idk who on earth could possibly need to hear this, but do NOT, under ANY circumstances, give out your SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER to ANY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
Note: While -Aran has no official translation, it has been associated with words such as “home” and “well”, and may even denominate a certain type of elven city (in contrast to -Naar, for example, which is seen in town names such as Faronaar, Falanaar, Dolanaar, and Astranaar, or -Thalas, which refers to kingdoms like Quel’Thalas, Eldre’Thalas, and Nar’Thalas). The widespread usage of -Aran in the names of elven towns might suggest that it is a word for “city”. The towns listed appear to have no connection to one another other than that they are all ancient, presumably Highborne living places. However, because they share these qualities with a plethora of other settlements, it’s difficult to determine what distinguishes them in particular from other Highborne cities as places deserving of the -Aran demarcation.
Although -Aran is used almost exclusively in the names of ancient Highborne ruins and -Naar typically signifies contemporary Kaldorei towns, there is some overlap in their usage which makes it difficult to determine whether or not -Aran actually refers exclusively to ancient Highborne cities. For example, the city of Faronaar was at one point considered a “majestic city” [Item: Scroll of Town Portal: Faronaar], which means that -Naar does not necessarily indicate small or non-Highborne towns. Furthermore, Dalaran, although it is a Thalassian term, is a relatively “new” city of human origins, which similarly debunks any assumptions about -Aran being used only for ancient Highborne cities, provided that it is not an exception to the rule or that it is not translated differently in Thalassian, which it may well be. It is also worth noting that while Dalaran is considered a kingdom, it is not named as such in Thalassian.
This thread, which pieces together Thalassian and Darnassian translations, suggests that -Aran may mean “well”. Given speculative translations, then, Dalaran might mean “Starwell” and Shal’Aran might mean “Nightwell”. If this is the case, while it is a great stretch to assume so, then the -Aran cities may have been home to “wells” of sorts, perhaps even primitive moonwells.
In reality, because Darnassian and various elven languages do not operate as fully functioning languages in-game, it’s more realistic than not to assume that -Aran has no specific meaning and was just added randomly to the names of elven towns.
The Cities:
Ameth’Aran (Darkshore)
Bashal’Aran (Darkshore)
Ruins of Ordil’Aran (Ashenvale)
Morlos’Aran (Felwood)
Tethris Aran (Desolace)
Ruins of Loreth’Aran (Bloodmyst Isle)
Biel’Aran Ridge (Vashj’ir)
Shal’Aran (Suramar)
The Twin Cities of Ameth’Aran and Bashal’Aran
The Lay of Ameth’Aran:
“… Though there were many towns and places of habitation constructed upon the lakeshore, Ameth’Aran and Bashal’Aran villages were the foremost. Having the touch of Azshara, the Kaldorei’s beloved Queen, in their creation. Her favored servitors, those of the Highborne, she brought to the twin towns to reside, and to govern them she placed Athrikus Narassin (who was likely from Suramar). Though it would be that he would spend most of his days in his Tower of Althalaxx, some ways removed of the towns.
His second, a mage known of his prowess in the arcane arts as much as with his physical abilities was Asterion, who lived among the people of Bashal’Aran, and went many times to Ameth’Aran to see to the needs and wants of its people.
And so it was upon the shores of the Well of Eternity, the twin towns grew and prospered …” [Quest: The Fall of Ameth’Aran]
The pre-Sundering location of some Highborne cities has long remained unclear and even contradictory to their current positions, regardless of supposed continental shift. The cities that supposedly lined the Well’s shores included the twin cities of Ameth’Aran and Bashal’Aran, Zin-Azshari, Azshara, Galhara [The Well of Eternity, Chapter Seventeen], and even Suramar where some of its districts intersected with Zin-Azshari’s [RPG]. Bashal-Aran and Ameth’Aran are both too far and on the complete opposite side of Kalimdor to have been near the Well of Eternity. Although it is possible that Darkshore could have drifted as an island that eventually joined with western Kalimdor, according to the pre-Sundering map, Darkshore has not moved from its current location.
