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updatecrazy · 2 years ago

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Funcom has released Conan Exiles update 1.92 on PS4, PC, PS5, and Xbox One. According to the official Conan Exiles 1.92 patch notes, the latest Age of War update includes new features such as Clan Emblems and Hoards, as well as a significant rebalance to the combat systems. Apart from this, today's Conan Exiles version 1.92 also includes a long list of bug fixes. Previously, a major Conan Exiles update 1.89 added a new mechanic (Golem Shaping). You will be able to raise guardian golems that will follow you in your quests or utility golems that will gather resources for you on demand. Unfortunately, players are still reporting issues with the Conan exiles animal pen crafting time multiplier and the Conan exiles thrall crafting time multiplier. Today’s Conan Exiles 1.92 will address all these issues. Check out more details below. Conan Exiles Console Age of War Patch Notes - June 22, 2023 Clan Emblems Unify your clan by showing pride in the most common way - with pictures and colors! New work stations will let you customize the emblem for your clan! Clan Hoards Find treasure, bring it home, and display it at your base! Place any treasure placeables within the hard radius to contribute to your personal and the clan totals. Treasures can also be placed directly in the chest next to the Treasurer NPC. Combat Rebalance Rebalanced several systems with the intention of making it more dynamic, tactical, and deadly, while also addressing several concerns from the community, such as the usefulness and power level of Legendary weapons. Conan Exiles Console Age of War Patch Notes Performance and stability: Fixed a "Connection lost" issue that was difficult to resolve. Cleaned up Console Log spam. Various optimizations, crash fixes, and clean-up. Exploit Fixes: Fixed multiple known exploits. New Additions: Clan Emblems: Unify your clan under a custom symbol displayed on banners, shields, armor, and more. Clan Totems: New work station to combine images and colors for clan emblems. Clan Hoards: Find treasure, bring it home, and display it at your base. New Challenges: Apply a Clan Emblem, Build a Coffer, Place 3 Small Treasures, Claim a Heavy Treasure, and more. New Age of War Chapter 1 Battle Pass: Includes pets, armor, emotes, and Stygian and Nordheimer lore-related rewards. New functionality: horse caparisons, emblems, weapon emotes. New Twitch Drops, starting with Midnight Caparison. Building and Placeable Fixes: Foundations no longer have an "Outer Face" indicator. Improved feedback on why an object cannot be moved. Illusions now properly appear on the Armor Display. Containers picked up through removing their support now drop their inventory into yours. Fixed various building and placeable issues. Crafting Fixes: Adjustments to crafting recipes, including Potion of Natural Learning and Bestial Memory. Yellow Lotus Potion no longer resets attributes or knowledge. Fixed issues with certain placeables returning wrong materials when dismantled. Improved functionality of various crafting stations and items. Combat Fixes: Adjustments to NPC attacks, hit boxes, and dagger usage. AI and NPC behavior improvements and fixes. Fixes and improvements to pets and thralls. Purge and Encounters: Fixed damage output of Blood Moon Beast boss. Adjustments to encounters, gas effects, and balance. Balance Updates: Rebalancing of systems, including item classifications (Unique, Epic, Legendary). Adjustments to enemy strength, stamina costs, weapons, shields, combo multipliers, and repair mechanics. QoL Improvements: Target lock improvements and fixes. New diving animation, gamepad/controller rebinding support. Various other quality-of-life improvements. General Bug fixes: Starving characters will no longer die while offline Token of friendship should now only give 1 Thunn Ha Ally Charcoal now has an icon and the correct description

Forlorn weapons now correctly display under the weapons categories Equipping only Aesir Raider leggings no longer part of the legs invisible Several fixes for the Journey system Auto Switch Next Journey setting will now always pick a new Journey, even if there is not a default progression from the one just completed Dregs now correctly unlocks the Dungeon Delver Journey Leyshrines now correctly unlocks the Surge Defender Journey Assigning a thrall to any crafting station now correctly completes the Thrall Taker Journey step The step to find the Sorcerer’s Grotto now triggers reliably once you have gone further into the grotto itself Placing a foal into a stable will now complete the relevant step correctly Several steps that would auto-complete no longer do so Steps that require interaction with specific workbenches now also accept the improved version of those workbenches Steps that unlock on specific Feats now unlock also for characters that had those Feats from before The step to level a thrall/pet now correctly triggers also on going from level 0 to level 1 Harvesting Plant Fiber from Berry bushes will now also trigger the steps for collecting plant fibers Artificer Journey now correctly unlocks from Fine Metal Crafts Journey step to Wear a piece of Epic Armor no completes only with Epic Armor Balanced Iron Poniards Knowledge are now hidden until the correct Journey is resolved Several Journey step descriptions pointing to the wrong location or workstation have been corrected Journey step “Summon Protection of Gods” description corrected Corrected the icon displayed for several Journey steps Tanner Journey no longer has “Learn Tanner” as a step, since it has it as a requirement for unlocking the Journey Interacting with a built trebuchet will now also trigger the Journey step to Complete Building a Trebuchet Corrected typos in some Journey step descriptions Journey system now properly updates Journeys added or removed by mods The “Learn a Delved Schematic” step in the Delver Journey can now be passed by using any scroll from the Voidforge, even if you have that knowledge from before. In addition, if you have all the Knowledges from the Voidforge it will automatically resolve. The “Upgrade an Altar to the final level” step in the High Priest Journey will no longer give credit for crafting a Retreat of Jhebbal Sag, and instead correctly require the tier 3 Grove of Jhebbal Sag to be built. Terrain and Environment: Fixes and improvements to foliage, collision, and terrain across different locations. Animation and Cinematic Fixes: Fixes and improvements to character animations, sitting in chairs, bow animations, and more. UI and Text: Our valiant #spellchekker team has gone to war against the armies of Typus Maximus and came victorious. Ish. Our prestigious international #spellchekker team has saved the day once again by fixing a number of los typos in the localized versions of the game. Activating the inventory shortcut while on another interface screen now only closes that screen, and no longer switches to the inventory. Respawn interface will now take a small moment to appear, to allow a moment of dread and/or laughter before being asked to do it all again. The death camera has also been tweaked to improve the experience. Pristine Khari Daggers now both show up on their icon Claim Challenge Reward has its own controller button also on the Japanese PlayStation version, and no longer shares X with “Back” All elephants now have visible health bars Dying by passing through the Cursed Wall will no longer in certain cases open several unrelated interface windows Inventory grid no longer displays on top of the Info and Split buttons on Xbox Stables and Animal Pens Rename button can now be navigated to with controller Character Copy window can now be closed with Esc on keyboard or B

ack on controller Avatar controls now show and work correctly also when doing the summoning from inventory Dryer now visually shows dried meat in it Show Journey Steps setting now correctly applies in all situations A new icon for Skeleton Key has been made to distinguish it better from other keys in the game Zeal being stolen is now messaged only when Zeal is actually being stolen Loot and interaction windows now work properly in the start area of Well of Skelos Conan Exiles 1.92 added text to the (at first) empty Sorcery Knowledge tab. Long localized Journey descriptions now have reduced text size to fit in the description box Battle Pass reward display will no longer show two characters under certain conditions Corrected descriptions for several floor and wall paints Conan Exiles version 1.92 added missing translations to some items and buttons Audio Fixes: Acid now makes sound when hitting shields Corrected some sound issues in the Settings menu Certain doors in Isle of Siptah Vaults will no longer play looping sounds Cats shake quieter now Interacting with the Armor Display now plays the correct sound FAQs What are Clan Emblems in Conan Exiles? Clan Emblems allow players to customize their clan's symbol and display it on banners, shields, armor, and more. It's a way to unify the clan and show pride through pictures and colors. What are Clan Hoards in Conan Exiles? Clan Hoards are a new feature that allows players to find treasure, bring it home, and display it at their base. Players can place treasure placeables within the clan's territory to contribute to their personal and clan's total hoard. What changes have been made to combat systems in the update? The combat systems in Conan Exiles have been rebalanced to make battles more dynamic, tactical, and deadly. The update addresses concerns from the community, including the usefulness and power level of Legendary weapons. Are there any new crafting stations and equipment introduced in the update? Yes, alongside the new features, the update also introduces new crafting stations and equipment to Conan Exiles. Further details about these additions can be found in the patch notes. Is there a PS5 upgrade available for Conan Exiles? No, there is no PS5 upgrade available for Conan Exiles at this time. However, the game is backward compatible on PS5, so you can play the PS4 version on your PS5. How does the animal pen crafting time multiplier work in Conan Exiles? The animal pen crafting time multiplier affects the amount of time it takes to craft items in an animal pen. The higher the multiplier, the less time it takes to craft items. The default multiplier is 1.0, which means that items will craft at their normal speed. You can increase the multiplier up to 10.0, which will make items craft 10 times faster. Are there any recent updates for Conan Exiles? Yes, there have been a few recent updates for Conan Exiles. The most recent update, released on March 8, 2023, added the Age of War expansion. This expansion adds a new region to the game, as well as new weapons, armor, and building pieces. What is the crafting time multiplier in Conan Exiles? The crafting time multiplier is a setting that affects the amount of time it takes to craft items. The higher the multiplier, the less time it takes to craft items. The default multiplier is 1.0, which means that items will craft at their normal speed. You can increase the multiplier up to 10.0, which will make items craft 10 times faster. How can I find the master weapon fitting in Conan Exiles? The master weapon fitting is a rare item that can be found in the world. It is a required component for crafting the master weapons. The master weapon fitting can be found in chests, on thralls, or as a random drop from enemies. When is the release date for Chapter 4 in Conan Exiles? There is no confirmed release date for Chapter 4 in Co

nan Exiles. However, Funcom has said that they are working on the chapter and that it will be released sometime in 2023. What is the thrall crafting time multiplier in Conan Exiles? The thrall crafting time multiplier is a setting that affects the amount of time it takes to craft thralls. The higher the multiplier, the less time it takes to craft thralls. The default multiplier is 1.0, which means that thralls will craft at their normal speed. You can increase the multiplier up to 10.0, which will make thralls craft 10 times faster. How can I increase the pet taming speed in Conan Exiles? There are a few ways to increase the pet taming speed in Conan Exiles. One way is to use the "tame speed" setting in the server configuration file. Another way is to use the "tame speed" buff, which can be obtained from certain thralls or from the Black Hand faction. Finally, you can also increase the pet taming speed by using the "taming potion," which can be crafted using the "taming potion" recipe. Are there any known issues with lag on PS4 in Conan Exiles in 2023? Yes, there have been some reports of lag on PS4 in Conan Exiles in 2023. Funcom is aware of the issue and is working on a fix. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to try to reduce lag, such as: Playing on a server with fewer players. Lowering your graphics settings. Restarting your PS4. Are there any specific patch notes for Conan Exiles? Yes, there are specific patch notes for Conan Exiles. You can find the latest patch notes on the Funcom website. How does the crafting time multiplier affect gameplay in Conan Exiles? The crafting time multiplier affects how long it takes to craft items in Conan Exiles. The higher the multiplier, the less time it takes to craft items. This can be useful if you are trying to quickly craft a lot of items. However, it can also make the game too easy. Where can I find oil in Conan Exiles? Oil can be found in a few different places in Conan Exiles. One place to find oil is in the Black Keep, which is located in the north of the map. Another place to find oil is in the mounds of the dead, which are located in the south of the map. Oil can also be found in some chests and on some thralls. Download free Conan Exiles update 1.92 on PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox.

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achorusofnonsense · 3 years ago

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Since the "outlaws & obelisks" tag is pretty barren, i thought I'd do an informational post for anyone who gets curious.

The setting is Utaram, a vast desert landscape that takes inspiration from both the US Southwest and Northern Africa, some decades after a magical apocalypse destroyed the powerful civilizations that had once sprawled across the desert, leaving sparsely-populated towns where people have to band together for survival. Reminders of that cataclysm are all around in the beings, both humanoid and beasts, who have been fused with other forms of life, like Onuris Budge, whose right arm is sometimes an elephant trunk and sometimes other things, and his animal companion (with a higher intelligence stat than him) Nebet, a leopard-flamingo. Wanderers like Chang Hushi, from the ancient Dulungai-Barun civilization far to the west, and Tovo Reeves, a bounty hunter with a mechanical exoskeleton, are not uncommon. With uncontrolled magic still heavy in the atmosphere, unreliable passages of time, and violent gangs seeking to gain influence in a chaotic landscape, threats abound. Budge, Hushi, and Tovo are thrown together in an unlikely quest for answers and a missing hat; as encounter breeds encounter, their goals, and the threats to Utaram, only seem to multiply like the time-displaced chickens in Hushi's bag.

It's quite brilliant, and unlike anything else currently being played that I know of. It's a POC-led, casually queer campaign with real stakes, wildly imaginative worldbuilding, and a series of fascinating unfolding mysteries as to the history of Utaram and the histories of the PCs themselves.

The DM is Jeremy Cobb (he/him), who has homebrewed the setting and cosmology from scratch, with a lot of research into ancient and medieval cultures of North Africa. Jeremy is one of the three hosts of Three Black Halflings, the podcast feed where Outlaws & Obelisks can be found. He also DMed their earlier campaign The Cub & the Caterpillar, using the Afrocentric Wagadu setting.

Hushi (they/them) is played by Connie Chang (they/he/she) of TransplanarRPG.

Budge (he/him) is played by Jonny Charles (he/him) of the_lonely_orchestra, who also provides the show's soundtrack.

Tovo (he/him) is played by Jasper William Cartwright (he/him), another of the hosts of Three Black Halflings.

Below the cut, there's some more spoilery information, including content warnings that people should know going in.

Later additions to the party include:

Episode 3: Panya (she/her), played by Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (they/them), the third host of Three Black Halflings.

Episode 6: Lu'Luh Jacksplit (she/her), played by Emily Axford (she/her) of Not Another D&D Podcast and Dimension 20.

The tone of Outlaws & Obelisks is among the most serious of the many actual-play and narrative-play podcasts I listen to. There's still plenty of comedy, because you can't have improvised narrative without it sometimes being silly, but it's an essentially dramatic story, with real weight behind much of the worldbuilding. All the players are deeply committed to their characters and unafraid to make big swings and accept the consequences.

And Jeremy is equally unafraid to make those consequences as dire as possible: the second episode ends on a note of such extreme brutality that it carries content warnings for suicide. The fourth episode also includes content warnings for body horror and child endangerment, and in general the show is not squeamish about body horror, given the emphasis on animal fusions in the first episode.

If it sounds like something you'd like, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. Emily's first episode hasn't even been released yet as I write this, but I'm betting she'll bring in some new listeners. Jump on in! The water's fine.

#three black halflings #outlaws & obelisks #jeremy cobb #connie chang #johnny charles #jasper william cartwright #luyanda unati lewis-nyawo #emily axford

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franki-lew-yo · 3 years ago

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The Aarne-thompson means of classifying fairytales is way too needlessly specific yet also vague. I don't care for it. I can summarize/categorize the tropes that make up every fairy/ghost/folk tale waaay better, watch:

literally just Cinderella

protagonist finds a wish-granter

nobel makes a fool of themselves

woman cursed from birth is un-cursed

protagonist is prey to a predator and must evade them, somehow.

lovers are separated and how

thing keeps getting bigger (or multiplies) and the protagonist keeps trying to stop it

just Bluebeard: woman vs. evil husbandsuitor man

girl escapes unwanted marriage (sometimes but not always to family) by disguising/turning into something else. may also involve mutilation

braggart gets what's coming

protagonist fooling a pack of villains and getting away with it

inanimate object/being is brought to life

transformed lover and the quest to turn them human again. lover is 90% male.

resisting temptation from an inhuman seducer. seducer is 90% female

cautionary tale. Don't. make. the. powerful. thing. that. helped. you. mad.

children (siblings) try and escape a monster

quest for the important thing

quest to kill the beast/villain

getting a character in a magic, trapped space OUT of said magic trapped space

inhuman character falls in love with a human. Usually ends in tragedy

grateful animal helps it's master

deal-with-the-malaevolant-being-that's-either-cautionary-or-a-'triumph over evil'-tale

scary thing gets closer and closer

trickster character comes to possess mcguffin that solves everything for them and learns nothing

grateful dead/dead talking after death or reincarnation

traveling to hell or the underworld for something. basically just Orpheus

protagonist gets what they want and finds out that it sucks so says screw it

good protagonist vs bad counterpart, usually a sibling

explaining why something in nature happens

tiny and/or special sibling is special

each member of group has special ability and the least likely member saves the day

woman and the group of men she's in debt to

May or may not apply to every culture, but be honest these are 90% of French/German/English fairytales and you know it.

#fairy tales #grimms fairy tales #franki's features #important post

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holyevents · 4 years ago

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IN SANCTUS TERRA…

After a month of merriment and mourning, Cador’s soul finds eternal rest — the crescents rise and fall, and as the New Moon wanes, stealing lazily behind the hills, the Red Rain Moon ascends, hanging crimson in the sky. Yet the wheel still turns. Its orbit conceals violence under its tongue. The moon’s bloodied mantle seems particularly fitting this year, given the circumstances; a spell of unease trickles into the light, leaving an indelible stain. The people of the Holy Land might have looked to the new moon with great liberation and promise, yet the feeling of trepidation begins to sink in. The Red Rain Moon is a moon of dark red, and the violence of it does not escape the masses’ notice: within their city walks a reputed murderer; within their city stalks a beast, seeking to disempower the meticulously cultivated harmony that the Tridium — Sun, Moon and Stars all — have always strived to brace.

