Fancy dress spanish inquisition monty python
The House of Je Ne Sais Quoi / All Stars : Chapter Seven
2024.05.09 23:36 OooohMylanta The House of Je Ne Sais Quoi / All Stars : Chapter Seven
 | Chapter Seven submitted by OooohMylanta to NextTopModelPhotos [link] [comments] So, if you’ll remember the end of the last chapter, which I’m sure Geramima read at least five times because it was so good, you know that Captain Fanny entered into The Production House of Je Ne Sais Quoi Cineverse and snatched Egg up before she could be blood sucked dry by Keifer Sutherland and his gang of 80s motorcycle vampires. This all makes a lot of sense so keep up. This chapter opens in the nether regions between the Cinematic and the Actual for Real World of Los Angeles where Fanny relaxes, enjoying the non-stop murders that play out on the screen before her… ******************************** Fanny : Haha! I finally have you now, you strange and delicious Egg creature! Wait till you see the cage I had Tobias fashion for you out of his old, soiled denim shorts. The denim shorts function in place of underpants, so you should have lot of exciting smells to discover while you lay delicious eggs for me and then I eat them and then I eat you. This is all great stuff. Egg : squawks in terror and disgust Fanny : Enough of your back sass!!! Come with me through this portal over here and we’ll… SUDDENLY OUT OF NOWHERE Echo comes flying into the situation for reasons that make a lot of sense if you don’t think about them in terms of how they affect the plot of the story. She wrenches Egg free from Fanny’s grip and tosses her back towards the Cineverse end of the kind of NDE-like tunnel of light in which they are traveling and cries: Echo : Egg! I cannot bear to let you suffer in such an inhumane way! I love you! I’ve always loved you! I will always love you! You’re my Whitney Houston, and I’m your Kevin Costner, and I will die for you, and you can sing a very exciting song about it that will win an Oscar! Promise me you will! Egg : OK!! Egg flies backward into the Cineverse as Fanny screeches with rage and swallows Echo whole like a gigantic python on an airplane, but Samuel L. Jackson has accidentally locked himself in the lavatory and can’t save her now!!! ******************************** Egg falls out of the sky and lands back on the beach; the other eight models are all sitting around a driftwood campfire, shivering and still reeling from the very exciting motorcycle chase in which they just participated. Serafina : Holy shit it’s the bird one! Where did you come from? I thought you were dead meat! Wanda Sue : She came from the SKY you dumbass. Where else would a giant bird come from? Serafina : There are plenty of flightless birds, you nincompoop, most of which are the abnormally large varieties of birds, so it would actually make more sense for her to be flightless. Also, since when did you talk so much? Wanda Sue : I have found my voice, and it is a beautiful voice like the siren song of a thousand cherubs. Geramima : It sounds like wolves dying. Wanda Sue : I’LL SHOW YOU DYING WOLVES YOU BITCH. Sharon : Oi! Enou’ of this malarkey! Isn’t anyun’ goin’ ter talk about where Echo went innit? Beta : No. Sharon : OK! Duchess : What does any of this have to do with me? Also, what I’m wondering is why are we in the exact same place we were last time? Nayiem : Is this where we were last time? I can’t even remember. Duchess : We’re all aware of your memory issues; it’s literally the most boring thing ever, and if you would shut up about it I’ll have Daddy write you into the will and you can have a lifetime supply of Sonic Curry and Sonic Curry Official Laxative Cleansing Rinses. Nayiem : Yes, please! Once everyone has gotten at least one line in the chapter, except for Sarin, who is busy licking all of the excess sand out of her privates and cannot talk and lick at the same time, they stand up and start to critically survey their surroundings. Except Sarin, who is still very busy, and it’s none of your business how she cleans herself because she is a cat who looks like a person and therefore allowed to do whatever she wants because that’s what cats are like. The first thing they notice is that there are no 80s rock bands playing impromptu concerts on the boardwalk. In fact, upon closer inspection, they appear to be on an entirely different beach altogether. The sunlight gleams off a hilly city in the background, and trolly cars roll up and down the streets carrying passengers wearing fabulous vintage garb with nary a smartphone in sight. Some of them are even reading BOOKS, which are these things made of paper that people used to look at in olden days when they were bored. Beta : This takes me back to my childhood with the librarians! Let’s drink to their memory. As Beta pulls a flask from her jacket pocket, a 1955 Chrysler LeBaron Grand Marquiese Chevalier Courvasier convertible pulls up next to them, top down, and a dashing man who looks like Jon Hamm says, “Get in if you want to live!” Egg : Didn’t that line already get used in Cycle 3? Fake Jon Hamm : Yes! Don’t worry about it! At first the models are very confused because their situation isn’t life threatening at all, but then all of a sudden the sky turns dark as a flock of LITERALLY A BAJILLION BIRDS comes barreling down at them, screeching and pooping and rabid AF. The women all start screaming and running and wishing they had head scarves because of all the poo. They climb into the car, smushing up against each other, which would normally start a cacophony of arguments, but the birds are relentless with their pecking and for real someone is going to lose an eye. Fake Jon Hamm steers them off the beach and onto the road, but the birds follow, not to be deterred. Even though they usually eat seeds and nuts and maybe worms, apparently they have discovered a taste for human flesh, and they are HUNGRY FOR BLOOD. As the car speeds along the highway, Nayiem notices a small shelter off the side of the road. She glances around at the other models, then without a word, she jumps out of the car and locks herself within it. Birds are dumb, so they keep following the car, allowing Nayiem to escape unnoticed. Egg and Beta are very irritated at this because it seems to them that Nayiem had an unfair advantage, but really she deserved to jump out of the car and hide in the building and that’s that. Egg quickly realizes, however, that birds rarely eat their own (except they actually eat each other all the time but let’s not think about that too hard), and she rises up from the back of the car and gets lost within the flock. Beta climbs over the back of the car and does a really fancy tuck and roll maneuver that could only be completed by someone who has dulled their pain sensors repeatedly over time with too much drinking. Sarin realizes that cats actually eat birds like all the freaking time, so she extends her claws and starts snatching them, one by one, out of the air. She has been waiting for a buffet like this since she got turned back into a half human / half cat, and she pounces out of the car and onto a pile of dead birds, gorging to her heart’s delight. Serafina and Wanda Sue sit in the back of the car, hugging each other but also quietly arguing. They were spread partners, after all, but they are fighting for survival, so their love / hate relationship is a thing that blah blah blah. Anyway, Serafina is like fuck these birds and climbs over Fake Jon Hamm and his Fake Jon Hamm face to slide down off the hood of the car and onto a little scooter thing that is magically there because it’s the first thing the narrator thought of. Not to be left behind, Wanda follows closely after, and grabs onto the back of Serafina’s dress, and the two of them scoot down the highway awkwardly but effectively. Only Duchess, Sharon and Geramima remain in the car. Duchess is nervous and binge eating Sonic Curry to cope. Geramima is howling at nobody in general, and nobody cares in return. Sharon keeps yelling, “OI!” because that is her major contribution to society at this point so far. They are all terrified of getting pecked to death by birds. PECKED TO DEATH I TELL YOU. Duchess : I put way too much effort into this week and my editing to get pecked to death by a bunch of tiny, hollow boned assholes! Sharon : Oi! Oi escaped Jack the Ripper and then doied when oi was paired with Moonbeam then revived then doied again! I can make it through anyfink innit! Geramima : HOWWWWLLLLLL I should have read the terms of this contract better before I signed it! The birds come ever closer and are now swarming directly above the car, dive-bombing its riders and pooping willy-nilly everywhere. One reaches its talons out towards Duchess, and she hurls the remaining packet of Sonic Curry at it, covering it in blue coo and rendering it flightless and flatulent. Surprised at the success of this tactic, she removes the rest of the curry packets from her pockets and flings it everywhere, creating a path for herself to escape through the birds unnoticed. Suddenly, the swarm of birds converges on Fake John Hamm and as he lifts his arms to ward them off, the car veers off the road and crashes into a nearby tree. Geramima and Sharon are thrown from the vehicle, limbs akimbo, falling to the early with a series of sickening crunches. Broken glass is embedded in their arms and faces as they both crawl desperately towards shelter, but the birds are undeterred. They curl into balls on the ground, screaming in abject panic as the murderous creatures converge upon them. The two models make eye contact with one another a final time, and just when it looks like they are both doomed, a lone wolf races out of the forest, grabs Geramima by the ankle, and drags her to safety. Sharon looks up one final time and screams in terror as talons plunge into her eyes, pulling them from their sockets and flying off triumphantly with their quarry. Her screams turn to shrieks and then to silence as the swarm covers her collapsed body, an undulating mass of feathers and beaks, peaceful creatures turned relentlessly violent as they too are trapped in Captain Fanny and Jenna’s satanic Cineverse… |
2024.05.06 03:42 Quiet-Walk-6783 Punish ramp and card spam with Boros prison
Haven't you seen enough of the wretched ramping, freakish card draw, and mad commanders? Sentence these fiends to death, with the help of [[Taii Wakeen]] and her confederates! I built a deck to punish excessive land ramp, spellslinging, and looping. Boros has some fantastic control elements despite usually being thought of as an aggro/equipment color pairing. The primary wincon is burn, which can catch people unaware if they haven't faced it much before.
Wakeen herself is ludicrously pushed. She's both a value engine and a wincon for just two mana. In addition, her ability to threaten huge chunks of damage at any moment makes Wakeen a phenomenal rattlesnake commander, meaning that she is very effective at deterring opponents from taking specific actions via the threat of violence. For example, it becomes much less likely for me to get attacked if I play [[Lightmine Field]] and have Wakeen out with mana available (and I almost certainly don't have to worry about anyone swinging their entire board at me). This same concept can be applied to opponents tapping a lot of mana ([[Manabarbs]], [[Burning Earth]]), casting a lot of spells ([[Spellshock]], [[Magebane Lizard]]), looping some creature or ability ([[Rampaging Ferocidon]], [[Harsh Mentor]]), and repeated ramping/landfall triggers ([[Zo-Zu the Punisher]], [[Price of Progress]]). Additionally, the deck poops on most creature-heavy decks because it runs several cards that damage multiple critters at once (e.g., [[End the Festivities]], [[Electrickery]], [[Tectonic Hazard]], [[Caught in the Crossfire]], etc.) along with excellent white board wipes for additional coverage. Ideally, Wakeen will sit out there like a sniper, waiting to blast some poor schmuck for metaphorically sticking their head out from behind a rock by tapping out, swinging a big threat into a [[Deflecting Palm]], trying to cast more than one spell, or any other action that I disapprove of.
If all this tickles your fancy, then commit this decklist to heart: https://www.moxfield.com/decks/Jo54UFTLLkScRyWkt4JpNw
The LGS brims with defiled scum, and is permeated by their rotten stench. Just think, now you’re all set to hunt and kill to your heart’s content!
Edit: forgot to mention Price of Progress, perhaps the best card in the deck. It’s like the Spanish Inquisition; no one ever sees it coming.
Edit 2: replaced Circle of Flame with Lightmine Field per commenter suggestion because that’s what the League is all about
submitted by Quiet-Walk-6783 to EDH [link] [comments]
Wakeen herself is ludicrously pushed. She's both a value engine and a wincon for just two mana. In addition, her ability to threaten huge chunks of damage at any moment makes Wakeen a phenomenal rattlesnake commander, meaning that she is very effective at deterring opponents from taking specific actions via the threat of violence. For example, it becomes much less likely for me to get attacked if I play [[Lightmine Field]] and have Wakeen out with mana available (and I almost certainly don't have to worry about anyone swinging their entire board at me). This same concept can be applied to opponents tapping a lot of mana ([[Manabarbs]], [[Burning Earth]]), casting a lot of spells ([[Spellshock]], [[Magebane Lizard]]), looping some creature or ability ([[Rampaging Ferocidon]], [[Harsh Mentor]]), and repeated ramping/landfall triggers ([[Zo-Zu the Punisher]], [[Price of Progress]]). Additionally, the deck poops on most creature-heavy decks because it runs several cards that damage multiple critters at once (e.g., [[End the Festivities]], [[Electrickery]], [[Tectonic Hazard]], [[Caught in the Crossfire]], etc.) along with excellent white board wipes for additional coverage. Ideally, Wakeen will sit out there like a sniper, waiting to blast some poor schmuck for metaphorically sticking their head out from behind a rock by tapping out, swinging a big threat into a [[Deflecting Palm]], trying to cast more than one spell, or any other action that I disapprove of.
If all this tickles your fancy, then commit this decklist to heart: https://www.moxfield.com/decks/Jo54UFTLLkScRyWkt4JpNw
The LGS brims with defiled scum, and is permeated by their rotten stench. Just think, now you’re all set to hunt and kill to your heart’s content!
Edit: forgot to mention Price of Progress, perhaps the best card in the deck. It’s like the Spanish Inquisition; no one ever sees it coming.
Edit 2: replaced Circle of Flame with Lightmine Field per commenter suggestion because that’s what the League is all about
2024.05.06 01:28 Crimsynn_Rose [LFA] Firbolg- circle of stars druid who likes sewing
![[LFA] Firbolg- circle of stars druid who likes sewing](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/LZuCCdZD2ZPfuZQNhOSWD4gKUBu0L85P3Qtl3-FDsjk.jpg "[LFA] Firbolg- circle of stars druid who likes sewing") | Introduction: (Name Pending) is a Firbolg stars druid. The reason her name is pending is because I am letting my fellow campaigners choose her name per Firbolg customs since lore states that Firbolgs usually don't give each other real names (so looks might help determine a name). She is a calm, warm person who believes that nature's beauty is something that should be preserved, but also shared with other races and tribes. However as a druid, if you were to do something that harmed nature in any way, it would not be something she could let go of lightly. She radiates a peaceful presence that is warm and welcoming, and once she warms up to you, she is fiercely loyal (as long as you don't destroy nature). submitted by Crimsynn_Rose to characterdrawing [link] [comments] The setting is in the forgotten realms (though nothing is %100 set in stone), and my DM said in scale of seriousness on a scale of 1 (monty python) and 10 (games of thrones) it's about a 7. We are also doing smaller episodic story arcs tied in with character lore. Physical Appearance: She is a female Firbolg who is 7' 2 and is 32 years old. She has light blue robin egg colored skin and freckles. Her hair is slightly wavy and in a half up style with a bun (more toward the middle of the back of her head). (hair color is a slightly darker oxford blue color). She gray eyes and is usually seen with a calm smile on her face (also to note I do prefer the version of Firbolgs with more cow like features so broader nose and cow like ears, but no horns.) Clothes/Gear: (Name) is a seamstress/tailor so she definitely self tailored her armor and clothes to her liking. This includes a large piece of fabric that drapes over her right shoulder and arm and acts like a hood (kind of like a one armed poncho/short cape). It has lots of embroidered stars and constellations on it. She also wears light leather armor that has been stained/painted to match her starry aesthetic. She likes longer more flowy pieces of clothing, especially the waist sash her aunt gave her that has a metal constellation clip that holds it on her waist (if you bring up the metal clip she goes quiet or tries to change the subject.) her shirt is sleeveless and her pants are more like gypsy pants (think jasmine pants from Aladdin). (I will leave the color of the clothes up to the artist my only ask is that they be space/galaxy oriented colors). Note: this Firbolg does not wear shoes. Her weapon of choice is a quarterstaff that also acts as her druidic focus. It as a curl at the top where multiple smaller white crystals hang in a constellation pattern, as well as a piece of fabric and a few colorful bands of ribbon are tied to form a comfortable gripping area. Any jewelry isn't metal, but thread and crystals, one such piece is the ribbon she used to tie her bun that has also been tied with threads and crystals that hang from the bun. Personality: She is a fully fledged Firbolg adult who was trained by her aunt to be a circle of stars druid. She is more sociable for a Firbolg, but still tends to be rather cautious of people. She doesn't like loud people and prefers the quiet sounds of nature over people talking. She is very mature and gives off quiet but welcoming vibes, but once you get to know her she is very warm and giggly. She values loyalty and honesty in those she spends her time with. She is very thoughtful of people and likes to make small gifts and trinkets for her friends and family tailored to them, she is very detailed when it comes to her work. She tries to avoid fighting with people as much as possible because 1) she isn't used to confronting people a lot and 2) people are loud when they fight. Background: (names) letter to her aunt "Dear Auntie, I have finally made it to Phandalin. The town is very modest like you mentioned in our previous correspondence. I'm hoping to find that specific colored thread at the shop you mentioned. Mrs. Banes is very specific that the colors of thread have to match with the fabric of the dress so that they aren't as noticeable. I ran into some very loud adventures on my way into town so I avidly avoided them as much as possible, they were yelling too much. The innkeeper in town is a very nice elderly man! He has handmade birdhouses hanging in his trees! I unfortunately couldn't avoid all the monsters on the way and had to use ranged spelled because I used up all my disguise self uses. I found a dwarf half beaten on the side of the rode, so I performed some healing magic on him, I hope he's alright. I also saw a small grove of trees close to the town half chopped down and it made my blood boil! Who would do such a thing?! I will try my best to remain calm, but I am almost at my limit for this trip. I will do my best to keep myself distracted by finishing the embroidery on Mrs. Banes dress while I look for the thread for the bead work. Anyway, I hope you are doing well and I miss you dearly, Your beloved niece, (Name). PS: I sent you a ribbon hair tie I finally finished!" (if you have any questions/need clarifications then feel free to dm me) https://preview.redd.it/29tndx4o7yyc1.png?width=1414&format=png&auto=webp&s=7b6851c8256cf7d27dae1e8d0307283e8d0c815f |
2024.05.04 23:04 Ready-Bat-8824 April 2024 Hilaria Baldwin’s IG Recap = 4 Posts or "Who’s the Crackhead?"
 | This month, Alec turned 66 and almost made it through a month without being embroiled in another escándalo. He was thisclose to giving us nothing to talk about, then his true colors came shiiiiiining through. Hillary really couldn't compete but placed a solid second in the Clown Car Olympics. submitted by Ready-Bat-8824 to HilariaBaldwin [link] [comments] Hillary’s IG Stats
King of The Sky Dungeon.
Fascinating that Said the Paparazzo was there - this isn't exactly flattering for a man awaiting trial.
Touché, pepinos. |
2024.04.28 16:06 lasocs Over at r/ThisDayInHistory: 'Stay Out of Russia,' Wife of U.S. Engineer Warns.....(1931); World War 2 Headlines.....(1940)
 | submitted by lasocs to Minnesota_Archived [link] [comments] |
2024.04.27 12:23 RevolutionaryIron115 Would you rekindle with your fwb?
I do friends with benefits… I have friends with benefits… all of them are male, most of them I haven’t even met in person yet. My favorite fwb got into a monogamous relationship and I'm very sad and disappointed.
Im 22 now and just recently got dumped by my favorite fwb. There is an age gap as he's 41, but I don't mind. He was my first time for everything (kiss, date, sex, shower with) when I was 19 and he was about 39. He's the hottest and richest guy l've been with (he looks like a Spanish Ken doll with tats and hiss name is C and he's a hairdresser and real estate investor, lives in a fancy place, drives fancy cars, goes to fancy places, and he travels) and he's patient and sweet as well. I had plans to finally spend the night with him - In his private suite (he said we could spend the night in his private suite).
We met on tinder and he cut my hair twice, and we linked twice within 3 years to have sex and never did overnight stuff as I still live with my parents with no car or job and I am a nervous homebody and also wanted to find the right time and I wanted someone else to buy an enema for me (I was concerned my parents would see what my package says), yet I ended up buying one myself online. Just after the day of my second haircut from him in December - and a few days before Christmas, he texted me saying he is now in a monogamous relationship. I was devastated. He was my first time, the hottest and most successful guy l've been with, I had plans with him, and those plans are thrown out the window now. I wanted the next time to be better than the last time, which I wanted to make up for.
The last time we linked, I made a mess on his bed because I wasn't fully cleaned out but he still wanted to have sex with me which made me happy. It was only months later I bought my enema when he said we could spend the night in his private suite. A week or 2 later when it came in the mail, I saw his Snapchat was gone — but not his instagram — thank god! Now i don't know if I'll ever spend the night with him in his private suite. I'm very sad I won't be able to use my enema for him first, it's like I bought my enema online for nothing. That day when we had sex, I had a quesadilla before we met again (bad decision, but only because mom took me to cafe rio) and now I am hesitant to eat another quesadilla. It's okay to have a quesadilla though... right?
I remembered I drew a sketch of him and I even wanted to draw sketches of me and him together, and I even saved my Halloween candy to make my kisses taste sweeter for him. l've never been so heartbroken, disappointed or jealous in my life. I don't know if I'll ever see him again. I wonder when he met this other person. I wonder if they will stay together or break up eventually. I wish I had him for just a little longer. What's wrong with me? And if they do break up at some point, would it be a good idea to be fwbs with him again? I'm very sad and lonely rn. I wonder if I'll ever find a guy that hot and successful again. I found out on social media that my hair stylist is with a model — an actual model — who's my age. I know l'm his type as he likes younger and smaller guys but Idk if he'd ever want to date me after being with a model who's obviously more successful and is taller and more physically toned than I am. I never dated my hairdresser because idk if it would ever happen.
Before he took my virginity, he said he doesn't do dates. Plus him and I have completely different lifestyles and are at different stages in life as he's a hot rich guy with everything while I still live with parents with no car, job and I still go to college — college even worth it. Oh! And also my dad is a homophobe while my mom is very concerned about the age gap (I told her evervthing and she’s glad I'm okay). Another factor to consider is we live almost 20 miles apart, it would be inconvenient for him to drive back and forth for me. It's been since December I've been sad — partly cuz of my OCD and Aspergers, partly because I put this guy on a pedestal — cuz he's literally everything I want, partly cuz of unfulfilled promises, partly cuz of the preparation I went through, partly because before he moved on I was attempted sextorted — which is why I came out to dad (my mom and sister already knew I like men though), accidentally sent a nude to a classmate, had to do finals at the end of the semester, had to block an asshole for calling me a child and being demanding, and partly cuz my hairdresser C was my first time and I wanted him to be more firsts for me. I could've really used a night together with him, but then he moved on and I was so, so, so, so devastated.
A short time after my hair stylist moved on, was a series of more of my pen pals and fwbs moving on or me dumping them - as well as me crying to my friends for weeks. I wish I had more time with him. I fantasized about watching movies in bed with him, playing games with him, taking me to those fancy places he goes to, having kinky times (dressing up as Peter Pan and Harley Quinn for him, getting in the hot tub, skinny dipping), traveling with him — all that stuff. I don't know if he ever considered dating me dating me, if not, though, I was willing to settle for being friends with benefits with him at the very least, and spend the night with him — and we never spent the night together which makes me very sad.
On the bright side, he still follows me on instagram and I still follow him and I share with him. I wonder if he still thinks I'm attractive. I wonder if he thinks I wasted his time. I fear everyday he'll block me on Instagram. I still get dreams and nightmares about him. I fear my hair stylist thought: "Ya know what? What am I doing fucking around? Is that kid trying to waste my time? Why bother waiting around for some loser college boy when I can be dating a model?" I wonder if my hair stylist would be open to rekindling if he became single again. If we rekindled, would it be a good idea to ask him if he'd want to date me? Right now I'm still tempted to ask him if he would want to rekindle if he was single. That’s what’s going on. Would you judge me if I rekindled with him? If he was single that is.
submitted by RevolutionaryIron115 to askgaybros [link] [comments]
Im 22 now and just recently got dumped by my favorite fwb. There is an age gap as he's 41, but I don't mind. He was my first time for everything (kiss, date, sex, shower with) when I was 19 and he was about 39. He's the hottest and richest guy l've been with (he looks like a Spanish Ken doll with tats and hiss name is C and he's a hairdresser and real estate investor, lives in a fancy place, drives fancy cars, goes to fancy places, and he travels) and he's patient and sweet as well. I had plans to finally spend the night with him - In his private suite (he said we could spend the night in his private suite).
We met on tinder and he cut my hair twice, and we linked twice within 3 years to have sex and never did overnight stuff as I still live with my parents with no car or job and I am a nervous homebody and also wanted to find the right time and I wanted someone else to buy an enema for me (I was concerned my parents would see what my package says), yet I ended up buying one myself online. Just after the day of my second haircut from him in December - and a few days before Christmas, he texted me saying he is now in a monogamous relationship. I was devastated. He was my first time, the hottest and most successful guy l've been with, I had plans with him, and those plans are thrown out the window now. I wanted the next time to be better than the last time, which I wanted to make up for.
The last time we linked, I made a mess on his bed because I wasn't fully cleaned out but he still wanted to have sex with me which made me happy. It was only months later I bought my enema when he said we could spend the night in his private suite. A week or 2 later when it came in the mail, I saw his Snapchat was gone — but not his instagram — thank god! Now i don't know if I'll ever spend the night with him in his private suite. I'm very sad I won't be able to use my enema for him first, it's like I bought my enema online for nothing. That day when we had sex, I had a quesadilla before we met again (bad decision, but only because mom took me to cafe rio) and now I am hesitant to eat another quesadilla. It's okay to have a quesadilla though... right?
I remembered I drew a sketch of him and I even wanted to draw sketches of me and him together, and I even saved my Halloween candy to make my kisses taste sweeter for him. l've never been so heartbroken, disappointed or jealous in my life. I don't know if I'll ever see him again. I wonder when he met this other person. I wonder if they will stay together or break up eventually. I wish I had him for just a little longer. What's wrong with me? And if they do break up at some point, would it be a good idea to be fwbs with him again? I'm very sad and lonely rn. I wonder if I'll ever find a guy that hot and successful again. I found out on social media that my hair stylist is with a model — an actual model — who's my age. I know l'm his type as he likes younger and smaller guys but Idk if he'd ever want to date me after being with a model who's obviously more successful and is taller and more physically toned than I am. I never dated my hairdresser because idk if it would ever happen.
Before he took my virginity, he said he doesn't do dates. Plus him and I have completely different lifestyles and are at different stages in life as he's a hot rich guy with everything while I still live with parents with no car, job and I still go to college — college even worth it. Oh! And also my dad is a homophobe while my mom is very concerned about the age gap (I told her evervthing and she’s glad I'm okay). Another factor to consider is we live almost 20 miles apart, it would be inconvenient for him to drive back and forth for me. It's been since December I've been sad — partly cuz of my OCD and Aspergers, partly because I put this guy on a pedestal — cuz he's literally everything I want, partly cuz of unfulfilled promises, partly cuz of the preparation I went through, partly because before he moved on I was attempted sextorted — which is why I came out to dad (my mom and sister already knew I like men though), accidentally sent a nude to a classmate, had to do finals at the end of the semester, had to block an asshole for calling me a child and being demanding, and partly cuz my hairdresser C was my first time and I wanted him to be more firsts for me. I could've really used a night together with him, but then he moved on and I was so, so, so, so devastated.
A short time after my hair stylist moved on, was a series of more of my pen pals and fwbs moving on or me dumping them - as well as me crying to my friends for weeks. I wish I had more time with him. I fantasized about watching movies in bed with him, playing games with him, taking me to those fancy places he goes to, having kinky times (dressing up as Peter Pan and Harley Quinn for him, getting in the hot tub, skinny dipping), traveling with him — all that stuff. I don't know if he ever considered dating me dating me, if not, though, I was willing to settle for being friends with benefits with him at the very least, and spend the night with him — and we never spent the night together which makes me very sad.
On the bright side, he still follows me on instagram and I still follow him and I share with him. I wonder if he still thinks I'm attractive. I wonder if he thinks I wasted his time. I fear everyday he'll block me on Instagram. I still get dreams and nightmares about him. I fear my hair stylist thought: "Ya know what? What am I doing fucking around? Is that kid trying to waste my time? Why bother waiting around for some loser college boy when I can be dating a model?" I wonder if my hair stylist would be open to rekindling if he became single again. If we rekindled, would it be a good idea to ask him if he'd want to date me? Right now I'm still tempted to ask him if he would want to rekindle if he was single. That’s what’s going on. Would you judge me if I rekindled with him? If he was single that is.
2024.04.26 23:11 BlueFishcake Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty Four
William struggled not to wince as the door to his alchemical storage room slowly cracked partially open.
“Goddesses’ mercy,” Marline hissed from behind him. “How is it worse the second time?”
“Because we added a few things the last time we were here?” William said as he unhooked the tripwire attached to the door before pulling it fully open.
“The potatoes are what’s making that smell!?” Marline hissed as she stepped inside.
“Yep. Never underestimate the power of potatoes and a few warm summer days. Plus there’s a few other things in here,” William tried not to breathe through his nose as he closed the door behind him after stepping inside himself. “Light. One charge. Instant activation. Right hand.”
At his words, the room lit up as his right hand started to glow with an ethereal light. One that revealed… three barrels and a crate.
Glancing over, he noticed Marline staring at his hand.
“What?” he asked.
The dark elf shrugged. “Just seems a bit wasteful is all. Day’s not over yet and now you’re down a spell charge.”
William shrugged. “Better that than bringing a candle in here.”
“Why?”
William’s gaze flicked over to a nearby – sealed – barrel. “Just take my word for it.”
“Well that’s not ominous at all,” the girl muttered as she walked over to the nearby crate.
William smirked as he followed after her. She didn’t know the half of it.
Which was probably for the best. Given how she’d responded to the whole ‘Al’hundra situation’ he doubted she’d take well to learning that the entire room could theoretically go up if an errant spark happened to get inside one of the nearby barrels.
Admittedly, a single candle was unlikely to achieve that, given the barrels had lids on them, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Given just how dangerous just opening the door to this room could be given the booby trap on the door, he felt it was perfectly reasonable to err on the side of caution by not adding any more danger to what was already a fairly volatile environment.
On the bright side, if I ever do fuck opening the door up, I probably won’t have more than half a second to regret it, he thought.
So no, he didn’t feel even a smidgen of regret in making use of a precious spell slot to light the way while they were in here.
Fishing a second key out of his shirt, he ignored his companion’s gags as he unlocked the chest to reveal the collection of mouldy looking vegetables within. Squishing his discomfort, he reached through it to unhook the crate’s false bottom.
Admittedly, said false bottom wasn’t particularly good given that it was trying to mask a space large enough to fit two orbs the size of bowling balls – that glowed – but that was fine. It was simply the last line of defence. One that would only come into play in the event some ne’er-do-well chose to break into an alchemical storage room, get past his booby trap, fail to ignite the contents of the barrels by looking into them, before finally digging through a crate full of rotten potatoes.
Mostly it was there to keep the glow of the orbs from being spotted while they sat at the bottom of the pile.
“Like I told you, safe and sound.” William said as he pulled out one of the mithril cores before tossing it to Marline.
“Ugh!” The girl yelped as she caught the thing. “I wish you wouldn’t do that!”
He smirked, resisting the urge to point out that the orb she was holding had spent about a decade at the bottom of the ocean being used as a scratching post by a ship-sized squid before they recovered it. A little rough handling wasn’t about to damage it.
No, that would require specialized tools of the kind that could only be found in a shard-workshop.
“Are your folks ready to collect yet?” he asked, gesturing to the second orb.
Marline’s scowl turned into a pensive expression as she shook her head. “Not yet. When we spoke, she implied she’d be sending my aunts to collect it in person, but I’ve not heard anything since.”
William nodded. That wasn’t too unexpected. What was, was that Marline had apparently chosen to communicate her ‘acquisition of a mithril core’ over orb.”
Unless…
“You spoke in code, right?”
Given the silver color of her iris, it wasn’t hard to miss the way his teammate rolled her eyes at his question. “Of course.”
The ‘I’m not an idiot’ went unspoken. Because while no one was foolish enough to state aloud that the Crown monitored Orb communications, it was common knowledge that they did.
And while the law around ‘scavenged cores’ was explicit enough that William nor Marline had any reason to fear censure for how they’d acquired their cores, the Crown would definitely have questions.
Questions William – and by extension, Marline – had no interest in answering for a little longer yet.
“Out of curiosity, what’s the cover story for your aunts coming to visit?” he asked.
Marline chuckled lowly. “Apparently I’m madly in love with a boy on my team.”
“Me?” he asked, trying not to laugh.
Once more, the dark elf rolled her eyes. “Yep. And given just how out of character thoughts of romance of any kind would be for me, you could say it caught my mother’s attention. Enough that it wasn’t hard to clue her in on everything else while still speaking in code.”
Yeah, William could see the dark elf’s mother being surprised by her daughter’s sudden infatuation with a boy. Never mind the fact that he was very publicly betrothed to a very powerful family, he was also pretty certain Marline was gay.
Oh, she’d hidden it well enough, but over the last few months he’d managed to catch her gaze lingering just a little longer than strictly necessary here or there. Not on him. Never on him.
But on the other members of the team to be sure.
Honestly, in retrospect he actually felt a little foolish for not figuring it out sooner.
It neatly explained her discomfort at being forced to share his bed for the geass, as well as her general antipathy towards him when they’d met. Even her refusal to shower with the team could be explained away as some kind of… outmoded idea of chivalry on her part.
And as much as he hated to give any legitimacy to the idea of the ‘man hating lesbian trope’, the fact was, there did exist people who preferred the same sex who also tended to have little patience for the opposite sex.
It was an over inflated stereotype, but it did exist.
With that in mind, he was actually happy that Marline had so quickly managed to overcome her internal misandrist mindset after meeting him.
Actually, with that in mind, perhaps it was more a result of lack of exposure to men than anything else?
In his experience, that tended to be the root cause of most kinds of bigotry. A lack of experience and understanding combined with some other factor.
So yes, if Marline’s mother knew of her daughter’s – likely hidden - orientation, she’d definitely start to pay attention if said daughter developed an interest in a man.
Again, an engaged man.
To a family powerful enough to crush the diminished Greygrass Household without so much as breaking stride.
“Does she… believe you? That you have a core?” he asked.
It certainly didn’t sound believable. Hell, he’d needed to swear a geass with Marline before she’d come around to believing he could acquire one. And even then he was certain she’d held doubts.
“Who knows?” She said. “We certainly couldn’t talk freely. Still, she knows I’m not the kind for idle flights of fancy, even if our conversation implied as much to any third parties that might be listening.”
Her hands slid over across the smooth glowing surface of the core she was holding. “To that end, in addition to sending my aunts to meet the man I was apparently so interested in, she also said she’d be ‘getting the house ready’, in the event you wanted to visit our estate.”
