#-simply by virtue of it being a visual medium

[bidokja]

I was joking a while back that the actor they have playing KDJ for the orv movie was too handsome for him and a friend who's read orv was like "KDJ is actually secretly attractive!!" And I just felt my soul leave my body right then

SIGHS...

Okay. Buckle in. I'm gonna finally actually address and explain and theorize about this whole...thing.

I'm not gonna cite any exact chapters cause it's like 11:30 and I've got an 8 hour drive in the morning but I'll at least make an approximate reference to where certain things are mentioned. Also, this post is just my personal interpretation for a good bit of it, but it's an interpretation I feel very solid about, so do with that what you will. Moving on to the meat of things:

There is one (1) instance in the web novel that I know of which describes specific features of Kim Dokja (especially ones other people notice). This takes place when members of KimCom are trying to make Kim Dokja presentable to give his speech at the Industrial Complex (after it's been plopped down on Earth). This is when they start really paying attention and focusing on Kim Dokja's appearance since they're putting makeup on him; I still don't think they can interpret his whole face, but they can accurately pick out and retain more features than usual. If I remember correctly they reference him having long eyelashes, smooth skin, and soft hair. These features can be viewed as (stereotypically) attractive.

Certain parts of the fandom have taken this scene and run with it at a very surface level, without realizing (or without acknowledging at the very least) that this scene is not about how Kim Dokja looks. This is, in part, due to not realizing or acknowledging why Kim Dokja's face is "censored" in the first place, and what that censoring actually means. I think it's also possible that some people are assuming the censorship works like a physical phenomena rather than an altered perception.

I'll address that last point first. The censorship of Kim Dokja's features is not something as simple as a physical phenomena. It's not a bar or scribble or mosaic over his face. If that were true it'd be very obvious to anyone looking at him that his face is hidden. But his face is not hidden to people. They can look at him and see a face. If they concentrate on his eyes, they can see where he's looking. They know when he's frowning or grinning. They see a face loud and clear. But what face are they seeing? Because it's not really his, whatever they're seeing.

No one quite agrees on what he really looks like. And if they try and think about what he looks like, they can't recall. Or if they do, it's vague, or different each time. We notice these little details throughout the series. Basically, Kim Dokja's face is cognitively obscured. Something - likely the Fourth Wall, though I can't recall if this is ever stated outright - is interfering with everyone's ability to perceive him properly. This culminated in him feeling off to others; and since they don't even realize this is happening, they surmise that he is "ugly."

Moving on to the other point about what the censorship means: To be blunt, the censorship of his face is an allegory for his disconnect from the "story" (aka: real life, and the real people at his side). The lifting - however slight - of this censorship represents him becoming more and more a part of the "story" (aka: less disconnected from the life he is living and the people at his side). The censorship's existence and lifting can represent other things - like dissociation or depersonalization or, if you want to get really meta, the fact that he is all of our faces at once - but that's how I'd sum up the main premise of it. (The Fourth Wall is a larger part of the dissociation allegory, but that's for another post).

So you see, them noticing his individual features isn't about the features. It's not about the features! It doesn't matter at all which features got listed. Because they could describe any features whatsoever and it would not change the entire point of the scene. Because the point isn't what he looks like. The point is that they can truly and clearly see these features. For the first time. They are seeing parts of him for the first time. Re-read that sentence multiple times, literally and metaphorically. What does it mean to see someone as they are?

This is an extremely significant turning point dressed up as a dress-up scene.

---

P.S. / Additionally, I'm of the opinion that Kim Dokja is not handsome, and he is not ugly. He is not pretty, and he is not ghastly. Not attractive, nor unattractive. Kim Dokja isn't any of these things. More importantly, Kim Dokja can't be any of these things. The entire point of Kim Dokja is that you cannot pick him out of a crowd; he is the crowd. He's a reader. He's the reader. Why does he need to be handsome? Why must he be pretty? Why is him being attractive necessary or relevant? He doesn't, he doesn't, it's not. He is someone deeply deeply loved and irreplaceable to those around him, and someone who cannot even begin to recognize or accept that unless it's through a love letter masquerading as a story he can read. He is the crowd, a reader, the reader. He's you, he's me. He's every single one of us.

[datastate]

video game adaptions CAN be done if you understand its core, i just don't think it can be done well. the primary appeal of a lot of games that separates it from movies is in the interactive nature of it. and i've been incredibly disappointed by a lot of recent movies based on games! the mario movie included in this because it included characters who have already been established - and completely ignored it for the sake of a very generic, very mediocre introduction that didn't want to take any risks.

adapting a game isn't the same as adapting a book into a movie, because within video games there's still a heavy visual element - with most well-crafted games taking care to ensure that there's a distinctive, signature style. you aren't providing an interpretation with fresh new eyes; in order to be recognized, you are deliberately integrating its visual style into a movie format. it is also different from comics in this regard, because comics (while stylized!) are nonetheless open to differing interpretations just by virtue of how things are published within the industry - different iterations/reboots are expected, and most well-known ones that are adapted are stories based within our 'real world', so it would be understandable to take real actors/settings for its purpose when bringing it 'to life'

but for this purpose, the one thing that the mario movie did right was the choice to make it an animated film for this very reason (using this again, because i assume most people have seen parts of it)... of course, this is also because it falls in line with the same line of thought of both video games & animation being subpar compared to "real movies"

video games should be permitted to be worthwhile in their own right, within their own medium! at this point, it feels like large-scale movies are simply trying to catch up/profit off of its popularity without understanding what adapting it would entail.

[erstwhilesparrow]

god there are so many little bits of outsiders that make me want to chew glass. in an effort to exorcise some thoughts:

there's something really fantastically horrifying about how much visual and mental space the maze takes up for almost all of the server's run, contrasted with the fact that we learn in the owenge q&a that the maze is one of multiple scenarios, built by STARR for a handful of seasons and ultimately meaning nothing. all this about learning the maze, this structure that was the outsiders' whole world for what they believed to be years, and it was a set piece that might not ever be used again. i can't stop thinking about the fact that on the literal actual minecraft server, the maze was built floating in the sky, and like, yeah. it was for this one server and nothing else. i get why you'd build it like that, in terms of practical concerns, but god. to know that thing never even touched the 'actual' ground.

hey. cc!owen PLAYS A GOOD FUCKING HEEL. oh my god he's good at playing the bad guy. this is not like thoughtful analysis at all but being able to hear so clearly the shift in tone when he goes into hunting mode, the willingness to just let things sit in silence, the way he completely sells a character's absolute conviction. the way when he has a knife in his mostly-empty hotbar during Spill Your Guts the distance between the currently selected slot and the knife right next to it feels like a tangible weight somehow!

speaking of which. please tell me the berries in his hotbar during his demon killing spree aren't raspberries. i can't actually identify them because i'm not familiar with the mod but i think if they're raspberries i would simply explode into a million bits of confetti.

hey remember how there was a giant underground reservoir beneath the clearing containing the skeleton of some enormous creature? was that fucked up or what.

hey also remember how one of the last written records left by the people who died in the frozen clearing was about how at least their friends got to die peacefully, in their sleep? remember how the maze was full of notes scribbled on pieces of paper and scrawled in blood on the walls trying to warn them, begging them to get out, hoping against hope that their last words might mean something? remember how mohwee's last words to the outsiders were take care of each other? they tried so hard to look out for each other, and whether they ever did it especially well is an open question but MAN. you can't say they didn't try.

even after deciding apo can rot down in the prison, owen still says, "the next time i see him is when i go shackle his hands together, and drag him through that maze to get him out." in the wake of the [don't dirty my name again] conversation, owen promises rasbi, "we came up together, we're gonna get out of here together." even with his faith in -- and i think i will argue that this is accurate phrasing -- the world shattered, owen has no concept of actually leaving either of them behind. he can't even imagine it. ;-; .

i don't know what the event is called in canon so i'm going to refer to it as [the clearing event with the scuffed mcc energy], the one where acho drowns, and it delights me that the nature of the medium is such that sometimes when owen says something, it becomes true because he said it. (i mean, this is true for all of them, but i say owen because he's the one i watched and he has an interesting degree of narrative control by virtue of having such a comprehensive pov.) acho didn't die in a way that minecraft the game would necessarily call a death, i'm not convinced what happened to him was distinguishable from what the characters call being 'downed' in the maze, but because owen said it, on some level, yeah, acho did die in there. isn't it so fun how you can kill someone by saying they died? reach back through linear time and make true what wasn't before? and i think about this and i think about how often owen declared apo dead, and how it makes apo not just a ghost but a sort of schrodinger's cat. apo is alive except no he isn't except yes he is. reality is so frighteningly malleable in mcrp.

[james-vi-stan-blog]

why do I feel like the previous anon was a dig at me for asking questions about the kind of people James and George were😃I could be wrong though.

my only thing about why I’m hoping all of them in the show will show their flaws or how much of a bad person they can be is because I know it’ll be so much easier for people to understand or even sympathize with George simply because Nicholas is playing him. I’ve probably mentioned this before but I fully believe it has something to do with looks.

Nicholas is incredibly attractive so a lot of people feel more inclined or gravitate towards his character to feel sympathy, maybe defend, or ‘babygirl’ George even through problematic issues he’s had (that might be in the show but idk what they’ll include) but compared to Tony portraying James? I don’t think he’s going to get that same energy or thought process because his character might be criticized more simply because some people don’t find Tony/James attractive. I’ve seen this happen many times and it’s just odd people haven’t picked up on that.

I’m not saying people aren’t allowed to make up their own opinions about how they perceive the the characters or force my opinions onto others. I honestly can say that I feel sympathy for George and James (even Mary) but I think a lot of people aren’t going to realize how much looks would come into play when their formulating their opinions about the characters.

I’m sorry if I’m not making any sense, I have a hard time writing my thoughts! also I’m not trying to start anything so I hope this doesn’t come across as rude or anything😭

-✨

I don't think asking "good or bad" type questions is necessarily pointless… after all, people do have vices and virtues, and they can make good, bad, or downright evil decisions. I think we can even evaluate relative badness to some extent (like the 5th Earl of Bothwell, there's a phenomenally shitty person). Rather, it's a binary vision of good and bad guys that's toxic for the study of history. I think it's also limiting for media. If you (general you, not you, ✨) are going into Mary & George just looking to be entertained, there's no need to have several essays cited that George Villiers Is A Good Person™ Actually before you've even sat down. Not every story is meant to be didactical. What is about to unfold in front of you could be a villain's tale, some complex shade of tragedy, etc.

But to the main thrust of your ask, honestly… I too worry about this. The halo effect and lookism are well-documented phenomena (known and understood even in the period itself… I mean… why was short, stuttering, shy Baby Charles so invested in his iconography, but to depict himself as strong, masculine, handsome, and therefore virtuous and deserving to rule!!!) and also applies to media depictions of historical figures. It's totally a real thing that when a historical figure gets played by a popular actor, people will tend to be softer on that character, not even purely due to "beauty = goodness", but also because the pleasure of the visual spectacle inclines us to excuse what we're seeing. (Actually, even outside the appearance of the actors, people tend enormously to excuse the actions of a protagonist. It's just sort of an effect of the medium.)

