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#with a combination of different people's personality we are a new individual
ea-paperbits · 1 year
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we have the fragments of people from 100s of years ago and slowly those fragments gets lesser and lesser with new generation and then new people are formed.
But deep down we are all have tiny fragment of homo erectus within us.
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thevalleyisjolly · 11 months
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There’s something really fascinating about the different ways in which the Hungry One is understood and conceptualized in Calorum.  In the Bulbosi Church, it’s characterized as an apocalyptic Satan-figure, the cause of suffering in the world and the thing that will one day come to devour everything just because that’s what it does.  Where things really get interesting is in the different sects within and around the Church.  Adherants of the Ramsian Doctrine, for example, believe that it is necessary for the Hungry One to devour the world so that the Bulb can triumph over it - and they believe that the Hungry One will not devour the world so long as it contains “junk food.”  In a similar manner, the Prophidian Heresy and the FDA believe that the Hungry One will not devour the world if it is full of waste -only the FDA consider waste to be general rot and decay rather than the Candians specifically, misanthropy vs xenophobia GO- and that this is therefore the key to preventing the destruction of the world. 
Within the FDA and the Prophidian Heresy, there’s also an intriguing link between body and soul that contradicts mainstream Bulb theology.  Whereas most of the Church believes in a rigid delineation between body and soul, that after death, the body returns to the ground and the soul (if it is not damned) goes to the Bulb, the FDA’s plan of filling the world with rot and decay so that the Hungry One will not devour it suggests, quite radically, that the body just as much if not more so than the soul is what the Hungry One devours.  Mainstream Bulbians believe the stomach of the Hungry One is Hell for damned souls who do not go to the Bulb - the FDA seems to believe that the state of the material is just as important to the Hungry One as the metaphysical and that large enough volumes of rotting decay (which could also be the moral decay that comes with actions in war, but in this case the FDA themselves have the most rotten souls of all) can keep this Devil-figure from consuming anything, regardless of the state of the soul.
On a different level, with Karna, we find the idea that the Hungry One is not just a powerful over-arching entity but rather something which people can relate to and personally interact with.  When Karna kills Sir Drunon and the woman, she takes part of their bodies and burns them “in offering” to the Hungry One.  As the audience, we know that Karna is mechanically a warlock of the Hungry One, with the specific subclass of The Great Old One.  Combined with the offering, the characterization of the Hungry One is as an active, powerful being who, to some degree, can engage with people personally.  Not necessarily in a reciprocal way -you can burn an offering as a sign of respect or acknowledgement without any expectation of receiving something in return- but people like Karna can and do engage with it on an individual and personal level.  Given the fact that when she kills, a new rotten spot appears on her body, it suggests that her relationship to the Hungry One does, in some part, go both ways, that there is something on the other side receiving her votives and responding to them.
Also fascinating to observe, when she kills Sir Drunon, she says “We are all eventual food in the maw of the Hungry One,” and immediately thereafter as she kills the woman he’s with, “I’m sorry, but we are all eventual waste.”  This presents another perspective on the relationship between the Hungry One and the concept of waste. In contrast to the FDA or the Ramsian Doctrine, which believe that the Hungry One won’t devour the world if it is full of waste or junk, Karna’s statements suggest that the process of dying inherently involves becoming waste - and that the Hungry One will still eat that waste nonetheless. 
Then there’s Cumulous and his specific monastic tradition (which is not actually one and the same as the Order of the Spinning Star because it’s stated that there are monks in the Order who draw power from the Bulb; overall, the Order seems to be more an organization of people dedicated to the same goal rather than a religious enclave of people with the same spiritual beliefs).  In ACOC, the first thing Cumulous ever says is, “The Hungry One must feed.”  It’s an interesting phrasing because there’s a very passive connotation - not “The Hungry One must consume” or “The Hungry One must eat,” but rather the use of the term “feed” suggests a little less agency and purpose.  It isn’t going out looking for something to eat, but rather it is feeding on whatever it is given.
Later, Cumulous explains to the party that he does not worship the Hungry One and that it is just a source of power to him.  He can tap into it, just like the Bulbosi miracle workers can tap into the Bulb, but it’s not something that has a real consciousness or its own will and he does not interact with it as if it does.  Combined with his monk subclass (Long Death), the characterization of the Hungry One is less a supernatural powerful figure but more a manifestation of inevitable death and entropy.  Very similarly to Karna’s perspective, it’s going to feed on everything eventually because everyone’s going to die one day.  It might be today, if you happen to be a cheese sailor trying to murder your lawful child duchess, but that’s neither here nor there.
And as Lapin realized in his last moments and as he later showed to Liam, this seems to be the closest understanding to the actual nature of the Hungry One which we have encountered so far in either campaign.  The Hungry One is just a cosmological ball (add that to the list of significant TTRPG orbs!) and while it certainly contains a lot of power, it doesn’t do anything with it other than eat what is delivered into its mouth.  The power and the destruction and the death associated with the Hungry One?  All of that has only been wielded or used by living people, for their own aims and agendas.
Anyways, all this to say that while I don’t think it likely to happen, my dream scenario is for a couple FDA members to flee the scene of whatever plan they had that some or all of the Scrumptious Scoundrels have managed to foil, and as they escape, they run straight into a group of Candian monks (aka what they were actually doing during the Ravening War).  The last thing they hear, after all their scheming to “save” the world, is “The Hungry One must feed.”  And it does.
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robinmage · 10 months
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absolutely no one: me: The Ancient Magus Bride isn't really a "romance" the way most people tend to think. Despite its few moments, one of, if not, the main focus of the series is about how the qualities of interpersonal relationships differ vastly between each individual. Your relationship with one friend may function incredibly differently from another friend, because the unique combination of those circumstances and personalities will affect how you coexist with one another and define each others' "roles" in your lives. For Elias and Chise, the growth of their relationship is also parallel to their growth as people. The way they met had a very big impact on how they viewed and treated each other in the beginning of the series. Chise, being completely alone and in a very vulnerable position and simply not caring because she had already given up on her life, and Elias buying taking her in because of her innate magical ability. As Elias is nonhuman and unable to relate to the human experience and human emotions, we later learn that one of his motivations for acquiring a human companion was because he wanted to understand these emotions more and feel closer to humanity. The circumstances of their meeting is explicitly mentioned, by a few characters, to be a generally fucked up thing to do, and one of the core aspects of Chise's early character development was how not to become complacent with relying on Elias so much. Chise is gradually learning how to value herself, separately from Elias, with the help of the people she has met. Elias himself struggles with his lack of emotional experience, occasionally lashing out when he feels new, strong emotions that he doesn't know how to react to or control. Put together, they are both still very immature characters and absolutely not ready or capable to commit themselves to any type of romantic relationship. Instead, the series focuses on the complexities of this human-nonhuman companionship, how their relationship can't solely be defined by human expectations and labels, and how to navigate the ever-changing state of interpersonal relationships combined with the ever-changing state of personal development. A lot of it comes from Chise herself, realizing that she not only wants to live but also wants to value herself as a person more than what she can selflessly give away to others. There are many people who genuinely care for her and are actively trying to help her see her own worth. Through these experiences and these connections that she forms with these characters is what gives her the strength to grow. The series is commonly tagged as a romance, though the elements of the genre are miniscule and not anywhere near as relevant as the main themes of learning how to love others, learning how to love the world around you, and most importantly-- learning how to love yourself.
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ratatoast · 3 months
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Son coeur est le tien
Alastor x Reader qpr (general headcanons)
a/n: halfway through writing this, i realised that maybe my idea of a qpr might be different than someone else's haha,,, also, this is the very first time I've written for hazbin hotel lol (and should i mention that english isn't my first language? haha)
that being said, i hope y'all enjoy this mess :P
also also if y'all would like me to continue writing Alastor qpr (cuz there's def a shortage on that), feel free to send me prompts :)) i obvi wont write nsfw, but other than that, i think anything is fine (?)
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Being in a qpr with the radio demon would include…
Long talks over tea/coffee
There’s never any awkward silence between the two of you. You two could be chatting about the most mundane things, and the conversation would still flow perfectly.
He’d definitely learn exactly how you like your hot beverage.
I personally can’t imagine him being an avid coffee drinker tbh, but I don’t think he’d mind if you are one.
Takes your tea parties very seriously, knows all your favourite pastries, puts on some smooth jazz, brings out the fine china, etc
Loves listening to you talking about your day, your current interests, hobbies, etc. Even if the topic itself isn’t all that interesting to him, he’ll still listen to you.
The both of you love gossiping with each other. Neither of you will admit it to others though.
Petnames
You very rarely hear your given name come out of this man’s mouth.
He never calls you anything that he deems too sickly sweet, usually sticks to dear, sweetheart, or darling.
If he’s having a particularly great day, he might call you love, but that doesn’t happen very often.
Constant praises & words of affirmation
I think words of affirmation is one of his main love languages.
He constantly showers you with praises, telling you how gorgeous you look, how witty your jokes are, etc.
