#(including wicked and also legendary)

[oh-meow-swirls]

so do the enma and wandroid tribes not have english summoning songs-

[cuffmeinblack]

Legilimens

Ominis Gaunt x f!reader

Tags: explicit | smut | dominis | sort-of voyeurism | light choking

2.3k words

A/n: Here we go again.

Ominis was far from an ordinary wizard—as a pureblood descendant of Salazar Slytherin, he was a Parselmouth, meaning he had inherited the ability to talk to snakes. He was born blind but Ominis didn't often see this as a handicap—he had his wand which had formed a unique bond with him, enabling him to navigate more easily around the world. He had realised from a young age that he also possessed another rare ability, though it had been many years until he learned it had a name—sighted wizards would call it Legilimency. It was something you could learn, but some people were born with the talent, including Ominis. He had consumed books about Legilimency as soon as he arrived at Hogwarts, burying himself in the library for days at a time in an attempt to understand it more. But, Ominis was not a normal wizard, and thus his Legilimency was not entirely usual.

The literature often highlighted the need to maintain eye contact in order to probe the mind of the subject. The eyes were the window to the soul, after all. What Ominis experienced was different to most accounts he'd read, whereby the Legilimens was able to view memories in vivid detail—his was more of an innate empathic ability to feel emotions attached to thoughts. This could be intensely uncomfortable as he felt others' emotions as if they were his own. If he focused on a person sufficiently, all the better if he were able to touch them, he could hear their memories. He had tried this on Sebastian, with his permission, of course—being able to enter his mind was disconcerting for the first time, like wading through a turbulent sea with a wicked undercurrent, each wave a new memory or subconscious thought. It had left them both with a headache, and Ominis a new appreciation for his friend's experiences.

Ominis rarely thought to use his ability—though his empathic ability was incredibly useful for detecting deception—until he met you. You were an enigma—when you arrived at Hogwarts, Ominis had scoffed at everyone's enthusiasm for the new fifth year, the new subject of gossip. Your entrance had been legendary, and the gossip thickened with rumours of your daring battle with a troll, your ability to wield an ancient type of magic. You were also seemingly impervious to Sebastian's charms. You were, like Ominis, nothing but ordinary—you were a truly extraordinary witch.

Ominis found his interest in you grow exponentially. He wanted to know more, but he had the distinct impression that you were less than willing to share what you deemed to be superfluous details. Ominis supposed that attitude came with being so extraordinary, that your more mundane interests were buried. But Ominis wanted to know every minute detail. And so, for the first time in years, he considered using his gift.

The first time the thought crossed his mind was during a particularly boring History of Magic lesson. You sat next to him, as you most often did, trying to stay awake, as most of the class often did. Ominis was bored, and curious, so he reached out with his mind, listening to the sound of your breathing and eventually found you. Ah yes, there was the boredom. Ominis smirked and chuckled softly. He heard you shuffle in your seat, the brush of your hair against your robes as you turned your head towards him. The change in your thoughts hit Ominis like a broom to the face, the unexpected shift to the overwhelmingly visceral feeling as you looked at him had his heart pounding in his chest—arousal. Ominis wasn't sure he'd understood the feeling at first, though the tightness in his trousers was certainly an indication that what he'd happened upon was intensely pleasurable. 

Ominis felt his cheeks burning as he shuffled in his seat, the friction against the fabric making him ball up his fists in frustration. He knew he should stop, but how could he now? He heard you fidgeting next to him, tapping on the desk with your finger, and focused on you again. There you were, your aura—he reached out and found the jumble of thoughts and memories, at the very forefront of your mind was your current train of thought, tantalisingly close. Ominis continued to pull at the thought and was completely unprepared for what he found. 

"Please, Ominis, touch me," your usually strong and confident voice whimpered.

He heard a muttered reply, in his own voice, but it hadn't come from his lips. 

"You're so wet, you naughty girl. Have you been thinking about this all day?"

Ominis pulled away from your mind, his head spinning and gripping the edge of the desk in front of him. It took every ounce of willpower for him not to gasp out loud as his cock twitched eagerly in his trousers.

"Are you okay, Ominis?" you asked from beside him.

"Yes, just a headache," he managed to reply.

"Me too."

-

Ominis had felt intensely guilty for probing your thoughts, though his intentions were innocent—he was just curious, he wanted to know more about you and your interests. Given what he now knew, the urge to find out more was almost overwhelming—he wondered if what he'd heard had been a one-off, fleeting thought.

You arrived in the common room that evening with Sebastian, chatting animatedly about a book you'd found in the restricted section of the library. Ominis frowned but didn't press the matter, the last time you two had been in the restricted section all hell had broken loose a few months later, but you were both so intensely curious people with a thirst for knowledge. As was Ominis, though his curiosity was almost entirely focused on you. You settled down onto the sofa next to him, the sweet scent of your hair wafting past Ominis' nose, as Sebastian took the armchair opposite.

"What are you up to, Ominis?" you asked.

"Just a little light reading," Ominis replied, patting the book on his knee, though truthfully he'd just been daydreaming about you.

"I need to start our History of Magic essay if you want to join me?" you asked.

"Yes," Ominis replied, far too quickly. "May as well make a start."

"Coming, Sebastian?" 

"Mmm? Oh, no, you go ahead, I want to read more of this book," he replied.

Ominis privately thanked Sebastian's intense interest in the new book as you fell into step with him, walking down the hallways to the library. The room was quiet, even by library standards, and the study area was almost empty, with only a few whispered voices coming from the bank of desks. Ominis settled into a chair on the table furthest away from the chatting students and you sat next to him, pulling books, parchment and quill from your bag. Ominis had no intention of studying, however, though he pulled his own supplies from his bag and lay them out on the table in front of him, opening the book and pointing the tip of his wand at the contents page, then flicking to the section on Goblin riots. 

Your breathing had settled next to him as your hand flicked through the pages of your book and your quill scratched on the parchment, scribbling furiously. Ominis pointed his wand at his book but didn't cast the incantation to read the text, instead turning his attention to you. It was easier to find you now, your familiar aura and the feel of your mind. Ominis slipped into your thoughts with much less effort this time, ignoring your concentrated efforts on the incredibly boring essay and instead delving deeper into your memories. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, only that he would know when he found it. He caught glances of your childhood, your time at Hogwarts, and Ominis felt a pang in his stomach as he heard Sebastian's voice and the unmistakable sound of him kissing you. Ominis withdrew, but he was lost amongst the turbulent wash, until he clung onto something familiar—himself. 

His voice was unmistakably his, but it was saying words he had never said—this wasn't a memory, this was a fantasy. The rush of euphoria hit him, the unmistakable, hungry wanting was intense and addictive to witness. Your voice was breathy, moaning his name over and over again and whimpering softly. Ominis' face was burning, the blood rushing to his cock as he tried to control his breathing.

"If you don't stop whining I'll have to gag you," Ominis' rough voice said.

You whimpered again and Ominis heard the unmistakable slap of skin on skin.

"I told you to be quiet," he growled.

Ominis heard your muffled protests before he withdrew again from your mind, rather more forcefully than he'd intended.

"Argh, my head," you moaned next to him.

Ominis' own head pounded, the pressure behind his eyes intense. His heart was racing trying to make sense of what he'd witnessed, but he couldn't concentrate. He'd never felt such intense frustration as his erection throbbed painfully under the desk. He reached down and adjusted himself, letting out an unintentional gasp at the touch.

"Ominis…?" your voice whispered next to him.

Ominis groped along the table, finding your wrist and pulling you to your feet. He gripped his wand and led you out of the study area, pulling you roughly alongside him out of the library and towards the one place he could guarantee some privacy.

"Ominis, what in Merlin's name is going on?" you asked.

"You'll see," Ominis replied.

