#w magic elements necessary
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Ok, you want to know from a lawyer why the allegation that Israel is committing genocide is false?
Fine.
I prefer to focus on the absurdity of the allegation, especially since it is Hamas that expressly seeks Jewish & Israeli genocide; but it's clear people want this analysis.
Genocide is defined by the 1948 UN Convention on Prevention & Punishment of the Crime of Genocide as: (1) the coordinated; (2) planned; and (3) intentional destruction, in whole or in part, of a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.
Let's set aside for a minute the fact that the the #UN Convention regarding #genocide was adopted because of what the #Nazis had done to the #Jewsthereby making its invocation here not only absurdly false, but also unforgivably offensive.
That outrageousness aside, we can analyze the elements of the crime of genocide under the present situation in #Gaza.
The requisite mens rea to find a government guilty of genocide is the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a particular group of people.
This intent to commit genocide doesn't magically come into being just because people want to believe it exists. There must be actual proof of criminal intent to destroy a particular group of people.
#SouthAfrica cannot possibly carry its burden of showing Israel "intended or intends to commit genocide"; thus, the allegation fails.
Just some of the obvious reasons intent to commit genocide could not possibly be shown follow:
- 10/7 & Hamas' words since 10/7 have proven the #terror group would, if it could, continue carrying out massacres until it killed every #Israeli & potentially every #Jew on Earth. Israel, like every other UN member state, has the inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. In this case, Israel's right to self-defense continues until it has done everything "necessary" to to ensure #Hamas can never attack Israeli civilians again because of: (1) the genocidal brutality of the #October7Massacre; (2) Hamas' 35+ years of genocidal warfare against Israel & Jews; & (3) Hamas' express & repeated commitment to repeat massacres like 10/7 "again and again." Therefore, Israel's right to self-defense includes both the right to eliminate the threat from Hamas to its civilians & to restore a sense of security to its civilians.
- The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry claims 22,000 #Palestinians have died. Even if that number was reliable (it is not), Hamas claims every one of the deaths was a civilian, not a #HamasTerrorist. That is obviously not the case. Israel claims to have killed ~9,000 Hamas terrorists. Even assuming the Hamas numbers were correct, that would mean about 1.45 civilians have been killed for every 1 "combatant" (Hamas terrorist). As horrible as the loss of any civilian life is, it is simply a fact that civilians suffer disproportionately in war & what Israel has done in protecting civilian lives is unprecedented in the history of urban warfare. In fact, according to the UN statistics of global conflict, the average civilian to combatant killed ratio is 9 civilians killed for every 1 combatant killed. This ratio in and of itself makes the allegation of "genocide" a complete absurdity.
- Even assuming the "worst case scenario" numbers above of ~9,000 terrorists killed & ~13,000 civilians killed still does not take into account the cause of those civilian deaths. We know that somewhere between 20%-35% of all Hamas & #Palestinian #Islamic #Jihad missiles misfire & land in Gaza (like the one that landed at a Gaza hospital that Israel was wrongly accused of bombing). So, how many Gaza civilians were killed by misfired rockets from Palestinian terror groups? Suddenly, that already incredible ratio of civilians:combatants in the annals of warfare is improving even further.
- There are at least dozens of videos of Hamas #terrorists firing at #IDF troops while wearing civilian clothing (which is itself a #WarCrime) to blend in with the civilian population. So, how many Gaza "civilians" who were killed were actually just Hamas terrorists wearing #civilian clothing? That civilian:combatant ratio is improving once again.
- We know from video, reconnaissance, audio, interrogations, & eye-witness accounts (including from #Gazans themselves) that Hamas uses both voluntary & involuntary human shields to protect Hamas terrorists & their weapons (each time they do it, that is also a war crime). So, how many Gaza "civilians" who were killed were voluntarily acting as human shields for Hamas? And while Israel has made significant efforts to limit civilians casualties, those involuntary human shields who die are legally dead at the hands of Hamas. Wow, that civilian:combatant ratio is looking beyond amazing now!
- There is video, photo, interrogation, & eye-witness accounts that Hamas uses women & children under 18 in combat roles. Therefore, not every allegedly killed woman or child counts as a "civilian."
- What kind of genocidal army would do what Israel has been doing in engaging in massive warning campaigns before it attacks via hundreds of thousands of phone calls, text messages, leaflets, & via roof knocking? Gazans are actually given so much warning & time to evacuate that the extreme majority of "civilians" who remain in a targeted area are there either because they support Hamas or because they were forced to stay & act as human shields by Hamas. Essentially, not only is Israel obviously not conducting a genocide, it has completely eliminated their own advantage of surprise that would have helped Israel eradicate Hamas much quicker by providing warnings that reach both civilians & Hamas terrorists.
- A large percentage of Palestinian deaths in Gaza have been due to their combined use by Hamas as human shields & by Hamas' refusal to permit Gaza civilians to either to use Hamas tunnels as bomb shelters or to flee via safe corridors provided by the
@IDF
(what kind of genocidal army provides safe corridors for civilians even knowing some Hamas terrorists will manage to escape by blending in with the crowd???). In other words, it is Hamas that is by far the most responsible party for putting #Gazan #civilians in harm's way; and the mere fact that civilians have died is in no way indicative of any deliberate intent on the part of Israel to kill Palestinian civilians - let alone intentionally "destroy" the population, as required to prove genocide.
- A country's intention to destroy a group in whole or in part is typically found in state policy (as it was with the Nazis & as it is with Hamas). However, no such policy in Israel has ever existed. Israel has made clear repeatedly (and its actions, with some examples stated above, show this is more than just words) that its goal is to "operate[] against Hamas & other terrorist groups in Gaza, not against the civilian population ... Israel wishes no harm to civilians & is committed to addressing the humanitarian needs of those suffering ..."
- Simply, the loss of lives in Gaza are reasonably explained by & attributable to Israel's necessary self-defense military goal of eradicating Hamas' ability to make war. The loss of lives in Gaza are not, however, reasonably explained by some claimed genocide on the part of Israel, as there is no actual evidence to support a finding of the type of criminal intent required to prove genocide.
- Israel is a straight-up parliamentary #democracy; thus, it has voices in the Knesset that can be extreme. Those voices, however, are not mainstream; and, more importantly, those voices are not the ones who are responsible for prosecuting the war against Hamas. Therefore, their words (indelicate as they may have been) are irrelevant to a finding of genocide on the part of the government of Israel. The Israeli war cabinet in charge of prosecuting the war to eradicate Hamas consists of only five people: PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, unity coalition member, former Deputy PM, & Minister of Defense Benny Gantz, former military Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, & Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. Attempting to attribute the words of anyone else, especially in the very fringes of Israel's eclectic democratic government, to try to show proof of government intent to commit genocide fails as a matter of both fact & law. Any comments by the five members of the war cabinet at which any dishonest person may wish to point to try to prove "intent to commit genocide," in reality can only be reasonably interpreted as statements referring to the destruction of the Hamas terrorist regime.
So, what is the takeaway?
It is South Africa's burden to show Israel had/has the intent to carry out a "genocide" of the Palestinian people in Gaza. For the foregoing reasons (among many others - but this is long enough for X), South Africa cannot possibly prove intent to commit genocide.
South Africa's allegations are defamatory & are an attempt to hold the world's only Jewish State to a different standard than every other state in the history of humankind; and, perhaps worse, to try to turn the victims of a genocide into the alleged committers of a genocide.
Were the #ICJ to find intent to commit "genocide" here, then no country on Earth would be permitted to act in self-defense in the event it is attacked - no matter how horrible the attack - if any civilians may be killed in the process.
If that were the case, Hamas & other terrorist organizations would be given carte blanche to attack countries with impunity & then simply hide behind civilians to suddenly become entirely immune from justice. That obviously can never be the law.
Captain Allen
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May I request Kaveh, Ayato, Goro, and Al-Haitham with a witch s/o?
✧ Ooh this one seems creative ^w^ I liked writing it, thank you for requesting it <3 I'm not super happy with it, but I think that's just my creativity nose-diving again
✧ Characters: Kaveh, Ayato, Gorou, Alhaitham
○ Ayato ○
He was definitely shocked to find out- witches were real? He always thought they were myths or scary bedtime stories.
