#auspice of echoes

[mapsontheweb]

Revolts and revolutions in Italy under the Restoration

“Atlante storico”, Garzanti, 1966

by cartesdhistoire

The Congress of Vienna divided Italy into ten largely reactionary states, against which the secret society of Charbonnage, originating in the Kingdom of Naples in 1807, opposed itself. The "Carbonari," mainly from the middle classes, whose growth had been favored by French domination, claimed inspiration from the constitution of Cádiz promulgated by the Spanish parliament with Napoleon's agreement in 1812.

Revolutionary movements erupted first in Naples in the summer of 1820, followed by Palermo, which became the scene of a genuine civil war. The insurrection spread to Piedmont from March 1821; the insurgents were defeated in Novara on April 8, with Austrian assistance, leading to ruthless repression until October. Order on the peninsula was only fully restored in early 1822 by the Austrian army. Severe anti-liberal repression was felt in Modena, the Papal State, and Milan. At least 3,000 patriots went into exile between 1821 and 1823.

Echoing the Parisian revolution of 1830, which had a profound impact in Italy, an uprising erupted in early 1831 in Modena, Parma, and Bologna. On March 4, the Austrian army entered the Duchy of Modena, and on the 29th, the last remnants of the insurgent army capitulated. Fierce repression followed.

Patriots were divided into two models: revolutionary and democratic or liberal and moderate. The latter, itself subdivided into two currents, one advocating unification under the pope's auspices and the other under the leadership of the House of Savoy. The revolutionary model, predominant until 1848, found its embodiment in Giuseppe Mazzini, who envisioned a popular insurrection to overcome resistance from princes and local particularisms, leading to a republic. Mazzini's activism played a significant role in shaping the Italian people's national consciousness, but the utopian nature of the insurrectional path ultimately led to a deadlock.

#maps #cartesdhistoire #igsourced #italy #1820

[skyminsworld]

We are of Fire

Rhaenyra Targaryen x Oc Aelyx Targaryen

Rhaenyra Targaryen and her sister-wife Aelyx Targaryen stood on the windswept cliffs of Dragonstone, the ancestral seat of House Targaryen, where the great Valyrian lords had first settled after the Doom. The sky above was a tapestry of swirling gray clouds, reflecting the ancient magic that still lingered in the air, and the sea below roared its approval as waves crashed against the black stone of the island.

The ceremony was steeped in the traditions of Old Valyria, a tribute to their heritage and a reminder of the dragons’ might. Rhaenyra, with her silver-gold hair cascading down her back and her violet eyes shimmering with resolve, stood proud in a gown of red and white. Beside her, Aelyx, her sister-wife, matched her in a similar gown, their hands entwined in a bond stronger than the most unyielding Valyrian steel.

The ritual began at dusk, under the auspices of the Blood Moon, a celestial event said to bless the union of two souls destined for greatness. The High Valyrian words of the priestess echoed through the stillness, invoking the favor of the gods. "Jal Wun Azantys," she chanted, "by blood and fire."

Their dragons, Syrax and Vermithor, stood sentinel nearby, their eyes glowing like molten gold in the dim light. The presence of the dragons was vital, for they were not only mounts but symbols of the Targaryens' dominion and their unbreakable bond. As the ceremony progressed, the dragons roared in unison, sending chills down the spines of all present, a clear sign that the old gods were watching.

A sacred blade, forged in the fires of Dragonstone itself, was brought forth. Rhaenyra and Aelyx each pricked a finger, letting their blood mingle on the blade. "A binding of blood," the priestess intoned, "as it was in Valyria, so it shall be now." The blood was then mixed with fire, a small pyre lit by the dragonflame, representing the unity of their house and their shared destiny.

The final vows were taken in High Valyrian, their voices strong and unwavering despite the howling winds. "Nyke ēdrutas ao," Rhaenyra pledged, "I am yours." Aelyx responded, "Nyke ēdrutas ao," echoing the eternal promise. As the flames flared brighter, they clasped hands, their fingers stained with each other’s blood, and kissed, sealing their vows not only to each other but to the legacy they would forge together.

The feast that followed was a lavish affair, with roasted meats, exotic fruits, and the finest Dornish wines, a celebration worthy of their union. Songs of Old Valyria were sung, and the air was filled with laughter and the roar of dragons. In the great hall of Dragonstone, banners bearing the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen fluttered, illuminated by the flickering torchlight.

As the night drew on, Rhaenyra and Aelyx slipped away to the heights of Dragonstone, where they could be alone under the stars and moon up the sky. The future was uncertain, filled with both promise and peril, but in that moment, they were together, bound by ancient tradition and their indomitable will.

Thus, under the watchful eyes of their dragons and the ancient gods, Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aelyx Targaryen began their journey as sister-wives, their fates intertwined, their hearts aflame with the promise of the legacy they would create together.They knew what will come ,lots of hardship but they had each other

A promise of life ,once a dragon has it's treasure it will keep it to itself burning anyone who tries to steal what is rightfully theirs.

