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palipunk · 7 months

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do you know anything about native wildlife or plant life in palestine? particularly interested in primates because that's always what i'm most interested in but i'd really like to know more about what the animals and plants native to the land are like. what they were like pre israeli occupation and what sort of animal and plant life will need repairing when palestine is free. i hear a lot about the people and the human palestinian culture and it's wonderful but it's difficult for me to find anything regarding nonhuman life and i would like to learn more about it.

Honestly, the topic of Palestinian wildlife and its intersection with colonialism has been something that has increased a lot over the past couple of years. I can't offer anything about primate species (Palestine doesn't have any) but we do have lots and lots of very cool native animals like Gazelle and Caracal and Sand foxes and lots of bats and gerbils and snakes.

The Palestine Wildlife Society actually has a website with lists of all the animals found in Palestine and what level of conservation status they are at (plus the Arabic names): https://www.wildlife-pal.org/en

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics also reported back in 2012 that:

There are about 51,000 living species (flora and fauna) in historical Palestine, constituting approximately 3% of global biodiversity. In the West Bank and Gaza Strip there are an estimated 30,904 animal species, consisting of an estimated 30,000 invertebrates, 373 birds, 297 fish, 92 mammals, 82 reptiles, and 5 amphibians. Recent studies on birds in Palestine indicated that there are 373 species, which represent 23 Orders, 69 families, 21 Subfamilies, and 172 genera. The country also hosts 2,850 species of plants from 138 families.

And also added in 2014:

Israeli Violations are the main causes of Biodiversity deterioration Based on 2012 data from ARIJ Research Institute, the Expansion and Annexation Wall has a total length of about 780 kilometers, of which 61% has been completed. The route of the Wall has isolated 680 km2 of Palestinian land between the Wall and the Green Line, comprising approximately 12.0% of the West Bank. This land comprises about 454 km2 of agricultural, pasture land and open areas, 117 km2 that were confiscated for Israeli settlements and military bases, 89 km2 of forest and 20 km2 Palestinian built-up land. During 2013, more than eight thousand dunums of land were confiscated from Palestinians and more than 15 thousand horticultural trees were destroyed, causing considerable damage to the Palestinian environment and biodiversity.

The Israeli settlements and military bases also contribute in the biodiversity deterioration since there were 482 Israeli settlements and military bases in the West Bank at the end of 2013 contained around 563,546 settlers at the end of 2012. Climate change is the most important natural factor that contributes to biodiversity degradation in Palestine. More animal and plant species have become under serious threat of becoming rare due to low rainfall, high temperatures, and the changing characteristics of the four seasons, in which drought is creeping into winter and spring.

The mountain Gazelle is currently endangered and this is due mostly to the building of roads and fences as well as predation and collisions with cars (the article also references the building of housing units in Mitzpeh Nafto'ah, which one of the areas where, in 2012, Israeli developers wanted to 'build up Jerusalem'). As of 2015, there were around 2,000 identified Gazelles within the Palestinian territories and historic Palestine. The mountain Gazelle look like this:

There have also been efforts for plant conservation in Palestine like the Iris Atrofusca, which has an extremely fragile population and is found almost exclusively within Palestine - a botanical garden was established for this particular Iris in the North Eastern Slopes of Palestine and in 2021, 120 clones of Iris Atrofusca were planted. Here is what they look like:

(also very interesting, sheep do not eat it!)

Probably most famous is the extinction of the Palestinian Crocodile, the last rhetorical circulation to 1935. Elizabeth Bentley wrote a great piece on it, you can read the full PDF on the Institute of Palestine Studies website or the edited (with permission) one published to Science for the People Magazine, I copied a segment from the latter here:

Colonial zoologists and collectors saw and appreciated Palestine’s bountiful plants and animals as objects of scientific inquiry. This scientific appreciation was inextricable from imperialist ambitions and the drive for profit. There were no wildlife protection laws in Palestine until 1924, which was after crocodiles’ likely regional extinction, and even then, the laws were loosely enforced. Colonial zoologists not only observed and wrote about Palestinian animals in their natural habitat. These zoological works were one of extraction and commodification. Euphemistically termed processes of “collection” involved a network of human and nonhuman actors, whereby colonial zoologists hunted and killed Palestinian animals, studied them, and transported their remains overseas. Disemboweled, stuffed with wire and flax, and then displayed in glass cases, Palestinian animals were reanimated as spectacles for the viewing pleasure of museumgoers in London and Berlin. While aligned with the broader trends in colonial zoology, the allure of the last Palestinian crocodile surpassed the confines of scientific inquiry; it adapted a symbolic, even mythical quality. Colonial zoologists’ ongoing speculation about Palestinian crocodile extinction necessitated a degree of willful (or internalized) unknowing about Palestine and Palestinians. Colonial zoologists were heavily dependent on Palestinians’ ecological expertise. Despite this, their writings convey mistrust and condescension toward Palestinians, along with a detachment from how local populations lived alongside Palestinian ecology. Colonial scientific literature on Palestinian animals frequently perpetuated the racist, historically inaccurate outlook of “science for the West, myth for the rest.” Yet colonialist writings on the last Palestinian crocodile reflected their own symbolic attachments and investment in mythical thinking.

So there is a lot of work to do in regard to animal and plant conservation and several extinct animals I didn't bring up here but It is a deep dive and goes a lot farther than a lot of people consider. The Palestine Wildlife Society has a massive catalog and I hope you look through it!

#palestine #free palestine #wildlife #plants #animals #gorillawithautism

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disorganisedautodidact · 1 month

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Edit because I can't edit the poll: it's meant to say "hang out in the library", obviously

#discworld #unseen university #gnu terry pratchett

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flowerishness · 2 months

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Euphorbia myrsinites (donkey tail, myrtle spurge, blue spurge)

Handle with Care

I've always called this plant a donkey tail but it's probably better known as myrtle spurge. Euphorbia is a big genus with over 2000 species but I'm afraid that donkey tail is 'the bad boy of the family'. It's native to Italy, the Balkans and Turkey but it's considered a noxious weed in Utah, Oregon and Colorado. According to the Salt Lake County Weed Control Program, "Small infestations can be controlled through multiple years of digging up at least 4" of the root. Myrtle spurge is best controlled in the spring when the soil is moist and prior to seed production. Make sure to dispose of all the plant parts in the garbage instead of composting." Goggles and rubber gloves are strongly advised.

Why all this heavy security? All Euphorbias produce a poisonous sap which burns the skin and can cause blindness if it gets in your eyes. If you eat the leaves, you get vomiting and severe diarrhea. This milky sap is a very good defense against any type of herbivore. Donkey tail in particular is extremely toxic to: humans, cattle, sheep, pets etc. etc. Rabbits and deer won't go near it. It has no known North American insect pests. Not surprisingly, it should never be planted next to a playground.

On the other hand, donkey tail is a common ornamental plant and widely available in local plant shops. Euphorbia myrsinites has also been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's, Award of Garden Merit. It has attractive blue foliage, a very long blooming period and thrives in poor soil. But pleased be advised: Handle with Care.

#flowers #photographers on tumblr #donkey tail #Euphorbia #noxious weeds #fleurs #flores #fiori #blumen #bloemen #Vancouver

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thisisallthehattersfault · 1 year

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Wen Ning is a kindergarten teacher and hobby gardener who has two impossible crushes that he’s trying to get over but just can’t seem to let go of, even knowing both men are married.

