#Seeking Connections [Starter Call]

[talesxfelysium]

eeeeee hiii im overthinking! if youre open to me dm'ing you about possible rp pls give this a like <3

[tarotbiscuits]

𝔭𝔦𝔠𝔨 𝔞 𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔡: 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔞𝔟𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔣𝔰

(this is for my female audience interested in men)

˜”°•.˜”°• Who are they?

What do they have to say to you?

What are their intentions towards you? •°”˜.•°”

We'll see what their energy (and the cards) say

Try to meditate on the piles beforehand and choose the one which calls you the most. If you don't feel drawn to any of them, close your eyes, take a deep breath and open your eyes. The pile you notice first is your pile!! If you feel drawn to two piles, i'd suggest choosing the one you're most drawn to, as the messages tend to be similar in nature.

𝔭𝔦𝔩𝔢 1 𝔭𝔦𝔩𝔢 2

𝔭𝔦𝔩𝔢 3 𝔭𝔦𝔩𝔢 4

PILE 1

Signs this might be for you:

444 is significant to you

you have a flowy red dress that you love wearing and it looks great on you (i see you turning around happily in that dress)

Who is your fs?

the hermit, temperance, page of cups rx, page of wands rx, five of swords, king of cups

Greetings, pile 1! For starters, i see that your fs is someone that you’ve already been in a romantic connection with. Your fs is someone who is more introverted or a loner at heart. He usually takes a lot of time for himself to balance his emotions out in his day-to-day life. He can be rather emotionally immature at times, not admitting his feelings for his love interests due to poor communication skills. I feel like he’s not the type to take risks. He wishes to be like everyone else, instead of standing out from the crowd. Your fs is a guy who doesn’t engage in conflicts much. Whenever he gets into conflict with someone, he tends to leave the situation to meditate upon it instead of lashing out. What I see coming for him is the fact that soon enough, he’ll be in his king of cups energy, because he took the time to get to know himself and seek answers to his problems. He’ll become an emotionally mature man, who can be honest about his feelings and support you emotionally when you need him.

His message for you

tower rx, four of cups, justice rx

“I’m sorry (i felt a lump in my throat right after that). Justice wasn’t done in our connection and it’s all my fault. I did you wrong big time and I don’t expect you to even forgive me, let alone take me back. I was a fool in the past when I denied your offer. I pursued other options over you (i don’t feel like this is a third party situation, just casual dating). Now I realized that having a lot of options won’t bring me emotional fulfillment and happiness if they’re not you. Our break-up was a traumatic experience for me and I did everything I could to numb my feelings and forget about you.”

His intentions towards you

death rx, ten of swords rx

Dear pile 1, I’m sorry to break it to you, but for now, your fs wants to heal from the connection. He feels like there are some demons from your past connection that still follow him and he wants to stop them from inflicting more pain on him. He wants to let go of the past and move on with his life. Considering he’s going to be your fs, the story isn’t probably over yet, i think?. Knight of cups rx is at the bottom of the deck, he feels like he can’t make a love offer rn. Under this there’s the queen of cups, omg he sees you as his soulmate. He deff still loves you, but is too heartbroken over the past. Give him time, pile 1. It’s just not the right time for the two of you to be together now.

Extra:

likes reading a lot

also likes ducks (and other feathered animals)

zodiac placements: virgo sun, water signs (cancer, scorpio, pisces) in big 6

PILE 2

Signs this might be for you:

33 is relevant to you

you have sneezed recently or you sneeze a lot

Who is your fs?

three of pentacles rx, three of wands, king of swords rx, seven of wands, ace of wands horizontal (yes, i take horizontals as advice cards), eight of swords, the world (bottom of the deck)

Hello pile 2, hope you’re having a great day! Your fs is someone who’s independent – he prefers to work alone than in groups or in collaboration with another person. He’s likely an adventurous type who travels a lot for work, but also in his free time. When he travels for fun, he likes to explore the natural wonders of our planet: hiking in the woods, tasting the freshness of the water streams around him. On the downside, he can be rather arrogant with his words, feeling like he’s above others intellectually or that people aren’t as honest and truthful like him. He can get a lot of backlash because of this, which makes him feel like he needs to defend for himself most of the time. I see that your fs wants to pursue a new creative endeavor, likely stemming from one of his passions, but he’s afraid. He is advised to take a leap of faith and do it anyway. He won’t know what’s in store for him unless he tries.

You two will probably be in a long distance relationship for a while. He’ll deff open you up to new experiences, getting you out of your comfort zone. Since he’s well travelled, count on him when you two are booking a holiday destination – he tends to know the coolest spots for taking pictures :)

His message for you

sun horizontal, page of pentacles horizontal, three of swords rx, king of cups, four of cups, five of pentacles rx

“Hey baby, it’s okay. The sun isn’t shining today, but that doesn’t mean it won’t shine tomorrow. Tomorrow is a new day. I know you’re afraid to take a new beginning, you’ve been hurt so bad by love and all I want to do is take away your pain. I promise you, I’ll take away your pain one day, okay? Just don’t close yourself off to new possibilities, heck even in love. Don’t wait for me. Live your life, explore other options. See what you like and what you don’t. Just remember, you’re never alone. There are people who will love you for who you truly are, your family loves you (i sense that you might have had a difficult upbringing, a dysfunctional family, especially an absent mother, but your fs doesn’t know that yet). I will. You’re never alone, remember that.”

His intentions towards you

the high priestess rx, wheel of fortune rx, the star, nine of pentacles

Pile 2, your fs is closing himself off from your connection in the higher realm for now. Like pile 1, he feels like now is not the right time for you two to be together – your connection is divinely guided by the Universe and his higher self is guiding him towards some hardships in his personal life to learn valuable lessons, which are needed for your connection. He’s hopeful that you exist and he knows that you will be reunited at some point, but for now, he’s happily single and he wants to focus on maintaining his independence.

Extra:

rice is very significant (either his origins are from Asia or he strongly loves/hates rice)

zodiac placements: strong sagittarius, especially sagittarius sun/venus, gemini sun (it might be aspected with pluto, i see mostly conjuncting pluto or squaring/opposing pluto), gemini mercury, leo in big 6 (mostly ascendant and mars)

PILE 3

Signs this might be for you:

you have blue eyes (sorry guys, i can’t get any more signs for this one; he’s also telling me that you’ve eaten something specific recently but i can’t see what; i'm hearing mozarella sticks? lmk if it resonates, i'm not sure on this one)

Who is your fs?

five of pentacles rx, the tower rx, the emperor rx, temperance, page of cups rx, eight of wands, the star (bottom of the deck)

Woahh, pile 3. When i was shuffling the cards for this question, a lot of them fell down. Your fs has a lot to tell you about himself!! I think he has been often told to shut up by others. That’s what made him keep to himself a lot, but with you, he wants to tell you everything. Hahaha, now he's got a much calmer energy. Pile 3, your fs is the type of person that has outbursts of anger and he lashes out everything, but after that he’s like a lamb lmao. I see that your fs has been through some deep, dark shit in his past, likely involving his parents. Either his parents divorced at some point and it affected him deeply or his father abandoned him at a very young age. This broke down his world at the time, but i see that he has healed from it. He wished he had a happy childhood, but he just wants peace now and he got it. I felt his energy for a moment where he kept saying “I just want the fights to be over already” and then he kept repeating “over” again and again in a very demanding tone. I’d say his unhappy childhood still haunts him at times (i got death rx on the bottom of the deck when i clarified the first 3 cards), but he does believe in true love. He’s someone who tends to keep his feelings in check and his life in moderation. He can act immature at times, but i feel like he does feel sorry for his actions and tries his best to become a better person.

His message for you

six of swords, nine of pentacles, the well rx (i'm using ethereal visions by matt hughes it's my only deck ;-;), knight of swords

“Be strong. You have walked away from so many storms, that you’ve become this beautiful butterfly on your own. And if you haven’t walked away from those toxic people – do it NOW. I’ve walked away from my parents and friends, was it easy? No, but I’m much better now. You gotta be who you truly are as a person, you’re so fricking valuable. You need to be upfront and direct with people. I’ll teach you if you can’t. Why have you blocked your creative juices? Was it because of pain? Don’t let past hurts hinder your light. You are this beautiful goddess that is above EVERYONE else (i can really feel this feminine energy coming from you). I’ll worship the ground you walk on. Just don’t let them win.”

Pile 3, i feel like some of you are healing from a break-up, but you are already almost fully healed. You’re glowing and your fs adores that.