That said, I believe the vast majority of people who say "I support George's rights and George's wrongs!" are just being silly and having fun and are perfectly capable of rationally judging what they're watching. You guys are great, please have a great time, tell your friends about the show so that more people learn about James VI and the Villiers family!!

But yeah, rarely there's… I don't go on Shitter but saw a screenshot of someone saying they hoped Somerset/Buckingham would be the main ship because Laurie Davidson is hotter and they don't want to watch an "ugly" (??) "old man fuck" and that just disheartened and disgusted me. You know, gayness doesn't exist to be hot and entertaining. Queer stories serve more purposes than fetish fuel for oglers. And this story is about real people who actually existed…

Also, I've got thoughts about people who think it's wrong and disgusting for James to have fallen in love with handsome George Villiers but also vociferously and openly thirst over Nicholas Galitzine and want to see him naked in queer roles. 😑

Anyway I'm happy to see these figures in almost any interpretation but I really hope George Villiers will be allowed to be magnificently terrible because… c'mon… it's George Villiers. The icon. The legend. The Duke of Buckingham himself. I feel like watering down his character would be cheating him of the glory he's due.

[blueiight]

If the theory that a lot of people have is true and in s2 it will be revelead that Louis didn't slit Lestat's throat, cause it was Claudia who "killed" him, then show Louis will be even more passive than his book counterpart, cause he didn't even get to set Lestat on fire after years of physical and emotional abuse that was way worse than what Lestat did in the book

one abuse dont got a scale on “worse” (is there such a thing as “better” abuse? no.) its a matter of frequency as in how often its done & what specific tactics r used. show v book lestat used similar tactics of intimidation& control but the frequency of it was simply more often and/or transparent by virtue of a visual medium/show lestat already being stronger in terms of vamp strength than his book counterpart was by virtue of the 100+ yrs of experience he had. two passivitity isnt some moral failing, least of all on an abuse survivor. cuz either way both lew + lou exude deep grief n regret at lestat’s demise. like. show wise the frenetic fervor which louis didnt want lestat to burn at claudia’s expense, to where she was hurt from that is something to address . but dont be too quick to fold or feel as though particular lines of fan speculation r def true cuz theyre not.. if the showrunners r looking to the tumblrati for ideas like that id consider them compromised lol. however they intend lestat’s stabbing to have went down whether its lou or clauds issuing the killer blow v. what certain vamps get told / r coerced into saying or omitting will be very interesting esp when/if we get to the kangaroo court trial of vamps..

[can-i-make-image-descriptions]

[Image IDs: Images #1-4: Tweets from Randi Jo (@/ RandiJoDalton) reading: As a Mohawk librarian, when I defend audiobooks, it's personal. My people were telling stories orally long before stories came packaged in book form. There are many ways to "read" something. There are a thousand ways to tell a story.

When I assist a patron, I'm not helping them find the right book, I'm helping them find the right story. Whether it's a book or a movie or a comic or a video game—there is a reason that specific medium calls to you. There is not shame in the way your brain receives information.

The settler-colonial belief that stories in book form are superior is classist, racist, and simply untrue. It is virtue-signaling at its cringiest. Anyone who has a favorite voice actor will back me up. Alternative story telling methods made for rich sensory experiences.

A good story is all in how it unfolds. And how it unfolds is different for different folks. You have a unique perspective. Lean into it.

Images #5-6: Replies from lil lorrie loo: 17 cats... (@/ lcspoering) reading: It's absolutely ableist as well. My patrons are blind, visually impaired, have physical and learning differences that make traditional print all but impossible to read, and, to a person, audiobooks are an incredibly vital part of their lives.

Also! Audiobooks are not a new thing. As early as 1931, the American Foundation for the Blind began creating "talking books" for veterans of World War I and other visually-impaired people. Commercially, audiobooks began being produced and sold in the 50s. /End IDs]

[okayto]

Mini-Review: Odd Taxi

Set in a world of anthropomorphic animals, it tells the story of walrus taxi driver Odokawa, who converses with his customers and learns about various mysteries and oddities occurring in Tokyo, including a schoolgirl's strange disappearance that leads to him being followed by both the police and the yakuza.

This was a really good suspenseful mystery. Like, really good. The many different threads and people, the connections made simply by having had the same taxi driver in (what appears to be) a small part of a larger city. There were a few minor bits that felt contrived (like OK, sure, this character is going to end up here for plot reasons without actual reason) but they were few and far between.

This was also a show that made great use of the medium of animation. I don’t mean in a showy, illustrative way--not like, for example, how Nichijou used different animation styles and broke the bounds of reality frequently--but while I was thinking that this could almost be a primetime live-action drama (and let’s be real: it could), animation allows it to add layers and details what wouldn’t work with live people. 

ODDTAXI does a great job keeping up the suspense. Even going into the final episodes, I couldn’t guess how it would end. And I think it managed to pull of a satisfying conclusion, which was the hope, but not a sure thing (after getting burned with how Wonder Egg Priority built up amazing story with suspense...only for it to crash and burn in the finale, I was understandably worried).

I saw this described as neo-noir, which I think makes sense. it’s suspenseful and at times thrilling, but the viewer is kept in the dark until the very end--in a way that’s not frustrating--when we get final answers and everything comes together. That doesn’t mean the 12 episodes of leadup are just mounting pressure with no payoff: throughout the series, we see characters making decisions, taking action, and affecting others, who then make their own decisions. There’s plenty of action and story reveals here to keep you entertained and engaged, but I was impressed with how the overall sense of mystery didn’t lessen until the very end.

This is a show that rewards perceptive viewers. I was able to put together information and clues several times and the feeling when the payoff came was great. These characters, and many events, are entwined, and the way it comes together at the end was great. I’m a little surprised it doesn’t seem to have been very popular on Tumblr, at least judging by the number of [non-spoilery] gifs I could find to use in this review, but perhaps that’s because it’s a decently self-contained story and also isn’t focused on potential romantic relationships.

Odokawa finds himself in the middle multiple different plots, mostly (as far as we know) by virtue of his job as a taxi driver making him privy and party to many different people’s conversations. Are those conversations just part of a bored middle-aged guy’s small talk, or is he subtly working a scheme? When multiple parties start looking at Odokawa in connection with a girl’s disappearance and some shady mysteries, is he just supremely unlucky, or an active participant? Are these things coincidences or something else?

Verdict

English dub? Yes. The voice acting is great, characters sound like adults. And considering how many adult men in particular there are, I was pleased that they were all distinct.

Visuals: Very good. And the fact that the characters are animals isn’t a funny joke--it was helpful for telling characters apart, and it (plus the bright colors) added contrast that gave another dimension to the feel of watching the show: the surrealism of watching people get caught up in (or perpetrate) illegal schemes with truly menacing consequences, all shown as brightly-colored cartoon animals.

Worth watching? Yes. There’s so much that’s hinted at, but the show does a great job leaving you wondering whether it’s going to factor into the plot, or if it’s just part of the world or people’s lives. It was interesting and engaging, with a good balance between the things the audience knows but the main character doesn’t (there’s a good-sized ensemble cast and the story not infrequently jumps over to them), and things the audience doesn’t know and the main character either definitely doesn’t know (we’re all in the dark), or might not know (audience doesn’t know, and part of the suspense is whether Odokawa does or not).

Where to watch (USA, as of July 2022): Crunchyroll

Click my “reviews” tag below or search “mini review” on my blog to find more!

[doubleca5t]

wdym the Faunus discrimination thing sucks? Do you mean it's portrayal or the fact that it exists sucks?

DISCLAIMER: I really like RWBY and I think the show is generally going in the right direction. This just happens to be one part of the show I think is done very badly.

Faunus discrimination is, imo, the worst part of RWBY. It was badly written from the outset and never really improved. My reasoning for thinking it’s badly written mostly comes down to the old writing adage of “show don’t tell”. In a visual medium, this means that the things your viewers actually see on screen are always going to be more impactful than the things they are only told about. i.e. seeing a character defeat a giant monster is a better way to establish that they’re powerful than it is to have everyone in the town square talk about how powerful they are.

When it comes to the Faunus, RWBY does a lot of telling when they should really be showing, and the things they do show us actually serve to weaken the story they’re trying to tell.

1) We are told a lot about the horrific treatment that Faunus endure, but at no point in the story do we ever see it happening. Blake tells us that Schnee Dust Company runs mines where Faunus are forced to work under brutal conditions, but we don’t see a dust mine until V7, and that one’s already been abandoned. We never see so much as a flashback where Ilia’s parents are killed in a mining accident, we’re just told it happened. If you want an example of racism being shown on the show, you might point to Weiss in the last two episodes of V1, but think back to the actual point of contention between Blake and Weiss in those episodes. Sure Weiss expressed a bit of casual racism towards Sun, but the thing that actually set Blake off was Weiss speaking ill of the White Fang, not the Faunus as a whole. When the rest of the team goes looking for Blake after she disappears, Weiss doesn’t seem to care that Blake is a Faunus, she’s just angry that Blake was a member of the White Fang, and is able to put aside their differences as soon as she’s confident that Blake isn’t going back. That doesn’t really show systemic racism so much as it shows that Weiss had a grudge against the White Fang for messing with her family’s shit. The only REAL depiction of gross mistreatment of Faunus we actually see is Adam revealing a cattle brand across his face, which is somewhat undercut by the fact that a) this doesn’t happen until the end of V6 and b) Adam by this point is already an irredeemable villain minutes away from his much-deserved death. If you’re only going to show horrific racism once, why would you have the victim be one of the most hate-able characters on the whole show? And on top of all this, we are told that Faunus are disadvantaged in almost every part of society on Remnant and yet...

2) The Faunus we meet seem to be doing pretty well. Aside from Ilia and Adam, who I’ve already discussed, consider all the Faunus that we actually meet in RWBY. Blake is the daughter of either a big city Mayor or a Head of State depending on how you want to categorize Menagerie, and her family lives in a luxurious island villa. Sun is a carefree goofball who doesn’t seem to have any real grievance against Society™. We see a Faunus as the head of an Academy and another as a member of the Ace Ops. The majority of the Faunus live on Menagerie, which we are told is a bad thing because of overcrowding, but everything we actually see of it makes the island look like an idyllic spot for a tropical vacation. Now I’m not saying that it’s “unrealistic” to have wealthy or successful members of a minority in a society in which that minority is systemically oppressed. America has had 300 years of systemic racism against black people that is still very much a problem, but there are black doctors and lawyers and celebrities and politicians despite this. But showing all these Faunus who really don’t encounter a lot of systemic oppression while reducing all the horrors to background lore gives off the impression that nothing about the lives of the Faunus is made meaningfully harder by virtue of systemic racism. “But Doubleca5t” you might say “What about Velvet? She gets bullied for being a Faunus.” Well the issue with that is...

3) The Faunus discrimination we’re shown implies that the bigotry they face is personal, not systemic. There are very few instances where we see a Faunus actually encounter bigotry, but the issue is, these examples don’t really carry much weight because the source of the problem in these instances is just a few racist individuals rather than any kind of structure or institution. Cardin and his team bully Velvet, but then they also bully Jaune, so we don’t really get a sense that the student body has a racism problem, just that Cardin is a dickhead. A drunk guy yells some racist stuff at Blake in V7, but he’s just some drunk asshole, what reason do we have to think he’s reflective of any broader societal attitudes in Atlas? Seeing Faunus discrimination in RWBY would give you the same impression about racism in Remnant that a lot of liberals have about racism in America: that because all the discriminatory laws have already been abolished, racism isn’t any kind of structural or societal problem and is simply an issue of personal bias. And similar to the average liberal, this means you probably won’t see it as a serious problem that needs addressing.

