#look at that scytale

[pristina-nomine]

Dune Messiah character portraits by Marc Simonetti

#in love with all of them #look at that scytale #dune messiah #dune #marc simonetti #frank herbert #paul atreides #alia atreides #chani kynes #duncan idaho #hayt #princess irulan corrino #princess irulan #scytale #stilgar #bijaz #reverend mother gaius helen mohiam #edric #illustrazione

[loveakii]

something about dune being about society falling in love with charismatic leaders and being manipulated and controlled through faith and dune messiah being about the ramifications of that for the leader, also being entrapped by the people he’s manipulated. because of his divine status he loses control of his personhood completely.

here are some quotes that really stood out to me:

Dune was a world of paradox now—a world under siege, yet the center of power. To come under siege, he decided, was the inevitable fate of power.

“I’m a figurehead. When godhead’s given, that’s the one thing the so-called god no longer controls.” A bitter laugh shook him. He sensed the future looking back at him out of dynasties not even dreamed. He felt his being cast out, crying, unchained from the rings of fate—only his name continued. “I was chosen,” he said. “Perhaps at birth . . . certainly before I had much say in it. I was chosen.”

I wanted only to look back and say: “There! There’s an existence which couldn’t hold me. See! I vanish! No restraint or net of human devising can trap me ever again. I renounce my religion! This glorious instant is mine! I’m free!”

What would happen if he took Chani, just picked up and left with her, sought sanctuary on Tupile? His name would remain behind. The Jihad would find new and more terrible centers upon which to turn. He’d be blamed for that, too. He felt suddenly fearful that in reaching for any new thing he might let fall what was most precious, that even the slightest noise from him might send the universe crashing back, receding until he never could recapture any piece of it.

“To kill a god,” Paul said. “That’s very interesting. But who says I’m a god?” “Those who worship you,” Edric said, glancing pointedly at Stilgar.

“He didn’t use the Jihad,” Scytale said. “The Jihad used him. I think he would’ve stopped it if he could.” […] “You can’t stop a mental epidemic. It leaps from person to person across parsecs. It’s overwhelmingly contagious. It strikes at the unprotected side, in the place where we lodge the fragments of other such plagues. Who can stop such a thing? Muad’Dib hasn’t the antidote. The thing has roots in chaos. Can orders reach there?” “Have you been infected, then?” Edric asked. […] “We’re all contaminated,” Scytale said.

From the moment the Jihad had chosen him, he’d felt himself hemmed in by the forces of a multitude. Their fixed purposes demanded and controlled his course. Any delusions of Free Will he harbored now must be merely the prisoner rattling his cage. His curse lay in the fact that he saw the cage. He saw it!

#dune #dune messiah #frank herbert #paul atreides #mine

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Hey hey! Love the blog, very informative!

Would it be ok for me to ask if you know about Colombia's snakes? I don't know what we have over here 😖

Sure thing! Colombia has a ton of cool snakes, and an incredible amount of diversity! There are over 300 native species, and representatives from half of all 18 snake families!

One of the coolest snakes native to Colombia is the American pipe snake, Anilius scytale. These guys are the only extant members of their family, the Aniliids, and they're some of the most primitive snakes in the world. They have rigid jaws, a narrow row of belly scales, and are probably really close to what the first true snakes looked like!

Colombia has two dwarf boas, and my favorite is the eyelash boa (Trachyboa boulengeri). These guys aren't actually boas at all, they're tropidophiids, a closely related but distinct genus of fossorial snakes.

Burrowing snakes, like the Amazon burrowing snake (Apostolepis niceforoi), make up a very solid chunk of Colombia's native colubrids. These little guys spend most of their time in underground burrows, so they're rarely seen.

The most iconic viper native to Colombia is probably the fer-de-lance (Bothrops asper). They're also considered one of the most dangerous snakes in the region, with a bite that's unusually dangerous for viper bites. You can easily recognize them by their triangle-shaped markings, which look like spearheads!

The machete savane (Chironius carinatus) is one of my favorite Colombian snakes! They're very slender and very long, sometimes getting as much as ten feet long! You'll usually find them up in rainforest trees, hunting for rodents and birds.

The mussurana (Clelia clelia) is another iconoc Colombian colubrid! These guys are known for their diet, which is mostly other snakes - especially vipers like the fer-de-lance!

The Colombian rainbow boa (Epicrates maurus) is probably my favorite Colombian snake! Like the other boas in their genus, they're named for their strength - epicrates means "strong hug!" They're my favorite rainbow boa to recommend to pepole looking to buy their first, because they're great pets and not as delicate as their cousins the Brazilian rainbow boas.

The annulated tree boa (Corallus annulatus) is one of the coolest tree boas in Colombia! They're not quite as flashy as their cousins Amazon tree boas, but they make up for it with their beautiful patterning and soft colors!

Colombia has lots of coral snakes, and my favorite is the semi-aquatic coral snake (Micrurus surinamensis). They're one of the biggest and heaviest coral snakes in the world, reaching a maximum of about 5 feet long.

#not a rating #snakes of the world #snake facts

[wulfhalls]

As a Duncan enjoyer, I respect your stance on Duncan. You are even right in so many ways. Duncan was best doing his protecting in the first book and then sadly handled with the I-don’t-know-how-to-let-go-of-my-character character stick. It’s one thing to have characters struggle with letting people go, thematic and all, but Herbert, my guy, you have to let go. Look at him! He’s been so copy pasted that he’s nothing but his worst genes. Look at that homophobia! It’s not proper breeding. His murder attempts are a sign he can’t get proper enrichment. Smh

I'm generally neutral on duncan (tho your hate is truly insI'm generally neutral on duncan (tho your hate is truly inspirational) but him and murbella? literary hot girl shit. I will die angry I won't ever get to see them fuck nasty outside the confines of my own imagination pirational) but him and murbella? literary hot girl shit. I will die angry I won't ever get to see them fuck nasty outside the confines of my own imagination

Frank Herbert’s immense horniness for nothing character Duncan is something that every single person I’ve ever talked to Dune about also deeply hates. Why?? Why can we never escape him???

and with all I mean all of us coming together to oppress beta cuck bitch ass duncan idaho! praying to god denis is like. idk how to explain axlotl tanks on top face dancers and the bene tleilaxu to the average audience memeber so let's just cut back a lil on the wierdness and focus on scytale and The Plot. (OK actually I desperately want to see denis try to explain axlotl tanks on top face dancers and the bene tleilaxu to the average audience memeber but I hate duncan idaho more) ((also can't wait for the guild navigators on god u know denis is going to go in hard with the eldritch abomination look <33))

#asks #dunetwo #duncan idaho ghola hater society memeber for life #guild navigator of dune 1984 dir david lynch fame my most beloved

[the-dye-stained-socialite]

A Study of Tattoos

@house-of-mirrors here's my fic for you for the @fallenlondonficswap! I hope you enjoy!

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 1,290

Summary: An academic has an encounter with a spy, and can never go back.

Contains: The great game, Judgements, tomb-colonists, the khanate, permadeath, and brief mentions of zailors and implied intimacy.

Ao3 Link

It has been weeks since I saw her.I was not supposed to open that door. She had been redressing, pulling her blouse back on when I noticed them. Dozens of tattoos covered every available inch of skin, some overlapping even, like the sketching book of a Bohemian who could not yet afford a fresh one. My mind has since become that sketchbook. They fascinate me. I look for tattoos everywhere I go now, hoping to catch a glimpse of more. Sometimes I do.

