#under the war never changes aegis

[artbyblastweave]

What part of the Fallout setting and themes would you want to focus on if you got to decide on the direction of a new game?

Observation that's been boiling in the back of my head since forever is that out of all the games in a series where the tagline is that War Never Changes, New Vegas is about war to an extent that the other games never really approach. Really the only example of a traditional ground war between peer states or something akin, with articulated battle lines, points of contention, supply chain issues and the like. Fallouts 1 and 2 get at least a partial pass because they're set before humanity's redeveloped the capacity for state on state violence; 3 and 4 are trying to be about Wars but kind of flail their arms on that front, 4 in particular. Regardless I want more of New Vegas's energy on this front.

[jeannereames]

Hello Dr. Reames!

Like many of us who follow you on this Hell-site we call home, I started watching Netflix's Alexander: The Making of a God. I'm an awfully shy person, and have been meaning to say hello, but a deadly concoction of anxiety and imposter syndrome has kept me away until a part of the docuseries lit a burning fire of a question.

I'm an Early Modern historian (18th century France), and although I have an obsession with Alexander the Great (going as far as begging my parents from around age 10 to 18 to legally change my name to Alexander) I never took a deep academic dive into the ancient Mediterranean world.

I think it was episode 2 where Alexander and Darius finally face each other at Issus, and after the battle Alexander has the captured "Greeks" (I can't remember now if he said Greeks or Macedonians) from Darius' army killed for fighting on the "wrong side." This kind of rubbed me the wrong way, especially when they switch to the talking heads and they kind of touch on it being known that people from the Greek poleis were mercenaries and were throughout the known Mediterranean world. That scene had a sort of 'Alexander as a Macedonian Nationalist' feel, and I assumed that Alexander was more open to the blending of cultures or at least there wasn't a single correct way to live and rule. That whole sequence of scenes felt contradictory: the mercenary system is well known yet a betrayal against "blood brothers"? Would Alexander actually have mercenaries executed for being hired by Persia?

Thank you for your time!

I'm glad you decided to finally step forward and ask a question! Nice to "meet" you.

Ah, yes, this is a matter of Real Politik.

After Granikos, a number of Greek mercenaries were captured, although their commander, Memnon, got away himself as he’d have been on horseback. Alexander had the men executed.

Greeks had served as mercenaries in Asia as far back as the Assyrian Sargonids. In fact, arguably, the archaic full hoplite panoply developed to fight on the broad plains of the middle east, not in Greece. (See John Hale’s chapter “Not Patriots, Not Farmers, Not Amateurs” in Men of Bronze, Kagan and Viggiano, eds., from Princeton; I find his argument convincing.) And, of course, Xenophon’s famous Anabasis told about the flight west of Greek mercenaries who’d served under Cyrus the Younger in his disastrous clash with his brother Artaxerxes for the throne.

For Alexander, the problem was that he—or really his father—had positioned this campaign as retribution against Persia for Persia’s earlier invasion of Greece, especially that under Xerxes. The invasion was, officially, under the aegis of the Corinthian League, with the Macedonian king just the hegemon. That made it a “Greek” campaign. This was all propaganda of course, but important for Philip, then Alexander, to maintain as it gave a patina of acceptability, not a naked power grab for more territory. While conquest wasn’t looked on then nearly as badly as it is now, it helped to have at least a plausible excuse.

His own troops included a number of Greek allies. After Chaironeia, they didn’t really have a choice. But a lot of Greeks were not happy to be in the Corinthian League. Sparta outright refused and would later be the center of an anti-Macedonian revolt.

At Granikos, the Persians had more Greek mercenaries than Alexander had Greek allies! (If one doesn’t count the Thessalian horse.) The optics were really bad. Ergo, as I think it was Carolyn who pointed out, Alexander had to send a clear message that fighting for the Persians against “the Greeks” wasn’t an option. In the Greek mind, mercenaries had always occupied a liminal status: not fully trusted because they fought for pay, but typically better than citizen troops, so used extensively post-Peloponnesian War. It was easy for Alexander to cast them as “just in it for the money” and as traitors to the Greek Cause. Like Thebes in the earlier Greco-Persian Wars, they’d “Medized,” which had a similar force to calling an American a “commie” in the 1950s.

The executions weren’t well-received in the rest of Greece, and resistance continued until it came to a head a couple years later with Agis’s Revolt (Agis III was the Spartan king who led it.). But Alexander was never afraid to send a harsh message when he needed to: Thebes, Tyre, Persepolis…. Philip did too. He could be just as brutal (Potidaia, Amphipolis, Stagiera), and Alexander learned well from him how to use carrot and stick.

So that’s what was going on there. Alexander was trying to turn Darius’ Greek mercenaries (who were some of the best troops in Asia Minor), and to send a message back HOME not to unite behind him and cut his supply lines. This was not successful; in fact, if Curtius can be believed, the Greek mercenaries were more loyal to Darius after Gaugamela than Bessus and friends. They figured they couldn’t go over to ATG, so they stuck with Darius who’d treated them well. Ironically, these same guys later did surrender after Darius’ death and were pardoned because, by then, showing clemency worked better for him than punishment.

Due to time constraints, and the desire of the showrunner to focus on Alexander and Darius, a lot of the details behind the campaign weren’t explored. So to the average reader, it looks like it was just Macedonians deciding to invade Persia because Persia killed Philip, although Philip says before he’s murdered that he wanted Alexander back for the Persian expedition. Not sure the casual viewer caught that. But this isn’t entirely wrong, as it really WAS a Macedonian campaign covered in the sheep’s skin of “Greek revenge.” Nothing is shown of ATG’s Greek campaigns, not even the infamous siege of Thebes because, again, the creators wanted it to be a clash of Macedon and Persia.

Alexander’s career is just so sprawling it’s really impossible to cover everything in limited time. But I hope that helps to contextualize why the Greek mercenaries were killed, and why it was presented as being traitors to the cause.

[babybluesquid]

Session 15, Never Mind the Murder!

Our Players this Week:

Hog 112, they/them, Weapon Thaumaturge, skirmisher warforged, the leader of the inquisitives agency and founding member, tends toward practicality and following a command structure.

Vestige, they/them, Bones Oracle, warforged placed into a human body, a healer and the agency’s fleshborn face, remains on the periphery with an individualistic streak.

Strategy, it/its, Empiricist Investigator, officer warforged, an old model who’s seen much action and uses the tactics they learned back during the war now under Sharn.

Mage, they/them, Universalist Wizard, living wand warforged, a young forged who was built after the Mourning, looking to find their place in the world.

Carmine, she/her, War Priest, infantry warforged, a forged who converted to the Blood of Vol and extensively modified her own body to fit a Seeker ideal.

——————

There’s another matter to attend to. Khyberlurk had a pouch of a hundred Galifars. While under Jhaala’s eye, Carmine splits it six ways, making change from the agency treasury. It’s not an even split, she gives the remaining four Crowns to Hog. With that situated, it’s decided that everyone can go shopping for more gear. The sleuths will handle Khyberlurk’s body later.

Hog takes the agency to a shop they know, A&A&A. It’s an arms, armor, and runes shop and smithy in the Cogs run by three warforged, Armament, Aegis, and Ardent. The three of them are the same model, but with different modifications they’ve incorporated since the war. Armament is equipped with an armblade and integrated shield, along with red painted lines along his faceplate and armor. He’s forging a shortsword. Ardent has been modified to have six fingers to a hand, some of them serving as scribers, chisels, and shapers. She works carefully, carving a rune into a knife-handle with a fingertip. Aegis has been replated entirely in adamantine and they have the faint outline of a hidden compartment on their chest. As they’re the only of the three not actively engaged in creation, they approach the inquisitives.

“Hello! You must be the new sleuths. Hog, Vestige, and I don’t know the rest of you. What would you like to buy? We have armor, weapons, and Ardent can carve runes into your equipment.” Carmine introduces herself and asks for some handwraps. Aegis has a pair made of a fire wire mesh and some plates with runes carved in them, explaining they were an experimental piece and difficult to manufacture. She elects to buy them, but since she can’t cover the full cost Hog chips in the rest. They also buy come caltrops, figuring it should come in handy sometime.

With that done, it’s on to a shop without a name. Hog leads the inquisitives there, explaining on the way that it’s a magic shop on the downlow. It’s got two changelings, called Witch and Watcher, and a warforged named Cocktail as proprietors. Coming through a nondescript door, they’re there.

Inside, Watcher’s in the form of a tall human woman, Southern Brel. Witch appears planetouched, with a Qbarran hat and a sleeved coat. Each of them wears a small medallion, like a seven-petaled flower, the same one Hog wears. In the back, Cocktail is tinkering with an alchemical mixture. As it suddenly gives off a puff of purple smoke, they mutter, “oh, that wasn’t supposed to happen.” Witch approaches Hog and strikes up a conversation, offering various little trinkets and potions. Hog pauses at one, an opal. Witch explains that it distracts an opponent in combat, allowing for an opening in their defenses. “It would be ideal for Samanta,” Strategy states. Hog notes it down. The associates buy a retrieval prism, a healing potion, three potions of expeditious retreat, and a feather token for each sleuth.

Next, Vestige shows the way to an unmarked little hole-in-the-wall, one of the “legitimate salvage” outfits that sprung up like weeds after the Day of Mourning. As the sleuths enter, they’re greeted by a racket as the proprietor sweeps his merchandise onto the floor. The orc behind the counter starts smiling like a Jorasco.

“Why, Hello, and, ah, welcome to Freaky Tarlik’s Kettle Fried Spider, Authentic Food for the Authentic-” Vestige steps out from the group. “Tarlik.” The man’s expression melts and reforms into a much more natural one of gleeful greed. “Customers!” He begins picking up items from the floor and placing them back on the counter. First among them is a fine suit and top hat in perfect condition. Mage’s eyes start to glitter.

“Oh, what’s this?” “This suit will never get dirty or wrinkled, no matter what you do to it. No matter what.” “How much does it cost?” “Fifty-five Galifars.” Mage looks around for a sympathetic face. There are none to be found.

Meanwhile, Hog looks at their shopping list. One, spyglass. Two, mirror (medusas). Three, Ten Foot Pole, circled three times. “Have you got a spyglass?” Tarlik smiles even wider. “Of course!” He begins pulling down canvas hangings covering up shelves upon shelves of cheap jewelry, personal items, questionable tools, and rusty swords. Then he finds the spyglass. The example on offer is a good Cyran officer’s model, and selling for five galifars, a steal. It goes to Strategy.

Next, Hog spots a mirror. Silver-backed glass and filigreed pewter, it stands out among the shelves of trash. “How much is this?” “One galifar.” Vestige speaks. “The owner of this mirror is dead.” “Are you trying to sell me a haunted mirror?” Hog says. Tarlik’s grin threatens to split his face in half. “One galifar.” “Did you say that mirror is haunted? You should buy it,” Mage adds. “See?” says Tarlik. Hog buys the mirror for one galifar.

Finally, Hog asks for a ten-foot pole, like the Wayfinders use. Tarlik pulls a pole out from behind a shelf, knocking several items onto the floor in the process. “Have you got one that splits into segments?” Hog asks. “What would you ever need that for?” “Sometimes I need to walk through a door.” “This pole has length markings on it,” Strategy observes. “That’s not even a ten-foot pole, that’s a ruler!” “How else will you know it’s ten feet?” “That’s it!” Hog says. “Dol Dorn, I’m taking my business to Clifftop.” They march out of the shop, and with all their business concluded, the rest of the party follows.

Mage then pipes up, they know a nice shop in Everbright called The Discerning Mage. It may be higher up in the city, but its prices are fair and they want to buy some spells. Since it’s on the way to Clifftop anyway, the party heads up and watches Mage purchase scrolls of Hydraulic Push and Pestform. This endeavor utterly bankrupts the wizard, but they assure the inquisitives that these spells are worthy investments. On to Clifftop, where Hog finally finds a fold-a-pole while Vestige purchases the only thing on their list, a disguise kit.