TL;DR: RWBY wants you to believe that the Faunus are an oppressed minority that faces rampant systemic racism, but the actual content of the show fails to convey this in a way that feels impactful. The writers simply tell you that the Faunus are an oppressed minority and ask you to take their word for it.

[warsofasoiaf]

The unlikeable question: whoops, sorry, what I meant is sometimes people flatten an unlikeable character or make the charcater have a cheesy moment. So I was wondering how you go about taking an unlikeable character and giving her or him likeable quality’s/quips without it becoming a “once I dropped and ice cream and it made me sad so that makes ho for everything”.

I think trying to build characters with good traits specifically to explain away and justify their bad ones is approaching it from the wrong angle. Instead, build a character that is interesting and coherent. Trying too hard to specifically craft things to take away from their villainy inspires the opposite effect as audience members resent being led by the nose to the obvious author conclusion. 

One of the easiest ways to make a villainous character likeable is to make them stylish. These are characters who may not necessarily be redemptive, but for one reason or another, they’re entertaining. They can be funny, especially with black comedy about their villainous behavior. Looking cool is another way. A visual medium is best for this, but a written character can have excellent dialogue that helps elevate them for the audience, making them memorable. The Cardassians in Star Trek were very good at this, with their long monologues. This doesn’t really excuse any of the behavior they do, but they’re engaging; the audience likes the times when they’re on screen. This can be anything from an incredibly well-executed plan carried out by a Magnificent Bastard, with the moment coming in the reveal, to Comedic Sociopathy, to even a type of humor like Victarion where the villain is the butt of the joke.

Another way to do it well is to show what their start of darkness was. Humans often have a lurid fascination for what turns regular people into villains. The trick here, as I’ve seen it, is to make the character’s journey coherent and consistent. Some people are simply sociopathic, but the vast majority are not. Follow the escalation from small things to larger events.

Other tropes that might help you are the Evil Virtues TVTropes page.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[endlessdoom]

180 Minutes Pour Vivre

32 + 1 maps

By the French Doom Community

2020

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/180_Minutes_Pour_Vivre

MAP01: De Bronze et de Brique by Arnaud Florian (Oxyde)

A small introduction to this fantastic french flavored adventure. This is a small map that introduces us to a few optional areas while giving us a clear welcome to the kind of visuals we will encounter. A nice and fun map. 3/5

MAP02: Yttrium by William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

Things get a little more dense and complex in this small map that makes use of a circular layout that takes us through different interconnected paths, offering a constant and entertaining progress. 4/5

MAP03: Retour sur Terre by Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore)

Deep level in a subway system with a multitude of secret doors, monster closets and evolving rooms. With a moody ambience and excelent lightning, this is av very lovely stroll. A slightly higher challenge but always finding a good balance with a frenetic pace. 4/5

MAP04: Ignominie by Thenuke - Alia Immortalis

Interesting short map and singularly simple compared to others, but with a combat that despite being somewhat modest in the full range, manages to satisfy with enough. Cute. 3/5

MAP05: Grand Bleu by Alexis Jeanson (Roofi)

A great battle scenario that serves as a small warm-up for the maps coming later in the megawad. With a layout that expands and sends hordes of enemies with plenty of ammunition, this map entertains with sincerity and simplicity. 3/5

MAP06: Complexe Cendré by Jean-Charles Dorne (JCD)

We went through a lot of enemies and now we have the welcome of an interesting layout along with a more tactical enemy positioning. New companions welcome us, demonic companions I mean, and a few surprises in a circuit style map with good fibers. Pretty fun. 4/5

MAP07: Chaologie Quantique by Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore) and William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

We return to the interiors and are now in a dark, tight and relatively simple map that makes more use of constant close encounters than anything else. 3/5

MAP08: Ruée vers Laure by Alexis Jeanson (Roofi)

Interesting change from tech-bases/industrial zones to a more natural area that seems to be inspired by mining caves. With an understandable layout under a small size, this is a fast map that combines different heights in a good layout as well as a decent challenge. 3/5

MAP09: Pour une Vengeance by William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

The first challenge we will face in this great megawad. A large map with a fortress in the middle, guarded by a multitude of enemies in different positions and waiting to fight in different and varied encounters. We are also introduced to the two new enemies of this megawad: the Nightwatch Cacodemon, a slightly stronger and more violent version of the Cacodemon and the Heresiarch, a rather dangerous bastard that replaces the Spidermastermind. Overall, a great map with a solid challenge. 4/5

MAP10: Triléthal by Arnaud Florian (Oxyde) and Jean-Charles Dorne (JCD)

Smaller than the previous one but with a design just as detailed and full of solid visual quality. The virtue of this map lies in its fast flow and constant combat as well as a good positioning of enemies that makes perfect synergy with the type of level we have. I've always found it interesting because there are 2 doors with extra keys that we won't even find, as we'll soon find out as we progress through this map. But I must say, clever design! 4/5

MAP11: Où Est le Berger by Franck Livolant (franckFRAG)

One of the first maps that could be considered as proper slaughter. This is an adventure of varied heights with a great design that shows quality in its progression. With a final combat quite unexpected and large, this map throws us into a fun and balanced challenge. 4/5

MAP12: Impact Ecologique by Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore)

Now that we have completed the previous map and we are with the death-exit, we start from 0 in a map that reminds me of E4M1. Few items, but a lot of blood. The layout and simple architecture make this a very charismatic level. 4/5

MAP13: Chair Boueuse by Blême

What starts out as a vanilla looking map, ends up becoming a corruption of flesh and sin. A fast map with an intricate layout that shows good design and attention to gameplay. 4/5

MAP14: La Belle et la Bête by Alexis Jeanson (Roofi)

Probably one of the most interesting and creative maps in the megawad, although not one of my favorites. The small size of this map emphasizes a closed, dark and claustrophobic environment, as well as full of traps and small puzzles. In UV we will find a rather violent surprise, which gives it a cat-and-mouse style, but in lower skill-levels it is slightly lackluster. 3/5

MAP15: Feinte by William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

The heights contrast with the violent map, illuminated by the metallic ground and the blood of the demons. A medium sized map that combines a simple layout from left to right. Simple in terms of its dynamics but with a hard and welcoming combat. 4/5

MAP16: Sur le Chemin de Satan by Nemo06

A kind of tech-dungeon with dark corners and varied rooms where different demons await us. The combat style and simple layout make this simple map a fun and fast one, with a decent challenge. 3/5

MAP17: Etat D'Urgence by Arnaud Florian (Oxyde) and William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

A huge power station guarded by the infernal hordes. This map has a complex layout that can be a bit lost at times, but it makes up for it with a good design and variety of encounters, as well as a worthy and challenging climax. 4/5

MAP18: Le Temple des Damnés by Nemo06

A kind of small temple in the middle of a canyon, colorful and filled with a few waiting demons. A small combat scenario with a short duration. Fun and decent. 3/5

MAP19: Inquiétude by William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

From one side to the other, we will always find enemies in this medium-sized map that makes excellent use of a constant and dynamic flow that changes the type of encounters and constantly throws new challenges at us. With a simply hellish design and a solid structure, this is an enjoyable, if somewhat punishing, map. 4/5

MAP20: Infernale Résurgence by Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore)

A small and tight map with a simple and entertaining layout. The visuals create an irritating atmosphere that manages to establish the infernal inspiration without a problem. With simple and uncomplicated combat, it's a short and fun map that works as a good intermission. 3/5

MAP21: Canicule by Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore)

We entered the infernal mouth. We will have to go through a kind of lava river while we face different demons in tight corners, all under an excellent red dye that emanates a great ambience. 4/5

MAP22: Une Journée en Enfer by Nemo06

A subway fortress with tight corridors and personal combat. A map that is fast in its progress and with a satisfying flow that delivers entertaining, fast and balanced combat in a simple way. 3/5

MAP23: Anomalie Eternelle by Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore) and William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

With Sign of Evil in the background, we can quickly know that this map is coming to give us a good taste of blood. Tight, bloody and red, the corridors force us to constantly backtrack and seek shelter, while monster closets pop up where we least expect them, including a brutal one at the end. 3/5

MAP24: Rêve Lucide by Alexis Jeanson (Roofi)

A floating island in an ocean of red clouds. With a more earth-like style and colors that remind me slightly of Plutonia, this map makes use of an excellent combat and exploration dynamic while keeping it relatively simple. Nice and fun, as well as challenging at times. 4/5

MAP25: Geôle Nécrosée by William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

Massive and colorful, as well as dark and spooky from time to time; a large map with tough and hard combat. Different encounters form an entertaining and varied progression, as well as solid visuals of great magnitude. 4/5

MAP26: Monument en Béton by Darkwave0000

A square map with a simple layout that takes us through a variety of encounters at different points. Combat is entertaining and dynamic, as well as rewarding and satisfying. 4/5

MAP27: Sable Brûlant by Alexis Jeanson (Roofi)

I have to say that I am a bit biased by the visuals of this map. I love the type of color used and the textures work wonderfully to bring a sort of classic life with a modern twist. A small map with a simple premise and brutal combat. Cool as heck. 4/5

MAP28: Inhumation by Jean-Charles Dorne (JCD)

A beast. A real beast that will probably break many. This is a huge map in terms of the number of enemies, offering brutal combat in every sense and a very entertaining gameplay for slaughter lovers, unfortunately, I'm not one of them. 3/5

MAP29: Xanthophobie by William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

Gigantic, fatal and amazing. A massive adventure of more than 1000 demons where we face in a scenario of infernal proportions. Challenging, punishing and definitely one of the hardest maps in the set. 4/5

MAP30: Celui-Qui-Voit-Les-Mondes by Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore), Alexis Jeanson (Roofi), Franck Livolant (franckFRAG), Jean-Charles Dorne (JCD), Arnaud Florian (Oxyde) & William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

I'm pretty sure this titan was made in over 180 minutes. A huge, gigantic map that is as full of demons as it is varied rooms. With a system of teleporters to different arenas/combat zones, this behemoth feels like a complete odyssey. Absolute beast and a magnificent piece of work. 5/5

MAP31: Dictes Moy Où, N'en Quel Pays est Sérana, la Belle Doomeuse by Jean Bon (Jambon)

A simple map with a funny layout based on two bases connected by bridges. Short, with somewhat lackluster visuals, but decent. 3/5

MAP32: Rêve Brisé by Alexis Jeanson (Roofi)

Small map with a more gothic and claustrophobic design, featuring a variety of traps and interesting paths. Unique aesthetics and a quite appreciable mood. 4/5

End.

Overall:

» 180 Minutes Pour Vivre (2020) By the French Doom Community

The French community has been responsible for providing us with different works over time. Starting with the great series of 3 heures d'agonie, 3 complete megawads made in speedmap style, followed by Tangerine Nightmare, a great medieval beast and finally, 180 Minutes Pour Vivre. A speedmap that collects the best skills of the mappers under a violent French toast. A somewhat burnt one that will give us a good bite on the tongue if we are not careful. The French community has been responsible for leaving us a huge legacy that has no end, and this megawad is here to prove it.

