#Intelligence that Interconnects all Living Beings

[waters-and-the-wilde]

okay i was thinking about. the way Juno and Nureyev think. like the way their minds complement each other is just so goddamn neat to me.

(I've touched on something like this before in my 'Nureyev's coping mechanisms backfiring when misapplied' post, the bit about 'Juno’s intelligence is geared toward gathering clues and then assembling narratives, getting good insight checks and putting together a bigger picture that Nureyev has trained himself out of being able to see. they’re both very good at reading people but Nureyev’s strength is being quick on his feet and handling people and situations in the moment while Juno is good at mapping people’s inner landscapes and motivations')

and now another thing that strikes me about Juno's whole detective brain thing is the way his knowledge and memory is incredibly interconnected and associative, the way little pieces crop up in his mind and he knows they're important but not necessarily why, and has to hang onto them until he can see how they fit. The way he basically lives for his 'I connected the dots!!!' moments. he doesn't seem to have the same command over recall the way Nureyev does -- Nureyev's being extremely deliberate and structured, whereas Juno's pattern recognition and responses to prompts and triggers look a lot more instinctive, even if it's just that the way he works has allowed that talent to flourish

And from there you have an equally fascinating contrast in how heavily Nureyev also relies on his knowledge and memory, and yet his method hinges on that ability to compartmentalize, and how the the pieces stay extremely discrete. it's like. Nureyev's constantly putting shit away in filing cabinets, and Juno's constantly leaving stuff around all the time because How Else Would He Know Where It Is, it'll be there when he needs it

and then that leads to fascinating stuff like Nureyev's knowledge being incredibly precise yet fragmented, very purposefully weighed and deployed in the scenario he knows how to apply it to. and how that catches him off the back foot so spectacularly in Man In Glass by relegating useful context as extraneous so thoroughly he literally dissociates it. In Juno's case, the way he can see how things relate to each other backfires on him when he gets carried away, jumps to conclusions without necessarily having the groundwork/evidence/ability to show his work and back it up

ALSO. jury's out on how much Nureyev has actually considered whether his 'focus on the guard not the queen' mentality was shooting himself in the foot before Man In Glass but. something something Train From Nowhere 'i trust your eyes, for a start. and I trust your mind! a master detective's' etc. I get the sense that he recognizes what Juno does as a strength and a complementary skill (at least initially/on an instinctive level/when he's at his best. obv there's still him getting stuck on his Rules of Thieving/forgetting to listen/getting condescending and dismissive under stress but i think that sorta highlights the whole point that they're at their best when they're confident in that trust in each other.)

(also given the CMP heist it's not exactly just Nureyev and I kinda have to wonder if maybe the Aurinkos have Juno's jumping to conclusions tendency work great sometimes and then backfire a bunch of others so they can't always let him have a full head of steam at a precarious moment. i know i've seen ppl get frustrated about that bit and like yes it is a frustrating device but it still strikes me as different from the way that sort of thing is usually deployed, in that it has plenty of plausible grounding in the characterization and communication styles)

like yes i'm a simple man i go bonkers for them being competent at their chosen skills but 'we work well together' is such a cornerstone of their relationship and the way their minds are so different and dovetail so effectively is just. the drift compatibility is built into their psyches and it's absolutely *chef's kiss*

[sensualnoiree]

astro notes: the sun 🌞

The Sun represents the central principle of vital energy and conscious selfhood in the birth chart. Just as the Sun is the central entity in the solar system, it is also the central entity in the individual psyche reflected in the birth chart. Your Sun sign is considered the core of who you are in astrology. It represents your vitality, your sense of self, and your individuality. The Sun in your birth chart symbolizes your spirit, inspirations, motivations, personality, expressions, life force, and personal identity. The sign the Sun sits within on the day of your birth shows how this life force expresses itself in the world and what traits you are building throughout your life to feel and become more of yourself.

The Sun represents spiritual intelligence. Light is a symbol of intelligence or an awakening, and the Sun, as the supreme source of light in the human world, represents the highest form of intelligence, spiritual intelligence. The Sun symbolizes the Creator in various spiritual traditions, with prophets and messengers acting as mirrors, reflecting the sun's rays. This concept is central to progressive revelation, the belief that the universal God continually sends guidance to humanity through different prophets, all reflecting the same divine light.

In Japan, the Sun is revered as a goddess, the personification of the physical sun and the Ruler of Heaven. The Japanese Sun-goddess, Amaterasu, is considered the founder of Japan, and all emperors are known as "Sons of the Sun." In Shinto, the ancient religion of Japan, nature is worshipped, and the Sun plays a central role in rituals and customs. The Sun is seen as a source of physical stamina, business success, and protection from invasion.

In Christianity, the Sun has been used metaphorically to represent Christ. Christ is often referred to as the "Sun of Righteousness," and his birth was symbolically linked to the sun's creation in early Christian literature. The winter solstice, December 25, was chosen for Christmas because of its association with the invincible sun in pagan celebrations.

In ancient Greek art, the sun symbolized eternity and stability, despite the constant flux of time. The sun god Helios was worshipped in the Seleucid east, with bronze coins depicting a fusion of Helios and Apollo. The Vergina Sun, a rayed solar symbol, represented completeness and totality, symbolizing the 12 gods and the four elements.

In Native American traditions, the Sun is revered as a living being, connected to all aspects of nature. Native to the Americas understood themselves to be part of a larger interconnected web of life, where everything is sacred and connected. The Sun is viewed as essential for life, providing warmth, light, and energy to sustain all living beings.

The Sun holds immense significance across various cultures and spiritual traditions. It represents the core of who you are, your vitality, and your sense of self. Spiritually, it symbolizes the highest form of intelligence and the source of all light.

The Sun's symbolism reflects its universal importance as a life-giving force that sustains all living beings. Whether as a celestial body in astrology, a goddess in Japanese mythology, a metaphor for Christ in Christianity, or a symbol of stability in ancient Greek art, the Sun's significance transcends cultural boundaries, reminding us of our interconnectedness with the cosmos and the natural world.

follow for more astro insights like this and support me over on instagram @sensualnoire or yt @quenysefields

[vindicated-truth]

I was going to reply to @efadefoks' comments on this post but I realize my rambling thoughts may be too long for the reply option so I just thought of expanding my thoughts here separately as another post 😅

The most amazing thing about Beyond Evil as a show is its rewatch quality, as @efadefoks has pointed out, in that: even though you've already finished the series or already know how the story goes, every time you rewatch it, it's like there's a whole new perception about it that you still discover each time.

In my case, I'm already on my 2nd rewatch (3rd time watching) of Beyond Evil and I've still managed to look at it in a different light in each time.

During my very first time watching, I was too engrossed in wanting to find out the outcome of the mystery—the detective genre is my favorite genre of all stories and it's primarily why I finally gave Beyond Evil a try—and what I really ended up appreciating was how cleverly the story was conceptualized, executed, and revealed. The writing was exquisite, and I couldn't stop singing praises about Kim Sujin's tight writing that there was little to no plot holes in a story that is complex and nuanced, but also so tightly interconnected.

Intellectually, Beyond Evil already stands on its own as a cerebral show that does not pander to a dumbed down audience; instead, it surges forward knowing that the audience is intelligent enough to keep up.

During my second time watching, I finally was able to pay less attention to the plot (since I already know how it goes) and concentrate more on the actors—and ended up praising Kim Sujin again for her nuanced characterizations, but more than that, I was enamored by the sheer talent of the actors, and how they gave so much depth and humanity to such complex characters.

