#vaalbara

[minimooberry]

i wish I never ever told you all about it but I just had to let you know i never meant to hurt you though

[katborg82]

The Paleoarchean era lasted from 3.6 to 3.2 billion years ago. As the sea levels rose and the crust continued to cool, the Earth's first major landmass would form. Today we call it Vaalbara. We don't know what this landmass would have looked like but we do know it was at least made up of southern Africa and western Australia.

Though life may have begun a few million years earlier, from this period we have the earliest evidence of life in the form of stromatolites. Fossilized mats of microbial organisms forming bizarre rock-like structures that can be found today near the remnants of Vaalbara.

[thefandomentals]

From Hachette and Studio H, Vaalbara is a great set collection game with beautiful art and quick, fun gameplay where you try to take over the most land!

[boardgoats]

5th September 2023

The evening began with Green and Purple arriving to find Plum and Cobalt sitting outside the pub chatting.  This was partly because the weather was warm, but also because someone else was sitting at our usual table and we had been relegated to another long table on the other side of the room.  Pine arrived soon after and once introductions between Cobalt and those who had not been about last time…

[games-franco]

Card game night!

[thegaminggang]

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

The Dragon’s Eye

Long ago, when the land was still young, the Western Woodlands were wild and untamed. People survived on what they could, fighting off beasts with what they had.

A young lad, returning home after a long fishing trip, came about the scariest of beasts: a dragon. It was bigger than a house, with scales the colour of sunset. Claws so sharp they could shred stones to pieces, and wings so large they would raise a storm just to get it up in the air.

The boy shuddered when it hissed at him. He had heard about dragons. Big scaly beasts that could breath fire, or bring lightning, or even snowstorms. So terrifying they could scare the dead, and so powerful all other beasts bowed their heads as they flew by.

But not this one. It was lying on the ground, one of its wing tips with flesh wounds. The dragon’s tail slammed the earth with anger, yet the lad knew it was trying to make him leave, rather than to crush him dead. With his dagger ready, he approached the beast’s head. It looked exhausted, covered in dead leaves and blood.

The boy raised the dagger and slashed off the head of one of his fish, dropping it right next to the dragon’s jaws. Its long tongue slipped between the sharp teeth and gobbled it right up. He walked a few steps away from the dragon, and dropped another piece of fish. This time it was a long claw dragging it closer to the mouth.

It took several hours, but the lad finally got the dragon on its feet, and guided it to a cave on the rocky hillside. He dropped the rest of his fish inside, and watched the beast rush right in. The boy gathered some wood for a campfire, and ate the berries he had left.

After a few weeks camping outside of the cave, the boy heard a voice. “Come, Child of Man, have no fear of me,” it said.

He went inside, fully aware of the bright bronze eyes staring at him. There was a small pile of red-hot stones just near its belly. The lad sat a few feet away from the dragon. “How can you breathe fire?”

“I am fire, boy! Born from a volcano and nurtured by lava, I am fire all around,” it replied, smoke rising from its nostrils. “My name is Altan*, and you have my gratitude. I was injured while traveling, and had not eaten in days. Your scrawny little fish saved me”.

The boy said nothing, but nodded in understanding. The dragon got to its feet. “Before I go, Child of Man, look into my eyes,” Altan said, and so he did. Though only for a moment, he felt engulfed by the bronze pools staring at him. He blinked twice, and realized Altan had lost one eye.

“What have you done?” the boy said, almost reaching out to touch him.

“I have granted you my Eye, and you will notice that when your feelings are strongest, so shall your sight be. That, and this hill are my gift to you. Build a home at the very top, so good winds come your way”. Altan spread his enormous wings at the entrance of the cave, and let out a satisfied sigh. The dragon took flight with a tremendous roar that shook the earth.

Many decades went by. The small home on the hilltop began as a woden house, but eventually upgraded to a stone cottage. It provided a great view of the Woodlands, and it did not miss the gigantic shadow that landed just below. A tall man with a small axe rushed downhill, trembling head to toe. “Come, Child of Man, have no fear of me.”