Lan Zhan is the sexy (and scary) father of one of Wen Ning’s students, little a-Yuan. He comes to the school fifteen minutes early every day and stands outside his car, waiting for pick-up. Wen Ning gets it! A-Yuan explained that he lives close to the school. It would probably be pretty frustrating, driving home from work and then not ten minutes later having to get up and drive to the school again. And being cooped up at your desk and then being cooped up in your car sounds awful! Of course Lan Zhan wants to stretch his legs while he waits for his son! Just. It’s. It’s a little distracting, glancing out the window and seeing him standing there, looking like that.

(Lan Zhan is actually hoping to catch a glimpse of a-Yuan’s cute teacher. The man is so big and so gentle, he’s wonderful with his students. A-Yuan absolutely adores him. He’s soft-spoken and a bit timid and it contrasts gorgeously with his broad shoulders and the layer of appealing softness that does nothing to hide the strength in his arms and back. Lan Zhan wants to bite him. His husband Wei Ying teases him endlessly for his crush.)

Wei Ying helps to run the city’s Public Garden and owns the plant nursery downtown, both of which Wen Ning visits frequently. He’s extremely knowledgeable and intimidatingly smart -- not just about gardening and horticulture but about seemingly every topic under the sun -- and he’s funny and so, so nice and Wen Ning wouldn’t ever presume to bother someone like that with his awkward self but every time they bump into each other at the public garden Wei Ying comes jogging over with his ponytail bouncing and dirt on his face, grinning his cheshire-cat grin, and Wen Ning can’t talk to him because he’s too pretty but Wei Ying never seems to mind.

(Wei Ying didn’t notice the similarities between his incessant pestering of Lan Zhan in highschool and his incessant pestering of the hot gardener until Jiang Cheng rudely put him on blast for it in the family group chat. Wei Ying might have been babbling for weeks by then about the sweet man with big dark eyes and the bigger biceps who oh-so-earnestly listened to Wei Ying’s rant about plants that attract native pollinators without interrupting and then immediately added a bunch to his plot at the local community garden and blushed very pink when Wei Ying pointed it out but -- look, Wei Ying is only human, and he can only handle so much pure concentrated adorable straight to the face before he needs to scream about it. Lan Zhan is amused, but mostly he’s using Wei Ying’s crush to fuel his possessiveness. As a result, they fuck like newlyweds.)

Eventually Wen Ning figures out they’re married to each other and while he already knew his crush was hopeless now he starts to feel actually really bad about it. He vows to keep his distance until he can stop treating them both so shamelessly!

At the same time Wangxian figure out that they’re both crushing on the same guy and pretty much immediately decide that maybe they would be open to polyamory after all, but they have to proceed carefully. This is a-Yuan’s teacher, after all, and Wen Ning is so sweet -- they don’t want to make him feel uncomfortable!

Many a misunderstanding follow, with Wen Ning first thinking he’s being propositioned for an affair, and then just as quickly deciding that he’s being shameless and seeing what he wants to see., because obviously neither of them would ever want him. For one, they’re both way out of his league, and for two, they’re very much in love with each other. He’s the one deluding himself into -- what? Fantasizing about being a homewrecker? Honestly, Wen Ning ends up feeling… very not good about himself. He doesn’t like to think that he’s that kind of person.

It’s a-Yuan who finally ends up coming outright and asking Wen Ning if he’ll be a-Yuans third dad because his first two dads clearly want him to and a-Yuan also loves him a lot.

#wangningxian #the untamed #mdzs #wen ning #wei wuxian #lan wangji #wangxian #a-yuan #lan sizhui #not fic #if somebody wants to steal this prompt and write a proper fic about it feel free #writing my bottomji fic has me in my wangningxian feels

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unovan-gardener · 6 months

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Doin a Protest!!

Hello all Nimbasa College Students and Staff Members!

You may know me as the Honors College RA, or as the President of the Gardening Club. Or maybe just as that guy who spends a lot of time laying in the field outside Natural Sciences a lot.

But today, you should know me as the guy who is particularly upset about the new Castelia City Mayor, Lucrezia Minskt.

The protest will be happening Tomorrow Morning, and we will be meeting up at the Natural Sciences building. As always while protesting, remember to wear an air filter mask and goggles in case of tear gas, as well as obscuring your identity. This is meant to be a peaceful protest, but I have no doubt in my mind that Minskt will attempt to escalate the protest so that she can take legal action, and arrest peaceful protesters.

I have so many notes on the things that Minskt has done, but because they are so long, they will be under the cut to avoid this post being absurdly long.

Minskt is spraying chemical aerosol around the area of Lostlorn Forest, a known habitat for primary bug and grass type pokemon, as well as zoroark. She claims that the aerosol is "patented by my own personal private research company, Minskt R&D, which is proven to repel wild Bug Type Pokémon with minor irritation and no permanent harm*. *excluding Joltik and Galvantula species, which are known to experience semi-extreme illness and major disruption of senses, however are not currently listed as an encroaching pest species and should not be at risk of encountering the aerosol systems". Minskt is also planning to do cutback of Lostlorn's "overgrowth".

Many people in Castelia have already come out and stated that the aerosol is already beginning to come into the city, likely due to airflow, and is harming many of the native wild pokemon there. Atley Deo, the head of Deo Horticulture, has also noted that "In harming the native bug pokemon of Castelia and Lostlorn, so too does Minskt harm the environment itself. Many plants and grass type pokemon rely on bug types for pollination to spread and grow, and to take bug types out of the equation is to throw the entire ecosystem out of wack." There have also been reports that those with asthma have needed to be hospitalized due to the aerosol. Which brings into question how a "panel of ethicists has absolved the Castelia City government, the Minskt Corporation, and any workers therein of any responsibility in the rare and unforeseen possibility of adverse ecological effects", considering there has already been a great number of adverse ecological effects.

There is also the fact that Minskt is now been "authorised by my decree as mayor to mobilize their own private security forces to bolster numbers in police departments around the city!" due to an "increase in vigilantes and individuals acting outside the law to perform unlicensed and citizen endangering personal justice, as well as a responding rise in violent crime" Which. I had one of my honors Law students look at it and not there has not been.

These squadrons also contain: "5-8 highly trained private military personnel, armed with new and unreleased Minskt Security armaments, including high-tech contained plasma cannons, hard light nets, automated targeting drones and experimental hovercraft for inner city manoeuvring!" The important part of this is "New and unreleased". Once again, had my honors Law students look at it, and that definitely sounds like these "armaments" (which is just a fancy word for military weapons and equipment) are not registered under Unovan law (a process that would take months), and are therefore illegal, especially in use against civilians.

Also, bafflingly, she appears to be racist against 'eeby deebies' (although she's referring to them as elevated, which is weird because she seems to dislike them), as she is claiming they require "supervision from a registered pokemon trainer to shop in non-specialty stores". and appears to be attempting to extend these laws to hyrbids. AND to campaign to extend to their "sister city" Nimbasa.

That's all I've got so far, if you have more feel free to DM me and I'll add it to this post. She needs to be stopped though, she's been given and inch, and she's been taking miles.