Ruins of Ordil’Aran
Ordil’Aran is home to three massive moonstones [Quest: The Reason Why]. While the specific properties of the ones in Ordil’Aran are unknown, moonstones are known to possess a wide variety of abilities from creating artificial eclipses and curing illnesses to acting as keys, among other functions [Page: Moonstone].
Ordil’Aran is also the site of the Heartswood tree, which was created during a battle between the Kaldorei and demons during the War of the Ancients [Quest: Heartswood]. Supposedly, as two lovers were fighting demons in the city, the female was stricken down in combat. The male Kaldorei disregarded his life in favor of his lover because he believed that he could not face the eons without her by his side. As a result, the Heartswood tree, a symbol of their undying love, grew from their last breath together.
Morlos’Aran
Very little is known about this ancient ruin.
Tethris Aran
Very little is known about this ancient ruin.
Ruins of Loreth’Aran
The green dragon aspect, Ysera, gifted the kingdom of Loreth’Aran and its ruler, Prince Toreth, with dragons of her brood. The citizens of Loreth’Aran rode, lived, and fought alongside the dragons, earning them the title Dragonriders of Loreth’Aran. Supposedly, the inhabitants of the city had been riding dragons as early as centuries before the Sundering occurred [NPC: Prince Toreth dialogue].
Biel’Aran Ridge
Unlike the other cities indicated here, Biel’Aran is not a town, but a subzone in the ruins of Vashj’ir. Given that it is somewhat removed from the main city, one could conjecture that it may have been a neighborhood for a particularly esteemed class of Highborne.
For more about Vashj’ir, see here.
Shal’Aran
Shal’Aran was most likely a subsection of the Arcway and not an autonomous Highborne city in the pre-Sundering era. The city, like the entirety of the Arcway, is located underground and acts as a receptacle for leyline energy. It may only have become known as Shal’Aran once First Arcanist Thalyssra inhabited and transformed it into a sanctuary for the Nightfallen rebellion.
Shal’Aran may have once housed an Arcan’dor pre-Sundering. One of the members belonging to the organization of proto-druids who created the Arcan’dor trees, Keeper Selentia, is initially found guarding a dead tree stump in Shal’Aran [Quest: Arcane Thirst]. Moreover, Thalyssra surmises that the massive amount of leyline energy fed into the chamber was for whatever the Keeper was guarding [Quest: Shal’Aran]. Since the current Arcan’dor subsists off of the leyline feeds flowing into Shal’Aran, it may not be too much of a stretch to assume that an ancient Arcan’dor did much the same thing, and that Shal’Aran was built to hold an Arcan’dor. For more about speculation regarding this, see here.
It is not clear what happened to this Arcan’dor, if there was indeed one there. However, because it does not resemble Falanaar’s fallen Arcan’dor, it may not have failed in the same spectacular manner. In fact, it is more likely that the Arcan’dor was abandoned (except by the Keepers, who were charged with maintaining and keeping watch over it, hence why Keeper Selentia has guarded it into her undeath) or destroyed during battles across Suramar in the War of the Ancients.
The area is also equipped with a teleportation system and a lower chamber decorated with a floor fresco of a map of Suramar and its leyline points [Quest: Shal’Aran]. Leyline energy from the rest of the Arcway can be fed into Shal’Aran through this point.
Various odds and ends from the Blackwater River Canyon and Canaan Valley, captured earlier in the week before a massive heat dome set in across the East Coast. The Blackwater River and tributaries were at full flow from several days of heavy rain and the spruce-hemlock woods looked damp, lush and mysterious, the way I love them. On any given weekday, the white tails seem to outnumber the human beings in the valley - many skittish fawns leaping and darting about their mamas this past week. On the downside, the black flies are now at their summer peak, and they can make a long hike a miserable experience. But I love this place dearly, and biting bugs are but a small price to pay for a couple days of restorative communion with Mother Nature.
(Post-Heresy moment when the 13th company and Surtr have just begun to establish themselves in their new home system)
"Praetor Muspelson, does something trouble you?"
