#agricultural domain knowledge

[projectchampionz]

Explore These Exciting DSU Micro Project Ideas

Explore These Exciting DSU Micro Project Ideas Are you a student looking for an interesting micro project to work on? Developing small, self-contained projects is a great way to build your skills and showcase your abilities. At the Distributed Systems University (DSU), we offer a wide range of micro project topics that cover a variety of domains. In this blog post, we’ll explore some exciting DSU…

[katatty]

A modest village church for Driftwood! I decided I wanted the church in my universe to be based around three main goddesses, although there are other "minor" gods that have smaller cults of their own. The Three Sisters are:

Rianke - goddess of agriculture, family and community. She is the most revered of the three, and is associated with Summer & Autumn.

Naemis - goddess of secret knowledge, research, death and fate. Her devotees live in isolated cloisters and typically take vows of chastity. Associated with Winter.

Sydaal - goddess of youth, romance and vitality. Hunters, artisans and lovers pay respects to her. Associated with Spring.

I tried to make it so that their domains are very broad and have a certain amount of overlap - e.g. Naemis and Sydaal could both be associated with different aspects of war, and there might also be a minor god of war & heroism who soilders worship. The faith is quite broad and polytheistic :)

Different religious organisations within the church (abbeys, almshouses, foundling homes, etc.) are often dedicated to a specific god. But this simple village church is dedicated to the all Three Sisters, and the broader faith.

(I am not actually using any religion mods for this so it doesn't affect the game at all, I just enjoy coming up with fantasy pantheons, hahaha.)

[hoverboards-and-dragons]

We know a lot about how Michael's PTSD affects him but what about the other Archangels?

Basically everyone is handling it better than him, they never had his codependency, weren't as involved in the visceral parts and aren't trying to convince themselves he's dead and thus aren't making more grief for themselves just to repress it.

He's just the estranged brother to the rest, even the still real pissy ones see him at least every couple centuries for awkward diplomatic reasons, Zadkiel and Lucifer hang out semi-regularly.

(Expect for Michael, they haven't seen each other since the Fall, but this post isn't about him)

They aren't unaffected obv, but its sutler and more about his absence than the event itself, and the looming threat now hanging over their heads.

However there is a narrative representation of this change I think you'd be interested in! The Original Sin brought suffering and evil into creation, as the pillars of reality they risked their grip of their domains slipping out of control.

They had to reflect all of what creation was, absorb a bit of the blow, swallow the consequences of Lucifer's mistake. Become worse for it.

The changes sunk in bone deep, they struggle to imagine the time before they thought like they do now. But they do remember, being different once, it haunts a lot of them, some the deeper anger they harbour for Lucifer, is from that whole psychological horror.

Raphael; Archangel of Life, Keeper of Balance, and Death

Raphael gained a callousness with little respect for those you refuse to accept the the cycle that they institute. They are patron of plague just as agriculture, of health and rot, bringer of life and death; and in the most patient understanding way they can put this, Get Over It. This is what balance means. There is no life that doesn't require the death of others, sometimes, between you and bacteria, its not your life that triumphs.

Their authority is honestly a more immediate threat than Michael's, who's iron grip is at least restricted to Heaven and the heavenborn culture we struggle to relate to. Raphael is the enforcer of our limits, its thanks to them we will not evade the walls of Heaven and Hell for long.

A cruel but natural evolution from Raphael's role as the flora that limited humanity in the Eden period. The cage transformed to be more suited for the free of will.

Uriel; Archangel of Stars, Keeper of Knowledge, and Hunger

Uriel's always had a strange blind spot, no more privy to His plan than any of their siblings. That gap turned into a clawing aching blackhole that refuses to be sated. They are the holder of His wisdom and yet they are denied this with no recourse. What good are they if they don't even know what the goal is.

This is appetite and ambition. Flame that continues to burn through whatever you feed it. This is the breadth knowledge that will always eclipse the amount you can know. This is the gaps in your memory. This is staring into the void of space and realizing you will never touch any of it. This is the expanse of time from before and after your little blip of existence that you will never be apart of.

Curiosity taut fraught by bitterness and desperation. A gatekeeper who themselves are not allowed to know what they guard. Is this penance? Uriel wonders, for failing their post in Eden, having to bare ignorance as defence after proving inadequate themselves.

Gabriel; Archangel of Progress, Keeper of Revelation, and Malice

Gabriel is at heart a paragon, they will do what is right no matter what. This also makes their mindset simple with little room for nuance. In the rise of sin came with it division, the categories of allies and enemies. While before there was only good, but its given way to an entirely black and white view of the world. They have no tolerance for those that threaten what is good.

They do not listen, nor will they feel guilt. They carry God's very word, what could you add? Nothing else matters. Cutting you down is what is right. It's a breeding ground for war and brutality, for anything is justified against an enemy. A hero does no wrong.

Quick and efficient to a fault, they leave people deemed unworthy behind. Never stopping long enough to second guess. Acting entirely on gut instinct that demands the purging of the undesirable. Sever every hitch and fib until all is plain uncomplicated truth.

A twisted nostalgia they drag behind as a they race forward to regain the simple glory of being Eden's protector, before there was deception, before they knew a brother's betrayal.

Jophiel; Archangel of Beauty, Keeper of Passion, and Bloodshed

Jophiel wears her heart on her sleeve, she experiences emotions and sensations at such an elevated intensity that they cannot be refused or repressed. Compelled in a thousand different ways to bring them into the world, if only to get them out of her. She paints, she dances, she sculpts, she cries. She learned that beauty meant a lot of things, can come from a lot of places.

