iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 11h

#WIPSnips October 6 rice Andy, a human mec who ... (it's complicated) has been left on lookout after his team has landed at an abandoned space port on the planet Dh-urghmor. From "Tales of Midbar: Children's Crusade" - encourage me, click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/628012

Background: A spaceship near an Earth-like planet.

I flew up to the top of one of the ancient spaceships, to get a good view of the surrounding area. This thing's hull turned out to be slippery and I had to stand carefully right at the very top. For a while, nothing happened apart from the giants digging detritus to turn into spaceship fuel. I wondered what the issue was with using electronics. Then I noticed a couple of human-shaped things at 37 °C lurking on the edge of what had probably been the landing pad. I shouted a Universal Human greeting at them in what I hoped would be a friendly way but they just ran away.

A thought occurred to me and a few minutes later, when the giants seemed to be otherwise occupied, I pulled something very small, the size of a grain of rice, from my naval. I casually threw it away. It was a constructor, programmed to make a mec the size of a honey bee, which would attach itself to the outside of our ship and hopefully get a good look at the dragon of whatever it was, which had brought us to this solar system.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 16h

He killed one of the Mysterious Monsters who'd been captured while Haprihagfen were interrogating her. "Tales of Midbar: Ghost Mage" - update! kind of makes sense for Oct 7th. www.inkitt.com/stories/6320... What's the name of the police mage who questions Miandri? #writtingcommunity #sciencefiction

A futuristic ship sailing on the sea with a large, red sun on the horizon.

The picture is from Night Cafe and is meant to be the Eek Eek sailing west as Aleph rises in the east.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#WIPSnips October 5 wall Eleprin, against advice, has returned to her home town of Ermish with some new friends. From "Tales of Midbar: Heretical Gods" - If you like this, click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/497649

Background: A bus station in the rain at night.

I'd never liked this cafe, it was full of poor people who relied on buses to get around. Sorry if that sounds snobby but a lot of them were rather dubious types. I now realized that it also had rather oppressive, depressing vibes.

"I think this is part of the weird weather they think is related to the Prophesied Ruination," said Printorac.

"Is it me or are we getting a lot of thunderstorms?" I asked.

We'd seen about four since we'd left Minris.

"I think there are more than normal," said Printorac.

The waitress was named Jicra, I remembered her as the older sister of one of my school friends. She showed little interest in dealing with us and showed no sign of recognizing me. I was horrified to notice a poster on the wall showing a picture of my family and one showing me how they thought I'd look now. They'd given me long hair and it looked younger than I actually looked. The caption said, WANTED FOR DISOBEDIENCE TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND INSULTING TIANAMET. Indratar was actually insulted by her temple having prostitutes or even having a temple at all. Fortunately, Werdil and Mel didn't seem to notice the poster. I think they were as tired as the rest of us and even Mel wasn't asking lots of questions.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#TFOTSnip October 5 cooperation Clindar, Dwendra and Ice have teleported into vice-president Guldren's bedroom to give him some disturbing news. From "Tales of Midbar: Secret Priest" - If you like this, click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/200642

Background: A large, conical temple.

Guldrin gasped, "What? He has bodyguards."

"They weren't effective against the monsters. He left one outside the grotto and he was the only one to survive. This means that you're now effectively the president, although it may take a while to make it official, as the Grotto of Faratondikh collapsed. That's not really my area of expertise. It also means that Benai Nibeyim's emergency decapitation protocols are now in effect."

I stepped back and Dwendra stepped forward. "I art Dwendra, the new Grand Farmer of Benai Nibeyim, as the protocols maketh me the Grand Vinegrower. Pax and probably Midbar art now at war with the monsters."

"War!" gasped Guldrin. "There are what, thirty of them!"

"We don't know," said Ice. "They seem to have recruited some ancients and at least one Benai Nibeyim leader so they may be able to increase their numbers by recruitment. They also have at least one flying vehicle but we don't know if it can make orbit or if they're likely to get reinforcements from off-planet."

"You are?" asked Guldrin.

"Ice, apostle of Haprihagfen."

"What?"

