EN -W-lOM(o(-t- Mich mB cela ee M lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca RPG Hooks: The dragon > Spicing up a classic Davie Wong Sports Editor f you have any RPG experience—or even if you don't—the classic dragon hook will probably sound familiar. An evil dragon has stolen something valuable and now a ragtag party of adventurers must band together to go and slay the beast. It’s the basis to a lot of storylines. To be honest, it’s kind of played out, but that doesn’t mean dragons are doomed to serve only the uncreative. In fact, it opens up the door for you to really spice it up with our scaly foes... or friends? Instead of being the classic go to big baddie, perhaps the dragon the party is hired to slay is really just misunderstood. Throw in a welpling (baby dragon), and it becomes awfully justified as to why said dragon was stealing. If you enjoy intrigue, perhaps the dragon is a political target, or a distraction to keep powerful warriors occupied while other things are happening. If you are set on doing battle with a scaled monster, the party could unveil that the person that hired them to kill a dragon was another dragon vying for his rival's territory. Perhaps even their treasure? Another twist along those lines is that the task given to the party was a lead up to a trap by their employer, secretly the dragon himself, hoping to lure away the guardians of the city in order to slay and then assault said city. One of my personal favourite classical twists goes off the good ol’ “Dragon stole the Princess” hook. While . going to slay the dragon, ,, the party learns @ that they were deceived by their employer. The dragon didn’t steal the princess. She ran off with him! The timing of the reveal is App Illustration by Ed Denying intersectionality > The division of ‘White Feminism’ Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor A someone who self-identifies sa feminist, I cringe whenever I see people embracing theologies that claim to be “feminist,” but are actually thinly veiled racism, sexism, or any other kind of bigotry. It dilutes the meaning of the word “feminist,” and it propagates the crazy, hairy-legged, man-hating troll stereotype that puts so many young women and men off of calling themselves the “f” word. That’s not to say there’s something wrong with hairy legs—I support them thoroughly as an alternative for people who live in apartments or complexes where pets aren't allowed. Recently, as the female perspective has been more prevalent in the media, I’ve seen “feminists” become more vocal about what their definition of feminism is— and | haven't always been impressed. Earlier in the year we saw the creation of Trans-exclusionary radical feminism (TERF), whose whole schtick is that they want to reduce the rights of trans-women because they weren't born with a vagina, and therefore aren't “pure” women. If this sounds a little off-putting, it’s because—as my very feminist boyfriend pointed out—‘“the last time someone used the term ‘pure’ ina socio-political context, they had a tiny moustache and tried to conquer Europe.” He’s really big into world history, closing the wage gap, and videos of pug puppies on the internet—it’s how we fell in love. More recently, I’ve seen an influx of people sharing this idea of “White Feminism,” as defined as “a form of feminism that focus[es] on the struggles of well-off white women while failing to address the distinct forms of oppression faced by women of colour and women lacking other privileges.” Now on the surface, this definition sounds fairly solid and as though it could be a theory that plays well into the wide- spread and widely accepted theology of feminist intersectionality. However, in practice this theory claims that white women, because they are racially privileged within Western societies, cannot claim to be discriminated against at all. Essentially, what it boils down to is that if you have any form of privilege, that privilege negates you from claiming discrimination—which is highly problematic. There are many ways in which a woman can be discriminated against beyond skin colour—they could be LGBTQ+, have a mental illness or a disability, or be lower class. This theory is localized to Western society, and ignores not only post-colonial feminist theory, but black feminism and intersectional feminism as well—it restricts “feminism” so that it can never be globalized. By denying the existence of varying levels of privileged, as well as Why water is your best friend > Don’t ever take it for granted Carlos Bilan Staff Writer Que is officially here! The sun is out and the weather forecast predicts that Vancouver could be experiencing historically high temperatures—damn you global warming!—so it’s definitely a life-saving idea to stay hydrated. You have probably heard of the “eight glasses a day” rule by now. It has become a common saying, but studies show that this is actually an urban myth. According to the Dietitians of Canada, “Three litres [of water] are required for men 1g years old and over each day and 2.2 litres for women 19 years old and over each day.” However, this refers to fluids in general, meaning you have to also count the water contained in the food you eat. If you eat watermelon, drink soup, and consume food that contains water then the water content in that food is counted toward your required daily water intake. In fact, if you drink more than you need—say, to satisfy the eight glasses a day rule—when you're not thirsty, you can experience a fatal case of water poisoning. Doctor Frankie Philips of the British Diabetic Association told the Daily Mail that “drinking too much water too quickly—and we're talking litres of water here, rather than cupfuls—can play havoc with the delicate balance of salts in the body.” While we all know that water is a basic necessity, this gift of nature is often taken for granted—especially in developed countries where there is a surplus of water. If youre thirsty, you need to drink water or you could become dehydrated, especially if you turn to sugary juices or carbonated beverages, as too much sugar and caffeine will actually dehydrate you even more. So, what is the rule of thumb? Listen to your body. If you are thirsty then drink water, because (¥Y Beauty on a Budget: Revion Ultra HD Gel Lipstick (¥ Here come the beach bodies! (¥ Comparing local poutines And more! everything. Perhaps the team learns of it after the dragon has been slain, and the princess is devastated. Maybe they learn about it when they arrive and the situation changes from killing it to protecting it from a very angry mob of villagers. No matter which way you twist the dragon's tail, you'll need to remember the most important thing. It’s a dragon. Dragons are smart, cunning, and beyond powerful. Not all are evil, but they inspire fear when they are discovered. However you decide to go about this classic, remember, the dragon is the epitome of this story. It doesn’t work if the dragon turns out to be a joke! Or maybe it does... Happy adventuring! the different social structures of other cultures, you prevent gender inequality being seen as a universal concern, which is very important, because if it is seen as a universal concern than it is seen as a higher priority to rectify it. I think my biggest issue with TERF and White Feminism is that they are so exclusionary. According to the United Nations, feminism is meant to promote equality for all—it isn’t meant to be seen as a game of one-upmanship. This type of attitude, where division is treated as a means of claiming who the biggest feminist is, isn’t helping anyone. What youre doing is dividing our forces, when feminists need to be unified in our fight. It also creates confusion within the community. What “feminism” stands for becomes contradictory depending on what opinions you hear, and feminist portrayals in the media will reflect that, making the stereotype of a crazy, hairy-legged, man- hating troll all that anyone will ever see. your body definitely needs it. It is always good to have a large glass or bottle of water handy, because just having it around means you can always drink when your body is telling you you're slightly thirsty. Another alternative is to use your thermos or big water bottle you bring to school at home as well. Just make sure you add ice! I find that ice cold water quenches my thirst easier than lukewarm water, and it’s more appealing to drink. Water is amazing and | hope that you will all stay hydrated this summer. Remember, water is your best friend!