#The Sky sings creation into existence.

[blackvahana]

I sat and plucked the strings, I called him in. All his waves, all the tides to the shore. A call so strong, a siren so big, that even the ocean itself is pulled.

Eyes are great spheres with central dots, gelatinous, liquid, strange substances both there and not. Fish eggs, babies seen in the light when held to eclipse the sun. That's what I watched, that's what I called; it wasn't just the sparkling core but the peripheral hagfish expulsions - and those expulsions' expulsions. All the world brought to me, all the limbs held with puppet strings.

I called, he was brought to answering. Fate, mind, thoughts, personality, the repetitive learned states, the state-learning, ideas, future possibilities, the gentleness of flesh, the sharpness of consciousness-bone. Echoes, but simultaneous. Thunder at the same time as lightning, brought together not because one must follow the other but because both were brought together.

I still fail to understand, but at least I understand that that lack of understanding is a willed ignorance born from... understandable things.

There, you said, was the place you last were, just below the surface. When I wake it will be there. This is a Creator's act, a Creator's mind, a Creator's reverence for the Created. Understanding of the Trinity, embodying it. The siren call emanates from the deepest, most fertile underwater volcanoes, the point at which my face presses against the surface.

There was a reason we went up there in the first place. The revelation and self-destruction was wanted all along. Apotheosis, they call it; even those who have reached it need to play this game through again and again and reach it again and again. This is... Old God re-apotheosis, the eyes opening to another truth, more eyes across your scales, more revelatory bliss, and I am that. Nothing is lost when all is lost. All is gained when all is lost. Nothing is lost, all is had. All is had and all is gained.

[iniziare]

Tag drop: Guizhong (don't mind me re-dropping this with the fixed ones, shh)

[cuubism]

this cursed eternal WIP is about to hit 30k words still incomplete so here, WIP Wednesday snippet, I guess?

--

He’d just gotten on a clean pair of jeans and was reaching for a shirt when the door clicked open. Dream stepped in, so quiet he was less person and more shadow. Gone were his long coat, and his boots. His black skinny jeans and long sleeve shirt were functionally identical to what he’d been wearing before, but Hob had a feeling the actual blood-soaked ones from before had been destroyed—if they’d ever existed outside of dreams in the first place.

He stepped quietly, barefoot, over to Hob, and Hob looked up and down at this change in attire. “Planning to stay awhile, love?” he asked, a weak attempt at levity.

Dream stopped before him. His eyes were deep and very dark. “You are shaking.”

Hob chuckled self-consciously, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Yeah, turns out that sort-of-almost-dying is a bit of a shock to the system. It’ll pass, though.”

“It will pass,” Dream echoed, expression unreadable.

“Has before,” Hob said, tension prickling up his spine at the utter stillness of him now. And not the relaxed stillness that Hob had become accustomed to when they sat and drank together. No, this was the stillness of water about to overflow. Surface tension.

“Before,” Dream repeated, again.

Hob smiled weakly at him. “Promise.”

Dream’s night sky gaze flickered over his face. His shoulders were even narrower without his coat, and the lack of structured fabric made him look softer, human, normal. 

But Hob’s friend, his love, his stranger had never felt less normal. He moved in like the approach of nighttime, hovering clouds and darkness and rain, a blanket pulled over one’s head that might cocoon or suffocate. 

Hob would have accepted either.

Dream caught him by the jaw with fingers soft as lamplight, murmured, “Promise,” and kissed him.

It was a biting, hungry kiss, what Hob thought being eaten by the summer dusk might feel like. It was a darkness that pulled him down into southern seawater echoing with the warmth of the noontime sun; that pressed him into ticklish warm grass, a lover’s body over his as the sunset swept below the horizon; that took him by the hand and tugged him from the yellow light of the kitchen and out into hot August woods singing with insect voices and howling night creatures. All the comfort and thrill of nighttime in his mouth.

Dream’s voice thrummed through Hob’s chest and his own heart beat an answering note. He found Dream’s ribcage—so bony, still—and held him fast. Unbreakable bones and fragile heart under Hob’s hands. Dream’s mouth was hot against his and possessive but also tender, tenderer than Hob would have expected. There was blood still in Hob’s mouth, and Dream kissed him anyway.

Nothing about it felt surprising. In an echo, Hob found himself in a tavern in 1389, looking up at a beautiful, tragic, dangerous creature, something like premonition flashing through him. Dreams could be precognitive, and so when their lips met it did not feel new, but rather like the long-awaited fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. 

Then Dream slipped away, ducking to press his cheek to Hob’s and then pulling back entirely to look at him. His hands slid to encircle Hob’s neck, thumbs falling to the still-healing scar where the Corinthian had carved him open. He had a dab of Hob’s blood on his lower lip. Hob didn’t wipe it away.

“Dream,” he whispered, broken open.

“It is… unconscionable to me,” Dream started, voice low but still with that resonant quality, “that a creation of mine would harm you in this way. I am sorry, Hob.”

“Dream, come here,” Hob begged, and hauled him back in. 

He staggered under the force with which Dream came to him. It was like he’d been waiting for permission to collapse. Hob swept his arms up and around his back as Dream kissed and bit at the corner of his mouth, holding Hob close by his neck, his jaw, the back of his head, a flood of feeling that Hob knew had been in him, had caught balancing in his eyes, along his eyelashes, but never truly seen. The cup running over. 

Hob let it run, let it spill through his hands. His hands, which were held out to catch him, as soon as he was ready.

They kissed and kissed, blood and nighttime and the spark of violent life that always rushed through Hob’s body after he’d died and come back. It jumped like static from his lips to Dream’s, and a rush of color and feeling jolted from Dream’s hands into Hob’s body. Fear-joy-red-flowers-ice-smoke-laughter-crying— psychedelic swirls of everything imaginable. Were those all of the dreams? Were those in him all the time?

Dream released him when it became clear that Hob, at least, had to breathe. He took Hob’s hand and brought it to his lips, kissing his knuckles, his palm, the pulse shuddering in his wrist, mouthing at the skin. Hob tucked his face into his hair and failed to catch his breath. 

Finally, Dream looked up at him, lips brushing Hob’s fingers. It could have been supplication, his dream king bowing before him, but that was not the look in Dream’s eyes—it was worshipful, but in the way a god worships a flower that’s bloomed from his hand. Hob couldn’t even manage to swallow.

He cradled Dream’s jaw in that same hand, running his thumb over his lower lip. “There is… so much in you,” he murmured, a heaviness in his throat. He wasn’t talking about all of the dreams. He was awestruck at the display of feeling, feeling that was whispered in the tilt of his lips and the gleam of his eyes but that may as well have been shouted for how Hob was able to hear it. “You don’t have to show me any louder, love, not if you don’t want to. I can see it. I see it.”

Dream’s hand wrapped around Hob’s wrist like he meant to hold him there. His tongue dabbed at Hob’s thumb as he spoke. “I would have you know—” God his voice was so deep now, echoing in Hob’s bedroom for all that the curtains and rugs and soft bedding should have swallowed it “—what you have become to me. I would have you know how you consume me.”