Moreover, I was finally able to see Dongsik's and Joowon's relationship for what it is: the true heart and core of the show.

And more than anything, I was hit with what I couldn't really pay attention to before, as distracted as I was by the actual case: the emotional core of the story, and that it is, at its core, a story about love, and how love is a choice, and those people who love you will always reserve a seat at the table for you, because they will always reserve a space for you in their life.

This time, in my third time watching, my praises are now towards Shim Nayeon and her brilliant execution of such a loaded, weighted script, especially as I started rewatching the show this time after watching all the behind the scenes, and I saw how clear she was in her vision for each scene, from the camera angles, to the blocking of the characters, to the whole production of the set.

(Later on, Yeo Jingoo revealed that it was the first time he experienced that kind of directing style in that every single scene was actually rehearsed in detail even before the camera starts rolling. You'll realise this as you watch the behind-the-scenes; they rehearse each scene with Shim Nayeon closely monitoring every action, every cut, so that by the time the camera starts rolling, it's efficient enough that mistakes and retakes are minimized.

Jingoo had mentioned that it felt a lot more like a theater performance rather than a TV series because of the detailed rehearsals—like they're preparing for a live performance in which no mistakes can be afforded—and that perfectionism clearly showed with Beyond Evil's end product. Every flow of one scene to the next is so clearly thought out and seamless.)

What I've also come to appreciate this time too is just how amazing the musical scoring of the show is. Objectively the OSTs are already beautiful on their own, but I'm just in awe at how cleverly executed the choices are in which scenes to use each musical score, without being heavy-handed about it, because if there's one thing I'm also awed at the musical scoring is that they also know when to utilize silence, and let the acting (of such stellar actors) to speak for itself to maximize the actual impact to the audience.

There's always something new you discover every time you watch Beyond Evil, like an endless treasure trove that you just keep digging.

No wonder fans feel so insane about the show. There's always something more to know, something more to love.

(@efadefoks and please don't apologize for rambling, because clearly, I ramble even more 😂 I love rambling about the things I love, and what I love even more are fans rambling about it together 🫶🏻)

[moonsaver]

Worth pointing out that Herta also only is nice to people who are *useful* to her. And "nice" is kind of pushing it. She's a very absentee friend/boss and a lot of her accomplishments might also only be possible because she keeps recruiting other people to do the actual labor for her? There's a statement about academia in there somewhere for sure for sure. So her not paying attention to Ratio could also be seen as a compliment. He's not someone she can take advantage of.

He might not see it that way though >> I got the impression that his "extra-ness" was a sign of deep self-esteem issues. In academia, getting multiple PhDs is not actually considered a good thing. (It's not "hard" to do, it's just time consuming and expensive.) It's considered a red flag that someone is not able to commit to a singular field.

Hello anon, yes, you're very right in my opinion.

Herta isn't really as much of a "friend" as she is mutually interested in your capacity to work for her. I don't play the game nor look too much into the gameplays, but you can kind of understand that vibe from her. I think somewhere it was mentioned she's kind of like the face of the genius society with a few others.. maybe it was dialogue or just another analysis comment i read somewhere. As for her not paying attention to Dr. Ratio for that reason.. it makes sense. But also because I doubt he's really available for such things, haha, i dont think a lot of people in the main storyline really even know where he is most of the time. Herta's probably never come face to face with him before, and I don't think either of them will really make an effort to talk to each other directly. I think Dr. Ratio will only appreciate her achievements from a reasonable stance and leave it at that.

As for his self-esteem issues and extra-ness, the reason seems plausible, but also because I think it's a by-product of just reading that many books. He's constantly immersing himself into books as his hobby, so I imagine the strange vocabulary also came along as an extra feature, not to mention he studies these fields thoroughly from an almost argumentative point of view (in his quest, Crown of Mundane and Divine, he admits something similar as a point of skepticism).

As for not being able to commit to one field.. that's plausible in the eyes of many, probably prideful researchers. Generally however, it makes sense to be able to accomplish much in a lot of other fields, considering these all are happening constantly in harmony with each other in our lives, intersecting and overlapping in principle. It would only make sense that someone would be able to gain so many PhDs by having such a deep understanding of that interconnection. It's a shame.

Veritas Ratio is definitely an intelligent man in my opinion, and so far, he seems to be the only one who's actually shown to be smart in practice, other than the Geniuses from the Genius Society who are constantly skittish and eager to go back into their molehill the moment they're done interacting with the outside world for half a minute.

[chaifootsteps]

There are a plethora of issues regarding Vivziepop's writing, but the one that really stands out to me is her lack of themes. She has ideas, occasionally she has something to say, but she has no themes.

If you don't mind my ramblings; I have been considering an AU that is effectively divorced from the series, focusing entirely on the characters Blitzo, Barbie, and Fizzarolli. In brainstorming the story, I have been able to streamline the narrative to 3 core themes.

Masculinity, Control/Power, and Belonging.

Everything in the story is connected to one or more of these themes in regards to the characters and their motivations. Even side characters are wholly infused with these three concepts.

In my AU, FizzaRolli is not a performer, but a stray child with a group of other feral children Lord of the Flies. Blitz is the son of a circus owner who craves his father's approval even as he resents him. Barbie is an up and coming starlet brutally managed by her father who effectively curates her sense of identity as she creeps closer to the spotlight.

Much of Blitzo's story focuses on a young man coming into his own in a world that runs on toxic masculinity, balanced out by the guidance and love of his sickly mother whom he cares for. He's a young adult figuring out himself in a world and community who keeps telling him what he should be. Sub Themes of responsibility, respect, strength and the abuse of power are key cornerstones of his story.

Meanwhile FizzaRolli is the foil of Blitz's story. An orphan without parental guidance living out his coming of age in a Teenage Wasteland. Additionally, Fizz is gay, meaning his queerness colors over the themes in a fundamental way. Being in a Teenage Wasteland, Fizz is effectively in the closet because of how queerness can change others perception of him. And weakness often is associated with queerness, which has no place in a micro-society that elevates this toxic, Fight Club-esque concept of masculinity and belonging. Fizz seems to belong, carve out a space for himself in his community, but struggles come into himself. Especially because underneath it all is a severely traumatized child who never got to be a kid long enough to learn how to be a man.

And from the far other side, Barbie's relationship to these themes comes from the viewpoint of living under the patriarchy as a young woman. How girls are raised to cater to the needs of men, treated as glorified children unless they "prove" themselves over things that many men are merely handed. Her father prioritized her career above and beyond her as a person. While that isn't a trait inherently based in sexism, how he curates her life and downplays her desires and intelligence is rooted mainly in her being his daughter and thus not expected to "step out" into her own like her twin. Leaving her feeling impotent, infantalized and resentful even as she is held on a pedestal.

Control over one's self, perception, and direction.

How masculinity fosters respect and responsibility for young boys while simultaneously threatening punishment for not meeting or stepping outside of certain expectations. Especially the competitive aggression and emotional warfare in toxic masculinity

And a sense of belonging, be it in a community or an identity.

Themes help maintain a cohesion to a story, helps the characters feel interconnected and the world lived in regardless of how much emphasis is placed outside the main cast. It also helps ground the ideas of characters in an abstract way that doesn't place pressure to "prove" to the audience a character does fit the traits you as an author see in them. Most of all, it better enabled the author to pivot viewpoints and easily switch between characters so that they feel individual and not that there is a singular "voice" speaking behind them. It creates a unique soul rather than an empty skin suit for the author to don.

Sorry for the long rant.

No worries, Anon. Thanks for the ramble, it was an interesting read!