"It art important that we avoideth conflict with each other," said Dwendra, "so I art initiating a policy of cooperation between Benai Nibeyim and Haprihagfen. Pax also art at war with Nuhara but your government hath chosen to ignoreth that." She held out a computer data chip in front of Guldrin. "This containeth all the data we hath collected relating unto the monsters, including footage of the Minris and Grotto of Faratondikh attacks. I suggest you provideth this information unto the military."

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Another Aeonium grown from mixed seed photographed in June 2025. I think this one may be A. canariensis (which is a bit of a silly name, as most Aeoniums are native to the Canary Islands). #aeonium #crassulaceae #succulentplant #gardening

A small, potted plant with a rosette of fleshy, green leaves on a short stem.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#WIPSnips October 4 contract Pre-teen, Eleprin and her parents are helping to run a hotel. Some new guests are arriving. From "Tales of Midbar: Religious Intolerance" - If you like this, click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/618270

Background: A blonde woman with brown skin wearing a sari.

The girl ran up to the desk, holding two suit cases, spun around smiling the most stunning display of big, white teeth I've ever seen and staring with big, grey eyes. "Ta-da! The great mage Yoldasia and her beautiful daughter and apprentice Miandri make their spectacular entrance! I believe we have reservations!"

"Calm down Miandri!" said the older woman who was presumably Yoldasia.

"I'm Eleprin and I'm important and I'm going to be a mage."

Yoldasia approached the desc more slowly as Miandri looked at our computer screens.
"There have been multiple Vineyard magises alive at the same time in the past," she said, pointing at Vritan's computer, "but now, well there's probably just one who's eight years old." She stared at me with eyes that seemed to see into my soul. "You may know her. The Vineyard magis is always female, always an anavah! The other magises are always nibeyim but can be either sex."

Vritan gave Miandri a cross look and said, "Well genius, anavim are very rare, I doubt there are any in Minris and the same goes for magises. I've lived in this town all my life and I've never met either."

"Would you know?" asked Miandri.

"Just give me the contract and don't mind my daughter," said Yoldasia.

Vritan printed off the contract from Yoldasia's reservation and had her sign it while Miandri looked at her computer. "You know you're making the normal mistake of assuming that all magic is Associate Magic."

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#WIPSnips October 2 dent The opening of "Tales of Midbar: Poisoned Well" - If you like this, click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/635659 Is this a good way to start?

Background: A large mansion with lots of trees around it and a pond.

Transcript from Spyglass Pax, Season 1, Episode 2

Close-up of Trindi Gratna's face (she has red skin and wavy, yellow, metallic hair).

Trindi: (Speaking Angrol) Well, I made it through Sendracil City, from the Golden Sands wormhole to the Pax wormhole without mysteriously disappearing as women tend to do there. Now here I am in a whole new universe, so what am I going to do? Well, there's a war raging on this version of Midbar and a messy political situation following a huge terrorist attack recently so, obviously, I'm going to a wedding, but not just any wedding.

Pull out to show a picturesque village with lush vegetation and sapphires in the sky. There's a bus parked near the center of the village with some, mostly brown-skinned, women wearing saris standing near it. Farther out, there's two rather dented buses with some people in grey robes standing around them. The camera quickly pans past them.

Trindi: Pax has an aristocratic class called the High Families, who are supposed to be descended from the first-class passengers on the starship which brought humans to Midbar 15 millennia ago.

Plentari: (Out of shot) I'd have thought everybody in this version of Midbar would be descended from them by now, well, except for a few off-planeters and interdimentionals.

Trindi: Well you'd know all about that. The High Families have patriarchs called Trustees who are supposed to be male-line descendants from the first-class passengers.

Plentari: Although sometimes one only fathers daughters so the next Trustee is a son of one of them.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

"Do you know what happens to some boys on their thirteenth birthday?" "Tales of Midbar: Poisoned Well" - Special new chapter for the end of Sukkot! www.inkitt.com/stories/6356... Who does Gandrin think the Gift-Filler's question refers to? #writtingcommunity #sciencefiction

A large, square temple seen for above. with a large building at the center top. There are other building in the center and around the edges.