Surtr turned his gaze back towards the young blood Astartes, still bearing the seal of the Dekk-tra upon his vest despite the exile. The bear of a man exhaled slowly, slumping back some more into his seat as a hand reached up to massage the bridge of his nose.
"What is your name son?" the low rumbling voice emitting from the thick woven crimson beard. The Aspirant scarcely saw the man's lips move but he quickly caught himself.
"Erik Skjöldarm my Lord."
"Hmmm,, Skjöldarm, we are no longer Sons of Fenris or Terra, exiled from our King's realm. Yet you bear the markings of the 13th, and call me by my rank which I no longer hold. We are not the Dekk-tra, not anymore." Surtr spoke curtly, his gaze hidden by the hand still rubbing the nose.
"But my Lor-"
The one languid motions of Surtr shifted as his fist slams down on the arm of his seat, the wooden frame cracking from the impact, the resounding noise echoing briefly through the hall. Erik flinched slightly, his words stuck in his throat witnessing the brief outburst from this legend of a man.
"I am no-," those flaming amber eyes bored holes into Erik's skull, feeling the immense presence bear down onto the aspirant's shoulder for a heartbeat then yielding, "I am no longer a Lord, I am not the Dekk-tra's Jarl, nor a Praetor of High-King Russ' Legion. I command only till I feel a successor is found to properly lead our people into this new era we now live in."
The silence feels numbing for Erik, seeing this monument of a being who all neophytes and non-Astartes look up to for not only guidance, but so too hope, now being humbled and (guidelss? hopeless?). Surtr had taken this time to stand, the thick fur cloak rustling while the man strode to look out into the valley beyond the walls of this keep. The faint shimmer of dawn hidden behind thick rain clouds and woodland, the pattering of rain and distant rumble of thunder seem almost silent in comparison to the deafening silence in the hall.
Erik had been a youth born during "The Great Voyage", the decades of travel the entire 13th Great Company had taken leaving the confines of the growing Imperium and out into the void. His parents had been bridge-crew and had front row seats to the full display of Surtr's commanding presence and drive to ensure his people's safety and growth during the long journey, and regale tales to the young boy of Surtr's exploits and rise to power during the Crusade.
The Liberation of Lorik's World, the Scouring of Vhallach, The Council of Nikaea and most notably; The Dulan Campaign. The Saga of the Dulan Campaign is one strongly recalled by the Elders and is what cemented Surtr into becoming the Jarl of the Dekk-tra, being recognized by the High-King himself for Surtr's actions. Was that Surtr,, the same one now that stood before Erik?
",, Muspelson, do you hate High-King Russ?"
Surtr snapped his head round to stare in surprise at the sharp question.
"Never! Why would I ever harbor such feelings for Him?"
"But he is the one who delivered the Exile onto you and our families, did he not? He is the one who now made us leaderless and now forsaken to these lands." Erik continued, holding his stance as Surtr stepped towards him.
"That is not how the trial went young-blood, the High-King was ready to sentence us to a harsher punishment but gave me the chance to decide the fate and-"
"And you chose that we were exiled. That we could continue existing. That we would Live! You. Our Leader. Our Jarl. Our Light."
Surtr blinked as Erik snapped back, the young man jabbing a pointed finger into his broad chest with each emphasis.
"Muspelson, you guided us through the Sea of Stars for decades, you and your peers kept us safe and ensured our growth. You found these new worlds, and reunited us with the lost colonists from Terra. Your People. These make you our Leader, does it not?"
Surtr remains silent, looking down into those amber eyes, which seem both fiery yet soft,, the words emitted feeling true and right.
"Your actions and words bear weight Muspelson, and they have given hope and strength to all of us. Those who have served with you since you were a Huscarl, to the new blood who now look to you for guidance and training. All, respect you and trust you. I, respect and trust you."
