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gingerswagfreckles · 7 months

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I think people need to understand that when someone says the situation in Israel/Palestine is complicated they are not necessarily saying that the discussion of who the oppressor vs oppressed is complicated. The Israeli government has been oppressing the Palestinians for a very long time, that is clear, and it is not complicated to understand that at least since the 80s they have had dramatically more financial and military power to keep control of the territory in the way they like.

However, it is reductive and dismissive to insist that there is no complexity in the potential ways to move forward to bring peace to the region. Despite what people on tumblr.edu like to believe, "Israel should never have been created" is not a practical solution to an incredibly heated geopolitical situation in the present day. Israel was created and it does exist. 10 million people live there. 74% of the population is native born and the country has existed for 75 years. Hand waving these fact away with the opinion that "they should move back to where they came from" may make you feel good about being a Radical Leftist, but it does not give anyone a road map for how exactly millions of people without dual citizenship are supposed to just up and evaporate. Nor does it acknowledge the reality that 21% of Israelis are Arabs, the very people you are claiming to want to give the land back to.

Insisting that there's nothing complicated about expecting an entire country's population to willingly dissappear with no consequences is not a productive way to think about this conflict. It ignores the many massive superpowers that have an interest in proping up different states in the region, the power dynamics involved in any land back movements, and the inevitably negative consequences of totally dissolving an established state without a plan. It is also completely and almost comically unrealistic, so much so that it makes it hard to believe that anyone who's opinion starts and ends with this idea really gives a shit about anyone who lives in the area as much as they care about their online leftist clout.

There's nothing complicated in understanding that the Israeli government is and has been maintaining an oppressive apartheid state for decades. It is, however, very complicated to come up with a realistic way to resolve some of the most intricately entangled land disputes on the planet without plunging the region into total chaos. Not everyone has to be deeply educated on every geopolitical situation, but it is very hard to take people seriously when they know nothing about the politics or history of a region and yet insist that there is nothing complicated about it at all.

There's a lot of people on this website who are getting dangerously smug about their own ignorance, and are starting to go down Qanon type anti-intellectual paths in the name of being sufficiently radical. Not knowing the details of a very convoluted land dispute isn't something to brag about online as you call for intentionally reductive solutions. You can support the Palestinian cause and be aware of the oppression they have faced while also holding off on calling people trying to do real analysis and de-escalation work bootlickers. We need to get control of the urge to fit every global issue into a simplistic YA novel narrative structure that appeals to Western revolutionary fantasies.

#gingerswagfreckles #israel #palestine #israel palestine conflict #i/p #i/p conflict

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talisidekick · 1 year

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I don't care what nationality you are. US, UK, French, German, anyone in Europe, please do me the grandest of favours and spread this around. Steal the link, make your own post, I don't care; just get it to the eyes of your viewers because if they're Canadian, I need your help.

This petition ends May 26th 2023:

What is this about?

"Whereas:

The world is becoming increasingly hostile to transgender and nonbinary individuals;

Transgender and nonbinary people's rights to live as themselves are being restricted and removed in many places;

This includes the so-called "Western democracies" which have historically been presumed safe;

More than a dozen American states have enacted or are considering legislation eliminating or criminalizing gender-affirming care; and

Canada has prided itself on being an inclusive, tolerant, and welcoming society for everyone regardless of gender identity or gender expression.

We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to extend to transgender and nonbinary people the right to claim asylum in Canada by reason of eliminationist laws in their home countries, whatever country that may be."

It's better to give people an exit plan, and just hope they won't need it, then to do nothing and assume they'll be fine. Help us keep making Canada a positive place for everyone. I hope you'll sign if you're Canadian, and if you're not, I hope you'll help us make some positivity by sharing this around.

(Edit: A bullet point in the petitions description has been removed from this post, but remains on the petition. It's removal is due to misinformation around the UK's Equality Act 2010 only providing protection for those seeking sexual reassignment surgery. And while the Equality Act 2010 does explicitly state this, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has released an Equality Act 2019 Code of Practice document that specifies all transgender people are protected under the protected characteristic of "gender reassignment" regardless of desire to undergo the specific surgery initially identified in the Equality Act 2010 document. There has been, as of this editation, no direct quote or statement of plans to remove these protections from discrimination to the public.

I'd also like to add that there do exist protections already for 2SLGBTQIA+ folk to seek asylum in Canada, and the MP who made this petition has apparently been made aware of this, however, due to certain restrictions on that act, Canada currently lists the US as a safe country for 2SLGBTQIA+ folk because as long as there is one safe place(state, province, or territory) in the country for queer folk, the ability to seek asylum is denied. This petition clearly states a need to make a more specific clarification regarding this and open up assylum if any discriminatory laws pop up at all within a country, no matter if it's regional laws, or country wide. Specifying this because there's been a reblog or two calling this petition pointless and because I'm already clarifying UK law misinformation, might as well tackle misinformation from my own country as well. ♡)

#trans #transgender #2slgbtqia+#lgbtq+#lgbt+#trans positivity #mtf #ftm #non binary #enby

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autismserenity · 1 month

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Someone on Reddit made the mistake of saying, "Teach me how this conflict came about" where I could see it.

Let me teach you too.

The common perception is that Jews came out of nowhere, stole Palestinian homes and kicked Palestinians out of them, and then bombed them for 75 years, until they finally rebelled in the form of Hamas invading Israel and massacring 22 towns in one day.

The historical reality is that Jews have lived there continuously for at least 3500 years.

There are areas, like Meggido iirc, with archeological evidence of continuous habitation for 7,000 years, but Jewish culture as we recognize it today didn't develop until probably halfway through that.

Ethnic Jews are the indigenous people of this area.

Indigeneity means a group was originally there, before any colonization happened, and that it has retained a cultural connection to the land. History plus culture.

That's what Jews have: even when the diaspora became larger than the number of Jews in Israel, the yearning to return to that homeland was a daily part of Jewish prayer and ritual.

The Jewish community in Israel was crushed pretty violently by the Roman Empire in 135 CE, but it was still substantial, sometimes even the majority population there, for almost a thousand years.

The 600s CE brought the advent of Islam and the Arab Empire, expanding out from Saudi Arabia into Israel and beyond. It was largely a region where Jews were second-class citizens. But it was still WAY better than the way Christian Europe treated Jews.

From the 700s-900s, the area saw repeated civil wars, plagues, and earthquakes.

Then the Crusades came, with waves of Christians making "pilgrimages to the Holy Land" and trying to conquer it from Muslims and Jews, who they slaughtered and enslaved.

Israel became pretty well depopulated after all that. It was a very rough time to live there. (And for the curious, I'm calling it Israel because that's what it had been for centuries, until the Romans erased the name and the country.)

By the 1800s, the TOTAL population of what's now Israel and Palestine had varied from 150,000 - 275,000 for centuries. It was very rural, very sparsely populated, on top of being mostly desert.

In the 1880s, Jews started buying land and moving back to their indigenous homeland. As tends to happen, immigration brought new projects and opportunities, which led to more immigration - not only from Jews, but from the Arab world as well.

Unfortunately, there was an antisemitic minority spearheaded by Amin al-Husseini. Who was very well-connected, rich, and from a politically powerful family.

Al-Husseini had enthusiastically participated in the Armenian Genocide under the Ottoman Empire. Then the Empire fell in World War One, and the League of Nations had to figure out what to do with its land.

Mostly, if an area was essentially operating as a country (e.g. Turkey), the League of Nations let it be one. In areas that weren't ready for self-rule, it appointed France or Britain to help them get there.

In recognition of the increased Jewish population in their traditional, indigenous homeland, it declared that that homeland would again become Israel.

As in, the region was casually called Palestine because that was the lay term for "the Holy Land." It had not been a country since Israel was stamped out; only a region of a series of different empires. And the Mandate For Palestine said it was establishing "a national home of the Jewish people" there, in recognition of "the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country."

Britain was appointed to help the Arab and Jewish communities there develop systems of self-government, and then to work together to govern the region overall.

At least, that was the plan.

Al-Husseini, who was deeply antisemitic, did not like this plan.

And, extra-unfortunately, the British response to al-Husseini inciting violent anti-Jewish riots was to put him in a leadership role over Arab Palestine.