For the promotional picture I made a model in Blender based on a description in a famous book. Then I rendered it and edited it a bit in Gimp. This really leaves a lot to be desired. It's meant to be Kledris temple seen from above.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#WIPSnips October 1 injury Eleprin and Printorac have been called on to help young aristocrat, Quigly, who's been mysteriously hurt. From "Tales of Midbar: Ghost Mage" - if you like this, click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/635659

$Background: A town of pyramids with big flames between them. "We'd like to know how he was injured," said Luafren. "We were attacked but had date rape spells put on us. Only Quigly was physically hurt and there was no sexual interference." "It looks to me as if somebody, or something, grabbed your left arm, dislocated your shoulder, broke the ulna and radius, and dropped you off a building," I pondered. "No that doesn't really fit." "We were on the ground at the time," said Quigly. "We think it must have been the quippas Narsommug hired recently but he won't do anything if we can't prove it. Come on, we were at our machine repair shop right near Western Minerals Research! That's where Narsommug's quippas work." "No, stabbing or sexual interference," I said. "Strange fighting style. What? Grab very hard, pull, throw? Why grab your left arm unless you had it raised?" I danced round the room trying to act out what I thought the attacker had done to Quigly. Who could crush a strong man's arm bones? They must have thrown him with some force to cause the fractures in his foot and hand and his neck had taken an impact too with the result that two vertebre were fractured, this was his most serious injury. Then it struck me that the attacker had to be tall, very fast and very strong, probably with martial arts training, and I only knew of one person who fitted that description. "Nothing about your injuries that looks terribly Nuhara," I said. "Not all quippas are Nuharas," snapped Annu. "If these quippas aren't Nuharas, why do you suspect them of violence?" I asked.$

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Reposted by Richard Pearman

ebisback.bsky.social @ebisback.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Pathetic and Insanity 😡 I've been there.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

A little Aeonium that was grown from mixed seed and so far unidentified. This is it in June 2025, starting to look a bit tatty because it's going dormant for the summer. #aeonium #crassulaceae #houseplant #succulentplant #gardening

A small, potted plant with a thin stem and a rosette of fleshy leaves with some red markings.

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Reposted by Richard Pearman

Jennifer Shin - WTAF @jennifershin.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It still astounds me how fast the cult and their corrupt politicians will ignore and violate the Constitution in order to protect their own.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 30 guard Tom is trying to find a way to save his colony in our universe after it was destroyed by aliens. There doesn't seem to be a safe way for him to return. From "Tales of Midbar: Exiled Angel" - if you like this, clink this link: www.inkitt.com/stories/624474

Background: a battle with flying robots and angels.

"There aren't any humans left there," said the unfamiliar anav.

"What about them?" I asked, pointing to what I was fairly sure were humans.

"Ulmiri," growled the anav.

I'd been warned about them and my blood ran cold. They were a species of hominins from Gerhelda-Teradriel. They hated anavim but often acted in a friendly way and were extremely deceptive with mind control powers. I'd learned about a man in my history lessons, widely considered to be the most evil sub-human piece of feces who'd ever lived. He kept doing terrible things, fraud, child abuse, rape but got away with it because people who should have stopped him mysteriously failed to do so. He became a president, in spite of obviously being such a terrible person, both stupid and insane. His security guards betrayed their country and their species by stopping people who had the sense to try to assassinate this bastard! His wife had slanted, almond-shaped eyes, like people who'd been genetically manipulated by aliens were meant to have. She often wore hats shaped like flying saucers! I wondered if this man had been an ulmir or maybe aliens had given his wife ulmiri mind control power. This was often cited as evidence that aliens had been interfering with Earth before official contact was made.

"We don't know if your colonists are all dead," said the anav, "but we think at least some of them have been taken away in spaceships."

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

My Fockea edulis in June 2025. This belongs to the #Apocynaceae family, so it's related to Hoya (wax flower) and Asclepias (milkweed). They're supposed to grow in the summer but this plant keeps insisting on growing in the winter. #fockea #succulentplant #caudiciform #gardening

A leafy vine with a tuber at the base, growing in a pot.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"The surviving witnesses, not Ice and Breeze, the security people and caterers, claim there were flying people fighting each other," said the reporter. "Tales of Midbar: Heretical Gods" - update! www.inkitt.com/stories/4976... What does Blethdian claim Sixteen is? #writtingcommunity #sciencefiction

A curvy, young woman with brown skin and blonde hair wearing a sari. Around her there's a cloud of pink vapour and people are pointing at her.

