Welcome to my void~

Parable of the Polygons - an interactive experiment that shows how tiny individual biases can collectively cause segregation on a massive scale.

To Build a Better Ballot - an interactive experiment that shows the alternatives to the voting systems we currently use and how they can be more representative and democratic, along with their faults.

Coming Out Simulator - a short interactive story/novel about coming out, based off of Case’s own experiences. Not one I’ve played myself but still one I can recommend.

Loopy - a very simple but useful tool to show how systems interact with each other and how things can self-propagate.

from an LA lawyer

the state laws

article from women’s law abt finding lawyers trained in this area

big long list of resources

free crisis line for victims of non-consensual porn

even more info

“I don’t know who needs to hear this today but there is no such thing as a “leaked nude”! (obvs don’t mean colloquially) 1. if your nude is behind a paywall like onlyfans, it is: copyright infringement and onlyfans will fight for you. 2. if your nude was taken or sent in private, that is: revenge porn, and as of 2019, is illegal in most states and countries where social media is prominent.

in 2019 one of my girls came to me and said that her ex was threatening to leak her nudes. she played me his voicemail and I fucking laughed. homeboy left his full name and threat on a recorded message.

usually I’m not very supportive of the police if that’s not obvious (I made this decision based on the people involved and didn’t put anyone in danger) but in this situation I told her to call. she filed completely over the phone, never met with an officer and he never saw her face (she also said that he didn’t make any remarks or judgements on her which was important to her). that officer called the dumbass and told him that he was facing a felony in his state. basically, the dumbass wet himself and never contacted her again.

So it makes no sense for her to breakup with Durge on the spot for refusing to be a god's slave, when she doesn't break up w/ Tav for refusing to be a god altogether. And this is shown in the Elfsong Tavern ending and the epilogue. Being a god sounds wayyyy more powerful than a god's slave. Not to mention commanding an army of illithids and the power to create more fighters for yourself??? Did I also mention the ability to control dragons if you seize the brain? lol

Minthara: there is nothing we can not do together...But despite everything we gave up when we destroyed the brain, it is good to be here with you.

And even if Durge didn't seize the Netherbrain, her attitude is more of "the past is in the past, I look forward to future conquests."

Given that Larian brought back the writers for the epilogue, they must have looked into the ending with redeemed Durge to write the epilogue, so tbh I'd go with that instead.

Also not to mention if Durge rejects Bhaal, Bhaal instakill Durge but Withers revives Durge, which frees Durge from Bhaal. I feel like that should be celebrated?

TLDR: It is in character for Minthara to be mad Durge gave up their power as a knee-jerk reaction for the first few mins (also Emma Gregory's performance is *chef kiss*), but it is ooc for Minthara to refuse to see the reason why and not give Durge a chance to explain.

Like, I'll admit I haven't actually done a Durge playthrough, so my opinion may not matter to those who prefer Bhaalist Minthara, but listen.

Every companion starts the game with something they desperately want that is categorically bad for them and everyone around them. Astarion wants the power to do to others what Cazador did to him, Shadowheart wants acceptance from Shar and is prepared to accept all the loss and forgetting that entails, Gale to fulfill Mystra's wishes though it means his destruction, Karlach would rather die young than live to be old in hell.

Left to their own devices they would follow those paths regardless of the consequences to those around them. And if asked, they would say they're better off. However, by forming connections with others—with Tav/Durge or other companions if an Origin, they will pursue a different path, one that leaves them usually weakend, unfulfilled, or suffering. But, in the end they are happier with the people around them.

Power versus Connections is a theme of the game. Power is tempting, but it is also isolating.

For Minthara, power is of course a MASSIVE motivation. Even at her most Ride or Die, she is that way mainly because she and Tav/Durge are strong together. You give her courage (to face your enemies), you are exquisite (power and brutality are beautiful to her) at her very best she trusts you (to do what must be done as well as stay with her).

Like the other companions, left to her own she would dedicate herself wholly to a god who promises power. Before it was Lolth, then the Absolute. Regardless of the player's Origin, she desires to control the Absolute, to turn that all consuming adoration that trapped her on others. And, while it doesn't come up with Tav, Durge offers another option for her: the favor of Bhaal. While her opinion of gods is famously negative, she remains a person of devotion. It's her whole reason for being a paladin in the first place. And Durge is her way to devote herself once again, through their status as Bhaal's Chosen.

