Impy

Wait, no. Wen Chao says it is a battleground turned dumping ground.

Not as relevant, then.

So far as I can recall, the Burial Mounds in Yiling aren't specific about their origin? But the example Wei Ying cites in class, of using the resentment of the victims against the executioner, seems relevant to this historical context. The Shang Dynasty DID produce mass graves like that.

One of the things we went over in the very first couple of classes was the pre-Confucian philosophy on punishment as tied to sacrifice. There's this idea that sufficiently harsh punishment will keep citizens in line, but the punishments in question also tied into mass human sacrifices.

(Wei Wuxian also uses the recitation of the Lan rules to shame the Wens, which has a twofold effect in terms of the theme of corruption. The Lans forget their rules and break them constantly, and we have to know the rules to see that happening because the Lans don't really admit it.)

They are also, fundamentally, hierarchical, in that they make a clear visual distinction between in group and out group, with the out group being conferred lesser status as disciples. What, are they less qualified to practice restraint for some reason? Hmm.

I have sounded off about the Lan Forehead Ribbons many times in the past, but that is because to me, they are the single most obvious symbol of this corruption.

They are both ornamentations designed to be seen by others, not the wearer AND a symbol of the external rules in place of internal truth.

I was, unfortunately, having this thought at like 3 in the morning, so I don't have the ability to elaborate as clearly as I'd like. But taking that class on Ancient Chinese Law & Philosophy a few years back was really eye-opening as an overview, and it sparked this thought the first time I had it.

Basically, MDZS is a story examining all different types of corruption. Wei Wuxian being corrupted by the resentful energy he attempted to wield is the tip of the thematic iceberg, there is so much more to unpack.

I have Opinions about the Lans, and their shift from asceticism as a matter of internal self-restraint in aid of meditative focus and pursuit of righteousness to external, dogmatic aesthetics of righteousness that became an impediment to contemplation.

The Wen philosophy upholds family, but it got taken to the extent that the glorification of the head of the family overtook all else, and the relationships became unilateral hierarchy rather than reciprocal relationships. It is meaningful that WWX quotes their philosophy back to them, unrecognized!

I continue to love that each clan in MDZS represents a different philosophical strain and their downfalls are all directly tied to taking that philosophy too far to the extreme in ways that become unprincipled in application because ideals don't actually handle the real world very well.

I keep reminding myself that different interpretations are valid. I just PREFER reading him as a creature of rigid but unexamined integrity and loyalty and laser fixated special interest. Something about a master swordsman being a blunt weapon of a person is just fascinating.

I feel this way every time I hold my tongue when people talk about Liu Qingge as if he were a deeply repressed character w/ hidden seething depths of sexual/romantic passion, instead of a fully expressed character who is just that blunt and honest and if he noticed he felt those things would say so.

Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."

Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...

Reading the author's preface to The Portrait of A Lady is engaging with a fine work of literary philosophy, and to be frank it should really be studied separately from the novel on its own merits.

As a character-driven author engaged in watching my little guys live, it is also intensely relatable.

zeldawilliams 20m From Create Mode •• Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad. Stop believing I wanna see it or that I'll understand, I don't and I won't. If you're just trying to troll me, I've seen way worse, i'll restrict and move on. But please, if you've got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It's dumb, it's a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it's NOT what he'd want. To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to 'this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough, , just so other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening. You're not making art, you're making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else's throat hoping they'll give you a little thumbs up and like it. Gross.

And for the love of EVERYTHING, stop calling it 'the future. Al is just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be reconsumed. You are taking in the Human Centipede of content, and from the very very end of the line, all while the folks at the front laugh and laugh, consume and consume.

Daughter of Robin Williams, Zelda Williams 💔

Give folks their flowers

No, I mean right now. Go tell someone you loved their work right now. They're on social media just say it, it has never been easier

"They know how much people love--" no they don't go say it right now to a composer or artist or game dev or writer or anyone AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

There's a penis park full of massive sculptures here in Korea which I still have not gone to because I'd have to take a bus for four hours to get there and that would require an overnight trip with my disability issues...

More people designing their high fantasy big cities should be looking east of Western Europe for their models, and maybe a little earlier in history.

Istanbul (Constantinople), Herat, Baghdad, Chang'an... the list of major metropolises goes on, worldbuilders are just looking in the wrong place.

Wait, why did nobody tell me they relaunched 냉장고를 부탁해 last year??

I watched it when it first aired and I knew no Korean. In fact, I think I might have even been teaching myself hangul while watching it the first time?

Now I'm watching the reboot and don't even need subtitles to understand.

if anyone tells you youre too old for something theyre just boring and lack whimsy

Adelita Grijalva won her special election on September 23rd.

Speaker Mike Johnson still hasn’t sworn her in.

She’s being prevented from governing.

Why? Because she’s the deciding vote to release the Epstein files.

Learn her name.

Call your reps and demand she be sworn in.

I've been on the internet a long time and I can't do this again.

I am aware that we could just set this whole thing in Waterdeep and call it a day, but that would not be anywhere near as much fun for me, personally.

Many, but not all, of the names in this setting will be filtered through either one of the Nordic languages or Irish, because the founder of this city-state was a viking-themed barbarian character. However, it IS a multicultural city attracting people from all over, so other languages happen too.

Cut Me Own Thumbs Dibbler, Purveyor of Suspicious Street Meats - A weasely sort of a man, but +14 to Persuasion whenever he is selling something. Any food consumed from his tray might have the effects of a Goodberry, but there is a risk of 1d4 poison damage instead. Either way, unaccountably tasty.

Okay, I have five of the most important category of NPCs crafted: the food vendors!

Lorenzino Mian, of Lorenzino's Noodles
Västrakullen Nirvana, of As You Like It Kålkaka
Authenticity Matställeson, of the Peace of Mind Diner
Tríúmac Cosdhubh,* of the Daparan Restaurant
CMOT Dibbler

* Name pending

*unrepentant grinning*

*whistling innocently and tossing in an NPC for No Reason*

Dockmaster Darksong Älv— A scowling man with excellent cheekbones who tolerates no nonsense. He has surprisingly high stats, and wields a whip or a sword in combat. The sword does 1d4 poison damage for 3 rounds on a failed save.

Also, the Iritha Bibliosoteria is called that instead of a library or athenaeum because it's a nod to Kim Dokja. It doesn't matter if it doesn't fully make linguistic sense, it's exactly the kind of pseudo-linguistic hijinks Pratchett enjoyed and therefore suitable for a city that has those vibes.