In other words, they’d be getting the ship ready to accept a core.
The dark elf’s expression turned ruthful. “Though make no mistake. She will want to thank you at some point. Needs to, even, given the service you’ve done for us.”
William was about to say something, but his teammate cut him off. “I’m serious. What you’ve done for us… it’s beyond words. And I’m aware that I’ve not been as vocal in my thanks as I could have been. Especially for a boon of this size.”
William shrugged. “We had a deal.”
She laughed. “I think we both know that you didn’t actually need me that night. You could easily have accomplished it all yourself.”
Perhaps, but it would have been riskier than it might have been otherwise. The boat might have drifted or his decompression spell might have failed, leaving him to surface fully suffering from the bends.
Admittedly, the latter was something he might have been able to work around by controlling his ascent speed, but given just how fast a curious kraken might have been encroaching on the deceased Al’Hundra’s territory, time had been of the essence.
No, Marline’s presence had ultimately been superfluous, but that’s true for most redundancies.
They were useless right up until they weren’t.
…Still, he knew just looking at Marline that she wasn’t about to accept that.
As far as she was concerned he’d done her and her family an incredible favour while asking for little to nothing in return.
“To that end, while I may not be our House Matriarch, I know in my heart that I speak for her now, so listen to me when I say that whatever you need, the House of Greygrass is in your debt. From now until the time our children’s children take their last breath in this world, our swords are yours,” she said solemnly.
Part of him wanted to dismiss her words out of hand. To say she owed him nothing beyond her friendship. But that was the old him. The one who’d been born in a different world under different stars.
The him of here and now was different.
“I accept,” he said. “And though it pains my heart to do so, I will tell you now that I’ll likely have to hold you to that oath before long.”
The dark elf grinned, white teeth glinting in the gloom of the old storage room – as peculiar a place for such a solemn declaration as any William could think of.
“I never would have guessed,” she snarked as her eyes flitted toward the barrels behind him and the nearby crate.
William rolled his eyes as he conceded the point. Marline, more than most, had seen enough of his secrets to guess that his future plans weren’t likely to stop at just breaking off an unwanted betrothal.
Even if doing so without sparking off a civil war is probably the single most complicated part of my immediate ambitions, he thought.
Because it was a difficult problem.
Were this all just about breaking off his upcoming engagement, it would be too easy. All he’d have to do was provide the Crown with something valuable enough for them to consider war with the Blackstones worth the cost of securing it.
A few mithril cores would probably do it, he thought. I wouldn’t even have to part with any of my tech.
And they’d go for it. They couldn't afford not to, given that the alternative would mean those cores would end up in the hands of their political enemies.
The problem was that the current administration would probably lose that fight – even without the duchy of Summerfield switching sides.
Though I suppose they could just kill me and take said cores on the sly, he thought.
That would actually be a pretty neat solution to the problem if the Crown could get away with it.
The problem was that then he’d be dead – and he had far too much he still needed to get done before he allowed himself to die now.
So instead he had to take a different route and tackle a much more difficult problem.
…The problem of making an entire duchy back down from their chance at ascendancy, without so much as a single shot being fired or a drop of blood being spilled.
At least outside of a practice arena, he thought grimly.
All while his family tried to stab him in the back… oh, and without him giving away too much of the technology locked away inside his brain.
Because that’d start off a civil war just as surely as the crown interfering in his upcoming nuptials. The possibility of either side gaining too large an advantage would start off a conflict just as surely as him walking up to Tala and shooting her in the face – as the the side that didn’t receive said technology would move to attack before said tech could become widespread enough that the the tides turned against them.
It was an awful tangled mess.
With all that in mind, was it any wonder that his plans to do just that felt more like walking a tightrope over a pond of hungry piranha than anything even remotely approaching sanity?
“You ok?” Marline asked gently.
“Just thinking about how much of a pain in the ass the next few… decades are likely to be,” William muttered, mostly to himself.
“Wow,” the dark elf chuckled. “Really making me feel great about the fact that my family is now tied to you for the foreseeable future.”
It was actually rather touching that despite saying the words, he didn’t hear even a hint of regret in her tone.
She’d meant what she said. Truly. Deeply. And he didn’t doubt her family would be the same.
“Is your skyship flight capable?” he asked, changing the subject.
To his relief, the dark elf accepted it without issue. “She’ll need a little work, but nothing more than a metaphorical spring clean. Something our people will have done before my aunts arrive.”
That made sense. Even if it didn’t have a mithril core, the hull of a skyship was still a massive investment of money, time and resources. If it was seen to be rusting or falling into disrepair, the Greygrass’s ran the risk of either the Crown or a ducal family claiming the ship ‘for the good of the realm’.
Oh, said parties would pay Marline’s family for it, but William doubted it would be a particularly good deal.
Though it did make him wonder just how many skyship hulls were sitting dormant in warehouses across the kingdom? He couldn’t imagine too many given the sheer cost of maintaining turning them into little more than a money-sink, but he had to imagine there were at least a few more families like Marline’s who were desperately paying said costs in hopes of reclaiming their former noble status.
Other than that, he imagined the Crown might have one or two hulls in storage, ready to be put back into service in the event of a new mithril core discovery.
“Do you think they’ll have any trouble getting here and extracting the core unseen?” he asked.
Otherwise they ran the risk of being intercepted by ‘bandits’ if it was known they were carrying an unprotected core.
Because anything less than being surrounded by a few thousand tons of ship-grade warship armour was considered ‘unprotected’ in this world.
“As things are now, definitely.” Marline said, before gesturing to the orb in his hands. “After you unveil this thing to all and sundry? Less so.”
She eyed him. “It wouldn’t take a genius to connect you unveiling a previously unknown mithril core and Al’Hundra washing up a few weeks ago. The ‘how’ will definitely have them scratching their heads, but the connection will remain.”
Oh, William didn’t doubt it. Just as he knew he’d be fending off some awkward questions in the next few days.
Fortunately, the fact that he’d be in the public spotlight would keep any parties from just dragging him off into a backroom to pry said answers out of him with a set of pliers.
Neither the Blackstones or the Crown could make that kind of move without being blocked by the other.
After the duel though… well, he’d deal with that problem when he got to it.
“There’s no chance you could delay this for a few more days?” Marline asked plaintively. “At least until my aunts arrived.”
He winced. “Would that I could. Unfortunately, I can’t run the risk. Griffith got back to me a few hours ago about my spell-bolt being tentatively approved for use on the Floats.”
The rubber bullets he’d shown off had tipped things in his favour for now.
Unfortunately, the moment he’d handed said weapon over for testing, a countdown on how long it would be until the Blackstones were made aware of it began.
If he wanted his little trick to remain a surprise for the upcoming bout – a bout he needed every advantage he could get in – he needed to kick off the duel as soon as possible.
He explained as much before continuing. “I’m also worried about my mother throwing more wrenches into the works.” He shook his head. “If this is going to happen, it needs to happen now.”
Marline frowned, before nodding understandably. “If you say so. We’ll just have to hope that my aunts arrive soon and they leave before too many people draw a connection between you and Al’Hunda, and them arriving and going.”
He shrugged. “With any luck, your little ‘romantic liaison’ smokescreen will throw things off.”
She nodded, though it wasn’t particularly enthusiastic. Still, Marline’s aunts were veterans, and if they were anything like the girl herself, they’d be very capable.
…Even if technically they’d been part of the generation that had lost the previous mithril core.
He shook his head. He had little doubt they’d spent the last twenty years preparing to make up for that failure.
“Alright,” she muttered. “What will be will be.”
She delicately passed the mithril core back to him, though he was amused to see her almost physical reluctance to do so.
She sighed. “Let’s go see your fiancée and get ready to lose this thing on an incredibly stupid bet.”
He smiled, patting her on the shoulder as he walked past.
“That’s the spirit!”
---------------------------------
The dining hall was never quiet around dinner time.
Unlike breakfast and lunch, which was eaten as quickly as the average cadet could shovel it into their mouths, the evening meal was a much more relaxed affair. One that allowed cadets to unwind a little after a long day.
It even came with dessert options.
Certainly, there was still an evening inspection yet to come, along with a myriad other chores that the average cadet needed to get done, but ultimately dinner represented the end of the service day.
So it was that William wasn’t too surprised by the veritable wall of noise that slammed into him as he stepped into the massive room, long tables filled with cadets of all sorts chattering loudly away to each other.
Naturally, it was strictly divided by colour, with each house sticking to their own. From there it was divided by year group.
The only exceptions being a small back table occupied by a small smattering of instructors whose role it was to ensure that some small smattering of discipline was maintained, if only by dint of them being present.
William was pretty sure said duty took place on a rotation, as he knew for a fact that the rest of the staff ate elsewhere, though he’d naturally never had reason to enter the staff cafeteria.
Still, all that noise fell away remarkably quickly as he stepped into the room. In clumps at first, but it spread like a wildfire as people noticed their neighbours falling silent and turned to see what had caused it. In turn, others looked up as the ambient noise of the room fell away.
In moments, the final voice was silent as the last few cadets finished what they were saying and looked up to see William standing there, his team around him.
But they weren’t looking at him.
They were looking at what he was holding.
A Mithril Core.
And as generally unflappable as William liked to consider himself, he could resist the small animal part of his brain that tried to squawk in panic as he beheld the myriad emotions flashing across the faces that were all now staring in his direction.
Disbelief. Shock. Greed. Lust. Amusement. Curiosity. Anger.
Even the Instructors were no exception, as they seemed stunned in place by what he’d just walked into the room with.
He could all-but feel his team shuffling uncomfortably behind him.
But just as all eyes were on him, he had eyes for only one person present. Ignoring all of them, he strode through the aisles of tables towards the end of the room where the third years sat.
His target hadn’t been hard to find, despite the myriad similarly dressed people around her.
Because the crowd was positioned around her. She was not within the crowd.
It was a subtle difference to see, but it existed.
Tala Blackstone of House Blackstone sat at the head of the Blackstone table in pride of place. A position even more vaunted in some ways than that of an Instructor.
Certainly Willaim didn’t doubt that in many ways the Instructors of House Blackstone did actually answer to the heir. Especially now, in her third year. But one from graduation.
“Tala,” he said as he came to stop in front of her table, his voice all but echoing in the silence.
Credit where credit was due, the expression of surprise on his fiancées face had faded before he even reached the table. Now it looked studiously blank as she gazed into his eyes.
“William,” her voice was as hard as iron. “…What do you think you’re doing?”
He actually smiled at that, not least of all because he had genuinely no idea how to answer her question.
At least, not in a manner that would satisfy the girl.
Because it was a question that could have so many meanings.
Still, he had but one answer.
“Challenging you, my dear fiancée. To a duel.” His grin only grew as her eyebrow quirked inquisitively. “Tomorrow. On the Floats. With the rising of the sun. I, William Ashfield challenge you, Tala Blackstone to a team duel. For my right to break off our betrothal once and for all.”
He saw the flicker of realization in her eyes as she heard his words and her gaze flickered down to the core in his hands. But there was nothing she could do as he continued.
“You needed to go this far?” she asked quietly, though it carried quite far across the cafeteria.
He shrugged. “I did. I am well aware of how often my lamentations about our upcoming nuptials seem as nothing to your ears.” He raised the orb up in one hand. “So this time I have brought something that might make them more receptive to my words.”
He glanced around. “And I also made sure to pick a suitably… impactful venue for my throwing of the gauntlet.”
He could tell she wanted to know where he’d gotten the core. How he’d gotten it. Because the notion that he had one strained belief.
But he did have one and anyone with even a hint of magical ability could sense it as he channelled just a hint of his aether into the device – which in turn started to churn out masses of blue green smoke.
More than any mage could produce, for if the average mage’s raw aether output was akin to a kitchen tap, then a mithril core’s was a roaring river.
Not the kind of thing that could be faked as a veritable stream of lighter than air smoke flew up into the air to waft around the rafters before filtering through the open windows outside.
That, more than anything else, was proof that what he was holding was real.
“Well, you have my attention,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Good, because I wager this core entirely and without reservation, my peers as witness.”
He luxuriated in the horrified gasps that spread through the room at his words as he soldier on.
“A mithril core for a mere chance to escape the stigma of being tied to a family of slavers. Because I’ll have no part of it. Not now. Not ever. So, one match. Your team against mine. On the Floats. With our ancestors and the gods themselves as witness.”
As well as half the kingdom, because the viewing orbs would definitely be booked to capacity for a scandal of this size. Even at such short notice, the news would spread and no one would want to miss this match.
It was like something out of a story book, after all.
All that was missing was finding out that he’d been supplied the core by his ‘real true love’.
Still, storybook setup or not, he could see others around him smirking or wincing at his words.
Because to them it didn’t sound like a match. It sounded like an execution.
A team of first years going up against a third year team wasn’t a match. It was a slaughter.
Which was why Tala was stuck.
She didn’t want to accept. He could see it. Sure, she wanted the mithril core – who wouldn’t? - but not so much as to jeopardize her family’s alliance with his.
Because a single core was not worth risking losing access to the combined might of the Summerfield dukedom.
…The problem was that no one but her knew that.
All they saw was a moronic young male from a tiny countship practically serving up a core on a silver platter to her. All she had to do was risk losing a fairly unappealing betrothal. Hell, even if she won, no one would bat an eye if she broke off the betrothal anyway after a stunt like this, taking the core and moving onto a more compliant and appealing match.
No, there was no way for her to refuse this duel. Not without being labelled a coward of the highest order.
A death sentence at her level of politics.
He saw the rage in her eyes as she reached that realization.
“I accept, William Ashfield. And know that for all that I will enjoy acquiring another core for the House of Blackstone, that enjoyment will pale in comparison to the joy I will receive from heaping upon you a much needed dose of reality.”
William just grinned, even as the Instructors finally managed to shake off the shock that had overcome them and started marching as one towards him and his team.
“I look forward to it, Tala. From the bottom of my heart.”
If only because this entire farce would finally be over with…
He had much more important things to do than indulge in childish schoolyard squabbles after all.
No matter how difficult they may well turn out to be, he thought grimly.
Because the dice had now been rolled and he was far from certain as to whether they’d land in his favor.
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“Goddesses’ mercy,” Marline hissed from behind him. “How is it worse the second time?”
“Because we added a few things the last time we were here?” William said as he unhooked the tripwire attached to the door before pulling it fully open.
“The potatoes are what’s making that smell!?” Marline hissed as she stepped inside.
“Yep. Never underestimate the power of potatoes and a few warm summer days. Plus there’s a few other things in here,” William tried not to breathe through his nose as he closed the door behind him after stepping inside himself. “Light. One charge. Instant activation. Right hand.”
At his words, the room lit up as his right hand started to glow with an ethereal light. One that revealed… three barrels and a crate.
Glancing over, he noticed Marline staring at his hand.
“What?” he asked.
The dark elf shrugged. “Just seems a bit wasteful is all. Day’s not over yet and now you’re down a spell charge.”
William shrugged. “Better that than bringing a candle in here.”
“Why?”
William’s gaze flicked over to a nearby – sealed – barrel. “Just take my word for it.”
“Well that’s not ominous at all,” the girl muttered as she walked over to the nearby crate.
William smirked as he followed after her. She didn’t know the half of it.
Which was probably for the best. Given how she’d responded to the whole ‘Al’hundra situation’ he doubted she’d take well to learning that the entire room could theoretically go up if an errant spark happened to get inside one of the nearby barrels.
Admittedly, a single candle was unlikely to achieve that, given the barrels had lids on them, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Given just how dangerous just opening the door to this room could be given the booby trap on the door, he felt it was perfectly reasonable to err on the side of caution by not adding any more danger to what was already a fairly volatile environment.
On the bright side, if I ever do fuck opening the door up, I probably won’t have more than half a second to regret it, he thought.
So no, he didn’t feel even a smidgen of regret in making use of a precious spell slot to light the way while they were in here.
Fishing a second key out of his shirt, he ignored his companion’s gags as he unlocked the chest to reveal the collection of mouldy looking vegetables within. Squishing his discomfort, he reached through it to unhook the crate’s false bottom.
Admittedly, said false bottom wasn’t particularly good given that it was trying to mask a space large enough to fit two orbs the size of bowling balls – that glowed – but that was fine. It was simply the last line of defence. One that would only come into play in the event some ne’er-do-well chose to break into an alchemical storage room, get past his booby trap, fail to ignite the contents of the barrels by looking into them, before finally digging through a crate full of rotten potatoes.
Mostly it was there to keep the glow of the orbs from being spotted while they sat at the bottom of the pile.
“Like I told you, safe and sound.” William said as he pulled out one of the mithril cores before tossing it to Marline.
“Ugh!” The girl yelped as she caught the thing. “I wish you wouldn’t do that!”
He smirked, resisting the urge to point out that the orb she was holding had spent about a decade at the bottom of the ocean being used as a scratching post by a ship-sized squid before they recovered it. A little rough handling wasn’t about to damage it.
No, that would require specialized tools of the kind that could only be found in a shard-workshop.
“Are your folks ready to collect yet?” he asked, gesturing to the second orb.
Marline’s scowl turned into a pensive expression as she shook her head. “Not yet. When we spoke, she implied she’d be sending my aunts to collect it in person, but I’ve not heard anything since.”
William nodded. That wasn’t too unexpected. What was, was that Marline had apparently chosen to communicate her ‘acquisition of a mithril core’ over orb.”
Unless…
“You spoke in code, right?”
Given the silver color of her iris, it wasn’t hard to miss the way his teammate rolled her eyes at his question. “Of course.”
The ‘I’m not an idiot’ went unspoken. Because while no one was foolish enough to state aloud that the Crown monitored Orb communications, it was common knowledge that they did.
And while the law around ‘scavenged cores’ was explicit enough that William nor Marline had any reason to fear censure for how they’d acquired their cores, the Crown would definitely have questions.
Questions William – and by extension, Marline – had no interest in answering for a little longer yet.
“Out of curiosity, what’s the cover story for your aunts coming to visit?” he asked.
Marline chuckled lowly. “Apparently I’m madly in love with a boy on my team.”
“Me?” he asked, trying not to laugh.
Once more, the dark elf rolled her eyes. “Yep. And given just how out of character thoughts of romance of any kind would be for me, you could say it caught my mother’s attention. Enough that it wasn’t hard to clue her in on everything else while still speaking in code.”
Yeah, William could see the dark elf’s mother being surprised by her daughter’s sudden infatuation with a boy. Never mind the fact that he was very publicly betrothed to a very powerful family, he was also pretty certain Marline was gay.
Oh, she’d hidden it well enough, but over the last few months he’d managed to catch her gaze lingering just a little longer than strictly necessary here or there. Not on him. Never on him.
But on the other members of the team to be sure.
Honestly, in retrospect he actually felt a little foolish for not figuring it out sooner.
It neatly explained her discomfort at being forced to share his bed for the geass, as well as her general antipathy towards him when they’d met. Even her refusal to shower with the team could be explained away as some kind of… outmoded idea of chivalry on her part.
And as much as he hated to give any legitimacy to the idea of the ‘man hating lesbian trope’, the fact was, there did exist people who preferred the same sex who also tended to have little patience for the opposite sex.
It was an over inflated stereotype, but it did exist.
With that in mind, he was actually happy that Marline had so quickly managed to overcome her internal misandrist mindset after meeting him.
Actually, with that in mind, perhaps it was more a result of lack of exposure to men than anything else?
In his experience, that tended to be the root cause of most kinds of bigotry. A lack of experience and understanding combined with some other factor.
So yes, if Marline’s mother knew of her daughter’s – likely hidden - orientation, she’d definitely start to pay attention if said daughter developed an interest in a man.
Again, an engaged man.
To a family powerful enough to crush the diminished Greygrass Household without so much as breaking stride.
“Does she… believe you? That you have a core?” he asked.
It certainly didn’t sound believable. Hell, he’d needed to swear a geass with Marline before she’d come around to believing he could acquire one. And even then he was certain she’d held doubts.
“Who knows?” She said. “We certainly couldn’t talk freely. Still, she knows I’m not the kind for idle flights of fancy, even if our conversation implied as much to any third parties that might be listening.”
Her hands slid over across the smooth glowing surface of the core she was holding. “To that end, in addition to sending my aunts to meet the man I was apparently so interested in, she also said she’d be ‘getting the house ready’, in the event you wanted to visit our estate.”
In other words, they’d be getting the ship ready to accept a core.
The dark elf’s expression turned ruthful. “Though make no mistake. She will want to thank you at some point. Needs to, even, given the service you’ve done for us.”
William was about to say something, but his teammate cut him off. “I’m serious. What you’ve done for us… it’s beyond words. And I’m aware that I’ve not been as vocal in my thanks as I could have been. Especially for a boon of this size.”
William shrugged. “We had a deal.”
She laughed. “I think we both know that you didn’t actually need me that night. You could easily have accomplished it all yourself.”
Perhaps, but it would have been riskier than it might have been otherwise. The boat might have drifted or his decompression spell might have failed, leaving him to surface fully suffering from the bends.
Admittedly, the latter was something he might have been able to work around by controlling his ascent speed, but given just how fast a curious kraken might have been encroaching on the deceased Al’Hundra’s territory, time had been of the essence.
No, Marline’s presence had ultimately been superfluous, but that’s true for most redundancies.
They were useless right up until they weren’t.
…Still, he knew just looking at Marline that she wasn’t about to accept that.
As far as she was concerned he’d done her and her family an incredible favour while asking for little to nothing in return.
“To that end, while I may not be our House Matriarch, I know in my heart that I speak for her now, so listen to me when I say that whatever you need, the House of Greygrass is in your debt. From now until the time our children’s children take their last breath in this world, our swords are yours,” she said solemnly.
Part of him wanted to dismiss her words out of hand. To say she owed him nothing beyond her friendship. But that was the old him. The one who’d been born in a different world under different stars.
The him of here and now was different.
“I accept,” he said. “And though it pains my heart to do so, I will tell you now that I’ll likely have to hold you to that oath before long.”
The dark elf grinned, white teeth glinting in the gloom of the old storage room – as peculiar a place for such a solemn declaration as any William could think of.
“I never would have guessed,” she snarked as her eyes flitted toward the barrels behind him and the nearby crate.
William rolled his eyes as he conceded the point. Marline, more than most, had seen enough of his secrets to guess that his future plans weren’t likely to stop at just breaking off an unwanted betrothal.
Even if doing so without sparking off a civil war is probably the single most complicated part of my immediate ambitions, he thought.
Because it was a difficult problem.
Were this all just about breaking off his upcoming engagement, it would be too easy. All he’d have to do was provide the Crown with something valuable enough for them to consider war with the Blackstones worth the cost of securing it.
A few mithril cores would probably do it, he thought. I wouldn’t even have to part with any of my tech.
And they’d go for it. They couldn't afford not to, given that the alternative would mean those cores would end up in the hands of their political enemies.
The problem was that the current administration would probably lose that fight – even without the duchy of Summerfield switching sides.
Though I suppose they could just kill me and take said cores on the sly, he thought.
That would actually be a pretty neat solution to the problem if the Crown could get away with it.
The problem was that then he’d be dead – and he had far too much he still needed to get done before he allowed himself to die now.
So instead he had to take a different route and tackle a much more difficult problem.
…The problem of making an entire duchy back down from their chance at ascendancy, without so much as a single shot being fired or a drop of blood being spilled.
At least outside of a practice arena, he thought grimly.
All while his family tried to stab him in the back… oh, and without him giving away too much of the technology locked away inside his brain.
Because that’d start off a civil war just as surely as the crown interfering in his upcoming nuptials. The possibility of either side gaining too large an advantage would start off a conflict just as surely as him walking up to Tala and shooting her in the face – as the the side that didn’t receive said technology would move to attack before said tech could become widespread enough that the the tides turned against them.
It was an awful tangled mess.
With all that in mind, was it any wonder that his plans to do just that felt more like walking a tightrope over a pond of hungry piranha than anything even remotely approaching sanity?
“You ok?” Marline asked gently.
“Just thinking about how much of a pain in the ass the next few… decades are likely to be,” William muttered, mostly to himself.
“Wow,” the dark elf chuckled. “Really making me feel great about the fact that my family is now tied to you for the foreseeable future.”
It was actually rather touching that despite saying the words, he didn’t hear even a hint of regret in her tone.
She’d meant what she said. Truly. Deeply. And he didn’t doubt her family would be the same.
“Is your skyship flight capable?” he asked, changing the subject.
To his relief, the dark elf accepted it without issue. “She’ll need a little work, but nothing more than a metaphorical spring clean. Something our people will have done before my aunts arrive.”
That made sense. Even if it didn’t have a mithril core, the hull of a skyship was still a massive investment of money, time and resources. If it was seen to be rusting or falling into disrepair, the Greygrass’s ran the risk of either the Crown or a ducal family claiming the ship ‘for the good of the realm’.
Oh, said parties would pay Marline’s family for it, but William doubted it would be a particularly good deal.
Though it did make him wonder just how many skyship hulls were sitting dormant in warehouses across the kingdom? He couldn’t imagine too many given the sheer cost of maintaining turning them into little more than a money-sink, but he had to imagine there were at least a few more families like Marline’s who were desperately paying said costs in hopes of reclaiming their former noble status.
Other than that, he imagined the Crown might have one or two hulls in storage, ready to be put back into service in the event of a new mithril core discovery.
“Do you think they’ll have any trouble getting here and extracting the core unseen?” he asked.
Otherwise they ran the risk of being intercepted by ‘bandits’ if it was known they were carrying an unprotected core.
Because anything less than being surrounded by a few thousand tons of ship-grade warship armour was considered ‘unprotected’ in this world.
“As things are now, definitely.” Marline said, before gesturing to the orb in his hands. “After you unveil this thing to all and sundry? Less so.”
She eyed him. “It wouldn’t take a genius to connect you unveiling a previously unknown mithril core and Al’Hundra washing up a few weeks ago. The ‘how’ will definitely have them scratching their heads, but the connection will remain.”
Oh, William didn’t doubt it. Just as he knew he’d be fending off some awkward questions in the next few days.
Fortunately, the fact that he’d be in the public spotlight would keep any parties from just dragging him off into a backroom to pry said answers out of him with a set of pliers.
Neither the Blackstones or the Crown could make that kind of move without being blocked by the other.
After the duel though… well, he’d deal with that problem when he got to it.
“There’s no chance you could delay this for a few more days?” Marline asked plaintively. “At least until my aunts arrived.”
He winced. “Would that I could. Unfortunately, I can’t run the risk. Griffith got back to me a few hours ago about my spell-bolt being tentatively approved for use on the Floats.”
The rubber bullets he’d shown off had tipped things in his favour for now.
Unfortunately, the moment he’d handed said weapon over for testing, a countdown on how long it would be until the Blackstones were made aware of it began.
If he wanted his little trick to remain a surprise for the upcoming bout – a bout he needed every advantage he could get in – he needed to kick off the duel as soon as possible.
He explained as much before continuing. “I’m also worried about my mother throwing more wrenches into the works.” He shook his head. “If this is going to happen, it needs to happen now.”
Marline frowned, before nodding understandably. “If you say so. We’ll just have to hope that my aunts arrive soon and they leave before too many people draw a connection between you and Al’Hunda, and them arriving and going.”
He shrugged. “With any luck, your little ‘romantic liaison’ smokescreen will throw things off.”
She nodded, though it wasn’t particularly enthusiastic. Still, Marline’s aunts were veterans, and if they were anything like the girl herself, they’d be very capable.
…Even if technically they’d been part of the generation that had lost the previous mithril core.
He shook his head. He had little doubt they’d spent the last twenty years preparing to make up for that failure.
“Alright,” she muttered. “What will be will be.”
She delicately passed the mithril core back to him, though he was amused to see her almost physical reluctance to do so.
She sighed. “Let’s go see your fiancée and get ready to lose this thing on an incredibly stupid bet.”
He smiled, patting her on the shoulder as he walked past.
“That’s the spirit!”
---------------------------------
The dining hall was never quiet around dinner time.
Unlike breakfast and lunch, which was eaten as quickly as the average cadet could shovel it into their mouths, the evening meal was a much more relaxed affair. One that allowed cadets to unwind a little after a long day.
It even came with dessert options.
Certainly, there was still an evening inspection yet to come, along with a myriad other chores that the average cadet needed to get done, but ultimately dinner represented the end of the service day.
So it was that William wasn’t too surprised by the veritable wall of noise that slammed into him as he stepped into the massive room, long tables filled with cadets of all sorts chattering loudly away to each other.
Naturally, it was strictly divided by colour, with each house sticking to their own. From there it was divided by year group.
The only exceptions being a small back table occupied by a small smattering of instructors whose role it was to ensure that some small smattering of discipline was maintained, if only by dint of them being present.
William was pretty sure said duty took place on a rotation, as he knew for a fact that the rest of the staff ate elsewhere, though he’d naturally never had reason to enter the staff cafeteria.
Still, all that noise fell away remarkably quickly as he stepped into the room. In clumps at first, but it spread like a wildfire as people noticed their neighbours falling silent and turned to see what had caused it. In turn, others looked up as the ambient noise of the room fell away.
In moments, the final voice was silent as the last few cadets finished what they were saying and looked up to see William standing there, his team around him.
But they weren’t looking at him.
They were looking at what he was holding.
A Mithril Core.
And as generally unflappable as William liked to consider himself, he could resist the small animal part of his brain that tried to squawk in panic as he beheld the myriad emotions flashing across the faces that were all now staring in his direction.
Disbelief. Shock. Greed. Lust. Amusement. Curiosity. Anger.
Even the Instructors were no exception, as they seemed stunned in place by what he’d just walked into the room with.
He could all-but feel his team shuffling uncomfortably behind him.
But just as all eyes were on him, he had eyes for only one person present. Ignoring all of them, he strode through the aisles of tables towards the end of the room where the third years sat.
His target hadn’t been hard to find, despite the myriad similarly dressed people around her.
Because the crowd was positioned around her. She was not within the crowd.
It was a subtle difference to see, but it existed.
Tala Blackstone of House Blackstone sat at the head of the Blackstone table in pride of place. A position even more vaunted in some ways than that of an Instructor.
Certainly Willaim didn’t doubt that in many ways the Instructors of House Blackstone did actually answer to the heir. Especially now, in her third year. But one from graduation.
“Tala,” he said as he came to stop in front of her table, his voice all but echoing in the silence.
Credit where credit was due, the expression of surprise on his fiancées face had faded before he even reached the table. Now it looked studiously blank as she gazed into his eyes.
“William,” her voice was as hard as iron. “…What do you think you’re doing?”
He actually smiled at that, not least of all because he had genuinely no idea how to answer her question.
At least, not in a manner that would satisfy the girl.
Because it was a question that could have so many meanings.
Still, he had but one answer.
“Challenging you, my dear fiancée. To a duel.” His grin only grew as her eyebrow quirked inquisitively. “Tomorrow. On the Floats. With the rising of the sun. I, William Ashfield challenge you, Tala Blackstone to a team duel. For my right to break off our betrothal once and for all.”
He saw the flicker of realization in her eyes as she heard his words and her gaze flickered down to the core in his hands. But there was nothing she could do as he continued.
“You needed to go this far?” she asked quietly, though it carried quite far across the cafeteria.
He shrugged. “I did. I am well aware of how often my lamentations about our upcoming nuptials seem as nothing to your ears.” He raised the orb up in one hand. “So this time I have brought something that might make them more receptive to my words.”
He glanced around. “And I also made sure to pick a suitably… impactful venue for my throwing of the gauntlet.”
He could tell she wanted to know where he’d gotten the core. How he’d gotten it. Because the notion that he had one strained belief.
But he did have one and anyone with even a hint of magical ability could sense it as he channelled just a hint of his aether into the device – which in turn started to churn out masses of blue green smoke.
More than any mage could produce, for if the average mage’s raw aether output was akin to a kitchen tap, then a mithril core’s was a roaring river.
Not the kind of thing that could be faked as a veritable stream of lighter than air smoke flew up into the air to waft around the rafters before filtering through the open windows outside.
That, more than anything else, was proof that what he was holding was real.
“Well, you have my attention,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Good, because I wager this core entirely and without reservation, my peers as witness.”
He luxuriated in the horrified gasps that spread through the room at his words as he soldier on.
“A mithril core for a mere chance to escape the stigma of being tied to a family of slavers. Because I’ll have no part of it. Not now. Not ever. So, one match. Your team against mine. On the Floats. With our ancestors and the gods themselves as witness.”
As well as half the kingdom, because the viewing orbs would definitely be booked to capacity for a scandal of this size. Even at such short notice, the news would spread and no one would want to miss this match.
It was like something out of a story book, after all.
All that was missing was finding out that he’d been supplied the core by his ‘real true love’.
Still, storybook setup or not, he could see others around him smirking or wincing at his words.
Because to them it didn’t sound like a match. It sounded like an execution.
A team of first years going up against a third year team wasn’t a match. It was a slaughter.
Which was why Tala was stuck.
She didn’t want to accept. He could see it. Sure, she wanted the mithril core – who wouldn’t? - but not so much as to jeopardize her family’s alliance with his.
Because a single core was not worth risking losing access to the combined might of the Summerfield dukedom.
…The problem was that no one but her knew that.
All they saw was a moronic young male from a tiny countship practically serving up a core on a silver platter to her. All she had to do was risk losing a fairly unappealing betrothal. Hell, even if she won, no one would bat an eye if she broke off the betrothal anyway after a stunt like this, taking the core and moving onto a more compliant and appealing match.
No, there was no way for her to refuse this duel. Not without being labelled a coward of the highest order.
A death sentence at her level of politics.
He saw the rage in her eyes as she reached that realization.
“I accept, William Ashfield. And know that for all that I will enjoy acquiring another core for the House of Blackstone, that enjoyment will pale in comparison to the joy I will receive from heaping upon you a much needed dose of reality.”
William just grinned, even as the Instructors finally managed to shake off the shock that had overcome them and started marching as one towards him and his team.
“I look forward to it, Tala. From the bottom of my heart.”
If only because this entire farce would finally be over with…
He had much more important things to do than indulge in childish schoolyard squabbles after all.
No matter how difficult they may well turn out to be, he thought grimly.
Because the dice had now been rolled and he was far from certain as to whether they’d land in his favor.
