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thesirencult · 1 year ago

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Pick A Card : Soul Connection

An intuitive reading about a soul meant to find yours. In epic tales there is a literally mechanism called "recognition". The hero and his counterpart recognize eachother even after years of estrangement. Like Penelope and Odysseus. A love so deep not even multiple lifetimes can erase. A soul kindred to yours you would recognize in a sea of people.

"I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world."

disclaimer : a tarot reading should never be used in place of professional counselling. Your reading cannot offer legal, medical, business, or financial advice nor does any portion of your reading herein purport to. You should not rely on a tarot reading to make any decision that would affect your legal, financial, or medical condition. If your inquiry involves the law, finance, or medicine, then you should seek the advice of a licensed or qualified legal, financial, or medical professional. Also, tarot reading cannot replace qualified mental health care. A tarot reading can only facilitate how you cope spiritually with a given situation.

PILE 1

The soul meant to find yours is a gentle one. Themes that come up here remind me of couples like Queen Victoria and Albert. I t will be love at first sight. Whatever your genders are, the "supposed" feminine will be the dominant one.

Your person will take the backseat as you run things. You may come from a wealthier background or simply seem "high value". Lady and the trump vibes.

This person will fight for those who didn't get the same opportunities to grow. They cheer for the underdog. This person will love your firey nature and how "bossy" you are. One thing you have to be careful with in this relationship is to keep things balanced as sometimes they might feel like you do not respect them or you don't spend enough time with them.

They could be an INFJ. Sympathetic, compassionate and protective. Practical and detail oriented, this is the safe place you need to come back to after your long trips towards the stars.

PILE 2

The love of your life will be able to see you. The real you. They won't overlook the greyness in your face. "You're Losing Me" by Taylor Swift is a song that can talk about your past.

No one stopped hurting you even though they knew they wouldn't be able to bring you back. They didn't care.

This person is everything that you deserve. They will help you heal. No sad songs with this one. Your happily ever after. This person is a soldier. They would die for love.

Your people pleasing tendencies won't go unnoticed with this one. They care about YOU, not what you can do about THEM.

Give them a chance when they come around. Sweet energy. Safe. Boy-Girl-They next door energy. A sweetheart with a great smile and a kind glint in their eyes. My heart feels warm writing about them. Hallmark movies ain't got nothing on them. Their love is simple and "perfect". No questions and worries. Your safe place.

Your energy reminds me of those wedding photos you see on Instagram of couples in small American towns posing with their golden retriever and smiling at each other. Don't let your past wounds f*ck this up. Sincerely, from one people pleaser to another. If you picked this pile we would have been besties in real life. Lots of love and hugs your way.

P.S. They will always choose you. You are not the first, but the ONLY choice.

PILE 3

Your whole life you have felt alone and isolated. Like life is a party you have not been invited. I wouldn't say you are a "pick me", you are far from that. You just feel like there is no one there for you to keep your hands warm. You have always longed for someone that will look behind the mirror and realize there is someone is behind it. You struggle with finding your inner voice.

The catch here is that you have the ability to choose anyone behind the mirror. You have the ability to show who you truly are. Be wild and crazy. Unstoppable. You didn't come here to do pretty and quiet. You are here to awake others and break the glass.

The person meant for you, your other half is very different from you. They are way more hedonistic and may find solace is the material realm. They will do everything to make you feel wanted and beautiful. This person will see you for who you truly are and they won't feel intimidated. Your "black cat energy" won't drive them away. They have some skeletons in the closet themselves. Disturbing and compelling, this one would make a great "50 Shades Of Grey" type of movie. lol. They could listen a lot to the Weeknd or they used to live a very "rough" lifestyle in the past. Love at first sight. Intense. You slap them and they will kiss you. They will buffle you. "Why doe sthis mfer stick around somehow?".

In all honesty, in this lifetime, your other half will be overbearing. They won't back down until they take you down with them. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem come to mind in Jamon Jamon. This person may also come from money or have a lot of money and they want you to be their dark princess/prince. It will feel like taking a panther or feral cat and trying to domesticate it. Good try. You are still dangerous though, but they don't mind a few scratches.

#astrology #tarot reading #tarot #pick a pile #pick a card #pac reading #level up journey #pick a photo #pick a picture #soulmate

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sideysvault · 2 months ago

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𓍼ོ Ad Astra Per Aspera 𓍼ོ (PT. 4)

Inglorious Shame

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x fem!reader

wc: 1090k

Tags: [sfw] Arranged marriage, slow burn, angst, mentions of dead, mature themes, mentions of sexual assault, enemies to lovers, hurt, comfort.

full series masterlist. read part five.

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The Princess entered the marital room —partially worried about him, and in part with a desire to confront him— but she was taken aback by the lack of a familiar eye patch on her husband’s face.

His left eye, which was man crafted, was as blue as the real one. She did not know the name of the stone that filled his empty socket, but it was beautiful, and it reflected a much brighter light than the one available in the chamber. When he saw her lingering on the door, he shifted on his seat slightly, embarrassed upon her transfixed gaze. An argument could be made that the Princess was as equally astonished; For the first time since she had known him, he looked truly disheveled. Even his straight moon hair rebelled, forming unknown patterns that matched the lines between his eyebrows.

Prince Aemond must have been able to read it on his wife’s face immediately, because he quickly stated “Heleana told you” his voice sounded remote and strange as he said it.

She made a dissipative gesture with her hands and shrugged her shoulders with a guilty look. Of course Helaena had told her.

Getting closer to him, sighing and remembering the oath she had made to herself of making an active effort to be conciliatory and compassionate, she tried to help smooth the situation.

“You must ignore Aegon, He has done everything so many times in life, that he has drifted too far between the jaws of cruelness”.

A semblance of a laughter emerged from her husband, but he was either too angry or too embarrassed to find any sort of amusement in the ordeal.

“Are you disappointed?” There was that question again. But unlike the first time, the accusatory tone could not mask the sincerity of it. The Princess thought about it for a moment. She had felt mortified and embarrassed of his husband seeking in a brothel what he had rejected from his own wife, but upon hearing the details of the mockery of the King, she was not really sure that the encounter between the whore and her husband had been completely sexual in nature. Aemond was a strange man. So, she told him what she had rehearsed if he ever asked her feelings on the matter; The truth. “Not entirely. You were not hurting anyone, unlike he often does. That brings me some peace of mind”.

The Gods are sometimes merciful, and apparently so could be his wife. Aemond felt a reassurance that if he had not received it, he may have never known he needed it.

“I still defiled the honor of our marriage. It was improper of my character, and completely at odds with your values, for that matter”.

She uttered an affirmative sound. He was right. He had committed a sin, and no matter the feelings she lacked towards him, it had still hurt her. And after thinking about it for a moment, mustering the courage she needed to ask what had been plaguing her mind “Is that-, Is that the reason you refused to consummate?”

She regretted asking him that intrusive question as soon as the words finished leaving her mind. Aemond looked uncomfortable again, and she was sure that the inquiry had brought them two steps back. “She-, when I was-” struggling for a minute to find the proper words, possibly debating whether sharing that information with her was the right move, he finally continued

“Well, when I was a child. Aegon took me”.

The cavities on his wife’s heart contrived in the most uncomfortable of sensations. Such occurrences were not foreign her, and having experienced them in the tenderness of girlhood, she could not deny that it had taken a toll on her psyche as well. As much as she tried not to, the Princess instinctively imagined Aemond as a child, with his face wounded, his brother on a path to destruction, Helena feeling as lonely as ever, and his mother, heartbroken still for the loss of her childhood friend. Upon the mess of this hurricane, he had also been hurt.

She sat near the edge of the bed, as close to him as she could. The fabric that covered their thighs were brushing against one another, emanating the soft warmth of skin. The Princess rested her head on his shoulder while he took her hand. She tried to avoid eye contact with him, because flashes of her own violation of innocence were poisoning the back of her eyes, and Aemond wanted to avoid eye contact as well, clearly embarrassed and dealing with shadows of his own.

So, she softly said to the skin on his shoulder the only thing she could think of, “I am sorry. I truly am”, tying the comment down to his flesh with a small kiss on the cusp of his blade.