We all know that this man is a charmer, however his compliments to you are more than just empty words… most of the time :p
Do keep in mind that this man is a master manipulator tho, so he isn't above using sweet talk to get what he wants.
Playful banter that keeps you on your toes
He loves a good back and forth, especially if his darling is a particularly witty individual.
The two of you can turn any conversation into a battle of words.
However, if you take it too far, he’s not afraid to put you in your place with a couple of sharp words, aimed to hurt.
But most of the time it’s just good fun :)
Never having to so much as lift a finger
He’s very big on acts of service.
Forget about opening doors or pulling out chairs for yourself.
He takes being a gentleman very seriously, especially when it comes to you.
But not only is he a gentleman, he’s also a powerful overlord.
So if you ever need anything, be that a new pair of shoes, or getting rid of a particularly nasty demon, consider it done.
Being his closest confidant
We all know that Alastor has many acquaintances, however he falls short on meaningful connections.
He doesn’t let people get too close to him, and it is sort of understandable why.
You are one of the only exceptions to that.
You know more about this man than all of hell combined.
It took a while for him to open up to you, and even longer until he started telling you about his past.
He’s the kind to drop hints about himself and let you figure out the rest.
Trust goes a long way with him, I think he’d be more open to sharing his plans and such with someone that he knows won’t question his every move.
Even so, there’s still a lot that you don’t know about him, but you’ll just have to take what you can.
You can dress however you want… as long as it fits his taste
He’s not all too picky about what you wear.
Contrary to popular belief, he wouldn’t expect you to be in full glam 24/7.
If you like more revealing clothes, well, he’ll just have to make sure that anyone that dares to as much as look at you the wrong way is taken care of.
That being said, looking well put together is a must.
You represent him in a way, and he expects you to look the part.
He can’t have you wandering the streets of hell in rags that not even the lowest sinners would wear.
Absolutely no modern technology allowed
Do I even need to explain this?
He’d rather be safe than sorry when it comes to the possibility of Vox messing with you.
You are never truly alone
Alastor would make sure to accompany you on your outings as much as his schedule allows it.
But let’s be real, he’s a very busy man.
He makes sure that a few of his shadows keep an eye on you though, even in his absence.
I don’t think your personal strength matters in this case, as I’ve mentioned before, there’s very little that this man wouldn’t do for you, especially when it comes to your personal safety.
Lets you get closer to him than anyone else
This time, I’m talking about physical closeness.
We all know that he isn’t big on physical touch.
However, I feel like you could get away with a lot more than others.
When the two of you are walking somewhere, it’s not unusual for him to offer you his arm.
When you’re standing next to him, he sometimes rests his hand on your back, although that is often a subconscious thing.
If you’re having a particularly rough day, he isn’t too opposed to letting you hug him.
You can also get away with laying on his lap sometimes, and if he’s feeling exceptionally gracious, he might even pet your hair.
PDA is definitely a big no-no, on one hand he has an image to protect, but I also just don’t think he’d be too comfortable with showing his more vulnerable side in public.
As for kisses… if you haven’t seen each other in a while, he might greet you with a kiss on your hand, but that’s as far as it ever goes.
He’s not a very touchy-feely person, so if that bothers you… good luck finding someone better than the radio demon ;)
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me af tbh lmao
anway, thanks for reading pookies mwah (slash platonic lol)
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wilbursoot-updates · 8 months
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Lovejoy are your new indie-punk obsession
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Lovejoy is in this article!
There’s an undeniable link between Lovejoy and the internet, not only because the band’s reputation and success were built digitally, but due to the platform that frontman Will Gold had built from his streaming days. There, Gold developed a devoted fanbase and gained the trust and admiration of people who enjoyed who he was as a person. Gold then started premiering his original solo work on his Twitch channel, dipping his toes into the music scene while remaining afloat in his streaming career. Eventually, he founded Lovejoy.
But Lovejoy are so much more than Gold and his Twitch platform — it’s a combination of people and different tastes in music, perspectives, and understandings. Each member plays a pivotal role in the band, outside of playing instruments. “We’re all pooling different batches of influences. None of us like the same music,” bassist Ash Kabosu explains. The hardcore influence comes from Kabosu and drummer Mark Boardman and their desire for “more moshing” at their shows, whereas the love of funk-pop stems from Gold and lead guitarist Joe Goldsmith, mixed with Gold’s mutual adoration for Arctic Monkeys from an early age. The band’s fun, friendly relationship with each other bleeds into the one they have with their fanbase.
It was the middle of the pandemic, and while the streets were empty, and the news played distantly in the background, something big was brewing in the U.K. During those quiet days, Lovejoy, a Brighton-based outfit, would emerge. With an intoxicating sound that channels alt-rockers Arctic Monkeys and the Killers, Lovejoy also incorporate elements of hardcore music throughout their tracks. In the band’s words, they “find the sounds that we like and then elevate those ideas.”  
Playing under pseudonyms in undisclosed venues and working furiously in studios, they became Lovejoy. Gold and Goldsmith founded the band after meeting in another folk group. Kabosu was later recruited in a Smashburger, and Boardman was hired on Fiverr, before being asked to officially join. The chemistry was immediate, Kabosu explains, “The very first day all four of us were in one place was when we were recording [debut EP] Are You Alright?” Their sense of humor was identical, and they were on the same wavelength. With Gold’s memorable past as a streamer and an already dedicated legion of fans, Lovejoy quickly rose from the chaos of the pandemic. 
After their experimentation with different pseudonyms, this year showcased their first shows as Lovejoy. With a U.K. tour during March and an impressive festival run from all over Europe to the US, totaling over 15 individual festivals, earlier this year, the band are gearing up to finish the year off with an EU/U.K. tour featuring Good Kid, an indie-rock band from Toronto. The tour has already sold out — and Lovejoy haven’t even released an album yet. “Hold your breath. It’ll be worth the wait,” Gold insists.
The excitement over this quartet is palpable, as their addictive rock blend consists of double-kick drums, chugging basslines, and smooth melodies. While Lovejoy are neither technically hardcore nor punk, they tap into heavier techniques due to Kabosu and Boardman’s interests in bands like Linkin Park and Bring Me The Horizon. Kabous found Linkin Park as a kid and was “mindblown,” “My friend Jamie had just gone on holiday to the States, and he came back, and he was losing his mind over this CD that he and his dad had bought. It was Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory.” And has been influenced ever since.
Their latest EP, Wake Up & It’s Over, showcases a blend of upbeat, angsty emo and emotional indie-rock tracks. “It’s not intentional, and it’s not specific,” Kabosu remarks about the blend of genres. The first track on the record, “Portrait of a Blank Slate,” was originally written by Gold as a way to distract people from COVID-19 and other recent disasters. “I tend to write about what I’m feeling, and what I know. I think life is just poetry happening. All around, I see it more as a reflection,” he says. The moody, dark bass introduction to the song sets up for the four-to-the-floor kick drum, riding the high hats, and intense cymbal thrashing in their chorus. “Call Me What You Like” discusses the eggshells in the beginning stages of a relationship, where both are unsure of their emotional commitment. With Gold’s poetic songwriting, painting pictures and imagery to allude to the true meaning of his words, the tracks show that Lovejoy have an ear for good melodies. “I think it’s just stuff that’s innate in us,” Kabosu elaborates. “Because it’s all that some of us listen to on a day-by-day basis.”
Yet, only two months before the release of Wake Up & It’s Over, Lovejoy released a record under the alias Anvil Cat. The EP, which featured rerecordings of songs off 2021’s Are You Alright?, was a forewarning, juxtaposing, the quiet, delicate nature of Anvil Cat’s EP and the crash and bang of their upcoming project. “At the time, we were about to release our third EP,” Kabosu explains. “We were building anticipation for that and getting people excited, teasing bits here and there. I felt like it would be a weird step to drop an acoustic EP.” But it was beyond just that acoustic EP — it’s for the future. “It’s nice for us to have this additional moniker, which is a separate entity, where if we wanted to try something a little bit different or make acoustic songs, we can put it over there,” he adds.
The relationship the band held with their fans was once considered unheard of. Consistently reaching out and engaging with their fanbase, realizing the power of their fanbase’s “clever” and “quick” intelligence and passion, and rewarding them with puzzles and QR codes — it’s all there if the fans choose. Anvil Cat’s acoustic EP is just an extension of that. “It’s for the people who are die-hard fans and really want to hear everything we do. It’s there for them,” Kabosu says. In modern times, that kind of friendly, open relationship between artists and their fans is common — something that was unachievable 20 years ago.
With a dedicated legion of fans already stacked in Lovejoy’s corner, developing during the midst of the pandemic, they’re barreling toward a future full of investigative fan interactions and shows around the world. COVID tested the band, and now, the positive outcome is touring the world.
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joaofelix70 · 5 months
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MISS DIPLOMAT & MR. CHARMING |
dominik szoboszlai x female reader.