By the time you both stepped into the Undercroft, Ominis was absolutely feral. He pinned you against the cold stone wall, his shaking hand tracing from your chest up to your neck, where you gasped, your arousal so obvious even without Ominis' empathic ability. His fingers gripped you under your jaw and his lips found yours, sucking on your lower lip eagerly. Your lips were so soft, your tongue so wet and inviting, eagerly licking Ominis' lips between erratic breaths. When you whimpered, the sound was already familiar but so very exciting, and Ominis found himself tugging at the clothing beneath your robes, discarding your tie and breaking more than a few buttons in his haste to remove your shirt. The rest of your clothes followed as Ominis threw off his own robes and your hands tugged eagerly at his trouser buttons.

His hand on your jaw ran down your neck, and oh, you liked that. Ominis' hand stilled, his grip tightening around your windpipe and pressing you lightly into the wall. Ominis was careful, he didn't want you hurt, but you were obviously enjoying it. From what he'd seen, he'd figured out your particular sexual proclivities, and Ominis was more than happy to abide by your desires. Your hands had finally managed to tug down his trousers, his painfully hard cock released from the restrictive fabric, and Ominis groaned at the release of pressure.

"Get on your knees," he growled, releasing his hand on your neck.

You were more than eager to do as you were told as Ominis felt the grip of your small hand around his shaft and the exquisite warmth of your mouth enveloping his cock, your soft tongue twirling over his sensitive head. Ominis groaned and laced his fingers in your hair, pulling your head towards him until he hit the back of your throat.

"Fuck, good girl," he muttered.

Your moans were music to his ears as his orgasm built quickly with every eager movement of your head. Ominis groaned as he teetered close to the edge, but he wasn't ready for this to end—he wanted you to be satisfied, after all.

"Get up," Ominis said.

The suction on his cock released as you stood up in front of him and Ominis ran his hands over your naked torso, your skin pricked with goosebumps from the cold air in the cavernous room. He found your soft breasts, and the erect nipple that he took between his thumb and forefinger, teasing it as your moans rang in his ears. Your hands were in his hair, your lips on his neck, running soft kisses along his skin and nipping just below his ear. Ominis shuddered and his hands headed south, roughly pulling up your skirt and tugging at your underwear. You pulled them down, allowing him access to between your legs, where Ominis was greeted by the warmth and wetness of your arousal. Ominis parted your lips, running a finger over your swollen clit as you shuddered beneath his touch, sliding his digit inside you. He added another finger, your soaking entrance stretching easily to accommodate them.

Ominis was dizzy and feverish with want. He'd never imagined he could have this effect on you, and it was exhilarating how your normally composed and intimidating exterior crumpled at his touch. He removed his fingers, running his hands around your waist and gripping you by the flesh of your behind, lifting you off the floor and pinning you with his weight against the cold stone wall. You made a surprised sound and gripped his shoulders as Ominis lowered you onto his cock.

"Oh, fuck, Ominis," you gasped.

Ominis grinned as he thrusted into you, moaning from the tightness around his head. He knew he wouldn't last long, you felt too good, but he had one thing he wanted to do first.

"Shut up, or I'll have to gag you," Ominis rasped, replaying the memory of your fantasy.

You whined loudly in response as your walls contracted around his cock, tipping him over the edge, releasing his pent up desire inside you as you both gasped for breath. Ominis' arms were shaking as he withdrew from between your legs and lowering you to the floor, leaning his head against your forehead. You brushed your lips against his as your hands ran over his torso gently.

"Merlin, Ominis, what was that?" you gasped.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Enjoy it? It's like you've been in my head," you laughed.

Ominis bit his lip but kept his silence—some things were better kept secret.

[sekhmetswrath-if]

The Wrath of Sekhmet is based on the 1999 film ‘The Mummy’ and follows the original story of Sekhmet to the best of my research abilities, but also includes highly fictionalised elements.

DEMO (01.09.23) | CHARACTER APPEARANCES

As the archivist of the Museum of Antiquities in Cairo, you’ve collected a lot of knowledge over the thirteen years you’ve worked there. Yet, there has been nothing that fascinated you more than the story of Sekhmet.

A goddess of love turned goddess of war with a bloodlust so deadly that her father, the sun god Ra, was forced to fashion a necklace that Hathor could wear in order to contain Sekhmet.

The necklace glittered with gold and diamonds, but it was the single ruby that sat nestled at her throat that was the real treasure.

Said to contain a drop of Ra’s blood, it was a gem so powerful that it could grant lesser creatures invulnerability when the necklace was worn.

And now, your brother thinks he’s found the legendary Temple of Sekhmet. A temple that was supposedly built to house the necklace.

This could be the adventure of a lifetime and you refuse to be left behind.

This is an 18+ wip due to violence, depictions of blood and gore, optional sexual content, death, elements of body horror, and abduction.

FEATURES

✧ Play as a female, male, or nonbinary mc with cis and trans options. Choose your pronouns and titles separately.

✧ Romance the suave archaeologist, the stoic leader, the bubbly best friend, or the calculating adventurer. Poly routes are available.

✧ Personality stats: sarcastic/genuine, stoic/emotional, reckless/cautious, grumpy/jovial, kind/indifferent, shy/bold.

✧ Skill stats: intelligence, charm, sword fighting, and agility.

✧ Set features of the mc: they’re at least half egyptian and as an archivist, mc is intelligent, studious, and knowledgable about history. While they can be grumpy and indifferent, there will not be the option to be unnecessarily cruel.

CHARACTERS OF INTEREST

Maddox [M]

The bane of your life and one of the only people you trust to always have your back. He’s more of a lover than a fighter and has a silver tongue that could get him out of any situation, but don’t underestimate his protectiveness over you. Older brother prerogative and all that.

Elijah/Elodie Caddel [M/F] [RO]

El is charismatic, quick-witted, and familiar with the temple of Sekhmet making them the perfect companion on your quest. However, for all their charm, they are notorious for keeping everyone but Aksel at a distance, so it is a surprise to all when they quickly seem to develop a deep fondness for you. As well as a wicked protective streak.

Menna Bakir [M/F/NB] [RO]

As a Medjai Chieftain, Menna is responsible for the lives of many. For that reason, they have learnt to show little emotion, although it is noted that they soften around animals and now it seems, you. Once their trust has been earned and they become more comfortable with your group, you’ll see a much more relaxed and even teasing side to them.

Nakia/Nubia Hassan [M/F] [RO]

N can be utterly ruthless when it comes to getting what they want for the museum, but with you they're almost always very bubbly and friendly. They're your childhood best friend and your biggest supporter, and without them, you wouldn't be taking this trip across the desert to discover the secrets that lie in wait.

Aksel Madsen [NB] [RO]

While they seem lazy and unbothered, it doesn’t take long for you to realise that there’s something not quite right about them. They’re too observant, too intelligent, and too calculating. Despite this, you wouldn’t class them as a bad person, especially not when you’ve seen the way they look out for El and, on occasion, you.

Poly routes

N/Aksel | El/Menna

[everygame]

"One of the finest of his generation of critics"—Kieron Gillen (Die, The Wicked + The Divine) Fifty-two essays composing the very best of veteran video game developer and writer Mathew Kumar's "Every Game I've Finished" project, published for the first time in print with commentary from the author. Releasing October 21st, 2024 in print, and available for pre-order now for Kindle or as epub/pdf. Games covered include legendary icons (Wizardry: Proving Grounds Of The Mad Overlord), indie darlings (Papers, Please), beloved obscurities (Attack of the Friday Monsters!), Triple-A franchises (Mass Effect) and modern classics (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild). Essays take the form of everything from straight critique to strategy guide, and represent an overview of the state of the art in video games across its history distilled into ten years of highs and lows. A book that takes video games as seriously as any art form and as deserving of collected criticism. “Mathew’s project, to finish the games he plays, and to write about those he finishes, can be simply stated but it represents a noble act of critical commitment. When taken in concert, these reviews –– unflinchingly acerbic, truthfully stated, and deeply unconcerned with external factors of fashion or consensus –– provide both a diary of criticism, and a long view of the judders and lunges of this still-evolving medium; A charter, too, for what we might cherish, and what we might disdain, in this emergent art form.”–Simon Parkin (A Game of Birds and Wolves, Death By Video Game)

---

Phew! When I announced exp. 2601 I mentioned it was the ten year anniversary of Every Game I've Finished in 2024 and that it might be important, and here it is, a celebration of my last ten years of writing that you can buy as a book that you can own in your house. I didn't originally plan it this way! I intended to release Every Game I've Finished 14>24 as a (somewhat) quick and dirty ebook release, and I did the majority of the work at the beginning of the year pre-exp. 2601, but after realising it would only take a "little" more work to self-publish the book physically I decided if I was going to vanity press, I might as well do it for real.