Back at the agency, Hog approaches Carmine. “I shouldn’t have taken you on,” they bluntly remark. Carm’s eyes seem to flash redder, “you shouldn’t have? Who would’ve been there to take that blow from Khyberlurk? One of your other teammates. Khyber, I think it was my hymn that made them flee in the first place. Not to say that the others didn’t help, but I think you’re undercutting my value here.” “That’s not what I meant. Carmine, I think you’ve more than shown your value as a soldier, but you don’t seem comfortable in that role. I’ve met people like you, or like Dandy, people who after the war don’t wanna pick up a sword again.” Carmine seethes, “and I’ve met people who couldn’t drop that sword. And I’ve seen the paths they’ve gone down. And I will never go down that path. And I can pick up a sword just fine, thank you. However, what you did was an execution, a soldier’s execution. I do not-”

Carmine stops, sighs deeply and unclenches her fists, “you need a quiet soldier, and that’s what I’ll be from now on. Obviously you do not want my input but I will say I joined up with you because I wanted to spread my message. This is my pilgrimage and I-” “This is not your pilgrimage,” Hog says firmly, “this is my organization.” “Yes, I signed on to this because I wanted to help people,” Carm tries to explain, “so I could help spread my message. I will put the needs of the agency first, I can promise you that. I would never do anything to compromise you. I would not have suggested to let Khyberlurk go if I did not believe they would hold up their end of the bargain, being beneficial to us.” “But that’s not really the issue here, is it. It’s not just a question of strategy, you don’t think like that.” “Then you had an issue with me not wanting him brutally murdered? We had the option to at least put them- we could’ve done anything else. We could have submitted them to the Cannith, or-” “And the authorities would’ve given Khyberlurk a swift execution, or else let them go and that would’ve been the deadliest option of all.”

“Hog,” Carm sighs, “I acted hastily as I was frustrated with Khyberlurk’s position when I pushed you, but you recommended a soldier’s execution. I don’t think that’s the way to go and I think your line of thinking was rather… I do not think this had to be another war. I think we could’ve at least temporarily come up with a peaceful solution rather than bloodshed. Khyberlurk was obviously a tool for this higher up, Aggregate. I don’t know… I don’t know the solution but I know the one that you made I was not comfortable with. But I will still follow you till the end and go with any decision you make. You can trust that I won’t be a problem in the future.”

Hog collects themselves, “well then. Thank you for voicing your disagreement, and like I told you in the Red Hammer, we can still use someone like you.” “I would love to stick around, seeing as you need a bit of wisdom, I would say,” realizing the insult, she backpedals, “or just an alternative perspective. I did have thoughts of leaving, I won’t lie, but this is what I expected going out into a war torn world after my study.” Hog crosses their arms, “you’ve said enough, Carmine. If you need to say more, say it to Strategy, Samanta, or Vestige. I don’t need to hear any more.” “Got it, boss,” Carmine sighs and trudges back to the reception to help Jhaala with paperwork.

It’s time. Nobody comments on it when Hog collects Strategy and the two go down to Khyber’s Gate. Or when they return and Shadowblack leaves with Khyberlurk’s body. The agency is utterly devoid of conversation in the interim, till finally he returns and breaks the heavy silence. “We got it done,” he confirms, “the story should hold, probably.” Vestige pulls him aside, replying in a low tone, “so, it’s done. How are you?” “I certainly could be better… this should not have happened.” As Shadowblack talks, though, he begins to shake, belying his underlying turmoil, “for the last couple of years, I’ve always thought of Khyberlurk as one of my closest friends, following the same principles as I. I didn’t realize that wasn’t the case anymore.” He pauses, collecting himself and returning to a more neutral tone, “infinitely tragic to see a warforged die for this.”

The silence then becomes a wall between the two, before Vestige breaks through it, “I’m sorry. I did what I could.” They cringe at that human voice coming from them, quivering and weak. Vestige forces their tone to become stronger, angrier, “we’re going to take down Aggregate. He will pay for this, I promise.”

Taking Vestige’s lead, Shadowblack’s response is firm as well, “that’s our primary goal. We can’t let Aggregate do any more harm to the warforged here, Blade or not. We all deserve better.” “Agreed. He’s a corrupting influence that must be stopped. Let’s face him together, brother.” “Of course.” “Will you be sticking around the agency, once this is done?” “Once Aggregate’s down, I might stay around, might find something else. I might even rejoin with the Blades or go back to the Mournland.” Vestige nods, “someone’s got to let the Lord of Blades know what Aggregate’s been up to.” “Perhaps I could send a message now and get assistance to deal with Aggregate from higher up.” Vestige doesn’t pause, “I’m worried Aggregate could intercept you on the way. That’s too dangerous. We should wait till he’s dealt with.” “Sure, it’s a long way and Aggregate probably has allies on the way to the Mournland. I’ll stay here until this business is dealt with. Aggregate is going to pay,” Shadowblack replies.

Vestige clenches their teeth and the hilt of their dagger. “He’s going to die.”

Just then, there’s knocking at the agency’s front door. Halt’s voice calls through, “I have a very important tip for the agency!” “One second!” Mage calls. They stand up a broom and command it to clean, turning to Hog for approval. Hog just stares at them till they rush to open the door. Halt ducks to enter the doorway, talking before it’s even shut behind him, “this is about the Jack-in-Irons case. I think something’s wrong. Medani’s been more uncooperative, the Houses seem to not want use to solve it. So, if you want, I’ll help you on my time off.” Hog looks surprised, “you want this case to be solved off the books?” Halt nods seriously, “off the books is as well as on them. I just wanna see this through.”

——————

Notables:

Armament, he/him, a weaponsmith and proprietor of A&A&A.

Ardent, she/her, a runesmith and proprietor of A&A&A.

Aegis, they/them, an armorsmith and proprietor of A&A&A.

Tarlik, he/him, an orc man and the proprietor of a Mournland salvage store in the Cogs.

Shadowblack, he/him, now excised from the Blades and with no more family by make, he works alongside the agency and his brother in ideology, Vestige.

Halt, he/they, warforged wandslinger and swordsman, captain of a squad within the Blackened Book. Seems to have a particular interest in Jack-in-Irons

[unbounded-cardinality]

Unsequenced

Having decided at age 19 that medicine was not in the stars for me, I managed to steer clear of biology for the better part of 35 years. But for reasons related to work, I decided a few months ago that I ought to look into the field, and in particular, into the realm broadly known as genetics or genomics. To sum up, it feels (to me at least) like we are on the cusp of some kind revolution -- in medicine, in law, in personal self-care, and so on. The sense is akin to what happened in the 1990s with the Internet -- a chaotic world of new technologies and no one knowing for sure how things were going to shake out.

One book I wish to recommend to my readers is: Genome, The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters, by Matt Ridley. It was first published in 1999, and clearly a lot has happened since then. Nonetheless, the material has a refreshing presentation for the novice, and details some important ethical choices humans will likely have to confront in the upcoming decades. Ridley has a PhD, and his explanations can be technical, but entirely readable for the layperson. Here's the cover:

Compelling questions that arise in reading through Ridley's book are:

To what degree might work and law change, given that much evidence bears out a relationship between stress, cellular condition, and longevity. Literally, why am I entitled to a long life just because I was clever enough to get into computing at a promising moment in history, while someone else is consigned to a shorter life just because his work options induce greater stress? And this isn't just about longevity. This topic inevitably dovetails into politics, economics, and the tangled web of issues attached to both.

What is gender? If studies in genetics bear out what many experts are likely to assert -- maybe already -- that gender is a relative term, then what does that mean for so many other things. For starters, what is marriage? This already is a contentious issue, but what happens when there is wider recognition that science actually backs up ideas contrary to, for example, what our religion expects? This story sounds vaguely reminiscent of Galileo getting imprisoned for claiming that earth actually orbits around the sun, not vice-versa.

With a likely presidential rematch in 2024 between Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump -- both older guys -- should the American electorate demand that both candidates be genetically screened? For example, it might not behoove the American electorate to have a chief executive with Alzheimers, especially in the middle of the biggest European war in 80 years. And what if genetic screening turns up even other things? Is the American voter ready for any of this?

Still unsequenced.

Despite the hype in personal genomics, never once have I felt inclined to sequence my DNA. With good reason, I viewed that data as yet another tool of control. Why would I divulge my very own genes when so much of the data out there is so readily hacked? But more than that, I have long viewed personal genetics as an overstated, highly Americanized wedge: another way to separate people under the aegis of science.

Well, Matt Ridley's book has changed my opinion. There are some very, very strong reasons for getting sequenced. But if you do that, you probably want to first make sure there are some smart friends or professionals who might shed some light on the results. And even then, you should expect in many cases data that is more gray than black and white.

May 13, 2023

[greyspromotion]

Brave movie

Brave movie how to#

Brave movie movie#

The mutual dependency reminds them of one another's virtues. What was previously a mild marital discord now takes on a lethal edge, as the bear-hating King Fergus is now, unwittingly, on the trail of his transformed wife. Mother and daughter now need each other in an urgent way. Unlike the Sarah Palin version, she can no longer speak, although she attempts to maintain her fastidious table manners until her ravenous ursine stomach takes over. Major spoiler alert, and major bear alert. There she meets a slightly dotty witch (Julie Walters) who casts a spell to help change Elinor's mind, and, as it turns out, much more than that. When her mother tries to punish her by throwing her bow into the fireplace, Merida rides off into the woods in a temper. Like a pint-sized Katniss Everdeen, she enters the games herself and wins with her archery prowess. "I don't want my life to be over," Merida tells her mother. To their credit, the filmmakers don't dance around the cruelty of bartering off an adolescent girl in an arranged marriage. Also, for boys, Merida is cursed with a trio of identical-triplet brothers who all look as though they will grow up to be Sid, the toy torturer from the first Toy Story movie. While waiting to see which man will win Merida's hand, the clan members squabble and fight at the drop of a hat this prompts Merida and her mother to roll their eyes in exasperation, which may be response of anyone in the audience who isn't a boy under 10. That leads to the Highland games, where a trio of dopey young men are offered up as potential husbands. Her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), is prim and critical, and would prefer that Merida spend her time in ladylike pursuits rather than practicing her archery and galloping about on her horse, Angus.Īll this comes to a head when Merida reaches adolescence and is expected to wed to maintain order among the potentially warring clans. Her father, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), is a happy-go-lucky lug who dines out on stories of the bear that once dined out on his leg. The owner of the hair is named Merida, and she's vivaciously voiced by Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald ( Trainspotting, Boardwalk Empire). No fault here goes to the heroine herself, a spritely medieval princess with a superb waterfall of unruly red curls which spill about her cheeks and down past her shoulders. What we get would be fine from another studio, but too safe and familiar for Pixar. It's a bit overstuffed with narrative incidents, occasionally wearying in its slapstick, and dependent on a too-convenient magical plot turn. Beyond the usual visual lustre of the castles, crags and Scottish highlands, and first-rate vocal performances, Brave feels like a merely good-enough children's movie. Now comes Brave, the company's 13th feature film, and first with a female lead. In 2010, Pixar, now under the aegis of Disney, saw its weakest release to date, the mediocre Cars 2, which was never justified as much more than a merchandise grab.

Brave movie movie#

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[shuttershocky]

I've been thinking a bit more about how Arknights portrayed Reunion's justice due to being reminded how completely misleading its first few chapters are.

Honestly I would say you don't even need to reach Chapter 8 to see what Arknights really thinks about violence against oppression. The whole first cutscene of Operational Intelligence where Hellagur and Patriot find themselves on opposing sides has Hellagur concede that yes, violence is the often the only possible catalyst for social change, and without resistance the infected will always be in chains. Hellagur cannot be on his side because he believes Patriot to be morally wrong, his soul simply cannot handle another war, that's why he retired and put up a clinic, and why his plan is to work for a mobile hospital. It is why he tells Patriot "I will not be your enemy", and why Patriot also says "I know you are tired. That is why I fight for you."

