#It's based on Resheph

[boredz-boi]

This was my first time making a mask!!

It's for my Mythology class :)

Please ignore the mess, I only had 3 days to work on it, I didn't have enough time to clean off my desk

[apilgrimpassingby]

Demons of the Hebrew Bible

Since today is also the day for Lord of Spiritsposting, I've decided to make a post I considered yesterday - the demons of the Hebrew Bible. This will be a long post, so I'm inserting a "Keep Reading".

Azazel: Appears only once in Leviticus 16, as the being in the wilderness to whom the goat with the people's sins laid on it in the Day of Atonement ritual is given (this isn't sacrifice, because the animal isn't killed or offered on an altar, among other things). Becomes a Devil figure in some later Jewish literature like the Book of Enoch, and is associated with deserts, sin and goats - the name literally means "the goat that goes away" (an archaic translation gives us the word "scapegoat"), and the seemingly-random reference to goat demons in Leviticus 17:7 comes just after Azazel's appearance.

Deber: The most prominent of the gang, appearing (usually in conjunction with other figures on this list) in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, Habakkuk and the Pentateuch a total of 49 times, usually unleashed as punishment for some sin by Israel (compare "handing people over to Satan" in St. Paul's letters - 1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Timothy 1:20). A nocturnal demon of pestilence and destruction associated with the underworld in Canaanite mythology.

Hereb: Rendered as "the sword" in English; the next most prominent one, appearing 29 times and, like Deber, in conjunction with the others. A demon of violence and destruction associated with blood-drinking (Isaiah 34:5, Jeremiah 46:10) and flesh-eating (Deuteronomy 32:42, Jeremiah 12:12) and probably the rider on a red horse from Revelation 6:3-4.

Lilit: Appears just once, Isaiah 34:14, where she's dwelling in some ruins. Usually translated as "screech owl" or "night bird", but some use "Lilith". In Mesopotamian mythology, the lili are a class of nocturnal female demons associated who kill babies and are associated with owls, so the translation as "screech owl" is acceptable. The Songs of the Sage from the Dead Sea Scrolls refer to liliyot (feminine plural) as a class of demons: "And I, the Instructor, proclaim His glorious splendour so as to frighten and to te[rrify] all the spirits of the destroying angels, spirits of the bastards, demons, liliths, howlers...

Livyatan: Usually anglicised as Leviathan, and appears five times: Job 3:8 and chapter 41, Psalms 74:12-14 and 104:26 and Isaiah 27:1. Based on those appearances, he's a multi-headed fire-breathing sea serpent immune to weapons who battles with Yahweh and (of course) always loses. The myth of a god fighting a sea serpent is a staple of world mythology. Likely correlates to the beast from the sea of Revelation 13:1-10, since Leviathan is paired with a beast from the earth (Behemoth; Job 40:15-24) - also compare Revelation 13:4 ("Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”) to Job 41:33-34 ("On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear. He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride").

Nephilim: Famously appear in Genesis 6:1-4 as the warriors born of the sons of God and the daughters of men, understood in Second Temple Jewish texts such as the Book of Enoch and the Septuagint to be giants born of fallen angels and human women. They appear by the name Anakim or Rephaim in Genesis 14:5, 15:20, Deuteronomy 1:28, 2:10-11, 2:20-21, 3:11, 3;13, 9:2 and Joshua 11:21-22, 12:4, 13:12, 14:12, 14:15 and 15:8 and war with giants appears in 2 Samuel 21:16-22, 1 Chronicles 20:4-8 and, of course, 1 Samuel 17 (the David and Goliath story).

Qeteb: Appears just 4 times (Deuteronomy 32:24; Psalm 91:6; Isaiah 28:2; Hosea 13:14), together with Deber in the Psalms and Hosea appearances and together with Resheph in Deuteronomy; if there's any lesson from this post so far, it's that plague demons hunt in packs. A diurnal plague demon whose name is rendered in English as "destruction"; nothing more to be said.

Ra'av: The third most prominent one, appearing 35 times; a famine demon whose name is rendered in English as "famine" or "hunger" who is unleashed on Israel as punishment together with (surprise!) Hereb and either Deber or Resheph. Probably the rider on a black horse from Revelation 6:5-6.

Rephaim: The spirits of dead kings who dwell in the underworld not doing much, translated in the ESV as shades and appearing in Isaiah 14:9 and 26:14; the same imagery and concept is being used by Ezekiel 32:20-30.