His intentions towards you

six of cups rx, page of swords rx, king of wands rx, wheel of fortune horizontal (yes, i take horizontals as advice cards)

For some of you, i feel like you already know them. Your fs might have been a childhood friend, a neighbor or a classmate that you used to hang around with when you were kids, just doing fun stuff. I don’t think he was in your life for a long time, you probably lost contact for some reason. I also don’t think you two were romantically involved, but if you did, it was more of an innocent fling.

For others of you, this is someone completely new and the six of cups rx might just point out to his unhappy childhood. He’s been pondering on it lately and feels very sad, maybe even depressed.

Either way, I feel like he’s going to enter your life really soon, but it won’t be at the right time. He’s not someone that is guided by a higher force, his intuition is quite blocked and he tends to act on his impulsive feelings without thinking of the consequences too much.

If you already know him, he might tell you about some harsh truth. Either point out to something you do which isn’t right, so he’s gonna call you out on that or he’ll say something regarding the times when you hung out as kids, which didn’t sit right with him.

If you don’t know him, he’s probably going to show off to you in a very “look at me, I’m better than the other guys” kinda way.

Whether you already know him or you will in the near future, i do feel like he has romantic feelings for you and he feels like he has got a chance to be with you, but like i said, the universe is saying that right now is not the right time for your union. It’s very likely that he’s still in school/college and is very focused on it. He doesn’t know if he should choose to pursue you or his career rn. This last bunch of cards just flew so this has been heavily on his mind. I’d say don’t engage too much with him, this is only the beginning of your love story. It will solve itself out when the timing is right.

Extra:

bichons/havanese dogs might be significant to your or them

zodiac placements: heavy aries and leo energy (i wouldn’t be surprised if most of his birth chart is filled with fire placements), libra sun or an afflicted sun (with lots of squares and oppositions)  

PILE 4

Signs this might be for you:

you had a very hard time picking a pile (yeah, i literally didn’t know if i should make this pile or not)

your fav color is purple

Who is your fs?

three of swords horizontal (yes, i take horizontals as advice cards), the emperor horizontal, three of cups rx, nine of wands rx, knight of wands, six of wands

Pile 4!!! Spirit was telling me to do this reading asap because it’s urgent (and then i got a call lmao). Your fs is likely a very busy guy, getting calls all the time. Damn, I just saw him in a suit. He’s someone influential in his career for sure, probably works in business. Even the cards hardly came out, like he didn’t want to talk because he’s too busy atm. I see that for your fs, career is everything. He is used to declining invitations to social events and parties because he would rather spend his time and attention on making money. He’s very VERY successful in what he does, i see massive recognition here, because he seizes every opportunity to advance in his career and he goes for them!! Sadly, he wasn’t always like this. At times he felt like the competition was too much and that he won’t succed, but in the end he gave his all, despite his feelings. He is advised not to become too bossy with the people around him, even though i feel like he isn’t like that anyway. I also believe that his overfixation on his career comes from a past break-up that he hasn’t processed fully. He is advised to process it and move on, instead of trying to simply forget it by doing something else.

His message for you

The chariot rx, queen of cups, page of pentacles clarified by two of swords, eight of cups clarified by seven of cups, five of pentacles rx clarified by the hermit, five of swords rx clarified by the king of wands

This is more about his ex and what happened to him, I feel like he really needs to vent so be gentle with him pile 4

“I wasn’t ready for her. I wasn’t ready for our relationship, but my feelings for her were so much, I just couldn’t hold them inside of me anymore. At that time I believed this was a new beginning for us, one that we would both (and i emphasize both) build for, something which would have lasted for a long time (i’m hearing everlasting). I felt like something was off from the beginning, but I thought it was only my imagination playing tricks. I wanted to take it slow because I wasn’t sure…oh boy, was I wrong. I had to leave when I found out that she was cheating on me this whole time. I poured my heart to her and she cheated…I don’t want to remember what happened after. It took me a long time to get over it, get over her (i’m hearing sleepless nights). I felt so alone and abandoned, I didn’t want to talk with anyone, I drank myself to sleep. But this experience made me into who I am today. I know I’m strong. I weathered storms no one would have imagined and I came out victorious. But I’m never leaving my heart to anyone else.

I don’t know if you exist…I’m feeling strong now, but what if it’s just a façade? Do you even exist? (death is on the bottom of the deck , under the death card is the queen of wands rx, he really doesn’t feel like you exist). I feel like the world is filled with harsh people, people that only want to benefit from others and I’m not letting others exploit me anymore.”

Pile 4, i honestly feel like he has so much love to give to others, even to you, but i’m not sure if he sees that. He will make a great partner, i can feel this already. Please show him that you will be there for him and that your feelings are genuine. He needs it.

His intentions towards you

four of pentacles, page of wands, ace of cups, seven of swords

Well, he’s deff focusing on his finances rn for sure. I see that there will be a passionate, new beginning in your connection. I don’t think you two have met, i feel like this is a fresh energy. I heard that you will have to make the first step tho. He will open up to you quite fast after that, but he will also feel a bit wary in the beginning. He doesn’t want the past to repeat itself. I see him trying to peek into your phone when you’re texting someone, just to make sure you’re not cheating on him or anything. He does have the tendency to become paranoid, which can get out of hand if not addressed. My advice to you is to have open communication at all cost. I see a lot of love between the two of you. Don’t let it go to waste.

Extra:

zodiac placements: capricorn in big 3, sun/ascendant conjunct saturn, strong sagittarius and leo in big 6, mars in aries or sagittarius, scorpio energy in big 6 or pluto is significant

[denaliwrites]

Road to Hell

Crowley x GN!Reader

Summary: Of all the subjects Crowley thought he might walk in on you researching in the bookshop, demonology was probably at the bottom of the list.

Requests: Open!

Warnings: Crowley is a dick (affectionate).

"What're you reading today?" Crowley asked, towering over you with a contemplative look. You lifted the book for him to see and in return he offered a shocked choking sound in the back of his throat. "Demonology, huh? What... inspired you to read that?"

He hadn't told you anything about him and Aziraphale being a demon and an angel, respectively. As far as he knew, Aziraphale hadn't broached the topic with you, either. To him, there was absolutely no reason for you to be reading about anything even remotely connected to his or Aziraphale's status as supernatural beings.

Yet here you were.

Reading a book on demonology.

You shrugged in response to his question, bringing the book back down to your lap to read comfortably. "I'd never checked out the occult section before, so I decided to read something from there and this was the most interesting looking book on the whole shelf."

"Ah, right." That did, to Crowley's immense relief, make sense. You'd read at least one book from nearly every section in the bookshop -- why wouldn't you, at some point, venture into the occult?

"Can't help but wonder how accurate it is, though," you mused aloud. "Pretty sure we've all collectively decided that demonic possessions are all just mentally ill people being misunderstood and abused by the church, right? Or I guess sometimes maybe people seeking attention? So how much of this is, like... considered true, I guess?"

"Do you... believe in demons?" Crowley asked carefully.

"Not really. I mean, I feel like if they were real, we'd have more evidence than just... the church saying so? Like, surely atheists and Satanists would've met a ton of demons by now, but I don't see any atheists or Satanists ever talking about meeting demons."

Crowley had to admit that was a fair cop. Maybe a little... small-minded, at least cosmically speaking, but you were but a human. That could be excused.

"What if they were real?" he asked, coming to sit on the arm of the chair you occupied. "What if you met a demon? Knew a demon, even?"

You made a sound at the back of your throat that sounded an awful lot like the one he made. "I'd have a lot of things I needed to reconsider, for starters."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Well," you started, closing the book and turning so that you were facing him. "If demons were real, then I think the next logical step would be that angels were real, and if angels were real then the next step from that point would be that God's real."

He rocked back slightly to better look at you, clicking his tongue curiously. "Is that so bad, really?"

You sighed dramatically. It was a sound he loved -- it usually came before something remarkably human. Something remarkably You. "Anthony Janthony Cranthony," you lamented, "I cannot ever, under any circumstances, let my parents know that I regret not going to church more."

Anthony Janthony Cranthony? Why had you called him that? Of all things, to go with Anthony Janthony Cranthony...

He supposed that wasn't really the point to what you were saying. Something about your parents and church, though, that was the point.

"Not sure why they'd have to know," he said casually with a shrug.