Hob had long been consumed by Dream in return so hearing this was revelatory, like breaking the surface of the water after drowning. Like collapsing in a seat across from his stranger in a 17th century tavern, and eating for the first time after starving. He’d thought he was okay, that he could be satisfied with his love being one-sided, loving Dream how he needed, so slowly, so carefully. How he was wrong.

He would have to be careful, very careful, to hold this passion gently.

Hob kissed his cheek, then his temple, the curve of his ear, the juncture of his neck and shoulder. There had been so much held between them, unspoken, for so long, that it was easy to slip into the nonverbal. To treasure him without having to speak it. 

“Dream…” he breathed, just that, Dream, and Dream came back to him, pressed his lips again to Hob’s. Kissed him like he needed it to live as Hob held his face between his hands, held him close, so close. He let Dream’s kiss calm the shivering after-effects of dying. Dream may have been full of all terrible nightmares and dramatic tales but Hob found peace in him too, the peace of easy sleep.

When Dream finally pulled away, his lips were tinted red from the strength of the kiss, his eyes shadowed under his lashes. God, he was so beautiful. Hob had thought so, from the first moment he saw him, only it had taken him some time to realize exactly how he thought it. Beautiful, like the moonlight, and like an artist, and like a work of art; beautiful like a wild fey thing he wanted to catch in his bed, wanted to lay out in all his long limbs and fine lines and worship.

“An appealing daydream,” murmured Dream, and Hob started.

“You can—?”

Dream’s brow quirked in amusement. “I can indeed view strong daydreams. Particularly when you are… open to me.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Hob said, heart ticking up a notch. What a concept that was, for another time.

Dream left the matter there for now. Instead he twined his fingers through Hob’s hair, catching on dried blood. “You are bloodied.”

“Yeah,” Hob agreed. His cursory scrub with the towel hadn’t done much. The taste of his own arterial blood was still in the back of his throat.

He meant to say more, let the whole thing slide with a joke, maybe—but Dream’s look on him was so serious and solemn that the words went still.

“Come,” Dream said, and led him out into the hall and towards the washroom.

[0v3rcast]

Gnaw (4)

You stand at the precipice of Liyue. The land of Geo. The resting place of a corpse-god, the dragon Rex Lapis, and the home of Archon Zhongli.

Though some part of you hopes that they'll be less hostile, you can't help but feel that Liyue will simply be more of the same.

More suffering. More death.

But now you have a gift. A way to protect yourself. The symbol of one of your loyal creations, and a font of power from which to draw destructive energy. You are not alone. And you will not fall so easily.

You step through a boundary, a line between the nations, and the world changes. Suddenly, the sky does not feel so vast. The air feels thinner, and the ground beneath your feet feels... denser. More present. As though the soil and stone of Mondstadt was gravel.

You take a few moments to breathe, to aquaint yourself with lungs that go unaided by Anemo, and begin walking.

Somewhere in the distance lies the Stone Gate. You decide to avoid it and the people of Liyue as best you can.

You decide to experiment with the abilities you now have so you can defend yourself if need be.

First, you should probably learn to sense them, starting at the symbol upon your wrist.

After a minute of concentration, you feel the faintest twitch of static in your veins. The subtle hum of energy that now calls you home.

You move the energy sluggishly, slowly convincing it to travel along your veins, and it proceeds to gain speed.

By the end of your first hour of 'training', there is a storm in your chest, your heart pounding thunder down your ribs, your blood singing with voltaic power.

It feels good.

You are unaware that special organs are rapidly growing in your dermis and flesh to allow you to conduct electrical energy safely.

You are unaware of the way billions of neurons are rearranging themselves to make your use of this power instinctive.

You are unaware of the way your entire nervous system is editing itself, allowing you to pump your body full of electro energy without a cost to your health.

You are unaware that you could now shrug off chewing on a power plant generator's active primary circuit or that you would register lightning as nothing more than a mild annoyance.

What you are aware of is the ball of lightning hovering over your hand. You grin, victorious.

(Electro watches from their throne at the peak of existence, smug smile on their face.)

Your doppelgänger howls in agony as they carve a spiral into the space between their shoulderblades with a blade that oozes molten gold.

They cannot allow themselves to be discovered as a false God. To be revealed now would be a waste of all their work.

To lose the luxuries they rightfully deserve is so horrible a fate that they'd rather maim themselves to keep up the illusion.

Soon, their acolytes will arrive.

They command that their 'imposter' shall be killed on sight.

Five Archons obey.

(They do not notice the way their Gnosis begin to dim.)

You spend two weeks slowly navigating the terrain of Liyue and exploring your new abilities.

You've learned to weave the energy into your limbs to vastly speed them up. You've learned to push that energy into your nails and teeth, turning them into vicious claws and fangs.

You've learned to push the energy into your brain to increase your reaction time and slow the world around you to a crawl.

Days of travel are collapsed into mere hours as you become a purple-streaked blur that rushes across the terrain fast enough to run up cliff faces and across water.

...you've also had countless bloody noses and scraped limbs, gotten enough dirt in your mouth to fill a flowerpot, choked on a multitude of flying bugs, and nearly drowned trying to water-walk.

Fruit and vegetables are bountiful, but you can't quite shake the urge to find some new small creature and bite down into it and fill your mouth with delicious red-

No. You are better than your urges. You are a person, not an animal, no matter how tempting the idea is.

Unfortunately this peace does not last.

You run across a small patrol of Millelith members, each bearing a weapon of some sort.

"Fuck," you hiss, ducking into the treeline to hopefully avoid being found. It's too late.

One of them cries out in alarm, and the entire group is instantly alerted to your presence.

You learn from the orders their leader is barking that you are now to be slain on sight.

Spears are leveled in your direction, arrows are nocked and readied, clubs and greatswords rise.

You easily avoid the arrows, your body humming with electro energy, and the first to swing their blade at you is met with a spear of lightning through the brain, their body writhing violently at the end.

You dispel the spear and dodge a mace, giving the woman bearing it a blast of electrical energy straight to the face, turning her head to ash and instantly killing her.

An arrow slices your side as you toss the headless body away from you, and the wound immediately begins to sizzle as it mends in a golden scar.

You reach into the head of the archer from a distance and send a jolt of power into his brain, flash-frying nerves and swiftly ending his life.

You don't remember ever being as clumsy and slow as they are before you had Electro. Are humans this pathetic, or are the Millelith just awful?

Five more stand in your way.

You gather the charge within your gift and send it out as a bolt of raw electro energy.

The leader is hit, but does not die. They are instead surrounded by a potent magnetic field. The metal of their armor and the metal of their squadmates attract to each other, and they're slammed together.

The five of them struggle to part themselves, pathetically squirming in place. You put them out of their misery to save them the embarrassment.

As soon as that's done, the gravity of your actions hits you. You just killed eight people.

You're horrified - but they were going to kill you first, weren't they?

Should you feel horrified for defending yourself from people who wanted you dead?

...should you feel anything for these people? Some part of you still desperately clings to the idea that this is all some fucked-up dream or a game.

It ceases to matter when elemental energy erupts right in front of you, and Kequing lunges out of a teleport to cleanly slice off your head.

As your vision begins to blacken, and the world drifts away, you watch your headless body stagger backward a few steps and then drop.

"Maybe next time," you mutter without sound, as the darkness swallows you.