I have found out more. She was a surface runner. A spy. Staying in the Neath for as minimal time as possible so as to not die, and lose her usefulness. My accidental involvement with her has set off a chain reaction which I do not understand. A chain reaction which I must understand. Ripples have consequences. 

My final term is nearing an end. My professor, a demanding man who always oversees every minute detail, is demanding a long-form research project. I will choose the coding of tattoos to demonstrate my academic expertise.

***

I have made an error. Examples of spy tattoos are hard to find in full for one simple reason: It is vital that they be decoded only by the intended recipient. Even after one is put onto the body and then delivered, it may still be decoded by others to find out a plan. I had to figure out a method that would enable me to find these tattoos.

I bumbled around Wilmot’s End for near to a week. I would pin any spy I could recognize as such with conversation, like an amateur entomologist clumsily practicing on an abundant species. I realize, only now in the aftermath, the flaws in my method. At the time however, I was stumbling through, unseeing, blunt and broad in my brushstrokes.

I did not realize what would be the consequences of my actions. The game I was playing was not long enough. One of the spies began to spread such a storm of scandal that my own professor booked me a ticket to the Tomb-Colonies! As such, I leave today.

***

I have been here a week now, and made friends with a very old Colonist. They are dead now. I watched them crack open, like a cocoon made not of silk, but rather of dusty bandages. Before they died, however, I was permitted to see beneath those bandages. I had been explaining my thesis, and how my attempts at finding samples was what brought me here, when they told me they had something that might help. Indeed they did.

As part of my research, I had studied tattoos extensively. In addition to the time I spent in Wilmot’s End, I had also spent an entire week staking out Clathermont’s parlor, watching those who came and went. When the Colonist unraveled their wraps to show the aged parchment of their skin, I saw tattoos and symbology I had never come across before. I took very detailed drawings, noting everything from direction to color to location.

***

I am back at the University. The Colonies gave me the time and space to think. I took some gifted rags back with me. I wrap myself in them now, and keep a scytale of my notes. Depending on where I choose to wrap them, I can disguise many messages.

***

I have gone through the entire libraries of both Benthic and Summerset. They contain hardly anything about spycraft, and even less about what it looked like before the Fall of London. This place is hindering my research more than helping it. I will go back to the Tomb-Colonies, this time of my own volition. I tire of things happening without my understanding of how or why. I will learn, and I will grow.

One of my classmates is a pawn. He is clearly a spy, but he never operates of his own free will. Is there a way to, in this game? If so, I will find it. If not, I will become it.

***

Once more I am here among dust and moths. A Tomb-Colonist who reminded me of my Aunt spoke with me. I ended up asking her about older tattoo works. She pointed me across the Zee.

“There, in the Khanate. My granddaughter traveled there once. Its people are descendants of those who escaped that last fallen city.” She gave me some of her wrappings, to fill the gaps in my own. I thanked her.

I will spend the remainder of my time here, constructing a false identity with which I may enter the city.

***

I wonder. Was I pointed to the Khanate by chance? Am I still part of someone else’s schemes? Perhaps, like a puppet that resents the one who claims to be her master, I will take up a blade, sharp and precise, and slice off both blindfold and bindings in one neat cut.

***

My disguise is complete now. The Kindly Colonist had parting words for me.

“They will use every last part of you. Death, true death, will not be the end. They will use your memory to haunt and persuade others. They will use your tombstone as a dead drop. They will use your dying breath to pull in another. You cannot love or be loved. Travel safe, and if you do try to escape… Do not do it partway. You cannot have a foot in each world.”

She gave me a small cloth bag. There is a scrap of irrigo fabric inside, which causes a fog in my mind.

***

I have found a captain willing to zail my false identity East. I study the crew’s backs and shoulders, looking for ink.

***

My disguise has held so far. It is a good thing I have learned not to be reckless. My second day in port I saw a junior pawn removed by the White and Golds. I have a growing distaste for them. I played shatar for much of the day. Unlike London, tattoos are kept much more secret here.

***

I intercepted a message today. I danced with a charming woman all night long, and used our intimacy to make a study of her tattoos. The shapes themselves are smaller here, but still just as detailed. They know how to prolong usefulness. The symbols are different as well, though I see similarities reflected in the tattoos of the zailors who brought me here.

***

Last night I dreamt of a chessboard. I was clothed in ruby armor. A man in ivory approached me.

Once within arm’s reach, the world around me transformed into a glittering castle. I could see checkered fighting out of the windows.

Someone guarded him off to the side. He talked carefully and with precision, and explained many things. How he was interested in my development, how I moved across the board quickly for a mere pawn. How he had arranged all of this. His eyes were blue like snow as he dropped carelessly back onto his self-proclaimed throne.

His right hand twisted, and marionette strings tightened against my limbs. I grew furious. I did not want to be controlled. He was not allowed to manipulate my life.

He spoke of bleaching my ruby vestments, and his eyes gleamed. They glowed such a bright light, in fact, that it burned to look upon his shining throne.

My fury kept me grounded. I wanted nothing more than to snuff out that bright white light. I snapped my strings, and all at once, his castle folded and faded, like crumpled notes.

A man who reminded me of someone I once knew rushed up to me. His armor was deep ebony. I looked at my tattooed limbs, and saw that so was mine.

I woke up.

#dye stained fics #fallen london #the great game #this was really fun!!! took me a good while to think of what i wanted to write though #and of course ty to the insouciant scientist for transcribing this for me<3 #cw body horror #minor and canon typical but it is there

[blackestnight]

ttrpg directory 2023

it's that time of year again! the annual local gaming convention means my annual ttrpg roster (below the cut for convenience).

THE BLORBOS:

pathfinder

electra godstongue (half-elf aasimar oracle of flames): still alive and kickin', somehow! at present the circus is taking a break while the party adventures through the darklands, and electra has been having a lovely time schmoozing her way through a city of undead drow. (we did get invited to perform as guests in the local circus, and she successfully defended her title as the best fire-eater in the inner seas.) at present she's stuck in a fucked-up wizard tower and the party is trying to steal back a magical orb...that the wizard stole...after a god failed to steal it.

and, you all will be happy to know, her 'most damage in a single turn of combat' record remains unbroken at 959 damage with a seventh-level sunburst.