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author's note: this handsome man's living rent-free in my head. he's a freaking masterpiece. talented, funny, charismatic, attractive. i watched interviews, tiktok videos made by supporters and much more to understand a little bit of his language, personality and what he does towards friends and loved ones. laughed a lot! i made my homework as a writer, hope you enjoy it! (compliments and any kind of retributions are more than welcomed).
summary: your job is involving the commitment of unify the population and create interrelations to another countries, using the eurocup qualifiers and the hungary national team executions. you just didn't expect to fall in love with the no. 10's captain player.
words and characters: 1,811/11,223. it was three days working too hard on this story. i'm begging for your consideration, lol.
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sports diplomacy: it's the unique power of sport to bring people, nations, and communities closer together via a shared love of physical pursuits. this responsibility is the reason of a transition between strangers to connected individuals, advancing foreign policy goals and augmenting sport for development initiatives. the complex landscape where sport, politics, and diplomacy overlap become clearer, as do the pitfalls of using sport as a tool for overcoming and mediating separation between people, nonstate actors, and states. the power of sport has never been more important. so far, the 21st century has been dominated by disintegration, introspection, and the retreat of the nation-state from the globalization agenda. in such an environment, scholars, students, and practitioners of international relations are beginning to rethink how sport might be used to tackle climate change, gender inequality, and the united nations sustainable development goals, for example. to boost these integrative, positive efforts is to focus on the means as well as the ends, that is, the diplomacy, plural networks, and processes involved in the role sport can play in tackling the monumental traditional and human security challenges of our time. credits: international studies association and oxford university press.
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MLSZ (hungarian football federation) ──
new training ground at telki.
"i can't believe that being in places like this made up my most theoretically utopian childhood dreams. what a progress in front of me!" you still witness exciting moments where you pinch yourself, trying to believe in the reality that surrounds you: visiting the new training center of the players who are just a few meters away from you, getting ready to represent an entire country.
"your presence is our privilege. a voice of the spread of eurocup to our nation, right here…" the technical director gives you deference, obtaining a measure of humbleness and respect by you.
"the honor belongs to me in its entirety. grateful for having me, sir. while the view is immersive and captivating — my fervent congratulations to everyone involved — could we retreat from the pleasant glass-enclosed room and see everything closer, on the outside? please? i will never get used to this atmosphere." you pour politeness and charisma to the staffs around you, being directed to the proximity of the field and saluting the employees who pass through your path.
meet dominik — your szobo — instigates the nostalgic combination of detailed moments in which your thoughts display as photographic retrospectives. you're incapable to oppose the little enthusiastic laughs, fidgeting the rings between your fingers and avoiding possible suspicious glances from others. however, for you, this wouldn't actually work. the lives of you both are correlated, but different.
the training session is finished. clapping your hands and celebrating the performances, you greet the athletes and recognize some familiar people. nevertheless, reality slows down after those dark woody eyes capture through your soul. his arms tattoos are glorified by the sun's rays, the same illuminated smile is offered to you: that one you got during the very first time you saw him — instantly knowing he made you testimony the accuracy of freedom, catharsis and emotional amorous complement. that he'd be the one to introduce you what you never experienced, what you thought you'd never receive or deserve. what love truly is. when you were novices in your actual professions, not even imagining the future gifts of your unreal purposes.
"there you are!" intimately, dominik points at you, being reciprocated by vibrant nods and your old sort of secret — not that mysterious or serious — handshake. "még mindig emlékszel rá? (still remembering it?). you're a real one!"
"hogy tudnám elfelejteni? alábecsülsz engem. (how could i forget it? you're underestimating me)". your defensive actions demonstrate purposeful falseness. masking any sensitive, verbal or figurative communicative fragment from him is a difficulty that makes you give in over time. honestly, you never complain about this. it's like he wants to understand the factors and layers of you.
"a te kézfogás fickó. ne merészelj lecserélni engem. (your handshake man… don't you dare to replace me)". a shameless wink is send to you, butterflies acquiring space in your stomach.
"és hivatalosan is a szavamat adom rá. (and you officially have my word on it)." your gloss is pigmented against your fingers while you raise it up, displaying an oath, wondering if szoboszlai comprehends that his replacement in your life would be blasphemous.
"diplomata kisasszony, (miss diplomat)…" the hungarian fingerprints are shared and you recognize the sign to hold them, ready to perform your typical fashion icon moment. "gorgeous as always. go ahead! you know what to do!".
amusement surrounds you with the nickname's citation. although, you could feel some curious glances, from the outsiders, about the intimacy between you and him. "i appreciate, our top-class national bless…" you move your body in rotations to exclaim the outfit's characteristics, lifting your feet to show off the specificities of your heels. "how is your hair so well-groomed after sweating, though?" your arms cross and you raise an eyebrow in questioning, trying to hide your fascination.
"thank you, my number-one fan, but don't change the subject. finish our inside joke, c'mon!" dominik grabs his water bottle and spreads the cooling liquid on his forehead, wiping the glowing droplets across his face as he lifted his jersey high enough to exhibits his fortified abs.
your attention is directed to any surrounding scenery, throat being piked. szoboszlai pretends he doesn't notice, preventing to embarrass you.
"alright, alright! you've won, bájos úr… (mr. charming)". your final comment escapes as, practically, a whisper. you can't control the shy laughter, coupled with the considerable redness invading your cheeks.
"that's the secret to make my day!" using his tongue to reproduce a sharp noise, he matches your humorous reactions. "would you like me to show you the infrastructure changes? i'm just gonna take a shower!"
"i've already been granted a tour around here, but in case you insist…" during the dialogue, some athletes cross your space, wishing them good luck for the competition. your concentration on the activity is significant, at the point that dominik's silent admiration goes unnoticed.
"i mean, you know me! i'm gonna insist anyway, so…" he reaches your captivity, bringing you jollification.
"i'll rate you as a personal tour guide. now, go there!" jesting each other, you both exchange exaggerated reverences, like a challenge of who makes the most chaotic one.
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walking around the area, various subjects are explored, informations entrusted. you ask and are updated about his ethereal younger sister.
portraits of the generations are framed. you magnifies his presence in celebratory pictures, dedicated to find him in the memories and achievements on that wall. pride shines from you and the hungarian finds it lovely.
"you know i'm a sucker for accents… they're much more than mere verbal characteristics, they're stories: life experiences, marks and scars. identities and cultural integrations." the topic is random. through generalized opinions, you're explaining conceptions and dominik is retaining mental observations. he exalts every scrap of your identity, like a faithful worshiper.
"basically, you're admitting being enchanted by my accent. i can see the stars in your eyes. a win is a win!" szoboszlai and his frequent attribute to physical touch, tickling your ears and playing with them. it doesn't bother you, actually: adoring the affection exuded by you and him. you feel like a little girl dealing with your one and only love.
"it's beautiful, how can you blame me? and hey, i know mine's making you grin too." he holds your arm, shivers running down your spine, the two of you being euphoric in the midst of your own enthusiasm.
"putting me against the wall? okay, hum… what were you saying before?" he's changing the subject and you have a natural wit to boo him. lifting his shoulders as a surrender, the hungarian focuses on the specific loose strands of his simple bracelet, which you get used to help him tie it again, willingly.
"trying to avoid the truth? fine! let me take care of you while i talk about my admiration towards globalization and communication. like, with every fiber of me…" you accept the conversation's direction and utter a 'voilà' towards the accessory's new appearance.
"that's why you're the best person i've ever seen doing this job." dominik compliments you, an act full of honesty.
"thanks a lot, mate. but which job? as your bracelet helper or my real one?" you provide tenderness, looking amused.
"i mean… both of them." szoboszlai chuckles, revealing courtesy by your continuous helpfulness.
"literally? because i know you know a lot of people. you're so young and already is the national team's captain." you nudge him in a form of tease. he's a starboy, it's undeniable.
"flattered! literally, thought. you were born for this, believe me." vulnerability collides to you, as his words are deliberated: emotions embracing you and warming your insides.
"dominik szoboszlai, my dear friend, you're gonna make me cry, right here. i'm sorry, i need to do it…"
innocent satisfaction builds strength over you and executes unthought-of approach to the tangibility of your gratitude — his colony enrapturing your sensitive olfaction — in the most out-of-control way. the sounds reach your hearing: a choir of angels singing hallelujah. he reciprocates the contact, laughing at your juvenile excitement. joining him and doing the same thing, harmonizing the triumph. in the separation of the touch, you both remain close to each other and the hungarian doesn't miss the opportunity to feel the softness of your side face, caressing the skin. appreciation and satisfaction invade your structure, delighting on the palm of his hand.
"just a dear friend? why are we pretending all this time?" dominik's reading you. the intimidation at the sight of him overhanging you is paralyzing. you don't usually back down, but in that instant — superior than your most repressed desires — your gasps are escaped.
"who is putting who against the wall now?" insisting and failing on your witty answers, shyness and uncertainty corrodes you.
"please, look at me! i'm not kidding anymore." his voice is questioning, intrigued — contradictorily vulnerable and calm — your rationality being fragmented, fragile.
"you know i'm not the kind of woman you're surrounding by, domi. i'm not an influencer, bikini model. i'm not a public figure. i don't live for the cameras and gossip platforms. i live to work hard. i didn't achieve any of this with some type of perk. my routine and your routine are based on traveling..." who could deny it? szoboszlai's always been all that you see. it's much more than a mere passion. your attraction to him is magnetic, intense, vivid. consequently, terrifying.
