Alpha-gal
Apr. 26th, 2026 05:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magidI know multiple folks who’ve been bitten by ticks and ended up with alpha-gal*, an anaphylaxis-level allergy to mammal-based foods, which sucks mightily (ticks and mosquitos have their place in the web of life and all, but they’d be my first two to vote off the planet if I had the option). And since folks often don’t know they’ve been bitten until they have a reaction, and like other tick-borne diseases (Lyme…), can be difficult to figure out, it’s extra awful.
None of which goes through by brain first when I hear “alpha-gal.” No, instead I ruminate on how it would be fun to read the adventures of AlphaGal and her sidekick, BetaBoy! I still haven’t decided whether these would be superheroes with powers tbd, or ones whose adventures focus on linguistics and various alphabets (perhaps for kids? or a much more clever person would be able to write them for adults?).
* link to Wikipedia; it’s awful that the CDC doesn’t feel like a reliable source these days.
None of which goes through by brain first when I hear “alpha-gal.” No, instead I ruminate on how it would be fun to read the adventures of AlphaGal and her sidekick, BetaBoy! I still haven’t decided whether these would be superheroes with powers tbd, or ones whose adventures focus on linguistics and various alphabets (perhaps for kids? or a much more clever person would be able to write them for adults?).
* link to Wikipedia; it’s awful that the CDC doesn’t feel like a reliable source these days.
i have to do all the pots and pans
Apr. 26th, 2026 05:40 pmmusesfoolOkay, crispy rice = pretty good. I tossed 1 cup of cooked rice with 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil, a sprinkling of garlic powder, and 1 diced shallot, spread it on a foil-lined sheet pan, and cooked it at 400°F for 25 minutes. I still have a bunch of rice left, so I might make fried rice tomorrow.
The salad part was less successful. I cleared some stuff out of the freezer - an old bag of frozen corn, a handful of frozen roasted chicken chunks I got in my misdelivered grocery order a few weeks ago - and then I added some toasted sesame seeds, some dry-roasted peanuts, and some arugula. The dressing was lime juice, toasted sesame oil, ground ginger, and olive oil (all scaled down for one serving) - it was ok, but I wouldn't make it again.
The stuff in the salad was mismatched and didn't go well together, which is my own fault, since I didn't really think about anything but the rice ahead of time. If I did it again, I might use shredded cabbage instead of arugula, and leave out the corn and the peanuts. I might also just dress it with olive oil and vinegar.
If I do it again, I will probably eat the crisped rice by itself, maybe with some scrambled egg like in fried rice, and some scallions. And I'd keep the toasted sesame seeds, because those are always tasty.
Here is today's poem:
An old story
by Bob Hicok
It's hard being in love
with fireflies. I have to do
all the pots and pans.
When asked to parties
they always wear the same
color dress. I work days,
they punch in at dusk.
With the radio and a beer
I sit up doing bills,
jealous of men who've fallen
for the homebody stars.
When things are bad
they shake their asses
all over town, when good
my lips glow.
*
The salad part was less successful. I cleared some stuff out of the freezer - an old bag of frozen corn, a handful of frozen roasted chicken chunks I got in my misdelivered grocery order a few weeks ago - and then I added some toasted sesame seeds, some dry-roasted peanuts, and some arugula. The dressing was lime juice, toasted sesame oil, ground ginger, and olive oil (all scaled down for one serving) - it was ok, but I wouldn't make it again.
The stuff in the salad was mismatched and didn't go well together, which is my own fault, since I didn't really think about anything but the rice ahead of time. If I did it again, I might use shredded cabbage instead of arugula, and leave out the corn and the peanuts. I might also just dress it with olive oil and vinegar.
If I do it again, I will probably eat the crisped rice by itself, maybe with some scrambled egg like in fried rice, and some scallions. And I'd keep the toasted sesame seeds, because those are always tasty.
Here is today's poem:
An old story
by Bob Hicok
It's hard being in love
with fireflies. I have to do
all the pots and pans.
When asked to parties
they always wear the same
color dress. I work days,
they punch in at dusk.
With the radio and a beer
I sit up doing bills,
jealous of men who've fallen
for the homebody stars.
When things are bad
they shake their asses
all over town, when good
my lips glow.
*
Poet's Corner: There Will Come Soft Rains by Sara Teasdale
Apr. 26th, 2026 04:30 pmstonepicnicking_okapiThere Will Come Soft Rains by Sara Teasdale
(War Time)
There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white,
Robins will wear their feathery fire
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree
If mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn,
Would scarcely know that we were gone.
(War Time)
There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white,
Robins will wear their feathery fire
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree
If mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn,
Would scarcely know that we were gone.
Fake News In 4/4 (with a Blue Note)
Apr. 26th, 2026 09:13 pmjazzy_daveFake News In 4/4 (with a Blue Note)
by Jazzy D
Snap — Anchor grins, cue the brass,
Teleprompt lies slip right past.
“Breaking, baby, breaking fast!”
Hold the note… is that the truth at last?
Doo-bop — Headline walks the bar in heels,
Half a fact is how it deals.
Quote unquote, spin the wheels,
Footnotes dancing on banana peels.
Shh — A source says, whispers low,
“Trust me, man, I heard it so.”
But sources riff and duck and blow
Smoke rings only insiders know.
Left screen screams fire, right hums rain,
Both play loud, both stake their claim.
Ticker taps a cool refrain:
What ain’t said drives the game.
Ba-dum — Now read the rests, the empty air,
The solo hiding in the glare.
‘Cause news ain’t always what’s laid bare —
Sometimes it’s the silence that we wear.
Fade out.
by Jazzy D
Snap — Anchor grins, cue the brass,
Teleprompt lies slip right past.
“Breaking, baby, breaking fast!”
Hold the note… is that the truth at last?
Doo-bop — Headline walks the bar in heels,
Half a fact is how it deals.
Quote unquote, spin the wheels,
Footnotes dancing on banana peels.
Shh — A source says, whispers low,
“Trust me, man, I heard it so.”
But sources riff and duck and blow
Smoke rings only insiders know.
Left screen screams fire, right hums rain,
Both play loud, both stake their claim.
Ticker taps a cool refrain:
What ain’t said drives the game.
Ba-dum — Now read the rests, the empty air,
The solo hiding in the glare.
‘Cause news ain’t always what’s laid bare —
Sometimes it’s the silence that we wear.
Fade out.
fritzy forearms
Apr. 26th, 2026 03:18 pmmellowtiggerThe hair on my forearms is strange these days. Instead of the smooth flow of soft hairs like usual, there are short bits of hair that seem to stand straight up from the arm.
I'm pretty sure I singed much of the hair while I was tending flames at the fire pit on Friday. Oops.
In other news, the weird spot on my left leg is getting lighter. I think it's healing, however slowly. I guess that hydrocortisone cream helped.
P.S. I got a few more plants into the ground today, after my work shift ended, and before the predicted 1.5 days of rain finally arrive.
Chapters 3 & 4 of Notes of Desperation
Apr. 26th, 2026 03:19 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Notes of Desperation (9102 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 4/4
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Zaknafein Do'Urden, Jarlaxle Baenre, Malice Do'Urden, Drizzt Do'Urden, Vierna Do'Urden, Original Drow Character(s)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Torture, Escape, Rebuilding, Reunions
Summary:
2 new chapters
Vierna only rarely came to the west coast wanderers, having her hands full managing the permanent village in the north. Mynera, however, would never ask lightly, and her people were well able to do the work without her.
Dhaeln would keep track of harvest and preparation tasks that needed to be done still while she was gone. That dwarf was always on top of organization, to Vierna's eternal gratitude.
The moonbridge had only just faded out when Lleona and Neerbryn caught her attention for the concealed camp they had, with the bard being the one to take her hand and bring her across the wards.
"I do appreciate you coming, though I admit I may be reaching for star dust with the tale I have for you," Lleona said. "Well, Shana and Neerbryn will tell the actual happenings, and I'm just involved because I remembered a story you told us once."
"We had an encounter in Skullport that may have impact for you," Neerbryn said, leading back to the center of the camp, where everyone was working on gear, except Starneth who looked to be actually sleeping with his familiar sleeping on top of him.
"Spell rebound," Zira commented idly. "He's out cold, but otherwise unharmed by it."
"He sleeps so rarely and poorly that I chose not to heal the effect," Ilmryn said with a grin.
"Can't really argue with that," Vierna agreed, knowing how high-strung the magic user was. That he had reason did not detract from how difficult it made him.
"So I recently too Neerbryn and another fighter down into Skullport, to trade and see if we could get any further rumors of the power situation, as it has shifted some," Shana began. "I think I may have met the drow responsible for several of the Dragon Hoard's ventures foundering of late.
"He approached us, though, and we did not have time to confirm who he works with or for, as he had a question for us. He wished to know if our people provided teachers to those who were… how did he say it, Neerbryn?"
"For ones that couldn't be practical in how they lived, or something like that," the fighter said, shaking his head. "No bats, no spiders, no sigils of any kind," he added.
"Wouldn't we have already known if one of our Lady's searchers was down there?" Vierna asked, to get a feel for this. "Or is the one he is questioning for not drow? We have seen some of Vhaeraun's take elven children to raise."
Shana shook her head. "The man called this boy his only surviving child, and his reaction to my offer for them both to come our way made me feel like he truly believes in the bond of family. Now, let me describe him for you, as Lleona thought this was very important.
"He's a little tall for a deep drow male, and there was no doubt he was one, as deeply light-drinking as his skin was. He had most of his hair unbound, with just two side braids linked behind to keep the mass out of his face in the breezes. He wore well-made clothing of surface manufacture; I could not make out the armor beneath it but know it was there. Most strikingly, he carried two swords, equal length, of the style I would describe as full-length, not the short swords some fighters use in pairs."
Vierna had steadily grown more interested in the description, and Neerbryn spoke up.
"He gave his name as Zaknafein, and once Lleona asked for you, the rest of us recalled your tale of the Weapon Master."
"But if his son is like us, why have we not heard it? How is he all the way here? What became of the House, so that he could escape the Matron's grip on him?!" exploded from Vierna.