When he finally turned to face his wife, he saw her teary eyes. That was all it took for him to understand that it went beyond the compassion she felt for him, but a remembrance of a similar curse of her own. He nodded to her in an understanding that only shared experiences could create. But just as he was about to say something else, she stood up from the bed and nervously uttered with tears now running through her cheeks, “Let us have a cup of wine and wake up no sooner than noon.” This time, however, no strength was needed to laugh at her attempts to lighten the mood. His wife walked towards the counter, now facing away from Aemond as she continued, “You must rest. We will deal with whatever is to come later, with the clarity of the morning. But you have nothing to be ashamed of, husband. I hope that much is clear”.

The Prince smiled. While the tender moment was over, her stern and bossy disposition was back, and that was enough for him tonight. In a sense, he felt grateful for Heleana’s indiscretions.

Aemond got up to prepare the cups as she turned off most of the candles in the chamber. The Princess grabbed some lavender she had stolen from the garden earlier that week and burned it slightly before putting it off, bringing the sweet smell of the smoke near the bed, making sure of doing everything in her hands to provide him with some peace. He deserved it, after all that had happened.

From that day forward, Prince Aemond knew no end to his enjoyment of lavender scent.

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Notes: Work is swallowing me whole but all i can think about are these two idiots.

This is dedicated to @aemondslove whose religious re-blogs are the sole reason why this series has gained any traction in the vast sea of Tumblr. Thank you for reading! I wanted to dedicate you a good chapter, but i guess i can always tag you twice :'p.

(i know 100 may not seem like a lot to some people, but this is my first series and im so thankful for any interaction!)

#aemond one eye #aemond targaryen x you #aemond targaryen x reader #prince aemond #aemond targaryen #hotd aemond #aemond x reader #hotd fanfic #hotd spoilers #hotd s2 #hotd season 2 #hotd #house of the dragon #house of dragons

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clairdelunelove · 9 months ago

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actually shaking at the thought of how considerate boyfriend!yuuji is once you’re dating

hasn’t been in the ‘dating field’ before so this is all new territory to him and he tries so hard to be vigilant about everything you do. every anxious mannerism you have. the tone of your voice when you’re frustrated. it’s all carefully commemorated in his mind. filed away for a day when he needs it. mental notes that’ll help him guide you through any tough times you might have. he wishes to be the best for you– the best partner a person could possibly have because you deserve it. so he’ll fight and compromise for you. even rearranges his schedule just to get a glimpse of your face in the dim moonlight. an honor that you bestow upon him. that is, until he notices the furrow of your brows and how the ends of your lips are curved downwards. now this is unfamiliar to him. he ventures to step closer to you and his gaze flickers when you unconsciously twist away. but if yuuji is known for anything– then it’s for how adamantly he cares for you.

“hey,” his voice is low and tender, “you doin’ alright?”

and he’s so selfless. compassionate to a point where it’s noble. his calloused hand caresses your shoulder and the touch automatically soothes you. it always does. that’s the effect that yuuji had on you and a shaky exhale passes through you. his voice was, without fail, softer whenever he spoke to you. the tone of it undertook a maturity that he typically saved for more serious matters.

“yeah,” you instinctively respond with a shaky smile, “I’m fine.”

the reply is a reflex that you haven’t fought to break and it shows. it gives rise to genuine worry that bleeds into his stare when your boyfriend looks at you. and goodness does he watch you closely. his honeyed eyes bounce along every inch of your face and body, checking for any physical signs that might cause you harm. upon concluding that you weren’t hurt, he gingerly takes your hands into his own and gently squeezes.

“you sure? you don’t sound fine to me.”

his sharp features catch the faintest glint of exhaustion behind your eyes and he recognizes that it’ll take a bit more prying to coax you to talk. no worries– yuuji’s a man of patience. he’d wait decades for you. in fact, he’d drop to his knees and plead if it’d aid him in finding a solution to your problems. and you’re aware that he would because his concern for your wellbeing is so apparent. he’d shout it from the rooftops until his voice eventually gave out and that conception only warms your heart. in truth, you just missed him– his presence, affection, and yearning.

“you’re so good to me, yuu,” you softly admit, staring up at him.

there are hearts in your eyes. glimmering and floating in a manner that knocks the wind out of his chest. little does he know that his obvious worry quells the ache of overthinking within you. he tilts his head, blushy hair bobbing at the action, and uses his thumb to draw circles on the back of your hands. sweet gestures that match him in this trying time. you can’t stifle the smile that overtakes your face and his heart is so full of you that he can hardly call it his own.

his stare is adoring as he murmurs, “oh yeah?”

the inquiry borders a tease and he raises a brow at you. your eyes flicker to the width of his shoulders, broad and consuming. such a tempting sight that has your mind wandering. and yuuji’s seen that starry gleam in your gaze before. almost forces a chuckle out of him due to how troubled he was about the situation. but you just missed him. perhaps his busy schedule has kept him away from you for too long. such a needy thing. and if he did have a fault it would be how insatiable he is about you.

he moves to grab you by the chin, his touch sensitive yet firm. honeyed eyes narrowing at how yours widens in longing. then, yuuji tilts your face up to his. his next words are a deep rumble that spreads enough warmth to start a wildfire within you and you’re gravitating towards him. pulled in by his temptations.

leaning to press a sticky kiss on your jaw, he encourages, “then won't you talk to me, pretty girl? please?”

#jujutsu itadori #jujutsu kaisen #yuji itadori #itadori x reader #yuuji itadori #yuuji fluff #itadori x y/n #itadori yuuji x reader #jjk x reader

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rainypoetrydefendor · 14 days ago

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🏳️‍🌈NEED FOR JUSTICE.

In the resounding echo of humanity's pursuit for justice and liberty resonates a fervent yearning cherished by multitudes. Justice, entwined with the essence of freedom, emerges as the ideal sought by all. Yet, amidst the veils of public perception lies an unsettling truth, one that the world has regrettably failed to grasp. The façade of virtue painted by the UNHCR shrouds a reality steeped in desolation and shattered expectations.

With each passing day, month, and year, the landscape of our existence within the confines of Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya grows increasingly bleak. We, the queer refugees and asylum seekers, find ourselves entangled in a web of adversity. It is not merely a narrative of what has transpired over the years but a poignant inquiry into what ought to be rectified, and more crucially, what each noble soul can endeavor to rectify in this relentless wave of injustice.

Pain, a transient visitor to the human soul, is believed to dissipate with the passage of time. However, when one remains ensnared within the clutches of unrelenting violence and despair, time becomes an elusive remedy. Only those shackled by these circumstances can fathom the depth of anguish endured. Countless untold stories languish in obscurity, leaving a haunting sense of neglect and isolation. Every avenue meant to provide solace and sanctuary has transmuted into a source of strain for us.

The resounding call for justice often finds its resonance in the collective voice of the public. Yet, when the custodians of power turn a blind eye, actively perpetuating the cycle of violence and injustice, the very essence of justice is desecrated. Whom shall we hold accountable for this protracted travesty, silently unfolding before our innocent eyes? The harrowing violence inflicted by certain African communities upon the queer populace is a known chapter. However, it is the complicity of organizations like the UNHCR, with their deliberate inaction and implicit participation in this violence through police brutality, that perpetuates our mental anguish.

Attempting to assert our rights in the face of UNHCR officials within the camp has become an ordeal, leaving us emotionally and mentally scarred. Our lives, relegated to the margins, have been deprived of opportunities that should be universal to all refugees. Fleeing from persecution has only led us into an abyss of uncertainty, as the malevolent forces continue to prey upon our innocence.

Despite the trials that haunt our days and the tragedies that have torn apart our circles of love and support, we refuse to relinquish our stance in advocating for justice and freedom. We stand resolute against the tide of suffering that threatens to engulf us entirely. Friends, companions, and kin have been lost to the heinous acts of fellow refugees, organizations, activists, embassies, and governmental bodies entrusted with safeguarding human and civil rights.

To you, the compassionate and resilient souls who champion the cause of justice, I implore your solidarity. Your impact, your advocacy, can be the beacon of change illuminating the dark corridors of Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kenya. Our queer community, besieged by brutality, hatred, and violence, beseeches your support. In the midst of abhorrent living conditions, where basic needs remain a distant dream, we beseech various organizations and activists to refute the misguided ethos of the UNHCR in Kenya.

Stand with us, lend your voice to the chorus for freedom, and advocate for the liberation of the queer individuals in Kakuma Refugee Camp. Our only experience in this realm has been one etched with unrelenting pain—a reality we refuse to accept as our fate.