Resheph: A demon of plague and conquest worshipped as a god in Canaanite and Egyptian culture, depicted as a bearded archer on a white horse. Appears just 6 times in the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 32:24; Habakkuk 3:5 Psalm 78:48; Job 5:7, Song of Songs 8:6); the name is rendered as "plague" or "pestilence" or occasionally "fire" or "sparks" because the name literally means "burning". Probably the rider on a white horse from Revelation 6:2.

Sources and Further Reading

"Before Him Went Pestilence (Hab. 3:5) - Biblical Lexis and Semantic Field of Epidemics" by Jozef Jankovic for The Old Testament Society of South Africa

"A Land of Giants" by Frs. Andrew Stephen Damick and Stephen DeYoung on The Lord of Spirits

"War, Famine, Disease, Death and Hades" by Fr. Stephen DeYoung on The Whole Counsel of God

"Who is Azazel?" by Fr. Stephen DeYoung on The Whole Counsel of God

Who is Lilith - Ancient Development and Origins of the Demon Queen by Dr. Justin Sledge on ESOTERICA

Or in short - stop making it all about Lilith. Use some other Hebrew Bible demons.

[monsooninn]

Berakhot 5a: 5. "A bitter, bitter pole."

A reseph is a "recipe", which is just another term for the Torah, which means "instructions" except now, instead of whipping up a sweet sweet, cake, we're making something bitter:

5. And Rabbi Yitzchak said: Everyone who recites a Kiryat Shema on his bed is a miser in the right hand.

As it was said: "And the sons of Resheph will lift it up as a fowl", and there is no "fowl" but the Torah, as it is said: "Fix your eyes on it and it is not".

And there is no "reseph" but a harmful one, as it is said: "A slanderer of hunger and heat is reseph and a bitter pole."

It is interesting to note the Jews and Greeks did not exactly see eye to on the incorporation of fertile adolescents into society due to restrictions about this in the Torah, but in the Mishnah, the interpretation is much more liberal, stating the proper "lifting up" of a dove boy is an important stage of development.

Notice the terminology is not overtly sexual or rapturous and indeed it is not; the language states one cannot heap responsibility on a boy just because he has a pair of hairy walnuts and then demonize their God-given purposes so long as certain expectations are met.

Our Jewish sages were wise and prescient. The entire Mishnah is dedicated to the onset of Three Shifts in human consciousness and composition necessary to bring about Mashiach. Oppression of others based on issues that pertain to sex have been a huge problem for societies for thousands of years, and in no way contributes to brotherhood or Mashiach.

This section is therefore harshly critical of the use of shame towards sexuality, unless it gets out of hand, in which case, one should resort to the instruction in the Torah as to how to reinstate oneself.

The Values in Gematria for the above verses are:

a. The Value in Gematria is 5485, הד‎חה‎‎, dismissal.

"Human nature and human reason are not inherently evil. Human beings naturally care for one another and are outraged by injustice. Human reason has produced a wealth of wisdom.

But the human mind is easily bribed. When morality becomes inconvenient, we find ways to dismiss it. When ethics get in our way, we find reasons to change the rules of the game. And when it comes to people who are outside of our clan, tribe or society, we simply determine that they are not human like us, and everything is justified.

That is why it is vital, especially today in a global society, that we accept a single Authority, one who is neither human nor elected by humans, and whose word is eternal and immutable."

b. The Value in Gematria is 9208, טב‎אֶפֶסח, tbafesach, "the Passover."

c. The Value in Gematria is 3531, גהגא‎, gaga, "the map of the roof".

We have observed how the manifestation of fertility in a boy is a crossroad- he will either become noble or cooked depending on the influences around him. Even if there are an abundance of educators, role models and men and women with good senses of humor about human sexuality, virginity is not an easy time. Being a virgin and being trapped in Egypt- in a society that is tyrranical or immoral is a death trap.

The final exit is the same as the way out of Egypt. To cross the Jordan at the proper time, and put an end to one's virginity when one is prepared is the same as making the preparations for Shema At Midnight. Both require one to lay back on one's bed and entertain belief in the Mishnah, the road to Mashiach.

[croco-boy]

I couldn’t stop thinking about how Resheph could bake cookies for Morrigan, and then they both could be cynical about humanity together. The best friendships are based on questionable moral commentaries lmao This is all @sadiesindies fault. 