"He said the boy is third born who survived. Scrying and other magics, even divine healing, fail with him, the father said," Shana said. "I promised to have someone meet with him a month from that meeting, intending to ask for Xinval and probably Rylla to go, once Qilué had considered it, but… if you think this man is connected to you, how do you wish it to be handled?"
Vierna knew good and well her own protector was likely to want to shake her for what came out of her mouth next. "I will go. But I will lean into the Silverhands for support on this."
Mynera nodded. "Wise. Outside magic, especially of such a strong family, might be the best for detecting what was done to the boy… or if this is an elaborate ruse of some kind. I do not think it is; your family name is rarely uttered, and the connections between your enclave to the rest of us is kept quiet among the clerics, for the most part."
"Exactly," Vierna said, pleased that her reading of the situation matched that of these veterans of intrigues in the Underdark and on the surface, people who risked everything to get others to safety on a frequent basis. "Now, since I am here, fill me in on doings among the bands?"
"Oh, now she's done it. She's invited Lleona to talk at length," Jhuldrin said with amusement.
Even with Thyl in the same tavern, sitting away from her, Vierna realized she had not felt this vulnerable in a very long time. She was away from the seat of her power, in a city where evil reigned more than not, and specifically held people of her Goddess's Twin's influence. She knew that others of her faith traded here regularly. It was ridiculous to feel this way —
— and she realized it had far more to do with who she was here to meet. She had enjoyed her days of instruction under the Weapon Master, had come to an almost certainty that he had to be the one who fathered her. If he reacted poorly, it was going to wound her, soul-deep.
She waited, trying not to be impatient or show outward signs of looking for someone, annoyed by the modesty veil she had decided would give her a chance to at least speak to the man before he reacted to her features. After all, she knew good and well how much she favored the matron of the house she had been born to.
After what seemed like forever, but had likely been less than a full hour, the memory from her past walked in, wearing surface clothing and gear, hair still as thick and lush as ever, though the side braids did keep it out of his face. That was sensible, anywhere there was wind to stir it. The man noted her, took note of the others around, then sauntered to her table as if he had control of the entire world around him.
Given his combat skills, she had no doubt of that in this meeting.
"You were prompt," he said, sitting down at the table opposite her.
"How could I be anything but, when my cousins pulled me to them and told me your name." She reached up to push the veil back. "Hello, Weapon Master. I did survive, and much of that was your teaching to me."
He stared at her a long moment, then took a long breath in, letting it out slowly. "Well, seeing you makes me more convinced that everything since I made a deal to steal my son out of the House has been nothing but a death dream," he said equitably.
"No. You live. And if it is your son you seek teaching for… I am more than certain that you really are my father too," she said in a low voice, half-worried he would deny it.
"Argued with your mother over your upbringing, got removed from patron for it. The small gifts I managed… they were because I wanted to be your father in full, raising you, preparing you for the world!"
She smiled brightly, then laid her hands in the middle of the table. "I knew the Temple would kill me. I was never going to hide my heart the way it would have taken… and it would have destroyed me as I was to try.
"But I also couldn't risk involving you, not when she was so peculiar about you. My goddess showed me a way, and took me to a strong protector." She then laughed. "He will have words for me coming into this city like this, with only one to guard me."
"The half-elf?" Zaknafein asked, even as he laid his hands in hers, tightening his fingers around hers in acceptance of this meeting.
"Yes. Wizard-fighter, and hopefully able to tell why my Lady cannot perceive your son — my brother! — when She is supposed to be able to call to all goodly drow."
Zak looked over at Thyl a moment with very little movement of his head, mostly his eyes, then nodded. "Take a room here; it's the safest place for you. I'll return with Drizzt, so you can meet him, and we can talk more."
She squeezed his hands at that. "Gladly, father."
Seeing him soften to that made her heart sing, before they parted, temporarily, to arrange matters.
Drizzt's first impression of the people he was to meet was the sound of laughter and a playful argument about who was getting the door, and why it was supposed to be which one. He caught the male voice saying she needed to be careful, and the female voice saying that the man would be scary to a new person.
Drizzt made himself brace for anyone that could be scary as the laughter increased and it seemed like the man had won the point. When the door opened, he had to look up and his eyes did get a bit large. He had seen half-human elves, but none so tall, and never wearing a mage robe with a sword!
"That would be your sister's guard," Zaknafein said dryly.
"Thyl. Inthylyn Aerasumé, if being very formal, but please don't. I try not to do anything that warrants it," Thyl said as he stepped back, letting them in.
Drizzt caught the wry look on his sister's face — he had an actual sister, the one that had made Zaknafein emotional to speak of! — and wondered at it. He was fixing it in his mind that she looked more like himself, seeking the ways she favored their father, because the initial resemblance to his mother hurt.
Malice had treated him well, and even though he had realized it was a ploy, to keep him loyal to her only, Drizzt had struggled to remember she was as evil as Briza and Maya.
Or, had been, rather, given the House had died the night Father escaped.
"And I am Vierna, though I am sure Father told you that," the priestess said warmly. "Your name is Drizzt?"
"Yes. And I knew your name already! Father spoke of you in my second year of training with him, because I tried the same counter you did to a maneuver." He grinned at the memory.
"Zaknafein, though I am sure you already knew," the eldest of them said to the half-human.
"Vierna has entertained us over the years, speaking of your skill, sharing what she learned with us," Thyl told him. It made Drizzt feel even more warmth for this woman he was just meeting, to know she had carried Zak's legacy and shared it further.
They all got comfortable in the room, with Thyl sitting away from the family who chose to share the couch in the room. Vierna sat on one side, having reached for Drizzt to grasp his hand and squeeze in greeting, with Zak at the other end.
"First question, to both of you," Vierna said seriously. "If we can learn why Drizzt wasn't known to my goddess, will you be willing to come to where I live, for lessons for him? If not, something could be arranged with the local bands, but they have not yet made a permanent place to live that is safely under rock."
Zaknafein was the one to answer first. "While I would love to live with both of you, I have not yet repaid the man that made it possible for Drizzt to live free, not the way I count it. In a few years, maybe. But either way, I'd prefer he be with you… if that is his choice."
Drizzt considered, then sighed. "I am too unlike the others to safely stay here," he admitted. "I've done well enough so far, but it's like when I was in the mercenary's care; I am too different and people don't like what is different." He turned to look at his father. "You would come, in time?"
"As long as your sister's goddess doesn't decide I'm too typically drow for Her tastes to be near Her people."
Vierna shook her head. "You are the utter strangeness that is a drow who found the middle path, Father. I did check before offering. If you had not been… I would have begged the more senior cleric to assign one of her strongest to take over long enough for me to help Drizzt get his feet under him as a different kind of person from you."
"You… really?" Drizzt asked, something about abdicating whatever role she held, even for a temporary period of time, filling him with awe. They'd only just met!
"Take over?" Zak asked, catching more nuance than his son did.
"Vierna is the First Cleric of the only permanent village on the surface for good drow," Thyl said lazily. "She was one of its founders, and still leads, as much as leadership is needed, along side a few elders of the races that live there.
"That senior cleric she mentioned is in the process of carving space out of Undermountain, but it is slow going, with all the magic and regeneration spells in there."
"Did well for yourself," Zak said, proud of her.
"For my people. We needed a safe haven away from the Underdark, so I went above with others. A few of those first ones are still with me; others took up the roving life that many of ours do, both Above and Below." Vierna looked back to Drizzt. "Yes, I would. Family is very important to us; we want it to be a source of comfort and strength.
"One of the few things our people have in common with most of the ones who follow the god worshipped here."
Drizzt's face got cloudy for a moment, then he nodded. "Then yes. I want to go with you, and for Father to join us later, and maybe we will be a full family that works the way my heart feels they should."
"Then I guess I need to earn my keep and see if I can at least figure out why you are hidden… but I might need a lot of help to get it taken care of once I know," Thyl said.
"Fortunate for us that you have lots of help in your family," Vierna said sweetly, making them all smile a bit.
Zaknafein was unable to go with his children to meet the archmage that would look at what Thyl had found. He threw himself into studying the city all over again, trying to find the best paths to information, the right investments to make in the power structure, as part of readying to turn this over to someone else once his pride was satisfied he'd paid for Drizzt's freedom.
He had no intention of remaining so far from his children now that he knew he could be with them, not for long. He was back at the Dimmed Lantern on the third day after their leaving, to see Thyl, Drizzt, and another half-human that looked like Thyl but not Vierna.
"Son?"
Drizzt gave a small smile. "It's alright. My sister is helping the archmage that helped me remove a curse that affected her sister!"
"When I headed out, I didn't know that the local Aunt would immediately have a task that Vierna could help with. Honestly, I should have already asked her if she'd look at the curse," Thyl said. "And I had already intended to introduce you to the local brother," he added, turning to the other half-human.
"Boesild Aerasumé. I do prefer Bo, but don't flinch from the full name as some of my brothers do," Bo said for himself. "You are Zaknafein Do'Urden, and if I have pieced together the puzzle down here, you are not associated with the Temple or the mercantile company that gives us so much trouble down here."
Zak inclined his head. "And the introduction is because?"
Bo gave a tight smile for that bluntness. "So I can find you, or you me, just in case, as I have just learned that my brother is tied up in your family via your daughter. If things happen, communication should follow."
"Ahh. Well, that does make sense." Zak looked Drizzt over. "What of why you went? And other things?"
Drizzt sighed. "I was hidden, at birth, directly by Her," and he made the profanity with his hands, causing both the tall men to grin. "It's gone, and I am going to go to my sister's village, to learn more about the Surface and how to be me."
That had Zaknafein opening his arms, and the boy flew into them, hugging tightly, to the warm looks of both half-humans. Zak had decided that family — obviously — had strong meanings for them, so he would let them see this.
"Then we'll get you packed up, so Thyl can take you on to wherever Vierna is… and as soon as I think I have given full measure, I'll find my way to you, through the Dancers' communications."
"That… sounds great," Drizzt breathed.
It would be more time separated, but Zaknafein needed his son to be safe and well… something this place had not given him in full.
"He's painfully young," Vierna confided in Thyl, once they had managed to get Drizzt to go to bed, despite being in the home of a very powerful Surface human. "And his curiosity is so brazen!"
Thyl chuckled, stroking her hair, letting the familiar sounds of his Aunt's home soothe him from everything.