#house of the dragon #house of the dragon roleplay #house of the dragon rp #hotd rp #hotd roleplay #game of thrones rp #got roleplay #asoiaf rp #asoiaf roleplay #rhaenyra targaryen #rhaenyra rp #rhaenyra x reader #rhaenyra x aelyx #rhaenyra x oc #rhaenyra x fem!reader #wlw #tumblr fyp #asoiaf #got rp #queen rhaenyra #alicent hightower #daemon targeryan #house targaryen #aelyx targaryen #syrax #vermithor #rp request #oc rp #mature rp #hotd fanfic

[eretzyisrael]

And Biden Falsely Stated Several Times This Was an Israeli Deal

ZOA strongly condemns the horrendous suicidal-for-Israel proposal announced by President Biden at the White House on Friday, May 31, 2024, approximately half an hour after the Sabbath began in Jerusalem, Israel. The timing of Biden’s announcement appears to have been designed to prevent Jewish Sabbath observers and the Jewish government from promptly responding. Biden contradictorily claimed that Israel had “offered” or “accepted” or “can offer” a comprehensive new proposal which was transmitted by Qatar to Hamas. Biden then outlined this alleged proposal’s terms – which were virtually identical to Hamas’ demands.

Soon afterwards, extremist anti-Israel former President Barack Obama revealed in a tweet that Biden (not Israel) put forth this proposal. A statement from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office also indicated that Israel’s “actual proposal” is far different from the proposal that Biden misrepresented as coming from Israel. Biden’s misrepresentation appears to be yet another way to pressure Israel into a deal that would severely damage Israel’s security and ability to deter terror for years to come, lead to more October 7ths, and embolden Hamas, Hezbollah and Iranian attacks on Israel.

Notably, at the Arab National Security Conference in Beirut, the very same day that Biden announced his proposal echoing Hamas’ demands, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh reiterated Hamas’ demands that are identical to Biden’s plan; called for widespread violent mobilization against Israel; gloated that Israel had lost its deterrence advantage and failed to achieve its goals; and boasted that he had developed an integrated plan of action against Israel in all areas. The Hamas/Biden deal appears to be part of Hamas’ “integrated plan of action” to destroy Israel.

Biden’s proposal gives Hamas everything it wants, namely:

Israel will leave all of Gaza and maintain no protective demilitarized buffer zone;

There is no provision for removing Hamas from Gaza – and in fact Hamas is a signing party. In other words, Hamas will continue to control Gaza;

Gazans (many of whom participated in the October 7th slaughter) will return to their homes in all areas of Gaza, and will be able to attack Israel all over again;

Israel will release massive numbers of convicted Hamas murderers from Israeli jails: at least 30 Palestinian Arab terrorists for each raped and tortured child, female or elderly hostage or dead hostage body; and 50 convicted Hamas terrorists – chosen by Hamas – including terrorists serving life sentences for murdering Jews – for each of the other Israeli hostages. This adds up to the release of an estimated 6,000 Nazi-like Hamas terrorists, and is tantamount to signing the death warrant of thousands of Jews.

Hamas will not immediately account for the hostages and their condition. Instead, Hamas will leave the hostages languishing in Hamas’ brutal captivity for weeks and months longer. Only 33 hostages or dead hostage bodies are to be released over the first six weeks, in exchange for an Israeli ceasefire, withdrawal and the release of the first 990 convicted Hamas terrorists. There will be negotiations for the “second stage” – including the timing of the release of the remaining almost 100 hostages or their bodies in return for almost 5,000 convicted Hamas terrorists and Israel’s withdrawal and permanent ceasefire;

There will be an immediate “temporary” ceasefire leading to a permanent ceasefire;

Gaza will be rebuilt under the auspices of the same Hamas allies who previously transmitted and hid weapons for Hamas and financed building Hamas’ terror tunnels and terror infrastructure (Qatar, Egypt and the UN). This will enable Hamas to perpetrate more and more horrendous October 7ths as their leaders have promised;

Israel’s and Egypt’s weapons blockades of Gaza will be lifted within five years, thereby enabling huge amounts of weapons to pour freely into Gaza;

600 truckloads of humanitarian aid per day will be sent into Gaza – and will surely will be promptly seized by Hamas.

(Details from Biden’s announcement and the Saudi Al Majalla magazine.)

As Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) noted, Biden’s proposal will not bring peace. Senator Fetterman explained that there won’t be peace “until there is an absolute [Hamas] surrender and they are . . . either in exile or they’re brought to justice or they’re eliminated. One way or another, there’s not going to be any meaningful peace, so long as Hamas is able to operate.”

Sickeningly, in order to persuade Israel to agree to this disastrous deal, Biden falsely and misleadingly claimed: “The people of Israel should know they can make this offer without any further risk to their own security because they’ve devastated Hamas forces over the past eight months. At this point, Hamas no longer is capable of carrying out another October 7th, which — one of the Israelis’ main objective in this war.”

False! In fact, Hamas is still killing and wounding Israelis and launching rockets at Israel. Just this past week (on Sunday, May 26), Hamas launched from its enclave in Rafah barrages of rockets at central Israel, damaging a home in Herzliya (10 miles north of Tel Aviv), wounding two Israelis, and causing Israelis all over central Israel to run for bomb shelters. And on May 5, Hamas launched, from a civilian shelter, a rocket barrage that killed four Israeli soldiers at the Kerem Shalom crossing being used to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza. Most concerningly, Biden’s plan would build Hamas’ capabilities, and make Hamas capable of launching many more October 7ths within a short time frame.