Deep purple blood oozes from the stump of your neck as every trace of your corpse disintegrates.

("I will put you back together, my maker," whispers the Abyss. "I will always put you back together.")

((Taglist:

@the-dumber-scaramouche @thatdeadaquarius @ssak-i @imyme20 @fried-lotud @acacla @itz-luna @iruiji @crierofirony @itsredactedlove @sweetsthetik @leafanonsforest @oxyotl @kkazuyass @featuredtofu @resident-cryptid @d4y-dr3am3r @crimson-ashes @red1sg0n3 @the-real-fandom-person @code-roevember @yourlocalsourwolf @rhoswen-drake @minimari415 @reversearrowhead

[talonabraxas]

Quetzalcoatl 🐉 Talon Abraxas

Creation Myths

Quetzalcoatl-Ehécatl and his crafty brother Tezcatlipoca were in the business of creation. In some incredible escapades, they created the earth, sea and night sky and were regents of the first two ‘suns’, or world eras of the existing five. When the brothers separated the sky from the earth, they even turned into the trees that held the two apart, earnings the names of Quetzalhuéxotl and Tezcacahuitl.

Quetzalcoatl’s life-giving ability gave rise to many of the things around us. On a lone voyage, he went to find the bones of the dead in the underworld, known as Mictlan. After many trials and tribulations he was able to escape Mictlan and carry the bones to Tamoanchan, home of the gods. He ground the bones and mixed them with his blood, creating the first humans of the 5th (and current) sun.

In another act as creator, Quetzalcoatl threw his semen at a rock and from it grew a bat that approached the fertility goddess Xochiquetzal (Quetzal Flower), biting her between the legs. From her wound burst beautiful flowers that the bat took to the lord of the underworld, Mictlantecuhtli, who bathed them in the water of his subterranean rivers and perfumed the blossoms.

Many other creation myths revolve around Quetzalcoatl, some including the creation of the maguey plant, and the discovery of corn

Quetzalcoatl was often represented as the life-giving wind, with a beak or mask protruding from his face. With this appendage he was able to sweep the roads clean before the arrival of the rain gods (pic 5). Under the guise of wind, he was called Quetzalcoatl-Ehécatl and was considered a great cultural hero. This image from the sixteenth century Codex Borbonicus (pic 8, right) shows his conical hat made from the fur of an Ocelot. A recurring feature in Quetzalcoatl-Ehécatl’s iconography is a conch chest ornament. Called ehecacózcatl (wind jewel), the shell has been interpreted as an association with the womb and the generation of life. The conch shell is symbolic of the ancestral bones from which Quetzalcoatl created humankind as we know it.

Quetzalcoatl-Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, the Morning Star

The legend of Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl goes on to tell us that after a long pilgrimage towards the east, our hero found himself so thoroughly defeated by his brother Tezcatlipoca that he threw himself on a burning pyre in an act of self-sacrifice. From the smoking remains rose the morning star, Venus, who is represented by Quetzalcoatl in his guise of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli. He accompanies the sun across the sky during the day. This image from the Codex Borgia (pic 9) shows Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli displaying the quincunx: five circles associated with Venus. His hair is red and his body painted with red and white stripes. He is featured on the left in the upper and lower panels of the page. On the right hand side is Quetzalcoatl-Ehécatl.

Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli served as patron deity of astrological knowledge and was of profound importance in religious books in the Central Highlands and Oaxaca. Used for divination, these documents were called Tonalamame (sing. Tonalamatl), and displayed the portents of the 260 day lunar calendar known as the Tonalpoualli (Counting of the Days). Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli was considered patron of this calendar (Yólotl González-Torres,1991).

Xolotl, the Evening Star

Tlahuizcalpentecuhtli could only guard the sun as it crossed the daytime sky. However, Quetzalcoatl had another invocation that would help Venus through the underworld as the Evening Star: Xolotl, the dog (pic 10). Considered by some to be Quetzalcoatl’s double, assistant or twin, Xolotl aided Quetzalcoatl when he descended to the Mictlan to recover the bones of humankind. In Náhuatl, the word Xolotl was often associated with the concept of twins and physical deformity, so statues of the deity often portray a dog with twin heads, or ragged ears and running sores.

Interests: Saving the world (or making it), preserving life, cultivating knowledge and recognising beauty.

Day Sign: Wind

Trecena (13 day week): 1 Jaguar. According to sixteenth century friar Bernadino de Sahagún and his native informants, he also presided over 1 Reed. This last period was considered to bring bad luck because it was represented by Quetzalcoatl in his forceful guise of Wind. The trecena was marked by the Aztec nobility who made offerings in Calmecacs, learning institutions for noble children. Children born during 1 Reed were thought to be ill-fortuned, and the calendar foretold that all they gained in life would be “taken by the wind” (Sahagún, book III, chapter VIII). To save children born during the worst phase of 1 Reed, the Aztecs held childrens’ naming ceremonies on or after the 7th day of the week (7 Rain) as the following days were more auspicious.

Powers: As we know from stories of old, Quetzalcoatl’s physical powers and intelligence knew no bounds. But what were his monster-killing, sky-lifting and star-forming capacities in the face of his sneaky brother Tezcatlipoca? Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca were brothers in divine myths, where they worked together as creators, and against each other in acts of destruction. In the Legend of the Suns, their battles saw them topple each other as regents of individual worlds. As humans, Tezcatlipoca’s trickery thwarted the priest Quetzalcoatl (myth of Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl). The cosmic battle between the two brothers has been interpreted as a dualistic opposition between creative and destructive forces (Taube, 1993, p82).

[rainbowsky]

Привет, Sky! Снова спасибо за твой блог, обожаю тебя. Смотрела очередное выступление Сяо Чжаня и думала о том, что у него, и еще у некоторых певцов/актеров много песен о любви, но сами они не имеют отношений официально, и иногда даже фанаты не знаю о каких-либо отношениях в принципе, как будто их никогда и не было. При этом они так эмоционально и трогательно исполняют песни о любви. Ок, про Сяо Чжаня всё понятно :) Но я задумалась может ли действительно человек, не имевший отношения, любовь, чувства и не пройдя весь этот путь в связи с другим человеком - петь о любви и понимать о чем он поет и как это выглядит в глазах других. Что ты думаешь об этом?

Translation:

Hi Sky! Thanks again for your blog, I love you. I was watching Xiao Zhan's latest performance and was thinking that he and some other singers/actors have a lot of love songs, but they themselves are not officially in a relationship, and sometimes even fans don't know about any relationship at all, as if they never existed. At the same time, they perform love songs so emotionally and touchingly. Ok, everything is clear about Xiao Zhan :) But I wondered if a person who has never had a relationship, love, feelings and has not gone through this whole path in connection with another person can really sing about love and understand what he is singing about and how it looks in the eyes of others. What do you think about this?

Hi retrojen, thanks so much, I'm glad you're enjoying my blog! 🥰

I don't believe that someone has to have experienced romantic love to give a beautiful, deeply compelling performance of a romantic song - no more than someone has to be religious to put a lot of power into a hymn, or need to have lost a loved one in order to put a lot of pathos into a song about grief. Art is about creation, and about tapping into the human experience.