The citizens seem intent on demonstrating their discontent, on letting their grief be known - all the mourning and rituals in the world, it seems, pale in comparison to their determination to hold onto their restlessness. As the days drag on, their impatience grows. The mortals feel their voices quelled, feel their hands shackled - and so, they drink on, and fight on, and find satisfaction in the anger that makes their fists shake. The whispered words of the few who saw the body of Cador before he was laid to rest are murmured into one ear then the next. It seems it was not Fate who had called the great Star home, no, he was sent there with poison upon his lips and in his lungs.

The people of the Holy Land look towards the execution of the red-handed creature as eagerly as they look towards those who might serve as their beacon of light in the midst of the encroaching storm.

If God were alive, would He not find it odd that the creatures He created craved violence and peace in equal measure?

The powers that lord over the precious kingdom of the Holy Land have already begun moving within the shadows to place all their pieces on the board, to see who might crown themself as the new Star. There are those who find favor with ARIANNE ALTIER, LUCA RICHE, JASPER RICHE, and EVANGELINE TRAME. Theirs are the first names upon the lips of the people - those who have curried the adoration and interest of the people with their fame and wealth. It is whispered that the MEMBERS of the ROUND TABLE are already intent on casting their lots and having the vacancy filled. In turn, many have turned to the High Priestess, ISOLDE WICKEN, in the hopes of knowing to whom the honor of being the Star of the Tridium will fall.

“After all,” the keepers of the Temple mumble to themselves, “What does it matter who wears the crown, so long as it is a mortal?”

“Some mortals,” sighs a Second Eye, arms laden with offerings from the people, “are more deserving of our loyalties than others. Not all of us should be tainted with divinity.”

Little do the citizens of the Holy Land know that it is because of divine creatures that they will have their hunger for justice satiated.

The two remaining parts of the Tridium gather the Horsemen to their chamber, the demon, AZAZEL, and the angel, GABRIEL, crowned with the moon and the sun, respectively. The Horsemen stand before them, VIKTORIA’s gaze flickering between the two as she takes a seat at the table, DMITRI and RYUK following suit while NERISSA leans against a pillar, an intrigued smile already gracing their lips. There is no one else present; not a single other soul that can hear what conversation occurs between the two parties. For there are secrets that shall be passed from the Tridium and into the hands of the Horsemen that will sever the tenuous harmony of the Holy Land.

If one were silent enough, perhaps they would hear Fate’s shears cutting the cord in two.

Only the shadows will hear of what is proposed by the Moon and the Sun to the four creatures of the apocalypse. Poisoned, infernal, senseless - the words are whispered within the privacy of the gilded walls of the room, leaving the cursed soul who struck down the great Star of the Tridium with no option other than to fear for their life - or forfeit it completely - for the Horsemen are now determined to have it.

IN THE REALM OF INFERNUM…

From the moment they step foot into the beguilingly hellish land of Infernum, they know something is amiss. The air is tainted with unease; bitterness swiftly stirring in the wake of it - what was once the taste of contentment now a rancid, ruinous coating upon their tongues. Even the Daemonium seem ill at ease; their guttural howls no longer cries for revelry and satiation, but desperation given vicious voice.

And still the lingering shift continues to elude the returning party of demons.

Little do they know that their kingdom was violated - that their peace was desecrated.

The doors of the Black Palace open, and instead of howled greetings and a cacophony of salutations, the travelers are greeted with the silence of the dead - six veiled corpses awaiting them. All eyes turn to JUDAS, who looks on in silence then lifts the veil of the body closest to him. The mass of marred flesh that is revealed comes as no surprise - how can he possibly entertain such a sentiment, when the perpetrators are escapees of none other than the Black Cells? His eyes turn to ABADDON, who has no answers to lay before his questing gaze.

Then AMON, a notorious member of the Conclave, breaks the stony silence that fell over the Vices and their king. “There were three members of the Black Cells that escaped, my lord,” they begin, eyes flickering between the unspoken king and queen of Hell. “Their guard, it seems, had forsaken his duties and left himself vulnerable to manipulation. It seemed as though they knew that you, Abaddon, and the Vices had left the kingdom…” AMON’s gaze settles on ABADDON, their lips twisting into a sneer as they walk between the corpses. “But that is not what concerns me.”

The Conclave member reaches down, their fingers bunching the fabric of the veil before lifting it. Beneath it lies an angel - bloodied and marred, their wings twisted beneath them. On their breast is a pin, to mark their authority as an ambassador from Caelum. The Seraphic creature was bludgeoned within the realm of Infernum, by an escapee of the Black Cells. DAMIEN WARD kneels beside the corpse, and gently shuts their eyes.

When he pulls away, his fingertips are stained with blood. AMON bows their head, awaiting the word of the demon they acknowledge as king. MAMMON, however, looks at DAMIEN.

No one gives voice to what they are all thinking - the blood is not only on ABADDON’s hands, but all of theirs.

And the angels will seek retribution.

It is what the now-dead God had created them for, is it not?

“Who broke out of the cells, Amon?” ABADDON asks, her voice striking through the silence, as sharp as the end of a whip.

“There were three of them,” AMON recounts, “two were mortal and one of them was a gifted one. They stole the weapons from the vault and -”

“Have you sent forces to capture them yet?”

“Yes, my lady, of course-”

“I don’t see their heads on a stick yet,” ASMODEUS interrupts, crossing his arms as AMON twists their hands anxiously.

AMON stammers out, “Th-They evaded us, but I believe that they may still be within the Realm-”

JUDAS raises a finger, and a hush falls over them all. Three murderers, hateful of demons, are now waiting within the shadows of Infernum - armed with weapons that could fell any one of them. If they aren’t careful, the streets of the city will run black with the blood of those over whom he reigns. The whispers of dissent would multiply ten-fold. They would look to another to uphold his beloved crown.

DAMIEN WARD looks at him, while the members of the VICES glance between the two. The Anti-Christ’s gaze doesn’t waver from that of the Great Betrayer.

“Send word to Michael.” JUDAS says, eyes shifting from the angelic corpse. “Tell them one of their own has fallen.”

IN THE KINGDOM OF CAELUM…

The angels return to their sanctuary, having grown impatient with the absence of their king. It is said that the land is tied to him - when he leaves, it seems to pale; the birds losing the lilt in their son and the sun sinking from its perch atop the skies. Were that the truth, none of the citizens of Caelum would be surprised, for their hearts are tied to the kingdom’s land as well. After all, they fought for it, raging against God, of all creatures, for this piece of eden-like earth. The blood of their enemies had drenched the soil, but it was their blood that made it flourish - it was MICHAEL’s blood that ensured its acquisition.

When MICHAEL steps into the kingdom, Caelum breathes anew; the VIRTUES filing after him only serving to stir the land into giddiness. No longer are they shackled by the etiquette of foreign courts - now they can indulge in the respite offered by their people and their kingdom. Is it not known, after all, that angels find comfort only within the warmth offered by other angels? For none can compare to their holiness.

It is why they take the loss of their loved ones as harshly as they do.

It is also why, when word reaches MICHAEL and the VIRTUES as they make their way through the halls of Archangel’s Castle, they are greeted with nothing but wailing and grinding of teeth. The angelic ambassadors are considered particularly beloved - for they are entrusted with the will and whim of the king that fought for their freedom. Among them is the fallen BARACHIEL; one of the first to draw their blade in rebellion against God. The most beloved of them all.

Beloved as they were, the grief they receive is quick to curdle into rage.

The tongues of the angelic creatures grow barbed as they look at their king. Though he isn’t to blame, there is no doubt that the fissures in his visage are beginning to show. Looking upon him, they can’t help but wonder about the efforts he claimed to have made to ensure the loyalty of his allies. While the Holy Land thrives despite its loss, it seems as though Caelum suffers still under this king’s hand. Why are they not thriving as they should be? Can it truly be wise to keep their hearts threaded with that of a king who found it so easy to abandon his kingdom and leave it so pliant and vulnerable?

The whispers follow the king of Caelum as he strides towards the War Room, the VIRTUES gathered and armed to the teeth, awaiting their orders while they bite down on the grief and anger that weighs upon them.

Gathered within the War Room of the Castle, the VIRTUES lay their eyes upon MICHAEL as he looks between them.

“We ride for Infernum,” He declares. “and we will not leave until we have our retribution.”

FINAL NOTES: And with that, our second event is now live! We want to thank our members for their patience and support during this period — we sincerely hope the wait was worth it! We cannot wait to see what you all come up with on the dash. For the sake of clarity, you will find notes below on what is occurring with each of the factions. Please keep in mind that you are not restricted to threading only within your faction. Involving your character in any of the events taking place is certainly possible — and encouraged! We are incredibly grateful to our members for being so supportive and cannot wait to see the threads and activity that will bloom on the dash. Below you will find notes on what is occurring with the different factions.

MORTALS: The entrants and nominees seeking election as the Tridium’s next Star are ARIANNE ALTIER, EVANGELINE TRAME, JASPER RICHE, and LUCA RICHE. If they hope to be successful, they will need to campaign for the position. We invite them — and any of the other mortal characters who wish to participate or offer support — to hold their own events to “canvass” for the position. At a later date, we will be releasing a poll for our mortal-writers to vote for who they think should be the next star. The results will be released at the end of our second event.

HORSEMEN: The Horsemen have been hired by the Tridium to find the perpetrator that murdered Cador. Though the masses have begun to suspect foul play, only the Horsemen and the Tridium members are aware of this. Azazel and Gabriel have yielded all their information to the Horsemen and have established with them a line of rapport.he Horsemen are free to collaborate with others should they choose to. We also highly encourage that other characters volunteer for the suspect line-up for fun interrogation threads!

DEMONS/ANGELS: The demons are experiencing a loss of their own — the escape of prisoners from ABADDON’s Black Cells. As the Horsemen are already occupied with the Tridium’s plight, we encourage members of the Virtues and Vices come together to hunt down these escapees. To reiterate: there are three mortals within the realm of Infernum currently running amok and highly likely to kill angel and demon civilians. Their identities and history are known only by ABADDON, but we encourage our players to hunt for more information!

Additionally, please keep in mind that there are two events that occur during the month of the Red Rain Moon. Your character is free to attend any of these, and we highly encourage that you use them for your threads:

VISITATION: Throughout the Red Rain Moon, Mortals in particular pay visit to the graves of those they’ve lost — whether to the Blood Plague, mortality or war. Rather than Visitation being a macabre ordeal, however, it is a celebration. Denizens light candles for those who are absent and dance until the sun comes up, gorging themselves on cuts of meat and fruits.

THE RED FESTIVAL: On the final day of the Red Rain Moon, creatures of all kinds gather in the citadel of the Holy Land and celebrate the Red Festival, the purpose of which is to demonstrate gratitude for those who have survived — and continue to survive — the Blood Plague’s defacing effects. The aim of the festival is to paint the participants in red, mimicking the influence of the calamity, and there is only one rule: all participants must dress in white.

And finally, if you have any questions, please drop them in the Discord channel. You are free to thread out any of the events that have been outlined in the event or to have your characters go on their own adventures. Otherwise, we hope you all have fun and enjoy!

#thcevent #rp #rpg #literate rp #event ii

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heavy-lobster · 4 years ago

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POST THE FUCKING ESSAY KOAL/DUSTY I SWEAR TO GOD

WAIT I THOUGHT YOU READ IT ALREADY??? DID I SERIOUSLY NOT SEND IT TO YOU WHEN I INITIALLY FINISHED IT??? GOD WHAT THE FUCK

Well I can’t NOT post it now.

So for some background, the assignment was to write a short essay arguing as to why a children’s series of our choosing could be classified as horror, based on some article we had to read. I chose Wow Wow Wubbzy because I thought it would be funny and. man. So anyways this is VERY poorly written because I did most of it between like,,, midnight and 3 am. It’s very ranty and way longer than it needed to be. For ease of reading I went back and fixed up the shitty formatting and fixed a few spelling errors, as well as linking my sources.

So uhhh this is about horror so,, warning for horror ig?? It’s not scary like, at all, but better safe than sorry.

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!: The Horror Within

Introduction

“Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” is an American TV show originally aired on Nick Jr. From the mind of Bob Boyle, this educational kid’s show was very memorable for a lot of kids growing up at that time. The show features Wubbzy, a yellow, square, animalistic character, with a curly, “springy” tail; as well as Wubbzy’s various friends. Most episodes feature Wubbzy and his pals, Widget and Walden (as well as Daizy in later episodes), dealing with an every day situation, or well, depends on your definition of “every day”. The situation spirals out of control because of the actions of various characters, and it is resolved by the problematic character of the episode learning a lesson and fixing their mistake. Seems like a typical kids show, right? Well, there may be more to it than that. What if I told you that Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! could be interrupted as a horror show about horrifically mutated beasts struggling to survive the post apocalyptic world they are forced to inhabit? Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! fits many categories described in Sharon A. Russell’s literary criticism in “What is the Horror Genre?”. In this essay we will discuss how Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! could possibly be classified as a horror series.

Asking the real questions; what is everyone?

First of all, a very important question. What exactly are the characters? There are claims that Wubbzy himself is some kind of gerbil, but frankly I don’t see it. Also, what’s the deal with the inhabitants of Wuzzleburg in general? Wubbzy and his friends are supposed to be anthropomorphic animals, but they seem more like horrific monsters, mutated from normal animals. Monsters are a very common and important element in horror. Not all monsters are vicious killers, and not all of them are obvious in appearance. Some monsters are small and cute, but it’s almost always a facade.

There are also some “regular” animals running around, but yet they aren’t “normal” by any stretch of the imagination. Some are very obviously not normal, others seem mostly normal. “Flutterflies” are a common, non-anthro animal seen in Wubbzy, with their most prominent appearance being in the episode “The Flight of the Flutterfly”. Flutterflies seem like normal butterflies, but why are they called “Flutterflies” instead? Are they in any way different to the butterflies of our world, or is that just what the inhabitants of Wuzzleburg call butterflies? What about the more blatantly odd non-anthro animals? In “Attack of the 50 Foot Fleegle” Wubbzy acquires a pet “Fleegle”. It appears to be a small, purple, almost hamster like creature. It remains small and happy if you feed it the right kind of food, but Wubbzy foolishly feeds it candy and sweets. When fed candy, the Fleegle increases in size in increasingly large increments. After a time, it becomes so big that it rampages all over Wuzzleburg. The only thing that could shrink it back to normal size was carrot juice. When fed bologna, they multiply, and the solution to this is unknown, as the episode ends there and this is never brought up again.

There are plenty of strange animals, both anthropomorphic and not; yet no humans. Not a single human character in sight. This begs the question, what happened? Why are all these animals how they are? What happened to the humans? Obviously, these questions were never answered, as this is a kids show. Here is a thought to consider: what if all the humans are dead, and all the characters are mutant abominations, or, monsters as they’d more fittingly be called. Humans have been wiped out, and the animals who survived mutated in many different ways. Some animals became intelligent, and capable of building their own society similar to what once was our own. That society is what we know as Wuzzleburg. In conclusion, all the creatures seen in the show are the result of something terrible; mutated abominations passing as animals. This fits the “monster” category of horror as described in Russell’s article.

What’s the deal with Wuzzleburg?

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! takes place in the fictional town of Wuzzleburg. Wuzzleburg and its surrounding locations look very odd. Everything is unnaturally geometric. Everything- from houses to trees- is very odd in appearance. Tree branches are often bendy, always at a right angle, with the edges being smooth and rounded. In Wuzzleburg, many houses look like completely normal houses, yet Wubbzy lives in a tree house. Another common thing is that houses and buildings of importance are usually designed based on a specific object. Daizy’s house, for example, is shaped like a flower.

Outside of Wuzzleburg, the locations only get weirder. There is an island, shown to be somewhere off the coast of Wuzzleburg, called “Dino Island”. As the name suggests, this island is inhabited by dinosaurs. So apparently, dinosaurs are not extinct in this universe; at least on this island. As far as other towns go, there is Wuzzlewood, clearly based on Hollywood, where all the biggest celebrities in the Wubbzy cinematic universe (WCU) live. Everything in Wuzzlewood is covered in stars, a clever spin of the celebrity theme. Another interesting location is Plaidville. In Plaidville, everything is plaid; the trees, the ground, and even the inhabitants. I don’t have to explain what is unnatural about that.