Her manic episodes before could get a bit volatile. But after the range of emotional expression widened and deepened, once suffering was added to her spectrum her stability spiralled. These far extremes were not spared from magnetism. They could not be refused or repressed; now skin could break, could be broken, in rage, in despair, in desire - she had to get them out of her, she had to make them real.

Beauty means so many things. There is carnage in her wake.

Blood is such a gorgeous vivid hue, isn't it?

In the suffering of creation, darkest moments can forge the heights of art and culture. This is the quittance Jophiel offers her beloved nigh-masterpieces, she hopes it's still worth it, for both their sakes.

Zadkiel; Archangel of Grace, Keeper of Faith, and Tragedy

Zadkiel didn't have a role in creation, for reasons they still don't know. They once had hope that eventually they'd be able to leave their mark.

They never got the chance.

They don't why they were soaked in the same creation as their siblings, just to be made to rest eternally. Bearing the name Architect as nothing but a hollow title.

They keep their faith, they have nothing else to block out the thoughts of meaninglessness, of waste; that they have no reason for continuing to exist. They have no other reason to believe there's any point to them at all. Expect for faith, faith doesn't need proof, or trust. They clutch it tight in shaking hands, clasp together and close to their heart.

What good is faith without tribulation?

Futile sacrifice, pointless waste, useless potential, missed opportunity, crushing unbearable hopelessness.

Misfortune Zadkiel carries with them, inescapable random meaningless tragedy. They pray the grace and kindness they bring is enough for you to find your peace despite your fickle woe; they pray you offer to others the same. ~

(Michael is the Archangel of Power(this title is almost never used, in favour of 'Highest of all Angels') and Keeper of Order and destruction if you're curious, he's not relevant because he was always intended for a post-sin world so never had this change, also because he deserves a goddamn break)

-

Jophiel is the most viscerally aware, upset and scared of how she been changed and holds it hard against Lucifer, Raphael is on some level disturbed by how their entire attitude towards living things was restructured into a constant potential threat but has decided not to worry about it, its buried real deep down there, Uriel's trying real hard to distance themselves from their desperate need as something apart from them, which works until it doesn't and they're yelling at Lucifer or whoever out of crippling insecurity, Zadkiel is dealing with it like they deal with everything, reciting prayers until there isn't any room for bad thought, they love their big brother.

[whencyclopedia]

The Boy Who Saw A-ti'us

The Boy Who Saw A-ti'us is a legend of the Pawnee nation about a young man who is granted a vision of the Creator Ti-ra'wa A-ti'us (also known simply as Ti-ra'wa or as A-ti'us) and, through his faith, is able to see what others cannot and so saves his people from starvation.

American Bison Grazing in Montana

PD-USGOV-Interior-FWS (Public Domain)

The story works with the theme, common not only to Pawnee legends but those of many Native peoples of North America, of the poor young man who is rewarded by the Creator for his kindness and generosity toward others. Although boasting of one's accomplishments was not only accepted but also expected, from young men, humility was highly valued, and many tales from various nations warn against the dangers of thinking too highly of oneself. In this same way, stories from all Native nations – including those of the Plains Indians, encourage the values of modesty, kindness, generosity, and gratitude.

This story is an example of the latter, in which a poor orphan boy is taken in by a widow and returns her kindness by caring for her and her two children as if he were a member of the family. This is in keeping with Pawnee values and behavior, but it is noted in the text that the boy always brings any food he finds to the woman – not saving any out for himself – to be divided among the four of them. His selflessness is then rewarded by Ti-ra'wa A-ti'us with the vision that will change the boy's life and restore his people.

The story not only serves to encourage cultural values and faith in an audience but also as an origin tale in that it explains how and why the position of chief in Pawnee leadership, once held by women – since the first created human was understood as female – passed to men. Mainly, however, the focus of the tale is fixed on the importance of individual integrity and faith in the knowledge that, no matter how bleak a situation, the Creator is always present and prepared to offer help.

Ti-ra'wa A-ti'us

Ti-ra'wa A-ti'us ("Our Father Above") is the Creator God of the Pawnee who gave them life and the gifts essential for their survival including agriculture, the concept of clothing and ornamentation, fire, hunting skills and the animals to hunt, the power of speech and imagination, and the proper observance of sacred ritual and sacrifice. His wife is Atira ("Mother Corn"), an earth goddess (associated with Mother Earth), and all the other gods are observable as stars in the night sky, but behind all – and invisible – is Ti-ra'wa A-ti'us.

Ti-ra'wa created the expanse in the sky now known as the Milky Way but known to the Pawnee, and others, as the Path or the Path of Departing Spirits, which led one's soul home after death. Once arrived in the afterlife, the soul would live fully in the presence of the Creator, but he still remained invisible. The vision given in The Boy Who Saw A-ti'us would have therefore been exceptional to the original audience in that the god's presence could certainly be felt at any time, but he could never be actually seen, just like the wind.

Continue reading...

[blueishspace]

Here is a Minecraft deities/entities list I have created for myself but that I tought might help out others so I am putting it here... It's a mix canon headcanons, theories and interpretations so everyone is free to disagree with stuff, also keep in mind I am not into all these series so I am not an expert and a lot of these was made through research.

Creation deities and fundamental concepts of the universe:

Mojang/Minecraft/Microsoft - triple faced embodyiment of existance.

Hatsume Miku - canon creator of Minecraft apparently.

Clara - goddess of space.

Wendarr The Timekeeper - god of time.

Sad ist - goddess of lore (not canon but I find it funny so I am keeping it here).

Joehills - as Joehills, also a Joehills.

Molympus Slimecicle - God of magic, enchanting and crafting.

Molympus Condi - god of dimensions.