Surtr squints slightly, searching into this youth's eyes and his words. Something feels amiss now,,
"Who are you, truly? I suspect you are no Youngblood of my people now,," Surtr spoke slowly, pacing around the being infront of him at arm's length. He and his people had encountered the twisted relatives of the Aeldari and their twisted alchemy, dark beasts that skulk in shadows that drank memories, the Greenskins too but they couldn't make such deceptions.
"Erik was a good man, who shared your lineage from Jørd. He was a warrior, a sailor, a brother, a father. When Jørd still held great oceans, winding rivers, mist veiled forests,," the 'Erik' person responded, their voice shifting different dialects and tones, male, female, something in between.
"We slept, for so, so,, so long, we almost forgot what the voices of Our Children sounded like. The bustling towns and cities, the songs of life and war, when they cursed at us,, and when they prayed and offered tribute. Like sacrificing a goat, mjöd, and rye seeds before leaving your homeland."
Surtr flinches at the last comment, glaring with confusion and rage. He draws out his seax from its worn sheath, the old battered iron blade pale in the shadow of his fur cloak. "Who, no,, what are you?"
'Erik' smiled thinly before their form slowly flaked apart like ash from a burnt timber, the dust flickering into star dust while forming into a tall swirling pillar. Surtr felt he should strike, but he felt no malice,, and something in his old soul told him to stay his hand. This pillar of star dust and lights began to form into a new shape, one that stood taller than the ancient terran, this being was starting to take the shape of a woman in tawny linen robes.
"It is difficult for us to deceive and hide our form from our Children. I hope you will forgive me from this slight of hand. Me and my kin have been following you and your people for quite some time. I have held many names over the eons,, but your ancestors called me,"
Surtr lowered his blade, hanging practically limp in his fingers as he gazed upon this being, a nimbus of amber gold glow surrounding the woman as she finally opened her eyes, revealing pure starlight. He knew that this being was no simple shapeshifter, no trick of his worn out mind, this being was something more,, something that he hasn't experienced in an age since last gazing upon the Emperor on Terra.
(Post-Heresy moment when the 13th company and Surtr have just begun to establish themselves in their new home system)
"Praetor Muspelson, does something trouble you?"
Surtr turned his gaze back towards the young blood Astartes, still bearing the seal of the Dekk-tra upon his vest despite the exile. The bear of a man exhaled slowly, slumping back some more into his seat as a hand reached up to massage the bridge of his nose.
"What is your name son?" the low rumbling voice emitting from the thick woven crimson beard. The Aspirant scarcely saw the man's lips move but he quickly caught himself.
"Erik Skjöldarm my Lord."
"Hmmm,, Skjöldarm, we are no longer Sons of Fenris or Terra, exiled from our King's realm. Yet you bear the markings of the 13th, and call me by my rank which I no longer hold. We are not the Dekk-tra, not anymore." Surtr spoke curtly, his gaze hidden by the hand still rubbing the nose.
"But my Lor-"
The one languid motions of Surtr shifted as his fist slams down on the arm of his seat, the wooden frame cracking from the impact, the resounding noise echoing briefly through the hall. Erik flinched slightly, his words stuck in his throat witnessing the brief outburst from this legend of a man.
"I am no-," those flaming amber eyes bored holes into Erik's skull, feeling the immense presence bear down onto the aspirant's shoulder for a heartbeat then yielding, "I am no longer a Lord, I am not the Dekk-tra's Jarl, nor a Praetor of High-King Russ' Legion. I command only till I feel a successor is found to properly lead our people into this new era we now live in."
The silence feels numbing for Erik, seeing this monument of a being who all neophytes and non-Astartes look up to for not only guidance, but so too hope, now being humbled and (guidelss? hopeless?). Surtr had taken this time to stand, the thick fur cloak rustling while the man strode to look out into the valley beyond the walls of this keep. The faint shimmer of dawn hidden behind thick rain clouds and woodland, the pattering of rain and distant rumble of thunder seem almost silent in comparison to the deafening silence in the hall.
Erik had been a youth born during "The Great Voyage", the decades of travel the entire 13th Great Company had taken leaving the confines of the growing Imperium and out into the void. His parents had been bridge-crew and had front row seats to the full display of Surtr's commanding presence and drive to ensure his people's safety and growth during the long journey, and regale tales to the young boy of Surtr's exploits and rise to power during the Crusade.