Please try to consider making a donation to also save innocent lives of lgbtiq individuals

https://gofund.me/6930e2d7

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hisui-dreamer · 1 year ago

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ode to the scheming eel

Pairing: Jade Leech x gn!reader

Synopsis: the world would never know how wonderful he is, but he was a treasure beyond compare

Tags: drabble, fluff, slightly poetic hehe, reader is a simp for jade

Word count: 604

Notes: double posting for floyd's too!!! eel birthday fics wooo!

yes it's been a few days but im still celebrating (⁠ﾉ⁠≧⁠∇⁠≦⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠ ⁠ﾐ⁠ ⁠┻⁠━⁠┻

Masterlist

Your lover often keeps himself wrapped in layers of soft-spoken charm and formal eloquence. The world sees him as a meticulous vice housewarden, yet, there's more to him than meets the eye. He revels in the art of deception, a master puppeteer manipulating the strings of those around him. Words, for him, are the weapons of choice, and he wields them with a finesse that leaves others bewildered. They dance with a subtle wit, each sentence a carefully crafted tapestry of indirect barbs veiled in layers of politeness, but cut sharper than any blade.

Your lover possesses a subtle artistry in the way he observes you. His keen eyes, like an ever-watchful guardian, seem to unravel the intricacies of your being with each passing moment. His enjoyment in watching you is not invasive; instead, it's a delicate dance of understanding, an appreciation for the nuances that make you who you are. In his gaze, you feel a sense of acceptance and fascination, a warmth that borders on admiration. And though he may be admit to being uncomfortable when it becomes your turn to observe him, there’s no denying the blissful smile on his flushed face.

Your lover possesses a remarkable capacity for care and an unparalleled attention to detail that extends beyond the bounds of ordinary affection. It's as if he holds an intimate map of your well-being, meticulously navigating the subtle shifts in your mood. His eyes, sharp and perceptive, catch the nuances of your expressions, and his gentle inquiries are a testament to the depth of his concern. Whether it's a fleeting illness or the weight of a difficult day, his caring nature unveils itself in the subtle gestures—a comforting touch, a jacket on your shoulders, a few words of motivation, or simply a quiet presence that speaks volumes. His attention to the nuances of your emotional landscape is a testament to the genuine and compassionate love he harbours for you.

Your lover takes immense pleasure in the teasing you, delighting in the subtle dance of words that elicit reactions from you. He possesses a mischievous flair, savouring each moment as he skilfully weaves playful banter into your interactions. The sparkle in his eyes betrays the satisfaction he finds in observing your responses, a testament to his mastery in the delicate game of verbal sparring. However, the tables turn when you successfully tease him back. In those moments, a subtle flush colours his cheeks, his usually eloquent words falter, replaced by a silent vulnerability that reveals a side of him he keeps well-guarded. It's in these instances that the power dynamic shifts, and you catch precious glimpses of your tender, unguarded lover beneath the veil of his composed exterior.

Your lover's unusual obsession with mushrooms may be slightly concerning, but you can’t find it in yourself to deny him when his eyes shine with delight. There's an undeniable allure in witnessing his fervor, and you find yourself incapable of withholding support. Your scavenging hikes become cherished adventures, traversing landscapes in search of the elusive fungi. Throughout the journey, he remains attentive, ensuring your well-being at every turn. In embracing his passion, you discover a shared joy that transforms any reservations into moments of bonding and shared experiences.

Your lover, with all his complexities, is the masterpiece you've chosen to love, a canvas painted with shades of eloquence, mischief, and a profound appreciation for the beauty that others may overlook. You find yourself captivated by the enigma that he is, drawn to the uncharted territories of his thoughts and the subtleties of his actions.

Your lover, is none other than Jade Leech.

Masterlist

if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!

#twstnexus #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland jade #twisted wonderland jade leech #jade leech #jade leech x reader

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4dkellysworld · 1 year ago

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Three Methods on the Path

There are three methods we use to help us on the path so we can realize our Self: 1. Self-surrender - where we surrender completely to God, or to your Self. But that’s hard to do for most people. It sounds easy, but it’s not. It means that you have no life of your own. You surrender completely and totally, everything to God. Totally. Every part of your life goes to God. “Not my will, but Thine.” That’s devotion, bhakti. Again, it sounds easy to some people, but it’s not when you get into it, because it means every decision that you have to make is left up to God. You give your mind to God, totally, completely, absolutely. And that leads you to Self-realization. 2. Mindfulness - Becoming the witness. Watching yourself continuously. Watching your thoughts, watching your actions. Sitting in meditation and watching what goes on in your mind. Not trying to change anything or correct anything. Just observing. Becoming the witness to your thoughts in meditation, and to your actions in the waking state. 3. Self-inquiry - this is the one that I advocate. Asking yourself, “To whom do these troubles come? To whom does this karma come? To whom does this suffering come? It comes to me. Well, what is ‘me’? I am me. Who am I? From where did the I come from?” And following the “I” to its source. You can use any (or all) of those three methods, whatever suits you best. But by all means, do something. Don’t waste your life with frivolities. Work on yourself, if you want to become free. It doesn’t mean you have to give up going to the movies, or going to work, or anything. You give nothing up. You just become aware of what you’re doing. You become a conscious being. You become conscious of your actions. You become loving, compassionate, gentle to all people. You stop watching out for number one. Most of us say, “Number one, I’m number one.” Forget it. That’s how you suffer. That’s ego. It’s hard to understand, when you give up your ego, how you can have a better life, but you do. Try it and you’ll see. When you stop thinking of yourself, and you start thinking on your Self, but yourself becomes Omnipresence, that means you're thinking of everybody else as yourself. So if any human being suffers, you suffer too.

from Silence of the Heart by Robert Adams

#kinda back now but I'm going to be less active than I was before #highlight key: purple for 'action' points - pink for key points #excerpts #silence of the heart #robert adams #practical #self inquiry #surrender #witnessing

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melliae · 18 hours ago

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Hong Lu, An Analysis-Prediction

Before beginning, as always, I've to clarify something: I haven't read Dream of the Red Chamber. My best source of information are the thematic connections drawn in the Reddit sub of Limbus, and that only gives me a slight idea of what Project Moon may have in mind.

So, everything below here is complete and utter speculation based on my own knowledge and impressions about Hong Lu's character, Sins, EGOS, and Abnormalities. Beware, and feel free to comment your own opinions!

Now, let's go with the post!

What We Know

So, I think the best way to start this analysis is by recapitulating Hong Lu’s overall character so far. For that, we need to return to the first ever explanation of his personality: the “resume” given in the game page and during his presentation in Selva Oscura.

“As such, he has a certain admiration for a free life; but occasionally, he may make ignorant and unsavory questions in regards to the food cooked by a certain other Sinner or other aspects of the low-lives' lowly culture. [,,,] However, it is important to note that no sarcastic undertones are contained in his curiosity-driven inquiries, so it is ill-advised to let them get physical over it.”

As a general thing… It surprisingly holds up! Don’t misunderstand me, though. It isn’t that the description is perfect; it’s just not untrue. In fact, his first even line in the game, about Dante’s head being some sort of trend and not waiting for an answer, totally falls there. Similarly, there are several other moments showing Hong Lu’s innocence and naivety without any ulterior or hidden motive, from wondering if the casino workers of Canto II were trying to make the Peccatula their pets (likely because his grandmother collects weird animals) to unintentionally insulting Outis’ watch in Canto VI. I’d say the biggest proof of his lack of experience is the moment in Canto V where he adjusted the LCCB badge of a pirate that very obviously wasn’t a member of Limbus. Though all of his weirdness may derive from the fact that his elders—which are weird as hell—are his point of reference.

Now, since his most notable trait has been explained, we can move into the discrepancies of the description, and the biggest one is mentioned at the end: that under Hong Lu's comments there is no sarcasm—which is a complete lie! This man is a menace, and the Sinner’s experiences in District 20 during To Claim Their Bones and Canto VI shows it, from agreeing Caiman’s assessment of LCB to joining Nelly’s teasing, including his lines while helping Heathcliff with his appearance and clothes. But arguably, my favorite example of this is the horror story he told during Canto V that scared Sinclair and which he only finished when the latter ran away. Don't tell me Hong Lu was being innocently insensitive back there: Sinclair was visibly shitting bricks, and the pretty boy here is keen enough to masterfully play the most compassionate and kind member of the League of Nine.

