Duchess Van Hoof
@duchess-van-hoof.bsky.social
She/They
Hobbies include books, history, video games, writing and a bit of witchcraft; am rather fond of cafés, forests, libraries and ruins.
Let's try to make things better for a change; we deserve and can do better than this.
PFP by Art of Jexion.
Hobbies include books, history, video games, writing and a bit of witchcraft; am rather fond of cafés, forests, libraries and ruins.
Let's try to make things better for a change; we deserve and can do better than this.
PFP by Art of Jexion.
After figuring out the rhythm, painting is relaxing as it is slow paced and doesn't require much mental energy.
Which is good, I don't have the resilience for a lot of stress at the moment.
Which is good, I don't have the resilience for a lot of stress at the moment.
December 3, 2025 at 11:16 AM
After figuring out the rhythm, painting is relaxing as it is slow paced and doesn't require much mental energy.
Which is good, I don't have the resilience for a lot of stress at the moment.
Which is good, I don't have the resilience for a lot of stress at the moment.
Tiberian Dawn taught me cost-efficiency, it taught me how to seize resources & play the economic game.
Dawn of War taught me how to sweep across the map as it was a Go board.
Now I see the invisible, the implied threat, how to threaten without deploying actual force.
Dawn of War taught me how to sweep across the map as it was a Go board.
Now I see the invisible, the implied threat, how to threaten without deploying actual force.
December 3, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Tiberian Dawn taught me cost-efficiency, it taught me how to seize resources & play the economic game.
Dawn of War taught me how to sweep across the map as it was a Go board.
Now I see the invisible, the implied threat, how to threaten without deploying actual force.
Dawn of War taught me how to sweep across the map as it was a Go board.
Now I see the invisible, the implied threat, how to threaten without deploying actual force.
Remember the Cant!
December 2, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Remember the Cant!
People say the same about Crucible of Fire; it is the difference between being hit for say 8 damage, or 14 damage out of nowhere.
Every dragon dropped from then on is a player ending threat.
They wind up being 9/9 or 10/9, with flying and haste.
Every dragon dropped from then on is a player ending threat.
They wind up being 9/9 or 10/9, with flying and haste.
December 2, 2025 at 4:09 AM
People say the same about Crucible of Fire; it is the difference between being hit for say 8 damage, or 14 damage out of nowhere.
Every dragon dropped from then on is a player ending threat.
They wind up being 9/9 or 10/9, with flying and haste.
Every dragon dropped from then on is a player ending threat.
They wind up being 9/9 or 10/9, with flying and haste.
Ah, a classic unicorn.
I read The Last Unicorn as an adult and got positively enchanted by the thing.
Love how it isn't just a muscular horse with a Narwhal's tooth on its head; the classical creature is fey & a creature of dreams.
I read The Last Unicorn as an adult and got positively enchanted by the thing.
Love how it isn't just a muscular horse with a Narwhal's tooth on its head; the classical creature is fey & a creature of dreams.
December 2, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Ah, a classic unicorn.
I read The Last Unicorn as an adult and got positively enchanted by the thing.
Love how it isn't just a muscular horse with a Narwhal's tooth on its head; the classical creature is fey & a creature of dreams.
I read The Last Unicorn as an adult and got positively enchanted by the thing.
Love how it isn't just a muscular horse with a Narwhal's tooth on its head; the classical creature is fey & a creature of dreams.
Greek cookies, my coworker made some and I found them to be crisp, soft & sweet.
So I asked for the recipe.
So I asked for the recipe.
December 2, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Greek cookies, my coworker made some and I found them to be crisp, soft & sweet.
So I asked for the recipe.
So I asked for the recipe.
Despite everything, I managed to get a bit of painting done.
A bit of white, a bit of fixing, a bit of bronze and a fair bit of varnishing left.
I feel unsatisfied with the axe & the standard, but it should be fine when finished. The varnish hides some of the mistakes.
A bit of white, a bit of fixing, a bit of bronze and a fair bit of varnishing left.
I feel unsatisfied with the axe & the standard, but it should be fine when finished. The varnish hides some of the mistakes.
December 1, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Despite everything, I managed to get a bit of painting done.
A bit of white, a bit of fixing, a bit of bronze and a fair bit of varnishing left.
I feel unsatisfied with the axe & the standard, but it should be fine when finished. The varnish hides some of the mistakes.
A bit of white, a bit of fixing, a bit of bronze and a fair bit of varnishing left.
I feel unsatisfied with the axe & the standard, but it should be fine when finished. The varnish hides some of the mistakes.
There's this recipe book that has existed longer than I have been alive; it might be the most amazing book I ever seen.