Now, back on the topic of Wuzzleburg, since it is the main location seen in the show, and is where Wubbzy and his friends live. It has been stated that Wuzzleburg was founded in 1853 by “Heinrich van Wuzzle”. The specific year being given is an odd detail, that you wouldn’t normally expect in a show of this nature. Wuzzleburg is clearly a town in every sense of the word. It has plenty of stores and restaurants, an airport, houses, residents, a mayor, a rich history, annual festivities, reliable transportation, schools, and even a stable economy. All of this being made by what we have already established as horrific monsters. That’s impressive. There is common debate in the Wubbzy fandom on whether these locations are in a parallel universe, or perhaps if they exist on our Earth. In the episode “Fly Us To The Moon”, the place where they land back on “Earth” appears to suggest that Wuzzleburg is located somewhere in or near Washington state, in America, or possibly somewhere in British Columbia.

My theory is that the events of Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! takes place on Earth, but certainly not our Earth. An alternate Earth, where humans may have lived before. Some horrible nuclear accident wiped out all human life, and caused all the animals to mutate into the many strange creatures of the WCU. This also explains the unnatural features of the setting. Post-apocalyptic Earth? Sounds like a perfect horror setting to me. This fits perfectly with the criteria described in Sharon’s article.

The beast within; Wubbzy’s true villain

Finally, the matter of the deep internal conflict hidden deep within the show. In the show, you can expect every episode to have a lesson or moral, as many kids shows do. Most episodes feature one of the main characters (almost always Wubbzy) making a mistake, followed by them learning the lesson of the episode and using their newfound knowledge to make things right. What if I told you that this is sign of a much deeper internal conflict going on far beneath the character’s cute exterior? Would it be so far fetched to believe that every episode is focused on the anthropomorphic abominations struggling to fight against their beastly instincts? Their own organized and civilized society goes against their very nature, and they constantly fight to uphold the standards they set; both for themselves, and each other. It's a constantly uphill climb. Wubbzy is undeniably a flawed character. He messes up constantly, often learning the same lessons over and over again, as if it’s more of a reminder than a lesson. It’s Wubbzy against himself. This fits Sharon’s criteria of internal horror, but that’s not all.

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! is also the story of a quest for self improvement, as well as a good vs evil scenario, which are two of Russell’s other criteria. I mean, think about it. Every character is open to self improvement once they realize the harm they’ve caused. Every character is on their own quest, seeking to better themselves. Every character is going through their own internal battle. They fight their own flaws. Their own evils. The true villain of Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! is the evil within all of them, the beastly instincts lurking within all of Wuzzleberg’s monster inhabitants. And they may not always be perfect, maybe they don’t know how to be “good”, maybe being good just isn’t in their nature; but they try their best despite all the challenges, to be better, and improve themselves.

In that way I think we can all relate to them. We aren’t always “good”, we aren’t perfect, sometimes we don’t know how to do the “right” thing, but our flaws are what make us human. It may not be in our nature to be flawless, but it is in our nature to seek self improvement, and that’s what Wubbzy is really about. The struggles we all go through to be better people, because inside? We’re all just monsters trying our best to be civil, and conform to our moral code. And really? That’s enough.

Conclusion

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! is undeniably a kid’s show at heart, but if you really stop to analyze it, you find a much darker horror series. It would be fittingly classified as a psychological horror. It fits almost all of Sharon A. Russell’s criteria as described in the article “What is the Horror Genre?”. What is Wubbzy? In fact, what are all of the show’s characters? Their vaguely animal appearance appeal to young children, but I believe that they may actually be normal animals mutated into horrible monsters. Freaks of nature created by a nuclear incident. There is not a single human seen in the show, but plenty of abnormal creatures. This suggests that we are long gone. The monsters we left behind built their own society.

Not only were the animals affected, but also the earth itself. The odd nature of the setting supports my nuclear devastation theory. Finally, is the true conflict of Wubbzy. The show itself is about nuclear monsters trying their best to adapt to the society they built for themselves, even if it goes against their own nature. It’s beasts on a quest where the only objective is the betterment of the self. An internal conflict. There is no physical villain in the show. The only antagonist out to get Wubbzy, is Wubbzy himself. In that way, I think we can all relate. In conclusion, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! is actually about horribly mutated animals fighting their inner demons, on a metaphorical journey to be better than they are. For that very reason, I believe it could be interrupted as a horror series.

Sources:

Wubbzy Wikipedia page

Wubbzy Fandom Wiki, which I did NOT know existed before this project and honestly the comments on the page were the funniest fucking thing, I highly recommend it

And uhhh various episodes of Wubbzy I had to watch

I apologize for my crimes

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wr173r-8l0ck · 4 years ago

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What if My Hero Academia Characters were in Fairy Tail pt. 1: The Students

So yeah, there will be more parts to this one, hope y’all enjoy this series!

The premise of this What If [insert show] Characters were in [insert other show] is to basically explore what each character might be in a different show with different worldbuilding/whatever. Case and point, what if MHA students were Mages in the world of Fairy Tail. In this one, I’m covering the students of 1A and 1B, and also Shinso, primarily what their primary magic would be, and basic comedic traits and quirks of their characters. Enjoy!

Yuga Aoyama: Light Magic: He can fire out high-power bolts of light from any part of his body. For some reason, he likes to use his naval though. Whatever suits him, we have enough stuff to complain about. Mainly his French stereotypes.

Mina Ashido: Acid Magic: she can utilize spells to produce a highly corrosive fluid, which she can manipulate freely. She has such fine control she can select what she can corrode away. Yeah, clothes never last long with her around.

Tsuyu Asui: Animal Takeover: Amphibian: she can turn into a frog-person. Or a toad-person. Or a toadpool-person. Look, it gets confusing, okay, all we know is she can make her tongue super-long, her legs super-strong, and she’s fucking adorable.

Tenya Iida: Thrust Magic: he can propel himself waaay faster that anyone should, in any direction, even up. In straight lines and proper angles only too, for some reason, seriously, his turning radius is so sharp you can literally cut yourself on the afterwind.

Ochako Uraraka: Anti-Gravity Magic: she can reduce the gravitational pull on anyone and anything she touches. And apply it to anyone or anything else. She likes making orbits around people.

Mashirao Ojiro: Animal Takeover: Kangaroo: All he gets is a tail. And kicks powerful enough to break down a reinforced door in a single kick. And abs strong enough to resist a kick powerful enough to break down a reinforced door in a single kick. He’s a pretty chill dude though.

Denki Kaminari: Electricity Magic: Haha, finger-tazer go zip-zip. And channeling/producing lightning and various electromagnetic wavelengths. Including gamma radiation. And also heat. We suspect he might also be a Lightning something-something slayer, but we can’t be sure since his intellect seems to vary between absolute dumbass and strategic genius, seriously, what the fuck is he?!

Eijiro Kirishima: Armor Dragon Slayer: He can make himself unbreakable. Literally, he once survived a point-blank explosion with the power of a Tsar Bomba, only directed in a cylinder half the diameter of a golf ball. To the face. And he lived through that. And somehow he’s still friends with the guy that set off a point-blank explosion in a cylinder half the diameter of a golf ball into his face. Weird fella indeed.

Koji Koda: Voice Command Magic: Yeah, he can communicate with and boss around animals and even motherfucking DRAGONS. And some Dragon Slayers. Don’t try his tricks at home, kids, tigers are fucking ripped, hippos are more aggressive than crocodiles, and Katsuki is a walking grenade with anger issues.

Rikido Sato: Sugar Magic: Like… He eats sugar… To burn as calories… To gain increased strength and speed… That’s it, literally, dump a bag of sugar into his mouth and you have a less angry version of the Hulk with diabetes.

Mezo Shoji: Beast Takeover: He likes multiplying his arms. And making them into tentacles or spider legs. Also other things, but mostly tentacles or spider legs. Sometimes even other things on tentacles or spider legs. Or just tentacles or spider legs on other tentacles or spider legs. He’s a walking man-tree with branches that are various sensory organs growing from a nightmarish living moving mass with tentacles/spider legs as branches, basically. *shudders*

Kyoka Jiro: Sound Magic: Deafeningly deadly tunes! Literally, deafeningly deadly sounds, she can blast sounds so loud they’re basically constant or repetitive explosions. Either she’s immune to it or she likes it, who knows, all we know is that she’s into hardcore death metal and yet still somehow cute. Don’t say it to her face if you value your kneecaps.

Hanta Sero: Tape Magic: exactly what it sounds like. What tape does his magic cover? Yes. Is he ever high? Yes, all the time. Oh, you meant physically.

Fumikage Tokoyami: Shadow Demon Slayer and Demon Takeover: Darkness: he has a semi-sentient demon made of pure shadows and darkness growing out of his stomach! It’s pretty tame and chill normally, yes, but he has a semi-sentient demon made of pure shadows and darkness growing out of his stomach! Let him go on nighttime solo quests alone if you wanna live. Or not shit your pants bc of a prank the semi-sentient shadow demon thing pulled. Mostly the second one.

Shoto Todoroki: Fire/Ice God Slayer and Fire/Ice Make Magic: He can eat ice or fire to gain the ability to control fire and ice to such an extent it can kill demons. Well, verbally too, he once roasted an opponent so hard they just gave up without even fighting and just walked off. Also, are we sure we can’t put Daddy Issues as a form of magic?

Toru Hagakure: Refraction Magic: she can refract light around herself to make herself invisible, or focus and redirect it. She’s the guild’s gem! Literally, she’s like a polished crystal prism but with an active (and often dirty) imagination.

Katsuki Bakugou: Explosion Magic, Explosion Dragon/Demon/God Slayer, also currently studying all types of Fire Magic. He likes it when things he doesn’t like get destroyed by his hands. And when people he doesn’t like get destroyed by his hands. Or words, he can be really mean in a fight. Well, about as mean as a nuclear hedgehog with rabies and enough explosive firepower to take out a building in one shot can get.

Izuku Midoriya: He was given the All-Slayer Lacrima, and can use Strength Dragon/Demon/God, Speed Dragon/Demon/God and Wind Dragon/Demon/God Slayer magic, learning more as he goes. If he uses too much, he risks destroying his own body. Speaking of which, I gotta go get Recovery Girl for his bullshit. Again.

Minoru Mineta: Dead. Not from a quest, his harassment got him killed. How? Well, the last girl he was hitting on was named Lucy Heartfilia. Legally he’s still a missing person, since there’s no body, but the witnesses say there was a massive bonfire where he was last seen.

Momo Yaoyorozu: Memory-Make Magic: she can do various spells as long as she remembers it and has enough Ether in her body, and even combine spells. There’s a damn good reason she’s S-class, and no, it’s not her social awareness.

Yosetsu Awase: Fuse Magic: He can fuse various objects, people and spells to each other. Doesn’t matter what each is. He once fused Katsuki and Midoriya together. Almost destroyed a whole island...

Sen Kaibara: Gyration Magic: He can make himself, parts of himself or anything he touches rotate around a set axis, and he can control the direction and speed of the spin. He’s often invited to schools to demonstrate the dangers of alcohol. Or used as a replacement for the engine to a carousel.

Togaru Kamakiri: Blade Dragon Slayer: He can form various blades sharp and tough enough to cut through dragons. Except Kirishima and Tetsutetsu, since they require so much effort to even crack, anyone more powerful and battle-effective than himself (Katsuki, Shoto etc.) or anyone too cute for him to cut down (Tsuyu and Midoriya primarily)

Shihai Kuroiro: Shadow Dragon Slayer: he can manipulate shadows and melt into them, popping out in any place he wants. Him and Fumikage are good friends for obvious reasons. He’s also very good at pranks, and one of the few people to be able to say he fought Katsuki and lived.

Itsuka Kendo: Enlargement Magic: She can increase the size of herself or her body parts, she uses it mostly on her hands for devastating attacks. Well, attacks or, ahem, bedtime exercises.

Yui Kodai: Command T: She can manipulate the size of any object she touches. Bigger and smaller. That and shape, somehow, don’t ask how she can do that, no one knows.

Kinoko Komori: Mushroom Magic: She can create, spread and accelerate the growth of various mushrooms and other fungi. She’s also really cute somehow, but also fucking terrifying in a fight.

Ibara Shiozaki: Plant Magic: She has thorny vines growing out of her hair, and can manipulate all plantlife, including her hair vines. Don’t ask how she got vines for hair, magic is weird...

Jurota Shishida: Beast Takeover: he uses his magic to turn into various beasts and monsters, primarily a bipedal bear-boar-dog creature. He’s actually very orderly and the most collected and ‘normal’ of the crowd. Which isn’t a high bar to clear, all things considered.

Nirengeki Shoda: Repeat Magic: he can copy an attack, magic or physical, and trigger it to go off a second time from where it previously hit. Many people don’t like him for that reason.

Pony Tsunotori: Animal Takeover: she likes to use Animal Takeover, specifically Antelope and Kangaroo, both of them often together. She kicks like a fucking kangaroo though.

Kosei Tsuburaba: Air-Make Magic: He can form constructs out of air, and manipulate their density and movement freely. He’s the only one that can tolerate Monoma, and even that’s a bit of a stretch to that word’s definition.

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu: Iron Dragon Slayer: Pretty self-explanatory: he can turn his body into an iron-like substance that is actually waaay tougher than regular iron, and can redirect purely-magic attacks into the ground through his body, and he can form various weapons and attacks. Very manly, a vegetarian, kind to animals, and will eat any spare iron you have.

Setsuna Tokage: Split-Up Magic: She can separate parts of herself and telekinetically and telepathically control them. She can even fly like that, or form her split body parts into mini versions of herself. Truly annoying to fight, especially with her Requip Magic.

Manga Fukidashi: Various forms of Letter Magic: He can write down anything in any alphabet or language, and it appears like magic! B-because it is magic, like, all of this is magic, nothing is real!

Juzo Honenuki: Liquification Magic: He can disrupt the solidity of any object he touches, and thus makes it intangible or almost a highly-viscous liquid. The only other known person to be able to reliably stop Katsuki whenever he goes berserk. Which happens a lot.

Kojiro Bondo: Glue Magic: He can produce and manipulate adhesives. Any and all types of adhesives. Not tape, apparently it counts as an adhesive-covered object (Laaame!). But still cool, I guess.

Neito Monoma: Ether Copy and Ether Replicate Magic: He can copy virtually any type of ether-based magic, however he can’t replicate magic sourced from a lacrima or a build-up of Ether. He often gets KO’ed by Itsuka for being a prick.

Reiko Yanagi: Telekinesis Magic: She can control any non-living object in her vicinity, however not if it’s too heavy. Her and Ochako are a literally lethal combo, and the most surprisingly terrifying duo.

Hiryu Rin: Reptile Takeover: He can obtain the characteristics of reptiles: tail, scales, armor, jaws, claws, fangs/teeth, even tear projectiles of blood from his eyes! Yeah, he doesn’t use that last one a lot, but he can shoot out his scales like projectiles.

Hitoshi Shinso: Brainwash Magic: he can hypnotize and verbally command anyone that answers his questions, and he can even manipulate his voice to sound like anyone else. The one downside to this is insomnia, but his insomnia can be cured by caffeine, or so he claims. We’ve had to get him from strange sleeping locations on multiple occasions, including rooftops, rafters, clothing lines (yes, he can somehow balance on a tightrope in his sleep), another fucking city one time...

#my hero academia #mha #boku no academia #boku no hero academia #bnha #ft #fairy tail #crossover #fite me #izuku midoriya #katsuki bakugou #shoto todoroki #denki kaminari #kyoka jiro #what if

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pamphletstoinspire · 4 years ago

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First Sunday of Advent - November 27, 2020 by Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger, 1877

A New ecclesiastical year! A new year of graces! The festivals of the Church are a spiritual tree, which yearly decks itself with new fruits, by the fresh commemoration of past great events and mysteries; a commemoration, which God blesses with special graces for every child of His Church. The Church, on every festival, prays as if the mystery which she commemorates had taken place that very day. In truth, as St. Augustine says, for God there is but one eternal day. But only those children of the Church gather these yearly fruits, who earnestly prepare themselves for the festival; and the more zealous their efforts, the more abundant their harvest. But just because the year commences with Advent, and because on a good beginning depends, in a great measure, the progress of a work, every Catholic should be anxious to celebrate this day, the first Sunday of Advent, in the spirit of the Church, in order to be animated with her spirit the whole year.

For this end I shall consider today with you the words of the Apostle: “The night is past, the day is at hand.” Mary, Mother of the promised Redeemer, give us thy maternal blessing! I speak in the most holy name of Jesus, to the greater glory of God!

“The night is past, the day is at hand.” These words of the Apostle the Church today makes her own. The effects of sin are exemplified by the properties of the night.

At night one either does not see objects at all, or sees them indistinctly. Thus also man in the state of sin, either does not see things that concern his salvation, or he does not see them clearly.

At night one does not work; and the same happens in the state of sin. The sinner can gain nothing for eternal life, even should he zealously practice external works of devotion.

At night the beasts of the wilderness prowl in quest of their prey. In the sinner’s heart passions are rampant, and seek for their base gratification.

Night brings sleep to man. Not unlike is the effect of sin on the soul. Sleep, as the proverb says, is the brother of death. The man who sleeps, sees not, hears not, eats not, labors not. Were he to remain always in this condition, he would, in a certain sense, be dead. Not very different is the spiritual state of the sinner.