Of course, it's taken a lot longer than I expected, but I finally have a proof in my hand that I'm satisfied with, and it really does look very nice. 

Vanity press or not, there are a few vectors to this release. Firstly, if you've ever enjoyed any of my writing of the past ten years, here's a nice way to support me and either get a lovely physical or handy digital edition. Secondly, if you haven't, here's a way to immediately get fifty-two of the best articles I've written which you can peruse at your leisure.

Thirdly, I just honestly think that there should be a culture of criticism around games just as there is for literally every other art form, and I think that this book existing makes as much sense as, say Clive James On Television, so I'm just fucking going for it.

That all said, Every Game I've Finished 14>24 is being released on October 21st 2024, and is being released in print on Amazon. I'm no happier about this than you are, but it's the simplest method. I would love to offer copies here on Ko‑fi for launch day, but they (sneakily) give author copies a long lead time and (of course) it's impossible to compete with Amazon's postage rates.

Amazon also--for bafflingly unclear reasons--won't allow me to offer a pre-order of the print edition, so please mark the date in your calendar or follow me on Bluesky or (spit) Twitter if you want to get a copy.

However! If you're just looking for the ebook, you can pre-order it on Kindle or epub/pdf right now! Subscribers will receive their shop discount on the digital edition, so don't forget you can support me for just $1 a month. This release has been, and I know it's a cliche, a real labour of love, just as Every Game I've Finished has been a labour of love for video games (even if it doesn't always read like it.) I can't wait for you to get your hands on it, and I'm so thankful for all of you who have joined me on this journey.

[black-arcana]

HIM Announces Career-Spanning Anthology 'When Love And Death Embrace - The Best Of HIM 1997-2003'

BMG has announced the upcoming release of "When Love and Death Embrace - The Best of HIM 1997-2003", a comprehensive anthology celebrating the early years of the legendary Finnish rock band HIM. Set to hit stores on October 25, 2024, this collection brings together the most beloved tracks from the band's first four studio albums, offering fans a nostalgic journey through HIM's groundbreaking career.

HIM, recognized worldwide for its distinctive blend of sentimental lyrics and hard-hitting rock and its iconic Heartagram symbol, has left an indelible mark on the global music scene. With over 10 million albums sold worldwide, HIM stands as one of Finland's most commercially successful musical exports and remains the first Finnish group to receive a gold record in the United States.

"When Love And Death Embrace" features 16 tracks that defined HIM's sound and propelled them to international stardom. From their debut album "Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666" (1997) to the acclaimed "Love Metal" (2003),this compilation includes fan favorites such as "Right Here In My Arms", "Join Me In Death" and "The Funeral Of Hearts". The album also showcases HIM's memorable covers of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" and BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper".

"When Love And Death Embrace - The Best Of HIM 1997-2003" track listing: 01. Right Here In My Arms 02. The Funeral Of Hearts 03. Your Sweet Six Six Six 04. Heartache Every Moment 05. Buried Alive By Love. 06. Wicked Game. 07. Join Me In Death 08. In Joy And Sorrow 09. Soul On Fire 10. Pretending 11. Gone With The Sin 12. (Don't Fear) The Reaper 13. Poison Girl. 14. Close To The Flame. 15. The Sakrament 16. When Love And Death Embrace

The anthology will be available in three formats: a standard CD album featuring a wallet with spot gloss and embossing, a limited-edition 2LP set pressed on 140g white vinyl with a spot gloss jacket and embossing, and digital. Both physical formats are sure to be coveted by collectors and fans alike.

Despite disbanding in 2017, HIM's music continues to resonate with fans worldwide. Ville Valo's ongoing solo career, in which he performs as VV, often features HIM classics in live performances, keeping the spirit of the band alive for devoted followers.

"When Love And Death Embrace - The Best Of HIM 1997-2003" is not just a collection of songs but a testament to HIM's enduring legacy in the world of rock music. This anthology is a must-have for long-time fans and newcomers alike.

[amenders93]

Welcome to Chicken Island

Sorry for the long wait for another one of my Chicken Run posts, but at least late is better than never. Now that Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget has been streaming on Netflix for the last few weeks, I hope my next few posts of this franchise doesn't include too many spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen this wonderful sequel yet.

Anyway let's start at the beginning, when we hear our charming rooster voicing to us the memories of the first film in the form of what seems like a bedtime story. At first you might think he's talking to the audience watching the memories as the story is told. In his exact words, it goes like this:

"There was this farmer, see? And she absolutely hated chickens. Kept them locked up like prisoners. I guess you could say she had a real "axe" to grind. Got herself a machine that turned chickens into pies. But what she didn't plan on was going toe to toe with a certain freedom-fighting chick. She was fierce, fearless, and wanted one thing and one thing only - freedom. She pulled us all together and gave us the wings to fly right out of that hen-hole. She got every chicken out of there. And got rid of that wicked farmer to boot."

But later, after we see the newspaper article about the Tweedy farm explosion, we learn just who Rocky is really telling the story to. And among other things, we also learn a few other things about Rocky and Ginger after their past experiences. Those discoveries make themselves known as soon as Ginger asks the rooster if bedtime stories might be a bit premature at the moment. Rocky retaliates by saying that no one's never too young to learn where they came from. They both happily look at who, or what, Rocky was telling the story to - a precious egg laying in a cozy nest.

Yes, it's true. Rocky and Ginger are not boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. Now our beautiful feathered couple are happily married as husband and wife AND they're expecting a baby 🐓💍🐔. At this point, there's no telling when the egg will hatch but we do know it's going to happen any day now and soon, Rocky and Ginger will also be parents 🥚.

Ginger then heads outside their house with Rocky following right behind her. She tells her husband that their days in the past are over and they've got their happy ending. In fact, they're living in it. Our happily married couple then gaze out into the horizon looking at the tranquil village that all the free chickens have built over the last few years since their daring and risky escape from Tweedy's Farm. Much like a king and queen surveying their kingdom since Ginger is the leading hen and with Rocky as her forever mate now, he is the leading rooster as well.

As we look around the village, we see that all the chickens have built their own comfortable homes, much better compared to the huts they used to live in. Life on the island is good as it can be, especially for a few other chicken friends of ours. Bunty grows all the fruits and vegetables they could eat, much better than the chicken feed they used to eat. Mac's inventions made their lives much easier. Fowler is pretty much enjoying his retirement from being the leading rooster but still likes to talk about his days in the RAF. Babs continues to knit as she always does. As for the other hens, they pretty much do their own thing enjoying their freedom, not having a single worry in the world. Hard to believe that this opening scene in the village took about six months to make.

In fact, their new life is so perfect that Ginger believes that now is time to put the past behind them. Confused, Rocky questions his wife about this and she refers to the one wall in their house covered in pictures and newspaper clippings - most about the legendary explosion at Tweedy's Farm and one about Rocky's escape from the circus along with his old poster. Our couple head back inside looking at that very wall. Rocky indignantly reminds Ginger that these memories are their glory days and it's how they are. Our lovely hen scoffs at this, stating that it's who they were. Holding onto her husband's arm, she reminds him that they went through that dreadful past so their baby doesn't have to.