He was convinced you had a (element) vision but you showed him that it was actually just magic.
You like to show him your book of spells and he's fascinated by all of them. He even asked you to demonstrate a few of them.
The potion-making is the most fun for him! He loves to see the process and if he can, you let him help you.
You've definitely used your magic to help him. A little boost here, a tiny hex here, a little fire over there- I mean you're like karma at this point.
He not only supports you but he really wants to learn! So if you can teach him, he's definitely making time in his day to practice!
○ Alhaitham ○
YOU'RE A WITCH?!
He's read things and you can believe he asks as many questions as he can to figure out what's a myth or misconception. He eagerly listens to everything, bringing up any confusion- kinda like a student would.
Alhaitham will take you out with him, knowing that your abilities would come in handy at work. But it's your choice if you wanna go or not.
Have you turned someone into a frog before? No. Is there a possibility? Maybe and Alhaitham would never let himself live it down if he missed it.
He loves to watch you work, like whether it's working on your spellbook or making a potion. He loves it all. He'll even help you find new spellbooks or will even help you with spellcasting or potion making.
Alhaitham is like... your personal bodyguard when it comes to anyone who insults you. Yeah, you're the witch but he'll be the one kicking ass if someone insults you.
○ Gorou ○
Gorou didn't realize that your fighting abilities came from being a witch. He always wondered where your vision was and finally decided to ask one day.
You explained that you didn't have a vision and you only stick to (element) attacks because that's what you're most proficient in as a witch.
Gorou has questions.
The more you explained, the more interest he gained. Honestly, that was so cool! He didn't even know witches were real. You explained that it needed to stay a secret and you didn't just tell anyone.
Gorou really likes the potion making. He loves the little potion bottles, likes to make the small labels, and even helps gather igredients.
Tell him what you need and he'll have as many of them as he can within the two hours that he has. Although, you enjoy going with him, using the time to bond with him as well.
○ Kaveh ○
Kaveh is a huge fan. Honestly, he loves the idea of spells, potions, hexes, and the big fancy cauldron. You did find it cute and explained that a large cauldron wasn't necessary and you could actually just make your potion in a cooking pot.
Kaveh likes reading the spellbook, but you've had to warn him to not read it out loud. He did that once and it scared the hell out of you when plants in your home started to attack you!
He was shocked and asked what the hell happened and you explained that anyone can use that specific spellbook because simply touching it allows you to cast spells.
He never made that mistake again.
Kaveh enjoys helping you gather ingredients and will even help make potions. He's like your lil apprentice. He's a happy apprentice.
He works really hard. He loves the idea of magic and if he can wield it, imagine all the buildings he could build and how easily!
#genshin impact x reader#kamisato ayato x reader#alhaitham x reader#gorou x reader#genshin kaveh x reader#genshin x gender neutral reader
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Five Fics Friday: March 22/24
HORRAY IT'S FINALLY FRIDAY!! Now I wish summer would come faster LOL. Let's suffer the cold weather together, northern hemisphere, and cozy up this weekend with one of these fantastic fics! Also be sure to give some extra love to the boosted fic too! <3 Enjoy!
SIGNAL BOOSTING
Mint sorbet by avalanching effect (T, 6,172 w., 1 Ch. || Supernatural Elements AU || Implied / Referenced Cannibalism, Magical Realism, Crack and Humour, Mutual Pining, Alternating POV) – An interlude of sorts. Served as a palate cleanser in order to prepare the taste buds for the next course. Part 3 of Not dead, not alive, but a secret third thing
RECENT MFLs
Scrounging by tepidspongebath (G, 927 w., 1 Ch. || Fluff, Domesticity, Established Relationship, Food) – Sherlock and John scrounge up something to eat after getting home from a case.
4 Times Sherlock Proposed, and One Time John Returned the Favour by PipMer (T, 1,251 w., 1 Ch. || Fluff, Humour Romance, Five and One) – Well, this would not do. This would not do at all. John Watson should never look so unsure of himself, so fearful of rejection. John Watson deserved all of the best things life had to offer, and if one of those things was Sherlock Holmes himself, then that’s what he would have. No begging, and no grovelling, necessary.
Hello You by weeesi (T, 20,945 w., 11 Ch. || Alternate First Meeting AU || Fake Relationship, POV John, Adventure, Romance, Humour, Bisexual John, First Kiss) – John kind of can’t believe he’s doing this and kind of can’t imagine doing anything else. He dips his head, heart pounding.
GOOD OMENS MFL
Donor Relations by curtaincall (T, 35,379+ w., 8/10 Ch. || Human AU || WiP || Humour, Meet-Cute, Romantic Comedy) – When marketing manager Anthony Crowley gets saddled with managing his employer's corporate responsibility program, he sees it as an opportunity to improve the company's image after an embarrassing scandal. Luckily for him, that chance comes in the form of Aziraphale Eastgate, a fundraiser seeking sponsors for his charity's annual gala. It's a simple enough transaction, but Crowley has his own personal reasons for wanting a reputational burnishing, and when Aziraphale finds out about Crowley's past, they seize the chance to construct a different sort of arrangement. And then things become a bit more personal than either of them bargained for...
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For more than a year now I’ve had a concept for a single player TTRPG orbiting in the depths of my mind, slowly accumulating mass and occasionally passing into the Observable Universe that is my conscious mind.
A concept for an Elder Scrolls single player tabletop RPG.
In its present conception I imagine it to be played with some rules, paper and pencil, and a deck of playing cards.
In this game the player will start as a Prisoner, and through their own actions, divine intervention, and the weight of prophecy they will become a Hero.
They will meet their Doom and enter the Tower.
The Wheel turns.
The structure of play will be meant to resemble an Enantiomorphic Event, as all Elder Scrolls stories do.
The Three necessary elements are of course, a Prisoner, a King, and a Tower.
The Prisoner is the player, a person who by destiny or circumstance will rise to fullfill the role of Hero. The Eternal Champion, the Imperial Agent, the Nerevarine, the Hero of Kvatch and Champion of Cyrodiil, the Last Dragonborn, the Vestige. They are noone and come from nowhere, and so they can be anyone and go anywhere. They are Free in ways others are not, while simultaneously being shackled by their prophesied Doom.
The King is the antagonist, the threat to the wellbeing of the world and the people within it. Their power shakes the stones of the Tower and threatens to end the dream that is the Aurbis. Jagar Tharn, Zurin Arctus, Dagoth Ur, Mankar Camoran and Mehrunes Dagon, AL-DU-IN. They enter the story at the height of their power, and so they have nowhere to go but down. They see themselves as the Hero because their pride blinds them to the truth.
The Tower is the prison you must escape, the fortress you must siege, the secret you must learn. It is embodied in every obstacle, it is where you will always return, it is where Doom unfolds. The Staff of Chaos, NUMIDIUM, White Gold, Red Mountain, Snow Throat. It is both obstacle and objective, prison and protection.
I imagine the player character as a collection of Tags that grows as the game progresses. You’ll start by picking some Tags that represent your background, skill set, and Sign. Something like "Dunmer, Thief, Marksman, Charming, The Serpent” or “Nord, Warrior, Axe, Endurance, The Steed”.
Play proceeds by drawing cards from a deck of standard playing cards, 54 cards total with the Jokers included. Each suit would represent a type of encounter. You decide based on your tags and the story so far how the encounter goes, and sometimes you advance a clock. The Doom Clock.
Red suits represent opportunities and advantages. Diamonds for Material (Equipment, Magic, Relics, etc) and Hearts for Living Things (Creatures, Companions, Guilds, etc). Jokers represent divine intervention.
Black suits represent dangers and obstacles. Clubs for Material (Traps, Barriers, Curses, etc) and Spades for Living Things (Creatures, Bandits, Guards, etc).
Red Jokers represent Aedric forces like Yffre, Auri-El, and Mara. Black Jokers represent Daedric forces like Namira, Hircine. and Jyggalag.
You Draw a card and think about how your Tags let you resolve the situation it represents. Most of the time, you can choose to skip a card and ignore that encounter. Perhaps you decide that the danger is too great, perhaps your equipment is better than what you’ve found. Some cards cannot be skipped. Some events advance the Doom clock, bringing you closer to the final confrontation. Some cards advance the Doom Clock even if you skip them.