What we have here is a complete megawad with 32 more (plus 1 extra) created under the supposed assumption of 180 minutes, although some suspect that certain authors took more than that. Rumors, people say, right? Anyway. As we can expect, the team has sought to create a cohesive adventure that takes us through a variety of scenarios under the same visual touch and following a progressive balancing system, presenting an increasing hostility curve for each map, but always showing mercy to the idea of overexposing the player to too strong madness. Speaking of crazy, 180MPV also includes two new curious enemies: A common one, the Nightwatch Cacodemon, which is a slightly stronger version of the Cacodemon with a lethal attack, as well as Hexen's Heresiarch that now replaces the Spidermastermind, being a worthy boss in every sense of the word and a dangerous threat. And let’s not forget the awesome re-skins of the Arachnotron, the Mancubus and the scary looking demon Revenant. With a solid concept and the inclusion of new enemies, as well as a well-laid foundation, 180 Minutes Pour Vivre presents fascinating inclusions and new maps for the community that are totally welcome.

180 Minutes Pour Vivre follows a clear and defined visual theme, with dark colors, browns and strong contrasts between the exterior and interior scenery. The vast majority of the maps tend to be similar in visual style and color/texture theme, with a few exceptions. With no clear episodic separation, megawad truly feels like a huge adventure that goes on and on, following a narrative with no real pause at any point. Even the intermission screens often say ''press space to continue'' or something similar. A rather simple touch but one that manages to work as a modest way of saying: don't stop playing. On the other hand, this also creates a cacophony of quantity, creating a huge project that can feel empty of identity at times due to maps that are generally solid, but lack true identification. This could be partly blamed on being speedmaps, but it still doesn't change the whole fact; despite this, each map clearly states its goal and achieves it in an excellent way. There’s no ugly map, or even a boring one. Is plain good, plain fun and plain brutal from time to time, more on that next.

One of the aspects that make this megawad stand out is undoubtedly its gameplay, one of its golden factors that give it a truly unique touch. The Slaughter stage, 2020 was a year filled with a huge multitude of projects following that theme, 180 Minutes Pour Vivre on the other hand manages to establish a good balance between traditional gameplay with a few final surprises. Starting with a solid map that perfectly establishes its intentions, to a final map that will blow our minds. Each map manages to deliver something for all tastes. From casual lovers (in part) to lovers of brutal violence. The new enemies help to create this atmosphere of difficulty with a bit of freshness, as well as the creation of new combat scenarios welcome for those looking for a little change in their traditional gameplay. 180 Minutes Pour Vivre is not an easy megawad, it must be said, however, neither is it an elitist one that blocks the doors to every player. Pleasantly balanced in all skill-levels, it opens the doors to a wide range of players who wish to delve into a glorious example of combining two worlds under one successful mix. With a multitude of maps ranging from tiny adventures to huge fortresses with more than 800 demons. A brutal experience that will take us a few hours to finish, but will leave us fully pleased at the end.

[cobaltcaster]

Creating a Magickal Atmosphere

Within this post is a comprehensive check list of creating the right atmosphere

[[ Click Here for Part 1. Preparing for Your Spell ]]

Here are the individual links if you’d like to take it step by step. 

Magickal Enchantments [[ Food, Clothing, Music ]]

Magickal Tools [[ Candles ]]

Incense and Fragrances

Crystals and Gemstones

Element Water

Additional Magickal Tools

Personal Altars

If you’re ready for a medium read then let us begin!

⚪9⚪

Magickal Enchantments

Food and Beverage

Three simple words: Keep it light! A spell on a full stomach is not recommended. A heavy meal can leave you sleepy or uncomfortable. Avoid meat the day of your spell, if you can. Stick with fruits and vegetables as much as possible. Fish ----- baked, but not fried or in a heavy sauce----- is a good option. Wait at least two hours after eating to begin your spell.

Try to avoid caffeinated or carbonated beverages; distilled water is an excellent choice because the impurities have been removed. A cup of caffeine-free herbal tea is soothing and relaxing. Try a blend of chamomile and passionflower. Although some of the spells include type of wine or fruit juice during the actual spell, do not take it to extremes.

Clothing As with food and drink, here, too, three simple words apply: natural, loose, and clean. One hundred percent cotton is a wise choice. A loose white gauze garment is nonrestricting and gives you a sense of cleanliness and purity. Some individuals enjoy taking the time to find certain color garments for special spells. The same colors listed in the candle color chart ( click here ) can be use for clothing as well.

If you do not have a cotton garment, choose something as close as possible, like a cotton blend. Comfort is important; Tight jeans and belts do not allow your body to relax. However, wear jeans if they are the most comfortable thing you own ----- and most jeans are 100 percent cotton. If you are in a private place, you may decide to just wear a robe, towel, or oversized t-shirt. You may even opt for nudity. The choice is yours.

Before you get dressed, make every ever to take a bath or shower. Start fresh and clean. Think as you are showering or bathing that you are washing any negative energy off your body. A bath is an excellent idea, especially if you use music and candlelight.

If you're doing a group spell, bathe or shower before leaving the house or before the group arrives. If you can't shower, at least wash your hands and face. If you can wash your feet, that's even better. If water is not available, shake your hands and visualized negativity being removed.

Music

Music has the ability to create a sense of peace ----- providing it's the right music.

By virtue of the fact you are reading this book, I feel safe in saying you most likely are a seeker of peace and well-being. And all likelihood, you already have in your possession music that soothes you. Slow classical music or New Age music seems to be the most popular. Drumming and chanting recordings are also something to consider. Nature tapes offering gentle background music can be found in most department or music stores.

After purchasing any new tape or CD, listen to the entire recording befor e using it for spell work. The first two selections may be ideal, but if song number three goes up thirty decibels and a wolf starts howling, it could send you crashing down from your altered state.

If you have the time, visit your local music or New Age store. Most provide headsets and demonstration tapes that give you the opportunity to listen before you buy. The recording you choose should be long enough to last your entire spell.

Music that suddenly stops in the middle of a ceremony will also break the mood. If you have no choice and you must turn a tape over, at the very least have your sound system close to you so you do not have to leave your spell area. Music is the sound of the soul: If you can include it in your rituals, all the better.

⚪10⚪

Magickal Tools

Any tangible item used for ritual can be considered a magickal tool as long as it means something special to you. The creative part of our brain works in symbols, so it makes sense to use symbols as a way to conduct creative magick. You probably already have magickal tools and may not even recognize them. It may be your favorite picture that makes you "feel good" upon merely looking at it, that special coin that a relative gave you when you were a child, or a favorite pen you've had for years.

Candles

Candles bring light into our lives ----- both literally and symbolically. They chase away the darkness and allowed new projects, thoughts, and relationships to emerge. Lighting candles before a spell can create very powerful energy.

Candles also represent the three levels in which we exist. The wax corresponds to our physical body, the wick to our mind, and the flame to our soul or spirit.

Candles come in a myriad of colors, shapes, and sizes. Some are scented, some unscented. For our purposes, shape and scent ( or lack thereof ) are unimportant. Do give some consideration to the size of your candle. If you deem your spell will take an hour, don't light a candle that burns for only thirty minutes.

Color is a significant part of what candle burning is all about. Different colors represent different vibrations. As the candle burns, the vibration of that color is red. Refer to the color chart to clarify which color best suits your needs. You may use just one candle or a combination.

If you don't have any idea color available, use white. When burning a white candle, pay attention to the smoke. When it starts to smoke, negative energy is being cleansed from that area. When the smoke subsides, the energy in that area is cleanse and clear.

Take caution in purchasing a white candle that is too inexpensive. Inexpensive white candles smoke too readily and can confuse you. However, I would also not advise going to the extreme and looking for top-of-the-line candles. Use common sense and buy moderately. When working with candles, always use caution and do not leave them unattended.

Candle Color Interpretation

WHITE Purity, power, newness, spells, healing, peace, and psychic skills. White will intensify the effect of any color candle it is used with.  

BLACK Removal of negative energy; not a color of evil or negativity. Release and banish.

BLUE Peace, tranquility, protection, fidelity, astral projection.

BROWN Protection for the household; telepathy, stability.

SILVER Neutralizer of negative energy or forces.

GREEN Prosperity, money, success; counteracts jealousy, ambition.

ORANGE Provides additional energy needed for work or other endeavors; promotes order, control over the self.

PINK Love, friendship, romance, affection, giving.

PURPLE Intuition, psychic pursuits, power and independence, wisdom.

RED Fertility, physical strength, sexual passion, courage.

YELLOW Well-being, self-esteem, attraction, glamour, action.  

As mentioned earlier, this chart can be used as a guide for making clothing color choices.

In my experience, people have either love incense or they have an aversion to it.

⚪11⚪

Incense and Fragrance

Incense also comes in different sizes, shapes, and forms. Some types of incense are already labeled with names reflecting the effects they hope to achieve: There is stress-relieving incense, energy incense, love incense, and so on.

Some people prefer to burn potpourri or oils. One of the purposes of incense in these particular rituals is to bring you into an altered state of consciousness in the most peaceful way possible. If the smell of sage or sandalwood calms you, use it. But if your sinuses say no, give them respect.

Don't get caught up in what others have decided is the best aroma for you. For example, studies have shown citrus fragrances promote energy, and the smell of lilac can calm us. But don't force yourself to inhale a scent if you don't care for simply because the label states "incense for romance." Always buy what you enjoy.

Experimenting with new aromas is also fun. Most incense is inexpensive and sometimes sold by the stick. One thing to be careful of: If you are going to do a spell inside or in a small area, try your new purchase out prior to its actual use. Otherwise, you may be subject to a disagreeable smell for hours, if not days. Incense can take a while to dissipate and may linger in the air for a long period of time.

Here are some recommended sense and herbs you may want to try that correspond to a certain magickal work. Remember: These are only suggestions and not a must.

👤 Health Bay, Carnation, Cedar, Eucalyptus, Juniper, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Myrrh, Pine, Sage, Sandalwood, Thyme 💞 Love Apple, Musk, Rose, Ambergris, Basil, Cinnamon, Chamomile, Dragon's Blood, Jasmine, Lemongrass, Patchouli, Peppermint 📠 Career \ Job Vanilla, Allspice, Cloves, Nutmeg, Pine, Wisteria, Heliotrope, Spruce, Sage, Mint, Honeysuckle, Cedar, Bayberry 🌹 Women's Issues Musk, Orange, Hyacinth, Myrrh, Pine, Rose 🐯 Men's Issues Musk, Cedar, Jasmine 🌅 Spirituality Frankincense, Heliotrope, Jasmine, Sweetgrass, Gardenia, Pine, Sage, Violet, Sandalwood, Rose

⚪12⚪

Crystals and Gemstones

Crystals bring life to our quartz watches. They receive and transmit radio waves. Without quartz crystals, the computer age would never have happened: They are what make up integrated circuits and electronic chips.

The power of crystals go far beyond the products we have derived from them. They are important tools in magick, having the ability to focus and direct energy to a specific intention. Some say they have healing powers, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Many other stones also have special energy that can assist in your spells. For a quick reference, I’ve listed a few below. But this is a huge area of exploration. If you want to know more, your local bookstore or library will certainly contain numerous books on the subject.