The picture is from Leonardo and is meant to be Miandri imagining being "harshed on". It did a creepy job of making Miandri look pretty much as I imagine her. I adjusted the levels and darkened Miandri's skin (because she's a faharni) in Gimp.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Does an android count? She's from the "Tales of Midbar" WIP series.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 28 prime Clindar and Dwendra are having a religious discussion with Yohoist priests, including Dwendra's ex-fiancé. From "Tales of Midbar: Secret Priest" - If you like this, click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/200642

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Opuntia basilaris 'Nunn' starting to grow on my deck in June 2025. I suspect this is really an O. aurea. Has anybody tried growing it outdoors all year in Calgary? #opuntia #cactus #cactaceae #gardening

A small, sprawling prickly pear growing in a pot. There are a few clusters of rudimentary leaves where it's starting to grow.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 27 delay A pedophile with a spell keeping him in Minris is on trial. From "Tales of Midbar: Religious Intolerance" - if you like this, click this link: www.inkitt.com/stories/618270

Background: An old woman with brown skin and long, grey hair standing in a shop.

"I believe the witness is correct in claiming that there are no lawyers who are licensed to work in this state and would not have similar issues to us," said Rolat.

"Are you saying that the school board's misuse of the legal system has made it impossible to proceed with this trial?" asked the judge.

There was a pause and then the defence lawyer said, "Would it be possible to licence a lawyer, just for this case?"

"The legal code has no such provision," said the judge. "It may be possible to find a lawyer; we need two lawyers who are new to the state to replace yourself and act as legal counsel for Ice. Maybe we could raise this to a federal case but then it would have to be heard in Tarngrath and we can't do that because the defendant's got a spell keeping him in Minris."

The mayor stood up and walked onto the stage. "Sorry," he said, "I would like to file a claim of interest in that providing a lawyer who could act for the Winemakers or raising this trial and therefore related trials to federal level would endanger a considerable financial investment by the town and is likely to cause considerable problems due to delayed justice."

"What financial investment?" asked the judge.

"The school board hiring all the lawyers in the state so the Winemakers couldn't use them to sue the school board, very probably bankrupting the town ..."

"The school board shouldn't have discriminated against Winemakers to start with!" said Ice.

The mayor continued, "There's also the issue of cases going back decades which could be highly problematic if they actually came to trial."

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Reposted by Richard Pearman

Mark T. Sneed @marktsneed.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The capitalist injustice system has created incredibly powerful men who will never see the inside of jails or prisons. Sad truth.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 25 nation Legal advisor, Latchmir has gone with the android Garatren to negotiate with mostly non-human inhabitants of a city in a parallel universe. From "Tales of Midbar: Ghost Mage" - like this: click the link! www.inkitt.com/stories/632029

Background: large ants on a ledge in a large room.

"Greetings," said Blethdian's voice from Garatren.

One of the local men whispered something and I heard the word, "Woman," in my head.

"I'm the president of ..." Blethdian continued.

There were some strange noises and the words, "What about the bananas?" echoed in my head.

"Sorry," said Blethdian. "I think the translator might be malfunctioning."

"I heard, 'What about the bananas?'" I said.

"Most convenient," said a voice in my head.

There were some rather different noises and a voice in my head said, "All in due course. We really should introduce ourselves first."

There followed a cacophony of weird noises and some flashing lights. The voices in my head all sounded similar and I couldn't tell what went with which XT. There were so many semi-daughter of somebodys, clone of somebodys, clan whatevers, tribe of somethings, of someplaces (I think places), planet thises, meaningless name empires, republic of somewhere's and so forth that I found it impossible to follow. I couldn't tell if any of this came from the insectoids, the flying ones not the ant things, which I was pretty sure were part of the meeting.

When it went quiet, Blethdian said, through Garatren, "I am Pressident Blethdian of Pax, the largest nation of the universe Midbar-Binah, well I suppose the planet Midbar in the universe Midbar-Binah, does that make sense?"