It is not that violence by the oppressed is the equal of violence of the oppressors, the point of that cutscene was that violence is still violence. No conflict, no matter how just, can keep itself from destroying lives of ordinary people who just have the misfortune of being nearby. It is the tragic reality. Patriot is strong enough to carry that burden, and that is why he fights in Reunion. For all his own incredible strength... Hellagur cannot. That is why he sides with the "status quo" of Rhodes Island (at least until RI itself catches on), even if he too is infected.

Kaschey's manipulation of Talulah is not a case of the narrative backpedaling on its earlier chapters and saying "And then when Talulah was taken over, that's when they began going TOO FAR." Kaschey's goal was to get everyone in Talulah's movement killed. He promoted the most cruel and unstable leadership. He provoked Lungmen knowing that beneath its friendly exterior, Wei was a paranoid tyrant and would crush Reunion with overwhelming force. He did this to kill FrostNova, who could very well have defeated Talulah, and to kill Patriot, the strongest being on the planet and the symbol of the infected resistance. The moves he made were designed to make Reunion look as cruel as possible to as many people as possible in order to turn all the uninfected against them, and then to betray the movement itself by making constant strategic blunders to kill off everyone and everything Talulah loved.

Before she was possessed by Kaschey, Talulah killed too. She and Alina put up schools, community farms, all the peaceful and "right" things a social movement ought to do, but she still killed when she had to. It was self-defense. It was rescuing other infected. It was stopping the literal kill squads Ursus had assembled to hunt down anyone with Oripathy.

Killing wasn't too far. What let Kaschey into her mind was a moment of weakness where, in her rage at Alina's death, she dehumanized her enemies the way they did to her. She slaughtered them in hatred, after years of being hunted and treated like scum, only for them to kill her beloved.

And though this act of vengeance is what lets Kaschey in, Talulah is not called evil for it. If anything, the narrative sympathizes with her. The leader of Reunion was a dashing, courageous, noble soul; one who had the misfortune of an ancient, evil god living in her shadow and whispering constantly in her ears, taking over as soon as she breaks just once after a lifetime of oppression.

Reunion's story is supposed to be a tragedy. They're the bad guys at the start because those outside the movement such as Rhodes Island are seeing what the likes of Kaschey want them to see. It is only after the introductions are done and skirmishes are had that the story begins to shift its focus, and we see Reunion for who they really are.

By Chapter 6, you have scenes where Doctor and Frostnova talk a little, and Frostnova points out that everything they have done, Ursus has done to them and much worse. You also see that even the most cruel and monstrous of Reunion like Mephisto are only people traumatized beyond belief by the horrific atrocities done to them by the state. In chapter 7, we see that Patriot's codename being Patriot isn't a reference to how he turned on his own country despite being a decorated soldier when he saw it doing wrong—it's a name for his son, a poet, one of the first protesters for infected rights and one of the first people killed when the state turned violent. Patriot became the Aegis of the Infected to chase after his son's ghost, saving the oppressed and the downtrodden in every country he could reach on foot to make up for being unable to save his boy.

Chapter 8 ends with Kaschey defeated, but still within Talulah's mind, whispering about how she can never escape him as they sit inside a holding cell as he revels in having destroyed her movement, killed all her loved ones, and burnt any chance of a future infected movement being seen as peaceful. Talulah is hateful, depressed, and suicidal, all traces of the charming rebel gone. Still, she tells Kaschey that before she kills herself, she will find a way to kill him and all the institutional evil he has built over his seemingly infinite lifetimes.

Though she can no longer see herself as a good person with her primary reason for living being revenge, she's still aiming to defeat one of the biggest obstacles to Infected Rights in Ursus. She's doing it out of hatred, but if she were to permanently put down Kaschey, someone else would be free to create and lead the movement she could not have, to continue the fight that all her found family had died for.

There's still a hero under that broken spirit.

[shesquaredpodcast]

Hello, I’m interested in your project. Can you tell me more about it?

Hey there @peacekeeper2theface! We’re just going to go ahead and put this info out there in case others are interested. This is the base info for the show. This is an original work that’s been built for about ten years. Seasons are arced out with storylines broken, it’s literally a desire to give this amazing world life in a way that doesn’t get touched by people who will dismantle it in ways that would take away the multi pairing LGBT representation and downplay the importance of the BIPOC stories and would just generally hurt it.

Ideally with the way it’s been designed, it’s looking at 6 seasons, but it can change depending upon the way it falls.

The pilot and breakdown have already been copyrighted and stored with the WGA and the pilot script is actively being revised from Katherine Fugate’s notes now.

Here’s a small breakdown:

“I can never forget the first sensations I experienced when it dawned upon me that I had observed something possibly of incalculable consequences to mankind…I was not merely beholding a vision, but had caught sight of a great and profound truth.” – Nikola Tesla on his discovery of the Black Knight Satellite in 1899.

A satellite, discovered in 1899 by Nikola Tesla, has been orbiting earth for an undetermined period of time. No one knows its origin or purpose. There are documented records of ancient carvings of futuristic technologies, mythologies detailing beings from the sky, ancient worked gold mines in Africa that do not fit with the archeological record, gaps in human history that have no verifiable explanation. Ancient Sumerian texts discuss a race of beings who return to the earth in cycles to harvest minerals and destroy. Ancient cities of unparalleled advancement have been detailed and lost to time. Thousands of destruction mythologies that span time and geography have innumerable similarities. A seed bank holds the world’s stock of agriculture “just in case of a doomsday scenario”.

Why?

Human history is a lie.

The show operates under the presumption that all of these things are tied together.

The Space Opera has been done in almost every modern decade. With the extraordinary advances in gaming, people can actually become one of the characters and experience the drama virtually. Successful movie franchises like Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy show us that this genre is not dead; it is evolving. Television entertainment must continue to evolve with it. This is where the show comes in.

This show is familiar yet original. While we still have our cast of characters in space, our characters span from different eras of human life – some criminal, some insignificant. Two individuals are taken from each time period to give a sense of anchoring to each other. They may not be from the same area, however. The time period is slightly futuristic – 2050.

There are three main settings for the series: The Colony Ship; Aegis, the ship; and Earth.

The players:

The Colony Ship: Hundreds of thousands of humans live on this ship shielded safely inside Neptune’s atmosphere. They are the purest members of humanity – those who have been evolving without interference from the Blight – a race of aliens who return to earth every 10,000 years (as referenced in Sumerian lore). Those on the colony ship restart humanity on Earth when the Blight destroys it. They make use of the seed bank which is in real life kept on Earth in case of a worldwide disaster. Life on earth continues after those aboard the colony ship replant and rebuild. It is a cycle that is repeated over and over again in order to maintain the existence of humanity. They are in contact with worldwide leadership throughout time as both the colony ship and Earth’s leadership maintain humanity’s greatest secret in order to ensure its survival. In modern day, Earth’s leadership serving in this role is the UN.

Aegis: The primary function of the ship is to transport “important” people and representatives from across the human spectrum, seed bank deposits, and DNA from animal populations to the Colony Ship. (This can be referenced in mythology such as religious texts). For the history of humanity, this ship Aegis has served this purpose – instilling in its new crewmembers the knowledge and abilities to carry out all duties needed to run the ship and protect/replenish humanity.

The Blight: (the name given to this species by humanity) Their purpose is to harvest humanity as slaves. Blight scout ships come, extract slaves, take precious metals, destroy humanity, and leave. When the Blight leaves, they decimate the remains of the human race left on Earth; their existence is erased but for the secrets preserved in ancient mythologies and monuments. All mythologies talk of beings descending from the sky, but scholars put this down to notions like the collective unconscious. To fight against the ongoing cycle of human harvesting would result in permanent annihilation of the human race. They do not disturb the Colony Ship because it allows for an unchecked repopulation of slaves. When the crew of Aegis does not adhere to the unspoken understandings of the cycle this time, the Blight comes in full force to occupy Earth as punishment instead of capturing, destroying, and leaving as it has in past cycles.

Earth Leaders/UN: The leaders of Earth are aware of the true history of the planet, and the United Nations (now) makes sure that the cycles are never revealed to the general public and carried out with precision. This task of keeping the knowledge of the Blight secret and working to preserve humanity was always carried out by important cultural leaders, organizations, etc… throughout the years. The very survival of the human race depends on the routine. They remain in contact with the colony ship through the Black Knight satellite. Its purpose is a communication link to prepare for the cycles throughout Earth’s history.

The Resistance: This diverse group of men and women are those remaining after the Blight comes to occupy Earth in this cycle. These individuals around the world are trying to protect those left to fend for themselves. This springs up as a necessity on Earth.

Commander A****** M***** decides that it is time for the people of Earth to have a choice – to fight. If they are to be destroyed anyway, they should be given the opportunity to choose. The crew members who have family on earth have very strong feelings of support for this. Those who have nothing to return to agree with the idea. This sets in motion a dangerous contentious relationship with the leaders of the United Nations and with the President of the colony ship. Horribly outgunned when the alien species comes calling behind their scout ships to squash any rebellion, humanity’s only chance of survival is the rag tag crew who must flee and protect the colony ship in the unknown reaches of space.

Allies and enemies are made. Pasts catch up to individuals, political intrigue ensues on the colony ship, and relationships develop on both as life and death play out with a group of individuals who were never intended to meet. The goal is to save humanity – whatever it takes.

Anyway, that’s the breakdown of the show. We’re looking for people who are interested in writing, creating artwork, can produce in a virtual setting, snd who are interested in directing episodes. We want people from all over the world and of different backgrounds because we want our writer’s room/crew to be representative of our world and we want our stories to be told from the correct perspectives. We would love a social media wizard who can promote the show. (We already have official domains and such). There is more detailed stuff but we’d like to save that for a group session with a team on board.

[germanpostwarmodern]

The German architectural historian Werner Durth once characterized postwar Düsseldorf as a stronghold of the past, a characterization that in view of all the former Nazi architects involved in the municipal building administration unfortunately was very accurate. Under the aegis of Friedrich Tamms (1904-80), during the Third Reich member of Organisation Todt and on Hitler’s Gottbegnadeten list, his old boys’ network from the Nazi era received posts and commissions that were met with fierce opposition by the city’s progressive forces. Tamms’ major contribution to the architectural appearance of the Hitler regime were his numerous bridges, gas stations and maintenance buildings for the Autobahn as well as a considerable number of flak towers, all of them projects Tamms prided himself on also after the war as, among many other aspects, reveals the present book: „Friedrich Tamms: Architektur und Städtebau - Gewissheiten und Gesetzmäßigkeiten 1933-1973, published last year by Dom Publishers and written by Jörn Düwel and Niels Gutschow, two distinguished experts on Third Reich architecture and urbanism. With their monograph they provide a thorough catalogue of Friedrich Tamms’ work as member of the Nazi nomenklatura and later in Düsseldorf where he transformed it into a car-friendly city and, among other projects, realized important bridges. But beyond this undoubtedly important aspect it is the workup of Tamms’ biography, his networks and also his reflections about past and present that make the book so valuable: the authors had access to the architect’s diaries and were therefore able to trace his struggle with the changing times and beliefs. Tamms only superficially dealt with the past and only gradually came to terms with the changing times that required letting go of old convictions. The diaries also reveal his frustration with the administration, the long decision making processes and his frequent contemplation of opening an independent practice (which never materialized).

Düwel & Gutschow’s monograph is a fascinating read that provides direct insights into the reasoning and the architectural transition of a former Nazi architect in democratic postwar Germany. A must read!

[scarletarosa]

Athena

Greek goddess of logic, truth, intelligence, knowledge, wit, wisdom, war, battle strategy, heroism, protection, law, justice, order, good counsel, skill, victory, and handicrafts

Athena (Roman: Minerva) is the magnificent goddess of Truth, she is a tremendous being of light who ensouls the cosmic consciousness of Truth and grants it to the world. She is the guardian over all knowledge and despises ignorance, facing it and destroying it like light ripping through darkness. She was one of the most important goddesses of Ancient Greece and is said to have led the Greeks to their homeland and supported their development by teaching them many things. She was also their greatest protectress and would valiantly defend them while defending their cities, even mentoring them in particular battle techniques. As a very complex goddess, Athena would watch over many areas of life, including all forms of education, crafts/inventions, and philosophical thinking. She also is one of the three Virgin goddesses (along with Artemis and Hestia) who are never swayed by romance or lust, since Athena values being solely devoted to the realm of the mind. 