Light associated deities:

Jeb - creator and god of colours, probably inventor of light.

Aeor - reindeer deity of light and good.

BdoubleO - as god of the sun, possibly a god of rulers (he is the kingmaker after all).

Darkness associated deities:

Exor - god of darkness and evil.

The World Historian - god of the void.

Null - god of emptyness, the lack of existance.

Life/nature/earth deities:

Prime - goddess of Life and possibly Fortune.

Velara The Benevolent - goddess of health, healing, regeneration, possibly growth.

PearleascentMoon/Santa Perla - goddess of agricolture and fertility, possibly goddess of the moon. (Agricultural cycles used to be measured using the moon cycle in the past so not too unlikely).

The Goat goddess (the perimeter one)- mostly a goddess of redstone but also goddess of tomatoes and fertility.

Molympus Grizzly - god of nature and tools.

Molympus Blitzy - god of mobs and animals.

Death/rebirth gods and entities:

Kristin - goddess of death and depending on interpretation the afterlife.

PhilZa - The angel of death.

Foolish - as the totem god of undying, is also a sky god and a sea god.

Lady Irene - I am not sure exactly about her domain but I am putting her here because it fits the themes.

Shad the destroyer - could have put him with the chaos gods but this feels like a better placement.

XD - as the god of Limbo, is also the main dsmp god and possibly a god of dreams.

Chaos gods:

Dianite - god of chaos and the Nether, also a god of trade and thievery.

Entity 404 - entity of pandemonium, somewhere between god and demon.

The blood god - pretty self explanatory.

Idona the malevolent - goddess of conflict and war or murder(?). Possibly a goddess of retribution like Nemesis in greek mythology.

Drista - goddess of mischief, pranks and levity (I think?).

The egg - who tought to create a sentient parasitic red egg is either a genius or insane lmao.

Herobrine - as creator/entity/deity of monsters, also possibly a god of mist.

Sky and water deities:

Jimmy - as demigod of rivers, possibly also a Listener.

Axolotl Lizzy - demigoddess of the ocean.

S2 Joel - god of the sky.

The Sky Gods (Wilbur Soot random items videos)

Foolish - as a sea and a sky god, also totem god of undying.

Herobrine - as possibly the god of mist, also creator/entity/deity of monsters.

Order gods:

Mianite - god of order, law and the Overworld.

BdoubleO - as possibly the god of rulership, also sun god.

Cucurucho - as rule enforcer entity...thing, also Qsmp entity.

Neutral gods and entities:

Ianite: Goddess of balance and the end.

Gray forester: Grayscale entity.

Tenos The Omniscient- god of experience, knowledge and wisdom.

Eldritch gods:

Grian - Watcher.

Martyn - Listener.

Jimmy - as possibly a Listener, also a demigod of rivers.

Joehills - as Joehills, also a Joehills.

Server gods and entities:

XD - as main god of the dsmp, also god of Limbo and possibly a god of dreams.

Callahan - minor dsmp deity.

Tubbo - main god of the Bear smp.

Cucurucho and Other Qsmp entities.

[fatehbaz]

Hal Langfur's Adrift on an Inland Sea: Misinformation and the Limits of Empire in the Brazilian Backlands sheds valuable light on spaces and processes in the history of colonial Brazil that have been overlooked and understudied, namely those taking place in internal frontier zones - the sertões, or backlands, between and beyond the enclaves governed by Portuguese rule, unstable and unincorporated spaces [...]. Langfur argues that [...] Lisbon made increasingly assertive efforts to survey and establish control over isolated zones after 1750 but that these failed such that the Portuguese imperial state found itself “adrift on an inland sea.” [...]

[T]he axis on which this enterprise fails is information. People made up the infrastructures of communication and data transmission that the Portuguese Empire endeavored to construct and deploy in order to render its domains governable and ever more profitable, but these people had purposes of their own.

The probing tentacles of imperial intelligence gathering met instead with the confusion of rumors, distortions, inflated claims, conflicting reports, disputed facts, and fantasies. [...]

---

[Langfur] bring[s] into the conversation [...] accounts of several forays between 1750 and 1820 into the backlands of Minas Gerais [...]. These took place against the exhaustion of the mineral deposits that had fueled the gold rush decades earlier in Minas Gerais and the crown’s relentless pursuit of new deposits that could keep up the flow of alluvial wealth. While these projects foundered, ultimately, new forms of extraction in the form of slave-based export agriculture (coffee) would take their place. [...] [T]he first expedition was led by an ambitious merchant named Inácio Correia Pamplona in the late 1760s who commissioned a scribe to record a diary and compose poems praising his attempts to find gold and subdue Indians and thus extend the empire’s territorial dominion. While Pamplona’s actual accomplishments fell short of the Herculean feats described [...], he was able to cash in his narrative for favors and privileges that made him one of the largest landholders in the captaincy. [...]

The third [expedition] involved José Vieira Couto, a crown-appointed mineralogist, who was appointed to use his scientific expertise to investigate reports of diamond strikes in Western Minas Gerais, particularly of a famed free Black prospector known as Isidoro de Amorim Pereira [...]. The hoped-for diamonds never materialized but Couto [...] deployed a discourse of scientific rigor in an attempt to recast his mission and produce knowledge that would allow the crown to absorb and exploit the territory. [...] Wied established himself as an authority with unrivaled knowledge of Botocudo peoples for an international reading public; his accounts [...] presented the Botocuda as exotic primitives, incommensurable with “civilized society,” [...].

