#those who immediately disabled it and those who embrace the chaos

[izhunny]

Hi! (⁠ʘ⁠ᴗ⁠ʘ⁠✿⁠)

[shit-lets-be-dungeons]

Ever wanted to put more Wild Magic into your campaign? Do you like the idea of punching somebody and they turn into cake? Wanna mix martial arts and luck manipulation? To you then, I bring my first homebrew: The Way of the WILDSTYLE! Monks that make use of sources of Wild Magic, including an extensive Table to make things happen with your Ki Points!

I made this with the help of the Homebrewery, a browser-based program that can convert text to a document in that fancy Wizards of the Coast style! Click here to get started, or support the creator on Patreon! 

Full text of this Homebrew below the cut:

Monk: Way of the WILDSTYLE

Monks of the Way of WILDSTYLE follow a tradition that embraces madness so intimately as to make one blush.

The origins of the tradition are multifarious and mysterious. Some monks of the WILDSTYLE (sometimes called “Way of the Crazy Hands”) lay claim to the Githzerai of Limbo, who could not only resist the impact of the chaotic realm but harness it. Other monasteries of WILDSTYLE hang above reservoirs of potent, unstable magics, volatile places for all but they. Still others serve at the behest of those rare deities ascribing to the Chaotic and Neutral, such as the Seldarine deity Fenmarel Mestarine.

These monks are capricious, often with no 2 monasteries taking the same role in their society. In some places, they are the last line of defense against volatile and unpredictable threats. In others, they are ruffians and rebels, quick to dismiss authorities. There are many mysteries about these monasteries, with some going so far as to distrust and fear them. Those in the know of the WILDSTYLE know that, for good or for ill, Monks of this way always promise excitement.

And yes, "WILDSTYLE" has to be all-caps.

WILDSTYLE Surge

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to impart a certain Wild power into your strikes. As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to roll for a Wild Magic Surge. As a monk of the Way of WILDSTYLE, you surge on a roll of 20, upon which you roll a d20 on the WILDSTYLE Table (see below). For effects requiring saving throws, the DC will be equal to 10 + your Wisdom modifier + the number of ki points expended (in this case, 1). At this level, you can only do this for 1 action per turn.

Chaos Tide

Once you pick this tradition at 3rd level, you gain an innate sense for the magic about you. If you are not already proficient, you gain Proficiency in the Arcana skill. You can also automatically “sense” magical effects and auras within a 60 ft radius. These areas of effect glow and ripple with light, faint or bright depending on the strength or age of the effect placed. You can even discern from the colors of the aura observed what School of magic the effect may belong to.

In addition, you gain advantage on Saves against magical effects that have been identified in this way.

Improved WILDSTYLE

At 6th level, you begin to harness the true magical potential of WILDSTYLE.

As your attacks now count as magical, when you roll for WILDSTYLE Surge, you can now add your attack bonus to the d20 roll. What’s more, you can roll on the WILDSTYLE Table upon a successful Surge for each Attack, spending at least one ki point each time. You can spend up to 3 ki points per turn in this way.

For effects requiring saving throws, the DC will be equal to 10 + your Wisdom modifier + the number of ki points expended (1-3).

Chaos Check

By 11th level, you can harness the magical underpinnings of the universe to aid you in given scenarios.

You may replace any check made since your previous turn with a “Chaos Check” roll, either as an action to replace your own roll or a reaction against (and replacing) an enemy’s roll. That Luck Check will take the raw dice roll only, no modifiers or advantages/disadvantages. However, you have to take the roll that’s given, even if lower than the initial check. What’s more, any Chaos Check roll also counts as a WILDSTYLE Surge roll.

You can perform this a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, after which you must take a Short Rest to regain use of this.

Master WILDSTYLE

By 17th level, you’ve become well-acquainted with the power of the WILDSTYLE.

Every time you use a Ki point, that will count as a roll for a WILDSTYLE Surge. However, when you purposefully roll for a Wild Magic Surge, you may expend an additional ki point to roll with “advantage” - that is, the DM will roll twice on the WILDSTYLE Table, and ask you to pick which effect you would like to initiate.

Note they can be as vague as humanly possible with what effect exactly will happen.

Chaos Reflect

At 17th level, you can take advantage of the chaos you’ve experienced and deflect it towards enemies.

As an Bonus Action on top of an Attack, you may spend anywhere between 1 to 10 ki points and force a previously-experienced WILDSTYLE effect on that creature.

For effects requiring saving throws, the DC will be equal to 10 + your Wisdom modifier + the number of ki points expended. You will also have advantage on any effect that would include yourself.

WILDSTYLE Table

1. You turn into a potted plant upon landing your hit. You cannot move, you cannot take Actions or Bonus Actions, all attacks have advantage against you, and your HP is reduced to 8 + your Constitution modifier. If your HP is reduced to 0, you transform back, but must start making death saves. You also transform back at the end of your next turn.

2. You give 2d8 additional damage. Roll the 2nd d8 to determine the damage type - Acid, Cold, Fire, Force, Lightning, Poison, Psychic, or Thunder.

3. A Giant Frog appears in a spot within 30 feet of you. This Giant Frog is completely neutral, and does not vanish but may bound away after a while.

4. You force the enemy to make a Constitution saving throw, to avoid transmogrifying into an inanimate material. As they roll, consult one of your damage die to determine the material - Stone, Wood, Metal, Clay, Paper, Cake, Dirt, Molasses, Water, or Smoke. If the enemy fails, they become a statue of this material, effectively Paralyzed and with attacks having advantage against them. If they succeed, they instead transform into a living construct of that material - immune to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and/or Slashing damages depending on their make. This effect can be removed with Greater Restoration, or when you succeed another WILDSTYLE surge.

5. Upon a successful hit, roll another of your damage die. This die determines how many tens of feet the enemy is pushed backwards - and if they hit something before making that distance, how many d6 of Bludgeoning damage they take from the force.

6. A Weasel appears in a spot within 5 feet. This Weasel has advantage on its Initiative, as it is antagonistic towards you, and will wish to attack as soon as possible.

7. Roll a d6, and record that number. At the beginning of every subsequent turn, a d6 will be rolled. If someone rolls a d6 matching yours, you immediately swap locations and Initiatives with that person. Hopefully this won’t put anyone in harm’s way.

8. Your last hit immediately causes your enemy’s head to spin completely around 180 degrees. This does not kill them, however; instead, any movement they make will be backwards, and attacks not behind them will have disadvantage. They have to use their action to set their head back on straight.

9. You initiate a similar effect to the Sleep spell. Upon a successful hit, roll all of your hit dice. This will determine what hit-points’ worth of creatures can be put immediately to sleep within range. Instead of dealing damage, your attacks have this power until the start of an enemy’s turn.

10. Voluminous soap bubbles burst from your mouth. You are unable to speak Command Words or other words until the start of an enemy’s next turn.

11. You turn into a “Real Boy”. Any racial traits vanish, and all of your stats are assumed to have a +1 modifier. You are restored upon another successful WILDSTYLE Surge.

12. Roll a d20. On 10 or higher, any of your hits cause a harmless squeaking noise instead of dealing damage. That enemy which squeaks will be vulnerable to Bludgeoning, Slashing, or Piercing damage. On a 9 or lower, any enemy that hits you causes a harmless squeaking sound to come out of you instead of dealing damage. However, you will be vulnerable to Bludgeoning, Slashing, or Piercing damage. All effects end at the start of your next turn.

13. Your hands turn into snapping serpents. Your Unarmed Strikes now deal Piercing instead of Bludgeoning damage, with a Constitution saving throw for someone to avoid taking Poison damage (equal to 1 damage die) and being Poisoned. However, these Unarmed Strikes will be essentially Animal Handling checks, as your arms are now literally 2 snakes. Were you to cut these heads off, your own hands will reappear. This effect may also end upon another successful Wild Magic Surge.

14. On hit, with a loud “KA-CHING!” money flies out of your enemy. You can collect as much Gold as XP that enemy normally produces. However, any hit landed on you causes 1d8 Gold Piece’s worth of your own money to fly out.

15. You turn into a Yakman. You count as one size larger for the purposes of Strength checks, and your Dexterity, Strength, and Constitution stats go up by 3 (up to 20). However, your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma go down by 3, and you have disadvantage on checks related to these. All racial Traits are disabled while being a Yakman. This effect goes away after a long, deep shave. This effect may also go away upon another successful Wild Magic Surge.

16. A number of Flumph equal to your Monk level appear within 30 feet of you, controlled by the DM. They may roll Initiative to help.

17. The next successful hit causes 2d100 beans to fly out of your opponent in a 30-foot radius. Everyone in that 30-foot radius must make an Intelligence saving throw, or they will be compelled to begin counting the beans. An affected creature may use their Action to count beans, at a rate of 180 BPM (Beans Per Minute), or they may attempt the Intelligence save again. They may also opt to retain their major Action, and use their Bonus Action to count beans, at a rate of 90 BPM; this may prolong the effect depending on how many beans have been produced. An individual with Stillness of Mind may use this to end the effect. The effect ends once all the beans are counted.

18. You suddenly become aware of a sizable, expectant audience that’s watching your every move. All of your attacks are now based on Performance, with Inspiration granted if you put on a good show. However, at least your first turn would be at disadvantage, given the stage fright. To stop this effect, roll a successful Wisdom saving throw to ignore the crowd. If you have Stillness of Mind, you may also use that to end this effect.

19. A Tyrannosaurus Rex appears within 120 feet of you, controlled by the DM. Good luck.

20. All of your Ki Points are restored, and you get to roll for another WILDSTYLE Surge.

[captainamericasbeard]

Rescue 10/10

Pairing: Alpha!Bucky x Enhanced!Omega!Reader

Word Count: 2.2k

Warnings: anxiety, violence

Summary: The Avengers are sent in to rescue a group of omegas from the hands of Hydra. There Bucky finds you, an enhanced omega. Can you ever be fully rescued from what Hydra has done to you?

A/N:  So I’m a goddamn liar and this isn’t the last chapter. I think the next one will be though. I hope you all enjoy watching our girl kick some ass!  IF YOU WANT TO BE TAGGED PLEASE SEND AN ASK.

Rescue 9 l Masterlist

The ride on the jet was quiet and tense. Everyone’s eyes kept flicking over to you as you sat in your seat, electricity crackling at your finger tips. It was like a nervous tick, you couldn’t help it. Thor reached over and held your hands, absorbing the currents radiating off of you. You snapped out of your daze long enough to look up at him with a grateful smile.

“10 minutes out!” Clint called from the pilot’s seat. The jet broke into a flurry of motion, guns and knives being strapped on, Tony suiting up, and you looking through Bucky’s gun collection for your favorite glock. Upon thinking you grabbed his favorite cold steel recon knife and strapped it to your thigh to give to him when you found him.

“Tony, Thor, and Sam cover us outside. Clint and Nat, get all the intel you can find. Wanda I want you taking down their labs, be careful in there, there’s no telling what they’ve been working on. Y/N, you and me find Bucky.” Steve’s tension radiated to the rest of the team and they all nodded curtly. With that, the jet landed and the team piled out. Clint had set down about a mile away from the base. Tony, Sam, and Thor launched into the air while the rest of you split up and converged on the base. By the time you got there alarms were blaring and the boys were already engaged in the fight.