Mythology: Many ages ago when Zeus was less moral than he is nowadays, he was very jealous of anyone who threatened his position of power. When he learnt that his wife, Metis, the goddess of wisdom, may birth his successor, he became desperate to end their lives. Zeus devoured Metis while she was pregnant, thinking this would secure him. But when the time came, Zeus began feeling tremendous headaches. As even he couldn’t bear them, Hephaestus struck Zeus with his axe and Athena leapt out of Zeus’ head, fully armed and with a furious cry. This frightened some of the deities, but Zeus, however, was delighted and full of pride. In this story of Athena’s birth, we see her as enraged wisdom that fights as a defender and upholder of justice.

A popular myth of Athena is the story of Arachne, a mortal craftswoman who boasted that she was more skillful than Athena herself. Athena offered her a chance to repent, but after Arachne refused, she challenged her to a weaving duel. The goddess fashioned a beautiful tapestry which illustrated the gruesome fate of the mortals who had the hubris of challenging the gods. Arachne, on the other hand, chose to depict stories of the mortals unjustly victimized by the gods. But she didn’t even have a chance to finish it for the enraged Athena tore Arachne’s fabric to pieces and turned her into a spider. As such, Arachne is doomed to weave ever since. This was a myth written by the Greeks as a warning against hubris, and does not portray an actual event, especially since Arachne is actually a goddess of spiders and wasn’t a cursed human.

Roles: Despite Athena’s connection to war, she moreso represents the strategy behind it and the ability to protect and bring about order (whereas Ares represents battle-lust, Athena fights out of necessity). She was also known to bestow victory in war, as she is at times seen accompanied by Nike, the goddess of victory. Through these connections, Athena is the patroness of heroes and is known to wisely advise them in their quests and grant divine weapons in times of need.

Other than the art of battle, Athena is known as a skillful inventor and even holds the title of ‘protectress of agriculture’. She is represented as the inventor of the plough and rake: she created the olive tree (the greatest blessing of Attica), taught the people to yoke oxen to the plough, took care of the breeding of horses, invented the bridle, instructed people how to tame horses, and much more. At the beginning of spring, offerings were given to Athena in advance for the protection she was to afford to crops and fields. Besides the tools of agriculture, Athena was said to be the inventor of numbers, science, hand-made crafts, chariots, and other such helpful things. 

Athena is a magnificently powerful goddess who can easily strike fear into her enemies. In times of battle, she is known to have lightning flashing from her eyes, and can even overpower Ares himself with her strategic mind during combat. She is peace gained through battle, courage gained through struggle, and clarity gained through wisdom. She has explained to me that the Aegis (the head of Medusa) on her breastplate represents her victory over her own shadow, the part of one’s psyche that creates negative emotions such as fear or cruelty. This is a true mark of wisdom and shows even further just how glorious Athena is. She can always be relied upon for sage advice in any matter, and knows how to directly tell someone what needs to be done or how they should change to become better. Athena says that she is also the goddess who inspires women to be more than their domestic roles that are pressured on them. She inspires rebellion in their hearts and teaches them how to fight and overcome oppression. Thus, Athena is the glorious warrior goddess of illuminating truth and courage; there is nothing that can break her down. 

Appearance: a tall woman in her 30′s with long brown hair, gray eyes, and wears either a white dress or silver armour

Personality: Overall, Athena is wise, intelligent, serious, diligent, straightforward, courageous, determined, perfectionistic, and a steadfast protector of peace. She has a very strong sense of morality and is able to keep calm and collected under a great deal of pressure. She loves to spread knowledge to others, but does not guide us through everything since she seeks to make her devotees independent. She greatly values strength of character, open-mindedness, and the desire to make oneself better no matter what. Athena can be a bit motherly at times with those she likes, but not too much in a “soft” way but more like a quiet and dedicated mother who wants the best for you. Although she does not have much patience for most people, especially if they are unwilling to take responsibility or overcome their ignorance. She also has no patience for people who disrespect her or disregard her nature as a virgin goddess. When Athena is angered, she becomes terrifying and cold. Lightening begins flashing out from her eyes and is relentless in bringing her fury upon whoever offended her. 

Athena is very empowering and knows exactly what to say when her devotees feel down or lost, for she can see past clouded emotions and into the clarity of truth. She also hates injustices of any kind and seeks to destroy all ignorance. She is a very protective warrior and an Illuminator, following the path that Lucifer teaches about wisdom through adversity. She is also a very close friend of the goddess Lilith, so they work well together for gaining Illumination. One of the most sacred animals of Athena is the serpent, which sheds its skin to be reborn, making it a symbol of wisdom and knowledge. This is one of the lesson that she often teaches to her followers, that their current self must die to be reborn in wisdom. In some of her statues, a giant snake can be seen beside her.

| Symbolism of Athena |

Owls

Eagles

Doves

Snakes

Helmets

Shields

Weapons

Olive Tree

Books

| Some of her epithets |

Alkis (The Strong)

Areia (The Warlike)

Ærgáni (Instructor of the Arts)

Axiopoinos (The Avenger)

Día (Heavenly)

Drákaina (She-Dragon)

Chalinitis (Tamer of Horses)

Erganê (The Worker)

Mêchaneus (Skillful Inventor)

Mítir Tǽkhni (Mother of the Arts)

Paiônia (The Healer)

Kóri (The Maiden)

Parthenos (The Virgin)

Pallas (The One who Brandishes Her Weapon)

Lýteira kakóhn (Deliverer from Evil)

Omvrimóthymos (Strong of Spirit)

Oplophóros (The Warrior)

Ormásteira (She Who Urges You Forward)

Polias (Protector of the City)

Polæmitókos (Bringer of Necessary War)

Polývoulos (Exceedingly Wise)

Nikephoros (Bringer of Victory)

Sóhteira (Saviour) 

Devotional Actions: Above all, Athena values offerings of action. She expects those devoted to her to constantly seek to improve themselves by gaining spiritual advancement, overcoming their Egos, and gaining as much knowledge as they can. Wisdom is embraced through battling hardships, analyzing yourself, and learning from trial and error. Dedication to what she teaches pleases her far more than physical offerings.

Offerings: Fine quality white wine (esp. if flower-scented), olives, olive oil, milk, bread, goat cheese, pomegranates, citrus, apples, cherries, figs, white lilies, myrrh incense, sandalwood, almonds, honey, cakes, cooked lamb or goat, beeswax candles, non-fiction books, fancy pens, quills, pottery, paintings, swords, daggers, silver armour, snakeskin, owl feathers, votive owls, clear crystals, silver jewelry, chess games, wool, knitting tools, pretty antiques, white marble, artworks, poetry, snake statuettes, and imagery of her sacred animals.

[ravnicaforgoblins]

Ravnica for Goblins

Laws of the Guildpact

Laws are a big deal in most worlds. On Ravnica, laws are literally the only thing preventing ten massive armies of Sphinx, Angels, Demons, Lich, Elementals, Giants, Wizards, Ghosts, Nightmares, and Kaiju from tearing each other apart in perpetual war. How is this possible? It’s possible because the Guildpact is not just words on flimsy paper. Guildpact Laws are Unbreakable Magical Effects. When all ten Guilds agreed to the Guildpact, they granted it absolute power.

How and why would many of the more evil and chaotic Guilds agree to something like this? Because Ravnica’s Guildpact is designed not only to account for each and every Guild’s lifestyle, but to empower it. There are laws that protect necromancy, laws that protect human experimentation, laws that protect torture, laws that protect murder, and laws that actually protect breaking the law. In addition to laws protecting peaceful citizens and law enforcement officials.

How can any civilization function like this? Balance. You may not be able to arrest a Dimir Agent for stealing, but you can absolutely break their face in. The goal of Ravnica’s laws is to preserve all ways of life for the Guilds, for better & for worse. Within your Guild’s set legal parameters, you are not just free but empowered to carry out that lifestyle. That lifestyle is written into the laws and protected by them. Which is why the single most important law is that you’re not allowed to punish a Guild member for obeying the Guildpact.

This is the most important law, but also the law that ended up destroying the Guildpact. House Dimir’s duty is literally to oppose the Guildpact, so when their Parun decided to kill the Boros Parun in broad daylight and got arrested by a Boros Wojek, the system kinda broke itself. Punishing a Guild for obeying the Guildpact by disobeying the Guildpact, resulting in: Error.4 *does not compute*

Fast-forward to the days of Jace Beleren as the Living Guildpact, and the laws have changed somewhat. The only laws that are still magically binding are the laws Jace verbally confirms. Once he does that, the person he says it to need only speak the law aloud and it’s an instantly unbreakable magical effect.

Now comes the tricky, difficult, infuriating part. For being so vitally important to Ravnican life, we don’t actually know what most, or really almost any, of the laws are. How are players supposed to utilize the effects of written laws if they don’t actually exist? Why didn’t WotC release an official Guildpact? That’s because a document that can actually encompass everything the Guildpact is theoretically supposed to be able to do would be an absolutely massive undertaking for a Card Game Company that doesn’t really need it for their card game, just for those of us playing D&D in their setting. Furthermore, even if they did put in the work, create a document, and release it; the internet (that’s us!) would tear it apart for flaws & loopholes. The internet would give the Orzhov, the Dimir, and the Rakdos a run for their money. Hence WotC doesn’t want to do this because it’s literally just a recipe for self-defeat, migraines, and disaster.

So instead, they give us little bits here & there. Promotional materials, card flavor texts, character stories, etc. Here is pretty much everything I’ve been able to gather that is either an Official Guildpact Law, references Law Magic, sounds close enough to Law Magic, or even just sounds true enough to the spirit of a Guild’s core beliefs to be potentially acceptable for invoking Guildpact Magic:

General Laws

*Petty theft is a violation of personal property with a charge dependent on judicial ruling. (Family Values)

*In consonance with the New Accord of the Guild of Ravnica, you are granted the right of exposure and are obligated by duty to present your evidence of financial corruption to the Living Guildpact. (Family Values)

*The Living Guildpact rules that coffee is an acceptable substitution for rest, as specified in subsection . . . whatever. (Catching Up)

*The magic of the Guildpact gives aegis to the spirits pressed into its service. Upon entering the afterlife, they find new focus and are charged with defending the Guildpact against those who would see it broken. (Guardian of the Guildpact)

Azorius Senate

*You have the right to remain silent. (Azorius Arrester)

*Your potential to commit a crime warrants further investigation. (Azorius Justiciar)

*To prevent action is to prevent transgression. (Inaction Injunction)

*We have confiscated your spells as evidence. Once we conclude our investigation, you may petition to have them returned. (Render Silent)

*Thanks to the magic in his Writ of Passage, alms beasts lumbered aside, anarchs bowed their heads, and even Rakdos acrobats rolled their spikewheels out of his way. (Azorius Knight-Arbiter)

*....A clause that ties the average length of prison sentences to recidivism rates. Theoretically, we could end up having negative-term sentences should the rate fall low enough.... Referenced an ancient Azorius Law, 394-H. (The Ascension of Reza)

*Azorius Law 3455-J: Failure to submit proper identification will result in detention for an indefinite amount of time. (The Ascension of Reza)

*If it happened in the Thinktank, I'm afraid we have no jurisdiction there. (The Ascension of Reza)

*Azorius Law 2795-V, Non-compliance with arresters.... (The Ascension of Reza)

*Azorius Law 3343-J, Traveling in a stolen vehicle.... (The Ascension of Reza)

*By the prerogative writ of emergency, and by a unanimous vote, I hereby declare Hendrik Azmerak Grand Arbiter pro tem of the Thinktank Enclave. As the leader of your people, do I have your permission to put the following law into effect? (The Ascension of Reza)

*To be Azorius is to serve as an exemplary model of moral conduct. (Azorius Guild Kit Instruction)