"Reminds me a little of seeing my brothers at that age," he agreed. "We were encouraged to be curious, but from all I have seen of your people… it's a dangerous trait and not one easily relearned to have."
"Father said he was removed from the House before the Academy, but I cannot see an all male mercenary band having been nurturing to that either. Especially knowing that any daughter of Malice's would have scarred him in his mind," Vierna murmured. "Never mind that mass of silver on his back."
Thyl growled a little at the memory of seeing those. A shared soak in a mansion had left all of them pointedly making light conversation around Drizzt to avoid revealing their horror at the scarring, when the boy was absolutely oblivious to them.
"Aunt Laeral is curious if he was chosen for that hiding spell due to some destiny, or just the meddling spider seizing an opportunity for chaos. Aunt Syluné finds him intriguing because of all of his questions about her tinctures and potions and plants." Thyl smiled softly. "I'm looking forward to seeing him interact with our people at Spirit Sanctuary, and learn how they encourage him to find who he wants to be."
Vierna's soft smile, as Thyl claimed the work of her lifetime as one of his homes made her settle back from her worry. Drizzt was young, had yet to mature past the constant questioning… and she had concerns on how well that would be handled by her more suspicious survivors of the Underdark. However, she could and would make it possible for her brother to learn all he wanted, with the help of her lover and his kin if necessary.
Syluné rested a hand on Vierna's arm, gently stopping her forward momentum, and raising a finger to her lips. The cleric followed the elder woman's line of sight to where her brother was sprawled on the ground, laughing softly as a young fox sniffed and licked and bounced around him. A more mature fox, likely the mother, was sitting at a distance, watching, but not protesting the play.
"What in all the realms," Vierna breathed. "Those are not tame creatures!"
"No. They do not bother my coop, but that's because Aumry," her voice hitched slightly, "made a point of setting game entrails in a specific spot, a habit I've asked my grounds-keeper to maintain. They've known for years to go there for plenty of food.
"But they are not tame, and yet the kit has been playing with your brother's hair and fingers for several minutes."
Vierna nodded. She was so very glad she had been able to give insights to the curse present on the body, so that Syluné might yet find a way to have her love returned to her.
Having two people watching must have made an impression, but neither woman was sure if it was Drizzt or the foxes that had noticed it. Drizzt sat up, slowly, and the pair of foxes melted off into the twilight.
"You made a friend," Vierna said, once they had vanished, coming out fully into the garden, smiling at the radiant peace on Drizzt's face.
"I did!" He grinned, then bounced fully up to come hug her in an exuberance of emotions. "The sunset was so beautiful! Also, Thyl said Lin needed him, and he didn't know how long until he'd be able to return to you."
"Lin is his twin, a brother born at the same time as he was," Syluné said, coming to take a seat in one of the chairs around the table kept there. The other two joined her, and she focused on Drizzt. "You have a magical artifact, Laeral said, one with a mingling of void and astral energies.
"Are you willing to have me look at it and see what I can learn? I know she was too tired after aiding you."
Drizzt considered, then slowly removed the figure from his pouch, setting it on the table but not yet relinquishing it. "Father said he banished a planar creature that looked like the statue, but so very big. It was in the spoils he'd taken off the hunters that tried to stop him from escaping the House being destroyed.
"Along with other magic components; we used most of those to trade with, but this? It felt good to me, made me… I don't know. I could calm and center if I held it, even when I saw drow being very drow."
Almost twenty years in his father's keeping, and he still felt so much discomfort at what Zaknafein found pragmatic. Drizzt was more relieved than he had wanted to admit that his father had found a different way for him to explore living free.
He made himself meet Syluné's eyes, decided that yes, he did trust her enough for this, and pushed the figure to her. Vierna took one of his hands to help him stay calm, as the arch-mage studied the magical artifact.
"One moment, while I confer with an older expert," Syluné eventually said.
A few minutes later, a wizened man with a pipe emitting blue smoke and a crooked wizard's cap teleported to the spot within the wards used by the extensive family, striding over with a swiftness that belied his elderly appearance.
"You found the legendary Guenhwyvar?! By the stars, what a lucky man you must be," the wizard exclaimed, looking directly at Drizzt.
"My father found the figure, saer, and gave it to me for keeping," Drizzt said politely, even as his chest felt tight. A legendary thing? Surely they would take it from him now.
"You heard the name? Can you repeat it?" Syluné asked, as she slid the statuette back to him, making Drizzt's eyes widen, betraying his worst thoughts of them.
"I believe so."
"Guenhwyvar," the wizard said slowly. "You'll want to move to the clearing there; legend said she was nearly twice the size of a material plane panther."
Vierna watched her brother do just that, while the wizard took the vacated seat.
"Cleric Vierna, I take it? Good to meet you."
"You must be Elminster; I've heard stories," she told him, but her eyes never left her brother.
Drizzt was centering himself, and decided to sit on the ground, uncertain what size a normal panther would be. He left both hands on the figure, intently pushing his thoughts of being friends even as he said the unfamiliar name.
"Guenhwyvar, please come here," Drizzt said, unaware of how that courtesy word only elevated him further in the eyes of the two humans. A black mist formed from the warm statuette, and then… then there was the most magnificent cat, not a fleck of color in her fur but the deepest, truest black, and intelligent golden eyes that stared intently, weighing Drizzt to his bare soul.
"The figure remains, she did come… this is indeed Anders Beltgarden's masterwork, accidental as she was," Elminster murmured.
Drizzt heard none of the discussion at the table, his eyes fixed on the cat's for several heartbeats. Then, rising up only to his knees, he reached one hand out to her, transfixed by the hope he felt beating at him from the cat's own spirit.
"We are both of us free, here above, and can be friends, if you wish it," Drizzt said softly.
That brought Guenhwyvar close, sniffing the hand, before offering her full head for petting. She moved all the way into his space, and he devoted himself to finding all the itchy spots, to stroking that sleek fur, silently promising her that he was going to make sure she never regretted trusting him.
"I think they are both content?" Vierna said, awestruck by the massive predator and her slender brother bonding at a level that looked almost divine.
"I think that touch of wild in your brother may be opening them to a lifelong bond," Syluné said, catching whispers of a Weave around the pair. What was this boy that one goddess had thought to use him as a catspaw, and now he was invoking ranger gifts without any patron of his own?
Jarlaxle sighed loudly, feet up on the edge of Zaknafein's desk, but it was all for show. He'd known, ever since Drizzt had been in his keeping, that he would not have Zak's swords and skills forever.
"You'll keep the sending stone?"
"Of course. Will do my damnedest to make friends with a wizard that can get me places swiftly even," Zak told him.
"But your son — and your daughter! — are elsewhere, and you have more than repaid my investment."
"I still say you were still on the minus side in my ledger," Zak drawled, before they both started laughing.
"Alright, alright… but you're staying with me while I am here for this visit." Jarlaxle's one visible eye glinted, and he watched Zak's features take on that lustful danger he so loved.
"Might not get any work done," Zak rumbled, standing from his chair. That was the only invitation needed for more private activities.
Thyl himself came for Zaknafein, and made certain to teleport them when it was full night in Spirit Sanctuary. Vierna came to key the wards to allow her father inside.
"Drizzt is away with a teacher, but will return soon," Vierna told him, showing off the village on a tour that let everyone get a glimpse of the legend that had trained her and 'their ranger', as Drizzt was affectionately called. "He found a calling, and spends most of the warm months away from here now."
"I'd swear it's only been two years since I gave him to your care," Zak said gruffly.
"So it has been, but he's always in good hands when he leaves us," Vierna assured. "Drizzt is thriving in his chosen path, has this place as home, and a need to explore that we cannot — will not — hamper."
"If he's not with the ranger that is trusted to know this place exists," Thyl interjected, "he's with my aunt, who is also a ranger. Or her husband, another one."
"Hmph." Zak sighed, then shook his head. "So, tell me all about what I need to know, to make a place for myself here, and what my dancer has been up to on this path he's chosen."
"Gladly, father."
Rafi leaned against the rock, Zak not far from him, both of them watching as the siblings sparred with smiles on their faces.
"I thought life was pretty perfect to find Vierna, with all of her skills and drive, so that we could make a place safe for us out of the Underdark," Rafi murmured. "But then she brought her little brother here, and he's sparked so many smiles and laughter, helping even our most vulnerable ones move forward with hope just by being who he is.
"And we owe both of them existing to you, Zaknafein. You're damned amazing, to have survived so long, but you also are the reason they are as they are."
Zaknafein looked over at the other man, one he was settling into a true friendship with. "I might take credit for her… I tried to influence her as much as I could. But that faerie-souled boy is something else altogether," he said with a half-smile.
Rafi had to laugh; Drizzt was still strange, even here, but the strangeness made him more a part of them all, instead of less.
"I suppose that's fair. House Do'Urden lives… in three unusual drow that shredded the webs around them."
Zak's eyes gleamed, considering that a fine revenge on Malice for her unwillingness to change, even a little. "A fitting fate."
Chapters: 4/4
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Zaknafein Do'Urden, Jarlaxle Baenre, Malice Do'Urden, Drizzt Do'Urden, Vierna Do'Urden, Original Drow Character(s)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Torture, Escape, Rebuilding, Reunions
Summary:
A winding tale of how three Do'Urdens find family in full.
2 new chapters
Chapter Three
Vierna only rarely came to the west coast wanderers, having her hands full managing the permanent village in the north. Mynera, however, would never ask lightly, and her people were well able to do the work without her.
Dhaeln would keep track of harvest and preparation tasks that needed to be done still while she was gone. That dwarf was always on top of organization, to Vierna's eternal gratitude.
The moonbridge had only just faded out when Lleona and Neerbryn caught her attention for the concealed camp they had, with the bard being the one to take her hand and bring her across the wards.
"I do appreciate you coming, though I admit I may be reaching for star dust with the tale I have for you," Lleona said. "Well, Shana and Neerbryn will tell the actual happenings, and I'm just involved because I remembered a story you told us once."
"We had an encounter in Skullport that may have impact for you," Neerbryn said, leading back to the center of the camp, where everyone was working on gear, except Starneth who looked to be actually sleeping with his familiar sleeping on top of him.