álmos szarka (half-elf thaumaturge, organized play): the most trustworthy* wizard* you know, selling authentic* magical talismans* at reasonable prices*

*absolutely none of this is true

they are a master bullshitmonger, though. álmos is so good at spinning tales that they're the party Lore Guy, despite having an intelligence bonus of 0, because they can convince anyone that they know what they're talking about (and sometimes they actually do). they once famously distracted a night hag for an entire round of combat by pulling a random piece of garbage costume jewelry out of their pocket and convincing the hag it was a magical key to a legendary vault full of the pathfinder society's greatest treasures. they're also stealthy and tricky enough that they frequently out-rogue the rogue.

ivorna fen (half-elf twisting tree magus, organized play): a new character, formerly a student at Wizard School until she got kicked out for beating people up with her fancy wizard staff. she's since taken on her own independent studies combining martial and magical disciplines, and her custom-made staff is her pride and joy: it's made of interlocking wood pieces that expand and contract magically, and her spell book is actually a long strip of engraved leather that she wraps around it in an intricate criss-crossing pattern and functions as a scytale, forming different spells depending on how she's arranged the segments of her staff. she spends most of her time cleaning up pathfinder society messes, especially (ironically) in the daceline academy for pathfinder agents' children.

nitamani ruby-eyes (elf oread swashbuckler battledancer): also a new character for an ongoing campaign set in alkenstar, the clockwork city in the mana wastes. a former saloon dancer turned unintentional outlaw after getting on the wrong side of the corrupt shieldmarshals, she takes her throwing knives and her distracting hip shimmies into battle in the name of the duchess of alkenstar in an effort to restore rightful power to a less-bad option than the guys in charge now. she's also one of the two party faces—the other being the cleric, a devotee of the goddess of lust. she and the cleric keep running scams where they pretend to be married and play the most obnoxious rich patrons in any given establishment who want to speak to the manager. no one can tell if they're actually flirting while they do this. that "no one" includes me.

she's also a local legend at the longhorn lounge, where she not only won the annual bull-riding contest, but did so while standing upright on top of the bull.

zafsah the harrower (fetchling ranger, organized play): making her debut this weekend, she comes equipped for any adventure with glowing eyes, a fuck-off scythe, and a pet terror bird named hades. she used to be a rancher in the shadow-flooded kingdom of nidal before escaping inland and making her way to absalom to join the pathfinders and explore the world outside the dark domain she'd lived her whole life in. mostly she's been taking jobs on the night watch near the gravelands, looking for undead incursions, which doesn't help with the whole...aura she's got going.

boney angles (skeleton gunslinger pistolero): they're a skeleton. they dual-wield pistols. they wear a leather harness and garters and strike a lot of cheesecake poses. that's really it tbh

starfinder

starmistress britta makee (human solarian): still here, still has her fancy space knife. she also has a planet, technically. not the one she's already the crown princess of. a different planet. she got it as a gift for helping a space emperor dethrone his fucked-up sister. she gave the planet away though and now she's a civilian representative on a governing council for a new democratic space republic that's caught between four warring space empires and some genocidal sentient space robots, because of course she is. also she might be trapped in hell, or in an extradimensional bottomless ocean, or something. but it's fine! the party has a plan: let britta turn into motes of light (she can just...do that), stick her in a jar, and chuck her into the enemy stronghold through the vents. say hello to my little friend.

Z-N0N (android exocortex mechanic): they're back and cringier than ever! your least favorite space twitch streamer is still wearing their backwards baseball cap, still saying "lit" like it's cool, and still the only person in the party who speaks any given language, but they have the social acumen of a twelve-year-old whose conversational skillset was developed on space xbox live chats.

#cyan's ttrpg adventures

[stobinesque]

hi friend! I wanna know more about scytale please 🫶

Okay, so, spoilers?? I guess?? for like....seven fics out in the semiotics 'verse. But really the series as a whole is largely a queer slice-of-life barring a few plot-driven installments. anyway. scytale will be set sometime in the late 80s or very early 90s after Steve has been involved in Indy's AIDS Activism/community organizing for a few years. (It may also follow him getting involved? That will definitel be A Fic, just not sure yet if it will be This Fic). So far scytale is just a snippet of a Steddie argument, but the general idea is that it'll be exploring activist burnout, Steve pushing his limits, and the way that strains his relationship with Eddie/his loved ones.

also sharing a brief snippet bc it sums up a lot of how I think and write about this version of Steve [cw for discussion of the AIDS epidemic and death]

The tears that have been stabbing at his eyes for what feels like hours finally spill over as Eddie talks. When Steve speaks again, his voice is hoarse. “I thought I was done, Eddie,” he says in a wretched whisper. “I thought I was done watching the people I love almost die. I thought I was done with the government not giving a shit about the people it destroys and discards without a thought. I thought the people I care about were done with fucking doctors who refuse to fucking listen!” Steve is sobbing now, tears streaming fully down his face. “I thought I was done, Eddie! Okay! I’ve looked hell in the face four times and now I’m staring it down again only this time there’s no fucking end! I’m watching the family we’ve made for ourselves die in slow motion and it is tearing me apart.”

title definition per wikipedia:

In cryptography, a scytale is a tool used to perform a transposition cipher, consisting of a cylinder with a strip of parchment wound around it on which is written a message. The ancient Greeks, and the Spartans in particular, are said to have used this cipher to communicate during military campaigns.

#there will be no MCD in this series #however that does not mean there will be no death in this series #read writes #semiotics 'verse #tag game

[fishandships]

The Naturalist: First Sight

Universe: Identity V Summary: On Rosario’s first day at Oletus Manor, a fellow guest makes a noteworthy impression. Word count: 915

—

It was love at first sight.

“Oh! Hello, gorgeous!” Rosario exclaimed breathlessly, drawing close for a better look.

The creature that had so captivated them was a snake, crimson with black bands and just over two feet long. It was coiled around a candelabra on the fireplace mantel. Making sure to stay out of striking range, Rosario inclined their head to examine it. “Hello. You don’t look like you come from around here.”

The snake flicked its tongue lazily. Moving slowly so as not to startle it, Rosario pulled their sketchbook from their satchel and began to take visual notations. “You are so handsome,” they crooned. “I hope you don’t mind if I sketch your portrait.”

They had only a few loose sketches down before a voice from behind them gave them a start. “There you are!”

A stranger stepped into their field of vision, reaching for the snake, and Rosario immediately felt an alarming flutter in their ribcage. He was strikingly handsome, tall and lithe with a distinctly Roman profile. His brow was wrapped in bandages, and Rosario could not help but notice what looked like shimmering teal scales spreading from underneath both the bandages and the collar of his unbuttoned shirt. As he reached for the snake to detach it from its perch with expert gentleness, Rosario saw his slender fingertips ended, interestingly, in sharp black claws. “My apologies,” he said. “I truly have no idea how he got out. That’s never happened before.”

After a moment’s effort Rosario managed to remember how to speak. “I was wondering where he came from. What is he? I don’t recognize this species.”

“Anilius scytale, commonly known as the false coral snake,” the stranger recited, watching the snake weave through his fingers. “A native of the Amazon rainforest, as well as a few other places in South America.”

Immediately Rosario noted this down beside their sketches. This caught the stranger’s attention, and he leaned in to see their drawings. They fought the urge to hide the paper against their chest, the proximity and the attention making them bashful. “Sorry, I just— he’s so lovely, when I found him my first instinct was to get some sketches of him.”

“No need to apologize,” he reassured them with a little smile. “These are—“

He stopped abruptly as his gaze lifted and met theirs for the first time. Rosario found themself suddenly captivated by the warmest brown eyes they had ever seen. A slight flush rose to their face. To their surprise, the stranger’s features also took on a faint rosy hue. “…stunning,” he said quietly.

“I beg your pardon?” Rosario felt their face grow even hotter.

“Your drawings,” he blurted out. “You have considerable skill.”

“They’re just sketches,” they replied, growing more flustered by the second. “Um, but thank you. You’re too kind, Mister…?”

“Professor,” he said with a sheepish half-smile. “I believe we’re meant to stick with code names for the duration of our stay, correct?”

“Oh! Right, of course, I’m sorry.” Tucking their sketchbook under their arm, they offered their hand. “Mine is The Naturalist. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Professor.”