Your eyes widened in shocked realization. "Oh, fuck, you're right! They'd never have to know. You're brilliant," you said, to him -- you'd called him brilliant! He beamed at that. "Going to Hell anyway, if all that were real, may as well add 'disrespecting my parents' to my list of sins."

Oh.

"Why do you think you'd go to Hell, darling?"

"It's not like I've been living a pious life, y'know?" you said, blinking up at him. "I curse, I've fucked out of wedlock, I'm reading all about demons and witchcraft and shit. I don't believe in God? I'm pretty sure that's one of the big no-nos."

It was his turn to blink, but his was followed up with a laugh. "Oh, love, God does not care about any of those things. Trust me."

"Oh, God, are you a Christian? Have you been this whole time? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend--"

"No, no, nothing like that. I..."

How did he tell you? Should he even tell you? He was sure Aziraphale might have something to say on the matter, but right now he couldn't be fucked, because you were here, looking up at him so innocently, so adoringly.

"What is it, Crowley?" And you sounded so concerned, so ready to take him into your arms and comfort him and apologize for a crime you hadn't even committed.

"I'm a demon."

The words tumbled forth from his lips before he could stop himself, and they hovered in the air for several silent and tense moments after, where all you did was stare at him.

And then you laughed -- and he wished he could laugh too. Hell, he wished he could hear even a trace of joy in your laugh. But it was all nerves and fear, like you weren't sure if this was some sick joke or if he was delusional.

When his expression didn't change, when he didn't yell out "sike!" or "gotcha!," your laugh died and then you just looked scared of him.

It nearly broke him, because if this was how you reacted before proof, how would you react when he showed you the truth?

But you didn't run away, so he carefully removed his glasses and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light. Yours were locked onto the yellow irises, the slitted pupils that contracted and dilated at will.

He could tell you wanted to deny the reality of them -- that you wanted to write them off as contacts, but they wouldn't let you, because contacts couldn't dilate.

The only other things he could do -- well, within the confines of the bookshop, were show you his wings or turn into a snake. He wasn't huge on the latter option, at least not right now -- it definitely put him at a disadvantage, made him easier to discorporate.

So, instead, he moved to a stand. And his wings fanned out as you watched, and then, he figured, you'd run out the door screaming, never to be seen again. He hoped you lived well. He closed his eyes so that he didn't have to watch you walk away.

You got up -- he could hear the rustling of fabric, the relieved groan of the chair, the book falling onto the cushion. He expected the little bell above the door to signal your departure at any moment.

Instead, he felt your hands on his face, pulling him nearer to you. His eyes opened, stared into yours. The fear had gone, replaced by unabashed curiosity and deep, untamed love.

He expected many things to come out of that lovely mouth of yours. So God is real? Am I going to Hell? I don't want to go to Hell! What did I do to deserve going to Hell???

(You weren't going to Hell -- but after the initial question, people tended to panic and vomit the others out uncontrollably.)

He expected those questions. A handful of a select few others. He did not anticipate what you actually asked --

"Do you have a cool demon name?"

"A... Sorry, a what?"

"You know... Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Lucifer, Belial. What's your demon name?"

"O-oh... No... no 'cool' demon name, I'm afraid. Just... Just Crowley..."

He hadn't expected to be embarrassed and doubly hadn't expected to see a beaming smile on your face.

"I think Crowley's the coolest demon name, personally."

He could see in your eyes that you meant it -- and that made him smile.

"Isn't it just?" he asked with a relieved laugh.

"Now I gotta know what all you've done as a demon. I mean -- how old are you?"

"Old as the universe, darling."

He could see the moment your brain started trying to process that unfathomable information, and he could also see the moment it gave up. You moved on as if nothing happened, but Crowley took a moment to appreciate he wouldn't have to miracle your memories away before your brain went into nuclear meltdown.

"Why aren't you in Hell?"

"It's dreadfully boring."

"Why are you here?"

"I just think humans are neat... and your lot is very good at making booze."

"Have you done anything cool as a demon?"

"I met Shakespeare, I stopped some Nazi spies, I tempted Eve, I stopped Armageddon..."

"You what!?"

"Oh, yeah..." He made that sound in his throat. You copied it, seemingly from instinct. He wasn't even sure you noticed that you did it. "Long story, but Aziraphale and I convinced the Antichrist to just... not do the whole ending the world thing."

"Who's Aziraphale?"

"Oh. Right. Mr. Fell."

"... Mr. Fell? This Mr. Fell?" You motioned to the bookshop at large and Crowley nodded. "Is he a demon too?"

Crowley laughed -- an uproarious, barking laugh, that lasted much longer than was strictly necessary.

"Oh, you better not let him hear that," he said once he'd calmed down.

"... So he's not a demon?" you mumbled, and Crowley realized he'd accidentally made you feel bad.

He took one of your hands in his and guided it away from his face so that he could kiss the palm. "No, darling, he's not." He kissed your palm again. "He's an angel."

"I'm sorry -- he's a what?"

"An angel, of course. Really, like he could be anything else."

Nothing against him, of course, but he very much was what he was.

"So why are an ageless angel and demon wasting their time with me, a human who'll wither and die? Why go through that for me?"

"Well, it's not exactly our fault you weaseled your way into our lives," he said with an indignant hgk. "But now that you're here, we can't really imagine the place without you."

"I think that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me, and I can't believe it came from a demon."

"Don't let the angel know I let you get away with calling me sweet. He'd never let me live it down."

[everhavenworld]

The Five Starter Species Planned for Everhaven (Project Dragon)

A mega thread on the 5 starter species for Everhaven. We would've started out with: Humans, the Valekin, the Wyvarr, Fauns and Purrans.

2D game artwork by @nicholaskole

Humans

In Everhaven, Humans are a warm, inventive and diverse people who always seek out solutions. They are well-known for their generosity and love to celebrate together. No matter the gathering, they'll build a way for everyone to get there.

Valekin

The plantlike Valekin are deeply connected to the world around them. Patient and devoted, they strive for harmony with their natural environment. Valekin communities, called groves, are tight-knit and seeded with ancient magic.

Wyvarr

The dragonlike Wyvarr are a proud, honorable people. They can thrive in extreme conditions and their clans are centered around the heat of forge-holds. Protective of their long-standing traditions, Wyvarr will defend their own against any threat.

Fauns

The Fauns are genuine, candid and independent. Free-spirited as the wind, they share a special connection to music. While they call their rugged highlands their home, many yearn to explore the world.

Purrans

The catlike Purrans are traveling performers with a strong tradition of storytelling. Their fiercely loyal caravans present colorful performances to the world. Tastemakers and philosophers, Purrans often find inspiration from those they encounter on their travels.

[justforbooks]

What in Me Is Dark by Orlando Reade

The writers, philosophers and politicians who have raided Milton’s epic poem for inspiration

In 1818 Mary Shelley published Frankenstein, the story of a man who trespasses on God’s turf by crafting a new form of life. She took its epigraph from Book X of John Milton’s Paradise Lost, when Adam rages at God like a teenager who didn’t ask to be born. Shelley returned to Milton for 1826’s The Last Man, a grim, grief-sodden read about an annihilating pandemic: “Let no man seek / Henceforth to be foretold what shall befall / Him or his children.” One novel describes the creation of life, the other its destruction, and both open with Paradise Lost.

It is no surprise that Milton’s epic figured in the genesis of science fiction. Orlando Reade suggests that it “might be the most influential poem in English”, frequently stripped for parts. In relatively recent years, it has furnished the titles of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy and Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand, influenced the collapse of the candy-pink Eden in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and undergirded the series three finale of The Good Place, whose title, Pandemonium, is one of many Miltonic neologisms. As a young man, Milton dreamed of creating an epic poem “so written to aftertimes, as they should not willingly let it die”. That hope was fulfilled, in ways he could not have comprehended.

It is 350 years since Milton died, shortly after revising his masterpiece (the first version was published in 1667). Writing it was a heroic feat. Between 1652 and 1660, he had lost a son, a daughter, two wives, his sight, his job, his political project and almost his life. As a Cromwellian propagandist who had endorsed regicide, he was lucky to survive the Restoration. Yet in the aftermath of total defeat he still had enough energy and self-belief to not only radically expand the scope of English poetry but rewrite Genesis to tell his own story of mankind, the universe, Heaven and Hell. Milton credited a celestial muse and it’s enough to make even an atheist wonder about divine intervention. He received an advance of just £5 (less than £1,000 today) but within decades Milton was stationed beside Shakespeare at the summit of English literature.