You, Steve, and Wanda wove your way through the fray, taking down agents as you went but you didn’t let yourself get stuck in. You made a beeline for the building. You could hear the ring of Steve’s shield and saw blurs of red out of the corner of your eye from Wanda but you refused to even engage the agents around you. The thought Find Bucky consumed your mind and drove you forward.

Once inside the building the fight began in earnest. The halls were flooded with agents. You fought with a ferocity you didn’t know you had inside of you, kicking and punching your way through agent after agent. It was too close quarters to use your powers, you were scared of hurting the others. Gradually as you moved further into the facility the number of agents coming at you diminished. Wanda split off at some point and headed for the lab. Which left just you and Steve winding deeper and deeper into the facility in search of Bucky.

“Do you think he’s here?” You whispered as you rounded another corner, gun raised.

“I do,” Steve replied, “they've mounted too much of a defense for him to not be here.”

You moved along to the end of the hallway and found a set of stairs descending into a deeper basement. Shudders ran down your spine. You were reminded deeply of the cave Bucky found you in and you couldn’t bring yourself to go any further. Steve carried on for a moment before realizing you weren’t with him. He turned to find you frozen with fear, tears filling your eyes.

“What is it, Y/N?” Steve asked, his bright blue eyes filled with concern.

“I can’t go down there,” you said.

“Bucky’s down there, Y/N. We have to go get him.”

“If I go down there, they’ll capture me again. They’ll throw me in a cage.” Tears were falling down your cheeks in earnest.  Part of you knew what you were saying wasn’t true but that part couldn’t stop the fear from overwhelming you. Steve lowered his shield and stepped towards you putting a hand on your shoulder. He was more gentle than you anticipated and the small action melted some of the terror freezing you.

“They’re not going to throw you in a cage. Do you know why?” You shook your head. “Because you’re stronger than them,” Steve reminded you. You looked him in the eyes and found the truth. You were stronger than them. They might have made you a freak but you had turned yourself into something to be feared. You found your resolve and nodded at Steve. He nodded briskly and you descended the stairs right behind him.

You found a long damp hallway with flickering bulbs. And at the end of the hallway was a door guarded by two men in full tactical gear. Before they could get their guns up you rushed past Steve and reached out with your powers. You wrapped them in electricity and threw them up into the ceiling. They fell to the ground, dead or knocked out you didn’t care. You and Steve ran the length of the hallway and Steve fished the keys off of one of the guards. He keyed open the door and pushed it cautiously.

The door swung open to reveal a huge lab. At the back of the lab was a cage and pacing inside the cage was Bucky. He caught your scent immediately and rushed to the front of the cage, gripping the bars.

“Y/N, what are you doing here!?” He shouted, his voice filled with concern. You came sauntering toward him, glowing and flickering.

“Returning a favor.” You replied unable to stop the smile that broke out across your face at the sight of him. He looked a little pallid and had bags under his eyes from not sleeping but other than that he looked ok.

“I hope you found a set of keys to this thing. It's vibranium, I can’t get out.”

“Oh we found keys,” you say turning to Steve who had stopped a few steps behind you. You turned to find him staring at Bucky with a hard expression lining his features.

“What did they do to you Buck? Can you be triggered?” Understanding dawned on you. Steve wasn’t going to let him out of his cage if Hydra had reactivated the trigger words. You sucked in a breath and looked at Bucky.

“No, they’re not interested in me like that anymore. They don’t want a weapon they have to control so tightly. They were more interested in my DNA. They’re making super soldiers out of willing volunteers with a formula made from my blood. Steve, they’ve succeeded. There’s more soldiers just like me only they want to be the new fist of Hydra.” Silence rang through the lab at Bucky’s words. Terror rippled through your body at the thought of more super soldiers. You glanced over your shoulder as though you feared they were coming up on you right now. Steve continued to stare Bucky down, keys held tightly in his hand.

“Steve, I swear I’m safe. If I wasn’t I would tell you to leave me in this cage. I don’t want to be around anyone, especially Y/N, if I can be triggered.” Bucky looked imploringly at his oldest friend and something in his gaze must have convinced Steve. He moved forward and unlocked the cage, whipping the door open and embracing his brother. Bucky gave Steve a pat on the back and then moved around him to scoop you up and bury his face in your neck. To finally be immersed in Bucky’s scent after all those months of deprivation was overwhelming and your knees went weak. Bucky held you close and kept you upright while you filled yourself up with him.

“Come on you two, if what you say is true we’ve got some super soldiers to find. How many are there, Bucky?” Bucky pulled himself away from you to answer his friend.

“Two that I know of but there may be more. They’re here somewhere. Probably outside fighting the team right now.” Bucky said. Steve nodded curtly as you all started to move towards the exit.

“Y/N, want to take care of this lab for us?” Steve asked.

“Absolutely I do.” You concentrated hard and raised your hands in the direction of the lab. Lightening fired out of your fingertips and hit every computer, exploding them to pieces. You targeted every vial, every test tube and fried every single one of them. Bucky moved to the other side of the lab and went into a side room you hadn’t noticed before. He came out with four vials of his blood and two bags of a glowing blue liquid. He placed them on the table in front of you and you fired at them, reducing them to cinders. You nodded at Steve and the three of you jogged out of the now smoking lab.

Back up the stairs and through the maze of hallways. No one stands in your way now, they’ve all joined the fight outside the facility. You pass the burning wreckage of the main labs and breath a sigh of relief that Wanda was able to make it out unharmed. Just before you burst through the doors to join the fray outside, Bucky slides his hand down your waist and along your thigh. You look at him shocked only to realize he’s reaching for the knife you brought him.

“I assume this is for me?” He asks with a wicked smirk on his face, laughing at your expression. Your face softens and you give him a quick peck on the lips as Steve bursts through the door.

Outside is chaos. Clint and Nat are each going hand to hand with four agents each. Wanda is being assaulted on all sides. Tony and Sam are providing as much cover as they can from above. And there among the standard Hydra agents in their black tactical gear were two towering, muscled men. As you watched, Nat ran up behind one of them and launched herself onto his shoulders trying to knock him off balance. The man simply reached up, plucked her off his shoulders, and tossed her like a rag doll into the closest group of agents.

Rage filled you. Rage at what they’d done to you. Rage at what they’d done to Bucky and what they were doing to your friends, your family. Electricity was licking its way up and down your body as you stepped out from behind Bucky. Your eyes had gone white and the air around you crackled. You took a few steps forward and raised your hands in the air and then swept them down in one strong motion. Lightening rained down on the closest 20 agents, dropping them to the ground mid battle. Every eye on the field turns to you and the braver agents raise their weapons in your direction. Electricity dances from weapon to weapon disabling the men holding them.

The bigger super soldier turns towards you and you recognize him immediately. An alpha who was part of your torture. How can he be here? Now? You stop dead when you see a familiar sneer play across his face and fear comes rolling over you in waves. The electricity surrounding you slowly fizzles out as he strides toward you. He wraps his hand around your neck and lifts you into the air.

“Look at the little omega freak. Thought you could play with the big boys, eh? Where’s all your power now?” He jests as you struggle for air. You kick your feet out towards his groin but he just holds you further away from his body. Stars are popping behind your eyes as you fight for oxygen when out of the corner of your eye you see Bucky come hurtling towards the bigger man. Bucky throws himself onto the alpha and puts him onto a chokehold which the man easily gets out of. The alpha throws Bucky into the ground and starts punching him in the face relentlessly. Bucky scrambles against his hold but he’s overpowered.

You push yourself up against the dirt where you were thrown. You can see blood pouring out of Bucky’s nose, his eyes rolling back into his head. You need to get this man off of Bucky. You launch yourself onto his back tangling your fingers into his hair. You wrench back as hard as you can while biting into his shoulder. The shock of it causes the alpha to drop his hold on Bucky and reach back around, grasping at you. Before he can reach you, you send currents of electricity down through his head and into the rest of his body. The man drops to the ground, twitching, with you still clinging to his back. You roll off him and rush over to Bucky, your body wracked with sobs. You can’t bear to look at what you’d just done. You need Bucky to be ok.

You pat his cheek and call his name. Nothing. You shake his shoulders and cry out louder but there’s no response. Then you remember. You bring your hands down to his sides as though you were going to tickle him and you send a tiny jolt of electricity into his muscle. He groans.

“Ow babe, come on.” Bucky’s eyes flutter open and you sob out of relief, clinging to his neck as the fight wraps up around you.

“Are you ok?” You ask through your tears.

“Never better, sweet girl.” Bucky kisses you hard and fast and then he’s up and pulling you to your feet. You turn to see Steve and Thor taking down the other super soldier. Clint and Nat are cleaning up the rest of the agents still putting up a fight. Tony appears to be setting charges around the base while Sam is helping a limping Wanda back to the jet. The fight is over.

Epilogue

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[mintgator]

MDZS fic ideas

Things I’d love to see in Mo Doa Zu Shi fanfiction. These are my notes for things I have told myself I am not allowed to write. I’ve read...so many fics for this fandom, like most of the archive, and I’m sad that I’m pretty much at the point of rereading/waiting for updates. These ideas have been swimming around in my head that I have no time to write, so PLEASE someone take them and gimme some new words to read, I beg you.  Of course, end goal should be wangxian in some way, because otherwise WHAT IS THE POINT, but I don’t have time to write these, so...here you go. Please let me know if you use them. I wanna read these, but I don’t have time to write them, so maybe someone else will want to.

*Time Travel AU in which WWX goes back and for some reason tells Madame Yu all the bullshit that’s gonna happen, so they team up and fix all the things. I just...really want Mama Yu to like WWX thanks. And dear god, LET JC BE HAPPY! I need so much more resolution on that front. Even the book did not satisfy me. I WANT MY BOYS TO GET ALONG! And I want Mama Yu to not be awful and abusive to WWX! I mean she had reasons for being salty but uh that is NOT good justification for the shit she pulled with WWX. Also, hell, let Jiang Fengmian get his core melted and have Madame Yu run the sect. WE NEED FEMALE REP.

*Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze live so WWX gets to grow up with his parents. He meets LWJ as a rogue cultivator or something idk. This would make a fun oneshot.

*LWJ’s mother lives! Honestly, I just want happy Lan-fam. Can I get that please? Just how much would it change the dynamic of the story if LWJ’s father led the sect properly and his mother wasn’t locked away in a goddamn building and actually got to spend more time with her kids? I am forever salty that we’ll never know why Mama Lan killed her hubby’s teacher or w/e. Somebody GIVE ME SOME REASONING.