"Spell rebound," Zira commented idly. "He's out cold, but otherwise unharmed by it."
"He sleeps so rarely and poorly that I chose not to heal the effect," Ilmryn said with a grin.
"Can't really argue with that," Vierna agreed, knowing how high-strung the magic user was. That he had reason did not detract from how difficult it made him.
"So I recently too Neerbryn and another fighter down into Skullport, to trade and see if we could get any further rumors of the power situation, as it has shifted some," Shana began. "I think I may have met the drow responsible for several of the Dragon Hoard's ventures foundering of late.
"He approached us, though, and we did not have time to confirm who he works with or for, as he had a question for us. He wished to know if our people provided teachers to those who were… how did he say it, Neerbryn?"
"For ones that couldn't be practical in how they lived, or something like that," the fighter said, shaking his head. "No bats, no spiders, no sigils of any kind," he added.
"Wouldn't we have already known if one of our Lady's searchers was down there?" Vierna asked, to get a feel for this. "Or is the one he is questioning for not drow? We have seen some of Vhaeraun's take elven children to raise."
Shana shook her head. "The man called this boy his only surviving child, and his reaction to my offer for them both to come our way made me feel like he truly believes in the bond of family. Now, let me describe him for you, as Lleona thought this was very important.
"He's a little tall for a deep drow male, and there was no doubt he was one, as deeply light-drinking as his skin was. He had most of his hair unbound, with just two side braids linked behind to keep the mass out of his face in the breezes. He wore well-made clothing of surface manufacture; I could not make out the armor beneath it but know it was there. Most strikingly, he carried two swords, equal length, of the style I would describe as full-length, not the short swords some fighters use in pairs."
Vierna had steadily grown more interested in the description, and Neerbryn spoke up.
"He gave his name as Zaknafein, and once Lleona asked for you, the rest of us recalled your tale of the Weapon Master."
"But if his son is like us, why have we not heard it? How is he all the way here? What became of the House, so that he could escape the Matron's grip on him?!" exploded from Vierna.
"He said the boy is third born who survived. Scrying and other magics, even divine healing, fail with him, the father said," Shana said. "I promised to have someone meet with him a month from that meeting, intending to ask for Xinval and probably Rylla to go, once Qilué had considered it, but… if you think this man is connected to you, how do you wish it to be handled?"
Vierna knew good and well her own protector was likely to want to shake her for what came out of her mouth next. "I will go. But I will lean into the Silverhands for support on this."
Mynera nodded. "Wise. Outside magic, especially of such a strong family, might be the best for detecting what was done to the boy… or if this is an elaborate ruse of some kind. I do not think it is; your family name is rarely uttered, and the connections between your enclave to the rest of us is kept quiet among the clerics, for the most part."
"Exactly," Vierna said, pleased that her reading of the situation matched that of these veterans of intrigues in the Underdark and on the surface, people who risked everything to get others to safety on a frequent basis. "Now, since I am here, fill me in on doings among the bands?"
"Oh, now she's done it. She's invited Lleona to talk at length," Jhuldrin said with amusement.
Even with Thyl in the same tavern, sitting away from her, Vierna realized she had not felt this vulnerable in a very long time. She was away from the seat of her power, in a city where evil reigned more than not, and specifically held people of her Goddess's Twin's influence. She knew that others of her faith traded here regularly. It was ridiculous to feel this way —
— and she realized it had far more to do with who she was here to meet. She had enjoyed her days of instruction under the Weapon Master, had come to an almost certainty that he had to be the one who fathered her. If he reacted poorly, it was going to wound her, soul-deep.
She waited, trying not to be impatient or show outward signs of looking for someone, annoyed by the modesty veil she had decided would give her a chance to at least speak to the man before he reacted to her features. After all, she knew good and well how much she favored the matron of the house she had been born to.
After what seemed like forever, but had likely been less than a full hour, the memory from her past walked in, wearing surface clothing and gear, hair still as thick and lush as ever, though the side braids did keep it out of his face. That was sensible, anywhere there was wind to stir it. The man noted her, took note of the others around, then sauntered to her table as if he had control of the entire world around him.
Given his combat skills, she had no doubt of that in this meeting.
"You were prompt," he said, sitting down at the table opposite her.
"How could I be anything but, when my cousins pulled me to them and told me your name." She reached up to push the veil back. "Hello, Weapon Master. I did survive, and much of that was your teaching to me."
He stared at her a long moment, then took a long breath in, letting it out slowly. "Well, seeing you makes me more convinced that everything since I made a deal to steal my son out of the House has been nothing but a death dream," he said equitably.
"No. You live. And if it is your son you seek teaching for… I am more than certain that you really are my father too," she said in a low voice, half-worried he would deny it.
"Argued with your mother over your upbringing, got removed from patron for it. The small gifts I managed… they were because I wanted to be your father in full, raising you, preparing you for the world!"
She smiled brightly, then laid her hands in the middle of the table. "I knew the Temple would kill me. I was never going to hide my heart the way it would have taken… and it would have destroyed me as I was to try.
"But I also couldn't risk involving you, not when she was so peculiar about you. My goddess showed me a way, and took me to a strong protector." She then laughed. "He will have words for me coming into this city like this, with only one to guard me."
"The half-elf?" Zaknafein asked, even as he laid his hands in hers, tightening his fingers around hers in acceptance of this meeting.
"Yes. Wizard-fighter, and hopefully able to tell why my Lady cannot perceive your son — my brother! — when She is supposed to be able to call to all goodly drow."
Zak looked over at Thyl a moment with very little movement of his head, mostly his eyes, then nodded. "Take a room here; it's the safest place for you. I'll return with Drizzt, so you can meet him, and we can talk more."
She squeezed his hands at that. "Gladly, father."
Seeing him soften to that made her heart sing, before they parted, temporarily, to arrange matters.
Drizzt's first impression of the people he was to meet was the sound of laughter and a playful argument about who was getting the door, and why it was supposed to be which one. He caught the male voice saying she needed to be careful, and the female voice saying that the man would be scary to a new person.
Drizzt made himself brace for anyone that could be scary as the laughter increased and it seemed like the man had won the point. When the door opened, he had to look up and his eyes did get a bit large. He had seen half-human elves, but none so tall, and never wearing a mage robe with a sword!
"That would be your sister's guard," Zaknafein said dryly.
"Thyl. Inthylyn Aerasumé, if being very formal, but please don't. I try not to do anything that warrants it," Thyl said as he stepped back, letting them in.
Drizzt caught the wry look on his sister's face — he had an actual sister, the one that had made Zaknafein emotional to speak of! — and wondered at it. He was fixing it in his mind that she looked more like himself, seeking the ways she favored their father, because the initial resemblance to his mother hurt.
Malice had treated him well, and even though he had realized it was a ploy, to keep him loyal to her only, Drizzt had struggled to remember she was as evil as Briza and Maya.
Or, had been, rather, given the House had died the night Father escaped.
"And I am Vierna, though I am sure Father told you that," the priestess said warmly. "Your name is Drizzt?"
"Yes. And I knew your name already! Father spoke of you in my second year of training with him, because I tried the same counter you did to a maneuver." He grinned at the memory.
"Zaknafein, though I am sure you already knew," the eldest of them said to the half-human.
"Vierna has entertained us over the years, speaking of your skill, sharing what she learned with us," Thyl told him. It made Drizzt feel even more warmth for this woman he was just meeting, to know she had carried Zak's legacy and shared it further.
They all got comfortable in the room, with Thyl sitting away from the family who chose to share the couch in the room. Vierna sat on one side, having reached for Drizzt to grasp his hand and squeeze in greeting, with Zak at the other end.
"First question, to both of you," Vierna said seriously. "If we can learn why Drizzt wasn't known to my goddess, will you be willing to come to where I live, for lessons for him? If not, something could be arranged with the local bands, but they have not yet made a permanent place to live that is safely under rock."
Zaknafein was the one to answer first. "While I would love to live with both of you, I have not yet repaid the man that made it possible for Drizzt to live free, not the way I count it. In a few years, maybe. But either way, I'd prefer he be with you… if that is his choice."
Drizzt considered, then sighed. "I am too unlike the others to safely stay here," he admitted. "I've done well enough so far, but it's like when I was in the mercenary's care; I am too different and people don't like what is different." He turned to look at his father. "You would come, in time?"
"As long as your sister's goddess doesn't decide I'm too typically drow for Her tastes to be near Her people."
Vierna shook her head. "You are the utter strangeness that is a drow who found the middle path, Father. I did check before offering. If you had not been… I would have begged the more senior cleric to assign one of her strongest to take over long enough for me to help Drizzt get his feet under him as a different kind of person from you."
"You… really?" Drizzt asked, something about abdicating whatever role she held, even for a temporary period of time, filling him with awe. They'd only just met!
"Take over?" Zak asked, catching more nuance than his son did.
"Vierna is the First Cleric of the only permanent village on the surface for good drow," Thyl said lazily. "She was one of its founders, and still leads, as much as leadership is needed, along side a few elders of the races that live there.
"That senior cleric she mentioned is in the process of carving space out of Undermountain, but it is slow going, with all the magic and regeneration spells in there."
"Did well for yourself," Zak said, proud of her.
"For my people. We needed a safe haven away from the Underdark, so I went above with others. A few of those first ones are still with me; others took up the roving life that many of ours do, both Above and Below." Vierna looked back to Drizzt. "Yes, I would. Family is very important to us; we want it to be a source of comfort and strength.
"One of the few things our people have in common with most of the ones who follow the god worshipped here."
Drizzt's face got cloudy for a moment, then he nodded. "Then yes. I want to go with you, and for Father to join us later, and maybe we will be a full family that works the way my heart feels they should."
"Then I guess I need to earn my keep and see if I can at least figure out why you are hidden… but I might need a lot of help to get it taken care of once I know," Thyl said.
"Fortunate for us that you have lots of help in your family," Vierna said sweetly, making them all smile a bit.
Zaknafein was unable to go with his children to meet the archmage that would look at what Thyl had found. He threw himself into studying the city all over again, trying to find the best paths to information, the right investments to make in the power structure, as part of readying to turn this over to someone else once his pride was satisfied he'd paid for Drizzt's freedom.