"i'm just asking for a chance, (your nickname). i don't lie when i say i've never met someone like you. i may be surrounded by a crowd and you'll still be the one to steal my attention, because nobody compares to you."
your eyelids are closed and the exhalation of his sigh penetrates your lungs with the numbing breath of life you've never experienced before. it's happening: the rare situation where thinking carefully about the pros and cons is unworthy, dumbness. your decision is made and the privilege's resolution unify your lips. the beginning demonstrates slowness and patience — the intensification through the concluded wait of the longed-for reality, transforming light and magical kisses into open mouths discovering each other and witnessing the endearment that both offer — hairs, necks, shoulders and waists captured.
"you're the first to create a meaningful presence in my mind and heart. i want you to be the last one too. i love you, kincs (my treasure). i'm finally brave enough to demonstrate it with no fears." dominik's forearm covers your upper torso. your back against his chest, noses resting on each others. rejoicing at the miraculous, incomparable circumstance.
"i love you, drágám (my precious). you're finally mine and it was so fucking worth waiting." his whisper: the living proof of celestial existence.
"how blessed we are…" intertwined bodies, coalesced essences. solitary melodies turning into the sweetest and most complete symphony.
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Making Humanoids Less Human
I did make a small post on this, but now I've got the art for a much bigger and more detailed post! so here we go.
I had several anonymous asks that all came in quick succession weeks ago. Every single one of them was basically just a variation on "how would you take (typically humanoid) fantasy being, and make them look less human?"
This blog does not exist for me to just give people original designs for free, my goal is to show off my own personal thoughts about fantasy design and help people figure out how to adjust their own designs to fit their vision better. That means when people ask me questions about how to do something, I want to give them things to think about so they can come to their own conclusion. I don't mind making original designs to illustrate concepts, but a whole flood of "show me how to make this specific thing look different" all at once like that was too much. I'm not answering them all individually, it's just not what I want to do.
But what I can do is show my own thoughts and ideas about how to take any fantasy design and push it further away from "human", and you all can look at my ideas and figure out your own way to do things!
So here are the main 4 methods I've come up with to make humanoids look less human.
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(image description: a simplified drawing of a humanoid face surrounded by four altered versions of the same face. clockwise starting from the top left, they are:
Speculative, drawn as a cat person. Additive, drawn with horns, pointy ears, sharp teeth, and a second pair of eyes. Subtractive, drawn with blank eyes, no nose, and no eyebrows. Exaggerative, drawn with a long face and huge eyes, as well as a wide mouth, narrow nose, and big ears.
end description)
I am personally a fan of the speculative route, which means exploring an alternate root of evolution to create a new design. Through this method, I've created monkey elves, frog goblins, and pig orcs.
the additive option is the most common, I think. adding new feature or doubled features to a humanoid form is a very intuitive way to change the design and make it look less human. you see this in most fantasy and scifi designs, like star trek aliens and the dnd player races.
subtractive and evaggerative are the most common options for people that like the uncanny valley. it's really easy to make uncomfortable designs by removing or exaggerating recognizable features, and they're often used together. Slenderman, for example, removes all facial features and skin color but also exaggerates the limbs and body.
Combining the four methods will give you a really interesting design as well! So for practice I decided to explore an alternate design for Tieflings, the part-demon player race in dnd.
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(image description: four examples of differnt tiefling designs using the previously described methods. the additive example is just offical dnd art of a tiefling woman with purple skin, horns, and a long tail.
the subtractive sketch looks very alien, with a bald head, empty eyes, and no other facial featuers aside from a small mouth. it has three fingers per hand and two toe per foot.
the exaggerative sketch shows a hunched humanoid figure with huge eyes and big ears. the neck, limbs, and digits are all long with claws at the ends of the fingers and toes, and the limbs are also quite muscular.
the speculative sketch shows a bipedal figure with features similar to a giraffe, including a long neck, ossicones, and hooves.
end description)
now, because tielflings have such a distinct look to them, obviously my new sketches don't really look like tieflings, do they? the only one that comes close is the giraffe. relying only on one type of alteration to the human form has left the designs rather empty and lacking in the more iconic traits of the original concept. so i tried a sketch that combined my ideas! it came out looking like a completely different creature lol, like it could be a kobold or something, still not really a tiefling.
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(image description: a sketch of a creature with a giraffe-like head, long tongue, and sharp teeth. it appears to be roaring at something and stands in a half-crouch. it has long limbs with hoof feet and clawed hands, as well as a long tufted tail curled behind it. end description.)
didn't work out. too far into the animal side of the speculative evolution, I think. so I tried again and got a design I liked much better!
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(image description: a digital painting of a tiefling leaping back and casting a glowing orange spell. she is wearing a tunic with a corset and detached sleeves, as well as several pieces of jewelry. Her skin is purple with dark patches like a giraffe's spots, and she has a giraffe's ossicones as well as hoof-like hands and two-toed hoof feet. Her tail is long with a tuft at the end. She has glowing eyes and a flat nose, and there is a single sharp tooth visible poking out of the side of her mouth. end description.)
Brought the face back into slightly more human proportions and that helped a lot. Sometimes designs just take a few tries! that's normal.
and hopefully this is helpful to all of you! there are so many ways to alter humanoid designs to come up with something original and unique to you!
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jenlrossman · 7 months
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Tuvix as a metaphor for Janeway's mindset throughout Voyager
When Tuvok and Neelix merged into a new individual after a transporter malfunction, Tuvix was born. Possessing a combination of the memories and personalities of his component parts while still being his own unique self, Tuvix quickly proved he was more than just a transporter accident, showing he had potential to find his place among the crew of Voyager and settle in to this new normal.
And when Janeway learned of a way to separate him, bringing back Tuvok and Neelix, Tuvix was killed. Against his wishes, against the doctor's ethical subroutines, Tuvix was killed.
I'm not going to discuss whether or not this was right. That's an entirely different subject that many people have debated ad nauseam.
I just want to talk about how the decision to kill Tuvix and bring back Tuvok and Neelix might actually be the defining moment in developing Kathryn Janeway's mindset for the rest of the series. The sometimes questionable mindset best described as
"There's the right way, the wrong way, and the Janeway."
To Captain Janeway, Tuvix is a problem to solve. He is the thing standing in the way of the status quo, the thing preventing her from seeing her loved ones again.
She says as much, when Kes is expressing reservations about developing feelings for Tuvix and says she hasn't given up on the idea of him being separated.
You’re experiencing what people on this crew have been going through since we first got stranded in this quadrant. Do we accept that we're separated from our loved ones forever, or do we hold onto the hope that someday we'll be with them again?
Tuvix, therefore, is a physical representation of being stuck in the Delta quadrant. He is the thing preventing them from being with their loved ones, and she might not be able to get everyone home right now if ever, but she's going to do everything she can to see Tuvok and Neelix again.
Whether or not it is right for her to kill Tuvix, that isn't as important to her as proving—to herself and to her crew—that she is going to do anything she can to get them home, and killing him is a symbolic representation of that.
We see this mindset continue throughout the series, and the Lower Decks episode Twovix gives us some great examples.
While most of the crew is dealing with another transporter malfunction, Boimler and Rutherford are dealing with holographic representations of various things the Voyager crew encountered. And they just happen to be some of Janeway's greatest hits… Or misses.
Michael "delete the wife" Sullivan—Janeway's holographic Irish boy toy, who she widowed and altered to suit her preferences even though those episodes deal with the possibility of all holograms having a chance to achieve sentience
The macrovirus—which was dealt with by Janeway unleashing it on a crowd of (again, possibly sentient?) holograms
The personification of fear—the clown who was defeated when Janeway went so far to save her crew that she literally made the concept of fear afraid of her
Chaotica—Janeway didn't particularly want to play the role of Queen Arachnia but she got very into it because when push comes to shove, she really doesn't mind being the villain if it means protecting her crew
And of course, the Borg…
The series finale of Voyager is the ultimate example of the "anything to see our loved ones again" mindset Janeway shows in Tuvix.
Voyager gets home. It takes 23 years, but they get home.
However, Seven is lost along the way, Chakotay dies after reaching earth, and the delay in getting home has exacerbated Tuvok's Vulcan equivalent of Alzheimer's to the point that he is not himself anymore.
Three of the most important people in her life, gone.
So what does she do? Of course she doesn't accept that, she can't, she never has been able to.
Kathryn Janeway goes back in time, erases the lives of everyone in the universe to rewrite history on her terms, she defeats the goddamn Borg—just to see them again.
And of course she does it herself. As we learned in Tuvix when the doctor refuses to separate him, Janeway doesn't care. She'll do it all herself, ethical consequences be damned, she just needs everyone she loves to get back to the Alpha quadrant.
So whether or not it was right to separate Tuvix, it doesn't matter. The right way, the wrong way, none of that matters. Not to her, not as long as doing things the Janeway gets everyone she cares about home safely.