#werepurrsian arc #pkmn irl #pokeblogging #rotomblr #pokemon irl #irl pokemon #irl pkmn #tw racism #//Atley Deo is CD's dad :)

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chaithetics · 1 year

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Sunshine

Pairing: Javier Peña x f reader

Word count: 2.5K

Chapter/content warning: 18+ MINORS DNI, barely even any fluff, very teeny angst maybe? But it'll get spicier in future chapters besties! Also this has not been proofread and I apologise if parts of it are bad. I'm at the start of another lupus and ME/CFS flare up and I'm not feeling great. This was a nice little distraction though. I hope you enjoy! Please let me know what you think Comments/reblogs/messages welcome :) and happy to add to a taglist, I'll just be keeping it for everything though rather than individual series etc.

Javier had been back in Laredo for just over a week now. He’d spent the first week with a sporadic sleep schedule, he barely slept but his mind was always running a million miles an hour. But blaming his isolation and long, inhuman hours in his room on jet lag was easy. Who’d have expected the day that Javier Peña would retire? He certainly hadn’t. He wasn’t too sure what to do with his life as retirement didn’t really sound appealing but he figured that being back home and helping his father on the family ranch wasn’t the worst start for deciding.

Javier had been doing fence work in one of the fields and had come inside for a coffee break. He was making a fresh pot of coffee as his father talked about his day so far. Chucho had gotten into the habit of volunteering at the local school, the one that Javier had attended what felt like an eternity ago. Chucho would go there to help with the school community vegetable garden with the children and he’d bring in any extra produce from his own ranch in for the children. Chucho had spoken about the teacher for the class he volunteered with, While Javier was extremely observant, he’d hardly paid attention to those details.

Chucho continued to talk as Javier absently nodded along, Chucho knew he wasn’t listening but it didn’t really bother him, he was just glad to have his son back. The door knocked, loudly at first then softly, and Chucho smiled and tilted his head, raising his eyebrow for Javier to answer it. Javier sighed and went to the door, he opened it and his brow furrowed slightly at the stranger. He’d never seen the pretty woman standing there before.

***********

You weren’t a local but had moved to Laredo to teach, you had done teaching in cities but you just preferred teaching and the environments of small towns. You’d come from a small town yourself and you wanted the benefits of a small town without necessarily feeling constrained to your own small home town, Laredo was perfect for this.

You were also aware from your upbringing of how tight-knit small towns could be, for a newbie like you who had moved here for work and didn’t have a partner it could be a bit isolating at times. You made friends, most of your colleagues were nice, the kids were lovely and you’d almost been adopted by a local. Chucho, he volunteered with helping the kids learn about horticulture and agriculture. You now regularly had dinners together and you would often do additional baking for him. He was kind and it was quite homely, you knew he was lonely, his wife had died years ago and his only child, a son had been in Colombia for years working for the DEA.

It was the school break, so you’d done some reading and class prep but you had spent most of the day baking. You loved citrus and Chucho had given you a basket of lemons, so you thought it was fitting to bake a lemon and orange cake as a thank you. It was an easy type of arrangement that felt natural between you and Chucho at this stage. You had a basket of baked goods, Chucho had no trouble finishing your baking but you knew his son was back now as well so you’d made sure to bake extra.

You hopped out of the car and brought the basket with you, humming as you made your way up the patio to the front door and knocked. After a brief moment, the door opened but it wasn’t Chucho’s warm face welcoming you in.

It was a younger man, he looked about your age, maybe a couple of years older. He was extremely handsome with big warm brown eyes, golden skin, dark brown hair, and an aquiline nose, he had broad shoulders and wore tight jeans to show off his legs. You’d never seen him before but you knew he was Chucho’s son, Javier. Chucho spoke of him fondly and you were aware he was back, you just hadn’t met him yet.

“Hi,” you said softly, you put out your free hand for him to shake, he had a stern look on his face still, he looked over his shoulder at his father and then back at you. You found his tenseness a bit confusing but also endearing.

“Hi?” He said with a slight look of confusion that softened the stern look in some ways but not others. You quickly introduced yourself as he shook your hand, you noticed quickly how large and firm his hand was, the contact sent a slight tingle up your arms and you tried your best to not let your cheeks heat up. When you introduced yourself it clicked for Javier, “the teacher?” he asked. You smiled warmly at him and nodded, his expression changed slightly and you swear you caught him looking you up and down.

“I come with goods,” you said smiling warmly at him and you lifted the basket up. He looked down at the basket in your hand and nodded, stepping aside so you could come in. You took your shoes off and then walked in slightly ahead of him “I baked extra, Chucho said you were here, I didn’t realise you’d be here, well here-here today. I hope I didn’t interrupt you?” you asked him softly, which he just politely shook his head at. You knew your way around the ranchhouse having been there a million times and it showed, which slightly shocked him.

When his father had mentioned a teacher, Javier had just never imagined somebody around his age, or somebody as pretty as you. He’d taken your form in when you stood in the doorway and he now had a pretty good view behind you. He was trying not to look at you like that but he was intrigued by you, to say the least. You had a soft-spoken voice, he swore it was the softest voice he’d ever heard but it was still a bit bubbly. There was a glint in your eyes that he didn’t see in his whenever he glanced at his reflection and your smile was warm, it was like sunshine. Being in your presence and watching you was like sitting outside in sunshine on a perfect day.

You greeted Chucho, and Javier noticed how much his father lit up at seeing you and he didn’t blame the older man for feeling that way. Javier stood off, leaning against the kitchen bench watching as you and Chucho small talked and you talked him through what was in the basket. Javier was naturally a flirt and had no shame in it, he hadn’t been with anyone since being back home and he just felt tired. It also felt slightly wrong to try something with you in the kitchen when you were his father’s guest and friend even if you were completely age appropriate for Javier.

“Javi?” His father said, Javier’s eyes snapped up to look at his father, he saw Chucho and you facing him looking at him, he’d been lost in his thoughts. “Hmm?” He asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes flickered to you briefly before meeting his father’s eyes. “Are you going to eat mijo?” Chucho asked.

“What is it?” Javier had a sweet tooth and he would’ve eaten it no matter what it was, he knew this and so did Chucho.

“Orange and lemon-” You started to say but you were cut off by Javier, he came closer to you, “hmmm?” He hated himself for it as it felt like flirting with how he was now hovering just to the side of you. But you were so softly spoken that he wanted to hear every syllable you said but it was hard to without needing to lean in, being drawn in by your warmth and tone. His body was still a bit tense which you noticed but his eyes seemed slightly warmer, you realised he’d struggled to hear you, you knew that your soft tone made you sometimes quiet, so you made a habit of projecting only while teaching. “Oh, sorry,” you said with a soft giggle and it was so sweet and melodic, “Chucho’s started into the orange and lemon cake, the fruit’s from the ranch, there’s some chocolate chip cookies and a batch of scones,” you continued.

“Cake sounds good, thanks.” You nodded and cut a generous slice for him. “What do you like?” You asked, tilting your head to look at him from the side as he took the piece of cake “I just have a sweet tooth, a pretty big one, chocolate’s always good. I’m easy to please.” he said as he then bit into the cake. You looked up at him with another award-winning smile “that’s good to know.”