[rsheph]

a mutual exclusive rp blog for an independent original character, resheph, as written by kaleb (he/him). some aspects of this character are based from a show that i do not claim any ownership of (s/pn). all information that you need prior to interaction will be on my carrd. other important links: - meme tag - headcanons tag

[incalyscent-fr]

yo the singles list is here, i’ll link to dragons but not all of them have bios causes i’m garbage (also hellreek is a big aroace squad and i didn’t even know it until now)

you two said yes so you get a ping @cheeseburgeridgeback @fr-blackiebelle

ruzo, bisexual biromantic (potentially courting tj’s lucasta)

morbus pansexual aromantic, she has some kids and also she’s generally awful but go for it if that’s your jam (will be picky, akeelah child)

tacenda, greysexual demiromantic, leader of the vigilante group (will be picky, akeelah child)

lachesis, greysexual aromantic, don’t fate him he’s terrifying (akeelah child)

xarouqu, heterosexual greyromantic, brokenhearted old hunting trainer.  been through some shit (old and sentimental)

aquilone, bisexual panromantic, has several lovers so be ok with that (best friend’s progen’s son)

tuqburni, pansexual panromantic, kinda rude, wants to overthrow akeelah (akeelah’s blood)

mortirudh, homosexual homoromantic, tuq’s little brother, lonely little sod (akeelah’s blood)

haduwig, tactical adviser, has some shit going down, available later (bestie’s progen’s daughter)

fernah, bisexual biromantic, princess of lumarae vana, doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere with that water prince (sentimental)

tenskawatawa, demisexual demiromantic, archangel’s daughter, currently freaking out, come back later

rusvai, greysexual biromantic, one of aramis’ last brood, mean son of a bitch (frond’s progen’s daughter.  will be picky)

brayen, bisexual demiromantic, morrigan and okeer’s son.  a sweet shining boy.  just settling in, available later

febris, pansexual greyromantic, at least you’ll never get sick around her (akeelah child)

gabriel, pansexual greyromantic, he’s spoiled to hell and a brat but at least he’s pretty (has a breeding partner for $$$, friend’s old clan leader’s kid)

mariette, asexual ceteroromantic, eats bad dreams, only slightly nicer than her father

xibalba, heterosexual biromantic, kinda still hopelessly in love with his last platonic breeding partner, available later maybe

gutch, pansexual panromantic, infamous wolf queen of the tangled wood (old and sentimental, has a breeding partner for $$$)

phenris, bisexual biromantic, mostly just a jackass (has a breeding partner for $$$, hasn’t bred in a while)

razor, the mom friend (has a breeding partner for $$$, hasn’t bred in a while)

faculae, pansexual homoromantic, self conscious who is super good at lashing out (has potential breeding partner for $$$ but they have not bred)

 karolyne, greysexual homoromantic, almost no development done but she’s the daughter of tj’s mad healer so bonus, available later (has potential breeding partner for $$$ but they have not bred)

hammurabi, pansexual panromantic, dajoji punching squad (potentially taken, akeelah’s blood) 

hecatonchires, bisexual homoromantic, maybe a little bit nuts but it’s okay, dajoji punching squad (akeelah’s blood)

regal, pansexual heteroromantic, sweet pea, currently super heartbroken come back later (old and sentimental)

legion , greysexual panromantic, kinda the stereotypical poet dude on the outside, secret sweetie on the inside (old and sentimental) 

lafier, a good sweet girl, too good, too pure (old and sentimental, has a breeding partner but they haven’t bred in literal years)

morchella, bisexual panromantic, a spooky girl with one or two family issues

pietra, asexual demiromantic, still sad come back later (dream dragon, sentimental)

slephner, bisexual biromantic, this girl has had so many mates and it’s never really worked out tbh but give it a go she’s a sweetie

ezio, pansexual panromantic, he’s going on here for shits and giggles (dream dragon)

smokerise, pansexual panromantic, she’ll kill you but you’d thank her for it

foraoise, greysexual panromantic, still kinda getting over the sudden death of his last mate, and that shadow princess is so forward

panocha, pansexual panromantic, yes he really is that ugly but he is so, so sweet (sentimental)

afilade, polysexual aromantic, don’t date afilade he’s awful (sentimental.  so sentimental.  has several breeding partners for $$$)

maximize, pansexual demiromantic, big and gruff and beautiful.  makes sharp things (has a breeding partner for $$$)

tsukiyomi, pansexual heteroromantic, kinda uptight, but kinda a softie (has a breeding partner for $$$)

caroline, demisexual demiromantic, don’t date her she’d sooner kill you (based off the main character of the book i’m writing, will be super SUPER picky, i almost didn’t put her here but give it a go if you must)

caleem, pansexual panromantic, be good to him or caroline will kill you (based off the main character of the book i’m writing, will be picky)

furiosa, asexual biromantic, up here for shits and giggles (will be picky)

max, greysexual heteroromantic, up here for shits and giggles (will be picky)