Here are some of the provisions that should be in any deal that are notably absent from Biden’s proposal. These items are necessary to have peace:

Immediate humanitarian visits to every hostage, as required by humanitarian law;

Immediate release of the hostages, as required by humanitarian law;

The arrest or surrender and war crimes trials of Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif Ibrahim al-Masri (note that his name “al-Masri” identifies him as Egyptian), Khaled Mashaal, Ismail Hanyieh and others involved in planning and financing Hamas’ October 7 atrocities;

Removal of Hamas from power;

Destruction of all of Hamas’ arms and terror tunnels;

Rescission of the Hamas Charter, which calls for Israel’s destruction and the murder of every Jew throughout the world;

Removal of UNRWA;

Re-education and de-Hamas-ification of the Gazan public, similar to the de-nazification that took place in Germany following WWII;

Israeli retention of the Philadelphi corridor and northern and other demilitarized zones in Gaza, to prevent future October 7 attacks;

Reinstituting maximum sanctions against Iran that Biden has ignored so that Iran can no longer fund, train and arm Hamas.

Biden’s proposal rewards Hamas for its war crimes, instead of making Hamas accountable for its heinous rapes, torture and murders inflicted on the Jewish children, women and civilians. Ironically, prior to announcing his pro-Hamas proposal, President Biden first remarked, regarding former President Trump’s conviction in New York, that “no one is above the law.” Unfortunately, Biden’s proposal places Hamas above the law.

#hamas #gaza #ceasefire #surrender #israel #biden #joe biden

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

By Yaimi Ravelo

With the participation of 82 delegates from 26 countries, the anti-imperialist meeting echoes the international rejection of the genocide perpetrated by the Zionist army of “Israel” on the Palestinian people; and the unanimous demand for the return of the Cuban territory usurped by the United States with the installation of the Naval Base in Guantanamo; first Military Base of that country in the world, as well as the repudiation of the wars organized by NATO under the direction and auspices of the US.

#military bases #Guantanamo #conference #antiwar #imperialism #FreePalestine #StopNATO #Ukraine #GazaGenocide #UnblockCuba #Cuba #Struggle La Lucha

[seafoamreadings]

week of june 4th, 2023

aries: venus into leo is great for you in romance and art, not so great for money this week as there is a jupiter square first up and it reflects some overindulgence financially or materially. but give that some time and the money and resources get a nice boost as well!

taurus: the dominant vibes all week are venus and earth. and while it doesn't mostly involve your sign directly, you are the platonic ideal of earthy venusian. kick back and enjoy the good auspices, but avoid overindulging too much. pleasure is good until it leads to a tummyache or a financial deficit. do temperance, just a bit.

gemini: mercury starts out the week on some serious underworld business, which has you involved in some shady or at minimum secretive dealings. but it isn't long before he heads for your sign, and back up to the fresh air and the light of day. so act with integrity and good character as you go about your secrecy.

cancerians: it's a loosely supportive week featuring mainly the more external, social parts of your chart. it won't do to be *too* independent at this time. it is also wise, always but especially now, to be generous with your resources BUT without being excessively so. financial losses are more likely at this time than generally.

leo: venus moves into your sign this week, which is a huge blessing and boosts your glamorousness a hundred times. if you want a little help with self image she provides it, and otherwise she casts the rose gold shine of charisma and magnetism on you.

virgo: mercury-ceres-neptune activity might be a wild ride this week for you, while others perceive it as a gentle nurturing time. but this is all about your relationships, a friends-to-lovers scenario, or love at first sight, or meeting someone who becomes very important to you later on, but for now you only perceive them as though they're in a dream.

libra: your ruling planet venus moves into leo - nice - to immediately oppose pluto - less nice. your social circles are aglow with love and beauty and yet there is some destruction to a romantic or creative process. on the other hand, no creation is possible without a little destruction. weak foundations won't survive.

scorpio: it's a plutonic week. heavy, deep. nothing small occurs. what seems small is a fractal of something bigger, an omen. after pluto retrogrades into capricorn for another brief stay there, you feel like you've gone back in time. you'll wake up later on fast forwarded into the future.

sagittarius: the advent of venus into leo, a more or less yearly passage beginning this week, is a huge blessing for sagittarians of all ilk (sun, rising, anything.) it is beautiful, feisty, smart, and in your 9th house, which has a natural affinity with your sign. read a book. they say not to judge books by their covers but you *do* want a pretty one right now.

capricorn: you may have thought you were done with pluto when it moved into aquarius. mostly, you are. things are not the way they used to be. but pluto's retrograde takes it back into your sign for a short visit. echoes of the era from 2008-just recently fill your ears, metaphorically. don't let them spook you. that era has ended.

aquarius: pluto has been on your threshold for weeks. this week he makes a little detour before entering your parlor and heads, briefly, back for the last degrees of capricorn. in a sense it's welcome but there is also a foreboding feeling that you're only delaying the inevitable.

pisces: a relationship that is not quite headed where it ought to be going takes the stage. you are thus tasked with deciding whether you think it is likely to correct its course, or whether this is a sign from the wyrd universal forces that you're being protected from something that isn't all it seems to be.

#astrology #horoscopes #weekly horoscope #signs #zodiac #aries #taurus #gemini #cancer #leo #virgo #libra #scorpio #sagittarius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces

[exoticalmonde]

Part I. Phantom and Crimson Solitaire but the part where Dr. Eve is reading where the mission is situated + history + collectibles

Instead of Dr. Pinkie being the actual loremaster that I expected given their superiority in everything that ever happens with the game, I have reclaimed the role (at least when it comes to IS2) and that includes all my assumptions about whatever has happened and is happening in it.