“Brother Young-ji was a man of kindness. He was not one to rashly harbor spite or reproach for others. You resemble him in that sense.” - Yi Sang, Blossoming League of Nine Littérateurs, Canto IV.

Though I suppose the difference between them is that Hong Lu clearly has a more optimistic and fun-loving attitude. This is an obvious trait that he has had since his childhood, when he played with and complained about his “cheating” siblings, sneaked into the dining hall of his manor for snacks, and simply didn’t follow his family’s rules. But since we know his family is extremely strict (if not outright sadistic), this sanguine streak may have developed (or gotten worse) as some sort of defense mechanism, which is seen better with Wakashu Hong Lu and his “lack of manners.” In fact, all of his Identities show an unnatural or improper calmness about his situation, no matter how horrible it is.

Another thing to highlight is his inquisitive, curious, and surprisingly understanding nature. While most of the examples above, especially him playing Young-ji, are proof of that, as it plays very well with his sheltered life. But I want to point out the best and most recent example of Hong Lu’s surprising contemplativeness: Time Killing Time. In particular, the most important scene is near the end, when Rodya and Hong Lu discuss his motivation to pursue the Time Reaper:

“I... just wanted to understand. Because, to me, the world was full of things I couldn't understand. In truth, I still understand so little of it. Why do people hang on so desperately to something like time? Something so... ephemeral?” - Hong Lu, Chapter 15: The Final Problem.

It’s normal to assume Hong Lu’s words are solely referring to the miserable monetary system of T Corp., but I don't think that’s all. We know that Hong Lu and Xinchun are well acquainted with the “immortality of the mind” the elders of their family are obsessed with, and what is immortality but infinite time? Thus, what Hong Lu asked there was why people hang on to the erroneous belief that life should not move or change, remaining constant and hence perfect for the rest of eternity. Yet, that isn’t what life truly is, right? It’s not for nothing that Hong Lu’s introductory quote is that “life has its vicissitudes as jade has its flaws,” which conveys his philosophy of detachment perfectly.

“When you’re distraught, simply remember that life goes on even if what you’re doing now doesn’t work out. Then, you’ll be free of worries.” - LCB Hong Lu

However, while the idea of detaching oneself from the whole without renouncing loving it is respectable, the way in which Hong Lu lives it is far from perfect, because detachment is not about carefreely admitting you will just simply gather the remains of your sister in case she is mutilated or readily accepting a horrible death just because you don’t mind dying. Even he himself admits from time to time, as with his jealousy over Heathcliff’s propensity to “ignore what he doesn’t like” (Rooms Past the Door) or Rim’s capacity to fly freely. In fact, one may even say that he hasn’t become detached at all, because doing so implies the complete acceptance of the “jade’s” beauty and flaws; Hong Lu, however…

“A thousand hours… Will a thousand hours have passed in the blink of an eye? [...] Then... I like that. Rip my time away.” - Hong Lu, Chapter 14: The Clock Tower of Fear, TimeKilling Time.

He has become detached from life altogether, and how could he not with the disaster that his family is? That likely was his only way to survive in such an environment, and unlike the rest of the Jia, he doesn’t seem to have that lucky predisposition for resentment and hatred. Even when his siblings tried to kill him the first time, Hong Lu didn’t come to hate them; he fully understood them because that’s the kind of person he is, just like Young-ji. However, since he realized such a thing through his big heart, he’s now fully aware that he will ultimately and cruelly die by their hands thanks to his love. In such a case, what other option does he have beyond merely “dancing”? A joke here, a sarcastic comment there, and a final appreciation for everyone so nothing is taken seriously and causes dissatisfaction, no matter how dim his eye becomes.

So, as of the 5th Walpurgisnacht, Hong Lu’s character can be summarized as follows:

Has a friendly, compassionate, and understanding personality that clashes against the violent and strict nature of his family.

Became detached over his own life because he can’t bring himself to hate and hurt his family.

His carefree attitude and sheltered life lead him to not understand some of the social conventions of… anyone who still has some respect for their own life.

Has a certain sarcastic and teasing streak, likely originating from both his personality and ideology.

There’s 1 aspect remaining that I didn’t mention above because I think it’s better to analyze Hong Lu’s EGOs first, to see what else we can rescue before giving a sort of “conclusion.”

About EGOs

Before any of you ask, no, I will not analyze Land of Illusion here; it’s best reserved for the next section, about Hong Lu Base ID. Instead, the first EGO I’ll deal with is, fittingly, the first one he ever received: Roseate Desire.

Roseate Desire originates from Pink Shoes, an Abnormality that evidently is an Aberration of Lobotomy Corp.’s Red Shoes, with their shared meaning being that of a single-minded and very violent obsession that’s impossible to resist—one of the purest expressions of Lust. But while Red Shoes and its EGO are fundamentally egoistic, not wanting to share the glory and pleasure of their desire’s fulfillment, Pink Shoes and Roseate Desire are of a softer shade, spreading their overwhelming lust to as many people as possible. The difference becomes clearer when you compare Rodya’s and Ishmael’s respective obsessions: the longing to be special vs. the desire to kill the “source of all evil” in retribution for all she has done.

Applying the former logic to Hong Lu, we can conclude first that he has a desire as strong as Ishmael’s hatred for Ahab, which is quite unexpected for someone who has basically given up on life! Thankfully, the Sin resources his version of Roseate Desire costs tell us a couple of things about his “fixation”: 4 Lust and 2 Envy. The dominance of Lust is self-explanatory, so that leaves us with Envy, which I commented on in the previous section: jealousy over those who can ignore and escape their problems—those who are “free.” Yet, since Roseate Desire and Pink Shoes are characterized by a sort of collective hedonism, so is Hong Lu’s wish to escape his family. Surely such a thing will bring joy to his cut-throat siblings.

And speaking about escapism, Hong Lu’s next two EGOs are all about that, beginning with the one whose Abnormality I analyzed in one of my previous posts: Dimension Shredder.

While Wayward Passenger is an Abnormality that is clearly about the trauma inflicted by W Corp.’s method of operation, it has a secondary meaning that Project Moon uses for its EGO too: being trapped in a horrible duty, necessity, or “path” that makes the individual envious of the life and possibilities others hold. This is best seen with Outis’ Dimension Shredder due to the Envy affinity, though Hong Lu’s Pride version isn’t that far off thanks to the Sin costs: 3 Pride and 3 Gluttony. Basically, it means that Hong Lu is “lost” due to external necessity, by things he can’t control (i.e., his family), but instead of resenting it as any other person would do, he takes pride in that, in having to follow a “terrible path,” because that’s the type of person he knows he is—the kind and understanding one that sacrifices himself.

The second EGO about escapism originates from LobCorp and hence from an Abnormality I haven’t analyzed: Soda and Opened Can of WellCheers, respectively. The two come from a Korean urban legend about people being drugged through juice cans and sold to fishing boats as slaves. Needless to say, the parallels with Hong Lu’s Soda are more than obvious: an envy born from a necessity (Gluttony) that grimly (Gloom) pushed him into a role he doesn’t want. Alternatively, and considering the ending of the Abnormality’s story log in LC, it’s the fulfillment of a fantasy born of jealousy, sadness, and necessity, though that doesn’t explain the Envy affinity of the EGO. Either way, nobody can deny that Soda stands for Hong Lu’s “murdered” wish to flee his circumstances.

The next EGO luckily is from another Abnormality I analyzed some time ago: Ambling Pearl and Effervescent Corrosion. However, unlike Rodya, who keeps the Abnormality’s original meaning mostly intact (safekeeping the “pearl”/one’s meaning from the “filthy” outside), Hong Lu gives it a twist: it’s not about protecting his “life treasure,” but something else

“Faust: For instance, let’s say that Hong Lu held a belief he was certain would be an unchanging constant as he lived in the City. Or, it could be a hope for some other psychological sustainment that has supported his life. Hong Lu: …Hmm. Faust: If that support suddenly collapses in a massively shocking event that causes one to let their “ego” go, his mind would crumble, so to speak. Hong Lu: …Well, I could see that happening. [...] Hong Lu: Hm… I thought I knew, but I can’t seem to elaborate on it with words right now.” - Chapter 3: Hell’s Chicken, Hell’s Chicken.