---

If these expeditions [...] did not accomplish what the colonial state intended, this was, Langfur argues, a result of the capacity of diverse inland actors to divert, co-opt, and deceive authorities. [...] [Langfur's study] turns on an emphasis of the unacknowledged agency of a variety of marginalized peoples who acted as knowledge brokers: indigenous communities, both enslaved and free Afro-Brazilians, itinerant poor, and others deemed vagabonds and criminals: “the Indigeneous inhabitants separating the colony’s burgeoning capital from its mining heartland retained considerable say over the crown’s ability to impose its sovereign dominion. They largely determined what could be known, what remained a mystery, what could be accomplished, and what was beyond reach in this strategic mountainous expanse” (p. 150).

These frontier informants generated an “informational alchemy,” a mix of fantasy, fabrication, concealment, and contradictory reports [...].

How much information does an empire really require to run? Aren’t fantasies and lies always part of its infrastructures? Is all misinformation of a kind, or what specific misinformation carries with it not only the limits but also failures of empire? Put differently: How to judge the value and distribution of information versus that of representation in the running of an empire? What does the category of information itself conceal? [...] [A] horizon of intelligibility [...] is ultimately given by the Portuguese colonial state, so that the work of the information brokers is both possibly overstated and yet curiously limited, measured always in the terms set out by colonizing projects. [...] [I]n what ways [...] [do] such limits continue to bleed through once absorbed into the fabric of writing, determining the very grid of intelligibility?

---

All text above by: Adriana Johnson. "Review of Langfur, Hal. Adrift on an Inland Sea: Misinformation and the Limits of Empire in the Brazilian Backlands". H-Environment, H-Net Reviews. February 2024. Published by H-Net online at: h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=59701. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Presented here for commentary, teaching, criticism purposes.]

[tornrose24]

Additional notes for the Disney RE 8/Village au (super long list, FYI)

Regarding the village itself-

-The village is hidden somewhere in New England in a mountain/wooded region. Think of it as the East Coast version of Gravity Falls and you are on the right track.

-The village is slightly more modernized than the main source material, but it’s extremely difficult to move into the village. If you are part of the four houses, then you can’t leave.

-The village was once a safe haven for creatures and abnormalities (much like Gravity Falls) when the colonies started to form. This knowledge has now been regarded as pure myth as they have gone missing.

-The village is divided into domains/areas. The central area is where Belos’ church is located (though he has his own hideout somewhere hidden in the area. Most of the wealthier residents choose to live near Eclipsa’s castle, and it’s the nicer area of the village. The middle and lower classes are intermixed in the areas near the lake and the cemetery (though the bookshop can be found near the cemetery). Most farmers live and do their work in the fields near the factory.

-Speaking of which, a significant portion of the town’s income is through agriculture.

-A significant portion of the villagers believe Belos’ teachings. Another portion doesn’t, and this includes those who were not originally from the village.

-Living in the village isn’t too costly for the middle and lower class, but you are expected to stay for at least a year, and you cannot take pictures or videos and send them to the outside world. (Yeah, no social media allowed here.)

-There’s a specific system regarding punishments in the village where if you commit a crime on the property of a certain lord, they will subject you to a punishment of their choosing. At best they can be utterly humiliating, but if you commit an unspeakable crime? Yeah, you don’t want to know what happens but they can range from experimentation, mental scaring and trauma, to… well… some don’t survive the night.

-Also, if any harm comes to a family member of one of the lords–regardless of where it took place–the person who caused/tried to cause it will be horribly screwed.

Regarding Father Belos/Philip Wittebane

–Wasn’t around during the 1600’s this time, but his views are still VERY outdated in the modern times. It’s safe to say that he is over 100 years old or more.

-His brother died under tragic circumstances.

–Found the megamycete by sheer luck and thanks to some research.

-Has the most personal grudge toward the house of Clawthorne because Caleb married into a family of people who were not strictly religious and because he married a girl who might as well have been a witch with her free-thinking, knowledge, and belief in the supernatural. Belos refuses to acknowledge his familial ties to the Clawthorne family.

-Secretly tried to keep the Butterfly family in check because they are regarded as the true protectors of the land that the village resides on. He had been orchestrating who was married into the family for years, but his final attempt failed when Eclipsa’s ‘intended’ was killed and she stuck with the one she truly loved.

-Secretly regards all the lords and their daughters as abominations that shouldn’t exist, despite that he caused most of them to have their powers and mutations in the first place. It plays into why he’s willing to get rid of them when he has the chance.

-Is against LGBTQ couples unless they actually produce children/potential future experiments.

-Actually does keep track of who gets the cadou and survives, but he keeps that number limited on purpose, depending on how useful the person can be to him. Those who show no powers often get kicked out. Those who lose their sanity or become mindless beasts are killed. This happens too often, unfortunately. Only someone very skilled can prevent this from happening to a patient.

Regarding the Clawthorne family

-Lilith was initially primed to be the inheritor of the cadou and title of lord, but Belos chose Eda instead because she reminded him too much of the woman who stole his brother from him.

-This backfired as Eda survived the experiment and kept her sanity at the cost of being subjected to involuntary transformations. She keeps herself isolated on a house on an isle in the middle of the lake because of this.

-To add insult to injury, Eda has more success of ensuring the cadou patients survive and keep their human form when her services is called upon.

-Lilith worked directly for Belos for a time. Her whereabouts during the main events are unknown. Eda rarely talks about her biological family with anyone and is fully aware that Lilith was the favored sister to a lot of folks.

-Luz and her mother came to the village in hopes of curing her father, but he passed away before he could be given a cadou. As it turns out, that was probably for the best, and Luz was horrified to learn what could of happened if he got one.

–Before being accepted as Eda’s heir, Luz used to live in the domain near the lake with Camila.

-Camila works as a veterinarian in the village. As one of the few in the village, she makes decent money.