First of all, while re-reading the previous post I made about Shalem and Phantom, I realized that, wait a minute, where the hell is this even situated?

Apparently, Gaul. Which I have been able to understand is basically France, but gone because they were too sassy. Something of that sort. My understanding before versus now.

Second of all, it's not Gaul itself, the place we stumble into is a castle in Calais-Blason. That is a part of Gaul formally, now it is a part of Northwestern Victoria. After the war nothing was left of it because of devastation and because all the people either fled or died.

Phantom was told by the Crimson Troupe that he was born in Calais-Blason and was taken by the Troupe after a flood Catastrophe swept through the area.

We don't really know if that's true or not though.

Then there is a description as we enter the loading screen of the castle that states:

A castle hidden within the woods constructed under the auspices of a Gaulish noble who perished in the war a few years after its completion, leaving it derelict. But a mysterious group has been calling it home recently...

I'm about to eventually figure out who the noble is and we know that the mysterious group is The Troupe. Their 'Blood Diamond' is Phantom and during some investigating of his memories, he was attracted my goodness knows what machinations to re-visit his old home. Our job is to, you won't believe it,

Gaul's story in general is as straightfoward as it can be based on the Wiki. It was an empire ruled by a family of Liberi located between Victoria, Ursus, and Leithanien. Gaul was so influential that its grand nomadic capital, Lingones, was nicknamed the "Capital of Terra".

Gaul was primarily known for its expansionism, and it reached its peak during the reign of its last Emperor, Corsica I, following the implementation of the "Second Economic Reform Act," a new codex that drastically strengthened Gaul's military.

No surprise there, since Corsica I came to lord over the country because of his military prowess and the rewards he's gained over the years of serving. He was putting all of his military power into expansionism when demand had grown more than what the land's riches could produce. Like any time in history, he thought that it's time to knock on their neighbours' doors and tell them their time is up.

Big mistake. What kind of professional, a military veteran looks at this man and in return says 'I can take him'. Like any monarch, outraged by the Gaul's proposition to become a vassal state, the Witch King refuted by turning all Gallic envoys in Leithanien into lifeless statues. That's how we ended up with the Gallo-Leithanian War.

---

Pinkie: "I'm starting to believe you didn't read the story of Lingering Echoes." Me: "Which... I didn't." Pinkie: "There you go!" Me: *Appalled* Pinkie: "We will pick up the pieces left during Zwillingstürme Herbst."

---

That wasn't enough. Gaul also attempted to invade Victoria – which almost resulted in a complete defeat and annihilation of the latter, forcing Victoria to give up its northwestern colony that would later become Columbia.

In 1053, Victoria, under the leadership of King Frederick III, formed a coalition with Leithanien and Ursus to oppose Gaul, leading to the Battle of the Four Emperors. The war ends with Gaul's total annihilation, Lingones (the Capital) is wiped off the map, and the victors taking over Gaul's former territory.

The fall of Gaul is often considered the most tragic event in Terra's history. During its time, Gaulish culture was considered influential, but are now slowly fading to obscurity. Some collectors sought to preserve Galic relics while bakers and wineries tried to replicate the original Gaulish formula, but the latter are unable to match the original. With their homeland lost, many Gauls were scattered across Terra, and their nobilities were forced to serve the victors. Still, there are some Gallic restorationists who attempted to steal Gallic relics on display in museums in order to rally the surviving Gauls and bring the empire back to life.

Which leaves a lot of questions for where the current Victorian storyline is going to go, because I think most of the land and the people now consider themselves victorians. Granted, their descent remains marked, so here's a list of Gaulish people.

... Clément.............

To note before I go reading the collectables, here's the most metal thing I have ever seen being done in Arknights so far.

The Last Empress-Consort of Gaul: The wife of Corsica I, also known as the Natator. She chose to stay in the Gaulish imperial palace upon hearing the news of Corsica I's death and killed the invading enemies in a suicide attack by plunging an Originium shard into her body.

---

Pinkie: "So can we assume all catboys are Victorian?" Me: "Uh-- Well, I think so?" Pinkie: "Because, we already know all Perro are from Bolívar, and Ursus is a thing." Me: "Yeah, sounds the part actually. Officially, all Felines are Victorian."

---

Collectables I found cool, so i want you to know.

Banshee's Kiss

Outsiders make extraordinary displays of bravery that far surpass their normal abilities. However, as one of the few male Banshees out there, this has become a far too common sight to Logos.

You could lie to me and tell me that belongs to Logos and I will believe you. I don't understand a lick of what this signifies though. Maybe it is connected to death, maybe it is connected to music, or to the fact this is a relic of the Death Cult (The Troupe).

---

Actor's Jewelery Box

A box containing all kinds of shattered jewelries. The young lead actress wore these jewelries and stepped onto the stage, in the end falling from its highest point.

Absolutely terrible, actually. Nobody will understand the reference but this reminds me of how Lumine fell off the stage in Off-Script by Jules and Amarettiii. Great scene, wonderful timing in what is happening before that. Genshin brainworms shall always swarm me when Arknightsing and vice versa.

---

Fissured Restraints

It seems this sturdy band was once used to restrain something terrifying… Help…

????????????????????????????????????????