It is Paradise Lost’s afterlife as a political document, rather than a work of art, that most interests Reade. As he ably demonstrates, writers and political activists have been raiding the text for inspiration for centuries, coming to often incompatible conclusions. Lively and humane, Reade is the friendliest of academics. Like many an English literature undergraduate, he was initially daunted by Paradise Lost (“a mountain … whose slopes are scattered with bodies”) but came to adore it while teaching poetry to prisoners, and he wants you to love it, too.

Each of the dozen chapters summarises the corresponding book of Paradise Lost and profiles a famous reader of the poem, from Thomas Jefferson and George Eliot to Max Weber and Hannah Arendt, with mixed results. The strength of the connective tissue varies and the topical analogies (Satan as tech CEO?) get a little strained. To claim that Blade Runner is “the most influential cinematic version of Paradise Lost” may be a juicy conversation-starter but to call Milton the “unacknowledged legislator … of mass incarceration” is a stretch. Still, Reade’s enthusiasm and curiosity are winning.

Milton promised to “justify the ways of God to men”, by which he meant explain how a deity that is both benevolent and omnipotent could permit so much evil and suffering. Well, he failed. And Paradise Lost is great precisely because it fails as propaganda. Written in an age of murderous polarisation, it writhes with contradictions, particularly concerning the tension between liberty and authority. As the critic William Empson observed, “the poem is not good in spite of, but especially because of, its moral confusions … I think it horrible and wonderful.”

Put briefly, Satan aspires to corrupt humanity to avenge his defeat in the war in Heaven, and God empowers his efforts in order to test Adam and Eve’s judgment: “Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.” Milton may not have intended to equate God with Charles I, or Satan with Cromwell, but his revolutionary sympathies surely explain why Satan gets most of the best lines: “Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n” is a slogan for the ages. In the Bible the Devil is merely an antagonist – God’s negative image – but Milton gave him a charismatic personality, and the majesty of opposition against the odds. William Blake famously observed that the poet was “of the Devil’s party without knowing it”. Milton’s God, by contrast, is a chilly authoritarian, hard to love and passionately denounced by both his enemies and his creations. Empson remarked that the deity was “astonishingly like Uncle Joe Stalin”.

Every era finds a different use for Paradise Lost. The Romantics took it primarily as a rebel yell. Even though Satan degenerates towards petty tyranny and ultimate humiliation, Percy Shelley saw him as a glamorous Promethean hero and adopted the line “Awake, arise, or be for ever fall’n” for 1812’s Declaration of Rights. American revolutionaries such as Jefferson and Paine, less keen to be aligned with the Devil, preferred to quote the stirring rhetoric while smudging its origins. “By 1776,” Reade writes, “Milton had become American.” But what kind of American? Slavery is one of Reade’s core themes. Paradise Lost was embraced by abolitionists such as James Redpath (“man over men / He made not lord”) as well as the Mistick Krewe of Comus, diehard New Orleans segregationists who twisted it into a justification of white supremacy.

Not all radicals identified with Satan’s defiance. When Malcolm X read Paradise Lost in Norfolk Prison Colony in 1948, Satan reminded him of Yakub, the evil scientist who, according to the Nation of Islam, created white people. Conservatives certainly did not. Edmund Burke found it “dark, uncertain, confused, terrible”. Jordan Peterson sees Satan as a prophecy of Enlightenment arrogance, leading to the gulag. (Everything leads to the gulag with Peterson.) During the Arab spring, an Assadist Syrian newspaper cited Paradise Lost as proof that all revolutions fail. Some of Reade’s subjects performed fascinating U-turns: CLR James initially dismissed Milton as a proto-Stalinist before deciding that the poem was in fact a vital warning about insurgents turned despots.

People love Paradise Lost for divergent reasons. Sometimes they love and hate it simultaneously. Goethe thought the poetry “majestic” but the subject “detestable”. Even the modernists, who liked to use Paradise Lost as a punchbag, were conflicted. Virginia Woolf considered it cold-hearted and misogynistic yet still “the essence, of which all other poetry is the dilution”, while TS Eliot scorned it even as he pillaged it in The Waste Land. Milton was literature’s looming patriarch, who had to be admired even when he was loathed.

Such ambivalence is the most appropriate response to Milton’s endless contradictions. Reade’s more emphatic claims undermine his pluralistic conclusion that Paradise Lost’s strength is the potency of its competing arguments, in line with Milton’s defence of free speech as the surest way to reach the truth. Yet he is confident that Milton’s heart lay with neither God nor Satan but Adam and Eve, who have the freedom to make catastrophic mistakes and, the world all before them, to decide how to live with the consequences. The ending is a new beginning.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[ancientforgcd]

An eye for an eye makes the world go blind.

🔴Indie Multi-Muse Blog. 🔴Semi-Selective 🔴Featuring Muses from the Cthulhu Mythos, Honkai Series and many more. 🔴Plenty o’ memes, edits, musings and shitposts. 🔴Crossover, AU & OC Friendly. 🔴Mun is 25. 🔴Written by Joy Boy.

「Home || Rules || Muses || Permanent Starter Call || Promo」

Mobile Links: Rules

@ancientloredump is the blog where I sometimes post the Verses of Muses, Organizations and other stuff too!

Glossary of Terms & Explanations often used on the Blog:

Vacosian: Vacosians are a near-extinct natural born species of Warriors that made their home in the Ultimate Void, on planet Voidal. A majority of the race was exterminated by the God of Destruction Cerveze, however a handful managed to survive, rendering the race close to extinction. They play a cental role in the Cyverse metaseries, where it is revealed that Ruby and Blair are Vacosians who were sent to Remnant. The best way to describe a Vacosian is to think of them as Outer Gods in humanoid forms. Sometimes they have tails and horns too, but it depends from individual to individual.

Dracontine: Dracontines are a natural born species of highly adaptive warriors that were known among the earliest race to have draconic roots, if not, the earliest known trace that had direct ancestry from Primordial Dragons, before the subspecies division of draconic races had occurred. The Dracontines have been relatively under the radar for a good while after the Draconomachy, in which the total population of the Dracontines took a steep decline. However, at present time, the Dracontine race seem to sit very comfortably, with replenished populations, both in Universe 1 and 12, each residing in their own version of Planet Dracorex on both Universes.

Super Vacosian: Super Vacosian, occasionally known as Ascended Warrior, is a legendary transformation unique to the Vacosian race of both the first and 12th universes. It is the signature transformation of the Vacosians relocated to Remnant, all of whom have been able to achieve the transformation, but was famously first awakened by Ruby Rose during her battle with the evil Fall Maiden, Cinder Fall.

Explanation: It’s why some muses have multiple FCs. On that note, they’re not shapeshifters, but rather think of it like Super Saiyan, just changing hair & eye colors.

Universe 12 Kaioshins: The Kaioshins of Universe 12 are the four divine protectors responsible for maintaining balance across their respective quadrants. Purple Heart, the North Kaioshin, is a calm strategist focused on cosmic order. Black Heart, the South Kaioshin, takes a more direct, forceful approach, often resolving issues through combat. Green Heart, the West Kaioshin, is connected to nature and seeks harmony, intervening only when necessary. White Heart, the East Kaioshin, is known for her fiery temper and battle enthusiasm, yet remains deeply protective of her quadrant. Together, they ensure the stability of Universe 12.

Universal Government: The Universal Government (UG) rules over Universe 12 with absolute authority, led by The Boss, UMI, followed by the 5 Celestial Dragons, the Fleet Admiral, and a strict military hierarchy. The UG governs countless planets and species, enforcing its control through a centralized system that regulates trade, taxes, and resources. Its military is vast, with Admirals and Vice-Admirals crushing rebellion and ensuring compliance across the universe. While the UG ensures peace and order, it does so at the cost of personal freedoms, ruthlessly suppressing dissent to maintain its grip on power throughout Universe 12.

God-Key: God Key (or Grand Key/Divine Key when translated) are ten tools/weapons created by Azathoth, that when brought together, would allow entrance into her domain and  ████,  while  granting each of the 10 wielders  ██████.

Blanchimont Kingdom: The Blanchimont Kingdom, ruled by King Blair, is a vast, continent-sized realm located on Remnant. The kingdom thrives on a balance of tradition and progress, with a strong emphasis on military strength, magical innovation, and a diverse economy. Major cities like Montclair (the capital), Valeford, and Ironvale are hubs of trade, magic, and industry, while the Wyvern Spine Mountains and other natural landmarks provide both resources and defense. Though the kingdom follows the voluntary worship of the Sun and Moon Gods, Blair herself is secular, focusing on personal strength and fairness in her rule. The kingdom’s military is a blend of knights, mages, and specialized forces, all reflecting Blair’s martial prowess and strategic brilliance.