*Always keep your uniform pressed and your armor polished, in accordance with Regulation 654.2, Part 87, Section 28. (Azorius Guild Kit Instruction)

*Should you witness a criminal act, signal the Sky Hussars immediately and begin documenting the occurrence and details of the crime scene. (Azorius Guild Kit Instruction)

Boros Legion

*Your brother’s crimes are your crimes. You stood by and lent support, so you too must face judgement. (Wojek Embermage)

*It promises protection to those in need and proclaims a warning to any who would threaten Ravnican law. (Boros Guildgate)

*Stand tall. Even your posture should embody justice! (Boros Guild Kit Instruction)

*Act with honor, in all things. (Boros Guild Kit Instruction)

*Protect the innocent, at any cost. (Boros Guild Kit Instruction)

*You are never truly off-duty. Evil never rests! (Boros Guild Kit Instruction)

*Stay in top physical condition. (Boros Guild Kit Instruction)

*If you see evil, crush it. (Boros Guild Kit Instruction)

House Dimir

*All those who trade in questions must answer to the Dimir. (Citywatch Sphinx)

*Welcome to the Dimir Public Offices. Not responsible for death or loss of property. Basement off-limits. (Dinrova Horror)

*Do not disclose your affiliations with REDACTED (Dimir Guild Kit Instruction)

*Extract knowledge whenever possible. (Dimir Guild Kit Instruction)

*No fact is unimportant. (Dimir Guild Kit Instruction)

*Always REDACTED. Never REDACTED. (Dimir Guild Kit Instruction)

*Be invisible, silent, and ethereal. (Dimir Guild Kit Instruction)

*Know every exit from any building. it could save your life. (Dimir Guild Kit Instruction)

Golgari Swarm

*Waste nothing. Seek value in what they discard. (Golgari Guild Kit Instructions)

*Death is no excuse to abandon your responsibilities. (Golgari Guild Kit Instructions)

*Take pride in the decay that fuels our kingdom. (Golgari Guild Kit Instructions)

*Fear neither Death nor Darkness. They can be your greatest allies. (Golgari Guild Kit Instructions)

*You are now a part of the Swarm. Every action you take should serve the interests of the Guild, so that we may all rise together. (Golgari Guild Kit Instructions)

Gruul Clans

*We are the heart of the wild, the fire in its eyes, and the howl in its throat. Come, join the battle to which you were born. (Gruul War Chant)

*Nature is the ultimate mindless destroyer, capable of power and ferocity no army can match, and the Gruul follow its example. (Savage Twister)

*They are the voice of the wild, crying out with nature’s fury and bringing forth its primeval might. (Wild Cantor)

*Enter and leave the shackles of society behind. (Gruul Guildgate)

*Burn. Smash. Fight. Win. (Gruul Guild Kit Instructions)

Izzet League

*The only action worth taking is one with an unknown outcome. (Nivix Guildmage)

*Erase “impossible” from your vocabulary. (Izzet Guild Kit Instructions)

*Strive to discover something NEW every day! The point of science is not to endlessly confirm what is known- it is to map the barriers of reality to better demolish them. (Izzet Guild Kit Instructions)

Orzhov Syndicate

*Article 12 of the Orzhovniha, a governing person of Orzhov recognition may be granted entrance to the Obzedat's Chamber with proof of identity. (Family Values)

*Entrance is free. Donations are required. (Syndic of Tithes)

*Alms coins are only redeemable at Orzhov businesses. (Alms Beast)

*The fine print of countless contracts has ensured we are never defenseless. (Immortal Servitude)

*The rights of ghosts are strictly protected under Orzhov bylaws, and those who enforce them can count on the ghosts’ assistance. (Imperious Oligarch)

*Pay in gold. Pay in blood. Pay with the servitude of your spirit kin But pay you must. (Pitiless Pontiff)

*We have no need for military might. We wield two of the sharpest swords ever forged: Faith in our left hand, Wealth in our right. (Castigate)

*Remember by whose gift you ascend. (Gift of Orzhova)

Cult of Rakdos

*If the pig’s blood drips on you, you’re next on the chain. (Gore-House Chainwalker)

*Never suffer alone. That’s selfish. Pain is meant to be shared with others! (Rakdos Guild Kit Instructions)

*Revel in your pain, in all pain, for it is freedom! No wound compares to the suffering of a dull, law-abiding life. (Rakdos Guild Kit Instructions)

*Make a grand spectacle of your pain, and play to your audience! If they aren’t screaming, laughing, or both, your performance has failed. (Rakdos Guild Kit Instructions)

*Blood and fire look good on everyone. And make excellent decorations. (Rakdos Guild Kit Instructions)

*Always be creative, especially in your bloodiest ventures. New modes of carnage delight the Lord of Riots, and it is wise to seek his favor. (Rakdos Guild Kit Instructions)

Selesnya Conclave

*So many oppose us, but we are the reed that bends without breaking. (Druid’s Deliverance)

*From the seeds of faith, great forests grow. (Scatter the Seeds)

*Within the song of Mat’Selesnya, one becomes all. (Camaraderie)

*No one in the Conclave acts alone. (Armada Wurm)

*Just as leaves fall and the tree blooms again, one day I will fall and the Conclave will endure. (Conclave Cavalier)

*Whatever hatred destroys, a single act of trust can revive. (Emmara, Soul of the Accord)

*We are the shield that never breaks, the bough that never burns, the song that can never be silenced. (Join Shields)

*When you hold a shield, lend your shield. (Privileged Position)

*There are no soloists in the chorus of Selesnya. (Trostani, Selesnya’s Voice)

*Enter and rejoice! The Conclave stands united, open to one and all. (Selesnya Guildgate)

Simic Combine

*Life has no mistakes, only experiments. (Skitter Eel)

*Within each of us, the potential for great power waits to be unleashed. (Sauroform Hybrid)

*Look beyond, to the vascular awareness that all life is a map to greater knowledge. (Momir Vig, Biomancy, Volume I) (Biomantic Mastery)

*As I contemplate what is, I dive ever deeper into the depths of possibility. Then I set an experiment in motion and watch the truth rise to the surface. (Gyre Engineer)

*Fruits of magic, roots in science. (Vigean Hydropon)

*The unnatural pressures of life in this city are best withstood by lifeforms that adapt with unnatural swiftness. (Novigen, Heart of Progress)

*Mystery is beauty. Within the unknown we plumb revelation. (Simic Guildgate)

*Analyze every living thing you see, from the smallest tadpole to the mightiest dragon. Each one holds unique secrets of life, ready to be unlocked through careful study. (Simic Guild Kit Instructions)

*Modification of another’s body without their express permission will not be tolerated. (Simic Guild Kit Instructions)

*Learn to see the patterns all around you; let them illuminate truths that transcend species. (Simic Guild Kit Instructions)

*When you study a life form, identify its weaknesses, then eliminate them. (Simic Guild Kit Instructions)

[captainrexisboo]

In A Single Night Chp 2

Here it is ❤️❤️❤️ Link to Previous Chapter (in case you missed it)

I’m not gonna say anything about it, except no warnings apply ✨

Tag list in the replies, please let me know if you would like to be tagged, and All Comments Are Welcome!!! Enjoy my lads, ladies, and lovers!!!

Edit: link to chp3 🥰

You banged on the thick, almost black oak door, knowing he was awake despite the hour, “Commander! Commander, please, open up, we need to-”

“Y/N!” he hisses through grit teeth as he swings open the door, still fully clothed as you expected in the same white uniform Rex was donning earlier that night, with deep bags under his eyes and dark curls sticking up, out of their usual well-kept place from running his fingers through it too many times, “The Captain isn’t here, so please, my dearest liege, if you could keep it down-”

“Of course Rex isn’t here, Cody, he’s out galavanting in the woods without a thing to cover his backside except blasted blond fur,” you seethed as you pushed through into the dim candlelit office, your now-tattered cloak trailing behind you, “How long has your brother been a werewolf?”

He stared at you, brows furrowed and lips pulled into a tight grimace as if you had sprouted two heads. His gaze switched from you to glare defeatedly at the full moon that hung outside his window, illuminating the room even more than the candles. He shook his head, stiffening his back as he brought up two fingers to rub at his scarred brow, “My...he...walk me through this. What happened?”

You shuffled on your feet, clenching and unclenching your fists as you cleared your throat, “Rex...wanted to see me tonight. During patrol. And before I could reach him, he…”

Good lords, you sounded mad. You bit your lip as you stopped talking, not finding it in you to continue, tearing your gaze off the floor to look up into Cody’s signature deadpan expression, as if you could project into his mind exactly what you had seen. He stood straight, hands folded behind him, tired eyes still actively surveying your form, precise and calculating. At your extended pause and fidgeting shoulders, he clicked his tongue, “You know, canoodling with any soldier, regardless of rank, isn’t allowed while they’re on duty, your grace.”

“Cody!” you whined, stepping up to him to place your hands on his shoulders, “This isn’t about that! It’s about Rex! He turned into a-”

“I know,” Cody sighed, gently taking hold of your wrists and pulling them off of him, “I had suspected this, I was going to prepare for it, but-”

He groaned gruffly, letting go of a wrist to scrub a hand over his face and covering an obscene yawn, “I guess I lost track of the moon cycle.”

You could only stand there, mouth agape. You pulled your other wrist away, a bewildered scoff exhaling from you, “You knew!?”

He nodded, his exhausted demeanor making his stoic expression all the more bored, as if this was just another debriefing of the low level muggings that took place over the weekend.

“Why didn’t either of you say anything!”

“What makes you think he knew?”

You paused, the question putting you through such a loop you momentarily forgot you were in hysterics. You shook your head, furrowing your brows low as you groaned, “Well why wouldn’t he know?”

“Well, this is a quite a recent development-”

“Commander!” you couldn’t stand the idle chatter that he seemed intent on keeping, “I would love to be casual and catch up some other time, but right now your brother, my love, our Captain is out there somewhere, going crazy with bloodlust-”

“As opposed to what other type of lust?”

“Cody!” you screeched, not bothering if the entire castle heard you two bickering at this point. The infuriating smirk he wore made you want to tear your hair out. You stamped your foot and pointed to the blanket of tall, thick trees that stretched across the starlit landscape outside his office window, “You need to go out there, right now, find your brother, and throw his clothes at him!”

You never thought you’d see the day that Commander Cody Fett, of the Republic Aegis, laughed. Not his normal, brief, smug chuckle that made all the eligible bachelors and bachelorettes go weak in the knees and swoon under his cool facade. No, this laugh was deep, and building, he was taking large breaths in between, clutching at his diaphragm, until he was howling not unlike his brother, barely an hour ago. 

It made you furious.

You ground your molars, tightening your fists, nearly twitching with your anger. You could feel your cheek stitch up as your eyes narrowed, a thrumming growl coming from the back of your throat. You let out a huff, hands flying up to the dark metal clasp of your cloak, a beautiful thick charcoal wool with royal blue velvet on the bottom hem. It was a gift from Rex about a year ago, after coming home from a diplomatic visit, and it immediately became your favorite thing to wear. You kept it clean, and stored it safely in the warmer months- now it was dirt smeared, ripped in odd places from falling onto scraggly rock, and torn from where his claws had pierced next to your head...and you were noticing now, his back claws had pierced the fabric that had bunched around your knees as well when he had you pinned underneath him. 

As you were inspecting your cloak with puffy red eyes, Cody was coming down from his bout of hysterics. You could hear his weakening breath, and you held out the cloak, not wanting to meet the taunt you were sure he held in his stare, “He attacked me. Pinned me to the road before running off…”

Cody grunted low, clearing his throat of the remaining bit of humor as he took the thick, warm material in his hands. He breathed deeply as his fingers traced the irregular tears, blinking heavily as he squeezed the bridge of his nose, coming down from madness as he looked back up at you. You refused to look at him, but his tone was surprisingly somber, “Look, I’m sorry, truly. As you can imagine, I’m very tired...you walk in here telling me my brother is a werewolf, and that the solution is to throw clothes at him? Where did you even hear such a thing?”