Rocky thinks about this for a moment. Our handsome rooster then admits to his wife that she's right. He then goes over to the wall and rips off his old circus poster; he would clear the rest of it later. At this point, both husband and wife agree that from now on, their only mission is to keep their baby safe. Our two married chickens gaze lovingly at their precious egg still laying in its nest, wondering when it's going to hatch. Though they won't have to wait much longer 😉.

[behindthemirrorofmusic]

As some of you might have noticed I haven't been active here as much as I usually am. This is because I have been working on an online event.

On December 10 at 8PM UTC a very special show will stream on Behindthemirrorofmusic.com

"Together at Hanukkah" an event to spread love and light in the Jewish community and raise money for the MDA the Magen David Adom the Israeli paramedic organization.

A selection of Jewish artists will perform songs and reading for the good cause.

Artists include:

Legendary star of the stage and screen Tovah Feldshuh (Funny Girl, Golda, Yentl, Pippin, Crazy Ex Girlfriend)

Ethan Freeman (the first Jewish actor in history to perform the role of The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast (the first Jewish Disney prince,) Jekyll and Hyde)

Daniella Rabbani (Ocean's 8, God Friended Me, The Americans, Appropriate Behavior, Floating Sunflowers, Bridge and Tunnel and Laughs. Star of the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene)

Avi Hoffman known for Magic City, Bloodline and Graceland among many others,) who specializes in Jewish culture and Yiddish theater. His long-running “Too Jewish” trilogy has been seen by millions on PBS and in venues around the world. He is also CEO at Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc./YI LoveJewish.

Shimi Goodman (Chicago, Evita, Singing in the Rain, Into the Woods) and Christopher Hamilton aka piano and tenor duo Tiano.

Adam B. Shapiro (Fiddler on the Roof, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Normal Heart)

Rebecca Wicking (Into the Woods, Rent, Hair, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Annie Get Your Gun)

Estee Stimler musical Theatre book and lyrics writer and ambassador of Jewish activism organisation Stand With Us

The event organised and hosted by Dannii Cohen (host of Musical Theatre based radio show Behind the Mirror of Music) will stream on Behindthemirrorofmusic.com from 8pm UTC

[mask131]

Seasonal theme: Magical summer (beginning)

This summer will be a season of wonders and enchantments, of spells and wizards - a magical summer!

Here is a list of beings, entities, objects and concepts you can check out if you want to add some magic to your summer:

In the myths, legends and so-called “real” world...

In the Arthurian literature: Merlin the enchanter, most famous of all wizards, derived from the legendary Welsh figure of Myrddin. Morgan le Fay, the ever-so-ambiguous enchantress of Arthurian mythos. Excalibur, the greatest and most iconic of all magical swords.

In Greek mythology: Hecate, the goddess of magic and witches. Circe, the divine enchantress of the Odyssey. Medea, the most frightening sorceress of the Greek legends. Lamia, a Greco-Roman bogeywoman that medieval times assimilated with various monsters and witches.

In Norse mythology: seidr, the old Norse magic, and its patron goddess Freya. Loki, expert shapeshifter and trickster supreme.

Christian legends, myths and beliefs: the Malleus Maleficarum, the unfamous manual used by many witch-hunters during the great witch hunts throughout Europe - a manual which was not accepted by the Church, unlike what many people believe. The Ars Goetia, both the art of invoking demons and the grimoire containing the secrets of said art. Astaroth, a demon often associated today with witchcraft. The famous witches sabbath, that was the great terror and fantasy of devil-fearing men of the Middle-Ages and the Renaissance. The paintings of Goya, which illustrated the various superstitions and beliefs surrounding witches in Spain.

The folklore of the British Isles: the British Grimalkin, with its cousins the English King of Cats and the Celtic Cat-sith. Lugh, the Irish Celtic god that mastered all of the arts, including magic.

Vaïnämöinen, the great bard-enchanter of Finland, and one of the sorcerer-heroes of the Kalevala alongside the magical blacksmith Ilmarinen, all fighting against the evil witch-queen Louhi.

In fairytales: the fairytales of the brothers Grimm brought many of the famous fairytale witches, from the evil queen with her magic mirror in Snow-White to the witch living in a house of bread and sugar in Hansel and Gretel. In Slavic fairytales, the great and iconic witch is the dreaded Baba Yaga. The French fairytales also brought the archetype of the fairy godmother: Cinderella, Toads and Diamonds, Donkeyskin, Cunning Cinders, The Hind in the Woods/The White Doe, Prince Marcassin... And let’s not forget Carabosse, the wicked fairy of the fairytale Princess Mayblossom, that became thanks to Tchaïkovsky’s ballet the old antagonistic fairy of Sleeping Beauty. Plus: the seven-league boots, one of the most famous magical items of French fairytales, appearing in Little Thumbling or The Orange Tree and the Bee.

The world of alchemy: the famous philosopher’s stone, elixir of life, and panacea that formed the ultimate goals of alchemists. Hermes Trismegistus, the mythological patron and ancestor of all alchemists (himself a mix of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth). Nicolas Flamel, the 14th century book-seller everybody believed to be the discovered of the philosopher’s stone.

Some famous grimoires of our world: The Book of Abramelin, a tome of sacred Jewish magic. The Lesser Key of Solomon, a demonology grimoire of the 17th century inspired by the older book of sacred spells known as The Key of Solomon. The very famous duo of French grimoires known as the Grand Albert and Petit Albert. The Book of Shadows, a type of grimoire originally part of the Wicca religion, and that became popularized in America media thanks to the television series Charmed.

Principles, beliefs, personalities and practices of our world (which, as you will note, frequently mix magic with religion and folk-healing): Nostradamus, the great French prophet. The magi of Persia, Zoroastrian priests and astronomers that gave birth to the concept of the “mage” as we know it today. The original mana - not the video game mechanic, but the supernatural force of Oceanian beliefs. The Celtic druids and the most famous of their sacred sites: Stonehenge. The marabout, a type of Muslim holy man from Africa to whom was attributed some magical powers in folk-belief. The shamans of Siberia, the ones from which the very principle of “shamanism” was codified in the West. The medecine people of the First Nations in Northern America. The sangomas of Southern Africa, one of the most famous types of African “witch-doctors”. The Haitian Vodou and the Louisiana/New-Orleans Voodoo, folk-religions and magic beliefs deriving from the Vodun religion of West Africa (not to be confused with their various “cousins”, such as the Vodu of Cuba, the Jejé of Brazil or the Hoodoo).

More general magic tropes and concepts: the magic potion. The flying broomstick. The magic wand, or its variation the wizard’s staff. The familiar of the witch. The trope of the wizard duel, which, despite its prominence in modern literature and contemporary folk songs, has roots in ancient mythological fights and legendary magic hunts. The tempestarii, or the belief in weather-influencing, weather-changing sorcerers.

[rewritale]

logan marshall-green, pansexual, cis male + he/him → nicholas chopper, i hear that they're the tin man from the wizard of oz. i hear they’re 48. they seem to be dedicated & steadfast, but also heartless & ruthless. their aesthetics include the smell of oil and metal, a bloody axe & an empty space where the heart should be.