The Doom Clock represents the passage of time, your steady march to the finale. The Prisoner always confronts the King eventually. It always happens that way. Time is a living being, and while AKA is patient he cannot stay still for long. While the world waits for you, it does not wait forever.
I don’t have much beyond these concepts yet, but I have been thinking about this a lot. I know I want to explore things like Fate, the Aurbic Pattern, Duality, and the Cyclical Nature of Time. I know I want to include elements of the strange deep lore and apocryphal texts that make up the internal mythology of The Elder Scrolls. I know I want to reach for the sensation of a lonely exploration, of being burdened by prophecy, of being the one that the whole world waits on, the axle that the world turns around.
Something I need to do is play games that may share tonal or mechanical elements with what I want to achieve. In my ~20 years in the tabletop roleplaying hobby I have spent the vast majority of that time with various editions of The Dragon Game and others of its style. It is only in the past 5 years or so I’ve been expanding my breadth of experience, seeking out other styles and modes of play. This thing I want to make is outside my current sphere of competence, so I must increase my reach to match my grasp.
#the elder scrolls#elder scrolls#ttrpg#ttrpg design#diceless ttrpg#arena#daggerfall#morrowind#oblivion#skyrim#eso#elder scrolls online#is mai'q the liar a jack of hearts?#or is mai'q a red joker?#depends on who you ask
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I didn't not enjoy the bear s2, but 2 fucked up things that bother me a lot: 1. Ebra, and sort of relatedly, 2. the show's complete inability to take an actual fucking position on the exploitative nature of the service industry.
on 1: the writing sets Ebra up with the beginnings of an arc but doesn't go anywhere with it until ep 8. there are these gestures towards filling in a backstory (Ebra's clumsiness, the roughshod nature of his skill or lack thereof, his inability to recalibrate in this new environment, his initial dread of uniforms after being fine w the new chef blues Syd and Carmy instituted in s1), which are subsequently abandoned and rendered meaningless in favour of his contrite, apologetic reappearance in ep 8, where he is the one narratively required to make amends for not being up to the task.
for his failings (of not being able to handle navigating institutionalised education bc of war trauma? bc of it being in a language he's still struggling to learn? bc of his age? the condition of his body? his background? we don't fucking know. it doesn't actually matter. we just know he bombed and let Tina (everyone) down), he's relegated to the drive through window. the implication: get w the program or get left in the dust. and why not? they gave him all the necessary resources, the opportunities to /better/ himself, so of course it's on him he's no longer qualified for meat prep, in that fancy new kitchen w equipment that actually fucking works.
Tina made it, right? good fortune is for those who are prepared to receive it. not our (Syd/Carmy/Sugar, the viewers at home sitting proxy, as always, in the position of management) problem Ebra couldn't hack it. it is what it is. some ppl can't deal w things changing. sad. they oughta be grateful there's a position left for them. allowances are being made, after all. generosity and sentiment on the strength of shared history.
that's the viewpoint suggested by the writing in the show.
and moving onto point 2, bc this, too - not hacking it, his perpetual self-sabotage, self-victimisation - was gonna be Richie's fate. until he goes on his own journey of self-actualization accomplished via the Cinderella magic of... internalizing the ethos of artisinal servitude.
yes, the form of labour is regimented and punishing and fucking abusive, but messy ppl who need some semblance of order and purpose in their live are predisposed to excuse and even justify the worst of its excesses bc yeah! their lives can be made materially and psychologically better in certain ways, for having taken a sip of the koolaid. they can, for once, be doing work they personally find meaningful. they can even thrive.
so who's to say if it's actually good or bad! plus don't the middle aged middle classed high school teachers of middle america deserve some luxury? a treat! (as if that's the average clientele of such restaurants bffr!!!!)
is that not the takeaway from these 2 seasons? we are rooting for Syd and Carmy. we are rooting for the survival, nay, success of their fine dining establishment. we want them to beat the odds! we want them to turn this failing shithole filled w sad broken people into a high performing marvel of the American hospitality industry where everyone strives for excellence in all things, bringing only their best selves to work blah blah blah
like, if I were to use the vocabulary reserved for descriptions of enemy states, Richie's turnaround literally reads as the success story of getting shipped out for re-education: a recalcitrant, disruptive element undergoes ideological and thought reform through labour, and returns a model worker fully committed to the leadership and advancement of the cause.
what is the cause? The Bear, obvsly. but more generally, something to do w the virtue of self-mastery, self-perfection, self-improvement, whatever. bc it seems to me so many of the conflicts explored in the show come back to this.
in Richie's arc, compliance within a system where the power a customer or head-chef holds over you might as well be boundless becomes sanctified, as servility is elevated to a kind of craft. even an art form. his initial unhappiness about being put in such a relationship, and to feel demeaned by it, is framed as an attitude problem of insufficient self-regard - if you loved yourself enough, had enough confidence in yourself and yr skills, you wouldn't bristle at this level of labour discipline, or interpret conforming to such standards as harsh.
and the thing is, a big part of the hype the show got last season was for its honest clear-eyed depiction of the restaurant industry. it was praised for being thoughtful about grief, and various kinds of trauma, and how toxic working environments are created and fed by addiction and cycles of abuse. like Truffaut who quipped there are no antiwar movies that don't glamourize war, it's easy for depictions of the brutal pace of modern high-end dining to turn into competence porn.
how the writing, particularly by season 2 and Richie's arc makes me want to interpret the way the show makes sense of this tension is by leaning into psychosocial explanations. ultimately, individuals are the vector by which dysfunction spreads, dysfunction instilled in them by other people. the role the system plays recedes ever more into the background. there's a displacement. in the final analysis, the problem is not the problem, the problem is not being an adequate-to-the-problem problem solver.
the consensus after season 2 is that Carmy needs to work on himself. (and if they're being generous, of course Sydney and the others too) everyone needs sooooo much therapy, goes the common-sense wisdom about almost everything. I mean, yeah, no shit, Carmy is so fucked up. but I don't know what kind of abrafuckingcadabra therapy ppl know about that would make the pressures of keeping your head above water not soul destroying, like, in this economy??
it is almost too funny, that little paean to service that compares hospitality and hospitals. the health industry and precarious service work, two features of the economy that are def not in crisis nor create crises.
and there's every indication we are meant to read him straight, more or less like honestly, now that I'm thinking about it more, it makes me want to puke.
there's the part about training ppl not to see their exploitation, but even welcome it, finding self-worth in the very adherence to this hierarchy. there's the pure distilled ideology of this whole... upgrade being seen as progress, as unquestioned, inevitable, of course that's what Carmy (and Syd) want and have always wanted.
it's not quite enough to make me stop watching. I'm reserving full judgement until after season 3 (feels like something I said last yr, abt s2)
bc we don't know about the other shoe yet, after ep 10. what happens to Richie? what if he lets the koolaid curdle, what if it grows sour and mouldy. maybe Marcus rejects this non choice! and quits! maybe the restaurant fails! maybe the triumph of their (Syd, Carmy, The Bear) commercial success is shown to be achieved through the thorough and continual destruction of other kinds of value, and no one is actually made richer for it. maybe the contradictions won't be reduced to the faintest shadows of narrative handwringing - but at what cost! oh look where they came out of, how could it have been otherwise!
or maybe we'll get more of this thoughtful plausible deniability chaos that pretends nuance is about showing something tragically ironic [every second counts amirite] absent any possibility of refusal and that somehow the power of interpretation is in the hands of the viewers, who are free to evaluate as they see fit all sorts of claims all given equal weight and reality, but who are still left, at the end of everything, only with ennobled suffering.
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What is Hypnokink
The word “hypnokink” is a portmanteau, clearly. It’s a combination of “hypno[sis]” and “kink” and meant to mean “hypnosis used for kinky purposes.” However, while I know that definition covers all the necessary elements, it isn’t really sufficient for most people. That is because most people don’t really understand what hypnosis is, and what it isn’t.
Hypnosis is the use of focused attention, often guided by an external hypnotist and/or focused through an induction, to achieve a specific goal. That is, you catch someone’s attention, focus it on some goal or task, and then get them to achieve it either by themselves or with your help. That task can be mundane (“you will remember that you want to exercise whenever your alarm goes off in the afternoon, and stop putting it off”) or it can be much more spicy. I also introduced a new word there - “induction” - that I will get to later, I promise.