They thought it would calm him down and perhaps satisfy him.

They were very wrong.

He went on to become a huge Hitler fanboy, and then a Nazi war criminal. He co-created the Muslim Brotherhood - which Hamas is part of - with fellow fascist fanboy Hassan al-Banna.

He got Nazi Party funding for armed Muslim Brotherhood militias to attack Jews and the Brits in the late 30s, convincing Britain to agree to limit Jewish immigration at the time when it was most desperately needed.

He started using the militias again in 1947, when the United Nations voted to divide the mandated land into a Jewish homeland and a Palestinian one.

Al-Husseini wouldn't stand for a two-state solution. He was determined to tolerate no more than the subdued, small Jewish minority of second-class citizens that he remembered from his childhood.

As armed militias increasingly ran riot, the Arab middle and upper classes increasingly left. About 100,000 left the country before May 1948, when Britain was to pull out, leaving Israel and Palestine to declare their independence.

The surrounding nations didn't want war. They largely accepted the two-state solution.

But al-Husseini lobbied HARD. And by mobilizing the Muslim Brotherhood to provide "destabilizing mass demonstrations and a murderous campaign of intimidation," he got the Arab League nations to agree to invade, en masse, as soon as Britain left.

About 600,000 Arabs fled to those countries during the ensuing war.

Jews couldn't seek refuge there; in fact, most of those countries either exiled their Jews directly, confiscating their property first, or else made Jewish life unlivable and exploited them for underpaid or slave labor for years first.

By the time the smoke cleared and a peace treaty was signed, most of the Arab Palestinian community had fled; there was no Arab Palestinian leadership; many of the refugees' homes and businesses had left had been destroyed in the war; and Israel had been flooded with nearly a million refugees from the Arab League countries and the Holocaust - even more people than had fled the war.

That was the Nakba. The one that gets portrayed as "750,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled!" in the hope that you'll assume they were expelled en masse, their beautiful intact homes all stolen.

Egypt had taken what's now the Gaza Strip in that war, and Jordan took what's now the West Bank - expelling or killing all the Jews in it first.

(Ironically, Jordan was originally supposed to be part of Israel. Britain, inexplicably, cut off what would have been 75% of its land to create Jordan.

Even more inexplicably, nobody ever talks about it. I've never seen anyone complain that Jordan was stolen from Palestinians. Possibly because Jordan is also the only country that gave Palestinian refugees full citizenship, and it's about half Palestinian now.

Israel is nearly 25% Arab Palestinians with full citizenship and equal rights, so it's not all that different -- but the fundamental difference of living in a country where the majority is Jewish, not Muslim, probably runs pretty deep.)

Anyway: that's why Palestine is Gaza and the West Bank, rather than being some contiguous chunk of land. Or being the land set aside by the U.N. in 1947.

Because Arab countries took that land in 1948, and treated them as essentially separate for 20 years.

Israel got them back, along with the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula, in the next war: 1967, when Egypt committed an act of war by taking control of the waterways and barring Israel from them. It gave the Sinai back to Egypt as part of the 1979 peace accords between Egypt and Israel.

Israel tried to give back the Gaza Strip at the same time. Egypt refused.

Palestine finally declared independence in 1988.

But Hamas formed at about the same time. Probably in response, in fact. Hamas is fundamentally opposed to peace negotiations with Israel.

Again: Hamas is part of a group founded by Nazis.

Hamas has its own charter. It explains that Jews are "the enemy," because they control the drug trade, have been behind every major war, control the media, control the United Nations, etc. Basic Nazi rhetoric.

It has gotten adept at masking that rhetoric for the West. But to friendlier audiences, its leaders have consistently said things like, "People of Jerusalem, we want you to cut off the heads of the Jews with knives. With your hand, cut their artery from here. A knife costs five shekels. Buy a knife, sharpen it, put it there, and just cut off [their heads]. It costs just five shekels."

(Palestinians were outraged by this speech. Palestinians, by and large, absolutely loathe Hamas.

It's just that it's not the same to say that to locals, as it is to say it where major global powers who oppose this crap can hear you.)

Hamas has stated from the beginning that its mission is to violently destroy Israel and take over the land.

It has received $100M in military funding annually, from Iran, for several years. Because Iran has been building a network of fascist, antisemitic groups across the Middle East, in a blatant attempt to control more and more of it: Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Houthis in Yemen.

Iran has been run by a very far-right, deeply antisemitic dictatorship for decades now, which pretty openly wants to take down both Israel and the U.S.

Last year, Iran increased Hamas's funding to $350M.

The "proof of concept" invasion of Israel that Hamas pulled off on October 7th more than justifies a much bigger investment.

Hamas has publicly stated its intention to attack "again and again and again," until Israel has been violently destroyed.

That is how this conflict came about.

A Nazi group seized power in Gaza in 2007 by violently kicking the Palestinian government out, and began running it as a dictatorship, using it to build money and power in preparations for exactly this.

And people find it shockingly easy to believe its own hype about being "the Palestinian resistance."

As well as its propaganda that Israel is not actually targeting Hamas: it's just using a literal Nazi invasion and massacre as an excuse to randomly commit genocide of the fraction of Palestine it physically left 20 years ago.

Despite the fact that Palestinians in Gaza have been protesting HAMAS throughout the war.

#free palestine #free gaza from hamas #free everyone from hamas it's awful #we want to live movement #free gazans group #center the people directly affected #Ironically it's almost exclusively zionists who know about and support the actual activists in Palestine #because Zionism is a real Jewish term for self-determination not something you can redefine to demonize us #and the pro-hamas movement is inherently both antisemitic and anti-Palestinian #wall of words #jumblr #jewish history #palestinian history

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sayruq · 5 months

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3 thoughts on this:

Economy - Israel's economy took a hit in October that was comparable to the economic tremors caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. It is effectively in a major recession today. The longer they drag out this war, the worse their economic condition will be. Foreign capital will continue leaving the country as it seems incapable of stabilising. While the continued use of reserves means 300,000 Israelis will be unable to work, not to mention the millions of dollars Israel has to spend to mobilise its reserve every day. The longer the war goes on, the more people will end up leaving the country. 470,000 have left in October and November with no intention of returning while over 300,000 settlers are internally displaced. Both of those numbers are bound to go up as the war continues. This means that Israel is missing hundreds of thousands of Israeli workers. A few weeks ago, Israel struck a deal with the Indian government to get 100,000 workers after tens of thousands of worker migrants fled the country. That plan fell through thanks to Indian trade unions. Now Israel is turning to African States in a desperate attempt to replace the Gazan workers it's currently genociding. We will see if that plan works as Africans are by and large pro Palestine. Plus the Yemeni naval blockade is growing more and more intense every week as a direct response to the genocide in Gaza. In short, Israel's economy can't withstand a long war. America cannot help prop up the economy as it will soon be facing its major economy issues in the coming years including a housing crisis and likely a recession.

Military defeats - Israel cannot defeat Hamas. It cannot win a war inside Gaza. It failed to do so in 2014, it's failing right now. It has lost hundreds of military vehicles including the (formerly) vaunted Merkava-4. The estimated number of injured soldiers stands at 10,000+ while the Resistance is still intact and capable of carrying out dozens of military operations against IDF and the surrounding cities and settlements every day. The IDF has never looked more weak than it is right now. Hezbollah has been employing a military strategy dubbed the escalation ladder, in which one end of the ladder is no war and the other end is total war. It has continuously escalated against Israel, attacking deeper and deeper into its territory, and it will continue until there's open war between Israel and Lebanon. The point of the escalation is to give Israel time to leave Gaza but as that's not something the Israeli government is planning on doing, we're looking at a region war in 2024 (so far we have a regional conflict and whilebits serious, it's not yet war). Just like it can't win in Gaza, Israel can't defeat Hezbollah and occupy Southern Lebanon like its leaders have been threatening to. It certainly can't take on the Ansar Allah group in Yemen.

West Bank - every week, there are clashes between Israeli forces and the Resistance in the West Bank and it's growing more and more intense. The best way to describe the region is 'powder keg.' Israel has responded to Oct 7th by detaining thousands of Palestinians and killing hundreds. There's a growing popularity of Al Qassam Brigades and other militant groups in Gaza. There also seems to be coordination between the Gazan and West Bank resistance groups, as in they would carry out operations at the same time. The longer the war on Gaza goes on, the more likely that war will also break out in the West Bank.