*WWX gets taken in and claimed as heir by Wen Ruohan...and WWX doesn’t learn that their ways are wrong until he’s at least a teen (perhaps when sent to train at the Cloud Recesses?) and realizes how the other Sects really feel about them. Give him some convoluted morals that he has to unlearn. Make Wen Xu and Wen Chao hate him for being chosen over them. Change Wei Wuxian/Wei Ying into Wen Ying/Wen Wuxian and have it be a secret that he’s not actually a Wen. Have WWX actually not want the Wen Sect destroyed because despite how messed up its people are, not all of them are bad--mostly just those in power (it still baffles me that the other clans just DESTROYED an entire sect, like I know the Wens burned Lotus Pier but DAMN that’s cold!) Even some kind of variation where WWX influences Wen Ruohan and his children’s evil mindset would be really interesting. Otherwise, can you imagine WWX with Chenqing on the Wen side? Ouch. Also, this sticks WWX with Wen Ning and Wen Qing early on and I LOVE THEM, so there’s that.

*WWX doesn’t come back after his first death, and LWJ achieves immortality because he’s stubbornly still looking/waiting for WWX. Two centuries pass (we’re going to ignore any technological advancements and replace them with cultivation advancements or something) and LWJ ends up befriending a nice lady cultivator who falls for him, and even though he only considers her a friend, he agrees to marry her. They have 1 very stubborn gay daughter (only from consummation sex which brings up a boatload of other problems) who somehow stumbles across a reborn!WWX with all his memories--daughter is hella bitter that her father clearly does not return her mother’s affections and that he is apparently pining for someone who is so long dead that people don’t actually remember his name (ie - people remember Yiling Laozu but not that his name was Wei Wuxian). But without knowing who he is, the daughter ends up liking WWX until she finds out the truth about who he is and drama ensues. Can you tell I’ve wanted to write this one so badly? I mean I could just about draft an outline, but I HAVE TO FOCUS ON MY ORIGINAL NOVEL I’M SORRY.

*Time Travel AU in which Yanli alone gets a do-over with all the future knowledge and fixes everything just by being her amazing self. I feel like she’d be a really keen manipulator.

*The story from NHS’s pov. I wanna read all his manipulations and him putting them into place. Is there anything like this out there? Because oh my GOD I wanna know what’s going through his head sometimes. I really, really do!

*Jiang Cheng/Wen Ning - AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS THIS WOULD BE AN ENTERTAINING SHIP? Just...I sort of tolerate the JC/LXC and JC/NHS pairings because they’re commonly used, but honestly, I’m not crazy about either one. However, WN is such a sweetheart and JC is such a hothead and there is so much opportunity for drama there. Also, in some cases depending on timeline...WN is, yunno, a corpse--a fixable thing if you weave in WWX’s involvement and make him and JC get along again. GIVE ME THAT. Like I don’t read much other than wangxian focused fic, but I would read the hell out of this (also you could easily balance those two pairings).

*Somewhere in the waiting gap, LWJ is given three tasks by a deity of some sort who promises to bring WWX back if he completes him...but these tasks have to UTTERLY go against LWJ’s character and completely destroy his reputation as Hanguang Jun. Honestly, this could go cracky or painfully dark.

*No idea how, but Mo Xuanyu manages to bring WWX back fully in-tact and they both get to live. WWX of course takes MXY under his wing, and together they avoid the notice of even LWJ for a lot longer than WWX did in canon. I would love to see them figuring out the whole JGY plot in the background and LWJ tailing them around just a little too late to the party each time a major event goes down until finding out in some kind of dramatic finale that WWX has been back for a while. I have yet to see characterization for MXY that I really like. Most people make him either ridiculously whiny or so much like WWX that they may as well be the same character. :/ So, uh, maybe a different approach? I mean MXY is allowed some complaints, he’s had a rough time of things, but come ON.

*Lan Wanji never finds Wen Yuan and poor widdle Shizui manages to survive into adolescence living on his own in the burial mounds...accompanied by the fragmented ghost of his Xian-gege who very slowly is pieced back together by A-Yuan, who has sort of naturally started using demonic cultivation and somehow develops a heroic reputation as a rogue cultivator. Why? Because he’s Shizui, and Shizui is SO PURE OK? Maybe he has a fascination with LWJ, even though his memories of Rich Gege are kind of fuzzy. Shizui matchmakes his two ridiculous dads. Oh and inquiry doesn’t work on WWX cuz his soul is shrouded by the resentful energy in the burial mounds.

*The Wen clan burns the Cloud Recesses to the ground around the same time WWX has lost his parents, but LWJ somehow escapes. Reportedly, everyone in GusuLan is now dead, but he somehow ends up in the same town as WWX. They meet and bond immediately. Maybe LWJ saves WWX from the dogs. Anyway, JFM never finds WWX, so he and LWJ grow up together in poverty, eventually teaching themselves cultivation and night hunting, until their fame grows so much that they catch the attention of the Wen clan (or something). Have them ridiculously dedicated to each other, already in love and thinking of themselves as cultivation partners. I want their bond to straight-up shock people. LET THEM BE SHAMELESS. LWJ would have to have a fake name and wear something other than white.

*LWJ and WWX figure out their relationship stuff a lot sooner and end up building a proper sect in the burial mounds. I want LWJ wearing WWX’s colors. I want demonic cultivation to work hand-in-hand with regular cultivation. I want them to find artifacts or books or something in the burial mounds indicating a civilization used to be there that also studied demonic cultivation, or maybe they actually find some long forgotten god/dess of demonic cultivation who empowers them in exchange for worship.

*LWJ was not whipped for protecting WWX, he was imprisoned for life, not in GusuLan, but in some godforsaken prison that is so intense no one in the clans really likes to talk about it. I want him flung into some hellprison with ghosts and demons, where only his cultivation keeps him alive (and relatively sane) for that decade-ish gap until WWX’s fragmented ghost somehow finds him. Of course, WWX realizes LWJ loves him, which triggers in WWX a want to finally come back to life. He finds a way back to the living world and rains hell upon the people who decided it was a good idea to imprison LWJ until someone finally tells him how to get to the prison. He frees LWJ and helps him recover while all the JGY stuff is going on the background. Wangxian returns to the cultivation world in time to stop that catastrophe. (Before LWJ is imprisoned, he makes LXC promise to take care of A-Yuan of course!)

*WWX gets flung into the burial mounds and embraces demonic cultivation, but realizes he has somehow bound himself to the awful place and can’t leave. Over time, he lures stragglers and refugees to the mounds, where he welcomes them to stay and live safely. Outside, the Sunshot Campaign is a failure and what remains of the sects bow in subservience to the Wen clan. Inflicted with some permanent disabilities from the war and left to run GusuLan now that his brother and uncle are dead (sorry Xichen), Lan Wanji never gets the chance to go looking for WWX. Thirteen years pass and WWX has absorbed so much resentful energy from the burial mounds that he is practically a part of it. Finally, he is able to leave, but the world he finds is much different from the one he remembers, and his health fades fast when he is outside of the mounds. Somehow, WWX figures out that demonic cultivation doesn’t damage the body/soul/temperament if somehow counterbalanced properly with a golden core--and since he doesn’t have one, he and LWJ do a soulbond thing so that their cores (WWX: demonic and LWJ: golden) balance each other. Then he can take on the Wens.

I could literally whip out ideas nonstop, but these are the big ones that have been just...beating on the walls of skull trying to get out. Of course, they don’t always account for everything, so more thought is needed. Anyway, if you write any of these, please let me know so I can read them, and of course a shoutout would be nice. c: My username on ao3 is the same as here. Enjoy~!

[tothewaterhq]

ACCEPTED // OAKLEY DRESSEL

district 8 → mentor →  elizabeth olsen fc

positive traits: resourceful, gentle, amiable negative traits: physically weak, dependent, timid

describe their arena:

The arena of the 69th Hunger Games launched at the edge of a massive canyon.  The cornucopia was right at the edge with a mile long drop.  In front of them was canyon.  Overhead blues skies and fluffy clouds painted the picture of a beautiful warm day.  The breeze was warm and it would have been beautiful if not for the dark reason the tributes were there.  Paths made in the side of the canyon allowed the tributes to descend into the depths of the true arena.  Those who turned away from the canyon and ran when the countdown ended, soon bounced off a forcefield.  They had two options, stay on top with the cornucopia or descent into the heart of the canyon.  Those who were able to reach the bottom were rewarded with an abundance of fresh water as the river cut through the canyon.  The water was too dangerous to swim, making it near impossible for tributes to reach the other side.

When the bloodbath began, tributes fought over weapons while others ran into the canyon, braving the winding rocky paths while seeking safety and a chance to regroup before facing the other tributes.  Tributes paired off into ally groups and the Gamemakers unleashed the mutts.  Vultures circled overhead as a continual reminder of the death all but one would face before the Games concluded.  Lizards, spiders, scorpions, and snakes were a constant risk for the tribute.  One sting or bite and it could all be over.  Baking heat during the day brought forth cool nights and the howling of coyote mutts, eager to rip tributes to shreds or chase them until they fell to their deaths from the numerous pathways along the canyon walls.

After the mutts had done their work, there were limited tributes remaining.  In the end, Oakley was left to fight it out with the boy from District Nine on a crumbling path near the base of the canyon.  It felt like it lasted hours, but soon the final two were falling.  The hit the ground with a sickening crack as the vultures circled above them, waiting as the minutes ticked by for the final cannon to sound, a slow death ending the boy from Nine in one of the most anticlimactic finales of recent memory.

bio:

Life for Oakley had always been average.  Save story of her mother escaping District Eleven as a teenager, leaving her world behind in the hopes of finding a better future.  Pepper Monroe did find that better future when she stumbled into District Eight after weeks in the wilds.  So when Pepper found love with a factory worker named Bobbin, everything was looking up.  Oakley was born, a name chosen to honor both her mother’s native district, and her paternal grandmother Paisley.  However, that choice was not an easy one for Oakley.  Children were mean, telling her repeatedly to go back to District Seven, teasing her for the name that was so meaningful for her parents.  Even though she tried, briefly, to go by a different name it never stuck.  Oakley eventually embraced it.  After all, they didn’t understand the meaning behind it.

However, it was the story of her mother’s harrowing escape through the wilds, those weeks she spent trying to survive, that had ignited a spark of adventure inside Oakley.  She was curious, always looking to have an adventure or tell another exciting story.  Her parents encouraged it, and that was the world. Oakley grew up in.  She had her parents, and eventually she had her baby sister.  Her father worked hard in the factories and her mother worked as a midwife and nurse, helping the poorer people in the district cure their ails and deliver their babies.  Oakley learned a lot from her mother watching her work, but her parents were busy and much of the responsibility fell to young Oakley’s shoulders.  She didn’t mind it though.  Oakley knew it was preparing her for life.

School was something Oakley enjoyed.  She liked learning and it gave her a chance to have fun with her friends.  Her friends were a chance to have some fun beyond the expectations and responsibilities she had at home.  She could just be a kid, if only for a short period of time.  One of those friends was named Taylor, but she didn’t realize being his partner for a project could drastically alter the course of her life.  When they were fourteen they started dating and at sixteen Taylor was reaped for the Hunger Games.  While the Hunger Games was always something that had been on her radar, Oakley never paid much attention to it.  She always assumed the Capitol’s reach wouldn’t touch her.  Satine, a girl from her school, had won the year before but that seemed only to further prove the odds weren’t good.  Districts hardly ever won two years in a row.  Oakley cried hard as she hugged her boyfriend after the reaping.  Even if Taylor stood a chance, the odds weren’t in his favor.  By the time the train pulled out of the station, Oakley knew she would lose her first love to the Capitol.