Remnant Dragon Balls: The Remnant Dragon Balls are wish orbs created by the Guardian of Remnant, Kami and were later enhanced upon request by said creator after Ruby asked her for an upgrade. These balls are mainly used on Remnant and were the first type of Dragon Balls used in the metaseries. They have played a major role and impact in the series, being used by a variety of characters, including main protagonist Ruby.

Cosmology: The Cyverse is an expansive universe that draws inspiration from a variety of beloved franchises—such as the Cthulhu Mythos, RWBY, the Dragon Ball series, and the SCP Foundation—infused with my own creative twist. These diverse elements come together to form a distinct and cohesive narrative that stands on its own. Originally, the concept began as a role-playing blog on Tumblr under the name phantxmthief, later evolving into Ancicntforged. Over time, the characters and their stories have captivated an audience, with many eager to explore the life of the Cyverse’s central protagonist, Ruby Rose, along with other key figures. Now, let’s delve into the world of the Cyverse!

[geraldofallon]

So I promised myself I would talk more about my OCs on here, so this is I guess a lil basic overview starter of each of them, I’ll get more into detail on them later.

Lady A—

Lady A (also known as the Voguish Romantic or by her real name to only her closest confidantes) is my main PC, she’s the one I started the game with and the main one I actually play with. She exists separately to any other OCs, and has her own distinct storyline. As I described her to my bestie cobaltsunflower:

“She’s a dreamer and a romantic, who started as an artistic bohemian but clawed her way up the social ladder until she could pass herself off as aristocracy. But now that she’s there she’s dealing with the weight of what the aristocracy does in order to stay on top and the methods they use to keep others below them, so she’s torn between a love of the lifestyle and basically selling out, making art just for money’s sake and hurting the people who she used to be a part of”

The Crew of the SS Amphitrite and the Moonstone Club

So while Lady A exists separately on her own, all my other OCs belong to the same shared Fallen London universe, though they can be split into two distinct groups/stories and rarely interact with the other.

The Crew of the SS Amphitrite were put together by Emil Enderby, the Rueful Truth-Seeker, in an attempt to find his dearest friend after she mysteriously went missing.

The Moonstone Club formed after various circumstances sent them in each others’ directions. Certain similarities in their lives have begun to feel less like coincidences, and so they meet regularly to discuss and seek advice in their various investigations.

The Crew of the SS Amphitrite

The crew is led by Captain Agnes Plowden, owner of the SS Amphitrite, who has an unusual spiritual connection to the sea, and includes the few who both answered Emil’s notice placed on a board at Wolfstack Docks asking for intrepid adventurers and stuck around to actually hear the mission rather than leaving the pub once he’d bought a round of drinks for everyone who’d shown. This includes:

A tomb colonist of indeterminate age and gender named Zimuandagal (called a variety of nicknames for short, though most commonly “Zimu”) who has spent years? decades? centuries? perfecting their duelling technique.

A devil named Teddy (short for Theodore not Edward, he gets very offended when people presume wrongly) with shady motives that seemingly have nothing to do with souls, along with Cathy Linton. Cathy’s a bohemian who has begun to regret selling her soul, and is trying desperately to track it down, believing Teddy to be involved in some way.

The Leopard Princess Zaya of the Khanate. She occupies the rather enviable position in the royal family of being a high enough rank to warrant all the benefits, while having enough older siblings that she’s not expected to take on any of the responsibilities. This leaves her time and freedom to pursue her passions - notably archaeology and history.

Dr Baudel is one of the more unlikely members of the crew. In fact, none of the rest of them can seem to figure out why he’s there at all. He’s a respectable member of middle class society, with a strong presence in the church and a weak stomach on the zee.

The Cephalopodic Orphan, so called because their real name is unpronounceable (something along the lines of Ssossoffoorooth), is a little bundle of rubber and tentacles. It’s difficult to know how Rubbery Men age, but this one seems to be the equivalent of a nine or ten year old human. They’ve emotionally latched on to various members of the crew, and there seems to be no way of leaving them behind.

Then there’s Emil himself, an investigative journalist who formed a very unlikely friendship with a Third City survivor. The Ajaw was mysteriously involved in the city’s sale, has a mysterious source of immortality, and she has now mysteriously vanished.

Oh and there’s also a pirate rat.

The Moonstone Club

The three founders of the club were the ones to reach out to the current members with an invitation to share their findings, though they mostly leave the work of running the club to Detective Rañjan, an immigrant from Varchas, with the other two preferring to focus their attentions elsewhere.

Professor St Aubert, known also as Miss Annabel to her friends, is the Foremost Correspondent in the Neath and one of the Moonstone Club’s founding members. She spends her time writing papers, giving lectures, putting out her hair when it catches on fire, and taking tea with Mr Pages.

The last founding member is somewhat of a mystery to all. The Shadow Rook was believed to be a legend, except by those that had either been victim to one of its robberies or had benefited from them. Surprisingly, the Shadow is the one who had suggested the formation of the club to the others, despite its reputation for solitude and secrecy.

The other members of the group (italics are to make this easier to read) include Fausta Gryphon, Annabel’s favourite student and the club’s resident madcap; the famed Fabian Silver, renowned for his legendary adventures and escapades; Jezebel of Mahogany Hall, the tattooed magician with silver eyes and an unwanted friends tagging along with her; a Clay Man named Peter, who runs an orphanage and a garden to attempt to heal from his traumatic past; Dotty, a deviless who runs a criminal empire in competition with the Gracious Widow, and is Detective Rañjan’s arch nemesis (she, on the other hand, barely knew he existed prior to the club’s formation); and the Rosy Dream-Walker, a Far-Arbori silverer named Tiye who has come to London on a mission.

[princeluce]

Vali bē Embar: Men at Sea a star

a starter with @daltongreyjoy-asoiaf-rp

Lucerys stood at the helm of his small boar, his eyes fixed on the horizon, where the sea and sky melded into a distant and hazy line. The sea was calm, reflecting the midday sun in simmering ripples. Arrax swam nearby, an unusual action for a dragon, but one the dragon had picked up after years of following Luce out to sea. The dragon was occasionally flapping her pearlescent wings to create splashes of water or lifting her neck to blow air or fire across the top of the water, less watchful guardian and more like a child playing in the water. The salt air filled his lungs, purging them of the stench that often wafted up to the Red Keep. He had left King’s Landing behind, seeking the embrace of open water. It was here that he felt most connected to his late father. 

He had been working on a new carving for Baelon, quietly taking knife to wood when he had seen a shape on the horizon. Now as he stood at the helm, he watched as a dark shape emerged, growing larger with each passing moment. As the ship grew closer, it became more clear, one he had seen before, a recent addition in the harbor of King’s Landing. It was The Raven, the formidable ship of Dalton Greyjoy. Lucerys’s heart quicked. He had heard a mix of tales, some of reverence to his exploits, painting a picture of a man who commanded the Ironborn with ruthless authority and some tales spoken with groans of annoyance and displeasure, although those mostly came from his grandsire Corlys. Yet Lucerys felt there was something majestic about the defiant figure who carved his own destiny in the treacherous waters of Westeros. 

The Raven drew nearer, its black sails billowing like ominous shadows against the bright sky. It soon became apparent that his small sail vessel was the goal, as the larger ship changed direction, heading ever closer. 

Arrax’s head rose from the water, releasing a deep growl as the ship approached. 

“Lyka Arrax,” Luce said, turning away from the approaching ship and asking his dragon to calm. Dalton Greyjoy may be a fearsome figure, but causing harm to a prince of Westeros, with a dragon in tow, would start a war that no one was prepared for. 

Honestly, he was a bit excited. This meeting, unexpected and fraught with potential peril, felt like an opportunity. 

What kind of man was he? He wondered.  

The Raven soon pulled alongside Lucery’s boat and he saw the Red Kraken himself looking down at him, tall and commanding. 