[invinciblerodent]

... so does anyone have any clue on how undeath is supposed to affect elven souls?

Because I have been building my own elf character, and thinking about this a lot, and it's a thought that just will not leave me (hard not to think about this with an Astarion romance), so it's time for another one of my navel-gazey thinkpieces i guess lol.

Like, my main source is Mordekainen's Tome of Foes, and that book states clearly that elven souls are immortal. Their numbers are more or less fixed, or rather "capped" (that's why they haven't "outbred" every other race even with their long lifespans), and each elf currently living is the reincarnation of an elven soul that's already been to Arvandor (their afterlife) at some point, and then returned in a new body. That's why they have such few children: because a birth is as much a joy as it is a sorrow. It's both the arrival of a new life, and the death of another- either decades, centuries, millenia past, or as soon as barely a few months ago.

As a quick and dirty run-down for those who don't really want to wade into the lore (I don't blame you, it's murky in there), early in their lives and when they are nearing death are the times when elves are most intimately connected to their previous lives, and in their sleep-trance (their "Reverie"), these individuals can call upon memories of those past lives. The young elves relive exclusively the experiences and adventures of their immortal soul until their second or third decade- then, slowly, those memories become interspersed with those from their current life (the First Reflection, the first time that happens, marks the start of their "adolescence" of the mind essentially- they are physically fully mature by then), until roughly the end of their first century, which is when their access to these primal memories is cut off. From that point forward, the elf loses access to their previous lives. This is called the Drawing of the Veil, and from that point forward, the elf may only relive events from their current life in their trance, right until they start nearing the end of their natural lifespans some 600 years later.

This is all fairly clear in the case of a living elf.

But what happens if that immortal elven soul, that's so intimately interconnected with the afterlife and the very passage of time, finds itself suddenly housed in an undead, unaging, immortal body? How does that change things?

It's got to change things, no?

Like this is such a specific thing, I don't believe specifically elven intelligent undead (that is also a protagonist about whose soul we are supposed to care) has been written about super extensively in the sourcebooks, but my guess personally is that the moment of undeath, it... severs the bond of the soul to Arvandor. This is not unrealistic, as that bond can break for many reasons: Drow for one are never invited back and die true deaths with no way to be reincarnated, and so do elves who have turned to gods outside of the Seldarine. (.... that also means that, with the drow's propensity for casual murder, the number of elven souls available for rebirth is in a constant and steep decline, but that's a whole other thing.) (I've no clue what this means for the Seldarine drow. I wanna say that they can gain admission back, but that's just me being an optimist, I've no recollection of a source literally confirming or denying that.)

This loss of the primal memories, it's said to be a traumatic experience in itself, even if it comes naturally, as just part of the elven life cycle, and it coming on the heels of such a profound upheaval of one's life (such as being turned into a vampire), it may just be the least of the person's worries... but it would explain some things in a way that goes beyond the traumatic experiences of Astarion's current life.

If that moment of being cut off were to happen before the elf would naturally lose their ability to access primal memories, I assume that they would... be forced to more or less "grow up" (at the lack of a better term) in an instant. And to be denied roughly half the time you would have otherwise had for regaining experiences and memories from your past lives, it's got to leave one a bit... emotionally stunted, when compared to a living elf of a similar age, who had time to go through their natural life cycle as one should.

(Which, it's not a huge reveal that I believe our guy to be emotionally immature, and a bit stunted in his emotional growth. That's, like, clear, and I don't mean to say anything to the effect of "ooooh, he was so youuuung, still an uwu baaaaby---" no, we're unequivocally talking about a fully grown, adult man lol, but specifically in the case of how this all relates to this weird trait of elves, it's still interesting to think about this odd dissonance that... may very well exist between a living- and an undead elf.)

Hell, my personal little theory is that elven intelligent undead (like vampires, who do retain a soul within their bodies) specifically, while they do go into a trance and have dreams/nightmares/memories of their current lives, may just even lose the ability to recall events from their pre-undeath life (beyond conventional memory, meaning that they can't strengthen those memories and are bound to eventually forget them) as well, as evidenced by Astarion not remembering his own face, or what color his eyes were once. (You can't tell me that while he was alive, he didn't spend a shitton of time looking at his own face. If he could relive pre-undeath memories, he'd know these things, or would be able to recall them if he wished.)

There would be something... strangely tragic, in this kind of isolation, for an elf. By becoming a vampire, you'd become undead first, and an elf.... somewhere way, way, way down the line.

As a fairly young undead elf, you're somehow simultaneously ancient, adolescent, and middle-aged, and also pretty much confined to a singular existence of nothing but pain and abuse, with memories of a distant childhood slowly fading just out of reach, knowing that... this, this is just your soul's lot now. That a significant part of your fey heritage, your very ancestry as well as part of your immutable essence, has been torn from you in just one moment, in exchange for preserving this current life, as a simulacrum of itself. And now there is no next life, because this one is one without a natural end, and Sehanine Moonbow will now never invite your immortal soul back to Arvandor to be reborn, because it's been cut off from you, and your very body is holding you hostage. Six, sixteen, or sixty centuries can come to pass, and still nothing is going to change... unless you die, in which case you're just dead, like any non-elven creature.

Anyway, there's no real point to this, or a conclusion to be drawn, beyond just... fuck, man, they couldn't have made this fucker more of a tragic figure if they tried.

(...... Fun fact, Silvanus is not part of the Seldarine. So unless he maybe turns to worship Rillifane Rallathil instead, Halsin's soul would not be reincarnated either. But he seems to have made that decision himself and he seems content, so I'm guessing he's just cool with it.)

(I'm not fucking touching half-elves now, you can't make me, that's such a fucking can of worms oh my god)

[sophieinwonderland]

Sweet Tooth fan here. Reading your posts (and the posts of others you’ve shared) has made me reconsider the show and think more about whether or not there is still misanthropic sentiment left in me.

I feel like if Gus was a real person and watched the show, he would be critical about the “all humans are bad” trope as well. Gus knew several humans that clerely didn’t want to watch the world burn, and showed he was desperate to see humans and hybrids coexist within the last few episodes of season 3, despite reaching peak misanthropy after Birdie died.

Ultimately, instead of making Big Man, Dr. Singh, and Mrs. Zhang go bye bye, Gus lets nature decide (or something like that), which results in the total eradication of the H5G9 virus, leaving the remaining humans spared.

As much as I like to think of the natural world before modern humans as some sort of lost paradise, I don’t wish to be too pessimistic of humanity. If the creators of show tried to convince me that David Suzuki, Carl Sagan, Greta Thunberg, Bob Ross, and Fred Rogers are automatically bad people because they wore clothes and emitted carbon dioxide, I would be devastated and disappointed by Sweet Tooth.

I appreciate having found your posts.

I totally agree that Gus probably wouldn't agree with the show's message.

I also feel that the idea of Earth before humans as a lost paradise sees nature through rose-tinted glasses. Nature is as violent and cruel as it is beautiful. Evolution is a process defined by a constant string of death and renewal, leading to where we are today.

Something else I need to mention, seeing how much of what I post is focused on disability and mental health... nature also has a tendency of being extremely ableist. We as humans, for all the our faults, have learned in the past decades to be kinder to those with disabilities.

Many animals, including past humans, have a tendency to just straight-up kill disabled children. And if they don't kill them, they'll at least often be abandoned.

I think as humans have become more developed, we've generally become better and more socially-aware than our ancestors.

One thing I find fascinating is to try to step outside of ourselves and consider how an extra-dimensional being might see us.