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nightwonder7 · 3 months
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Hunters are (in most cases) how survivors perceive certain characters under the influence of drugs. But how likely is it that two people hallucinate the exact same image upon the same individual? Highly unlikely. We see an example of this with Norton and how Orpheus and Alice perceive him so differently. In Go Hunting, he is this large and bulky brute, while in Ashes of Memory, he is this tall figure made of rocks.
This has had me thinking of a potential point of tension. Bear with me, this is kinda long and rambly.
Let's say all the characters end up in this limbo that is the manor after they die during or after the games (with the exception of the deities cause... yeah, they're immortal. So they're just trapped there, forced to play part in these games for all eternity). Anyway! I personally like to think that most of members in the Da Capo gang managed to slowly reconcile with each other, or at the very least come to a mutual agreement, after they ended up in this limbo. Perhaps with the exception of Orpheus.
So when Norton is eventually granted a hunter form, it is the one born from the hallucination of Alice's psyche combined with the drugs. I feel like Alice would disclose this for the sake of honesty and transparency, even if the whole situation is a mystery in itself. But from Norton's point of view, it is Alice's fault he has now ended up like this, and what relationship they managed to build up just unravels.
Yes, he might find it invigorating to be able to let his pent up frustration go during the manor games. But this also leads to the other survivors becoming scared and untrusting of him, and thus ostracizing him. As if his relationship with the others wasn't difficult enough for him to navigate. His world view was molded from the harsh environment he grew up in where it was every man for himself. He's full of rage and despair over the situation, and he's taking it all out on Alice; so much so that the other hunters need to hold him back at times.
Even if it is beyond Alice's control, she still feels guilty over what happened to Norton because he took the form of her hallucination. And now she feels responsible to fix it, or at least find an explanation to why this happened to him. They had slowly managed to heal from the conflict between them during the manor games outside of limbo. But this new conflict just resets all of it. She would try everything in her power to fix their relationship. And perhaps with time, Norton starts to realise that Alice is not to blame for his predicament.
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dreamingon-forever · 8 months
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AoT Character Tarot Cards + Merch Sets Implications and Meaning Explained
Every pairing explained here is from the official sets sold together here: 💜💚
Levi and Hange:
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[Levi as Judgement]:
According to Tarot, The Judgement card represents some kind of prosecutor that decides whether someone else had sinned, and delivers punishment as seen fit. It can also mean that one's life comes to an important decision period, where they're asked to take action accordingly.
[Hange as The Lovers]:
Hange's Lover card represents partnership and cooperation between two individuals, as well as the general meaning and embodiment of love in itself. The lover card also represents shared values between lovers, temptation of the heart, as well as give and take between two lovers.
[Judgement + The Lovers]:
When combined, the two cards read as if there's an important decision to be taken in accordance to a matter of the heart. It usually represents two lovers coming to decide whether to take a step forward together or choose a separate path. It represents two lovers who are met with a difficult decision, usually one where they would let their hearts come together and choose a life alongside each other. While the other path is the one where they must separate, usually due to differences in careers or duties. Despite it all it represents two people who love each other making a judgement on where they take their relationship. Which makes a lot of sense when looking at Levi and Hange's relationship. Given how long they've known each other, always being seen as a half of the other, it was only time for them to gain feelings towards the other. Not to mention the forest scene when they both decided to put their feelings behind for the sake of humanity, although both wished nothing more than to be together.
Also, note how both cards have the same angel calling judgement upon the humans depicted. Almost as if being burdened by the same judgement and fate.
Ymir and Annie:
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[Ymir and the Magician:]
Ymir is represented as the Magician. The magician represents manifesting one's own ending with their will, making what they desire something to strive for no matter what.
[Annie and Strength]:
Annie represents Strength, attributing to both mental and emotional strength. Where in order to be achieve what one wants, they have to face their fears to overcome any obstacles in their way.
[Magician + Strenght]:
When combined, they represent how one is in charge of their own stories in the end. If put in enough energy and you face your fears, nothing can stand in your way of what you wish to accomplish. Similar how we saw these two characters have the strongest personalities in the show, but both had demons to fight to get to their desired paths. But neither gave up and instead pushed on, pushing for the ideal end they wanted.
Berthold and Reiner:
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[Berthold as the Hermit]:
The Hermit represents a time or period of self reflection. When one looks introspectively at themselves and tries to answer their inner turmoil and take the time to answer their inner selves.
[Reiner as the Chariot]:
The Chariot represents sheer will to push forward. To push yourself through willpower and strength. One cannot stay still if one wants to achieve something.
[Hermit + Chariot]:
When put together, it means that after reflecting and figuring out what they want, they gain a new insight about themselves and embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. In the show and manga, we saw how these two were given a task as soldiers, but lost themselves when getting close to their enemies, making them take a step back and question their true purpose. But after finally reflecting and figuring out where they stood, they grew to think on their own, forging their own paths.
Sasha and Connie:
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[Sasha as the Sun]:
The sun represents happiness and fortune to come. It also symbolizes a time where everything comes to fruition and comes together to aid in your destined path. "It represents the universe coming together and agreeing with your path and aiding forward movement into something greater (Wiki)."
[Connie as the Star]:
The Star symbolizes newfound hope. New realization and hope which leads one away from the darkness and into a bright future ahead.
[The Sun + The Star]:
When combined, it dictates the moment of darkness and unknown being gone. A bright and illuminated future opening up before one as it gives newfound hope, where success is on the horizon. If we place Sasha and Connie together, it might present how Sasha was always the bright one in the friend group, bringing hope and happiness. After she died, it seemed that it was the moment everyone's goals finally aligned, and the beginning of the ending came to be. It also affected Connie as although he lost his best friend, he realized her death opened up a future that was as bright as her, where their goals would finally bear fruit, and that her death wasn't for vein.
Jean and Historia:
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[Jean as the Fool]:
The Fool is a card that talks about taking a leap of faith. Not knowing the outcomes nor the chances of something happening, yet still having faith that something would work out. It can be a foolish antic, but sometimes the leap of faith is what you need to get to the end of the road as you put your faith into the universe and the future.
[Historia as the Empress]:
The Empress represents maternity, familial bonds and creation of life. Further analysis show that the Empress also is the card that is open to changes, and welcomes them.
[The Fool = The Empress]:
Together they formulate this notion that letting go of things and ideas that are old might be the right path to take. It might be foolish as to put full trust into something one can't fully predict, but being innovative and taking the chances can sometimes be the solution. Jean is known to be a fool of himself from time to time, and while full of himself, he is always willing to jump into the unknown if there's a chance to help his friends. And for Historia, although she's also given birth to a real baby, she's usually the one in the friend group who comes up with innovative and out of the box solutions.
Erwin and Armin:
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[Erwin as the Hierophant]:
The Hierophant is a card representing an older souled figure, a teacher or mentor of some sort. Someone who has extremely well formulated knowledge and is there to guide and teach others.
[Armin as the Wheel of Fortune]:
The Wheel of fortune when looked upright and in reverse can depict different meanings. When upright it can mean good luck and fortune to come, where the universe is on your side. Downright can mean misfortune and lack of support. It shows how turbulent and unreliable life can be, and that you can't rely on luck to follow through.
[The Hierophant + Wheel of Fortune]:
In combination, it tells the individual to go after their desires instead of sitting and waiting for luck to come. Together it shows that one needs to know and stand firmly with what they believe in, and despite times of turmoil as life is never set in stone, one can push to the finish line if they strongly hold to their believes. Similar to how Erwin held onto his belief that his father had been right about humanity being outside the walls, despite what he'd been told he pushed forward to uncover the truth. And in turn, influencing Armin who also had the same vision of a life outside the confinements of the walls. Because they both pushed through, keeping true to their core believes, they managed to be the voice that carried them to the end.
Eren and Mikasa:
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[Eren as the World]:
The World is the last card in the deck. It represents endings to a cycle in life where one comes to terms and becomes one with the universe. It's the last event before everything filters back into the universe, and starts once more with the Fool- the first of the deck. "It is also said to represent cosmic consciousness; the potential of perfect union with the One Power of the universe (Wiki)."
[Mikasa as Justice]:
Justice as its name says, it's the fairest decision one can make at a certain time for a situation. The decision cannot and will not be changed as fairness is the right answer. It's also depicted as a figure holding up two swords, ready to strike in the name of fairness.
[The World + Justice]:
When put together it represents completion, as well as full awareness and fully coming to control one's thoughts and emotions. Romantically it can be seen as coming to terms that the relationship had run its course, as well as seeing it as it is and understanding that it's at its last stage. It's the end, but because it IS the end, it means there's a beginning somewhere else- with someone else. When looking at it from the Eremika perspective, we all saw how despite being in love with each other, their relationship was always doomed to be a failure. Mikasa was also the one who cut the final string holding them together, understanding that whatever they had wasn't meant to be. It's also interesting to see how Jean is depicted as the Fool, the first of the deck when The World, which is Eren is the last. Meaning that after Eren, Mikasa's true happiness was the next stage, which is Jean.