"Haprihagfen would normally say 'planet Midbar in the Binah universe' or 'Sephir Midbar-Binah,'" said Garindardan.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Many of the Winemakers are unusual-looking, and we know some of them are from that spaceship that landed beside the Vineyard! "Tales of Midbar: Ghost Mage" - new chapter! www.inkitt.com/stories/6320... How would you deal with Grenden and Chirvae? #writtingcommunity #sciencefiction

A cartoon of a dog crying with a bowl of soup and half a cabbage in front of them.

The picture if from Ideogram and relates to something in this chapter.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 24 meddle I don't use this, so I went with "sabotage". Clindar and some others have gatecrashed a meeting of Benai Nibeyim leaders. From "Tales of Midbar: Secret Priest" - If you like this, click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/200642

Background: A beautiful woman with brown skin and long, blonde hair.

"How are you going to have the election?" I asked. "Just elect your choice of people and have more of the same rubbish? Have an election the way you have been doing them and have a different sort of rubbish or have an election according to your constitution and hopefully go back to what this organization was when it was good?"

"Do we have time for an election?" asked Yoldasia. "We need somebody who isn't here to take control, at least temporarily."

"Or the glildac could," said the hipsick, sarcastically.

A bright light came on at the edge of the chamber. I saw it was Nilha with her wings spread and I saw Vrenloa standing by a door holding a man with his head down and his arms dangling.

"I think you ought to know," said Vrenloa, "those hipsick guards were trying to sabotage the psychics' vehicles so they'd be trapped here and would die of thirst!"

"I knew nothing about that!" said the hipsick on the stage, lying.

"Everybody should have an immediate subordinate who can take over from them," said Yoldasia, "but do they all know how to?"

"I am the subordinate!" said Buxnir. "Clindar, if I die, you take over as head of the Rendamar priestly chapter; you can go to Rendamar Temple!"

I was shocked.

"Garis," said Yoldasia, "fornication, Miandri's my sub ..."

Just then a man on some sort of rope dropped into the middle of the stage, nearly hitting Ice and Yoldasia. The rope sprung up into the blackness above us, leaving a small katchey with scruffy red hair in the middle of the stage.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Opuntia aurea 'Coombe's Winter Glow' starting to grow on my deck in June 2025. Does anybody know if this is hardy in Calgary? #oputnia #cactaceae #cactus #gardening

A spineless prickly pear growing in a pot. It has large, purple-tinged joints and there are few clusters of red, rudimentary leaves where it's starting to grow.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 23 tumble Couldn't find this word so I went with possibly the most epic fall in the entire series. Hrangan was chained to a table on a crippled starship and there was an explosion. From "Tales of Midbar: Poisoned Well" - like this? Click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/635659

Background: A teenage boy of South Asian appearance chained to a small, round table with explosions going off and stuff swirling around him.

Not completely black, I could see specks of light in front of me, swirling like they were in a tank of water with an undulating surface that I was looking into. I felt as if I was falling, that something was pressing on my chest from the inside and my ears popped. Something rough, dark and undulating came into view along with some bright lights. I caught a glimpse of something bursting like a very large bubble and I could see large, shiny, metal rings glowing red with small explosions going off on them. Something large hit the edge of the table, above and to my left. with some clanging and snapping, suggesting metal things being bent and broken. I spun with the table, like a disc being dropped onto a table in a part of the ship with gravity. Then something hard and bumpy hit me hard and painfully in the front, hitting my nose particularly painfully and blocking most of the little light there was. The table pushed down on me and kept pushing. There was a jarring, buzzing and people were screaming and shouting. Several bangs of things falling; I think one of them hit the table, and red light started shining from one side. There was the sound of running feet. The table got lighter and tilted, lifting me off the rough surface and voices shouted in a language I didn't recognize. There were strange fuzzy things on the rough surface. The table fell over, so I was on the side away from the rough surface, looking at some twisted metal things. I expected to see Pondri and Yolfin but they spoke normally. Instead, several hairy creatures, apes or monkeys, looked down at me, talking in a language I couldn't understand. Then I guess I blacked out because I can't remember what happened next.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Pelargonium carnosum (Meaty Storksbill) in June 2025. This is a winter grower so this is looking good for the time of year. It's a succulent geranium relative. #pelargonium #geraniaceae #succulentplant #gardening

A potted plant with thick stems and large, parsley type leaves. The main stem is trailing.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 22 meltdown Werdil, who thinks the avatars are not in their temples, and Mel have been taken to hospital after being found unconscious. They're in the waiting room. From "Tales of Midbar: Heretical Gods" - like this? Click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/497649

Background: A burning Asian style temple at night.