“Lord Greyjoy,” He called up with a voice that he hoped sounded more like laughter than the small amount of worry he felt, “I have heard tales of what happens to boats approached by your Raven at sea. If you are here for a raid, I am sorry to inform you that all I have with me is some jerkied beef, water, and a half-carved wooded horse for one of my younger brothers. Baelon was expecting it to be done soon, but he might quiet enjoy hearing his toy was taken during a raid.”

a roleplay blog within @asongofgoldenfireandblackblood

[dynmghts]

TRANSMISSION FROM @fightaers : “you don’t recognize me, do you? well, i’d never forget you, kacchan.” (AU where quirkless izuku who didnt inherit OFA became like... a paramedic i think. LISTEN. im making this up as i go!!!) MISTER MAGIC STARTERS , ACCEPTING .

pro hero dynamight had made an entire career on his aggressive approach to opponents, his less-than-savoury interactions with the general public, even his unconventional teamwork techniques ... when he was in a team. he has been credited as one of the fastest to climb the ranks since hawks. he was even being hailed as the next - potential - number one. and with extensive studies under some of the other top heroes, including best jeanist and endeavour, his record was something worth looking at.

and there was one thing to remember about katsuki bakugou : he will never say no to going toe-to-toe with villains. anytime, anywhere.

this situation involved some wreckage of a building, and while the rescue heroes focus on getting people out of the debris, katsuki harnessed his strength against the villains - he is the first point of call in the area, after all. and rightfully so, in the way he moves / people don't even see him as he zips across the field, his explosions the only indication of where he is, his wild taunting the only reprieve between his attacks.

while he knocks down most, he doesn't quite beat the speed of an oncoming attack of light, small intense beams grazing past his cheek and arms and torso ; and while the damage is only a few grazes, he still secures his win. the villain gets a less-than-pleasant blast to the face and a clean knockout.

it's one of his former classmates that direct him to the paramedics on scene, even though he insists his wounds aren't that bad ... [ because they're just a few scrapes, what the hell ? ] ... and that he could walk it off. he pushes his mask up with frustration and sits nearby. his hand brushes some of his fringe out of his eyes while he waits, until he hears a voice cut through all the noise, and crimson lifts to glare at the disruptor.

nothing clicks straight away. for a few moments, he thinks this asshole has the wrong person, or he's a fan trying to make out that they have connections to try and get closer / being as popular as he's gotten, they are tactics he's been wary of, and not many get past the whole known-him-since-childhood phase. katsuki had no real friends back then. well, except -

what was that nickname ? kacchan. kacchan ...

the name invokes memories he could barely recall otherwise ; a green-haired, freckled boy that followed him everywhere. a boy with an indomitable will despite his quirklessness. a boy that was willing to follow katsuki into the belly of the beast until he couldn't anymore, and katsuki promptly forgot about him, moving on in u.a. and getting accustomed to having no shadow anymore.

kacchan, kacchan, kacchan, and he sees the river, knee-deep in flowing cold water as the other looks down on him and offers a hand.

❛ deku, ❜ he finally utters. useless, good-for-nothing / he hasn't changed much since they parted ways in aldera middle school. he has the paramedics uniform on, though, and he stares at him with disbelief ; was he the one treating him ? ❛ tch. shoulda known. you've got one of those annoying fucking faces, the ones that are hard to forget, no matter how plain they are. ❜

he scowls when he turns his gaze away, but he doesn't actively seek out another paramedic to treat his wounds. his injuries weren't bad, right ? ❛ fix me up already. i'm not here to play catch-up with you. ❜

[justanotherrpmeme]

The Strange Case Of… starters

"Love Bites (So Do I)" - Character A passionately expresses their desire for Character B, engaging in a passionate or intense encounter.

"Mz. Hyde" - Character A exhibits a dual personality or hidden side, alternating between different personas or behaviors towards Character B.

"I Miss the Misery" - Character A reflects on the chaotic or tumultuous nature of their relationship with Character B, expressing nostalgia or longing despite the challenges.

"Freak Like Me" - Character A embraces their unconventional or eccentric nature, celebrating their unique qualities and encouraging Character B to do the same.

"Beautiful with You" - Character A expresses their admiration and love for Character B, emphasizing the positive impact they have on each other.

"In Your Room" - Character A seeks intimacy or privacy with Character B, desiring a personal and private space to connect and engage with each other.

"Break In" - Character A desires to break through the barriers or walls that Character B has built, seeking emotional vulnerability and connection.

"Rock Show" - Character A invites or takes Character B to a lively and energetic event or performance, such as a concert or party, to enjoy together.

"Daughters of Darkness" - Character A confronts or challenges Character B, who may be engaging in malicious or harmful actions.

"You Call Me a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing" - Character A confronts the derogatory or judgmental language used by Character B.

"American Boys" - Character A expresses their fascination or attraction towards Character B.

"Here's to Us" - Character A raises a toast or celebration to their relationship with Character B, acknowledging the challenges they've faced and expressing gratitude and hope for the future.

[talesxfelysium]

tag dump for future organization <3

[deadn30n]

       SHE'S  THE  FIRST  PERSON  THEY'VE  EVER  MET  WITH  A  SIMILARITY  TO  THEMSELVES;  strikingly  so  that  sometimes,  Solstice  still  finds  it difficult  to  navigate  a  conversation  with  her.  they  are  both  alike,  yes,  and  yet...  and  yet so  very  different  too,  but  it  is  in  those innate  unique  qualities  that  have  drawn  their  attention  so.  that  they  should  find  themselves,  again  and  again,  seeking  out  her  presence  for  some  minute  reason  or  another.  sometimes  they  didn't  even have  a  reason  other  than  just  the  purest  form  of desire  to  simply  share  a  space  with  her.

       such  was  the  case  now.  as  Solstice  sat  politely  on  the  parkway  bench,  basking  in  the  sunlight  as  it  filtered  through  the  holes  between  the  leaves  of  the  tree  bent  over  them.  they  weren't  entirely  sure  she  was  inclined  to  even come,  but  they  had  their  hopes  up  nonetheless.  after  all,  the  two  of  them,  between  their  similarities  and  differences...  had  so  many stories  to  share  together.  they  were  one  in  the  same,  two  sides  of  a  similar  coin,  and  vastly  set  apart  from  one  another.

       she  was  the  mother  of  stars  who's  story  they'd  grown  up  on,  as  they  themselves  had  been created  by  the  very  thing  she  artistically  sews  in  the  nighttime  tapestry.  in  a  way,  they  are  almost  like her  creation  as  well,  though  only  perhaps distinctly  so.  nevertheless,  it  is  through  that  very  connection  perhaps  that  Solstice  feels  so  very drawn  to  be  around  her  as  much  as  possible.  whether  she  shares  that  same  feeling  is  left  to  be  discovered,  but  a  part  of  them hopes  that  she  does.  hopes  that  she  heeds  their  call  to see  her  once  again  after  all  this  time.

✧ PLOTTED STARTER : @goddessrisen

[raayllum]

Was mulling over CHET alternatives, specifically re: Ezran for a few different reasons

Ezran is the one textually compared to the previous holder of the Key, the Orphan Queen, as well as directly being her descendant, while Callum has thus far only been compared sub-textually. Right now he has more in common with the Jailer, who was a human mage and also helped construct the prison (assumedly)

Callum would of course hand the cube over for his brother and there would be some delicious irony in the Orphan Queen having the key only for it to be turned over on behalf of her descendant, the lengths siblings either will or will not go for one another being a prevalent point we keep returning to in the show, etc.

Ezran also is related to the game motif, albeit in a different way (connected only to hide and seek rather than the cube)

So like, why have I always leaned towards it being for Rayla > Ezran?

Well, for starters, Callum loves Rayla and Ezran equally. While his relationship with his brother is Callum’s cornerstone as a character, Rayla is very much his agent of change that pushes him to become someone new (and textually, more of himself: “When I could do magic, I finally felt like myself” --> “And then you called me a mage, and that felt right”). Callum himself compares the love he has for Ezran to the love he understands Rayla has for him as early as 2x03, stating “I couldn’t tell him. And I understand why you couldn’t tell me. When you are about someone, it’s hard to hurt them” and similar language is used to describe each language: “You’re my brother and you mean everything to me” (2x06) / “Rayla’s strong thin arms wrapped around him meant everything” (2x04, novelization). They are his two pillars. 

Thus, CHET is less about Callum’s particular relationship with Rayla from a structural standpoint, specifically (although that too but more on that later) as it is “This is the dynamic still in conflict, and it needs to be resolved”. CHET has always specifically been a finale theory - i.e. the last 2-3 episodes of a season - and a theory of how their TTM plot line could be wrapped up, in addition to specifically answering the question of what Callum’s role in freeing Aaravos may be, under the assumption he’s going to have a direct one at all. 