Many, many more Palestinians will die. This plan, more than anything, is a call for the continued slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza.

But the longer this goes on, the closer Israel gets to collapsing.

#yemen #jerusalem #tel aviv #current events #palestine #free palestine #gaza #free gaza #news on gaza #palestine news #news update #war news #war on gaza

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oldpotatoe · 7 months

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as many of you know, gaza has now gone dark.

targeted israeli strikes have wiped out the telecommunications infrastructure. phone lines and internet services are gone. gazans cannot call their loved ones to check if they are still alive. they cannot call for ambulances for aid. if they survive the increased bombardment tonight and the following nights, they will bleed out alone with no aid.

now i will tell you what will happen in the next few days/weeks, and i pray it to be untrue. unfortunately the apartheid state, also known as israel, has been quite obvious and transparent with their plans.

the stated goal of many politicians over the years from israel, including netanyahu, has been to have the entire strip of land of gaza as israel, with no separate region for palestinians. i am not going to provide links, google is free and i am fucking tired.

what they had done before tonight, in the last two weeks, was destroy over 50% of buildings in gaza city as well as neighbouring areas, so gazans have nowhere to return to. gazans have been forced south, and israel will use this opportunity to have troops in north gaza (currently referred to as the ground invasion) advancing south while bombing "h*mas sites" in the south. israel will do this knowing there are plenty more civilians there that will die, causing terror and panic and having palestinians want to flee to anywhere, anywhere that is safe.

israel is doing this in the hopes that this panic and terror will convince egypt to open the border (well, the border israel isn't currently bombing) so that palestinians can escape to the sinai desert in egypt.

once survivors leave, the area that is currently the gaza strip will 1) be reduced in size if a lot of palestinians stay, should they not be bombed out of existence, or 2) be entirely absorbed into israel if very few palestinians stay, which is the ultimate aim of israel. those remaining palestinians will be moved to the west bank, or the remainder of gaza will be converted to west bank conditions where they'd go through the same problems palestinians in the west bank go through (reduced access to water, checkpoints to go from any place to any place within their own land, getting dispossessed, or randomly killed by racist extremist settlers).

now, egypt has been adamant not to displace the palestinians. in online discourse, people have been dehumanising palestinians by talking about past disruptions in other refugee areas and saying that is why egypt does not want to take them. while there may be slight truth to this from egypt's perspective, the major reason egypt is refusing is that no palestinian refugee abroad has even been given the right to return to their own land. and this will be the fate of gazans if they are made to leave in a mass exodus to egypt/other neighbouring countries such as jordan, which these leaflets from army-backed israeli are threatening palestinians with (photo from salfit in the occupied west bank):

therefore, what i likely see happening is the above bombardment (in increased numbers now that gaza has gone dark) -> mass panic in gaza, more so now that gazans are cornered in the south -> a reluctant egypt, but with the US will promise a large amount of "aid" money to egypt to facilitate the mass exodus of palestinians, the borders will open.

palestinians will be forced out. israelis are already planning on hoovering up the prime real estate there, for amusements park no less!

this is nabka 2.0. this is genocide.

btw, as we speak: israel's leading newspaper is already making claims that h*mas's main operation base is under shifa hospital. the hospital currently housing 50,000 displaced palestinians. the idf is claiming h*mas is using the hospital as a human shield, which is their new favourite phrase to justify killing civilians. so you already know what to expect in the news.

#palestine #free palestine #my heart is so heavy.#meanwhile in tel aviv - parties. halloween nights. weddings and celebrations. meanwhile 50 miles away there is a massacre happening.#dont talk to me about pain if you in any way support the israeli gvt or zionists. dont interact wit this post. i have no patience left.

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styllwaters · 6 months

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KNIGHT ETHNIC GROUPS, ORDERS AND CULTURES: A GUIDE

MAP OF ETTERA (Knight Homeplanet)

Standard map [continents shown]

Regional map [territories shown]

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

I have here a weeks worth of writing and art because I for some reason enjoy torturing myself! I've been slaving away at this for so long but it's finally done and polished. So! As promised, I'm gonna talk a bit about the different Knight cultures/ethnicities, territories and general social structure.

Knights are one of my alien sophont civilisations from my Vivere 44 headworld. Here are more links from my previous posts:

Introductory post

Knight deities

Knight languages and names

With that being said, worldbuilding textwalls below the cut!

____

First, an explanation of the maps.

CONTINENTS

There are three main continents on Ettera. The two polar landmasses are Thannoeh in the northern end and Nahrui in the southern end. Thannoeh is divided by east and west, and is home to the two major Polar Knight nations. Nahrui is not occupied by any, aside from explorers or scientists. For many Knights, it is a strange, enigmatic land and a topic of great curiosity. In the middle is Val-srat; the central continent inhabited by Mountain and Plains Knights. The landmass is named as such because it is often represented in folklore as a Knight, with Valazear (the ‘Host’) being the southern Plains territories and Srati (the ‘Helmet’) being the northern Mountain territories. The Ihmna Stretch is the section of land connecting the two countries - ‘Ihmna’ is the Ferhahti word for the Integrator organ which joins the host and helmet’s consciousness.

Plant life on Ettera takes on hues of red and orange.

____

Before I get into the different ethnicities, I should elaborate more on how Knight Orders are structured and the different titles; some of the clothing articles are specific to status.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Most Knights live in groups called ‘Orders’, which I talked more about in this ask.

The standard roles for an Order are as follows:

Commander - Makes decisions, protects and supports the group. Commanders lead the Order across difficult terrain, plan out hunts, and take care of their members. A Commander might be chosen based on generational succession, experience, or strength. Depending on the rules of the Order, a Commander might be challenged by a Knight who desires their position, although only an elite or lieutenant would be permitted to do this. In more traditional and conservative orders Commanders are always Pike-forts.

Lieutenant - Second in command. The Lieutenant is the Commander’s primary advisor and runs the Order when they are unable to. A Commander may train their lieutenant to one day take their place as leader, or a lieutenant might serve multiple generations of Commanders without ever challenging them.

Elites - A selection of Knight soldiers who are exceptionally experienced, strong and fast. Highly respected by the rest of the Order and carry out important duties such as organisation. They have the highest chance of being the next lieutenant or Commander.

Soldiers - The main body of the Order, fully grown Knights who are proficient in all the skills necessary for survival. Soldiers are tasked with a variety of jobs to keep the Order healthy and running: they are also farmers, medics, entertainers, strategists, builders, etc.

Scouts - Scouts are Knights who make reconnaissance trips for the Order. Their job is to gather information about a potential area to settle or travel through. Scouts also have a range of other responsibilities, such as acting as lookouts, messengers, and taking care of Pages.

There are two types of Scouts - temporary and permanent. Temporary scouts are Squires (16-17 years) who have completed their training and are performing Expeditions, which they are required to do before becoming a full soldier. On Expeditions two or three Scouts will travel a certain distance away from the Order, sometimes miles away, to deliver goods to other Orders or to simply evaluate an area/route. Permanent scouts are lower-ranked Knights who are unable to become Soldiers, prefer a caretaker role, or have been relegated to the position.

Squires - Knights in training. Squires learn from a Soldier assigned to teach them. They may be tutored one-on-one, or taught in a group. They learn the ways of the Order and the world around them. Squires will often be assigned small hunting trips with their tutor, or cleaning jobs. Typically aged 7-15 years.

Pages - The youth of the Order, Knights aged 0-6 years. The pages are fiercely protected by every member of the Order. A newborn Helmet or Host will stay with their birth parent/s until they have assimilated, in which care duty is passed on to a permanent Scout. The Scout raises the Pages alongside several others until they are ready to become Squires.

This structure originated from Mountain Orders and spread to Plains and Polar regions a long time ago. Of course, not every Order follows this plan exactly, and there are countless variations. Some Knights don't live in Orders at all, and may live in pairs (which is common for travelling merchants and explorers) or small groups. Very rarely, a Knight may travel alone. This is the case for exiles.

____

You may already be familiar with the Mountain, Plains and Polar Knight regional varieties, but within these subspecies are various ethnic groups.