When we as humans look at the constructions of our vast cities and planes and amazing feats of architecture, we see things that are clearly unnatural because they're human-made.

But yet, we see a spider's web as natural. We see an ant colony as natural. A beehive. A bird's nest. A beaver's dam.

I understand that humans can be a bit... extra... when it comes to feats of construction, but to me that makes humans all the more fascinating as specimens of nature.

We are nature evolved to be capable of studying and understanding itself in a way never seen before.

I think of the now as an incredible and unique moment in the history of the world that will never come again. We are living through a snapshot between the beginning of the internet era which has morphed the globe into what's practically an interconnected brain with each human as a separate neuron... and a new era that may become dominated by genetic engineering and artificial intelligence which may become its own sort of life.

This single moment in the history of the world has never before existed and is likely to never come again until humanity has passed from this Earth.

For all the destruction we caused to get here. And for all the destruction we continue to cause, I see a beauty and wonder in humanity and our place in the world.

And returning a moment to morality, we see so many people, including those you mentioned, who are out fighting to make the world a better place in whatever ways they can. Whether it's fighting for the environment or for human rights or to make the world they leave behind better for their children.

There are so many good people in the world.

And for one final note...

I wonder what Gus would think if he saw humans at our best.

Because in the end, the world of Sweet Tooth is a deeply traumatized world of broken people who watched loved ones die and the world around them crumble to dust.

I'm rambling now...

All in all, I think we humans look at other parts of nature through rose-tinted glasses too much, and that humans are actually better than we give ourselves credit for.

[xaeyrnofnbe]

ok so i haven’t talked about these guys AT ALL on here, despite these creatures being a creation of mine i’m very fond of. the main reason i haven’t shared anything about them is that up until this point, i’ve never had a solid design for them. at least not on i’ve been satisfied with.

the Xerex-1 are an artificial form of life, starting out having been created and essentially piloted by a sentient kind of fungus, but have since evolved into singular functioning creatures built off of a symbiotic relationship. the intelligence has passed on to the Xerex, while the incredible connection and communication abilities remain fungal, though are utilized entirely by the hosts. the Xerex operate much like a colony or hive of insects, with a single “queen” in charge of each colony.

the body itself is large, about 7 feet at the height pictured in the above illustration. the skin is scaly, though not especially rough. (the hide is very strong, though.) the dancing bioluminescence on their brows, antennae, wings and frills are always at least subtly visible, and grow brighter and flash with more intensity when agitated. the antennae and nose are both incredibly sensitive and receptive to smells, sounds, and specialized fungal signals. interspecies combat is highly uncommon, but friendly headbutting matches are aided by the short, sturdy horns on the back of the head, along with a thick forehead.

individuals do have their own will and thoughts, but can transmit complex messages through touch alone thanks to the interconnected fungal network that inhabits their bodies. they can also send remote signals through the release of spores. the queen of a colony, unlike her workers, can control other individuals using spores, or touch if a stronger connection is needed.

the dragonlike forms are referred to as Xerex-1. this is because there are other forms the Xerex can take. the consciousness of an individual, if the body is destroyed or otherwise damaged beyond repair, can essentially eject itself from the body using specialized spores and either settle somewhere to regrow, or find a new host. it is not uncommon for multiple consciousnesses to inhabit the same body. the free-floating, ghostlike spore form is referred to as Xerex-2, and if it inhabits a host that is unlike it’s original form, it is referred to as Xerex-3.

Xerex society is rather complex, what with their borderline psychic connectedness. they live similarly to humans, really. they have their own lives, and hobbies, even relationships. human ideas of sex aren’t really a thing when it comes to both the sex of individuals, or for procreation. similarly once again to the ants or bees of earth, most Xerex would be perceived as either sexless or as female, and lack genitalia. all reproduction occurs through the fungal network. babies simply grow out of the ground.

unfortunately for the Xerex, their home planet is very harsh, home to mostly fungi, large and small, and the occasional weird bug-looking thing that bites or stings or pinches. because of this, they have begun to exhaust their world of it’s already very limited resources, and a particularly ambitious colony have taken to the stars to search for a new home. it just so happens that earth is the most promising location, and it’s dominant species just so happens to make for fantastic hosts. (this is the basis of an old story of mine.)

as always, my asks are open, and i’m more than happy to respond to questions and other ideas.

[nytehavyn-circle]

All Important Info, Please Read

40+. He/him. Bi/pan. Poly.

Mutuals Only RP blog.

Please read all links before following/RPing.

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I do not run on a queue. Depending on status - hiatus or depression or what have you - if I'm here, I'm usually replying, or posting. If I'm not posting stuff, at the very least, I'm not on Tumblr at the moment, or else I'm having a bad day and just lurking. But if I'm here, I'll usually post stuff.

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"Dead Dove, Do Not Eat" ahead.

Exploring themes such as: ~The monster within, love bleeds, polyamory, multiple partners, plural soulmates, running from love, heavy sex, morally grey, the antihero, everything looks the same, can't escape your past, mental illness, anxiety, depression, PTSD, shady background, found family, the man behind the curtain, and more...~

This RP blog will feature fetishes, kinks, taboos, blood, gore, very harsh language, and plenty more. Once again, Do Not Interact if you do not wish to see/participate in such threads.

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I will know whether or not you have read my rules and links. So, ignore at your own risk, as I will not RP with those who ignore these links. Period.

Rules (and important things here, too)

About AUs

Tolaas Bluue (FC: Joe Manganiello; he/him; over 900 years old; heterosexual; 6'3"; Living Vampire; ShadowHunter, bounty hunter, sometimes merc, general helper of people, PRIMARY MUSE; [more about Tolaas here])

Terran Nytefyer (FC: Drawn (no live FC); he/him; over 1,500 years old; 6'1"; Living Vampire; humanitarian, philanthropist, and proprietor of NyteHavyn Castle and the town of Rhys, also somewhat of a celebrity; PRIMARY MUSE; [more about Terran Nytefyer])

The ShadowLands

NyteHavyn and Rhys

Living Vampire

IMPORTANT: A few of my muses, Tolaas and Terran to name two, are powerful muses. I will not NERF their powers for any muse, unless previously discussed. They have certain abilities - Living Vampires are able to see and read auras and are very empathic, plus a lot of vampire strengths - which will not be forgotten about or deleted, not for any muse. Please take this into account when RPing with these muses. Especially where my god-muses are concerned.

VERY IMPORTANT: As stated in Terran Nytefyer's info, he’s spent centuries developing a huge network of contacts, and highly sophisticated resources - in fact, he’s spent centuries building up one of the largest, most comprehensive, and interconnected spy and information intelligence networks in the world, updated every year - with one of the most sophisticated and intelligent AIs ever created. And because of his intelligence network, he can find out almost anything - he even knows the identity of many of the world’s superheroes. He has top-notch security, materials, etc.  If there is something about your muse you do not want him (and by extension, Tolaas) to know about, please discuss it with me beforehand.

While this is primarily an RP blog based in supernatural elements - all of my muses have some kind of connection to the supernatural world - All of my muses, Canons or OCs, can fit into almost any fandom or plot.