He wondered what you meant, his sweet tooth or knowing that he was easy to please? He knew it could’ve been taken with double-meaning, he didn’t intend that at first but it just flowed out of him naturally. You looked over at Chucho “let me know how the rest of it is, I should go now. I’m sorry for imposing-”

“Nonsense mija, please stay? Eat with us, we were just making some coffee.” Chucho said with a warm smile. You shook your head politely, “raincheck? I have plans soon. Thank you though.” He nodded and Chucho walked you out. Javier stayed in the kitchen, finishing his slice of cake. It was perfect and he thought the flavours made perfect sense with what he knew of you.

After a couple of minutes Chucho came back into the kitchen looking at Javier expectantly, he raised an eyebrow at the younger man. “It’s really good.” Javier said matter of factly. Chucho nodded, “she’s a great baker. Walking sunshine really.” He looked at Javier who narrowed his eyes at his father, Javier felt like he’d hidden his expressions well. Chucho couldn’t be reading his mind could he?

“Single as well…” Chucho said with a smirk on his face.

“Why?”

“I don’t imagine many want to move to a small town like this and I guess she doesn’t have as many options in a small town like here. She actually can be a bit shy.” Chucho remarked as he dug into one of your scones.

“Why are you saying this?”

“She’s pretty.”

“And?”

“I saw how you looked at her.” Javier didn’t say anything, “she’s lovely, I think it would do some good for you to be around her. Platonic or not. But just no heart-breaking mijo.”

“You’re too old for set ups.” Javier huffed out, as he finished off his slice of cake and went up to shower. He didn’t want to think about you, it just added to the constant hurricane of thoughts in his head. He wasn’t sure why he couldn’t stop though, he’d just met you and barely knew anything about you.

*******

This was your first time back at the ranch since you met Javier, it had only been a couple of days. You were in the kitchen baking while Chucho was in one of the gardens. Sometimes you’d bake at the ranch and it was a nice change, it was certainly a nicer view than what your suburban kitchen window offered. You felt a pair of eyes on you, you knew it wouldn’t be Chucho as his presence would’ve been immediately announced with friendly chatter.

“Hey,” you said turning around smiling, you could immediately tell he’d come from outside, he has his yellow aviators tucked into his shirt and he had sweat glistening on his neck and forehead. He came more into the kitchen, “hi” he said, almost matching your quieter tone.

“In the business of jump scares?” You asked with a larger smile on your face, feeling a bit more playful today than usual, there was something comforting about being in his presence, even if he was hard to read.

“Hmm?” he asked with a look of confusion, his brows pulled together and you couldn’t help but think how cute the expression was, you felt your cheeks start to heat up so you turned back to your organised mess on the bench. “You almost gave me a fright, a jump scare, standing there like that.” You softly said, “oh, shit, I’m sorry,” he responded with as he went to get a glass of water.

“It’s fine,” you offered him a smile. As he drank from the glass he walked over, closer to you.

“What are you baking?”

“A chocolate and cinnamon flan.” He let out a soft chuckle at that and leaned against the kitchen bench watching you. He was so close, once again drawn in by the warmth just oozing out, “that sounds like a good combo.” was all that he could let out, barely above a whisper but loud enough for you to hear.

“Yeah, you said you like chocolate and well cinnamon reminds me of you, they tend to work well together.” He studied you closer, surprised at that. “Cinnamon reminds you of me?” He asked with a teasing tone but a curious smirk plastered onto his attractive face.

You tilted your head to look at him briefly for a moment, you felt your cheeks flush up. You’d thought about it and wanting to bake something memorable that he’d like. He had gorgeous brown eyes that you knew most people would compare to chocolate and you wouldn’t say they were wrong but there was a warmth there, that reminded you more of cinnamon. It made perfect sense to you and you weren’t sure if you could articulate that, let alone without sounding super intense as this was your second conversation with him.

“Yeah,” You answered with a pause as he patiently waited, “your eyes, they’re a lovely brown. There’s a warmth in them, reminds me of cinnamon.” You said it in your usual soft voice, you imagined it was maybe even quieter than usual and you tried to get the words out matter of factly. He seemed softer, more present today than when you’d met him. You liked it, it felt more safer to be around and just brought out the warmthness you could already sense was there.

“Huh,” was all he said to that, he’d never had anybody observe anything like that about him before, let alone try to turn that observation into something nice and tangible. You changed the subject and he seemed to notice maybe you were anxious over the implication of what you’d said. He obliged though as the more you obviously observed and well complimented him it would be so much harder to be in this room with you without teenage-esque puppy eyes. He didn’t want to get close to you, it wouldn’t be good for either of you. But he couldn’t help but lean a little closer and study you more, how your hands and eyes moved, how concentration adorably etched itself into your face as you focused on your task.

Javier bit his lip as he tried to push back all these thoughts of you away, although he was happy to bask in your kitchen sunshine for a moment, it was a respite from everything else in his life.

tags: @thesapphirequeen @read4funz

#javier peña #javier peña x reader #javier peña narcos #javier peña fanfiction #javier peña fic #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal #pedro pascal fandom #javier peña x you

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floofgryph · 1 month

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Criafol/Rhodopis

Species: Dark elf-fairy hybrid

Birthday: Unknown

Age: 2309 (chronologically), 24 (physically)

Sexuality: Non-binary and omniromantic

Occupation:

Merchant

Hitman for Demaryius

Bodyguard of Homeworld

Apple orchardist

Assassin for the council of gods (formerly)

Abilities:

Supernatural agility, dexterity, durability, speed, balance, flexibility, endurance, reflexes, senses, leaping, stamina, and wisdom

Enhanced accuracy

Partial immortality (the sound of church bells, crossing running water, and hearth fires can led to death)

Abnormally rapid regeneration

Absolute violence

Psychokinesis

Invisibility

Cosmic awareness

Flawless precognition

Temporary mind control

Transform into humans and animals

They can hop between different dimensions every two days

Mastery over entomology, ornithology, astronomy, meteorology, black magic, archery, and swordsmanship

Ilusion, twilight, shadow, fear, weather, insect, and thread manipulation

Induce bad luck, contagious diseases, and curses that lead to painful deaths

They can phase through objects and avoid attacks with ease

They’re able to transport to a far location with a mere thought

Their golden blood has rejuvenating properties

Personality: They have learned to move on from their trauma in order to properly perform their duties and work towards a life of peace and acceptance. However, the sounds of whips and witnessing events of assault and/or humiliation do trigger their memories of past trauma. They show numerous signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder or ASD such as self-isolation, difficulty with reciprocal social interactions, intense reactions to minor changes in routine, echolalia, and avoiding eye contact. As a result of her brutal training and ruined childhood, they show very few signs of antisocial personality disorder. This consists of using charisma to manipulate others, lying for personal gain, being extremely opinionated, theft, and doing dangerous things with no regard for their safety. They’re able to achieve things in a clever way, using a methodical mindset and strategic forms of deceit or evasion to get what they want or what’s needed. When interacting with people they have no interest in or are disrespectful and manipulative, they make critical and mocking remarks in a sarcastic way. They’re deeply distrustful of the sincerity and integrity of those who betrayed Demaryius and try to harm the vulnerable, viewing them as self-centred.