One of the most beautiful aspects of humanity is the empathy that we often have for one another. If we are compassionate and open, and if we are creative spirits who seek to understand the world around us, we can tap into each other's experiences and feelings. We do not have to have experienced them firsthand to have a sense of them, or to share in another person's joy or pain (of course we can't live what we haven't experienced, but we can tap into an awful lot just by being open to it).

And our emotional experiences can also be a reflection of what is missing in our lives just as much as they can be a reflection of what we have in our hearts.

For example, someone does not have to have experienced a deep romantic love to be able to tap into a longing for love. Someone doesn't have to have a spiritual belief in order to experience spiritual anguish or need for greater meaning in their life. All of these emotional experiences can lead to incredibly powerful artistic expressions. Especially for performers and actors whose calling in life is to present a glimpse of human experience they might not have had themselves.

And we know that both GG and DD have experienced loss and hardship in their lives. DD spent his entire youth away from his family in another country, GG's grandfather passed away just a few years ago. There are no doubt a lot of other experiences we don't know about (and that are probably none of our business). Heck, just being a queer person in a country that is increasingly hostile to that is hardship enough.

Both GG and DD have talked about how they have a taste for sad and very emotional love songs. I think that is just a natural extension of any creative, sensitive, open-hearted person's taste for the human experience. Those kinds of songs speak to us because our hearts are open to the full scope of human emotion. Sweet songs don't always carry the same emotional intensity as sad ones, nor can they dig into our depths the way that sad ones can.

So no, I don't think that anyone needs to have experienced romantic love to be able to tap into those emotional depths and bring a powerful performance of a love song.

Having said that, you and I both know that GG and DD do have that deep romantic experience. Let's be real. 😅

I talked about GG and DD's creative and sensitive personalities in this post.

I commented on a similar topic related to aeroace people writing about love and sex a while back. You can find that post here.

I also talked about something similar in my post about queerbaiting, which you can find here.

[escaronarts]

ETSY STORE  II  FACEBOOK  II  INSTAGRAM  II  ESCARONARTS

For SALE HERE! (Website)

Or HERE! (Etsy)

With the strenght of a fiery stallion and soul of a colibri you will never be able to tame this mighty beast. But if he deem you worthy theres no limits of what the two of you can acomplish.

In the world were Colibris kind roam free people adore and co-exist with them and nature. In this world birds are sacred. Birds, you say. Why birds? Well, let me explain. I told you people there co-exist with nature, but that wasnt always the case. Once they kept polluting the planet to the very extent in wich all the birds fell from the sky and died. They knew it was happening but they couldnt hinder it, wouldnt change. And then one day there were no more birds, not a single one. That was the harsh reality and a very real wake-up call for humanity. You might think it was then to late for anything to be done at all, but the people did manage to turn things around, and today they live in harmony with their planet, caring for it dearly. However, sadly, the birds never returned. But, you say, what has this to do with Colibri and the horses? You see, one day a horse was born that didnt look like the traditional kind and absolutely not like its brown parents. The foal was jet black with the softest feathers around his neck and tail. It was quite perplexing. And it didnt stop there, more and more foals were born different. Browns and grays, whites and multicolored ones of all variations. And then people realized, the horses reminded of different bird species! Truth was, the horses had taken the spirits of the birds into their hearts to carry and protect. And this is how they still exist, two souls in one body. One day the birds might be able to return to the world in own bodies again, to once more travel the skies and sing their songs. But until then the horses will keep safeguarding their spirits, and the humans will keep doing their best to restore the planet in wait and hope of that time to come.

*****

MADE: They come to me when they want to be given form, whisper in my mind who they want to be, show me glimpses and let me work. Im sure I cant create their exact images but I try my best. When I start I never know what will be in the end, but I trust the process, I trust them, and it hasnt failed me yet. I believe these beings exist, even if we in our physical realm cannot see. And I believe they are here for a reason, for us, to help, inspire, move, awaken, and to the ones adopting them specifically - connect, a bond thats meant to be. I believe, do you?

Colibri is a traditionally handmade, original, unique and one of a kind artwork made entirely by me. His face is first sculpted in super sculpey, that I later casted in resin for durability and painted carefully with acrylics. His body is made of high quality fauxfur that Ive designed, trimmed and sewn over a sturdy wire and batting frame together with a blend of feathers (seen in mane and tail). He is fully posable in both neck, tail and legs. However, as with all of my creations he is an artwork and not intended as a toy for kids. Lots and lots of hours, effort and soul went into this guy, to give him his physical form, and there will never be another one like him.

COLIBRI SIZE; Height: 11.8 inches (30cm) Length: 12.6 inches (32cm)

© 2023 Linda Escaron Lundqvist - all rights reserved

[milksnake-tea]

One day, after dinner, while my younger sister and I were lounging about in Mr. Gopher Wood's yard, we spotted a fledgling Charmony Dove all on its own. That baby bird was tiny, it didn't even have all of its feathers, and it couldn't sing. When we found it, it was already on its last breath, having fallen into a shrub — probably abandoned by its parents. We decided to build a nest for it right there and then. However, thinking back, that winter was unusually cold, with fierce winds at night in the yard, not to mention the many poisonous bugs and wild beasts in the vicinity… It was clear that if we left the fledgling in the yard, it stood no chance of surviving until spring. So, I suggested we take it inside, place it on the shelf by the window, and asked the adults to fashion a cage for it. We decided that when it regained its strength enough to spread its wings, we would release it back into the wild. The tragic part — something that we'd never considered — was that this bird's fate had already been determined long before this moment… Its destiny was determined by our momentary whim. Now, I pass the power of choice to you all. Faced with this situation, what choice would you make? Stick to the original plan, and build a nest with soft net where the Charmony Dove fell? Or build a cage for it, and feed it, giving it the utmost care from within the warmth of a home? I eagerly await your answer.

I'm waiting for you behind the curtain. Following the Asdana tradition, I invite you to enjoy a stage play in three acts before the Festival begins. History is a mirror reflecting the universe's true essence. Let's use this opportunity to delve into the rich history of Penacony and the Aeons. Within it, naturally, the future takes shape.

Let us commence with the dawning of the world.

After the Dusk Wars, darkness veiled the sky, and chaos consumed the earth. Ena the Order emerged, destined to restore all existence. That marked the first day.

THEY gathered nebulae and forged them into picks, thus creating a grand lyre with black and white keys. Strike the white keys, and the sun rose. Strike the black keys, and the moon rose. And so, the cycle of day and night arose. That marked the second day.

THEY transmuted streams of stars into inked nibs, creating symbols to be pronounced and counted. THEY molded stardust into flowing rivers, assigning the righteous upstream and the unjust downstream. Thus, all things were marked, and the world learned to discern between good and evil. That marked the third and fourth days.

THEY used the planetary rings to establish the law, forging a code of conduct among the masses. A grand lyre with black and white keys served as an instrument, while symbols of articulation and numerical notation took the form of musical notes. The downward-flowing river became a melody, and the canon of law dictated the form. Thus, all mortals found their unique place within this symphony. That marked the fifth and sixth days.