It tells you how to boil an egg, or rice; it also tells you how to prepare venison for a major celebration.
Full range of difficulty; baking, cooking, deserts, it has everything.
It tells you how to boil an egg, or rice; it also tells you how to prepare venison for a major celebration.
Full range of difficulty; baking, cooking, deserts, it has everything.
December 1, 2025 at 4:26 PM
There's this recipe book that has existed longer than I have been alive; it might be the most amazing book I ever seen.
It tells you how to boil an egg, or rice; it also tells you how to prepare venison for a major celebration.
Full range of difficulty; baking, cooking, deserts, it has everything.
It tells you how to boil an egg, or rice; it also tells you how to prepare venison for a major celebration.
Full range of difficulty; baking, cooking, deserts, it has everything.
Side track:
Nobby Nobbs in the Discworld novels understand this, through sheer ignorance.
He treats dukes & sex workers with the same uncouth language, the same patience and compassion.
Which is how he lost a chance at the crown; then began dating the hottest dame in all of Ankh-Morpork.
Nobby Nobbs in the Discworld novels understand this, through sheer ignorance.
He treats dukes & sex workers with the same uncouth language, the same patience and compassion.
Which is how he lost a chance at the crown; then began dating the hottest dame in all of Ankh-Morpork.
November 30, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Side track:
Nobby Nobbs in the Discworld novels understand this, through sheer ignorance.
He treats dukes & sex workers with the same uncouth language, the same patience and compassion.
Which is how he lost a chance at the crown; then began dating the hottest dame in all of Ankh-Morpork.
Nobby Nobbs in the Discworld novels understand this, through sheer ignorance.
He treats dukes & sex workers with the same uncouth language, the same patience and compassion.
Which is how he lost a chance at the crown; then began dating the hottest dame in all of Ankh-Morpork.
It is extrapolating worldbuilding; I put my novel in the region around Vanhoover.
Wanted an old, occult aristocracy in the backstory; so therefore "van Hoof".
The OC escaped the political purge by being a bastard child, with a different legal name. Then she pops up 200 years later as the villain.
Wanted an old, occult aristocracy in the backstory; so therefore "van Hoof".
The OC escaped the political purge by being a bastard child, with a different legal name. Then she pops up 200 years later as the villain.
November 30, 2025 at 10:59 AM
It is extrapolating worldbuilding; I put my novel in the region around Vanhoover.
Wanted an old, occult aristocracy in the backstory; so therefore "van Hoof".
The OC escaped the political purge by being a bastard child, with a different legal name. Then she pops up 200 years later as the villain.
Wanted an old, occult aristocracy in the backstory; so therefore "van Hoof".
The OC escaped the political purge by being a bastard child, with a different legal name. Then she pops up 200 years later as the villain.
No. It is not.
Some years back I began writing a post-apocalyptic pony novel as a hobby project, got to about 115 000 words before I moved to other genres.
There's about three dozen documents of worldbuilding behind it.
My discord friends were on steam, youtube etc, so the old user name stuck.
Some years back I began writing a post-apocalyptic pony novel as a hobby project, got to about 115 000 words before I moved to other genres.
There's about three dozen documents of worldbuilding behind it.
My discord friends were on steam, youtube etc, so the old user name stuck.
November 30, 2025 at 10:15 AM
No. It is not.
Some years back I began writing a post-apocalyptic pony novel as a hobby project, got to about 115 000 words before I moved to other genres.
There's about three dozen documents of worldbuilding behind it.
My discord friends were on steam, youtube etc, so the old user name stuck.
Some years back I began writing a post-apocalyptic pony novel as a hobby project, got to about 115 000 words before I moved to other genres.
There's about three dozen documents of worldbuilding behind it.
My discord friends were on steam, youtube etc, so the old user name stuck.
The one time I finished Fallout New Vegas, I went with the NCR route in the end.
I had reasons for it.
I doubt I could manage it today.
If I ever finish it, it will be the Free City of Vegas.
I had reasons for it.
I doubt I could manage it today.
If I ever finish it, it will be the Free City of Vegas.
November 27, 2025 at 7:08 PM
The one time I finished Fallout New Vegas, I went with the NCR route in the end.
I had reasons for it.
I doubt I could manage it today.
If I ever finish it, it will be the Free City of Vegas.
I had reasons for it.
I doubt I could manage it today.
If I ever finish it, it will be the Free City of Vegas.
As for Pratchett, I found Vimes to be an educating character.
He has been through a lot, his first instinct is often to lash out, often he would be justified.
Yet he restrains himself.