She was right.  Taylor died in the bloodbath.

Things couldn’t possibly get worse.

Until they did.

Oakley’s name came out of that bowl the very next year.  She was seventeen and terrified.  She wasn’t strong enough.  Sure, she knew how to use a knife and knew some basic medicine, but the careers would get her.  Oakley thought all she could do was bide her time.  Even thought she wanted to go home it seemed like an unlikely outcome.

When Oakley’s eyes opened and the countdown began, they were standing in a circle around the glistening cornucopia displayed at the edge of a massive canyon, stretching for as far as anyone could see.  The moment the clock hit zero, the bloodbath began and Oakley ran.  She knew the bloodbath was a suicide mission, so she ran in the other direction.  Unfortunately, when she did she hit a force field and bounced back, scrambling to her feet as she soon realized the only option was to enter the canyon.  Staying at the surface was certain death.

Oakley ran, her legs carrying her as she moved quickly down the paths along the canyon wall in the hopes of finding somewhere to hide.  At first the tributes were more interested in running and getting their bearings than killing each other.  Perhaps that was her saving grace.  That night she stayed awake only to find the young boy from District Six.  Oakley had made friends with him during training.  He was twelve and reminded Oakley of her sister.  She wanted to help him as much as she could.  At first he was scared, but Oakley convinced him she wouldn’t hurt him.

They stuck together for two days until the Gamemaker’s coyote mutts chased them into the boy from District One. He was strong, lethal, and Oakley knew in that moment she had to stand her ground.  If she tried to run, he’d kill her.  So, the pair fought while the boy from District Six ran off in the chaos.  Eventually the career’s long sword sliced open her arm during the fight and Oakley lost a lot of blood, but she tripped him and got the sword away before she drove it into his abdomen.  It was the first time Oakley got blood on her hands, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last.  Oakley took the sword as her prize while she stumbled away from the scene.  She sat against a big rock while blood poured from her arm, ripping off a piece of her shirt to try and stop the bleeding before a second gift arrived.  It was enough to bandage the wound and at least stop the bleeding.  Oakley was terrified.  She hurt.  Nothing about this was right.

She continued to wander and climb as best as she could with her arm injured, descending further into the heart of the canyon.  It was exhausting.  Still, she found her ally, the young boy from Six, hiding out some time later.  He was even more tired, so Oakley promised to watch over him while he slept.  Except she didn’t.  While he slept Oakley used the sword to slit the boy’s throat.  He didn’t suffer.  He didn’t see it coming.  He was a threat in the way of her getting home.

The rest of the Games moved quickly until Oakley realized it was only her and the boy from District Nine left in the arena.  She was constantly on edge, gripping her sword for protection in case the boy came out of nowhere.  And he did.  He cornered Oakley on one of the rocky pathways along the side of the canyon near bottom.  The sound of rushing water had been too tempting for Oakley to ignore.  Her sunburnt skin and dehydrated body had been called by sound of the river.  Perhaps luckily, both of the remaining tributes lost their weapons early in the struggle, so Oakley and the injured boy scuffled on the edge of the cliff.  Pushing and shoving, kicking and punching.  It felt like hours but really was only a few minutes.  The boy grabbed her and Oakley thought she would die, but she struggled just enough that he stumbled backwards.  Suddenly they were both falling.

Oakley and the boy from Nine both hit the ground hard.  While her life flashed before her eyes as she fell, she didn’t see the light.  Her breathing was shallow and she couldn’t move.  The boy didn’t either.  Oakley didn’t hear a cannon.  Was she dead?  Wouldn’t it be nicer if she was?  Ever so slowly, the pair laid there broken at the bottom staring up at the high canyon walls and the vultures circling overhead, desperate to claim the final victim.  Minutes ticked by and everyone watched with baited breath.  Who would die first?

What felt like hours for Oakley was less than five minutes before the boy’s cannon sounded.  Almost immediately the hovercraft appeared just as Oakley lost consciousness.  The Capitol couldn’t allow them both to die.  What would the Games be without a victor?  And live Oakley did.  When she woke up she was told her back was badly damaged.  Surgery to stabilize her spine had been performed, but it did little to stop her pain or the numbness in her legs that made the mere act of walking difficult on the best of days.  

In the time since her games, Oakley has been forced to come to terms with her newfound disability. While many victors have turned to morphling for the high it brings them, Oakley has been forced to use it to manage her pain.  On good days, Oakley can walk.  On good days, her pain is manageable.  On good days she can do the things she wants to do with her life.  On bad days she can barely get out of bed.  On bad days she can’t leave her wheelchair less her legs give out beneath her.  In some ways, Oakley’s life has become dependent on her family to help her.  She can’t simply do things like she used to be able to.  A warm bath to sooth her back on a bad day is a two person project.  It’s the unfortunate reality she’s forced to face.  The once independent and responsible girl, curious about the next adventure, had her wings clipped far too soon.

Oakley is quiet, reserved, and in some ways, invisible.  She is not the inspiring victor the Capitol always wants.  The Capitol wants to paint a picture of triumph, not of a reminder that they did this to her.  Each time she is seen in her wheelchair, the citizens of the Capitol are reminded that she didn’t overcome it.  She is not the triumphant victor they all celebrate.  She’s just a girl who had her world flipped upside down and her independence stripped away.  For what?  Entertainment?  Gambling?  Fear?

In the years since her own victory, Oakley has tried to help mentor, but not been physically able to do so every year.  Those first few years after her games, as she adjusted to her new life, were far from easy.  She struggled to adjust and no one could fault her.  Even still, Oakley is determined to do her best to make sure her tributes have the best shot at surviving.  Physically she may not be able to help them much, but she can help them anyway.  There is nothing she wants more that to help people.  After all, she survived for a reason.  Oakley just hasn’t figured out what that reason is yet.

PLAYED BY // MADI

[mzargentum]

The Stormsender’s Daughter | Chapter X | Crimson Jade

Chapter IX | Chapter X | Chapter XI

Word Count: 2,031

Warnings: Violence, gore, death

“Very good?”, Lunafreya grimaced at her elder brother in disbelief. 

“Very good?! Those troopers are out there hunting our sister for that fiend Chancellor Izunia and you’re congratulating them?!”

The grief stricken 18 year old stormed toward the Niflheim commander enraged by his seemingly nonchalant attitude toward the situation.

“Of course not”, Ravus replied in irritation, “but what am I to tell them?!”

“Call off the serach!! If they find her then-”.

“I know”, the 22 year old cut off his hysterical sister. “But calling them off will only bring suspicion toward us”.

“The Pythoness would not remain blind to this”, Gentiana softly chimed in. “Any harm that would come to the Oracle would warrant her to return”.

Luna sighed in frustration knowing the messenger in black was right. Muerlin would surely come back if she knew any of them were in danger.

“We must have hope...and trust the Pythoness will find her way home”.

“There’s no sign of her, Captain!!”, a trooper shouted toward his superior as they slowly trudged through the wilderness in search for their silver haired target whom was silently perched in a nearby tree behind many branches.

Unfortunately, that jump took a lot out of her as well as spraining her ankle. She was in no position to take any of them on so her only option would be to wait it out.

After some time, the silver haired fugitive had fallen asleep only to be startled by a sudden cracking sound. A small shriek escaped her throat as she plummeted from the tree, tumbling onto the ground below unknowing alerting a wandering cyborg.

“Shit”, the frustrated teen swore under her breath as she noticed a slight pain from a large cut upon her leg.

As she tore a piece of fabric from her leggings off to treat her wound, a brief disturbance in the wind caught her attention.

There was silence until...

*whirrrrr*

A sharp gasp escaped her throat as she ducked just before an axe blade sliced the side of the tree she was sitting against.

The pain from her leg disabled her ability to stand and she couldn’t concentrate enough to use her powers, leaving her seemingly helpless to the cyborg’s advances.

As the magetik axeman rose his weapon to deliver his final blow against the wounded girl, Muerlin shut her eyes before shielding her face unable to watch her impending doom.

But...

Nothing happened.

Upon hesitantly peeling her eyes open, Muerlin discovered the malfunctioning cyborg staring at a blade perturbing through its abdomen before releasing a piercing screech before disappearing into a cloud of pitch smoke revealing its attacker.

“P...Prae?”

Muerlin stuttered in disbelief as her friend dropped the stolen imperial sword on the ground, before darting toward the young fugitive.

“Are you okay?”, the seemingly exhausted Prae asked examining her wound. “Does it hurt?”

“N-no, but...”.

“Here”, Prae continued pulling out a potion holding it over Muerlin’s wound until it shattered and disappeared along with the cut.

“Thanks...”, Muerlin mumbled.

“Can you walk?”, Prae asked as she began to help her friend up off the ground.

“Uh...yeah”, the silver haired girl replied as she dusted her clothes off.

“Let’s go”, the jade eyed girl turned behind them frantically looked around to see if they were being followed. “They’ll be here soon”.

“R-right...”, Muerlin nodded as they took off deeper into the Tenebraen wilderness.

That night...

Ravus, Lunafreya and Gentiana sat in the drawing room in silence. The only light was the glow of the fireplace and the moonlit sky from their open window.

“Commander. There is no sign of the girl. What are your instructions?”, a trooper asked Ravus over the radio.

Luna shot her brother a pained glare knowing that he wouldn’t call of the hunt for their sister rather than merely delaying them, although she knew it was all he could do.

“Set up your posts. No use in wandering aimlessly”.

“But...sir...wouldn’t we have a better chance of finding her while she’s most likely dormant?”

“To give her a better chance of finding you in the dark and picking off your men one by one? Or have you forgotten what she did at the academy?”

“I...well, uh...”, the trooper stammered.

“But if you’re so certain of your safety, then be my guest. Every member of your troop that’s lost is on your head”.

“Uh...y-yes, sir. We’ll set up, sir”, the trooper finally complied.

“And what would be his punishment for finding her?”, Lunafreya sarcastically asked her elder brother. “A medal?”

“Lunafreya...”, Ravus glared toward his angry sister, absolutely fed up with her implications.

“Who are you saving with this mere delay?”, Lunafreya continued, “your men or our sister?”

“Just what’re you implying”, Ravus rose his voice.

“That our sister is some sort of killer”.

“Is her beheading a man in a locker room not the reason why we are here now?”, the commander harshly replied.

“She was defending her friend!!!”

“SHE LOST CONTROL!!!”, the commander stood abruptly, his chair toppling over to the floor.

“You don’t care what happens to her, do you?”, Lunafreya, still firmly planted in her seat, calmly asked.

“I do. I love her just as much as you. Do not forget she is my sister too”, Ravus defended, “but the world sees the Pythoness as a threat and will not take murder in such ferocity with a slap on the wrist”.

“...the world fears what it does not understand and will turn it into a threat to keep from being wrong”, Luna replied firmly.