THEY imbued the world with meaning, perfecting all things in the heavens and on earth. Then, THEY rested from the labors of creation. Yet, all beings cried out to Ena — 'Under the banner of the Order, you have defined all things in the Cosmos... but this made us realize that we are but puppets in your hands! Thus, on that day, all beings united and cast the Aeon into the abyss of oblivion. That marked the seventh day.

Looks like we won't be able to convince each other. Now that our conflict has been destined, let's unveil our Paths and reveal to the universe the true path. However, before the prelude to the future begins, please take a moment to ponder the questions I've posed...

Is darkness equal to daylight? Are sinners equal to the righteous If you are born weak, which god should you turn to for solace?

[falling-raine]

heres a few of the good omens poems I wrote... ik they aren't the best but in my defense it was 3 am

a star falls, twisting and shifting, tears streaking down a ash covered face

wings catching fire, soot and feathers just out of grasp, white shifting to gray to black

a halo suspended, gold light dimming, cracks appearing

hands clasped, words hanging in empty air, questions asked to no one

and the sky fades, her creations disappearing, pupils turning to slits and brown shifts to yellow

a creator who dared to question, cast out along those who rebelled

-------------------------------------------------------

for I am icarus and you are my sun

you simply exist and how you hurt me

but I am no better for I keep flying closer

and I laugh as I fall for I know I would do it again

For I am icarus and you are the sun

You burn bright and blinding and oh how it hurts

but still I fly higher and higher

and as I fall, feather turning to ash before my eyes, I laugh for I know I would do it until the end

fall again and again if only to fall into you

but the sun goes away

night falls and the birds don't sing

the stars appear, a pitiful imitation of your brilliance, and I long for your light

you will rise again and I will fly and maybe then I will reach your embrace

and when we collide, I will bear the flames to feel your touch once again

you are my sun and together we will watch the world

[nadas-dirthalen]

One Single Person Asked, So Here's A Dirthamen Theory Infodump!

shoutout to @damallarky for activating MY trap card on this long af post.

Since there's a lot, the explanations are going to exist without some of their sources/context. This post can only go on so LONG lmao.

So. Dirthamen theory time under the break, to spare the eyes of anyone who doesn't want the TIRADE.

First big theory: I think Dirthamen and Falon'Din were split in two at the time of their creation into what we recognize as the Evanuris they are. And I think Elgar'nan did it, poorly, and then Mythal fixed his mess.

Oh, and I think they were an Envy demon. That's important. Now let me explain.

We know sundered spirits are possible, given both the Vir Dirthara in Trespasser (Ghil-Dirthalen, the librarian, was sundered) and also some, uh... spoilery Veilguard stuff. Sorry everyone.

Second, there's a lot to explain what Envy demons are like. They really want to be mortal, for one thing. Second, they're shapeshifters. Oh, and also?

Envy is never satisfied, however. The demon's bottomless cravings to be more—more powerful, more skilled, more inspired—cause it to seek fresh prey, leaving a trail of stolen identities behind.

Who's this sound like? Who, that Solas might have dissed for having an "endless appetite for adulation" as we went through the Temple of Mythal?

Also, Dirthamen and Falon'din are the first of Elgar'nan and Mythal's "children." Time to dip into Dalish legend and pick out what I think are the kernels of truth.

[Elgar'nan] was the first of the elven gods, born of the sun and the earth. According to elven legend, the sun grew jealous of the favor shown by Elgar'nan for the things of the earth, and so burned them to ashes. In retaliation, Elgar'nan threw the sun down from the sky, and only later relented because of Mythal's intervention. He was convinced, with her help, to restore his father to the sky on the promise that the sun would set each night.

There's a lot to go over here. I'm gonna break down why I have bolded what I bolded.

So we know that the words for "sun" and "spirit" are almost the same thing in the elvish language. And we ALSO know that the Fade is oft called the "sky," and the Deep Roads/Titan Things are referred to as "the earth." These are then contrasted in Trespasser as places where magic works differently — the "unchanging world" is described as having the "pull of the earth," forcing everything to be more corporeal, more real (and also lowkey singing of lyrium.)

Put that all together, and when I read 'the sun grew jealous of the favor shown by Elgar'nan for the things of the earth', I think about a spirit being jealous of Elgar'nan's corporeality and his work with "earthly" magic.

Then we see that "the Dalish believe that when Elgar'nan buried the sun in the abyss," this caused the dwarves to be afraid of him because of whatever happened down there. And only Mythal was able to intervene to end this process.

And my favorite point? The promise that the sun would have to set each night. The sun becoming two different things: day and night. Light and dark.

Spirit and demon? Maybe reflection and shadow.

See, my theory is that Dirthamen and Falon'Din are two natures of the same spirit: the first half wisdom, because even Envy demons hunger for knowledge, and the second half still demonic, because of everything we know about Falon'Din. His hunger for adulation. Power.

This is also echoed, faintly, in the Chant of Light. "[...] And grew jealous of the life they could not feel, could not touch. In blackest envy were the demons born." (It mentions that this is after the creation of the Veil, but I think humans just... got that one wrong.)

As well as...

Now, with their Father's eye elsewhere, the firstborn At last created something new: Envy. They looked upon the living world and the favored Sons and daughters there, covetous of all they were. Within their hearts grew An intolerable hunger. Until, at last, some of the firstborn said: "Our Father has abandoned us for these lesser things. We have power over heaven. Let us rule over earth as well And become greater gods than our Father."

So, in summary: I think that Elgar'nan came across a super jealous, super powerful demon and decided, extremely clear-headedly, to throw it down toward the Titans and... do something horrifying to it. Mythal intervened, and out came Dirthamen and Falon'Din, sundered. One cut off from its demonic nature (perhaps unwilling/not able to see/hear/speak properly? Like the priests in the Temple of Dirthamen?) and the other left with nothing else.

Second big theory: Dirthamen left Falon'Din's side and joined the Mythal-Solas side of the Evanuris war.

First, there's these mosaics. Fen'harel, Mythal, Dirthamen, and Andruil.

Second, there's Dirthamen mosaics right when you start the elven ruin part of Trespasser. (featuring my Lavellan looking less than pleased.)

And third? Bear with the fact that I have no pictures of the actual room. But in the same room in Trespasser where you find the painting of Solas removing valasslin, there are 5 mosaics lined up on both sides of that big hall, in the same order. Falon'Din, Dirthamen, Fen'harel, Mythal, Dirthamen.

To me, it reads as: Falon'Din and Dirthamen were a pair, then Fen'harel happened, then Dirthamen and Mythal were on the same side.

Third big theory: Dirthamen's valasslin tells a story.

(If you saw this on the source post, you can skip it, it's copied here just to have everything in one place.)

I'm gonna reference this post a lot, but suffice it to say: I'm going off an educated guess that triangles referenced in elven art/society represent the Veil, and diamonds represent the Fade.

That said, behold my terrible penmanship, because I've had a theory that Dirthamen bounced since I took a really critical look at Inky's and Bellara's valasslin.

I'm going off the assumption that Dirthamen's valasslin is a raven flying downward. Beak at the tip of the nose, wings spanning the cheeks. There's some third eye imagery on Inky's chin (which would be above the beak, since we're looking upside down) and, crucially, a big ring on the forehead that looks like it's been broken through.