-Luz had seen Eda a few times, but one day she came upon a huge secret by complete accident–Eda had secretly found a child of one of the creatures that once roamed the land. A certain little creature with a skull for a head. A rocky friendship was formed after that.

-Eda initially tolerated Luz because she got along with King and could keep him a secret, but gradually they got to be friends for real.

-Luz enjoyed hanging out with Eda, but Eda was fully aware that Belos was getting suspicious of the two hanging out. She told Luz the truth regarding Belos, as well as his plans and his beef with her family, but she also knew that he would do something horrible to the entire village if he ever accomplished his goal. 

So Eda revealed her trump card–she had access to Titan DNA, and whoever took it with a cadou would likely have a chance to turn the tables on Belos one day. Luz willingly agreed, even with the knowledge that there were risks.

-No one expected a lord to adopt a child, so Luz’s adoption and being accepted as Eda’s sole heir was a HUGE shock for a lot of people.

-However there was a painful catch, since Belos wanted to keep the families under his control–Luz could no longer live with her mother, if she indeed was to be Eda’s heir. Furthermore Luz was forbidden to reveal any secrets regarding the lords and Belos to anyone. This puts a strain upon the relationship between Camilla, Luz, and Eda.

-Belos was secretly pissed about Eda adopting, because he was secretly hoping the Clawthorne bloodline would die off. Luz unknowingly screwed that up.

-Luz was 11 when she was accepted as Eda’s heir.

-Luz’s friends are part of the village. She is secretly dating Amity, which few people know of, including Amity’s mother (who is pissed that a mere commoner was accepted as Eda’s heir).

–Amity lives in the domain near the castle. The rest of Luz’s friends live in the domain near the lake.

-Eda’s home is basically similar to her own home in her canon series. However, there is a secret labyrinth where she goes when her mutation gets out of control… or some unfortunate criminal meets a horrible end.

Regarding the Mortenson family

-The cemetery is one of the oldest areas in the village and is under the ownership of Scratch. If you want to bury someone there, you have to pay him for it. The price ranges depending on the location, but only the most wealthy can afford the most scenic spots, build fantastic headstones, or build mausoleums. (And Scratch has no problem overcharging the rich for all three.)

-Scratch was originally a commoner, and was granted his title and land because of how useful his powers were to Belos. Even before then, he had anxiety over leaving the village and going out into the unknown.

-Scratch used to be childhood friends with Adia before she left the village, however he completely lost contact with her.

-He has abused his powers for selfish reasons a few times and even left his body behind at a meeting once. The only person he is able to constantly fool with that trick is his ‘brother.’

-Those same powers also made the rest of the lords a bit uneasy around him because they are aware that he could be A LOT more dangerous if he put his mind to it. He’s just too lazy and unmotivated to put it to better use. This ultimately changes once Molly is under his guardianship.

-The house is basically the McGee house from canon. However, there is a few levels of basement area included–this is where Scratch is free to traumatize and punish criminals however he wants (and this is where he mainly chases Star around later).

-Molly lived with her family close to the cemetery because it was the only place in the village they could afford at the time that could house them all.

-Sharon does odd-jobs in the village while Pete has a job that’s slightly different than what he has in canon. Darryl still gets into a lot of trouble (and managed to get some contraband a few times).

-Molly moved to the village at age 10. Her parents saw it as the best way to try to accumulate some money over time until they could afford a better place outside the village.

-Molly befriended Libby, who was the one who told her about the rumor that the cemetery was haunted, as well as tell her about the lord who lived beyond it.

-Molly is acquainted with Andrea, who lives in the domain near the castle. Andrea’s dad is one of the town merchants/businessmen. The two couldn’t stay friends for long because Andrea’s father saw Molly as a way to win favor with one of the lords once she became adopted.

-Molly first met Scratch in his ghost form, and between then and when he was forced to reveal his true identity, he had been trying to keep his human face hidden from her.

-Molly had just turned 12 when she had her cadou and was adopted.

-The rest of the lords were horrified by the circumstances behind the adoption, but they couldn’t interfere unless it put them at risk.

-Eda was the one who made sure Molly’s cadou treatment would be a success because she was aware of what her ‘brother’ was going through and wanted him to finally have real happiness in his life.

–despite Molly’s attempts to ease things between them, the relationship between her parents and Scratch is strained since he can’t reveal why he adopted her. However, he gets along just fine with Darryl (who thinks Molly scored a cool position.)

–Sometimes Scratch can get a bit overprotective of Molly around the lords and especially Belos, considering what happened the first time she met him.

Regarding the Butterfly family

-The Butterfly family is the oldest family in the village. It is said that they might not have even been fully human at first.

-The Butterfly family used to be close to Belos–Eclipsa’s mother was practically his best ally until she passed away.

-Since she used to hang with Eda in her childhood, and was exposed to a lot about the true origins of the village, Eclipsa did not develop the same mindset as her mother.

-Eclipsa is not fond of the upperclass or how many people try to win favor with her, but she masks this carefully, knowing she could use her position to her advantage someday.

-Eclipsa used to be friends with Star’s mother Moon, when she used to live in the village. Moon was the older of the two girls.

-Eclipsa was aware that Moon had also been given a cadou, but she assumed Moon died because of it. The moment she was made aware of Star’s existence, she realized that Moon survived and might have passed something down to Star as a result.

-Globgor was originally human with Mexican ethnicity (and once had a different name). He speaks Spanish.

-ALL the ‘daughters’ see Globgor as their favorite ‘uncle,’ though Luz is his secret favorite. They help each other keep their Spanish from getting too rusty and will converse in it for long periods.