---

Godmother's Token

A laurel of bones, the token of a Sicilian noblewoman. This symbol of order will smooth the turbulence of all desires, for conflict is not allowed. Genuine or counterfeit, it still demands you to kneel.

Laurel. Of. Bones.

Dude...

---

Worn-out Group Photo

Do you know someone in the photo?

These are Gopnik and Hellagur as far as I can see.

---

Writer's Tongue

The playwright penned his creations with a quill and his own blood, and for himself he devised an ending in which he perishes in a sea of flames.

Something something it has to do with the ending but I have not gotten to any ever thus... I will be reading that later.

---

'The Whisperer in Darknight'

A black vinyl. DO. NOT. TOUCH. IT.

I played Darknights memoirs, you have no excuse to keep me away from it. Unless it's... who collected Vynil out of the Penguin Logistics? Was it Emperor himself? Croissant? I don't remember but my hands are up, you can see them.

---

Gold-Plated Dice

The gold-plated die has one side representing life. As for the other nineteen sides…

---

Emperor's Favor

A very sharp letter opener. It was one of the favorite possessions of the last Ursus emperor, and as such it was very rarely used to actually open letters.

---

Silver Forks

One for dealing with actors who botch their performances, one for dealing with incompetent playwrights, and one for anyone who needs it. The Chief will not tolerate any mistakes on the table.

The more I learn about the Troupe the worse it just gets.

---

Damaged Revolver Cyllinder

She never capitulated, even after enduring countless trials and tribulations. Her muzzle belched tongues of flame that burned like an angry sun, and the glow above her head was brighter than the daylight itself. Buried here is Outcast, our friend.

Outcast? Who is Outcast? *Googles*

Oh.

---

Kryo: "She is past tense." Me: "She is a 'was'."

---

Rusted Razor

If you cut yourself with this, you know what will happen.

Is this allowed? Is... Is this allowed? What do you mean- Yes we all know what happens with a-- goodness me.

---

'Brilliant Lament'

His blood yet flows. He has never left this place.

Whose...? Whose???

---

White Flower Crown

A floral veil used in Vampire rituals. Its once vibrant redness has been sucked empty, leaving nothing only a pale white color.

Oh, pretty!

---

Dancer's Bracelets

The audience breaks into applause as the well-trained dancers waltz around the traps on stage. None of them are aware of the brushes with death the performers have just been through.

The trauma just continues. Thematic.

---

This is just a set of pastries without context, I love the food in Arknights.

---

Broke Mask

He’s wearing the mask. Is he the one who’s speaking or is it the mask?

Oooo it's Phantom. We Phantom enjoyers know when we see the mask.

#arknights #doctor of ri shenanigans #arknights event #Arknights IS2 #Arknights Crimson Solitaire #phantom and crimson solitaire #Arknights Doctor #Phantom Arknights #Arknights Lore #Arknights Art #arknights operators #lore and stories #Arknights Victoria #Eve's Exploring #Dr. Eve is also terrified

[scribefindegil]

The Brassica Heresy: Prologue

Ask and ye shall receive! Everyone was so excited about the Tsubomi-centric broccoli horror idea that I’m turning it into a full fic. You can learn a little more about this AU (including a bonus ficlet from later in the story!) in my "Heretic AU" tag. 

I'm trying to keep chapters for this one shorter and punchier (although this prologue is a baby chapter; the rest will be longer), so hopefully it's easier for me to update despite my curse.

Read the prologue here or on AO3!

On a warm November night, Tsubomi found herself wandering downtown towards the Divine Tree, caught up in the crush of the crowd, to see what all the fuss was about–

No.

On a warm November night, Tsubomi made the pilgrimage towards the Divine Tree, caught up in the throng of fellow worshipers. She smiled as the voice of Psycho Helmet-sama echoed through her mind, telling her that a second Founder was approaching, and she applauded as her childhood friend entered the Tree to converse with God. She watched as the sky was illuminated by branching lightning in familiar colors, and then with explosions in rainbow hues as the Tree defended itself from a speck that shone like gold in the dying sunlight, and–

No.

On a warm November night, Tsubomi made the pilgrimage towards the Divine Tree, caught up in the throng of fellow worshipers. She smiled as the voice of Psycho Helmet-sama echoed through her mind, reminding her and the rest of the mob that he and he alone was the God and Founder of their faith. She watched as the sky was illuminated with branching lightning in colors that reminded her of nothing at all, and then with explosions in rainbow hues as the Tree defended itself from a speck that shone like gold in the dying sunlight, and when the last echoes had died away she heard the voice of the Founder again.

A great threat to their happiness had been defeated. The city would prosper now. The Divine Tree would prosper now. The degenerate world would change, as their hearts had been changed, to become a perfect vessel for happiness. Tsubomi clapped and cheered and smiled with the rest of them.

She fell into step with a boy from her neighborhood as she wandered back home. The two of them used to play together as children, although it had been a long time since they’d spoken. She remembered him as standoffish, someone she’d only really been friends with because their families encouraged it. It could be isolating, being an only child like her. Like him.

But that didn’t matter now. Now they had the Divine Tree. Now neither of them would have to feel lonely ever again.

She smiled at him as he turned off towards his own house and walked on, the dying weeds that sprouted from the sidewalk catching at her shoes.

Tsubomi opened the curtains in her bedroom so she could sleep with the Divine Tree watching over her.