He sees not; he does not recognize, does not perceive the malice and heinousness of sin. On the contrary, he denies the wickedness of the most abominable sins, pretending that they are but natural weaknesses, or he even praises them as virtues. He calls pride, self-respect; avarice, economy; anger, enmity, and revenge, righteous self-defense; impure attachments, harmless love; fraud, prudence. He looks but seldom into his conscience, and excuses himself as best he can to others and to himself, saying, that he is not so bad, that others are still worse, that he yet hopes to be saved, that God is infinite goodness, forgetting that He is also infinite justice.

Regarding his duties as a Christian, he thinks that he has fulfilled them, because in the morning he makes the sign of the cross, says a few prayers in the evening, hears Mass on Sunday, unless an entertainment or some business, even of small importance, calls him elsewhere, goes to confession once a year through human respect, and receives Holy Communion without devotion or thanksgiving, and, perhaps, even without due preparation. This seems to him sufficient. He forgets that it is the duty of every Christian to strive after sanctity; such an aim he leaves to priests and religious, as something not intended for ordinary Christians. He sleeps.

The sinner hears not. Even should the Holy Ghost admonish him by inspirations, the tumult of temporal business and enjoyment makes him deaf to that voice.

He eats not. He partakes not of the bread of life in order to grow in the imitation of Christ, and endeavors not by the practice of virtue to multiply his treasures and merits for heaven. He sleeps, and dreams of a life far different from that in which he is really engaged. He dreams of a life of ease and comfort in this world, and lives without a thought of approaching eternity. It will be well for him if the threat of divine judgment rouses him from his sleep, and if he obeys the call of the Apostle: “Rise, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten thee” (Eph. 5, 14)

As those who sleep dislike to be wakened, so the sinner dislikes all efforts to convert him, or rouse him from the sleep of sin. If he heeds the call of grace and returns, by a sincere conversion, to God, then he suddenly sees and recognizes the evil of his former state. The beauty of virtue reveals itself to him, and he becomes conscious of the necessity of fulfilling all his duties as a Christian. He listens now to the inspirations of the Holy Ghost, and makes use of all the sources of grace in order to live like a child of God.

But that this condition may be lasting, and the conversion be a true one–the contrary of which happens only too often–the Apostle calls to us today: ” Cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light! By the expression: “Cast off,” the Apostle clearly points out the reason why so many presumed conversions are only deceptions. The sinner stops when only half way. He renounces for a time, and under certain circumstances, this or that sin; but no sooner, circumstances changing, do temptations regain their former strength, than he is the same sinner as of old. He renounces sin only partly, that is, he sins not so frequently, or for a time not at all. But he does not avoid new occasions of sin with sufficient care. He does not renounce sin entirely. He remains near it; and it is no wonder that we soon see verified in him the words: “And the last state of that man becometh worse than the first.” No; if our conversion is to be genuine, then we must follow the directions of the Apostle, and cast off the works of darkness. We must cast off not only sin, but also every occasion that leads to it, with that resolution of which Christ speaks to us when He says: “If thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee;” that is, rather suffer temporal injury, rather sacrifice life itself, than commit sin or remain voluntarily in the occasion of doing evil.

But we must not be satisfied with practicing Christian virtues for a time, for the Apostle says: “Put on the armor of light;” which means that we must always and every-where practise those virtues which are required by our station in life, that we must put them on, so to say, like a robe for our soul. In this manner the works of light become at the same time weapons which help us to conquer as children of the Church militant.

Happy the souls who commence this Advent with an earnest will and renewed resolutions, and fulfill this twofold exhortation of the Apostle. They will gather rich fruits from the approaching festival of the Nativity, and they will continue to increase their store during the year they have so well commenced.

Let us begin the work of renovation at once; let us not put it off till the eve of Christmas, as our sluggish nature may suggest. Before the season of preparation is over, we shall have made considerable progress. God grant it! Amen!

“Brethren, it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep.”–Rom. 13, 11.

Again Advent, the time of grace, has arrived. As the life of nature demands the change of seasons that the earth be clothed anew with flowers and fruits, so also the spiritual life in the world of grace demands the renewed consideration of the mysteries of our redemption, as they are placed before our eyes in the order of salvation. These holy mysteries are imaged in the different periods of the year; and here again is verified the word of Holy Writ in praise of the divine wisdom of tint Creator: Who disposes all thing s sweetly, yet powerfully, and in wonderful harmony. It behooves us to co-operate with these dispositions of divine Providence, as Holy Church, our Mother, teaches us and demands of her children. The wish of the Church in regard to the celebration of Advent, is pointed out to us in today’s Epistle and Gospel. Let us meditate on their meaning that we may awake forever from the sleep of sin and its dreams. I said last year that the state of a sinner is a sleep. I say to you this year: The state of the sinner is a dream.

O Mary, conceived without sin, grant that we may during this Advent cleanse our hearts from every stain of evil! I speak in the most holy name of Jesus, to the greater glory of God!

St. Paul in today s Epistle, illustrates the state of sin from the qualities of night. How? We considered this last year on the first Sunday of Advent. This year I assert that the life of a man in the state of sin, is a dream. To make this my assertion clear by a memorable example, listen to what happened in Belgium in the reign of Philip the Good.

The king, one day found lying in the street a poor man totally intoxicated. He gave orders to have him carried to the palace, to be clothed in new and splendid garments, and to be laid upon the royal bed. When the man awoke, sobered by his sleep, he could not understand his position, and wondered what had happened. He looked around, rubbed his eyes, and could not make out whether he was awake or dreaming. While in this state of astonishment, the servants and courtiers of the king came to him, and, following their master’s instructions, persuaded him that he was really king, and that his former miserable state had been only an illusion. Highly delighted at what he had heard, he passed the day in royal happiness. At night, after he had relapsed through excessive drink into a state of intoxication, the king had him dressed again in his rags, and laid in the street. When he awoke, he thought that only in his dreams he had enjoyed the pleasure of royalty.

Let us now make the application: Man is in a similar condition when asleep in sin. His life is a dream. Let us draw out the comparison, and we shall recognize and admit the truth of this assertion.

He who dreams believes that he is in a different state from that in which he really is. He thinks that he is awake, yet he is not. He thinks that he sees, and yet he does not see. He thinks that he hears, he even sometimes believes that he listens to music and joyful songs, and yet it is all false. He thinks that he eats and drinks, and he does not. He thinks that he speaks sensibly, and he does not speak at all. He thinks that he walks, and he is in bed. He thinks he is well, and perhaps he is sick, very sick. He thinks he is rich, whilst in truth he is poor. Not unlike is the condition of sinners, of whom it is said in the seventy-fifth Psalm: “They have slept their sleep and have found nothing in their hands.”

The pleasures of this world appear to the sinner as the highest attainable good. They seem to him capable of satisfying the longings of his heart. He thinks that he provides for the present and the future; and yet all is deception, vanity of vanities.

And what causes this deception? I answer: Dreams arise because during sleep our excited imagination is not guided by reason and reality. Imagination not guided by reason and faith, makes the life of the sinner a dream.

The dream varies, however, with the nature of the night in which the sinner sleeps. This night is threefold: The night of unbelief–of misbelieve–and of a dead belief.

The unbeliever sleeps in the night of paganism, and he dreams. The sun of faith has not yet risen for him, or else has set again. Hence his degradation, his deception. Instead of being moved by every object that strikes his senses to glorify the Creator, he worships creatures, he idolizes himself.

The misbeliever dreams in the night with which a false creed has obscured his mind. The sunlight of the infallible doctrine of the Church does not shine for him. He thinks that he belongs to the true Church of Christ, that, though voluntarily misbelieving, he will still be saved. He dreams.

The condition in which a child of the Church lives when he is in sin, also resembles a dream. The world has placed itself between him and the sun of faith, like a moon. If in nature an eclipse were lasting, the sun would lose all his power, all his influence over organic life. In the same manner I say: The sinner though a Catholic, dreams. He thinks that, because he is a Catholic and believes, he is on the right path to heaven; but he does not consider the words which St. James uses: “Thou believest. Thou dost well : the devils also believe and tremble. Show me thy faith without works, and I will show thee, by works, my faith” (2, 18). Do you hear, sinner? The faith which your life has dishonored, has become the millstone that draws you still deeper into the abyss of hell.

And how fast is the sleep in which these three kinds of sleepers dream away their lives! Be it the night of unbelief, misbelief, or dead belief, which fills their minds with illusions ; experience teaches how difficult it is to waken them. They like to dream, and resist an awakening. I have met many in my life who slept, and to all appearances dreamed, and it was impossible to rouse them. I called to them as loud as I could, I shook them with all my strength, it was all in vain. I held the light close to their eyes; they smiled in their dream; the light fell on their eyes, but did not open them, and they continued to sleep and to dream.

This is a picture of sinners held captive by the illusions of their state.

Truly it is difficult to convert heathens and unbelievers to the light of faith, if God does not force them, so to say, by a miracle, to recognize the truth. Notwithstanding the numberless miracles which Christ Himself, His apostles, and their followers have wrought in confirmation of the Gospel, entire nations are yet asleep, and after nineteen hundred years almost the half of mankind is still buried in the darkness of unbelief, and dream the strangest dreams.

The same may be said of Jews and heretics. For nineteen hundred years have the former awaited the rising of that Sun which during all these years has sent His beams upon their heads; they still dream of a coming Messiah.

There are heretics who for fifteen hundred years have been separated from the true Church, although every child that believes in Christ must recognize the Catholic Church, because she is the first, as she is the only true Church of Christ. The Lord Himself assures us that: “The gates of hell shall not prevail against her.”

But what shall we say of the blindness of those sinners who are children of the Church? How obstinately they dream in their sleep of sin! What is the cause? St. John answers this question when he says: “Men loved darkness rather than the light” (John 3, 19). Notwithstanding all that is told them and proved to them, they, perhaps, only smile like those who are fast asleep–blink with the eyes of the mind at the light of faith, but do not open them.

May the Lord have pity on them, and give them a love of truth, that they may open the eyes of their mind and save themselves before as the gospel of today threatens the trumpets of the last judgment sound, and they are forced to cry:

Oh, what madness! We have erred, and the light of truth was not within us. Woe to us! The night of despair which now hangs over us is not a dream, it shall last forever!

“Be you like to men who wait for their Lord.”–Luke 12, 36.

Our first parents in Paradise, and through them the entire human race, received the promise of the future Redeemer and Saviour. Four thousand years, however, passed before the Son of God entered the world, in the fullness of time, and accomplished, through His suffering and death, the work of redemption. The world had first to be prepared for His arrival; man had to feel and experience that by himself he is not able to know and serve God, or to regulate his life, as the relation of creature to the Creator demands.

But also in preparation for the second coming of Christ, as Judge of the living and the dead, man ought so to use his time of life, that on the last day he may be able to stand with confidence before the tribunal of his Saviour, and be found worthy to enjoy in His company the fruits of redemption in the kingdom of heaven.

The most necessary preparation for so happy an issue is a longing for His coming, together with solicitude to prepare our hearts for His reception, even in this life.

O Mary, Queen of the prophets, thou who didst unite in thy heart the longing of all the prophets, and who, of all human beings, wast best prepared to receive the Lord, obtain for us grace so to regulate our lives that, when Christ comes to judge the living and the dead, we may be ready! I speak in the most holy name of Jesus, to the greater glory of God!

“He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” Thus complains the Evangelist. Alas! with how much reason! Notwithstanding the immeasurable wretchedness into which sin had precipitated us, and to redeem us from which Christ came upon earth, the words of the Evangelist were literally fulfilled: “And His own received Him not.” Bethlehem closed its doors against Him, at His birth; Jerusalem disowned Him and nailed Him to the cross. The hearts of the children of Israel, whom God had especially elected, and by the voice of the prophets again and again admonished, were, after four thousand years, not prepared to receive Him.

Neither did the heathen welcome with joy and gratitude the message of His coming. Only too soon did they arise with all the rage of persecutors against the Kingdom of Christ,–against His Holy Church.

All the apostles, whom the Lord sent over the entire world to preach the Gospel, suffered martyrdom. St. John, although not actually deprived of life, was thrown into a caldron of boiling oil, and was saved only by a miracle. Seventeen millions of martyrs shed their blood, before the Romans, as a people, confessed Christ. And how many nations exist, even today, who obstinately refuse to receive the message of salvation!

But, even among those who have had the happiness to become children of the Church through baptism, how many deserve the reproach: “And His own received Him not!” Not to speak of the many people who, by voluntary misbelief, separate themselves from the Church and exclude from their hearts the Lord whom they recognize as their Redeemer; let us particularly think of those who, while to all appearances they belong to the Church, yet, through sin, banish Christ from their hearts.

“The kingdom of God is within you,” says the Lord. Thus it should be. As Christ entered the world for the salvation of all mankind, so likewise He came to save each soul, and He, therefore, demands to be received by each one of us. This, however, is the case only when we remain in the state of sanctifying grace, and when we open our hearts to the inspirations of actual grace, to be enlightened and strengthened, that, in following Christ, we may fulfill the most holy will of God, and thus be saved through Christ.

Again and again the Lord’s voice invites each soul; He watches and knocks at the door of our heart, as Holy Writ teaches, and calls out to us: Open–let me enter into thy heart. Christ Himself says: We will come, the Father and I, and make thy heart our abode. This disposition, this care, this co-operation with the grace of the Lord, made the saints what they were.

But how much in this regard is amiss in those, who, though they call themselves children of Holy Church, banish by mortal sin the Lord from their hearts, and do not open them to the inspirations of grace, but listen only to the spirit of the world? Instead of preparing an abode for Christ, they prepare a dwelling for Satan.

And why is it, that so many, while they do not drive Christ by mortal sin from their hearts, yet do not prepare a worthy habitation for Him? Because they do not meditate earnestly and frequently upon the words of the angel to the apostles, on the day of our Lord’s ascension: “This Jesus shall so come again as you have seen Him going into heaven.”

Scripture mentions a twofold coming of Christ upon the earth. One as Redeemer, which, in the fullness of time, has already taken place; the other at the end of the world, when, as Judge, He will demand of every soul an account of the manner in which the graces of redemption have been employed. Hence we also speak of a twofold Advent. The first commenced in paradise with the promise of the Redeemer, and lasted till the Ascension; the second commenced with that day, and will last for each man in particular until death, when Christ will judge him, and for the whole human race together until the day of final reckoning.

Every one must, therefore, prepare himself in the time of Advent, so that when the Lord comes, he may be awake and ready. Hence the often repeated admonition of Christ and His Apostles: “Be prepared!”

But to know in what this preparation consists, we need only think of what we do when we prepare ourselves for the arrival of an expected guest.

We first consider the person who is to come, his dignity, his importance; he may be a king, an emperor, or, perhaps, even the Pope himself. The second thought is of the relationship in which we stand to him ; whether there are ties of love and friendship between us; whether he is a father, brother, friend, or benefactor from whom we have received all we possess, and to whom we owe the happiness of our life; whether he is a man on whose favor our entire future depends–a man to whom we are accountable, who holds in his hands our life, because he is the Judge who is to pass sentence upon us. How all this may be applied to Christ’s coming, is evident.

Jesus, whom we expect, is the King of kings, the Lord of hosts, to whom all power in heaven and upon earth is given. He is the Father who bestowed upon us the right to be children of God, the Brother who divides with us his heritage of glory, the Friend who gave his life for us, the Benefactor from whom we have every gift of body and soul for time and eternity; it is He who will be our Judge, and who will determine our future lot for all eternity. He who will be the Bridegroom of our souls, if He has dwelt in our hearts during our life here below.

With how much solicitude should we endeavor to employ our lives in such a manner that we may be prepared to receive Him with exultation when He comes!

While expecting some one we love, we carefully remove from our dwelling all that might be displeasing to him, and try to procure all that he likes and does him honor.

Applying this to the Advent of our life, I say: Cleanse your heart, especially in this holy season, from all stain of sin. Fill it with fragrant thoughts of longing love, and adorn it with precious jewels of virtue, in order that you may say with David: “My heart is prepared!” Come, O Jesus my Saviour! Amen! (6)

Adapted from The Liturgical Year by Abbot Gueranger

This Sunday, the first of the ecclesiastical year, is called, in the chronicles and charts of the middle ages, Ad te levavi Sunday, from the first words of the Introit (To Thee have I lifted up my soul…); or, Aspiciens a longe, from the first words of the one of the responsories of Matins (Looking from afar, I see the power of God coming…).

The Station is at St. Mary Major’s. The Stations, marked in the Roman Missal for certain days in the year, were formerly processions, in which the whole clergy and people of Rome went to some given church, and there celebrated the Office and Mass. This usage, which dates from the earliest period of the Roman Church, and of which St. Gregory the Great was but the restorer, continued to exist in some measure in later times, though with less solemnity and concourse of the people.

It is under the auspices of Mary—in the splendid basilica which possesses the Crib of Bethlehem, and is therefore called, in ancient documents Sancta Maria ad Praesepe—that the Roman Church recommences, each year, the Sacred Cycle. It would have been impossible to select a place more suitable than this for saluting the approach of the Divine Birth, which is to gladden Heaven and earth, and manifest the sublime portent of a Virgin Mother. Let us go in spirit to this august temple, and unite in the prayers which were, for so long a time, being offered up there, and which we will now explain.