Unlike Rodya’s desire to be special and her notorious inner conflict, which is reflected in how similar her Corrosion is to a broken Ambling Pearl, Hong Lu is much more secretive about his opinions, usually referring to his frivolous comments instead of using the great insight he has, according to Dante. Nonetheless, even if we don’t exactly know the “core belief” he holds close to his heart (though we should have a general idea at this point), we do know that his version of Effervescent Corrosion, beyond Gluttony or the desire to survive, requires Gloom. So whatever Hong Lu is hiding, it’s far from happy, as his Sin weaknesses further show after EGO usage: weak to Lust and Sloth, to love and inaction—to the idea of not protecting himself.

In a similar vein, Hong Lu’s next EGO is entirely about sadness, as it comes from Blubbering Toad, aka depression incarnated. However, Cavernous Wailing isn’t a Gloom EGO but a Sloth one, and whose Sin costs are Gloom, Sloth, and Pride. That’s to say, Hong Lu’s refusal to take action and the resulting self-pity (“A heart shaken by sorrow bursts… like this.”) are fed by his sadness, indolence, and distorted self-perception, an aggrandized mental image of himself as able to carry all his pain without problem.

“It goes like this. Any of our siblings who managed to survive on their own up to the age of thirteen in our household will probably be a-okay even if they were to be tossed out to the middle of the Outskirts! Hehe…” - Hong Lu, Chapter 20, Canto VII.

Finally, the last EGO is the newly added Lasso, which comes from Rose Hunter, and really, its Mirror Dungeon Encounter puts it the best: Rose Hunter is the one who makes sure all stories follow their natural course, their flow, and “he” is no exception; the Hunter is willing to get lost if that’s the story it must obey. Fittingly, Lasso represents the same idea of not resisting one’s “tale” or “myth,” going along with what’s written not out of indolence or apathy, but because it’s necessary, akin to the motif of the “fetters of fate,” for example. In that regard, their underlying archetype is the same as that of the Orphic Ananke, the deification of the necessity that created the universe, which can be best understood through the following aphorism: existence came to be because it exists. Or put it in a simpler manner: you must follow your nature because that’s who you are.

Hong Lu’s Lasso, in the same way as Faust’s, requires first and foremost Gluttony to work, for that’s the entire deal of the Abnormality. Then comes the Lust requirement, which implies this “work” is also done out of either love or a twisted desire, a mania for things to follow their assigned nature or role. The final Sin cost is the variable one, which for Hong Lu is Pride again, his aggrandized sense of self that drives him to fulfill his role without complaining, solely out of love and necessity.

So, with all the EGOs analyzed, we can rescue the following:

Hong Lu, more than anything, wishes to escape the situation he has been put in. He wants to be free behind all those frivolous and/or insensitive commentaries.

However, due to his upbringing, he “murdered” those wishes so to speak, and remains walking the path his family has put him by many reasons, chief among them his love for them and his distorted perception of his own self.

Thus, all that longing and yearning for freedom remains hidden, barely able to see the light of the day except in the rarest of occasions. That’s likely his “pearl,” the thing that he ultimately hides for his own survival.

About His Base ID and EGO

You know, I have always been curious about why people are so adamant about Hong Lu being depressed. No doubt he has depression at some level, but I don’t think it’s as severe as people normally think it is because his Base ID simply lacks any form of Gloom. This is in stark contrast to Sinners such as Yi Sang, Gregor, and especially Ishmael, since she has a Gloom Base EGO as well. But if such is the case, then what does Land of Illusion means, since it requires Gloom to be used?

However, I think it’s important to understand Hong Lu’s Sin spread first, his psychology in this particular possibility:

His third skill, that is, his most inward and deep trait, is Lust. This Sin placement is only shared with LCB Heathcliff, whose devotion to Catherine is quite literally a multiversal constant as per Canto VI; everything he does, he does it for Cathy. Thus, Hong Lu must have a similarly romantic or affectionate nature, and we know that he isn’t the type to stop “loving” due to the cruelty of a person; his reaction towards the attempt against his life says enough. He even tried to understand the Time Ripper at some level during TimeKilling Time.

His second skill is Sloth, an inaction that’s much shallower but no less decisive, so to speak. One can understand it as deriving from his much more encompassing Lust or Love, which is to say that Hong Lu refuses to take action or initiative in his life out of the love and understanding, in a similar manner to how LCB Faust lets her every move be commanded by the Gesellschaft thanks to her need for self-realization.

Finally, his third skill, his most outward and shallow trait, is Pride. This position is only shared with the Base IDs of Faust (again) and Sinclair, although the former is the easiest one to understand: Faust is somewhat haughty without a doubt, but not egocentric or self-absorbed by any metric; she’s just socially naive and with a great deal of knowledge that tends to ostracize her by her own volition. Pride is, after all, the de facto Sin of distorted self-perception, of thinking you are more capable than you really are.

Again, all of this tells us what we already know: the kindness of Hong Lu, his indolence born out of said kindness, and the weight he alone bears on his shoulders. We can’t even say that he has a low self-esteem unless we include in that definition a “imposing limits on who you are,” which, yes, sounds right, but it leans too much in the territory of semantics for my taste. Furthermore, Hong Lu’s strange relationship with Gloom and sadness can also be contrasted with the Sinners I mentioned before, those with Gloom and whose Cantos are available:

Yi Sang was the living stereotype of the depressed person: cold, distant, unfeeling, dead inside, etc. Whatever you name, Yi Sang likely had it.

Ishamel’s emptiness and self-destructivity were well-hidden until her Canto, during which all hell was let loose.

And Gregor is possibly one of the most realistic approaches of all, as we can see with the flashbacks of his past during Canto I. Even so, he… well, remains somewhat functional (and I’m really stretching the definition there xD)

And don’t get confused. In this case, Gloom isn’t equal to feeling sad or being traumatized by any means; every Sinner has their own share of problems, and not all have Gloom. Sinclair had his family and town massacred thanks to Kromer's obsession with him, for example, and while I don’t doubt he feels a deep sadness and regret about it, he doesn’t have Gloom in his Base ID. The same applies to Rodya, her low self-worth, and her guilt about the fate of her neighbors, lacking any sort of Gloom as well. The most extreme and recent case of this is boss Sancho, who doesn’t have any Gloom skill at all, despite her character and story being more than fitting.

Therefore, Gloom, in the straightest sense and avoiding exceptions or little quips, refers to a deep-seated hopelessness, a melancholy that devours all dreams and hopes, causing one to become completely lost in life. In such a case then, it’s not that Hong Lu isn’t sad or, damn, depressed, but that he knows how to manage such emotions so they don’t overwhelm him as they do with Gregor, Yi Sang, or Ishmael. The same likely happens with his wish to escape and his jealousy, for he seemingly knows that no life is truly a “flawless jade.”

“In a way, we’re all ‘deprived’... and that can change a lot of things. Maybe there are things that we can understand only when we’re left with nothing.” - Hong Lu, Chapter 1: Wuthering Heights, Canto VI.

This self-control naturally falls in line with his inclination for Pride and Lust, creating a sort of “transpersonal” point of view that allows him to curb his emotions in order to understand others. It’s quite Buddhist or Taoist, no? This kind of detachment over life I explained before, I mean. In a way, it strengthens the theory of Jia family elders treating Hong Lu as a golden child, and while he doesn’t seem to really like the idea, he resigned himself to it.

“I can't do much about what I was born with~ To them... I was a gem of a child.” - Hong Lu, Liu Association South Section 5 Uptie Story.

He renounced all the transient things in his life, all of his wishes and sadness, in order to carry out his family’s expectations: the preferred family head candidate. And what is another form to call transient things? Illusions.

Land of Illusion is the culmination of Hong Lu’s hidden sadness, his yearning to escape that will forever remain out of his reach—or at least he thinks so.

“With this there is often, to a smaller or greater extent, a savior complex, or a Messiah complex, with the secret thought that one day one will be able to save the world; the last word in philosophy, or religion, or politics, or art, or something else, will be found.” - Marie-Louise von Franz, The Problem of the Puer Aeternus.

Hong Lu doesn’t believe himself to be a savior, naturally. But I cannot deny that it would be very much in character for him to imagine or fantasize about a world where he doesn’t have to fulfill his family expectations, where they can all be happy. That would explain the Lust cost of Land of Illusions, as well as the weaknesses to Envy and Wrath, which are a stand-in for the rejection of his innermost wish.