She was happy, of course. Everyone under the auspices of the Divine Tree was happy.

No.

No.

No.

On a cold November morning, Tsubomi wakes up with her head clouded with memories that feel like dreams and dreams that feel like memories. She swallows an aspirin before brushing her teeth in the hope that it will dispel the fog that seems to have settled over her mind.

Her curtains are open. She pulls them shut; she’s tired of seeing that broccoli everywhere. Of all the fads for Seasoning City to get obsessed with, this has to be the strangest. The celebration last night had been . . . fun, as far as she can remember, but it feels like the city is getting a little carried away. Her blouse from the day before smells like vegetation and dust.

Tsubomi shakes her head. These people are just enjoying themselves. It’ll be like every craze that sweeps through the school; one day everyone will get bored with it and move on, just like she has. All she has to do is wait, and everything will go back to normal.

The grass outside her house is wilting when Tsubomi leaves for school. Her neck prickles like she’s being watched, but when she looks around there’s nothing.

She picks her way over the fresh cracks in the sidewalk.

In the distance, the Divine Tree looms over the city.

#mp100 #scribe writes #heretic au

[bitsypookums]

Warrior of Light vs. Azem: Manami Bansho and Hephateon of Amaurot

Manami’s childhood covered the length and breadth of Doma on foot as she trailed behind her traveling healer father and studied bow and blade at her mother’s knee. Forced into conscription by Garlemald, her prodigious talent for armorcraft and smithing flourished further in magitek engineering, and she eventually became Mana jen Bansho under the auspices of Rhitahtyn sas Arvina. Following word that her father had been conscripted and killed by resistance forces in far-off Bozja, she defected by throwing herself and her prototype magitek weapons into the Rhotano during pitched combat with the pirates of Limsa Lominsa. Rescued and recruited, the pugnacious firebrand swore to never bend the knee or hold her peace ever again.

The burning embers within her echo back to a forgotten age, where a harsh and relentless researcher pushed every boundary of what was and what could be, eyes ever-fixed forward to shepherd and safeguard the hopes of all life.

meme template provided by @feralcitrus on twitter

#manami bansho #hephateon of amaurot #WoL vs Azem comparison meme #my art #ffxiv flailing #character art dump continues #whoop doop

[heliopauseentertainments]

Allegedly Written In The Stars

Prompt: Day 6 - Sun/Moon

Continuity: IDW1

Rating: General

Relationship: Rodimus/Megatron

Characters: Rodimus & Megatron

Summary: In which Megatron is tormented by Rodimus grossly misunderstanding horoscopes and astrology.

Crossposting: AO3 | DreamWidth

Fic under cut. See AO3 for complete notes.

              There was a crackling noise overhead, the public announcement system rousing Megatron from recharge.

However, he found that, oddly, he couldn’t see the ceiling, painted in a starscape. The quilted tarpaulins had been carelessly shoved over his face at some point in during the recharge cycle by Rodimus. While Rodimus was a restless sleeper, he tended to steal the covers, not forcibly distribute them.

That led him to the obvious conclusion that Rodimus had vacated the berth. Early.

Rodimus had gotten up early.

Before he could confirm his suspicions by reaching for abandoned recharge cables next to him, the voice over the PA did that for him.

Rodimus’s voice, eager and altogether too cheery for this hour of the morning, echoed from the ship’s speakers in the dark of their habsuite.

“Good morning, crew! This is your sun captain speaking—“ What? “—with your fortunes for the day.”

What?

No, Megatron thought as he yanked the tarpaulins down from his face, this was some bizarre dream, likely influenced by some innocuous thing he had heard but not actively recalled the other day.

He would simply turn his optics back off, ignore it, and wake up with this all blissfully forgotten, preferably with Rodimus recharging nearby as expected.

Unfortunately, as the universe, no matter which one he was in, seemed to delight in either proving Megatron wrong or otherwise aggravating him.

Rodimus’s voice continued over the speakers.

“Those who were forged or—sorry, created under the sign of Amalgamous will encounter difficulty today with… uh… immutable shapes, but it’s otherwise a good day for triple-changers.”

What utter nonsense.

There weren’t even any triple-changers onboard the Lost Light.

Megatron had never bothered to understand the pattern or associated meanings because, in his opinion, none of it mattered.

Astrology was a pointless exercise is finding patterns where they didn’t exist and trying to exert some measure of control and understanding over an uncaring multiverse. The “art” and its kin predated modern Cybertronian knowledge of how celestial bodies moved but had kept on in some religious sects and the popular imagination.

The only reason Megatron knew as little as he did about the dominant astrological tradition on their homeworld, which was admittedly very little, was that Starscream had a very blessedly brief phase midway through the war where he had become obsessed with the stars associated with the Thirteen.

These stars were allegedly the brightest that could be seen from Cybertron on a dark night without light pollution. One, amusingly enough, was their system’s sun, despite being obligatorily not seen at night.

Starscream, being Starscream, had refused to shut up about it for two entire months. He was lucky that he had lost interest in trying to predict the course of battle by the stars before Megatron had been fed up enough to seriously debate throttling him.

By that point, the war itself had already been flung amongst the stars, making it impossible to consistently “read” the familiar sky anyway.

“If you were created under the sign of Prima, maybe avoid seeking revenge on me today. That would be awesome.”