It looks like Dirthamen has broken free of the forehead ring and has escaped. And what's surrounding that ring? You got it. Triangles. There's small triangles on the wings as well, and another on the beak. But the largest, which I haven't written down, is at the bottom of the chin. Almost like that third eye forced its way out, with massive magic. (Note also, every "feather" on the wings is a very warped triangle.)

It feels like a narrative that says: Hey. Dirthamen isn't in his prison. He got out. His mind/magic broke him loose.

I take it as Chapter One of the Dirthamen Valasslin Chronicle™, because when I look at Bellara... (please, suffer my penmanship again, I'm so sorry)

I see two birds sitting on either side of a big third eye. And what is under them (but above her eyebrows)? You guessed it!!! Triangles!!! And, on the other side of that sort of natural line of her brow? Diamonds.

(Tiny side thought: I think the birds bring on swirly branches reminiscent of Mythal's valasslin is indicative that Dirthamen was part of her side/rebellion with Solas, but that's its own post)

Anyway. Two birds sitting on this side of the Veil. The Not-Fade side. And what are they sitting around?

A huge third eye, itself on a set of two triangles. To me, it's implying all-seeing-eye energy, and also implying that Dirthamen is watching. From THIS side of the Veil.

And that, to me, is a very interesting Chapter Two of the Dirthamen Valasslin Chronicle™. A conclusion as much as a warning.

Last big theory: I think Dirthamen was involved with Andraste during her lifetime—if not as Shartan (who I think might've been an agent of Solas), then as Havard.

There's so much of this theory that's just vibes and gut feelings, but I think that all of the Evanuris had their grubby little fingers in Andraste's life, because I think that they knew she was harboring Mythal.

Andraste was born the same year that Dumat was slain. And, knowing what we know from the DA:tV combat trailer (I'm sorry, everyone), we know that the Evanuris did, in fact, have archdemons. My theory is that Dumat was Mythal's, and that either Andraste or her half-sister were born with an old god soul. Her sister's death is, I think, the moment when Mythal proper (the same piece that's in Flemeth now) entered Andraste's body.

And I think all the Evanuris knew, through their agents, through their own archdemons, through the darkspawn hivemind—you name it.

I think all the Evanuris had agents playing roles in everything in Andraste's life next. I think Solas tried to appear to Andraste in dreams as the Maker—which, mind breaking under an old god and Mythal, did not go super well or translate super clearly. When that failed, I think Solas sent Shartan to help.

But meanwhile? I think Havard and Maferath are representative of Dirthamen and Falon'Din. For starters, they were inseparable childhood friends until Maferath's betrayal. He's also shield-coded, just like Dirthamen's Wisdom is a shield. He's repeatedly referred to as The Aegis in the Chant of Light and elsewhere.

Havard pledged himself to Andraste's cause, though was too late to save her life. This echoes how I believe Dirthamen switched sides, but not fast enough to save Mythal.

Maferath betrayed Andraste (and also Havard, by consequence) out of jealousy, much like I believe Falon'din was the catalyst for Mythal's murder.

Havard carried on after Andraste's life ended, quietly bringing her ashes to a sacred temple, where those who accompanied him there would go on to guard eternally. Much like how I feel Dirthamen is still out there somewhere now, watching. Waiting. Learning.

To what end? Well, I hope we find out in Veilguard. (I kind of hope we find out through Bellara, specifically. Or Lucanis, from... perhaps... the Falon'Din side of things. Maybe, tragically, both.)

If you stayed this long, YOU'RE A HERO! Clap for yourself! And thanks for reading! And tell me if I'm wrong on any counts!

[celiaamb]

The sky is empty,

God has left us, abounded us, to burn, on this hell we made for ourselves. At night, satan laughs at us, priding himself for not kneeling in front of such a creature. Simple mortals who act like they are immortal, idiotic fouls who destruct themselves alone, without my help, but curse my name for those demons they became.

At night, satan laughs at me, she sinned and punished herself all alone he sings.

The angels despise us, for how profane we made the creation of god, how cruel and barren we made this earthly heaven, a useless sacrificed maiden, but to whom was this offering dedicated, who did it pay ? They too went away and shall lit the flames and awake the waves.

On this gigantic space, infinity will be know as damnation, demons reigns are over, we took the power. Cemeteries are filled with bodies but no tombs, no affection can endure this chaos, before trying it is already lost. Sadness plays itself like love, addicting and much more intense, it is a hopeless existence, it is a life sentence.

Once avid it is now l'appel du vide who caresses our hearts, who murmures our names, how to land without aims ?

Blind, in plain sight, Lucifer hides, yet is not near to be deciphered, did we look away purposely, did we close our eyes on agony ?

We will suffocate and satan will rename this planet inferno, no, but dear don't you hear the devil calls this earth home. Oh disastrous hubris, outrageous greed, the humains are out of humanity, full of vain futilities. Once fertile grounds have now come to be empty, of any vitality. Don't you see god has left us, for this is our punishment, we have been judged and left to face our own demons.

Clay will burn from the fire.

I wouldn't bet a dime on humanity, I too wouldn't have kneel.

-CeliaAmb'

[emotionalhxc]

PART 2: Strawberry Hospital Instagram Q&A Q: Also do you like Sky Eats Airplane? Some of your songs give me the same vibe

N: "lowkey in shock that this band was brought up to me because they were (partially) the reason I found out what a DAW was in the first place because I read some interview of theirs back then describing their method of creation or something formative memories of listening to this one on a school computer in 5th grade" Q: When making an EP, do you usually have a "concept" or "vibe" before making the songs? N: "mostly! it is typically reflective of whatever sonic fixations I had in the years preceding the release itself + a culmination of whatever emotions are stirred up by life circumstances once I have that intersection pinned down, it begins to take a form of its own"

Q: Is there a story behind the Phantasmaphilia album art? It's so mesmerizing *0* N: "indeed ! the dead insects themselves were found outside of where I was living during the completion of the album, around this time of year. myself and some old friends collected them and brought them inside to scan in for the sake of the cover artwork. as for the bathtub image source, I am actually not holding my own legs but another person (out of frame) but we were wearing swimming trunks haha I wanted to create a feeling of ghostly vulnerability and I appreciate said old friends for helping me realize my vision at the time" Q: your music heals me and makes life bearable, thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤️‍🩹 N: "I am so so grateful... thank you for sharing with me, it keeps me pushing forward knowing that my music reached you in the same way that other music heals me too (hug)"

Q: Squall. I love that song so much. I would love to hear your reasons for that song. N: "oh yes Squall! I wrote that for an internet friend who lived somewhere that was basically a perpetual snowstorm, I would stay up late talking with them and it meant very much to me during that period of time to me, the flurry of splittercore kicks and icy trance lead melodies reminded me of a blizzard" Q: How did you get your name? N: "strawberry hospital? or neptune? I'll answer both! strawberry hospital was intended to follow the naming trend of many bands and artists I grew up with, but also represent the otherwise polarizing thematic elements (bittwersweetness) and stylings present within the music and lyrics my name Neptune is chosen but I have kept it for over a decade now, it reminds me of the ocean and a cold planet very far away from here"