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2024.04.25 06:33 DragonStryk72 Incremental Improvement (Part 42)
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"On a very special episode of Straight Talk, I'm your host, Robert Masters, and with us tonight, we have a huge interview. Since he popped up a couple of months ago, he has been working constantly and now is leading a revolutionary new movement in his home state of Oregon to eradicate homelessness within the state, Marcus McKenna!"
The crowd applauded, and a number chanting 'Aegis' as I stepped out. While most people showed up to this show in suits and more professional attire, I didn't like the feeling of that. It isn't who I am, so when I stepped onto the stage, I was wearing my cargo pants, unbuttoned green flannel with a black tee, and my BSA cap. On Ms. Marisol's show, the stage had been almost like a living room, designed to appear homey, comforting. Here, the stage was shiny and black, sleek, with the backdrop like a window showing the LA skyline. The chairs were more modern in appearance as well. I was on a very different show than I had been before. I crossed the stage, waved slightly to the crowd, shook Robert's hand, and took my seat. Let the games begin.
No time was wasted on pleasantries, "Well, Marcus, I guess the first question I have to ask: Do you think it's okay that so much power has been handed off to a fourteen year old?"
I shook my head, "No. As I'm becoming more steadily aware, however, the grown adults have created a giant series of problems that are completely insane. When I started this, I would have laid things at the feet of the larger apartment complexes, but that was naive of me. I've learned a lot since, and the sheer fact that I am making progress is an indictment of the entire system that exists right now.
"People talk about my youth, but when you come down to it, the vast majority of our Founding Fathers were young. We think of them as old rich white men, but Jefferson was only 33 years old in 1776, Lafeyette was 18, and Hamilton was 21. Sure, Franklin was 70, but he also wasn't trying for any governmental position beyond diplomat duties. Washington himself was 44 when the war started, and most were markedly younger than him."
He nodded along, acknowledging what I was talking about, "Strong words on the part of the system. What do you feel is the central problem there?"
"Mostly well-intentioned people doing things that end up biting everyone else in the ass. For instance, I just learned that one of the reasons that a lot of smaller Portland businesses haven't been able to renovate their businesses is because of a series of ordinances in Portland that tack on extreme hikes in the pricetag of it, things that should be getting done by the city, but are getting dumped at the feet of small businesses.
"I watched one report on a small real estate business that wanted to renovate their interior office space, to bring it up to look more professional and help with business. The city forced them to completely rebuild the corner sidewalk around their business. Their costs for reno were 96k, while the sidewalk improvements cost another 100k, including redoing drains, an ADA ramp for the crosswalks, and whatnot to be up to city code. This is despite the fact that the city already had that corner scheduled for work, " I changed my sitting position for greater comfort, and just worked on ignoring the crowd as they jeered at what was being revealed.
Robert leaned in, "That's insane. I mean, these aren't major companies right? Where do they even get the extra capital for these things?"
I didn't need a pause, but took one for the sake of appearances. I'd learned that people got worried when I kept responding immediately, "Generally, they take on more debt through business loans, and in turn, that adds interest, so they really end up paying even more money than the actual expenses would dictate. A number either have to forego the improvements, and others fail due to the added expenses, or they get sick of it, and just shut down before they get taken out before the death of a thousand papercuts has a chance to kill them. It can hold back wage increases for employees, and keep smaller businesses from being able to effectively compete with the larger companies."
The interview went back and forth for more than an hour and a half, with constant questions, follow-ups, and talking about the state of affairs in Portland. Robert was more of a political interviewer, and we talked about a number of subjects. Our final one, however, was a fairly interesting moment, "A number of people on the left are talking online about how there are a lot of other areas that you could be working on, but you've stayed incredibly focused. Are you going to be tackling other issues?"
"For now, no. I'm not sure what comes later, but I have to be focused on this one thing. It's one of my issues with the left. All military wisdom starts from the adage 'never fight a war on two fronts'. The left is trying to fight a constant war on three hundred and sixty fronts, and looking to add more. I can't afford that, because it leads to everything staying as it is. If I want to do this, then everything has to be about the mission at hand. Multi-tasking is just doing a bunch of stuff worse. In a pinch it can work, but you're mostly just hamstringing yourself," I replied, and I knew the follow up was coming.
"So what would your advice be to those who are looking to commit to similar changes?"
I gave it some honest consideration before replying, "First, if you're looking to cure homelessness, I've made a report by Cho Yun Hee available through my social media, with my own notations on it. Everything we're doing is being noted and recorded good or bad, so that we can use it as a jumping off point for the rest of the country hopefully. Next is that you have to focus, this thing where everyone gets sidetracked on things like nomenclature, and a thousand side issues just holds everything back from getting done. An imperfect solution is better than no solution.
"Finally, and jumping off of that point: Learn when to shut the fuck up. You can't expect everyone to agree with you, you can't expect every problem to be handled, or people to be on your level. Stop assigning malice, and learn when you need to back off, cause a lot of people the left are losing from the fight are leaving because they're just done. War fatigue is a real thing, people need to be able to step away from the fight and fully just be. In the way they're fighting, the left is more and more turning into the newest version of colonizers, forcing their ideals into every facet of things, and refusing to really listen to the people who are telling them pretty clearly that they're sick of it. At certain point, it becomes toxic, and it drags down progress, forcing people to dig in and even fight against it. 90% of the problems I'm running into aren't from people opposing my plans, it's the people who are in the fight with me, and that's just ludicrous to think about, that your own team is becoming the source of trouble trying to do the things you're all there to do."
By the next morning, clips of the show were all over the place, especially in Portland. For the most part, people only had maybe an inkling of the things that were going on in the government. I'd used the interview to bring people up to speed, and since Portland's been having some anger issues the last few years, kindly gave them a direction to angry in. For now, I didn't have to do anything, but I imagine the Portland and Oregon government weren't happy with me. Ah well, if you stop working because you might offend someone, you'll never get to work.
Demo was underway at the mall, and while I was checking progress, Hector pulled me off to the side, speaking in broken English, "Senor McKenna, we have problem."
I switched over to Spanish, "What seems to be the problem?"
In more familiar ground linguistically, Hector eased a bit, "Some men started showing up on and around the site, looking it over. Yesterday, though, three of them came onto the site, and want 'protection money'."
"Did they threaten you?"
Hector kind of did a headbob, "Not directly."
I nodded, "They just implied it. Did they say when they're coming back?"
"Tomorrow."
Alright, this'll be fun, "Great then. I'll see you all tomorrow, and we'll have a discussion with them."
Sigh... I was hoping things like this would hold off for a bit, let me focus more on the project until we had all of our new residents out of Portland, but apparently, I wasn't getting the extra time.
I finished up the rest of my work for the day, and I pretty much just assumed if they knew I was on hand they wouldn't show up. Not that difficult to get around with my abilities. The next day I just took care of a couple of things ahead of time, then did a bunch of teleports across rooftops, and came in through the roof of the mall so no one saw me to begin with. Then I just waited and watched on our security cameras until the guys showed up. They were definitely conspicuous coming in, none of them wearing safety vest or hard hats, and as I watched via the cameras, I identified guns, and the five of them were carrying things like aluminum bats for bludgeoning. Like, seriously, what were they thinking?... adequately explained by stupidity.
Hanlon's Razor came back to me. The extortion plan might be malicious, but the choice of target was just stupid. Why would you pick the one place that was being actively protected by a super? Cause they're dumb enough to think they can get away with it. Oh well, let's go take care of the lesson plan. I let them get all the way inside the mall as planned, up to Hector, while I recorded their conversation through they and Hector's phones with Technopathy. Between that and the cameras, every moment of this was on record. The issue was patience: If I wanted to keep guys like this out, I had to get them off the street in a way that made sure they stayed behind bars, and sent a message that further attempts were a lost cause. That meant letting them get far enough along to go from indirect to direct aggression. Hector understood, had dealt with guys like these ones before, but it didn't make it feel any better.
The ring leader stood in the center, walking with exaggerated swagger, a pretty standard tactic to make yourself look bigger than you really are. He stepped up to Hector with two of buddies flanking, one to each side, while the two remaining ones turn their backs to him, and each drew a gun, simple Glock 9mms. They're not fancy as far as pistols go, but they're easily concealed, and pretty stable firearms. There was a reason they were so ubiquitous, with even some cops using them. This wasn't their first rodeo. The leader looked around at the everyone, "Mr. Suarez, I believe you have some money for me."
Hector stood firm, "I do not. You need to leave. I won't let you threaten us."
The leader chuckled, stepping that one last step in, and snapped off a jab into Hector's midsection, "Now, what I don't get is, you knew this comin'. But you, you're a good man, but tell me this-"
Hector fell to his knees, and I was just about ready to go, but I still held for a second. The leader was talking, wanted to impress everyone with his 'power', and I could get more intel if I just hung out a moment, and the man was more than willing to oblige, squatting down to Hector's just slightly above Hector's eye level, "Who here do I have to hurt to get the point across? You? Nah, fam, you'll take the hits, and you'll be fine, so I'm thinkin'... that one."
He pointed out a woman, a designer who was consulting, and one of his guys with the guns took aim while the other kept his eyes on the rest of the crowd, "So, we doin' this? Or we gonna keep needin' more education in this motherfucker?"
"GENTLEMEN!"
Well, it's showtime. I'd chosen to make my appearance along the second floor railing, laying my hands on it as I looked down, "Afraid you're going home empty-handed there, guys."
Both guns retrained on me, and the others started going for theirs as their leader changed focus, standing and stepping forward, "Oh, maybe for now, but you ain't gonna be here forever, man."
I conceded the point, "You're absolutely right."
I teleported behind them, now between them and Hector, snapping out tendrils to the two armed ones that were farther away, "But really, how often do I really need to be here for something this trivial?"
I took in their scents, activating my scent tracking. They weren't the only ones who would fall, I had to take out whoever was sending them, "I do note a distinct lack of serial numbers on these guns. Tsk, tsk, that's illegal."
They flipped around, alarm on the faces of the ones I'd already disarm. I yanked the guns back behind me, dropping the tendrils, and dropped low, sweeping with my foot, taking out the nearest one as slammed into the floor. I slapped his gun away as I snapped out a tendril to the other one and added another disarmed gun to the pile behind me. The two at the back saw what way this was going, and tried to book it, only for me to telport back in front of them, "Nope, sorry, but this is the end of the line, guys. Down on the ground, please."
It was one thing to think you could take someone on, and the reality of the situation. Sure, they could take me on, in theory, but they were just clowns now. It didn't really matter how many of them there were here, and I saw the understanding in their eyes as they put their hands behind their heads and got down on their knees, "Now, I believe that just leaves the one if I've got my math right. You want off this ride?"
He swore, and slowly took the gun from his waist, laying it down as he joined his colleagues on the floor, "This ain't over."
"Quite right, but first, let's handle this one. You're all under arrest, racketeering, extortion, conspiracy to commit, assault, possession of an illegal firearm, it's a pretty solid list. The cops'll take care of the rest of the charges, but I suppose I'll get some things out of the way first: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law-"
I read them their Miranda Rights as I teleported about, using tendrils to collect up all the weapons so that I wouldn't risk smudging the fingerprints, while cops came in from where they'd been waiting. Having full command control had its advantages. I'd had them come in dressed as day laborers, not cops. Yeah, I was showboating, but for reason. I didn't just need the criminals to be clear that playtime was over, I needed the cops to get it, the people all around. Your weapons, guns, and numbers just weren't a factor anymore.
As the cops took over the scene, I checked on Hector, who said he was fine, and then I followed their trail back to where they'd started out at. They hadn't been alone, they were part of a larger group, and for the moment, I couldn't do all that much, but just knowing it existed was enough. I noted the area, sent the information on to the three-letter groups, and kept moving with my day. I would go through my little group's phones later and get whatever info they had, and start getting a larger web of connections. For now, however, I had a meeting with Miguel to find a place to build an under 18 nightclub so I could take my girlfriend out dancing.
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submitted by DragonStryk72 to HFY [link] [comments]
"On a very special episode of Straight Talk, I'm your host, Robert Masters, and with us tonight, we have a huge interview. Since he popped up a couple of months ago, he has been working constantly and now is leading a revolutionary new movement in his home state of Oregon to eradicate homelessness within the state, Marcus McKenna!"
The crowd applauded, and a number chanting 'Aegis' as I stepped out. While most people showed up to this show in suits and more professional attire, I didn't like the feeling of that. It isn't who I am, so when I stepped onto the stage, I was wearing my cargo pants, unbuttoned green flannel with a black tee, and my BSA cap. On Ms. Marisol's show, the stage had been almost like a living room, designed to appear homey, comforting. Here, the stage was shiny and black, sleek, with the backdrop like a window showing the LA skyline. The chairs were more modern in appearance as well. I was on a very different show than I had been before. I crossed the stage, waved slightly to the crowd, shook Robert's hand, and took my seat. Let the games begin.
No time was wasted on pleasantries, "Well, Marcus, I guess the first question I have to ask: Do you think it's okay that so much power has been handed off to a fourteen year old?"
I shook my head, "No. As I'm becoming more steadily aware, however, the grown adults have created a giant series of problems that are completely insane. When I started this, I would have laid things at the feet of the larger apartment complexes, but that was naive of me. I've learned a lot since, and the sheer fact that I am making progress is an indictment of the entire system that exists right now.
"People talk about my youth, but when you come down to it, the vast majority of our Founding Fathers were young. We think of them as old rich white men, but Jefferson was only 33 years old in 1776, Lafeyette was 18, and Hamilton was 21. Sure, Franklin was 70, but he also wasn't trying for any governmental position beyond diplomat duties. Washington himself was 44 when the war started, and most were markedly younger than him."
He nodded along, acknowledging what I was talking about, "Strong words on the part of the system. What do you feel is the central problem there?"
"Mostly well-intentioned people doing things that end up biting everyone else in the ass. For instance, I just learned that one of the reasons that a lot of smaller Portland businesses haven't been able to renovate their businesses is because of a series of ordinances in Portland that tack on extreme hikes in the pricetag of it, things that should be getting done by the city, but are getting dumped at the feet of small businesses.
"I watched one report on a small real estate business that wanted to renovate their interior office space, to bring it up to look more professional and help with business. The city forced them to completely rebuild the corner sidewalk around their business. Their costs for reno were 96k, while the sidewalk improvements cost another 100k, including redoing drains, an ADA ramp for the crosswalks, and whatnot to be up to city code. This is despite the fact that the city already had that corner scheduled for work, " I changed my sitting position for greater comfort, and just worked on ignoring the crowd as they jeered at what was being revealed.
Robert leaned in, "That's insane. I mean, these aren't major companies right? Where do they even get the extra capital for these things?"
I didn't need a pause, but took one for the sake of appearances. I'd learned that people got worried when I kept responding immediately, "Generally, they take on more debt through business loans, and in turn, that adds interest, so they really end up paying even more money than the actual expenses would dictate. A number either have to forego the improvements, and others fail due to the added expenses, or they get sick of it, and just shut down before they get taken out before the death of a thousand papercuts has a chance to kill them. It can hold back wage increases for employees, and keep smaller businesses from being able to effectively compete with the larger companies."
The interview went back and forth for more than an hour and a half, with constant questions, follow-ups, and talking about the state of affairs in Portland. Robert was more of a political interviewer, and we talked about a number of subjects. Our final one, however, was a fairly interesting moment, "A number of people on the left are talking online about how there are a lot of other areas that you could be working on, but you've stayed incredibly focused. Are you going to be tackling other issues?"
"For now, no. I'm not sure what comes later, but I have to be focused on this one thing. It's one of my issues with the left. All military wisdom starts from the adage 'never fight a war on two fronts'. The left is trying to fight a constant war on three hundred and sixty fronts, and looking to add more. I can't afford that, because it leads to everything staying as it is. If I want to do this, then everything has to be about the mission at hand. Multi-tasking is just doing a bunch of stuff worse. In a pinch it can work, but you're mostly just hamstringing yourself," I replied, and I knew the follow up was coming.
"So what would your advice be to those who are looking to commit to similar changes?"
I gave it some honest consideration before replying, "First, if you're looking to cure homelessness, I've made a report by Cho Yun Hee available through my social media, with my own notations on it. Everything we're doing is being noted and recorded good or bad, so that we can use it as a jumping off point for the rest of the country hopefully. Next is that you have to focus, this thing where everyone gets sidetracked on things like nomenclature, and a thousand side issues just holds everything back from getting done. An imperfect solution is better than no solution.
"Finally, and jumping off of that point: Learn when to shut the fuck up. You can't expect everyone to agree with you, you can't expect every problem to be handled, or people to be on your level. Stop assigning malice, and learn when you need to back off, cause a lot of people the left are losing from the fight are leaving because they're just done. War fatigue is a real thing, people need to be able to step away from the fight and fully just be. In the way they're fighting, the left is more and more turning into the newest version of colonizers, forcing their ideals into every facet of things, and refusing to really listen to the people who are telling them pretty clearly that they're sick of it. At certain point, it becomes toxic, and it drags down progress, forcing people to dig in and even fight against it. 90% of the problems I'm running into aren't from people opposing my plans, it's the people who are in the fight with me, and that's just ludicrous to think about, that your own team is becoming the source of trouble trying to do the things you're all there to do."
By the next morning, clips of the show were all over the place, especially in Portland. For the most part, people only had maybe an inkling of the things that were going on in the government. I'd used the interview to bring people up to speed, and since Portland's been having some anger issues the last few years, kindly gave them a direction to angry in. For now, I didn't have to do anything, but I imagine the Portland and Oregon government weren't happy with me. Ah well, if you stop working because you might offend someone, you'll never get to work.
Demo was underway at the mall, and while I was checking progress, Hector pulled me off to the side, speaking in broken English, "Senor McKenna, we have problem."
I switched over to Spanish, "What seems to be the problem?"
In more familiar ground linguistically, Hector eased a bit, "Some men started showing up on and around the site, looking it over. Yesterday, though, three of them came onto the site, and want 'protection money'."
"Did they threaten you?"
Hector kind of did a headbob, "Not directly."
I nodded, "They just implied it. Did they say when they're coming back?"
"Tomorrow."
Alright, this'll be fun, "Great then. I'll see you all tomorrow, and we'll have a discussion with them."
Sigh... I was hoping things like this would hold off for a bit, let me focus more on the project until we had all of our new residents out of Portland, but apparently, I wasn't getting the extra time.
I finished up the rest of my work for the day, and I pretty much just assumed if they knew I was on hand they wouldn't show up. Not that difficult to get around with my abilities. The next day I just took care of a couple of things ahead of time, then did a bunch of teleports across rooftops, and came in through the roof of the mall so no one saw me to begin with. Then I just waited and watched on our security cameras until the guys showed up. They were definitely conspicuous coming in, none of them wearing safety vest or hard hats, and as I watched via the cameras, I identified guns, and the five of them were carrying things like aluminum bats for bludgeoning. Like, seriously, what were they thinking?... adequately explained by stupidity.
Hanlon's Razor came back to me. The extortion plan might be malicious, but the choice of target was just stupid. Why would you pick the one place that was being actively protected by a super? Cause they're dumb enough to think they can get away with it. Oh well, let's go take care of the lesson plan. I let them get all the way inside the mall as planned, up to Hector, while I recorded their conversation through they and Hector's phones with Technopathy. Between that and the cameras, every moment of this was on record. The issue was patience: If I wanted to keep guys like this out, I had to get them off the street in a way that made sure they stayed behind bars, and sent a message that further attempts were a lost cause. That meant letting them get far enough along to go from indirect to direct aggression. Hector understood, had dealt with guys like these ones before, but it didn't make it feel any better.
The ring leader stood in the center, walking with exaggerated swagger, a pretty standard tactic to make yourself look bigger than you really are. He stepped up to Hector with two of buddies flanking, one to each side, while the two remaining ones turn their backs to him, and each drew a gun, simple Glock 9mms. They're not fancy as far as pistols go, but they're easily concealed, and pretty stable firearms. There was a reason they were so ubiquitous, with even some cops using them. This wasn't their first rodeo. The leader looked around at the everyone, "Mr. Suarez, I believe you have some money for me."
Hector stood firm, "I do not. You need to leave. I won't let you threaten us."
The leader chuckled, stepping that one last step in, and snapped off a jab into Hector's midsection, "Now, what I don't get is, you knew this comin'. But you, you're a good man, but tell me this-"
Hector fell to his knees, and I was just about ready to go, but I still held for a second. The leader was talking, wanted to impress everyone with his 'power', and I could get more intel if I just hung out a moment, and the man was more than willing to oblige, squatting down to Hector's just slightly above Hector's eye level, "Who here do I have to hurt to get the point across? You? Nah, fam, you'll take the hits, and you'll be fine, so I'm thinkin'... that one."
He pointed out a woman, a designer who was consulting, and one of his guys with the guns took aim while the other kept his eyes on the rest of the crowd, "So, we doin' this? Or we gonna keep needin' more education in this motherfucker?"
"GENTLEMEN!"
Well, it's showtime. I'd chosen to make my appearance along the second floor railing, laying my hands on it as I looked down, "Afraid you're going home empty-handed there, guys."
Both guns retrained on me, and the others started going for theirs as their leader changed focus, standing and stepping forward, "Oh, maybe for now, but you ain't gonna be here forever, man."
I conceded the point, "You're absolutely right."
I teleported behind them, now between them and Hector, snapping out tendrils to the two armed ones that were farther away, "But really, how often do I really need to be here for something this trivial?"
I took in their scents, activating my scent tracking. They weren't the only ones who would fall, I had to take out whoever was sending them, "I do note a distinct lack of serial numbers on these guns. Tsk, tsk, that's illegal."
They flipped around, alarm on the faces of the ones I'd already disarm. I yanked the guns back behind me, dropping the tendrils, and dropped low, sweeping with my foot, taking out the nearest one as slammed into the floor. I slapped his gun away as I snapped out a tendril to the other one and added another disarmed gun to the pile behind me. The two at the back saw what way this was going, and tried to book it, only for me to telport back in front of them, "Nope, sorry, but this is the end of the line, guys. Down on the ground, please."
It was one thing to think you could take someone on, and the reality of the situation. Sure, they could take me on, in theory, but they were just clowns now. It didn't really matter how many of them there were here, and I saw the understanding in their eyes as they put their hands behind their heads and got down on their knees, "Now, I believe that just leaves the one if I've got my math right. You want off this ride?"
He swore, and slowly took the gun from his waist, laying it down as he joined his colleagues on the floor, "This ain't over."
"Quite right, but first, let's handle this one. You're all under arrest, racketeering, extortion, conspiracy to commit, assault, possession of an illegal firearm, it's a pretty solid list. The cops'll take care of the rest of the charges, but I suppose I'll get some things out of the way first: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law-"
I read them their Miranda Rights as I teleported about, using tendrils to collect up all the weapons so that I wouldn't risk smudging the fingerprints, while cops came in from where they'd been waiting. Having full command control had its advantages. I'd had them come in dressed as day laborers, not cops. Yeah, I was showboating, but for reason. I didn't just need the criminals to be clear that playtime was over, I needed the cops to get it, the people all around. Your weapons, guns, and numbers just weren't a factor anymore.
As the cops took over the scene, I checked on Hector, who said he was fine, and then I followed their trail back to where they'd started out at. They hadn't been alone, they were part of a larger group, and for the moment, I couldn't do all that much, but just knowing it existed was enough. I noted the area, sent the information on to the three-letter groups, and kept moving with my day. I would go through my little group's phones later and get whatever info they had, and start getting a larger web of connections. For now, however, I had a meeting with Miguel to find a place to build an under 18 nightclub so I could take my girlfriend out dancing.
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2024.04.24 20:10 Mista9000 Perfectly Safe Demons -Ch 37- Forms of Address
Chapter One
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Taritha woke to birds chirping—a small perk of living close to the woods. Not that she had chosen this, really. In recent weeks, she’d approached every potential house seller in the village, but none had panned out. She yawned, stretching as she stood in her cramped home, where even the ceiling seemed to press down upon her. As she ducked instinctively to avoid bumping her head, she imagined a real house, with rooms tall enough to hold her dreams. Or at least where she could stand up straight.
Despite everything, she felt a pang of nostalgia. This was her birthplace, the only home she’d ever known. Yet now, it harboured mostly painful memories. Thoughts of her ma and grandma, whom she dearly loved, too often left her feeling drained and sad—luxuries she couldn’t afford with her busy days. She was no longer the frightened girl learning the names of all the flowers in the meadow. Now, she stood as the town's healer, or more precisely, the assistant to the town's biomancer—a role with even greater prestige.
"If only Gran could see me now," she mused aloud with a bittersweet smile.
Taritha approached the two woven reed baskets that stored all her belongings. Among them were the old, patched dresses of her past—a stark contrast to the refined, embroidered garments the mage had given her. These made her feel transformed, but today, on her day off, she had something even better in mind. She smiled, pulling out a new dress made by her friend, Jeanel the seamstress. It was just delivered the other night and was her first purchase ever—a pale green dress with flowy sleeves and a narrow collar. The fine cotton swished at her ankles, a delightful improvement from the coarse fabrics she was used to.
With a contented sigh, she revelled briefly in the feel of the dress, then turned her attention to breakfast. Despite her ongoing magical studies, she’d yet to master even boiling water. As she gathered sticks in the forest, she mused how her life had been dominated by such mundane tasks, a stark contrast to the mage's effortless magic. That more than anything fueled her passion to learn his secrets.
Returning home, Taritha stoked the morning’s embers and set a pot of porridge on her small hearth. A busy herbalist, she always had some honey on hand. In addition to its therapeutic qualities, it made her breakfast far more palatable. After the hearty oats, she tackled her unruly hair with a worn wooden comb, a necessary chore given her long locks. The old comb was worn and was missing more than half its teeth, but she’d had it for years. Maybe it was time to replace it, later this afternoon. Each stroke helped her focus, as she mentally prepared for her day.
Today is a big day! Mage Thippily asked me to meet him at the new factory!
She washed her hands in a shallow bowl in front of her house, flung the water into the woods, and headed to the mage’s converted warehouse. She rubbed her hands dry as she crossed through the woods and into town. Here and there people smiled and waved at her.
She was always barely tolerated, and only that because she provided the poorer folk with herbs and cures, and helped her gran do the same since she was a girl. It was different now. She wasn’t sure if it was dressing like a big city clerk, or the amazing results the mage had worked, or just being associated with the huge, and almost universally positive changes that had come to the town in the last few months? She was treated like a respected pillar of the community, even without a powerful family. Or maybe because of her powerful new friends, she mused.
Taritha arrived at the sprawling patio where the mage’s men lounged in casual attire. Although she often spoke with them and even joined in their card games, she realised how little she truly knew about them. Their backgrounds were an enigma; they spoke of poverty yet displayed a casual wealth, like the time Rikad nonchalantly settled a woodcutter’s hefty, overdue tab with a mere wave of his hand. Their claims of never having served a lord or the imperial army were belied by their skilled, coordinated response during the pirate attack.
Their treatment of her was curiously deferential. Despite the lack of a formal hierarchy beyond Mage Thipply at the summit and Lord Stanisk as his deputy, they treated her with respect bordering on reverence. She wasn’t even sure of elv’s exact status—was she respected, feared, or merely tolerated? Yet, Taritha found herself secretly delighted by their respectful, if entirely mistaken, forms of address.
“Ah! Her Grace has arrived! We saved a sugar bun for you!” Eowin somehow mistook her for a duchess as he dramatically gestured to the patio table, where a single pastry sat on a crumb-covered cloth.
“You surely spoil me with your kindness, gentlemen!” The bun was cooled but was still tender and fresh. She tore into it while everyone stood up to gather around.
“Ifff Thiffply here yet? She asked, covering her full mouth with her hand.
“Nah, he left hours ago,” Kedril announced as he opened the gate, gesturing for everyone to head out. “We’re to join him at his factory once you show up.”
“Why do you think he wants all of us there? That’s a bit ominous, isn’t it?” Rikad mused as they strolled down the street.
“It’s to show off his, OUR, new factory. He’s been out there every day since Midsummer. Nothing he could do would be ominous!” Ross countered, drawing groans from his mates.
“If he asked you to walk into a sea monster’s mouth, you’d do it! I swear!” Kerdril retorted, exasperated.
“Well yeah! Because he’d only ask that if it was okay! You guys would too!” Ros insisted.
Taritha couldn't decide if Ros's unwavering faith was endearing or concerning. The polite, bespectacled man was undoubtedly generous, but secrets followed him like storm clouds.
Rikad turned to her, curiosity piqued. “Okay, Taritha, we might not know anything, but you must. You talk to the mage more than all of us combined!”
“He’s been distracted and excited, definitely looking forward to today. But I’m not in the inner circle, I’m just a worker bee like you guys,” she shrugged, smiling as the men sported an array of colourful tunics, remnants of the Midsummer melee.
As the boastful chatter continued at the front, Ros slowed to match Taritha's pace. “How's the house hunt going? Find anyone selling?”
“No, even with the Chief helping, they all know it’s for me, and they’re being difficult. I help these people, but they can’t look past what they think they know about me,” she confessed, careful to keep her eyes on the tricky path.
“That stinks. But at least your clinic yesterday went well, right?” Ros tried to lighten the mood.
“Mostly? I almost wish someone would come in with an axe in their leg! Now, it's all trivial complaints. Like, they’re tired before bed or their kids won’t listen—things we can’t fix because there’s nothing actually wrong,” she laughed dryly. Realizing she’d been complaining and talking about herself too long, she redirected back to Ros, “Was that your first battle the other night? Seeing you in action, I worried, but those pirates didn’t stand a chance against you!”
He softened, touched by her concern. “I’m just as strong as anyone else! Maybe younger, but—” He paused, kicking a pine cone, then added gruffly, “We fought for the town. Giving up was never an option.”
After a moment, he looked up, his face brightening. “I like your dress, by the way. Is it new?”
She beamed with pride and smoothed the fabric. “Thanks! Yes, it's from my friend, the seamstress. Getting paid is a better way to live.”
“The pay is good, the second best part of the job, maybe third,” he quipped, offering a teasing grin.
Taritha laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. “Oh Light! I see why they groan when you talk. Hey, Rikad! I bet the mage will turn one of you into a messenger pigeon, and I’m just here to make sure none of you eat the birdman!”
They rounded a corner and Taritha could see the factory for the first time. Her duties and habits had kept her in town for the last few months, making today the first time she’d seen the building. This section of woods, and even this trail were familiar to her, but the enormous stone edifice in front of her was striking. She’d never seen any building as big in her life. The scale was hard to judge, but it looked like she could fit not just the count’s manor, the church, and every inn in town in the great building. Probably most of the craft district too!
The road led them straight into the daunting gatehouse. Wide enough for even oversized carts, it was sturdy enough for a siege. Her hand lingered on the open door. The imported oak was thick, and bound by great iron braces. She could feel the subtle pulse of some enchantments deep in the wood, strengthening and protecting it. Her companions were more impressed by the well appointed guard posts and the lookout tower, linked to the gatehouse by a rope bridge high overhead.
“Ah yeah! Look, it’s stone all the way around the tower, the only way in is at the top! From up there we could shoot into the back of anyone attacking the gate!” Rikad pointed out with glee, elbowing Kedril.
“Lightdamn it,” Kedril replied with a low sigh, smiling despite the jab.
After admiring the craftsmanship of the entryway, they stepped into the main yard of the factory. It was a sprawling, wide-open space, recently reclaimed from the dense forest that still towered around its walls. The ground was a patchwork of uneven dirt, dotted with stringy bushes and the raw stumps of freshly cut trees. Piles of construction materials—lumber, stone, and scattered tools—lay strewn about, signs of the ongoing work. A rough, two-lane road carved through the yard, looping around the area in a practical, if makeshift, circuit.
Taritha paused to slowly turn in place, absorbing the imposing scene. The walls around her soared several stories high, lined with dressed timber that lent the industrial space an unexpected warmth, reminiscent of a colossal cabin. Massive loading bay doors punctuated the walls, each wide enough to accommodate carts and machinery, flanked by smaller, human-sized doors dotted the side of the factory proper.
The entire courtyard felt like a blend of raw, untamed nature and budding industrial might, a place on the cusp of becoming a centre of bustling activity yet still holding onto elements of the wild forest it had so recently been.
“Oh! I think that’s the door to go in!” Taritha announced, gesturing to the one with parchment bearing the mage’s neat handwriting.
Please Come In
“I thought you said you’d never been here? Rikard said, his voice suspicious, his eyebrows impressed.
“That’s what the– nevermind, it's this way.” she said. Her attention was now acutely focused on what lay ahead.
What could it be about? This was strange. If it were a tour, why didn’t he, or at least Stanisk greet them at the front? Something’s off. He’s firing us all. We get paid too much, and now that his fortress is built, he doesn’t need us!
She noticed nothing of the interior, focused instead on her fears and anxieties. Good things were vanishingly rare in her life, so she didn’t expect them to last. She walked, looking at her feet. She hoped that she could at least keep her new black boots when they fired her, she really liked them.
They ended up in the main factory space, a colossal room that occupied more than half of the expansive building. It had rows of empty shelves on the sides, complex kilns at the back and rows of low, very wide empty benches around most of the perimeter. In the open centre of the room stood Lord Stanisk and Mage Thippily. As usual, Stanisk was clad in his heavy steel mail, while Thippily wore his customary tan vest over a neatly pressed shirt and slacks, exuding scholarly dignity. Their familiar attire offered a touch of reassurance amidst the vast, unfamiliar space.. The lack of tools or supplies made it feel a lot more like an abandoned warehouse, but much much bigger than any she’d heard of.
“Come! Come! What do you think? They did a first rate job, especially in such a short time!” Mage Thippily gestured around at the huge room. His cheerful voice seemed small on the factory floor.
Above, the ceilings towered, reaching heights Taritha had never seen inside a building, instilling a feeling of insignificance that was hard to ignore. The air was laden with the scent of fresh-cut wood and pine resin, comforting yet somehow unsettling in this unfamiliar, grandiose setting. She marvelled at the impressive scale of the room, all the while aware of how little she understood.
“Come! Gather around, we’ve so much to discuss!” Mage Thippily’s infectious cheerfulness helped scare away some of her worries. “Today is the day! This has been a huge part of my dream since before I even hired the first of you! Even before I met Stanisk!” He motioned everyone closer, and they formed a semi circle around him and his Chief of security, with a respectful few paces of distance between them.