Final thoughts:
So this took me about 4 hours to write and put together. But I really hope you guys enjoy reading through it and are as surprised as I am about the accuracy of the tarot cards and the characters they represent. An immense amount of thought had gone into the creation of this set, and I cannot for the life of me get rid of the chills that cover me as to how perfect the tarots fit each character and their personality/situation. I also want to point out that based on this, it does seem very obvious that Eren and Mikasa, and Levi and Hange were meant to be couples. Their tragic love stories match up exactly to what the tarot combination imply, and I think that's beautiful as it is tragic.
Please do share the love and leave comments and likes to let me know if I should continue doing content like this or if you guys want me to do something similar in the future. I'm interested to see how you guys feel about this.
Also, I would like to thank @beatotsundere for helping me put some things together. Share the love by visiting their website if you want to purchase AoT merch!
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iren-n-ire · 9 months
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Astrology Observation 12
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🚩 Take note that I'm not a professional astrologer, I just share what I experienced (or observed).
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┈┈┈┈․° ☣ °․┈┈┈┈
If you are a dancer or you love to dance (like me lol), and is a Virgo Mars, the type of dancer who overthink or overdo/analyze the choreography to make sure you really get the exact moves;
If you are dancer and a Leo Mars native, the center type. If you will be in a K-Pop group, definitely the center type. Leo is known for being a charismatic, Jang Wonyoung from IVE is a Leo Sun in sidereal astrology, and you can see how charismatic and graceful she is when she dances.
I don't mean to brag as a Leo Sun in sidereal too, my classmates always put me in the center in our dance performances and I don't want because I'm always in the cloud whenever we memorize choreographies which leads to my next observation;
Leos are passionate but stubborn and picky as heck (Virgos too), I'm picky when dancing as a school performance and I will never give my best, why? I don't want to, its always the same when they pick, I'm always different;
I'm a Sagittarius Rising and Moon in Tropical Astrology, as I stated above, everyone is on the same line and I'm just parallel to them. Parallel lines don't meet on a certain point and that is my point, this is one of the reasons why Sagittarius Risings are alone, we are the unique, odd one out like Aquarius. Sagittarius is related to overseas, socially connecting this shows that the individual has the capacity to bring things that are new, different, or weird to the community. You are the foreigner to that area of your life.
I saw one professional astrologer's comment about the us passionate astrologers in the social media that some use the sign and house like it is the same when it is not (e.g. 4th house/Cancer, 8th house/Scorpio), we know it clearly isn't which points me to my next hypothesis: A sign, planet, and house may be separate from the others' chart but wherever house, planet, or sign they landed in the native, it also gives a connection directly to the area of life itself it naturally rules or belongs to. Planets, houses, and signs have connections due to their nature that created combinations to which are now known to the astrology as a pair (e.g. 5th house, Sun, & Leo; 6th house, Virgo, & Mercury; 7th house, Venus, & Libra)
My experience as Venus conjuct Saturn in Cancer at 8th house (Tropical Astrology) native can be described as having this in the directly to the 4th house, Cancer is naturally connected to the 4th House (The home, family):
Other family members may help you financially but with Saturn here, there is a bitter taste to it;
The people who remove the restrictions of what the toxicity of the family they have such as traditions and beliefs that must be eliminated in order to stop the bad old pattern.
Cancer at 8th house natives may meet Cancers who are toxic in general
One of them is my past seventh grade crush who still act cold towards me in the present, let me remind you I'm a Venus conjuct Saturn in Cancer at 8th house native, we have mutual feelings to each other however he was obsessive and there was this a moment where he suddenly stopped talking to me out of nowhere (I was confused, he kept avoiding me) only to find out from my classmate that he is jealous because he saw me talking with our other classmate during recess. There were so many drama and I'm thankful that we did not became official (I wasn't planning anyways, because I'm the career type of person). Don't rush love life, it'll come to you at the right time (trust the divine, I've seen it many times)
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❤️‍🔥FOLLOW ME HERE❤️‍🔥
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❤ Thank you! See you on my next post! ❤
💋 Be you, Do you, You are You! 💋
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sparklypepper · 5 months
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@hungarianmudkip69 recently asked @vaspider about the spread of HIV. The excellent discussion there focused largely on qualitative aspects, notably what was going on socially in the 1970s and 80s, HIV's subtlety and long incubation periods, and exponential growth (along with a great refutation of accidental needle sticks as a dominant vector).
I've got a math and physics background - I have some extremely relevant intuition, but I still prefer being able to find real-world numbers to confirm that I haven't misapplied it. I encourage checking out all the links in this post; there's a lot of great information!
We can't literally go back in time and test everyone for HIV, but it is possible to model and estimate, e.g. this 2021 report from the CDC (US-only).
The second graph of figure #2 is very close to what we discussed:
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(MMSC is male-to-male sexual contact and IDU is injection drug use; see the article for other details.)
Again, these are estimates, so we can't take the exact numbers as fact, but let's look at the big picture. HIV likely first arrived in the US around 1970; it first gained public attention in 1981, when the CDC reported cases of what we now call AIDS. At that point, the estimate is an order of magnitude of tens of thousands of HIV infections.
The original asker was interested in the behavior of a "patient zero" (see also "Debunking the Myth of Patient Zero", an excellent video linked in that thread). These numbers help us see how little effect one hypothetical person's behavior could have had on the end result. As long as the virus was transmitted at all, it was going to reach the highest-risk populations eventually, and spread once there, whether it took one hop or ten. It was also essentially impossible to notice the pattern and infer the existence of HIV/AIDS in the US until multiple people in the same community developed AIDS and contracted unusual infections - which most likely means that it's reached that high-risk population, and ten years have passed.
Tens of thousands of infections is simply the result of exponential growth during those ten years; stopping it from becoming an epidemic would've required everyone's behavior to have changed. Different behavior, different transmission, different number of hops early on would more likely have changed how long it took to spread widely enough to become noticeable, not whether it did. (An unfortunately familiar concept, in the year 2023.)
The authors also mention that "trend data comparing subpopulations is likely to be robust for each period examined", so let's look back at those individual lines. Injection drug use (IDU) actually was a fairly significant means of transmission by the 1980s, and by the mid-80s, the spread among gay/bi men (MMSC) was beginning to decline. At the end of the decade, IDU may even have passed MMSC. Simultaneously, transmission was still rising among straight people. It shouldn't be too surprising that straight sex became significant; there are rather a lot of straight people!
The CDC also has us covered for a more current picture, as of 2017-2021 in the US:
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This does vary greatly by country. Notably, as of 2022 in England, 49% of new diagnoses were among heterosexuals, compared to 45% among gay/bi men. (Do keep in mind that there are far more straight people, so still, a far higher fraction of gay/bi men were diagnosed.)
I personally find that I get the best understanding when I'm able to combine some direct evidence/data with an understanding of the history and social forces; hopefully this piece helps at least one person out in that way!
[Finally, as a footnote: trans women also exist (hi I'm one) and have historically been at high risk. I am unsure to what extent trans women are omitted versus misgendered in the above data. I wanted to focus on historical estimates over time here, and unfortunately wasn't able to find that for trans women, but this review article links to and summarizes some data from two meta-analyses.]
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oftenwantedafton · 3 months
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Secret Smile - College English Professor/Vampire Steve Raglan x Female College Student Reader
Chapter 1
Rating - Explicit
Warnings - nothing explicit in this chapter
Summary - Your freshman year of college begins with a last minute transfer into an evening session of English Literature 101 with Professor Steve Raglan.
From the moment you first meet, the man puzzles you. Challenges you. Invites you to bring him the words you’ve never shared. Promises you something darker in every secret smile.
Also available on AO3
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English Literature 101 - Steve Raglan
That’s the class you’re sitting in this semester. Evening slot, surrounded by non traditional students. A schedule conflict brought you here. A last minute change. You’ve already missed the first three classes. You think you must be the youngest person here, glancing around nervously at a sea of foreign faces. These are people that have stayed home to raise children; people who have had second thoughts and are switching careers. You are neither. You are just starting out, still an undeclared major, adrift in that vague notion of a liberal arts education.
You decide to occupy a spot in the back corner, waiting for the instructor to walk in. The door opens and the chatter among the students becomes subdued.
The middle aged man that enters the classroom is tall, his impossibly long legs carrying him in a brisk stride to the front of the classroom. He places a leather briefcase that looks ancient on the desk along with a couple of books and some papers. You see white threaded through the darker hair, especially at the temples and running through a neatly trimmed beard. The gold framed aviators he’s wearing have eased down the bridge of his nose and he pushes them back up with a gesture that looks like he’s done it hundreds of times, an absent, impatient adjustment. The bowed head lifts and his eyes meet yours.
You freeze, your breath held. There is something in that look. A predator targeting its prey. Piercing light slate blue eyes trap you. A slight twitch of pale lips. Amusement? You don’t know what to call it. Had you thought him middle aged because of the marbling in his hair? His skin is smooth, unblemished. You cannot mark his age by these aspects of his appearance alone. It is something in those eyes. In that weighted stare.