In the night Office, the Church commences the reading of the Book of Isaias, who, of all the Prophets, has the most distinctly and explicitly foretold the Messias; and She continues this same Book until Christmas Day inclusively. Let us strive to enter into the teaching of the holy prophet, and let the eye of our faith affectionately recognize the promised Savior in the descriptions, sometimes consoling and sometimes terrifying, under which Isaias depicts Him.

The first words of the Church, in the still of midnight, are these: Regem venturum Dominum, venite adoremus. Come, let us adore our Lord and King, Who is about to come to us.

This first duty of adoration complied with, let us listen to the oracle of the prophet Isaias, delivered to us by the Holy Church:

The vision of Isaias, the son of Amos, which he saw concerning Juda and Jerusalem, in the days of Ozias, Joathan, Achaz, and Ezechias, kings of Juda. Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken: I have brought up children, and exalted them: but they have despised Me. The ox knoweth his Owner, and the ass his Master’s crib: but Israel hath not known Me, and My people hath not understood. Woe to the sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a wicked seed, ungracious children. They have forsaken the Lord, they have blasphemed the Holy One of Israel, they are gone away backwards. For what shall I strike you any more, you that increase transgression? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is sad. From the sole of the foot unto the top of the head, there is no soundness therein; wounds, and bruises, and swelling sores; they are not bound up, nor dressed, nor fomented with oil.

These words of the holy prophet, or rather of God Who speaks to us by the prophet, should make a deep impression on the children of the Church, at this opening of the holy period of Advent. Who could hear without trembling this voice of Our Lord, Who is despised and unknown, even at the very time when He is coming to visit His people? Lest men should be terrified at the splendor of His majesty, He divested Himself of it; and far from acknowledging the divine power of Him Who thus humbled Himself out of love for them, these men have refused even to know Him; and the crib where He lay after His birth, had, at first, but two dumb animals to honor or notice it (aside from His Mother and St. Joseph). Do you feel, Christians, how just are the complaints which your God here makes? And how your indifference for all His love is an insult? He calls Heaven and earth to witness; He utters anathema against the sinful nation, His ungrateful children. Let us honestly confess that we, too, have not known the value of our Jesus’ visit to us, and that we have but too faithfully imitated the obduracy of the Jews, who heeded not the bright light when it burst upon their darkness. In vain did the angels sing on that December night; in vain did shepherds receive and welcome the invitation to adore the Babe and know Him; in vain did the Magi come from the East, asking where they were to find the crib of the King that was born. At this last example, the city of Jerusalem was somewhat moved; but the astonishment was only for a moment, and the old indifference soon stifled the good tidings.

Thus it is, O Jesus, that Thou comest unto darkness, and darkness does not comprehend Thee. We beseech Thee, let our darkness comprehend the Light, and desire it. The day will come when Thou wilt disperse the spiritual and voluntary darkness of men by the awful light of Thy justice. Thy glory, O sovereign Judge, will be magnificent on that day, and we love to think upon Thy having it; but during these days of our life on earth, deliver us from Thy wrath. We are one great wound from the sole of the foot unto the top of the head; Thou knowest not where to strike: be then a Savior, O Jesus, in this Advent, for which we are now preparing. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is sad; come, and raise up this head which shame and vile passions bow down to the earth. Come, and comfort this heart oppressed with sin and fear. We confess it, our wounds are deep and sore; come, Thou good Samaritan, pour in Thy soothing oil and heal them.

The whole world is in expectation of its Redeemer; come, dear Jesus, show Thyself to it by granting it salvation. The Church, Thy Bride, is now commencing another year, and Her first word is to Thee, a word which She speaks in the anxious solicitude of a mother for the safety of her children; She cries out to Thee, saying, “Come!” No, we will go no farther in our journey through the desert of this life without Thee, O Jesus! Time is passing quickly away from us; our day is perhaps far spent, and the shades of our life’s night are fast coming on; arise, O divine Sun of justice. Come! guide our steps and save us from eternal death.

The Epistle is from St. Paul to the Romans, Ch. 13:

Brethren, know that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we believed. The night is passed, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day: not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy: but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Savior, then, who is coming to us is the clothing which we are to put on over our spiritual nakedness. Here let us admire the goodness of God, Who, remembering that man hid himself after his sin, because he was naked, vouchsafes Himself to become man’s clothing, and to cover with the robe of His Divinity the misery of human nature. Let us, therefore, be on the watch for the day and the hour when He will come to us, and take precautions against the drowsiness which comes of custom and self-indulgence. The light will soon appear; may its first rays be witness of our innocence, or at least of our repentance. If our Savior is coming to put over our sins a covering which is to hide them forever, the least that we, on our part, can do, is to retain no further affection for those sins, else it will be said of us that we refused salvation. The last words of this Epistle are those which caught the eye of St. Augustine, when, after a long resistance to the grace which pressed him to give himself to God, he resolved to obey the voice which said to him: “Tolle, lege; take and read.” They decided his conversion; he immediately resolved to abandon the worldly life he had hitherto led, and to put on Christ Jesus. Let us begin this very day, and imitate this Saint. Let us long for that dear and glorious clothing with which the mercy of our heavenly Father is so soon to cover us; and let us say with the Church these touching words of the Gradual, which we cannot repeat too often during this time of the year:

None of them that wait on Thee shall be confounded, O Lord. Show, O Lord, Thy ways to me: and teach me Thy paths. Alleluia, alleluia. Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy: and grant us Thy salvation. Alleluia.

In the Gospel of today, taken from St. Luke, Ch. 21, Holy Church turns Her attention to the Second Coming of Christ:

At that time: Jesus said to His disciples: There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea, and of the waves; men withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world: for the powers of the heavens shall be moved; and then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and majesty. But when these things begin to come to pass look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption is at hand…

Thou art to come, then, O Jesus, in all the terror of the Last Judgment, and when men least expect Thee. In a few days Thou art coming to us to clothe our misery with the garment of Thy mercy; a garment of glory and immortality to us; but Thou art to come again on a future day, and in such dread majesty that men will wither away with fear. O our Savior! condemn us not on that day of the world’s destruction. Visit us now in Thy love and mercy; we are resolved to prepare our souls. We desire that Thou shouldst come and be born within us, so that when the convulsions of nature warn us of Thy coming to judge us, we may lift up our heads, as Thou biddest Thy faithful disciples do, who, when the rest of men shall tremble at the thunder of Thy judgment, will have confidence in Thee, because they have Thee in their hearts.

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Saints&Reading:Fri., Mar., 6, 2020

42 Martyrs of Amonia

During a war between the Byzantine Emperor Theophilus (829-842) and the Saracens, the Saracens managed to besiege the city of Ammoria (in Galicia in Asia Minor). As a result of treason on the part of the military commander Baditses, Ammoria fell, and forty-two of its generals were taken captive and sent off to Syria.

During the seven years of their imprisonment, their captors tried in vain to persuade them to renounce Christianity and accept Islam. The captives stubbornly resisted all their seductive offers and bravely held out against terrible threats. After many torments that failed to break the spirit of the Christian soldiers, they condemned them to death, hoping to shake the determination of the saints before executing them. The martyrs remained steadfast, saying that the Old Testament Prophets bore witness to Christ, while Mohammed called himself a prophet without any other witnesses to support his claim.

One of the captives, Theodore, had renounced the priestly office to become a general. His captors taunted him, “We know that you forsook the priestly office, became a soldier and shed blood in battle. You can have no hope in Christ, Whom you abandoned voluntarily, so accept Mohammed.” But the martyr replied, “You do not speak truthfully when you say that I abandoned Christ. Moreover, I left the priesthood because of my own unworthiness. Therefore, I must shed my blood for the sake of Christ, so that He might forgive the sins that I have committed against Him.”

The executioners took each one separately and led him off to be beheaded, then threw the bodies into the River Euphrates. In the service to them, these holy passion-bearers are glorified as: the “All-Blessed” Theodore, the “Unconquered” Callistus, the “Valliant” Constantine, the “Wondrous” Theophilus and “the Most Strong” Basoes. Saints Aetius (Aetitus) and Melissenus were also among the martyrs.

The betrayer Baditses did not escape his shameful fate. The enemy knew that it is impossible to trust a traitor, and so they killed him.

Finding of the precious cross

The Holy Empress Helen uncovered the Precious Cross and Nails of the Lord at Jerusalem in 326.

At the beginning of the reign of Saint Constantine the Great (306-337), the first Roman emperor to recognize Christianity, he and his pious mother Saint Helen decided to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. They also planned to build a church on the site of the Lord’s suffering and Resurrection, in order to reconsecrate and purify the places connected with the Savior’s death and Resurrection from the foul taint of paganism.

The empress Helen journeyed to Jerusalem with a large quantity of gold. Saint Constantine wrote a letter to Patriarch Macarius I (313-323), requesting him to assist her in every possible way with her task of the restoring the Christian holy places.

After her arrival in Jerusalem, the holy empress Helen began to destroy all the pagan temples and reconsecrate the places which had been defiled by the pagans.

In her quest for the Life-Creating Cross, she questioned several Christians and Jews, but for a long time her search remained unsuccessful. Finally, an elderly Hebrew named Jude told her that the Cross was buried beneath the temple of Venus. Saint Helen ordered that the pagan temple be demolished, and for the site to be excavated. Soon they found Golgotha and the Lord’s Sepulchre. Not far from the spot were three crosses, a board with the inscription written by Pilate (John 19:19), and four nails which had pierced the Lord’s Body.

Now the task was to determine on which of the three crosses the Savior had been crucified. Patriarch Macarius saw a dead person being carried to his grave, then he ordered that the dead man be placed upon each cross in turn. When the corpse was placed on the Cross of Christ, he was immediately restored to life. After seeing the raising of the dead man, everyone was convinced that the Life-Creating Cross had been found. With great joy the empress Helen and Patriarch Macarius lifted the Life-Creating Cross and displayed it to all the people standing about.

Source OCA keep reading today’s Saints

Genesis 2:20; 3:20 NKJV

20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.

21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He [a]made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

23 And Adam said:

“This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called [b]Woman, Because she was taken out of [c]Man.”

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be[d] joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

The Temptation and Fall of Man

3 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LordGod had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was [e]pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves [f]coverings.

8 And they heard the [g]sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the [h]cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

13 And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

16 To the woman He said:

“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be [i]for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”

17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:

“Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall [j]bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve,[k] because she was the mother of all living.

Footnotes:

Genesis 2:22 Lit. built

Genesis 2:23 Heb. Ishshah

Genesis 2:23 Heb. Ish

Genesis 2:24 Lit. cling

Genesis 3:6 Lit. a desirable thing

Genesis 3:7 girding coverings

Genesis 3:8 Or voice

Genesis 3:8 Or wind, breeze

Genesis 3:16 Lit. toward

Genesis 3:18 cause to grow

Genesis 3:20 Lit. Life or Living

Proverbs 3:19-34 NKJV

19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens; 20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes— Keep sound wisdom and discretion; 22 So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck. 23 Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 26 For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.

27 Do not withhold good from [a]those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you. 29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake. 30 Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; 32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright. 33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just. 34 Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.

Footnotes:

Proverbs 3:27 Lit. its owners

#Orthodoxy #spirituality firstchristians #ancientchristianity #faith #mysticalchristianity #bible #gospel

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sylleboi · 5 years ago

Text

𝕾𝖊𝖊𝖐𝖊𝖗𝖘 | 25/11/19

When I initially heard of the content for this brief, I couldn’t help but get excited. I have a soft spot for illustration and concept art, as well as world building and writing (especially fantasy). After reading through the brief for “Seekers”, I immediately thought of a short story I have been writing for around a year and a half at this point, the plot and context fitting perfectly with the challenge that the brief sets.

During the morning we briefly went through the good things and the things that “need improvement” from the past two briefs;

Good:

Responding to the workshop and technical skills. This includes how each person within the class have responded to the challenged on a technical level, being really good.

Developing ideas past the workshop activities and building technical skill through repetition and synthesis. This is purely based upon the development each individual have gone through and made thus far and exploring beyond what the brief asks to do, as well as using more primary reseach at a higher rate.

Understanding technical terms and their use within the specific subject. This describes how well we do at resiting all the terms thrown at us.

Need improvement:

Drawing & Repetition Make sure to draw often; ideally every day, but in general just as much as possible.

Drawing from observation- draw from primary research! We do this a little, but we have to keep at it and stick to it.

Evaluate and conclude It’s important to make sure to evaluate and conclude at the end of each blog post; “What have I learnt and what will I do?” Also try and be more conclusive and forward with the evaluations. It’s also important that we make sure to keep reflecting upon everything we go through each day that we work.

Visual language Our research needs to talk more about the visual language; more about what you can see and why this is important to you and the work you have done and will produce.

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𝕾𝖊𝖊𝖐𝖊𝖗𝖘

(2D problem solving)

Aims and objectives

Be able to analyse and research a 2D problem in art & design.

Be able to use an integrated approach to 2D problem-solving in art & design.

Be able to use evaluation to support solutions to problems in 2D in art & design.

Using an integrated approach means to apply what other things we have learnt as well as integrating all the ideas we have, to create a successful concept, story and narrative for this brief.

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What have I learnt, and what will I learn now?

I have learnt:

Rotoscoping

Character turnaround

Model sheet

Frame by Frame = sequence

Illusion of life

Digital programs (photoshop & illustrator)

I will learn:

Character narratives

Fantasy

Frame by Frame animation

Key poses

Primary observation and research

Concept art

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Are there different types of characters?

Protagonist

Antagonist

Sidekick

“Damsel in distress” & “Male hero”- try and subvert to be inclusive and original!

Ice breaker task - Key terms

Find the definition for the following terms (these need to be presented in your production file in your own words to establish the character design part of your project):

Who is the Protagonist?

This is the main character or one of the major characters in a play, film, novel, etc. It is not at all unheard of that the protagonist is a heroic figure for. They make the key decisions and experience the consequences of these decisions and actions. Protagonists usually go through a journey to learn and evolve upon themselves.

Who is the Antagonist?

They are the rival of the protag. A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary. They are often portrayed as characters with a dark background; an example of this could be an evil ruler that grew up in an abusive environment or something alike.

What is an Archetype?

This can be defined as a very typical example of a certain person or thing, often very generalising/stereotypes, but this is not how you would define archetypes in storytelling specifically. Archetypes can be defined as for example; the sidekick or comical release character (the jester), the mentor (wise), the innocent, the explorer, the hero, the lover, the ally, the trickster, the guardian, the shadow, the ruler, the friendly beast. Essentially, they are different roles.

The protagonist should:

Be someone the audience can identify with through empathy.

Go through changes/stages during the quest (emotionally or physically)

Break rules and makes mistakes but is always good at heart, putting others before themselves.

Quest:

A quest is a journey that someone takes, in order to achieve a goal or complete an important task. Accordingly, the term comes from the Medieval Latin “Questo”, meaning “search” or “inquire”.

Heroic protagonist (definition given from the brief):

The main character within a story and told a narrative that goes on a dangerous mission against all odds to save a group of people or a society. Sometimes, the hero sets out on a quest to find a symbolic object or person and bring it or them back to his/her/their home. They also have a particularly large presence in Medieval romance, folklore and Greek and Roman mythology, and have been playing an important role in fiction since the earliest examples of English literature.

What does the fantasy hero look like?

Artists to take inspiration from

Good/Hero/Protagonist:

Simon Bisley

Andrew Maclean

Luke Pearson

Bad/Villain/Antagonist:

Frank Frazetta

Pendleton Ward

Jeffrey Alan Love

Task:

Put together 2 similar “slides” in keynote (hero/villain) with 3 visual examples on each. We then printed them out and then answered the following questions in note form around the artists we chose;

Describe the visual language (line, texture, tone, colour, shape, form) using descriptive words & sentences

What does this visual language (the way it looks) communicate about the character/personality?

In your opinion, what visual characteristics of the artwork make the example particularly heroic or villainous?

Good/Hero/Protagonist:

“Hey, you.”

Describe the visual language (line, texture, tone, colour, shape, form) using descriptive words & sentences

Tony Zhou Shuo is a very inspiration artist in my eyes. In the majority of his artwork, he manages to convey shape and readability clearly by using minimal strokes. This is something I have learnt to understand is key for illustrating concept art or general illustrative work for stories. An example, different from the use of shape, is the texture of the brushes he uses. They are rough, creating a feel of sand moving across the rocky desert.

What does this visual language (the way it looks) communicate about the character/personality?

To me, it feels mischievous, but not necessarily in a villainous way; which is what drew me in to this piece in particular when attempting to find some inspiration for my own character/characters. The hooded figure in the foreground is the main subject, looking back towards the sound of the strangers, thinking the hooded person is just the same to them, a stranger. This automatically makes your eyes wander to the figures in the background, that then point back to the hooded figure. It’s a very smart approach for conveying storytelling within a still image. As an illustrator in particular, it is crucial that you can convey the wanted message or meaning without the use of motion or sound; this is much like in film-making or book writing; if you are vague or limited in the way you tell the story, the viewer automatically fills in the blanks.