The two options are currently under possession, which guts Callum’s agency (and can work in a tragic way, but also removes more of the consequences because people can just say “you didn’t mean to” and it’ll be true) or him doing it under some kind of coercion that’s ultimately a choice, a la Soren choosing to stab Viren to save Ezran when push came to shove. This would also further the clear comparisons and contrasts he’s had with Claudia and Viren as a character throughout the show, specifically both ramped up in S4. 

Which is to say: if Callum and Ezran were in major conflict, I’d consider him more as a real option for being who Callum says “Just take it” for. But the brothers currently aren’t in conflict, and so nothing needs to be resolved. This could change in S5, but as of right now, we have no reason to think it will (although yes give me broyals angst, I’d adore it).  I do think they will be tested and maybe disagree on some things in S5 or going forward because of their Viren-Harrow parallels, but IDK if it’d amount to a finale conflict (and largely never has before, outside of 1x09, which is introduced and resolved in the same episode rather painlessly). 

But beyond just plot, there’s also the fact that TDP is 1) deeply symbolic, 2) all about inverted and repeating patterns, and 3) the Theme / foreshadowing, y’know? Which is to say:

1) Ezran is with Callum for 3/4 seasons he has the cube. Callum never talks about the cube with him even once. Every scene in which Callum discusses the cube Ezran is either absent or, if he is there, he isn’t weighing in and isn’t non verbal. To the degree I don’t think Ezran has ever even referred to the cube at all, even to draw attention to it whatsoever in a small way.

2) The only people Callum talks about the cube to or adjacently are Rayla (1x04, 1x05, 1x09, 2x07, 3x08, 4x07) and Bait (2x06, 2x07, 4x02). Bait is easy to explain as he’s a good excuse for Callum to say certain things, or add something/someone for him to react to, without actually being a conversational partner (hence why so many Disney princesses also have animal sidekicks, ‘cause we can’t get away with having characters just talk to themselves too much, most of the time). Rayla is harder to explain, because it would’ve been very easy to finagle some scenes with the cube, especially in S1 or even S4, to have Ezran conversing with Callum about it, being excited (like he is with the Sunforge dagger), trying to distract his brother from something, etc. But no, it’s always Rayla.

3) If you want an in depth meta on Rayla’s weird connection / Cube associations, you can read it here. But really all I gotta say is that Rayla is the character used to foreshadow the cube’s connection to Aaravos well before the letter in 2x06, the only person to routinely call it a game piece / toy, and the only reason Callum has it at all. And again, it did not need to be her consistently, just like she didn’t have to have it on her shoulder, glowing with the Star primal, for her grand re-entrance in Callum’s life. But she does, so. Something’s gotta give

4) Layers of irony. Turning the key over for Ezran only presents one layer of irony, with the Orphan Queen connection. Turning the key over for Rayla offers at least three: doing anything to save the life of a person who tried to kill you / who you asked to kill you; “I hope it was worth it to you putting everyone’s lives in danger” (when it was really just hers back in 1x04, hence why that line has Foreshadowing feelings) now being true; Rayla not being the one who sacrifices, but the one who is sacrificed for, and much more, tbh. As well as the fact it would add layers to her arc and dynamic with Callum that just wouldn’t be applicable with Ezran because, unlike his older brother and best friend, he just doesn’t have the same relationship to sacrifice, martyrdom, or the love-death duality Rayllum are constantly walking the wire’s edge to.

As well as then what it gives, Callum, as well? Just structurally / from an arc standpoint

Him having a vested motivation to then reclaim the cube and fully make it his own, as Rayla says in 1x04: “Hey sad prince. Let’s go get your cube” which could also parallel a journey with magic and understanding the other arcanum

Finally addressing and bringing Callum’s flaw of selfish tunnel vision to  a head (1x04 -> 2x04 -> 5x09?) as well as his ruthless side

The possible guilt over how things went but not regret over the choice he made and how complicated those emotions are

Possible fallout with Ez who disagreed in the moment and/or other characters like Soren or Opeli being upset with him, having to deal with that

Furthers the Callum-Claudia and Callum-Viren parallels, allowing both antagonists to remain sympathetic because a ‘hero’ made a similar choice and for similar reasons

Possible Rayllum reconciliation in time for Callum to be able to address his big messy feelings about Runaan without big messy feelings for Rayla also allowing him to create a distance from Runaan, either

And a big personal one-on-one score to settle as right now, Callum is scared of Aaravos only because he may hurt his loved ones, not because he’s actually tried to. Let the kid be angry and protective, y’know?

Callum possibly doubting if it’s a good thing he ever became a mage in a first place, exploring what his self worth looks like outside magic / that he has worth even without it, reaffirming his status as a mage, possibly inspiring him to want to share it with more people and help them connect to arcanums too, etc. 

Also giving Callum’s heavy associations with freedom/liberty throughout the seasons its own double edged sword it largely hasn’t had until now that I think is Neat

And last but not least, continuing arc 2′s trend of moving past “making up for our parents’ mistakes” to “how do we make up for our own mistakes or complicated choices?” which are chef’s kiss

[aetherealwish]

𝐀𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐇. independent, semi-selective, mutuals-only roleplay blog for Aether of Genshin Impact. Traveler or Abyss Prince verses available, AU & Crossover friendly. Condensed rules under the cut, full rules available on blog. Penned by Kosmic, 28, they/he.

ᶠᵉˡˡ ᵒᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ᵃⁱʳ ᵃⁿᵈ ʸᵒᵘ ᵇʳᵒᵏᵉ ʸᵒᵘʳ ʷⁱⁿᵍˢ ᴸⁱᵏᵉ ʸᵒᵘ'ʳᵉ ᵈᵒⁱⁿᵍ ᵉᵛᵉʳʸ ᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᵗⁱᵐᵉ ᴹᵃᵈᵉ ᵃ ⁿᵉʷ ᵖᵃⁱʳ ᴼᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵇʳᵒᵏᵉⁿ ᵗʰⁱⁿᵍˢ ᵗᵒ ᵍⁱᵛᵉ ⁱᵗ ᵃˡˡ ᵃⁿᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᵗʳʸ

𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐘 𝐈𝐍. Connections and the bonds we forged through life, what it means to lose your other half, the curse of immortality, and paving your own way alone.

𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋.

#aetherealwish ( Aether, high activity ) #wishfulstars ( GenImpact Multimuse Sideblog, medium activity) #kosmicwishing ( blog for memes & musings )

Starter Calls & Memes | In Character Posts

✦ Basic rules apply here, such as

✶ no godmodding✶ no infomodding✶ multiverse✶ multiship✶ mutual-only

✦ While I would like to interact with everyone I choose to follow, I’m usually okay with lurking and watching those on my dash roleplay! So never feel pressured into having to follow back or whatnot! I like my dash to have content I wanna read, so I follow those that interest me in some manner.

✦ My preferred writing length is a paragraph minimum, but averaging with three to four paragraphs per reply. While I don’t expect to be matched in length, do give some effort and something for me to reply to. Larger word counts take more time for me to reply to, so don’t feel discouraged if I don’t reply to those threads as often.

✦ I may be multiship, but I’m also selective in it. I don’t seek to write romance all the time, I also want to write familial, platonic, and even rivalries with my muses.

✦ The primary canon-divergence in this blog is the fact that Paimon does not exist; no hate to her, but I don't wish to write her nor find countless reasons to occupy her during threads.

✦ All art in my icons are from the official game and art; if you wish to have access to the fully unedited, 100x100 versions, shoot me an IM with your email address and I’ll send them over!