You finally looked up at him, expecting more brutish teasing, but instead finding a morbid, genuine curiosity. You clenched your jaw, taking a shuddering breath, “My grandmere...she lost her suitor to the soul of the beast. I didn’t really think about it before, but it makes sense now.”

Your eyes stung with the realization, voice choking with emotion, but no tears were able to fall. You looked at Cody, he was leaning against his desk, cloak folded beside him and listening intently. His eyes were focused on you as he folded his arms across his chest, tilting his head towards you in a silent request to continue. You cleared your throat of emotion, speaking low, “She was already with child at the time, my mother- his daughter, but… only the purest love can change the wolf back to a human. Giving them clothes, leading them back to a warm bed. Well, it turns out he didn’t love my grandmother like she thought. He attacked her, giving her claw marks down her shoulder and over her chest. The only reason she lived was because her father and his hunting party followed her with their rifles, driving away the monster.” 

You paused, a quaking breath wracking through you. Your throat was tight, and you were starting to get dizzy from the irregular breathing, “She lived in heartache for the rest of her days, the scar a reminder she wasn’t enough. Whatever love she thought she had was an illusion- he was only marrying her out of a sense of duty to the child he sired. I’m obviously not pregnant, Cody, I don’t even have that delusion to give me strength-”

“You want me to go out there instead of you,” Cody interrupted, piecing together your last bit of thought for you so you could focus on your breathing, “Because you’re unsure of his love towards you?”

You nodded, choking back dry, sobbing breaths, “I mean. What’s more pure love than the bond between brothers? He hasn’t even asked for my hand yet.”

“If you weren’t in the middle of a panic attack, I’d start laughing again,” Cody sighed heavy. You opened your mouth about to scold him again, when he held up a hand, “I knew he was asking you to meet with him tonight. He’s been hounding me all damn week for my opinions on ‘Will Y/N prefer this coat on me, or my cape? What time of day should it be? Does this sound okay as an opener?’ on and on and on- meanwhile there’s a war about to brew if Skywalker can’t sit still for a moment, Kenobi’s insistent on visiting with daily tea no matter how much I have on my plate, I have troops to train, and I had to research on  how to keep Rex’s wolf in check- and you know how well that faired- don’t even get me started on the pot that Sir Palpatine is intent on stirring-“

“Commander.”

He looked to you, snapped out from his exhausted ramblings at your clipped tone. You waved your wrist loosely, asking him to get to the damned point already. He coughed lightly, “Ah, right.”

He stood straight again, wrapping his hands behind his back and clearing his throat, “Your graciousness Y/N L/N of the Established Republic, Captain Rex Fett of the Republic Aegis was planning, tonight, to ask for your hand in marriage. Under the light of the full moon, ‘because the atmosphere would be just perfect’-”

You tuned out right as the word marriage was spoken. Cody’s voice rang clear in your head, the word turning itself over and over in your mind.

Your love. Your dearest Captain. Him. Rex. He was going to propose tonight. Tonight was supposed to be wonderful, given celebration, filled with purely blissful feelings and warmth- he would’ve proposed tonight. You would’ve stolen him away from his “break on patrol” and taken him back to your quarters for proper celebration, expected protocol be damned. You were supposed to be in the arms of your love right now, letting each other’s heartbeats lull each other to sleep as you shared lazy kisses of simple adoration, but instead you were listening to his sleep deprived twin wail on and on about something or other that didn’t really matter right now because he would’ve proposed.

But instead. He attacked you with gnashing fangs and a snarling maw. He held you beneath him, claws spearing the rock by your head, intent on having his slaughterous way with your flesh-

But instead. You whispered his name. A broken plea. A pathetic whimper… and he heard you. He listened. He threw himself off of you and didn’t look back. It wasn’t the beast- Rex had heard you.

Your love was still in there. 

And you were going to be the one to free him.

[ask-comrade-kuvira]

You are listening to Earth National Radio.

We are pleased to present this very special announcement from the Great Uniter herself, Comrade Chairman Kuvira.

Good evening, people of the Earth nation. It is I, Kuvira, and I have come to speak to you tonight not merely as a general, a revolutionary, and a patriot, but as a scholar and a teacher of revolutionary science. A subject we must never forget lest we succumb to baser emotions, the project of our liberation - of the world’s liberation - is a work of science and reason. Our labor of love is also a labor of history. We are not merely artists sitting in front of a blank canvas - we are the auteurs of a delicate and ancient struggle. The struggle I am referring to, of course, is the class struggle.

In all of history, we have striven to overcome our fellow man in the name of our class interests - representatives of our communities, our faiths, our cultures, and even of our prestigious families. All people in history have understood intuitively that for a nation to “thrive” it is necessary for that nation to steal and to exploit - to take from others. And whomever you take from, you give back to your class in equal measure, returned to palatial estates that grow in size and power with the wealth they extract from others. The ultimate expression of this power, the ultimate goal of all who have partaken of this historic struggle, is known as the rule of Government.

For most of history, a cycle has prevailed over the fate of all people. The cycle of dynasties, of the rise and fall of empires, and of the destruction of old land and the sowing of new. Long-dead places where ruins stand were once the province of power - and with time, they, too, did succumb and crumble. And all along this cycle has been characterized by the same thing: the class struggle, the rule and the conquest of man by man.

But in our modern era, a miracle has occurred. We have developed a power our forebears could only dream of: the awesome power of industrial civilization. Suddenly, the productive forces that were once the domain of precious few craftsmen and laborers have become the domain of the merchant class - those who live by trade and commerce. To own factories is to own the means of advancing every aspect of society, of annihilating Want and Need where one wills, and of accumulating incredible wealth. This ownership class, these bourgeoisie - they are the masters of our industrialized world.

Does one require proof? Look at the other nations of the world. A hundred years ago, the Great War set aflame and burnt to ashes the last vestiges of the ancient orders. The Fire Nation, ruled by a feudal emperor, could only resolve the contradictions between its nascent bourgeoisie class and the aristocratic class by joining them in an alliance against the other nations of the world.

Ask yourselves, what did it mean that the Fire Nation discovered such powerful technology before the rest of the world? I’ll tell you: it meant that there came to be in the Fire Nation a class of wealthy shippers, owners of fabulous navies that could move against the winds and currents with the power of fire, whose commercial exploitations around the world brought wealth and power back to the Fire Nation. Make no mistake, this is the development responsible for the rise of the Fire Nation. And this development introduced in turn a struggle for power, between those traditionally powerful aristocrats - and the newly powerful bourgeoisie.

This conflict could only be resolved one of two ways: one class destroys the other and claims the Fire Nation for itself - in the process tearing their nation asunder. Or, the two classes join as one, under the aegis of the Fire Lord, and resolve as allies to plunder the rest of the world together. And this latter case is what came to pass.

The resulting Great War all but annihilated the old order, and ironically the Phoenix Lord did not rise from the ashes, but the rule of the bourgeoisie did. The Air Nomads and their ancient order - destroyed, represented now by a reclusive and valuable colonial estate in Republic City harbor. The Water Tribes - driven to the brink, now ruled by Varrick Global Industries. The Fire Nation - ostensibly defanged, but preserving all of its commercial attachments to its far-flung colonies, and now sitting comfortable, distant, and aloof among its ill-gotten gains.

And what was the Earth Kingdom left with? A pathetic government that preserved the status of a corrupt aristocracy at the expense of the entire nation’s self-determination. For the past two hundred years, our nation has been beaten down into the mud. And even when the Great War ended, no reparations came and no justice was forthcoming. Our people had been taken into slavery and brutalized by the merciless, exploitative colonizers of the Fire Nation, and the reward our people had for their diligence was to be forced to allow the Fire Nation settlers to continue their business. How many thousands of Earth Kingdom families were forced out of their homes, keys still in hands, to make way for Fire Nation colonizers? How many of those Fire Nation colonizers ever paid back what they had stolen? As shameful as it is, this is our history. It seems only too fitting the final Earth monarch was killed in her throne room by an unhinged maniac.

However, the antidote to the shame of our nation is not the same vulgar pride the foreign imperialists cultivated. It is humility, for through humility do we recognize the true cause of this shame. In fact, the Fire Nation is not composed of a superior breed of people. That conceit is nothing more than the arrogance of petty conquerors. And the fall of our Queen was no reflection on our people: it was merely a reflection of the decrepit standing of her waning, soon-to-be-irrelevant class.

Look at how the foreign nations took responsibility when she was killed, and anarchy ruled our fates. All they cared about was lining their pocketbooks, and maintaining their precious business relationships. The richest woman in the Earth Kingdom, Suyin Beifong, elected to recline within her metal domes to continue profiting off of trade with the outside world. None of these events are rooted in anything supernatural, or uncanny, but in the simple, base reality of the historical class struggle. It was the class struggle that placed the Earth nation in this position, and that is why our true struggle is not against the people of the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes, or the colonized territories, but against the bourgeoisie.

It is the international bourgeoisie that we stand against, ultimately. After all, it was the international bourgeoisie that sought to use the fall of the Earth Kingdom as an opportunity to crowbar in their own business interests. They were happy to support the pacification of the Earth Kingdom insofar as the minerals they sought kept flowing into the factories spread throughout the colonized territories. Any detail was perfectly irrelevant to them as long as it did not affect the bottom line. President Raiko, Varrick, the White Lotus - all content with the project of our liberation while it seemed they could profit from it. Suyin Beifong, alone, opposed it - perhaps out of distaste for a little competition.

Keep in your mind that the moment we demonstrated the remotest inkling that we sought the liberation of our people for our own good, their knives were out. All of a sudden, they spoke of a Second Great War, of regime change, of the “good” of the “global community.” The only good they spoke of, my friends and my comrades, was their own good. The good of the international bourgeoisie.

It is this enemy we struggle against, and this enemy over which we shall triumph as a united, liberated, and decolonized people. We are all out of time for tonight, but please tune in tomorrow, when I will be answering questions that listeners like you would like to Call In over the radio. After all, we now have electricity and telephone service here in Ba Sing Se, the proud achievement of our comrades at the newly nationalized Ba Sing Se Telecom & Electrics Utility Corporation. Why not treat yourself to a little of it?

[josefavomjaaga]

Report from Naples to Metternich, January 1814

So, we’re back in Naples. The armistice during the summer of 1813 in the German theater or war and the Congress of Prague had ended without a result, and Austria declared war on France. When Murat and his Neapolitan troops entered the war on Napoleon’s side in August 1813, Mier had of course left Naples. Next came the battle of Leipzig in October; Napoleon had to give up on Germany.

Murat returned to Naples (that’s the occasion where he lost both carriage and hat in the Alpes and is briefly stranded in Milan). In Upper Italy Eugène - without Neapolitan support - has been unable to hold off the Austrians; as his Bavarian father-in-law has switched sides and joined the Allies, Eugène has had to retreat even further west to at least defend Lombardy.

In the meantime, at the beginning of the new year, the Allied troops have crossed the Rhine and entered French territory. The final months of Napoleon’s empire have begun.

This is when Count Mier returns to Naples, in order to take up his office as ambassador there. He immediately sends a long report with apparently several postscripts to Metternich (who, for his part, is once again busying himself - but by now with a marked lack of enthusiasm - with negotiations for a peace, this time at Chatillon, meeting there with a similarly exasperated Caulaincourt).

I have broken up this extremly long block of text into several paragraphs. All translated from Helfert, “Joachim Murat” once again.

Mier to Metternich (in his own hand)

Naples this 16th of January 1814

My Prince!

The almost impassable roads and the precautions to which I was obliged to resort when crossing the territories still occupied by French troops, only allowed me to reach Naples on the 11th of this month. It was with true pleasure that I learned on arriving that the alliance between the two Courts had been concluded and signed on the 8th of January, in accordance with the instructions Your Highness had given to the Count of Neipperg, who in that occasion gave new proofs of his talents, his skill and his devotion to the service of our august sovereign.

An hour after my arrival in Naples H. M. the King had the Duke of Gallo tell me that he wished to see me immediately. I went to the palace. The King received me with kindness and goodness, and told me many flattering things about my return and the hope he had of keeping me close to him. Thanking him respectfully, I told him my Sovereign had destined me, in the event of the alliance concluded between the two courts, to return to my diplomatic functions close to his person, that it depended therefore only on his Majesty to accept this choice of my master.