“Have a knee, lads.” Stanisk casually commanded, and the twelve men immediately fell to a comfortable looking kneeling stance. That it happened in smooth unison implied this happened a lot. Much slower and more awkwardly she bunched her dress to the side and seated herself on the plank floor.
“Oh, excellent! Alright! There are a few things I wanted to share today!” The mage seemed more nervous than she did, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or an awful one. What could he possibly have to worry about? He had all the money and power!
He straightened his wire frame glasses and continued, “First of all the factory will be starting regular production tomorrow! The carts and supplies will start arriving all day today, so Stanisk will have your updated duty roster. I imagine factory security will be the majority of your duties now, so there will be some adjustments. All of our vacations are over now!” He chuckled awkwardly.
“Running up hills with sacks of rocks was less of a vacation than you’d think M’lord!” one man piped up.
“Work is sitting in a shaded gatehouse? I reckon we’ll live,” added another.
“Cut the chatter, the mage ain’t done.” Stanisk seemed uncomfortable.
She hadn’t noticed it at first, but he was always so calm and resolute, seeing conflict written across his face was the most unsettling part so far. The boys seemed happy, their jobs sounded safe now. She tried to look serene.
The mage couldn’t fire me, I am learning magic! But too slowly? Maybe he’s too busy to continue tutoring a dullard with a whole factory to run?
Mage Thippily continued, “I have also mostly completed the quarters here, and you are all invited to move in immediately. I’d like to lend our warehouse-barracks to the families that lost their homes in the raid, then convert it back to a normal warehouse later on, since we’ll need the storage space soon.”
The men looked around the huge empty room but didn’t say anything. On one hand, sleeping on a factory floor was what very poor serfs did in the cities. On the other hand, the mage had been uncommonly open-handed so far, so the offer warranted at least some patience. After all, she was envious of how nice their accommodations were in that converted warehouse.
Seeing no objections, Mage Thippily gulped and shrugged, his discomfort growing more obvious. “Well, there is one more, rather large, bit of business in the middle. I’ve not been completely forthright about, well about the core nature of this entire enterprise.” He shifted his shoulders uncomfortably, for an instant reminding her of a very little boy getting caught stealing sweets. “The way that I make things isn't with magic, more with magical creatures.”
To her it seemed like a distinction without a difference. If anything that made it all much more impressive.
Seeing confused shrugs, he elaborated, “The creatures are animated with extraplanar energy, and bound, or I guess more accurately, projected using a novel form of enchanting, I’ve been calling totems.” Again no response. They were all fairly accustomed to his habit of over-explaining. Her recent arcane education had never mentioned anything about extraplanar energy or totems, but she could fill this massive building with all the things she didn’t know about magic.
“Since the specific extraplanar dimension is commonly called the ‘Hellplane’ and most of the process is based in demonology, they could be considered, in some categorization systems, as a type of demon.” he winced as he spoke.
Ah, there it is. He was the worst evil the Church had ever known and had allied himself with the forces of madness and chaos.
It was a shock to her, and she physically recoiled from the news. How could the kind, gentle mage be an incarnation of the cruelest type of evil? Literal demon worshipers. She reflected on how little he was bothered by her being born a witch, and compared to actual demons, it made a lot more sense. A narrow ray of self-doubt nagged her, if the church had lied to everyone about witches, maybe her reaction to demons was conditioned the same way.
Mage Thippily, or more accurately, Master Demonologist Thippily continued,“To be clear, they are not native to hell, nor do they have minds as we understand minds. They are perfectly safe, perfectly obedient and incapable of suffering. I cannot overstate how safe they are. One hundred point zero percent safe!”
A few of the men stood up and reached for non-existent weapons on their hips as they backpedaled. Eowin made the gesture of the triangle while shaking his head.
“Sit down you helpless moon-calves, the mage ain’t done talkin’,” Stanisk’s tone held just the barest edge of danger, and they begrudgingly stopped and knelt again. A sea of wide eyes focused on the mage, alert and tense.
“You knew about this, sir?”
“Sit down and shut up. Of course, I knew. I saw the imps ‘fore I even met Grigory.”
Grigory regained the focus. “First let me explain the perks! Each of you will get your own set of imps! They are perfectly obedient, and even bad instructions can’t cause bad outcomes. They will hopefully make your lives easier, free you from drudgery and give you more time and focus for enrichment! This factory, all my money and political clout, all of it is in service of my one true goal, and it’s been weighing on me not being able to share it!” He stood as straight as he could, and held his slightly trembling hands in front of him. “The end of labour, for all people everywhere!”
“Huh?” A sea of confused shrugs.
That goal was impossible and dumb. Everything is labour, that’s the whole point of, well everything? That’s the basis of everyone’s place in the world.
“One step at a time of course! First you, then the town then the whole Empire! The imps are perfectly safe, and much of what everyone does every day is tiring, undignified, and often unpleasant. Imps can do that now! There will be a day when all people in all places can spend their time however they please, pursuing whatever they fancy!”
Still a lot of sceptical frowns.
“So what’s that mean for us, milord? I don’t reckon I get where we fit in, as your workers?” Jourgun asked timidly.
“Ah! Of course! So the nature of the imps, their absolute inability to harm anyone means I still need people with the physical and moral capacity to defend my dream. It means you will accrue more wealth and power until those terms become meaningless, it means that I am now free to offer you the very best of my aid, and you will be the first to live the way I want all sentient life everywhere to live, free of drudgery!”
Most of that sounded like hollow rhetoric, but so much money that the term lost meaning seemed a very interesting offer. Well, to the soldiers. Taritha was all too aware she had neither the moral nor physical capacity to defend the mage against much. The men exchanged meaningful looks without saying anything.
“But I also understand the nature of this is itself an unkindness. I put you in a position where you are basically coerced into potentially acting against your beliefs. Since no one can say yes if they cannot also say no, I have a secondary offer. Anyone who would like to quit may do so. I’ll pay the balance of this year's salary, and pay for your passage on a ship to Wave Gate. In exchange for a simple verbal promise to keep my secret for the next year or two.”
“You’se best think hard on breaking that promise. You’se’d be making enemies with the most dangerous Grandmaster Demonologist whats lived in millenia,” Stanisk intoned menacingly.
“No, not at all! He’s kidding!” Grigory added while trying to smile as wide as he could.
Stanisk scowled and shook his head subtly, communicating that he was definitely not kidding.
“Can we talk about it for a bit? This seems, uh, big?” Rikad asked.
“Oh My! Yes! By all means!” the mage nodded agreeably.
Beside her the men stood up and huddled close, discussing intensely. She stood and looked at the tight knot of men. She felt out of place alone, and out of place butting in, but did anyway.
“-- is a no-brainer, right? We’d be insane to turn this down?”
“What about our souls? Money comes and goes, but souls?”
“I ain’t done no business with demons ‘afore? I don’t know guys…,” Jourgun equivocated.
“You hadn’t done business with a baker or tailor before the mage hired ya, don’t confuse being broke with being moral. Think about what else you can do that will result in a better life. It's the best offer I’ve been given, and the best offer anyone in a dozen generations of my family has gotten.” Rikad was firm, his priorities were well known to the rest of the men.
“This might not be his only secret, what if there’s more, and it’s worse?” whispered Taritha. She hated being the negative one, but it was so obvious to her.
“Sir! Is there more? Will it be worse?” Ros shouted.
“Uh, no? Plenty of more small details, but they’re all good, at least I think so?” The master demonologist said with a shrug.
“It’s okay Taritha, I checked.”
With effort, she kept a straight face. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to strangle him or hug him. “Thanks.”
“We’re gonna be fighting the good guys, like the Church and Empire, you all are okay with that?” Kedril asked.
“Whoever opposes our mage, ain’t the good guy,” Rikad said calmly.
Ross turned to the front and shouted, “Will I have to fight the Church or the Empire?”
“No, every possible diplomatic–” the mage started.
“Yeah, but with magic swords and armour.” Stanisk interrupted.
Ross returned to the huddle, “That sounds pretty exciting!”
“I don’t wanna have anything to do with black magics, but I even more don’t want to leave. Imagine chopin’ trees for ten glindi a day? I can’t go back to that. Yeah, I’m in.” Theros said resignedly.
“Me too.”
“Yeah”
“Wait, wait, are you sure? This is an out. Might be the only one we get? What if it all goes to mush and we end up in the Inquisition’s dungeon?” Kedril asked. “Have we thought this through?”
“Imagine if it goes to plan? Imagine telling yer mum and whole family they’ll never have to toil again? And that change is because of your bravery? Seems a risk worth takin’.” Rikad retorted. “Take the exit if you want I guess?”
“Nah, I got nothing to go back to, and this is interesting. Besides, eleven maniacs following a demonologist will need a voice of reason.” Kedril explained.
“Oh yeah, our voice of reason! You’ll stay on won’t you, m’lady?” Rikad deliberately misinterpreted Kedril, and turned to Taritha.
If they think they have nothing to go back to, I have even less. Even his exit offer was unappealing. At least I understand where the mage’s disdain for the Church came from. His offer of protection seems even more sincere now.
She was silent while she tried to articulate her position.
“We’ll make sure that you’re safe if the demons turn on us! We’ll defend you to the last man!” Ros said with his big puppy dog eyes, but this time his mates nodded instead of rolling their eyes.
“Of course, I’ll stay, someone needs to put you back together!” She was touched by their loyalty, especially since it was unearned. She hadn’t actually helped or healed a single one of them so far.
Everyone left the huddle, and Rikad addressed the mage. “We all agree to continue employment under these new conditions. However, I’d like a few points clarified; Does this affect our souls, our descendants' souls, or our afterlives?”
Grigory's face lit up, and he finally relaxed. “That is great news! I’m overjoyed that you’ve put your trust in me, and I will continue to strive to be worthy of it. You have my assurance Rikad, there’s nothing in my research that has ever suggested the existence of souls or an afterlife. Who's ready for a factory tour?”
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Taritha woke to birds chirping—a small perk of living close to the woods. Not that she had chosen this, really. In recent weeks, she’d approached every potential house seller in the village, but none had panned out. She yawned, stretching as she stood in her cramped home, where even the ceiling seemed to press down upon her. As she ducked instinctively to avoid bumping her head, she imagined a real house, with rooms tall enough to hold her dreams. Or at least where she could stand up straight.
Despite everything, she felt a pang of nostalgia. This was her birthplace, the only home she’d ever known. Yet now, it harboured mostly painful memories. Thoughts of her ma and grandma, whom she dearly loved, too often left her feeling drained and sad—luxuries she couldn’t afford with her busy days. She was no longer the frightened girl learning the names of all the flowers in the meadow. Now, she stood as the town's healer, or more precisely, the assistant to the town's biomancer—a role with even greater prestige.
"If only Gran could see me now," she mused aloud with a bittersweet smile.
Taritha approached the two woven reed baskets that stored all her belongings. Among them were the old, patched dresses of her past—a stark contrast to the refined, embroidered garments the mage had given her. These made her feel transformed, but today, on her day off, she had something even better in mind. She smiled, pulling out a new dress made by her friend, Jeanel the seamstress. It was just delivered the other night and was her first purchase ever—a pale green dress with flowy sleeves and a narrow collar. The fine cotton swished at her ankles, a delightful improvement from the coarse fabrics she was used to.
With a contented sigh, she revelled briefly in the feel of the dress, then turned her attention to breakfast. Despite her ongoing magical studies, she’d yet to master even boiling water. As she gathered sticks in the forest, she mused how her life had been dominated by such mundane tasks, a stark contrast to the mage's effortless magic. That more than anything fueled her passion to learn his secrets.
Returning home, Taritha stoked the morning’s embers and set a pot of porridge on her small hearth. A busy herbalist, she always had some honey on hand. In addition to its therapeutic qualities, it made her breakfast far more palatable. After the hearty oats, she tackled her unruly hair with a worn wooden comb, a necessary chore given her long locks. The old comb was worn and was missing more than half its teeth, but she’d had it for years. Maybe it was time to replace it, later this afternoon. Each stroke helped her focus, as she mentally prepared for her day.
Today is a big day! Mage Thippily asked me to meet him at the new factory!
She washed her hands in a shallow bowl in front of her house, flung the water into the woods, and headed to the mage’s converted warehouse. She rubbed her hands dry as she crossed through the woods and into town. Here and there people smiled and waved at her.
She was always barely tolerated, and only that because she provided the poorer folk with herbs and cures, and helped her gran do the same since she was a girl. It was different now. She wasn’t sure if it was dressing like a big city clerk, or the amazing results the mage had worked, or just being associated with the huge, and almost universally positive changes that had come to the town in the last few months? She was treated like a respected pillar of the community, even without a powerful family. Or maybe because of her powerful new friends, she mused.
Taritha arrived at the sprawling patio where the mage’s men lounged in casual attire. Although she often spoke with them and even joined in their card games, she realised how little she truly knew about them. Their backgrounds were an enigma; they spoke of poverty yet displayed a casual wealth, like the time Rikad nonchalantly settled a woodcutter’s hefty, overdue tab with a mere wave of his hand. Their claims of never having served a lord or the imperial army were belied by their skilled, coordinated response during the pirate attack.
Their treatment of her was curiously deferential. Despite the lack of a formal hierarchy beyond Mage Thipply at the summit and Lord Stanisk as his deputy, they treated her with respect bordering on reverence. She wasn’t even sure of elv’s exact status—was she respected, feared, or merely tolerated? Yet, Taritha found herself secretly delighted by their respectful, if entirely mistaken, forms of address.
“Ah! Her Grace has arrived! We saved a sugar bun for you!” Eowin somehow mistook her for a duchess as he dramatically gestured to the patio table, where a single pastry sat on a crumb-covered cloth.
“You surely spoil me with your kindness, gentlemen!” The bun was cooled but was still tender and fresh. She tore into it while everyone stood up to gather around.
“Ifff Thiffply here yet? She asked, covering her full mouth with her hand.
“Nah, he left hours ago,” Kedril announced as he opened the gate, gesturing for everyone to head out. “We’re to join him at his factory once you show up.”
“Why do you think he wants all of us there? That’s a bit ominous, isn’t it?” Rikad mused as they strolled down the street.
“It’s to show off his, OUR, new factory. He’s been out there every day since Midsummer. Nothing he could do would be ominous!” Ross countered, drawing groans from his mates.
“If he asked you to walk into a sea monster’s mouth, you’d do it! I swear!” Kerdril retorted, exasperated.
“Well yeah! Because he’d only ask that if it was okay! You guys would too!” Ros insisted.
Taritha couldn't decide if Ros's unwavering faith was endearing or concerning. The polite, bespectacled man was undoubtedly generous, but secrets followed him like storm clouds.
Rikad turned to her, curiosity piqued. “Okay, Taritha, we might not know anything, but you must. You talk to the mage more than all of us combined!”
“He’s been distracted and excited, definitely looking forward to today. But I’m not in the inner circle, I’m just a worker bee like you guys,” she shrugged, smiling as the men sported an array of colourful tunics, remnants of the Midsummer melee.
As the boastful chatter continued at the front, Ros slowed to match Taritha's pace. “How's the house hunt going? Find anyone selling?”
“No, even with the Chief helping, they all know it’s for me, and they’re being difficult. I help these people, but they can’t look past what they think they know about me,” she confessed, careful to keep her eyes on the tricky path.
“That stinks. But at least your clinic yesterday went well, right?” Ros tried to lighten the mood.
“Mostly? I almost wish someone would come in with an axe in their leg! Now, it's all trivial complaints. Like, they’re tired before bed or their kids won’t listen—things we can’t fix because there’s nothing actually wrong,” she laughed dryly. Realizing she’d been complaining and talking about herself too long, she redirected back to Ros, “Was that your first battle the other night? Seeing you in action, I worried, but those pirates didn’t stand a chance against you!”
He softened, touched by her concern. “I’m just as strong as anyone else! Maybe younger, but—” He paused, kicking a pine cone, then added gruffly, “We fought for the town. Giving up was never an option.”
After a moment, he looked up, his face brightening. “I like your dress, by the way. Is it new?”
She beamed with pride and smoothed the fabric. “Thanks! Yes, it's from my friend, the seamstress. Getting paid is a better way to live.”
“The pay is good, the second best part of the job, maybe third,” he quipped, offering a teasing grin.
Taritha laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. “Oh Light! I see why they groan when you talk. Hey, Rikad! I bet the mage will turn one of you into a messenger pigeon, and I’m just here to make sure none of you eat the birdman!”
They rounded a corner and Taritha could see the factory for the first time. Her duties and habits had kept her in town for the last few months, making today the first time she’d seen the building. This section of woods, and even this trail were familiar to her, but the enormous stone edifice in front of her was striking. She’d never seen any building as big in her life. The scale was hard to judge, but it looked like she could fit not just the count’s manor, the church, and every inn in town in the great building. Probably most of the craft district too!
The road led them straight into the daunting gatehouse. Wide enough for even oversized carts, it was sturdy enough for a siege. Her hand lingered on the open door. The imported oak was thick, and bound by great iron braces. She could feel the subtle pulse of some enchantments deep in the wood, strengthening and protecting it. Her companions were more impressed by the well appointed guard posts and the lookout tower, linked to the gatehouse by a rope bridge high overhead.
“Ah yeah! Look, it’s stone all the way around the tower, the only way in is at the top! From up there we could shoot into the back of anyone attacking the gate!” Rikad pointed out with glee, elbowing Kedril.
“Lightdamn it,” Kedril replied with a low sigh, smiling despite the jab.
After admiring the craftsmanship of the entryway, they stepped into the main yard of the factory. It was a sprawling, wide-open space, recently reclaimed from the dense forest that still towered around its walls. The ground was a patchwork of uneven dirt, dotted with stringy bushes and the raw stumps of freshly cut trees. Piles of construction materials—lumber, stone, and scattered tools—lay strewn about, signs of the ongoing work. A rough, two-lane road carved through the yard, looping around the area in a practical, if makeshift, circuit.
Taritha paused to slowly turn in place, absorbing the imposing scene. The walls around her soared several stories high, lined with dressed timber that lent the industrial space an unexpected warmth, reminiscent of a colossal cabin. Massive loading bay doors punctuated the walls, each wide enough to accommodate carts and machinery, flanked by smaller, human-sized doors dotted the side of the factory proper.
The entire courtyard felt like a blend of raw, untamed nature and budding industrial might, a place on the cusp of becoming a centre of bustling activity yet still holding onto elements of the wild forest it had so recently been.
“Oh! I think that’s the door to go in!” Taritha announced, gesturing to the one with parchment bearing the mage’s neat handwriting.
Please Come In
“I thought you said you’d never been here? Rikard said, his voice suspicious, his eyebrows impressed.
“That’s what the– nevermind, it's this way.” she said. Her attention was now acutely focused on what lay ahead.
What could it be about? This was strange. If it were a tour, why didn’t he, or at least Stanisk greet them at the front? Something’s off. He’s firing us all. We get paid too much, and now that his fortress is built, he doesn’t need us!
She noticed nothing of the interior, focused instead on her fears and anxieties. Good things were vanishingly rare in her life, so she didn’t expect them to last. She walked, looking at her feet. She hoped that she could at least keep her new black boots when they fired her, she really liked them.
They ended up in the main factory space, a colossal room that occupied more than half of the expansive building. It had rows of empty shelves on the sides, complex kilns at the back and rows of low, very wide empty benches around most of the perimeter. In the open centre of the room stood Lord Stanisk and Mage Thippily. As usual, Stanisk was clad in his heavy steel mail, while Thippily wore his customary tan vest over a neatly pressed shirt and slacks, exuding scholarly dignity. Their familiar attire offered a touch of reassurance amidst the vast, unfamiliar space.. The lack of tools or supplies made it feel a lot more like an abandoned warehouse, but much much bigger than any she’d heard of.
“Come! Come! What do you think? They did a first rate job, especially in such a short time!” Mage Thippily gestured around at the huge room. His cheerful voice seemed small on the factory floor.
Above, the ceilings towered, reaching heights Taritha had never seen inside a building, instilling a feeling of insignificance that was hard to ignore. The air was laden with the scent of fresh-cut wood and pine resin, comforting yet somehow unsettling in this unfamiliar, grandiose setting. She marvelled at the impressive scale of the room, all the while aware of how little she understood.
“Come! Gather around, we’ve so much to discuss!” Mage Thippily’s infectious cheerfulness helped scare away some of her worries. “Today is the day! This has been a huge part of my dream since before I even hired the first of you! Even before I met Stanisk!” He motioned everyone closer, and they formed a semi circle around him and his Chief of security, with a respectful few paces of distance between them.
“Have a knee, lads.” Stanisk casually commanded, and the twelve men immediately fell to a comfortable looking kneeling stance. That it happened in smooth unison implied this happened a lot. Much slower and more awkwardly she bunched her dress to the side and seated herself on the plank floor.
“Oh, excellent! Alright! There are a few things I wanted to share today!” The mage seemed more nervous than she did, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or an awful one. What could he possibly have to worry about? He had all the money and power!
He straightened his wire frame glasses and continued, “First of all the factory will be starting regular production tomorrow! The carts and supplies will start arriving all day today, so Stanisk will have your updated duty roster. I imagine factory security will be the majority of your duties now, so there will be some adjustments. All of our vacations are over now!” He chuckled awkwardly.
“Running up hills with sacks of rocks was less of a vacation than you’d think M’lord!” one man piped up.
“Work is sitting in a shaded gatehouse? I reckon we’ll live,” added another.
“Cut the chatter, the mage ain’t done.” Stanisk seemed uncomfortable.
She hadn’t noticed it at first, but he was always so calm and resolute, seeing conflict written across his face was the most unsettling part so far. The boys seemed happy, their jobs sounded safe now. She tried to look serene.
The mage couldn’t fire me, I am learning magic! But too slowly? Maybe he’s too busy to continue tutoring a dullard with a whole factory to run?
Mage Thippily continued, “I have also mostly completed the quarters here, and you are all invited to move in immediately. I’d like to lend our warehouse-barracks to the families that lost their homes in the raid, then convert it back to a normal warehouse later on, since we’ll need the storage space soon.”
The men looked around the huge empty room but didn’t say anything. On one hand, sleeping on a factory floor was what very poor serfs did in the cities. On the other hand, the mage had been uncommonly open-handed so far, so the offer warranted at least some patience. After all, she was envious of how nice their accommodations were in that converted warehouse.
Seeing no objections, Mage Thippily gulped and shrugged, his discomfort growing more obvious. “Well, there is one more, rather large, bit of business in the middle. I’ve not been completely forthright about, well about the core nature of this entire enterprise.” He shifted his shoulders uncomfortably, for an instant reminding her of a very little boy getting caught stealing sweets. “The way that I make things isn't with magic, more with magical creatures.”
To her it seemed like a distinction without a difference. If anything that made it all much more impressive.
Seeing confused shrugs, he elaborated, “The creatures are animated with extraplanar energy, and bound, or I guess more accurately, projected using a novel form of enchanting, I’ve been calling totems.” Again no response. They were all fairly accustomed to his habit of over-explaining. Her recent arcane education had never mentioned anything about extraplanar energy or totems, but she could fill this massive building with all the things she didn’t know about magic.
“Since the specific extraplanar dimension is commonly called the ‘Hellplane’ and most of the process is based in demonology, they could be considered, in some categorization systems, as a type of demon.” he winced as he spoke.
Ah, there it is. He was the worst evil the Church had ever known and had allied himself with the forces of madness and chaos.
It was a shock to her, and she physically recoiled from the news. How could the kind, gentle mage be an incarnation of the cruelest type of evil? Literal demon worshipers. She reflected on how little he was bothered by her being born a witch, and compared to actual demons, it made a lot more sense. A narrow ray of self-doubt nagged her, if the church had lied to everyone about witches, maybe her reaction to demons was conditioned the same way.
Mage Thippily, or more accurately, Master Demonologist Thippily continued,“To be clear, they are not native to hell, nor do they have minds as we understand minds. They are perfectly safe, perfectly obedient and incapable of suffering. I cannot overstate how safe they are. One hundred point zero percent safe!”
A few of the men stood up and reached for non-existent weapons on their hips as they backpedaled. Eowin made the gesture of the triangle while shaking his head.
“Sit down you helpless moon-calves, the mage ain’t done talkin’,” Stanisk’s tone held just the barest edge of danger, and they begrudgingly stopped and knelt again. A sea of wide eyes focused on the mage, alert and tense.
“You knew about this, sir?”
“Sit down and shut up. Of course, I knew. I saw the imps ‘fore I even met Grigory.”
Grigory regained the focus. “First let me explain the perks! Each of you will get your own set of imps! They are perfectly obedient, and even bad instructions can’t cause bad outcomes. They will hopefully make your lives easier, free you from drudgery and give you more time and focus for enrichment! This factory, all my money and political clout, all of it is in service of my one true goal, and it’s been weighing on me not being able to share it!” He stood as straight as he could, and held his slightly trembling hands in front of him. “The end of labour, for all people everywhere!”
“Huh?” A sea of confused shrugs.
That goal was impossible and dumb. Everything is labour, that’s the whole point of, well everything? That’s the basis of everyone’s place in the world.
“One step at a time of course! First you, then the town then the whole Empire! The imps are perfectly safe, and much of what everyone does every day is tiring, undignified, and often unpleasant. Imps can do that now! There will be a day when all people in all places can spend their time however they please, pursuing whatever they fancy!”
Still a lot of sceptical frowns.
“So what’s that mean for us, milord? I don’t reckon I get where we fit in, as your workers?” Jourgun asked timidly.
“Ah! Of course! So the nature of the imps, their absolute inability to harm anyone means I still need people with the physical and moral capacity to defend my dream. It means you will accrue more wealth and power until those terms become meaningless, it means that I am now free to offer you the very best of my aid, and you will be the first to live the way I want all sentient life everywhere to live, free of drudgery!”
Most of that sounded like hollow rhetoric, but so much money that the term lost meaning seemed a very interesting offer. Well, to the soldiers. Taritha was all too aware she had neither the moral nor physical capacity to defend the mage against much. The men exchanged meaningful looks without saying anything.
“But I also understand the nature of this is itself an unkindness. I put you in a position where you are basically coerced into potentially acting against your beliefs. Since no one can say yes if they cannot also say no, I have a secondary offer. Anyone who would like to quit may do so. I’ll pay the balance of this year's salary, and pay for your passage on a ship to Wave Gate. In exchange for a simple verbal promise to keep my secret for the next year or two.”
“You’se best think hard on breaking that promise. You’se’d be making enemies with the most dangerous Grandmaster Demonologist whats lived in millenia,” Stanisk intoned menacingly.
“No, not at all! He’s kidding!” Grigory added while trying to smile as wide as he could.
Stanisk scowled and shook his head subtly, communicating that he was definitely not kidding.
“Can we talk about it for a bit? This seems, uh, big?” Rikad asked.
“Oh My! Yes! By all means!” the mage nodded agreeably.
Beside her the men stood up and huddled close, discussing intensely. She stood and looked at the tight knot of men. She felt out of place alone, and out of place butting in, but did anyway.
“-- is a no-brainer, right? We’d be insane to turn this down?”
“What about our souls? Money comes and goes, but souls?”
“I ain’t done no business with demons ‘afore? I don’t know guys…,” Jourgun equivocated.
“You hadn’t done business with a baker or tailor before the mage hired ya, don’t confuse being broke with being moral. Think about what else you can do that will result in a better life. It's the best offer I’ve been given, and the best offer anyone in a dozen generations of my family has gotten.” Rikad was firm, his priorities were well known to the rest of the men.
“This might not be his only secret, what if there’s more, and it’s worse?” whispered Taritha. She hated being the negative one, but it was so obvious to her.
“Sir! Is there more? Will it be worse?” Ros shouted.
“Uh, no? Plenty of more small details, but they’re all good, at least I think so?” The master demonologist said with a shrug.
“It’s okay Taritha, I checked.”
With effort, she kept a straight face. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to strangle him or hug him. “Thanks.”
“We’re gonna be fighting the good guys, like the Church and Empire, you all are okay with that?” Kedril asked.
“Whoever opposes our mage, ain’t the good guy,” Rikad said calmly.
Ross turned to the front and shouted, “Will I have to fight the Church or the Empire?”
“No, every possible diplomatic–” the mage started.
“Yeah, but with magic swords and armour.” Stanisk interrupted.
Ross returned to the huddle, “That sounds pretty exciting!”
“I don’t wanna have anything to do with black magics, but I even more don’t want to leave. Imagine chopin’ trees for ten glindi a day? I can’t go back to that. Yeah, I’m in.” Theros said resignedly.
“Me too.”
“Yeah”
“Wait, wait, are you sure? This is an out. Might be the only one we get? What if it all goes to mush and we end up in the Inquisition’s dungeon?” Kedril asked. “Have we thought this through?”
“Imagine if it goes to plan? Imagine telling yer mum and whole family they’ll never have to toil again? And that change is because of your bravery? Seems a risk worth takin’.” Rikad retorted. “Take the exit if you want I guess?”
“Nah, I got nothing to go back to, and this is interesting. Besides, eleven maniacs following a demonologist will need a voice of reason.” Kedril explained.
“Oh yeah, our voice of reason! You’ll stay on won’t you, m’lady?” Rikad deliberately misinterpreted Kedril, and turned to Taritha.
If they think they have nothing to go back to, I have even less. Even his exit offer was unappealing. At least I understand where the mage’s disdain for the Church came from. His offer of protection seems even more sincere now.
She was silent while she tried to articulate her position.
“We’ll make sure that you’re safe if the demons turn on us! We’ll defend you to the last man!” Ros said with his big puppy dog eyes, but this time his mates nodded instead of rolling their eyes.
“Of course, I’ll stay, someone needs to put you back together!” She was touched by their loyalty, especially since it was unearned. She hadn’t actually helped or healed a single one of them so far.
Everyone left the huddle, and Rikad addressed the mage. “We all agree to continue employment under these new conditions. However, I’d like a few points clarified; Does this affect our souls, our descendants' souls, or our afterlives?”
Grigory's face lit up, and he finally relaxed. “That is great news! I’m overjoyed that you’ve put your trust in me, and I will continue to strive to be worthy of it. You have my assurance Rikad, there’s nothing in my research that has ever suggested the existence of souls or an afterlife. Who's ready for a factory tour?”
Prev--------Next
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2024.04.22 22:24 av3 San Antonio's Week In Movies [2024-04-22 to 2024-04-29]
Spider-Mania continues with Spider-Man 2 playing at several cinemas throughout the week (primarily today!) before Spider-Man 3 begins next Monday.
For Horror fans, A24 has teamed up with our IMAX theaters to bring back Hereditary for a single 7 PM showing on Wednesday night at both the Palladium and Rivercenter IMAX screens.
The original Mummy movie starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz is coming back to theaters this week with quite an impressive presence. Drafthouse alone has 27 separate showings already on the books for it, including some Movie Party and Sensory Friendly screenings.
The K-pop group aesta, a group of four girls from South Korea, is screening their latest concert series on the 24th and 27th. Note that while trying to research what this was, their site listed Cinemark as also showing the concert screening close to me. After a very confused few seconds, I realized we had two Cinemark theaters here in town that I had completely forgotten about. I'm surprised no one corrected me on that, but I'll have 'em on the lists going forward!
submitted by av3 to sanantonio [link] [comments]
For Horror fans, A24 has teamed up with our IMAX theaters to bring back Hereditary for a single 7 PM showing on Wednesday night at both the Palladium and Rivercenter IMAX screens.
The original Mummy movie starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz is coming back to theaters this week with quite an impressive presence. Drafthouse alone has 27 separate showings already on the books for it, including some Movie Party and Sensory Friendly screenings.
The K-pop group aesta, a group of four girls from South Korea, is screening their latest concert series on the 24th and 27th. Note that while trying to research what this was, their site listed Cinemark as also showing the concert screening close to me. After a very confused few seconds, I realized we had two Cinemark theaters here in town that I had completely forgotten about. I'm surprised no one corrected me on that, but I'll have 'em on the lists going forward!
| Challengers (2024, Early Access) | Santikos, Regal, AMC Rivercenter |
|---|---|
| Unsung Hero (2024, Early Access) | Regal, Cinemark |
| The Long Game (2024) | Santikos, Regal, Cinemark |
| Deep Sky (2024, IMAX Documentary) | AMC Rivercenter IMAX |
| Boy Kills World (2023) | Santikos, Regal, Cinemark |
| Housekeeping for Beginners (2023) | Santikos Embassy |
| A24 x IMAX Present: Hereditary (2018) | Santikos Palladium IMAX, AMC Rivercenter IMAX |
| Minions (2015) | Regal |
| Inception (2010) | Regal |
| Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010) | Flix Brewhouse |
| The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) | Flix Brewhouse |
| Spider-Man 3 (2007) | Santikos, Drafthouse, Regal |
| Spider-Man 2 (2004) | Santikos, Drafthouse, Regal |
| Shrek 2 (2004) | Santikos Palladium, Regal |
| The Mummy (1999) | Drafthouse, Regal, Flix Brewhouse, Cinemark |
| Being John Malkovich (1999) | Arthouse at Blue Star |
| Mallrats (1995) | Drafthouse Stone Oak |
| Death of a Cheerleader (1994) | Drafthouse Park North |
| The Shawshank Redemption (1994) | Drafthouse |
| Three Colors: Red (1994) | Drafthouse Park North |
| A League of Their Own (1992) | Flix Brewhouse |
| My Own Private Idaho (1991) | Arthouse at Blue Star |
| Alamo: The Price of Freedom (1988) | AMC Rivercenter IMAX |
| Alien (1979, 45th Anniversary Re-Release) | Santikos, Regal, Flix Brewhouse, Cinemark |
| Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) | Drafthouse Stone Oak |
| The Last Picture Show (1971) | Arthouse at Blue Star |
| Cinema/Theater Adjacent | |
| Met Op: La Rondine Encore (2024) | Regal |
| aespa: WORLD TOUR (2024) | Santikos Casa Blanca, Regal, Cinemark |
| Foreign Language | |
| Parijatha Parvam (Telugu with English Subtitles) | Cinemark |
| Fasel Men El Lahazat El Lazeeza (2024, Arabic) | Regal Cielo Vista |
| Abigail (2024, Spanish Subtitles) | Santikos |
| Rajkumar (2024, Bengali) | Regal Cielo Vista |
| Market Mahalakshmi (Telugu) | Regal Live Oak |
| Drunken Master II (1994, Cantonese w/ English Subtitles) | Drafthouse Park North |
| Anime | |
| Spirited Away (2001) | Santikos Subbed, Santikos Dubbed, Regal Subbed, Regal Subbed, Cinemark Subbed, Cinemark Dubbed |
| SPY x FAMILY CODE: White | Santikos Dubbed, Santikos Subbed, Drafthouse Dubbed, Drafthouse Subbed, Regal Dubbed, Regal Subbed, Flix Brewhouse, AMC Rivercenter, Cinemark Subbed, Cinemark Dubbed |
2024.04.20 02:59 Apprehensive-Mouse53 Hello! Just thought I'd post for criticism! Thanks!