"Fornicating Streculic!" shouted Mel beside me, jumping up.

I also got up and realized that everybody was looking at the screen. This showed a large building ablaze. There seemed to be fire engines spraying water onto it but it wasn't terribly clear what was going on. There was a label in the corner saying, LIVE. The screen showed it was red night so that seemed right.

"Do we know if Aublelma is still alive?" asked a man's voice.

"No we don't," said another man. "Of course they don't identify victims until the families have been notified, even for Temple Prostitutes, but, considering what a mess this is, I doubt anybody's got a list of victims yet."

"Do we know the cause?"

"No. Witnesses are saying things about flying creatures and explosions and the police are calling for calm and asking us not to speculate. It's possi ..."

"We're just getting a report that the Temple of Stumeg has also been attacked. Is that the right word? Well, if it has been, this is unlikely to be an accident."

There were more screams and gasps from the people in the waiting room.

"It does sound unlikely."

"I believe we're going over the temple of Strumeg now."

The picture changed to another large building ablaze. An explosion went off.

"What?" said a woman's voice. "We're live? We were on our way to get a response about the temple ..."

"This core meltdown has something to do with you, doesn't it!" screamed the acolyte marching towards me.

"Of course," I said, "they had to destroy the temples so they couldn't say that the avatars aren't there."

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Reposted by Richard Pearman

CindyM: NeuroDivergent AuTist, MicroBloggin' @cindym.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

🌱Filter me this, Kodak Gold Technicolor and Fuji #PeepMyPlants (🎤My hands are shot; therefore I am Disabled🩼👒 therefore what I really care about most is Disability Rights /Access to the end of my day, the rights to be a dignified, full human, every human being. Autonomy! End the FascistPatriarchy/🎤)

Peruvian night blooming cactus flowers with a Snapseed Kodak gold filter Android
Northern Sonoran Desert
growing Zone9B

another angle of a night blooming
Peruvian fence cactus, with a dessert plate size, open flower of cream and gold on a tall spiny cylindrical non-native of Peru in the Northern Sonoran Desert of the Phoenix Foothilla.

hi this might be Kodak gold again on another angle of a Peruvian tall spiny cylindrical cactus with a night blooming dessert size gold and cream flower now closing. Raspberry bracts of a bougainvillea Evergreen are in background.

my dog Luna
is blurry
we are doing our morning thing in the front yard she is looking at me looking at her as she forages in the yard the background is a mix of pebbles and the foreground is, Texas sage no flowers.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

... my parents want me to come here with my girlfriend, and apparently I'm some sort of psychic... "Tales of Midbar: Poisoned Well" - special new chapter for Yom Kippur! www.inkitt.com/stories/6356... How well do you think this chapter deals with getting justice? #writtingcommunity #sciencefiction

An enormous canyon in a desert plain. There's a red sun in the sky. There are lakes and plants at the bottom of the canyon and cyan beams shining down from the edges.

The picture is from Leonardo and is meant to be Kledris Valley, which is similar to the Valles Marineris on Mars.

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Reposted by Richard Pearman

AgentJoeMcJoe 🇺🇸 @joemcjoe11.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

We should all be disgusted of the White House Press Corp. No one walked out No one told Trumpy to go fuck himself. No one said mean things to Trumpy after he chopped down another pillar of American Democracy. No one asked for proof any of them published 'fake news'. No one did anything. Sad.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 20 signal Eleprin and her parents are Trulists from Ermish but are pretending to be Winemakers from Grishnarl. From "Tales of Midbar: Religious Intolerance" - If you like this, click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/618270

Background: A statue of a scantily clad woman wearing an astronaut helmet. An explosion is going off behind her.