"I have charged the Count of Neipperg," said the King, "to ask the Emperor Francis for your return to Naples as a favour; you will therefore understand the pleasure which the certainty of your being accredited to my person must give me... I have done everything", the King continued, "that Austria wanted, I have blindly signed the alliance which the Count of Neipperg submitted to me, putting as much confidence in the friendship and interest which the Emperor Francis is willing to show me, and in his promise to make me obtain at the general peace an indemnity for the sacrifices to which I have subscribed, as in any transactions and stipulations which we might have made in this respect for the time being. I place my interests entirely in the hands of the Emperor Francis, and place myself with confidence under the aegis of the loyalty of the Austrian government, I am convinced that I will never regret it; Austria will know how to support an ally who will remain devoted to her as much out of gratitude as out of the concern for his peoples. But I repeat to you again that you must magnify me, strengthen me so that I am no longer a burden to you. You will get no benefit from all these small states which you wish to establish in Italy. Put me in a position to always maintain an army of 60,000 men, and the repose of Italy and your influence will be assured. Let me be in a position to support the first shock of an enemy who would come to attack you there and give you time to come to my aid, in this state of affairs Austria and the King of Naples, equipped with a common interest, will defy all the hostile enterprises of the other powers against Italy"....

I answered the King that Austria greatly deserved his confidence by the perseverance which she put in supporting and defending her interests with the other powers; that he must be well imbued with the idea that it is only to Austria that he will owe the preservation of his crown; that not only the true interests of his country, but also gratitude must engage him to second the views of my court; that, following a good line of conduct, frankly executing his promises and engagements, showing much uprightness and confidence in all his steps, he could be sure that Austria would support him on all occasions; that I was even authorised to promise him in this case advantages and enlargements to the general peace.

"I will carry out", the King answered me, "my promises and engagements as a man of honour; once my side is taken, Austria will never have reason to repent of the protection she has given me. But could you not assure me in advance of what you promise to grant me in the general peace? This commitment would remain secret and I would have more peace of mind about the future«.

I told him that no such commitment had been made with any power, that everything had been postponed until the general peace, that if we had begun by discussing the interests of each one in particular, the allied armies would not yet be on the other side of the Rhine. "The ease," I continued, "which Your Majesty placed in the conclusion of our alliance, and the complete abandonment of his interests to the benevolent friendship of the Emperor Francis, committed my Master all the more to procure for Him real advantages in the general pacification. May Your Majesty be at ease on this score, for it is His task to merit entirely the confidence of the Allies by a good line of conduct, and He must necessarily share in the advantages which will result from his vigorous cooperation in the cause of Europe."

The King replied that it is only this blind confidence which he has in the loyalty of our sovereign and of his ministry which has determined him to pass over many considerations which are personal to him, and to enter blindly into our views. "I do not hide from you", he continued, "that it is painful for me to have to fight against the French. Your sovereign would not think well of my character if it were otherwise. But I know the interests of my people, I act as King of Naples and silence all other secondary considerations. The Neapolitans must be very grateful for the proof of devotion which I am giving them on this occasion, and my present and future conduct proves and will prove to the sovereigns that I am worthy of occupying a place among them... At first I wanted to wait for your return to sign the alliance, being convinced that the overtures I had charged you with, and the full knowledge you had of my views and the feelings I have for your master, would have given me better conditions and some real and positive advantages. But having thought about it I did not want to put any obstacle or delay in the prompt conclusion of our arrangement. What has not been stipulated for the moment will be stipulated later".

I replied to His Majesty that my instructions and full powers were the same as those of the Count of Neipperg and that my arrival would not have made any change to the negotiations. "I am only authorised to assure Your Majesty that my sovereign would willingly lend her the opportunity of obtaining advantages and enlargements to the general peace, in proportion to the efforts Your Majesty will make to co-operate with the views of the Allies."

Our conversation continued well into the night and everything that His Majesty was kind enough to tell me clearly proves that we can count on him.

Accept etc.

[Postscript No. 3, Mier to Metternich, again in his own hand]

Naples this 16th of January 1814.

My Prince!

Disorder has grown so badly in Rome that the principal inhabitants of this city have decided to send a deputation to H. M. the King of Naples to ask him to take possession of it and to introduce a provisional government there. The three deputies who arrived yesterday in Naples are Princes Sara (Sciarra?) and Barberini and Mr. Potenciani. The commands of General Miollis, Governor of Rome, can no longer contain the rabble, French personnel run the risk of being massacred at any moment. This spirit of insurrection had already spread to the neighbouring countryside. A general uprising of the common people is expected at any moment, who, under the pretext of driving out the French, will plunder the houses of all the rich owners. The Neapolitan troops have been ordered until now not to take any part in the events which are taking place there. This state of affairs would bring great misfortune upon Rome, unless it were brought to an end as soon as possible.

S. M. the King has already given the necessary orders to take possession of all the countries occupied by his troops. I have the honour to be ut in litteris...

[vaccerelli]

The Doctrine kept abreast of the vague interstellar politic of other Class VII civilizations throughout space -- it wasn’t just COM-SECA with an immense fleet of exploration and defense vessels.

Through the neutron star cluster were the United Cluster Colonials, protected as they were by their natural bulwark of immeasurable radiation. They were an isolationist, militant society, raised under the aegis of their intense military cabinet. They had a long and bloody civil war, followed by a longer and bloodier unification, before striking out into the stars. They had no Doctrine equivalency, and mostly kept to friendly but wary hails or the occasional untargeted torpedo to remind other ships to not get too close. Everyone wanted the secrets of their hardened ships, that allowed them to pass so close to neutron stars, but no one wanted to be on the wrong side of their manifold advanced weaponry.

Past the northern arc was simply the Order, another advanced Class VII society, with their Technical Armed Fleet and Special Assistance spies. They were friendly, but not too friendly. During the first days of contact, conservative military factions had demanded first strikes, whereas the liberal senatorial factions of COM-SECA had recommended everyone get out of their ships and shake hands, like a publicity stunt. In truth, wary respect was about the best intra-human communication ever got. The Order had their own Doctrine -- the Organization (something even Vito Zsces commented was a manifestation of the Order’s stunning lack of desire for pomp or innuendo) who every once in a great while shared their details with Doctrine scientists.

There was also Omegahenge. An anti-civilization. Anarchists, terrorists, even psychological warfare. Ship-to-ship boarders, fleet infiltrators. They used obscene planet-killers, plutonuclear weapons, suicide mass drivers made from the wreckage of other polity’s fleets. They bombard occupied planets with cruisers filled with their own asphyxiated dead. Reasoning with them was dangerous. They lived for depraved cunning. Their history was shrouded in absurd, nihilistic myths. They were navibus non grata, shoot on sight. COM-SECA frequently changed subspace IFF to prevent their efforts.

Further away was the Class VIII (with provisionary alterations) was the Interstellar Free Coalition, who were more advanced than anyone else, but much less interested in expansion. They had their industrial revolution extremely early, which in turn triggered their ecological colonial phase centuries early, and they had colonized their version of Mars by the equivalent of their late Victorian period. Their ships were bigger and more high-tech, but they never fought anyone, never had border disputes, and never were very interested in diplomacy -- even more radically isolationist than the UCC.

Beyond that, most major space-faring societies never bothered to contact or initiate anything with COM-SECA. the great galactic metacivilization was not particularly interested in specific levels or ideologies or macrosociological projects -- like the galaxy itself, it was mostly indifferent when not actively hostile to change.

[crackinglamb]

WIP Wednesday

I haven’t done one of these in a while.  Nobody tagged me, I just felt like it.

If you feel like it, go ahead and share something. Consider this a blanket tag.

I’ve been writing some Solas/OFC stuff of late (when I’m not writing Solavellan stuff, that is).  Here’s a bit:

Banal'ras Nydha. The Shadow of Night.  It had been so long since anyone knew her by any other name she barely remembered her given name herself.  Solas had called her that when they met, in the Fade.  Where his mind wandered in the guise of a great wolf while his body slept in uthenera.  Where she'd drawn darkness around her like a cloak to keep herself hidden from demons and ultimately piqued the interest of the Dread Wolf as something that should not have been.  

The Fade had changed her, rewritten her.  There were times she felt like Cole, a spirit made flesh.  Not precisely magic, but capable of impossible things.  It had served her well as a companion to Martin Trevelyan, considering she was also able to guide him with her foreknowledge. The perks of being a human from Earth, she used to joke.

She'd never given away all the secrets she knew, but she'd used enough of them to Martin's advantage that the defeat of Corypheus went off without a hitch in less than a year.  He'd still lost his arm to the Anchor, that couldn't be helped, but he had known to expect it and to plan for it.  He'd felt betrayed by her just as much as Solas when they both disappeared after the Exalted Council.  He was angrier still when he learned that she'd known all along who the apostate elf was. But it wouldn't have changed anything for him to know, and eventually he saw that and their friendship was repaired.

He wouldn't be happy to know she was going to Rosama'an when she refused to move to either Ostwick – Martin's home – or Val Royeaux, where the Inquisition still served Divine Victoria as a standing army against the factions vying for the Orlesian throne.  But they had long come to the agreement that she was not his to command anymore, nor was she interested in trying to live in a war torn land that she hated anyway.  She was less likely to be in danger of assassination under the aegis of Fen'Harel, and didn't that just feel ironic?

[xianglingslesbian]

ewbts - my top moments

no i will never stop laughing at that abbreviation it’s beautiful. buckle in because this is gonna be long, and probably don’t read it unless you’ve watched/read kuroko’s basketball and like izuki lmaoooo

chapter 1: hatchling, awaken

Izuki swallows. “Why do you all think I can do this?”

Then Kiyoshi turns to him with steel in his eyes (that must be how he got nicknamed Iron Heart - he seriously never backs down!) and asks him very clearly, “Why don’t you?”

Why don’t I think I can be captain?

“Because nobody thought I could be until now.”

aka “ceru is a masochist”, exhibit 1/???. anyway lets hear it for insecurities!!

chapter 2: liftoff

Predictably, Kuroko drags him aside at practice the next day and says, “I have something to tell you, Izuki-senpai.”

Izuki smiles at him. “Is it about your five evil exes?”

Kuroko looks horrified. “My what?!”

i think im funny

chapter 3: crash landing

As Izuki walks off the court, he looks for flashing glasses and grey eyes.

He curses himself for the heavy sadness that falls over him like a blanket when he doesn’t spot them.

yay for “ceru is a masochist” exhibit 2!

Oh, he [Izuki] watched videos of Aomine, came up with strategy after strategy to corner him, but videos and strategies can only go so far. Aomine in real life is something else entirely, a flash of lightning setting the court on fire with the sheer elegance of his crazy street basketball. All one can do is sit back and watch, awed beyond belief. Nothing can curb the wild madness that is Aomine Daiki – unrestrained, gleeful insanity dancing across the court like it’s his playground.

i also rlly like this line, it has some pretty imagery and we all know im a slut for pretty imagery~

chapter 4: a broken bone grows back stronger

“All right,” Koganei says to himself, moving to stand in front of the hoop. “One more time.”

He jumps, raising the ball to just above his face and releasing it. It misses, and he lets out a cry of frustration.

Can he even do this? Is it worth the time?

Koganei bites back the wave of guilt that washes over him at the thought. Izuki, Kiyoshi, Tsuchida, Rinnosuke, Kagami, Kuroko – he’d be letting them down if he didn’t give this his best shot. They’re all so dedicated to basketball that they each have a special skill honed from years of practice and love for the sport. If he can’t bring anything of his own to the table, what will he mean to this team? Seirin makes him want to be a team player, to add his skills to theirs rather than shining on his own. The change is good, yes, but he doesn’t want to stop there – he doesn’t want to be useless.