hayalet, citerosexual aromantic, trying to date her would be a wild ride honestly (akeelah’s blood)

tali, heterosexual heteroromantic, up here for shits and giggles

seaweed, heterosexual greyromantic just retired, looking for someone to cuddle (old and sentimental)

zara, heterosexual heteroromantic, pretending not to be sad, cheer her up (based off a character from the book i’m writing)

mephistopheles, homosexual homoromantic, his dad’s least favorite because he was too big to eat. recently fucked up message me if you wanna date him (akeelah’s blood)

basso, pansexual panromantic, runs the burrick where all the nefarious dragons go (this is the start of said dragons) up here for shits and giggles

agaricus, homosexual homoromantic, recently fucked up, available later 

rashiel, pansexual homoromantic, a little ball of energy trying not to be sad help him (based of a character from the book i’m writing)

resheph, heterosexual heteroromantic, pointy outside, soft inside (akeelah’s blood)

grey, pansexual panromantic, he’s a pirate who’s the son of death what more do you want

sonder, homosexual homoromantic, big gay who beats people up for money (birthday dragon)

monachopsis, homosexual homoromantic, slightly bigger gay who beats people up for money (birthday dragon)

abraxas, pansexual panromantic, this guy is new but has already accepted his fate as a disappointment child, thanks parents (potentially taken, akeelah’s blood)

ubuntu, bisexual polyromantic, don’t know a whole lot about this guy but he’s COOL (potentially taken, gen one)

lechon, bisexual biromantic, forgotten prince of lumarae vana, a sweet boy (sentimental)

evie, heterosexual heteroromanitc, here for shits and giggles

jacob, bisexual biromantic, here for shits and giggles

ikigai, pansexual panromantic, literally just a blob of shade, don’t know how that would work out but hey (dream dragon)

[durenjtmusings]

The Great Meta Scavenger Hunt - Round 3:  Pranks and Belief

For round three of this meta scavenger hunt by @elizabethrobertajones​, we are instructed to place our hands in the gods of the supernaturalwiki random page link. Excited, I poked the link and received:

Roanoke Colony - http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Roanoke_Colony

Hum, what? I say…and the bottom of the page helpfully refers me to episode 2.09 Croatoan and the exact transcript lines where this has been mentioned, all of twice, in 11.5 seasons.  OK then, Croatoan and how the Roanoke colony vanished paired with…and clicked the link again.

We’ll skip the part here where I got an obscure assistant director for like 1-2 episodes with 3 lines of text in the wiki and said nope, try again, whereupon I got:

1.17 Hell House - http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=1.17_Hell_House

A quick glance reminds me that, oh right, this is the Tulpa episode…and the first time we meet the Ghostfacer guys. The page also helpfully tells me: “tulpa = the manifestation of a thought.”

And then I get an idea. An awful idea. A wonderful awful idea. Heck a whole series of ‘em!  

What if the demise of the Roanoke colony was caused by something like a Tulpa?

What if the Croatoan virus was created accidentally via a Tulpa-like process?

What if the Roanoke folks *believed* themselves out of existence?

I did some excited flailing @elizabethrobertajones​ about how I wanted to write this fanfic/revisionist history rather than this meta, and she flailed back – “Do that!” And then there was more conversation, and she reminded me of the whole Lucifer/demons use the Croatoan virus to end the world plot line in Seasons five and then I had to go do more REsearch.

So I went and looked up the 3 Croatoan episodes and watched/read the transcripts, and then got bummed because the whole pestilence demon virus creation thing made it look like my idea wouldn’t work, so I went off and sulked for a few days. (But while I was there, I went ahead and collected data on those 3 episodes for the exclamatorys database, but that’s a different post).

But then it dawned on me that the wiki gods had asked me to compare ROANOKE and episode 1.17 – with Croatoan being only a small element of the Roanoke colony – NOT the thing itself I was supposed to compare. Which made my ideas all possible and stuff again. SO, backstory fully over-explained, read on below the cut for the meta. (Possible spoilers if you haven’t seen 1.17 or 2.09, 5.04 or 5.20.)