Hello everyone! I'm an aspiring Dark Fantasy/Horror fiction writer. Just thought I'd share my opening and first hook for my novel I'm currently working on.
The working title is: 'And Who Shall Watch' (from the Latin "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" or "Who Shall Watch/Guard the Watchers/Guards?" By the poet Juvenal)
So without further adieu:
PROLOGUE
"Fear only two things: God, and the Man who has no Fear of God" - Hasidic Proverb
CHAPTER ONE
FEAR OF GOD
Vicar Cress Tor lounged lazily on the Eminent Throne, left leg dangling over the arm of the huge, gawdy, seat. The black Mitre Crown sat tilted forward over his head, covering his eyes, the streaming purple lappets draped over his ears and face. He wore purple and black robes, embroidered with purple and black flames, splayed over him and the chair, his long white hair and beard tangled in folded arms at his chest.
The Vicar let loose a blustery snort, smacked his lips sleepily and began to snore. Loudly. Echoing through the opulent Throne Room of the Holy Cathedral.
The two guards at the foot of the stone steps that led to the raised dais, leaning just as lazily on their muskets, black and purple plumes running along the ridge of their morion helms, looked at each other and rolled their eyes with a shared smile.
They were dressed in the purple and black tunics and haberdashery of the Vicar Guard. Known as the Hands of God, they bore a solid white hand, holding the Holy Flame in its palm, on their chest, foppish and fancy in their smug stance.
Four more equally bored Hands, trying very much to stay awake as well, stood propped against the four massive marble columns, muskets slung on their shoulders; snickering at the Vicar; smirking at each other.
Three final guards, two at the main doors, one at the door to the Vicar's private wing, manned the only entrances and exits to the room.
A wide, purple runner with black trim, a white hand and flame at beginning, center and end of the carpet, ran the length of the chamber-from the main doors to the steps at the bottom of the Throne.
The four columns lined each side of the extravagant runner. More smaller columns were dispersed among several pews, chairs and tables that faced the Throne at alternating angles.
These seats sat empty now, along each side of the columns, two rows wide. This served for both Liturgical Parliament Meetings, private audiences and for Church Inquisitions.
When the Vicar was awake, anyway.
Which was not how several members of the Court of Cardinals found him this day, as they flung wide the doors, booming against the wall.
The two door guards had to dive out of the way to miss being hit by the massive doors, sending the, once near-comatose Hands, springing into action to raise their muskets or draw swords.
Five irate holy men and a woman came storming into the room raising a ruckus.
A musket went off, ringing across the hall, sending everyone but two of the Cardinals, sprawling, screaming. The bullet ricocheted of a brass gong, crashing through a stained glass in the vaulted ceiling.
"Oh put away your weapons, fools! Before you kill us all! And wake the Vicar! Vicar!" Cardinal Gar du Mont rushed down the carpet, arms flailing, nearly tripping over his robes in his haste. "Vicar Cress! Wake up! Rebellion! You fools! Rebels have taken Wuttenberg!"
Cardinay Leena von Hess was hot on his heels, "They've taken Sandoval as well, Vicar!"
The Vicar tumbled from the Throne in his terror to retreat from whatever horrors had ripped him from his dreams. He stood up, guards rushing up the steps to his aid, right hand clamped on his left arm. A strange look crossed his face right about the time the first guard made it to the top of the pedestal. It instantly morphed into one of intolerable pain and then pure horror.
The other guards and Cardinals had begun to recover at this point.
"And they've taken Sang-!"
"Vicar? Are you-?"
"Oh... God... Please... No," the Vicar croaked, staggering forward, gasping.
Cress Tor then proceeded to die from a heart attack, falling forward, lifeless, rolling down the stairs. He crashed into Gar du Mont, knocking him to the ground, coming to a halt on top of him. Cress stared with dead eyes, mouth wide open, up at Cardinay von Hess.
Holy hell broke loose.
Leena screamed and fainted on top of the struggling du Mont as he lay trying to get the dead Vicar off of him. The other Cardinals yelled and ran from the Cathedral as the guards rushed to their dead liege.
submitted by Apprehensive-Mouse53 to writers [link] [comments]
The working title is: 'And Who Shall Watch' (from the Latin "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" or "Who Shall Watch/Guard the Watchers/Guards?" By the poet Juvenal)
So without further adieu:
"Fear only two things: God, and the Man who has no Fear of God" - Hasidic Proverb
FEAR OF GOD
Vicar Cress Tor lounged lazily on the Eminent Throne, left leg dangling over the arm of the huge, gawdy, seat. The black Mitre Crown sat tilted forward over his head, covering his eyes, the streaming purple lappets draped over his ears and face. He wore purple and black robes, embroidered with purple and black flames, splayed over him and the chair, his long white hair and beard tangled in folded arms at his chest.
The Vicar let loose a blustery snort, smacked his lips sleepily and began to snore. Loudly. Echoing through the opulent Throne Room of the Holy Cathedral.
The two guards at the foot of the stone steps that led to the raised dais, leaning just as lazily on their muskets, black and purple plumes running along the ridge of their morion helms, looked at each other and rolled their eyes with a shared smile.
They were dressed in the purple and black tunics and haberdashery of the Vicar Guard. Known as the Hands of God, they bore a solid white hand, holding the Holy Flame in its palm, on their chest, foppish and fancy in their smug stance.
Four more equally bored Hands, trying very much to stay awake as well, stood propped against the four massive marble columns, muskets slung on their shoulders; snickering at the Vicar; smirking at each other.
Three final guards, two at the main doors, one at the door to the Vicar's private wing, manned the only entrances and exits to the room.
A wide, purple runner with black trim, a white hand and flame at beginning, center and end of the carpet, ran the length of the chamber-from the main doors to the steps at the bottom of the Throne.
The four columns lined each side of the extravagant runner. More smaller columns were dispersed among several pews, chairs and tables that faced the Throne at alternating angles.
These seats sat empty now, along each side of the columns, two rows wide. This served for both Liturgical Parliament Meetings, private audiences and for Church Inquisitions.
When the Vicar was awake, anyway.
Which was not how several members of the Court of Cardinals found him this day, as they flung wide the doors, booming against the wall.
The two door guards had to dive out of the way to miss being hit by the massive doors, sending the, once near-comatose Hands, springing into action to raise their muskets or draw swords.
Five irate holy men and a woman came storming into the room raising a ruckus.
A musket went off, ringing across the hall, sending everyone but two of the Cardinals, sprawling, screaming. The bullet ricocheted of a brass gong, crashing through a stained glass in the vaulted ceiling.
"Oh put away your weapons, fools! Before you kill us all! And wake the Vicar! Vicar!" Cardinal Gar du Mont rushed down the carpet, arms flailing, nearly tripping over his robes in his haste. "Vicar Cress! Wake up! Rebellion! You fools! Rebels have taken Wuttenberg!"
Cardinay Leena von Hess was hot on his heels, "They've taken Sandoval as well, Vicar!"
The Vicar tumbled from the Throne in his terror to retreat from whatever horrors had ripped him from his dreams. He stood up, guards rushing up the steps to his aid, right hand clamped on his left arm. A strange look crossed his face right about the time the first guard made it to the top of the pedestal. It instantly morphed into one of intolerable pain and then pure horror.
The other guards and Cardinals had begun to recover at this point.
"And they've taken Sang-!"
"Vicar? Are you-?"
"Oh... God... Please... No," the Vicar croaked, staggering forward, gasping.
Cress Tor then proceeded to die from a heart attack, falling forward, lifeless, rolling down the stairs. He crashed into Gar du Mont, knocking him to the ground, coming to a halt on top of him. Cress stared with dead eyes, mouth wide open, up at Cardinay von Hess.
Holy hell broke loose.
Leena screamed and fainted on top of the struggling du Mont as he lay trying to get the dead Vicar off of him. The other Cardinals yelled and ran from the Cathedral as the guards rushed to their dead liege.
2024.04.19 19:26 generalpao Things to do in Houston this weekend - April 19th - 21st
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Take it easy on Saturday, enjoy the weather.
‘Chinese Folktales: Wit and Wisdom of the Ancestors’ Dance Show @ Miller Outdoor Theatre @ 8:15PM Featuring 40 dancers,10 actors, film, music and eye-popping costumes, this production is a unique blend of theatre and dance brings to life classic Chinese stories about people, animals, and mythical creatures.
‘Don Giovanni’ Opera @ Wortham Theater @ 7:30PM See the Spanish antihero everyone loves to hate in director Kasper Holten’s brilliant and seductive tragicomedy production.
Sounds of the City Concert @ Market Square Park @ 5PM Grab food from your favorite neighborhood eatery and enjoy live music from a new local Houston artist.
Larry Fleet @ House of Blues @ 7PM
Soft Kill @ White Oak Music Hall @ 7PM With Gumm
Crizzly @ Stereo Live @ 10PM
Sarah and The Sundays @ Warehouse Live @ 6:30PM
Afroman @ Last Concert Cafe @ 7PM
The Spill Canvas @ Scout Bar @ 7PM
Ongoing - Saturday Stargazing @ George Observatory in Needville
Ongoing - Farmers Market @ Market Square Park @ 9AM This spring, enjoy Houston’s best vendors in the very heart of downtown!
Earth Day & Houston Public Works’ Water Festival @ Discovery Green @ 12PM This year’s Earth Day will be about using art to engage people and urge them to action!
Kids Festival @ The Grand Opera House @ 10AM Enjoy three blocks of artful and creative non-stop fun for kids and their parents.
Noche Caliente Festival @ Miller Outdoor Theatre @ 8:15PM “Noche Caliente” (Hot Night) is an incredible evening of great music entertainment that celebrates the different cultures of the Hispanic community.
Houston Country, Folk, & Blues @ Houston Community College - Katy @ 11AM Experience 6 major concerts, artists & crafters, gourmet food trucks, craft beer & wine!
Midtown Wine Festival @ Midtown Park @ 1:30PM Come treat yourself to an afternoon of international and local wine, music, and food!
Saint Arnold Pub Crawl @ EaDo @ 2PM The World Famous Saint Arnold Pub Crawl is heading back to EaDo! Start between 2:00 and 3:00 at select spots in the area!
Candlelight: A Tribute to Coldplay in Concert @ Lone Star Flight Museum @ 7PM / 9:15PM Hear Coldplay’s greatest hits in classical interpretation!
‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ Screening @ MFAH @ 8PM
Adam Ant @ Bayou Music Center @ 8PM With The English Beat
Laufey @ 713 Music Hall @ 8PM With Grace Enger
Cumbiatron: The Cumbia Rave @ House of Blues @ 9PM
Knox @ House of Blues @ 7PM
Lee Brice @ White Oak Music Hall @ 6PM
Dirty Loops @ White Oak Music Hall @ 8PM
Broadway Rave @ White Oak Music Hall @ 9PM)
Bruce Robison + John Fullbright @ The Heights Theater @ 8PM With Summer Dean
Space Laces @ Stereo Live @ 10PM
Decapitated @ Warehouse Live @ 6:30PM
Family Zone @ MFAH @ 1PM Families are invited to join a teaching artist for an afternoon in the galleries and the studio.
Spring Festival @ MFAH @ 1PM The MFAH celebrates all things Spring with free admission, tasty bites from local vendors, creative stations, kid-friendly activities, and much more!
Roy Wood Jr. Stand Up @ House of Blues @ 8PM
‘Swan Lake’ Ballet @ Wortham Center @ 2PM / 6PM ‘Swan Lake,’ the ballet of all ballets, will be performed one night only as a part of the World Ballet Series.
‘Don Giovanni’ Opera @ Wortham Theater @ 2PM See the Spanish antihero everyone loves to hate in director Kasper Holten’s brilliant and seductive tragicomedy production.
Jazzy Sundays @ Buffalo Bayou Park @ 5PM Featuring Rainel Joubert & Lolade
Catterina & Kate Stephenson @ White Oak Music Hall @ 6PM With Micah Edwards
Low Cut Connie @ The Heights Theater @ 8PM With Fantastic Cat
Alborosie @ Last Concert Cafe @ 8PM
Des Rocs @ Scout Bar @ 8PM
SATURDAY & SUNDAY - Planet Earth Celebration @ Space Center Houston Enjoy exclusive activities, activations and explore boundless possibilities for the future of our planet!
SATURDAY & SUNDAY - Disney’s ‘Encanto’ in Concert @ Jones Hall The Academy Award-winning film ‘Encanto’ comes to life like never before, with the Houston Symphony performing the score live!
All weekend - Michael Blackson Stand Up @ Houston Improv
All weekend - Circus Vazquez @ Greenspoint Mall This circus show presents unique dance and acrobatic performances from an array of internationally renowned stars!
All weekend - ‘The Cher Show’ Musical @ The Hobby Center ‘The Cher Show’ is 35 smash hits, six decades of stardom, two rock-star husbands, and countless EGOT awards, all in one unabashedly fabulous new musical that will have audiences dancing in the aisles!
All weekend - ‘Refer Madness’ Musical @ The Garden Theatre Based on the cult-classic satire musical, The Garden Theatre’s newest production is a side-splitting comedy with one-of-a-kind catchy repertoire.
All weekend - ‘Ruthless!’ Musical @ Art Factory LAST CHANCE - Full of Broadway spoof, twists and turns, and ridiculous conventions, ‘Ruthless! The Musical’ humorously gives us a glimpse into the competitive nature of show business.
All weekend - ‘Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story’ Musical @ Crighton Theatre LAST CHANCE - See the story of Buddy Holly’s three year journey towards becoming one of the top recording artists in the world.
All weekend - ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ Play @ The George Theatre This story about a unique and unlikely friendship between a Jewsih woman and a Black man in 1940s in Georgia reminds us of the common humanity and the value of life.
All weekend - ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ Play @ Alvin College Theatre In this powerful adaptation, Anne Frank emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young girl who confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of the times.
All weekend - ‘Jane Eyre’ Play @ Alley Theatre Adapted by Elizabeth Williamson from the beloved classic novel by Charlotte Brontë, this play follows the heroine who struggles for freedom and fulfillment on her own terms.
All weekend - ‘Lady Sunsan’ Play @ Stageworks Theater Jane Austen’s comic novella about a young widow’s brilliant scheming in turn-of-the-century English society comes to life in Rob Urbinati’s delightfully witty stage adaptation.
All weekend - ‘Cleansed’ Play @ MATCH From the controversial playwright of the Theatre of Extremes Sarah Kane came a brutal, yet triumphant fable about totalitarianism and controlled experiments that hauntingly reminds viewers of the present day.
All weekend - ‘King Charles III: Alternate History’ Play @ MATCH With honesty and humility, the play presents an alternate history of the ascension of Prince Charles to the throne of the United Kingdom.
Ongoing - ‘Jurassic World’ Exhibition @ Katy Mills The limited-time globally sold-out exhibition immerses audiences of all ages in scenes inspired by the beloved film. Discover the science of jurassic world and walk in the land of jurassic giants, closer than ever before!
Ongoing - Dinosaurs @ Houston Zoo Trek through a lush forest trail to see life-sized animatronic creatures, including the fan favorite T-rex, Brachiosaurus, Edmontonia, and more!
Ongoing - Sloomoo Exhibition @ Marq E Entertainment Center Immerse yourself in the joy of sensory play with Sloomoo Institute’s colorful world of never-ending, hand-crafted slime, yummy scents, and soothing ASMR delights.
Ongoing - Winter Colorland @ Houston Color Factory Enjoy Color Factory's glimmering winter wonderland as they have decked out its immersive exhibition rooms for the winter season.
Ongoing - ‘Vertigo of Color: Matisse, Derain, and the Origins of Fauvism’ Exhibition @ MFAH The exhibition presents, for the first time in the United States, the origins and legacy of fauvism through paintings, drawings, and watercolors by Henri Matisse and André Derain.
Ongoing - ‘Multiplicity: Blackness In Contemporary American Collage’ Exhibition @ MFAH Collage works by multiple generations of living artists examine concepts such as cultural hybridity, gender fluidity, historical memory, and notions of beauty and power.
Ongoing - ‘Crowning the North: Silver Treasures from Bergen, Norway’ Exhibition @ MFAH Featuring over 200 objects, this exhibition provides an exceptional look at Nordic history and aesthetics across centuries as Bergen stood at the intersection of global trade, taste, and fashion.
Ongoing - ‘Kehinde Wiley: An Archaeology of Silence’ Exhibition @ MFAH Wiley’s monumental, large-scale paintings of Black and Brown individuals confront and challenge the silence surrounding systemic violence and injustice.
Ongoing - ‘Ruth Asawa Through Line’ Exhibition @ Menil The exhibition presents drawings, collages, watercolors, and sketchbooks showing the breadth of Ruth Asawa’s innovative and profound practice.
Ongoing - ‘Janet Sobel: All-Over’ Exhibition @ Menil See the pioneering work of Janet Sobel and her ‘All-Over’ abstract expressionist painting technique which inspired generations of artists, including Jackson Pollock.
Ongoing - ‘Hayv Kahraman: The Foreign Us’ Exhibition @ Moody Center for the Arts Kahraman’s first solo exhibition features works informed by the artist’s Iraqi-Kurdish heritage and experience as a refugee while highlighting her research-driven practice.
submitted by generalpao to houston [link] [comments]
Take it easy on Saturday, enjoy the weather.
FRIDAY - APRIL 19th
Tim Robinson Comedy Show @ Bayou Music Center @ 7:30PM See Tim and Zach in never seen before sketches, along with other special guest appearances.‘Chinese Folktales: Wit and Wisdom of the Ancestors’ Dance Show @ Miller Outdoor Theatre @ 8:15PM Featuring 40 dancers,10 actors, film, music and eye-popping costumes, this production is a unique blend of theatre and dance brings to life classic Chinese stories about people, animals, and mythical creatures.
‘Don Giovanni’ Opera @ Wortham Theater @ 7:30PM See the Spanish antihero everyone loves to hate in director Kasper Holten’s brilliant and seductive tragicomedy production.
Sounds of the City Concert @ Market Square Park @ 5PM Grab food from your favorite neighborhood eatery and enjoy live music from a new local Houston artist.
Larry Fleet @ House of Blues @ 7PM
Soft Kill @ White Oak Music Hall @ 7PM With Gumm
Crizzly @ Stereo Live @ 10PM
Sarah and The Sundays @ Warehouse Live @ 6:30PM
Afroman @ Last Concert Cafe @ 7PM
The Spill Canvas @ Scout Bar @ 7PM
SATURDAY - APRIL 20th
Dynamo vs Austin FC @ Shell Energy Stadium @ 7:30PMOngoing - Saturday Stargazing @ George Observatory in Needville
Ongoing - Farmers Market @ Market Square Park @ 9AM This spring, enjoy Houston’s best vendors in the very heart of downtown!
Earth Day & Houston Public Works’ Water Festival @ Discovery Green @ 12PM This year’s Earth Day will be about using art to engage people and urge them to action!
Kids Festival @ The Grand Opera House @ 10AM Enjoy three blocks of artful and creative non-stop fun for kids and their parents.
Noche Caliente Festival @ Miller Outdoor Theatre @ 8:15PM “Noche Caliente” (Hot Night) is an incredible evening of great music entertainment that celebrates the different cultures of the Hispanic community.
Houston Country, Folk, & Blues @ Houston Community College - Katy @ 11AM Experience 6 major concerts, artists & crafters, gourmet food trucks, craft beer & wine!
Midtown Wine Festival @ Midtown Park @ 1:30PM Come treat yourself to an afternoon of international and local wine, music, and food!
Saint Arnold Pub Crawl @ EaDo @ 2PM The World Famous Saint Arnold Pub Crawl is heading back to EaDo! Start between 2:00 and 3:00 at select spots in the area!
Candlelight: A Tribute to Coldplay in Concert @ Lone Star Flight Museum @ 7PM / 9:15PM Hear Coldplay’s greatest hits in classical interpretation!
‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ Screening @ MFAH @ 8PM
Adam Ant @ Bayou Music Center @ 8PM With The English Beat
Laufey @ 713 Music Hall @ 8PM With Grace Enger
Cumbiatron: The Cumbia Rave @ House of Blues @ 9PM
Knox @ House of Blues @ 7PM
Lee Brice @ White Oak Music Hall @ 6PM
Dirty Loops @ White Oak Music Hall @ 8PM
Broadway Rave @ White Oak Music Hall @ 9PM)
Bruce Robison + John Fullbright @ The Heights Theater @ 8PM With Summer Dean
Space Laces @ Stereo Live @ 10PM
Decapitated @ Warehouse Live @ 6:30PM
SUNDAY - APRIL 21st
Walk for the WIld 5K @ Houston Zoo @ 7AM Walk through the grounds and help power the Houston Zoo’s wildlife-saving efforts.Family Zone @ MFAH @ 1PM Families are invited to join a teaching artist for an afternoon in the galleries and the studio.
Spring Festival @ MFAH @ 1PM The MFAH celebrates all things Spring with free admission, tasty bites from local vendors, creative stations, kid-friendly activities, and much more!
Roy Wood Jr. Stand Up @ House of Blues @ 8PM
‘Swan Lake’ Ballet @ Wortham Center @ 2PM / 6PM ‘Swan Lake,’ the ballet of all ballets, will be performed one night only as a part of the World Ballet Series.
‘Don Giovanni’ Opera @ Wortham Theater @ 2PM See the Spanish antihero everyone loves to hate in director Kasper Holten’s brilliant and seductive tragicomedy production.
Jazzy Sundays @ Buffalo Bayou Park @ 5PM Featuring Rainel Joubert & Lolade
Catterina & Kate Stephenson @ White Oak Music Hall @ 6PM With Micah Edwards
Low Cut Connie @ The Heights Theater @ 8PM With Fantastic Cat
Alborosie @ Last Concert Cafe @ 8PM
Des Rocs @ Scout Bar @ 8PM
All Weekend
THURSDAY & FRIDAY - Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to The Beatles @ Jones Hall @ 7:30PM Hear over two dozen of The Beatles’ greatest hits, transcribed note-for-note and performed as originally recorded, with four musicians who look and sound just like the original Fab Four!SATURDAY & SUNDAY - Planet Earth Celebration @ Space Center Houston Enjoy exclusive activities, activations and explore boundless possibilities for the future of our planet!
SATURDAY & SUNDAY - Disney’s ‘Encanto’ in Concert @ Jones Hall The Academy Award-winning film ‘Encanto’ comes to life like never before, with the Houston Symphony performing the score live!
All weekend - Michael Blackson Stand Up @ Houston Improv
All weekend - Circus Vazquez @ Greenspoint Mall This circus show presents unique dance and acrobatic performances from an array of internationally renowned stars!
All weekend - ‘The Cher Show’ Musical @ The Hobby Center ‘The Cher Show’ is 35 smash hits, six decades of stardom, two rock-star husbands, and countless EGOT awards, all in one unabashedly fabulous new musical that will have audiences dancing in the aisles!
All weekend - ‘Refer Madness’ Musical @ The Garden Theatre Based on the cult-classic satire musical, The Garden Theatre’s newest production is a side-splitting comedy with one-of-a-kind catchy repertoire.
All weekend - ‘Ruthless!’ Musical @ Art Factory LAST CHANCE - Full of Broadway spoof, twists and turns, and ridiculous conventions, ‘Ruthless! The Musical’ humorously gives us a glimpse into the competitive nature of show business.
All weekend - ‘Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story’ Musical @ Crighton Theatre LAST CHANCE - See the story of Buddy Holly’s three year journey towards becoming one of the top recording artists in the world.
All weekend - ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ Play @ The George Theatre This story about a unique and unlikely friendship between a Jewsih woman and a Black man in 1940s in Georgia reminds us of the common humanity and the value of life.
All weekend - ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ Play @ Alvin College Theatre In this powerful adaptation, Anne Frank emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young girl who confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of the times.
All weekend - ‘Jane Eyre’ Play @ Alley Theatre Adapted by Elizabeth Williamson from the beloved classic novel by Charlotte Brontë, this play follows the heroine who struggles for freedom and fulfillment on her own terms.
All weekend - ‘Lady Sunsan’ Play @ Stageworks Theater Jane Austen’s comic novella about a young widow’s brilliant scheming in turn-of-the-century English society comes to life in Rob Urbinati’s delightfully witty stage adaptation.
All weekend - ‘Cleansed’ Play @ MATCH From the controversial playwright of the Theatre of Extremes Sarah Kane came a brutal, yet triumphant fable about totalitarianism and controlled experiments that hauntingly reminds viewers of the present day.
All weekend - ‘King Charles III: Alternate History’ Play @ MATCH With honesty and humility, the play presents an alternate history of the ascension of Prince Charles to the throne of the United Kingdom.
Ongoing Special Events and Museum Exhibitions
Ongoing - French Cultures Festival LAST CHANCE - The festival unites French speakers, learners, and the wider Francophone community to showcase the diversity of French cultures. Check the website for specific events throughout the city.Ongoing - ‘Jurassic World’ Exhibition @ Katy Mills The limited-time globally sold-out exhibition immerses audiences of all ages in scenes inspired by the beloved film. Discover the science of jurassic world and walk in the land of jurassic giants, closer than ever before!
Ongoing - Dinosaurs @ Houston Zoo Trek through a lush forest trail to see life-sized animatronic creatures, including the fan favorite T-rex, Brachiosaurus, Edmontonia, and more!
Ongoing - Sloomoo Exhibition @ Marq E Entertainment Center Immerse yourself in the joy of sensory play with Sloomoo Institute’s colorful world of never-ending, hand-crafted slime, yummy scents, and soothing ASMR delights.
Ongoing - Winter Colorland @ Houston Color Factory Enjoy Color Factory's glimmering winter wonderland as they have decked out its immersive exhibition rooms for the winter season.
Ongoing - ‘Vertigo of Color: Matisse, Derain, and the Origins of Fauvism’ Exhibition @ MFAH The exhibition presents, for the first time in the United States, the origins and legacy of fauvism through paintings, drawings, and watercolors by Henri Matisse and André Derain.
Ongoing - ‘Multiplicity: Blackness In Contemporary American Collage’ Exhibition @ MFAH Collage works by multiple generations of living artists examine concepts such as cultural hybridity, gender fluidity, historical memory, and notions of beauty and power.
Ongoing - ‘Crowning the North: Silver Treasures from Bergen, Norway’ Exhibition @ MFAH Featuring over 200 objects, this exhibition provides an exceptional look at Nordic history and aesthetics across centuries as Bergen stood at the intersection of global trade, taste, and fashion.
Ongoing - ‘Kehinde Wiley: An Archaeology of Silence’ Exhibition @ MFAH Wiley’s monumental, large-scale paintings of Black and Brown individuals confront and challenge the silence surrounding systemic violence and injustice.
Ongoing - ‘Ruth Asawa Through Line’ Exhibition @ Menil The exhibition presents drawings, collages, watercolors, and sketchbooks showing the breadth of Ruth Asawa’s innovative and profound practice.
Ongoing - ‘Janet Sobel: All-Over’ Exhibition @ Menil See the pioneering work of Janet Sobel and her ‘All-Over’ abstract expressionist painting technique which inspired generations of artists, including Jackson Pollock.
Ongoing - ‘Hayv Kahraman: The Foreign Us’ Exhibition @ Moody Center for the Arts Kahraman’s first solo exhibition features works informed by the artist’s Iraqi-Kurdish heritage and experience as a refugee while highlighting her research-driven practice.
2024.04.19 18:02 Vast-Passenger1126 [Discussion] The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - Part 3 Chapter 13 to end
Welcome back everyone for our final discussion of The Prisoner of Heaven. And what a wild ride it was! I'm excited to see what everyone thought of the ending so let's dive right in.
Summary:
Part 3 - Ch 13: Daniel returns home to find his father reading a letter. Surprise! He has a cousin named Sophia who lives in Naples and wants to come visit. Daniel and his dad have an awkward chat about everything Fermin has revealed. Senor Sempere believes there were no romantic feelings between his wife and David and that Valls wasn't responsible for her death. He tries to get Daniel to promise he won't go after Valls, but the best Daniel will give him is that he won't do anything while his father lives. The whole conversation causes Senor Sempere to have a breakdown and Daniel claims this is the moment his father 'had begun to die'.
Part 4: Daniel tells Bea everything that happened and lies to her by promising that he won't go after Valls, even after his father dies. Salgado rocks up to the bookshop which anti-climatically settles the mystery of who was looking for Fermin. He's only just got out of prison on a pardon and obviously wants his loot. Fermin gives in without a fight and gives Salgado the key. Daniel and Fermin decide to follow him and they all end up at some train station lockers. I guess the station never changed or checked their lockers in over 20 years because there's still a suitcase inside the one Salgado has a key for but it is...EMPTY! The shock kills poor Salgado.
Daniel decides to move on from the past and focus on the future, ensuring that Fermin can get all the proper documentation to marry Bernarda. He recruits the help of Professor Alburquerque who conveniently is writing an article about the Spanish legal system (and also a book about Julian Carax!) which gives him access to the Civili Registry archives. Daniel wants the Professor to take him along as a "helper" so he can plant fake identity documentation for Fermin. The Professor agrees to do this for lifetime discount on books and a wedding invite. To create the fake documents for Fermin, Daniel enlists the help Oswaldo, who actually used to be a writer under the same publishers as David, Barrido and Escobillas. Daniel also uses the opportunity to ask what the Professor knows about Valls. Turns out the man set up a publishing house which is always putting out new books with fancy public launches, but Valls hasn't been seen at one in years.
Meanwhile, Daniel becomes obsessed with Mauricio Valls, tracking his career and his publishing company, Ediciones Ariadna. Daniel learns that Valls hasn't been seen in public since 1956 (so in over 2 years). In the last photograph of him, Daniel spots two people in dark clothes and glasses who don't seem to be part of the ceremony. At first, the disappearance fills him with rage, but after spending an afternoon with his family (and getting a look up his wife's skirt), he decides he wants to move on with his life and won't ever think of Valls again.
Instead, he's going to think about Bea's ex and their impending potential meetup! When the day arrives, Bea is getting all dressed up for some errands that will keep her out late and plans on leaving Julian with her mom. Trusting as always, Daniel calls the hotel to find out if Pablo is staying at the hotel and not only is he there, but he works for Vall's publishing company!!!
Daniel goes to the hotel and charges on up to Pablo's suite. He decides violence is the best way to go and attacks Pablo before the guy can even get a word out. Bea didn't show, but Daniel still feels the need to nearly kill Pablo while asking him about Valls. Pablo hasn't seen Valls the entire time he's been working at the publishing company, but one of his secretaries, Paco Armero, told Pablo to write to Bea. Just then, the "police" (aka Fermin) arrive and they escape from the hotel. Across town, Bernarda is trying on her wedding dress with Bea while they discuss how both their partners' have a secret or two.
Part 5: It's Fermin's bachelor party and the men have of course got drunk and gone to a dance hall with Rociito and her prostitute friends. Daniel and Professor Albuquerque present Fermin with his new identity documents which is a pretty great early wedding gift. Rociito admits to Daniel that she's always loved Fermin and they have a goodbye dance (and KISS!!!). Senor Sempere gets wasted and when Daniel and Fermin walk him home, they find cousin Sofia, who is the spitting image of Isabella apparently, waiting on their doorstep. Daniel has one more present waiting for Fermin and it's a trip to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books!
While Fermin browses, Isaac tells Daniel he's getting old and is looking for someone to take his job. Fermin decides to save one of David Martin's City of the Damned books and Isaac says David used to come by the Cemetery quite often. No, not before the war, AFTER. As late as New Years Eve of 1941, which means David survived the transfer from prison to the Park Guell house. At this last visit, David's ear was bleeding, his hands were shaking and he ate ALL the sugar cubes. David also claimed the Boss was waiting in a Mercedes outside, but when Isaac looked outside, nothing was there. He did leave a parcel which is his book, The Angel's Game, and a letter for Daniel! The letter says that Daniel should read the story and then forget all about revenge, but if he ever finds himself kneeling at his mother's grave there will be an angel that holds all the answers.
It's finally time for the wedding! Daniel spots a smiling stranger at the ceremony who reminds him of David, but when he looks again, the man is gone.
Epilogue: Two years later, Daniel is visiting his mother's grave with Julian. They find a small angel statue and Julian conveniently breaks it, revealing a small slip of paper that has Vall's name and an address. DUN DUN DUNNNNN!!!!
submitted by Vast-Passenger1126 to bookclub [link] [comments]
Summary:
Part 3 - Ch 13: Daniel returns home to find his father reading a letter. Surprise! He has a cousin named Sophia who lives in Naples and wants to come visit. Daniel and his dad have an awkward chat about everything Fermin has revealed. Senor Sempere believes there were no romantic feelings between his wife and David and that Valls wasn't responsible for her death. He tries to get Daniel to promise he won't go after Valls, but the best Daniel will give him is that he won't do anything while his father lives. The whole conversation causes Senor Sempere to have a breakdown and Daniel claims this is the moment his father 'had begun to die'.
Part 4: Daniel tells Bea everything that happened and lies to her by promising that he won't go after Valls, even after his father dies. Salgado rocks up to the bookshop which anti-climatically settles the mystery of who was looking for Fermin. He's only just got out of prison on a pardon and obviously wants his loot. Fermin gives in without a fight and gives Salgado the key. Daniel and Fermin decide to follow him and they all end up at some train station lockers. I guess the station never changed or checked their lockers in over 20 years because there's still a suitcase inside the one Salgado has a key for but it is...EMPTY! The shock kills poor Salgado.