MUSE LIST HERE

Zephyr Collins (FC: John Candy; he/him; 42; heterosexual; 6'2"; human; private investigator; Secondary) Hexton Kaz Pearce Mythological God Muse (FC: Johnny Depp; he/him/they/them; Age: Infinite; pansexual; 5'10"; ex-god; occupation: ???; Secondary) Mystery Taylor (FC: Jason Momoa; he/him; over 300 years of age; heterosexual; 6'7"; werewolf; bouncer; Secondary) Hades Mythological God Muse (FC: Voltaire; he/him; age: infinite; god being; omnisexual, but very selective; 6'1"; God of the Underworld; theme song - sung in jest, of course; Secondary) Joshua Talbot (FC: Ralph Fiennes; he/him; Unknown age, looks in his early 30's; human; heterosexual; 5'11"; hacker; Secondary) Balthazar Darque (FC: Tim Curry; he/him; real age unknown, looks in his early 50's; bisexual; ex-god (PTB), human but maintains some godlike powers; 5'9"; no occupation; Secondary) Eileen Coombs (FC: Jaime Ray Newman; she/her; 45, human; 5'4"; thief; Secondary) Spike - Canon muse - canon divergent after season 7 - only certain aspects from the comics will be acknowledged. (FC: James Marsters; he/him; over 140, speculation is that he's over 200; pretends to be completely hetero - actually bi-leaning; vampire - ensouled; 5'9"; self-proclaimed hero [enjoys the praise]; Secondary) Steven Charles Abbot (FC: Christian Kane; he/him; 40; heterosexual/bicurious; human; 5'9"; witch/wizard, opener/operator of magic shop Spellbound) Thorne Bloodbane - completely and utterly evil (FC: Thomas Ian Griffith; he/him; 30's - actual age is 1,350; bisexual, but sex is the furthest thing from his mind, unless its sole purpose is to hurt; Living Vampire - Sire unknown; 6'5"; occupation unknown; By Request Only) Jason Steelflint (FC: Terry Crews; he/him; age unknown, appears 40-ish; pansexual; human?; 6'2"; blacksmith; Secondary) Lannik Embree (FC: Timothy Olyphant; he/him; 214, appears 37; heterosexual; Living Vampire; 6'0"; bartender in a county-western bar; Secondary) RaDean "Dean" Harriman (FC: Can Yaman; he/him; late 30's; bisexual; human; 6'2"; photographer; Secondary) King At'Ele'gun (FC: Sendhil Ramamurthy, in human form; he/him/they/them; over 50,000 years old, looks 36 in human form; pansexual; Red Dragon - In Dragon form he is 85 feet long, max wingspan is 100 feet; in humanoid dragon form he is nearly 10 feet tall, max wingspan is 15 feet, in human form he is 5'10"; 'Ex'-Dragon King of the Kingdom of Elenion; as a human, he works in a mom and pop used bookstore; Secondary) Rachel Marie Evans (FC: Jennifer Connelly; she/her; 48; pansexual; human; witch; 5'7"; Licensed Therapist/crisis counselor, bakery owner, sometimes helper in Steven Charles Abbot's magic shop, Spellbound; Secondary) Captain Jack Harkness Canon muse - canon divergent. (FC: John Barrowman; he/him; omnisexual and polyamorous; over 2,000, but looks late 40's; human but literally immortal; 6'0"; head of the new Torchwood; Secondary) Ulysses K. Hartford (FC: Idris Alba; he/him; hetero and poly; 50, is actually over 100; human; 6'2"; independent contractor/part-time assassin; Secondary) Mason Briggs (FC: Jeffrey Dean Morgan; he/him; hetero and poly; 52, is actually over 100; human; 6'1"; NYPD Detective and former assassin; Secondary) Aloysius Thompson (FC: Viggo Mortensen; [REDACTED][REDACTED][REDACTED]; Spy; Secondary (for funsies!))

[chokememaximoff]

Shattered Allegiance I

Natasha Romanoff x Reader series

Abstract:Natasha Romanoff finds herself on a mission to track down a former Avenger turned rogue after being kidnapped and brainwashed by Hydra. As she delves into the heart of Tokyo's criminal underworld, she uncovers the dark and twisted path that led her friend down this destructive road. Amidst intense action, psychological turmoil, and unexpected alliances, Natasha must confront her own past and the harsh realities of betrayal.

Tw:violence,abuse,trauma,panic atatcks,detailed descriptions on injuries all throught the story

The world stood on the brink of chaos, caught in the grip of fear and uncertainty. Across the globe, high-profile SHIELD agents were being systematically assassinated, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. These agents were no ordinary operatives; they were former Avengers, once the champions of hope and justice. Now, their lives were extinguished in a series of ruthless killings that shook the foundations of the intelligence community.

Natasha Romanoff sat in a dimly lit briefing room at the heart of SHIELD headquarters, surrounded by holographic screens displaying images of the fallen agents. The room was heavy with tension, and the sense of loss hung in the air like a suffocating fog. Director Nick Fury, his one good eye fixed on the images before him, leaned forward, his fingers steepled beneath his chin.

"Natasha, we're facing a crisis," Fury's gravelly voice cut through the silence. "We've lost six former Avengers in as many days. All of them were targeted and eliminated with surgical precision."

Natasha's gaze shifted from the holographic images to Fury's stern face. The weight of the situation settled on her shoulders. She had faced threats before, but this felt different. These were her comrades, her friends, and now they were being hunted like animals.

"Who could orchestrate something like this?" Natasha's voice was low, laced with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

Agent Maria Hill, standing beside Fury, keyed in a command, and the holographic screens changed to display a complex web of interconnected data points.

"We've been tracking the pattern of these attacks," Hill explained, her finger tracing lines that connected the assassinations. "There's a common thread: all of these agents were part of the same Avengers team, the one that disbanded after the Sokovia incident."

Natasha's mind raced as she connected the dots. The Sokovia incident had been a turning point for the Avengers. The mission had gone awry, resulting in widespread destruction and civilian casualties. The team had disbanded amidst public outcry and political pressure.

"The team fell apart after Sokovia," Natasha murmured, her memories flashing back to the turmoil of that time.

Fury's eye bore into Natasha, his gaze intense. "There's more to it, Natasha. The mission wasn't just a failure. It was a setup, a trap orchestrated by an organization we thought was eradicated."

The room grew colder as the implications of Fury's words sank in. Natasha's mind raced back to Hydra, the shadowy enemy they had fought against for years. If Hydra had returned, it explained the calculated brutality of the assassinations.

Fury continued, "And there's one more detail, Natasha. The assassin behind these attacks, the one who's systematically targeting our former agents, is one of your own."

Natasha's heart skipped a beat. She had thought herself free from the ghosts of her past. But now, those ghosts had resurfaced in the most horrifying way possible.

"Y/N Y/L/N," Hill's voice was somber as she projected an image of a young woman onto the holographic screens. Y/N, the youngest member of their Avengers team, the one with boundless optimism and an unwavering belief in the power of good.

Natasha's jaw clenched as she stared at the image. Y/N had been a force of nature, a bright light in their darkest moments. She had brought hope to their team, and now that light had been snuffed out, replaced by darkness and violence.

"The world needs to know about this," Fury's voice was resolute. "We can't let fear dictate our actions, but we need to act swiftly. Natasha, I'm putting you in charge of this investigation."

Natasha met Fury's gaze, her resolve hardening. She would uncover the truth behind the assassinations, bring down whoever was responsible, and save Y/N from the path she had taken. As she left the briefing room, her mind was a whirlwind of memories and determination. The echoes of her past were resounding, and the echoes of the fallen Avengers would drive her to uncover the painful truth behind these deadly echoes.

..

Tokyo stood before Natasha Romanoff like a multi-faceted gem, its neon-lit streets a mesmerizing blend of tradition and modernity. As she stepped onto the bustling sidewalks, the city's pulse resonated through her senses. But underneath the veneer of vibrancy lay a darker underbelly, a realm of secrets, crime, and danger.