They treat their targets in a ruthless and cocky manner, and show deep admiration and protective kindness towards people they’re fond of. Despite their usual calm demeanour, they have a sinister presence that strikes fear in cowardly and/or uncertain hearts. They rarely get furious, impatient, and anxious, maintaining a serene disposition that’s free from stress. They’re quite reserved in speech and say very little, which makes them come off as aloof, naturally quiet, and shy. As an active listener, they carefully pay attention to what others have to say and will provide feedback when necessary. They often refrain from unfair judgement and respectfully respond to what someone has to say, but there are instances where they come off as inconsiderate. They’re incredibly wise, cautious, sometimes honest, and courageous, and they find enjoyment in helping others either directly or indirectly. As a result of their humility and mysterious nature, they’re more inclined to hide true their feelings, thoughts, and intentions from other people.

Likes: Petrichor, apple orchards, watching the sunset at an unoccupied beach, horticultural therapy, tree-climbing, insectoid and avian wildfire, horse-riding, the sound of lyres, mild weather, and exploring an abandoned residence

Dislikes: Anyone who threatens Demaryius and his children, the council of gods, corrupted royalty, traitors, forest fires, rotten apples, genetically modified foods, missing a target with her arrows (it’s uncommon), doors that aren’t closed properly, and intrusive music

Equipment:

A traveller’s backpack that holds loaves of bread and random souvenirs

A glittering ear dagger

A serpentine dagger that can shroud its user in primordial darkness

An antique purple mirror

A black magic grimoire of mouldy leather, starry speckles of saffron, a rose gold chrysanthemum decoration on the back, and sage green, amber, icy blue, and lavender eyes on the front

A deerskin pouch full of four-leaf clovers, St. John’s worts, and golden bells

A chelys with a shoulder strap that can control canines

An adamantine longsword of writhing flesh that can control holy fire and eagles

A bow made from a sacred yew tree

A quiver full of poison-tipped arrows

A caravan full of exotic items and it’s pulled by a kelpie mare they befriended

Physical and outfit appearance: They’re a 4’ 2” (127 cm) ectomorph with a pear-shaped figure, a decent musculature, elongated limbs, and upper arms that carry some of their weight. They have bronze top scars as well as healed cuts and slices on their back, and below their head, black warts are scattered across their body. They possess elvish ears that are slightly dropping, and their illuminating skin changes between emerald green, red ochre, yellow-orange, blue-green, and soft purple. They have metallic rose eyes with glowing golden pupils that become nearly a dark purple when the sun reflects them. They have shoulder-length, shaggy hair and sideburns of glistening silver-grey, which is speckled with dewdrops. They also have slightly sharp claws, draconic feet, the wings of a Halloween pennant, and a thick tail that looks like the lower half of a Papilio machaon caterpillar. They have a vaguely S-shaped azure dragon with a white-and-orange koi in its mouth tattoo on the front of their torso.

They wear a quilted tunic with orange pearl studs, deep burgundy trousers, and a leather belt with a golden lion’s head as a buckle. They don a wrap-around hood of black wool, a reddish-brown cloth mask that covers their lower face, a Turkish rose sash with vertical reef gold stripes, and an everglade surcoat with barely noticeable blood stains. They have an amulet of a Neolithic flint arrowhead hanging from their neck, a rowan bracelet with scarlet berries encircling it, and cold iron neck rings. They have silver snake bite, nose bridge, and rhino piercings, and blackish-purple tassel earrings. Bottled potions are tied to the black belt that holds up their trousers and they produce the following effects: total blindness, melting of the flesh, loss of hearing, animal transformation, contorting of the body, and an obscuring fog.

Family:

Unnamed fairy advisor (father)

Unnamed dark elf mother

Biography: They were born during a solar eclipse to a fairy advisor of King Oberon and a dark elf that lived deep in a subterranean cave. The dark elf didn’t trust the royalty in the faefolk kingdom and tried to raise them alone, teaching them valuable life lessons and showing them basic survival techniques. Their mother told them knowledgeable stories about the faefolk kingdom, the fairies, the light and dark elves, birds, insects, the sky, and heavenly bodies. When nearing their tween years, Queen Titania kidnapped them, leaving their mother to commit suicide out of grief and shame. Rhodopis was trained to be a fearsome killer, never having a normal childhood. Whenever they stepped out of line, they were whipped, assaulted, and aggressively ostracised by the knights and executioners as punishment. Their genitals were brutally mutilated and they would undergo meticulous experimentation in order to “perfect” them.

After many years of harsh training, they became a top tier assassin for the council of gods, especially for King Oberon and Queen Titania. They were responsible for assassinating and viciously torturing disobedient and treacherous supernatural beings (e.g. demons, dwarves, and demigods) and humans. As the most loyal servant and valuable asset of King Oberon’s regime, their golden blood was used to imbue each fresh apple from the royal orchard with rejuvenating properties. Rhodopis is on great terms with Demaryius and saw him as a very close friend rather than a potential lover compared to most deities and their servants. When they found out that he was betrayed and his creation was rudely taken away from him, they silently abandoned their duties. They let King Oberon, Queen Titania, and everyone associated with the royal faefolk family die from rapid aging in retaliation for Demaryius’ treatment. They were promoted by Demaryius as his hitman and bodyguard of Homeworld, ensuring that they aid in the safety of him and his children. Whenever they have free time, they’re a travelling merchant and vehemently attending to the apple orchard in Homeworld.

Fun facts:

It’s unknown why their skin alternates between a handful of colours, but it’s probably tied to their current emotional state. Emerald green means hopeful and forgiving, red ochre means passionate, brave, and angry, yellow-orange means enthusiastic and confident, blue-green means sorrowful, relaxed, and indifferent, and soft purple means ambitious, creative, and mysterious.

The skin on their caterpillar tail sheds its old skin near the middle of spring

They like to tangle the hair of sleepers into fairy-locks

They have a habit of licking their serpentine dagger

They’re not an official child of Demaryius, but he deems them as one of his own due to their extreme loyalty to him.

They view Demaryius as a kind-hearted individual who’s passionate about humanity despite some of their glaring flaws. They admire his protective nature and his willingness to teach his children to become strong people. However, they’re deeply worried about his suicidal tendencies and they hate it when he purposefully overworks himself. They would try to deter him from harming and exhausting himself whenever they’re not busy with their own duties.

Demaryius renamed them to Rhodopis because their eyes reminded him of delicate pink roses and he thought that the meaning behind their real name (Criafol means “lamenting fruit” in Welsh) was unfortunate.

They’re on very good terms with Sister Rosa due to their protective respect of Demaryius

They’re not the greatest with children due to how disturbing and uncomfortable their presence is, but Sister Rosa has taught them the basics of caregiving.

They help with teaching the older children of Demaryius how to wield swords and daggers, and shoot arrows with a bow.

Their kelpie friend is named Cáelfind who enjoys talking about the ocean with Rhodopis, early dawn strolls, and eating red grapes.

They sell items that range from utterly weird and disgusting to strangely pleasant and calming

The chelys was a benevolent gift from a young woman they saved during one of their last missions as the assassin of the council of gods. It was the young woman’s way of thanking them for saving her from her treacherous werewolf husband.

Whenever they’re not working, they’re either playing their chelys, taking a stroll through gloomy forests, or wood-carving with their ear dagger.