“Likewise, Naturalist.” He also offered his hand - the one with the snake wrapped around it - laughed awkwardly, and switched to his free hand. “A pleasure indeed.”

Rosario focused on resisting the impulse to stare at his clawlike nails as they accepted his hand to shake. His skin was unusually cool. “If you’d like to, you’re more than welcome to stop by my quarters to do more sketches,” he offered. “Er, of my snake, that is. I mean, my specimens— I have several others with me, if you’re interested.”

Despite their awkwardness, Rosario’s curiosity won out. “Really? …I would love to see them. And hear about them, if you don't mind.”

The way he lit up at this made Rosario’s heart skip in a way that should have concerned them were they not so utterly hypnotized by his gorgeous eyes and earnest smile. “Not at all,” he told them. “I am always happy to indulge a fellow inquisitive mind.”

A hollow ringing sounded through the Manor. “I suppose that would be the dinner bell,” said The Professor with a note of reluctance. “Please excuse me. I should go put him back, lest some of our fellow contestants object to his presence.”

Rosario wiggled the tip of their index finger at the snake as a miniaturized good-bye wave. “It’s probably for the best. We wouldn’t want him to feel left out if there isn’t a plate set for him.”

The Professor chuckled. “We certainly wouldn’t. If you would be so kind, please let our companions know I will be along shortly?”

“Of course,” Rosario replied.

As both parties went their separate ways, Rosario couldn’t help but glance back over their shoulder for reasons they did not know. Was it their imagination, or did they catch The Professor doing the same? It was only at that point their attention was brought back to that same persistent flutter in their chest, now urgent and even more alarming. Rosario had always been an anxious individual, and socialization consistently made them nervous. That was, at least, what they reminded themself. But a quieter little voice somewhere in the back of their mind insisted that this was different. Rosario refused to pay that particular thought any mind whatsoever. Instead they took a deep breath to steady themself as they entered the dining hall to meet the rest of their fellow contestants.

#identity v #idv #otp: amor fati #luchino diruse #the professor idv #rosario killick #the naturalist #oc/canon #idv oc #my writing

[scoping-landscape]

Divisions of Codes and Ciphers

There are two kinds of codes/ciphers: transpositional, where your characters are the same, just moved about (like an anagram with a precise way to revert the encrypted text to the message), and translational, where your characters are in the correct position, but it's not the same characters (like a masquerade party).

The earliest transpositional cipher one would normally think of is good old Scytale. Imagine you have a tube, and wrapped around said tube is a strip of cloth. You have to make two decision: - How many sides does the Scytale have? - How many times can you wrap the strip of cloth around the tube? You have that? Good. Now, you write your message on the strips on the tube. For me, my Scytale has six sides, and I can wrap my strip four times around. After you've done this, you can unwrap the strip of cloth. What you should see is a bunch of characters with no rhyme or reason to it. The receiver, on receiving the strip of cloth, would wrap it around a tube of similar dimensions, and they would be able to read the message. My encrypted text: WSEARLIHSYULLIAFSLNWOA

The earliest translational cipher one would normally think of is our friend Caesar. Shift forwards/backwards by a number less than 26 (the number of letters in the English alphabet) to get a completely new one. My encrypted text: JURA GURER'F N JVYY, GURER'F N JNL.

While these are good in their time, there's just one problem if you use it now: It can be bruteforced. What do I mean by bruteforce? Well, let's look at the case for Caesar.

Since Caesar only has 26 possible configurations (assuming you're using the normal, unchanged alphabet), you can simply write out all 26 configurations, and see which one looks the most intelligible. For "JURA GURER'F N JVYY, GURER'F N JNL", it'll end up something like this.

KVSB HVSFS'G O KWZZ, HVSFS'G O KOM.

LWTC IWTGT'H P LXAA, IWTGT'H P LPN.

MXUD JXUHU'I Q MYBB, JXUHU'I Q MQO.

NYVE KYVIV'J R NZCC, KYVIV'J R NRP.

OZWF LZWJW'K S OADD, LZWJW'K S OSQ.

PAXG MAXKX'L T PBEE, MAXKX'L T PTR.

QBYH NBYLY'M U QCFF, NBYLY'M U QUS.

RCZI OCZMZ'N V RDGG, OCZMZ'N V RVT.

SDAJ PDANA'O W SEHH, PDANA'O W SWU.

TEBK QEBOB'P X TFII, QEBOB'P X TXV.

UFCL RFCPC'Q Y UGJJ, RFCPC'Q Y UYW.

VGDM SGDQD'R Z VHKK, SGDQD'R Z VZX.

WHEN THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY

XIFO UIFSF'T B XJMM, UIFSF'T B XBZ.

YJGP VJGTG'U C YKNN, VJGTG'U C YCA.

ZKHQ WKHUH'V D ZLOO, WKHUH'V D ZDB.

ALIR XLIVI'W E AMPP, XLIVI'W E AEC.

BMJS YMJWJ'X F BNQQ, YMJWJ'X F BFD.

CNKT ZNKXK'Y G CORR, ZNKXK'Y G CGE.

DOLU AOLYL'Z H DPSS, AOLYL'Z H DHF.

EPMV BPMZM'A I EQTT, BPMZM'A I EIG.

FQNW CQNAN'B J FRUU, CQNAN'B J FJH.

GROX DROBO'C K GSVV, DROBO'C K GKI.

HSPY ESPCP'D L HTWW, ESPCP'D L HLJ.

ITQZ FTQDQ'E M IUXX, FTQDQ'E M IMK.

JURA GURER'F N JVYY, GURER'F N JNL.

As you can see, the 13th one in the list is the one that is the most legible. If you don't know a key, you can bruteforce it. If there's not a lot of possibilities, then you get this situation, which both Scytale and Caesar has. Scytale fares a bit better, but it is still bruteforceable.

But there is a way to make the Caesar a bit stronger: key it. There are 26 letters of the alphabet, so there are 26! (26 factorial, basically the product of every number from 1 to 26) alphabets to choose from. The normal progression of the alphabet is but one of the ways to choose.

The problem with that, however, is that it's still very, very crackable. Anyone who has played Cryptogram before knows how easy it is to crack it without a key. Even if you have to use bruteforce to check, it's still rather solvable.

So we have to ramp it up somehow, but how? Enter: bigrams, trigrams, and polyalphabetic ciphers

#translational #tranpositional #scytale #caesar #bruteforce #cryptogram

[scarletrosii]

HELLO AND SORRY FOR THE LATENESS @floweryfandomnerd but tis I! Your secret Santa revealed!

I had help, so much help! From scytale-transposed! They're also Scytale@ao3! And I am super grateful for their help!!))

And here is your gift!

Yato always embarrasses Hiyori and Yukine. The two of them plot to embarrass him back, but what can they do to embarrass a god with no shame?

"Why does Yato have to be so embarrassing?" Yukine says as he sits at the kotatsu with his homework.

Beside him, Hiyori sighs deeply. "I know what you mean, last week we were at the mall and they were playing music. He joined in and started singing, loudly, and off key. Everybody was looking. I wanted to vanish into the floor!" She puts her head into her hands.

Kofuku joins them at the kotatsu. "What did Yatty-chan do to you this time, Yukki-chan?" she mumbles with a cookie in her mouth.