Natasha's journey led her through the heart of Tokyo's nightlife district. Neon signs adorned the buildings, casting a kaleidoscope of colors onto the streets below. The air hummed with the sound of laughter, music, and the distant hum of traffic. Yet, as Natasha knew all too well, danger often thrived in the shadows of beauty.

The trail Natasha followed was a web of breadcrumbs left by Y/N Y/L/N, a former Avenger turned rogue. The assassinations had led Natasha to this city, where the pursuit of truth intertwined with the hunt for a fallen comrade.

Her initial investigations brought her to a dimly lit bar tucked away in a narrow alley. The low murmur of conversations and the clinking of glasses filled the air. Natasha's reputation preceded her, and wary glances followed her as she entered. The bartender, a stocky man with a tattooed arm, met her gaze with a mixture of wariness and recognition.

"I need information," Natasha said in a voice that carried a weight of authority.

The bartender motioned her to a secluded booth, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for eavesdroppers. As Natasha took a seat, he leaned in, his voice a conspiratorial whisper.

"You're looking for Y/N Y/L/N," he said, his tone a blend of caution and respect. "Word on the street is that she's been tearing through the city, leaving a trail of chaos."

Natasha's jaw clenched. The image of Y/N, a once-bright beacon of hope, now consumed by darkness, was difficult to reconcile. The bartender's information only fueled her determination to find Y/N and bring her back from the brink.

"Where is she now?" Natasha asked, her gaze unwavering.

The bartender hesitated, then leaned in further, his voice barely audible. "Hydra's got her, but she's wounded. She's been keeping a low profile, licking her wounds while plotting her next move."

Natasha thanked him with a nod, and a roll of bills changed hands discreetly. Money was a universal language in the world of informants and criminals, and the bartender's eyes glinted with a mix of gratitude and greed.

In the days that followed, Natasha delved deeper into Tokyo's intricate criminal web. The city's underbelly was a labyrinth of hidden alleys, underground fight clubs, and illicit dealings. Every step brought her closer to Y/N, but it also exposed her to increasingly dangerous adversaries.

One evening, as Natasha navigated a dimly lit alleyway, a group of thugs emerged from the shadows, surrounding her with malicious intent. Their leader sneered, revealing a jagged scar across his cheek.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he taunted, cracking his knuckles. "You're in the wrong part of town, sweetheart."

Natasha's eyes narrowed, her body tensing in anticipation. The fight that ensued was a symphony of swift, calculated movements. She dispatched her assailants with a mixture of precision and efficiency, leaving them groaning in pain on the pavement.

Her prowess in combat didn't go unnoticed. From the shadows emerged a figure, dressed in dark attire, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of defiance and curiosity.

"Impressive," the woman remarked, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "You're not your average tourist, are you?"

Natasha's guard remained up as she studied the stranger. The woman introduced herself as Kaito, a brilliant hacker known for her audacity and penchant for trouble. Kaito's words held a promise of knowledge that Natasha needed.

"I know why you're here," Kaito said cryptically, her fingers dancing over a compact keyboard. "If you want to find Y/N, you'll need my help."

An alliance, born out of necessity and mutual interest, began to take shape. Natasha realized that Kaito held valuable information that could lead them closer to Y/N's whereabouts. Together, they dove into the digital underbelly of the city, tracing encrypted communication channels that Hydra used to relay their orders and directives.

The duo's partnership brought them face-to-face with a rogue's gallery of adversaries. Natasha's combat skills and Kaito's technical expertise complemented each other seamlessly. They encountered Yakuza enforcers with inked skin and steely resolve, each encounter a test of their resourcefulness and resilience.

One particularly tense evening, Natasha and Kaito found themselves in a high-stakes poker game held in an underground casino. The tension was palpable as the chips exchanged hands, and Natasha's unreadable expression earned her both respect and suspicion from the other players. Kaito's nimble fingers danced over a set of electronic devices, feeding her real-time data that helped Natasha make calculated decisions.

As the night wore on, Natasha's winnings grew steadily. But it wasn't just money that she was after. Among the participants was a man rumored to have ties to Hydra's operations in Tokyo. The game became a battle of wits, with Natasha's poker face concealing her true intentions.

With a final, calculated move, Natasha went all-in, pushing her remaining chips to the center of the table. The tension in the room was electric as the other players weighed their options. The man with rumored Hydra ties met her gaze, his eyes narrowing in contemplation.

"I fold," he said, his voice curt.

Natasha's heart raced as she revealed her hand, a royal flush that left the other players in awe. As the chips were pushed in her direction, a subtle nod from the man confirmed her suspicions.

After the game, Natasha and Kaito retired to a secluded corner of the casino. Natasha's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, the night's revelations bringing her one step closer to unraveling the enigma that was Y/N Y/L/N.

As the neon lights of Tokyo cast an otherworldly glow on the city, Natasha and Kaito delved deeper into their investigation. The backdrop of neon-lit streets, hidden backrooms, and high-stakes encounters formed the backdrop of their relentless pursuit. The city's vibrant energy was a stark contrast to the darkness they were unraveling, a reminder that danger often wore a beguiling mask.

With each step, Natasha's resolve deepened. She was determined to navigate Tokyo's labyrinthine criminal network, to uncover the truth behind Y/N's descent into darkness, and to face the challenges that lay ahead. As the shadows lengthened, Natasha's path became clearer, leading her ever closer to the truth that awaited her in the heart of the city.

[consuetudinari0]

mind-control project

mind-control project Is a complex and controversial topic: Discussing its ethical implications, scientific research, or perhaps fictional portrayals in literature and media! Regarding my Eight digital publication: continue with the postmodernist sequence of mass distribution, inherited from the printing press to upload —-my Apple of knowledge—, in the branch of free knowledge, without an…

[santoschristos]

Christ Light

Jesus is a sublime, grounded, embodied Messenger for the whole human race of the cosmic force of Love and Wisdom of the One - that creates, evolves and lives in everything - in all the processes and beings of all the Universes. Jesus’ message is a universal message of the laws and powers of this cosmic force and his life is a universal map of how to live this message with passion, compassion, fearlessness, power and nobility of heart and soul. Jesus is - in and from eternity - a friend, a tender brother and a luminous guide ... to all those … who discover Divine Consciousness in themselves, in every other sentient being, in all aspects of the creation and nature - and who yearn to take an authentic path to embody this discovery, ever more richly and abundantly in themselves - and serve it, in sacredly inspired action in the world.

This exquisite quote from Andrew Harvey encapsulates a truly radical teaching that is both expansive and deeply insightful about the nature of Christ, Christ’s own personal experience, his relationship to the Godhead, his cosmic mission and our potential response.

. . .

In this way, consciousness is seen as a field of energies in which the whole is present in every part and applies to everything in the cosmos - interconnected, co-ordinated, a non-dual and integrated intelligence where inter-relationships play a major role.