They named the chelys Lycaon

They named their flesh longsword Prometheus

They named their yew bow Yggdrasil

They named their ear dagger Rostam

They named their serpentine dagger Carnwennan

Their favourite entertainment consist of Shakespearean plays, classical music concerts, horse-racing events, cockfighting, short stories that contain elements from folklore and mythology, and fairy tales.

They like to drink watermelon-flavoured water, raspberry lemonade smoothies, and cappelletti spritz

Their biggest comfort food is raw salmon and cooked gnocchi with crusted rosemary scalloped potatoes and lobster mac n’ cheese.

They hate it when people make teasing jokes about her size and blank expressions

They enjoy drinking herbal tea with Miss Katherine and combing her dark purple hair

In regards to Miss Katherine, they understand how it’s like to struggle with handling children and to have autism.

They view Miss Katherine as a mother figure because when she talks about her novels, it reminds them of how their mother told them bedtime stories.

They enjoy teasing Maverick for having no penis

They like hearing Percy’s dark jokes

They act as an emotional listening device for Svyatopolk to rant about his problems

Demaryius, Sister Rosa, and Homeworld belongs to @nunezs-stuff

Miss Katherine belongs to @vanillafalvoredcoffee

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dailycharacteroption · 5 months

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Herbalist (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)

(art by ivonadenovic on DeviantArt)

When we look at Second Edition archetypes, we go in knowing that same-name syndrome is going to come up, and that it’s not necessarily a bad thing, since it’s a new edition and while things may be a bit different, these 2e options are essentially the inheritors of their 1e counterparts. Usually.

That’s not super the case here, though, as well the 2e herbalist has the same thematic roots, there’s no connection to leshies here.

Indeed, this archetype seems more to be about the more general applications of herbalism, bringing to mind other horticulture-focused archetypes rather than it’s 1e namesake, with perhaps a smattering of having a way to bring the herb-gathering themes from Ultimate Wilderness into 2e.

Additionally, despite being free for any class to take, herbalists maintain some of their old alchemist feel in their mechanics.

In any case, this archetype promises some lovely answers for nonmagical healing, curatives, and even buffing!

(Also note that this archetype got an additional feat from the Knights of Lastwall book)

The dedication to the path of the herbalist grants the ability to procure daily ingredients like an alchemist, but only to make healing tonics and various herbal concoctions.

The herbs in their arsenal are always the freshest available, letting them use natural medicine with greater effectiveness at the cost of some of their daily prepared batches.

Those from Lastwall often learn how to make especially potent brews of Lastwall Soup, making it easier for others to hide from the undead.

Some also learn to prepare their medicines as poultices, no longer requiring others to consume them to apply the effects, but also helping to seal bleeding wounds and smother other forms of persistent harm in addition to the normal effects.

Many also learn how to bring out the best in local herbs and plants, adding a small bonus effect to them, usually tied to whatever dangers lie in that biome, such as resistance to extreme cold in the artic, or greater agility and balance in mountainous terrain.

Normally these herbalists learn only the basics of finding and preparing these medicines, but some learn to break that limit and grow in skill, even adding higher-level healing elixers to their arsenal.

This is a simple archetype, but one that can provide many benefits to those seeking to help allies resist and overcome negative effects without magic in a fun, thematic way. The final feat granting actual higher crafting levels is super important if you want to do more than just dip into the archetype, but even if you go with the minimum you’ll never know when an elixir will com in handy. Thematically speaking, try pairing this with alchemist, ranger, druid, or witch. However, it can be quite useful for any class and build where you want a small supportive edge.

With the concept of the herbalist comes a lot of assumptions, such as the character being wise, kind, empathetic, and having a gentle bedside manner. You can lean into this or go the opposite direction. Heck, perhaps the character is only the “team mom” reluctantly because these idiots of a party can’t take care of themselves? It can certainly be a lot of fun to explore or subvert.

The herbalist Keysha Everbloom once claimed that her aloe vera extract could soothe even the eternal burning of the undead known as combusted. An exaggeration to be sure, but a dreadfully ironic one as one such creature has trapped her on the second floor of her home. While the walls are stone, her many plants are not so impervious to fire, threatening to choke her with the smoke… unless a party of heroes just happens to be on their way to visit her.

The ways of the Great Healer, god of medicine, teach that a person’s true value lies in their ability to provide comfort and aid to others. So then is Kovas of Rathaam dually blessed, the redeemer champion also having a knack for medicinal healing in addition to their divine healing touch. However, they have gone missing, and the path to find them again will take the heroes into the sewers, where their calling has led them to an ysoki warren.

Though shunned by other cultures, the goblins of Valdheim are surprisingly skilled at herbal medicine, having come to rely on it when they rejected the old goblin gods. Those seeking such herbcraft can learn a lot from them if they will only listen.

#pathfinder second edition #archetype #herbalist #combusted #ysoki #goblin #Advanced Players Guide #Knights of Lastwall

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sealrock · 7 months

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been rotating my sadboy hector in my mind like a hot pocket in the microwave for a while, here's a very long random lore dump in no particular order as I write up his backstory:

like gaia, hector doesn't remember much of his past. he's not sure if his name is even his real name, but people tend to accept 'hector wormwood' despite his garlean origin well enough

his memory is spotty and he can't go into detail much, but he can recall his nameday, living in a place with bright blue roofs (terncliff), a white room, and that he had a twin sister who died early in his life. he can't remember his parents or the life he lived before he 'woke up' in the middle of the dravanian hinterlands

he met andromache on the road and joined her group of adventurers (yves and tauvane). the four of them took on odd jobs and hunted down monsters for the clan centurio. he would later be romantically involved with her and have a child (paris)

his third eye is usually hidden behind his bangs, and he doesn't like to talk about it with others. he doesn't know why, but he experiences negative emotions when someone points out his third eye

he's very withdrawn and skittish and is intimidated by others to the point that he'll freeze up if someone tries to take advantage of him. which happens often

he likes horticulture and cooking. when he lived in the west shroud hector had a beautiful garden of flowers, vegetables, and fruits

he doesn't remember how he ended up in eorzea, he just knows that he's running from something

at some point he picked up a rusted sickle to defend himself with, but he's not that good at melee combat

he's extremely short for a garlean, standing at 5'4. yves liked to pat his head and call him 'mouse' despite hector's embarrassment

he doesn't like being around other people, bad things always happens to others whenever he's around, usually death. hector blames 'the shadow' that's been following him for as long as he can remember (the shadow is halmarut without a human vessel, not that hector knows this)

the shadow is something that hector is most afraid of, even though the entity has saved his life countless times. this was halmarut's plan in making hector isolated and totally dependent on them

similar to gaia and her time/darkness skillset, hector has shadow-based abilities a la nier that are seemingly psionic in nature, and deadly to boot. garleans can't manipulate aether, but how hector can be able to apparently summon dark aether is a question even he can't answer. he hates using his powers because of its malevolent nature and will apologize to those he has to fight

he has terrible and horrifying nightmares and hallucinations because of the shadow. sometimes he'll be found on the floor in a ball or crying

besides the shadow, hector is followed by the 'spirit' of his dead sister, she speaks to him at times and hector appears to address no one. this tends to creep people out

andromache and yves can't see the shadow, but they feel an menacing and oppressive presence hovering around hector at times. but paris could actually see the shadow and shared their father's fear of it as a child, especially at night

hector hates the feeling of being stared at, people who tend to stare tend to not have good intentions. he feels like he's being watched 24/7

hector has a near 1:1 counterpart shard on the first that halmarut attempted to possess. the joining was unsuccessful, however, and the shard ended up going mad because his soul was damaged. he was killed by andromache and paris during the events of shb

when halmarut's influence began to overtake him, hector's mental state slowly began to deteriorate when paris was a child. hector began to remember a life he never had and a dream of a burning world. the straw that broke the camel's back came when andromache, who already left him because of his descent into madness, wished to take paris with her and away from hector, leaving him completely alone. the resulting mental breakdown was what halmarut needed to possess him