He peered inside the cave, and one bright bronze eye peered back at him. “Well, well. Look at you! A man grown already!” the familiar voice of Altan rumbled through the cave. The man dropped the axe, and sat as close to him as he could. The dragon had grown too, and how it was able to get itself inside the cave was a mystery.

“Thank you, Altan, for your gift! The day my daughter was born, I saw a glimpse of her eating poisonous berries and dying. The antidote takes years to make, and too few mages know how to brew it, but thanks to the Eye, we had two bottles ready the day it happened, and she survived,” he ran out of breath. “Thank you!”

“Oh?” the dragon let out a tired laugh. “So you chose to have an antidote, instead of telling her not to eat berries.”

“I feared she might grow tired of my warning, and dismiss it as her father’s mad delusion.”

“Hmm... It appears my Eye passed to wise hands. I hope that remains so after I’m gone.”

This took the man by surprise. “Oh... Are you going away so soon?”

“Indeed. I’m going away at dusk. I came back to die,” Altan sighed heavily. “You took good care of me so many years ago. I thought you might take care of my bones too.”

The man clenched his jaw. “I... Yes, of course. I’ll make sure they are safe.”

“You sound disappointed.”

“I've been waiting to tell you how much you helped me. I never thought a dragon would change my life.”

“Well, I never thought a Child of Man would change mine, but here I am, entrusting my bones to you. And as a final gift, take my scales. The Eye will show you how to use them,” his voice was low. “Farewell, Child of Man.”

“Drake**,” he offered, putting his hand on the dragon’s snout. “My name is Drake, Altan. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”

“ ‘Drake’... What a fitting name. Farewell, Drake.”

And so, he was gone.

The man offered a prayer to the gods before returning home. He took the name “Fallen Drake”, as to never forget the kindness shared between the two. Its said the Dragon’s Eye is still present in his bloodline.

And so, that is how the noble and most ancient House of Fallendrake got its name.

XXXXXXXXX

* "Red dawn" in Turkish.

** Derived from the Old Norse byname Draki meaning "dragon", from Greek δρακων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent".

[apelcini]

[nevinslibrary]

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday

Enitan is a scribe (who actually wants to succeed at her tea business). Then, both those things fall by the wayside when her sibling is kidnapped, and her lover is killed. Then, she winds up in the capital of the Vaalbara Empire, and the question becomes can she free her sibling, can she save her homeland, as well as how far is she willing to go for all of this.

This was an interesting novel, for one thing because it was a bit fantasy, a bit science fiction, a bit political thriller too. The world building was awesome, and, the characters were also all unique and intriguing. It was a fun read.

You may like this book If you Liked: A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott, or The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

[yurisorcerer]

reblog not to gain a larger sample size but to feed my ego

[automaton-otto]

"Good evening everyone and thank you for tuning in to the 5 o'clock Vaalbara Capital News. I'm Sila Mor, reporting from our studio at the world capital of Vaalbara."

"In our top story today, Titan Activist and Humanitarian, Prometheus has yet to awaken from his coma following the attack earlier this week at his estate. Though his condition has thankfully stabilized. Doctors and medical personnel are on constant surveillance for any changes in his current disposition."

"Medical examinations have confirmed that due to signs of superficial burns, Lichtenberg dust figures, and a lack of punctures wounds on the chest. We've concluded that the main cause of injury was due to a magic induced attack. Prometheus's wife, Lady Ma'at, has yet to give us details on the attack as well details on the sudden disappearance of their grandchild, Jacob Fairheart."

"The motive of the assault is unknown and the identity of the attacker has yet to be indentified but many speculate this to be either an assassination attempt or a terrorist act. Citizens are advised to stay indoors, remain vigilant, and report any suspicious activity."