For he wants to be better, to do better, because he has a responsibility to society, as an Authority figure.
He has been through a lot, his first instinct is often to lash out, often he would be justified.
Yet he restrains himself.
For he wants to be better, to do better, because he has a responsibility to society, as an Authority figure.
November 27, 2025 at 6:54 PM
As for Pratchett, I found Vimes to be an educating character.
He has been through a lot, his first instinct is often to lash out, often he would be justified.
Yet he restrains himself.
For he wants to be better, to do better, because he has a responsibility to society, as an Authority figure.
He has been through a lot, his first instinct is often to lash out, often he would be justified.
Yet he restrains himself.
For he wants to be better, to do better, because he has a responsibility to society, as an Authority figure.
Kropotkin gave me historical examples of cooperation & mutual aid, how it aids everyone involved.
By contrast, I understood how destructive it's to escalate conflicts, to lash out needlessly.
Both behaviours lead to self-reinforcement in society, our actions have longer consequences than we think.
By contrast, I understood how destructive it's to escalate conflicts, to lash out needlessly.
Both behaviours lead to self-reinforcement in society, our actions have longer consequences than we think.
November 27, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Kropotkin gave me historical examples of cooperation & mutual aid, how it aids everyone involved.
By contrast, I understood how destructive it's to escalate conflicts, to lash out needlessly.
Both behaviours lead to self-reinforcement in society, our actions have longer consequences than we think.
By contrast, I understood how destructive it's to escalate conflicts, to lash out needlessly.
Both behaviours lead to self-reinforcement in society, our actions have longer consequences than we think.
To elaborate; the Expanse novels are filled with flawed, selfish humans driven by andrenaline, fear & compassion.
It gave me structure to understand my own reactions, and to not judge others so harshly.
To realize how much of human behaviour is subconscious, often due to stress.
It gave me structure to understand my own reactions, and to not judge others so harshly.
To realize how much of human behaviour is subconscious, often due to stress.
November 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM
To elaborate; the Expanse novels are filled with flawed, selfish humans driven by andrenaline, fear & compassion.
It gave me structure to understand my own reactions, and to not judge others so harshly.
To realize how much of human behaviour is subconscious, often due to stress.
It gave me structure to understand my own reactions, and to not judge others so harshly.
To realize how much of human behaviour is subconscious, often due to stress.
A personal retrospective; The Expanse novels chipped away at the narcissistic upbringing I was given.
Kropotkin smashed the whole thing down, with a heartfelt love for humanity.
Pratchett would likely have done the same if I had properly read these books earlier.
Therapy helps, books did as well.
Kropotkin smashed the whole thing down, with a heartfelt love for humanity.
Pratchett would likely have done the same if I had properly read these books earlier.
Therapy helps, books did as well.
November 27, 2025 at 6:46 PM
A personal retrospective; The Expanse novels chipped away at the narcissistic upbringing I was given.
Kropotkin smashed the whole thing down, with a heartfelt love for humanity.
Pratchett would likely have done the same if I had properly read these books earlier.
Therapy helps, books did as well.
Kropotkin smashed the whole thing down, with a heartfelt love for humanity.
Pratchett would likely have done the same if I had properly read these books earlier.
Therapy helps, books did as well.
You know what?
Time to rewatch Conan the Barbarian, the old film from 1982; I shall see how accurate it is to the books.
It is a lot less colourful than the stories; everything is beige-brown for some reason.
Time to rewatch Conan the Barbarian, the old film from 1982; I shall see how accurate it is to the books.
It is a lot less colourful than the stories; everything is beige-brown for some reason.
November 26, 2025 at 3:17 PM
You know what?
Time to rewatch Conan the Barbarian, the old film from 1982; I shall see how accurate it is to the books.
It is a lot less colourful than the stories; everything is beige-brown for some reason.
Time to rewatch Conan the Barbarian, the old film from 1982; I shall see how accurate it is to the books.
It is a lot less colourful than the stories; everything is beige-brown for some reason.
'It’s one of the lesser-known failings of the vampire. No one knows why. It goes with having big windows and easily torn curtains. A sort of undeath-wish, you might say. However clever they are, they can’t resist thinking that no one will recognize their name if they spell it backwards.'
/Vimes
/Vimes
November 26, 2025 at 9:53 AM
'It’s one of the lesser-known failings of the vampire. No one knows why. It goes with having big windows and easily torn curtains. A sort of undeath-wish, you might say. However clever they are, they can’t resist thinking that no one will recognize their name if they spell it backwards.'
/Vimes
/Vimes
Back when I played Harvest Moon on the GBA, I learned that there was a spinoff where you could play as a gal.