"He stuck his finger in my ear, after covering it in spit. It was disgusting!"

Hiyori cringes. "That's pretty gross."

"Talk about it." Daikoku enters the room with a tray of cookies and tea for everybody at the small table. "He's always trying to embarrass the missus and me, but she doesn't get embarrassed, and I refuse to let him."

"That's not how that works," both Hiyori and Yukine say in unison.

"I don't think you understand how it works; you haven't gotten there yet." Daikoku sets the tray down and straightens. "If he embarrasses you so much, why don't you embarrass him back?" he says as he makes his way out of the room.

Hiyori and Yukine brighten immediately. They look at each other.

"That's it!" Yukine says. "We'll just embarrass him back!"

"And maybe he'll understand what it feels like!" Hiyori finishes, excited. She turns toward Kofuku. "Want in on this, Kofuku? Yato embarrasses you too, right?"

"That's part of Yatty-chan's charm, Hiyorin! It's okay, I shouldn't be a part of this anyway; it will all go wrong if I am. You two have fun though!"

And with that she left the room, shaking her head, while Hiyori and Yukine put their heads together to plot deviously.

Hiyori and Yukine put their plan into action the next day. The first one relied on Hiyori.

"Hey Yato, can you get something for me?" Hiyori taps Yato's shoulder and gestures to the nearby convenience store. "I grabbed something at the conbini, but didn't have the money to pay for it so I ran home to grab my coin purse, but now I need to do something else, could you finish paying?"

"Hiyori! I'm so happy you're asking me for help!" He takes the coin purse, face aglow, and goes into the conbini.

He walks up to the cashier and tells him what he was there for. The bored teenager reaches under the counter, pulls out a small box, and tells Yato how much it costs.

Then Yato opens the coin purse to find it full of one yen coins.

He looks at it for a split second, before shrugging and pulling one out, placing it on the counter.

"Ooonnneee, twwooooo, thrrreeeee, foooouuuurrr-"

The cashier doesn't even blink, but outside the conbini doors Hiyori's and Yukine's jaws drop.

What feels like forever later, Yato finishes paying for the box, and immediately spots the two of them outside the doors.

"Hiyori!" he calls over loudly. "I've got your pads for you! I hope you didn't need them sooner, took me a minute to count out the right change!" He waves the box and much emptier coin purse excitedly, bringing everyone's attention to him, then to the girl just outside.

Hiyori's face turns a bright, vibrant red and she immediately dashes off, leaving behind a pink Yukine.

Later on, Yato and Yukine are out for a run, through the park and along the waterfront, looking for ayakashi. Yukine, upon seeing there are none, decides now is the perfect time for the next phase of the plan.

"Hey Yato, I think I see something on the pier," Yukine says, which is all that's needed to make Yato immediately turn toward it.

They run to the edge, and of course, find nothing, but on the way back to shore Yukine fakes a misstep. One stuck-out leg later, Yato is having his own real misstep and tumbling off the edge of the pier straight into the water. Nearby people point and laugh as Yato comes sputtering up; splashing water everywhere.

He looks at Yukine, and all Yukine feels is immense guilt.

Suddenly, there's a scream at the end of the pier, and the two of them look over to find out a child has fallen into the water, out of reach of their parents. Yato quickly swims over, lifts the child out of the water, and hands them to Yukine. Yukine, in turn, then lifts Yato out of the water, and they find the child's parents, who are elated that somebody was able to save their precious child. They insist on giving him a reward, calling him a hero, which causes Yato to blush bashfully. He doesn't appear to remember that Yukine tripped him on purpose, which only makes Yukine's guilt feel worse.

"It's my school's culture festival, you have to dress up for it! It's like a fancy party. It's formal." Hiyori explains to Yato for what feels like the millionth time.

And for what must be the millionth time, Yato tries to assure her. "I have the perfect outfit, you don't need to worry!"

"You can't just wear your tracksuit. If you even try I'm going to cut ties with you!" Hiyori warns. Yato brushes her off.

"It's handled, don't stress about it!"

The next day he shows up with the biggest, most multicolored feather boa Hiyori or her classmates have ever seen, and giant sunglasses.

"Hiyori, I'm here! And isn't this just the fanciest outfit?" Yato doesn't even appear to notice that he's the only one dressed up out of the guests. Or that he's quickly becoming the talk of the festival.

"Hiyori, who is this crazy guy wearing the boa, he clearly knows you but we've never seen him before," Yama and Ami pull Hiyori to the corner of the room, away from the crowd building around Yato.

"He's, a distant relative, come to visit." Hiyori bluffs "He doesn't know our customs here."

Her friends give her an odd look, but they have no choice but to accept it.

"At least he's bringing in more people to our café," Ami says, pointing to the people who are realizing they're in a student Cafe and sitting down to order things.

"We might even have a chance at winning the culture festival competition at this rate." Yama's eyes shine at the prospect, which just makes Hiyori all the more confused.

She makes her way back to Yato's side, and as she gets closer she hears a customer thanking Yato.

"-ays wanted to wear wild clothes like that, but I get so nervous thinking people are gonna judge me. But you don't care, and just seeing that, it feels so good. So I just wanted to say thank you, I might not wear something wild next time I go out, but maybe I'll wear a tie with a fun pattern on it, work my way up, you know?" The customer, who appears to be somebody's dad, claps Yato on the shoulder before ambling off to a table, calling the attention of a student and asking for a caramel milk coffee.

"What was that?" Hiyori asks.

"Nothing much," Yato replies, "just a man who needed a hand, that's all."

"This is the last thing we've got." Hiyori hands Yukine the shoebox. "but I refuse to wear them."

Yukine pulls a face. "I said I wasn't going to do any more of these after the pier, I felt horrible!"

"And I'm not going to be caught dead in these!!" Yukine gives her a glare before she realizes how insensitive her wording is. "Sorry," she apologizes.

"Doesn't matter anyway." Yukine says "If this doesn't work we've got nothing left, fine, I'll wear them." He takes the box, opens it up, and grimaces.

"These look horrible," he says.

Hiyori puts her hand on his shoulder, head bowed. "I know. Good luck! I'll be watching from over here!"

"HIYORIIII!!" Yukine calls after her, but she's already gone, hidden herself around a corner.

Alright, Yukine coaches himself. I've got this. It's just put these on and follow Yato. Where is Yato?

Just like that, the god himself appears, jogging round the corner, looking for all the world like he was innocent of every crime somebody could accuse him for. Yukine immediately replaces his shoes with the monstrosities from the box, and begins to follow his god.

It takes Yato a minute before he notices the noise following him, at the same pace he was jogging. The moment he turns around he finds his shinki, wearing the most interesting pair of shoes Yato has ever seen.

"Are those shoes… ducks? Are you wearing duck shoes?" Yato asked.

With every step Yukine's shoes quacked, and he thought to himself, of course they're duck shoes what else could they possibly be. Instead of saying that however, he just said, "Yes."

Yato's eyes shone and Yukine got a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Where did you get those!! I want a pair!! Gimme!" Yato immediately started following Yukine as the latter began to walk away.

Following becomes a chase, and the faster the two of them go, the faster, and louder, the quacks are, until Yukine can't handle it anymore and pulls the shoes off. Unfortunately, Yato, seeing his chance, snatches up the shoes, puts them on his own feet, and continues chasing Yukine.