Gem Stone Qualities

A special note about quartz crystals: These stones are available in nature stores, gem shops, and most New Age gift stores in rough or polished form. You need not spend more than a few dollars on your crystals. Start with something small, and go to a larger size if you feel it's necessary. If you are unsure of which is the best stone to intensify your spells, use a clear quartz crystal. Clear quartz crystal stimulates healing, balances the elements to fulfill us and make us whole. Aids psychic development. Amethyst a very powerful spell stone. Psychics and healers have used its curative properties for years. Helpful in dispelling anger and anxiety, aids in feeling less scattered. Carnelian often called the stone of good luck. Said to purify the blood, stimulate sexual emotions, and aid in sexual function. Lapis lazuli draws love to us. It is also reputed to be effective in healing headaches, high blood pressure, depression, insomnia, and other such ailments. Malachite increases energy, is connected to change and creativeness. The Egyptians wore crushed malachite as eye shadow to guard against the evil eye. Moonstone is said to be a stone of magic. It increases psychic abilities and is used widely for spell rituals. Astral projection is accelerated when using a moonstone. Rose quartz also known as the love stone. A stone and that deals with the energy of all the emotions. Turquoise builds strength, provides protection. It is a sacred stone to the Native Americans. It is a protective stone for horses and their riders. In Arabia it is a stone of meditation. It has equality of absorbing negative energy. When purchasing, carefully touch the crystals at the store. A stone chooses you, you don't choose it. It would just “feel good” to you, having something the others don't possess. Use your gut feeling ----- which is your intuition talking to you.

Charging Your Crystal

Once you find your crystal, it needs to be "cleared, charged, and programmed." Cleanse it of a past owner’s energy and \ or the energy that has been placed on it by individuals examining it by washing it in cold water or letting it sit in a bowl of water.

Next, use the Moon to charge the crystal. Place it overnight in view of one of the phases listed below:

New Moon a crystal charged in this phase specifically offers energy that supports new beginnings, confidence, hope, and specifically anything of increase. Full Moon a crystal charged in this phase brings power to support anything you want to achieve. This is actually the best all-around phase to utilize.

Once you have cleared and charged your crystal the last step is to program it. Hold it in your hand, and focus on the vibrational energy you are looking for to accomplish your goal. Visualize your final goal, but not the way you think you're going to get there.

For example: if you want to lose twenty pounds, see yourself on the scale twenty pounds thinner. Don't try to analyze the way it will come about. This is best left to your higher power to solve.

If you choose, you can program any of your other gemstones as well.

⚪13⚪

Element Water

Throughout the spells you will see the use of what I refer to as element water. Element water is basically water that has been charged to help you do magick during a thunderstorm.

It represents fire, earth, air, and water, a forceful mix of elements at their highest potency. Lightning represents fire, which corresponds to power, energy, magick, and lust. Thunder represents air, which corresponds to spirituality, health, and knowledge. The strength of the storm represents earth, which corresponds to nature, being grounded, wisdom, and all things material. The rain itself represents water, which corresponds to emotions, reflection, love, creativity, and purification.

How to Make Element Water

Basically you are collecting rainwater with intention. First you will need a container to collect the water. I have used glass, plastic, clay pottery, and almost any type of container one can use, and I have seen no difference. You may feel a natural material is better or something you feel special has more impact. If these are your thoughts, then seek a special container. I personally use two or three chalices.

The important thing is that the container is new or extremely cleaned, having been sterilized in a dishwasher or by boiling if is made of glass. If the container is new, still clean it to remove energies from other people who may have handled it. Because thunderstorms are not all that common, I recommend obtaining as much water as possible so you will always have some on hand.

If you know that a storm is approaching, take your container and place it in a spot where it will collect water. Some people always leave a container outside just in case, and others only place one out when they are almost certain storm is near.

After the storm and your water has been collected, you should invoke a "hand blessing." Place both hands above the container with your palms facing down and say, "Bless this water. May it empower my intentions."

Now, transfer your element water into a practical container for later use if you are not going to use it immediately. A glass or plastic jug or bottle with a lid is a good choice.

The water is not limited to use only during rituals. It can also be used to bless something. Feel free to separate your water into smaller bottles for traveling or even to give a small bottle to a friend. It is a perfect gift for someone who is like-minded because it comes from nature and you have put your personal energy into it with good thoughts and well-wishes.

Around the holidays, I take element water and put it in tiny plastic containers with little labels that read, “Element Water.” I then tie ribbons around the necks of the containers and give them to special friends in case they want to bless something. I use element water to bless my car, computer, office, home, and the cat next door!

Special Notes

Element water will only be powerful when rain, lightning, and thunder are all present. An average rain will not do.

Do not use water that flows from a gutter! It may seem to be a very easy solution, especially if you want a large amount quickly. However, the fact is the rainwater being channeled through the gutter is not as pure as water coming directly from the sky because it has picked up debris.

Do not be concerned about pollution in the air when gathering water. Your blessing over the water purifies it.

Do not drink the water, as it is not meant for your inner body.

If you are not in an area where you are able to collect water, ask a friend to do it for you. However, you must conduct the “hand blessing” once it is in your possession.

Be cautious in thunderstorms and do not go out when lightning is about. For safety reasons, wait till the storm is over to bring your collected water inside.

⚪14⚪

Additional Magickal Tools

Other magickal tools mentioned in spells will include the following. Feel free to substitute what is available or what works for you.

Wand or knife: Sword, athame, letter opener, or any type of wand or long crystal. Any pointed object that extends as a pointer will work. One can purchase decorative wands displaying gemstones and crystals in New Age gift stores, fantasy stores, or through Internet Web sites. A double-edged knife is also available through the same sources. Fire burning container: Iron pot, mini-chiminera ( small Mexican fireplace ), ashtray, metal trash can, cauldron. Anything that can contain a piece of paper being burned within a safe vessel. Special drinking glass: Any container that can hold wine or grape juice: wine glass, cup, bowl, chalice, or favorite goblet. Optional tools:

Flowers and fruit

Religious statues or holy cards

Tarot cards or Runes ( or other methods for telling future events; psychic forms divination )

Pendulum ( Click here for information on making decisions using a pendulum )

Pentacle or pentagram symbol ( The pentacle is a five pointed star with lines connecting with a circle encompassing it. A pentagram is the same five point star but has no circle. This symbol represents the elements earth, air, fire, water, and what is sometimes known as the fifth element, spirit. A pentacle or pentagram can also represent the human body with legs and arms outstretched. This symbol is often used in rituals as a form of protection while the ritual is underway. The star should always be in an upright position. The reverse is considered to be negative.)

[[ Image Source ]]

Cross ----- any kind ( The universal symbol of a cross represents the bringing together of multiple dualities into a single whole. It can represent human form with extended arms, as well as crossroads in your life. Crosses have numerous religious and spiritual meanings.)

Bells ( A bell can be rung to invoke universal powers and note the beginning of a ritual. Some people use bells as a form of protection to keep evil away. )

Who knows what contains magic and love for each individual? But I do know if you have such items, you should hold them dear and use them to assist you.

⚪15⚪

Personal Altars

To have a personal altar is by no means a requirements for doing spell work, but it is an excellent place in which to keep your magical tools and to worship whomever you choose. Use it not only as a storage for these special items but also has a place to pray, meditate, and to receive answers from your higher self.

An altar can be any area that is flat. It can be a separate small table or any action on your dresser. The top of a large sound speaker could be used; a bookshelf or two cement block with a piece of wood laid across them would do. Once again, you get to be creative.

You may not want to have a permanent altar but prefer to set up a temporary one just for your spell use. Your altar can typically would display items such as candles, incense, wands, knives, gemstones, statues, chalices, element or holy water, and anything else you would use as a special component that had spiritual and enchanting properties. I do not feel there is any special way to set up an altar. Moving things around until it looks and feels right to you.

An outside altar is also a lovely thing to create if possible. It can be built near a favorite tree using stones and bricks. You may construct a special table outside made of wood. To make it easier, use a tree stump or a rock that is fairly level.

When fashioning an altar, try to stay away from the use of too much metal. Natural materials are always the best. However, if your only choice is an altar containing a lot of metal, tried to cover it. Use a natural fabric or put a piece of wood over it. Try to keep things natural.

As for the direction to face your altar, there are many schools of thought. Some suggest facing north because it is the most grounded direction. Others will recommend facing the altar east because it is the direction the Sun and Moon rise. Each direction has a special meaning and place. Therefore, I feel you should put it anywhere in which it is practical.

I have seen rolling altars, where people have made altars on the top of units that have wheels so they can roll through a room to face the direction they feel it needs to face for a particular spell or meditation. A rolling altar can also be kept out of the way in a closet if you are pressed for space.

Altars are extremely personal, as well as very interesting, and there is no right or wrong way in which to set up this area of sacred items.

[hectoramvy211-blog]

Why the Biggest “Myths” About web design May Actually Be Right

Comfy colors

Due to the present situation, tasks have actually progressively become digital in nature with many people spending the majority of their time dealing with their computer systems. For this reason, it is common for users to get eye strain after staring at their screens for numerous hours. Taking this into consideration, web designers are using color combinations that are comfortable to the eyes.

That is why the dark mode pattern became popular in 2015. This reverses the brightness that overpowers the screen of computers.

In the coming year, web designers will be trying to find the happy medium between the extreme dark and light colors. They will use soft color schemes such as pastel blues, warm browns, greens and light pinks. This way, the colors of websites will be less severe as compared to strong white or black to bring about comfort and peace.

All in all, such trend plainly suggests that future web designers will focus on ease of access and convenience over remarkable development.

Website design for a cause

The COVID-19 pandemic in addition to the lockdown orders have actually led the way for individuals to take haven in the internet. Businesses with physical shops have actually switched to online selling in order to make it through, while meetings and service conferences in addition to social gatherings are being done through the web. Web designers have actually accepted the difficulty by creating significant, excellent styles.

In 2021, web designers will take part in assisting people worldwide to go through these distressed times.

Web designs of companies will focus on their virtues, which include their efforts to sustain themselves and participation with their neighborhood, among others. In this regard, brand names will use stock images that reveal real, different consumers increasing the digital areas that bring awareness to social trigger by methods of visualizations, simulations and other means of interaction. There will also be a rise in do-it-yourself approaches and resources to allow individuals to produce their own website.

Website design aims to provide great user experience, which in 2021 will originate from typical causes and shared worths.

Scrolling improvements

Every time users scroll down a page, they are not simply navigating it, however also engaging. The important things they simulate moving their fingers on top of the mouse produce a action. Such interactive actions are a way of participating and whenever they are part of what's happening, there are more chances to acquire their interest and engage.

One subtle method for users to communicate is through scrolling and in this regard, web designers are developing the visual feedback received by users whenever they scroll. They do these by making changes click here completely color palettes, intricate animated shifts in addition to big shifts in the layout. In general, they will be considering more methods to make each scroll seem like they are checking out a new page or brand-new site.

Taking this into factor to consider, web designers are using color schemes that are comfortable to the eyes.

In the coming year, web designers will be looking for the middle ground in between the severe dark and light colors. Web designers have accepted the difficulty by coming up with meaningful, outstanding designs.