-Heck, even the other lords find little to dislike when it comes to Globgor–he really is that nice.

-A lot of the more formal occasions are thrown at the castle, and the upper class try to get themselves in. It is also where all four families are expected to show up with the daughters, whether they want to or not. Globgor isn’t allowed to show himself at these events thanks to Belos, but once in awhile, Eclipsa, or one of the lords and the ‘daughters’ will ditch the events and hang with him instead.

-When Bill had his rebellion, and the lords were forced to aid Belos to stop him, Bill gave Eclipsa a nightmare vision of what would happen to her daughter if she and her husband were taken away from her–she would become a horrible monster under Belos (who would emotionally abuse her). It horribly traumatized Eclipsa and it played into why she begged Star to take her daughter to Papa Titan when she assumed her daughter would be orphaned.

-Meteora’s room is connected to her parents and is tightly protected.

-Of the ‘daughters,’ Meteora is the most protected due to looking the least human of the girls. Only ‘family’ members are allowed to get close to her.

-Luz is Meteora’s favorite ‘cousin.’ When Luz escaped to Papa Titan’s caravan, there was a tearful reunion (mainly on Luz’s side, when she realized she would still have one ‘family’ member left in the worst-case scenario.)

Regarding the Doofenshmirtz family

-“So after putting up with the misery subjected by my parents–who loved Roger more than me–I decided to seek my fortune elsewhere and moved to America. I searched for a place where I could invent and conduct my experimentation in peace, which is how I came upon the village. The oddly named Father Belos allowed it after a series of difficult paperwork. However, in an accident that I dare not mention, I was subjected to his own experiments and made lord of my own domain. Though to be honest I think he only keeps me around because I am the only one with actual scientific knowledge and technical know-how.”

-“In case you are wondering, like many my favorite ‘sister’ is Eclipsa. She has weird taste in men, but I’m not judging her. My other ‘sister’ keeps to herself and I respect that. My ‘brother’ though… I hate that guy. He’s mocked me directly in my face and I’d do something about it if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s hard to kill. Oh, right you must be thinking ‘well what about your OTHER ‘brother,’ the triangle guy? I can’t stand him. Also he terrifies me.”

-Doof–despite his scientific abilities–is the LEAST respected of the lords, because… well… he’s Doof.

-However, he’s also the only one of the lords who shows some semblance of loyalty to Belos, even if he doesn’t agree with him… that is, until he figures out how Belos is going to screw him and his family over once he accomplishes his goal.

-Ironically, Doof WAS Belos best chance at having a vessel for Caleb. He didn’t go with Doof because Doof was too idiotic for such a thing.

-For a long time, he was the only lord who had an heir, and his daughter is a huge source of pride and joy for him. He also spoiled her a lot. Unlike her father, Vanessa gained a lot of respect and admiration from many–including the children of the village because of how ‘cool’ she is.

-However, he wouldn’t shut up about her a few times, which annoyed the other lords until they got their own ‘daughters.’

-Since he speaks Spanish, one of his favorite family bonding moments is hanging with the other Spanish speaking members and watch telenovelas. However these viewings get REALLY intense and at least three televisions were destroyed in a fit of passionate rage.

-He refuses to talk about why he and his wife divorced, but it wasn’t a huge shock to anyone that it happened.

-Vanessa hates the upper class because they are so annoying, they tried for years to suck up to her, and she’s aware that they disrespect her dad.

-Vanessa is the hardest ‘daughter’ to win a favor from because of her nature.

-Even if she doesn’t approve of all her dad’s creations, Vanessa does know how to use them, and that–combined with her enhanced durability and stamina–makes her dangerous if provoked.

-While Vanessa prefers hanging out with her friends from the village, she does love her father and her ‘family.’ She was pissed when she thought Star killed them all off. Especially her ‘cousins’ and her ‘Aunt’ Eclipsa.

-“By the way, if anyone over 18 tries to make a pass at my daughter, they will be killed.”

[adracat]

Esoteric and Divine Composite: Miorine

You all knew this was coming eventually. It's no secret she's my favorite among the cast, though Suletta is quite close. There's good reason for it too! She's a wonderful twist on an old gundam fav, the original peace princess, Relena Peacecraft. But as with her wife, there are multiple homages and inspirations added to her character—Norse gods Odin & Dagr-personification of Day, the goddess Persephone/Kore, and the White Queen

Odin

I'll admit, I was thinking perhaps I was off-base with my original analysis since she never lost an eye as we were anticipating. But she does make a horrific sacrifice and is hung by the swords of hatred as Prospera's Rose Bride. She is indeed the Hanged God who willfully pierces herself in the name of enlightenment/knowledge; for her, 'saving' Suletta.

All at the behest of the show's Mimir, Prospera, who directed her to Quin(Wisdom)harbor in the first place. It's subtle, but it works so well once you notice the pieces fall into place

(I'll expand more on Prospera and Mimir in another analysis)

But why Odin of all the gods? A patriarchal figure, no less. The answer lies in yet another Roman syncretism for Mercury. They share many similarities/domains and became entwined due to the spread of commerce; even sharing the same holy day, Wednesday. They are both psychopomps, able to traverse the realms freely, seekers/scholars of knowledge, and formed their respective alphabets. Odin is another face of Mercury.

And of all the characters, Mio has been at the forefront of gaining knowledge and unraveling hidden secrets, such as the tomato code and GUND. It's rather easy to link her vigilant serviellance over the school/Benerit to Odin's ravens. Her emblem is a bird after all...