[atom1o6]

YOU CALLED, I ANSWERED

ANON HERE TO PESTER YOU

HERE'S THE FIRST 33 PAGES OF THE LYRICS TO HAMILTON

ACT 1

Alexander Hamilton BURR How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean by providence, impoverished, in squalor, grow up to be a hero and a scholar? LAURENS The ten-dollar founding father without a father got a lot farther by working a lot harder, by being a lot smarter, by being a self-starter, by fourteen, they placed him in charge of a trading charter. JEFFERSON And every day while slaves were being slaughtered and carted away across the waves, he struggled and kept his guard up. Inside, he was longing for something to be a part of, the brother was ready to beg, steal, borrow or barter. MADISON Then a hurricane came, and devastation reigned, our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain, put a pencil to his temple, connected it to his brain, and he wrote his first refrain, a testament to his pain. BURR Well, the word got around, they said, “This kid is insane, man” took up a collection just to send him to the mainland. “Get your education, don’t forget from whence you came, and the world is gonna know your name. What’s your name, man?” HAMILTON Alexander Hamilton. My name is Alexander Hamilton. And there’s a million things I haven’t done, but just you wait, just you wait… 2 ELIZA When he was ten his father split, full of it, debt-ridden, two years later, see Alex and his mother bed-ridden, half-dead sittin in their own sick, the scent thick, COMPANY And Alex got better but his mother went quick. WASHINGTON Moved in with a cousin, the cousin committed suicide. Left him with nothin’ but ruined pride, something new inside, a voice saying, WASHINGTON “You gotta fend for yourself.” COMPANY “Alex, you gotta fend for yourself.” WASHINGTON he started retreatin’ and readin’ every treatise on the shelf. BURR There would have been nothin’ left to do for someone less astute, he woulda been dead or destitute without a cent of restitution, started workin’, clerkin’ for his late mother’s landlord, tradin’ sugar cane and rum and all the things he can’t afford scammin’ for every book he can get his hands on, plannin’ for the future see him now as he stands on the bow of a ship headed for a new land, In New York you can be a new man. COMPANY Scammin’ Plannin’ Oooh… COMPANY In New York you can be a new man— In New York you can be a new man— HAMILTON Just you wait! Just you wait! COMPANY In New York you can be a new man— WOMEN In New York— 3 MEN New York— HAMILTON Just you wait! COMPANY Alexander Hamilton We are waiting in the wings for you You could never back down, you never learned to take your time! Oh, Alexander Hamilton When America sings for you Will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the game? The world will never be the same, oh. COMPANY Alexander Hamilton Waiting in the wings for you You never learned to take your time! Oh, Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton… America sings for you Will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the game? The world will never be the same, oh. BURR The ship is in the harbor now, see if you can spot him. Another immigrant, comin’ up from the bottom. His enemies destroyed his rep, America forgot him MEN Just you wait COMPANY Just you wait MULLIGAN/LAFAYETTE We fought with him. LAURENS Me? I died for him. WASHINGTON Me? I trusted him. ELIZA/ANGELICA/MARIA Me? I loved him. 4 BURR And me? I’m the damn fool that shot him. COMPANY There’s a million things I haven’t done, but just you wait! BURR What’s your name, man? COMPANY Alexander Hamilton! 5

Aaron Burr, Sir COMPANY

New York City. HAMILTON Pardon me. Are you Aaron Burr, sir? BURR That depends. Who’s asking? HAMILTON Oh, well, sure, sir, I’m Alexander Hamilton, I’m at your service, sir. I have been looking for you. BURR I’m getting nervous. HAMILTON Sir… I heard your name at Princeton. I was seeking an accelerated course of study when I got sort of out of sorts with a buddy of yours. I may have punched him. It’s a blur, sir. He handles the financials? BURR You punched the bursar. HAMILTON Yes! I wanted to do what you did. Graduate in two, then join the revolution. He looked at me like I was stupid, I’m not stupid. So how’d you do it? How’d you graduate so fast? BURR It was my parents’ dying wish before they passed. HAMILTON You’re an orphan. Of course! I’m an orphan. God, I wish there was a war! Then we could prove that we’re worth more than anyone bargained for… BURR 6 Can I buy you a drink? HAMILTON That would be nice. BURR While we’re talking, let me offer you some free advice. Talk less. HAMILTON What? BURR Smile more. HAMILTON Ha. BURR Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for. HAMILTON You can’t be serious. BURR You wanna get ahead? HAMILTON Yes. BURR Fools who run their mouths off wind up dead. LAURENS Yo yo yo yo yo! What time is it? LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN Show time! BURR …like I said… LAURENS 7 Show time! Show time! Yo! I’m John Laurens in the place to be! Two pints o’ Sam Adams, but I’m workin’ on three, uh! Those redcoats don’t want it with me! Cuz I will pop chick-a pop these cops till I’m free! LAFAYETTE Oui oui, mon ami, je m’appelle Lafayette! The Lancelot of the revolutionary set! I came from afar just to say “Bonsoir!” Tell the King “Casse toi!” Who’s the best? C’est moi! MULLIGAN Brrrah brraaah! I am Hercules Mulligan, Up in it, lovin’ it, yes I heard ya mother said “Come again?” Lock up ya daughters and horses, of course it’s hard to have intercourse over four sets of corsets… LAURENS No more sex, pour me another brew, son! Let’s raise a couple more… LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN To the revolution! LAURENS Well, if it ain’t the prodigy of Princeton college! MULLIGAN Aaron Burr! LAURENS Give us a verse, drop some knowledge! BURR Good luck with that: you’re takin’ a stand. You spit. I’m ‘a sit. We’ll see where we land. LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN Boooo! LAURENS Burr, the revolution’s imminent. What do you stall for? HAMILTON If you stand for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for? 8

you're welcome :3

WAIT tumblr won't send it :(

this will be sent in multiple parts (i am DEDICATED)

What's funny is I actually read all that

And I plan to do this for the other 5 parts

It's a ridiculous amount of scrolling though

[hellsdogs]

The words found in these pages and pages of hate and ill feelings still dance in his head, like an endless novel. Sen has always been intrigued by that, how rotten human souls were in envy, jealousy and greed, to the point of dedicating their entire daily time to the hatred. The narratives, there were based on rumors and fantasies, nothing proved, nothing demonstrated but a speculation was enough for them to collectively unite, become one and go on a bloody witch hunt for absolutely no fucking reason. That what was in command in today's industry. Being a fashion photographer gave him the first intel on that, on his very first jobs, 10 years ago, he immediatly understood that, witnessing the insane push and pull game between the watched and the watchers, sometimes between the model and the photographer himself. The beauty, the image, perfected, crafted, designed for boxes. To smah these boxes, to destroy them have always been Sen's work's core. A work only known by the ones who knew where to look for - as the mainstream magazines that did contact him always asked for the softer version of it. She was one of them, Hatsuko Sasaki @ourcarvedsins, the ones who found his lastest work of glorification of the ugly, the damage, the broken. If he is the one to always seek for it, to unbury it, to trigger it, to awaken it. It was a delicate surprise to him when she was the one to come and ask for it. To break her image, the dirty it, to change it, to re invent it. Hatsuko Sasaki, daughter of a famous screenwriter and a model, art had to be in her veins. A famous actress for a while and then, a fallen one, accused, dragged, insulted for unproper behavious. How hypocritical, Sen thought when reading absolutely all of it. He is the type to do his homework : he paid attention to her roles, to her pictures for interviews and posters, to everything connected to her image. Proper. Polish. A Yamato nadeshiko 大和撫子, the "personification of an idealized Japanese woman" , the only type Japan truly allowed to exist in this entertainment as well, he knows. It must have been difficult for her, he believes. He has seen many actresses and models collapse and even attempt to take their own lives due to the cruelty of the public opinion. And so, he finds it brave, beautiful that Hatsuko would want to rebirth : how could he possibly refuse such a request. "Think of five words they called you, the ones they condamned you with, the ones that hurt you the most, marked you. Next time we see each other, give them to me." Were the last words he has told her on their first meeting at his studio in Shibuya. ⟶ Sen's permanant starter call

Today is their second. In a café, he decided he wanted a different location for this conversation. They are sitting face to face, his eyes are on her as the waiter puts down the drinks they have ordered. The place is discreet, clean, trendy yet not too crowded, calm. "I'm glad you came back." He speaks. "What you asked for is audacious. Someone willing to burn at the stake to break their own image. I really like that." He admits, resting his back into his seat, his dark eyes on her. He does really like it, more than his stoic behavior would show, at least not now, they haven't even started yet. How deep, how far is she willing to go? There are different stages Sen believes, different depths he could dive into wiith her. Ugly - but does she know what type of ugly she is truly signing for? He fantasizes, always, that perhaps behind the kind smile and the pure skin of hers are hidden forbidden realms she is willing to show him and Oh he would love that. To unstrip her to the core, to explore her in ways none of these blend photographers, the ones who took stiff portraits of her for her interviews ever could. "Have you thought about the words?" He then questions, taking a sip of his drink, ready to expose his train of thoughts regarding what they will be able to accomplish together. There is always a gap, betwee the intensity and the darkness of his toughts and his oh so calm and soothing tone. "The words. I am thinking about taking them, one by one and to make you wear them. I will be here to capture it all when you do. I will be here to carve them into your skin. As in, if someone ever feels like calling you That, it won't be able to reach you anymore. Is that what you want?"