Daniel decides to move on from the past and focus on the future, ensuring that Fermin can get all the proper documentation to marry Bernarda. He recruits the help of Professor Alburquerque who conveniently is writing an article about the Spanish legal system (and also a book about Julian Carax!) which gives him access to the Civili Registry archives. Daniel wants the Professor to take him along as a "helper" so he can plant fake identity documentation for Fermin. The Professor agrees to do this for lifetime discount on books and a wedding invite. To create the fake documents for Fermin, Daniel enlists the help Oswaldo, who actually used to be a writer under the same publishers as David, Barrido and Escobillas. Daniel also uses the opportunity to ask what the Professor knows about Valls. Turns out the man set up a publishing house which is always putting out new books with fancy public launches, but Valls hasn't been seen at one in years.
Meanwhile, Daniel becomes obsessed with Mauricio Valls, tracking his career and his publishing company, Ediciones Ariadna. Daniel learns that Valls hasn't been seen in public since 1956 (so in over 2 years). In the last photograph of him, Daniel spots two people in dark clothes and glasses who don't seem to be part of the ceremony. At first, the disappearance fills him with rage, but after spending an afternoon with his family (and getting a look up his wife's skirt), he decides he wants to move on with his life and won't ever think of Valls again.
Instead, he's going to think about Bea's ex and their impending potential meetup! When the day arrives, Bea is getting all dressed up for some errands that will keep her out late and plans on leaving Julian with her mom. Trusting as always, Daniel calls the hotel to find out if Pablo is staying at the hotel and not only is he there, but he works for Vall's publishing company!!!
Daniel goes to the hotel and charges on up to Pablo's suite. He decides violence is the best way to go and attacks Pablo before the guy can even get a word out. Bea didn't show, but Daniel still feels the need to nearly kill Pablo while asking him about Valls. Pablo hasn't seen Valls the entire time he's been working at the publishing company, but one of his secretaries, Paco Armero, told Pablo to write to Bea. Just then, the "police" (aka Fermin) arrive and they escape from the hotel. Across town, Bernarda is trying on her wedding dress with Bea while they discuss how both their partners' have a secret or two.
Part 5: It's Fermin's bachelor party and the men have of course got drunk and gone to a dance hall with Rociito and her prostitute friends. Daniel and Professor Albuquerque present Fermin with his new identity documents which is a pretty great early wedding gift. Rociito admits to Daniel that she's always loved Fermin and they have a goodbye dance (and KISS!!!). Senor Sempere gets wasted and when Daniel and Fermin walk him home, they find cousin Sofia, who is the spitting image of Isabella apparently, waiting on their doorstep. Daniel has one more present waiting for Fermin and it's a trip to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books!
While Fermin browses, Isaac tells Daniel he's getting old and is looking for someone to take his job. Fermin decides to save one of David Martin's City of the Damned books and Isaac says David used to come by the Cemetery quite often. No, not before the war, AFTER. As late as New Years Eve of 1941, which means David survived the transfer from prison to the Park Guell house. At this last visit, David's ear was bleeding, his hands were shaking and he ate ALL the sugar cubes. David also claimed the Boss was waiting in a Mercedes outside, but when Isaac looked outside, nothing was there. He did leave a parcel which is his book, The Angel's Game, and a letter for Daniel! The letter says that Daniel should read the story and then forget all about revenge, but if he ever finds himself kneeling at his mother's grave there will be an angel that holds all the answers.
It's finally time for the wedding! Daniel spots a smiling stranger at the ceremony who reminds him of David, but when he looks again, the man is gone.
Epilogue: Two years later, Daniel is visiting his mother's grave with Julian. They find a small angel statue and Julian conveniently breaks it, revealing a small slip of paper that has Vall's name and an address. DUN DUN DUNNNNN!!!!
2024.04.16 15:02 FarragutCircle Reading The Big Book of Cyberpunk, Week 12
Welcome to Reading The Big Book of Cyberpunk!
Each week we (u/FarragutCircle and u/fanny_bertram) will be reading 5-ish stories from Jared Shurin’s The Big Book of Cyberpunk, which includes a curated selection of cyberpunk stories written from 1950 to 2022! We’ll include synopses of the stories along with links to any legally available online versions we can find. Feel free to read along with us or just stop by and hear our thoughts about some cyberpunk stories to decide if any of them sound interesting to you.
Every once in a while, we reach out to people who have more insight, due to being fans of the author or have some additional context for the story. (Or we just tricked them into it.) So please welcome Paddy who will be sharing their thoughts on "D.GO" by Nicholas Royle!
“[Learning About] Machine Sex” by Candas Jane Dorsey (published 1988; also available in the her collection Ice & Other Stories)
Angel is a genius programmer used in multiple ways by the men around her, and she has an idea how to get back at them and society.
Robert and Elena change how they see things (perceptiverse) with pills designed for different artists, but become junkies.
A man is haunted by an omnipresent ad campaign which ends in a bang.
Roy Robartes and the Rovers take on the Detroit Pythons in the 1998 World Series Cup Final in a vastly changed game of association-football [soccer].
The narrator is an ocular reporter who had a special camera implanted in his eyes, but the technology and the news of the future leave a lot more to be desired.
Also posted on Bochord Online.
submitted by FarragutCircle to Fantasy [link] [comments]
Each week we (u/FarragutCircle and u/fanny_bertram) will be reading 5-ish stories from Jared Shurin’s The Big Book of Cyberpunk, which includes a curated selection of cyberpunk stories written from 1950 to 2022! We’ll include synopses of the stories along with links to any legally available online versions we can find. Feel free to read along with us or just stop by and hear our thoughts about some cyberpunk stories to decide if any of them sound interesting to you.
Every once in a while, we reach out to people who have more insight, due to being fans of the author or have some additional context for the story. (Or we just tricked them into it.) So please welcome Paddy who will be sharing their thoughts on "D.GO" by Nicholas Royle!
“[Learning About] Machine Sex” by Candas Jane Dorsey (published 1988; also available in the her collection Ice & Other Stories)
Angel is a genius programmer used in multiple ways by the men around her, and she has an idea how to get back at them and society.
- Farragut’s thoughts: Dorsey is a Canadian author whose debut novel Black Wine (1997) won several awards, including the Tiptree Award (now called Otherwise Award) for writing on gender in SF. This story sort of presages some of the interest Dorsey has in gender, as Angel creates a special biochip/computer that can give one an orgasm almost immediately. Due to her own life experiences, Angel is extremely embittered towards the men in her life and she somehow thinks this will be revenge and men will leave her alone. I’m not quite sure of this, though I loved Dorsey’s writing (and the dialogue with the rancher’s son that marks the turning point). Every time she mentioned the Machine Sex program, though, I couldn’t help but think of Barbarella’s experiences with the Exsexsive Machine which induces fatal sexual pleasure.
- fanny’s thoughts: The use of just programming in this story rather than technological integration into the body really makes this story stand out. The programmer is basically a genius who applies her knowledge to the most basic human nature to try and stimulate orgasm with no human contact. I liked the person she meets who tries to explain that sex can be so much more, but she has never seen that because the men in her life just used her. It's an interesting story about capitalism and revenge.
Robert and Elena change how they see things (perceptiverse) with pills designed for different artists, but become junkies.
- Farragut: Di Filippo is not only a cyberpunk author, but a steampunk (The Steampunk Trilogy) and biopunk one (Ribofunk), too (and who knows what else). Here the story has quite a fun premise as the two main characters constantly cycle through different visual artists’ styles. Both Robert and Elena are pompous as hell, like all art snobs (heyooo). One of the funniest throwaway bits during the lengthy “let’s name all these fancy artists” is when Robert mentions them going through a realism phase and mentioning Frazetta, whose SF/F illustrations I can only think of as “overly musclebound.”
- fanny: I genuinely felt for Robert in this story and was disappointed he gave into the wishes of his girlfriend. The idea of the perceptiverse is fun to explore, even if the story is bittersweet. Both seeing the same thing, but then losing interest and having to move on mimics the human experience. Constantly chasing the perfect perception of the world to share with others. I liked that Robert in the end just wants to get back to himself, but doesn't know how. Notice I skip the art because I could not be paid enough to see the whole world as a Picasso painting.
A man is haunted by an omnipresent ad campaign which ends in a bang.
- Special Guest Paddy: This didn't really land for me on a few levels. Though written in 1990, it felt very much a throwback to earlier sci-fi shorts from the fifties and sixties, with a heavy emphasis on the "hook" and not a lot else. Royle's prose is utilitarian and bland, and the protagonist is a very familiar archetype that felt a bit out of date to me, even for the times. It didn't seem especially cyber or punkish to me and, whilst conceptually there was a germ of an idea here about Marshall McLuhan-style cultural spread, I didn't think it was handled in a very engaging or original way.
- Farragut: Royle is an English author who’s won the British Fantasy Award a few times, but more importantly, his 1997 novel The Matter of the Heart won the Bad Sex in Fiction Award. I really appreciated how the author slowly amped up the creepy tension as everyone around the main character seems to be immediately caught up in a cult he can’t understand. That dread and uncertainty was something else! It didn’t feel all that cyberpunky, even with Shurin’s generous definitions. I also had time believing that this guy wouldn’t say anything to anyone about it, not his friends or his parents. And then it all led to a conclusion that was both obvious and disturbing.
- fanny: This story shows a viral ad campaign and how it can be used to brainwash people. I found that following one person who is trying to hold out against it and his isolation from others because of it. The end is profound, but deeply weird and off-putting. I think this story tells a lot about how people can be influenced by what they see and consume as media. It also shows how to question that.
Roy Robartes and the Rovers take on the Detroit Pythons in the 1998 World Series Cup Final in a vastly changed game of association-football [soccer].
- Farragut: I only knew of Newman through his Anno Dracula novels, so I was definitely not expecting a future sports story from a horror writer. It was a little bit of a rough start reading this story since there’s a lot going on, but once I got into it, I thought it was pretty good and pretty funny. I think the story will have a little bit more resonance for you if you’re a fan of the Premier League (or at least its behind the scenes drama!). Leech is definitely a Murdoch-like figure, and I was really cheering for Roy’s team to win. The climax was great, though the ending was probably a bit expected. It’s hard to change the narrative against the person in charge of broadcasting it, isn’t it?
- fanny: This is soccer but made so much worse by adding armored suits and tech. The story is more about how entertainment and narrative drive media and translating that into making sport more interesting. Leech owns all the media and only cares about narrative, so he and people around him try to manipulate everything and everyone. I liked following our MC who is going against that idea by bringing soccer back to its old state. The story is weird, but easy to imagine a world where the situation exists. (I am pretty sure the rest of the world is yelling “it’s called football” at me).
The narrator is an ocular reporter who had a special camera implanted in his eyes, but the technology and the news of the future leave a lot more to be desired.
- Farragut: Rojo is a Mexican writer who won a Kalpa Prize for this story. I thought “Grey Noise” had a lot of interesting ideas; the idea of a reporter “on the ground” who constantly always has a camera (much like in D. G. Compton’s novel The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe), though Rojo plays around more with the continuous demands from news producers for the reporter to get more footage. The presence of the implant apparently makes the reporters susceptible to electronic feedback. There was lot of suicide talk, both for what he witnessed and what he plans. I also couldn’t help but feel like the entire premise was slightly undercut by the fact that, 28 years later, it’s “citizen journalism via phone cameras.” That said, Rojo (and his translator!) do a good job of showing the headspace the character is in.
- fanny: The technology integration in this story changes reporting into constant vlog owned by the company. The reporters are constantly chasing anything to get hits, even the most gruesome scenes. I appreciated the introduction of the electric impulse disease that was afflicting people who were constantly tuned in to technology. It made the choices reporters were making seem even more dangerous and questionable. The story is graphic in some ways, but it all approached at an impartial distance as to what kind of sensation it causes. There is a lot of discussion about suicidal ideation in this story which makes it very hard for me to review.
Also posted on Bochord Online.
2024.04.13 04:18 madd74 Happy Floyd Friday! Vol 393 **Evening Edition**
It's that Time where we show appreciation to the greatest band in all the land! Were you dressed properly for work today?
submitted by madd74 to FloydFriday [link] [comments]
- The recording sessions for The Dark Side of the Moon were frequently interrupted: Waters, a supporter of Arsenal F.C., would break to see his team compete, and the band would occasionally stop to watch "Monty Python's Flying Circus" on television while Parsons worked on the tracks.
- The Dogs of War, which was referenced 7 times on The Later Years, was released as an A-side single to On the Turning Away on September 8, 1987.
- Wanna have your Pink Floyd shirt featured in a future [FloydPost]? Send me a PM
2024.04.12 13:04 redditduk [Reupload Megalist] SG Gigs, Concerts, Raves: Mid April (12 Apr - 25 Apr 2024)
26 Apr Update: https://reddit.com/singaporemusicchat/comments/1cde6nmegalist_sg_gigs_concerts_raves_may_2024_labou
I am on telegram: search sg music chat or visit t.me/sgmusicchat
submitted by redditduk to singaporemusicchat [link] [comments]
12 Apr, Fri - Esplanade's A Tapestry of Sacred Music weekend
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- Singapore Symphony Orchestra: Kreisler, Stravinsky and Mozart w Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider - Day 1 of 2, Victoria Concert Hall, $15
- Whispers and Rezrex (THA metalcore, hardcore) ft Flames of Conviction, renegade, xdesterx, Aliwal Arts Centre (nicoll highway), $48
- Indie: Rabak Records & Phil's Studio Presents: Greek Fire - ft SFX, Smear, State Escape, Sugar, punk rock, alternative and indie music, Phil's Studio @ High Street Centre L3 (clarke quay/city hall), $20 ($24 walk-in)
- Cpop: Elton Lee 李泓伸 作品音乐会 - 「START」, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music - Concert Hall L1, free
- Chinese Opera: 上海越剧《五女拜寿》Shanghai Yue Opera "Five Daughters Celebrating Grand Birthday", SCCC Auditorium @ 1 Straits Blvd (shenton way), $22
- ESPLANADE Chinese Opera: Peony Pavilion 《牡丹亭》 by 江苏省苏州昆剧院 Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theater of Jiangsu 青春版, ESPLANADE, $50
- Esplanade's A Tapestry of Sacred Music weekend
- DJ, Escape 56 Anniversary celebration Day 1 - Rey Colino (BEL house & techno) ft Robo X, Mako, and Brian, also some art installation, lgbt friendly, $50 or student dc
- DJ, Tuff: BTRH feat. DEZ, JOSHUA DILLON & TMDDJ, tuff club @ 138 robinson rd cbd, $35
- DJ, Club El Pico Presents: Gifted Fire (NYC Organic house & Afro house beats), members club @ 6 Hongkong St (clarke quay), free
- DJ, iKi: TRANCE4M International ft The Return of Paul Denton (IRE hard trance, tech trance), club iki @ ikigai izakaya riverwalk (clarke quay), $50
- DJ, ØGravity x Thugshop Presents – Weekender with MARSH (UK deep progressive house), MDLR club @ 62 cecil street (cbd), $57,
- DJ, Zouk: ZHU - pres by Collective Minds, zouk club clarke quay, tix 🎟 $78
- DJ, Marquee: 5th Anniversary - Tiësto, marquee nightclub @ marina bay sands shoppes, $100 or student dc
13 Apr, Sat
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- Moon Byul 1ST WORLD TOUR (of MAMAMOO), capitol theatre city hall, $168
- Kelly Yu 于文文《魔方视界》,Singapore Indoor Stadium, $88
- CHA EUN-WOO 2024 Just One 10 Minute (Mystery Elevator), The Star Vista Theatre (buona vista), $128
- Marquee: Marquee 5th Anniversary presents: Chung Ha (I.O.I,), marquee nightclub @ marina bay sands shoppes, $100 or student dc
- AniVenture: Anime Music with traditional Chinese Instruments, SCCC Auditorium @ 1 Straits Blvd (shenton way), $35
- truncated
- DJ Fest Day to Night, 4xFEST - 25 acts across 4 stages of underground House, Techno, Bass and Psytrance, Luxuria Lounge @ Tekka Place Mall Rooftop (rochor), tix & full list 🎟 $37
- DJ, Endless Return: 4LLEN Experimental Genre-Bending Rave - Rosemainy Buang of Antarmuka (SG), Teya Logos (PH), obese.dogma777 (PH), Rudi Osman, Mervin Wong (SG), butoh by XUE (SG), 72-13 Theatre @ 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Rd (robertson quay), $40
- DJ Day to Night 🏖🏢, Kampong Boogie x Element x House of Cane - Afternoon Pool Party Hiphop (DJs Prav, KNRK,,L.I.A, Mr Gray) - Night Tech House Party (DJs Zushan, Furious Styles), Pullman Hotel Singapore @ 1 Hill Street, $25
- DJ, AFROgroove pres DJ Marie's Birthday Bash, with DJ NAd & DaBishopOnDMix (Afrobeats, Hip-hop/RnB and Reggaeton), Blu Jaz @ bali ln (bugis), 2F, $20
- DJ, Sunny Side @ Hideout Rooftop Party - DJs Gan, Moss, Fatcatheartattack, dee, (sho)&tell - garage & house with some R&B/hip hop, Hideout @ 11 Hamilton rd (w/ nothing fancy wine bar, jalan besabendemeer), $20
- DJ, ARK 11: with Entity Presents: DJ Inquisitive (SG oriental rave), ARK 11 Club @ Orchard Central Mall L11, ~$50 soldout but doors avail
- DJ, CÉ LA VI: Club Lounge Tea Dance ft Stephen Day & Fadile, marina bay sands hotel rooftop bar-club 🗼, $38
- DJ, 🏖Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club Laidback Luke - 🌊The Bermuda Festival Day 2 of 3 - includes 4 experiential zones, Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club 🏖 @ 36 Siloso Bch Walk (Sentosa), $25
- DJ, Zouk: BONKA (AUS hardstyle, and main room edm), zouk club clarke quay, from $45
- DJ, Soul Collective presents: Elif (TUR-BAR melodic deep house), The Riverhouse Clarke Quay, $37,
- DJ, North East Social Club pres. Denham Audio & Mani Festo (UK, bass, hardcore, breaks) ft Kiat and Tashasan, tuff club @ 138 robinson rd cbd, $35
- DJ, Escape 56 Anniversary celebrations Day 2 - Massimiliano Pagliara (ITA house & techno, disco, electro) ft Meraki Soul, LoyBoy, and Jas, also some art installation, lgbt friendly $50 or student dc
- DJ, ØGravity x Thugshop Presents - Weekender with SIMON DOTY (CAN prog house), MDLR club @ 62 cecil street (cbd), $57
14 Apr, Sun
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- ESPLANADE's A Tapestry of Sacred Music Last Day
- E: Sunday Morning Gospel by Callie Day, indoor concourse 11am, free
- E: Tēvaram: Garlands of Praise by Othuvar Vaidyanathan, Viknash Balakrishnan and Shreya Gopi, indoor concourse, 215pm free
- E: Sacred Organ Works by Dong-ill Shin, concert hall 3pm, free, RSVP
- E: Pipe Organ Tour by Dr Evelyn Lim, 5pm 6pm 7pm free, RSVP
- E: Call to the Divine: Music of Sufi Rites by Kudsi Erguner & Muezzins of İstanbul, theatre 430pm, free, RSVP
- E: Kecak: Sanghyang Dedari by Eka Suwara Santhi, Gamelan Pinda Sari and Sanggar Langlang Jagat, outdoor forecourt garden 630pm, free
- E: Talk: Unveiling the Fusion of Dance and Religion in Balinese Rituals by Dr Irving Chan Johnson, recital studio 1pm, recital studio 1pm.free
- E: Taoist Processional Arts – Guardians of the Gods and Dance of the Qilin by Zhong Lian Dian Folk Arts and Yan Wong Cultural Troupe, courtyard 7pm 830pm, free
- E: Songs of the Life of Guru Nanak by Gurmat Sangeet Academy at the Sikh Centre, outdoor 745pm, free
- E: Throat Singers of Tuva by Huun-Huur-Tu, outdoor theatre 930pm, free
15 Apr, Mon
truncated for word limit16 Apr, Tue
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17 Apr, Wed - Clarke Quay St Fest
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18 Apr, Thu
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19 Apr, Fri
- ENNO CHENG 鄭宜農 , lion studios @ blk 115b commonwealth drive L2, $124
- dil-e-naadan - A musical concert with Kavita Seth (sufi music, bollywood), Victoria Concert Hall, $60
- TGIF Music Station 周5音乐站 - Annete Lee 李安, Lee Sung Chan李诚燦 , Sherraine Law 罗翊绮, Felicia Kusumo 孔俐蒽, Likie Low 刘礼齐 by Singapore Chinese Cultural Ctr x YES 933 fm , SCCC Concourse @ 1 Straits Blvd (shenton way), free
- Indie, Core: That Incredible Gig In April - TARIOT, RECOVER, AGGRESSIVE RAISIN CAT, Aarcade, Line Drive, Minute Made, mix of pop punk, metalcore, alt rock, hxc etc, Centre 42 @ 42 Waterloo Street (bras basah), $19
- Indie: Xingfoo & Roy (emo reunion) - ft camping & carpet golf, fans of midwest emo, alt rock , starts after 8, Phil's Studio @ High Street Centre L3 (clarke quay/city hall), $25 Doors Only
- Indie: Frogs and Friends Vol.3 - Shuffle Squad, Ruby Rocks, Sonicberries, rock, starts 530, Phil's Studio, $20
- Indie: Intermission Party Programme: Majelis Perayaan - INTERMISSION, ARE, Bellied Star, acts: post punk revival, experimental rock, alt grungy rock, LASALLE college of the arts Mcnally (rochor), Flexi space, free RSVP
- Kallang Wave: Ride The Waves Rhythm Fest - LAYYI (pop), The Young Folks (rock-pop, eng +chinese), Drunk Jeans (from NP Amplify), DJ sRaven x DJ Mink, Shopping Mall Outdoor Bs. Stadium Waterfront (stadium mrt), free
- Reggae, Blu Jaz: Bushmen Reggae Party, Blu Jaz cafe & bar @ bali ln (bugis), free
- Reggae, El Pico: Reggae Remedy (Ska, Rocksteady, Dancehall & Reggae), Cuban Members Club @ 6 Hongkong St (clarke quay), free
- Mandala Club: Montunico (🇨🇺 Latin band, Afro-cuban), Mandala member's club @ 31 Bukit Pasoh Rd (outram) $33
- Jazz Loft: WOODSHEDDING BY G&T DUO (Rachma Lim and Ernest Tan), Blu Jaz L3 @ bali ln (bugis),$24
- Maduro Jazz: Where Genres Collide by Mila Vidanovic Trio (jazz, pop, originals), maduro @ sofitel sentosa, $38+ drink credits
- InterContinental Jazz Lounge: Jacintha, InterContinental Singapore @ 80 Middle Road (bugis), $38
- Cool Cats Lounge: Nick Zavior presents The Modern Soul Man - 2 of 3, nco club @ 32 beach rd (esplanade), $28
- Chamber Music: Lunchtime Concerts at ACM x Yong Siew Toh Conservatory: Voice, Asian Civilisations Museum @ 1 Empress Place (raffles place), free
- NLB Peking Opera vs Western Classical Composer Pianist Chen Le Presents Double Feature - Peking opera, soprano, violin, saxophone, piano, small performance, National Library @ bugis, Lobby, free walk in ok
- MOJO Chinese Orchestra - The Rising Sun, NUS Yong Siew Toh Conservatory - main Concert Hall L1, free
- Singapore Chinese Orchestra x NAFA School of Music (SCO-NAFA) - NAFA Campus Rhapsody 2024 (校园音乐会 2024), NAFA Lee Foundation Theatre @ 151 Bencoolen St (bencoolen), free
- Esplanade: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in Concert - day 1 of 2 - Metropolitan Festival Orchestra, theatre, $79
- Esplanade: Red Forests by Building Fire (alternative acoustic & electronic), outdoor theatre, free -Esplanade: EveryBody Dance Now by Various dance studios, indoor concourse, free
- 19-21 Apr: Esplanade: Listen to See by Restless Dance Theatre , experiential dance, concert hall foyer, $25
- Others
- Little Island Brewing Co Changi Village, Rock Revival, Changi Village bar
- Clarke Quay Riverside Introducing PULSE: a fresh live entertainment ft GRAVITY band, The Riverside @ clarke quay (barestaurant), ex Yang Club
- DJ, CULTURE Feel My Seoul (kpop night), Cherry Discothequ @ 133 cecil st (cbd), $26
- DJ, UnfilteredPresents Flashback Friday - 00s y2k music, pop, rock, high school musical, hard rock cafe cuscaden (orchard), $30
- DJ, Phil Studio: aRapiano 2 - ARAB-AFRO (afrobeats, arabic, amapiano) - DJs Ollie Des, Badgaldidi, SWTLKR, DJ K, Phil's Studio @ High Street Centre L3 (clarke quay/city hall), $20,
- DJ , iki: PUSLE SG - Latin Kings Return - DJs The Aidilone, Naddz, Zart (Guaracha, afrobeats, dancehall Reggaeton), club iki @ ikigai izakaya riverwalk (clarke quay), $22
- DJ, Offtrack: DJ Kindergarchy (deep electronica), bs hong lim park, music gastro bar
- DJ, XclusiV: Canto & Retro Party - DJ Chris & Stevenson , Xclusiv southeast asian Restaurant Club (fmr. Prism) @ marina square
- DJ, Club Hell Bottoms in Hell, gay lgbt club @ 113 telok ayer st
- Drag Bar: Tuckshop: TuckOff, closing month, 43 Neil Road (maxwell), lgbt drag bar-club
- DJ, Potato Head Rooftop: Sundown Circle - Knight n Dae (baeleric House, disco), 36 Keong Saik Rd, bistro bar
- Downstairs: Sengwei & KFC (disco & house)
- DJ, Blu Jaz: Back To The 2000s (Hip Hop x RnB x Pop), Blu Jaz cafe & bar @ bali ln (bugis) L2, $11
- DJ, Brooklyn Bar: Urban Rhythms at Brooklyn Bar SG (hiphop cocktail bar), Bar @ 14 Ann Siang Rd (maxwell), free
- DJ, W Sentosa Cove: Classical Label Fridays - Funk & Soul April - DJ KidG of EatMePopTart, Woobar @ W Singapore Sentosa Cove, bar
- DJ, Zouk: 100% Bulletproof (hardstyle, hiphop, big room), zouk club clarke quay, from $35
- DJ, Wallich Manor :Koflow & anrev (they are good turntablists btw), Wallich Manor Lounge @ Sofitel City Centre Hotel L6 (tg pagar)
- DJ, Drip: Chambers - Keagan Belle Joon (hiphop top40s pop), drip club @ 100 Orchard Rd Concorde Hotel, $27
- DJ, HQ: Thugshop Presents - UVB (🇩🇪 industrial techno), headquarters techno-house club @ 66A boat quay,$36
- DJ, ARK 11: Presents: Brennan Heart (🇳🇱 euphoric hardstyle), ARK 11 Club @ Orchard Central Mall L11, $35-$50
- DJ, NAGA(SOUNDS) 5.0 - ROMAIN FX (🇭🇰🇫🇷 dream house, fauve rec) + KIMOJI + SHO&TELL + KINS, tuff club @ 138 robinson rd cbd, $29
- DJ, ØGravity x Thugshop Presents – ANDHIM (🇩🇪 tech house, organic house, superfriends rec), MDLR club @ 62 cecil street (cbd), $47
- DJ, Cancelled: Marquee presents Ben Nicky (🇬🇧 trance, edm ), marina bay sands. Replaced with house dj
20 Apr, Sat - Uh Record Store Day
- SLOT MACHINE Tour 2024, gateway theatre bukit merah, $88
- IU - H.E.R. WORLD TOUR 2024- 1 of 2, indoor stadium, $228
- Indie: NAEDR US TOUR FUNDRAISER ft Subsonic Eye, Amateur Takes Control, 7nightsatsea , screamo, rock shoegaze dream pop, post-rock, Scape Orchard L5 (somerset), IG 📸 $30 pre, $35 limited door if presale full
- Indie: DXS presents Groovy Night ft Blush Hotel, Smear, The Purnams, Grizzly Bears, Off Topic, Curtain Wax, Midway, alt rock, garage, 60s surf pop etc, woodlands, $20 doors only
- Indie: NORTHERN DROPOUTS! Decaying Daydream - Line Drive, Bear The Remedy, Jimbo of Portsdown, Impulse, Pillow Head, indie rock mix, Lithe House @ 23 Madras St, $23
- Kallang Wave Fest: Ride The Waves Rhythm Fest - Arya Yunata (pop-soul), The Mad Trio (pop-rock, eng chinese), Oddream (kpop, dance), DJs Sharkboy, Duggan, Young, Shopping Mall Outdoor Bs. Stadium Waterfront (stadium mrt), free
- Indie Zombie's 36th Adventure - GIG + Poetry + Art Exhibition + Lepak, from grunge to noise, to folk punk to metalcore, rad studio 345, donate $10-$15
- Indie: TaleDrops x Sangriento - Sit In The Mix Silent Concert Experiment Show (headphones gig), visual kei adjacent progressive rock/metal, NUS Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Recording Studio, $12 dm
- Indie: lewloh felt sense tiny concert (singer songwriter, folk pop), 23 Kampong Bahru Rd (outram), $65
- Japanese Indie: Singapore K'On Club at Blu Jazz, Blu Jaz @ bali ln (bugis), eng infoℹ️ free
- Synthesizers: Synth Commune - Monthly Open Synth Jam, The Underground @ Tanglin Community Club (245 Whitley Rd, stevens mrt), free
- JAZZ Loft: Sneha Menon & Chok Kerong), Blu Jaz L3 @ bali ln (bugis), $24
- Maduro Jazz: Blues + Soul = Jazz by R 'n R (Rick Smith and Richard Jackson), maduro @ sofitel sentosa, $38+ drink credits
- Cool Cats: Nick Zavior presents The Modern Soul Man - 3 of 3, nco club @ 32 beach rd (esplanade), $28
- Temasek Junior College Symphonic Band Presents : Prelude 41, Singapore Conference Hall @ 7 Shenton Way, $15
- YST: Orchestral Institute: Sunset Cavatine, NUS Yong Siew Toh Conservatory - main Concert Hall L1 , $10
- Singapore Symphony Orchestra: Magic Hour @ Raffles Hotel , Raffles Hotel Lawn, free
- ESPLANADE: Singapore Symphony Orchestra: Brahms Requiem and Schumann Cello Concerto, Esplanade Concert Hall, $15
- ESPLANADE: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in Concert - day 2 of 2, theatre, $79
- ESPLANADE x LASALLE: School of Contemporary Music Festival, at esplanade
- E: Chelsea Aw (funk fusion pop), outdoor theatre 630pm, free
- E: Danial Sahrani and his band (rock, pop punk to blues soul), outdoor theatre 8pm, free
- E: YAØ (rnb, pop, asian city pop), outdoor theatre 9pmfree
- Esplanade: EveryBody Dance Now by Various dance studios, indoor concourse, free
- Esplanade: Listen to See by Restless Dance Theatre, $25
- Esplanade Dance: The Running Show by Monica Bill Barnes & Company, in collaboration with Singapore Dancers, Waterfront Theatre, $35
- Others
- Chinese Theatre 一人一故事剧场《小时候》 When I was young, Stamford Arts Centre 155 Waterloo Street, $18
- NLB x Queensway Secondary Guitar Ensemble: Melodies of Home, Queenstown Public Library - Level 1 Programme Zone, free
- The Wind Academia TWA’s inaugural Concert Experience, city on a hill auditorium, $12
- The Blackbird: Cloud 9 (70s-80s rock), Blackbird Music Bar @ Gillman Barracks (labrador park),
- W Hotel Sentosa Cove: Woo Bar Live, W singapore sentosa cove,
- Small Rock Gig: Megalomania ft Shades & Cronkite Satellite, music parlour @ peninsula shopping ctr 4F, free
- Jyu Lae Bistro: Synergy Band (retro Chinese 80s - 90s ), chinese live house @ suntec city L1
- Live & DJ Party: Mantravine x Magik Monk's Cosmic City 002 - ft RPDM & Nashwa Bliss, Mantravine, Raja Rani, James Selva, Rui Tang, Paulina Impala, psychedelic tribal vibe, Mortar & Pestle rooftop bar @ 269 South Bridge Rd, $35
- DJ, Degenerave: Breaking The Brain - Metamoksha, JumbogoatXXL, Zaicliff, Dez, Ayne, a bit more techno inclined, Phil's Studio @ High Street Centre L3 (clarke quay/city hall), IG 📸 $27
- DJ, EatMePOPTART: E/M/P/T: ELECTRIC FEEL with weelikeme, Ya5th (80s pop, disco, new wave, house night), Projector X Golden Village Ruby Lounge @ Cineleisure Orchard L6, $15
- DJ Dance Cypher, BASS WERK music and dance party, 1v1 all styles battle, gaza fundraiser - ft. Akasounds,alias, b10n, Wild Pearl Microclub @ 195 Pearl's Hill Terrace (chinatown mrt), L2, $17
- DJ, Bollywood Version Escape Room by Brown Roast, hard rock cafe cuscaden (orchard), $30
- DJ, C.L.U.P (Combined Local University Party): Highh GPA - One Last Party Before Finals Week, Highh Party @ Pan Pacific Hotel, 7 raffles blvd (esplanade, promenade), $30
- DJ, iki: Latino Anthem (Reggaeton x Latin Pop), club iki @ ikigai izakaya riverwalk (clarke quay), $16
- DJ, aCid: House and Techno - ft DJs EKo, LovKey, Krave, D-Linez by Asia.wav, Acid Bar & Restaurant @ 180 Orchard Rd (Somerset mrt), $22
- DJ, Reggae: MOONSTONE Bar: Wild Fyah Afrobeats Reggae Party, Moonstone BAR @ 103 Amoy St, free
- DJ from Afternoon, 🗼🏖Kunda Roopftop Pool Party (housey, bit afro), El Chido @ Pullman Hotel (1 Hill St, City Hall) , $24
- DJ, 🗼🏖Feel Africa: SOAKED by AFRICA Parties SG & Saint Ben (Afrobeats, Amapiano, Kizomba, Zouk, Kompa, Reggaeton, Coupe Decale, Ndombolo etc), 1-Altitude Coast@ The Outpost Hotel Sentosa L7 , IG 📸 $30
- DJ, 🏖 Rumours Beach Club RUSHH pres. Secret Pals (amapiano, baile funk re-edits 🇵🇭🇸🇬, bali style beach club, sentosa
- DJ, iki: Get Real's Latino Anthem - reggaeton music all night with olliedes, nadd, jag, hadi, aldi, marie, club iki @ ikigai izakaya riverwalk (clarke quay), $25
- DJ, Offtrack: DJ Jenn Chunes + Leland (dubs and disco), bs hong lim park, music gastro bar
- DJ, Zodiac: Night Club Party ft Drag performers Midas Touch, Princess Pee, Zodiac Bar Club @ 50 Prinsep St (bencoolen), $42
- Drag Party: RIOT! CLASH , hard rock cafe cuscaden (orchard), $25
- DJ, Club Hell: Sauna in Hell, gay lgbt club @ 113 telok ayer st, $30
- DJ, Entrance Cocktail Bar: LesBiReal - The Comeback w DJ Che'Molly, tarot, `lgbt, 22A Tanjong Pagar Rd, (maxwell) $22
- DJ, Salud Cocktail Bar SA1UD: Salud turns 1! - DJ Lokies Khan & DJ ESTR, performances, straight-friendly, 19 keong saik rd (outram/maxwell), $25
- DJ, Blu Jaz: Metamorphosis Masquerade Party (afro, french, electro funk, latino, nu disco), Blu Jaz @ bali ln (bugis), L2, $16
- DJ, MDLR: rememories - DJs Minna-no-Kimochi みんなのきもち (🇯🇵 Trance, deconstructed), Mobilegirl (🇩🇪progressive electronic rnb vibe) , Why Be (🇰🇷 mashup, deconstructed) and DJ Grogu (🇸🇬 aka et aliae), i listened: floaty trance-ish rave, but more leftfield, MDLR club @ 62 cecil street (cbd), $37