#mypost.#ffxiv gpose #ffxiv screenshots #ffxiv oc #🍂#i renewed my sub just to make this #baby boy. baby #do you care him. my poor lil meow meow #don't worry hector will be fine in the end. it'll only take about 20 years but trust me #these pics are of hector before the timeskip. his hair was a lot shorter back then #overall hector was greatly inspired by the video games signalis and omori. all before i couldn't pinpoint who i wanted him to be #also notice how hector andi AND paris all have dark aspected powers. ough #q.#meta.

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duskcowboy · 2 years

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Elain’s Hobbies

I think Elain’s hobbies say so much about her, and paint a very good picture of how SJM sees her.

Gardening

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow” - Audrey Hepburn

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” – Alfred Austin

Elain is a dreamer. She’s optimistic. She believes in the beauty and goodness in others. She believes in tomorrow.

Baking

“Cooking and baking is both physical and mental therapy.” - Mary Berry

“Nothing says home like the smell of baking.”

“The secret ingredient in baking is always love.”

“The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.” - MFK Fisher

Elain is a lover. She’s nurturing and kind. She puts love and effort into what she creates.

Both these hobbies are tedious and meticulous—they take nurturing and focus. And it’s not a coincidence that both of these hobbies are linked to therapeutic benefits and are known to improve mental health. This article by The Gazette highlights how baking and horticulture became extremely popular during lockdown. I found it interesting that it made these notes:

“A very technical and absorbing activity, baking is believed to help people to relax, and can improve mood.”

“As baking is often done alongside other people, it can also encourage social bonding”

“According to a survey by Arboretum last year, 42 per cent of 2,000 participants said that being around plants improved their mental health.”

But anywho—just some hobby appreciation, and a bit more of a glimpse into Elain and her personality.

#elain archeron #pro elain archeron #hobbies #baking #gardening #cooking #horticulture #and if you still think Elain is useless and doesn’t contribute to the NC go argue with a wall

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beegswaz · 4 months

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this is only happening bc i drew mobian chica Once in the middle of horticulture and its Stuck with me. also itd be funny as fuck if chica lolbyte And russel pulled a honey (joining a tournament only for promotion)(honey joined the tournament in Sonic the fighters to promote her fashion brand and that was IT)(she was real for that)(though this is probably less promotion And more lolbyte saw an extreme gear tourney And forced everyone else to join she seems Like she'd do that)

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birds-quantified · 1 year

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Whump month day 2: Collapse

whump month organised by @cirrus-ghoulette

This ones not so whumpy... but i hope yall enjoy anyways!

Summary: the ministry gets a new shipment of mysterious plants, Mountain gets a bit too big for his boots when he ignores safety instructions and then finds the consequences

words: 964

A quiet morning, beautiful. Mountain appreciates nothing more than when it’s just him and nature awake in the early hours of the morning. The earth ghoul is particularly excited to get to his chores in the greenhouse today, there's been a new shipment of extremely rare plants and he can't wait to see what they have in store for him.

He makes his way out into the cobbled courtyard, heading towards the large greenhouse complex. The advantage of one of the Papa’s being an avid gardener is that the funding for the horticultural aspect of the ministry is mighty.

Arriving in the greenhouse; Mountain spots a crate of plants, and a note placed on the top surface. Picking the parchment up in his claws, Mountain reads:

To whom it may concern,

Some of the specimens in this shipment are extremely dangerous to humans, and the effects on ghouls are currently unknown. Due to the uncertainty about the properties of what these vines can truly do to even a ghoul, please refrain from handling them without the appropriate protection. Please find the suits and gloves located in the greenhouse store cupboard, there is a suit for everyone expected to handle these delicate specimens.

Thank you,

Primo Emeritus.

Huh, so they truly don’t know what these plants are capable of. He won't admit it, but Mountain doesn't know either. How bad can it really be? He's never found a plant that does more to a ghoul than make them extremely horny, even in the pit. Mountain comes to the conclusion that whatever this does, it can't be that bad… Can it?

Mountain moves the new plants into their assigned places, without the protective gear. His reasoning being, he’s an earth ghoul.. This shit is his element, why would it hurt him? He feels slightly smug about this fact, and he proceeds through his chores without being affected. ‘Silly old man’ he muses.’i'm fine, papa should trust his earth ghouls with their own element’. He makes a note to mention this to Rain later, as he’s sure the water ghoul will find Primo’s overcautious approach as amusing as he did.

Much later, in the ghoul dens.

Rain is sitting on the communal couch, having finished his day chores early he has taken the extra time to relish in the rarely quiet common room’s silence. A pattern of distant footsteps can be heard, briefly taking the time to listen to them, Rain concludes that it’s Mountain; heading back to the common area after only what Rain can assume is finishing his respective chores.

The door creaks open, Rain sits up to see if his suspicions were correct. “Hey Mount! How has your day been? I've not seen you at all about the ministry today.” Mountain greets his packmate with a wave, “I had chores in the gardens today Rainy, that's why. Did you hear about those new plants? Primo said they are really dangerous but i don't think they're tha-”

THUMP

Rain practically jumps over the back of the couch as the earth ghoul clatters to the floor. He begins to ensure the large ghoul is breathing before frantically checking for any obvious injuries. “ Mount?! Mountain!? What's wrong, speak to me dammit!”

Somehow, Rain manages to haul Mountain to the infirmary. The infirmary staff hurry around him as they whisk the earth ghoul off for tests and the like. Before he knows it, Rain is left on his own in the waiting room. Overwhelmed by the commotion, he knows he should go somewhere else to regulate himself before returning… but he doesn't want to leave Mountain! He still had no idea what caused his friend to collapse? Is he going to be okay?

As the bassist is hyperventilating in the waiting room of the infirmary, news of Mountain’s predicament has spread through the ministry like wildfire. Primo is in his office when he receives the news of the incident, and immediately asks the sibling if they knew what caused this to occur. The sibling shakes their head and scampers off… ‘What has happened to talking to people these days?’ Primo wonders. He decides he shall get the answers from the ghoul himself, and begins to amble towards where he imagines he shall find the ghoul he is looking for.

By the time Primo reaches the infirmary, the distinct sound of rushed breathing and light sobs reach him.. What in Satan's name is going on in there? Upon opening the doors, he finds Copia’s water ghoul shaking on the corner. Oh satan, what was his name? “...Rain? Can you hear me?”

The ghoul’s head shoots up ‘at least i got the name right’ “y-yes, Papa Sir?”

“Rain, do you know what happened to your friend at all? I want to know if there's anything I can do to help.” The old Papa places a gentle hand on the water ghoul’s shoulder as he speaks, comforting him the best he can. Rain thinks for a moment before responding, “i- i don't know… he was talking about these new plants, and that he didn't think they were harmful at all and then he just fell!”