BASIC

FULL NAME: Nicholas Woodrow Chopper NICKNAME(S): Nick, Tin, Rusty AGE: 48 BIRTHDAY: February 19th SPECIES: Human / Cyborg TALE: Tin Man (The Wizard of Oz) ETHNICITY: White OCCUPATION: Woodsman GENDER & PRONOUNS: Cismale & he/him ORIENTATION: Pansexual

APPEARANCE

FACE CLAIM: Logan Marshall-Green HEIGHT: 5’11’’ WEIGHT: 254 lbs HAIR COLOR: Brown EYE COLOR: Hazel (his bionic eye is more green) DOMINANT HAND: Ambidextrous SCARS: Stitch marks around his right eye; surgical scars on whatever is left of his flesh TATTOOS: N/A PIERCINGS: N/A

RELATIONSHIPS

FATHER: Woodrow Chopper (deceased) MOTHER: Daisy Chopper (deceased) SIBLINGS: N/A SPOUSE: N/A CHILDREN: TBD FAMILY: TBD

PERSONALITY

MBTI: ISTJ ENNEAGRAM: Type 8w9 (The Challenger) MORAL ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral ELEMENT: Earth SIN: Sloth VIRTUE: Temperance QUALITIES: Dedicated, Honorable, Steadfast FLAWS: Heartless, Ruthless, Witless FEAR(S): Being broken, malfunctioning INSPIRATION: Tin Woodman (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Tin Woodman of Oz), Steve Austin (The Six Million Dollar Man), Cyberpunk 2077, The Iron Giant, Alfonse Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)

BIOGRAPHY

The Tin Man, Nick Chopper was once a simple woodsman and hunter. He was raised in the woods of Oz, foraging and logging, hunting dangerous beasts and monsters, you know, the woodsman things. His penchant for killing anything that disrupted his forest earned the ire of the Wicked Witch of the East by felling one of their henchmen. But Nick was not worried. It was the matter of the woods and that is his work; the witch is of magic and curse and all that shenanigan. None of those were his concerns. Until the witch exacted their revenge.

Despite his rough disposition, the simple woodsman fell in love with a simple villager, Ninian Amee. Or at least Nick thought Ninian was a simple villager who was enslaved by the Wicked Witch of the East, but that’s a whole another story (spoiler alert, they were the Lord of the Lake). The woodsman challenged the Witch but he was no match to the magic. The Witch cursed him and his treasured axe, causing him to cut off his own limbs. With the help of a legendary artificer Ku-Kilip, Nick replaced his severed limbs with machine parts. He gradually lost parts of his body to his own axe and became more of a machine than a man. When he finally ripped open his own chest and pulled out his beating heart, Nick lost his ability to feel emotions and love. He could not be with Ninian anymore, as only his purpose and function as a protector of the woods remained in the cavity where the heart should be. Working day and night in the woods, the Tin Man was eventually claimed by rust and ceased to function.

And then a young man from Kansas found him, and the rest is history. Nick Chopper the Tin Man accompanied Dorian Gale, the Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow in a quest. He had hoped to find his heart, not because he wanted to feel emotions but simply because he was incomplete as a machine. When the Wizard of Oz gave him a silken heart filled with sawdust, Nick was satisfied. After Dorian left Oz, the Tin Man returned to the woods and continued to work ceaselessly as its keeper. He was partial to being occasionally whisked away for another journey, however.

Nick later met Captain Fyter the Tin Soldier who suffered the same fate as him. They shared their love for Ninian and camaraderie from being a cyborg, and together they set out to find Ninian who disappeared from Oz.

POWER

Most of his body is machine rather than flesh: his legs, arms and shoulders, upper left chest, abdomen, upper right part of his skull along with his right eye, several organs, bones and spine are all either machine powered by magic or implants. Ku-Klip, who is an expert at the art of magical artifice, has upgraded Nick over the years.

His machine parts are powered by the magical engine in his upper left chest. His organs are like a furnace that incinerates and converts what he consumes into a power source. Because he is quite literally heartless, his flesh parts are connected to the engine as well, keeping him “alive”.

When his cursed axe cut off his right eye, it damaged his brain. Ku-Klip did what he could, implanting Nick with a bionic eye and machine parts in his brain to help him function, but the operation caused him to think and act more like a machine.

His arms and legs are fully machine and grant him incredible strength and speed. He is also durable and has tireless stamina as long as he has fuel.

His internal organs are also enhanced with a mix of magic and biotech. The respiratory and círculatory system are designed to rapidly supply blood and oxygen all over his body. The digestive system converts what he consumes into energy sources. As a cyborg, Nick is resistant to most diseases and poisons.

His metallic parts are mostly made of special tin alloy enhanced by magic. It is heat resistant, however, moisture can cause rust over time. After being rusted and stuck in the forest, the Tin Man has taken some precautions, mostly plating his body with protective metal. He still needs frequent maintenance.

He is particularly vulnerable to electricity as it can fry his cybernetic parts.

He still needs to sleep, not out of exhaustion but to conserve energy. When he sleeps, it’s more like deactivation than sleeping.

Though he doesn’t necessarily need to eat food, whatever he consumes goes to generating energy that runs his body. He can eat most anything, though oil and alcohol produce energy faster. Alcohol can still affect him and cause him to “malfunction”.

Nick does not mind the appearance of a machine, but the area around his right eye is covered with artificial skin. The mechanical arms and legs are obviously machines.

HEADCANON

While Nick doesn’t have a heart (both physically and symbolically) and experiences difficulty processing emotions, it does not mean he is amoral. At the core of his personality lies a sense of responsibility. He is an honorable man and has a protective streak, but this does not necessarily rise from the goodness of his heart. Nick considers it his purpose and part of his “coding”. Though he acts caring and gentle, it is mostly an emulation of human behaviors rather than out of empathy. When it comes to eliminating threats and fighting evil, Nick can be heartless (pun intended) and unforgiving.

Does not like rain. Or water in general. His idea of washing is a part of maintenance.

He himself has gotten used to repairs since he can’t go to Ku-Klip every time he breaks something.

Nick likes animals and plants in general as long as he deems them harmless.

He is very attached to his axe and refuses to part with it, even though it is cursed.

[daydream-hq]

Ever After High Pokemon Teams - Raven Queen

Part 2 of my headcanons on what Pokemon teams and Trainer Classes Ever After High characters would have if they lived in the Pokemon world! Let's get is started!

Raven Queen

Daughter of Eris Queen, a.k.a. The Evil Queen, Raven has had to fight against her mother’s legacy for her whole. From her mother who wanted her to accomplish the dream she never reached, to her peers to thought she would follow her mother’s footsteps a run Team Queen, everyone seemed to expect the worse of her. 

Raven refused to give up and decided to follow her passion of performance and became a Pokemon Coordinator! This surprised everyone, especially Apple who always thought that Raven would be a trainer like her mother and that they would carry on their mothers’ rivalry.

But Raven has no interest in carrying on her mother’s legacy - she is more interested in creating her own! And that is just what she is gonna do with her Pokemon by her side.

Trainer Class: Pokemon Coordinator

Raven's team is made up of Pokemon that either are misjudged because of their appearance or reputation, or just plain look wicked cool. I would imagine that she would not care that much about having a balanced team since she is not competing in battles. Her performances are more focused on looking cool that "pretty".

Draco the Dragapult

Moves:

Phantom Force

Dragon Rush

Dragon Darts

Lock-On

Raven's main partner Pokemon, Draco wows the crowd with his speed and majesty. Draco has been with Raven through thick and thin ever since Raven found him as a Dreepy wandering around her mother's dungeon. At first, Draco was very weak and scared, but with Raven's and the team's support, Draco has become a strong and speedy hitter and performer!

I always knew that I wanted Raven to have a Dragon Type Pokemon as a referance to her pet dragon Nevermore and I had initially had Hydreigon as her starter, but decided that the Dragapult line fitted Raven better due to the story of Dreepy starting out weak but getting stronger and eventually becoming a strong Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon.

Midnight the Umbreon

Moves:

Dark Pulse

Swift

Moonlight

Confuse Ray

Raven's secondary Partner, Midnight loves to show off how brightly he shines and lights up the lives of those closest to him. Midnight was given to Raven as an Eevee from her father and in very loyal to Raven and is incredibly protective of his trainer - Apple never understands why Midnight is wary of her but somehow loves Dexter!

I definitely wanted to give Raven a Dark Type Pokemon. I settled on Umbreon because it looks a bit like a dog and I thought is was a cute reference to Raven's pet puppy Prince that her mother turned into a Bone Rat in the books. And also because Raven would definitely have a Pokemon that evolved via Friendship. So Umbreon was perfect!

Lita the Gothitelle

Moves:

Psychic

Thunderbolt

Hypnosis

Shadow Ball

Raven met Lita as a Gothita and was immediately impressed by her sass and love of performing. Lita loves creating psychic shows for the audience that tends to instill both awe and fear everyone who sees them. Lita does not take any crap from anyone and has no patience for nonsense.