But alas, at the end, life has its flaws, and there’s no way Hong Lu will raise a fist against his family. Even if his survival depends on it, Hong Lu won’t defend himself because that would mean choosing and thus losing, and there’s nothing more terrifying to the eternal child than losing things. Death is a much more merciful and tempting possibility than acting and suffering.

“The puer aeternus very often has this mature, detached attitude toward life, which is normal for old people but which he acquires prematurely—the idea that life is not everything, that the other side is valid too, that life is only part of the whole existence. [...] So before he has gone down to earth, he already has the offer of death.” - The Problem of the Puer Aeternus.

In this regard, it doesn’t matter much Dante’s rewind or the actual existence of an afterlife. It’s the idea of death as a solution for a hard life, instead of confronting the problem itself, of standing up and withstand the uncertainty and pain of life.

AAt the end of his Canto, Hong Lu will have to stand up for himself and to carry on the pain. That's how a "child" becomes an "adult," or better said, an actual family head.

Post-Commentary

... Yeah.

To be honest, I don't know where the inspiration behind came for this. It just fell on me one day, like Faust's theory. But where I'm confident in that one, I'm completely lost in this post, especially because while the conclusion seems right (standing up to the abuse and expectations coming from one's family), the reasoning is somewhat flimsy? I don't know. I have the feeling that I'm retreating Canto VII's (and even Canto III's) story and themes somehow, though the similarities may be the reason of why Xinchun was introduced, maybe. That would make Don's confusion funnier xD

The final mentions of the puer aeternus (similar to the Peter Pan syndrome, but not quite) are due to how Hong Lu's character screamed "puer" to me, surpassing every other one. The fact his summary highlighted that he is a "bachelor" brought to mind this little quote of Marie-Louise's books:

“The two typical disturbances of a man wh ohas an outstanding mother complex are, as Jung points out, homosexuality and Don Juanism.”

If a man gets around too frequently, he'll obviously not get married. If he's gay, then even less reason to do so or look at women. In this case, the idea is not about the actual sexual orientation of Hong Lu (or the accuracy of the book's assessment), and more about highlighting his refusal to commit.

Also, as a funny note, The Problem of the Puer Aeternus has a fragment that's really similar to, from what I've gathered, the warnings the monks gave to the Stone at the beginning. Since the book also deals with the case of Saint-Exupéry and The Little Prince, there may also be something interesting regarding Demian (Limbus', not Hesse's).

Anyway, and repeating myself, if you have any other opinion or thought you want to share, feel free to do so! Similarly, if you notice any orthographical or grammatical error, let me know. It's difficult to see them, even when using several online tools...

#limbus company #hong lu #canto 7 spoilers #canto vii spoilers #canto viii speculations #canto 8 speculations #limbus company theory

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zippidi-dooda · 1 year ago

Text

"Alucard?" You said softly, looking up from your charcoal detail paper.

The man hummed, glancing at you from the corner of his eye.

You glance back down at the drawing you'd finished of him.

It looked great, he was a marvelous subject for a portrait. He was perfectly still and silent in any pose you positioned him, unmoving until you said you had finished. You loved to gaze at him with each drawing, tracing the outline of his well defined features, like the curve of his jaw or sharp shape of his nose, the soft curls of his golden hair that fell in waves around his shoulders, the length of his lashes that cast shadows over his amber eyes, the prominent arch of his brows, and swell of his plump lips onto the thick sheet of paper you carried around with a pen of charcoal, shading his features to match the lighting in a way you knew best.

Each pose, angle, and lighting was different. But there was one thing every drawing of him had in common.

"Why don't I ever see you smile?"

The man stiffened and proceeded to ignore your inquiry. "Are you almost done? I believe it's nearly time for our evening meal."

You looked back up at him and nodded slowly.

"I couldn't be more grateful that you allow me to draw you, Alucard. But, I am noticing a pattern in your ... habits. The way you present yourself."

Alucard stood and proceeded to walk in the direction of the kitchen, hoping to escape your conversation.

You followed after him.

"You are less grumpy looking than when we first met. But I have never seen you laugh or smile or give any other expression than this numb, blank look."

"My apologies, I am just not an expressive person like you're used to. There's no need to follow me, I'll finish up quickly and call for you when the food is done."

For a moment you didn't reply, simply staring at him from behind as he took long strides in front of you.

Like the castle walls surrounding you, he was so cold and sheltered, with walls thick enough to withstand many heavy attacks from the outside. So distant. Hiding in his own mind as he was hiding in this crumbling structure so deep into the woods.

You hoped one day you could even hear a snippet of what he was thinking of, get accepted into his inner fortress like you had been able to be accepted to stay within this fortified home of his.

You just, didn't know how.

Hesitantly, you reached out to him, pausing your actions for a moment before finally grabbing onto the sleeve of his coat, prompting him to stop and look over at you.

You gave him a warm smile and said, "if you ever have anything you need to get off your chest, I'll always be here to listen."

Alucard blinked slowly at you and after a minute you continued to walk in front of him, babbling about what he should make for this evening.

It went in one ear and out the other.

Alucard, now following behind you, furrowed his brow and pursed his lips further as he ran your words back in his mind over and over again.

Such compassionate words. From a seemingly harmless person. He truly wanted to believe you and tell you all that has been persistently wearing him down. But he just couldn't.

He had met one too many who gave him the same impression of harmlessness. And they had no remorse in trying to take advantage of his trust and vulnerability. That cut deeper than any sword or claw ever had and he couldn't handle the thought of experiencing that again with you.

He may have been a fool to let you in to live with him in the first place. But he would not make the mistake of blindly trusting you because he was lonely. He would not allow it.

'You'll always be here?'

Unlikely.

Alucard shook his head to clear his thoughts, and jumped into the conversation of dinner plans instead.

Maybe one day, he'd be able to meet someone he could actually trust. Maybe that person was you. He really hoped so. But as of now, it was too soon to tell.

He'd skirt any further questions you had in correspondence to this until much further in the future, when all doubts about your intentions were washed away from his mind.

An issue that would be much harder to fix than simply wishing it to go away.

#castlevania #alucard #castelvania alucard #vlad adrian tepes #x reader #reader insert #alucard x reader

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drake-wayne-enterprise · 6 days ago

Note

https://www.tumblr.com/danny-fenton-in-gotham/772983570057822208/i-love-the-difference-between-the-people-around?source=share

Your friend is adorable... Why does he have so many scars tho?

My friend has a name. Danny is one of the kindest and most compassionate individuals I have ever had the privilege of knowing. That is where your focus should lie, not on his scars. If you feel you truly "need to know," I suggest you direct the question to him personally. However, I believe that such an inquiry would be perceived as both distasteful and offensive so I strongly recommend against it.

Tim Drake

#dc rp #tim drake #dc rp blog #tim drake rp

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ravens-inquisition · 5 months ago

Text

⚔️ WELCOME TO THE INQUISITION 🐦‍⬛

This blog is dedicated to the recounting, archiving, and showcasing of "Raven's Inquisition". "Raven's Inquisition" is a Curse of Strahd prequel campaign where we get to explore setting elements and character relations that otherwise could not have been explored in the canon module. The DM @emp-roar is constructing the campaign as an adaptation of the "I, Strahd" novel, where Barovia has yet to be established, Strahd is still human, and the players are all inquisitors overtaking the Tsolenka Valley under the von Zarovich crest and the banner of the Morninglord.

The following tags are available for your eased perusal:

#journal entry (session recaps)

#public notes (in-world discovered lore)

#media (art/media)

#writings (personal inquisitor literature)

#inquisitorial mailbox (QnAs)

#AUs For tags pertaining to the individual inquisitors, please look at their personal accounts below.

By the decree of Count Strahd von Zarovich, the following names shall be knighted to receive upon them the title of

Inquisitor of the Tribunal of the Holy Office of Barovia, Ordo Solis:

Frank was a sergeant who served under the banner of House Dilisnya. Hindered by nothing but his own conscience, he chose to kneel to the Lord of Murder, Bhaal, so that he may strike the political enemies of his master without a pang to his sanity. He was later sentenced to death by his own general, not because of his crimes, but to control the unrest of the masses. This condemned his faith in Bhaal. After his release, his mind is ever-pregnant with the thoughts of meaningless murder, but he chooses not to, for while duty is in his hand, murder is never meaningless.