THE ETHNICITIES

✦ MOUNTAIN ✦

✦ Ferhahti [Ferhaht]

The Ferhahti Knights are an ethnic group located in the Ferhaht territory of Srati. Their thick fur is of various shades of grey and grey-blue. Their clothing styles are typically beige and tan, often complete with rectangular tassels and red accents. The Ferhahti have a ‘New Years’ festival called Khulaam in which they call upon Etteran spirits to bless them with good harvests, hunting and rain. During these festivals there is music, food, dancing and socialising with others. Allied Orders, usually 2-5, will come together to celebrate. Celebrations last five days. Alliances may be temporary or long-lasting, but the Orders will go on a hunt on the final day to bring down a large quarry. Oftentimes there will be a ‘Herald’ dancer who bears a flag on their horn, depicting glyphs of good fortune.

Since the Ferhahti and Kaata territories are neighbouring, and have no physical borders, Orders from both lands will often meet to trade goods and information. Many Plains-Mountain hybrids are of Ferhahti and Kaata descent due to the close proximity of the nations.

NOTE: Plains and Mountain Knights are capable of producing hybrid offspring, although they will be infertile. Neither Plains nor Mountain Knights can produce viable hybrids with Polar Knights.

✦ Fejga [Fejg]

Fejga Knights (pronounced Fej-ya) make their home in the Fejg archipelago. They are generally of a bulkier physique than other Mountain Knights, have a coat of thick fur and are well adjusted to chillier climates. They also sport a ‘saddle’ marking on their backs and are likely to have mottled/freckled patterns and blue eyes. Their Orders are partially seafaring, with many sailing from island to island in magnificent ships. Fishing is a large part of their lifestyles as the sea provides a stable source of food.

Their clothes are frequently made from leather and wool from domesticated animals. It is deceptively thin, as their pelts already provide natural insulation from the cold. Fejga Commanders wear three silver piercings on their Helmets.

✦ Svunacht [Svun]

Svunacht Knights live within the mountain-bordered territory of Svun and the island of Naahek. Orders have a special ceremony for choosing their Commander. The next in line, usually a chosen Host and Helmet born of the previous Commander and their partner, must journey across the Asall mountain range which borders Svun. It is a treacherous, long passage, and requires the Knight to wear a mask to block out the searing winds. They must also wear a spiked collar as a traditional accessory and safety measure to deter larger predators which roam the mountains. They are forbidden from carrying firearms, only armed with a knife, their wits, and natural defences. Ceremonial garments are required, passed down through generations, and three slips of fabric are worn on their horn for good luck: representing strength, wisdom and tenacity. The journey, called the Meha, is the final step in a long series of rigorous training for future successors.

The painting of Helmets is also a large part of Svunacht culture. It is typically only reserved for Commanders, Lieutenants or Elites.

★ PLAINS ★

★ Kaata [Kaat]

Kaata Knight Orders inhabit the deserts of Kaat. They are perfectly suited to desert life, their tan coats reducing heat absorbed from the sun. Kaata Knights make their clothing from woven fibres of plants that are garnished with gold pigments derived from a natural mineral found in the sands. They are especially known for their proficiency in fine crafts, and often trade jewellery to Ferhahti Orders across the Ihmna Stretch connecting Kaat and Ferhaht. Kaata clothing tends to be highly detailed and ornamental, with shiny beads adorning arm cuffs, necklaces, mandible rings and horn sleeves. The many gemstone and fossil deposits in Kaat are also incorporated into their styles. Like the Svunacht Knights, Kaata also paint their Helmets, although the practice is not restricted to any particular titles.

★ Saisala [Saisal]

Saisala Knights live in and around the deltas and rivers of Saisal, the southernmost territory of Val-srat. The area is filled with marshlands and everglades, and the weather is more wet and humid than the dry plains of Kaat. Saisala forts sport a dark reddish mane that grows right down their backs and bears some resemblance to maned wolves. Their pikes have hooked horns and sloping spines, as well as more ‘splotchy’ red stripes. Their Helmet eyes also have a pale ring around their pupils.

Saisala clothing styles are characterised by draping, ovular shapes and translucent sections of fabric. The green and gold drapes in the drawing are traditional wedding garments, complete with rounded tassels and a horn extension for pikes. The hanging ‘coins’ have engravings which tell a short but sweet poem.

★ Yaemioui [Yaemiou]

Yaemioui Orders live in a similar environment to Saisala Knights, in the wetland territories of Yaemiou. Their coats are pale like Kaata, but come in a greater combination of hues such as orange, grey and vermilion. Fun fact: all Plains Host pups are born with faint spots to help them camouflage, like lion cubs. Most lose these markings as they grow older, but Yaemioui hosts retain them even in adulthood. Their patterns are similar to painted dogs. The Yaemioui have a rich storytelling culture and have records dating back thousands of years.

Their clothing styles utilise dusky, non-bright colours that are usually two-piece. The outfit in the picture is worn by an elder Pike-fort who has carried and sired many offspring. The spine extensions are an indicator of age and experience, and a mark of high respect. The scarf around their neck depicts circles symbolising their Helmet children, and the circles on the larger cloth represent their Host progeny.

★ Balkzaiinu [Balkzaii]

On the island of Balkzaii reside the Balkzaiinu Knights, who have dark stripes on both their Hosts and Helmets and short curly fur. Unlike other Orders, Balkzaiinu communities rarely ever hunt - they were one of the first countries to develop farming and agriculture, and import a lot of domesticated animals to Saisal and Yaemiou. They are also the only country that has no Commanders in their Orders, and decisions are made by a council of higher-ups. They live in a tropical climate which receives lots of rainfall and cyclones. They are also masters in boat making and sailing, and contacted the mainland several centuries ago. Balkzaiinu have different decency standards than other Plains Knights, and in their culture it is considered proper to cover the neck area. Their clothing is generally layered and contains colourful, square designs.

✧ POLAR ✧

✧ Aikka [Ehtte Thannoeh]

Aikka Knights have domain over the Eastern section of Thannoeh. The polar word for East is Ehtte, and West Uesse. Since the country is so close to the Fegj archipelago, the two have been in contact for a long time.

Aikka have pristine white fur and a slightly bluish tinge to their Helmets. As with all Polar Knights, they are much smaller than their Plains or Mountain relatives, but are incredibly tough and hardy as a result of surviving in one of the harshest biomes. Ehtte Thannoeh is associated with scientific prowess, discovery and knowledge, and many famous Knight explorers are from Thannoeh. There are several research stations on Nahrui that are run and managed by Aikka; they have no difficulty working in the icy environment. Aikka Knights are also experts in carving, sculpting figurines and charms from the ivory tusks of marine animals. The outfit depicted in the drawing shows an Aikka Scout wearing a pendant with a carved basilosaurus-like animal for spiritual protection. These pendants are often given by parents to children. Their coat has six pockets for navigational instruments, goggles, knives, a spyglass, medical equipment and more.

✧ Myet [Uesse Thannoeh]

Myet Orders have less contact with other regions than Aikka. Residing in Uesse Thannoeh, Many of them live further inland. Myet Hosts have a more yellowish tinge to their fur and their Pike Helmets have a tan stripe. The Helmets also have a more rounded 'snout'. They have managed to domesticate a large predator which defends their camps and is used as a mount/companion. Like the Balkzaiinu, Myet Orders have a different structure than most, having two Commanders, usually a mated pair, and no lieutenants or elites.

Myet clothing is more minimal than Aikka styles. They usually cover the back with a ‘saddle’ and manipulators with gloves. The outfit drawn is of a Commander, distinguished by the ring of fabric around their horn and eye makeup. In their backpack they carry hunting weapons, and wear a knife sheathed at their side.

_________________

And that's a wrap! Thank you for reading, this project is truly a delight to work on. I leave you with some messy concept art I did a while ago for Mountain Knight clothing styles.

#read my lore boy #i got some asks about people wanting to make knight ocs which inspired me to finish this haha #vivere 44 #speculative biology #spec bio #spec evo #speculative evolution #worldbuilding #writing #my art #art #illustration #artists on tumblr #knights #xenobiology #is this enough tags

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lovelybrooke · 30 days

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Not exactly a request, but what do you think of twst boys trying to help a homesick Yuu by finding/recreating something from home? Maybe a food? I mean, yeah Twisted Wonderland has some foods like ours, but we don’t know what cultures have an equivalent due to the limited scope of the world so far. There could be entire countries whose regional foods are nonexistent.