The Gothitelle line was an easy one for me to include for Raven's team. Not only because of the whole "goth" aspect, but also because Psychic Types would also fit Raven's vibe.

Nina the Nidoqueen

Moves:

Poison Jab

Earth Power

Crunch

Superpower

A proud superpower who takes no shit, Nina - as she loves to be called on stage - Nina the Poison Queen, is a rough and tumble beast who loves to show off her strength. While initially a shy little Nidoran♀, Raven helped Nina conquer her stage fright and show off how cool and powerful she truly is!

I thought it would be cool for Raven to have a Pokemon that literally has "queen" in it's name and here she is! Plus, I feel like a Poison Type Pokemon really fits with Raven's aesthetic.

Jaws the Aerodactyl

Moves:

Stone Edge

Fly

Iron Head

Strength

Despite Jaws's fierce appearance and scary name, he is really a sweetheart who is still adjusting to the new world he has found himself living in now. Jaws does not like scaring people and Pokemon because he finds that they will often run away from him. What he does like though, is showing off how high he can fly and how cool his moves and Mega Evolution are! He loves his trainer and his team who see him as the sweetheart he really is!

I felt like Raven needed a Flying Type, but I like to avoid repeating Types when I can, so this one was a bit tricky. But I eventually hit gold with Aerodactyl! Not only is it a strong and cool looking Pokemon that did not share a Type with any of Raven's other Pokemon, but it even looks a bit like a dragon!

Bella the Granbull

Moves:

Play Rough

Fire Fang

Scary Face

Payback

Raven met Bella as a Snubbull and the two had an instant connection. Bella's fierce and intimidating face often had other Pokemon running away from and not wanting to play with her - just like Raven when she was young! Raven offered Bella a spot on her team and Bella leap right into Raven's arms, happy to have friends at last! While initially unsure about Contest, Bella quickly found her footing in performances and a gentle giant and loves showing that you can be kind and strong at the same time!

I thought it would make sense for Raven to have a Fairy Type to round out her team and the story of Snubbull and Granbull looking fierce and scary but really being timid and scared really reminded me of Raven's struggles, so I thought they fit.

And there it is! Another full team of Ever After Pokemon! Feel free to tell me waht you think and I'll post the next teams as soon as I can!

[somethingclevermahogony]

Happy STS! What are some common forms of entertainment for regular, non-noble people in your world?

Thank you for the question! As per usual, I will be sticking to Kishetal for this one, and more specifically the region around Labisa. These are just a few of the things that common people might do for fun! Common people find a number of ways to entertain themselves.

Beer halls (beer is the drink of commoners, as opposed to wine which tends to be more high class or else reserved for special occasions) are very numerous and form one of the main hangout spots for commoners of all ages. Throughout Kishetal, beer has traditionally been brewed and sold by women. Labisa alone has 19 beer halls, all but one of which are run by women. These halls typically serve five varieties of beer along with various food items.

Aruhakishar/Akishar: (Aruha- Dry, Kisharu- Beer) Unadulterated, typically plain beer, this sort of beer is the basis for the other varieties. These vary from brewer to brewer and can differ greatly in terms of strength, flavor, color, etc. This tends to be the cheapest option. Ishkishar: (Isha- Sour/Bitter Kisharu- Beer) Aruhakishar typically with the addition of various herbs, nuts, and even minerals. This beer is typically seen as invigorating, good for lifting the energy and strengthening the resolve against wicked spirits. Few people drink this casually. Wakishar: (Wawa- Sweet, Kisharu- Beer) Similar to the above but rather than the addition of herbs to promote bitter and sour flavors, this variety of beer is typically sweetened with the addition of various sweeteners, most often date syrups, honey, and fruits like fig. These tend to be the most well-liked variety of beer and fall in the middle when it comes to price. Olikishar/Olkishar: (Oli- Blood/Red, Kisharu- Beer) This variety of beer is similar to Wakishar but is flavored specifically with the addition of red fruit, like pomegranate, cherry, and various mountainous berry, giving it that crimson appearance. Some beer halls may add other additives to increase this sanguine appearance. Depending on the quality, this may be the most expensive variety of beer sold at a hall. Ihikishar/ Ihiki: (Ihi- Giggle (haha), Kisharu-Beer) This particular variety of beer is not sold in all halls and tends to be the most expensive, and is viewed among the common folk as more of a treat. This beer can be any of the above with addition of the treated oil of the magical Kasikur plant, also known as jit(from a Forestfolk word). Drinking jit mixed with wine may cause various effects, most commonly a slight high, similar to cannabis. However the use of jit is highly regulated as its magical effects, when consumed in sufficient amounts can have dangerous and bizarre effects.

Storytelling, relating tales of Kishetals history and of the various happenings of the outside world, takes a very robust place in the lives of Kishite people of all walks of life.

Temples often put on performances, mostly reenacting the exploits of legendary heroes. Typically these events are free though a donation is expected. The most extravagant of these performances may also include shows of sagecraft, some of the only magic that common folk are exposed to.

Poets and bards are likewise quite ubiquitous, performing on street corners or else found in the beer halls, competing for the attention, and appreciation of their audiences.

Poetry battles and rhyming contests, in essence thinly veiled battles of insults, are common spectacles and the best poets may even earn some degree of fame amongst their peers.

Gambling with dice or on the outcomes of fights are also quite common. Thiefs dice is particularly common among the enslaved population of Labisa as it only necessitates small gambles.

Suru was on the deck arranging some sort of game atop a wooden crate. " Come down here, Ninma." He called up to her.  Ninma shimmied down the mast and sat at the makeshift table. The crate had on it a pile of dried figs and two dice carved from bone; two of the sides were painted red, one blue, one black, one yellow, and one remained white. " What is this?" Ninma asked, inspecting one of the dice. " Something to distract us while we wait. Narul and I used to call this thief’s dice, no idea what it is actually called. I borrowed the dice from one of the crew. We used to play it in the slave quarters, don’t know if you ever played it up in the palace, doesn’t seem like it. The rules are simple. We take turns rolling the dice. If you get blue, you take a fig. If you get red, it becomes my turn. If you roll yellow, you must put a fig back in the pot. If you get white, you can take one of my figs, but if you get black, I can take one of yours. The game is over when someone rolls a blue, but there are no figs in the pot to take. Back home, we used the money your father gave us at festivals, but I respect you too much to take all your money, princess." He grinned.

Hunting for small game like birds and rabbits is popular among rural populations, though not so much among urban ones. Though, rat-catching is not unheard of among young and adult alike in certain parts of Labisa and other large cities.

Duels, or more accurately brawl matches with sticks and fists, are not at all uncommon, though technically illegal. When such fights do break out, they attract much attention, and typically, much gambling. The city guard, at least under Hutbari, does little to stop this and may even join in on the wager.

Wrestling, boxing, foot races, competitions of skill with slings, and other similar physical activities are popular, and may take place at just about any time. For those rare few that know how, swimming in Lake Shebali is a fun bit of leisure, though not always entirely safe as the depths of the lake can be dangerous. Dance and music are common as well, perhaps most famous is Storm Step. This style of dance theater is almost entirely non-verbal and rather is dependent on facial and bodily expression. The dances are performed on hollow wooden platforms, producing loud thundering sounds, thus giving the style of theater its name. Unlike most styles of theater in Kishetal, Storm Step is entirely dominated by women, and more often than not pairs of sapphic lovers. In some instances entire troupes may form polyamorous unions.

I could keep going, but I think that gives a good picture for now. Let me know if you would like to know more!

[desultory-novice]

I haven't had the chance to do it yet, but do you know if the Japanese pause screens or text in RTTDDX contain any lore that, by chance, didn't appear in the english translations? I ask because I just remembered when Star Allies did the same thing with Void Termina's jp pause screen. (I wish I could relive that day, lol)

I'm sorry, Inifinite! I actually had this post ready to go a while ago but Tumblr kept borking on me and I eventually shelved it because I was so annoyed by it crashing mid-edit! Finally came back to it because this is a very good question!