Ever since the attempted assassination against Strahd, Frank has been called to the battlefield, now riding and fighting beside the count, his commander, and the might of the Voronian army. [Frank's player has since left the table due to personal reasons. He will forever rage under the blazing heat of the morning sun. Sol Invictus, Frank.]

Everyone is entitled to fear. Not all are worthy of harnessing it.

Rising from the depths of enslavement, no one could have foreseen that a mere cripple would lead a savage onslaught against his masters. A gritty veteran, Cain's dreary origins gave birth to his singular conviction of dominance. This worldview born from despair molded his philosophy regarding the nature of power and the laws that govern all. Despite being fueled by darker ambitions, Cain is not without a heart of grace and kindness. The duality of the man who is both ruthless and compassionate is weighted in balance, reflecting symbolically his devotion to The Scales. Intent on liberating those in shackles and claiming power to ensure it, the "Dreadwalker" finds himself in the service of Strahd von Zarovich, planning to consolidate and secure both.

Anatomically speaking, how do you do?

Once a mere human consumed by an insatiable obsession with necromancy, Violet delved deeper into the dark arts, fervently worshipping the god Bhaal in her pursuit of forbidden knowledge. Gradually descending into madness, she adopted the guise of a pathologist, masking her heinous crimes as acts of scientific inquiry. Her obsession with understanding the mechanics of life and death twisted her mind, transforming her into a ruthless psychopath.

Calandrius Vaerethin is many things: a long-lived elf, a one-time hellrider, or the occasional robber baron. By all accounts he has the physicality of a golden knight, his fair skin complemented with his bright golden hair, as if stolen from the sun, with the composure of someone who has practiced a thousand strikes in his lifetime; though Caland would tell you he is anything but. In truth, he is the last of a long-dead order of knights, who were purged in the days of Old Voron. Now unfettered, whether it be the tenets of the old order of the noose meant for his neck, perhaps it is time to let the ghosts of his past rest. He was always told that his lot was to be the beating wings of the freedom of the sky. Though whether the Last Swan would herald weal or woe, only time and circumstance can tell.

Pikehead is imposing to say the least. Armored from head to toe in steel and spikes, little is known about him or what he looks like underneath the iron. Soft-spoken and tamed, his demeanor hardly lives up to the foreboding presence he commands. Mayhaps it was because of his duties to his late master in Old Voron. A soldier molded into a near perfect machine.

In war, the only thing stronger than fear is hunger. A tyrant is only different from a peasant in appetite.

Raised amidst the oppressive reign of the late King Barov, Omen had to learn how to navigate the streets of Voron as much as the various plights littering it. The circumstances of his birth, coupled with the struggles he faced growing up, taught him to attribute value to the few possessions he truly owned. Value he is willing to exchange for the only thing he ever hungers for: a home.

I promised them it would all get better, but all I brought them was ruin. I cannot fail again, but if ruin is what he needs, ruin I shall bring.

A soldier, a knight, a sword. Whatever he is, one thing that can describe him is loyalty. And why would he be the one that betrayed the kingdom? Who knows. But now, it seems like he got his second chance, and he will not waste it.

"My army settled in the valley of Barovia and took power over the people in the name of a just god, but with none of a god’s grace or justice." -- Tome of Strahd

☼ SOL INVICTUS ☼

#raven's inquisition #curse of strahd #barovia #ravenloft #forgotten realms #dungeons and dragons #dnd #dnd5e #dnd campaign #strahd von zarovich #campaign blog #ri: frank #ri: cain #ri: violet #ri: caland #ri: pikehead #ri: omen #ri: terim

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kismetconstellations · 5 months ago

Note

Shiro from Voltron for the character ask game

To spare my poor followers' dashboards a massive wall of text, my answers will be found behind the cut. Let's regroup there, shall we?

1. Why do you like or dislike this character?

I love Shiro because he demonstrates so perfectly that a person's trauma does not have to define them. No matter what kind of Hell they've been subjected to, they always have the option to remain gentle, compassionate, and kind. Even when they're afraid. Even when they believe themselves to be "broken", or monstrous because of what they had to do to survive.

One can rise above attempts to break them, and be so much more than the people who mistreated them tried to force them to be.

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

His personality. Even when he isn't being everything that epitomizes a true hero- brave, selfless, strong-willed, empathetic, always looking after others and willing to risk his life for them at the drop of a hat- he's so much fun to watch. From his moments of tired, resigned irritation and bemusement with others' antics,

to his quiet fascination with Altean technology and concepts, like water pouches and their time measurement system,

to the moments where he's just a great big dorky sweetheart.

People who think he's "boring" because he's a workaholic soldier who isn't as inclined to shenanigans and over the top reactions as his younger comrades aren't paying attention. He's an extremely dynamic, multi-faceted character just begging to be explored by someone who loves him and all of his depth and multitudes.

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

How he's handled by the team of inept showrunners who helmed this messy disaster of a cartoon.

He has no real support system, something I can only imagine is due to him being the commanding officer to a group of teenagers he can't truly confide in, and the intention to have him fill a Doomed Mentor role, despite him being inadvertently written as The Chosen One. His biological family is virtually non-existent. The only other proper adult he could look to for advice is the designated comic relief. There were opportunities for him to be taken in by the Holts, given their mutual fondness for each other, or even Allura and Coran. Allura and Shiro seemed to have developed an even stronger bond (offscreen, of course) after she saved his life.

(I have a theory that Allura's quintessence alchemy altered Shiro's DNA, which is why his new arm could only be safely powered by the Balmeran crystal from Allura's tiara, and the Atlas, similarly powered by Altean magic, responds to Shiro and Shiro alone, establishing a mental link with him the same way Allura had with the Castle of Lions. But, that's for another unhinged essay.)

And, when Coran confronts Iverson about strapping Shiro to a table in the pilot, he refers to Shiro as "our Shiro".

But, neither of these avenues were ever explored, as Shiro was "retired" and relegated to side-character status, leaving him isolated from everyone, including his best friend who loves him.

The ableism surrounding his disability is disgusting. He's a forced amputee twice over. He spends most of an entire season standing mute on the sidelines without a right arm, and there's absolutely no acknowledgement of his missing limb, that his best friend is the reason why it's gone, or inquiries into how being rendered effectively "useless" after coming back from the dead is affecting Shiro's already poor mental health.

(Does Shiro sleep? Does he have pajamas he can even change into, or is he supposed to wear the Black Paladin armor the entire trip back to Earth? Is he able to shower with that stump, or does it pose an electrocution hazard if it comes into contact with water? Is there anything available for him to do so he isn't standing silently around, losing his mind?)

His best friend's mother tells him to stay out of a fight, and he meekly accepts the order, never making another attempt to be anything other than a helpless bystander until he's been outfitted with a new arm that he, once again, has no say in the design of. An arm that is bulky and over-sized, impractical, likely extremely uncomfortable, and sickeningly mirrors his abuser's.

The same abuser who filled his head with taunts about his previous prosthetic being the "strongest part" of him, and the same abuser who tortured him and is implied to have raped him.

An ally tells him that he would be stronger with "two robotic arms", almost mocking the fact that Shiro's right arm was deliberately taken from him to be replaced by a weapon. And, this is never called out or questioned.

A punch that he lands on his abuser with his organic fist only incites a mocking sneer before Shiro is flung across the body of the ship that they're fighting on like a ragdoll.

After being made to feel washed-up and old at twenty-six, Shiro participates in an arm-wrestling tournament that he wins-- using the ill-proportioned prosthetic modeled after his abuser's.

I don't know if there was no one on the staff who was aware of the vile implications in this handling of a disabled character, but when one considers the similar grotesque handling of intense trauma and passive suicidal ideation... It doesn't exactly paint a pretty picture of the ideas and beliefs that went into the writing on this show.

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

This is so silly and indulgent, but... What immediately comes to mind is, instead of him dying in the second season's finale and spending four entire seasons helplessly roaming and languishing on the Astral Plane, I would have him magically transported to the beach episode of a slice of life anime.

He would get to play volleyball with and be fawned over by a bunch of pretty, shirtless men with glistening, sun-kissed skin. As he deserves. ( ᵘ ᵕ ᵘ ⁎)

5. What’s the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

"Lazarus Drug", by Meg Washington. Longtime followers of my silly little blog might be aware of my love for Bluey, which is how I was introduced to this gorgeous piece of music. It was used to masterful effect in the twenty-eight minute special episode, The Sign.