“Welcome back, everyone. I understand we have a new student joining us. Why don’t you introduce yourself?”
Oh God, not that. You hated having the spotlight on you. You stammer your name and your major. Apparently that satisfies the English instructor and he begins the lesson.
You hate being forced to read. You don’t mind reading; quite the opposite. You just don’t like being told what books to enjoy. How you’re supposed to feel about them. Maybe that wasn’t the theme the author had intended to present. Maybe they just wrote out of boredom and it somehow accidentally became popular. You didn’t think anyone should be able to dictate an individual’s response to literature.
The instructor’s voice is unusual, a combination of a harsh rasp that makes you wonder if he’s a smoker and a slightly nasally intonation to some of his words. It’s not unpleasant, just different. You’re focusing more on the sounds of the words than the words themselves and you belatedly realize people are gathering into groups to discuss the last several chapters that had been assigned.
“Would you come up here, please?” Steve’s sharp eyes find yours again.
You slide out of the chair and make your way to the front of the classroom. He drags an empty chair over next to his and you both sit down.
This close, you now learn there is a distinct scent to the older man. Also not unpleasant. Not cologne, not soap, something else. It reminds you of a candle recently extinguished, of smoky reeds of incense, of damp earth after summer rain.
The long sleeved striped shirt Raglan is wearing doesn’t quite reach his wrists. You see surprisingly willowy joints and lines of fine dark hair. There are tiny diamonds printed on his tie.
“I have a copy of the syllabus here for you. You’re going to have to put in some extra work to get caught up to the others. I don’t typically allow students to join this late into the semester.”
The stapled packet of papers that you assume must be the syllabus still sits on his desk, trapped beneath his long fingers.
“I’m sorry. Something happened last minute and—”
“I’m not interested in excuses. I need to know if you can do the work. If you are worth the investment of time, as it were.” That twitching smile reappears. A canine pokes from beneath his top lip. Very white and very sharp looking.
“I’ll get caught up.”
“We’ll see.”
You reach for the syllabus. He keeps it imprisoned and you tug futilely, letting your hand drop.
“Give up that easily, do you?”
He was…testing you? What was with this guy? You glance back at the rest of your classmates, but no one seems to notice the scene unfolding in front of them.
“No.” You reach again and this time his fingers lift to brush yours in the briefest graze that could certainly be considered accidental, except you know it isn’t.
“Why undeclared?”
“What?”
“Your major. You’re that indecisive?”
You hesitate. “I don’t want to choose the wrong career path.”
“Plenty of people return to school. The group behind you is evidence of that. There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?”
You chew your bottom lip. “I know I’m supposed to pick something practical. Something that I can support myself with. That doesn’t line up with my interests.”
“Which are?”
“I mainly enjoy writing.”
“What type of writing? Journalism or…No. Creative writing, isn’t it?”
You nod. How had he guessed correctly?
“And why don’t you think you can make a career of that?”
“I don’t want to teach. And there’s no guarantee I’d be successful. It’s too much of a gamble. I just regard it as a hobby.”
“Times are changing. There are a lot of self published authors out there now.”
“It’s too risky.”
“So you’d rather be miserable doing something you don’t enjoy simply because it ‘pays the bills’.”
“That’s kind of how the world works, isn’t it?”
“You’re awfully cynical for someone so young.”
“You’re awfully judgmental towards someone you’ve just met.”
Steve leans forward. “There it is. A little spark. Not completely resigned to your fate then, are you? I think you’re destined for something more.” The chair creaks as he eases back again. “I’ll give you until the end of the week. Come to my office on Friday evening. The hours are posted there.” He points to the packet you’re holding.
You flip through the pages. “I can’t do Friday evening, I’m working. Do you have anything during the day?”
“I never work during the day.”
“Why not?”
Another smile. Both canines exposed, both equally sharp. “The night is what I’m accustomed to. If you can’t do Friday you’ll have to be ready that much sooner on a different night. No excuses. Understood?”
You nod, about to stand when he halts you, fingers curling around your wrist, blocked from view by the desk, if anyone had cared to look. “Bring me something you’ve written. A sample of creative writing.”
“I don’t write for other people. It’s just for myself.”
“Well. Add that to your assignment then. You’ll write something for me. Yes?”
“I’ll try,” you manage evasively. His touch is warm, firm, unyielding.
“Try very hard.” The manacle of his hand vanishes abruptly and he stands, addressing the classroom once again. You return to your seat.
You can still feel his fingers on your skin.
***
The coursework piles up that week.
You struggle to keep up but you’re determined to finish getting Raglan’s assignment done at the very least. The reading that is; you’re still not comfortable with the idea of sharing your personal writing.
Even more uncomfortable with the man himself. He’s attractive, but intimidating. You can’t tell what he’s thinking; he seems to be able to read you like an open book. His smiles that border on condescending confuse you; even more so when they soften to something secretive, amused. You’re not in on the joke. You don’t understand.
You manage to swap shifts at the coffee shop you work at part time and now find yourself outside your English professor’s office door that Friday evening. The rest of the building—a house that has been converted to offices, actually—is empty. Most of the teachers and administrative staff have left for the weekend. You’ve arrived a bit later than you’d intially intended. It’s already dark outside.
You inhale deeply and knock on the door. You hear Steve’s voice beckoning you inside.
“Come on in. Have a seat.”
The office is small, crowded. Lined with shelves of books. The furniture looks well worn, like the battered briefcase he uses. A single hardbacked chair is positioned before his weathered desk.
You sit. He folds his hands and rests his chin on them, regarding you. The silence lengthens. You squirm and clear your throat.
“I finished the reading assignment. I’m all caught up.”
The hands relax, no longer supporting his bearded face. “And the other?”
“I wasn’t able to.”
“You’re lying.”
“Excuse me?”
“Why are you so afraid of someone reading your writing?”
“I’m not afraid. It’s just…it’s mine. It’s personal. Not meant to be shared.”
“Yet you want to do this for a career.”
“No. I told you. It’s just a hobby.”
He removes his glasses and sets them down on the desk, the frames still unfolded. “Do you want to pass this course?”
You frown. “Yes. And I’ve done what you asked. I got caught up. I switched shifts to be here tonight.”
“You didn’t do everything I asked, though.” He rises, moving around the desk. The desk lamp throws his shadow, dark and menancing on the rows of books.
“You can’t make me. That’s not anywhere in the course description. The course name is English Lit, not Creative Writing. I can go to the Dean and…”
“And what? What will you tell him, exactly?”
“That you’re making me do extra work.”
“Maybe I see potential and I’m trying to foster it.”
“Harassment.”
He barks a short laugh. “Harassment? What have I done to harass you?”
You swallow nervously. “Touching my wrist in class, for one thing…”
“My dear, that is not a touch.” His fingers wrap around the metal armrests of the chair you’re seated in and he leans towards you. That smell from before is heavy in your nostrils. “Would you like to know what a touch is? Hmmm?” His face moves so his lips are beside your ear. “When you have crossed a century. When the only dawn you see is one printed on a page or captured on a screen. When the stale blood that circulates with the beat of an immortal heart is invigorated by another, gifted, teeth in skin, that is the touch I speak of. How fast your own heart is beating…”
Your breath rasps. This cannot be real. He cannot be real.
“You will give me new words. Transcend the tedious mediocrity and monotony of an ephemeral existence.” He sinks a hand into your hair and pulls your head back, exposing your throat. “Do you want to know what it is to be truly touched? A brush with eternity?” You feel his lips dust over your throat. The points of his upper cuspids scrape over your skin. The line of your pulse is drawn for him along the arch. Your eyelids flutter. His scent is all around you. The fragrance of forever. Unyielding earth and undaunted metal. “How strange evolution is. Once canine teeth were a sign of prowess, lending dominance when choosing a mate; then withering away over time to more gentle points. Working quite in reverse when I was granted a gift of everlasting life.” Another soft kiss, a gentle counterpoint for what is to come.
His voice and his scent have you spellbound, captive. You cannot move. Sharp fangs pierce your flesh. The pain is there and gone in a flash. His mouth seals wetly against your throat. Pulls at you, drinking from you. He moans at the taste and it vibrates along your skin. A new frequency.
The hand tightened in your hair eases; the sucking pressure abandons your neck. There is a trail of crimson leaking from the corner of his bottom lip. A bloom of color in his cheeks. Mouth no longer pale. Your color, now on him. Inside of him.
Just enough to satiate. Decades of practice. So many more years between you than you’d intially thought.
“You will bring me your writing.” He wipes at the blood trail and it stains his beard. “I’ll give you one more day. You’ll return to me tomorrow night. No excuses.” He holds out a hand, offering you assistance to stand. You find yourself needing the support, suddenly lightheaded. You do not protest when he tugs you with more force than necessary, drawing your body against his.
You do not resist when those smirking lips close over yours.
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By Joanne Silberner
April 8, 2024
A hug, a handshake, a therapeutic massage. A newborn lying on a mother’s bare chest.
Physical touch can buoy well-being and lessen pain, depression and anxiety, according to a large new analysis of published research released on Monday in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.