Image: Christ Light by Mahaboka

[f--e-u-e-r-t-r-u-n-k-e--n]

Defining Maturity Before we explore emotional immaturity, let’s take a look at emotionally mature functioning. Emotional maturity isn’t a murky matter of opinion; it has been well and famously studied. “Emotional maturity” means a person is capable of thinking objectively and conceptually while sustaining deep emotional connections to others. People who are emotionally mature can function independently while also having deep emotional attachments, smoothly incorporating both into their daily life. They are direct about pursuing what they want, yet do so without exploiting other people. They’ve differentiated from their original family relationships sufficiently to build a life of their own (Bowen 1978). They have a well-developed sense of self (Kohut 1985) and identity (Erikson 1963) and treasure their closest relationships. Emotionally mature people are comfortable and honest about their own feelings and get along well with other people, thanks to their well-developed empathy, impulse control, and emotional intelligence (Goleman 1995). They’re interested in other people’s inner lives and enjoy opening up and sharing with others in an emotionally intimate way. When there’s a problem, they deal with others directly to smooth out differences (Bowen 1978). Emotionally mature people cope with stress in a realistic, forward-looking way, while consciously processing their thoughts and feelings. They can control their emotions when necessary, anticipate the future, adapt to reality, and use empathy and humor to ease difficult situations and strengthen bonds with others (Vaillant 2000). They enjoy being objective and know themselves well enough to admit their weaknesses (Siebert 1996). Personality Traits Associated with Emotional Immaturity Emotionally immature people, on the other hand, tend to have quite a different set of behavioral, emotional, and mental characteristics. Because these personality characteristics are all interconnected, people who display one are often prone to the others. In the sections that follow, I’ll briefly describe various characteristics of emotionally immature people. They Are Rigid and Single-Minded As long as there’s a clear path to follow, emotionally immature people can do very well, sometimes reaching high levels of success and prestige. But when it comes to relationships or emotional decisions, their immaturity becomes evident. They are either rigid or impulsive, and try to cope with reality by narrowing it down to something manageable. Once they form an opinion, their minds are closed. There’s one right answer, and they can become very defensive and humorless when people have other ideas. Gibson, L. (2015). Adult children of emotionally immature parents : how to heal if your parents couldn’t meet your emotional needs (pp. 28-34). : New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

[bibibbon]

Who are your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters each from Jujutsu Kaisen and Boku no Hero Academia? And why you loved them? And your top 5 favorite moments each from both series? Thx :D

My top 5 characters from Jujutsu kaisen are :

1)yuji itadori. I already kinda answered why I love yuji in my last post but Iam a big fan of his character arc and I absolutely love his cog ideology. There is so much that is still a mystery to yuji and I think he will probably be one of my top favourite MCs really soon I do hope that his story ends up breaking the cycle.

2) Geto suguru. I love how he is a parallel to yuji, how close he was with both Gojo and shoko, how he realised that the system was broken but chose the wrong way to deal with it.

3) Yuki tsumoko. I love how she was basically a riko who got a chance at defying fate and living. How she studied the soul and probably had better understanding of all of this than anyone in the Jujutsu world. I think she deserved more screentime and moments before getting destroyed by kenjaku. I also believe that she was simply a catalyst to Getos downfall and not what caused it.

4) Mechamaru. I love robots Imma be honest this is bias. I also loved how much he cared for the Kyoto students, how he was basically being selfish not letting them go into shibuya being afraid that they would get hurt, I loved how he became the traitor for both his own selfish reasons and to protect the ones he cared about.

5) maki zenin. Her character breaking the cycle that the zenins created is absolutely beautiful. She is basically a toji who broke the cycle and is someone who is ultimately interconnected with mai through the use of the sword.

My top 3 favourite moments in jjk are:

1) yuji Vs mahito in shibuya. The build up to this was amazing the "Iam you" moments was also fantastic. The slow understanding that yuji and mahito are two sides of the same coin is just so beautifully done. The wolf and rabbit imagery throughout the fight how mahito went from being cocky confident to being terrified (a feeling that a curse like him never knew of) is just a masterpiece.

2) higumara Vs itadori. This fight really just have us insight to both characters. We really get to see how much guilt itadori truly feels and is burdend with after shibuya. However, with higumara we also see him and his backstory how he spiraled out of control always being confronted by liars and sometimes failing to help as a lawyer, failing to protect the innocent. His domain being blinded by only justice and what people say is something really cool especially when we see yuji break that and how higumara reassures yuji telling him that the shibuya incident was not his fault was a really good moment

3) Gojo Vs kenjaku. Short but I think it said a lot about both characters relationships. How Gojos only weakness was the one that he used to share the title of the strongest with or how even after death geto would still not want any harm done to Gojo so he physically takes control over his own body and tries to cause himself harm just to try and stop kenjaku from sealing Gojo.

For MHA my top 5 favourite characters are:

1) izuku midoriya. The potential he had as a character is insane he definitely breaks the regular shonen protagonist type as we see him overthinking, actually analyse stuff and he is a very emotionally intelligent character as a whole. I talk a lot about how many ways horikoshi could of used him in my blog

2) momo Yaoyorozu. My favourite female character she had a lot of wasted potential which I talked about I think she had a great character arc ahead of her she just lacked the manga time for it which is sad.

3) tenya iida. PROBABLY one of the best developed characters in the series (if not for some of the ooc things he does from time to time) a character who wanted to only be a hero because of a loved one and then going in a full murder hunt when that loved one is injured just to be met with ideological thoughts like what is a hero and if he is worthy of such a title.

4) toga Himiko. I think she had a lot of potential as a humanised villain. I don't like his she was redeemed and I also made a post about how much wasted potential she has int he series.

5) shoji mezou. He actually kinda carries the series on his back because a lot of characters would be dead if it weren't for him. It's such a shame he got his character "arc" last minute and we didn't get a more fleshed out version of him. Him being a victim of discrimination and hiding behind a mask is never talked about just how it's never talked about how he takes of the mask and gains the confidence to show his face without feeling ashamed.

My top 3 favourite moments in MHA are:

1) Stain Vs the trio (izuku, iida and todoroki).The stain arc realky put all the characters through some serious thought process and questions. I love how stain actually ends up logically questioning idea and having a point in those questions. I love how todoroki just got a message from izuku and was like "oh thats not how you text so I came" I love how the moment izuku realised he was in hosu he started to think of iida was ok or how stain thought and regarded izuku as a true hero.

2) Izuku Vs lady nagant. This was supposed to be a fight where both parties realise how wrong they are and for izuku to realise how messed up the HC is. Lady nagant and izuku have a lot of parallels him wanting to save her and not having the heart to kill her says a lot. The way she highly respects him is something I really like. I guess I mainly like this for the wasted potential it has🤷‍♀️

3) togas fight in MVA arc with curious. Her fight with curious really got a lot out of her character. We got a backstory and how she kept hiding her true self, how her quirk made her the way she is. We also got a good breakdown of both curious and Toga's characters I wish we had more but yeah.

[ventsesh24]

Dear H,

I just wanted to acknowledge the fact that I’ve noticed you penning so many of the unspoken recurrent sub-themes spinning through my head. And that it’s delightful how so many of our personal thoughts and feelings seem to overlap.

That’s not to say we each haven’t had our own unique experiences. Also, I won’t deny how your posts are definitely relatable to a larger audience, apart from me.

Not that you asked, but I’m a straight cis-female, med school graduate preparing for a Psychiatry residency. Lived in the States for 5 years when I was younger, but returned to my home country.

I admire your work and although I admit I am not well acquainted with you, I almost feel as though you’re a kindred spirit! Plus, you do seem very Aquarian-like. You are intellectual, but also emotionally intelligent, which is mirrored in your writing and responses. You’re a scientist, nature and animal lover, explorer, truth-seeker, writer and artist and even a healer, I would say. And so much more, I’m sure. I know you want to make a difference in this world!

Thank you for creating a safe space to share, to vent (your namesake). Reading your posts I admire the simply beautiful and authentic way you express yourself…unknowingly reflecting many of my own innermost thoughts. Your words resonate deeply.

I’m not sure how consistently active I will be on Tumblr in the upcoming future. But, I will always keep coming back. I think my greatest fear is losing my sense of self, my identity…Tumblr is one of those things that remind me of who I am at my core, that’s why.