- DJ, Marquee: Marquee Utopia, marquee nightclub @ marina bay sands shoppes, $20 or student dc
- DJ HQ: Thugshop Presents - JAMAICA SUK (🇩🇪🇺🇸 techno dark hypnotic ) ft Halal Sol & Gabriel DeSanctis, headquarters techno-house club @ 66A boat quay, $36
- DJ, CÉ LA VI - QRION (🇯🇵deep melodic prog house), marina bay sands hotel rooftop bar-club 🗼, $38
- DJ, Unmute x FomoHomo Invites: FAFI ABDEL NOUR (🇸🇾90s funky house)7), lgbt friendly, tuff club @ 138 robinson rd cbd, $29
- DJ, Behind the Green Door: DJIBRIL CISSE (🇫🇷🇨🇮 ex Liverpool / Auxerre striker) plays afro-beats, disco, garage house, Behind the Green Door @ 97 Duxton Road (maxwell), $35
- DJ, ZOUK: ANJUNADEEP label (melodic deep prog house 🇬🇧 label), zouk club clarke quay, $55
21 Apr, Sun
- IU - H.E.R WORLD TOUR - 2 of 2, indoor stadium, $228
- C Pop Mandopop: NUS Voices Emerge 2024: 人生海海, NUS university cultural centre, $15
- Kallang Wave: Ride The Waves Rhythm Fest - JASON YU (pop-soul), Arya Yunata (pop-soul), Oddream (kpop, dance), DJs Sonnie, Sols, Jungle Cats, this is pop, acoustic pop-rock-folk, edm?, Shopping Mall Outdoor Bs. National Stadium (stadium mrt), free
- NLB: The Art of Contemporary Fusion Music by the TO Ensemble w Composer-pianist Tze Toh - Indian violin w /Lazar T. Sebastine, Saxophone w/ Teo Boon Chye - carnatic, jazz, classical, National Library (bugis) Lobby, Level 1, free,
- Piano Recital: SIT Pianissimo April Unify l, MusArt Co-Create Recital Hall @ 10 Raeburn Park (old tg pagar railway stn area), *free
- The Voices of Singapore Ladies Choir: VSL10: A Journey Beyond Music-making - 10th anniversary cocnert, Victoria Concert Hall, $35
- Nostra Musica Unitatis (Combined Choir Concert Catholic Junior College, Dunman Secondary and Mayflower Secondary School), SOTA Concert Hall (bencoolen, dhoby), $19
- Esplanade: RaGa Sangamam – A Carnatic Music Vocal Duet Concert by Ranjani & Gayatri (RaGa Sisters), - SIFAS Festival of Arts 2024, theatre, $40
- ESPLANADE: SAF Central Band In Harmony 41: Colours, concert hall 5pm, free
- Esplanade Dance: Riftsurgence by Republic Polytechnic’s Jammerz Arena, outdoor theatre 7pm 830,free
- ESPLANADE: Kavipperukku - A Tamil spoken word poetry performance, Esplanade Recital Studio, $5
- Esplanade: EveryBody Dance Now by Various dance studios, indoor concourse 715 8pm,free
- 19-21 Apr: Esplanade: Listen to See by Restless Dance Theatre , experiential dance, concert hall foyer, $25
- Esplanade Dance: The Running Show by Monica Bill Barnes & Company, in collaboration with Singapore Dancers, Waterfront Theatre, $35
- LAST Theatre: Esplanade Presents - How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel dir. Renne Yeong, Theatre Studio, $32
- OTHERS
- 17-21 Apr: Clarke Quay Street Festival: Live Dance DJ Art by Akira (JP), Pacho the Acrobat (MX), Adelene the Aerialist (SG), Richard Comedic Stunt (IT), Rob the Escaplologist (UK), Satya Hula Hoopist (AU), Central Fountain Square @ clarke quay (center area b/w read & clarke st), free
- Istana Open House, istana presidential palace, dhoby ghaut, free
- DJ, Wild Pearl CARGO BIKE RIDE and DJ with Secret Pals, ONE MARINA BOULEVARD @ 230pm
- Afters DJ, Groovetop Slow Jamz Sunday - DJs Ash Ghazali, Dee and DREM (soul, slow jamz rnb), overeasy - american diner @ one fullerton (bs merlion)
- DJ, 5210PM's - SUNDAY MESS 5 ft DJ HeliosXL, Gourmetpark @ 66 Kampong Bugis (kallang riverside park, bs golden mile area), tix 🎟 $16
- DJ, Groovetop Slow Jamz Sunday - DJs Ash Ghazali, Dee and DREM (soul, slow jamz rnb), overeasy - american diner @ one fullerton (bs merlion)
- Drag Bar: Tuckshop: Nip Tuck, closing month, 43 Neil Road (maxwell), lgbt drag bar-club
- DJ, Tanjong Beach Club: One with Aldrin Beach Club 🏖 @ 120 Tanjong Beach Walk, Sentosa
22 Apr, Mon
- 叶子宸 Paul Ye Piano Recital Singapore Debut 2024, Victoria Concert Hall, $18
- Esplanade: Vocal Associates Ensemble of Young Voices , indoor concooursefree
- SAJC Guitar Ensemble: Overtone: Melodies from the Heart, Esplanade Recital Studio, $20
- Esplanade: Nan Hua High School Symphonic Band , Concert Hall, $16
- Candlelight: Tribute to Queen by Vox String Quartet, CHIJMES hall, left $77 url: https://www.esplanade.com/whats-on?startDate=22-Apr-2024&endDate=22-Apr-2024
- DJ & Party, Smoke & Mirrors Rooftop Bar: The placing 2nd on Timeout's Best Rooftop Bars globally Party, Rooftop Bar @ National Gallery (city hall) - 1 St. Andrew's Road L6
23 Apr, Tue
- Haken - Live in Singapore (prog rock/metal), L5 @ Gr.ID Mall (bencoolen), $79
- Cool Cats: The Blues Revue with Dansen John Band , nco club @ 32 beach rd (esplanade), $20
- Esplanade: Music Circle Harmonies: A Journey from Bach to Disney by The Music Circle, indoor concourse, free
- Esplanade: CHIJ Secondary School Concert Band , Esplanade Concert Hall, $15
- Candlelight: Best of Joe Hisaishi w Vocalise String Quartet, CHIJMES, left $77
Other Events
- 19 Apr - 9 Jun Musical: Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda, marina bay sands, $80
- Till 28 Apr: Theatre Molière’s Tartuffe: The Imposter by Wild Rice, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre @ Wild Rice, Funan (city hall), $35 ($25 students)
- Till 28 Apr: Musical Theatre Little Shop of Horrors adapted by SING'THEATRE (comedy rock) SOTA Drama Theatre, $38
- 19-28 Apr: Musical Secondary: The Musical by Checkpoint Theatre (written & composed by weish of .gif sub:shaman, dir huzir sulaiman), Victoria Concert Hall, $45
- 18-30 Apr: Per°Form Open Academy of Arts and Activations, 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road (robertson quay, fort canning mrt), donation
- 19, 20, 24 Apr: re:ACT Forum Theatre Fest 2024: inwardBOUND pres. With(Out) Benefits dir by nora neo-crothers, the arts house @ old parliament (city hall), $50-
- 22-26 Apr: The LASALLE Show 2024: School of Contemporary Music Fest 2024 – BA (Hons) Music graduate recitals, LIVE at Lasalle mcnally campus (rochor) and online, free
- 23 Apr: Talk: Asia Research Institute - ART FOBY/OF THE "PUBLIC" - Pluralizing public space through arts and cultures in asia , t:> works @ 72-13 mohamed sultan road (fort canning, robertson quay)
- 25 Apr: Music Movie: Hendrick's Sunset Cinema Tanjong Beach Opening - Sofia Coppola's Priscilla (& Elvis Presley), Sentosa Tanjong Beach (harbourfront), $48
24 Apr, Wed - Pink moon at 7:23pm
- Happy Sing Along 欢喜来唱歌 - SCCC’s dialect concert series ft Marcus Chin, Lee Peifen, and Hao Hao,, SCCC Auditorium @ 1 Straits Blvd (shenton way), $4
- Hard Rock Cafe:Ladies Rock the World, hard rock cafe cuscaden (orchard), $1
- Cool Cats Jazz: The Jazz Sessions: Michelle SgP Trio, nco club @ 32 beach rd (esplanade), $20
- Esplanade: The A Cappella Society’s Youth Voices and Children’s Pop Choir , indoor concourse free
- 24 Apr-11 May: Theatre: Backstage Betrayal, A Crack the Case Mystery (Advisory - Some Mature Content), KC Arts Centre @ 20 Merbau Rd (robertson quay, fort canning mrt), $68
- DJ, Phil Studio: STAND UP COMEDY & RETRO DJ NIGHT with dmc productiuons (80s 90s), Phil's Studio @ High Street Centre L3 (clarke quay/city hall), free
- DJ, Gotti Italian Restaurant: Tropical Nights, Tequila Lights (afrobeats, nu disco), 78 amoy st
- DJ, MidFreq Music Collective x Armoury pres. Vinyl Nights ft Jason Itchi/Abery, armoury steaks and craft beer @ orchard central L11 (somerset mrt)
- DJ, Exit Stage Left's A Night of Soul Vinyl Night, Exit Stage Left Bar / Speakeasy @ 85 desker rd
- Party, Fate: Moe Moe Q x FATE by havefun - Kawaii Maid Day - Maid Dress Up & Dance Night, Mini con, Maid cafe, After Party , Fate by Havefun - club and ktv @ orchard cineleisure L8, tix 🎟 $38
25 Apr, Thu
- BOYS LIKE GIRLS - live in singapore day 1 of 2, Capitol Theatre @ city hall, $91
- * Flying V Metal Bar: Neal Moore, Acoustic Heavies, Helluvakhai, Bar at Adelphi City Hall B1, free/bar
- Piano Recital by Bryan Soo - A Journey Unveiled (Poulenc, Liebermann, and Chopin.), Laselle College of the Arts @ 1 McNally Street - SIA theatre, free,
- Jazz Loft: "Soir de fêtes" with the Horns Are Unique Jazz Ensemble, Blu Jaz L3 @ bali ln (bugis) $24
- Esplanade: Sattva - The musical spirit of youth by Sattva Ensemble (classical indian, sufi), indoor concourse,free
- Mad & Midas Shelf Sessions ft The Jukuleles band, Mad & Midas cocktail bar @ 39 ann siang hill (maxwell), free
- Marquee Night Club: White Collar Boxing Show, “Road to: The Night of Champions, marina bay sands
- Theatre 25-28 Apr: Open Stage presents MOSAIC... celebrating Theatre - 4 short plays in 2hrs, Blackbox Theatre at Drama Center, National Library (bugis), from $35
- The Fantastic Four - The Bollywood Wives ft Divesh Shah, Sofitel Hotel Sentosa
- DJ, Phil Studio: Midweek Blues - downtempo trance rnb, hiphop folk ambient edm, Phil's Studio @ High Street Centre L3 (clarke quay/city hall), $15
- DJ, iki: Royal Beatz Afrobeats, Hip Hop, R&B, club iki @ ikigai izakaya riverwalk (clarke quay), free
2024.04.08 19:23 TonyYumYum Computers and Technology Free Audiobook Megathread
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2024.04.07 22:47 Junepero Story’s of panem 110 pre games part 2
The pair from 10 marveled at many of the other tributes' costumes. Even Grape from 11 allowed Nickloas to feel the fake fruits on his outfits. Valrie, on the other hand, had a near miss after she tripped over Ruby from 1's stiletto heel, causing the careers to laugh. However, Joylene from 5 helped her up before marveling at her outfit. Valrie blushed, thanking Joylene for her help. She smiled before introducing Valrie to her district partner, Carter.Carter grinned before commenting on how handsome Valrie’s district partner looked, before smirking at Carter. Joylene slapped Carter good-naturedly before the pair from 5 shared humorous anecdotes with the pair from 10 about their jobs.However, as for the pair from 14, Hellene tripped Ezra, causing him to fall straight on his face. Hellene smirked before saying, “I don’t see your brother around.” Ezra scowled before delivering a well-timed kick at Hellene's knee. She hopped on her foot before Ezra was helped up by Kyle and Chanel, both from 8.As Quinian berated Hellene for her behavior, Kyle helped Ezra up. Even though Ezra’s English could be improved, the pair from 8 appeared to understand his mixed/choppy English. Chanel, in particular, admired Ezra’s royal suit, causing him to gracefully accept the compliment. As Kyle joked with him about the pair from 9's corn-themed suits, calling it “Corny,” Ezra chuckled before Chanel asked him if he wanted to ally during training and maybe even in the arena. Ezra shrugged before nodding as Kyle smiled before wishing him luck as he and Chanel were brought back to their carriage.As for Hellene, she appeared to be jealous as Quinian congratulated Ezra on already getting two allies. Quinian warned to “Still be careful around them though.” He smiled and nodded as Ariabella did her last-minute touch-ups with the pair's outfits before declaring them parade-ready. As she wished them luck, she and Quinian helped them up to the carriage as the parade bell sounded, and the carriages were sent off.The Capitol marveled at most of the tribute's outfits, causing Nico Anderson, lead editor of Anderson Fashion, to state that the stylists “outdid themselves for the quell.” Valrie and Nickloas surprisingly took each other's hands, presenting a united front, receiving bundles of flowers, chocolates, and even some makeup products for the pair, which greatly amused Valrie.At the end of the parade, Hellene and Ezra tried their best to wave at the Capitol lights. However, saving them from being the worst-dressed for this year, a few Capitol lights threw flowers at the pair, clearly out of pity.President Mcaine soon did his usual presidential speech before welcoming Nico Anderson to the stage. Nico spotted a fancy purple top jade three-piece suit before giving his usual regards to the stylists before announcing that the pair from 6, Vermont, and Canada, had won the title of Anderson Fashion's best-dressed with their helicopter-themed outfits.Back at the District 10 apartment, Valrie was enraged with Mircale for letting them get upstaged by the weaklings. However, as Valrie lunged at Mircale, Bianca quickly hopped in before telling her to “Shut up and get to bed.”As Valrie protested, a peacekeeper scooped her by the arm. Nickloas laughed before returning to his own carriage as a rather distressed Mircale grabbed onto a bottle of chianti.However, with the pair from 14, Ariabella had to step in as Hellene continued to act more as a bully than a district partner. At the end of Hellene acting more as a bully, Ezra walked toward his room. However, Ariabella soon followed.“Can I sit?”Ezra soon nodded as he then looked at Ariabella. Feeling rather confused, Ariabella soon asked, “Wanna talk about it?”Ezra sighed before going on a long monologue.“Hellene dated my older brother, my caretaker. His name was Horacio. However, after Horacio broke up with her, he mysteriously disappeared. As he was never found, it was alleged he was murdered. Eventually, after his body was finally discovered, it was alleged of a suicide. The day before the 109th Games, I found a note he had left behind. It was rather long, but one thing that stuck out to me was that Hellene killed him.”Ariabella’s face whitened as she took Ezra’s bony frame and hugged him. “Save revenge for the arena.”Ezra smiled, replying, “Don’t worry, I will.”Ariabella patted him on the shoulder before telling him to get to bed to prep for the upcoming training.At 10 o'clock the following morning, the tributes were all ushered down to the training hall, patiently waiting before Apollo Price entered, spotting a black tailcoat suit appearing too look like a “gothic abomination,” according to Camila.“You know what to do, scatter,” Apollo said in a sinister tone.The mentors looked on with a hint of surprise before the tributes. Rather unsurprisingly, the three days of training were rather uneventful. The pair from 10 stayed with the pair from 5, and Ezra stayed with the pair from 8, practicing archery and armor-making station. However, for Hellene, she was thrown out of training on the third day after getting into a fistfight with Ruby from 1 after accidentally taking her sword without her noticing.As usual, at the end of the three days of training, Game Maker Monty called for the tributes to go to the Game Maker evaluation room for their training assessments.After the rather pitiful display from the girl from 9, Nickloas walked into the assessment hall. He requested for holograms to be sent in. As the game makers obliged, they were soon pleased to see him slice through many of the projectiles only getting hit by 4 of the projectiles. As the game makers applauded, Nickloas bowed before Valrie was welcomed in.Unfortunately for Valrie, she tried knife-throwing as she missed all of them. As the game makers laughed, Valrie grew annoyed and flipped them off. As they happily reciprocated this rather rude gesture, a peacekeeper soon ushered her back to the accommodation tower apartment.Later toward the end of the lineup, Hellene was brought on. She attempted a half-hearted maneuver with a sword leading to her dropping it on her foot. As she hopped on her foot in pain, the game makers winced in embarrassment as Ezra was then brought in.To conclude the evening of assessments, District 14's translator, Filbert Price, announced to the game makers that Ezra would be performing an archery display.As the game makers looked on in intrigue, Ezra shot a plethora of arrows at the ongoing targets only missing 2 of the targets. As the game makers applauded, Filbert patted Ezra on the back as all tributes returned to their separate apartments as the game makers chatted about the scores.An hour and a half later before the interviews, all the mentors ushered their tributes to the living rooms of their apartments before keenly listening to Camila reading of the scores,Surprisingly, the careers did not score more than 9. With Angelo from 4, Nickloas from 10, and Ezra from 14 scoring an 11. Valrie and her allies from 5, Joyelene and Carter, scoring a 7. And at the bottom of the pack, Bolt from 3 and Hellene from 14 scoring a 3.The mentors for 10 and 14 were pleased enough with their tribute's score besides Hellene’s mediocre score of 3.Camila soon welcomed the excited capital audience twirling around in her flower gown with many capital lights saying that Camila had every flower in Panem on her.After the rather overly flirtatious responses from the careers and the surprisingly odd interviews for the pair from 9, Valrie was welcomed to the stage. She was adorned in an orange gown with a brown cowgirl hat with topaz heels. Before the interview begun Camila asked Valrie how her dad felt that his only remaining daughter got reaped for the Hunger Games. Valrie frowned before putting her hands on her hips saying “Guess the odds weren’t in my favor.”Camila sighed, apparently realizing she struck a nerve with the girl she replied “I guess not.” However, as she tried to bring light to the situation, Valrie stormed off the stage calling Camila an expletive which would have to be censored in later broadcasting.Fortunately for Nickloas, his interview took a better turn due to him being simped over by most of the audience. His brown curls were dyed a light shade of brown and dressed in a sleeveless cowboy suit showing his physique. Camila jokingly blushed before asking him the usual questions. Once Camila asked on how Nick thought about Valrie. He smirked before calling Valrie “A spoiled brat.” As the audience laughed Camila herself sniggered before thanking him for his time and wishing him the best of luck in the arena.After the rather forgetful interview of Helene, Ezra was welcomed to the stage. His blonde hair was combed into a wet rat hair style spotting a light pink suit with sapphire jeans.Camila kicked off his interview on asking if he would be allying with anyone in the arena. He chuckled before replying in his choppy accent that “He wasn't going to ally with his district partner was behind the disappearance of his older brother.”Camila asked, “Disappearance.”Ezra sighed before repeating what he had told Ariabella after the parade.Camila gasped as even the Capitol citizens themselves went white as Camila joked saying “I didn't know the districts could be so brutal.” As this joke got a few laughs from the audience, Ezra sighed sadly.Camila soon asked if she could give Ezra a hug. He nodded as Camila took in his bony frame and giving him a comforting hug as the audience clapped. Ezra smiled before thanking Camila. And after a few more of the usual interview questions, Camila wished Ezra luck in the games as he was given a standing ovation.Moments later game maker Monty was welcomed in sporting a rainbow suit with a Gaia bounty in his vest pocket. After a brief bantering session, Camila did her usual attempts in asking for an arena hint.Head game maker Monty jokingly sealed his lips with his finger causing Camila and the audience to snicker before Camila thanked game maker Monty for his time before ending the interviews there.After a tense night with mentors doing their best to keep them at rest.The next day the tributes were given a brief breakfast before being brought to their holding rooms. They were soon told to dress in a simple white tank top with shorts with their district numbers on the shorts with white loafers.Bianca and Quinian soon fixed their tribute's outfits making sure there was no dust or stains remaining. After wishing them good luck, the podiums soon rose as Bianca and Quinian waved.
submitted by Junepero to christianblanco [link] [comments]
2024.04.03 12:02 reesim06 Jedi Hunters Colour Scheme
All I can hear in my head while building the Jedi Hunters is "Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!"
Has anyone seen the Inquisitors painted in a red scheme similar to the Monty Python sketch? Or have a suggestion for a good red contrast paint to start with?
submitted by reesim06 to StarWarsShatterpoint [link] [comments]
Has anyone seen the Inquisitors painted in a red scheme similar to the Monty Python sketch? Or have a suggestion for a good red contrast paint to start with?
2024.04.03 03:19 DrDoritosMD [Stargate / GATE Inspired] Manifest Fantasy Chapter 13: Tier 9 (Part 2)
As Ron pulled over, Henry and Sera exited the vehicle. Linking up with Kelmithus, they walked towards the approaching caravan and stood in the center of the narrow dirt road. As the caravan drew closer, Henry could make out more details, confirming the data he’d received from Overwatch.
“Tier 5 adventurers, predominantly,” Kelmithus pointed out.
Henry gave their gear a cursory look-over. He probably couldn’t have told from a first glance, but he could see how Kelmithus knew. Their gear looked like basic stuff out of Steelforged – nothing at all like the fancy products from higher-end shops like Mithrilforged.
The lead wagon slowed to a stop, a distance of about a basketball court away from them, with sounds that fell somewhere between a hiss and a neigh coming from the dradaks. The driver eyed them warily, his eyes growing wide at the sight of the MRAPs. A door in the lead wagon opened up as a well-dressed merchant stepped out of it. Taking one of the adventurers, he approached Henry.
“Hail, travelers,” he called out with a slightly apprehensive – almost inquisitive – voice. “What ventures lead you hither?”
Henry stepped forward, offering a wave. “Just passing through,” he said with a smile. “Saw your caravan and thought we’d check in, make sure everything’s alright.”
The man’s wariness seemed to ease a bit, although this was more likely due to the presence of Sera and Kelmithus than it was to his friendliness. “Ah, your concern warms the heart. Truth be told, our journey’s been none too gently of late.”
The adventurer he brought with him, a tall, lean man with a sword at his hip, stepped forward. “By the heavens,” he breathed, “Lady Seraphine and Archmage Kelmithus, an honor it is to stand amidst such company.” He gave a slight bow.
Sera smiled, inclining her head in acknowledgment. “The honor is ours, good sir. But do tell, what troubles have befallen your caravan?”
The merchant whispered to the adventurer. If Henry had to guess, he probably said something along the lines of, ‘Do you know who they are?’ After conferring with the adventurer, the merchant relaxed a bit more and explained, “Our paths were bound for Hactis, a Nobian city to the west. Prosperous trade awaited, weeks in the making. Yet, not a day past did we encounter our plight.”
Henry exchanged a glance with Sera. “What do you mean?”
The merchant’s demeanor became slightly distressed as he recounted his experiences. “A fog descended upon us… unbidden! We were beset by a sudden chill, then a dense fog enveloped us. And the clamor… by heavens, striking were the sounds we heard – colder than the chill itself.”
The adventurer nodded grimly. “Aye, ‘twas like nothing I’ve ever heard before. Howls, screeches, unsoundly shrieks of a creature in torment. And through the fog was there a massive beast, though only its shadow we’ve seen.”
Henry frowned. A mysterious fog, anomalous temperature readings… it didn’t sound good. “Did you get a good look at it?” he asked.
The merchant shook his head. “Nay, nothing seen; the fog swallowed all vision. Yet, from the shadow it cast, vast beyond reckoning, it might well have been a beast of legends, a Tier 10 dragon, I daresay. Such as the one spoken of lately, the target of the latest Campaign!”
The adventurer held up a hand. “Aye, Tier 10 might be stretching the tale. More like Tier 8 or 9, I’d wager.” He turned back to Henry, “But make no mistake, even at that, it’s a formidable beast.”
“And then what happened?” Kelmithus asked.
The merchant sighed. “We bid a swift retreat, that’s the truth of it. The entire caravan turned on its heels, making for the opposite direction with due haste. Bound for Hactis by the longer route do we now find ourselves, all in the name of sidestepping any shadow of that menace.”
He continued, “Unnatural is the touch of ice there. A darkness, a foulness resides in whatever place that creature has laid claim to. Whatever you’re looking for, ‘tis not worth the risk.”
“We appreciate the warning,” Henry said, “but our quest is important.”
The merchant looked at them for a long moment, then exhaled heavily. “Your minds seem set, then. But heed this plea: venture carefully. Should that fog-bound beast find you, think not of valor. Instead, choose flight. Survival is the greater part of valor here.”
Henry appreciated the man’s concern. “We’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for the information, and good luck on your journey to Hactis.”
The merchant offered a weary smile in return. “Luck be with you too, on your path. May the gods grant you their favor.”
After the merchant left to board his wagon, Henry turned to Sera and Kelmithus. “Facing our first dragon, huh? Sounds fun.”
Kelmithus smiled. “An exciting prospect indeed, but no more exciting than what we might discover after slaying the beast.”
Henry led Sera and Kelmithus back to the MRAPs, allowing the caravan to pass through on the road. Climbing back into his vehicle, Henry updated Armstrong. “Overwatch, Alpha Team. We’ve made contact with the caravan. They reported encountering Tier 8 or 9 fauna in the fog, possibly a dragon. Advise updating mission parameters and threat assessment. Over.”
“Overwatch copies, Alpha Team,” came the response. “ISR confirms increased electromagnetic interference in your AO. Threat level updated. Recommend proceeding with extreme caution. Thunder 1-2 is on standby for immediate support if needed. Over.”
“Copy, Overwatch. Alpha Team out.”
As they continued their journey, the narrow dirt road merged into a wider, decrepit Baranthurian road. The ancient asphalt – or whatever they used – still held together. What sort of techniques they used to compact and pave them must’ve been incredibly advanced. Was it possible that they learned some insights from the Gatebuilders? Maybe. After all, it was what they wanted to do as well.
The silhouette of a tower in the distance came into view, its angular form juxtaposing the jagged edges of the surrounding mountains. The deeper they ventured into the forest, the closer the tower got, and the more the temperature seemed to drop. It was gradual at first, barely noticeable, but as they pressed on, the change became more pronounced.
Henry rubbed his finger against the window, wiping at a thin layer of condensation to peer out into the forest. That’s when he noticed the fog, which – as far as he could tell – appeared out of nowhere. Initially, he could make out the shapes of trees and the winding path ahead for half a mile, the visibility dimming but still discernible. Just a few minutes later, the fog thickened rapidly. It swallowed the landscape in a gray blanket until he could scarcely see beyond the hood of the MRAP, visibility dropping to less than 100 meters.
As the fog intensified, so too did the magical energy in the area. Henry glanced at the readings on the EMF meter beside him, watching as the numbers climbed steadily higher.
“Be advised,” he reported over local comms, “EMF readings are up to 10,000 milligauss. Expect potential interference with long-range comms.”
“Copy that, Cap,” Isaac’s voice crackled back, the signal still holding strong between the two MRAPs. “We’re seeing the same on our end. Overwatch, do you copy?”
There was no response from Overwatch, as expected. He continued to scan the forest through the CROWS, the thermal imaging struggling against the dense fog. No threats popped up as they approached the clearing, but Henry managed to catch wind of something peculiar. The condensation on the windows grew worse, frost beginning to spread across the glass. At the same time, the fog thickened, as if tied to the dropping temperature.
As if? What if it was? Henry recalled what he knew about fog formation. Fog was essentially a cloud at ground level, formed when water vapor condensed into liquid water droplets in the air. This usually happens when the air cools to its dew point, which could be triggered by a variety of factors – mixing of different air masses, cooling of the ground and ambient air, or even an increase in humidity. For all intents and purposes, all of these could be brought upon through the use of magic. And if magic could cause it, couldn’t it also reverse it?
“Kelmithus,” he called out over their comms as the MRAPs slowed down, “You can control temperature, right? Is that how you’re able to make fireballs?”
“Indeed so,” Kelmithus responded. “Have you a plan?”
He didn’t know much about magic, and the dossiers certainly didn’t cover anything like this, but he needed this hail mary to work. “Can you manipulate the temperature of a specific area, like the width of the road around our vehicles?”
Kelmithus paused for a moment. “I – Yes, I can try. What would you have me do?”
There wasn’t enough time to calculate or run simulations. He’d have to stick with the basic principles. “Let’s uh, let’s start with room temperature – 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Raise the temperature outside to room temperature, but gradually; 5 degrees per minute. If that’s too precise for you to gauge, just do it as consistently as you can.”
“Understood,” Kelmithus confirmed, followed by the sound of a hatch popping. “I shall begin now.”
Henry then turned to Sera and addressed her. “Sera, once Kelmithus starts raising the temperature, I need you to use your wind magic to help disperse the fog.” He helped open the roof hatch on their MRAP, the freezing air outside seeping in. “Gentle, just enough to help the warmer air mix with the colder air. Oh, and keep your helmet on. Might be uncomfortable for your ears, but it’s better than going deaf.”
“Very well.” Sera positioned herself under the hatch and readied herself. “I await your signal.”
Henry gave the order, and the two Sonarans began their work. He could feel the chill slowly recede as the air around them got warmer. Kelmithus didn’t have a thermometer to work with, but the result was as gradual and consistent as he could expect from simple intuition. Simultaneously, Sera created a soft breeze that swirled around the clearing. The circulation looked like it was working. The warm air from Kelmithus’ efforts mixed with the cooler, fog-laden air, gradually thinning the mist.
However, there remained the possibility that this fog was present for a reason, and that whatever created the fog wouldn’t be too happy about it suddenly disappearing. “Owens, Hayes, keep circling ‘round the clearing.”
Henry kept a close eye on his display. The fog was still thick, but he could clearly see the treeline at the edges of the clearing now, and the entrance to the Gatebuilder structure. He allowed himself a small smile. It was working. The plan, unconventional as it was, was actually working. Scientific knowledge to enhance magic… who would have thought?
But the smile quickly faded as a guttural rumble cut through the dissipating fog, a sound far more terrifying than what he’d seen come from T-Rexes in a theater. It wasn’t natural. Well, maybe for this world it was, but it didn’t sound real at all.
“Contact,” Henry reported. “Unknown contact at the treeline, southeast from the entrance.”
Another rumble echoed through the clearing, closer this time. Henry could feel the vibrations through the chassis of the MRAP.
“There!” Sera shouted, “South, by our path in!”
Henry swung the CROWS toward their ingress point – the Baranthurian road that led to the clearing. He strained to see through the mist. For a moment, there was nothing. Then, a shadow flickered between the trees. It was serpentine and massive, a bit over two stories tall and somewhere between an Olympic-size swimming pool and a commercial airliner in length.
“Unknown hostile, engaging!” Henry called out, aligning the targeting on his CROWS with the creature’s midsection.
He opened fire, sending .50 cal rounds and grenades toward the treeline. Most of the rounds ricocheted off its scales, but a few found their mark, drawing spurts of dark blood. The grenades did their work in chipping away at the scales, but he didn’t think they were enough. They might as well be shooting at a tank with a BB gun.
The creature recoiled, a screech of pain and anger that almost drowned out the sounds of gunfire and explosions. Judging from the relatively minor damage they’d inflicted, it was probably more out of anger. With a speed that defied its size, it whipped around and headed straight for his MRAP.
“Oh, shit, shit, shit!” Ron called out, jerking the wheel in an attempt to avoid the strike.
The tail grazed the side of their vehicle, the force of the impact sending a shudder throughout the MRAP. Henry held on to Sera’s leg, keeping her grounded.
“It’s a Lindwyrm!” Sera shouted. “A Sentinel Lindwyrm!”
This was the first time he ever heard genuine concern in her voice. Sentinel Lindwyrm… Henry gritted his teeth. This was a Tier 9 monster. Even between the TOW missiles and the Switchblade 600 sitting in its mounted launch tube, he wasn’t sure if that was something they could handle.
“Doc,” Henry said over the comms, “Send up a blue flare. I repeat, blue flare.”
“On it!” Dr. Anderson replied.
Through the CROWS feed, Henry saw a door open, followed by a hand aiming a flare gun into the air. His order materialized as the flare rocketed skyward, a brilliant blue streak against the gray clouds.
The Lindwyrm, meanwhile, seemed to be changing its tactics. It gave up on trying to slam into the MRAPs and instead retreated back to the treeline, raising its two frontal limbs. The fog began to swirl, coalescing into small objects shimmering around its head. Was it… casting a spell?
The fog dissipated even faster, allowing Henry to land more hits on the thing. Removing the fog should’ve been a good thing, but something didn’t seem right. Suddenly, a barrage of icicles emerged from the treeline, launching towards the vehicles with incredible speed.