They would do this.

I think once the first years realize how home sick you are they work more the make you feel at home. None of them really want you to leave, but there is no harm in making you feel like this is your home. They ask you about your favorite holidays and attempt to recreate them to the best of their abilities, which usually end up not going as planned. They also get Jamil to make you food from your world by using recipes you've given them, of course using replacements for food that might not exists. They always feel bad that it's not perfect.

Other characters will attempt to use magic to recreate aspects of your life, even if they are fleeting and not exact. Malleus might not fully understand what you're going through, but he'll use his magic to give you dreams of your time before you left, not understanding why you might not like that.

They all make attempts to quell your homesickness with the resources they have at their disposal. Some might not be to privy to the process, since they don't like the idea of you going home, but most of them just want you to be happy.

#yandere x reader #soft yandere #platonic yandere #twisted wonderland x reader #yandere twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #yandere twst #twst

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librastrai · 6 months

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a larger post inspired by @tovezza's dives into the irish treatment of jews in their country cause i am an irish born jew, as well as an irish traveller & the hypocrisy i've seen from goyim regarding recent antisemitism + the i/p conflict is crazy.

they will call jews in the middle east settlers while throwing fits that minceiri, their own indigenous minority population, calls them settled & will throw out the most vile racism in opposition to it. settled irish + their government will prop up the colonization of themselves by the british as a shield against any accusations of racism (as recent as the very current riots in dublin spurred on by anti immigrant racism), & antisemitism (to denying ireland's own lack of action during the holocaust,) & the antisemitism raging in their every day society & now in government who are saying they're "more principled" regarding one of the most complicated sociopolitical conflicts in a region mired by it.

oh really? really, holohan? sympathy for palestinians is rooted in your own history of being colonized (which is used a shield consistently)? you can be more principled about the oppression of an indigenous people (which both palestinians & israelis are)?

explain the 1963 commission by the irish state, regarding the "itinerant problem" of which there was a system plan regarding the forced assimilation of irish travellers / minceiri into settled irish society.

explain how the plan was to sterilize minceiri women against their will, castrate minceiri men & forcibly steal our children, putting them into settled homes or insitutions run by the catholic church which spurred on untold amounts of abuse. abuse we are still healing from. how actions taken against us directly repeat actions taken by the nazis against romani women + men in their camps.

explain the ongoing genocide of minceiri folks that began way before this commission, hundreds of years of violent oppression, of theft, of cultural genocide & restriction to move. how the rate of minceiri folks imprisoned far outweighs our national population. how the camp sites we're forced onto, because our cultural way of life is restricted & criminalized, have no running water, no electricity, barely any food. how they're places you wouldn't even raise dogs, let alone expect humans to survive. not thrive, survive. how all of this is sounding very fucking familiar.

ireland's issue with jewish refugees from the shoah is built upon their insistence that their own indigenous minority, minceiri, refused to assimilate despite being beaten, raped, stolen & they knew they would not be able to do the same to jewish people.

i love my country, i have always loved my country & it's history & the gorgeous place it could become. it is not that place while it is perpetuating antisemitism time & time again, using it's own history of being colonized as a shield against criticism & ignoring it's own bloody, disgusting history of violent colonization & cultural genocde.

jewish people deserve better, irish jews deserve better & minceiri deserve better.

#jumblr #judaism #antisemitism #ireland #irish traveller #minceiri #anti traveller racism #ais.txt #genocide /#racism /#sterilization /#im just. tired lmao

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zvaigzdelasas · 4 months

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Top White House official Brett McGurk is quietly floating a controversial plan to reconstruct Gaza after Israel’s assault concludes, HuffPost has learned, despite serious concerns from some officials inside the administration that it would sow the seeds for future instability in the region.

In recent weeks, McGurk has been pitching national security officials on a plan suggesting an approximately 90-day timeline for what should happen once active fighting in Gaza ends, three U.S. officials said. It argues that stability can be achieved in the devastated Palestinian region if American, Israeli, Palestinian and Saudi officials launch an urgent diplomatic effort that prioritizes the establishment of Israel-Saudi ties, the officials continued. Such a development is widely referred to as “normalization,” given Saudi Arabia’s refusal to recognize Israel since its founding in 1948.

There is a widespread belief that similar U.S.-led deals that involved Israel and other regional Arab governments — and that downplayed Palestinian concerns — have fueled anger and violence, including the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and other Palestinian militants inside Israel.

Still, U.S. President Joe Biden has echoed his predecessor Donald Trump in arguing that those agreements are vital for the region’s future. Biden’s focus on an Israel-Saudi pact has been especially alarming for Palestinians and officials working on Israeli-Palestinian peace. And McGurk’s accelerated timeline has only caused more concern.

McGurk’s plan would use the incentive of aid for reconstruction from Saudi Arabia and possibly other wealthy Gulf countries like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to pressure both the Palestinians and the Israelis, per the officials. In this vision, Palestinian leaders would agree to a new government for both Gaza and the occupied West Bank and to ratchet down their criticisms of Israel, while Israel would accept limited influence in Gaza.[...]

A recently conducted poll of Saudis by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy found that nearly 96% believe Arab states should cut any ties with Israel over its conduct in Gaza, and Saudi Arabia has long maintained that it will not establish ties with Israel unless the Israelis permit the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, a host of other forces in the region would rage against an agreement perceived as sidelining Palestinians. That group includes the Houthis[...] “These plans are delusionally optimistic and have numerous spoilers and parties that will be unlikely to cooperate or do what the U.S. plans,” one U.S. official said, pointing to the Houthis but also Palestinians and Israelis[...]

Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week told Israeli counterparts that he expects them to do more to achieve a Saudi-Israel pact than they would have had to do prior to their campaign in Gaza, The Times of Israel reported.[...]

McGurk previously worked on Middle East issues under Trump, who promoted his set of agreements between Arab states and Israel — the so-called Abraham Accords — as one of his biggest triumphs.[...]

In his first public remarks after the Oct. 7 attack, McGurk claimed that he never sidelined Palestinian concerns in pursuing an Israel-Saudi agreement.[...]

“There’s a lot of deja vu in what we’re hearing about the allegedly new thinking,” said Khaled Elgindy, an analyst at the Middle East Institute think tank and former adviser to the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah. “I have a hard time believing that the administration that misread the region for three years before Oct. 7 and certainly deprioritized the Palestinians … can understand Palestinian aspirations.”

“Even if they did understand what was required, would any Palestinian leader be willing to trust them after they have facilitated the annihilation of Gaza?” Elgindy added.[...]

Blinken raised the idea of a new Palestinian Authority cabinet with Abbas this week and the Palestinian leader’s response was “poor,” a U.S. official told HuffPost. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller disputed that presentation in an email to HuffPost, writing, “This account is false in every respect.”[...]

Lawmakers have repeatedly said their interest in helping Israel make friends in its neighborhood does not outweigh their concerns about what the U.S. would need to commit to in diplomacy for a Saudi-Israel pact — likely a binding American defense treaty with Saudi Arabia and U.S. assistance with a Saudi nuclear program, among other enticements. Congress would have to approve a treaty and could also scrutinize or bar other U.S.-Saudi deals.

12 Jan 24

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celiciaa · 3 months

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GILBERT VON OBSIDIAN EVENT STORY....

CHAPTER TWO.

I just love you.

translations are not 100% accurate. expect mistakes.

special thanks to @otomehoneyybearr for proofreading! ♡

minors and ageless blogs dni.

Emma: Why are there roses here?

Gilbert: Oh, you realized it was a rose even though it wasn't in bloom?

Gilbert, noticing my gaze, sets aside his quill and rises from his chair.

I mimicked his dark figure as he bent down in front of the roses, and leaned in beside him.

Emma: Do you also do some research on roses?

(There’s a tag on it….)

Gilbert: It’s not exactly research, but more like I play around with things as a hobby.

Gilbert: Roses are difficult to grow in Obsidianite soil.