Yukine is horrified; everybody around them is watching the whole thing as it happens, making him feel like dying all over again. He is absolutely not used to all this attention. He spots Hiyori, wearing the same embarrassed expression he knows he must be wearing, and makes a beeline over to her.

Hiyori nearly chokes when she sees Yukine headed her way, and she begins running away as well, not wanting to be drawn into the scene. Yato spots her, and starts to chase her as well, whooping with joy.

And all three went running off, people of all shapes and sizes staring and pointing.

Defeated, Hiyori and Yukine are sitting around the kotatsu at Kofuku's place telling her about all their attempts, how nothing they tried worked, and that they were giving up.

Kofuku looks at them mischievously. "You should try one more time, maybe. You might find more luck~" she winks.

"Everything we tried, backfired, and we're the ones embarrassed." Hiyori moans.

At that moment Yato comes in, and dramatically lies across the top of the kotatsu. Hiyori and Yukine stiffen, certain that he's heard everything

"Hiyoriiii why haven't you and Yukine been playing with meeeeeee todaaaayyyy," Yato complains.

Hiyori turns to him. "Play? What do you mean? We haven't been playing!"

"The games? They've been a lot of fun! Telling me to dress up for your festival? That was great!" Yato enthused. "Swimming wasn't as much fun, but I helped that kid, so it was all cool. And I love those shoes!"

Yukine drops his head into his hands. "Those shoes weren't supposed to be fun! Yato, we were trying to-"

"I know what you were trying to do," Yato said with a smile. "And I'm honored you chose me."

"Chose you? For what?" Hiyori asks exasperated. "We've been trying to embarrass you for days!"

Yato looks at her surprised. "You have?" he laughs "I didn't notice! I've been doing things like that on purpose for years!"

"What??" Hiyori and Yukine both lean toward Yato, still draped across the table. "Why?"

"So that I could do whatever anybody needed, at any time, no matter what. It builds confidence. I've had some rather strange requests over the years." Yato rolls off the table, Kofuku just barely jumping out of his way. "Also it's nice to be noticed, even if it's only just long enough for a laugh."

He poked his head up, eyes just visible over the edge of the table. "If you really wanted to embarrass me, you'd have to do something I've never thought of. And I've thought of everything."

"What about getting pantsed in public?" Yukine asked.

"Done it." Yato replied.

"Making weird noises on the phone?"

"Easy peasy."

"Waving to random strangers as if you know them?"

"That one is extra fun."

Hiyori watches as this exchange goes on, and notices an interesting connection with all the suggestions and answers. A plan forming in her mind, she gets up from her position at the kotatsu.

Yato and Yukine don't appear to notice when she kneels beside Yato, and gently, gives him a kiss on his cheek.

Stunned, Yato looks to Hiyori, before his face flushes red and he runs out of the room.

"What just happened?" Yukine asks, and in reply, Hiyori just giggles. Maybe she did gain some more confidence after all.

#noragamisecretsanta2022 #floweryfandomnerd #scytale-transposed #I hope I tagged that right #Genuinely thinking of drawing something for this as well but I'm absolutely terrible at drawing Yato lol #Yatoite

[theprofessor45]

Red Serpent New Design!!!! 🐍

The current design of Red Serpent, aka Anilius Scytales! I loved working on this so much. This design is based on a few heroes, but the base of the suit is based on a wrestling singlet. I wanted to add that in too allude to her sports background.

I did a few alternate designs to see how it would look (that I might post later). I did want to show a possible addition of twin capes on her pauldrons. I might not keep it, but I wanted to show you to see what you guys think.

I really like this design and hope you do too! Hope you all have a wonderful day!!

#superhero #my oc art #oc #my art #my oc #my original art #my ocs #my ocs are my children #cartoon #red serpent #the anomalous

[technicaldr]

How to Know if You Need HIPAA Compliance

Keeping up with all the niche compliance regulations is daunting and overwhelming, especially if even one small error could potentially lead to a critical financial or reputational loss. Unfortunately, when it comes to HIPAA compliance, it’s challenging to receive a clear “Yes” or “No” answer when trying to get past the very first step – whether or not you fall under mandatory HIPAA compliance in the first place. 

At Scytale, we bring transparency to the murky world of compliance, because no one can afford the risk of being left in the dark. In this article, we’re going to explore HIPAA compliance and the world of Protected Health Information (PHI). 

Understanding the core principles

Before being able to properly distinguish whether or not HIPAA compliance applies to you or your organization, it’s vital to understand what the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is and what it’s been set out to protect. However, none of it will click into place, unless you appreciate and acknowledge the core: 

The Protected Health Information (PHI).  This is the crux of the topic and if you have even an ounce of PHI that is filtering through your business, you’re going to want to read closely, because we’re talking to you. 

Protected Health Information (PHI)

Protected health information refers to literally any individually identifiable health information. Whether it’s medical histories, insurance information, test results, demographic data, or any other information that relates to an individual’s healthcare services or coverages – it’s PHI, and it’s sacred. PHI is at the forefront of HIPAA which has implemented the HIPAA privacy rule to protect and regulate any data that relates to:

  the health of an individual – past, present, and future 

All provision of healthcare to individuals

The financing and payment for the provision of healthcare services

HIPAA Compliance 

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, was established to provide a national standard for the security and privacy of electronic health information for organizations working in healthcare. The main function of HIPAA as stated earlier is to protect, regulate, and secure the handling of PHI by safeguarding its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. To accomplish this, HIPAA consists of three main rules: The Privacy Rule. The Security Rule. The Breach Notification Rule. 

Out of the three rules, there is one that speaks to which organizations must follow the HIPAA standards – The HIPAA privacy rule. This is what we’ll look into a bit deeper to see if your organization fits the description. 

  HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO SECURITY COMPLIANCE?

The HIPAA Privacy Rule

The HIPAA Privacy Rule was first put into effect by the US Department of Health and Human Services in 2003. Initially, it included only healthcare providers, as well as clearinghouses, and other health insurance entities but in 2013, the category ‘Business Associates’ joined the conversation. This Privacy Rule ensures the proper implementation of the HIPAA requirements and focuses on the safe, proper use and disclosure of the protected health information. To better understand who is subject to this rule, HIPAA categorized it into two main establishments: covered entities and business associates. 

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that there are exceptions to the rule, but not quite yet, as these exemptions rarely mitigate compliance, which is what we’re actually concerned about. 

So what exactly is HIPAA Compliance? 

HIPAA compliance means that as an entity, you are aware of the HIPAA regulations and the rules that you’re subject to and have passed a HIPAA self-assessment or self-audit. If you’re HIPAA compliant, it also ensures that you are in accordance with all the standards for data protection required by HIPAA compliance and that you’ve implemented the necessary controls and policies to ensure you’re not in any violation of HIPAA standards. 

Who needs to comply with HIPAA anyway?

The general rule of thumb is that if you work in healthcare in any capacity and store or process PHI, you need to be compliant. However, there is a large misconception that compliance is limited to official healthcare organizations. However, this is far from the case. Many organizations are being audited and fined because they were unaware of the role they play in HIPAA compliance and how the HIPAA privacy rule applies to them. In reality, as mentioned, two main categories fall under mandatory HIPAA compliance. 1. Covered Entities and 2. Business Associates.