He had no intention of remaining so far from his children now that he knew he could be with them, not for long. He was back at the Dimmed Lantern on the third day after their leaving, to see Thyl, Drizzt, and another half-human that looked like Thyl but not Vierna.
"Son?"
Drizzt gave a small smile. "It's alright. My sister is helping the archmage that helped me remove a curse that affected her sister!"
"When I headed out, I didn't know that the local Aunt would immediately have a task that Vierna could help with. Honestly, I should have already asked her if she'd look at the curse," Thyl said. "And I had already intended to introduce you to the local brother," he added, turning to the other half-human.
"Boesild Aerasumé. I do prefer Bo, but don't flinch from the full name as some of my brothers do," Bo said for himself. "You are Zaknafein Do'Urden, and if I have pieced together the puzzle down here, you are not associated with the Temple or the mercantile company that gives us so much trouble down here."
Zak inclined his head. "And the introduction is because?"
Bo gave a tight smile for that bluntness. "So I can find you, or you me, just in case, as I have just learned that my brother is tied up in your family via your daughter. If things happen, communication should follow."
"Ahh. Well, that does make sense." Zak looked Drizzt over. "What of why you went? And other things?"
Drizzt sighed. "I was hidden, at birth, directly by Her," and he made the profanity with his hands, causing both the tall men to grin. "It's gone, and I am going to go to my sister's village, to learn more about the Surface and how to be me."
That had Zaknafein opening his arms, and the boy flew into them, hugging tightly, to the warm looks of both half-humans. Zak had decided that family — obviously — had strong meanings for them, so he would let them see this.
"Then we'll get you packed up, so Thyl can take you on to wherever Vierna is… and as soon as I think I have given full measure, I'll find my way to you, through the Dancers' communications."
"That… sounds great," Drizzt breathed.
It would be more time separated, but Zaknafein needed his son to be safe and well… something this place had not given him in full.
Chapter Four
"He's painfully young," Vierna confided in Thyl, once they had managed to get Drizzt to go to bed, despite being in the home of a very powerful Surface human. "And his curiosity is so brazen!"
Thyl chuckled, stroking her hair, letting the familiar sounds of his Aunt's home soothe him from everything.
"Reminds me a little of seeing my brothers at that age," he agreed. "We were encouraged to be curious, but from all I have seen of your people… it's a dangerous trait and not one easily relearned to have."
"Father said he was removed from the House before the Academy, but I cannot see an all male mercenary band having been nurturing to that either. Especially knowing that any daughter of Malice's would have scarred him in his mind," Vierna murmured. "Never mind that mass of silver on his back."
Thyl growled a little at the memory of seeing those. A shared soak in a mansion had left all of them pointedly making light conversation around Drizzt to avoid revealing their horror at the scarring, when the boy was absolutely oblivious to them.
"Aunt Laeral is curious if he was chosen for that hiding spell due to some destiny, or just the meddling spider seizing an opportunity for chaos. Aunt Syluné finds him intriguing because of all of his questions about her tinctures and potions and plants." Thyl smiled softly. "I'm looking forward to seeing him interact with our people at Spirit Sanctuary, and learn how they encourage him to find who he wants to be."
Vierna's soft smile, as Thyl claimed the work of her lifetime as one of his homes made her settle back from her worry. Drizzt was young, had yet to mature past the constant questioning… and she had concerns on how well that would be handled by her more suspicious survivors of the Underdark. However, she could and would make it possible for her brother to learn all he wanted, with the help of her lover and his kin if necessary.
Syluné rested a hand on Vierna's arm, gently stopping her forward momentum, and raising a finger to her lips. The cleric followed the elder woman's line of sight to where her brother was sprawled on the ground, laughing softly as a young fox sniffed and licked and bounced around him. A more mature fox, likely the mother, was sitting at a distance, watching, but not protesting the play.
"What in all the realms," Vierna breathed. "Those are not tame creatures!"
"No. They do not bother my coop, but that's because Aumry," her voice hitched slightly, "made a point of setting game entrails in a specific spot, a habit I've asked my grounds-keeper to maintain. They've known for years to go there for plenty of food.
"But they are not tame, and yet the kit has been playing with your brother's hair and fingers for several minutes."
Vierna nodded. She was so very glad she had been able to give insights to the curse present on the body, so that Syluné might yet find a way to have her love returned to her.
Having two people watching must have made an impression, but neither woman was sure if it was Drizzt or the foxes that had noticed it. Drizzt sat up, slowly, and the pair of foxes melted off into the twilight.
"You made a friend," Vierna said, once they had vanished, coming out fully into the garden, smiling at the radiant peace on Drizzt's face.
"I did!" He grinned, then bounced fully up to come hug her in an exuberance of emotions. "The sunset was so beautiful! Also, Thyl said Lin needed him, and he didn't know how long until he'd be able to return to you."
"Lin is his twin, a brother born at the same time as he was," Syluné said, coming to take a seat in one of the chairs around the table kept there. The other two joined her, and she focused on Drizzt. "You have a magical artifact, Laeral said, one with a mingling of void and astral energies.
"Are you willing to have me look at it and see what I can learn? I know she was too tired after aiding you."
Drizzt considered, then slowly removed the figure from his pouch, setting it on the table but not yet relinquishing it. "Father said he banished a planar creature that looked like the statue, but so very big. It was in the spoils he'd taken off the hunters that tried to stop him from escaping the House being destroyed.
"Along with other magic components; we used most of those to trade with, but this? It felt good to me, made me… I don't know. I could calm and center if I held it, even when I saw drow being very drow."
Almost twenty years in his father's keeping, and he still felt so much discomfort at what Zaknafein found pragmatic. Drizzt was more relieved than he had wanted to admit that his father had found a different way for him to explore living free.
He made himself meet Syluné's eyes, decided that yes, he did trust her enough for this, and pushed the figure to her. Vierna took one of his hands to help him stay calm, as the arch-mage studied the magical artifact.
"One moment, while I confer with an older expert," Syluné eventually said.
A few minutes later, a wizened man with a pipe emitting blue smoke and a crooked wizard's cap teleported to the spot within the wards used by the extensive family, striding over with a swiftness that belied his elderly appearance.
"You found the legendary Guenhwyvar?! By the stars, what a lucky man you must be," the wizard exclaimed, looking directly at Drizzt.
"My father found the figure, saer, and gave it to me for keeping," Drizzt said politely, even as his chest felt tight. A legendary thing? Surely they would take it from him now.
"You heard the name? Can you repeat it?" Syluné asked, as she slid the statuette back to him, making Drizzt's eyes widen, betraying his worst thoughts of them.
"I believe so."
"Guenhwyvar," the wizard said slowly. "You'll want to move to the clearing there; legend said she was nearly twice the size of a material plane panther."
Vierna watched her brother do just that, while the wizard took the vacated seat.
"Cleric Vierna, I take it? Good to meet you."
"You must be Elminster; I've heard stories," she told him, but her eyes never left her brother.
Drizzt was centering himself, and decided to sit on the ground, uncertain what size a normal panther would be. He left both hands on the figure, intently pushing his thoughts of being friends even as he said the unfamiliar name.
"Guenhwyvar, please come here," Drizzt said, unaware of how that courtesy word only elevated him further in the eyes of the two humans. A black mist formed from the warm statuette, and then… then there was the most magnificent cat, not a fleck of color in her fur but the deepest, truest black, and intelligent golden eyes that stared intently, weighing Drizzt to his bare soul.
"The figure remains, she did come… this is indeed Anders Beltgarden's masterwork, accidental as she was," Elminster murmured.
Drizzt heard none of the discussion at the table, his eyes fixed on the cat's for several heartbeats. Then, rising up only to his knees, he reached one hand out to her, transfixed by the hope he felt beating at him from the cat's own spirit.
"We are both of us free, here above, and can be friends, if you wish it," Drizzt said softly.
That brought Guenhwyvar close, sniffing the hand, before offering her full head for petting. She moved all the way into his space, and he devoted himself to finding all the itchy spots, to stroking that sleek fur, silently promising her that he was going to make sure she never regretted trusting him.
"I think they are both content?" Vierna said, awestruck by the massive predator and her slender brother bonding at a level that looked almost divine.
"I think that touch of wild in your brother may be opening them to a lifelong bond," Syluné said, catching whispers of a Weave around the pair. What was this boy that one goddess had thought to use him as a catspaw, and now he was invoking ranger gifts without any patron of his own?
Jarlaxle sighed loudly, feet up on the edge of Zaknafein's desk, but it was all for show. He'd known, ever since Drizzt had been in his keeping, that he would not have Zak's swords and skills forever.
"You'll keep the sending stone?"
"Of course. Will do my damnedest to make friends with a wizard that can get me places swiftly even," Zak told him.
"But your son — and your daughter! — are elsewhere, and you have more than repaid my investment."
"I still say you were still on the minus side in my ledger," Zak drawled, before they both started laughing.
"Alright, alright… but you're staying with me while I am here for this visit." Jarlaxle's one visible eye glinted, and he watched Zak's features take on that lustful danger he so loved.
"Might not get any work done," Zak rumbled, standing from his chair. That was the only invitation needed for more private activities.
Thyl himself came for Zaknafein, and made certain to teleport them when it was full night in Spirit Sanctuary. Vierna came to key the wards to allow her father inside.
"Drizzt is away with a teacher, but will return soon," Vierna told him, showing off the village on a tour that let everyone get a glimpse of the legend that had trained her and 'their ranger', as Drizzt was affectionately called. "He found a calling, and spends most of the warm months away from here now."
"I'd swear it's only been two years since I gave him to your care," Zak said gruffly.
"So it has been, but he's always in good hands when he leaves us," Vierna assured. "Drizzt is thriving in his chosen path, has this place as home, and a need to explore that we cannot — will not — hamper."
"If he's not with the ranger that is trusted to know this place exists," Thyl interjected, "he's with my aunt, who is also a ranger. Or her husband, another one."
"Hmph." Zak sighed, then shook his head. "So, tell me all about what I need to know, to make a place for myself here, and what my dancer has been up to on this path he's chosen."
"Gladly, father."
Rafi leaned against the rock, Zak not far from him, both of them watching as the siblings sparred with smiles on their faces.