As expected, the core of the world is once again shaken at the fact that the always benevolent god's life is now hanging in the balance. Fellow Humanitarian Bruford Barret Braun of Braun Industries said that his heart goes out to Prometheus's family and that he has always been a dear friend and confidant to him. He also stated that he would continue to do charity work and spread Promethesus's message as he felt that's what he would have wanted"

"Grand Councilmen Gregorio Grand of the Kingdom of Grandia says that his thoughts and prayers are with the divine family."

"In these uncertain times, it's good to know that we can always rely on the strength and leadership of our Grand Royal Family. Good Night and Godspeed."

-------

Jeanne turns off the tv and lets out an annoyed sigh, steam pluming out of her mouth all the while, "So we're really not getting ourselves involved in this?"

"It is not-"

"It's not the Court of Tarot's business to deal with the affairs of the divine!" Jeanne yells interrupting her teacher, "I get it already but Jacob's gone missing. A kid's been kidnapped and you just want us to stand by?"

"Those are orders sent directly from the Knight of the World himself. He and the rest of the Major Arcana are still trying to feel the situation out." Bonnie explains.

"What the hell is left to feel out?" Jeanne says, "One of our friends is in a coma and their grandson is either missing or worse!"

"Prometheus the Forethinker is not our ally." Bonnie says taking a sip of her tea, "I have told you explicitly not to ally yourself with divine beings. Yet you did so anyway despite my warnings."

"I'm not-"

"There are consequences to allying yourself with a god!" Bonnie yells, "You weren't there when the Trojan War happened. Shit got crazy! If I do nothing and let you go about this recklessly it could lead to a divine war between two pantheons using the planet as their battleground! The casualties would be in the hundreds of thousands! I know you want to save those kids. We all want to. But until we can figure something that won't lead to the end of the world we have to bide our time."

"......." Jeanne says nothing she simply hides her eyes under the brim of her hat. The detective knew the monk was right. She just hated feeling helpless.

"We'll get them back. I promise." Bonnie consoles her student hugging her from behind, "We just have to wait."

[minimooberry]

when im in a 'ruin the life of every woman i come into contact with' contest and my opponent is any version of akio to ever exist : 😫😱😰

[celystial]

@siderealxmelody cont.

Rigelus stared at Rhysand through the mirro and rolled his eyes. "What happened to you?" The question hung between them. 500 years of history in that question. How did Rigelus talk about that? The jealousy? The rage? All the ways Rhysand had gotten the actual things he wanted? His kin had lost this world a millenia ago. He has grown up in the shadow of that defeat. His parents killed, slaughtered by those demons. Hunted down from their lands to the East to kill Asteri and drain their bodies - their light. How did he explain to Rhysand whose family was everything he'd ever wanted? Parents that adored each other? Sisters and brothers who cared for and never overstepped - who let their siblings breathe? He'd been 6, the murders had laughed as he screamed over his mother's body. If he hadn't been dragged away by Eosphoros and Austrus...if Hesperus hadn't killed them - would any of them had survived that? So he'd thrown himself into an impossible dream - his people would rise again. They'd take the old lands of Midgard and remake them. A haven for fae and others to come and be free. To feed and lord over like they used to. They'd claw their way back to Void-Chosen if it killed them. Rhysand hadn't approved, had called him a monster by the end. But it didn't matter, Midgard's borders were sealed. A wall just like Prythian had for the mortals outside their lands. Hadn't his kin called for those mortals? Promising them riches and security they never had under the fae? Rigelus steeled himself and met Rhysand's eyes. Ignoring the pity, that contempt. "Call me when you have that cracked. If you want our help that book needs to be cracked Rhysand." "And it'll be enough to stop -" "The Cauldron is a tool like any other. Since you refuse to let me actually see the book -" "I wouldn't trust you with any of this Rigelus if I was out of options." Rigelus huffed and stood reaching to close the connection. Rhysand stilled and looked away from the mirror for a moment. Rigelus's fingers stilled. Would she be there? The Princess he'd met 500 years ago? She was Queen now, High Lady of Night now. Not that he payed attention to those types of things. But how could he notice when Rhysand's face softened, when he looked like he'd had 500 years ago when that bond had finally snapped? "Rhysand? Is there anything else?" He despised mated couples. Thank The Void Hesperus and Austrus kept their relationships far more private. "Hmm? Oh, no. Tisi was just saying that the book had other things not related to the Cauldron. She says they're stories do you know anything about that?" Rigelus tilted his head and leaned back in his chair. "Probably observations? Or summarizes of everything my ancestors did. If I could just see -" "No." -------- Rigelus walked along the Istros late that night. He needed the night air, the quiet to think. What reports he was hearing was troubling. Hybern was small, but mighty. They had Demon blood, he wouldn't put it past the Princes to be part of this - He stopped blinking. He mentally cursed his own mental fatigue. He should have noticed where his body was taking him. He wasn't in the Eternal City where his body couldn't do anything more than find a window to have stand at to face Vaalbara. He looked to the sky, praying to Void to give him strength. He felt no different as he moved to where she sat. "Rough day Quinlan?" It felt far too intimate to call her by her name - especially in this context.