Now, unlike the other companions there isn't a point where Minthara makes a choice in what path to take. But the choice to control the Absolute or not mirrors that choice as Tav, and the choice to accept or reject Bhaal in the case of Durge. Control means condemning all other companions but her, accepting Bhaal can mean condemning the world, herself included. Choosing otherwise in both cases is denying power, for the sake of your connections to others.

This is why I think so many people, myself included, are rubbed the wrong way by the new breakup dialogue. It doesn't leave room for that part of Minthara who is willing to look past the promises of gods in favor of the one she calls beloved, to trust in their shared strength.

Now, is it still possible that they will go on to add further interactions where Durge can properly respond? I would sincerely hope so, and my complaints about it may even be resolved in that case. After all, choosing the path of denying power is almost always the harder one, it would make sense for it to take some doing (or else the option to accept the break-up officially). I think that would also lead very neatly into her reflections on getting revenge, and how unfulfilled she feels about it, how she comes to realize she nearly faced the same fate as Orin—a madwoman put down as part of someone else's crusade.

And and and-

Wyll was a slave to a devil, Minthara was a slave to the Absolute, Astarion was a slave to a vampire seeking to sacrifice him for more power, Shadowheart was groomed by Shar, punished with agonizing pain when she failed her, Lae'zel was being groomed to die, so that her lying queen could achieve godhood, Karlach was sold to a devil, by a man also sold to devils, and doomed to die or be enslaved forever, Gale was desperate for power and for the goddess of magic to love him, but she asked him to destroy himself for her.

And the dark urge, their only purpose and reason for being to kill and be killed so that their father, the god of murder, would become more powerful, ending a world that must've felt so hollow and empty anyway because they weren't a real person, only a vessel for a god, who would never let them grow close to anyone else, and who would kill them and their loved ones in punishment for disobedience.

And they were all trapped, longing for the gods to love them, even though the gods cannot love.

They were copper pieces, and tokens, and bargaining chips, and the gods are always quiet, except when they need something. The gods will only save you when they have use for you.

GALE (human / god)

ASTARION (spawn / ascended)

LAE'ZEL (faerun / githyanki)

WYLL (blade / duke)

SHADOWHEART (selunite / sharran)

KARLACH / DARK URGE

JAHEIRA / MINSC / HALSIN

MINTHARA (drow / city)

edit: UUIDs under the cut if you wanna spawn them yourself

Me: No, worse. I'm replicating the titles of video games but it's the fonts that they're in

My wife: What does that mean

Me: This

The narrative I've heard is that it's because Ming era officials "became skeptical of Yuan era, Mongol-influenced knowledge". I'm at least somewhat dubious of that explanation; I mean, plenty of the mathematics that was lost apparently predated the Yuan anyway.

The violent Chinese dynastic changes tend to kill off intelligentsia and destroy books (both intentionally and unintentionally), causing a massive loss of knowledge

Traditional Chinese culture and society just kinda disvalued science and technology. There have been many studies as to why, the argument I find most convincing is that Chinese empires do not face enough outside competition to be willing to invest in scientific progress while risking internal stability (in other words, wars and preparation for wars is the main driver of scientific advancement)

This is a discussion going on on Twitter, too, the last few days: there was a thing where an Iditarod musher shot a moose to protect their team, and a lot of people are confused as to why that needed to happen. Apparently this moose had been hanging around the course for quite a while and was becoming quite dangerous to the sled dog teams. Moose are territorial and not to be fucked with. Everyone from Alaska or areas with moose are like "yup, that's just reality."

Same thing with the bison birth I watched last year. Folk really thought the staff should be in the habitat on the ground with the bison herd, helping with the birth. Sure, that's what we do with cows if we have to, but... bison are definitely not cows and, again, will squish you.

People tend to get it more with the predators. Few people will argue that a cougar or an alligator or a bear isn't dangerous. I think people kinda go both ways on wild pigs / boars depending on their experience. But herbivores or things that don't look traditionally pointy... it just kinda doesn't click.

i actually have a list of POC friendly picrews saved so by extension of the focus on inclusivity there’s probably more body type / facial options in these! the ones i’ve personally used from this list have had them. i hope this helps!!!