"I thought life was pretty perfect to find Vierna, with all of her skills and drive, so that we could make a place safe for us out of the Underdark," Rafi murmured. "But then she brought her little brother here, and he's sparked so many smiles and laughter, helping even our most vulnerable ones move forward with hope just by being who he is.
"And we owe both of them existing to you, Zaknafein. You're damned amazing, to have survived so long, but you also are the reason they are as they are."
Zaknafein looked over at the other man, one he was settling into a true friendship with. "I might take credit for her… I tried to influence her as much as I could. But that faerie-souled boy is something else altogether," he said with a half-smile.
Rafi had to laugh; Drizzt was still strange, even here, but the strangeness made him more a part of them all, instead of less.
"I suppose that's fair. House Do'Urden lives… in three unusual drow that shredded the webs around them."
Zak's eyes gleamed, considering that a fine revenge on Malice for her unwillingness to change, even a little. "A fitting fate."
liminal
Apr. 26th, 2026 03:13 pmjazzfishI want to be reading What We Are Seeking (Cameron Reed's new book). It is extremely brain-intensive, though. After a week of gaming and not-sleeping-super-well on a hotel pillow, I am just not there.
Midway, aka Not O'Hare, is a perfectly decent little airport. I seem to be the only person I know without at least one O'Hare horror story, but then it's been over a decade since I've gone through there. Regardless, Midway's probably nicer. Also it seems that all airport wifi now has "watch a thirty-second ad before we let you connect," which both irritates me and makes me a little sad. And the glory of the world is less than it once was.
My iPad's charging port is dead yet again. The Enter key on my keyboard is failing to register sometimes. Bah, technology.
I'm in Midway for another couple of hours and then I fly to Minneapolis for a week. And on Friday I have an interview for a "document analyst" position, which sounds like "tech writer with extra steps." The interview is in-person, which I wasn't expecting; I'm just glad it's coming at a halfway convenient time. Sometime this week I shall have to go out and acquire Interview Clothes. This is less annoying than it might be since I don't actually own much in the way of Interview Clothes, at least not that fit.
I'm trying not to think too much about the interview. Not til I'm someplace where I can relax a bit more, anyway. It's with the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council, so it's an In to Local Government which is where I'd like to be. Per the job description it's got some GIS-esque stuff going on; and by my back-of-envelope calculations it pays enough to live on and save a bit. It would be nice, I think. It would certainly be nice to have one of my two Big Immediate Problems solved.
My fingers have been vaguely itchy for the viola the last several days. This is... it's new. I'm enjoying it. I left my violin at Steph's last time so I'll have some outlet / ability to practise, at least, and I've got a flashcard app so I can see how many tunes I can actually remember.
I wish I'd realised sooner how... how good musicking is for me? How it's something that can actually call to me? Something like that. I'm honestly a bit startled that anything does, let alone music. I'd just sort of assumed that Feeling Drawn To A Thing was yet another thing about me that doesn't work like everyone else.
And I don't know how I could have possibly gotten here, not just from where I was but from any plausible diversion from that. If my folks had let me take bass instead of cello, like I wanted to, I'd probably wind up playing bass guitar, which would be pretty cool but not really the same. If one of my early cello teachers had offered something outside of Standard Classical Repertoire... I might have gone somewhere with that? I really don't know. Water under the bridge, regardless. I wish I'd gotten to "here" sooner; I'm pretty happy with where I've gotten to.
Ann C--, a violinist who shared a teacher with me for several years in Fayetteville, pinged me last month to let me know that our teacher had died. I'd been vaguely intending to reach out to Dr Boyce and let her know that I'd picked up viola, but never got around to it. Every so often I try to look up Ms West née Wiley, the bassist/cellist that Dr Boyce handed me off to once I'd gotten past her level of expertise on cello, and I never manage to find anything on her. Tegen, my pre-plague viola teacher, has gotten married, moved down south, and started cranking out babies, Jesus aphorisms, and MLM crap, which is disappointing but not surprising. Musicians: just as human as everyone else. (Ann, incidentally, is also Jesusy, but she appears to at least be the kind of Jesusy that's appalled by the current mask-off Republican party.)
No real resolution to this, which seems fitting for something written in a liminal space. I think I shall go and try to find some tea, and sit and think and zone out for awhile.
Midway, aka Not O'Hare, is a perfectly decent little airport. I seem to be the only person I know without at least one O'Hare horror story, but then it's been over a decade since I've gone through there. Regardless, Midway's probably nicer. Also it seems that all airport wifi now has "watch a thirty-second ad before we let you connect," which both irritates me and makes me a little sad. And the glory of the world is less than it once was.
My iPad's charging port is dead yet again. The Enter key on my keyboard is failing to register sometimes. Bah, technology.
I'm in Midway for another couple of hours and then I fly to Minneapolis for a week. And on Friday I have an interview for a "document analyst" position, which sounds like "tech writer with extra steps." The interview is in-person, which I wasn't expecting; I'm just glad it's coming at a halfway convenient time. Sometime this week I shall have to go out and acquire Interview Clothes. This is less annoying than it might be since I don't actually own much in the way of Interview Clothes, at least not that fit.
I'm trying not to think too much about the interview. Not til I'm someplace where I can relax a bit more, anyway. It's with the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council, so it's an In to Local Government which is where I'd like to be. Per the job description it's got some GIS-esque stuff going on; and by my back-of-envelope calculations it pays enough to live on and save a bit. It would be nice, I think. It would certainly be nice to have one of my two Big Immediate Problems solved.
My fingers have been vaguely itchy for the viola the last several days. This is... it's new. I'm enjoying it. I left my violin at Steph's last time so I'll have some outlet / ability to practise, at least, and I've got a flashcard app so I can see how many tunes I can actually remember.
I wish I'd realised sooner how... how good musicking is for me? How it's something that can actually call to me? Something like that. I'm honestly a bit startled that anything does, let alone music. I'd just sort of assumed that Feeling Drawn To A Thing was yet another thing about me that doesn't work like everyone else.
And I don't know how I could have possibly gotten here, not just from where I was but from any plausible diversion from that. If my folks had let me take bass instead of cello, like I wanted to, I'd probably wind up playing bass guitar, which would be pretty cool but not really the same. If one of my early cello teachers had offered something outside of Standard Classical Repertoire... I might have gone somewhere with that? I really don't know. Water under the bridge, regardless. I wish I'd gotten to "here" sooner; I'm pretty happy with where I've gotten to.
Ann C--, a violinist who shared a teacher with me for several years in Fayetteville, pinged me last month to let me know that our teacher had died. I'd been vaguely intending to reach out to Dr Boyce and let her know that I'd picked up viola, but never got around to it. Every so often I try to look up Ms West née Wiley, the bassist/cellist that Dr Boyce handed me off to once I'd gotten past her level of expertise on cello, and I never manage to find anything on her. Tegen, my pre-plague viola teacher, has gotten married, moved down south, and started cranking out babies, Jesus aphorisms, and MLM crap, which is disappointing but not surprising. Musicians: just as human as everyone else. (Ann, incidentally, is also Jesusy, but she appears to at least be the kind of Jesusy that's appalled by the current mask-off Republican party.)
No real resolution to this, which seems fitting for something written in a liminal space. I think I shall go and try to find some tea, and sit and think and zone out for awhile.
My centre is collapsing,
my right is in retreat.
Impossible to manoeuvre.
Situation excellent.
I am attacking.
--Marshal Ferdinand Foch, First Battle of the Marne
Fox In The Garden
Apr. 26th, 2026 08:58 pmjazzy_daveFox In The Garden
by Jazzy D
The beans went quiet when he came
paw over paw through the runner poles,
no rustle, just a shifting of green
like breath pulled in.
He did not look at me.
Moss on his shoulders, night in his coat,
he was counting the fallen plums
with a scholar’s tilt of the head.
My trowel sat in the dirt, useless.
What is a garden but a table set
for someone hungrier than you?
He took one fruit, the wasp-marked one
I’d meant to throw. No thanks, no theft—
just the old agreement, renewed.
Then through the gap in the hawthorn,
where the light gives out,
he poured himself back into twilight.
After, the blackbirds started again,
and the beans remembered how to nod.
I left the rest of the plums
exactly where they were.
(Inspired by seeing Charlie the fox in my brother's garden)
by Jazzy D
The beans went quiet when he came
paw over paw through the runner poles,
no rustle, just a shifting of green
like breath pulled in.
He did not look at me.
Moss on his shoulders, night in his coat,
he was counting the fallen plums
with a scholar’s tilt of the head.
My trowel sat in the dirt, useless.
What is a garden but a table set
for someone hungrier than you?
He took one fruit, the wasp-marked one
I’d meant to throw. No thanks, no theft—
just the old agreement, renewed.
Then through the gap in the hawthorn,
where the light gives out,
he poured himself back into twilight.
After, the blackbirds started again,
and the beans remembered how to nod.
I left the rest of the plums
exactly where they were.
(Inspired by seeing Charlie the fox in my brother's garden)
Another day...
Apr. 26th, 2026 12:45 pmhalfshellvenusanother staged assassination attempt. :( What's really at issue? Distracting peole from the war in Iran and the Epstein files. Not to mention grift and treason, but who's counting?
In lighter news, Sacramento is still in the off-again/on-again rain cycle. A few days of biking outdoors, a few days in the garage. This is keeping the summer heat at bay, though, so I'll take it. May is coming, and that can be the start of hell. Or not. We got married on May 20, some almost 37 years ago. It was a beautiful day, about 80F. On our first anniversary, it poured all weekend. Other years? 90-100F. There's no way of knowing until you're in it.
We watched Beckett last night with The Boy, which was entertaining but another reminder that Denzel Washington's son will probably never have a huge career because he looks like his mother rather than his father. Pleasant, but not distinctive. Then HalfshellHusband and I watched Happiness For Beginners, which I always thought was a Simon Pegg movie. It was not— different flavor altogether— but we enjoyed it. Gorgeous scenery.
( Books )
Speaking of which, there are ads now for eyedrops you can use to temporarily remove the need for reading glasses. Ullhhhh... That seems kind of risky to me. I used to have daily contact lenses that would sharpen my right-eye vision and make my left eye work for short distances. But I always wound up taking the left lens out when I biked, because otherwise I couldn't see the traffic behind me clearly enough to know if it was safe to merge left. And most of my reading now is either computer screen or Kindle, and the Kindle lets me adjust the font size up and down!