“Muerlin is no more a threat than you or I...and one day she will prove it to the world”.

Lunafreya’s calm demeanor ultimately settled the Niflheim commander, though the tension and worry was still evident.

“O, King of the Forests”, Gentiana prayed as she turned toward the night sky, “guide the Pythoness through the storm”.

In a small cave deep miles away from the palace...

Prae silently sat in across from Muerlin as the young wizard summoned small bolts of lightning to illuminate their camp.

She hadn’t said much of anything the entire day. She barely made any eye contact.

Muerlin figured that it wouldn’t have been the best time to discuss the situation given that most of the day was spent running from imperial troops, but the chaos had seemed to die down for the time being so now her only obstacle was to figure out how to start this...

“Prae-”.

“What am I doing here”, the jade eyed girl cut her off, clearly already knowing what she was going to say.

“Um...yeah...”.

“I’ve honestly been thinking about that all day”, she replied in her regular cheery voice, much to Muerlin’s surprise. “I mean...you’re the Pythoness and all so you wouldn’t really need me anymore, buuuut then I thought ‘Prae, this girl can’t even pass math without you let alone take on a whole army and even if-’”.

The rambling girl suddenly stopped once she saw the utterly confused look on Muerlin’s face.

“...well, anyway...I couldn’t just abandon you...after what you did for me”, Prae admitted. “I mean...you risked everything to save my skin...and if I would’ve listened to you when you told me not to go, this probably never would’ve happened...I feel like I owe you that much...besides...”, she turned toward the silver haired girl with a sweet smile, her jade eyes twinkling against the flame...

“You’re my best friend”.

Prae could clearly see the tears brewing in Muerlin’s teal eyes. After all the constant lies she told, the burden she put on Tenebrae, everything she lost...she still had Prae.

This overwhelming love sent Muerlin into hysterical sobbing, to which Prae comforted with her warm embrace as the Pythoness got some well deserved rest...finally.

The next morning, the Muerlin was shaken awoke by the frantic Prae.

“Muerlin!”, she panted, “Muerlin, wake up!”

Eyes shooting open, the silver haired girl forced the sleepiness from her vision to witness a bloody scratch upon Prae’s cheek.

“What happened?”, Muerlin worriedly asked her friend.

“A bullet grazed me. The imperials are coming. I was able to throw them off for a while, but it won’t hold them for long. We need to move”, she stammered lifting her groggy friend to her feet before leaving the cave behind.

“Where to?”, Muerlin asked as they dashed through the wilds.

“There’s a small village down the river. Everyday they have farmers sending trucks all throughout Eos to sell produce”, Prae explained in pants. “We can hitch a ride”.

“How do we get there?”

“I know a shortcut. There’s a bridge nearby that’ll take us over the river. It’ll cut our time in half”.

“Alright”, Muerlin agreed, “piece of ca-GAAHK!!!”

Prae suddenly slid to a halt as she heard Muerlin collapse to the ground.

“MUERLIN!!”, the jade eyed girl cried upon seeing the two bullet wounds on her shoulder and abdomen and the hoard of imperials suddenly in view in the distance.

“Oh, no...no, no, no”, Prae panted as she lifted her friend to her feet, hurriedly trudging along with Muerlin’s arm over her shoulder.

Prae could feel her friend weakening as the harsh strain Muerlin was putting on her body to run caused her to bleed out quicker, but they were so close to the bridge.

They just had to get across to find a place to hide. “Come on, Muerlin”, Prae pleaded as she felt her friend consciousness start to fade. “Don’t give up on me now. We can make it. We can-AAGH!!”

Prae shrieked as the gunshots became louder and louder, the imperials footsteps against the dirt becoming more and more prominent.

“WE CAN MAKE IT!!!”, Prae desperately tried to hide the fear in her voice as she began to sob. “I WON’T LET YOU DIE HERE, DO YOU HEAR ME?!?!  I WON’T LET YOU!!!”

“AH-AGH!!!”, the panicked jade eyed girl screamed as a sudden gunshot pierced her eardrums causing her to body to jolt just enough for the barely conscious Muerlin to slip from her grip and tumble off the edge of the rickety bridge.

“NO!”, Prae shouted as she immediately clutched onto Muerlin’s wrist. “GOTCHA!!”, she panted as she began to try to steadily hoist her friend back up. “I gotcha”.

“HALT THERE!!!”, a boisterous voice echoed, catching the jade eyed girl’s attention from the end of the bridge.

“WE HAVE YOU CORNERED!!!”, the imperial trooper shouted at the startled Prae. “SURRENDER OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE!!!”

Hot tears began to build in Prae’s jade eyes as she stared down the barrels of several guns pointed directly at her.

“THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!! GIVE US THE PYTHONESS ON THE COUNT OF 5 OR WE WILL SHOOT!!!”

Prae’s mind raced vigorously. The fear embedded into her heart as she stared the reaper in his face. Her life could end here...on this bridge...in mere seconds. Her family, her friends, her hopes and dreams, gone just like that...but...

“Prae...”, a weakened whisper averted the 15 year old’s attention to her dear friend that dangled underneath her, thousands of feet above the roaring waters at the waterfall’s base.

“Pull me up...”.

“5!!!”

The tears Prae held back finally began to slide down her cheeks as she graced her dearest and more cherished friend with a smile.

“No...”.

“What?”, Muerlin weakly exclaimed as her vision still blurred from her blood loss.

“4!!!”

“You gave up your life here to save me...I owe you for that...remember?”

“No...”, Muerlin frantically shook her head as Prae’s tears fell upon her face.

“3!!!” The troopers all cocked their weapons in unison.

“NO, NO WAIT!!!”, Muerlin screamed toward them.

“Don’t worry”, Prae tried to reassure her friend, “the Pythoness was said to have natural healing abilities so you’ll be alright”.

“THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEAN!!!”

“2!!!!”

“NO, PLEASE, DON’T!!!”, Muerlin desperately pleaded to the soldiers.

“Muerlin...”.

The Pythoness averted her gaze back to her friend whom still wore the sweetest smile. Like she was happy.

“...get home”.

“WAIT!!”, Muerlin begged as she slipped from her friend’s grasp and began to plummet to the waters below.

*bang*

“PRAAAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!”

Tagging: @digitalkanvas @insomniasix @aquathemermaidstripper @glacian-apocalypse @a-new-recipehhh @dizzymoogle @prettyprompto

[lordnegan]

ON THE SUBJECT OF NEGAN’S PAST:

( AS A NOTE: this does contain some triggering content: alcohol & suicide & emotional abuse being the big ones )

Negan North was born and raised in northern Virginia on April 17, 1970 to Marilyn and James North. Negan was a relatively normal child, if maybe a bit abrasive and rambunctious (thus a natural troublemaker), and had a decent childhood, despite the fact that his father was a bit of a workaholic and wasn’t around much for him or his kind and caring mother.

Around the age of 8, however, his mother became severely disabled from a car crash as she was on her way to pick him up from school. His father had to come pick Negan up from school whereupon they went to the hospital, awaiting any news of her condition. Several, several hours later, they were told she would never walk again, paralyzed from the neck down and was expected to essentially be unable to care for herself from this point on in her life.

Negan's father had to stop working so much, sending their income down the drain and heavily reliant upon the disability checks they would receive for Marilyn's condition. Negan helped in whatever way he could, but more often than not, his father insisted on doing it all himself, as though he didn't trust Negan to be any good help.

"You're just a damn kid, this isn't your responsibility," James would always tell Negan. And soon that line got a lot more abrasive and fueled by much more alcohol as James began to turn to abusing the substance. As the years passed, Negan's father became much more emotionally abusive, berating him and turning the blame for Marilyn's condition onto Negan.

"If she didn't have to fuckin' pick you up from school that day, we wouldn't be in this shit situation," he'd come back to that accusation again and again, whiskey strong on his tongue.

Negan took it in stride, Marilyn always trying to support him nonetheless, reassuring him that none of it was his fault and all that mattered was she was still alive to watch him grow up.

The day after Negan's 11th birthday, however, was when everything changed forever. He'd come home from school to find both his parents dead, covered in blood with gunshot wounds to their heads. James seemed to have snapped, fueled by a drunken rage, that caused him to take not only his wife's life by an old pistol, but his own life as well, leaving a note behind detailing how he couldn't stand what their family had become and wanted to free himself and his wife from the torment.

Being just a distraught and terrified child, Negan did only what he knew to do, and that was call the police. He didn't remember a lot of what happened following those events, a lot of questions from adults and being shuttled around by DHS as they tried to figure out what to do with him. Eventually, he ended up being stuck with his uncle, James' brother Christian, a man that Negan had probably only ever met once or twice in all his life.

Things tried to return to normal after the joint funeral, Negan going back to school under the care of Christian, a forty-year-old man that had never married and never had children of his own, and for good reason. He was never a very interpersonal man, leaving only small talk between them and simply being a chaperone for the following years of Negan's life. To put it bluntly, Christian wasn't a good parental figure, although neither was he terrible, simply there.

This lead Negan to seeking his outlet in middle and, especially, high school, finding that he was good at being the "Alpha Male" figurehead in his group of friends. He'd stay out late, pick on those smaller than him (figuratively and literally), and to put it plainly, he became a high school bully, skitting quite close to being expelled for his behavior. It wasn't an unusual sight for Christian to open his door to see Negan flanked by a couple of officers and a split lip.

Finally, Negan turned 18 and that was the moment he packed up what he had owned and earned from a collection of part time jobs, and headed out to get his own place. He lived from paycheck to paycheck in a small apartment, relatively aimless in his life for the following years. He fell in and out of relationships like the seasons came and went, even had a small bout of a sexual awakening that lead him to realize he was bisexual. An identity he quickly embraced, despite it blindsiding him, and it brought with it a strange sort of acceptance of himself that hadn't been there prior.

One day, after a particularly rough relationship had fallen out, a 26-year-old Negan decided to find his way to his parents' grave. Something he'd never done (thus required quite a lot of remembering where exactly they'd been buried) and he wasn't sure what brought him there either. But there he'd been, staring down at their grave on a cool winter day, their names etched in the stone. And it brought a realization upon him that if he didn't do at least something with his life, he'd end up down in this very ground with nothing to be proud of in his life. Nothing to be remembered by.

That next day, Negan gathered up what he'd saved, applied for the right loans, and fell into the next four years of his life towards receiving a bachelor's degree in teaching, more specifically in becoming a physical education teacher. As a kid, P.E. had always been his favorite subject and as he grew older, the fondness for those times of getting out all the energy he'd built up was a strong pull. Not to mention, he couldn't think of a better way to make himself something to remember, to give himself something to be proud of. It also helped that he had a soft spot for kids ( maybe his own way of making up for the kids he'd picked on when he was younger, who knows ).

So there he was, at the age of thirty and entering into his first middle school physical education class as Coach Negan, a name he owned every sense of and was damn proud of. He found an immense joy in getting to yell at the kids to push themselves harder, to run more laps, to throw balls at each other and call it physical education. After five years, he had been transferred to teaching high school students, a higher bracket of kids that were much more assured of themselves and, as such, pushed his buttons a little more than the younger ones.