Gilbert: This is a cold region where not even roses or flowers bloom, except for the area near the Rhodolite border.

Emma: But...this rose is still budding, isn't it?

(And it’s not just one….there are several.)

Gilbert: Yes, I’ve finally succeeded. But the next challenge is whether we can breed this variety.

Gilbert's profile shone with life as he spoke.

Emma: Do you like roses, Gilbert?

Gilbert: Of course I like them. Enough to experiment and try various things like this.

(I thought so….)

Gilbert: Hehe...My dream is to conquer and rule a country where roses are in full bloom, and hold it in my hands.

Emma: !?

He had uttered something so absurd with such a refreshing smile, and I felt a strange noise threatening to escape me.

Gilbert: It's fun just thinking about all the different ways to subjugate Chevalier.

Gilbert: I'm willing to use force, but I don't want to ruin the roses if possible.

Gilbert: How about cornering them both economically and diplomatically to the point where they want to hand over their country to us? // How about we strike them down economically and diplomatically to the point where they are willing to give up their country?

Emma: N-no! Absolutely not!

Gilbert: Ahaha, do you think a simple no would stop me?

Gilbert: You once successfully prevented my scheme, but you’ll have to continue preventing it for a second and third time.

Gilbert: The fate of Rhodolite lies/rested on the memories you lost.

(There’s no way a simple bookstore employee could bear such a weight, right?!)

Gilbert: Maybe you would be happier if you just forgot about it forever, right…?

Emma: …After hearing what you just said, there's no way I'd think it's okay to just forget about it.

(I have to remember, no matter what.)

Gilbert: You're quite earnest.

Gilbert chuckled and prodded the rosebud with his finger.

Gilbert: Well, my plan to conquer Rhodolite is a future matter, so I'll hold back for now….

Gilbert: I'm thinking of building a rose garden in the castle.

Emma: A rose garden?

Gilbert: Yes. A rose garden even grander than Rhodolite’s.

Emma: To love roses so much…

Gilbert: That would be you.

Emma: Me…?

Gilbert: You love roses more than I do, don't you?

Gilbert: I thought you'd be happy.

(What's with that expression…?)

It was a beautiful smile tainted with a hint of sadness, and a painful feeling gripped my heart.

I felt an indescribable sense of guilt well up inside me.

(….These roses are meant for me.)

(However, the “me” Gilbert loved is not here.)

(Even if the Rose Garden is completed, there is no guarantee that my memory will return.)

(I may not be able to accept this man's affection as I once did.)

(That’s just how it is, and there's nothing I can do about it….)

Gilbert: Emma.

As if being pulled back by the name called out in a tender tone, the sensation of my eyes blurring faded away.

Gilbert had already retracted the melancholy atmosphere from earlier, and instead was gently tapping his fingers on his hair.

(Is there something in my hair…?)

When I reached out my hand to touch my hair, I felt something with a distinctly different texture.

Emma: Wait, when did this happen?

Gilbert: While you were in a daze.

Gilbert: Actually, a few buds had already bloomed.

Gilbert: However, I have to cut the flowers in order to grow the roses, so I trimmed them this morning.

Gilbert: These are for you.

Emma: …Thank you very much.

(It has a nice fragrance…)

I lean towards the flowers as the scent of my hometown wafts in the air.

It’s a scent that had been with me since birth, a fragrance that would never exist in Obsidian—-

Gilbert: Feeling nostalgic?

Emma: …Did it show on my face?

Gilbert: You're so easy to read.

Emma: …I’m sorry.

Gilbert: Why are you apologizing?

Emma: I probably used to blend into the everyday life of Obsidian before losing my memory.

(…I can only remember my life in Rhodolite…)

(I remembered my days in the Land of Roses more than my love for Gilbert.)

(How can I miss my hometown in front of someone who loves me so much?)

(I’m the worst.)

As I try to distance myself from the roses, Gilbert grabs my hand.

Gilbert: Shall I grant you permission?

Emma: Permission for what?

Gilbert: To return back to your hometown.

Emma: …!

Gilbert: With conditions, of course.

Gilbert’s cold hand moves from my arm and reaches my neck.

Just a light pressure with his thumb was enough to choke me.

Gilbert: If you don't come back, I'll come and get you.

Gilbert: With a large army in tow...okay?

Emma: ….I guess I’d better not go then.

Gilbert: Ahaha. Why? Were you not planning to come back?

Emma: It’s not that, I’m just scared of the possibility of something happening, like this memory loss incident.

Gilbert: There’s no chance of something like that happening

Gilbert: ——You experiencing an accident? It will never happen.

(….)

The momentary glimpse of a murderous intent was indeed real.

I couldn’t tell if it was directed at me or at someone else,

But the moment I saw him, I felt a cold shiver running down my spine.

Gilbert: Aah, sorry. It slipped out.

Gilbert: Force of habit….

(…I wonder what kind of life leads to developing a habit of emitting murderous intent.)

Gilbert: Well, think about it. It shouldn’t be a bad thing for you.

━━

In the blink of an eye, it became night.

(….I can't stop thinking about what he talked about earlier today.)

I sprawl on the bed in the room designated as mine, gazing at the ceiling without purpose.

Our discussion of returning home endlessly swirled around in my head, and I couldn't make a firm decision.

(I want to go back to Rhodolite….)

(But there’s also a part of me that wants to stay by Gilbert’s side.)

(He loves me so much, enough to smile with such a poignant expression….)

(I’m sure it would be lonely without him.)

"I mustn't make Gilbert lonely," I thought without knowing why.

This emotion seemed to be interfering with my judgment.

(…But if I go to Rhodolite, I may find clues to my memory.)

(If I can find a clue as to why Gilbert has fallen in love with me, then maybe...)

(….)

I got out of bed and put on my shoes.

I took one final look at the rose on the side table and left.

━━

—-At the same time, Gilbert stood by the window sill, and a man with a hood covering his face silently approached.

Gilbert: I take it you found the coachman? Good job.

Gilbert: So, was it white or black?

Roderich: White.

Gilbert: I see. Had the accident been intentional, they would have killed all the involved parties when it happened.

Gilbert: Crimes can’t be committed without leaving any traces, you know?

Roderich: What about the imprisoned coachman?

Gilbert: I want to kill him.

Roderich: Lord Gilbert.

Gilbert: ...Strip him of his coachman qualifications.

Gilbert: Instead of taking his life, never let him handle horses again.

Roderich: I will make the arrangements right away.

Gilbert: Ugh…if it had been intentional, I could have killed his whole family.

Roderich: …Even if it wasn’t intentional, I thought you would use them to set an example for others.

Gilbert: No, I won’t do that. The little rabbit won't like it.

Roderich: ….

Breaking the silence, small footsteps approach from beyond the door—

▸ [ previous / sweet / premium ]

#ikemen prince #ikepri #ikemen prince spoilers #ikepri jp #ikepri translations #ikemen series #cybird #gilbert von obsidian #ikepri gilbert

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emilysholster · 6 months

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Mile High Club (David Rossi x Reader)

Summary: you and David can’t control yourselves on your way to your vacation

Tags: NSFW, teasing, semi-public sex, plane sex/mile high club, [unprotected] PinV sex, assumed birth control, (fem!reader)

Translations: amore (love), dolcezza (honey), gattina (kitten), tesoro (treasure)

A/N: inspired by a suggestion from anon, ty!

“You? Going on vacation? Yeah right,” Morgan laughed in Rossi’s face. The two of them sat across from each other on the BAU jet. The team was flying back to Quantico after successfully closing another case.

“Yes, me. Why is this so hard to believe?” Rossi asked incredulously.

Reid chimed in from where he was seated across the aisle. “Probably because you’ve told us multiple times that you don’t ‘do’ vacations.”

Rossi rolled his eyes. “Well, this is more for Y/N than it is for me. I’d like to do something nice for her.”

“Breaking one of your truths is more than doing ‘something nice’, Rossi,” Morgan chuckled. “Y/N has you head over heels.”

The older agent said nothing and turned to face the window, but not before the team caught a glimpse of the smile that adorned his lips.

•••

You grinned in excitement as you walked down your driveway to David, who waited expectantly outside the taxi. “I can’t believe we’re actually going,” you exclaimed, embracing him. You hadn’t seen him in the past few days, both of you busy sorting the logistics and packing before your trip.