The medical miracles I want have to do with weight control (currently ineligible) and shedding less hair. I've seen a little improvement on that last issue. My sister bought and then didn't use about 6 months' worth of Nutrafol, which she passed along to me. AFAIK, it isn't helping the corners of my lower eyelashes grow back, but it HAS reduced the amount of hair that comes off in the shower. Possibly due to the extra iodine— added to my multivitamin, I'm at 250% RDA. \o? My doctor won't raise my thyroid levels (which I think would help BOTH issues), so maybe this is a small workaround? It may also be helping my energy levels and mental clarity a little, both of which can suffer with low thyroid.
What's everyone been doing this weekend?
In lighter news, Sacramento is still in the off-again/on-again rain cycle. A few days of biking outdoors, a few days in the garage. This is keeping the summer heat at bay, though, so I'll take it. May is coming, and that can be the start of hell. Or not. We got married on May 20, some almost 37 years ago. It was a beautiful day, about 80F. On our first anniversary, it poured all weekend. Other years? 90-100F. There's no way of knowing until you're in it.
We watched Beckett last night with The Boy, which was entertaining but another reminder that Denzel Washington's son will probably never have a huge career because he looks like his mother rather than his father. Pleasant, but not distinctive. Then HalfshellHusband and I watched Happiness For Beginners, which I always thought was a Simon Pegg movie. It was not— different flavor altogether— but we enjoyed it. Gorgeous scenery.
( Books )
Speaking of which, there are ads now for eyedrops you can use to temporarily remove the need for reading glasses. Ullhhhh... That seems kind of risky to me. I used to have daily contact lenses that would sharpen my right-eye vision and make my left eye work for short distances. But I always wound up taking the left lens out when I biked, because otherwise I couldn't see the traffic behind me clearly enough to know if it was safe to merge left. And most of my reading now is either computer screen or Kindle, and the Kindle lets me adjust the font size up and down!
The medical miracles I want have to do with weight control (currently ineligible) and shedding less hair. I've seen a little improvement on that last issue. My sister bought and then didn't use about 6 months' worth of Nutrafol, which she passed along to me. AFAIK, it isn't helping the corners of my lower eyelashes grow back, but it HAS reduced the amount of hair that comes off in the shower. Possibly due to the extra iodine— added to my multivitamin, I'm at 250% RDA. \o? My doctor won't raise my thyroid levels (which I think would help BOTH issues), so maybe this is a small workaround? It may also be helping my energy levels and mental clarity a little, both of which can suffer with low thyroid.
What's everyone been doing this weekend?
3Weeks4Dreamwidth: B is for Belladonna
Apr. 26th, 2026 03:25 pmstonepicnicking_okapiA is for Agatha Chrstie.
B is for Belladonna.
Here's a fun anecdote from A is for Arsenic: The poisons of Agatha Christie by Kathryn Markup.
In 1977, a Frenchman added eyedrop solution (atropine, the dominant toxic compound in belladonna) to a bottle of wine and gave it to his uncle intending to kill a friend of his uncle's. The intended victim didn't drink the wine, but the uncle and aunt did, much later. Uncle died, aunt in coma. No foul play suspected until a carpenter and the uncle's son-in-law stop by the house to put uncle's body in the coffin and drank some wine (like you do) and ended up going to hospital.
Here's where it gets eye-rolling...police found a copy of Agatha Christie's Thirteen Problems where Miss Marple solves a case of eyedrop solution as poison...and the relevant sections were underlined.
Hey, kids, make sure you tidy up your research when you're trying to top somebody...hmmm?
B is for Belladonna.
Here's a fun anecdote from A is for Arsenic: The poisons of Agatha Christie by Kathryn Markup.
In 1977, a Frenchman added eyedrop solution (atropine, the dominant toxic compound in belladonna) to a bottle of wine and gave it to his uncle intending to kill a friend of his uncle's. The intended victim didn't drink the wine, but the uncle and aunt did, much later. Uncle died, aunt in coma. No foul play suspected until a carpenter and the uncle's son-in-law stop by the house to put uncle's body in the coffin and drank some wine (like you do) and ended up going to hospital.
Here's where it gets eye-rolling...police found a copy of Agatha Christie's Thirteen Problems where Miss Marple solves a case of eyedrop solution as poison...and the relevant sections were underlined.
Hey, kids, make sure you tidy up your research when you're trying to top somebody...hmmm?
Dinosaurs!!
Apr. 26th, 2026 10:55 amsholioI'm reading a book on recent research on dinosaur evolution (The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte - apparently he has a book on bird evolution coming out soon and I'm definitely picking that up when I can) and it is blowing my miiiiiiind.
For example!
Did you know birds don't have hollow bones because they evolved them to fly? Birds have hollow bones because dinosaurs (saurians in particular - like Brontosaurus type creatures - but some of the other lineages as well) evolved them because it gave them an edge on growing large without being overly heavy, cooling themselves, and efficiently extracting oxygen from the air to support their enormous bodies. The super-efficient lungs that birds have were also a dinosaur adaptation to being big in hot climates, not a bird adaptation to flight. So basically, birds have ultralight bones and efficient lungs not because they evolved them to fly, but because dinosaurs needed these things in order to grow huge, and this turned out to be incidentally useful in radiating out into aerial niches when they began to evolve wings.
I also find it a fascinating experience to read this paleontology book when I've done so much reading on archaeology as a hobby interest. Archaeology books go into great depth on careful excavation techniques, sifting all the tiny bits of material and keeping everything in its proper location, and how incredibly tragic it is that so many sites of the past were excavated carelessly and so all of that information on the relative positioning of discoveries and small bits of material is lost ...
Meanwhile, paleontologists: so we took our hammers and started hacking up this rock formation to get the bones out. :D Also a local rancher sold us a dinosaur skeleton he found!!
(I mean I'm exaggerating a bit and the huge time difference is important, but also, lol.)
Another thing I was thinking about in one particular chapter, though the book doesn't address it specifically, is something I've thought about before, which is that we assume some creatures are primitive representations of what their kind used to look like, when in fact they are perfectly well adapted to their current niche, and their ancestors looked nothing like that. Alligators and crocodiles are the thing I was thinking of here - they look primitive, with those sprawling legs and inefficient means of walking, but in fact, early crocodiles hundreds of millions of years ago had their legs under the body and could sprint like a greyhound. (Which is terrifying, by the way.) They look like they do now, not because they could never run - they could! - but because other, more efficient dry-land runners out-competed them and they lost the running ability and retreated into the amphibious predator niche that they currently occupy.
Another example of this, not from this book - recent research on the human evolutionary tree suggests (at least according to one book I was reading a while back on the Miocene period) that the ancestor of both humans and chimpanzees was a sort of generalist creature, a couple of tens of million years back, that could both climb trees and walk upright. Humans ended up adapting to the walking/striding niche and losing the tree climbing, while chimpanzees did the opposite, adapted to climbing trees and became much less efficient at moving about on the ground. So rather than descending from a chimpanzee-like tree climber, we and chimpanzees are both specialized creatures who do not resemble our common ancestor all that much.
I just love this kind of thing.
For example!
Did you know birds don't have hollow bones because they evolved them to fly? Birds have hollow bones because dinosaurs (saurians in particular - like Brontosaurus type creatures - but some of the other lineages as well) evolved them because it gave them an edge on growing large without being overly heavy, cooling themselves, and efficiently extracting oxygen from the air to support their enormous bodies. The super-efficient lungs that birds have were also a dinosaur adaptation to being big in hot climates, not a bird adaptation to flight. So basically, birds have ultralight bones and efficient lungs not because they evolved them to fly, but because dinosaurs needed these things in order to grow huge, and this turned out to be incidentally useful in radiating out into aerial niches when they began to evolve wings.
I also find it a fascinating experience to read this paleontology book when I've done so much reading on archaeology as a hobby interest. Archaeology books go into great depth on careful excavation techniques, sifting all the tiny bits of material and keeping everything in its proper location, and how incredibly tragic it is that so many sites of the past were excavated carelessly and so all of that information on the relative positioning of discoveries and small bits of material is lost ...
Meanwhile, paleontologists: so we took our hammers and started hacking up this rock formation to get the bones out. :D Also a local rancher sold us a dinosaur skeleton he found!!
(I mean I'm exaggerating a bit and the huge time difference is important, but also, lol.)
Another thing I was thinking about in one particular chapter, though the book doesn't address it specifically, is something I've thought about before, which is that we assume some creatures are primitive representations of what their kind used to look like, when in fact they are perfectly well adapted to their current niche, and their ancestors looked nothing like that. Alligators and crocodiles are the thing I was thinking of here - they look primitive, with those sprawling legs and inefficient means of walking, but in fact, early crocodiles hundreds of millions of years ago had their legs under the body and could sprint like a greyhound. (Which is terrifying, by the way.) They look like they do now, not because they could never run - they could! - but because other, more efficient dry-land runners out-competed them and they lost the running ability and retreated into the amphibious predator niche that they currently occupy.
Another example of this, not from this book - recent research on the human evolutionary tree suggests (at least according to one book I was reading a while back on the Miocene period) that the ancestor of both humans and chimpanzees was a sort of generalist creature, a couple of tens of million years back, that could both climb trees and walk upright. Humans ended up adapting to the walking/striding niche and losing the tree climbing, while chimpanzees did the opposite, adapted to climbing trees and became much less efficient at moving about on the ground. So rather than descending from a chimpanzee-like tree climber, we and chimpanzees are both specialized creatures who do not resemble our common ancestor all that much.
I just love this kind of thing.
Done This Week
Apr. 26th, 2026 12:18 pmscrubjayspeaksWell, this has been a needlessly eventful week. On Monday, Pepper encountered a skunk in the backyard, which had snuck in while mum was cleaning the duck’s coop. She only got lightly sprayed, so while she is still a stink beast, it’s not unlivable to have her in the house. *sigh* We’ve barricaded the spots where it was slipping under the fence. There isn’t anything especially enticing in the yard, so hopefully that will be enough to encourage it to explore elsewhere.