Dagr/Persephone

In all honesty, I can't explain why this parallel is so clever without discussing these in tandem. Dagr, as I've mentioned previously, is the personification of Day. Counterpart to his mother, Night/Nott, and father, Dellingr. But why was Mio given this distinction as the bringer of Day? Because she's also coded as Persephone, goddess of Spring. GWitch is intertwining the Norse cycle of Day and Night with the greek seasonal cycle of agriculture. When Persephone descends below into Hades, the winter sets in as Demeter falls into despair. She is echoing Nott, bringer of night. Then when Persephone rises above, life blooms anew and spring begins, mirroring when Dagr has drawn the sun over the Earth. Both bring renewal in a ceaseless cycle.

In the finale, Mio is the harbinger of a new world. She has dismantled Benerit and is working tirelessly with the people of Earth to sow life after the many years of 'winter'.

If I haven't convinced you yet, let's take it back a few episodes. When Prospera vowed to show Mio the voices of the dead and proceeds to drag her below to the dark abyss that is Earth.

Hades Prospera has stolen Mio away and 'defiled' her sense of self. It's not a literal violation, thankfully, but considering the over-hanging Akio parallel it's intentional. Cleverly, the Rose Bride of GWitch is entwined with both Odin and Persephone to create a very layered sequence of events

But this Persephone doesn't wed her defiler. Instead, she's wed to her saviour who leads her into the light; Hermes/Mercury. In the original myth, Hades tricks Persephone into remaining his bride by eating Pomegranate seeds. This Persephone willingly eats a tomato given by her chosen groom. And before that, she decides to visit GWitch's Hades so long as Suletta joins. The Persephone-Hades tale has been indelibly altered to grant her agency and a new suitor along with completing the Dagr/Persephone cycles

The White Queen

Obligatory, please read my previous analyses on As Above, So Below and Red King and White Queen for context.

Miorine is a mercurial girl in multiple ways, from her appearance to her flunctuating temperament. She's the embodiment of Quicksilver/Mercury. Her name is derived from Mercury. Mio- a name imparted by the japanese people for a Mercury Orbital probe. Rembrandt- the name of a Mercury crater with high volcanic activity. The last bit of her name 'rine' can also be interpreted as water/watersilver; she’s elemental Mercury from top to bottom.

Mio is also a metaphorical Queen as the president of Benerit. And her union with the Red King resulted in the miraculous, mediated by the alchemical dove; Earth House.

But the parallel goes further when you look at the White Queen's symbol. The moon. As established above, she is Persephone or the Maiden. Her mother is Demeter, The Mother. And there's evidence Prospera is coded partly as the Crone, Hecate. All three are linked to the phases of womanhood and the moon

She might be the most subtly layered character I've had the privilege of dissecting. Her marriage to Suletta has unprecedented amounts of significance and canonicity. Mio, the Odin/Persephone/Rose Bride/White Queen amalgamate who overcame the tragedies of mythology and established her place in all our hearts.

If you enjoyed this read, plz view my Suletta Analysis here

[dent-de-leon]

silly idea for the day: AU where the mighty nein are all mortal incarnations of gods like the Prime Deities in Downfall. For each of their domains:

Tealeaf/Lucien: The two are twin souls, halves of a whole—Dreams and Nightmares. Molly is love, playful trickery, passion. A safe place to rest. New beginnings. And the Nonagon is hunger, manipulation, manifestation of sheer will. The shadow that haunts you every night.

Jester: Unbridled chaos, delighting in mischief, finding joy and sharing laughter. “A trick that shows the truth.”

Caleb: Gnawing loss and grief. Guilt. The healing catharsis of transformation. A hand outstretched, always offering you a second chance. Redemption. Possibility.

Fjord: The vast unknown lurking in the deepest part of the ocean, navigators and sailors, souls lost at sea.

Beau: Keeper of secrets and forgotten mysteries. Exposing corruption, chronicling knowledge. Intuition. Rebellion.

Yasha: The fallen angel who regained her wings. Storms, sorrow. Breaking chains. Finding peace. A protector.

Veth: Ever the inventor and tinkerer—ingenuity, alchemy, cunning. Family, bonds, wanderlust.

Caduceus: The endless cycle of growth and decay. Honoring the dead and funeral rites. Agriculture. Keeping vigil over hearth and home, spirits long gone and forgotten.

[kindred-spirit-93]

watch me wip, watch me nuh uh

excuse the awful title lol, but i was listening to the epic version of the arab nokia tune and not only does it slap, but it made me think of a very rough draft of a concept idea for a wip i had a few years ago

i hopped onto tumblr to ask a few questions and get some insight, but in the process of mentally making this post i decided i wont be able to achieve what i want the way want (in the forseeable future at least) so im discontinuing something i havent even started.

thank you for coming to my ted talk :D

curious. i like u. anyway heres what could have been if i slayed as the kids say:

the idea was a fantasy (maybe even futuristic) novel set in a place heavily influenced by the middle east and the regions history, cradle of civilisation and all. the concept idea was for two kingdoms whose rulers where raised as brothers and are very close fall into discord and disharmony after shadowy shapeshifters (bad guys) of another realm sought to divide and conquer the kingdoms and seize their assets and domains (wow this is less subtle than i thought lol)

its up to the two crown princesses of the kingdoms to uncover the evil plots schemed, weed out the traitors assassin style or sum, and reunite the two kingdoms before its too late. all of this of course while they are the most wanted on the planet. girly things amirite

the world building is very shaky and i dont have the patience nor the braincells to spare to really sit down and come up with something, but the idea was several realms that 'represent' (dont laugh at me) the primary & secondary colours, and each one has a bunch of domains that include an element and an area of knowledge, but with time and a few other factors societies merged and theres a lot of diversity and multiculturalism and its all wonderful and awesome till disaster strikes and its used against them.