Primo curses under his breath, the earth ghoul must've gotten too cocky and decided that the precautions did not apply to him. “Thank you, Rain. I must get going now.” And with surprising grace; Primo stands and hurries off to where the infirmary staff had taken Mountain.

It’s a few hours later, when Mountain awakens, and much to his disappointment it's not Rain at his bedside. He is, however, surprised to see Papa Primo. Then the realization hits. ‘fuck’

“Out of all ghouls, I'd never have expected it to be you. But here we are… you going to listen to safety instructions next time, ghoul?”

#ghost bc #quantified writings #mountain ghoul #rain ghoul #papa primo #whump month 2023

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uwlmvac · 1 year

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Thanks to Jim Theler for this week’s post –

A LATE WOODLAND (EFFIGY MOUND CULTURE) WINTER HOUSE BASIN: Keeping Warm in Frigid Winter

December 2022 brought a true winter blizzard propelled by the weather phenomenon known as a “bomb cyclone.” Below-zero air temperatures and sustained winds of 20-40 mph dropped wind chills to -40 F. Prolonged outdoor exposure was life threatening. Most of us were fortunate to be cocooned in warm dwellings with a predictable heat source and good winter attire. Even so, it was a frightening situation--and for some people, a fatal one. Especially for people in rural settings, in an emergency, help might or might not be on the way.

So how did people survive harsh Midwestern winters centuries ago? The Cade 5 site in Vernon County, Wisconsin, offers an intriguing possibility. The site is attributed to the Effigy Mound culture, an archaeological term for peoples who constructed a stunning array of animal/spirit-shaped burial mounds in western Wisconsin and surrounding areas during Late Woodland times, ca. A.D. 750-1050. Archaeological studies have provided insights into daily lifeways of Effigy Mound related peoples. There is good evidence that they were heavily invested in hunting and gathering wild plant and animal resources (wild rice, fish, and deer) harvested on a seasonal cycle across the landscape. Corn horticulture appears to have developed rather late during this time, and corn is thought to have been a lightly used supplemental resource.

Effigy Mound related peoples sometimes used south- or east-facing rockshelters during cool-season deer harvests and camped along rivers or lakes during the warm season. They probably built houses similar to a traditional Ho-Chunk house type called a ciiporoke (pronounced chee-POE-doe-kay). These rounded, wigwam-style structures, made of bent saplings covered with bark sheets or cattail mats, would have been suitable for a wide range of conditions. (For a photo of a ciparoke, see https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM64092.)

A house basin found in 1996 at the Cade 5 site (47Ve643) in Vernon Co., Wisconsin, raises another possibility for winter— a covered, semi-subterranean house that might have served as an emergency shelter during severe cold snaps. An apparent house basin (Feature 3) found beneath the disturbed plowzone soil was 11.5 by 13 feet in area and 30 inches deep. The bottom had fire-cracked rocks, a projectile point, and a few pottery sherds attributable to the Effigy Mound culture. Several feet away was a large hearth (Feature 1), partially excavated in 1995, that contained 600 pounds of burned limestone (dolomite) rock lying on a bed of oak charcoal. Radiocarbon samples dated both Features 1 and 3 to about AD 1000.

The excavator (Jim Theler) was initially unsure about purpose of the basin, but he now thinks it was a winter house for extreme cold weather. It might have had a flat or low dome covering. Hot rocks brought in from the outside hearth would have warmed the interior without the smoke produced by an interior fire. Similar “winter” houses of a “keyhole” design, with long, narrow entryways, were excavated at Late Woodland sites in Dane County, Wisconsin, by the Wisconsin Historical Society.

#archaeology #archeology #Jim Theler #James Theler #house basin

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pettyeti · 8 months

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vrai lore (kinda).

unscripted. this is mostly a joke, but there are some serious bits.

i will preface this by saying he changes a lot after meeting Etienne, so take this as Before Eti Era (B.E.E)

real lore page coming soon. for now take this shitpost.

Name: Asmodeus. Real name is Vrai. Do not call him by his real name otherwise he will k*ll you. Vrai does not remember his last name.

Age: OLD. Too old tbh (935 years old). Don't call him old otherwise he will k*ll you. He was 37 when he became a voidsent.

I don't know when the Flood of Darkness happened. I bend canon and say that it occured 1000~ years before canon.

Gender: Cisgender man.

Sexuality: GAY.

Personality: Very charming and suave. Will call you "my dear" and "my girl" like Howl (you know what scene I am referring to.) Makes you feel like you're the most important person in the room.

Unfortunately, this is just a front. Vrai holds no love for mortals and throws people away when they stop being interesting to him. Vrai is very selfish. Vrai does not care about you. Vrai wants you to suffer because it is interesting to him. He will just be very polite while he watches you die.

Secretly, Vrai longs for the bygone days before he became a voidsent. He misses the sun on his face. He misses the love he once felt. He misses adventuring. He looks at the heroes of other worlds who have not lost their souls to the darkness with extreme intrigue and extreme jealousy.

Vibe: The vibes that emanate from this dude are MAD rancid.

Smell: Oh he smells so good. Like a moonlit path in the forest. Like old books in a well loved library. He also has a bit of a rosy scent when you get close.

Wisdom: 100000/10. Extremely smart. He is a walking encyclopedia. Knows a bit about everything, but has special interests in astronomy, aetherology, and biology.

Job?: This binch unemployed!!

Um? Where does he live??: He has a giant castle on the Thirteenth. It's located on the northern continent so it's cold as fuck! Vrai sits on a throne usually because he is melodramatic. Much like Zero's place, Vrai's castle serves as a domain for weaker voidsent who have pledged their loyalty to him. In return for keeping his castle pretty, Vrai protects them.... kinda.

What does he do all day?: Vrai lounges in his castle and watches people on the Source using a magic mirror he crafted himself. Vrai's been watching heroes and other interesting people for centuries, occasionally going to the Source himself to spook people. When he's bored, he'll spark conflicts. Think Eris and the Trojan War.

Likes: Reading. CHAOS. Collecting books, rare crystals, and other expensive junk. Intelligent people. Wine (hates all other alcohols.) Fighting. Learning about new topics.

Dislikes: Liars. Being outsmarted. Cockroaches. Weak willed people. Being reminded that he was once mortal.

Parents: Vrai had two moms. One was a witch who had a keen interest in herbs and horticulture. The other was a shepherd who liked her solitude and lived in the mountains. They did not survive the Flood. Vrai loved them very much and had a good childhood <3

Combat: Expert caster. Uses a scythe to channel devastating black magic. The scythe isn't just for show either.

What about G*lbez?: Vrai doesn't fuck with Golbez and Golbez doesn't fuck with Vrai. It's an uneasy cold war situation going on between them because Vrai don't care Golbez's plan. He's here for a good time.

Golbez doesn't fuck with him because it would be a waste of time and resources. Golbez is stronger than Vrai and would win in a fight if it came down to it, but it wouldn't be worth it because Vrai would destroy everything Golbez has worked for before kicking the bucket. Still, Vrai let's Golbez do his thing because uhhh. He don't give a fuck. Just leave him alone and let him play with his heroes and they'll be Gucci.

#lore.txt #vrai.

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