The Liberation of Lorik's World, the Scouring of Vhallach, The Council of Nikaea and most notably; The Dulan Campaign. The Saga of the Dulan Campaign is one strongly recalled by the Elders and is what cemented Surtr into becoming the Jarl of the Dekk-tra, being recognized by the High-King himself for Surtr's actions. Was that Surtr,, the same one now that stood before Erik?
",, Muspelson, do you hate High-King Russ?"
Surtr snapped his head round to stare in surprise at the sharp question.
"Never! Why would I ever harbor such feelings for Him?"
"But he is the one who delivered the Exile onto you and our families, did he not? He is the one who now made us leaderless and now forsaken to these lands." Erik continued, holding his stance as Surtr stepped towards him.
"That is not how the trial went young-blood, the High-King was ready to sentence us to a harsher punishment but gave me the chance to decide the fate and-"
"And you chose that we were exiled. That we could continue existing. That we would Live! You. Our Leader. Our Jarl. Our Light."
Surtr blinked as Erik snapped back, the young man jabbing a pointed finger into his broad chest with each emphasis.
"Muspelson, you guided us through the Sea of Stars for decades, you and your peers kept us safe and ensured our growth. You found these new worlds, and reunited us with the lost colonists from Terra. Your People. These make you our Leader, does it not?"
Surtr remains silent, looking down into those amber eyes, which seem both fiery yet soft,, the words emitted feeling true and right.
"Your actions and words bear weight Muspelson, and they have given hope and strength to all of us. Those who have served with you since you were a Huscarl, to the new blood who now look to you for guidance and training. All, respect you and trust you. I, respect and trust you."
Surtr squints slightly, searching into this youth's eyes and his words. Something feels amiss now,,
"Who are you, truly? I suspect you are no Youngblood of my people now,," Surtr spoke slowly, pacing around the being infront of him at arm's length. He and his people had encountered the twisted relatives of the Aeldari and their twisted alchemy, dark beasts that skulk in shadows that drank memories, the Greenskins too but they couldn't make such deceptions.
"Erik was a good man, who shared your lineage from Jørd. He was a warrior, a sailor, a brother, a father. When Jørd still held great oceans, winding rivers, mist veiled forests,," the 'Erik' person responded, their voice shifting different dialects and tones, male, female, something in between.
"We slept, for so, so,, so long, we almost forgot what the voices of Our Children sounded like. The bustling towns and cities, the songs of life and war, when they cursed at us,, and when they prayed and offered tribute. Like sacrificing a goat, mjöd, and rye seeds before leaving your homeland."
Surtr flinches at the last comment, glaring with confusion and rage. He draws out his seax from its worn sheath, the old battered iron blade pale in the shadow of his fur cloak. "Who, no,, what are you?"
'Erik' smiled thinly before their form slowly flaked apart like ash from a burnt timber, the dust flickering into star dust while forming into a tall swirling pillar. Surtr felt he should strike, but he felt no malice,, and something in his old soul told him to stay his hand. This pillar of star dust and lights began to form into a new shape, one that stood taller than the ancient terran, this being was starting to take the shape of a woman in tawny linen robes.
"It is difficult for us to deceive and hide our form from our Children. I hope you will forgive me from this slight of hand. Me and my kin have been following you and your people for quite some time. I have held many names over the eons,, but your ancestors called me,"
Surtr lowered his blade, hanging practically limp in his fingers as he gazed upon this being, a nimbus of amber gold glow surrounding the woman as she finally opened her eyes, revealing pure starlight. He knew that this being was no simple shapeshifter, no trick of his worn out mind, this being was something more,, something that he hasn't experienced in an age since last gazing upon the Emperor on Terra.
HOW TO GET YOUR ACCOUNT BACK FROM RANDOM NIGHTMARE SURPRISE TERMINATION!!!!!!!!!!!