-

So, I only looked at the ones I had screenshots of, but I want to start out by saying the Pause Screen translation here is without question more accurate than previous games. This is FL levels of accuracy - the only differences being very minor word choices. As such, I've gone ahead and stuck with the EN descriptions here and "added back" (via parenthesis) anything that could be said to have been "left out" from the Japanese!

----

[Master Crown] (The resurrected crown of control has become a mistletoe tree (1) bearing red fruit) Those who wear the Master Crown will gain power, but so will the darkness in their hearts. Thanks to the red fruit, it's become a wrathful wreath-a destroyer called the tree crown without a ruler!

-

(1) The word for "mistletoe tree" can also be read in Japanese as "host tree" because mistletoe is a parasite!

-

[Master Crown; Last Phase] To free the tree (from the bindings (2) of control) and bring an end to the destruction... To take responsibility for his wicked ways... With all of his magic infused into the sword, he must strike! Magolor must atone for his misdeeds!

-

(2) The full kanji here would typically be 呪縛 - "curse" + "restriction" but "curse" and "tree" are sound-alikes, so they left the "curse" kanji off, meaning it CAN be read as "bound tree"

-

[Magolor Soul - True Arena Phase 1] The one-eyed wreath grants power but swallows the soul... It devours, stealing any sense of self... Truly, this crown rules all. Free him from this nightmare! Take his hand and save a new friend!

-

This one is...basically as is. Anything would just be word choice nitpicks, but to be honest, I don't even have that many. The biggest one would be that the Japanese says "...become friends!" rather than "save a new friend" but "new" implies that they're going to become friends, so yeah. It's the same

-

[Magolor Soul - True Arena Phase 2] Kirby... Ugh! I hate having to rely on you, and your vacant stare when I revealed my grand plan was truly insulting. Well, let's see if you can break this thing on my head. If you can, then someday...hee hee heee...I may get to toy with you again!

-

I wrote my alternate translation as well as my reasonings for it and what this translation does well in another post [HERE!]

-

[Magolor EX] It was in a dusty(4) tome that Magolor first learned about that legendary item. It all sounded like a fairy tale, until he (miraculously) found the Lor and began scheming. It's time to save the universe, Lor...and Magolor!

-

(4) "Dusty" is an elaboration on the EN part but definitely not a stretch. One thing that is different is that "legendary item" is absolutely PLURAL in Japanese. Meaning he learned about everything through those same books. Presumably, this includes the artifacts he tells Kirby about, including the Fountain of Dreams and Galactic Nova.

-

[Magolor Soul EX] (A battle that exceeded all limits caused the limitless power of the Master Crown to overflow without stop.) What remains of Magolor is a sad shell. He's possessed by the limitless power of the Master Crown, imprisoned by the hatred and obsessions of prior rulers. Now...defeat it and free Magolor's soul!

-

I mentioned in a post just yesterday that it was implied the Master Crown kinda went berserk because of Magolor and Kirby's fight and the pause screen lore does seem to play into that interpretation. It was definitely dangerous, but the fight is what caused it to overflow and consume Magolor? Of course, something like that seems like it was bound to consume him eventually...

-

[Lor EX & Magolor]

Lor sensed something was amiss when it met Magolor. It can travel to far-off paradises with ease...so why didn't it? Perhaps it hid its true power, wanting to be stopped after (3) stealing the crown...

-

(3) Another fine translation; what's most interesting here is word used here in Japanese can also be interpreted as "being made a pawn to retake/recapture the crown"  The key being "recapture" rather than "steal"

There's some mysteries about Magolor this game has given us. (Gotta find time to work on my Magolor essays... Plural...)

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You

The 1# Legendary Japanese 🇯🇵 Actor & Martial Artist 🥋Of Cinema 🎥 Before & Today

Born in Tokyo, he was scouted by an entertainer while playing with the son of the actor Kokichi Takada who lived in the same condominium, and after working as a model for a magazine for young children, he joined the Himawari Theatre Group at the age of five. He made his film debut in 1966 in the ninkyo yakuza film Game of Chance (浪曲子守唄) starring Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba, reprising his role as Chiba's character's son in two sequels released the following year.

He is a Japanese actor and martial artist. He began his career in the mid-1960's at the age of six, and gained prominence for his roles in Japanese and Hong Kong action films, later establishing himself as a dramatic actor.

He made his first major Hollywood appearance portraying Ujio in The Last Samurai (2003), later appearing in such films as Sunshine (2007), Speed Racer (2008), The Wolverine, 47 Ronin (both 2013), Minions (2015), Life (2017), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Army of the Dead (2021), Bullet Train (2022), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). He also had a recurring role on the HBO series Westworld (2018–2020).

He is best known to international audiences for his roles as Ryuji Takayama in Ring (1998), Seibei Iguchi in The Twilight Samurai (2002), Ujio in The Last Samurai (2003), Kenji in Rush Hour 3 (2007), and Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion in Mortal Kombat (2021).

His role as 'The Fool' in the Shakespeare play King Lear also gave him notable theatrical notice in the United Kingdom.He has received numerous accolades, including two Japan Academy Film Prizes, three Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actor, four Kinema Junpo Awards, and honors from the Yokohama Film Festival.

In 2018, he received the Medals of Honor with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government for his "artistic developments, improvements and accomplishments."

Please Wish This Legendary & Incredible Japanese 🇯🇵 Actor & Martial Artist 🥋Of Years Of Outstanding Cinema 🎥 & Also Shares The Same Birthday with, The Legendary Aussie Actor, Hugh Jackman. Who has starred a movie in with, A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HIS MOVIES. YOU WILL

IF YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF HIM. ITS OKAY YOU DEFINITELY WILL NOW.

THE 1 & THE ONLY

MR. HIROYUKI SANADA 🇯🇵 AKA SCORPION 🦂 OF THE 2021 REBOOT, MORTAL KOMBAT🥋 👊

GET OVER HERE 🦂

#HiroyukiSanada #TheWolverine #47Ronin #Extant #MortalKombat #Shogun #Scorpion #YoshiiTornaga

[viofitz]

Review: Fujimi Super Tune Up F Series

Introduction:

Fujimi Mokei Co., Ltd. is a Japanese model manufacturer based in Shizuoka Prefecture. It produces plastic model kits of a variety of vehicles, including model aircraft, model cars, model ships and model armored vehicles along with historical structures and science fiction kits. Since "mokei" means "model" in Japanese, "Fujimi Mokei" is often called "Fujimi Model(s)" in English. Due to the popularity of Formula One cars, they also produced their own 1/32 scale F-1 cars. Judging from their respective boxarts, the cars were seemingly based on the 1989 Formula One season. Which probably also released that year, a year earlier before Tamiya or ARII released their own F-1 cars. It seems like there're 2 versions of this series, since 2 of them I got has variant colored boxarts. The white boxarts version, they're included with large rear velgs, small front velgs and plastic tires. While the dark colored boxarts was included with gold plated wheelsets and sponge tires.

No. 01: Mclaren Honda:

Once again due to the popularity of Mclaren, many toy companies including Fujimi took the chance to make their own product for money making. The car was based on Mclaren MP4/5 judging on the artwork and the year they released this line. However, this conversion wasn't inspired from the Legendary Ayrton Senna version but, rather Alain Prost.

Design thoughts: Unlike Tamiya and ARII, this representation of Mclaren appeared to have blocky shape on it's side fairings and the nose is very thick. I like Fujimi's representation of Mclaren car as well.

No. 02: Benetton Ford:

The car was based on B189 and most likely based on either Nelson Piquet or Emanuele Pirro version and unlike Tamiya & ARII, B189 has bright green colored bodyshell. Although, the actual car has 5 color schemes.