In your opinion, what visual characteristics of the artwork make the example particularly heroic or villainous?

The fact that the overall mood of the painting is portrayed to be bright and warm gives me a feeling of the character in the foreground not actually being “bad”, just questioned (the title being “Hey, you”) and potentially unwanted. I suppose an example of this could be Assassins Creed. The main characters within this world are feared and unwanted by many since they are assassins sent to kill, yet they are not portrayed as being the villains of the story, but in fact the opposite. It all depends on how you choose to portray the character in a given scenario. It can very easily be altered, which is what I did to prove that this point stands. I did this very quickly by just adding a multiply layer and some stars and highlights (as if the hooded guy now is in the spotlight, caught off guard, now indicating that they are up to nothing good.):

“Viking Boy”

Describe the visual language (line, texture, tone, colour, shape, form) using descriptive words & sentences

I absolutely adore the art style of Tim Mcburnie. It is very stylistic, but it has its own unique flare to it with the use of brushwork and texturing. Primarily this is seen in the landscape. I think he uses different pictures of watercolour and setting the layer mode to something like overlay to create those moody and strong, gritty textures. With the art style being heavily stylised compared to Tony’s work, he uses line very efficiently. Despite the line work being relatively loose and messy, it still manages to make the subject/subjects (the boy and the Viking huts ((village?)) + smoke in the background) stand out without feeling as if they are completely out of place.

What does this visual language (the way it looks) communicate about the character/personality?

The visual language used for this painting in particular, manages to communicate the rough environment that was the Viking age (793–1066 AD). Back then things worked more primitively; death often being brutal and inevitable if either sick or on the wrong side of the border to enemy territory.

In your opinion, what visual characteristics of the artwork make the example particularly heroic or villainous?

The composition I find to be really appealing in this particular piece. The way that the boy feels as if he’s gone from his home in the village behind him to begin a journey. He looks young and his expression resting on his face communicates that he seems nervous and wary of his surroundings. To me, he seems innocent and not a person based upon anything evil; like a hero in the making.

“Night Trip”

Describe the visual language (line, texture, tone, colour, shape, form) using descriptive words & sentences

For context, Night Trip is a short comic story done by the artist Mi Dong. I chose this piece in particular (the cover for the story) for multiple reasons, with the main one being his use of line. The comic itself is only illustrated using line work, which isn’t uncommon in comics, but even the cover itself portrays what you can expect in a very clear way. This is what really drives the interest to this Mi Dong’s work in particular. The use of colour and value for this cover picture has clearly been thought about; For the values, it is easier seen when making the illustration black & white;

When looking at the desaturated version, the values already speak clearly by themselves, even without the aid of colour. The subjects base value is much brighter than the backgrounds base value. This makes sure that the viewer can differentiate the subject from the background without a struggle. It is also worth mentioning that the choice of line has also been used to create texture, which works very well as a stylistic approach since it matches all the other aspect of this illustration that I have gone over previously.

What does this visual language (the way it looks) communicate about the character/personality?

The overall feeling that I get personally is a mix of “overwhelmed”, “daunting” and “fear”. This I believe is based on the fact that the texture of the line work plays such a big role in making the piece come to life. If there were no texture and only flat colour, it wouldn’t portray emotion as strongly and confidently as it does with the texturing applied. The texturing used in this drawing also indicates some kind of “danger”. This is purely because of the way that Mi Dong has chosen not to use any texture on the main subject; in fact, there has only been used flats for the foreground subject- signalling a sense of purity compared to the looming figure in the background.

In your opinion, what visual characteristics of the artwork make the example particularly heroic or villainous?

I think that with everything mentioned about this piece of artwork, It definitely leans toward the feeling of “heroic” if you focus on the main subject, but I also definitely shares traits of “villainous” characteristics if focusing on the background subject. Without knowing the content of the comic itself, the figure seeming to be looming in the dark and behind the subject, the figure might be a distorted version of the main subjects; indicated by their eye colours being the same; infant, they share all the same colours. Weather that’s nothing but a stylistic choice, or of a deeper meaning, it works quite well, because it lets your mind wonder “What does this mean?”, “Why does the person look so afraid?”, “What are they afraid of?- Why are they looking at me? am I the monster?” That is why this cover is successful. It makes the reader want answers, therefore willingly indulging themselves into the story, narrative and plot-line, on their own quest for answers based upon their curiosity.

Bad/Villain/Antagonist:

“Dragon hunters”

Describe the visual language (line, texture, tone, colour, shape, form) using descriptive words & sentences

I chose this piece for several different reasons. The obvious being; the dragon. My entire plot is based upon the lore of dragons and how they are hunted down by men, so this was great inspiration! The other reason is how my “villain” is not actually anyone in particular, but instead, it is the society living in the universe I have created. People are the ones killing what isn’t actually there to cause harm, but everyone believes that the dragons are cold-blooded killers. Loosely, this is the basic premise of which I base the plot in reality; We kill the earth in ignorance with pollution and plastics choking life, even in a literal sense. - In my story, mankind does this, but with the dragons. They are in the way, and the quickest way to get rid of them is by eliminating them. The drawing is highly rendered, which is what initially (alongside the use of perspective and scale) drew me into it. This illustration doesn’t need words to explain what is happening. The storytelling is so clear and loud, which is absolute key when portraying story within a limited amount of frames (or often even just by using a single canvas).

What does this visual language (the way it looks) communicate about the character/personality?

This question can be interpreted in different ways depending on who you refer to; the dragon or the hunters. The dragon seems to be fleeing from the hunters, trying to take it down. For some reason, the overall perspective and scenario reminds me of when you go hunting for the air balloons with your parents in the car to see where they land; it almost in itself feels like a quest. In the painting, it can be argued as to who the bad guy is, the dragon or the hunters? This is where, once again, ones imagination comes into play to fill out the “gaps” and attempt to answer all the questions it sparks. “Why is the forest burnt down?”, “Did the dragon do that?” If so, then why did it do that?”, “Is it evil or did the hunters agitate it or scare it?”.

In your opinion, what visual characteristics of the artwork make the example particularly heroic or villainous?

I think that the fight between whether the dragon or the men are the villain in this is what makes it stand out so much. It tells the scenario clearly, but yet there are so many unanswered questions left to be looked into. You could write an entire story just from this premise alone.

“Dragon Hunter”

Describe the visual language (line, texture, tone, colour, shape, form) using descriptive words & sentences

I chose this piece of artwork done by Julian Calle for several different reasons; one of them being the use of colour and a potential underlying meaning hiding. The colours used in this illustration are all very desaturated, which works well when referring to the content and scenario of what's happening. It gives off a strong and moody feel without the use of a wide arrange of colours. The other reason to why I chose this piece of artwork in particular, is to do with the fact that it most definitely is based on the Viking age (Which my concept is as well). You can tell by the types of weapons, tattoos and the shield in the background, all being very typical for this time period; Even the shoes are common for this time period.

What does this visual language (the way it looks) communicate about the character/personality?

Because it feels so messy despite the fact that it’s highly rendered, it gives off the feeling of the aftermath of a long battle. You can almost imagine the characters chest rising and falling to even out their breathing, with the sound of the crows’ flapping wings, settling around the dead bodies of the battlefield. - What I found to be particularly interesting is how a deeper meaning of “a new beginning” after an “end” might be lurking within the sky; behind all the fog and the dark clouds is a blue sky slightly peaking through. In old folk lore, it is not at all unheard of to have used the idea of death being a new beginning, so I thought this was a really smart detail.

In your opinion, what visual characteristics of the artwork make the example particularly heroic or villainous?

I put this in the “villain” section due to the fact that I personally really like how the hunter almost looks barbaric; fearless and bloodthirsty in battle. This is definitely something I will be considering for the design aspect of a specific army in my concept, thought it could also be interesting to try and translate this very “barbaric” design into something that leans more towards the role of a blacksmith or craftsman.

“Swords”

Describe the visual language (line, texture, tone, colour, shape, form) using descriptive words & sentences

“Swords” by the talented concept artist Max Steksov is a small collection of illustrations that focus on a heated battlefield. I have known this guys work for a while, and I really enjoy looking at his work. His eye for doing composition and making every aspect of a drawing move, despite it actually being still, is impeccable. Each detail has a meaning to it. He uses texture, but compared to the other artists mentioned in this list, the texture he uses is very fine and less saturated. I find this to be a great way of levelling out the clean feel of his style, while still conveying the gritty and harsh reality that battles that shed blood are.

What does this visual language (the way it looks) communicate about the character/personality?

To me, I find it to be very successful in conveying a lot of aspects related to war; how morbid humanity can be over things that, in the bigger picture, seems pointless at times. Since I myself have a war integrated into the plot of my story, I found this incredibly inspiring.

In your opinion, what visual characteristics of the artwork make the example particularly heroic or villainous?

As mentioned: war. Even if it’s portrayed as a heroic thing to do (fight for your pride, land, country or/and freedom), there are also some more villainous underlying factors hidden within this; at the end of the day, all these men battling and killing each other are just like one another; normal men. There are countless stories from WWI and WWII that talk about how soldiers from the enemy have become friends when holding some captive for a little while, to then be forced to murder them a few days later. It’s a dark concept, but that is also just the reality of it.

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Once we had finished the task given, we went over all the different types of creatures and character roles that we could think of, dividing them up into the stereotypical “Good” and “Bad” and “Unsure”, as well as “Accessories” and “Historical inspiration”, all for the benefit of letting ourselves get inspired by the words listed below for our own concept;

𝕸𝖞𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖑 𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊𝖘:

Good:

Fairies Unicorn Pegasus Dwarf

Sage (wise/medical) Cleric Paladin

Fawn/Faun Genie Gnomes Knight

Blacksmith Druid Monk

Griffin Hyppogriff Mermaid

Berserker Phoenix Whisp

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Bad:

Goblin Kelpie Boggart Minotaur Hydra

Pixie Krampus Medusa Banshee

The headless horseman Orges Orcs Nymph

Cyclops Triclops Cerberus Orthrus

Warlock Kraken Succubus Direwolf

Imp Manticore Cocotrice Gorgon

Basilisk Cthulhu Syrens Zombie

Ghoul Skeleton Wraith Gargoyle

Reaper Chimaera

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Unsure:

Dragon Familiar Witch Demons

Yokai Trolls Yeti Giants

Centaur Kings and Queens Elf Samurai

Gladiator Rogue Prince and princesses

Kaijo Werewolf Vampire/Vampyr

Elemental Jörmungandr

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Accessories:

Sword Dagger Katana Axe Wand

Shield Potion Spellbook

Crystal Cauldron Spear Broomstick

Crystal ball Scroll Flask Crossbow

Bow and arrow Hammer Witches hat/hats

Armour Helmet Jewellery Flail

Bottle Lantern Knife Torch

Cloak Sickle Sai Whip Pick

Scythe Nunchucks Chakram

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Historical research:

Greek mythology Nordic/Norse mythology

Local witch trials Irish folktales

Scandinavian folklore Japanese folklore

Egyptian mythology Biblical references

Roman mythology

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beastlong · 2 years ago

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Ngu industries lab

Ngu industries lab manual#

Ngu industries lab full#

(Do run evil NGU occasionally - try to hit any soft caps that'll only take a few days to reach - but you'll mainly want to level Normal NGUS until your Evil NGUs get way faster.) Split your resources into 20-40% AT and the rest in Normal NGU. Why? Because Advanced Training and Beards are not affected by the evil multiplier. Get all the banks, up to Bank V except Gold Bank. At first you'll want to stay in ITOPOD all the time, farm PP, and buy all the bank perks. If you collect more quest objects than you need, scum quest assignments until you get the same zone, then turn them in right away. Tick the "major quest" box after skipping the first two and your major quest will be in PPL. When you reload your save, the sequence of zones will be the same: if it went from whatever -> whatever -> Pretty Princess, then after reloading, it will assign you PPPL after skipping two zones. Keep count of how many quests you skipped. Skip it until it assigns you the zone you want. To make sure that all your major quests are for this zone, you can take advantage of the fact that quest zones are random but the sequence is fixed. The best choice for this is Pretty Pink Princess Land, for the highest exp rewards (if you're strong enough to one-shot it). Its called the SCUM QUEST METHOD.įirst you pick a zone you want to stay in forever for quests.

Ngu industries lab manual#

Pro Tip: A trick for doing manual quests faster than usual.

Beards (Your good friend, always there for you even when you are asleep, offline, pooping or whatever you do, and it will still run).

Gold Diggers (HoHoHo, you think with that BROKEN time machine of yours you can get this working? Well it still works, but kinda bad service = less pp! less exp! less ngu! less adv!).

Yggdrasil (Fruit of Knowledge is very important).

Evil NGU (between 1 billion and 1 trillion times slower than normal NGUs).

Wandoos (1 trillion times slower than normal mode at 98 - higher versions are even slower).

Blood Magic (1 billion times slower than normal mode).

Time Machine (1 trillion times slower than normal mode).

Advanced Training (this is your most important friend).

Augmentation (2.5 trillion times slower than normal mode).

Adventure (ITOPOD is your friend stay here and farm pp nonstop).

Fight bosses (with that evil multiplier division, this feature doesn't let you kill tons of boss to reward you with exp, but it's still important).

In evil you will find some features being very very unfriendly (shame on them) and some being very friendly (GOOD ON YOU!) Usually takes around 10 days from the start of evil. Your next goal is to get to Greasy Nerd (boss #125) as fast as you can. Start with a few 30 minute rebirths before going back to longer ones. Your first goal would be to rush for boss #58. At this point you could perhaps try an evil basic challenge.ĭo some 30min rebirths to get your NUMBER up. You'll need some time to ramp the beards up and also for fruit activation. So here you are in EVIL and apparently nothings moving. Pro Tip: You can always use the Gear Optimizer to optimize your gears. You will be ready around the time you hit 24m total exp. Save up some AP and buy the evil-only accessory slot from the shop, too, which is usable in normal mode.

Prepare one or two EM beta potions (optional)Įven before you're ready to farm evil, you should enter it as soon as you can just for the extra BP and go back to normal afterwards.

Beast V4 on autokill max both the power pill and gerbil.

Ngu industries lab full#

Fruit of Knowledge at full power (full harvest, perks, quirks, bb ngu ygg and exp).Save up at least 200 PP for the Welcome to Evil Perk and more for banks.Get your normal challenges done (Except normal 24hr, and maybe one or two No TM).When you should you enter evil? Here are some things it is recommended you do first: Getting into evil? This guide will give you some tips. 1.4 PRETTY PINK PRINCESS LAND - Boss #100.

#Ngu industries lab

0 notes

mushingirl · 6 years ago

Photo

MMXVII - Prologue

From the journal of Melanie McAfee, Patient 011915.

Three

One is the base of all things. Our individual perspective originates in the one. No matter the name, all things begin with one. One is the base of all things.

Two is the recognition of other. A baby recognizes her father and they become two. Two separates and establishes duality. Night and day, heads and tails, hard and soft, wet and dry. One has an ever present equal opposite, and together they are two. Two is the recognition of other.

Three is the sacred number. It is the height, width and breadth of all things. It is the here in which one and two exist. It spreads like lattice throughout all creation always returning to itself. Three, in all its derivatives, has been, is and always will be. Three is a recurring theme one and two will recognize around them always. Three is the sacred number.

“Melanie?” Dr. Schnell asked after reading the section from her journal aloud. “Will you please explain to me, again, what that means?”

“Um…” Melanie appeared distracted and avoided eye contact. “What now? Explain one, two and three?”

She tilted her head in thought and stared at the ceiling tiles. Eleven long and seven wide. Two primes, absolutely perfect. And, of course, added together they made eighteen, a multiple of three. What would I say if I were still taking my meds?

“Did I write that?” She asked. Of course, I did! It is the way of things. “It sounds odd to me.”

“Don’t you recognize it?” Dr. Schnell asked. He scribbled some notes in his book and looked at her over the top of his glasses.

“No sir.” She ignored the urge to shake her head vehemently while answering. That would be a clear indicator I am free again. Am I getting the midwestern accent right?

Dr. Schnell smiled. It was clinical and clean, plastic with no emotion behind it. Only the intent to calm the patient while he continued his evaluation. He licked his thumb and forefinger, then turned the page to his notebook.

“How about this next part?” He said as he adjusted his glasses to read again.

Earth, Sea and Sky

Unlearn your understanding of the four elements taught to you in modern schools. Earth, wind, fire and water certainly all exist, but they do not make up all things in the universe. What they have come to be recognized as were born in the belly of creation, their meaning changed as mankind’s understanding evolved.

Remember, three is the sacred number which grows from the one and the two. One is the fire of creation, the base of all things. That fire is at the center of all we are and all we know. It is the very spark of life. From this foundation grew the world tree.

The world tree is the other first recognized by the sacred fire. Its roots are fed by the fire and it grows to all realms, in all times. The world tree brought forth the three realms in which all life is held, the Earth, Sea and Sky.