"Can the other children feel Tianamet?" asked Dad.

"I don't think so," I realized that if Tianamet, well the idol, was an artifact, I'd heard many idols were, Breeze could probably detect her but I couldn't explain that without telling them that she was a magis.

"It doesn't matter because she isn't here," said Mum. "Is she?"

"Well, I just couldn't bring myself to leave her," said Dad, "and I've heard that many Winemakers have kept idols from when their ancestors were Trulists."

"But she links us to Ermish!" said Mum. "We're supposed to be from Grisnarl, and be Winemakers!"

"Well, I've got her well hidden," said Dad.

"Eleprin knew she was here!"

"Look, a mage told me that she has an unusual associate that makes people like her. It generates some sort of false psychic signal that makes you think she's whatever korbar you belong to. I think that's why I brought her in the first place and it may explain how Eleprin could detect her."

"We've had a police mage in here with a magic detector!" said Mum.

"He's only a level one mage," I said. "Most school principals are afraid of magic and don't want powerful magi working in the school."

"We don't know what could happen!" said Mum.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 18 payment Klesrin of the Security Office has called a meeting of people who may be able to help deal with space privateers. From "Tales of Midbar: Ghost Mage" - if you like this, encourage me by clicking the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/632029

Background: A fiery spaceship crash.

"But you do know more about the place than most people we can get there quickly!" said Klesrin. "Assuming Fina isn't willing to teleport people who can't normally be teleported."

"What!" exclaimed Nuharmalgrin.

"Fina is responsible for the disappearance of the Wild Magis," said Klesrin.

"He wanted payment for equipping me," said Fina. "His wife recently died and he wanted a change, specifically to relocate to another universe."

"You think ... what?" asked Nuharmalgrin.

"You don't need to concern yourself with these details," said Klesrin.

"I have other responsibilities," said Fina, "but I may consider helping you depending on the details."

"What the fornication am I doing here?" asked Griand. "I don't deal with this sort of fornicating weird feces!"

"You're an excellent negotiator," said Klesrin.

"You mean you want this fornicating girl to teleport me to northern fornicating Aramator and negotiate with what, XT's?" asked Griand.

"Possibly," said Klesrin. "We believe you can also locate Aramatoran soldiers who've entered Pax posing as refugees."

"That's a rather prejudiced and stereotypical ..." Nuharmalgrin started to say.

"We know you know and worked with Griand on bringing these people in and hiding them!" said Klesrin.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

... you think the soldier's disappearance has something to do with why there are no women in Sendracil City? "Tales of Midbar: Ghost Mage" - new chapter! www.inkitt.com/stories/6320... Why do you think there are no women in Sendracil City? #writtingcommunity #sciencefiction

A uniformed police officer sitting curled up in a wood.

The picture is from Ideogram and is meant to be Efranglin catatonic in the Vineyard. It made the Vineyard look a bit too wet climate-wise.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

My #Cylindropuntia imbricata 'White Tower' has never done well. This is starting to grow on my deck in June 2025. This species is marginally hardy in Calgary. This cv is supposed to be taller than most so I suspect less hardy. Has anybody tried growing this outdoors year-round? #cactus #gardening

A spiny, cactus that looks like it's seen some rough times. There are a few clusters of small leaves.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 17 effort Idiotic new University student Tan has been asked to dress as somebody he doesn't like for sensitivity training. He's chosen Breeze! From "Tales of Midbar: Poisoned Well" - Like this? Click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/635659

Background: A young man of South Asian appearance wearing a red wig and a sari.

"You seem to have made the most effort so perhaps you'd like to go first and tell us what you've learned from your imitation!"

"Right, yeah, well, she's this annoying, scary mage I ran into. Even worse than the one with huge boobs who was in a tent on Targrath beach. She seems to be obsessed with telling you to read things. She was in my chamber so she's probably got the hots for me but she was pretending she didn't like me. People kept saying weird things to me like, 'Killed any monsters lately,' or 'Can you equip me?' or 'Shouldn't you be in Minris?' or 'Hey Breeze!' Don't know why. Also, it's hard walking in high-heeled shoes. Oh, and a guy who's lost his memory thinks a fictional Australopithecus who worked as an abacus programmer looked like me."