Lastly, I just want to say you matter. Your words, your art and the meaning behind them matter. And I that I am grateful to have crossed paths with you albeit digitally.

Warm regards,

AK

Thank you so much for taking the time to write and share this message—it truly means a lot to me. This is exactly why I write and share my thoughts: to inspire creativity, connection, courage, and unity. Knowing that my words have touched even one person somewhere in the world is incredibly meaningful to me. Also, thank you for sharing some details about yourself! I always secretly wonder about the person behind the page when I stumble across one, though I also love the mystery. But I have to admit, my curiosity gets the best of me—so thank you! And to everyone reading this, thank you for being here. I love you all, and I hope my messages bring you comfort and perhaps inspire new ideas and actions in your life.

“To touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground.” —Stephen Covey

We are human, yes—but that’s not all we are. We are spiritual beings inhabiting human bodies. We are the universe experiencing itself, all deeply connected by a collective consciousness. There’s a theory that when an idea comes to mind, it may actually be inspired by someone else’s thought. Just as plants are interconnected through mycelium {networks of fungi beneath the ground that connect like neural synapses}, we too are connected through shared thoughts and similar experiences, though each of our paths are unique. It’s a beautiful thing, and I’m grateful to share my experiences with all of you.

[captain-joongz]

Notes to chapter 2 of Dragonheart

Dictionary

atmokinesis - the ability to control the weather by calling for rainfall or storms

白虎; baihu (chin.) - in the story known as stripes or the kingsguard, the mythological concept of the white tiger is the same as the azure dragon's. the white tiger is considered one of the four daoist guardian spirits, he guards the west and he is connected to autumn, metal and death. and much like the azure dragon, it is also an important constellation

(depiction of the white tiger from Goguryeo period tomb mural)

玄武; xuanwu (chin.) - the third of the fourth guardian is the black tortoise (also sometimes called the dark warrior - it's the literal translation of the characters). it's sometimes depicted with a snake wrapped around it. in the story it is known as the shadows or the unit of secret intelligence, but in real chinese mythology it is considered the guardian of north, it's connected to winter and water

(depiction of the black tortoise and a snake from a Goguryeo period tomb mural)

Just a tiny detour into a general overview of Chinese cosmology

Feel free to skip this if you're not interested, it just gives a little more context about the concepts I use in my story, but I understand it can be a little overwhelming or confusing - if you have any questions (about how this connects to the story or just about the concepts and mythology alone) feel free to send me an ask and I'll do my best to explain everything to you!

Chinese cosmology is what you'd call correlative - everything is somehow interconnected and it creates a complex confusing system of things that are all linked together by larger concepts - it's a living organism, a hive if you'd like

I touch on the subject of the Great four Guardians - that is a daoist concept mostly, though it melts into a bigger confucian cosmologic concept of correlation and wuxing 五行 - the five phases

as you can see on the picture below (please ignore my very much "graphic design is my passion" level of skill with Canva), there's an over-arching theme (either a season, a colour or one of the five phases) and there's a slew of things connected to them (tastes, senses, organs, flowers, planets, mountains, etc.)

for example - the colour red is inviolably connected to south, summer, fire, the pheonix, lotus flower, etc. - these things become symbols for those concepts

I use the four guardians (black tortoise, azure dragon, red sparrow and white tiger) as names of elite Academy units, these are the concepts that stand behind those four beings - the dragon is firmly the symbol of east, just as the white tiger is firmly connected to colour white and the concept of death

here is a slightly simpliflied overview that is more about the five phases than about the cardinal directions

these concepts go beyond just philosophy (though of course not perfectly) - for example spring is a yang season while autumn is a yin season - yang is the life power, and as it rises during the spring and brings the world back alive, it (ideally) should be illegal to kill young animals or execute prisoners, while autumn as a season that strenghtens yin and the world starts dying is the season during which you should hunt and plan executions (this is an ideal concept of the right rule)

why is the centre/earth kind of weird? - well, you see, China is a huge country with a super fucking long history, and these concepts didn't start out together but they were slowly built on top of each other as time went - that's why sometimes they kind of needed to force things to correlate to make it symmetrical - there's five cardinal points, but only four seasons, what do we do? we make up something so it works in theory. a lot of these concept evolved simultanously but under different schools of thought and then kind of merged together, that's why it's a little messy sometimes (ei. there the ox officially isn't a fifth guardian, but the centre is still connected to the animal of ox because there needs to be one)

who even are the five emperors and why do we care? - we kind of don't actually, these emperors are a very old concept called wufang shangdi 五方上帝 - "deities of the five directions/regions" - all of them are an impersonation or a manifestation of the concept of tian 天 (heaven). we can assume they were once worshipped, but to this day the only two emperors that kept their importance are the Huang-di and the Chi-di (Yellow and Red), the rest are kind of lost to time. Huang-di is to this day very important and one of the most known beings in chinese mythology, and an important patron to various daoist teachings and concepts, while also a deity that mythologicaly stands at the very beginning of chinese civilization (he was one of the five first fabulous emperors that ruled before the first dynasty). Chi-di has undergone a several transformations and is also known as Huo-di (fire emperor) or Shennong (the first husbandman and patron of agriculture), as Huo-di he is connected to Huang-di as his friend and companion during a famous mythological war, he is also the mythological fire-giver

this is a more detailed chart if you're interested, as you can see there's all kinds of shit like emotions, virtues, part of the body and such

the five phases - are they just the elements? - yes and no. In chinese wuxing actually means 'the five in movement, the moving five' - that's why it's more generally translated as phases. The whole concept behind wuxing is extremely convoluted and confusing, just know that they all move in a never ending cycle (water -> wood -> fire -> earth -> metal) and they react to each other (either purify or destroy each other) - as is shown on the picture below

this all also connects to chinese medicine (the organs correlation and the cycle of the five phases) - in the most basic terms (i myself don't understand this perfectly) - let's say you have a problem with your lungs - lungs are connected to metal, metal is destroyed by fire (as displayed in the chart below) - to remedy your sick lungs you need to eat bitter food (which is connected to fire and summer) - I just pulled this shit out of my ass, but this is generally how chinese medicine works in the broadest terms

this is all kind of like the most basic most surface stuff, trust me - chinese mythology is fucking insane and basically impossible to fully orientate in, China is huge and every region has different deities or different names for the same deities, some deities started off as something and then slowly evolved into like five different people or concepts and it's all very confusing (like the Chi-di - Huo-di - Shennong - they're all different deities while still being different versions of one deity, in some myths they are synonymous and in some two of those are in the same story as completely different people with different histories)

there are three main religions (daoism, confucianism, buddhism) that all have their own myths, concepts and deities that during the ages melted all together, not to mention that each of those religions have countless cults that each go their own way (especially daoism, that one goes crazy - like how did we go from 'dao is the endless flow of things and you need to trust it to lead you instinctually' to 'you need to eat these rocks and have sex in these positions to be immortal'??)

the history is long and ever-changing, different sources might tell you different things, also China has a history of manipulating the records and a lot of things were lost or rewritten, so some older concepts, rituals or deities are all just pure speculation or theories, because we can't really know what was really happening 3-4 thousand years ago

as times go certain concepts built on top of each other or try to one-up each other, so you start with one heaven and centuries later end up with like 10 layers that each has different guardians and concepts until you have no idea what's going on anymore

there are some over-arching myths and stories, but even those have thousand different versions

so, it's one of those topics that leave you more and more confused the more you study them - the more you wanna know, the less you actually understand

(with love, from a very tired Chinese mythology and philosophy student)