The Earth is the world you know. Filled with ever evolving life and reaching out as far as the senses can perceive it. It is more than the planet on which you stand, it is the very dimension in which that planet exists. The planet was simply named after the realm by the first men, as they understood the nature of all existence.

The Sea lies just beyond the Earth. Like the oceans to land on our planet the Sea is always one tiny step from the shore. The great veil separates Earth and Sea, but those who know how and when can travel between them. The Sea is the birthplace of magic and the realm of creatures great and small. Magic spills over from Sea to Earth like tides washing up to the shore.

Surrounding it all is the Sky. Just as the air we breathe provides us with oxygen, so too does the Sky stoke the sacred fire of creation to provide for Earth and Sea. This is the place of gods and goddesses, those forces constantly circling Earth and Sea to impact all things. The Sky dances around Earth and Sea like children around a May pole, ever weaving the energies of creation and altering the destiny of life.

“Do you recognize that?” He asked.

“No sir.” She lied. Yes! I will always recognize truth when I hear it. “Sounds a little, coo coo, if you ask me.” She made a twirling motion with a finger next to her temple.

“Are you saying you think you are crazy?” Dr. Schnell sat forward in his seat, slightly.

“Not me.” Melanie said. “But the whackadoodle who wrote that should be put up here with us!”

“Melanie, you wrote this.” Dr. Schnell said.

“Oh, did I?” She asked with a perplexed look. “I don’t remember that. I guess I am in the right place then.” Her last sentence had the slightest lilt. The doctor didn’t seem to notice.

“If you will, Melanie, I would like you to hear one more entry.” The doctor turned the page and read, not waiting for permission.

The Veil

A thin mystical membrane separates Earth and Sea. As the mystical forces and creatures of the Sea cross over to Earth they bring with them magic itself. Religion, legend, folklore and myths of old were inspired by mankind’s perception of these forces at work on Earth. This thin membrane is called the veil.

The veil varies in thickness and intensity depending upon a variety of factors. Some places around the world have become sacred for the ease of passage from Earth to Sea and back. This is also true for some seasons and some specific dates. These have evolved into holidays, in many cases.

There are also specific plants and animals whose aura and perception easily pierce the veil. Mystical creatures have been known to travel from the Sea to Earth during the first light of day in the small area beneath the branches of a Hawthorn tree. Cats can see clearly through the veil at all times and have therefore become companions to many Earthly magical practitioners.

The most prolific points of access from Earth to Sea and back, for those who know how to cross, are called Moon Paths. When the moon crosses between our world and the sun its shadow pulls a tear in the veil. This tear eventually heals itself, but for 81 years the veil is thin enough to pass through freely in both directions provided certain circumstances hold true. This has had enormous impact on folklore in our world.

A Moon Path is only created during a total solar eclipse, and only where the moon’s shadow was absolute. The duration is another example of the sacred three. Three, multiplied by three a total of three times gives 81. All things return to three.

“Any thoughts, Melanie.” Dr. Schnell asked.

Melanie furrowed her brow as if contemplating. She bounced a finger in the air and incorrectly mouthed some of what he had read. My first thought is that it proves my point you read me three parts of my own journal, boyo! She smiled.

“I got a little lost in there, sir.” She said. “Did the author say you could travel to another place if you were under a Hawthorn tree at sunrise?”

“Yes.” He said abruptly. “And Melanie, you are the author.”

“If I didn’t trust you so much Dr. Schnell, I would call you a liar.” She smiled. “I couldn’t even follow all of that. I am surprised to hear I wrote it.”

“So, I want to be clear.” Dr. Schnell put on a very serious face. “None of these passages made you feel anxious in any way?”

She shook her head.

“They don’t make you worry about goblins and elves coming to get us?” He continued.

She snorted and shook her head again.

Dr. Schnell closed his notebook and sat back. Relaxation washed over him and he began to straighten his files and tidy up the desk. He packed everything into a briefcase and stood. A genuine smile took his face as he offered a hand to help Melanie rise from her seat.

“After your episode right before the eclipse last month, some were worried you would be on the verge of panic.” He said.

“I bet.” Melanie laughed as genuinely as she knew how. “I’m terribly sorry about that. I don’t know what came over me, sir.” Yes, I do! It was a full eclipse that cut a Moon Path right across the country. It’s been a fecking month, all manner of beast is like to be walking through. And that’s the least of it! We’re, all of us, in fecking danger!

“I understand, Melanie.” Dr. Schnell put his hand on her shoulder. “Sometimes we all have a bad day. I’m just glad you pulled through it all so nicely. I am very proud of you.”

“Thank you, sir.” She said.

Dr. Schnell straightened his jacket, took his briefcase from the table, and turned for the door.

“You have a relaxing weekend, doctor’s orders.” He laughed. “Today was the last day of summer. Can you believe how fast it flew by?”

“Is it now?” Melanie said while laughing at his attempt to be funny. “What’s the word for that? Sol-something?”

“Solstice.” Dr. Schnell said smugly.

“Ah, yes. Solstice.” Melanie smiled.

“What the fuck kinda name is Yochanan?” asked Todd louder than necessary. Cursing was still a pretty new expression for him, so he was careful to enunciate the word very clearly. So much so it sounded misplaced among the gentle Midwestern slur flowing beneath the rest of his words.

“Shut up, Todd!” Eric shouted. He hated when other boys wanted to join their Saturday quests. Todd would always try to show off for them like he was auditioning for a part in their play. And so far, none had ever worked out. Always too much posturing and not enough commitment to their role.

“My name’s Eric you big jerk. Everyone knows it.” He said.

“Bull shit!” Todd hit the T extra hard to make sure no one mistook it for any other word. “If your name is Eric why does your mom call you Yoyo?” He punctuated his question with a harsh laugh and mocking points at Eric. He looked back to the two new boys for acceptance.

“I think it’s a pretty badass name.” said Mike. He was the tallest of the new boys and a 7th grader, so he knew way more about cool than any of them. “Can I call you Yoyo?” he asked in earnest.

Eric looked at the others uneasily, not sure how to answer. He couldn’t tell whether Mike was being serious or if this was a subtler mockery.

Mike’s little brother nodded in agreement as he pushed glasses back in place up the bridge of his nose. His name was also Tod but in the neighborhood they called him Single D to avoid confusion. Todd proper, with two Ds, looked at the brothers dumbfounded. Eric guessed from Todd’s confusion Mike’s question wasn’t sarcasm.

“Um, yeah, I guess so.” he said.

“Yochanan comes from the Hebrew language and means ‘God is Gracious’, which is quite unique and outstanding in my opinion.” Single D always used twenty words when two would do. If he ever spoke at all, that is. Most of the time he stood by quietly and nodded in support of his brother. Sometimes he would even add a gesture with his nod.

“It’s cool.” said Mike. Single D nodded to indicate the affirmative while pointing at his brother with a thumb.

“Fucking A!” Todd hadn’t heard his own voice for a while, nor had he cursed. Never one to let too much time pass between either he thought he would rejoin the pack and kill three birds with one phrase. He was, of course, very careful to correctly and distinctly pronounce every syllable so make certain he was understood.

Eric stood a little straighter knowing he had the favor of the new boys. Maybe letting them join the quest this week wouldn’t be so bad. He looked at Todd with an expression of “What do you think?” and gave a shrug. Todd replied with a nod of “Yeah, they’re cool.” Which he hoped wasn’t so enthusiastic it made him look over eager.

“So, we’re gonna go get our gear and meet back at the angel.” Eric scratched the back of his head and looked at his feet. “You guys wanna quest with us today?”

“Yeah man.” said Mike. Single D nodded in agreement, giving his glasses another push up his nose while Mike continued. “What professions are you guys?”

“I’m a rage fueled mother fucking Barbarian, man.” Todd beamed. “And Yoyo is an expert tracker. He knows the woods better’n anyone.”

“I’m a Ranger.” Eric clarified.

“Shit yes!” said Todd.

“How about you guys?” Eric asked. He hoped that at least one of them used magic. A healer would be ideal. That and maybe another fighter of some sort. HIs train of thought turned full wish list for a moment before Eric realized he didn’t really care as long as the new members were into their roles. Saturday quest was about the adventure and the role play. If it was just going to be a couple dudes hanging out while he and Todd were questing the whole day would lose all its magic.

“I’m a Paladin and Single D is a magic user.” Mike stood as tall as he could. Single D nodded with a grin and took a breath as if about to speak. Then shrugged and nodded some more.

Eric smiled broadly. They couldn’t be a better fit for the party. A fighting healer and someone who could cast. What a great balance they had. This would be the best Saturday quest yet!

“So then, the angel at 1:30?” asked Eric. “Enough time to gear up and have some lunch?”

“Sounds good.” said Mike as Single D nodded.

“Fucking A right it does!” Todd got in his last curse before lunch and the boys disbanded until 1:30.

Eric ran in the door, past his mother, and into his room with a practiced grace. He waved and made the shape of a heart with his hands as he passed her. She smiled and blew him a kiss. Still smiling as he closed the door to his room he took a deep breath in preparation.

The room was meticulously clean for a boy Eric’s age. There was an order and structure to his space that gave him comfort. Not in an obsessive or compulsive way, rather, as a balance to the chaotic structure of the outside world. Nature was not to be tamed, but the den was.

He kicked his sneakers into their corner and pulled his boots from beneath his bed. Jeans were already a part of his uniform so there was no need to change them. He pulled a green hooded sweat shirt on over his Star Wars t-shirt and fixed the sleeves the way he liked them, with three cuff rolls on the right arm and four on the left.

From his wall he took down the Bear re-curved bow his father got him for his 12thbirthday. He had petitioned his parents, at length, to let him take actual arrows on quests but he was denied repeatedly. Eric didn’t let it fester into an argument or a sore spot. The bow was enough to help him be in character.

For finishing touches he threw his khaki messenger bag over his head and shoulder to hang on his left side.

As he ran into the kitchen to grab a couple sandwiches for his bag his mother made it a point to get eye contact. When she was sure he was watching she spoke to him using American Sign Language.

“You and your friends are going on your Saturday quest?” she signed.

“Yes ma’am.” He said while nodding.

“Be safe and keep dry this time, please.” She signed.

Eric was secretly very happy his mother spoke using sign. She never seemed to harp on him like other boys’ mothers. There was a gleam in her eye and smile on her face with every word. It gave him a very clear sign of her love for him.

“I will mom.” He signed.

She liked that Eric spent time outside actually playing instead of cooped up with some video game. So many boys his age were wrapped up with their Xbox or smart phone and hardly saw the light of day. Eric played games like that some, but he mostly preferred the outdoors. It warmed her heart.

“You have your watch?” She asked. After he nodded, pointing to his bag, she continued to sign. “And you will be home by 5:00, in time for dinner, right?”

Eric nodded again and gave his mother a loving hug. She dropped a chocolate bar into his messenger bag when he wasn’t looking and waved as he hopped out the door. With fluid agility he bounded around a gate to the back yard and over some railroad ties used for landscaping. He landed with a spectacular pose next to his dog Boomer.

Boomer was a chocolate brown labradoodle. A bumbling ball of hyperactive, slobbering and loyal energy so devoted to Eric he could barely contain himself. Eric knelt down to say hi with scratches and unhooked Boomer’s leash. It was entirely possible Boomer liked Saturday quest more than any of the boys did.

Once unhooked he frolicked around Eric with glee. Never moving more than ten or twelve feet away from him before coming back and checking in. He vigilantly watched for squirrels, villains, monsters and other dogs, not necessarily in that order.

Eric’s yard was bordered by a fence with a thin tree line in the back. On the other side was a five-acre field at the front of a cemetery. The field routinely flooded so no plots were sold here. Instead it was well groomed and served to make the cemetery look more open and inviting. Behind the field was a small hill rising about 20 feet up to a plateau on which plots were laid out.

Eric and Boomer sprinted across the field and up the hill into the cemetery. They followed the fence line which continued from behind Eric’s house on up the hill. The thin tree line slowly expanded to a finger of woods about 50 yards across for a quarter mile. There the fence ended with the property line of the last house on Eric’s cul-de-sac. The cemetery bordered bare woods from this point on to the back.

Just beyond the end of the fence was a beautiful headstone carved in the shape of an angel. It stood, looking at the heavens, with its arms raised up in praise and its wings spread majestically. As it came into view Eric noticed Mike and Single D had already arrived. Todd wasn’t there yet so Eric decided to save his breath and stop running.

Eric was in awe. Mike was actually wearing armor. His shins and knees were covered in baseball shin guards painted silver over heavy boots and blue jeans. His thighs and mid-section were covered with hockey leg guards customized to allow for movement and also painted silver. Small shoulder pads covered his chest and shoulders painted the same silver. Over it all he wore a tabard, belted at the waist and a red cloak attached to his chest in front using the laces of the shoulder pads. In his right hand, point in the ground, was a large wooden sword fashioned in the style of a bastard sword and on his left arm was a trash can lid made into a shield.

It was amazing.

Single D was decked out in character too. He wore layers of red and maroon robes with a black and maroon cloak. Across one shoulder he carried a red leather bag shaped like a giant book. It was adorned with feathers and had various sigils painted on it. Around his neck was a pendant with a red stone in the center. His hood was drawn up over his head and he leaned on a staff made from the heavy handle of a mop.

Single D noticed Eric approaching and tapped his brother’s shoulder with a nod to let him know. Mike turned slowly, head held high and shoulders back. He smiled at Eric with approval as he and his hound approached the brothers.

“Well met, Ranger.” Mike said. “Who is your companion?”

“Hail Paladin. Mage.” Eric gave a slight bow of respect to Eric and nodded to Single D. “He is called Boomer. My longtime friend and partner in protection of these woods.”

Single D nodded with a smile before dropping to one knee to meet and greet Boomer. Boomer took the queue and happily approached the hooded boy. Tod gave copious scratches behind the ears while Boomer wagged his body and kissed the boy a wet greeting. He stood with a giggle and gave Eric a thumbs up and a smile.

“What’s up bitches!” Todd hopped a fence to join the group. “Are you fuckers ready to start mother fucking Saturday quest?”

Single D shook his head.

“Todd, while I appreciate the correct pronunciation of your curse words, I would like to point out that none of us are impressed by either your ability to say them or the carelessness with which they flow from your mouth.” Single D said.

“Yeah man, uncool.” Mike followed.

Eric just smiled to himself. These guys just might work out after all. They were a good fit for the party, they didn’t take any of Todd’s braggadocios crap and they were entirely immersed in their characters. Sadly, Todd probably wouldn’t change his vocabulary based on their observations. It was more likely he would dismiss it entirely.

“What-fucking-ever, man.” Todd said. “I’m cool as shit, man.”

After the group eye roll at Todd’s proclamation the new members sized up his gear. He carried a reclaimed tree branch he had stripped the bark from. The ends were crudely cut and beaten into the shape of a club. He had wrapped dark leather straps around the handle area for grip and effect.

He wore leather boots with brown fur cuffs just below his knees. His cut off jeans shorts were well hidden beneath a tan leather apron fashioned into a long loin cloth gathered with a thick brown leather belt. None of the tones matched, which gave a natural and worn feel to it all.

On his upper body he wore an old fox fur coat with the arms cut off and buttons removed. His mother made him wear a shirt beneath it so he chose one as close to flesh colored as he could find. Topping everything off was a coon skin cap that would make Davey Crocket proud.

“Nice gear though, dude.” Mike said. Single D nodded enthusiastically and fixed his glasses.

“Let’s head out then.” Eric said. “Boomer and I will take point.”

He ran out ahead of the other boys a few paces, careful to stay in earshot. Boomer inspected headstones and benches near them and kept an eye toward the woods. Mike held up his shield and nodded his head to the rear of the line. He stepped behind Single D and gestured for Todd to take the position behind Eric in line. Todd nodded with a barbaric grunt and stepped in front of the diminutive magic user. The party moved out to follow the white rocked cemetery road to the rear where fewer plots were in use.

At the very back of the cemetery the manicured grounds extended twenty yards beyond the road and then abruptly turned into untended prairie. Two trails led off at opposite angles through the tall grass. The left was in the direction of train tracks a couple hundred yards to the southwest and the right led northwest to a corner of woods poking into the prairie. They took the right path.

At the edge of the woods there was a very slight incline to the trees. A few quick steps up and they were into the canopy. In the woods the trail was just wide enough for one. No one maintained the trail but it was well worn. Local kids and some smaller woodland creatures used it regularly.

It was early September and summer still hung in the air but the bugs were starting to thin. Everything was beautiful and green, no sign of the approaching autumn. This was Eric’s favorite time of year to quest. It wasn’t sweltering like the summer. Plant life was mature and lush, unlike the youthful budding of spring. And the turn to fall was still a couple weeks away.

Animals frequented these woods regularly. The land was owned by the cemetery all the way back to a healthy creek and hunting was banned. On the west side of the creek was a nature preserve maintained by the county and some privately-owned land where hunting was also discouraged. All told there were nearly 250 acres of woodland free of hunters. Animals flocked here as a result.

About 80 yards in on the trail the woods thinned slightly. The party neared the top of a hill the boys called junction knob. From here there were two paths down the hill that led to different sides of a large clearing below. Five larger trails and half a dozen smaller ones led from the clearing to different corners of the woods. Sometimes the older kids would be here smoking pot but today they were absent. They must have been getting high in someone’s basement instead.