Who had Rodimus upset this time? That was a very pointed “prophetic” recommendation.

Over the course of the next ten minutes that could have been spent more productively, Rodimus continued giving vague and clearly lazily contrived pronouncements for the crew, going through each of the signs of the original thirteen Primes.

Of course, minus the two that were not talked about, functionally leaving only eleven. Starscream had taken to accusing him to being created under the auspices of one of the unspoken ones and that had been allegedly why he was so “naturally hostile.”

All the while Rodimus read out horoscopes for the crew, derived from Primus knew what, Megatron laid on the recharge slab, covered still in a tangle of neglected tarpaulins, silently letting the absurdity of the entire situation wash over him.

“If you were created under the sign of Solus—like me—then today is going to rock, because absolutely no one is going to get revenge on you today.”

This was just an asinine dream, his processor punishing him for something. Rodimus had never so much as mentioned astrology to him. His mind was just taking one of Starscream’s dreadful former hobbies and supplanting it onto his current partner to torment him.

Megatron rolled over on the recharge slab, checking that his cables were still securely plugged in. Going back to sleep was the only solution.

“Moon captain, if you can hear me, wake up and come to the bridge because I need you to prevent some revenge.”

Given there was only one other captain on the ship, he could only presume that this dream-based Rodimus meant him.

Megatron was not going to obey some disembodied dream voice. He didn’t even need to be up for hours yet. He grumbled meaningless noises of displeasure.

The commlink in his wrist began to ring, just to prove him wrong.

“Rodimus, it’s middle of the night.” As far as shifts and clocks went anyway, given that “day” and “night” were nebulous concepts of convenience when in space. “I’m going back to sleep—“

“Okay, but can you do that after you stop Ultra Magnus from lecturing me about reorganizing his files by color?”

With that missing piece to fill the gaps, the full situation became immediately clear to him.

Rodimus had pulled a prank on Ultra Magnus, realized afterward that would lead to a lecture because he couldn’t remember how to put the files back the way they had been before, and thus hastily devised a scheme to discourage Ultra Magnus from pursuing that lecture.

That would be explain the inexpertly and pointedly generated horoscopes, despite the fact they were in a different universe with vastly different stars.

Clever, if not for the fact that it wouldn’t work.

This was, unfortunately, not a dream, but the regularly scheduled fallout of a life with Rodimus.

#fic #one shot #maccadam #idw1 #mtmte #rodimus #megatron #megarod #megarodweek2022

[velnica]

Late Night Stroll (Cora/Seiryu)

[ A/N: My WoL Cora and Seiryu of the Four Lords taking a late night stroll down Kogane Dori hand in hand. Seiryu has a custom avatar, an ashen-skin male Elezen with soft feminine features (made with male Viera base). They are wearing gorgeous Far Eastern outfits that complement each other. Cora's Echo allows him to hear animal thoughts (and vice versa), so they hold hands a lot and converse in secret. The perk of having a powerful auspice as your boyfriend. ]

#I'm going insane for these two #they look so good #Just *chef's kiss* #oc: corentin arceneaux #seiryu #ffxiv seiryu #the four lords #seiryu x wol #wol x seiryu #seiryuwol #ffxiv

[uraharashouten]

"I honestly didn't expect to see anyone like you since I'd left Asgard... This is a pretty surprising meeting, if I do say." (Victor)

Kisuke's yunomi paused midway to his mouth. "Asgard..." he echoed absently, gaze wandering out the window to the courtyard beyond the oku-zashiki. His brow wrinkled lightly and briefly, as from a passing pain.

Nuku, nuku nurmilintu...

"Apologies," he offered, returning to himself and bringing the tea to his lips.

"I have a tendency to forget that Pohjola falls under the auspices of Asgard." A slight twitch to his lips, barely noticeable, would follow as he lowered the cup, replaced immediately by a pleasant, airy expression, as though a cloud had passed across the sun in an otherwise blue sky.

"Of course, most folks wouldn't think of that realm at all upon meeting me here," he remarked, gaze returning to regard his visitor meaningfully. "And what has my cousin told you about me?"

#MUSE::Kisuke #Kisuke vc: How did he KNOW? #[[ lol ]] #maddmuses #ERA::Progress();

[trans-estinien]

hmm. what if auspices are just. ancient familiars that got an animal version of the echo. and now theyve got magic.

#like with my headcannons for amaro it makes sense... hmmm thinking thoughts

[myths-of-fantasy]

Allegiances of the Farlands - The Sisters

---

The Upper Ranks

---

High Mother: Moonlight - A massive silky coated warm blue mink pointed molly with bright blue eyes and white paws

Mother of Second Star: Comet - A large cream furred molly with a vibrant russet tail with four white paws and green eyes

Mother of the Third Star: Aurora - A long furred rough coated white molly with blue eyes

---

Cats of the Frostweild

---

High Daughter: Blizzard - A thick coated blue point molly with pale blue eyes and a silky coat

Mother Consort: Root -A short furred cream tom with pale yellow eyes

Advisor: Snow - A short but thick furred van patterned white and ginger molly with blue eyes

Tempest - A pure white molly with a long furred and fluffy tail

Flurry - A long furred gray and white molly with bright blue eyes

Sparrow - A short furred chocolate molly with a lighter underbelly

Hawk (Elder One) - A cinnamon totishelle molly with bright yellow eyes

Shimmer - A sleek coated fawn molly with white paws

Speckle - A smaller mostly black molly with white patches that seem to grow larger every year