Design thoughts: Also digging on this. Perhaps, out from all release, this is the most colorful livery coming from Benetton Ford since both Tamiya and ARII made B190B and B192 versions which only got less colorings on their livery.

No. 03: Leyton House March:

Well, pretty unique Fujimi actually released something different than both Tamiya or ARII. The car was based on March 881 driven by Mauricio Gugelmin and has turquoise colored bodyshell.

Design thoughts: I gotta admit, despite being underrated, this is one of the cool yet unique. Unfortunately, the side part of the rear nose was made to be quite narrow, thus hinders fitting into it's chassis since the battery locker will blocking the bodyshell's side rear nose. You'll have to remove the battery locker of you want to fit the bodyshell into the chassis

No. 04: Ferrari:

Well, other than McLaren, Ferrari is the 2nd that caught attention to even Fujimi to make their own. It was based on Ferrari 640 and like every Ferrari cars it has red colored bodyshell and it was inspired from Gerhard Berger's car instead of Prost, since Prost is still on McLaren team back in 1989.

Design thoughts: I like how this car appeared to be the slimmest of all but, it's nose is quite bold. This is pretty different representation since both Tamiya and ARII made the Ferrari cars looking very broad.

No. 05: Black Special

Unlike the others, Black Special is a fictional car made by Fujimi and after a close inspection from me, the black special is literally McLaren Honda bodyshell in black color. It seems like it was meant to be a special release from Fujimi.

Design thoughts: Well, despite being a recolor but, this car is looking pretty wicked and badass, I love how Fujimi also went wild on producing their own original design instead of referencing another F1 cars.

No. 06: Lamborghini:

To be frank... I couldn't find an actual car that has livery like this but, since it was called Lamborghini, it can be assumed the car was inspired from Lola LC89. However, the bodyshell wasn't even based on Lola but, it was a reused of Leyton House March bodyshell in navy blue color. I guess this is just another one of Fujimi's special release. Unlike the others, the car's livery doesn't even have any numbering.

Design thoughts: I personally like this one most, it's simple and I really like the color, eventhough it was loosely inspired from a certain F1 car. Like Leyton House March, it's bodyshell won't fit if the battery locker is attached on it's chassis.

Super Tune Up F Series Chassis:

The chassis was build similar like the old class tamiya mini 4WD chassis however, despite the looks it doesn't have any 4WD features. Even the kit only got 2 gears to attach, and each kit was included with 2 types of gear, red for standard run and black for speed run. The gear box appeared to have exposed view on the motor and gears. The terminals are silver color, I gotta say the chassis mechanism was designed to be way too simple. Each kit were included with 2 types of keylock; the standard one and the one with rear bumper. I know the photo contents are inconsistents, since one of them were already half assembled and the Ferrari one was already fully assembled while the rests were still in unassembled condition but, to tell you the truth it took me 3 years to complete this Fujimi kits. They're way harder to find than Tamiya or ARII, which I don't really care anymore getting them unassembled or fully assembled or even what versions that I got.

Thoughts:

I love the colorful bodyshell of these compared to ARII which mostly only got 4 colors although, it surprised me a little that some of the bodyshells are simply a reused from certain previous kits. But, the variable colorings helps to hide their similarities vaguely. And... I never expected that they're not designed for mini 4WD despite they looked like one. Gotta admit the driver cars they picked are nothing famous except Alain Prost. It's no wonder the line became so underrated and not many people know this but... Atleast, I'm happy enough to be able to complete them all. The main problem from this kits, several kit with white boxarts suffered breakable plastic tires, I guess it's pretty understandable since they've been aged so long thus making them brittle eventhough I bought them brand new unassembled. And the Leyton House March/Lamborghini bodyshell would be reused by Academy Model Kit (Korean plastic model company) to make their own Mini 4WD car called Hot Wings with slight alterations, mainly for fitting their own Super-1 chassis.

Paintapp and decals by Archyd

[mad-raptorzzz]

Pokémon stuff

I made an oops and first put this on my WOF only sub blog, so here we are again.

To break up my dragon drawing and animating time I did some Pokemon like I wanted to. Full disclosure: I only ever played Pokemon Diamond (I also played some Mystery Dungeon but that's not a main-line game). Any way, these are the starter and the version/box-art legendary I would have gone with had I been able to play all of the versions. And it's the form of the starter I like the best not including megas. It's just the main-line, for remakes consider that I'd take the same guy again. You'll noticed I like three things that really influence my decisions: reptile, bird, and round. So have some limited explanations as to my choices.

Red: charizard because it's a cool dragon and I like Mew a lot from the first movie so I wanted to draw it. I also loved Ash's sassy Charizard who was too cool to listen to him.

Silver: Lugia is a fish bird and Tododile is smol chompy dude.

Emerald: Rayquaza speaks for itself and the mega is tight. Grovyle was so cool in the anime and in the mystery dungeon games.

Diamond: The only one I actually played and I thought Dialga looked awesome. Piplup is round bird number 1.

White 2: I didn't really find myself drawn to any of the starters but Samurott was kinda interesting. White Kyurem is dope.

Y: Ash's Greninja was wicked and I like the Y shaped bird guy.

Moon: Bat and round bird number 2

Let's Go Evee: Lefeon is very cute and Mewtwo is also cool so I drew it.

Sword: Sobble is round and sad, very cute. I didn't like either legendary very much, but this dog had a sword.

Legends: Oh my gosh high Typhlosion is maybe my favorite of the bunch ever. And god of course.

Scarlet: I love the lizard bike that runs even though it has wheels. I also love round chomper. He wants upsies.

I will draw some more. I haven't drawn Pokemon in maybe ten years. And for many of these buggers it was the first time I ever drew them. So I stuck to sketches. I also want a Poke-sona. I'm thinking a dragon of sorts, maybe Dragonite, Flygon, or Salamance?

[fandomanimatic-tournament]

Fandom song animatic tournament: Bracket 2 Side B

My Whole Family ([blank]'s Whole Family think they're gay) - Bo Burnham

"My whole family thinks I'm gay I guess it's always been that way Maybe it's 'cause of the way that I walk That makes them think I like... boys"

Popular - Wicked Musical

"Popular! You're gonna be popular! I'll teach you the proper poise When you talk to boys Little ways to flirt and flounce"

Remember that we're voting on how Iconic they are for ANIMATICS, not for the song itself. In order to make things fair, the tone and mood of the song should not affect how iconic it is (for example, a serious song should not be considered more iconic than a joke song just because it's serious)

Propaganda and animatic links of the songs under the cut:

My Whole Family ([blank]'s Whole Family think they're gay) - Bo Burnham

Propaganda:

We were all there when like every m/m ship was being animaticed to this dont even lie it was iconic

It’s such a fukcin classic ok man

Classic old YouTube animatic to make of your blorbo

funny and gay

Animatics with the song:

OMORI

The Owl House

Kimetsu No Yaiba

Genshin Impact Kaveh

ROTTMNT Leo

Popular - Wicked Musical

Propaganda:

A classic

We love extrovert + introvert and popular + outcast duos!!

Animatics with the song:

Spy x Family

KOTLC

Steven Universe

Voltron Legendary Defender Musical AU

The Grisha Trilogy

Please be cautious and read the title, description and warning cards on the animatic videos if you decide to watch them. If you've got specific triggers I'd recommend even more caution when watching animatics of fandoms you don't know, since sometimes canon-typical themes don't get warnings.

Please keep in mind that I don't know all the media and fandoms of the animatics provided as examples and I don't have the time (nor the will) to research them all. Don't come into my notes or my ask box complaining about them being included, I will simply block you. If a ship animatic included is about an adult and a minor, do tell me and I'll take it out of the post

ALSO keep in mind that I don't know all the artists submitted; in fact, even if I do know them I do not know absolutely nothing about them as people (I do not have twitter nor tiktok) and I could not POSSIBLY have the time to research ALL of the artists' controversies and what came of them so PLEASE don't flood my inbox with the artists' entire crime list.