Much to your surprise, David had been the one to suggest the idea of a vacation. You’d been together for a few years now, and always figured with the nature of his work and his known disinterest in vacations that it wasn’t necessarily something you’d together. But he’d planned all the details and now the two of you were going to spend two (two!) weeks in Portugal, exploring the country’s coast and its famous wine region.

David pressed a kiss into your temple before taking your bags from you to put them in the trunk. “You and everyone else,” he chuckled.

Once the both of you were inside the taxi, the driver began the trip to the airport. You turned to David, a pressing question in your mind. “Are you sure you won’t go crazy being away from the BAU for two weeks?” You asked. David’s dedication to his job was something you really admired, but you worried it would get in the way of him enjoying the trip.

David intertwined his fingers with yours and pressed a kiss against your hand. “Trust me, amore. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than in Portugal with you for the next two weeks.”

You smiled contentedly and squeezed his hand. “Besides,” he continued, a devilish smirk on his face. “I can think of a few ways we’ll be spending our time.” David began pressing kisses into your hair and face, making you giggle.

“And by that I’m sure you mean spending our days enjoying the sun and the culture of a beautiful country,” you teased. David’s hand was making it’s way up your thigh, getting dangerously close to your center.

“Well there’s that,” he said lowly in your ear. “Among other things.” His lips captured yours in a deep kiss as his hand cupped your sex over your clothes.

You gasped, grabbing his wrist to stop him from going further. “Dave,” you hissed, surprised by his brashness. There was warmth spreading under your skin, especially with the driver being right there. You spared a glance towards the front seat, but he thankfully seemed to be none the wiser.

You turned your attention back to David, who seemed delighted that you were now hot and bothered. Before you could say anything further, you felt the taxi slow to a stop and looked out the window to see that you’d arrived at the airport. “Looks like we’re here,” David winked at you before opening the door.

•••

You were just about home free, having gone through check in and most of security seamlessly, when the TSA agent seemed to find an issue with your luggage.

“What do you have in there?” David leaned in and asked you quietly as the agent put your suitcase through the scanner again.

“I don’t know,” you whispered back. You were wracking your brain trying to think of what could be setting off their system. You hated this part of flying - so many rules; it was easy to forget something and cause a whole issue at security.

“Sir, ma’am, can you step this way please?” The two of you followed the agent to a table next to the security check, where she put your suitcase down and began unzipping it.

You felt your cheeks flame when you saw that you’d packed your suitcase in a way that meant the new lingerie you’d bought for the trip was the first thing visible. You’d spared no expense - you had two new matching sets, a dainty slip, and a very revealing teddy - all of which were clearly on display for you, David, and the agent. Remaining professional, the agent politely maneuvered around your garments to find the offending item.

You heard David clear is throat and shuffle next to you. You glanced over at him and saw that he was now standing with his arms clasped in front of him, almost as if he was trying to…oh. You returned your attention to the agent, trying to stifle the smile making its way onto your face. You’d wanted the new lingerie to be a surprise for him, but upon seeing his reaction, maybe this was even better.

“Here we go,” the agent interrupted your thoughts, holding up a bottle of body oil. Oops. You’d meant to pack that in the suitcase you’d checked in, not this one. “A reminder ma’am that liquids in carry-on baggage must be less than 100mL. We’ll be tossing this.”

You apologized, slightly embarrassed, before the two of you grabbed your things and made your way to the gate. The baggage mishap meant there was only about 30min left until your flight. As the two of you sat in the lounge waiting to board, you leaned in close to David.

“I’m sorry about the body oil, honey,” you purred into his ear. One of your hands played with his hair, which you knew drove him crazy. “I know how much you love to use it when we’re together.” Seeing the outline of his growing bulge, you could feel yourself getting wetter by the second.

“I won’t hold it against you, dolcezza,” David smirked, his hand lightly rubbing your thigh. “But you can make it up to me once we arrive. Maybe by putting on one of your pretty new purchases.”

You squeezed your legs together at his words. This game you two were playing was dangerous but oh so tempting, and it was unlikely either one of you would back down. But before you could stoke the fire further, the gate attendant announced your flight was boarding.

•••

You weren’t usually the biggest fan of flying, but the two glasses of wine you’d had since getting in the air were doing a great job of taking the edge off. David had, of course, gotten the two of you seats in business class, which wasn’t too crowded. It also helped that it was a late night flight, so most of the passengers were either asleep or trying to be.

Not you and David, though. Both of you were known night owls - a fact that you’d bonded over when you first met. So while the rest of the plane was half-asleep, the two of you were tipsy on wine and giggling like teenagers in your corner of the plane.

“I can’t stop imagining you in that skimpy little set of yours.” David’s breath was hot against your ear, making you so aroused it was almost painful. “And with your teasing earlier…I don’t think I’ve ever been this hard.”

“Oh really?” You hummed playfully. The dim lighting of the airplane cabin and the blankets you were provided made it easy to check for yourself. David inhaled sharply when you palmed his hardened cock over his pants. “I want this inside me,” you whispered in his ear as you teased his cock.

David suddenly grabbed your wrist, looking at you with lust-filled eyes. “Get in the bathroom,” he whispered. You nodded, feeling a thrill of excitement pass through you, all sense and reason out the window.

You quietly made your way to the bathroom. As soon as you slid the door closed, your hand was in your pants, soothing your throbbing clit. You stifled a moan, surprised by how wet you were.

The door opened, startling you into withdrawing your hand. You relaxed when David came in, grinning. He locked the door behind him before pressing up against you. “Couldn’t wait for me, hm?” He smirked before his mouth met yours in a heated kiss. His lips were demanding and his tongue slipped into your mouth, eager.

David replaced your hand with his and rubbed his fingers along your slit before dipping them into your opening, feeling the juices collected there. “I think you’re ready for me,” David whispered. Gripped your hips and turned you around to face the bathroom mirror. You heard him unzip his pants as you quickly pulled your own down, desperate to have him inside you.

David’s eyes held contact with yours in the mirror as he aligned himself with your entrance. He slowly pushed himself into you, making you moan breathily. His cock slid in easily and filled you up completely.

“Shh, gattina,” he whispered in your ear as his hand came up to cover your mouth and silence your moans. “You and this tight pussy of yours are gonna get us in trouble.”

Wasting no time, David began fucking you relentlessly. His eyes never left yours in the mirror as he licked and sucked the skin at your neck. The hand that wasn’t covering your mouth slid around to play with your clit, making your eyes roll back in pleasure.

“Such a dirty girl, Y/N,” he hissed in your ear. “Getting fucked in the airplane bathroom. What would everyone think, hm?”

David moved his hand from your mouth and slowed his pace so you could switch positions, half of your ass now propped up on the sink as he positioned himself between your legs. He slide his cock through your folds, nudging your sensitive bundle of nerves. “Please,” you whispered softly, desperate for him.

His lips met yours again and he slid himself back into you, groaning into your mouth softly. You were heady with pleasure as David’s thumb circled your clit. Heat was spreading under your skin now and you felt your muscles tighten right before waves of pleasure rocked through you intensely.

You held David close against you, panting against his mouth, as you came down from your high. The squeezing of your walls was enough to bring him over the edge, and he gasped quietly as his cock pulsed, releasing his cum.

“We should probably get back,” you said, pressing a kiss against his lips. The two of you quickly cleaned up before returning to your seats. Thankfully, no one seemed to have noticed that you’d just joined the mile high club in the bathroom.

David pressed a kiss into your hair as you curled up in the blanket, ready to get some sleep. “I love you, tesoro. Sleep well.”

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reasonsforhope · 1 year

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How can I stay positive regarding the wildfires?

It can be really hard in the face of so much destruction. I don't know how much anyone can specifically stay positive in the face of disasters like this -

but I can give you some thoughts about how to let hope live alongside everything else you're feeling about this, and how to avoid spiraling and remember that this is not proof that we're doomed.

Possibly relevant note lol is that I've lived my whole life in California, so suffice to say figuring out how to move forward among the consequences and destruction of massive wildfires is something I'm definitely not new to.

I remember walking to my classroom in elementary school, about 20 years ago now, and it was literally snowing ash around me. This too shall pass.