Then I learned that you could still flirt with the young women of the town; enter a Best Friends ritual, after which a child appears on the farm.
The last paragraph, only in Japan.
Then I learned that you could still flirt with the young women of the town; enter a Best Friends ritual, after which a child appears on the farm.
The last paragraph, only in Japan.
November 26, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Back when I played Harvest Moon on the GBA, I learned that there was a spinoff where you could play as a gal.
Then I learned that you could still flirt with the young women of the town; enter a Best Friends ritual, after which a child appears on the farm.
The last paragraph, only in Japan.
Then I learned that you could still flirt with the young women of the town; enter a Best Friends ritual, after which a child appears on the farm.
The last paragraph, only in Japan.
It is literally cancerous greed, building a company that will last for generations is considered failure.
Slash & burn for short term profits, in every industry, by every company.
Capital is doing a Scorched Earth stratsgem on capitalism itself.
Slash & burn for short term profits, in every industry, by every company.
Capital is doing a Scorched Earth stratsgem on capitalism itself.
November 26, 2025 at 4:59 AM
It is literally cancerous greed, building a company that will last for generations is considered failure.
Slash & burn for short term profits, in every industry, by every company.
Capital is doing a Scorched Earth stratsgem on capitalism itself.
Slash & burn for short term profits, in every industry, by every company.
Capital is doing a Scorched Earth stratsgem on capitalism itself.
My favourite One Piece character is Nico Robin, the tall archeologist lady in the cool hat, and with emotional... restraint?
Is that the word?
Then it turns out that the government wants her dead, not for her actions, but for who she is.
She's relatable.
Is that the word?
Then it turns out that the government wants her dead, not for her actions, but for who she is.
She's relatable.
November 25, 2025 at 3:26 PM
My favourite One Piece character is Nico Robin, the tall archeologist lady in the cool hat, and with emotional... restraint?
Is that the word?
Then it turns out that the government wants her dead, not for her actions, but for who she is.
She's relatable.
Is that the word?
Then it turns out that the government wants her dead, not for her actions, but for who she is.
She's relatable.
Perhaps it is time to actually read the damn thing, I have had it since high school.
Thank you for reminding me.
Thank you for reminding me.
November 25, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Perhaps it is time to actually read the damn thing, I have had it since high school.
Thank you for reminding me.
Thank you for reminding me.
They are a rich kid sitting down next to ordinary children & begin to boast how much better they are than everyone else.
When they are frozen out of the group as a consequence, they are confused.
That is how they are told socializing works, as they have no healthy human connections.
When they are frozen out of the group as a consequence, they are confused.
That is how they are told socializing works, as they have no healthy human connections.
November 25, 2025 at 5:40 AM
They are a rich kid sitting down next to ordinary children & begin to boast how much better they are than everyone else.
When they are frozen out of the group as a consequence, they are confused.
That is how they are told socializing works, as they have no healthy human connections.
When they are frozen out of the group as a consequence, they are confused.
That is how they are told socializing works, as they have no healthy human connections.
They buy mansions just because they can, and if they don't they will be mocked by other insecure rich people.
So now they live in the middle of nowhere, disconnected from any community, it drives them insane.
Why won't the peasants worship the ground they walk on, they do not understand?!
So now they live in the middle of nowhere, disconnected from any community, it drives them insane.
Why won't the peasants worship the ground they walk on, they do not understand?!
November 25, 2025 at 5:37 AM
They buy mansions just because they can, and if they don't they will be mocked by other insecure rich people.
So now they live in the middle of nowhere, disconnected from any community, it drives them insane.
Why won't the peasants worship the ground they walk on, they do not understand?!
So now they live in the middle of nowhere, disconnected from any community, it drives them insane.
Why won't the peasants worship the ground they walk on, they do not understand?!
Who in their right might would ever consider getting a private yacht?
Unless you intend to live on the thing it is just money burned, so that you can tell other insecure rich people that you also have a yacht.
It is as if they are trying to prove that they are as good as the aristocrats of old.
Unless you intend to live on the thing it is just money burned, so that you can tell other insecure rich people that you also have a yacht.
It is as if they are trying to prove that they are as good as the aristocrats of old.
November 25, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Who in their right might would ever consider getting a private yacht?
Unless you intend to live on the thing it is just money burned, so that you can tell other insecure rich people that you also have a yacht.
It is as if they are trying to prove that they are as good as the aristocrats of old.
Unless you intend to live on the thing it is just money burned, so that you can tell other insecure rich people that you also have a yacht.
It is as if they are trying to prove that they are as good as the aristocrats of old.