Within these two overarching categories, HIPAA has included various businesses that need to adhere to the compliance requirements, all based on their contact with PHI. But not to worry, we’re getting into those too. 

Covered Entities: Who they are and what they do

Covered entities are all individuals, businesses, or organizations that work directly with protected health information. Organizations and individuals who are defined as covered entities (CEs) fall into three main categories. 

  Healthcare providers

Healthcare plan provider

Health care clearinghouses

  Each one of these three types is defined by HIPAA and is referred to as covered entities (CE). If your business type is defined as a CE, it means that you are subject to the HIPAA privacy rule and must be HIPAA compliant to lawfully align with the rights of individuals on their private health information. 

Seeing as each one of these ‘covered entities’ still cover such a broad spectrum, it’s crucial to elaborate on each different type of covered entity that falls under the strict regulations of the HIPAA privacy rule. 

Healthcare Providers 

This covered entity includes any healthcare providers who deal with electronic personal health information. Regardless of the size of your practice or organization, if you transmit PHI electronically, you need to be HIPAA compliant. The data includes the sending and receiving of any claims, benefit eligibility inquiries, or referral authorization requests. In a digital world, exceptions are few and far in between, and compliance will only be regarded as ‘optional’ very scarcely.

Healthcare Plans

All healthcare insurance companies are considered covered entities. However, this category is not limited to official health insurers or plan providers only. Many business owners and organizations often misinterpret this category and fail to comply with the HIPAA privacy rule. It’s important to make note of the fact that the following individuals or businesses are also considered covered entities within the healthcare plan provider category:

Co-Employers who offer health insurance to their employees. It should be noted that if a group health care plan covers less than 50 individuals and is maintained and administered solely by the employer, it’s exempt from the HIPAA privacy rule and compliance is not mandatory. 

Employers who offer any medical reimbursement or an onsite clinic to their employees are covered entities. 

Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) that provide health insurance coverage are covered entities. 

Government programs that pay for healthcare are covered entities. This includes the sponsorship of military and veteran healthcare programs.

Church-sponsored health programs are covered entities

A Healthcare Clearinghouse

A healthcare clearinghouse acts as a middleman between healthcare providers and their insurance partners. These clearinghouses are the ones that analyze and check all electronic claims and associated medical records to ensure that there are no errors. They aid in the easy, effective, and correct processing and payment between the healthcare provider and their insurer. As this information is considered PHI and they possess said information they qualify as covered entities and are subject to the HIPAA privacy rule and therefore require mandatory HIPAA compliance. 

Business Associates: why they need HIPAA compliance

The second category, and the one that is less frequently talked about, refers to the business associates (BAs) of covered entities. Covered entities very rarely operate in silos and often require the assistance of business associates to carry out their daily functions. 

That means that any individual or organization that therefore falls under a contractual business arrangement with a covered entity may be subject to the HIPAA privacy rule and therefore required to be HIPAA compliant. To specify, if a business or individual deals with any individually identifiable health information via their relationship with covered entities, they are considered business associates under HIPAA. 

Many businesses or individuals do not consider themselves BAs because they do not work within the healthcare industry – but this is where the biggest catch lies. Business associates can be anything from consulting, financial, data aggregation, management, or legal entities. Some examples of business associates include: 

Consultants who provide hospital utilization reviews

Third-party administrators that assist health plans

Shredding companies that handle documents pertaining to PHI

Billing companies who work with covered entities

Lawyers who obtain CEs as their clients

Exceptions to HIPAA privacy rule

Being that all of the information is critical in ensuring high-quality healthcare, it’s important that the HIPAA privacy rule needs to provide a quintessential example of the balance between protecting PHI and the accurate flow of medical information between parties. In honor of keeping the balance, there are exceptions to the rule. 

Health and safety

In certain circumstances, exceptions are made to share PHI without a patient’s authorization. These cases include scenarios where disclosing the information is pivotal for ensuring the health and safety of the patient or individual. Nevertheless, isolated exceptions to the rule are rare occurrences within covered entities and do not serve as a quick escape from HIPAA compliance. 

On paper

Don’t throw caution to the wind just yet. If your healthcare organization or practice relies solely on paper records – not only are you stuck in the stone age, but you’re also not 100% exempt from regulation. Although you might submit hard copies to a billing company or third party, if they transmit those records electronically, HIPAA rulings apply to you as well. 

It sounds harsh, we know. So what happens if you make an innocent mistake?

What if your business accidentally violates HIPAA rules?

We hate to break it to you, but there is very little to no grace period when it comes to HIPAA compliance and violations, even if it’s a first offense. Violations are dealt with harshly and without financial mercy. The civil violations, which are reserved for businesses who were not aware that they were violating HIPAA rules, can receive a minimum of $100 fines per violation and a maximum of $25,000 for repeat violations. The maximum penalty can be $50,000 per violation with a yearly maximum of $1.5 million. This applies only to Tier one violations and is considered the smallest and least severe penalty. 

Quickfire questions: An overview of HIPAA compliance 

Feeling more comfortable with the ins and outs of HIPAA compliance? If you’re still a bit foggy on whether or not your specific business needs to start the journey towards HIPAA compliance, have a look at our list of quickfire compliance questions. 

1. Does HIPAA compliance only apply to healthcare industries? 

No. Both covered entities and business associates are required to comply with HIPAA regulations, as long as they work with PHI. 

2. What are the penalties for HIPAA non-compliance?

Fines and penalties can vary and largely depend on the type of violation that occurs, as well as the intent behind the violation. Accidental violations are less severe than violations that occur due to malicious intent. If the violation occurs where the intent is to sell or use PHI or ePHI for personal gain, the maximum fine can be up to $250,000 or up to 10 years imprisonment. 

3. Will SOC 2 help me become HIPAA compliant? 

SOC 2 is a great baseline for ensuring that your organization has implemented the correct foundational security compliance. However, the HIPAA privacy rule will require you to add additional and particular safeguards, necessary for HIPAA specifically. If you’d like to see how SOC 2 can help you implement security controls, have a look at our article Do You Really Need a SOC 2 Report here.

Technical Doctor's insight:

Contact Details : [email protected] or 877-910-0004 www.technicaldr.com

[nitewrighter]

Irulan: Thank you all for coming. Now, I realize things look bad--

Mother Gaius: You are a disappointing slice of soggy white bread and interacting with you, and Scytale and Edric for that matter, is excruciating. 

Irulan: ...okay I was talking about the whole... ‘Holy Empire perched precariously atop a mountain of 61 billion skulls that is stagnated by its own emperor’s prescience’ thing.

Mother Gaius: I know, I just thought we should establish that as well. 

#Dune Messiah

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

what's one of the oldest species of snakes still alive today?

Snakes don't fossilize well, so it's difficult to be entirely certain. We know that the python and boa families are old, but not as old as xenopeltids. But we think that the oldest species of snake still alive today is Anilius scytale, the American pipe snake.

A. scytale has a vestigial pelvic girdle and a very rigid skull. Modern snakes, of course, have highly flexible jaws, but this snake can barely eat prey as big as its head. It has two lungs and an odd scale pattern not found in any other living snakes, with ventral (belly) scales only slightly wider than its dorsal (top) scales. It is not closely related to any other living species, and is considered quite close to what early snakes looked like.