One subtle way for users to engage is through scrolling and in this regard, web designers are establishing the visual feedback gotten by users whenever they scroll.

[raymondwmgp237-blog]

Sage Advice About web design From a Five-Year-Old

Comfortable colors

Due to the present situation, jobs have actually significantly become digital in nature with numerous people spending most of their time working on their computers. For this reason, it prevails for users to get eye stress after staring at their screens for numerous hours. Taking this into factor to consider, web designers are using color combinations that are comfortable to the eyes.

That is why the dark mode pattern became popular last year. This counterbalances the whiteness that subdues the screen of computers.

In the coming year, web designers will be searching for the happy medium in between the severe dark and light colors. They will utilize soft color design such as pastel blues, warm browns, greens and light pinks. By doing this, the colors of websites will be less extreme as compared to strong white or black to produce comfort and peace.

All in all, such pattern plainly shows that future web designers will prioritize accessibility and convenience over outstanding innovation.

Website design for a cause

The COVID-19 pandemic as well as the lockdown orders have paved the way for people to take haven in the internet. Services with physical stores have changed to online selling in order to Additional info make it through, while conferences and business conferences in addition to social gatherings are being done via the internet. Web designers have actually accepted the obstacle by coming up with meaningful, excellent styles.

In 2021, web designers will take part in assisting individuals worldwide to go through these troubled times.

For that reason, web designs of businesses will focus on their virtues, which include their efforts to sustain themselves and participation with their neighborhood, to name a few. In this regard, brand names will utilize stock pictures that reveal genuine, various consumers increasing the digital spaces that bring awareness to social causes by ways of visualizations, simulations and other means of interaction. There will also be a rise in diy techniques and resources to permit individuals to produce their own website.

Website design aims to provide excellent user experience, which in 2021 will originate from common causes and shared worths.

Scrolling changes

Whenever users scroll down a page, they are not simply navigating it, but also communicating. The important things they do like moving their fingers on top of the mouse bring about a response. Such interactive actions are a way of taking part and whenever they are part of what's taking place, there are more possibilities to get their interest and engage.

One subtle way for users to interact is through scrolling and in this regard, web designers are establishing the visual feedback gotten by users whenever they scroll. They do these by making changes completely color palettes, intricate animated shifts along with big shifts in the layout. Overall, they will be considering more methods to make each scroll seem like they are going to a new page or brand-new website.

Taking this into consideration, web designers are utilizing color combinations that are comfy to the eyes.

In the coming year, web designers will be looking for the middle ground in between the extreme dark and light colors. Web designers have actually accepted the challenge by coming up with significant, excellent designs.

One subtle way for users to interact is through scrolling and in this regard, web designers are establishing the visual feedback received by users whenever they scroll.

[demonstuck-rp-blog]

Angels and Their Sub-types

 Angels are the creators of the universe as we know it. With their strange and mystifying powers; they create planets, life, and many assortments of things to inhabit all that they have. As of now, there are only two sub-types of angels in existence. The first are the Seraphim -  close to the common concept of angels - and the Cherubs, who differ in ability and appearance. Above them all stand The Archangels. They are the most ancient and powerful of the angels, though all started out as either a humble Seraphim or a gentle Cherub.

No matter the type, certain traits are shared between them all. The first is that all angels are cold to the touch, having evolved to deal with the brutally low temperatures of space and Prospit (know to humans as Heaven), in which they reside. Due to this natural immunity to the cold they can survive in subarctic conditions, though they struggle slightly in warmer areas of the Earth. Another common trait of an angel is their halos. The halos of the Seraphim and Cherubs rest above their heads, while the Archangels halos hang more behind their bodies, due to the fact that their halos are incredibly large. To top all of this off; all angel blood is starkly a white, and is known to glow.

The wingspan of an angel will vary depending on what type they are. A Seraphim will have medium sized wings that are large enough to carry them, as well as to allow them to easily glide along the air. They are situated on their upper back near their shoulder blades. Cherubs tend to have smaller wings which are situated on the lower or middle of their back. These wings allow them to fly and hover, though they find it harder to glide. Archangel wings are the largest of all of the angels. Archangels may also have multiple sets of wings rather than just the singular set of two that the other angels have.

Cherubs   

The Cherubs (singular: Cherubim) are emotion based creatures of Prospit, similar to The Concubus. They give the virtue they possess to humankind, and each Cherubim is separated into one of seven sub-categories: Diligence, Humility, Chastity, Forgiveness, Temperance, Charity, and Kindness. The more a Cherubim is exposed to their virtue, the more powerful they become. Once discovering a human in need of the trait they possess, the Cherubim will bless said human with this virtue. However, doing this can cause major personality shifts in a human. Cherubs are very social, and enjoy the company of other Cherubim as well as humans. However, they prefer to bond and mate with their own kind. They find most humans to be too boring to ever appease them. Though they do grow possessive of the humans they bless, treating them almost like a pet they are fond of. They are tricksters by nature, and love to play good-natured pranks on others.

Cherubs, like all angels, have two forms: human and angelic. No matter the form they always have an unearthly beauty to them that dips slightly into the uncanny valley. Their angelic forms consist of tiny wings that can either come in a set of one or two on their lower or mid back, and a tiny halo. Their skin usually matches up with human skin tones. If their skin is lighter, then their limbs color will fade to a pure white the farther it gets from the body. The same is true for darker skin tones, but with gold instead of white. Their eyes resemble a humans, but with stranger colors. Cherub eyes range from a shocking white, to a wondrous gold, to a jet black. A Cherubim may also have taloned, bird-like feet, though this is uncommon. Their human form resemble the features a Cherubim has while in their true form, minus the angelic attributes and other unnatural features. Note that a Cherubim, while disguised, will always feel cool to the touch. Their skin will always be soft, like silk, and when they jump? They seem to stay up there for just a little too long!

Cherubs are the sympathetic beings of the holy types. Along with flight and being able to withstand low temperatures: they have empathic abilities that allow them to read the emotions of others and understand those they read better. With a careful touch or gentle words, a Cherubim can give their holy energy to heal minor wounds and bruises that a creature may have. However, if they give too much of their energy to others, they will exhaust themselves to the point of passing out, or even need to be taken back to Prospit to recharge. A Cherubim can only heal others when in their true form.

Cherubs share the same weaknesses that all angels do. They are susceptible to hell fire and damned artifacts. When placed around them, Cherubs can be contained within circles of pepper or fire. Demons (and other angels) can hurt Cherubs, and weapons made from the bones of a demon or angel can cause life-threatening harm. When presented with things that are considered unholy (upside down cross, pentagram, ect.) for too long, their human form will be forcibly removed from them for a period of time ranging from an hour to three days.

Seraphim

The Seraphim (singular: Seraph) are about as close as you can get to the common concept of angels; Virtuous (and often prideful) beings which make up the vast bulk of the angelic populace and exist in order to serve a higher purpose - or at least, they believe themselves to. Due to their sheer numbers, their range of mystical abilities vary as much between individuals as their roles do. In their true forms, the Seraphim can be described as “eerie”. Modern earthly depictions capture the set of feathery wings emerging from their backs, as well as the glowing symbol (typically a circle or crescent) fixed above their heads. Their eyes are pupil-less, while their skin has a smooth, almost silky quality to it and will feel quite cold to the touch while also being any color under the rainbow. It can be human tones, but if not, they will usually stay in a pastel range. Uncommonly (albeit not unheard of) are Seraphim who take on an additional animalistic aspect to their visage - manifesting in the form of features such as multiple sets of spider-y eyes, a lion’s mane, or an expanded, bird-like plumage.

The powers of The Seraphim depend on their aspect. The aspects are attributes that define an angels or demons powers. Every creature is created with an aspect, however, that does not mean that every creature draws from it. Humans do not have the capacity to do so, while Cherubs and Concubus draw from virtues and sins respectively. Seraphim can mold their powers to manifest in many strange, unexplainable ways. Some can see the future, while others can manifest beams of energy to attack their foes. The infinite possibilities that are held within these strange creatures can be wondrous… but deadly as well.

Though powerful, Seraphim do suffer a number of distinct weaknesses. Like all angels, they are susceptible to hell fire and damned artifacts. Pepper can be used to trap them when placed around a Seraph. Normal fire can also contain them. Demons (and other angels) can hurt Seraphim, and weapons made from the bones of a demon or angel can cause life-threatening harm. When presented with things that are considered unholy (upside down cross, pentagram, ect.) for too long, their human form will be forcibly removed from them for a period of time ranging from an hour to three days.

Archangels

The Archangels (singular: Archangel) are beings of legend. They are pious creatures that stand holy above all, overlooking all of Prospit in judgment as the long-lived originals of their domain. Their power is overwhelming among the average human population, their presence bringing with it a sense of helplessness, despite the easing of their words. Often times a mist-like vapor eases from them, rolling over the ground in the immediate are to consume all in its wake.

Still, more collected Archangels can hold back their mystifying power to a degree. Their calming voices counteract their own immense presence. This makes it possible to communicate more easily with the common folk, though typically well-trained hunters have a much less difficult time in the presence of Archangels. This is especially true if they often hunt either Angels or Demons, as It allows them to be physically and mentally prepared for the surging difference between these beings and mortals.

Their power ranges over all angelic prospects: virtues and aspects alike. Whilst it’s true that the other angels and their connection to these abilities make them strong, an Archangel can take these further. They dig into the very cores of their power and drag out abilities thought impossible. Archangels possess a greater understanding of their aspects and virtues, and can draw out greater potential within those who seem closest to them.

Say an Archangel’s aspect is Time, and a human they come across possesses the same aspect within them then the Archangel may bless them and draw out more of this trait. Though humans are of course limited by their mortality, you are far more likely to be struck by lightning five times in two seconds than get blessed by those who see themselves far above your race.

Though they stand tall among their peers, when one flies too close to the sun… well, with great power comes great weakness. The lesser angels have a closeness to earth still that Archangels simply do not possess, and with this being the case they are far more susceptible to unholy weapons. Being undiluted creatures, any demonic weaponry or influence can have stronger effects on an Archangel than they might on a Cherub. Visually an Archangel will leave one stunned and at a loss for words. Their sizes vary from an average human to a 20’ tall being, a multitude of feathery wings gracing their backs while a large halo illuminates the area from behind them. They can bear similar traits to their other angelic counterparts: eyes without pupils, nearly flawless and perhaps golden-toned skin, silken hair, and even bird-like feet with large talons. Their faces can bear multiple sets of eyes as well, or even none at all. They are the pillars of Prospit, and they stand out even within the golden city itself.

[keelime-xiv]

LFRP: Keelah Se’lai  - Balmung ♥

♥ The Basics ––– –

Nickname(s): Kee, Mistress Kee Age: Thirty-two Birthday: 5th Sun of the 4th Umbral Moon (5th of August) Race: Keeper of the Moon, Miqo’te Gender: Female Sexuality: Bisexual Marital Status: Adamantly Single Alignment: Chaotic Evil

♥ What I’m looking For ––– –

Adventure Friends Potential Victims Murder Happy Partners in Crime Sworn Enemies

♥ What I’m NOT looking For ––– –

Possessive/rude/pushy/impatient partners

♥ Additional information (OOC) ––– –

Keelah may seem intimidating, but I assure you she is an awkward fucker. She’s easy to get along with and I would love to do more with her. Please don’t hesitate to message me if you’d like to try her out, I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised how well she can fit into any scenario ♥

I’m Australian so my time online will be different, but I can be rather flexible. I can become distracted easily, but please don’t assume that I’ve become bored with you. I have simply forgotten and need a little poke~!