I woke up on sunday morning to find that my whole account had been terminated out of the blue. VERY DISTRESSING!!! if this has just happened to you, YOU CAN GET YOUR ACCOUNT RESTORED. the best part is, everything remains intact! your messages, asks, followers, posts, etc. don't fret!! they restored my account only a day after it had been terminated. usually, it takes one to two weeks for a response. HERE'S WHAT I DID!!!
it's important that you send a SUPPORT TICKET. don't randomly email them!!! go to https://www.tumblr.com/support and choose "terminated account" as your reason.
include the email of the account that got terminated. this makes it easier for them to recover it! if you can't send it from that email, just include it in the message.
include the following: to the best of your knowledge, you have re-read the site rules and you haven't broken any site guidelines. state how important your account is to you, and stress how thankful you are for their help in recovering it. BE POLITE. EVEN IF YOU'RE UPSET OR PISSED OFF!!!! it significantly ups your chances of being listened to. I included the phrase "I'm sure you understand the importance of this" which is corporatespeak for "FIX THIS OR SO HELP ME GOD" and that seemed to get their attention.
you can also @ support on tumblr with the issue, and @ them on another site (e.g. twitter). there's a chance they'll see and respond quicker! cover all your options. the reddit for tumblr account termination is no longer active so don't bother with that.
if they don't respond within a few days, reply to the confirmation email they sent after you sent in your request. follow up! ask for updates! reiterate the urgency of the situation! make sure you're not responding to an address with "noreply" in it!
REALLY HOPE THIS HELPS!!!! all is not lost you just gotta be STERN AND POLITE. it's terrifying to have your entire account vanish overnight but there is always hope okay. love you good luck
UPDATE: I had to do this whole thing AGAIN because my art blog ALSO got terminated out of the blue and they got back to me the very next day. this shit works!!!! I think the main factor is following up by replying to their confirmation email because as soon as I did that they got back to me.
Can confirm this is how I tackled it when this blog was randomly terminated a while back; I had to do this before. I got my whole blog back, which is good, because I think this one is over a decade old by now.
there's been multiple reports of people's computers not booting properly after the windows 11 24H2 KB5063878 update due to it essentially wiping the hard drives (specifically SSDs) on computers and laptops. users have reported their SSDs aren't able to be read/recognized and unable to be seen in bios settings either.
it's safe to assume all SSDs can be potentially affected by this update, so if you haven't updated yet turn off autoupdates
the bug caused by this update is seemingly triggered by installing/moving/deleting large files (50+ gb), which as simmers is what a lot of us do very pften
if you're unsure what windows version you currently have:
go to settings > system > about (at they very bottom) > and scroll down to see the current OS version
if you do currently have windows 11 24H2:
in settings, click 'Windows update' > 'Update history' > and under 'Quality Updates' check to see if the KB5063878 update is in the list of recently installed updates
don't panic, you can uninstall this update!
while in 'Update History', scroll to the very bottom and click 'Uninstall updates', and click 'Uninstall' for 'Security Update for Microsoft Windows (KB5063878)'
from there, give it some time to remove the update and after pause updates for as long as possible (5 weeks is the longest i think), but it will force an update if there's a big/official update for the fix
if you've already been affected and your computer is not starting or giving errors regarding your hard drive, i recommend visiting small pc repair shops to try data recovery as some have reported placing their SSD in an enclosure seems to work to recover the data
hopefully this is helpful is any kind of way! friendly reminder to back up your data to an external drive routinely!
Alright! So.. I've decided I REALLY needed to put together a reference sheet for my drifter, knowing I'll be drawing her quite a bit.. and I'm so happy with how she turned out oh my god. She's very different from previous posts, but from here on this will be her normal look! She looks a bit cold at first, but quickly shows her soft side when ya' get to know her better~
I'll be adding color as well, but taking the time to write out some lore for her and getting inspired to draw this lil' sheet from all the other drifters I've been seeing.. There's still SO much more I want to share about her, but I'll keep that to future post~
theartofmadeline
titsay
andulkaphoto
amandla
origamiaround
turnnoffyourmind