Of course it would be just her luck to run into the one person she had been avoiding since news of him arriving in Lunathion. It seemed that not ever her favorite little spot in the city was safe now.

❛ What do you want, Rigelus? ❜ She doesn't entertain his question. Why should she? He can't be trusted. He's her enemy in all sense of the word. She hasn't forgotten the casual threat he made her not too long ago. No, she hasn't forgotten that at all.

[boardgoats]

Next Meeting, 5th September 2023

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 5th September 2023.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  The pub is doing food, and the table is booked from 6.30pm for those that would like to eat first. This week, the “Feature Game” will be Vaalbara (rules, review, how to play video).  This is a light card game,…

[stillflight]

I have a question regarding your plurality. Have you ever experienced a headmate “go away” for lack of better explanation?

Yes. I've had headmates "go away" temporarily while certain things influenced my mental state; in general, Tetri, Ziv, Lumi and Vaalbara all get very quiet and less clear when I'm on a higher dose of my antipsychotic medication. They're still faintly there, just communicating with them is nigh-impossible. And (because they started as dæmons so our main form of interaction is projection) projecting them near me becomes a conscious effort on my part instead of theirs. I only just learned all this last month, when I had to go up on my dose to cope with stress from school and an abusive parent and found that being unable to reach my headmates was far more distressing than either of those.

But there was also an instance where I had a headmate who decided he wanted to leave, so he did, and he disappeared permanently. His name was Mars and this was back before we even accepted that we were more plural than dæmian. I have no idea how "leaving" works or how one might leave a body but any attempt I've made to connect with him since then has been met with absolute absence. I never talked about that but it happened around this time last year. He may one day come back, which would be nice, but we didn't really end on a good note :|

[singer-saboteur-soldier-spy]

Background blog facts that are no less important but that I don’t have enough thoughts to make full headcanon posts about yet:

The original task force Viking was commissioned for was called Strike Nine, and was about 65/40 Human/Reploid.

Two other members of Strike Nine - both Human - helped Viking disappear after he’d decided to leave the task force.

Farraday Labs has an ongoing lawsuit pending against Allen Adagio of Adagio Music for breach of contract after they pulled the Reploid Acoustikat out of early observation without permission.

Issac and his wife Amari originally only got married for the legal and tax benefits.

Issac Farraday lied on his resume to get a job working under Dr. Cain when Reploids first began to be mass produced.

Issimo and Acoustikat know of each other by X4 and are slowly starting to get to know one another post-X8. Neither of them know about Viking.

Despite both of them attending Black Lake in an overlapping time period, Issimo and Viking have never met.

Farraday Labs relocated to one of the smaller orbital colonies, called “Vaalbara”, during humanity’s expansion into space.

Octavia Xu also relocated to the Vaalbara colony, where she met with Issac and Amari Farraday, and worked with them to create Remedy based off of old plans she and Lester had been working on for their third child.

Remedy used to get in mild trouble with the local law on Vaalbara for using her Copy Ability to cheat at Hide and Seek by mimicking the forms of nearby Reploids (including those in law enforcement).