Also, if you ask ten hypnotists what hypnosis is, you’ll probably get twelve answers. The answer above is my answer, not the answer. That is because basically nobody fully understands how the human mind really functions, they just know that when they do [x] people do [y]. Or, when hypnotists say soothing words to someone about relaxing and getting sleepy and then tell that person to do/say/think something, that person often follows their lead… but they don’t necessarily know why that happens. That can make it seem like a magic spell, and film/TV are often happy to oblige in reinforcing that image, but it honestly isn’t. It’s not a science, either, because it is not in any sense done using the scientific method. It’s a therapeutic practice that is sometimes used for kinky purposes. If you think that’s off-putting, consider that vibrators started out as a
therapeutic practice too.
I’m not going to answer what “kink” is here, because I think that if you’re here, you probably already know. If you don’t, a more general guide on the subject should be on your reading list.
This is just part of my larger writing, The Five W's of Hypnokink! Read more at the link.
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boat adventures
**Hey! Thank you for reading this bucky barnes x reader story! Please comment if you want me to make a part two for this. Enjoy!
Using your house key, you twisted open the rusty door knob to your friend Sarah’s house. You two had been friends ever since you ran into her brother, Sam, on a mission where you two were both coincidentally after the same guy, and he dragged your ass to his home after you got shot by some revengeful sidekick.
You and Sarah quickly bonded over your lack of patience with Sam's tendencies to jump into fights even though he was just a human, and your caring and loving nature that you liked to show by occasionally baking pies together to share with the neighborhood family.
You had grown up far away from this nurturing neighborhood, in a HYDRA base in Russia. They had experimented on you while you were a baby, which resulted in you getting Atmokinesis, a really fancy way of saying that you could control the elements. When you were 4, you had lost control over your powers after a guard pushed you too far, and you burned the base to the ground. You never knew if there were any survivors, since as soon as the chaos of the fire caused a distraction you turned and ran out of the base. Your powers allowed you to grow food and gave you access to water so you never had to worry about survival. Instead, you taught yourself hand to hand combat which was proven a blessing when you turned 16 and decided to use your ability for good, dedicating your life to saving people.
You were never interested in joining the Avengers even though you had all the necessary skills for it. Instead you watched them do the hard stuff and did your part under cover. You had learned to cover your tracks over time, and made sure that no one ever knew you were there.
However, after meeting Sarah and Sam, you decided to put your guard down a little. Sam already knew that you had enhanced abilities after watching you kick ass on the mission he met you at, and promised to keep his mouth shut. Telling Sarah was probably the most nerve racking thing you’ve ever done. Thankfully, she and her kids accepted you with open arms. Quickly, you became Aunt Y/N to them.
To your relief, Sam kept your secret to himself, after your many kind refusals to join the Avengers. When Thanos happened, you were away on a mission in Romania and couldn’t help them since you had no idea what was going on. You had blipped along with Sam.
Shaking your head, you opened the door, balancing a basket of cookies in one hand, and a box of brownies in another. AJ and Cass immediately came running towards you. You laughed as you used your magic to manipulate air, blowing a wind that gently carried your baked goods to the floor. As soon as your items were set down, the kids jumped into your arms. You hugged them tightly and pulled Cass closer when he tried to inch back to the football they had dropped when you arrived.
You finally let them go, and they provided a loud exhale. You supposed that being a skilled assassin made your hugs a little tighter then they were used to.
AJ beamed at you. “MOM”, Cass called out for you. You shook your head at his lack of sound control and put a finger to your lips.
“I was planning to sneak attack her” you whispered to them. They nodded in understanding and looked back at the football.
The two made eye contact and you instantly knew what they were going to ask.
“Can you play w-“
You glared at them. Even though you were a master assassin, and could probably murder somebody with a butter knife, you still had an irrational fear of football, especially with the boys. They had a habit of teaming up with you.
They snickered at the look on your face and you rolled your eyes affectionately. “Go play,” you said at a normal volume to them, ruffling up their hair. “I’ll see you in a bit”. They didn’t need you to say it twice and raced each other back to the backyard. You started walking to the kitchen, brownies and cookies in hand, scoffing when you saw Sam’s pathetic attempt at keeping Captain America’s shield secured. You almost wanted to cry when you saw it tied in a potato bag of all things, with the knot failing at its job of keeping it closed open and the shield spilling out of the bag. Putting down your brownies, you twirled your index and middle finger in a circular motion, using wind to carry the shield back into the back and propping it on the floor, securing the knot.
“I don’t suppose you're the new air conditioner?”
Thinking quickly, you spun around, lifting a knife out of your pocket and pointing it at the source of unexpected noise.
A man with short brown hair and a metal arm met your gaze. You stared at him expectantly.
“Oh right-“ he started. “I’m Bucky. Bucky Barnes”.
You gave a small smile when he held out his flesh arm for you to shake, even though you were still pointing a knife at him.
“Y/N LN” You nodded, finally putting down your weapon. “I wasn’t aware that Sarah had anyone over.
He only gave you a grin. “Mutant?” He asked. You nodded, looking at his arm. “Superhero?” You asked in return. He only shrugged. Your moment was interrupted by Sarah’s voice ringing from across the house.
“Y/N L/N, I know damn well you did not just come into my house and go to Sam before m-“ She cut off when she entered the living room to you and Bucky standing suspiciously close. He noticed and quickly stepped away, averting his gaze.
“Seems like we had a little misunderstanding,” she raised her eyebrow excitedly at you, misreading the room. You stared at her, as if she could read your mind and figure out what just happened.
“You two, carry on”, she added teasingly, shooting you an oblivious grin. You wanted to cry, really.
“No, no, I was just introducing myself,” you said, watching Bucky blush slightly from the corner of your eye. Sarah’s face fell slightly.
You took this as your cue to loop her hand through yours, pulling her towards the doorway and grabbing your brownie box. You turned around slightly to look at Bucky. “See you around” you added slightly flirtatiously. You saw him raise an eyebrow before replying in the same tone.
As soon as you had exited the room, Sarah was on you like a duck to bread. “What was that?!” She said excitedly. You laughed at her enthusiasm. “I was fixing Sam’s mess and he surprised me. “Ialsokindapointedaknifeathim” you added the last part quickly. She stared at you. “We really need to talk about that habit,” she muttered. She headed onto your arm tighter. “Well, I personally think that you two would be very cute together.” She added pointly.
“Last week you told me that I’d be cute with that bald grocer from across the street.” You tilted your head teasingly.
“How was I supposed to know he was a 3 incher?!” The older girl protested.
You deadpanned. “He was the ugliest man I have ever met in my entire life. He used a 3 in 1 shampoo and conditioner, how could you no-“ you cut yourself off when you realized that you were using your hands to animate your point. She laughed in amusement. “You were saying?” She raised a perfectly plucked brow at you.
You rolled your eyes and looped your hands once more. “I’m just saying-'' Sarah started. You glared at her, but she was unwavering. “Maybe you two could be good for each other. You’d definitely look good together,” she winked at you and you laughed, slightly nudging her. “Maybe,” you mused, and she squealed excitedly. “As far as men go, he wasn't that bad. Appearance wise,” you added, trying to keep the heat off your face. She laughed loudly, tugging you toward the backdoor.
You two were unaware that Bucky could hear your entire conversation through his superheating. He smiled slightly to himself as he changed his shirt. “Y/n”, he tested, liking the way your name sounded on his lips.
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Elise Corvaglia @cloudiselectric
About herself
"I was born on 1978, in an italian family. I live and work in Belgium. Autodidact, I love to explore, discover, express… Younger, I went to the painting academy but their rules didn’t fit to me. I felt too gagged. I like to create following my mood, my life experiences. Stories, books, movies, songs… all of them helped me finding my way. I grew up with them all along. I think that poetry has become necessary to survive in this world, so in order to stay afloat, art in all its various forms has always served as my lifeline"
How did you start your journey in photography? What does photography mean to you?