He will not be useless.

a bit of context: in this fic, since hyuuga did not return, koga became the SG for seirin :D i think my favorite character to develop, apart from izuki, was koganei - it was so fun to imagine all the ways he could have gone!

chapter 5: spreading new wings

All too soon, the day of judgment arrives, and Seirin convenes in the gym one last time before they head off to the Winter Cup building. No one says anything; not Kagami, fresh from his training trip to America, not Izuki, not Kiyoshi or Riko. They simply stand there, breathing in the scent of cleaner and leather and something else that’s so entirely Seirin, and knowing that no matter what happens this Winter Cup, they will return to the gym different people than they were before.

Different, and better.

Then they head out and off to the opening ceremony of the Winter Cup, not looking back once as they do.

yay for more pretty words!!!

“Oh, no worries. The actual motivational part is coming. Anyway, as I was saying – Tōō was just better than us that day. It’s hard to admit, I know: far easier to blame yourself, say you didn’t give it your all, but you know; we all know. It was their day to shine, not ours. But I think we’ve worked hard enough and are in a good enough mindset to change that, today. We aren’t scared or apprehensive about Tōō and Aomine, because we’ve faced them before. We know what attitude they’ll walk into our game with, and that’s what we’re going to exploit!”

“You’re going to exploit,” corrects Tsuchida. “Unlike you, the rest of us aren’t manipulative bastards.”

That raises a bunch of cackles, which quiet down when Izuki gives his team a glare. It doesn’t work on Riko, however, who sniggers under her breath and smirks at him.

izuki highkey sucks at pep talks lmao

chapter 6: ride the storm

Kagami and Aomine were made for each other. Made for this rivalry, this intense competition that will push them to their very limits and carry them onto a plane that no ordinary human can reach. Neither can defeat the other per se - they’re destined to stand neck and neck forever. However, one has a trump card on his side; and that trump card can make all the difference in the world.

Aomine Daiki may be strong, but Kagami Taiga is just as good. And damn him if the power of Kagami’s determination coupled with Kuroko’s unshakeable support won’t overwhelm the undisputed king of basketball.

Move aside, light bulb, Izuki thinks vindictively. The tube light is here to replace you.

pretty words. gay words. i love them (aokaga + izuki being a salt man lmao).

chapter 7: eagle versus aegis

“So bitter,” he [Izuki] reflects aloud, answering Himuro’s question.

That’s the emotion in his eyes. That’s what I might have become, if I had let my anger grow.

And suddenly he isn’t seeing Himuro Tatsuya anymore, but a version of himself, a version with darkened eyes and a mocking smile and pain and rage bubbling below the surface. Immensely talented, but not able to break the last barrier. Because he’s an ordinary man, and it’s as much as an ordinary man can do.

Strong, so strong. But also so terribly, heartbreakingly weak. Weak in a way that today’s Izuki Shun will never be.

GOD where do i even start w/this scene its literally everything i’ve ever wanted to write ksjfhsfj

chapter 8: clawing through mirages

Izuki’s taken aback for a millisecond before he continues his mad dash towards Murasakibara, letting out a war cry as the center makes to simply toss the ball into the hoop.

“It wasn’t their intention,” says a quiet but familiar voice. “But, this is the result of Kiyoshi-senpai and the other upperclassmen’s tenacity.”

Izuki grins, feeling new strength fill him up.

Together, huh? Okay. Together.

“This is where it ends for you!” shouts the voice, becoming stronger.

Not one, but two hands knock the ball out of Murasakibara’s hands and onto the ground. Kuroko shimmers into vision, smiling at Izuki with all the happiness in the world, just as the final buzzer rings.

i loved writing this match tbh, yousen is super underrated!

chapter 9: catch the updraft

21 - 22, in their favour at long last. Izuki grins at Kasamatsu, who shakes his head wearily.

“Using my own advice against me. What a terrible student you are,” he says, affecting an old man’s voice.

“The true student is the one who beats the master at his own game,” Izuki says quickly, sliding back into their familiar banter. “I swore to myself, my drive would beat your drive today, kitakore.”

“When did you get so wise?” asks Kasamatsu with a sigh, ignoring his pun and receiving the ball from Kobori, who was quick to grab it once Koga scored. Izuki just laughs, not bothering to reply and instead focusing carefully on Kasamatsu’s movements.

Kasamatsu shifts his weight right, left, then right again. Izuki narrows his eyes, trying to figure out what the hell his upperclassman is doing—

But it’s far too late, as Kasamatsu successfully passes through his defence in his moment of distraction, ball clutched tightly in hand. The sound of the scoring whistle is shrill and unpleasant to Izuki’s ears, and his chest stings at the loss.

“What was that about the main course?” Kasamatsu teases, wearing an enormous grin as he comes forward to guard Izuki once more. 

izuki + kasamatsu banter is so so fun to write y’all have no idea

chapter 10: headwinds

This is your fault. If you’d been a better captain, a better point guard, a better everything, none of this would’ve happened. Seirin would have been well in the lead and controlling the game—

Izuki shakes his head violently, trying to get rid of his intrusive thoughts. He knows he’s a good captain, and doing this to himself will do no good for the rest of the team. He has to be strong for them. He has to lead them to victory, he can’t be a weak person overwhelmed by emotion. But it’s so hard to breathe, suddenly, and Izuki’s about to sink when—

“Don’t worry, Captain. I’ll take care of this match today,” says a confident and familiar voice, and a hand claps down on Izuki’s shoulder. He turns, a little surprised by the sudden contact, to find Koganei’s cat mouth set in a determined frown. “You can rest your hopes on me. I’ll be Seirin’s wings for as long as you need me to.”

kogazuki brotp feels man. kogazuki brotp feels.

chapter 11: cliff edge

Riko nods, sobering up a little. “I do know. And… I have to admit, I was a little harsh on you in the early days… I kept comparing you to Hyūga-kun.” She looks at the ground briefly, then raises her head to continue, meeting Izuki’s eyes with no hint of doubt in her own brown irises. “But then I saw how different you were. How you were never willing to give up, even if you were the worst player in the world. That’s what… that’s what made me truly believe in you.” She swallows thickly, taking a deep breath, but not averting her gaze from his.

The honesty and trust in her eyes is what shatters Izuki’s calm.

He steps forward, and she rises too, opening her arms. Then he hugs her tightly, murmuring, “Thank you for having faith in me.”

The “Of course. You’re family,” that she whispers back fills Izuki’s already overflowing heart even further.

Eventually, he lets her go, and she drops lightly to the ground, straightening her sweater and skirt.

“We never speak of this,” Izuki warns her, moving towards the door of the room.

Riko nods, back to her usual haughty demeanour. “Of course. No one can know we’re actually big softies who care a lot for each other.”

“To them, we’re just sarcastic jerks,” Izuki agrees. “And that’s the way it stays.”

anyone said izuriko brotp???? this fic is just platonic feels tbh

chapter 12: overcast skies

What should I do? Someone tell me! the voice cries out in Izuki’s head, a voice he hasn’t heard since the loss to Tōō. It is the same voice that whispers all his insecurities in his ear in the dead of night when no one is around to reassure him, the same voice that gave rise to all his fears and worries. It is the voice of the vulnerable and weak part of Izuki, the one that needs someone to guide him with a gentle hand, and he hates it.

It is a voice that, frankly, he never thought he would hear again. Yet, here it is, crying out for attention, screaming for someone to help.

He thought he had left it behind. It turns out he was wrong.

Izuki shoves it deep into his heart with more effort than he’s exerted all game, breathing a heavy sigh when he succeeds in locking it behind the glass wall that keeps his emotions away.

let’s hear it for “ceru is a masochist” exhibit 3~

chapter 13: nosedive

“I don’t know who you are,” Koganei completes his little speech, anger brimming in every part of his being. “But I know that my captain is Izuki Shun, not Akashi Seijūrō. The coach can bench you if she likes; we can fight without our captain, because we know he wants us to win for his sake. We’ve been fighting without him all the match, and we can continue doing so. We don’t need a player that can’t play with the same passion as us!”

Izuki looks at the ground and doesn’t respond. Somewhere within, something is stirring at Koganei’s words. Something that cries out to fill the gap inside him.

Next to speak is Kiyoshi, standing up and executing much the same move as Koga had by yanking Izuki up by his collar. However, Kiyoshi pulls Izuki into a standing position so that Izuki is half-leaning against him.

Brown eyes meet black, and Kiyoshi simply states, “I didn’t expect this from you, Shun.”

Then he rears his fist backwards and punches Izuki in the jaw.

“ceru is a masochist” exhibit 4!

chapter 14: bird of prey

“I just… I didn’t think you’d give up so easily.”

Koganei’s head shoots up. There’s fury in his eyes, and his face is white. His hands are shaking.

Izuki continues, calm and careless as he always is, “Really… after you gave me all that talk at halftime? I don’t believe this is you.”

Koganei’s jaw clenches, and he cries, “But I have done everything I can! He’s just too good—”

“And when has that ever stopped you?” Izuki keeps his voice quiet and even, but it has the gravity he intended it to - Koga falls silent immediately, eyes wide and riveted on him. “When have you ever backed down from fighting? You don’t know the meaning of giving up. You’ve never cared about whether someone’s better than you. I knew a shooting guard once, just like you, and he had the potential to be the greatest in the world. He was held back because he cared that he was worse than others. But you? You never blinked at it, just practised and practised until you could do the impossible.”

His words are getting louder with pride; he’s unable to keep it steady with the outpouring of emotion in his speech.

“Tell me, who can master Ray Allen’s form in one and a half years? Who can be such a rookie at basketball, yet be able to fight an Uncrowned King and respond to a shot that has left all its previous victims unable to move?!” Izuki leans forward and jabs a finger into Koganei’s chest demandingly. “Tell me, who the hell was that?!”

“Me,” Koga whispers timidly, looking down.

ahhhh yay for more platonic comfort and bonding. *izuki voice* yelling is the way to get ur team to get their shit tgt

chapter 15: born to soar

Izuki finds himself moving, barely thinking as he grabs the ball and bawls for an attack. He’s running faster than he ever has, flying up the court like there are wings on his legs. No one follows at his pace - they’re all too far behind.

No one but Kiyoshi.

The rhythm beats louder than ever, a heavy pulse in Izuki’s head and heart. He can feel Akashi on his heels and knows he needs to do something.

One second left—

Izuki’s hands move on their own, passing the ball to the one person he knows that he will always find.

Kiyoshi catches it and jumps.

Fortyfivethirtyfivetwentyfivefifteen—

The ball leaves his hands.

Fivezero—

The whistle blows to end the game. Kiyoshi’s shot hits the backboard and drops straight into the basket. Time stops as a shrill sound screeches into the air and the ref shouts, “124 to 123, Seirin High wins the Winter Cup!”

there we go. the most heartwrenching scene of this chapter ahhhhh

chapter 16: final flight

“We should go. Don’t want to keep them waiting too long,” Kiyoshi says, staring daggers at Hyūga, who to his credit doesn’t flinch but merely stares back.

“Let’s go, then,” Izuki agrees. He looks straight at Hyūga and allows a small, formal smile to play on his lips. Hyūga just nods, accepting the answer.

Izuki nods back, then turns around and starts walking away. But even as he moves toward the exit, something weighs heavily in his tired chest. For the first time in a long time, he isn’t confident in his decision.

Acting on impulse, he turns on his heel and yells out, “Call sometime, maybe!” before walking backwards out the door that Kiyoshi holds for him.

It’s an open-ended suggestion. Hyūga can choose to wallow and ignore it, or he can choose to pick up the phone. Izuki isn’t going to do so either way - he’ll be happy if Hyūga makes that call, but he won’t be terribly sad if he doesn't.

This time, he’s going to be the one that walks forward without looking back.

ahhh okay so this scene means a hella lot to me personally because... i had to grow, the way izuki grew. izuki’s now strong enough to sort of put the olive branch out and say, “take it or leave it,” and if it’s left he’s not gonna be upset. that’s something i really learned with a lot of difficulty and i think that that growth - in both me and him - is a lovely thing.

and there we have it! my favorite moments from each chapter of this story. *cries in a corner* god i can’t believe it’s over...

THANK YOU FOR THE JOURNEY!