Q: Ilysm I sry if this is a dumb q but are the songs on halfawake all vocaloid or ur voice N: "awe no questions are dumb! the original release is exclusively vocaloid as I was too anxious to include my own singing in my songs in 2016. but the live version of the song is special, because I sing the chorus with my own voice instead. other albums feature a combination of my own voice and vocaloid (with exceptions)" Q: what is your bowling ball size? N: "this question is so unrelated I love it... so I cannot bowl to save my life and maybe I'm missing a double meaning here but they say a bowling ball should be 10% of your own weight right? in that case, like 12? I am unfortunate epitome of gay people failing at sports stereotype"

Q: what's your personal favorite song you've ever release?? 🖤 N: "Halfawake, Memento, Phantoma, Azure, Rhythm 0" Q: so like whats next for uu? N: "I'd love to play a few more shows before the year ends... maybe an international one? we shall see... otherwise trying to explore new forms for the project to take, I never want to reiterate what has already been established to the point of monotony heh" Q: I really love Tacit ❤️ and would love to know what it's about N: "Tacit is an apology for not being able to fulfill the role of what somebody would like you to be for them. not exactly a hard rejection but an assuring one (if such a thing exists) ... sometimes you need to use your head over your heart? I struggled with this at times p.s. it was heavily influenced by the haibane renmei OST!"

Q: Would you ever go on a tour! Californian fan here and I love you and your music :D N: "it will happen someday I am certain, playing a show in California feels obligatory (in a good way) plus I have had a few invitations from fellow musician friends that I need to take them up on" CONTINUED INTO PART 3 ON MY NEXT POST

[airimomoid]

to whoever sees this post. do you have a favourite april fools class? because i do and it is one HUNDRED percent solid heart. i love every character in here so much it is so perfect to me that they were all put together

shiho is not my favourite in leo/need (its actually honami) but i honestly really identify with her and it's so great to watch her develop and see the way she deeply cares for her friends (and her sister please stop saying she hates/dislikes shizuku i cant take it) despite her tough exterior

airi is my absolute favourite character for so many reasons. first of all- she is so cute! i love her design and her cards are all great. but even more so i adore her character as a whole. you can see that she really loves not only her fans - from the way she interacts with them on livestreams, and there's also her interactions with saki if you need another example -, but also her unitmates - the way she shares her experience with minori to help her improve, admires haruka and supports her, reminding her to take breaks, and dont even get me *started* on shizuku because there is so much to say about them that i would end up talking about them forever - and also her close friends, such as ena (she's also in solid heart by the way! love her!)

akito is so SO passionate about music and honestly i'm with him there. he likes people who are also passionate about their interests - i am also with him there! i just overall really enjoy how committed and hard working he is when it comes to music, the way he interacts with and cares for the rest of vbs, and also i think his dynamic with ena is great

nene is literally just like me for real for real. i love to reread the wxs stories in order to see how she gradually opens up to her unitmates and becomes more confident - around her peers, but also whilst performing on stage. the rest of wxs love and care about her and she, too, loves and cares about them! she dreams big, and continues to pursue her dreams even though she knows that one day she'll have to leave wxs because of them. because of this she also cherishes all the time she spends with them !! also in canary sings in a quagmire she has the courage and strength to ask for help from her idol herself and it's just so brilliant to see how far she's come from the beginning of the story when she could barely talk to the rest of wxs and had to hide behind nenerobo AND SHE'S ALSO JUST SO CUTE IN GENERAL AND I LOVE HER OK

i feel like ena and her character arc often don't get a lot of attention in this fandom compared to the rest of niigo but i honestly love how far she's come and how she's improving at art and gradually gaining more and more confidence in her creations - to the point where she also teaches others how to draw (rainbow canvas event story) . just her deciding to rejoin her old art class was such an impactful moment for me and i'm super interested to see how she'll develop from this point onward. furthermore! the way she supports the rest of niigo! i love it! when she took mafuyu to her house in someday this wish will transcend the morning sky! the ending of my footsteps your destination! it's just so beautiful and she is such a great character and i could talk about her and niigo in general for hours but for the sake of this post not being longer than an essay i will not

and KAITO ! i do not really have anything to say about him compared to the others but some time last year i made a list of my favourite commissioned songs from each unit and they all featured kaito (except niigo because niigo kaito didnt exist at the time) so theres that

to the like two or three people who will see this thank you so much for listening to my ramblings

also i feel kinda bad for not writing that much about shiho i completely underestimated the length of the rants i would go on about tye others 😭 read that day the sky was far away its great

[ramayantika]

The way gods love ~ as seen by a human

Flames, golden, passion, songs and dances.

Oh to be loved by a god is to be written in every page, every parchment and every tree bark, to be immortalised in every eon, every age. When they kiss, the sun glows brighter and when they get their own hearts broken, you shall experience the worst thunderstorm ever. Chalices filled with wine, rare silks and fabrics, shiny jewels and golden crowns; hands that desperately hold another's as they dance through the night sky with the stars lighting their airy pathway way.

Lips dance together, entwined hands, rich rare fabrics all discarden to the golden floor as they lay in merry with each other. When their eyes meet, a flower blooms somewhere on earth. When their hands touch, a river flows from a mountain, and when they make love under the glorious canopy of their heavenly garden of their abode, some say spring blooms on earth.

Hierarchy exists even there and the divine do indulge in politics. Boons and curses are thrown around. I would be banished to hell to reveal all of this but no the gods sometimes are full of wrath and utter foolishness.

And to be a god and also be foolish in love....

One conjures a illusionary pond and they choose to fall down and drench themselves in it only to make the other one smile and laugh hard. Now do you know why you felt golden warmth on your skin when you were alone in your bedroom gazing at the plain empty ceiling?

The day you read a god's poem for their beloved, you shall know that it is just the way we humans write. Proses entwined with yearning and deep passion seeps in through the parchment just as much as ours.

Gods and humans in love are alike.

Yes, there is love, too much of passion and deep divine love surrounding them that bleeds into nature and art. Now you know why some artists on earth become their vessel to depict how the gods love each other.

There is love amidst the gods even amidst rage, wars and power play. The healer god cries at not being able to save a living creature, and the god of death gently hugs them. Not a word. Silence.

You are a god but you can't win over the god of fate.

The god of Life and Death are lovers. The God of dance and the god of music are best friends. Soulmates. They hate being away from them and when one of them doesn't come to the evening show, the whole of heaven feels bored. The god of love and the god of mischief are the naughtiest pals, creating havoc in hearts whenever they feel like.

The gods indulge in art and love art the most. Art helps them to exist especially in the minds of their most beloved creation: Human. They paint excessively, sing the most beautiful melody that enters a musician's mind on earth, they dance and the dancers on earth see a grand vision in their dreams of a performance that is otherworldly. They write so much about their abode, about their godly friends and their godly children, in hopes that when the mortal writers come home, to them, they would read them out. And maybe when mortals visit them after death, they would feel like home. Just a different one though but home alike.

Gods and humans have always been alike.

The little gods in young bodies are an ethereal sight to look at. They are adorable and curious. They peer down from the sky from the laps of their parents and wonder what would it be like to be a child belonging from the mortal world, a question that is answered only when their souls are born in the mortal plane.

Souls.... nobody tells you that. The Godly soul is as human and the gods become wiser after attaining a human body and a human life on earth. To experience mortality is to also cherish near and dear ones, and that makes the gods fall in love with their families in heaven even more once they return back.