I’m curious by nature and like to experiment. I also need to express myself while keeping my thoughts and emotions vague. It is therefore quite natural that I turned to photography and particularly to the Polaroid. Among other things, photography allows me to cut myself off from this world and physically enter my own. I don't take a picture, I make a picture. I show what is behind my eyes. My fondness for the Polaroid is due to the fact that the chemistry adds this magic to my vision. The excitement is at its peak when developing ! When I look at one of my images, my emotions, my feelings of the moment come back. It's like a box containing smells, thoughts, atmospheres, the elements like the sun burning my skin... Selfishly, I know that I am the only one to feel them so precisely.
The aesthetics of your series differ from each other, how do you come to that decision (b&w, colour, interventions)? How would you define your style?
I have no rule. I just follow my instinct. Like the collage that I practice in parallel, I work in the manner of automatic writing. There is always an extremely personal and therapeutic approach in my creations. This does not mean that none of my images are thought out or considered. I'm not used to labels. I don't define myself as belonging to a style or a movement.
What sparks your creativity or inspiration in the construction of new projects?What or who inspires your work?
Music inspires my work. My family story (I’m a child of emigration) and therefore my Italian roots, feminism, the rights and status of animals, the questioning of identity, are recurrent themes. It’s therefore not unusual for these themes to recur in a cyclical manner.
What is the main feature of your photographic work?
Oneirism (that’s one of my favourites words) and mystery I guess.
#photography#culture#art collective#photomagazine#art#london#bnwphotography#female photographers#collage#experimental
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July was a very Death-esque (as in, tarot Death) month for me. I lost one of my pets, I got assigned to a new highschool (a yearly occurence for most of us working in the public school system), some of my hubs’ projects didn’t come to fruition, others did. There wasn’t as much me-time as I anticipated, tbh! But today, I’m going to showcase one of the tools that did make an appearance during the highs and the lows of the month: the Dirt Gems Oracle, a botanical deck by Anne Louise Burdett & Chelsea Granger. These friends were inspired by their love for the earth and all the medicine and healing that it holds, and it is a stunning set of cards and guidebook.
I know the deck already looks awesome by the pictures, and the first time I read about it, it really caught my attention. But there’s no way of expressing how much power and beauty it has when you see it in person and work with it. It has such a strong energy, vibrant but steady. It has its own structure, created by combining the elements, weather systems, alchemy, and energetic signatures of the plant allies. The 65 cards are in fact divided into suits: ablaze (15 cards), afloat (14), adrift (17) and amidst (19). The division is clever and based on the different charactersitics of each of the plants involved, and each suit is associated with an element and a colour palette (most clearly seen in adrift with its b&w).
And it is incredibly fun. It doesn’t mean it can’t get deep (it does!), but honestly working with it is just so enjoyable even if it can look dark and kinda moody. The art style is very unique, with a dreamy feel, and the use of colours (including the restricted palettes) feels magical. It does show the care, experiences and knowledge that went into it. The illustrations make use of the black background to give them space and a lightness that works amazingly well when using these cards with other decks. Most of the elements presented are plants and animals, but there are also other natural elements, charachters, and human-made objects. The cards have a buttery matte finish (they are able to slide, unlike with the rose-petal finish), they are gilded (in either gold or copper) and they come inside a fully illustrated two-piece sturdy box.
The companion guide is juicy, at 165 pages. It has a small intro which includes plant magick, the suits exploration with intro to and associations for each, a how to, example spreads, and a few words on tradition, arriving at page 25 to the cards’ information: a b&w image, the plant name (including its scientific name), an assigned title (eg. The Transmutter for Gumweed), and the message and meaning of each card itself. The illustrations can offer enough of an intuitive hit to work with them alone based on the symbology that goes with the plants and the way in which they are presented and coloured (especially if you’re versed in plant lore), but in my case I find this to be a deck whose guide I find necessary and enriching.
The Dirt Gems Oracle is a deck that links the very tangible reality of plants to their ethereal aspects, as well as guiding us along this bridge to (re)connect with the earth, and hence, with ourselves. Though the four elements are present, I feel it’s mostly a grounding and reassuring deck with lots to teach. It is fun, eye-catching and well-designed, and it vibrates to an energy that should be very basic and present for and in us, but that the modern world can tamper with frequently. Anne Louise Burdett & Chelsea Granger have done an amazing job with this deck, so if you want to know and see more, head over the Dirt Gems site!
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OC INFO PACKET: SYBELLE RISELIN (Galdur Bait 3 PC/OC Companion)
NAME: Sybelle Riselin
AGE: 20
HAIR: Black, streaked with red dye
EYES: Light hazel
HEIGHT: 5'5"
OCCUPATION: Archivist ; Incidental Adventurer
FAMILY: Parents (deceased)
She's led a simple life, all things considered. The daughter of hard-working tinmakers in the City of Coin, she lost her father before she was a year old, and her mother at only 2. What little coin their belongings fetched netted the surviving child relative comfort within the care of a local temple, but Sybelle was considered a problem from the start. Sensitive, emotional, but never quite able to communicate her wants or feelings to her caretakers. The world was always too much for her senses, but the simple ebb and flow of the temple left her mind all but consuming itself in search of enrichment. The offer to give her to a local Archive in early apprenticeship seemed a Godsend to her harried caretakers, and so, at 8, Sybelle was given up by the divine and instead given to academia.
Maybe the God she spent 6 years serving had been looking out for her after all. In the Archives, she thrived, always being given a task to accomplish, a subject to delve, a book to read and pore over. There were always travelers or locals to pick the minds of, and quiet corners when the world became overwhelming. She became a regular feature, scaling shelves in search of specific tomes or bent over a desk taking careful note of the text and condition of collection pieces. With the Archives providing room and board, she wanted for nothing -- she left the grand old building only when strictly necessary, and even then often bribed newer apprentices with coin to run her errands for her.
Still, she dreamed beyond the old Archives. Stories of heroes and travelers captivated her, historic and modern tales of might and magic wielded by saviors and scoundrels. though she never imagined she would ever join their ranks. Her nerves just leaving Athk*tla for the first time made her sure that the trip to B*ldur's Gate would be more of a test of her anxieties than her mettle, the road sure and magic humming in her veins. It was only a small errand, a message to be conveyed, and would ask little of her bravery except to stop squirming under an open sky. Yet, she never reckoned the beautiful blue above her would hold monsters beyond even her imagining.
Joins up with the party in pursuit of understanding the situation they find themselves in, as well as safe passage to B*ldurs Gate. She had been out on her own for the first time, and worries about continuing on as such. While she starts off as a reserved, ever-staring oddity among the party, time and effort will have her melt into a disarmingly earnest and thoughtful young woman better at ease with those around her. She has a tender, affable nature where her guileless optimism is offset by her wits and wisdom. Will infodump on anyone, anytime, if the situation allows.
A W*ll and Gale fangirl. Has heard stories of them and is simultaneously awed and horrified by the opportunity to travel with her heroes. Has read Gale's poetry and Weave Theory and is so desperate for a mentor please sir she was a joy to teach in school and the best research assistant her superior at the Archives ever had. W*ll, well, he's a hero. She loves the stories she hears of him and wants to hear even more straight from his own lips. Gets along unsurprisingly well with K*rlach in-game, is unfazed by Ast*rion due to backstory lore reasons (grew up around Vampires), and has surprising approval with Lae'z*l, possibly due to Sybelle's autistic swag being mistaken for the forthright lack of compromise her people idealize.
A baby wizard. Excels at the elemental school of spells, with a tendency to think outside the box when it comes to tactics. She's always looking for a way to use terrain against the enemy or otherwise use assets in plain but overlooked sight. It's all a desperate bid to end combat as quickly as possible because she doesn't wike the sensory hell of battle and would prefer to talk things out instead. When pressed, however, she definitely relies on communication and working together with the party rather than charging off to do her own thing.
Generally a neutral good. Has the vibe of being played by someone who gets anxious selecting a mean dialogue option in a meta sense. She's not a wide-eyed Pollyanna with no sense of the world, however. She exercises a comfortable level of suspicion and forethought about others, and understands when she's out of her element and needs to look to others or disengage. Wants the world to be better but is unsurprised that it is not, while also being willing to set an example.
Her arc largely focuses on living in spite of fears/anxiety/hostility, to take your place in the sun, to turn theory into experience. Her life could end tomorrow and she's wondering what she's really done with it, and wants to spend what may be her last days being something more than a girl growing as dusty as the books she loved. The world will not yield to her, so she must make the best of it -- or make it bow to her, depending on choices made. There is a place for everyone, and if it cannot be found, make one.