With this transferrence, he'd been put in charge of the sex ed. course that was being newly introduced as part of the curriculum. Being physical education, the schoolboard thought it made sense, but Negan didn't care either way, it just meant he got to tell his kids to repeat the word 'penis' a million times until either he or they stopped giggling about it first.

Perhaps that had been either the best or worst thing to happen to Negan then, as with the introduction to the new program came the proper introduction to the school counselor, Lucille, the two of them to work together on the new program. A woman that he'd immediately been attracted to, causing him to boldly flirt with her and even ask her out on a date right off the bat.

"You can teach me about sex ed any time you want," Negan had probably said, to which it received not the warmest reception, but she'd definitely laughed.

Several months later, they were steadily dating and many more months after that, teetering on nearly a year after they'd met, Negan found himself proposing to her, never having been in love with someone as much as he had for her. Their wedding date had come and gone and they were settled into a normal routine that was that of a newly wed couple.

The both of them wanted children; it was something they spoke about candidly since the early days of their affections. And now that their situations were steady, they tried to start their family. And they tried. And they tried. Months passed by without any sign of pregnancy for Lucille, to which it prompted a visit to the doctor. The news couldn't have been any more devastating to the couple; the news that Negan was incredibly infertile, the chance of Lucille becoming pregnant anywhere from a low, low 1-3%. And that 3% was being generous.

Devastated, Negan had nearly turned to alcohol, a habit that reminded him far too much of his father and he quickly abandoned it, but there was a hole within him then. Their relationship became strained for the five to ten years following, to which Negan began seeking out the carnal company of others. He'd lost sight of what had been important, leading him to become like he was in his early twenties, wandering and uncertain.

It was only when Lucille had alarming symptoms that sent her to the ER on more than one ocassion that the right tests were done and she was found to have a late stage cancer. Inoperable. Barely treatable. Yet again, Negan was struck with heartache, realizing her time was limited and he was going to lose her at some point.

The terminal illness drove him to confess his affairs and that he'd given them up to be with her, wholly and completely without reserve. To which Lucille only chastised him not necessarily for cheating, but for choosing her, the sick one. It didn't deter Negan, the whole situation awakening him to the reality before him and he stuck by her side, vowing to never leave her for even a moment. In a way, it was almost his own way of spiting his father, being better than his father, striving to never give up like James had.

It'd been a cloudy day in the hospital when the outbreak happened. It was chaos and Negan did all he could to keep the dangers away from their room, barracading it despite not fully knowing what was happening. Soon enough, however, Lucille would pass, the virus would overtake her corpse, and it would spiral Negan down into the persona many know and expect.

[mysharona1987]

The useful idiots are falling by the wayside. First came a few corporate big shots, and then some more, and then many, many more. Princes of Wall Street, richer and more important than any chief executive, also left, and then Julius Krein, a conservative intellectual and digital pamphleteer, retracted his support of President Trump in a New York Times op-ed and inevitably was hailed as a political Rip Van Winkle who had just woken up. He and the others slept too long. They have done their damage. Trump is in the White House, fulminating on Twitter, messing up foreign policy, mistaking critics for enemies, refusing to immediately and unequivocally condemn neo-Nazis, racists and other assorted goons — and, in general, failing to provide the nation with a scintilla of moral leadership. This will last until it can’t any longer. There is only so much chaos a nation can stand. Meanwhile, the parts of the American corporate and political leadership who slummed with Trump and think that the quick shower of a repudiation statement will wipe them clean ought to think again. They are obliged to consider how they ever supported a person whose racism was apparent in his rabid conviction that Barack Obama had not been born in the United States and whose posse always contained so-called white nationalists. The surprise of Charlottesville is not that it happened, but that it took so long. Our president is neo-racist. It was also apparent that Trump lies with almost every breath. And yet some of the powerful people who knew the dark truth about Trump — who would not do business with him, who would not lend him money and who, most importantly, would not raise a child to be like him — supported him for president. Some, such as Carl Icahn and Wilbur Ross (who is now commerce secretary), got in early, while others hung back until Trump won the GOP nomination. Having panicked at the prospect of Hillary Clinton winning the presidency, they embraced Trump. Anti-Hillaryism diseased their minds. It enabled them to hold her responsible for the deaths of Americans in Benghazi, Libya, and to obsess over her missing emails. She was a lousy candidate, sure, but her most serious criminal act was to frequently flash an insincere smile. Trump critics such as myself have been accused of living in a bubble. On the contrary, it is Trump’s supporters in the 1 percent who breathed their own fumes. They believed in the Gordian knot fantasy: the myth that a bold person could solve an intractable problem, as Alexander the Great did by not even attempting to untie the Gordian knot but rather severing it with his sword. Trump’s supporters felt that all that was needed was common sense or, better yet, something called “business sense.” If Trump could run a business, he could, therefore, run the country. This myth was so strongly held that it overcame both logic and experience. It was an extension and a mockery of Ronald Reagan’s simplistic belief that “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem” and that all that was needed in a president was the zeal and cool nerves of a short-seller. Trump’s complete lack of character was brushed aside. So, too, was his utter lack of compassion. His high-powered supporters said nothing as he attacked the Khans, the Gold Star parents of an Army captain who was killed in Iraq. They were similarly mute when he denigrated John McCain’s suffering as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and mocked a disabled reporter. They never asked him to prove he had donated a cent to charity. Trump railed against Mexicans and Muslims, bullied his fellow candidates, winked at his supporters in the odious alt-right, was caught boasting of an adolescent sexism, exhibited an astounding ignorance of just about everything he needed to know — history and government — and persisted in a pernicious campaign to delegitimize the mainstream media. The latter may be his only success. Trump’s presidency will fail. Just don’t ask me how and when. It will collapse because at its center is a hollow man, lacking ballast, whose chaos cannot be contained. In the meantime, those who supported him then but have now recanted need to consider what steered them so wrong. What compelled them to support a man whose ignorance, selfishness, egomania and abysmal character were so clear? Was it their lust for deregulation, lower taxes and a Wagnerian end to the Obama era? They slept — but it was our nightmare.

Richard Cohen

[bigyack-com]

Zoom Meeting App: Advanced Tips to Instantly Make You a Video Calling Pro

Everyone is talking about the Zoom meeting app these days. Like you, we were wondering why the Zoom meeting app has suddenly become immensely popular. The answer is simple — a lot of people are suddenly embracing working from home, and Zoom claims that it has gone from 10 million daily active users (DAU) in December 2019 to 200 million DAU in March 2020, which is a staggering number. Zoom was fairly popular even before the lockdown, but now that almost everyone is working remotely, Zoom has gone viral. It is now the number one free app on the Google Play Store. What is this Zoom app all about? What are some advanced features of this app? How to share screen on Zoom? How to record Zoom meetings? Keep reading this article for all the answers.

What is Zoom

Zoom is a video-calling app that is ideal for large groups because it supports up to 100 users for free. It is widely being used for meetings, online learning, and university lectures, among other things. The app has become immensely popular as people have been forced to stay indoors due to the lockdown. The free version of Zoom allows users to enjoy unlimited 1-on-1 meetings along with group calls featuring up to 100 participants for 40 minutes.

How to download Zoom

Before you go ahead and download the Zoom app on your phones or computers, you should know that there are a few privacy concerns around this app. If you are about to use Zoom, it's better you use it from a browser on your computer, rather than using the service via the app. The Web version has fewer features but is better to protect your privacy. More on that a bit later. First, let's talk about this app and where it is available.You can download and install Zoom on your Android smartphone or your iPhone, it's available for both. In case you want more screen space and viewing options, you can also download the app on your computer visiting zoom.us/download. With that said, you can also use Zoom via Google Chrome or Firefox browsers.

How to host or join a Zoom meeting

For hosting a Zoom meeting via your smartphone, open the app > log in > tap New Meeting which is a button on the top-left corner. Select if you wish to keep your video on or off. Below you'll see a Meeting ID, which you can share with participants to let them join your Zoom meeting. You can allow people with your meeting ID to directly join the room or you can disable this to require a password along with your meeting ID to join. Once this is set, tap Start a Meeting and you're good to go.Similarly, if you're a participant then just ask the host for the meeting ID. After that open the app > tap Join followed by entering the Meeting ID on the next page. You'll also need to enter the password if the host has asked for it. Just enter the details and you'll be able to join the meeting.If you're using Zoom on your computer, open the app and log in. Once you've logged in, click on the small bottom facing arrow icon next to the Meeting button. Over here, check the options similar to how it's done on the phone. After that, click on Meeting to start.To join Zoom meetings created by others, open Zoom and click Join. Select if you want to share your audio or not, also choose if wish to share your video or not, and click on Join to get started. You don't need to install Zoom to join meetings. This can be done via the Web browser if you have a link to any Zoom meeting, but be sure to ignore the prompt to install the Zoom app. Once you ignore this, you will be able to join the meeting via a browser.Lastly, if you using Zoom on your computer via the browser, you can access it either via Google Chrome or Firefox. To get started, go to the Chrome Webstore and download the Zoom Scheduler extension. Once it is downloaded, the extension will appear at the top-right corner of the Chrome browser. Click on the extension and sign in using your credentials. After that, click on Start a Meeting followed by clicking on either video off or video on, depending on your preference. This will redirect you to a webpage where Zoom will ask you to download its application. Ignore that and select the Click Here hyperlink to start the meeting. Below you'll now see a hyperlink which says start from your browser, click on it to finally get started with the meeting. If you are using a Firefox browser, install the Zoom Scheduler addon and click its icon at the top to get started.Similarly, if you want to join a meeting via your computer's browser, just go to the Zoom website and log in to your account. After that click on Join a Meeting, followed by entering the Meeting ID on the next page. Zoom will again prompt you to download its desktop app, ignore that and repeat the steps as we just told you about setting up a meeting. Once all that is sorted, you'll be able to join the meeting.

Zoom meeting app: Is it safe

Zoom has definitely attracted a lot of users but its popularity has also attracted a lot of trolls; trolls who Zoombomb video conferencing calls in order to cause disruption. Well, this term Zoombomb means when an uninvited person joins your conference meeting and uses the screen-sharing feature to disrupt the call. This happens when a call is public basically allowing anyone to join and create mischief. You don't want these trolls joining your meeting and showing explicit images, which is a problem many have faced. However to avoid facing such kind of a situation, always avoid sharing your meeting ID in public such as via social media posts that everyone can see. Send it only to those who need to join your Zoom meeting. After that, follow these steps:If you are using Zoom on an iPhone, after starting a meeting, tap More. This is on the bottom right. Now select Meeting Settings. Now, disable the option called Allow participants to share. If you're using Zoom on an Android smartphone, start a meeting, tap More and go to Meeting settings. Over here, enable Lock Share. If you are using Zoom on the Web or via the app on your computer, after starting a meeting, open Share Screen's Advanced Sharing options, and under Who can share, click Host only.