Eric stopped with a gasp and held up a single fist to silently signal the group to stop.

“I found a track.” He said excitedly, belaying the need for a silent signal. “Come look, it is wicked cool.”

The other boys crowded together to view what turned out to be two sets of tracks. The older of the pair were canine, likely that a fox or a small dog. The newer set looked like deer tracks but something wasn’t quite right. They were huge.

“Holy shit!” This time it was Eric who swore. “These are deer tracks but they are way too big. I’ve seen tracks left by a big buck with my dad. Like, a ten pointer, and they were only about this big.”

He held up his hands between three and four inches apart. Eyes wide he moved them down to the tracks to show that they were easily twice that size. The tracks didn’t show the telltale zig zag of a deer in flight, rather, they were evenly spaced indicating a slow and steady gate.

“And it’s just weird that they are actually following the fox.” Eric didn’t really know if the canine tracks were that of a fox, but he was certain his character would.

“We should fucking investigate.” Todd said with the most grizzled voice he could muster.

“Agreed.” said Mike with a slight accent. “If this is some unnatural creature it could put travelers in danger. We mustn’t allow that.” Single D nodded with a grim expression.

The four followed the odd tracks further north toward the creek. Eric and Boomer stayed out front and kept an eye on their surroundings as they identified sign for the trail. It was quite easy with the double sized deer tracks. Boomer was the first to notice the smell.

He shot off into the woods barking protectively. Eric scrunched his nose when the smell hit him. It was something dead. He started to follow Boomer but stopped when he lost sight of him. He looked back at the others and held up his fist to hold. They complied with silent nods and Eric turned and rushed off into the thick.

Todd neared the point where Eric left the trail and looked in the direction the Ranger and his dog had run. The only sound were the steps of Mike and Single D as they slowly caught up to him. There were no longer birds calling. Even the wind seemed quiet. The three squinted, trying to make out any movement of their friends. Single D fixed his gaze in the distance and was about to speak.

“You guys!” Eric screamed from deeper in the woods. “Come quick, this is messed up!”

There was almost panic in his voice. Mike started toward Eric full speed with no hesitation at all. Single D looked at Todd, then followed. Todd gripped his club and ran beside Single D. His head was on a swivel, nothing would escape his notice while he protected the mage. Single D was secretly impressed.

Mike was the first to catch up to Eric and Boomer. Eric was looking down a small hill at Boomer as Mike stepped beside him. The curly brown tail wagged the dog as he sniffed the grounds around something Mike couldn’t quite make out. He craned his neck for a better view as the other boys arrived. When he realized what he was looking at his eyes went wide. The animal carcass was ravaged. Torn apart by claws, bites, or something wild.

“Is?” Mike stammered. “Is that a?” he stopped to wretch, holding back the sick as the smell finally hit him too. “Is that a coyote?”

“No fucking way!” said Todd as he and Single D caught up.

“I find that difficult to believe as a coyote is both larger, and arguably more fierce and formidable than either a red or gray fox. It is unlikely there are any predators that would kill one in this part of the state other than man.” Single D said.

“It’s a coyote, Tod.” Mike said.

Single D gasped at his brother’s use of his given name. He immediately scanned their surroundings and it finally occurred to him that no birds were singing. Eric noticed the brothers’ escalated level of worry and looked at Todd for a quick read. There were no curse words, no chest puffing, no club waving. Todd was scared, and it had manifested in absolute still silence for him.

“We need to investigate more.” Eric said. “See if we can figure out who or what did this.”

Mike gave a slow sigh of resolve and stood tall. He gripped his sword and adjusted his shield. He surveyed the area with a squint and a grim expression. Single D leaned his staff against a tree and pulled a heavy-duty wrist rocket slingshot from his book bag. He secured it to his arm ang pulled out a bag of marbles with his free hand.

“Are you guys fucking nuts?!?” Todd screamed. His voice nearly squeaked and his normally careful annunciation evaporated. “Something fucking killed a coyote in our fucking woods and you want to fucking investigate?”

Eric didn’t stick around for the debate, he went down to the carcass and studied it. The first thing he noticed was that the longer lacerations weren’t claw marks like they had originally thought. They were wider and shallower gashes than a claw would make. Instead of four parallel cuts for each strike there were two. They almost looked like the same hooves that made those giant prints could have done this.

That didn’t sync up with the other wounds though. There was bite damage all over the coyote. Not bites like any large cat or wolf would make though. Some weird hybrid bites that had deep cutting severs from front teeth in combination with tears and rips from large lower teeth lake that of a boar. All the bites were from above the coyote indicating a predator that was at least five feet tall, possibly taller.

“Um, guys.” Eric turned and made a silent sign to Boomer who came to his side immediately. “I think Todd is right, we should leave. I don’t know what did this but whatever it was it was…”

Eric was cut off by the terrified scream of Todd who backed into Mike and Single D. Tod and Todd alike tumbled down the hill to stop at Eric’s feet. Mike was knocked off balance and tried to keep his feet as he slid down toward the other boys. He held up his shield defensively and readied his sword for what Todd had seen. No one could have guessed what that was.

Above them on the ridge was an enormous beast that resembled a stag but with serious differences. The thing was over six feet tall and built more like a heavy war horse than a lithe and agile forest creature. Its antlers were an ivory white nearly five inches in diameter at their base and spreading up to a majestic, and bloody, sixteen points.

Its coat was black along the spine, not that the boys could see its spine, and slowly turned auburn and then scarlet as it met the ground. Large teeth framed the beast’s sneering mouth. Long curving chisels from the top looped over the lower jaw like a devil beaver. Four tusks pushed up, two on each side of its snout, just outside them. Razor sharp and stained with blood.

It huffed aggressively at the boys as it stepped to the hill’s edge, eyes locked on Mike’s shield. It tested the ground and the crest and backed, agitated, from the loose dirt. It rose into an angry rear and made a noise that was part scream and part howl. That’s when the boys saw that its tail was on fire. No, it was fire.

“OH MY FUCKING GOD, WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!?” screamed Todd.

“Don’t use the lord’s name in vain dick hole.” Mike scolded while keeping his eyes on the beast and his shield up.

Single D put a marble in the sling of the wrist rocket and pulled to aim. Todd raised his club and stepped beside Mike, urine running down his leg. The beast came down from its rear with a thud and scraped at the loose dirt in front of it. Eric made a gesture to send Boomer back home but the pooch was looking up. Not at the beast though, he was looking behind Eric and into the branches above.

The little mage let his glass bullet fly as Eric turned to look up. The marble shattered on the ridge above the beast’s right eye and made him recoil. Mike raised the point of his sword toward the stag in case it charged downhill and Eric caught sight of what had Boomer’s attention. It was a great horned owl swooping toward them. It was strange.

There were plenty of raptors in this part of Illinois. Hawks and kites, maybe even an eagle now and then. But not a great horned owl. Maybe if one escaped from a zoo or something, but this one didn’t. Owls like this one wouldn’t fly straight at humans and most certainly wouldn’t fly at a monster like the demon stag. But none of that was the strange part. What was strange is that it was carrying three arrows in its talons.

The beast was bleeding now above its eye. Bleeding and angry. Any caution it had about its footing for a charge had now vanished. It reared again and lowered its head toward the furry urine scented creature and charged. Todd held his ground, screaming, and swung his club down toward the beast’s lowered head. Mike managed to get his shield in front of the beast’s antlers to protect Todd as his club came down hard on its head. It glanced off Mike’s shield and shook its head dizzily as it stumbled to their right.

The owl dropped the three arrows at Eric’s feet and landed between the beast and the boys. Single D let another marble fly, this time striking the beast directly in the eye. It let loose another scream and charged the tiny mage. Eric fumbled to get an arrow nocked and had enough time to get off one shot that stuck in the monster’s face but did not drop him. Boomer jumped in front of Single D, but he wouldn’t stand a chance. Eric thought all was lost but then the volume on crazy on this day went all the way up to eleven.

The owl transformed into a grizzly bear in less time than it would take to say, “turn me into a bear.” The grizzly stepped in front of the charge and soaked the antler damage meant for Single D. With a determined grunt and no shortage of anger it gashed both sides of the monster’s neck. Although surrounded by large and dense muscles, the claws found both the carotid artery and jugular vein. It then laid on the monster’s head until it blead out.

“What the fuck is happening?” Todd was in tears now as the adrenaline started to fade.

Mike got to his feet and stepped between the bear and his brother. Eric knelt to check on Single D who had been knocked to the ground with Boomer in the fray. He was weeping silently and staring at the dead monster beneath the bear. Boomer licked the tears from his face trying to assure him all was well. Eric, in shock, stared at the second arrow he had picked up. He looked up at the bear, trying to piece it all together.

“It’s a druid.” he said. “That’s the only explanation.”

“Aye.” Mike said as Single D nodded through tears.

“What fucking ever.” Todd wept.

The bear slowly pulled itself from the monster’s antlers. It let out grunt part sigh and part growl and sat back heavily onto its haunches. Pawing at the puncture wounds on its belly it cocked its head to the side like a confused dog and looked at the Ranger. Slowly, as all four boys stared in amazement, the animal turned from grizzly to human. A naked, bleeding, human woman. Mike removed his cloak and draped it over her shoulders to modestly cover her exposed lady parts.

“Níl tú ach buachaillí beaga!” The lady scolded. You aren’t but wee boys! She waved a finger at the boys sternly. “Is dúr leis an óige, buachaillí beaga bídeacha. ” Stupid with youth, wee tiny boys. She held up her thumb and fore finger in a manner to indicate something small.

The boys stared at her in shock. Boomer was the only one paying any attention to the felled demon stag now. He sniffed and pawed at it, not noticing the woman at all. Single D pushed his way to the front of the group and cleared his throat.

“Begging your pardon, ma’am, but we do not speak Irish. I hope that you also understand English as I would like to extend our thanks to you for stopping that unnatural beast from shortening our lives.” He smiled and extended his right hand while his left pushed his glasses back home on his nose.

“Yeah, thanks.” Mike said.

“Not so stupid that ye don’t know Irish when you hear ye hear it though.” She said with a smile. Her accent was so thick the boys had to concentrate to understand her. “Ye’re welcome lads.”

“You were a fucking bear!” Todd screamed. “How the fuck?”

“Aye, I was a fecking bear.” She smiled as she stood. “And ye are fortunate I was.” Her scolding tone returned with a face to match. “A Totanaki is no beast for wee boys t’be fightin’!”

She brushed the cloak to make sure she was covered and knelt to the stag’s head. She grabbed the arrow protruding from the meat of its face and plucked it out with a twist. As she turned, Eric saw that the punctures on her stomach were closed and seemed to have healed some. She noticed his gaze and pulled the cloak to cover her skin.

“I’ll be fine, wee Ranger. When I shift it heals me some.” She held the arrow out to him. “Me brudder’s a Ranger, lad. Ye’ll need these arrows if’n ye want to protect yer mates.”

Eric took the arrow with a silent smile. He studied the three of them closer now the impending peril had passed. They were ash wood stained a sage green color. The fletching was owl feathers bound with fine cotton thread. Each shaft had a series of hand carved runes. Eric made note too look up their meanings later. He was most impressed with the arrow heads. Each was made of stone, two red jasper and one forest agate. He ran his thumb along one’s edge and found it razor sharp, slicing him with barely any pressure.

“Careful lad, those are my handy work. Very sharp.” She took his hand gently and inspected the cut. Keeping his hand in hers she knelt and pinched some dirt with her free hand. She closed her eyes and lifted her chin. The air seemed to follow her queue and blew her hair back as she took a deep breath. She then rubbed the soil into his cut. He watched in awestruck shock as she brushed the dirt away from the perfectly healed thumb.

“Wait, no!” Todd was having a hard time keeping it together. “You are a real fucking druid?” Tears rolled down his face and his breathing quickened. His gaze darted from the stag, to the woman, to the arrows and to Eric’s thumb. He was on the verge of a panic attack when Mike put a hand on Todd’s shoulder.

“Todd, it’s OK. We’re here and you are safe.” Mikes words were calm and peaceful. Todd looked at Mike’s eyes and began to calm. His breathing slowed and with it, his mind. The warmth of Mike’s touch spread through his body until he was fully relaxed.

“I’m good man.” Todd said. “Thanks Mike. I’m good.”

Eric stowed the arrows in his messenger bag and turned his attention back to the woman. She was scratching Boomer behind the ears while he kissed her face. Who was she? Where did she come from? Were there more druids? Her brother is a Ranger. What does that mean?

“Um, miss?” Eric asked. “I have some questions. If I may.”

“Of course, wee man.” She said. “We can talk while I walk you boys back out of the woods.”

“Wait, no.” Mike said. “If there are more of these beasts out here we need to stop them.”

“I like yer pluck, lad.” The lady stood and approached Mike as she spoke. “Ye’re all lucky, this Totanaki was young one.”

“Wait, young?” Eric asked. “But it has sixteen points.”

“Aye Ranger. Young.” She smiled. “Beasts of the Sea and Sky don’t behave like they do here on the Earth.”

“Sea and Sky?” Single D seemed confused. “This creature has neither gills nor wings, ma’am.”

“Melanie.” She said. “Please call me Melanie, lad. Or Mel. Ma’am is what ye call yer mum. I dinna mean sea like in the water, lad. It’s a mystic Sea.”

She saw confusion on all the boys faces. Knowing she had their attention she began to walk toward the cemetery as she explained. The boys followed without question, mesmerized by her story like she was the Pied Piper leading them from Hamelin.

“There are three realms of this life, lads. Three is an important number, remember it. Recognize it. All things, good and bad, come in threes. Like the Totanaki, back there. It is the third I have slain in these woods.”

“What do you do with them.” Eric asked.

“I ask the ground to take them. We are old mates, the ground and me.” She said.

“Three planes.” Mike said.

“Aye, lad.” Melanie came back to her topic. “They are the Earth, Sea and Sky.

They all intersect at the sacred fire and spread out to the realms of all life. Human, beast, plant, stone and spirit all dwell on Earth, Sea and Sky. The sacred fire, Brighid’s grace, unites us all.

The Earth is home of humans, you and me, as well as the plants and animals ‘round the world. It’s the common world where most of us spend our entire lives. Each playin’ our part in the great braiding of things. Weaving together the knotwork of our stories and purpose best we know how.

Then there’s the Sea, the wild waste that lies outside our common land. It’s just behind the veil and teaming with life, different from us. It’s the place of the Otherworld Isles, the home of the Sidhe heroes and the land of the young. If’n ye know where to look you can travel to and fro twixt Earth and Sea.

And last but greatest of the realms is the Sky where Light and Shadow are born. It’s the place of the Shining Ones. It soars above the Earth and Sea just as the sight of the Gods and Goddesses watches of all. It turns, ever waxing and waning like our moon, dancing with stars like a may pole ‘round us always.

And in the midst of all these worlds is found the Sacred Grove united by Brighid. The place of flowing together where she keeps the Sacred Fire burning by the Well of Wisdom beneath the World Tree.”

As Melanie finished her story the six of them emerged from the woods where the boys had entered. No longer shaded by the canopy light bounded from her strawberry blonde hair and ice blue eyes. The boys stood, slack jawed, in awe of both she and her story. Boomer leaned heavily against her leg, his version of a hug.

“Now, off with ye wee lads.” She made a shooing motion toward their homes. “Yer parents’ll be worried after ye and I have more work to do.”

“But we can help.” Eric pleaded.

“Yeah.” Mike said while Single D nodded in unison. “It’s our duty.”

Todd just stared longingly at Melanie. Since experiencing the Paladin’s calming influence after their battle the Barbarian was living less loudly. He sighed as she made eye contact with him.

“Aye, and ye will.” She said. A serious look on her brow. She knelt and brought the boys in closely for a huddle. “I need the four of you, and Boomer, to patrol these woods after today.”

All four stood as tall and proud as they could.

“What if we find something?” Eric asked. “Like more Totanaki tracks, or something worse?”

“I’m glad ye asked, wee Ranger.” Melanie said. She cupped her hand behind Eric’s ear and pulled a Blue Lace Agate from her palm as if it had been back there all along. “Speak into this stone and leave it by a Hawthorn tree just before sunrise, and I’ll hear what ye said to it.”

The boys made sounds of awe and crowded Eric for a closer look at the stone. Melanie stood back up and walked up the slight incline to the trails mouth at the wood line.

“If’n ye need me, lads, I’ll come runnin’”

With a wink and a smile she pulled her hands under Mike’s cloak, to her sides. Her beautiful face shifted into the great horned owl they had seen earlier. She sloughed off the cloak and beat her wings to take flight. A quick circle and a mighty screech later and she was gone. Back into the woods where they found her.

“You guys.” Todd said. “Melanie is a really for real Druid.” He smiled.

“You didn’t curse.” Single D said as he pushed his glasses back into place. He smiled with approval as Mike picked up his cloak and the five began their trip back to hearth and home.

#MMXVII #MuShinGirl #Fiction #Druid #Illustration

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