A complete sucker for kids. Kids can walk all over her. Via future RP plots on discord, she can be totally cowed by even the thought of making a toddler cry. Gives the energies of having been the cool big sister to other child apprentices around the Archives. Catch her in one of the basement washrooms dyeing baby punk hairs to match or even outdo her own red streaks. The kids in the Tiefling camp can take her on whatever ride they desire and she'll just say 'thank you' unless another adult steps in and speaks up for her.
Keeps writing down everything that happens, part personal journal and part official record. Wants others to know how they saved the world at best and that they were here and they fought to the last at worst. Sometimes does sketches of locations and enemies and allies and companions in the margins. Presses flowers and herbs that the protagonist isn't actively going to use for Alchemy. Pursues her hobbies even in the worst circumstances as an attempt to carve out a little joy and peace in spite of it all.
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Changeling Loredump
The changeling concept I'm using w Val is from an old faery worldbuilding project deal I had, obviously based on the classic changeling. The biggest diversion is that they can take the place of any mortal creature, not just humans (but folk usually go for mammals).
Essentially, fay souls are immortal, fay bodies are less so. They're sturdier than mortals' and age much slower, but still vulnerable to being killed. Some species have a way to revitalize themself - sylphs literally just reform, many plantkin can bud and inhabit the offshoot. Beastkin and elves...don't have this skill. Either they get healed or their soul gets thrown into the queue for eventual reincarnation.
Changeling dolls (along with some bargaining, naturally) offer a way to get around the wait and potentially hold onto memories of the previous life by soaking up a random mortal creature's life force.
A changeling doll is initially a blank slate construct, a barely-animate clay doll. Without soaking up a mortal counterpart, even if a soul is added, the doll is zombielike, barely functional, and makes other fay uncomfortable to be around. It becomes a (n immature) changeling when it's brought over to the mortal realm to take the place of a newborn mortal and the dollmaker can anchor its glamour/appearance to match its host species.
The mortal creature it replaces is brought to Faery in return and must remain there until the changeling reaches maturity, which is dependent on the mortal's species. (If the mortal dies in Faery, that's also fine. from the changeling's perspective.) Similarly, the changeling must remain in the mortal realm. If the changeling crosses before reaching maturity, the soul is released and the doll reverts back to its clay form. If the mortal crosses back over, the soul remains in the doll but the glamour fails.
Over time, the doll and its glamour merge into a single entity. The form of the changeling will be based off of the initial glamour, some features of the soul's last incarnation, as well as influence from their "adoptive" family's features. Internally, the fay soul competes with the host species' natural instincts and tendency for personality. These two will also merge, though one side will dominate their identity.
Upon reaching maturity, the changeling will feel some compulsion to return to Faery. If they've retained their fay nature/memories it'll be a straightforward need to return home. Otherwise, it may manifest as a homesickness for a place they don't know, a need to "escape" something unknown, wanderlust, etc. Most sponsors will send someone to fetch their changeling if the changeling doesn't show up when expected.
It is necessary for the changeling to return to Faery, as they will continue to generate magic that doesn't easily discharge in the mortal realm. Most changelings will begin to set off wild spells that eventually attract the attention of another magical being. Very, very rarely an unaware changeling will be able to hone their magic or have their wild magic restricted to beneficial effects and just come off as charming or especially lucky. A changeling that retained their memories is likely to control their magic but unlikely to want to stay in the mortal realm longer than necessary.
Once home, they're natural shapeshifters and tend to be aligned to the element of life, which is wholly irrelevant without a whole extra worldbuilding post. Beastkin and non-human changelings are indistinguishable from one another. True elves typically have stronger magic (but no natural shapeshifting).
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Dollmakers typically specialize in a certain species or family of species. This allows them to refine their glamour process, gain better control balancing between doll and target appearance, as well as tailoring the glamour to a given species' sensory requirements—human-based changelings might smell obviously different than their stolen counterpart but humans don't typically recognize each other by smell so it doesn't matter, but a sudden drift in eye color is going to be noticed.
There's no "best" species to build a changeling doll around, though certain scenarios will prefer certain species. A changeling can't return to faery until they're mature by the standards of their host species. A changeling is likely to forget their past life if they're exchanged with a member of a highly social or highly intelligent species, especially those with slow maturation rates. Different species are held to different stereotypes and standards in Faery, which can also play a role in what gets chosen. The changeling will appear as a variety of beastkin that matches its host species (or an elf, if human).
So, if you're trying to upkeep your dead and beautiful elven prince's aesthetic reputation, you might prefer a human host at the expense of beloved prince's memories. Primates in general are popular if you're looking to hide someone for a decade or so. Cats, foxes, and deer are also popular choices for status-based reincarnations. Wolves and big cats are great if you're trying to make a warrior. Bears are an excellent candidate for warriors and past life memories, assuming you're capable of stealing a bear cub. Rodents are popular if you want your soul back and reincarnated tomorrow. Reptiles are tricky, but if you really need that soul's past life memories for some reason, exchange with a snake. Maybe you're inflicting revenge, in which case you might make your changeling a sloth. Maybe your late aunt had a rabbit fursona. literally whatever.
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For Val specifically, they were supposed to be a mousekin but were "rescued" by a passing borrower who was like uh? that's a baby while the glamour was still settling. The magic, as much as it has any sentience, can recognize there's a discrepancy but not solve it and just fills in a lot of blanks based on the elf soul.
From the Faeries' perspective, Sir Dryden disappears for a couple decades for no apparent reason, but the family mostly just didn't want his memories to go to the winter court, so Oh Well
#uuuuuuuuuuuu do I tag this as anything lmfao#my writing#g/t#stranger swap#oc: val#and their unnecessarily complicated backstory#lore post
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Black Salt Spell for the Garden
Most of my free time is spent in the garden. Rain or shine, that's most likely where you'll find me. I also work with a deity of nature and plants. So it makes sense that most of my magic is garden related.
This is an idea that came to me while researching different organic powdered fertilizers. I started mixing different ingredients together based on what my plants needed and it was hard to not think of making black salt.
The two most common components of black salt are salt and charcoal. While we all know salt and plants don't mix, charcoal has been used in farming for at least 2,500 years in the form of Terra Preta aka, biochar. The salt can be replaced with epsom salt -which has magnesium, a valuable element for plant health- and you have a garden safe and beneficial soil amendment for your plants!
For the most basic approach to this recipe I recommend one part crushed biochar to 3-4 parts epsom salt.
But we can make this more special with the addition of more ingredients. Some examples:
Coffee Grounds after you brew your coffee you can dry out the used grounds and add them to the black salt base. Coffee is a great source of nitrogen and, contrary to popular belief, the used grounds won't add acidity to your soil. Some sources used coffee grounds for focus, luck, grounding no pun intended, or for speeding up a spell.
Tea Leaves similar to coffee, used tea leaves are a good nitrogen source and the microbes and worms in the soil will appreciate the already broken down bio matter. When tea is brewed with a specific intention that intention is passed into the tea leaves as well making them an excellent spell ingredient.
Wood Ashes incense ash is a popular addition to black salt, sometimes replacing charcoal altogether. Incense ash can be added to garden safe black salt, though I can't speak to its mundane benefits. Wood ash has an NPK ratio of 0-1-3 making it high in potassium as well as many micronutrients that can feed your soil. Saving the ashes form ritual fires can imbue the salt with that same energy. Wood ash will make your soil more alkaline so keep it away from acid loving plants like blueberries!
Egg Shells are full of calcium which is necessary for the structure of cell walls in plants. Save your egg shells after cooking and let them dry out before crushing them into as fine a powder as you can, then add them to the salt. The calcium won't be available to your plants for about one year as the shells break down s l o w l y but I like to use this to my advantage in spell work. Egg shells can be used for protection and fertility so that can be a year long protection or fertility spell.
Store bought Powdered fertilizers there are a plethora of powdered fertilizers/ amendments available at garden centers that can be added for their magical associations or just their mundane uses. I like to add Azomite to all my garden beds, its full of minerals that help out microorganisms in the soil, but I also recommend blood meal, bone meal, or ground oyster shell, depending on what your garden needs. I like the brand Down to Earth because you can buy single ingredient boxes or well balanced mixed fertilizers.