When I was struggling to come up with a title for my Shiro-centric character study/fix-it fic, "Lazarus Drug" proved to be a lifesaver.

"And when I hear you calling, Like you were always there, I rise until I'm hanging in the Middle of the air

And when I hear you calling, I split like I'm a snake With golden light like fingers And, then I start to break

Into a billion pieces Oh, I shatter into constellations Like I've never been more here Like I completely disappear

I'm nothingness, but shining And everywhere at once I'm everything and everyone Who is or ever was."

6. What’s something you have in common with this character?

Less than stellar mental health as a result of trauma.

7. What’s something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

There are so many jaw-droppingly stunning and breathtaking pieces of Shiro fan art out there. I also greatly appreciate fanfics, meta, and analyses that take all of his trauma and his disability, and how they would realistically impact his daily life, into account.

Christening him "The Unkillable Gay", and "Gay God", is also pretty darned fantastic.

8. What’s something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

Dark Shiro, Shiro-bashing (usually in tandem with Allura-bashing), sidelining him due to ageism, ignoring his canon sexuality to give Keith reason to angst over Shiro not accepting him in K/L fics, minimizing Shiro's role in Keith's life to focus on their preferred ship, having Shiro adopt or be biologically related to Keith, especially if Adam is co-parenting and Keith has more of a bond with him than Shiro (it's pretty obvious why certain shippers do this), depicting him as high-libido and sexually aggressive/an Alpha/dominant/top, even more so when he gets off on being called "daddy", expressing a belief that he should have stayed dead in service of Keith's character, treating him and his clone as the same person... Just to name a few.

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

I don't see why not.

10. Could you be best friends with this character?

I'd love to think that I could be. But, realistically, I'd be too nervous to ever approach him and strike up a conversation. >////<'

11. Would you date this character?

Though he is undeniably gorgeous, we are romantically incompatible, I'm afraid.

12. What’s a headcanon you have for this character?

Shiro moved to the United States with his grandfather in late childhood, between the ages of eight and ten. That's why he speaks perfect English with no trace of an accent.

13. What’s an emoji, an emoticon and/or any symbol that reminds you of this character or you think the character would use a lot?

☆

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

Classic Hollywood pilot aesthetic; aviation jacket with (faux) fur lining, patches on the sleeve, and a tight t-shirt or tank top underneath, sometimes with aviator sunglasses folded over the collar or worn over his eyes, military dog tags around his neck, the sort of clingy, curve-flattering pants that he canonically favors, and knee-high combat boots. Scarf is optional.

I also love a soft formal look on him. Crisp dress shirt and tie with a vest over top, perfectly tailored slacks, and shiny black loafers.

15. What’s your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn’t matter if it’s canon or not.)

I'm going to go with Shiro/Keith, though I very much have a fondness for Shiro/Hunk, as well.

Keith's devotion to Shiro is exactly the level of devotion that Shiro deserves, though Keith could stand to tone the intensity of it down just a tad. His willingness to throw his life away for Shiro would be a massive source of anxiety for Shiro, and something they'd have to discuss, among many other topics, before entering a serious romantic relationship.

And, Hunk is such a sweetheart, he'd spoil and pamper Shiro in all of the best ways. When he's of legal consenting age, of course.

(I also may or may not crack-ship him with Sven.)

16. What’s your least favorite ship for this character?

Romantic Shiro/Pidge, and Shiro/Sendak. An adult gay man and a female child, and a trauma survivor and his personal tormentor is a great big "no thanks" for me.

17. What’s a ship for this character you don’t hate but it’s not your favorite that you’re fine with?

Shiro/Lance, and Shiro/Matt. I prefer Shiro and Matt as friends, and overexposure to Lance thanks to a hyper-zealous fanbase has done a fairly good job of putting me off of him. Which sucks, because I genuinely like him just fine in the show, itself. I don't mind either ship, and have read fic for them. They're just not prospects for Shiro that I ever seriously entertain.

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

I love Shiro and Pidge's relationship in the early episodes. The way he is so gentle, encouraging, and protective with her, basically becoming a second older brother, and how she comes to trust and rely on him as a confidante, enough that she personally seeks him out to tell him that she plans to leave the team to search for her father and brother, knowing he will understand, stole my heart almost immediately, and stole it hard.

It's incredibly disheartening that, after his resurrection, we only get tidbits and table scraps of that relationship.

Why did Shiro start riding with her in the Green Lion on the journey back to Earth? Who knows? The writers certainly weren't going to tell us, because Shiro was so thoroughly a side-character, by that point, he and Pidge- if I'm recalling correctly- only talked to each other onscreen one time.

Never forget what they took from us.

(Also ignore that they forgot to draw Shiro's scar.)

19. How about a relationship they have in canon that you don’t like?

No offense to Mr. Set-Dressing, but there is nothing that points to these characters having any sort of even platonic relationship, let alone the kind of chemistry that would lead to a marriage a few years down the line. They never address each other by name, or at all, when they're not exchanging commands in the heat of battle. "Curtis" has more personal interaction with Acxa. And, I swear Shiro only looks away from the console on the Atlas's bridge to physically acknowledge this man once.

The animators certainly did poor "Curtis" no favors, either, by making him look like a sad, pathetic older man who couldn't lift or dip his strapping younger groom on their wedding day.

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn’t matter?

I adore the idea of Shiro and Allura as best friends, and would have loved to have seen some genuine interaction between the Real Shiro and Matt, after Shiro attacked Matt to save his life. Alas...

21. If you’re a fic writer and have written for this character, what’s your favorite thing to do when you’re writing for this character? What’s something you don’t like?

I've only very recently started writing for Shiro, and don't see myself doing much more than the aforementioned character study/fix-it fic. That said, I love getting into his head to really flesh him out, his psychology, his illness, his failed relationship, his experience in captivity, and using the members of his found family as conduits for him to realize just how special and good to his core he truly is. Like what should have happened in canon.

I don't like writing about him suffering, but part of recovering from trauma is processing it. And, processing often involves reliving the traumatic event as you walk a trusted friend, loved one, or mental health professional through it in the hopes that they will then offer you the greatly needed comfort and support and skills to cope that you didn't have, at the time it occurred.

22. If you’re a fic reader, what’s something you like in fics when it comes to this character? Something you don’t like?

I love in-character portrayals of Shiro in Hurt/Comfort settings that address the sheer magnitude of his trauma, and emphasize how unfailingly brave, strong, compassionate, and altruistic in spite of it all that he has always been and always will be.

I'm not a fan of him being treated like he's "oblivious", or "emotionally constipated" for not immediately acting on an Anguished Declaration of Love that Keith gave to "Kuron", and prefaced with, "You're my brother".

And, I've covered before, in detail, how much it irks and baffles me when Lance fans give Lance traits distinct and exclusive to Shiro in an effort to try to turn him into Shiro, instead of accepting him as he is.

23. Favorite picture of this character?

Tough call, since there are so many, but, I do think this one is the winner:

I love that, despite his strong jaw, his features are so gentle and soft, and the silver hair truly lends him an ethereal quality. That arm is ghastly, but it doesn't detract from just how pretty Shiro is, and how much that Admiral coat flatters him.

24. What other character from another fandom of yours that reminds you of them?

I don't participate in the fandom at all, but I've carried a torch for Leonardo from the 2003 incarnation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles since the show was still actively airing and in production. There are so many similarities between Shiro and 2003 Leo that one could almost say there's a specific type of character that I'm drawn to like gravity hurtling a ship into a planet with a crash-landing imminent and the projected number of casualties astronomical.

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

My first impression of Shiro, when I watched the pilot and second episode back in 2016, was that he was my favorite character of the lot. I was drawn to him for all of the reasons stated above. But, once I became aware of the online fandom drama, I backed off, only watching three more episodes (A Little Adventure and Lions' Pride I and II) in 2018 for Shiro/Keith shipping reasons before becoming a lurker on the peripheral, exploring fanmade content without engaging with the show, itself. It wasn't until earlier this year that I finally grit my teeth, braced myself, and committed to watching at least the seasons where the Real Shiro is featured in full.

I both immensely regret that decision for the sheer levels of frustration, fury, and deeply-rooted sadness at all of the wasted potential that I opened myself up to, and don't regret it at all. Because, I sincerely love Shiro and wish with all of my heart that he, and especially Allura and Coran and even Hunk, were handled by infinitely better writers in an infinitely better show.

----

Thank you so very, very much for asking! ❤

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