Video conferencing via Zoom 

How to share screen on Zoom

One of Zoom's features is Share Screen. Here's how to enable it. If you're using the app on the computer, simply click on Share Screen which is on the bottom bar of the meeting window. You'll see various options here — under basic, you will be able to share your complete desktop screen or you can even select an individual application that's open. Additionally, you also get advanced sharing options like sharing only a portion of the screen or certain audio playing on the computer. If you're using this feature on your computer's browser, then you'll be disappointed to know that Share Screen is pretty basic for the web. Over here, you only get the option to share your entire browser's screen, or the application window or a specific browser tab. If you want to use Share Screen on your smartphone, simply start a meeting and tap Share, which is present in the bottom tab. With this, you'll be able to share your phone's screen, share files, documents and more, depending on your selection.

How to record Zoom meeting

Apart from Sharing screen, if you're using Zoom on your computer then you also get the ability to record your meetings. This feature doesn't work on web browsers or smartphones.To start recording Zoom meetings via your computer, simply click the record button present at the bottom of your meeting window and the app will immediately start recording your video and audio. Once the meeting ends, your files will automatically be stored in your computer's local storage. You can go to Zoom settings > Recording to see more recording options such as recording a separate file for each participant, and where to store the recorded Zoom meeting. Do note, if you're a participant and you wish to do the recording, then you'll need to make sure that you are active via the Zoom app on your computer and you'll also need to ask for the host's permission to let you record.

Here's how to record Zoom meeting 

How to change Zoom background

If you don't want to show a bare wall or your messy room during a Zoom call, there's an option that lets you easily change your background. Follow these steps.Open the Zoom app on your computer > click on your profile in the top-right corner and go to Settings. Click on Virtual Background and choose between any of the five available options. Moreover, if you wish to get creative there's an option to use green screen as well if you sit to get creative. Similarly, if you're using an iPhone, after starting a meeting, click on More present in the bottom right corner of the screen > tap Virtual Background and select a default option or upload a photo of your own.Unfortunately, this feature is neither available for Android users nor does it work on web browsers.Advanced Zoom featuresWith all these features how do you make sure that a meeting goes as smoothly as possible? Suppose you're hosting a meeting with 100 participants, what can you do to avoid chaos? Well, by following a bunch of tips you might just be able to achieve that as well. Follow these steps to avoid chaos in Zoom meetings.If you're hosting a meeting from the Zoom app on your phone, Tap More. You'll now see a bunch of controls here. To make things efficient, you can enable Lock Meeting to stop new participants from joining in and also enable Mute on entry whenever someone joins. You can turn on Play Chime on Entry and Exit of participants. You can set Allow participants to chat with to only Host, which will prevent people from talking amongst each other. You can stop people from renaming meetings or sharing things in the meeting. Also from the main meeting window you can go to participants and set individual permissions for every participant as well. There's one feature that's only available on Zoom's desktop apps. If you go to More, which is present in the bottom right corner, there's an option Allow participants to unmute themselves. If you uncheck this, none of the participants will be able to unmute themselves when they are muted, which means you'll have complete control over who speaks when in the meeting. Additionally, you can also go to the Meetings tab, and mute all the participants at once.By following these easy steps you'll have mastered the Zoom app in no time.Is Zoom totally free?We now know what is Zoom, where it is available and how to use it. Now, let's check what all plans are offered if you wish to get the paid subscription.

The basic plan is absolutely free which allows up to 100 participants and 40 minutes limit on group meetings. Then comes the Pro plan which costs $15 or roughly Rs. 1,150 per month. In this plan, you get all basic features, up to 100 participants and a meeting duration limit of 24 hours. Next comes the Business plan, which is priced at $20 or roughly Rs. 1,530 per month and this includes up to 300 participants and no time limit on meeting durations. Finally, the Enterprise plan which is also priced $20 but this one can include up to 1000 participants.Allegations and privacy concernsThat was almost everything you need to know about Zoom, but the big question is — should you use it?Zoom claims to be end-to-end encrypted but this doesn't seem to be the case. According to a report by The Intercept, Zoom has access to your files and messages shared during meetings which the company can use for ad-targeting. Since the company came under scrutiny, it has updated its privacy policy. With that said, as long as you make sure everyone in a Zoom meeting connects using computer audio instead of calling in on a phone, the meeting is secured with end-to-end encryption, at least according to Zoom.Apart from this, the company has also been accused of leaking email addresses of at least 1,000 people with strangers. According to a report by Vice, the issue lies in Zoom's "Company Directory" setting, which automatically adds other people to a user's lists of contacts if they signed up with an email address that shares the same domain. Even on Zoom's website, the company says, "By default, your Zoom contacts directory contains internal users in the same organization, who are either on the same account or who's email address uses the same domain as yours (except for publicly used domains including gmail.com, yahoo.com, hotmail.com, etc) in the Company Directory section.”Separately, the Zoom app for iOS was updated last week after it was found out that the app sends data to Facebook even if you don't have a Facebook account.By now it is clear that while Zoom is great for video calls for large groups, there are several privacy concerns that prevent us from recommending this service wholeheartedly. If you must use Zoom for video conferencing calls, make sure that you use it via Web browsers and avoid the apps as much as you can.OnePlus 8 leaks look exciting but when will the phones launch in India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below. Read the full article

[maryseward666]

Study: Heavy Metal Music Is Inclusive And Governed By Rules Of Etiquette

RARE BLACK METAL COLLECTIBLES

Forget wild and chaotic behavior, heavy metal music culture is inclusive and governed by etiquette and codes of conduct, according to new UCL (University College London) research. After several years on the road, touring with a variety of metal bands from USA and Europe, UCL Anthropology PhD student Lindsay Bishop has found that the global heavy metal community is complex and transgenerational with elders passing on rules of etiquette, such as most pit behavior, to younger members. Bishop, whose study is the first ethnography of its kind to focus on the significance of live heavy metal performance from the perspectives of both the audience and the musician, examines heavy metal from a strictly anthropological perspective. She has carried out extensive interviews and documented bands including FEAR FACTORY, 3TEETH, MORTIIS, PIG and COMBICHRIST. Footage captured while touring with industrial artist Jayce Lewis has just been released in his new video single with Universal Music. The study finds that far from the popular perception of "angry teenage males," heavy metal is culturally inclusive, with a rich and varied audience — including many women and older adults — that embraces an array or religions, sexual orientations and political leanings. Bishop's research will culminate in an open-source documentary, which will be made available via her web site, and a book exploring the capacity of musical performance to create metal communities that have sustained through several generations and have now spread across the globe. Her headline findings include: Mosh pit etiquette The research finds that older generations of metal fans pass on mosh pit etiquette and behavior to newcomers and younger generations to ensure an environment of "controlled chaos." This includes an implicit understanding that the mosh pit is voluntary, that those who fall over should be picked up immediately and if someone is hurt they are taken to the bar by the person responsible. Participants from Bishop's fieldwork comment: "When somebody goes down, you get them straight back up: 'You all right, mate? All your earrings intact?' But it's like that in metal — its being in a huge club and you don't necessarily know everyone's name but you give each other a nod." – Anonymous A "There is a kind of… not a chain as such, but guidance, if you like, a kind of etiquette of things. It is kind of unwritten." – Anonymous B Bishop says: "Mosh pits, crowd surfing, circle pits in an abstract sense epitomize the metal community. The older generations teach mosh pit etiquette and newcomers learn that moshing is not a fight, it's a way to release tension and often create lasting bonds with people. "Metal culture doesn't have a history of aggression towards mainstream culture that, for example, punk has become synonymous for. In metal culture, aggression is released through catharsis within the crowd." Inclusivity Despite the perception of the heavy metal community as a "brutish rite of passage for teenage boys," Bishop says that, it is a "complex, inclusive and global community" that now encompasses several generations. The metal community has evolved since its inception in the 1960s, and today women make up on average one-third of gig-goers and many older adults, families, disabled, LGBTQ people participate throughout the globe. Bishop explains, however, that there is still work to be done to change perceptions: "While there's been a steady increase in women among the metal community, there is still a perception issue that might give young girls and women the impression it's not for them. When, in fact, women all over world are part of the metal community, notably in the South African country of Botswana, there is a community of 'Botswana Queens' that are smashing gender stereotypes through metal music." Friendship & fandom Traditionally, studies have focused on either the musicians performing on stage or the audience, but rarely has the collective experience between the two been addressed, particularly from a transgenerational perspective. The metal community is far reaching and today, in the wake of the digital revolution, bands have evolved their approach to producing music. More emphasis is placed on touring and connecting with the audience than ever before. Thanks to social media, gig-goers and performers are now forging long-lasting friendships. The relationship between audience and performer is integral in the metal community, and there are a number of rituals that demonstrate this two-way dialog, such as physical connection with the audience, singers conducting the audiences singing, throwing drumsticks and other paraphernalia from stage, and the audience throwing t-shirts or gifts to the performers. The relationship is also somewhat a consequence of the music industry and dwindling record sales, which has seen bands rely increasingly more on income through touring. Bishop comments: "Touring is crucial if a metal band is to survive, and this relies on ticket and merchandise sales. Additionally, crowd funding is bigger than ever among the community, and in many ways this is positive as it cuts out the middle man and gives people a more direct connection to the musicians. "Any band that can withstand the test of time gains a lot of respect. It would be virtually impossible to see a manufactured band in metal, because in this community, to be successful, you have to put in the time, graft and earn the respect of your audience." The closest genre to classical? In metal, the genre is united by many, many subgenres including black metal, power metal, nu-metal, speed metal, doom metal and now even Viking metal. The huge number of subgenres and the complex compositional structure of the music, have led to suggestions that classical and metal are closely related, however there is no direct evidence. Bishop comments: "What we do know is that there are certainly correlations with classical. Many heavy metal bands are influenced by classical music and a number of metal musicians I have spoken to have studied classical music. There is a similar appreciation among the audience. In Russia, for example, it is common for older metal gig-goers to take sheet music to concerts as they would the opera." Bishop is working on a diagram for the final study that will depict nuances of different metal genres, ranging from the rhythmic complexity of groove metal to the thick and heavy tempo of doom music and the speed and dissonance of thrash metal to the wild virtuosity of power metal. Bishop concludes, reflectively: "I went to one metal gig where a 'doom' band played a single song that lasted for a solid 50 minutes. It was like funeral music. The venue was jam-packed and the audience was dead still. It was just a wall of vibration." One participant described it as "a great stress reliever, particularly because you can stand there and almost feel your internal organs vibrating." [Read More ...]

MY BLOG: http://www.rockoutwithyourcockout.com/

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Study: Heavy Metal Music Is Inclusive And Governed By Rules Of Etiquette

New Post has been published on http://gr8gossip.xyz/study-heavy-metal-music-is-inclusive-and-governed-by-rules-of-etiquette/

Study: Heavy Metal Music Is Inclusive And Governed By Rules Of Etiquette

Forget wild and chaotic behavior, heavy metal music culture is inclusive and governed by etiquette and codes of conduct, according to new UCL (University College London) research.

After several years on the road, touring with a variety of metal bands from USA and Europe, UCL Anthropology PhD student Lindsay Bishop has found that the global heavy metal community is complex and transgenerational with elders passing on rules of etiquette, such as most pit behavior, to younger members.