Basically, anything that would break down in a compost pile and can be dried can be added to this garden safe black salt. Trust your intuition and listen to your garden, If you pay attention it'll tell you what it needs.
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Favorite Books 2023
I had a really good reading year in 2023, and was lucky enough to find some new favorites. I thought I’d share some recommendations here, and would love to hear some of yours! (If you are reading this, I mean you, specifically💛 )
The Postscript Murders (Elly Griffiths): This is the sequel to The Stranger Diaries, which was also one of my favorite books the year I first read it. Harbinder Kaur is a detective I could follow endlessly, the kind I seek to read mysteries about. She’s nuanced and clever and messy and deeply compassionate (even against her better judgement). Honestly, the character work throughout this book is excellent; the characters have such richly drawn personalities that feel fully developed, and the mystery is clever and well paced.
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup (John Carreyrou): I watched the documentary on HBO (The Inventor - also fantastic) about Elizabeth Holmes and fell down a bit of a rabbit hole. It’s a bit terrifying to see how far someone could get on lies and connections to powerful people, but Carreyrou is also quick to point out all the people striving to do the right thing against all odds. There’s some fascinating discussions of science and technology, but the core always comes back to the people involved. This account manages to make this true story that feels larger than fiction grounded in individuals and their decisions; it’s well-researched, deliberately written, and absolutely engrossing.
The Sea of Tranquility (Emily St. John Mandel): Mandel’s writing constantly inspires me; there is a deep precision to her descriptions that manages to still feel like it’s gliding, and a moving amount of compassion for the characters who inhabit the story, however flawed they may be. This book combines different timelines, moving from perspective to perspective in a way that only truly makes sense when it all comes together (and it comes together with a gut punch).
What Moves the Dead (T. Kingfisher): A retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher with sinister fungi, I don’t think it’d be possible to make a better book for me on purpose. The writing is twisted, but lyrical, and the take on the story brings a powerful source of dread. Inter-spliced with this is a surprising and fascinating discussion of how culture and language shape ideas of gender. This is a contender for my favorite horror book of all time, and would highly recommend in particular to fans of Mexican Gothic.
Plain Bad Heroines (Emily M. Danforth): This is a gothic boarding school ghost story turned Hollywood satire that is, at its heart, a sapphic love story. With an omniscient narrator (a lá Lemony Snicket, dear readers) this book tells the complicated history of an all girls’ school, and the women, past and present connected to it. It’s dark and grotesque and moving and funny and I could not put it down once I started.
The House of Rust (Khadija Abdalla Bajabar): This is a magical realism coming-of-age story incorporating elements of diasporic Hadrami culture, following a girl’s quest to recover her father from the sea, who accidentally discovers herself along the way. The prose is gorgeous and even, making reading it feel like listening to a particularly well-told bedtime story. Aisha herself is a complicated and delightful character to follow, she’s allowed the messiness of adolescence and the way her journey ends is both surprising and necessary. We also get the perspectives of crows with their own social hierarchy and politics, and a talking cat for whom I’d lay down my life.
This World Does Not Belong to Us (Natalia García Friere, translated by Victor Meadowcroft): This is the kind of book you can’t annotate, because every single line would be highlighted. There is a delightful menage to the prose, to the garden which has a mind of its own, and to the slow and deliberate way the story begins to come together. This is a story about a lot of things, but primarily the dynamic between a father whose allowance of cruelty has made him cruel, and a son who cannot make allowances any more. It is poignant, and somehow both very simple and very deep.
Never The Wind (Francesco Dimitri): This is a gothic coming of age story set in southern Italy, and following a recently blind thirteen year old, who begins to suspect a creature is stalking the farmhouse his parents are renovating into a hotel. There are a lot of things to love about this book – the prose, the characters, the discussion of a layered family history where digging leaves you with more questions than answers – but the friendship that blossoms between the two leads is a highlight. There is something incredibly moving about the first person to fight for you against the world.
The Watcher in the Shadows (Carlos Ruiz Zafón): Zafón is perhaps my favorite writer of all time, and the fact that I’ve almost read through his entire backlog would be saddening if it didn’t mean I also got to read stories like this one. The Watcher in the Shadows is one of his young adult novels, following a girl who moves with her family to the coast of Normandy, where a reclusive toymaker builds a labyrinth of mechanical puppets in his mansion on the hill. It’s as twisted and terrifying as that premise would lead one to suspect, but also beautiful and lush and contemplative and quiet.
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Unusual Muse Associations
Thanks to @transfenris-truther for the tag! I'll tag @gaysolavellan as well for research purposes ;) and also @elvhenfaer @midnightprelude (almila, pls??), @aymayzing and uhh anyone else who wants? I love OCs.
Did Taren Lavellan of course of course.
SEASONING: in his spice cabinet - smoked paprika, tumeric, cumin, corriander, dried adobo or other hot peppers, cinamon, cloves, ginger… honestly all the good, rich spices you can get. And you can bet he knows how to use 'em. But fundamentally he's red peppercorns and sea salt.
WEATHER: cold, misting rain, mix of sun and grey skies, a little hazy maybe, breezy.
COLOUR: green, gold, copper.
MAGICAL POWER: spirit healing, kitchen witch stuff like potion brewing and he can probably do passive buff "blesing" type spells, some earth magic (mainly non agressive but I feel like he can have that vine spell merrill has in da2)
HOUSE PLANT: ivy or a succulent or something else adaptable and hard to kill.
WEAPON: uses a staff when necessary but he's more likely to throw a punch if he needs to fight since most of his magic isn't that fighty. Probably learns to use the staff blade better than he can throw a fireball.
SUBJECT: history and linguistics
SOCIAL MEDIA: Matchsies, obviously ;) though he would not be on it if not for his friends and is not otherwise on social media. He texts and emails well enough but he would rather call people.
MAKEUP PRODUCT: lil bit of eyeliner sometimes. Moisturerizer to keep his tattoos nice.
CANDY: dark chocolate, cinamon hearts.
FEAR: letting people down, losing loved ones, (modern au) flying in airplanes.
ICE CUBE SHAPE: uh just regular cubes. He would appreciate novelty ones though.
METHOD OF LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL: aravel, ship, trains or roadtripping in an old vw camper van in a modern au.
ART STYLE: neo-traditional abstract stuff w dalish elements and intricate linework, or more impressionistic charcoal sketches and waterclour landscapes
MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: do the elvhen gods count?
PIECE OF STATIONERY: pencil tucked into his hair, a leatherbound journal/pocket sized sketchbook.
THREE EMOJIS: 🍂📚🌕
CELESTIAL BODY: the north star, the Thedas constallation Tenebrium.
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Discover the Artistry of a Local Cabinet Maker
For those in search of a unique touch to their home décor, the pursuit often leads them to their local cabinet maker. A properly designed and installed cabinet can redefine a space, turning it from mundane to magnificent. Nothing compares to the craftsmanship, authenticity, and personalized approach that an expert local cabinet maker and bath remodeler proffers.
The Mastery of the Local Cabinet Maker
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Homebrew Goliath Lore (dnd, plus homebrewed stats)
I think that the Goliaths are a cool species in dnd, but they are a little generic. So, for my campaign I decided to spice them up a bit, and I like the way it turned out. Plus, with the way I rewrote the lore I figured I might as well make new stats for the species, to suit it better.
The Goliaths appear as though they are living rock, roughly chiselled out and brought to life by some forgotten magic (although this is not actually too far from the truth). They are in fact living creatures of flesh and blood, and their stoney exterior grants them impressive resilience to the elements. They are far taller than humans, typically seven or eight feet tall, and they have heavy set muscular builds. Goliaths are incapable of growing any form of hair, and they often have tattoos all over their bodies, including their heads.
Goliaths do not reproduce in the same way as other species do, but rather newborn Goliaths are born from the earth itself in remote locations where other Goliaths are present. Depending on where a Goliath is born its body will look different, appearing as though it is made from the stones present where it was born. Due to this inherent connection to nature, as well as the fact that they must live in remote locations in order to reproduce, Goliath culture highly values preserving the land they live on.