Researchers from Germany and the Netherlands systematically reviewed years of research on touch, strokes, hugs and rubs. They also combined data from 137 studies, which included nearly 13,000 adults, children and infants. Each study compared individuals who had been physically touched in some way over the course of an experiment — or had touched an object like a fuzzy stuffed toy — to similar individuals who had not.
For example, one study showed that daily 20-minute gentle massages for six weeks in older people with dementia decreased aggressiveness and reduced the levels of a stress marker in the blood. Another found that massages boosted the mood of breast cancer patients. One study even showed that healthy young adults who caressed a robotic baby seal were happier, and felt less pain from a mild heat stimulus, than those who read an article about an astronomer.
Positive effects were particularly noticeable in premature babies, who “massively improve” with skin-to-skin contact, said Frédéric Michon, a researcher at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and one of the study’s authors.
“There have been a lot of claims that touch is good, touch is healthy, touch is something that we all need,” said Rebecca Boehme, a neuroscientist at Linkoping University in Sweden, who reviewed the study for the journal. “But actually, nobody had looked at it from this broad, bird’s eye perspective.”
The analysis revealed some interesting and sometimes mysterious patterns. Among adults, sick people showed greater mental health benefits from touch than healthy people did. Who was doing the touching — a familiar person or a health care worker — didn’t matter. But the source of the touch did matter to newborns.
“One very intriguing finding that needs further support is that newborn babies benefit more from their parents’ touch than from a stranger’s touch,” said Ville Harjunen, a researcher at the University of Helsinki in Finland, who also reviewed the study for the journal. Babies’ preference for their parents could be related to smell, he speculated, or to the differences in the way parents hold them.
Women seem to benefit more from touch than men, which may be a cultural effect, Dr. Michon said. The frequency of the touch also mattered: A massage once every two years isn’t going to do much.
Several studies included in the review looked at what happened during the height of the Covid pandemic, when people were isolated and had less physical contact with others. “They found correlations during Covid times between touch deprivation and health aspects like depression and anxiety,” Dr. Michon said.
Touching the head appears to have more of a beneficial effect than touching the torso, some studies found. Dr. Michon couldn’t explain that finding, but thought it could have to do with the greater number of nerve endings on the face and scalp.
Another mystery: Studies of people in South America tended to show stronger health benefits of touch than did those studies that looked at people in North America or Europe. Dr. Michon said that culture may somehow play a role. But Dr. Boehme said the studies showing the differences between countries were too small to be definitive. “I think the mechanism behind this is biological,” she said. “I think that’s hard-wired and will be the same for all of us.”
In 2023, Jeeva Sankar, a pediatrics researcher at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and a colleague published a rigorous review of skin-to-skin care for newborns. The analysis concluded that touch therapy for preterm or low-birth-weight infants should start as soon as possible and last eight hours or more, a recommendation that the World Health Organization adopted. Dr. Sankar said the new review was important because touch is often neglected in modern medical care, but it was too broad. He would have liked it to focus more on how various forms of touch could be integrated in medical care.
Dr. Michon stressed that the types of touch considered in these studies were positive experiences to which the volunteers agreed. “If someone doesn’t feel a touch as being pleasant, it’s likely going to stress them out,” he said.
A version of this article appears in print on April 9, 2024, Section A, Page 4 of the New York edition with the headline: Reviewing Studies, Scientists Find Hugs Are Good for You. 
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Heeey Raven! Just for the Sillies and funsies, did you when you first started the game had a difficult time pronouncing some of the names in the game? :'D
I first started the game in late 2022, so i joined the fandom a bit late, but let me tell you, i had a hard time pronouncing some of the dorm names! Like some of the dorm names that I had a difficult time pronouncing were Pomefiore, Heartslabuyl, Diasomnia, and ESPECIALLY ignihyde and i'm going to be honest i still have problems pronouncing some the dorm names once in a while! 💀
Like i pronounce Pomefiore "Pom-fi-or" (Weirdly enough at the beginning, i pronounced Pomefiore automatically with an "r" as in "Porm-fi-or.) Another example would be with Octavinelle my brain keeps thinking that it's "octovinelle" with an "o" instead of an "a" because i think of OCTOpus when i pronounce Octavinelle! I've also seen some fans pronouncing Octavinelle "oct-tine-ville" or "Octaville," which i think is really funny cuz no one can pronounce it! It's chaotic. 😂
Some goes for Mostro Lounge, i mentally added “n” to Mostro Lounge at the beginning of the game. I used to say Monstro Lounge until I realised that's wrong! 😭
then there's Heartslabuyl! dear fricking god! What a tongue twist! 😭 I used to pronounce and still do heartslabyul "heartzabyul." I don't know how accurate that is, but it's such a mouthful. 🫠
AND The ONE dorm i had the MOST trouble pronouncing was Ignihyde! 💀 and still can't do it right! Again, I've seen some fans pronouncing it "Ichigyde", "igh-knee-hide" or "Igunihaide".
Also, i keep reading Diasomnia as in Diasmonia, I don't know why, but it's automatically DiasMONIA in my head.
This all some weird Mandela effect! 💀
anyway i was actually going to mention some other funny things i misspelt or mistook something in the game when i first started, but this got so long that i'll just end it here and send another ask another day til then See ya! ✌🏻
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I've never really had an issue with the unique names that come up in TWST! Everyone's going to be biased to their own ways of pronouncing the words, but personally I find it helps to break things down into smaller bits. I think I didn't have trouble with the dorm names because of this. If you slow down and take your time with them, it's not so hard. For example, I guessed "Pomefiore" must be said as "Pom-eh-fee-or-ay" because "pomme" means apple in French and "fiore" means flower in Italian. Likewise, the "somn" in "Diasomnia" refers to "somnus" in Lain, which means sleep.
Some of the variations in pronunciation naturally occur because the way things are said in Japanese is different than in English. For example, "Ignihyde" is said "Igunihaide" in Japanese, whereas in conventional English is it said as "Igh-knee-hide". Some people will choose to say it the Japanese way, others will say it in the conventional English way, and some will do it another way entirely. (I also want to point out that some words just sound plain awkward to say in English due to differences in what is considered "normal" grammar and syntax from language to language. "Octavinelle" said out loud is such a mouthful in English because we usually don't see this combination of letters.)
I try to not get caught up on whether or not I'm saying the names of new terms (character names, dorm names, etc.) "correctly" or not, because there is sure to be differences anyway, whether between languages or between individual dialects. (I talk about that more in this post!)
P.S. The "Monstro"/"Mostro" Lounge confusion was probably the most common mistake! That comes from a lot of fans assuming that the lounge must be named "Monstro" after the whale in Pinocchio.
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c-rowlesdraws · 1 year
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Does Siwa have a personalized or customized suit in any way? I've always felt like the Volus suits (and to a lesser extend the quarian suits) that we see in game are a bit too 'one size fits all' to really represent all the options that would be available.
I wanted her to look similar to the other volus NPCs, like she could blend in with a crowd, so her suit isn't customized beyond some painted details, but she does accessorize! Her quarian friend Kesh'Vataar once gave her a Fleet-made belt made of woven cloth, the same kind of cloth quarians wear wrapped around their exosuits, as a present. It's an extremely meaningful gift and Siwa never leaves the airlock without it.
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I think individual fashion choices in Mass Effect across species are for sure more complicated "in real life" than we saw in-game, where factors like budget and time and design priorities keep things like NPC fashion diversity low. I can imagine volus' approach to exosuit style being like how humans are with cars: most people choose from amongst affordable but fairly standard and unremarkable-looking models, some people drop heaps of credits on luxury designs and custom paintjobs for a more flashy and extravagant life-support experience, and some people get full-body wraps of anime characters.
For quarians, though, I can see them taking a different approach to decoration, because the context for their own exosuit usage is very different: the highly-industrialized volus, master navigators of the great currents of galactic commercial culture, mass-produce shiny new exosuits all the time (alongside a thriving secondhand market), but the quarians are a nomadic, isolated community with extremely limited material resources-- an exosuit that's completely newly-made, with no re-used parts at all, must be incredibly rare to nonexistent. In addition, a volus suit is a luxury purchase that the majority of the population never has a reason to go for, while each and every quarian must wear a suit for almost their entire life. I can imagine quarian suit style being all about combining used-and-reused components with newer ones in aesthetically-pleasing ways. Tarnished metal is polished mirror-bright around permanent dents and scratches, skillful stitching and artfully-draped wraps hide awkward seams.
Additionally, the quarians are (understandably) obsessed with holding onto their shattered history, and I can see their fashion reflecting that, too. Small family heirlooms made of gold and precious metals survive to be passed down because their cultural and personal value is greater than their material worth would be to the Fleet, were they melted down for use in electronics. Traditional patterns woven into cloth portray stylized forms of Rannochian ecology and natural features no living quarian has ever seen. I bet they're big on embroidery, too. But yeah, anyway, yes, I can see both the volus and the quarians having more diverse exosuit designs than shown in canon, but i think volus and quarian design sensibilities would also be distinct from each other in significant ways.
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