The MRAPs swerved, but there were too many, coming too fast. Sera managed to deflect one away from herself, but it damaged the switchblade mount. Looking outside, Henry watched as several icicles slammed into Ryan’s MRAP, the impacts resonating through the vehicle’s frame. He could see the aftermath of the attack. Kelmithus’ instinctive defensive magic seemed to have kept him unharmed, but the vehicle itself, not so much. The armor held, but barely, deep dents forming in the crumpled metal. One of the icicles had hit the window on Isaac’s side, blinding his left.
“We’re hit!” Ryan reported. “No casualties, but vision on our left is compromised!”
“Fuck,” Henry swore under his breath. The Lindwyrm was adapting, using its magic to attack from a distance. Another hit like that could disable Ryan’s MRAP. They needed to end this as soon as possible. Luckily, the attack didn’t come without downsides. In siphoning the nearby water to form the icicles, the Lindwyrm was now clearly visible through the trees.
“Hayes, status on the TOW?” he asked as he laid down some suppressive fire on the Lindwyrm. The rounds and grenades didn’t do much, but at least they drew attention away from Ryan’s damaged MRAP.
“Need a line of sight! We gotta draw it closer to the clearing!”
How were they gonna do that? The creature was smart enough to use the trees for cover, but like all predators, it had to go after its prey eventually. He needed to bait it out. An idea formed in his mind. It was risky, but they couldn’t just sit around and take another hit waiting for the Apache to get here.
“Owens, I need you to drive toward the treeline. Get as close as you can, then slow down.”
“Uh, repeat that last?” Ron asked, disbelief evident in his voice.
“We need to lure the Lindwyrm out for a clear shot. Slow down near the treeline to bait it out, then floor it. Once it’s clear of the trees, Hayes can take the shot. Sera, once it jumps at us, I’ll need you to hit it with a spell – anything and everything you’ve got.”
There was a moment of silence as Ron rested his forearms on the steering wheel. “Copy that. I hope you know what you’re doing, dude.”
“Eloquently said, Lieutenant,” Sera agreed.
“Yeah, you and me both,” Henry sighed. “Execute.”
Ron gunned the engine, the MRAP lurching forward with a roar. They sped towards the treeline, positioning themselves directly ahead of Ryan’s MRAP, Ron angling the vehicle for a quick getaway. Henry could see the Lindwyrm shifting in the trees, preparing to attack.
They were closing the distance rapidly. 50 meters. 30 meters. 20 meters.
“Steady,” Henry said.
More of the surrounding fog began condensing into icicles, the beast rearing back as if readying itself for a pounce.
“Go!” Henry shouted as the monster lunged forward.
Ron slammed his foot on the gas, wrenching the wheel and causing the MRAP to swerve violently away from the treeline. At the same moment, Henry opened fire on its head while Sera unleashed a bolt of lightning at it.
The beast recoiled, its icicle attack going wide and shattering harmlessly against the trees and the ground. It let out a roar, no doubt pissed off at Henry’s MRAP. Overtaken by its emotion, it charged out of the trees with terrifying speed. It was frightening, but also heartening – this was exactly what Henry wanted to see.
“Hayes, now!” he yelled over the comms.
“Yup,” Ryan responded. “TOW away!”
-- --
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Author’s Note (Story and Patreon Updates):
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“Tier 5 adventurers, predominantly,” Kelmithus pointed out.
Henry gave their gear a cursory look-over. He probably couldn’t have told from a first glance, but he could see how Kelmithus knew. Their gear looked like basic stuff out of Steelforged – nothing at all like the fancy products from higher-end shops like Mithrilforged.
The lead wagon slowed to a stop, a distance of about a basketball court away from them, with sounds that fell somewhere between a hiss and a neigh coming from the dradaks. The driver eyed them warily, his eyes growing wide at the sight of the MRAPs. A door in the lead wagon opened up as a well-dressed merchant stepped out of it. Taking one of the adventurers, he approached Henry.
“Hail, travelers,” he called out with a slightly apprehensive – almost inquisitive – voice. “What ventures lead you hither?”
Henry stepped forward, offering a wave. “Just passing through,” he said with a smile. “Saw your caravan and thought we’d check in, make sure everything’s alright.”
The man’s wariness seemed to ease a bit, although this was more likely due to the presence of Sera and Kelmithus than it was to his friendliness. “Ah, your concern warms the heart. Truth be told, our journey’s been none too gently of late.”
The adventurer he brought with him, a tall, lean man with a sword at his hip, stepped forward. “By the heavens,” he breathed, “Lady Seraphine and Archmage Kelmithus, an honor it is to stand amidst such company.” He gave a slight bow.
Sera smiled, inclining her head in acknowledgment. “The honor is ours, good sir. But do tell, what troubles have befallen your caravan?”
The merchant whispered to the adventurer. If Henry had to guess, he probably said something along the lines of, ‘Do you know who they are?’ After conferring with the adventurer, the merchant relaxed a bit more and explained, “Our paths were bound for Hactis, a Nobian city to the west. Prosperous trade awaited, weeks in the making. Yet, not a day past did we encounter our plight.”
Henry exchanged a glance with Sera. “What do you mean?”
The merchant’s demeanor became slightly distressed as he recounted his experiences. “A fog descended upon us… unbidden! We were beset by a sudden chill, then a dense fog enveloped us. And the clamor… by heavens, striking were the sounds we heard – colder than the chill itself.”
The adventurer nodded grimly. “Aye, ‘twas like nothing I’ve ever heard before. Howls, screeches, unsoundly shrieks of a creature in torment. And through the fog was there a massive beast, though only its shadow we’ve seen.”
Henry frowned. A mysterious fog, anomalous temperature readings… it didn’t sound good. “Did you get a good look at it?” he asked.
The merchant shook his head. “Nay, nothing seen; the fog swallowed all vision. Yet, from the shadow it cast, vast beyond reckoning, it might well have been a beast of legends, a Tier 10 dragon, I daresay. Such as the one spoken of lately, the target of the latest Campaign!”
The adventurer held up a hand. “Aye, Tier 10 might be stretching the tale. More like Tier 8 or 9, I’d wager.” He turned back to Henry, “But make no mistake, even at that, it’s a formidable beast.”
“And then what happened?” Kelmithus asked.
The merchant sighed. “We bid a swift retreat, that’s the truth of it. The entire caravan turned on its heels, making for the opposite direction with due haste. Bound for Hactis by the longer route do we now find ourselves, all in the name of sidestepping any shadow of that menace.”
He continued, “Unnatural is the touch of ice there. A darkness, a foulness resides in whatever place that creature has laid claim to. Whatever you’re looking for, ‘tis not worth the risk.”
“We appreciate the warning,” Henry said, “but our quest is important.”
The merchant looked at them for a long moment, then exhaled heavily. “Your minds seem set, then. But heed this plea: venture carefully. Should that fog-bound beast find you, think not of valor. Instead, choose flight. Survival is the greater part of valor here.”
Henry appreciated the man’s concern. “We’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for the information, and good luck on your journey to Hactis.”
The merchant offered a weary smile in return. “Luck be with you too, on your path. May the gods grant you their favor.”
After the merchant left to board his wagon, Henry turned to Sera and Kelmithus. “Facing our first dragon, huh? Sounds fun.”
Kelmithus smiled. “An exciting prospect indeed, but no more exciting than what we might discover after slaying the beast.”
Henry led Sera and Kelmithus back to the MRAPs, allowing the caravan to pass through on the road. Climbing back into his vehicle, Henry updated Armstrong. “Overwatch, Alpha Team. We’ve made contact with the caravan. They reported encountering Tier 8 or 9 fauna in the fog, possibly a dragon. Advise updating mission parameters and threat assessment. Over.”
“Overwatch copies, Alpha Team,” came the response. “ISR confirms increased electromagnetic interference in your AO. Threat level updated. Recommend proceeding with extreme caution. Thunder 1-2 is on standby for immediate support if needed. Over.”
“Copy, Overwatch. Alpha Team out.”
As they continued their journey, the narrow dirt road merged into a wider, decrepit Baranthurian road. The ancient asphalt – or whatever they used – still held together. What sort of techniques they used to compact and pave them must’ve been incredibly advanced. Was it possible that they learned some insights from the Gatebuilders? Maybe. After all, it was what they wanted to do as well.
The silhouette of a tower in the distance came into view, its angular form juxtaposing the jagged edges of the surrounding mountains. The deeper they ventured into the forest, the closer the tower got, and the more the temperature seemed to drop. It was gradual at first, barely noticeable, but as they pressed on, the change became more pronounced.
Henry rubbed his finger against the window, wiping at a thin layer of condensation to peer out into the forest. That’s when he noticed the fog, which – as far as he could tell – appeared out of nowhere. Initially, he could make out the shapes of trees and the winding path ahead for half a mile, the visibility dimming but still discernible. Just a few minutes later, the fog thickened rapidly. It swallowed the landscape in a gray blanket until he could scarcely see beyond the hood of the MRAP, visibility dropping to less than 100 meters.
As the fog intensified, so too did the magical energy in the area. Henry glanced at the readings on the EMF meter beside him, watching as the numbers climbed steadily higher.
“Be advised,” he reported over local comms, “EMF readings are up to 10,000 milligauss. Expect potential interference with long-range comms.”
“Copy that, Cap,” Isaac’s voice crackled back, the signal still holding strong between the two MRAPs. “We’re seeing the same on our end. Overwatch, do you copy?”
There was no response from Overwatch, as expected. He continued to scan the forest through the CROWS, the thermal imaging struggling against the dense fog. No threats popped up as they approached the clearing, but Henry managed to catch wind of something peculiar. The condensation on the windows grew worse, frost beginning to spread across the glass. At the same time, the fog thickened, as if tied to the dropping temperature.
As if? What if it was? Henry recalled what he knew about fog formation. Fog was essentially a cloud at ground level, formed when water vapor condensed into liquid water droplets in the air. This usually happens when the air cools to its dew point, which could be triggered by a variety of factors – mixing of different air masses, cooling of the ground and ambient air, or even an increase in humidity. For all intents and purposes, all of these could be brought upon through the use of magic. And if magic could cause it, couldn’t it also reverse it?
“Kelmithus,” he called out over their comms as the MRAPs slowed down, “You can control temperature, right? Is that how you’re able to make fireballs?”
“Indeed so,” Kelmithus responded. “Have you a plan?”
He didn’t know much about magic, and the dossiers certainly didn’t cover anything like this, but he needed this hail mary to work. “Can you manipulate the temperature of a specific area, like the width of the road around our vehicles?”
Kelmithus paused for a moment. “I – Yes, I can try. What would you have me do?”
There wasn’t enough time to calculate or run simulations. He’d have to stick with the basic principles. “Let’s uh, let’s start with room temperature – 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Raise the temperature outside to room temperature, but gradually; 5 degrees per minute. If that’s too precise for you to gauge, just do it as consistently as you can.”
“Understood,” Kelmithus confirmed, followed by the sound of a hatch popping. “I shall begin now.”
Henry then turned to Sera and addressed her. “Sera, once Kelmithus starts raising the temperature, I need you to use your wind magic to help disperse the fog.” He helped open the roof hatch on their MRAP, the freezing air outside seeping in. “Gentle, just enough to help the warmer air mix with the colder air. Oh, and keep your helmet on. Might be uncomfortable for your ears, but it’s better than going deaf.”
“Very well.” Sera positioned herself under the hatch and readied herself. “I await your signal.”
Henry gave the order, and the two Sonarans began their work. He could feel the chill slowly recede as the air around them got warmer. Kelmithus didn’t have a thermometer to work with, but the result was as gradual and consistent as he could expect from simple intuition. Simultaneously, Sera created a soft breeze that swirled around the clearing. The circulation looked like it was working. The warm air from Kelmithus’ efforts mixed with the cooler, fog-laden air, gradually thinning the mist.
However, there remained the possibility that this fog was present for a reason, and that whatever created the fog wouldn’t be too happy about it suddenly disappearing. “Owens, Hayes, keep circling ‘round the clearing.”
Henry kept a close eye on his display. The fog was still thick, but he could clearly see the treeline at the edges of the clearing now, and the entrance to the Gatebuilder structure. He allowed himself a small smile. It was working. The plan, unconventional as it was, was actually working. Scientific knowledge to enhance magic… who would have thought?
But the smile quickly faded as a guttural rumble cut through the dissipating fog, a sound far more terrifying than what he’d seen come from T-Rexes in a theater. It wasn’t natural. Well, maybe for this world it was, but it didn’t sound real at all.
“Contact,” Henry reported. “Unknown contact at the treeline, southeast from the entrance.”
Another rumble echoed through the clearing, closer this time. Henry could feel the vibrations through the chassis of the MRAP.
“There!” Sera shouted, “South, by our path in!”
Henry swung the CROWS toward their ingress point – the Baranthurian road that led to the clearing. He strained to see through the mist. For a moment, there was nothing. Then, a shadow flickered between the trees. It was serpentine and massive, a bit over two stories tall and somewhere between an Olympic-size swimming pool and a commercial airliner in length.
“Unknown hostile, engaging!” Henry called out, aligning the targeting on his CROWS with the creature’s midsection.
He opened fire, sending .50 cal rounds and grenades toward the treeline. Most of the rounds ricocheted off its scales, but a few found their mark, drawing spurts of dark blood. The grenades did their work in chipping away at the scales, but he didn’t think they were enough. They might as well be shooting at a tank with a BB gun.
The creature recoiled, a screech of pain and anger that almost drowned out the sounds of gunfire and explosions. Judging from the relatively minor damage they’d inflicted, it was probably more out of anger. With a speed that defied its size, it whipped around and headed straight for his MRAP.
“Oh, shit, shit, shit!” Ron called out, jerking the wheel in an attempt to avoid the strike.
The tail grazed the side of their vehicle, the force of the impact sending a shudder throughout the MRAP. Henry held on to Sera’s leg, keeping her grounded.
“It’s a Lindwyrm!” Sera shouted. “A Sentinel Lindwyrm!”
This was the first time he ever heard genuine concern in her voice. Sentinel Lindwyrm… Henry gritted his teeth. This was a Tier 9 monster. Even between the TOW missiles and the Switchblade 600 sitting in its mounted launch tube, he wasn’t sure if that was something they could handle.
“Doc,” Henry said over the comms, “Send up a blue flare. I repeat, blue flare.”
“On it!” Dr. Anderson replied.
Through the CROWS feed, Henry saw a door open, followed by a hand aiming a flare gun into the air. His order materialized as the flare rocketed skyward, a brilliant blue streak against the gray clouds.
The Lindwyrm, meanwhile, seemed to be changing its tactics. It gave up on trying to slam into the MRAPs and instead retreated back to the treeline, raising its two frontal limbs. The fog began to swirl, coalescing into small objects shimmering around its head. Was it… casting a spell?
The fog dissipated even faster, allowing Henry to land more hits on the thing. Removing the fog should’ve been a good thing, but something didn’t seem right. Suddenly, a barrage of icicles emerged from the treeline, launching towards the vehicles with incredible speed.
The MRAPs swerved, but there were too many, coming too fast. Sera managed to deflect one away from herself, but it damaged the switchblade mount. Looking outside, Henry watched as several icicles slammed into Ryan’s MRAP, the impacts resonating through the vehicle’s frame. He could see the aftermath of the attack. Kelmithus’ instinctive defensive magic seemed to have kept him unharmed, but the vehicle itself, not so much. The armor held, but barely, deep dents forming in the crumpled metal. One of the icicles had hit the window on Isaac’s side, blinding his left.
“We’re hit!” Ryan reported. “No casualties, but vision on our left is compromised!”
“Fuck,” Henry swore under his breath. The Lindwyrm was adapting, using its magic to attack from a distance. Another hit like that could disable Ryan’s MRAP. They needed to end this as soon as possible. Luckily, the attack didn’t come without downsides. In siphoning the nearby water to form the icicles, the Lindwyrm was now clearly visible through the trees.
“Hayes, status on the TOW?” he asked as he laid down some suppressive fire on the Lindwyrm. The rounds and grenades didn’t do much, but at least they drew attention away from Ryan’s damaged MRAP.
“Need a line of sight! We gotta draw it closer to the clearing!”
How were they gonna do that? The creature was smart enough to use the trees for cover, but like all predators, it had to go after its prey eventually. He needed to bait it out. An idea formed in his mind. It was risky, but they couldn’t just sit around and take another hit waiting for the Apache to get here.
“Owens, I need you to drive toward the treeline. Get as close as you can, then slow down.”
“Uh, repeat that last?” Ron asked, disbelief evident in his voice.
“We need to lure the Lindwyrm out for a clear shot. Slow down near the treeline to bait it out, then floor it. Once it’s clear of the trees, Hayes can take the shot. Sera, once it jumps at us, I’ll need you to hit it with a spell – anything and everything you’ve got.”
There was a moment of silence as Ron rested his forearms on the steering wheel. “Copy that. I hope you know what you’re doing, dude.”
“Eloquently said, Lieutenant,” Sera agreed.
“Yeah, you and me both,” Henry sighed. “Execute.”
Ron gunned the engine, the MRAP lurching forward with a roar. They sped towards the treeline, positioning themselves directly ahead of Ryan’s MRAP, Ron angling the vehicle for a quick getaway. Henry could see the Lindwyrm shifting in the trees, preparing to attack.
They were closing the distance rapidly. 50 meters. 30 meters. 20 meters.
“Steady,” Henry said.
More of the surrounding fog began condensing into icicles, the beast rearing back as if readying itself for a pounce.
“Go!” Henry shouted as the monster lunged forward.
Ron slammed his foot on the gas, wrenching the wheel and causing the MRAP to swerve violently away from the treeline. At the same moment, Henry opened fire on its head while Sera unleashed a bolt of lightning at it.
The beast recoiled, its icicle attack going wide and shattering harmlessly against the trees and the ground. It let out a roar, no doubt pissed off at Henry’s MRAP. Overtaken by its emotion, it charged out of the trees with terrifying speed. It was frightening, but also heartening – this was exactly what Henry wanted to see.
“Hayes, now!” he yelled over the comms.
“Yup,” Ryan responded. “TOW away!”
-- --
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2024.04.02 17:19 elaerna The Great Gatsby Makes a Come Back!
 | Went to see Gatsby last night and also attended the Papermill run twice so wanted to share my thoughts. Note: this will very much NOT be spoiler free. submitted by elaerna to Broadway [link] [comments] THEATRE AND SEATING: First off, the Broadway theatre is gorgeous. Large crystal(?) chandeliers in the theatre and the lobby, red seats, ornate decorative architecture. Just so beautiful. The lobby is rather small – one bar and 2 merch stands on either side right when you enter. The orchestra is raked (angled) so I don’t think the view from the rear seats should be too bad (but I sat in the mezzanine). On either side of the lobby are stairs that lead up – there is one bar there, then further stairs on either side up to the actual seats. No merch stands up on the mezzanine. The mezzanine overhang comes pretty far out towards the stage so if you’re in mid to rear orchestra you will be underneath it – good for mez, not so great for orchestra potentially. If you are in an aisle seat in the first few rows of mezzanine, your view may be slightly obstructed by gold railing (the railing comes up higher in the aisle as compared to everywhere else). Jazz was playing in the lobby prior to the performance which really added to the feel. Unisex bathrooms in the mezzanine. Note about the bar, they don’t have dedicated Gatsby themed cups. *RESALE TICKETS: * I saw tickets go down to $65-90 per person in the last few hours before the show for mid to rear orchestra so that’s an option if you missed some of the ticket discounts already provided. *SET: * The set when you walk up before the show is exactly the same – projection backdrop of Daisy’s green light across the moving water, 2 pool ladders, pool tiling down into where the Orchestra is housed. One thing I noticed however is the projection work is not as strong here as it was at the Papermill. At the Papermill, there were times when the projections were shockingly good – you could barely tell it was a projection and not really wood, shirts, whatever design they were projecting. The projections they have in this theatre often seem like holograms, blurry tv screens etc. It just isn’t as clean or impressive. *ANNOUNCEMENTS: * Instead of an announcement saying that ‘photography isn’t allowed, turn off cell phones,’ a few minutes before the show they just played various overlapping, loud ringtones. I thought it was an eloquent way to make their point clear. *PLAYBILL: * This playbill has sparkles/glitter added into the background and isn’t just a black background – I have to say I prefer the Papermill solid black as it is much cleaner. ‘A new musical’ was also moved from top to bottom but idt that makes much of a difference at all. *ACT I - PLAY BY PLAY: * - In the opening number Nick Carraway mentions the party invitation from Gatsby. At the Papermill, Wolfsheim brought Nick the invitation. The song itself is changed some to include small changes like this - After the opening number at the Papermill, they would cut to a scene at Daisy’s home where Jordan Baker is sitting with a newspaper covering her face (she then puts down the newspaper for character entry). Then in conversation Tom would enter, then Daisy. On Broadway, it’s Daisy sitting with the newspaper, making the same ‘entry.’ (Tom then Jordan follow during song). Daisy sits on stage left whereas Jordan sat on stage right. The furniture is also different (better, more ornate). In fact, this could be said for basically all the furniture throughout the show. - They changed a line from ‘that horrible flu’ to the ‘Spanish flu.’ Throughout the show they had some changes like this where I felt like they were trying to spell out references more clearly for audiences. - At the Papermill, Daisy made a whole show of insisting that Nick accompany Tom to the Met as he’s a board member there and Nick is interested in art. On Broadway, the fact that Nick is accompanying Tom to the Met is made in passing. I think it’s much less clear that is what’s happening. - The ‘sophisticated’ song from the Papermill is cut entirely – sad about this as I thought it was a beautiful song. The tone of ‘sophisticated’ was very melancholy whereas the replacement song on Broadway is very upbeat and happy. The latter does make for a grander introduction to the characters due to the upbeat nature. - At the Papermill, during dinner Tom’s side piece Myrtle would call and Daisy would say ‘oh, no phone calls at dinner’ and Tom would placate her saying it’s just business/quick. This method of delivery on the other woman calling was much more subtle. On Broadway, Tom goes off to take the call and Daisy sits down and says something like ‘you think she’d have the decency not to phone at dinner.’ - There is an additional new song here as well – not too memorable. - Cut to a party at Gatsby’s – the costumes are much flashier on broadway and the colors they chose are ‘muted’ – very striking and glittery but less bright red and more lilac, that type of thing. - More changes to the songs here in the Gatsby mansion introduction that really showcase Samantha Pauly’s voice. In general, the songs were changed to showcase the talent much better. - Jeremy Jordan comes out and does his showstopping ‘Daisy’ number – this is exactly the same. - Wolfsheim is introduced here for the first time (instead of at the beginning of the show). Obviously a different actor from the Papermill – I don’t know if I like the way this actor plays the character. It’s much more silly and cartoonish on Broadway – I’m reminded of Looney Tunes black and white cartoons with the classic private investigator in a trench coat. Broadway version of Wolfsheim is much sillier and trying to get a laugh vs. showing how dangerous the character really is. The singing is, however, much much better. - Myrtle, the other woman, is introduced. Some small song changes here too that really showcase her vocal talents. There’s a part where she makes a dress change into a new fancy dress that Tom presumably bought her – the dress she changes into here on Broadway is much more of a drastic change (hot pink slip with black lace detailing) and really drives home the point well. - Cut to Eva and Jordan talking about Tom’s affair. At the Papermill, Eva and Sam are golfing together. Here on Broadway, Eva’s sitting down with her daughter Pammy. There’s a hilarious line Sam says about why are babies always dressed in so much lace, to which Eva says she can’t help it this is just how babies are dressed. A Nanny then takes Pammy away and Eva gets up to golf. I think this is a bit clunky as compared to the Papermill – you need to introduce a Nanny to take the baby away, introduce Pammy for basically no reason other than to make that one joke. The song in this part is much, much better – way more melodic and again, showcases the voices much better than at the Papermill – ‘danced with soldiers like they were ghosts’ is sung instead of spoken like at the Papermill - Random note: when Sam leaves this scene she accidentally drops a piece of clothing and it was just kicked around to various parts of the stage the rest of the act, no one ever picked it up lol - Cut to hilarious song where Nick is dragged to some apartment where Myrtle and Tom are having their affair. Some minimal staging changes here, but largely the same. The furniture and the backdrops are again, much more ornate and lovely. An issue they also had at the Papermill, when Tom slaps Myrtle, there is no audible sound. It’s supposed to be a slap so hard it breaks Myrtle’s nose and yet no sound – I think an easy fix, wonder why they don’t do it. - Nick ofc decides to help Gatsby by setting Daisy and Gatsby up for tea at his (Nick’s) cottage. At the Papermill when the door to the cottage opened, you couldn’t see anything inside, but on Broadway they project an interior. As mentioned before, the projections here just look so fake. I really preferred not being able to see anything inside at all. Or perhaps even at the Papermill there was a projection but it was so subtle you didn’t notice it. Here on Broadway it’s very, very bright and cartoonish. In addition, there is a very clear reflection in the windows of the cottage so that every time someone walks in front of it you see the reflection very clearly. This is very distracting – a more matte surface for the windows would be much better. - General note: There is often loud banging backstage on Broadway which did not happen at the Papermill *ACT II – PLAY BY PLAY: * - Act II opens with a flashback to Daisy and Gatsby in soft lighting, Eva has longer hair and a dreamy, frilly dress. Seemed a bit unnecessary to include this for a few seconds and also the costumes were a bit silly in this part. - Gatsby arranges for an ‘officer’s ball’ – Nick and Jordan are enlisted to participate and dress up. At the Papermill, Jordan wore a white satin dress, here on Broadway it’s gold and glittery. The shape of the dress is the same (atrocious, for comedic effect). I don’t know enough about dresses to describe properly but you know in the Nutcracker when little people come out of that huge woman’s dress – the dress is shaped like that – very wide on either side for no reason. - Song added(?)/lengthened here where Gatsby sings about Daisy again – fake sparkly willow trees come down from the ceiling, it’s very striking and I don’t remember this at the Papermill. Cut to the party and more willows come down as well. I thought Daisy’s dress here was ridiculous at the Papermill and it’s still ridiculous on Broadway, but less so. I suppose again it’s supposed to represent back when they met and they were young/naïve and less fashion forward but it would be nice if the reveal dress was a bit more striking since it’s supposed to be the dress she was wearing when they fell in love. The shape of it just isn’t as flattering as literally every other dress Eva wears. - At the party, another dance number happens and at the Papermill Tom would meet Wolfsheim and learn that Gatsby is selling counterfeit booze and that he’s sleeping with Daisy. On Broadway this conversation happens after the song instead of during it. I think this makes it more clear what’s happening. - Also at the end of the party, at the Papermill there was an altercation where Tom drags Daisy away from Gatsby by the arm and Daisy says something like ‘what’re you going to do, slap me like one of your whores’ and Tom lets go and Daisy says ‘I thought so.’ But on Broadway, none of this happens, the interaction is much more tame and Tom doesn’t even really seem to get mad. A big theme in the show is that Tom is a ‘brute’ and with these changes Tom seems much, much less brute-ish. - It’s even such a non-altercation at the party that Daisy and Gatsby run out onto the grounds in the next scene kissing and laughing, only to be interrupted by Tom. At the Papermill they’re running away from the scene where Tom almost slapped Daisy and they’re all rushed and stressed trying to figure out what to do next – I think this flows better with the mood. - Next large bit of the show is largely the same, Tom/Gatsby/Nick/Daisy/Jordan all go to the Plaza for some dumb reason. They get in a fight, Daisy says she can’t say she doesn’t love Tom, Gatsby and Daisy leave, hit Myrtle and kill her on the street, Myrtle’s husband thinks it’s Gatsby and comes to kill Gatsby and scene. The gunshots in this scene are LOUD! A lot of people around me audible yelped at it. And Jeremy has to fall quite a ways to his death into the ‘pool’ where the orchestra is. I hope there’s good padding down there haha. - Last change is that on Daisy’s last song ‘Beautiful Fool’ where she’s singing about how women have no rights, they changed the ending of the song. Instead of ‘the best thing a girl can be in this world is a beautiful fool,’ she says ‘a charming, blithe, absolute rose, fool.’ I think this wording is clunky and a bit ridiculous and prefer the original. Her green tiered dress here is beautiful. STAGE DOOR - Stage door is done Merrily style where you're barricaded in and the actors come on the outside to sign. Every. Single. Person. Except Jeremy came out. It was wild like back in the Hadestown days when Eva and Reeve were still there. Very organized and lovely. Eva said no pictures (not sure if this will be regular for her or not). TL;DR: Song changes that showcase voices better. Set design/furniture better excepting streaky/fake looking projections. Story flows better. Costumes better. |
2024.04.01 20:17 ephedup Saga (NYC **)
After reading reviews on this subreddit booked a dinner reservation for this pst Saturday night with my girlfriend to celebrate birthdays/upcoming anniversary. Had a wonderful time with fantastic food, service and views.
Arrived at Saga at our reservation time but it took a few minutes for them to have us head up in the elevator. When we arrived in the lobby offered the complementary cocktails and took us to our table. Was quite surprised to see we got a table right by a window with a view of Brooklyn’s downtown and the NY harbor as I’m certainly not a VIP. After an introduction to get us situated the sommelier helped us each choose a glass of wine and not too long after the courses started arriving.
First course: Abalone with shiitake mushroom with a citrus foam followed by the bento box. Bento box was beautiful and enjoyed how they allowed diner to choose their own adventure with sequence of fish and veggie bites and whether to use nori or lettuce wraps. The garlic glazed octopus and butternut squash bites were standouts.
Second course: citrus compote with coconut meringue and a radicchio ice. Felt like chef showing off technical skill. I was a bit hesitant about the dish but really enjoyed it, got hints of Roquefort from somewhere that played nicely with the citrus compote at bottom.
Third course: caviar with tamago and potato/scallop cream. very traditional fine dining dish. tasted quite good but didnt do a ton for me and tamago flavor didnt really come through at all.
fourth course: did the pescatarian tasting menu so the bbq course was celery root with chestnut puree. celery root itself was super tender with wonderful bbq flavor, but the chestnut sauce was a bit overly sweet, needed some smokiness or countervailing spice.
fifth course: lobster with black pepper sauce, sunchoke puree, and a mini bun stuffed with clawmeat. perhaps not the most creative dish ever but every single bite was delicious. pepper sauce paired perfectly with rich buttery lobster and the pretzel flavor of the bun.
sixth course: Moroccan branzino with pear and served with Msemen, hummus, harissa yogurt, and chili oil. Loved the family style presentation and the ode to his Moroccan heritage after doing a world tour of fine dining staples. Branzino had managed to absorb a lot of the spices it was cooked in but maintained a crispy skin. Hummus was great. Felt bad about amount of food waste as this alone could have fed both of us for a dinner.
Desserts: Moroccan tea with shortbread cookie. Not a huge tea fan normally but could have had a gallon of this, sweet without being cloyingly so and the mint really shown through. Telling myself sweetness was from mint and not sugar haha
Brought a chocolate hazelnut cream cake as we’re celebrating a birthday along with the chai apple crisp. Forgot to grab pictures. Enjoyed the cake but didn’t try the crisp as felt like Mr. Creosote in Monty Python “not even a wafer of thin mint”. Girlfriend though crisp was solid with the miso butterscotch being the standout.
Overall was an outstanding meal (bento box and branzino being standouts) and the service, despite some conflicting reports on here, was flawless and on par with any other place we’ve been. We’re both on the younger side and were among the many young couples celebrating. With a relaxed dress, great views and clientele was the opposite of stuffy dining. Well deserved two stars and will not leave hungry
submitted by ephedup to finedining [link] [comments]
Arrived at Saga at our reservation time but it took a few minutes for them to have us head up in the elevator. When we arrived in the lobby offered the complementary cocktails and took us to our table. Was quite surprised to see we got a table right by a window with a view of Brooklyn’s downtown and the NY harbor as I’m certainly not a VIP. After an introduction to get us situated the sommelier helped us each choose a glass of wine and not too long after the courses started arriving.
First course: Abalone with shiitake mushroom with a citrus foam followed by the bento box. Bento box was beautiful and enjoyed how they allowed diner to choose their own adventure with sequence of fish and veggie bites and whether to use nori or lettuce wraps. The garlic glazed octopus and butternut squash bites were standouts.
Second course: citrus compote with coconut meringue and a radicchio ice. Felt like chef showing off technical skill. I was a bit hesitant about the dish but really enjoyed it, got hints of Roquefort from somewhere that played nicely with the citrus compote at bottom.
Third course: caviar with tamago and potato/scallop cream. very traditional fine dining dish. tasted quite good but didnt do a ton for me and tamago flavor didnt really come through at all.
fourth course: did the pescatarian tasting menu so the bbq course was celery root with chestnut puree. celery root itself was super tender with wonderful bbq flavor, but the chestnut sauce was a bit overly sweet, needed some smokiness or countervailing spice.
fifth course: lobster with black pepper sauce, sunchoke puree, and a mini bun stuffed with clawmeat. perhaps not the most creative dish ever but every single bite was delicious. pepper sauce paired perfectly with rich buttery lobster and the pretzel flavor of the bun.
sixth course: Moroccan branzino with pear and served with Msemen, hummus, harissa yogurt, and chili oil. Loved the family style presentation and the ode to his Moroccan heritage after doing a world tour of fine dining staples. Branzino had managed to absorb a lot of the spices it was cooked in but maintained a crispy skin. Hummus was great. Felt bad about amount of food waste as this alone could have fed both of us for a dinner.
Desserts: Moroccan tea with shortbread cookie. Not a huge tea fan normally but could have had a gallon of this, sweet without being cloyingly so and the mint really shown through. Telling myself sweetness was from mint and not sugar haha
Brought a chocolate hazelnut cream cake as we’re celebrating a birthday along with the chai apple crisp. Forgot to grab pictures. Enjoyed the cake but didn’t try the crisp as felt like Mr. Creosote in Monty Python “not even a wafer of thin mint”. Girlfriend though crisp was solid with the miso butterscotch being the standout.
Overall was an outstanding meal (bento box and branzino being standouts) and the service, despite some conflicting reports on here, was flawless and on par with any other place we’ve been. We’re both on the younger side and were among the many young couples celebrating. With a relaxed dress, great views and clientele was the opposite of stuffy dining. Well deserved two stars and will not leave hungry