Meanwhile, I now have a new ISP. We had been on AT&T, who has our landline. They are doing mandatory upgrades and demanded more money and a change in hardware. Considering their service had been laughably awful and we’ve been relying on a hotspot loan system at the local library, we told them to go fuck themselves. (Which took several rounds, because the first person we talked to absolutely refused to believe that we had internet service through them, despite it being right there on the monthly billing statement.)
That hotspot system is through T-Mobile, and we had been pretty happy with it, considering it was free to us. That’s also who has our cell service. So we ended up switching to them. The internet is now MUCH faster and a fair bit cheaper than what we had before and MUCH cheaper than what AT&T was demanding. So!
Lewisia: 3 new pieces written
Day job: 43.75 hours
Cooking: the tumblr Assyrian baked rice (I really appreciated the food science explanation about scented rices and the cooking process, I have never gotten long-grain rice to turn out right before), mushroom pâté (definitely not just a highly seasoned pile of mushroom mud, no sir), almond croissant bread from KAF (holy shit, fantastic)
Crafting: took measurements and calculated material needs for building a replacement set of steps for the back porch, as the current ones are succumbing to time and weather
Gardening: dug four holes to plant the various salvias and other wildflower shrubs that have been languishing in pots for...way too long, wheeled out more loads of compost to the pumpkin patch area
Reading: Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher (...Ursula, what the fuck...really good and really gross), Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (another entry in the list of classic novels that become suddenly accessible to me when in audio form, I should see if I can stand Jane Austen this way)
Watching: finished Stranger Things season 2
Listening: HADES by Melanie Martinez (new album, she has yet to disappoint me)
Playing: oh, okay, so I’m like...nowhere at all into Pokopia’s storyline, got it, will pace myself accordingly
Clock Mouse: 104 minutes of planning work, plus 1605 words written
Other: set up new internet gateway
Meanwhile, I now have a new ISP. We had been on AT&T, who has our landline. They are doing mandatory upgrades and demanded more money and a change in hardware. Considering their service had been laughably awful and we’ve been relying on a hotspot loan system at the local library, we told them to go fuck themselves. (Which took several rounds, because the first person we talked to absolutely refused to believe that we had internet service through them, despite it being right there on the monthly billing statement.)
That hotspot system is through T-Mobile, and we had been pretty happy with it, considering it was free to us. That’s also who has our cell service. So we ended up switching to them. The internet is now MUCH faster and a fair bit cheaper than what we had before and MUCH cheaper than what AT&T was demanding. So!
Lewisia: 3 new pieces written
Day job: 43.75 hours
Cooking: the tumblr Assyrian baked rice (I really appreciated the food science explanation about scented rices and the cooking process, I have never gotten long-grain rice to turn out right before), mushroom pâté (definitely not just a highly seasoned pile of mushroom mud, no sir), almond croissant bread from KAF (holy shit, fantastic)
Crafting: took measurements and calculated material needs for building a replacement set of steps for the back porch, as the current ones are succumbing to time and weather
Gardening: dug four holes to plant the various salvias and other wildflower shrubs that have been languishing in pots for...way too long, wheeled out more loads of compost to the pumpkin patch area
Reading: Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher (...Ursula, what the fuck...really good and really gross), Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (another entry in the list of classic novels that become suddenly accessible to me when in audio form, I should see if I can stand Jane Austen this way)
Watching: finished Stranger Things season 2
Listening: HADES by Melanie Martinez (new album, she has yet to disappoint me)
Playing: oh, okay, so I’m like...nowhere at all into Pokopia’s storyline, got it, will pace myself accordingly
Clock Mouse: 104 minutes of planning work, plus 1605 words written
Other: set up new internet gateway
Culinary
Apr. 26th, 2026 07:48 pmoursinThis week's bread: the Collister/Blake My Favourite Loaf, strong white/wholemeal/wholemeal spelt, turned out very nice.
Friday night supper: ven pongal (South Indian khichchari).
Saturday breakfast rolls: basic buttermilk, 3:1 strong white/buckwheat flour.
Today's lunch: Cornish hake fillets rubbed with salt, ground black pepper, lime juice and ginger paste and left for couple of hours then panfried, and sprinkled with the remaining juices on the plate at the end; served with miniature baby potatoes roasted in beef dripping, baked San Marzano tomatoes and stirfried choi sum.
The Biggles TV Series
Apr. 26th, 2026 06:28 pmrosanicusAs yet another method of novel work procrastination (really don't want to replan this stupid line graphs lesson, but alas...) I have spent the weekend once again scouring the internet for information about the Biggles series. And this time I have actually FOUND THINGS!!
You may already be aware that back in 2024 an episode of the show was uploaded to Youtube. At the time I left an effusive comment and was informed that the rest of the show was extant, but the uploader only had that one single episode. Said episode was pretty naff, and Biggles doesn't even show up until almost eight minutes into a twenty four minute episode. It's not helped by the fact that it's the final of three parts, so we all lack the context necessary to truly appreciate the tragedy of the sinking toy boat.
( Read more... )
You may already be aware that back in 2024 an episode of the show was uploaded to Youtube. At the time I left an effusive comment and was informed that the rest of the show was extant, but the uploader only had that one single episode. Said episode was pretty naff, and Biggles doesn't even show up until almost eight minutes into a twenty four minute episode. It's not helped by the fact that it's the final of three parts, so we all lack the context necessary to truly appreciate the tragedy of the sinking toy boat.
( Read more... )
Catholic church question, early 1700s
Apr. 26th, 2026 01:06 pmdinogrrl posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
little_detailsI'm (still) writing a fantasy story set in early 18th century Venice, and there's several scenes of the main character and her family attending Mass or otherwise being inside their church. It's not a big cathedral, more like a well-attended neighborhood church.
My question is probably very stupid but where the heck do the men put their hats while attending Mass or whatever else they're in there for? Do they just like, put their hats beside themselves on their seats? Or just hold onto them on their laps or some other way? Or would your average 18th century Catholic church have a sort of coat room or somesuch? My google-fu is failing in finding a church layout from that time period or text explanation, though I did find a good article about priests wearing wigs...
My question is probably very stupid but where the heck do the men put their hats while attending Mass or whatever else they're in there for? Do they just like, put their hats beside themselves on their seats? Or just hold onto them on their laps or some other way? Or would your average 18th century Catholic church have a sort of coat room or somesuch? My google-fu is failing in finding a church layout from that time period or text explanation, though I did find a good article about priests wearing wigs...
3 Weeks for Dreamwidth - Writing offer & meme
Apr. 26th, 2026 01:22 pmpetraFirst off, an offer for 3weeks4dreamwidth -- prompt me for a drabble or a poem (probably a limerick) in a fandom or crossover of fandoms that I know, any time in the next three weeks, and ye shall receive!
For those of you who have oft perused my fandom's list, the new entry is: T. Kingfisher's Paladins series, #1-3. I have not dug into the whole universe yet and I have #4 on hold from the library, but I got distracted when it took a while to come in.
*
In honor of3weeks4dreamwidth, a meme that sanguinity gakked from regshoe, who had it from goodbyebird:
Reply to this post saying 'icon', and I will tell you my favourite icon of yours. Then post this to your own journal using your own favourite icon if you're one of those inhuman things that are actually capable of choosing betweenYOUR PRECIOUS BABIES! userpics.
*
Regarding my favorite icon, which is the one I use Everywhere, I have finally gotten around to putting the source page's relevant bit on Dreamwidth:
I don't remember why I saturated it slightly more than the original art. I guess I needed the red to pop.
Tim is just So Heterosexual. Absolutely. Why would anyone ever think otherwise? Seriously, DC Editorial, took ya long enough.
Also, I cannot read that page without wanting Dick/Babs/Tim, and I cannot think of that threesome without thinking ofminoanmiss, so I guess now my default icon comes with heartache. That definitely doesn't mean I'm going to change it -- I know the grief will become more nost and less algia in time -- but right now, damn.
3weeks4dreamwidth -- prompt me for a drabble or a poem (probably a limerick) in a fandom or crossover of fandoms that I know, any time in the next three weeks, and ye shall receive!For those of you who have oft perused my fandom's list, the new entry is: T. Kingfisher's Paladins series, #1-3. I have not dug into the whole universe yet and I have #4 on hold from the library, but I got distracted when it took a while to come in.
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In honor of
3weeks4dreamwidth, a meme that sanguinity gakked from regshoe, who had it from goodbyebird:Reply to this post saying 'icon', and I will tell you my favourite icon of yours. Then post this to your own journal using your own favourite icon if you're one of those inhuman things that are actually capable of choosing between
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Regarding my favorite icon, which is the one I use Everywhere, I have finally gotten around to putting the source page's relevant bit on Dreamwidth:
I don't remember why I saturated it slightly more than the original art. I guess I needed the red to pop.
Tim is just So Heterosexual. Absolutely. Why would anyone ever think otherwise? Seriously, DC Editorial, took ya long enough.
Also, I cannot read that page without wanting Dick/Babs/Tim, and I cannot think of that threesome without thinking of
minoanmiss, so I guess now my default icon comes with heartache. That definitely doesn't mean I'm going to change it -- I know the grief will become more nost and less algia in time -- but right now, damn.Spring Drabble 26/30: Buffy, Consultation
Apr. 26th, 2026 06:37 pmkat_lair***
Title: Consultation
Author:kat_lair
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Buffy/Willow or Buffy & Willow
Tags: Drabble, Shippy Gen, Advice, Magic, Post-Canon
Rating: G
Word count: 100
Summary: “Wow. I would’ve given it more than, what, six months?”
Author notes: Spring defiance from under the crushing forces of capitalism = a drabble a day in April. This one forkitarella_imagines who requested Buffy with someone not Angel or Spike :)
Consultation on AO3
( Consultation )
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Title: Consultation
Author:
kat_lair Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Buffy/Willow or Buffy & Willow
Tags: Drabble, Shippy Gen, Advice, Magic, Post-Canon
Rating: G
Word count: 100
Summary: “Wow. I would’ve given it more than, what, six months?”
Author notes: Spring defiance from under the crushing forces of capitalism = a drabble a day in April. This one for
kitarella_imagines who requested Buffy with someone not Angel or Spike :)Consultation on AO3
( Consultation )
***