---

Kits of the Sector

---

Sunrise - A predominantly ginger and white tortishelle molly with blue eyes, daughter of Moonlight and Root

Ice - A long furred white molly with cream legs and a cream tail, daughter of Tempest

Sleet - A short furred dilute calico molly with yellow eyes, daughter of Flurry

Grass - A medium furred, double-coated brown tom with yellow eyes, son of Sparrow

Stone - A short furred blue tom with orange eyes and white paws, son of Flurry

---

Servants (Toms yet to reach their first year)

---

Camper - A deep russet tabby tom with yellow eyes

Shire - A chocolate mink point tom with blue eyes

Pumpkin - A pale yellow tom with blue eyes and a fluffy tail

----

Cats of the Second Star

----

High Daughter: Sky - A long furred and thick coated flame-point white molly with striking blue eyes and soft underbelly fur.

Mother Consort: Apples - A short furred ginger van patterned tom with yellow eyes and pink paw pads.

Advisor: Jasmine - A long furred black molly with bright green eyes and a white locket on her chest.

Silver - A silver sokoke tabby molly with a white underbelly and front paws.

Caramel - A pale brown mackerel tabby with yellow eyes and lighter paws

Auspice - A long furred chocolate tortie molly with green eyes and gray paw pads

Timber - A russet furred molly with bright yellow eyes

Sedge - A short furred lilac tom with blue eyes and a white underbelly

Dandelion - A yellow furred tom with a double coated cat

Carp - A cream furred tom with a white underbelly and blue eyes

---

Kits of the Sector

---

Echo - A white furred flame pointed kit with blue eyes, daughter of Sky

Twinkle - A black furred molly with white tortie light splotches, daughter of Jasmine

Flutter - A short furred tortie molly with green eyes, daughter of Jasmine

Chinchilla - A long furred lilac molly with blue eyes, daughter of Silver and Sedge

Daisy - A pale yellow kit with a lighter underbelly and blue eyes, daughter of Dandelion

---

Servants (Toms yet to reach their first year)

---

Zebra - A black and white pinstriped tom with blue eyes

Dusk - A cinnamon tortie tom with green eyes and a white chest

Feathers - A long furred classic blue tabby tom with blue eyes

Strawberry - A pale ginger tom with yellow eyes and white front paws

---

Cats of the Third Star

---

High Daughter: Vixen - A deep russet, long furred molly with black legs and a black tail white tipped tail

Mother Consort: Branded -A cinnamon torbie molly with yellow eyes

Advisor: Speckle - A ginger and white appaloosa molly with green eyes

Duck - A long furred tortie seal point molly with white front paws and blue eyes

Maple - A cinnamon mink point molly with yellow eyes

Dove - A white furred silver shaded molly with green eyes

Swan - A long furred, sleek coated white furred molly with blue eyes

Diamond - A cream torbie point molly with blue eyes

Amber - A ginger tom with green eyes and white front legs

Viridian - A brown tabby tom with orange eyes and a lighter underbelly

Heckle - A gray smoke tom with yellow eyes and a lighter undercoat

Skipper - A short furred calico with blue eyes

---

Kits of the Sector

---

No Kits Yet

---

Servants (Toms yet to reach their first year)

---

Petrel - A blue furred tom with a white muzzle

Candle - A cream lynx point with blue eyes

Pancake - A cream and white bicolor tom

Egg - A cinnamon and white bicolor tom

#allegiances of the farlands #the farlands #the farlands au #the sisters #projects by ankh #worldbuilding #lore #warrior cats #warrior cat au #warrior cat ideas #warriors

[brooklynislandgirl]

Name:  Kahanaui Minato   Auspice: Karui {Bright Water} Breed: Kharka Same-Bito {Great White} Deed Name: Echos of Vengeance // Drinks the Bitter Water Tribe: Rokea Affiliation: Sea, The Beast Courts of the Emerald Mother

#Beth's Maternal Grandfather #Here Brucie|Sharks #Blood Dimmed Tides|Rokea

[strangersinstrangelands]

Honestly can't stand some vocal left wing gun owners that I've seen online. So much furor and rage directed into maintaining the fantasy of sovereignty offered by firearms rather than doing literally anything else (finding ways of providing care outside the narrow confines of gun sights etc.). I don't even think armed minorities are harder to oppress--they just get more explicitly processed as armed enemy combatants.

It also echoes one of Ben Shapiro's favorite talking points (Jews would have been harder to round up during the Holocaust if only they had firearms). Of course, his statement is wrapped up in an explicit lie (the Nazis were pro-gun control (they weren't), thus gun control is inherently a Bad Thing) but both positions reduce violent oppression down to the scene of the individual with their gun at their hip, ready to ward off Opression.

Obviously, there are times when people need to fight and take a stand, but it's tiring to see people marketing their AR-15 slinging black camo mall ninja shit under the auspices of radical revolution or whatever when it's primarily an indulgent fantasy. Some people have incredibly impoverished imaginations and resort to a weird securitarianism that just fucking reeks.

Maybe direct more energy to the messiness of the present instead of a future battlefield where good and evil clash.

[rockislandadultreads]

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#historical fiction #fiction #library books #TBR pile #tbr #reading recommendations #book recommendations #book recs #booklr