Goliaths typically stay far away from sedentary societies, in part because the lands they live on are very hostile so they don’t have to worry much about such societies threatening them, and partly because they view large cities as harmful and disruptive to nature. However, if others that respect and preserve nature seek out Goliaths for aid, they can find a loyal and highly skilled ally. Goliaths make invaluable guides through the dangerous lands they call home, and they have turned the tides of wars by helping armies through areas previously though impassible. Because they can be so helpful to those that also live in harmony with nature, they are viewed with mixed feelings by other cultures. Those that hold similar views about nature and help to preserve it, even if they don’t live the same sort of nomadic life, view them as wise and disciplined, while those that disregard the value of nature view them as uncivilised and uncaring.
Because they are born from the land itself, and were not created by gods, most Goliaths do not follow any gods. The most common pantheon followed by Goliaths that do follow deities is that of the goddesses of day and night (this one’s pretty setting dependant, so if you use this feel free to change which pantheons are more popular), as they are deeply in tune with the natural environment. A much more common practice among Goliaths is the worship of nature itself, which some Goliaths can even draw magic from. Goliath societies hold a deep respect for Druidic circles of other lands, and are always willing to aid them with anything they could need.
While many Goliaths will spend their whole lives living with one tribe, they will sometimes be filled with a wanderlust to explore the world and learn about it. These Goliaths set out on their own, helping those they come across and often seeking other Goliaths to learn more of them and share news. They typically train skills that allow them to survive in the wilderness, so they make excellent adventurers who can lend their aid to others in need. Once they are content that they have seen enough of the world, they will often return to the tribe they were born into, where they are treated with respect and admiration. It is not uncommon for such Goliaths to start their own tribes, as they have all the skills necessary to lead others through the wilderness.
The Witches of the Goliaths are incredibly ancient Goliaths who are masters of spellcasting and are incredibly knowledgeable about the natural world. They are so ancient that they look far different from modern Goliaths, as in the ages since they were born the appearance of Goliaths has changed. They are about ten feet tall, but they are much more slender than modern Goliaths, and they have pointed ears and long hair. There are four such witches, one from each subspecies of Goliath. The Witch of the Skies was born from the mountains, and she has an incredible control over the wind and weather. She also carries a cloak which she can disappear into and which can fly at great speeds with the wind, which she uses for both travel and in combat to dodge attacks. The Witch of the Sands was born from the desert, and she can reshape the the dunes into any shape she wills, even bringing the sand out of the desert when she needs to. She also owns a pair of gloves that let her catch the light and bend it into solid forms as she wishes. The Witch of the Snow was born from the icy tundra, and she can summon mighty blizzards on a whim and freeze over lakes and rivers in an instant. She also possesses a pair of boots which can make her invisible and silent, and which erase her tracks from the ground behind her. The Witch of the Seas was born from the deep ocean floor, and she can bend water into any shape she wishes, turn her own body into water, and even transform otherwise solid ground into a liquid she can control. She also has a pendant she wears around her neck which she can use to grant a respite to others or herself from the elements, and heal their wounds. Each of the witches owns a magical treasure, and they have been known to entrust them to other Goliaths who are going on important quests. They also sometimes take on apprentices who they teach their magic to, and those apprentices often go on to accomplish mighty deeds out in the world.
Stats
These are the traits that I homebrewed for Goliaths as a player species to be closer to the lore in my world. They are based on the ones in Monsters of the Multiverse, but I added subspecies so there’s more variation.
As a Goliath, you have the following traits:
Ability score increase - you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, and another by 1, up to a maximum of 20. Goliaths live harsh and dangerous lives, so they often have a high strength or constitution score. They are also very in touch with the natural world, so they often have good wisdom.
Creature Type - you are a humanoid
Size - Goliaths range from seven to eight feet tall, and have a very solid build. Your size is medium.
Language - you speak common and one other language of your choice.
Speed - your walking speed is 25ft
Darkvision - within 60ft you can see dim light as though it was bright light, and in darkness as though it was dim light
Force of Nature - you have proficiency in the Athletics skill. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift, as well as for the purposes of grappling.
Stone’s Endurance - you can harness the unyielding power of stone to protect yourself from harm. When you take damage, you can use a reaction to reduce the damage by 1d12 + your constitution modifier, to a minimum of zero. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. A feature from your subspecies will also use uses of this trait.
Subspecies - as a Goliath, you have a subspecies that is determined by the environment you were born in. Choose one from: Mountain Goliath, Desert Goliath, Arctic Goliath, Aquatic Goliath, and you gain traits from it as listed below:
Mountain Goliath: mountain Goliaths have grey skin and their bodies are adapted to live in the barren peaks of the world, where the air is thin and a fall would mean certain death. As a mountain Goliath you gain the following traits:
Mountain Born - your body is adept at surviving in mountains. You do not experience any negative effects from high altitudes or cold environments, and you can hold your breath for up to ten minutes. Additionally, you can add double your proficiency bonus to any Strength (Atheletics) checks made to climb, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. Additionally, your base walking speed increases to 30ft.
Stone’s Leap - as a bonus action, you can expend a use of your Stone’s Endurance feature to jump (either a high jump or a long jump) up to a number of feet equal to your strength score plus your constitution score without provoking opportunity attacks. If you would collide with a surface you can grab onto by doing so, you automatically grab on to it, and if you choose to make a high jump you must have something to grab onto (so you cannot just jump directly up and then down).
Desert Goliath: desert Goliaths have skin that looks like it is carved from sandstone, and they are able to survive in the harsh deserts, where food is scarce and water is all but nonexistent. As a desert Goliath you gain the following traits:
Desert Born - your body is specialised to survive in the inhospitable deserts. You have resistance to fire damage, do not suffer any negative effects from hot environments, and you do not need to drink water because your body can get enough moisture from the food you eat.
Stone’s Fury - you can call upon the arid winds of the desert to weather down your foes. Whenever you deal damage to another creature, you can choose to expend a use of your Stone’s Endurance trait to cause it to lose all resistances to damage until the start of its next turn. Additionally, any damage immunities it has count as resistances instead until the start of its next turn.
Arctic Goliath: Arctic Goliaths appear as though their body is made from glacial ice, and in warmer climates they drip slightly with water in a manner similar to perspiration. They are born from the frozen wastelands of the world where the soil is locked in permafrost, and the nights are long and dark. As an Arctic Goliath, you have the following traits:
Arctic Born - your body is perfect for life in the frigid tundras of the world. You have resistance to cold damage, and you do not suffer negative effects from cold environments. Additionally, you can tell the approximate temperature of any object you can see within the range of your Darkvision (this only applies to things you can see, not objects that are behind cover or invisible).
Stone’s Spite - you can call upon the blizzards and winds of the arctic lands where you were born to harm those who have wronged you. As a reaction when a creature within 30ft of you deals damage to you or forces a condition on you, you can expend a use of your Stone’s Endurance trait to push them back a number of feet equal to your constitution score plus your wisdom score. Additionally, until the end of its next turn the creature’s speed is halved.
Aquatic Goliath: Aquatic Goliaths have skin that is dark grey and black, and it is porous like igneous rocks such basalt. They are born from the sea floor in the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean, where the pressure is crushing and sunlight is nothing but a faint memory. As an Aquatic Goliath you have the following traits:
Aquatic Born: your body is adjusted to the environment deep underwater. Your waking speed increases to 30ft, you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and you can breathe both water and air. Additionally, you do not suffer adverse effects from extreme pressure or changes in pressure, and the range of your Darkvision increases to 120 feet
Stone’s Breath - you can harness the power of soothing water to heal yourself or your allies. Whenever you take a short rest you can expend a use of your Stone’s Endurance feature to restore hit points to creatures of your choice within 30ft of you, to a total equal to your character level plus twice your constitution modifier.
And that’s what I’ve written! If you have any suggestions for the lore or balancing the traits, please let me know! Also, if you have an idea for a subspecies let me know or feel free to make it! Plus, if you want to use any of this lore or the traits please do, just give me credit somewhere. (Also, in terms of balancing, the reason why only mountain and aquatic Goliaths have a 30ft walking speed is that they don’t get a resistance, so I tried to balance it out. If you think it’s too big a penalty, feel free to give them all a 30ft move speed)
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