"So you've actually spoken to the real one?"

"Yeah, but she's really annoying, although kind of cute. There's something really creepy about her."

"I take it you know why you feel she's creepy?"

"Because she's a weird mage."

Some of the others were sniggering. I think Tan thought they were laughing with him but I'm sure they were laughing at him. The bodyguards were glaring at the people who were laughing; I think they understood.

"Do you know anything else about her?" asked the facilitator.

"She doesn't have bones in her hair but I didn't want to mess up the costume and loose my deposit."

"And?"

Tan stared as if he was having trouble thinking of anything else, "Her boyfriend's this weird guy who's lost his memory. He's really big with huge muscles and has a funny chin and I don't know what race he is but he's a Winemaker. Sometimes he grows huge black wings and flies around."

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Reposted by Richard Pearman

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 17/09/2026

New in PN: Retire in peace "McConnell would never be allowed to drive a car, babysit young children, or file his own taxes. Why, then, should a cognitively incapacitated 82-year-old retain one of the most important positions of power within the national government?"

publicnotice.co

Retire in peace

McConnell is the latest example of an incapacitated politician refusing to let go.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Jango keeps playing this song, is it trying to warn me about something? Here's the video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAYv... #AI

youtube.com

ORDEN OGAN - In The Dawn Of The AI (2020) // Official Music Video // AFM Records

YouTube video by AFM Records

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Reposted by Richard Pearman

M Meerkat @kackbro.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Indeed, We The People Should Be Getting The Same Healthcare And Paid Leave As McTurtle.......🐢

633163185994

Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

A Hylotelephium hybrid (probably H. populifolium x telephium subsp. maximum) on my rockery in June 2025. This is a volunteer seedling so it just grew there a number of years ago; I didn't plant it. #hylotelephium #crassulaceae #succulentplant #gardening

A small plant with fleshy, notched leaves growing in a garden.

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

#SongsOfSeptember From "Tales of Midbar: Children's Crusade" - intrigued? Want to know more? Click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/628012

Background: Loki, a woman and two coyotes walking along a road (this is bad, early AI).

It's the Charge of the Light Brigade

It's the sacking of Constantinople

Bay of Pigs

We've bought land in paradise from Gregor McGregor
We're following Loki and Cayoti down the road of good intentions

The wolf's taking us to warn the king

Loki and Cayoti argue about who's the greatest deceiver

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Richard Pearman @graptopetalum.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

#WIPSnips September 16 call Transcript of a communication between an MP and an old, aristocratic soldier. From "Tales of Midbar: Ghost Mage" - Do you like this? Click the link: www.inkitt.com/stories/632029

A woman of South-Asian appearance wearing a sari, kneeling down and praying. She appears to be in a temple.

Severin: Ah, Zimraso! Sorry, it took a while to get back to you, I'm helping to sort out the mess in Rendamar.

Zimraso: Yes, I should be on my way to Targrath now but I want this sorted out!

Severin: Yes. I expect some of your colleagues will be crying about the poor little Aramatoran babies but if they hadn't suffered a serious clobbering, we'd be looking at an invasion now. No, I don't know what destroyed Navinuharbilag! Anyway, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?

Zimraso: I've just made a disturbing discovery; the Trustee Printorac is returning to Minris.

Severin: So? What can he do, he's just a kid!

Zimraso: He's a mage! Last time he was there, he wrecked the Cascade Hotel ...

Severin: I thought that was some Mysterious Monsters from off-planet. They're actually calling them the Mysterious Monsters!

Zimraso: Well, he seems to have had something to do with it. He also ran off with the avatars and the hotel owners' daughter who's thought to be the Minris Burner and to have caused the First Minris Disaster. She's also coming back with him.

Severin: Isn't he rather young to be running off with girls?

Zimraso: I think he's a teenager now.

Severin: Yes, I remember what my grandson, Quiggly, was like ... Never mind. Well, Minris isn't my Holding, you really should be talking to Wuldmida, he's the Trustee for Minris.

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