Take a few deep breaths. I know it's cliche but it's also important

Zoom out in terms of perspective: Wildfires can make the sky look apocalyptic (like I said, I have lots of experience with this!), but they are regional, and they always end. These wildfires are awful but this specific wave of fires is happening in just one country in a huge, huge world. There's far more land that isn't burning

Canada is about to get substantial international aid in fighting the wildfires - there are already 200 additional firefighters headed over from the US and France, and Canada (Quebec specifically) is also already in talks with Costa Rica, Portugal, and Chile about additional firefighters/resources. Help is on the way and these numbers really will make a big difference, and as the disaster continues (unfortunately it is uh...pretty early in fire season), more help will be sent. People are doing what they can to help, because in the face of disaster, that's what we're wired to do

There are actually MUCH better fire management plans than just about anyone is using, esp in North America but that we COULD implement and increasingly WILL going forward. A lot of the wildfire situation these days is because of the West's incredibly wrongheaded derision toward traditional Indigenous land and ecosystem management practices, including cultural prescribed burns that keep massive wildfires from happening. California in particular is already partnering with several First Nations to revive prescribed burns, to significant success. As fires continue to be terrible, more and more places will get on board with this. We can and will implement practices that will truly change our situation

Cultural burns work because, ironically, the reason for the wildfires is that "is that we've been so good at putting out every fire possible that it has led to overly dense forests and a buildup of burnable material like branches and dry vegetation" that makes wildfires much worse in a number of ways. At lower intensity, however, as with cultural burns, forest fires can actually have huge environmental benefits

Finally, every time a natural disaster happens like this, as awful and destructive as they are, it serves as a wake-up call for thousands of people and adds both ever-mounting urgency and ever-mounting evidence to the importance of fighting climate change, which really does translate into action. For a lot of people, "saving the environment" feels super distant - but you know what feels super immediate? Saving their homes from burning down (or getting flooded or otherwise destroyed, etc. etc.) In 2021, the UN ran the world's largest climate survey, across 1.2 million people and 50 nations, and almost TWO-THIRDS SAID THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS A GLOBAL EMERGENCY THAT WE NEED TO WORK HARDER TO ADDRESS. Imagine that 10 years ago! That other third of people aside, this really is real and massive progress

Also, every time there's a big disaster like this, climate change deniers look more and more baldly ridiculous. Think about it: How often did you hear US Republicans bullshitting about climate change denial 10 years ago? And how often do you hear them doing it now? In fact, there's increasing evidence that Republicans really are shifting on climate change (mind you they're managing to do it in an obnoxiously somehow pro-fossil-fuel way, but it's still a major sea change). Some of them are literally calling for a clean energy transition, and Kevin McCarthy himself (guy in charge of the US House right now) created a task force for to a conservative climate change agenda that acknowledges climate change is real. There's now a conservative climate conference that does active lobbying and a House Conservative Climate Caucus, which somehow has SIXTY MEMBERS. Again, something that would've been unimaginable just six or seven years ago.

Every acre that the fires burn this year is an acre that's pretty guaranteed to not burn next year, for what that's worth. (And I do think it's worth mentioning, esp with such a high number of acres)

The battles are going to be hard, but I truly believe that even the ones we lose often bring us closer to winning the war.

Fires burn, but life always grows back.

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0aestheticallycrying · 7 months

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I was looking a bit more in Furina’s character and

THIS POOR GIRL WHAT

She seems mentally like a teenager who is forced to act like an adult, despite not having that maturity and being forced into this leader position after Egeria died, and was promptly almost immediately abandoned by her old subordinates (Oceanids).

Not to mention her own insecurities run so deep that she constantly has to put on an act for people to like and respect her, but by doing this the people only see her as a jester so the don’t take her seriously at all, even if she wants people too. Her need for validation from her people is digging her even deeper into a hole where she continues to lose seriousness by acting in what she sees is the only way to get people to respect her.

Aside from that, she feels practically isolated from her entire country. Her judge, Neuvillette, is taken very seriously by the people and garners lots of respect, which probably leads to Furina being jealous of him. Neuvillette looks out for Furina, but has little understanding of human emotion which makes it even harder for Furina to actually talk to someone.

On top of that, when she gets attacked and nearly murdered by Arlechinno, she literally can’t tell anyone about it. Her own self doubt and insecurities make her feel isolated and embarrassed that she even was in danger in the first place. She essentially seems to blame herself for it. NOT TO MENTION that there are fatui informants INSIDE Palais Mermonia, watching and recording her every move.

This girl has absolutely no privacy, and is always being watched and despite this, is still so incredibly isolated and lonely.

She is also being accused of being ignorant and useless in leading her country in the dilemma. As of writing this, it does seem that she genuinely has a plan. Imagine being yelled at for not helping your country by the very person who almost murdered you in the middle of the night despite trying your best to help. And this is all not to mention the whole split personality theory.

Overall, I find her character incredibly tragic and misunderstood. For the archon of a region that has a heavy motif of lying, masks, and deception, I find it ironic that most of the Genshin community has taken Furina at face value.

tl;dr: Furina is just a really lonely mentally unstable teenager

#genshin impact #furina #focalors #neuvillette #character analysis #genshin lore #genshin characters #genshin spoilers #genshin furina

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sayruq · 7 months

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There has been major developments in the region in the past few days that indicates regional war is imminent. Again the tweets and articles will be in chronological order.

American war ships are in the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Russia responded to that by sending planes to the Black Sea and China by sending warships to Kuwait.

We got our usual back and forth on the ground operation in Gaza

The American media is not really reporting these recent attacks on their military bases. In fact, the military is downplaying the strength of the responses by Yemeni and Syrian groups to the Gaza genocide. This is either because they want to avoid regional war or because they want to be better prepared for regional war.

This statement below seems to indicate that Iran is coming to the conclusion that open warfare is the only thing that will deter America and Israel

As for Yemen, they've declared Israeli ships will be targeted if the attack on Gaza continues (you'll see later that this is no empty threat)

By the way, Israel bombed an Egyptian military site along the border and claimed it was an accident. The Egyptian people have been calling for their government to intervene militarily and I don't think this will ease the pressure.

On the 22nd, Israel sent a small team to infiltrate Gaza. They didn't get very far

They're also struggling against Hezbollah

This meeting by the Russian foreign minister is a big deal as you'll see later

America responds to the escalating tension by deploying 'defensive systems' all over West Asia. It risks stretching itself too thin as multiple countries are already involved in the Palestian resistance with countries like Egypt and Jordan facing internal pressure to do something about the Gazan genocide

Republican Mitch McConnell has recently called Iran, Russia and China 'the new axis of evil'. It seems this is the new angle that the West has chosen because Rishi Sunak has also been comparing Hamas to Russia. This can only lead to Russia getting close to Iran which would ultimately help Hamas.

The situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate as America evacuates its embassy and warns its citizens not to use the Baghdad International Airport due to attacks by Iraqi military groups.

Here we have an Israeli commander admitting that Israel is largely on the defensive against Hezbollah and their soldiers are both traumatised and disheartened. Remember, Hezbollah has yet to officially enter the war

Blinken said that the US 'will be prepared' if Iran escalates its attacks which gives weight to that idea that the US is only trying to deescalate because its not ready yet.

A few hours ago, American bases in Syria were targeted. It's becoming clear that a major goal in the plan to defeat Israel is removing America from the picture in the region

The White House then blames Iran for the attack

More military bases targeted in Iraq

Meanwhile IDF is trying to infiltrate Gaza again. Reminder that a ground operation means that Hezbollah will officially enter the war and begun using its vast numbers of missiles and rockets. They're also attacking the West Bank, the resistance fighters have ambushed them

Yemen follows through on the threats it made by attacking a US warship with drones

Ansarullah claims there was a direct hit but the US Navy says that all drones were intercepted (using days old pictures).

So what now? First, do not expect a ceasefire. Tbh the Palestinian resistance hasn't even called for ceasefire, just an exchange of hostages.

Second of all, America itself does not believe that Israel can win this war so let's all stop acting like Palestine has already lost

Thirdly, regional war is looking more and more like reality

#palestine #free palestine #free gaza #gaza #colonialism

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