[IC Tag] [Answered Asks Tag] [Aesthetic Tag] [Reference Sheet Page]

♥ Contact Information  ––– –

You can message me here for my contact information or catch me in game! I only RP through XIV as I found it to be a far less stressful medium for me. However, I would be delighted to discuss any potential RP plots through Discord.

(Continued under the cut ♥)

♥ Physical Appearance ––– –

Hair: Keelah’s hair is a dark purple, almost black, colour that hangs down past her shoulders in wild and sometimes unmanageable curls. She will usually wear it loose or coil it up into a tight bun for when she needs to work. [Visual Reference]

Eyes: Keelah’s left eye is a soft pastel pink and her right eye is a pale, sickly blue.

Height: 148 cm / 4′8

Build: Keelah is all hips and chest with an hourglass frame and lovely long legs. She works hard every day to keep herself toned.

Eyebrows: After first noticing her wild and curly hair, attention will often switch down to Keelah’s thick trademark eyebrows. The bushy brows are usually plucked and tapered back into a presentable style. [Visual Reference]

Scars: Keelah has a vertical scar through her right eye which caused its discolouration. There are two scars running across her right cheek on an angle through the first scar, they stop close to the ridge of her nose. On her left cheek there is a single scar, once again on an angle, that spans towards her nose. She has a vertical cut through her dark lips on her right side and a small horizontal cut across her brow that hides behind her fringe. [Visual Reference] Her facial scars she wears with pride, on her back however, there are scars she’s not so pleased to talk about. Such as the brand imprinted on the back of her neck that she keeps hidden at all times.

Tattoos: Keelah has a small collection of tattoos. She has Azeyma’s ward on her right hip, a pair of lace garter tattoos around her lower thighs, a pair of horns above her pelvic region, and a crescent moon surrounded by pink blossoms on her back.

Piercings: Tongue, nipples and down south are all pierced with a silver barbell, but her ears remain unpierced and she refuses to disclose as to why.

Common Accessories: Keelah often wears a collar around her neck to hide her brand mark, but the style of the collar will change on a regular basis to match her outfit. Keelah occasionally sports a pair of dark shades, sometimes for fashion, but mostly to hide her hangover. Beware of pointy things, Keelah also carries an array of knives on her person at all times. Where does she keep them all? It’s best not to think about it.

Usual Attire: Keelah can often be found wearing tight, black leather or latex, regardless of the weather conditions. Her favoured attire is comprised of a pastel pink latex corset with black trim, a fur trimmed, black latex, quarter cut coat, a pair of black latex booty shorts, thigh high black latex stockings held up by garters and a pair of black stiletto heels. [Visual Reference]

♥ Professional ––– -

Languages: Common tongue and some basic sign language.

Profession: - Informant/Saboteur: Keelah is a skilled freelance informant/saboteur. If you have the money (and care not for what methods she uses) then she’ll have the information you need. - Dominatrix: Keelah’s front for her informant/saboteur work is her high-end Dominatrix business, which she took up as a simple hobby only to have it explode into a full time career. Her skills are incredibly popular among the wealthy, and so her calendar is constantly booked solid. 

Business Cards: If you meet up with Keelah ICly she is most likely to hand you a sleek black business card with the details for her Dominatrix business printed upon it in pale, metallic pink cursive. Upon the front it reads: ‘Keelah Se’lai - Dominatrix Extraordinaire’ Upon the back it reads: ‘Office 25 - Sapphire Avenue -Steps of Thal, Ul’dah - Consultation hours: 10 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday’ (FC Room)

Skills: - Archery: Keelah is an adept marksman with a bow. It is her weapon of choice as she prefers to take down her targets from long range. 

- Hand to Hand Combat: Though Keelah prefers to use her bow, when called upon she can put up a fierce fight. She’s quick, she’s feisty and despite her short stature she packs one hell of a punch, but watch out! She also bites!

- Alchemy: Keelah has a knack for alchemy. At first she dabbled in alchemy just to understand her brother’s ramblings. However, after a little idle study she fell in love with the science. Keelah now uses alchemy in every aspect of her work and day to day life. From creating various toxins to help her infiltrate a facility to mixing up some rather potent aphrodisiacs or lubricants to help spice up the lives of her clientele. She has plans to release her own line of sensual lifestyle products.

- Gardening: Keelah loves tending to the flowerbeds of her cottage and the small green house she has set up on the balcony of her apartment. She loves each sprout much like a mother loves her own child. Keelah simply adores the greenery and loves watching it flourish. Her pride and joy is her vast herb garden which helps with her alchemy work.

- Musical: Keelah has a beautiful singing voice, but not only that, she can also play the piano and has been teaching herself to play a wooden flute she found while on her travels to the East. While she has overcome her stage fright and now plays intermission piano for the Kiss Cabaret, she still refuses to sing for anyone save for belting out a few drunken pirate shanties when she’s completely wasted.

♥ Personal ––– –

Birthplace: Though Keelah’s origins have been rumored to lie somewhere within the Black Shroud, she was raised from an infant by her adoptive Mother in Eastern Thanalan. 

Religion: Keelah is open to the idea of Religion and often prays to Azeyma for guidance.

Patron Deity: Azeyma.

Residence:  - Public Residence: Keelah’s public address is that of a ritzy penthouse apartment located atop one of Ul’dah’s dazzling skyrise towers. Comprised of four bedrooms, five bathrooms, an enormous living room, a fully loaded kitchen, stunning dining room, a huge library/study, a balcony with a pool and a small greenhouse, it is outrageously decedent.   It is here she takes most of her clientele and potential business partners.  (FC Room)

- Private/Secret Residence: Keelah secretly lives in an old, stone cottage surrounded by a lush and overgrown garden of wildflowers. The location of this fairy tale esque home is unknown to the general public, but there have been a few who have stumbled upon her home by mistake. This home is far more humble than her apartment and Keelah finds herself running off to stay there as often as she can. (Lavender Beds, Private House)

Personality: Keelah’s personality can be best described as impulsive. She tends to jump into things head first without considering the consequences. Keelah is loud, obnoxious, a little bit crazy, incredibly flirty and a romantic.

Likes: Keelah loves alcohol, smoking, sex, burning things, cutting things, fighting things, gardening, reading, and down time with Martin.

Dislikes: Keelah loathes prudes, stuffed shirts, unbearably obnoxious people, boredom, paperwork, and heights.

Favourite Food: Starlight cake, seafood stew, finger sandwiches, sushi and pussy.

Least Favourite Food: Jerky or salted/dried meats.

Virtues: Protective, calm, loyal, optimistic, brave, empathetic, loving, compassionate and will do anything for the ones she has come to love.  

Sins: Murderer, pyromaniac, lustful, over indulgent, greedy, obnoxious, jealous, vindictive, reckless, impatient, and has an odd fetish for blood. 

Excitements: Keelah becomes excited from the smell of blood, Martin, the colour pink, acts of defiance, well oiled muscles and cute people.

Fears: Keelah fears heights, being left alone/abandoned, and Mandragoras.

Short Biography: Left abandoned after an Amalj'aa raid struck her family’s caravan, Keelah was found and raised by an orphan Seeker girl (her mother Shelley) and an orphan Xaela boy (her brother Jack). Together the three survived the harsh Thanalan desert by pickpocketing traveling merchants outside Camp Drybone. It was a meager existence and they often found themselves in trouble with the local authorities, but they were happy. However, shortly after Keelah turned six her brother disappeared without a trace. Distraught, Shelley and Keelah traveled across Thanalan in search of him, but their search was soon interrupted by the approaching Calamity. Caught amidst the destruction, Shelley sacrificed herself to protect Keelah from an oncoming blast, leaving Keelah to wander through the wastes alone. Frightened and very weak, Keelah fell into the hands of a traveling slaver and was then sold to a brothel in Ul’dah. There she remained in servitude for several long and painful years until her Master suddenly (and suspiciously) died. Keelah vanished that night.

♥ Relationships ––– -

Partner: None

Children: None

Parents: One adoptive mother, Shelley La’tra

Siblings: One adoptive brother, Ramza Wyvernjack

Best friend and confidant: Martin Freepaw

Current Employer: Vachir Qerel and the company of The Keeper’s Kiss

Drinking Companion: Captain Rezaria

Pets: A small collection of personal AI Drones who follow her around and assist with her lab work. They also perform minor security protocols to keep anyone from discovering the hidden laboratory. 

NPC Relations: Nanako Nanko. A stern and elderly Lalafell, she is Keelah’s loyal secretary who keeps the wild dominatrix in check.

♥ RP Hooks ––– –

Keelah’s Client: You find Keelah’s business details on the back of a black business card. You’re not sure what you need from this illusive woman, but you feel as though you’ll know for certain once you meet and talk with her. At first she’s scary and intimidating, your inner voice screams to run from her presence and never look back, but after a long discussion you begin to see Keelah for who she really is. A woman with flaws and needs just like any other. This started out as a strictly professional acquaintance, but perhaps it might bloom into something more? A friendship? A murder mystery? Let’s play it by ear~!

Keelah’s Mark: You’ve fallen into trouble with the wrong people and unfortunately for you they’ve sent in the best to make sure you disappear. She has been a mere shadow tracking you for days, you’ve been able to keep her at arms length so far, but even you grow tired of holding back. At last you give in and face her head on, but what happens next might not be as you planned. Will they fight? Will you win or will you lose? Will Keelah concede and help you take down the bastards that sent her after you? Or will she simply kill you for the money?

Keelah’s Cottage: You’ve heard rumors about it, ghost stories, nothing consistent. A strange cottage hidden deep within the black shroud and surrounded by the most enchanting garden that is unlike any other. However, anyone who had been brave enough to try and find this fabled cottage never returned, their lost screams haunting the night to ward off any would be heroes who would try to save them. Bah! It’s an old wives tale to stop children from wandering out into the forest unsupervised! Or so you tell yourself as you seek out this mysterious cottage. What will you find out there in the wilds? Will Kee be receptive of your visit or will she silence you like she has all the others who wandered into her little garden?

Let’s make our own - These are simply suggestions, I would love to brainstorm with you and come up with something unique~!

Thank you for taking the time to read all this! ♥

[kyrieanne]

you said something last night about the good place and the incantation, and I don't know what that means but I would very much like to if you can explain it.

::claps hands::

Necessary throat clearing I: I do not think Christianity is the thesis statement of The Good Place; Mike Schur has been extremely clear this story is not an argument for a particular philosophy. I’m not arguing that anything about the show is particularly religious, but rather that there are some natural analogues (from my point of view). The show is about philosophy, which has a natural overlap with theology at large. I’m not a pastor person, but I do have the same education as one. I’m also trained to look closely at narrative “texts.”  Thus, here we are.

Back in 2012, Helen Sword wrote about nominalization – she coined the name zombie words because it’s easier to remember – which is when you take an adjective (implacable) or a verb (calibrate) or even another noun (crony) and add a suffix like ity, tion or ism. Think: implacability, calibration, cronyism, heteronormativity, etc.