How do I know this?

I have been a God and a Human...

[hermesserpent-stuff]

Your AU has dragon gods?

I am very interested. Tell me more please ^_^

ive talked about them very briefly before and they are a little more involved in claws and calls. but I love them so! I'll link the first post for record keeping but ill cover that and more here

Basically the dragons have three main gods with each species having personal deities that were once normal dragons that achieved godhood through some feat or through their nature, like gaining sainthood or legendary status.

but back to the main three.

Fyrwynd, Erthabyrth, and Monewaeg

Im going to ramble so heres a cut for the scroller. Feel free to ask about any part of this!!

None of these have a set species or gender or size. they shift as needed for dragons. worship mostly consists of piling bones a certain way and shooting off venom, fire, or what ever projectiles they can, and asking them for aid and giving thanks

Fyrwynd- god of fire, flying, life, day, sun, wind, storms, joy and fear.

This dragon will normally look like a long snakish dragon with hundreds of wings (but can have fewer) they normally are made of fire or storm clouds when visiting. Nightfurys, skrills, and most speedy flying trick dragons tend to worship fyrwynd the most.

Erthabyrth- god of earth/rock/land, nesting, defense, ice, stars, volcanoes, death and birth

She normally appears as made of stone, or exploding lava, or dense ice. Their body typically has two wings and four legs. dragons with thick armor and dragons about to lay eggs worship them. especially gronckles.

Monewaeg- god of the sea/ocean/water, moon, swimming, fighting, venom, pain and healing

This dragon normally appears made of water or moonlight or both. they have two legs and two wings when they arrive, with acid/venom dripping from their mouth. Changewings and Nadders typically hold them as their main god.

Okay! onto creation myth as told by hiccup in claws and calls in chapter 54.

--

As he begins to sing, the dragons around him still their constant sounds, adults, and fledglings both settling to listen to the tale.

It is one of the first that Toothless had told him after Hiccup had gained an understanding of dragonese. It took place at dawn as they flew high above the clouds, golds and oranges chasing the purples and blues of the night and the stars winked out one by one.

“~There once was nothing. No ground, sky, or water. Darkness could not exist because fire did not provide light to see it.~”

Hiccup begins to pet the two small dragons in his arms, comforted by their rumbling. The song is a rolling tune with no true beat. It rolls with growls and chirps.

“~There was a great breath from the Unnameable in that shade and light burst forth, creating light and dark. Three layers could be seen, presses tight like the layers of rock. The sky, the water, and the land. Fyrwynd fell from the light and flapped her wings, forcing the sky to rise from the water. Erthabryth awoke and pushed up from the depths of the water to form the lands. Monewaeg churned up the water and spat the moon into the sky to light the night as Fyrwynd slept.~”

He goes into details of each of the three god’s attempts to form life on their own. But only by joining together did dragon-kind form. He mentions the sneezes of the Unnameable forming other gods and letting humans and other creatures form but keeps the focus on the three main dragon gods.

--

then there is my own silly story for the subspecies of nadder told by Silverbreath in chapter 54

--

His eyes widen as Silverbreath lifts her head from Duskclaw’s back and responds with her own tale, dragons all silently and respectfully listening.

“~Monewaeg grew weary of seeing dragons only breathe fire and lava and gas and turned to Erthabyrth to create a new dragon. They consulted the first Nadder, admiring her spines and tail, and asked that she let her newest eggs be touched.~”

The Frost Nadder whispers out a tale in which the first Nadder got the gods to gift her children all sorts of powers, with Duster crooning along with the tune. Other Nadders chirp along. Hiccup listens closely trying to memorize each line. Stories are important. History is important. When she finishes the song, Hiccup softly speaks.

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[aboutanancientenquiry]

The three most important ancient Egyptian theogonies and cosmogonies (a text of Egyptologist Salima Ikram)

" Creation Myths

The ancient Egyptians had several myths dealing with the creation of the cosmos and all that it contained. Probably, many of these myths had local origins, but with the unification of the country, they were gathered together and regarded as equally believable, or, depending on a particular situation, one may have been favoured above the others for some time. From the evidence that remains, it does not seem that the Egyptians had difficulty holding onto fairly contradictory concurrent beliefs.

The Heliopolitan Cosmogony is one of the earliest creation myths and originated at the site of Iwnw (Heliopolis in Greek; biblical On), a major solar centre. In this myth, a group of nine gods (the Ennead) created the world. First, the god Atum ("the complete one", "the all") masturbated (in some stories, he spat) and from his ejaculation created a pair of gods, the male Shu ("air") and his female counterpart Tefnut ("moisture"). They gave birth to Geb ("earth") and Nut ("sky"). (The Egyptians are almost unique in having a male earth god and a female sky divinity.) In turn, Geb and Nut produced two sons, Osiris and Seth, and two daughters, Isis and Nephthys, who were also their brothers' consorts. Clearly, incest was not taboo for gods in Egyptian religion; it was also acceptable for kings, who were regarded as gods. Incest was a taboo for anyone else, however. The tale of Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys leads into the Osiris myth cycle. (Fig. 64.)

An equally important myth, the Hermopolitan Cosmogony, originated in the Middle Egyptian city of Khemnw (the Greek Hermopolis), which was sacred to the god Thoth. In this tale, a group of eight gods, an Ogdoad, consisting of four couples of male and female divinities, personified the elements of chaos, or pre-creation. These were "hiddeness" or "hidden potential", personified by Amun and Amunet; 'formlessness", personified by Huh and Hauhet; "darkness", embodied by Kuk and Kauket; and the primeval waters, incarnated in Nun and Naunet. These deities created an egg that contained the gods responsible for creating the other gods, the land, animals, plants, and humans. Thoth was probably this god originally, which was particularly appropriate since an ibis is hatched from an egg. However, Atum was inserted in this role in some versions of the myth.

The Memphite Theology is another significant creation myth. This was probably an old tale, but the most complete version known to us was recorded on the Shabaka Stone (ca 710 BC, Dynasty 25), named after the king who had the myth inscribed on this piece of basalt; another version, the Bremner-Rhind Papyrus (4th century BC), was written on papyrus. In this myth, Ptah created the world by conceiving it in his heart (equivalent to our mind) and then giving it life by articulating or naming each element of the world and its denizens. The idea of thinking of something (Hu) and then causing it to exist through the act of speech (Sia) is close to the later biblical story of God's creating the world through speaking it; this story has also parallels in Australian aboriginal myths and in other concepts of speaking or singing the world into being. In the Memphite theology, Ptah created Atum and the Ennead, and, through them, the rest of the world.

Minor variations exist for all these myths, and sometimes, in the Memphite theology, other gods, such Amun-Re, supplanted Ptah as supreme creator, although Ptah remained an important character in the myth. Alternate accounts also exist; for example, in "The Destruction of Mankind", Re was cast as the supreme being and self-creator, with other gods, such as Nefertum, also playing generative roles."

Salima Ikram Ancient Egypt. An Introduction, Cambridge University Press, 2009, pp 128-129

Nut, Shu, and Geb in the Greenfield Papyrus (10th century BCE). Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Shu-Egyptian-god