(06-14-2020, 05:02 PM)Norgarth Wrote: A Thing of Vikings

Quote:…this is not to say that all of Ingerman's early espionage actions were missteps.  While her first year as Berk's spymaster featured a large number of missed opportunities, other opportunities were seized on, including the creation of a network of information gatherers paralleling the initial Dragon Mail routes and the uncovering of several plots against Berk.  Still, her early focus was, unsurprisingly, more on the recruitment of information sources and potential field agents.  It was not until later that the need for analysts and organizational clerks became apparent in the face of the scope of Berk's potential fields of interest across Europe and beyond.

These early days of the North Sea Empire's intelligence services offer a valuable case study in the field of espionage when it comes to the scale of an intelligence service.  Many of the feudal spymasters of the European kingdoms were around Ingerman's initial levels of sophistication, but their concerns tended to be provincial at the behest of their feudal lords and thus needed no further sophistication beyond what could be handled by a single person or at most a small group of people.  Berk, in aiming for a sphere of influence spanning an entire continent and beyond, required an espionage service scaled to suit.  As such, seeing the early failures and successes of Ingerman's tenure—and the inspirations and lessons that she drew upon, from her husband, her mentor, her fellow agents, and even the more sophisticated espionage services of the Byzantine Empire, the Vatican, and beyond—is a potent reminder of not overreaching one's institutions and structuring them to fit the actual needs facing that institution.

—Statecraft: The Great Game Of Diplomacy, Espionage & War By Other Means, 1732, Rouen University Press

https://archiveofourown.org/works/10408971/chapters/59738542#workskin

Quote:Chapter Trigger Warnings : Explicit Threat/Attempt of Non-Con, Explicit Act of Execution, Explicit Act of Torture. (Just... be careful in the Berserker scenes, okay?)

Quote:Eloise sighed. “I've tried birthday parties, holidays, Christmas, and I can't seem to keep the feeling in my head? Maybe if I tried at Christmas?”

“Dementors aren't going to attack you only at Christmas.” I sat down on the ground and rested my chin on my knees.

“But if they do, I'll be ready to save Christmas!” Oliver shouted and put his hands up in fake triumph. The thought must have inspired him, because he cast the spell again and then to our astonishment a silvery hummingbird emerged from the end of his wand.

We stared in gobsmacked astonishment as the tiny silver hummingbird flitted about the room curiously.

“Did you...” I opened my mouth. Closed it. Cleared my throat, and then tried again. “Did you manage to cast a Patronus from only the thought that you could someday maybe be called upon to save Christmas?”

Quote:I pointed towards Luna's shirt. “What's Siren's Song?

“Oh, it's my favorite band. They're a ghost pirate band.”

Everything within me; mind, body and soul grounded to a halt.

“Whaaaaat?” I gasped.

“They're ghost pirates who play in a rock band. It's a bit out of fashion but I still like them,” Luna shrugged.

OH. MY. GOD.

“What?!”

Hermione paused scribbling on her paper and looked at me. “Are you okay?”

“THERE'S. A. GHOST. PIRATE. BAND?!”

Quote:A small team undertakes a new mission to Vertex One.

(06-19-2020, 04:18 PM)Mamorien Wrote: Time once again for Shattered Skies: The Morning Lights, the continuing sto~ry of a former magical mascot who has gone to the dogs.

Quote:A small team undertakes a new mission to Vertex One.

Which is to say that Chibi-Usa and Hotaru, accompanied by Sakura and Madoka, go to Azabu10ban on a Witch hunt.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/2449097/chapters/59975338
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10756548/48/Shattered-Skies-The-Morning-Lights
deviantArt post was pending last I checked my notifications there.

BHSdesk Wrote:DA Eclipse makes submitting literature completely unworkable. If this infuriates you as much as it infuriates me, please use the feedback feature and let them know, as often as possible.

BHSdesk also Wrote:Sorry, but until DA fixes the literature submission system, this is going to be the standard way I post chapters from now on.

Travolore Wrote:With their situation becoming untenable on Mustafar Kara and Cal make plans to escape. Meanwhile Malya and Phara find there convictions being challenged...

(06-28-2020, 01:53 PM)classicdrogn Wrote: Malicean's Welcome to the Club updated again, finally wrapping up the fancy ball celebrating Vader turning civilian authority in the Empire over to Princess Organa. The new plot thread (aside from the ongoing politics of winning the peace of course) appears to be the Vader family making a trip to renew connections with Clan Naberrie, with a side trip to Tattoine to see about a promise long left unfulfilled.