle, and graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in political science. He and his wife, also a Texas native, moved to Austin about a year and a half ago to raise their young son. Crowe is now the communications director for The SAFE Alliance, a nonprofit in Austin working to end child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence.

A self-declared “nerd for science,” Crowe said he has become increasingly worried about climate change in the last few years, as global temperature records topple. In 2015, he created a YouTube channel called Carbon Freeze, which featured videos about the urgency of the climate threat and Smith’s denialism.

Crowe has never cared for Smith, but he says the “final straw” was the congressman’s early support for President Donald Trump, along with the thought of what a Smith-Trump agenda could mean for his son’s future.

“The future gets really concrete when it’s looking at you from the crib,” he said. “By the time my son graduates high school, if Lamar Smith has his way, we will blow the carbon budget for staying below temperatures that would trigger catastrophic climate change. And I can’t let that happen without trying to get him out of office.”

Taking on a long-standing incumbent on a science-oriented platform may be challenging. But in places where the effects of climate change are already apparent and tangible, such a move has precedent. Take South Miami Mayor Philip Stoddard, for example. When the Florida International University biology professor ran against five-term incumbent Horace Feliu in 2004, he thought he stood little chance of winning. But when he began knocking on constituents’ doors, he found that pitching himself as an honest, fact-based thinker by trade was a competitive advantage.

“I said, ‘Look, I’m a scientist. My career is based on my reputation as an honest person. I’m not going to tell you a lie because, if I do, I don’t have a career,’” Stoddard told HuffPost by phone between classes in his office at the college. “And they elected me. They keep electing me.”

“I know Donald Trump got elected promising the moon and the stars, but I’ve always found people appreciate it when you tell them the truth,” he added. “The public is hungry for someone to tell us the truth and make evidence-based decisions.”

The biggest challenge for any scientist may be learning how to tailor a technical speech and tendency for jargon to suit political audiences.

“A scientist takes on every question and answer at face value, but in the political realm you have to be a little more sophisticated,” Stoddard said. “People will throw gotcha questions, and people will throw out questions to make you stumble. You have to take control of your message.”

That said, voters may appreciate a candidate who speaks bluntly about climate change when the top leaders in the U.S. government have refused to accept the overwhelming scientific consensus on global warming.

Crowe is not a scientist. But he does his best to stay on top of science news, is an advocate for science-based policy and finds Smith’s repeated attacks on the scientific community appalling. And he puts stock in the 97 percent of climate research that supports the finding that climate change is real and that humans are the primary cause — a figure Smith maintains is false.

“If 97 percent of doctors told you that you were going to die without a surgery, you would have that surgery, no problem,” Crowe said. “And you would be a very unwise person to say that those 97 percent of doctors are engaged in a conspiracy against you.”

Crowe believes Texans are coming to understand that Smith is advocating for something other than his constituents’ interests.

“I think that is everyone’s worst fear: that our democracy is sold to the highest bidders,” Crowe added. “And if we’re going to save ourselves from that, we have to vote people like that out of office.”

Unseating a 30-year incumbent in a historically Republican district won’t be easy. Crowe understands that, but his campaign has received an extraordinary response in just the first few weeks since he announced his candidacy, he said. He pointed to Smith’s percentage of the vote dipping below 60 in last year’s election, blue voters moving into a heavily gerrymandered district and the congressman losing the support of his conservative hometown newspaper last October as signs he has a fighting chance. (In November, Smith’s Democratic opponent, Tom Wakely, tallied 36 percent of the vote to Smith’s 57 percent.)

The future gets really concrete when it’s looking at you from the crib. Derrick Crowe, who is challenging Rep. Lamar Smith

“There’s a lot of indicators in this race to show that it’s winnable and that [Smith] has finally gone too far in this anti-climate change science crusade,” Crowe said.

Crowe isn’t alone in wanting to rid Congress of Smith. Also considering a run on the Democratic ticket is Joseph Kopser, an aerospace engineer and Army veteran from Austin. Kopser told PBS NewsHour this week that, although Smith is a “nice gentleman,” he “has a view toward science and technology that is not helpful in terms of where our economy is going.”

Smith is among a trio of Republicans that 314 Action is targeting for their anti-science views. Others include Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and Smith’s fellow science committee member Steve Knight (R-Calif.). Jess Phoenix, a volcanologist and president of the environmental nonprofit Blueprint Earth, plans to challenge Knight next year. “If we want to step up and make sure science is not silenced,” Phoenix said in a recent interview with BuzzFeed, “we have to give it a voice.”

“We have two missions: One is we want to see more people with scientific and technical backgrounds elected, and two is we want to hold responsible elected officials that don’t base policy on sound science,” 314 Action founder Shaughnessy Naughton told HuffPost. “I would put Lamar Smith very high on that list.”

Last week, the group held an event at American University in Washington, D.C., to provide media training and campaign tips to would-be candidates. Dozens of scientists attended the conference, which took place two days before the March for Science — a rally to engage more scientists in politics and protest Trump’s policies.

“There’s so much revulsion at Trump’s priorities,” Naughton said. “That fight has made us more visible.”

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stormdoors78476 · 7 years