We’ll start with episode 1.17 Hell House and examine its two main themes: Pranks and Belief

Pranks: I had completely forgotten that THIS was the pranking episode – the one with the spoon, the blasting radio, the superglue, and the itching powder. Which is fantastically funny and all, but until this re-watch I hadn’t realized how much pranking threaded its way throughout all other elements of this episode. In point of fact, the whole “ghost of Mordechai Murdoch” was a prank by local kids to begin with, including the use of random theological and other symbols in the house. And then you have the ‘paranormal investigators’ Ed & Harry searching for a Ghost Story to increase their web notoriety. This taps into the audiences’ general knowledge that most reports of paranormal events are cons – pranks, essentially – designed to fool the credulous. Add to this that the attempted solution to the problem was to ‘prank’ Harry and Ed into putting information on their web site that would allow them to kill the ghost – effectively ‘pranking’ all the HellHound website viewers into believing BS about iron bullets in order to make it true for the Tulpa. And then we end with the brothers agreeing to call a truce after pranking Ed and Harry out of town with a fake Hollywood producer call and a dead fish. Take away lesson? Pranking is juvenile, and can be dangerous, so you shouldn’t do it (but we do anyway because we are stupid human).

Belief: To begin, it is worth noting that pranking and belief are, of course, related - as many pranks require the victim to believe something that is not true in order to work. This episode, however, goes beyond that to encourage us to examine not only the danger and power of belief, but also issues of credulity and the ease with which belief can be swayed/changed. As we meet Ed and Harry, we, the viewers have the brother’s POV towards the paranormal - it is fact, pure and simple, belief is no longer really involved in the issue.  Ed and Harry are almost embarrassing in their ‘true believer’ posturing – which eventually becomes actual belief as they witness and then actually interact with the vengeful spirit of the house.  And then there is the issue of “the madness of crowds” and the internet – where belief can be had for free clickbait pixels – enough belief to fuel the creation of a powerful violent spirit.  A spirit which, once created, then takes on a life of its own – almost as if it believes in its own horrible backstory.

Which takes us to the real world mystery of the Roanoke colony. Research shows us that, from canon, we actually have no answers; we have only speculation. Different people believe different theories (following quotes from 2.09):

Sam: Roanoke was one of the first English colonies in America, late 1500s? Dean: Oh yeah, yeah, I do remember that. The only thing they left behind was a single word carved in a tree. Croatoan. Sam: Yeah. And I mean, there were theories — Indian raid, disease, but nobody knows what really happened. They were all just gone. I mean, wiped out overnight. Dean: You don't think that's what's going on here, I mean...

 ******************************

Dean: A demonic virus? Sam: Yeah, more like demonic germ warfare. At least it explains why I've been having visions. Dean: It's like a Biblical plague. Sam: Yeah. You don't know how right you are, Dean. I've been poring through Dad's journal, found something about the Roanoke colony. Dean: And? Sam: Dad always had a theory about Croatoan. He thought it was a demon's name. Sometimes known as Deva or sometimes Resheph. A demon of plague and pestilence.

So, based pretty much on John’s theory, and the doctor’s virus-like findings, Sam and Dean finish their 1st Croatoan experience assuming that a demon virus wiped out the Roanoke colony. Before starting this meta, I had assumed (believed) that Roanoke was like a beta test of the Croatoan virus way back when, and then Pestilence was pulled off the project, or got bored/distracted/bound, and did not come back to it until Lucifer was released. But his was just BELIEF – we don’t really have even ‘canon facts’ to support these assumptions.

So, then, what if the Roanoke colony had nothing to do with the virus? What if the word Croatoan in the town of River Grove, Oregon in 2006 was like a demon prank? A code name for a project drawn from the annals of human history – selected as part of a kind of psychological warfare, connecting this strange and mysterious happening with a haunting mystery from the past in order to heighten fear and/or to serve as kind of a demon in-joke. This theory, however, leaves us back where we started, really, not knowing what happened in Roanoke.

I propose, then, a new theory, based on belief. What if the Roanoke colony members, cut off from almost everyone they knew, became afraid of something that didn’t exist. But that fear, in such a small confined group grew, magnified, and strengthened belief until the thing they feared became a reality – eventually rising up to wipe them out. This ‘fearsome thing’ could fit any pro-offered theory – a raid by natives, a disease, starvation, or even a paranormal threat (remember that this was the era of every day witch/demon fears). Heck, what if the colonists essentially believed a demon virus into being? A virus that caused them to infect and/or kill each other and then completely consumed the bodies?

What if the ‘demon of pestilence’ simply showed up after the fact and took credit for the thing, whatever it was, that wiped out the colony, by ‘signing’ his name to it? Essentially beginning a centuries long prank on humanity, which, in the SPN universe, culminates in Lucifer’s/Pestilence’s plans to wipe out humans via vaccination?

Oh God no, now we’ve tapped into the whole ‘belief and vaccination’ thing and I am NOT starting that conversation after midnight. Good night all – hope this was interesting for you. Off to write the EEKP database post for Croatoan...