Bishop, whose study is the first ethnography of its kind to focus on the significance of live heavy metal performance from the perspectives of both the audience and the musician, examines heavy metal from a strictly anthropological perspective. She has carried out extensive interviews and documented bands including FEAR FACTORY, 3TEETH, MORTIIS, PIG and COMBICHRIST. Footage captured while touring with industrial artist Jayce Lewis has just been released in his new video single with Universal Music.

The study finds that far from the popular perception of “angry teenage males,” heavy metal is culturally inclusive, with a rich and varied audience — including many women and older adults — that embraces an array or religions, sexual orientations and political leanings.

Story continues after advertisement

Bishop‘s research will culminate in an open-source documentary, which will be made available via her web site, and a book exploring the capacity of musical performance to create metal communities that have sustained through several generations and have now spread across the globe. Her headline findings include:

Mosh pit etiquette

The research finds that older generations of metal fans pass on mosh pit etiquette and behavior to newcomers and younger generations to ensure an environment of “controlled chaos.” This includes an implicit understanding that the mosh pit is voluntary, that those who fall over should be picked up immediately and if someone is hurt they are taken to the bar by the person responsible.

Participants from Bishop‘s fieldwork comment:

“When somebody goes down, you get them straight back up: ‘You all right, mate? All your earrings intact?’ But it’s like that in metal — its being in a huge club and you don’t necessarily know everyone’s name but you give each other a nod.” – Anonymous A

“There is a kind of… not a chain as such, but guidance, if you like, a kind of etiquette of things. It is kind of unwritten.” – Anonymous B

Bishop says: “Mosh pits, crowd surfing, circle pits in an abstract sense epitomize the metal community. The older generations teach mosh pit etiquette and newcomers learn that moshing is not a fight, it’s a way to release tension and often create lasting bonds with people.

“Metal culture doesn’t have a history of aggression towards mainstream culture that, for example, punk has become synonymous for. In metal culture, aggression is released through catharsis within the crowd.”

Inclusivity

Despite the perception of the heavy metal community as a “brutish rite of passage for teenage boys,” Bishop says that, it is a “complex, inclusive and global community” that now encompasses several generations.

The metal community has evolved since its inception in the 1960s, and today women make up on average one-third of gig-goers and many older adults, families, disabled, LGBTQ people participate throughout the globe.

Bishop explains, however, that there is still work to be done to change perceptions: “While there’s been a steady increase in women among the metal community, there is still a perception issue that might give young girls and women the impression it’s not for them. When, in fact, women all over world are part of the metal community, notably in the South African country of Botswana, there is a community of ‘Botswana Queens’ that are smashing gender stereotypes through metal music.”

Friendship & fandom

Traditionally, studies have focused on either the musicians performing on stage or the audience, but rarely has the collective experience between the two been addressed, particularly from a transgenerational perspective.

The metal community is far reaching and today, in the wake of the digital revolution, bands have evolved their approach to producing music. More emphasis is placed on touring and connecting with the audience than ever before. Thanks to social media, gig-goers and performers are now forging long-lasting friendships.

The relationship between audience and performer is integral in the metal community, and there are a number of rituals that demonstrate this two-way dialog, such as physical connection with the audience, singers conducting the audiences singing, throwing drumsticks and other paraphernalia from stage, and the audience throwing t-shirts or gifts to the performers.

The relationship is also somewhat a consequence of the music industry and dwindling record sales, which has seen bands rely increasingly more on income through touring.

Bishop comments: “Touring is crucial if a metal band is to survive, and this relies on ticket and merchandise sales. Additionally, crowd funding is bigger than ever among the community, and in many ways this is positive as it cuts out the middle man and gives people a more direct connection to the musicians.

“Any band that can withstand the test of time gains a lot of respect. It would be virtually impossible to see a manufactured band in metal, because in this community, to be successful, you have to put in the time, graft and earn the respect of your audience.”

The closest genre to classical?

In metal, the genre is united by many, many subgenres including black metal, power metal, nu-metal, speed metal, doom metal and now even Viking metal. The huge number of subgenres and the complex compositional structure of the music, have led to suggestions that classical and metal are closely related, however there is no direct evidence.

Bishop comments: “What we do know is that there are certainly correlations with classical. Many heavy metal bands are influenced by classical music and a number of metal musicians I have spoken to have studied classical music. There is a similar appreciation among the audience. In Russia, for example, it is common for older metal gig-goers to take sheet music to concerts as they would the opera.”

Bishop is working on a diagram for the final study that will depict nuances of different metal genres, ranging from the rhythmic complexity of groove metal to the thick and heavy tempo of doom music and the speed and dissonance of thrash metal to the wild virtuosity of power metal.

Bishop concludes, reflectively: “I went to one metal gig where a ‘doom’ band played a single song that lasted for a solid 50 minutes. It was like funeral music. The venue was jam-packed and the audience was dead still. It was just a wall of vibration.”

One participant described it as “a great stress reliever, particularly because you can stand there and almost feel your internal organs vibrating.”

[unionrising]

Violence Will Only Hurt the Trump Resistance -  History shows that civil disobedience and mass protests are more effective in the long run than black-bloc tactics.

There’s been a reemergence of “black bloc” tactics: Protesters who incite property destruction and street fighting.

Police in Portland, Oregon, fired rubber bullets against largely peaceful demonstrators after black bloc provocations.

The more than 230 people arrested in D.C. over inauguration weekend—most of them associated with black bloc actions, which resulted in a burned limousine and vandalized storefronts—drew the coverage away from thousands of people using civil resistance.

At U.C.-Berkeley last week, 1,500 people peacefully demonstrated against a planned speech by right-wing Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos, later to be joined by some 100 “masked agitators” who started a fire, hurled rocks, and attacked other protesters.

Defenders of black bloc tactics, which also include rioting and “Nazi-punching,” argue that these actions are necessary and legitimate against powerful opponents. They believe such tactics help to protect nonviolent activists—particularly those from marginalized communities—from militarized police. Property damage, street fighting, and fires draw more media coverage, they argue, and participation in violence can deepen activists’ commitments and embolden nonviolent protesters to be more courageous. But they also believe that appeals for nonviolent action are for the privileged and the sell-outs. Of calls for peaceful protest, one defender of black bloc actions said, “That kind of argument can devolve into ‘just sit on your hands and wait for it to pass.’ And it doesn’t.”

On balance, though, black bloc tactics often hurt the causes that these activists claim to be fighting for. While violent flanks have sometimes produced short-term tactical advantages, they often come with painful long-term costs for movements seeking change—and the communities they purport to represent. The historical evidence in support of this conclusion is worth considering as the Trump resistance builds.

Although anti-fascist street groups in Germany surely celebrated their Nazi-punching tactical successes, the long-term political result was a fragmented left that collapsed on itself. Fascist groups made use of the chaos to appeal to nationalist impulses, soaring to power at the polls.  In the meantime they vilified various scapegoats for the unrest—Jews, leftist oppositionists, media, intellectuals, homosexuals, gypsies, people with disabilities—singling them out for deportation, scientific experiments, internment, and, ultimately, extermination.

As the Nazis conquered Europe, they expressed an explicit preference for fighting resistance movements that used guerrilla rather than civil disobedience methods. British military theorist Basil Liddell Hart observed that “[the Nazis] were experts in violence, and had been trained to deal with opponents who used that method. But other forms of resistance baffled them—and all the more in proportion as the methods were subtle and concealed. It was a relief to them when resistance became violent and when nonviolent forms were mixed with guerrilla action, thus making it easier to combine drastic repressive action against both at the same time.”

Studies show that once violent flanks appear, the size and diversity of participation in otherwise nonviolent mass movements declines—particularly among women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and marginalized or at-risk communities. 

This is important, because movements that maintain large-scale, diverse participation are better at eliciting sympathy from third-party observers and have the best track record of success. 

Regimes typically accuse oppositionists of being thugs, murderers, and traitors regardless of what they do. For instance, as Trump tweeted after the Berkeley incident, “Professional anarchists, thugs and paid protesters are proving the point of the millions of people who voted to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” But bystanders and would-be participants may view such statements as more credible when they see some oppositionists using violence. One study finds that regimes tend to expand their repression against all oppositionists after violent flanks arrive on the scene. Another recent study suggests that most Americans are largely fine with that, although there are important racial differences.

Americans—particularly whites and Hispanics—are generally quite hostile to public protest, although they are more tolerant of nonviolent protests than violent ones. Nonviolent action seems to disturb people without alienating them. 

For instance, Omar Wasow amassed a wealth of evidence showing how nonviolent tactics increased public attention to, and sympathy for, the Civil Rights movement. This support translated into voting behavior that empowered Democrats to adopt the Voting Rights and Civil Rights acts. 

In contrast, violent protests distracted the public from civil rights and toward ending the unrest. This alienation of whites was consequential in Richard Nixon’s election in 1968 on a “law and order” platform, a decisive defeat for social justice causes.

Violence from within movements can reduce prospects for strategic success. In French labor disputes, Emiliano Huet-Vaughn found, violence and property destruction tends to reduce the probability that labor groups extract concessions.

Larger, cross-national studies show that nonviolent resistance campaigns are more likely to overthrow their own governments without violent flanks than with them. Even when movements succeed in spite of violent flanks, the political dynamics unleashed in the process are difficult to control.

Campaigns with violent flanks have been more likely to lead to civil war, even years after a conflict has ostensibly subsided. And countries in which violent flanks have played a prominent role in recent uprisings have been more likely to emerge from the conflict with authoritarian institutions.

Given that violent flanks tend to reduce participation, repel potential allies, increase widespread repression, and discourage defections from those in the various pillars of support, it is no surprise that regimes attempt to infiltrate social movements to encourage violent flanks to emerge.

The FBI did this during the Civil Rights movement, and more recently, during Occupy. Repeated efforts to plant agents provocateurs who endorse violent flanks should send a clear signal: The authorities want movements to play the game the state knows best.

Defenders of violent flanks often characterize their approach as the only option other than peaceful protest or total submission. Yet, history is rife with examples of disruptive, confrontational civil disobedience campaigns that have harnessed the power of popular mobilization for social and political change. 

Successful campaigns have gone beyond marches, demonstrations, and protests, embracing many other nonviolent methods—including nonviolent occupations, human barricades, strikes, interruptions, and many other disruptive techniques—to achieve outcomes without the political downsides of violent flanks.

But before agreeing on tactics, in a larger strategic sense, the diverse coalition of actors involved in the Trump resistance must first agree on what alternative vision of society they wish to see. They must then ensure that their methods of resistance communicate that vision in a way that attracts rather than repels adherents, while building capacity to continually maintain resilience, project legitimacy to those in the center, and build power from below. 

The key strategic question is not which tactics are more immediately satisfying, or who has the right to decide whether violent flanks are the best course to take. Instead, it is upon whose battlefield the dissidents choose to meet their opponent. If any part of the resistance sacrifices its strength in numbers to play to the opponent’s expertise in violence, it won’t stand a fighting chance.

https://newrepublic.com/article/140474/violence-will-hurt-trump-resistance