Academics, scientists, - and philosophers/theologians eat nominalization for breakfast. They litter their writing with them. At best – nominalization help us put a name to big, complex ideas, and at worst it can be a tripping hazard to communicating with clarity. Sword cites a pretty famous essay by George Orwell Politics and the English Language, written in 1946.

Orwell warns how language isn’t just political in its content but in its form as well. He quotes a passage from the Bible, Ecclesiastes 9:11

I returned and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Then Orwell wrote a modern version:

Objective considerations of contemporary phenomena compel the conclusion that success or failure in competitive activities exhibits no tendency to be commensurate with innate capacity, but that a considerable element of the unpredictable must invariably be taken into account.

Sword and Orwell argue that concrete language – that tethered to our five senses – is clearer. It endures, evocates, and energizes your audience. Nominalization has its uses, but should be used sparingly when communication – always a two-way street – is the goal. Cluttering our language with these zombie words is the best strategy for anyone who wants to talk, but cares very little about being heard.

I think The Good Place is an example of a story told in concrete language - though its a visual medium, and it is very much on purpose. But I’ll get to that...

First, let’s define the term Incarnation...Simply put, it is a theological assertion that Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully human. It is one of those key beliefs - take it away and whatever you’ve got isn’t Christian; This isn’t one of those down in the weeds, who cares? theological arguments.

Second, let’s talk about why the points system on The Good Place is fundamentally broken…

Remember Chidi’s breakdown earlier in the season with the peeps chili?

In that scene, he describes 3 main approaches in the last 2500 years of western philosophy to this question: how to live an ethical life?

·       Virtue Ethics – (think Aristotle) There are certain virtues of the mind like courage, generosity, etc. One should develop oneself in accordance to those virtues. The emphasis is on human reason or our minds – what do I do with my mind

·       Consequentialism - Is it right or is it wrong? is based on the consequences of that action - how much utility/good vs. how much pain/bad? The emphasis is on the result instead of the action - what happens to your [neighbor’s] body?

·       Deontology - There are strict rules that everyone must adhere to in a functioning society; an ethical life is identifying & following those rules. The emphasis is on the action instead of the result - what do I do with my body?

(::screeches:: I’m VASTLY over-simplifying here.)

Each philosophical system Chidi outlines makes a priority choice with regards to my mind, my body, and your body. Each takes the mind, body, and other’s bodies into account, but each prioritizes one over the other as the loci – or starting place/lens - from which to answer the question, how to live an ethical life?

The Good Place uses Doug Forcett as the prime example this dynamic because he’s as close to a control group you can have in the story. He is the story-telling embodiment of this tension:

In any ethical system you cannot separate your mind (what you think/believe) from your body (your actions in the real world) or from the bodies of others (the consequences of those actions). 

Please hear what I’m not saying - that these ethical systems are wrong. I am simply saying that none of them completely account for how three parts are inter-connected. 

Doug’s attempt to live an ethical life is endlessly, hopelessly tangled in this ethical web. This is the catalyst for Michael to go to Accounting because he thinks the Bad Place is rigging the points system. But when that proves to be untrue – he jumps to another theory. He makes the case to the Judge that that modern life is so vastly complicated and fraught with moral quandaries that living any sort of morally positive life is impossible.

Yet, it’s total hubris to think our way of life is worse-better than the human condition 500+ years ago. It’s a fetishization of a single era.  Even if we’re arguing that that era damns everyone. It simplifies and romanticizes the past and that is very dangerous because that sentimentality lets us lie to ourselves. We can excuse all kinds of human behavior by slapping the term modernity on it; our world made us do it. It’s a great example of how nominalization can be dangerous. 

I’m confident the show knows this and Michael’s current theory will be proven to be as hollow as the ‘Bad Place is rigging it’ theory. Michael does not know how but he knows with the core of his demon-being that the merit-based “points” system is fundamentally broken.

Let’s talk about systems & power for a moment…

Last year I did some training with the Race Equity Institute for work. They started by talking about systems. We can all name systems:  weather and water systems, the systems of the body and universe, economic and political ones, etc. Social systems – inter-connected people – are maybe the messiest systems there are.

Two important characteristics of any system are 1) the “parts” of the system are inter-connected and 2) the system self-perpetuates, i.e. the power lies in the inter-connectedness of the parts. Your mind & body – as well as the bodies of others – are part of an ethical system. They are inter-connected and there is power in that inter-connectedness.

An ethical life is always bound up in the systems to which we belong, and those systems create mindsets. Yet, the power of those systems is not in the nominalization:  racism, sexism, classcism, etc. we use to describe them. Power lies in the inter-connectedness of the parts – here, people. The last two years of the Angry Cheeto have made that particularly plain, I think.

Enter Big Noodle & the Incarnation

Jason is the character version of from the mouths of babes – his point with Big Noodle is you can’t judge what you don’t know.

So, the Judge goes down to Earth. 

That is what prompted me to think about The Good Place and the Incarnation.

Remember, the Incarnation is a theological assertion who God is, specifically who Jesus Christ is. The church spent a long time arguing about it (like in the hundreds of years) and they did because how do you define God? In the world of The Good Place, where we’re dealing with philosophy and not Christian theology, that question is analogous to how to live an ethical life? because who God is – in the Judeo-Christian tradition – is the starting place for what the meaning of human life is.

(Here I’m going to delve into a little Christian theology, but I PROMISE I have a reason.)

Did God create Jesus in the same way God created trees and elephants and the stars? Was Jesus the highest created being of God? A sort-of demi-god? A movement called Arianism argued this, but in the long run it was rejected because it didn’t fit with the Bible. There were a lot of opinions and theories – I’m skimming over A LOT, but in the end the church basically punted.

The Good Place took Michael through a conversion-like storyline in Season 2 when he became a demon who cares for others – his humans & Janet. Since then he has pursued the question of how behind the points system. He knows it shouldn’t have been possible for his humans to get better after they died, which undermines the whole argument for an earth-bound points system. But they did. If that is true, then the system itself is not the right answer to how to live an ethical life?

Remember: You cannot judge what you do now know.

At the Council of Chalcedon (451), it was decided to define God’s nature by what we know God is rather than what we know God is not. It’s called the Chalcedon formula, and it begins with we confess. In Christian tradition, confession is a different kind of knowing; it is rational, but it is also embodied. One can only confess what one knows because it has be proven to be true in one’s own life. It’s not about having the right answers, but saying - to me this is true.    

The formula states that Jesus is God and Jesus is human, two natures without confusion, and how that exists we don’t entirely understand. It is a union of the human and divine that is not a blending of the two to make one, like the combination of two primary colors to create a new one. Jesus’ birth, life, and death is not somehow less human because of his divinity, but what comes next – the whole rising from the dead thing – definitely is divine. Even writing that sentence makes me itch a little because the Incarnation is an assertion that you can’t divide Christ’s biography into part 1: human, part 2: divine. Rather, the body of Christ – the very nature of who he was, is, and will be – is both human and divine.

The Power of Both/And

Think about this: what confirmation do we have there is a Good Place?

The only characters we’ve seen that come from there are the not-people from The Book of Dougs. Were they angels? Anti-demons? I don’t think we’ve been given a definition. Why should we trust they are what we’re told they are the first go-round? We already know characters are not always who we’re told they are. Further, the judge doesn’t reside in the Good Place. The accountants don’t. We have a door to the Good Place that only non-humans can pass through. Okay, but have we seen anyone pass through it? Assuming there is a Good Place assumes that all the other kinds of characters exist to be part of the machinery that is the human after-life. Demons torture. The judge judges. The accountants tally. Janets help. 

You’ve got a system of interconnected parts:  humans, demons, Janets, needlenoggles, a judge, accountants, etc., and you’ve got this points system in which they all play some part. What Schur & co. have quietly been doing with Team Cockroach is showing how these different types of beings are all changing:  Janet falling in love, Michael’s conversion to caring for others, and the humans changing after they died. None of these things are supposed to be happening in that system.

I wonder if Schur & co. are playing another sleight of hand in their story telling akin to the Season 1 reveal. What if the world of The Good Place isn’t either you belong (not just humans either, but all kinds of creatures) to the GOOD PLACE or the BAD PLACE.  What if - instead - they are making an argument that how to live an ethical life is not about getting the answer to the question, but about seeing the world (here the story-world of The Good Place) in new, transformative ways.

In that REI training, the facilitators asked everyone if you were proud to be an American. This was the beginning of the training. It was one of those questions that you don’t know the right answer to, but you do know what the wrong answers might be. No one said anything. The trainers started listing things they like about living in America:  public education, running water, our national parks, etc., and then they listed things they didn’t like:  history of slavery, the Flint water crisis, etc. They said for the work we were going to be doing in our training they wanted us to resist language of either/or – you are either a racist or you are not. You either love America or you don’t. Rather, they said, embrace the power in both/and language. You can both love the systems in which you live and work, and you can recognize their brokenness, pain, and hurt. You can be both angry at and thankful for your community. That, they said, is how we transform ourselves and our communities. 

The both/and shows up in the Incarnation too – it is a theological assertion that Jesus was BOTH human AND divine. Jesus’ very body rejects that the laws of nature are either/or. Either them or me. Either good or bad. Either/or is a way of seeing the world that is human – we do it as naturally as breathing - but it is not the only way to see. There are more humane ways to exist.

I don’t know what story Schur & co. are telling, but I struggle to see where they are going to land if there is a Good Place without turning the story into a confession of a particular ethical or religious system. Because if there is a Good Place you’ve created an either/or world that needs a system for how it works. 

Rather, they’ve spent a lot of narrative time doing exactly what the church did when they tried to define God – a lot of guesses that tell you want God is not, but don’t clarify what God is. Michael & co. know that Doug Forcett didn’t get enough points despite his ascetic-like life. They know that demons and humans and Janets can change in ways they are not supposed to be able to. They know that they love and care about each other. They know what they don’t know. 

It is counter-intutive, but the best way to communicate big, complex ideas is in concrete, small language. It’s language that is incarnated. The Good Place is a half-hour sitcom about philosophy, and it does that by telling small, incarnated stories. You’ve got 4 humans and they died. What happens next?

But you also have a demon and a Janet. You have a system that appears to not be working. You have two places – good and bad – but actually you don’t. So already that either/or dichotomy is breaking down. There’s the Medium Place and despite the room temperature beer and medium snacks, I wonder if the fundamental geography of the show is a red herring. What if the demons and Janets and all the other kinds of beings are just as caught up in a system of either/or that is patently false? Without a Good Place, the geography of the world isn’t good or bad. It just is. Kind of like our own world. It’s something in between, both joyous and painful. What if the story we’re being told is about how these particular characters – Team Cockroach - challenge and upend a false ethical system in which all creatures in the story are caught?

How to live an ethical life? is a big question that is the wrong question. It posits an either/or world. Human life can be reduced to that, but it is always a reduction based on a lie. We are capable of choosing to see life’s geography - its systems, quandaries, and mysteries - through both/and language. The Christian theology of the Incarnation reminds me that not having all the answers is not only okay, but natural. Life does not occur by knowing the rules and then following them or not. Good living is like good language. It is concrete, small, and embodied. Somehow, it also touches on things bigger than ourselves like love and friendship and the ability to not only change - but transform. 

Why would a fictional after-life be any different?