#not a rating

[edenfalling]

[Fic] “Roxy Lalonde’s No-Frills, No-Fee Cat Café” -- Homestuck

6. For scytale, in response to the prompt: any, any, no such thing as too many kittens, written 1/15/22

Roxy Lalonde's No-Frills, No-Fee Cat Café (165 words)

Fandom = Homestuck

-----

Listen, you have had a Very Difficult Year, and if defeating (or helping defeat) A) the alien fishqueen who destroyed your planet, B) an unbeatable universe-killing monster, and C) your own alcohol addiction, not to mention creating a whole new universe and recycling your poor battered homeworld doesn't entitle a lady to some choice rewards, you don't know what would.

And by rewards, you mean kittens.

Possibly slightly unwise numbers of kittens, but you are going to be a responsible cat owner this time around and get them all (well, mostly all) spayed and neutered at the appropriate ages, and make sure they have lots of space and enrichment and microchips to find them if they sneak out and get lost, and look -- you just want to make your home a comfy, welcoming place where all your friends can drop by whenever they want (or need) and there will always be fresh food, soft pillows, cool video games, and a purring cat for their laps.

--------------- ---------------

And that's all for tonight. :)

#three sentence ficathon #three sentence fic #liz writes stuff #homestuck #roxy lalonde

[essenceofhispenance]

okay but, I love the moon imagery that describes Chani in the second book. Noted, it’s not revealed the moon was her until the end but, consider that Arrakis has two moons. 

Unlike Star Wars’ Tatooine suns, which are simply described as one single unit, one never existing without the other, no matter their position in the sky, The moons of Arrakis consist of the First and the Second.  the only time they are described in unison is differentiating friendship and kinship against that of enemies, which are compared to the sun:

"When you live upon Arrakis," she had said, "khala, the land is empty. The moons will be your friends, the sun your enemy."  ( Herbert, Dune)

 the first book sets the tone for the moons themselves. The first moon is a gentle light, bringing safety and peace.  The sign of a  raised fist is made to mirror the similar shape carved in the surface of the first moon. The first moon also has some mystical properties to it, placing it in an otherworldly place. It is the balance between life and death, a  carrier of souls - even a part of funeral rites:

"The spirit leaves the body's water when the first moon rises," Stilgar intoned. "Thus it is spoken. When we see the first moon rise this night, whom will it summon?" "Jamis," the troop responded.  ( Herbert, Dune)

  The second moon is, however, more grounded in reality. The craters make the surface look like Muad’Dib, a kangaroo mouse, is craved into it’s surface and is more associated with their earth-based mythology- the basis of survival in the open desert.

This moon is not looked upon so highly as the first moon, the night is ending and the sun will rise. the second moon shines most prominently over desert storms, raging worms and other events throughout the books that highlight the desolation that Arrakis is. 

Low on the southern horizon, the night's second moon peered through a thin dust haze--an unbelieving moon that looked at him with a cynical light.( Herbert, Dune)

there is no sugar coating, no easy route, there is only survival. The desert is a harsh mother.

Arrakis teaches the attitude of the knife--chopping off what's incomplete and saying: "Now, it's complete because it's ended here." ( Herbert, Dune)

What is interesting is that by the end of the first book, Paul is successful in his revenge and coup, marrying Irulan and becoming Emperor of the Known Universe. Meanwhile, that second moon comes into play just moments before these events play out.

Chani has just entered the scene, visibly having been crying over the death of their only son who was at most 2 years old. More than likely he was 1 and a 1/2.  She then, per Paul’s instructions, has to negotiate the dowry of his political marriage. Like the second moon, it is a harsh reality. What must be done will be done to survive and assure that Paul’s empire i set up to flourish.

This setting of the moon and Chani’s appearance and role at the end of the book is highly important since the second book established the  rise of Paul’s mythos as the messiah.

"Then the Atreides came with his witch mother," Scytale said.    "The Atreides came," Farok agreed. "The one we named Usul in our sietch, his private name among us. Our Muad'dib, our Mahdi! And when he called for the Jihad, I was one of those who asked: 'Why should I go to fight there? I have no relatives there.' But other men went -- young men, friends, companions of my childhood. When they returned, they spoke of wizardry, of the power in this Atreides savior. He fought our enemy, the Harkonnen. Liet-Kynes, who had promised us a paradise upon our planet, blessed him. It was said this Atreides came to change our world and our universe, that he was the man to make the golden flower blossom in the night." Farok held up his hands, examined the palms. "

Men pointed to First Moon and said: 'His soul is there.' Thus, he was called Muad'dib. I did not understand all this."(Herbert, Dune Messiah)

 Establishing Paul’s symbolism involving the moon is important  because throughout the book Paul’s vision revolves around a falling moon. And he is confused and unsure of it’s meaning.

As he lay immersed in the screaming odor of the spice, staring inward through the oracular trance, Paul saw the moon become an elongated sphere. It rolled and twisted, hissing -- the terrible hissing of a star being quenched in an infinite sea -- down . . . down . . . down . . . like a ball thrown by a child.

It was gone. This moon had not set. Realization engulfed him. It was gone: no moon. The earth quaked like an animal shaking its skin. Terror swept over him. (Herbert, Dune Messiah)

Why only one moon? Only one to fall? because it is the second moon. and he is looking at it from the point of view of the first.

"My moon has a name," Paul whispered.   He let the vision flow over him then. Though his whole being shrieked, no sound escaped him. He was afraid to speak, fearful that his voice might betray him. The air of this terrifying future was thick with Chani's absence. Flesh that had cried in ecstasy, eyes that had burned him with their desire, the voice that had charmed him because it played no tricks of subtle control -- all gone, back into the water and the sand. (Herbert, Dune)

Only when he realizes this, that he will lose her, he understand his vision.

"Love? Duncan, he had but to step off the track! What matter that the rest of the universe would have come shattering down behind him? He'd have been safe . . . and Chani with him!"   "Then . . . why didn't he?" " For the love of heaven," she whispered. Then, more loudly, she said: "Paul's entire life was a struggle to escape his Jihad and its deification. At least, he's free of it. He chose this!"

 "Ah, yes -- the oracle." Idaho shook his head in wonder.

 "Even Chani's death. His moon fell." ( Herbert, Dune Messiah)

She will always be the second moon,  encapsulated by Muad’Dib the mouse who walks openly in the desert and ignores the reality of the world, looking ahead toward the future. The now does not matter.

He will always lose her.

And he forced himself to inner stillness, opened the eyes of his vision to this moment. Yes -- it was still here. Chani's body lay on a pallet within a ring of light. Someone had straightened her white robe, smoothed it trying to hide the blood from the birth. No matter; he could not turn his awareness from the vision of her face: such a mirror of eternity in the still features!  He turned away, but the vision moved with him.  She was gone . . . never to return. The air, the universe, all vacant -- everywhere vacant. 

Was this the essence of his penance? (Herbert, Dune)

#ᶠᵘᵗᵘʳᵉ ᵇᵉᶜᵒᵐᶤᶰᵍ ᵐᵉᵐᵒʳᶤᵉˢ ║(Headcanon) #kinda? #spoilers #long post #i could write a whole thing about Chani and Padme and their narrative being the same #but lets be real Chani's was told better #Even if her character isn't a fleshed out as Padme's #it's still well established. #I should fix this up better #make my thoughts make more sense #but it works for now i'm glad i got it down