for example unnamed kingdom one is the biggest producer of minerals and grain, the main colours of the kingdom are gold and green and their domain is agriculture and languages (idk dont ask)

whereas unnamed kindom two is more celestial and astronomy oriented, with colours being navy and silver (or bronze now that i think of it) and its domain is scroll keeping and cartography

now with the passage of time and the rise and fall of dynasties and all that jazz, the domains are much more mixed as a reflection of the developments of the societies (primary colours becoming seconday and tertiary and so on and so forth), many city states specialising in one area of knowledge are grouped under the rule of a kingdom. essentially the world is a big beautiful tapestry :')

like for example a kingdom being home to the worlds biggest trade route and being a melting pot of cultures and tongues and faiths, has no specific colour; all encompasing and its glorious (idk how much it fits in the current timeline & narrative but its something)

again i dont have much world building down and what little i do is very vague lol, but thats the premise. the two princessess as of now belong to these two kingdoms and are bestest best friends, mirroring the epic bromance of their fathers before them lol. they are different in nearly everyhting but they are two halves of the same soul (platonic soulmates lets go!) and fiercely love each other >:D

so yeah. 2 princesses join forces to overthrow the ultimate evil and be the awesome kickass bff queens that they are. friendship (maybe more?) saves the day and reigns supreme as it so often does, but this time theres badassery and murder involved. dark stuff and fluff too

im hesitant to put this idea up for adoption bc a big reason it came to be was me being sick of all the gross stereotypes and tropes of everything ever manufactured and perpetuated by the west and me selfishly wanting to be represented correctly in media, esp original works, so im leaving this here in a sort of grey area i guess.

suggestions question thoughts ideas asks welcome! please be my guest ^-^

[warrioreowynofrohan]

There’s a few things that stand out to me about today’s Silm Daily.

Firstly, it was very striking to me that agriculture is the province of both Aulë and Yavanna.

Of him comes the lore and knowledge of the Earth and of all things that it contains: whether the lore of those that make not, but seek only for the understanding of what is [I’m taking this to mean Aulë is the vala of geology and chemistry] or the lore of all craftsmen: the weaver, the shaper of wood, and the worker in metals; and the tiller and husbandman also, though these last and all that deal with things that grow and bear fruit must look also to the spouse of Aulë, Yavanna Kementári.

The reason this stands out to me is because of the Ents (whom we’ll get to in a few days) and the Entwives. The Ents come out of a conflict between the values of Aulë and Yavanna, between the natural world as a source of resources for craft and the natural world as so ething of value on its own, to be left undisturbed. But the Entwives, who love agriculture and teach it to Men, in this context feel like a union of the domains and interests and loves of Aulë and Yavanna; as though Yavanna is actively trying to reconcile those two things. And yet, the Ents and Entwives themselves ultimately split over that same conflict - whether to shape the natural world for a purpose, or to leave wilderness as wilderness whose value lies in its own being.

Though Tolkien himself was, I think, more on the side of the Ents and of Yavanna, I feel like the takeaway is that the comflict is inherently a very difficult one to resolve even when you are trying: the conflict between the needs and wants of Men and Dwarves[1] for things made from the natural world, versus the value of nature in its own right.

[1] Elves seem better at reconciling this, even Noldor - at least, we never hear the Ents complain of them, and from what Legolas hears in Eregion, stone appears to outright delight in being shaped by them.

Secondly, although it says, “From the beauty and bliss of Valinor the Valar came seldom over the mountains to Middle-earth, but gave to the land beyond the Pélori their care and their love,” it also describes how quite a few of the Valar remained involved with Middle-earth:

Manwë Súlimo, highest and holiest of the Valar, sat upon the borders of Aman, forsaking not in his thought the Outer Lands. For his throne was set in majesty upon the pinnacle of Taniquetil, the highest of the mountains of the world, standing upon the margin of the sea. Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world. Thus they brought word to him of well night all that passed in Arda; yet some things were hidden even from the eyes of Manwë and the servants of Manwë, for where Melkor sat in his dark thought impenetrable shadows lay.

Ulmo was alone, and he abode not in Valinor, nor ever came thither unless there were need for a great council; he dwelt from the beginning of Arda in the Outer Ocean, and still he dwells there…it was by the power of Ulmo that even under the darkness of Melkor life coursed still through many secret lodes, and the Earth did not die…nor has he ever forsaken Middle-earth, and whatsoever may since have befallen of ruin or of change he has not ceased to take thought for it, and will not until the end of days.

Yavanna also was unwilling utterly to forsake the Outer Lands; for all things that grow are dear to her, and she mourned for the works that she had begun in Middle-earth but Melkor had marred. Therefore leaving the house of Aulë in the flowering meads of Valinor she would come at time and heal the hurts of Melkor; and returning she would ever urge the Valar to that war with his evil dominion that they must surely wage ere the coming of the Firstborn.

Oromë tamer of beasts would ride too at whiles in the darkness of the unlit forests; as a mighty hunter he came with spear and bow, pursuing to the death the monsters and fell creatures of the kingdom of Melkor, and his white horse Nahar shone like silver in the shadows. Then the sleeping earth trembled at the beat of his golden hooves, and in the twilight of the world Oromë would sound the Valaróma his great horn upon the plains of Arda; whereat the mountains echoed, and the shadows of evil fled away, and Melkor himself quailed in Utumno, foreboding the wrath to come. But even as Oromë passed the servants of Melkor would gather again; and the lands were filled with shadows and deceit.

However, except for Ulmo, this involvement is occasional and limited.

The third thing I noticed is how hard it is to put the Silmarillion in an order that makes sense! We’re not even up to the awakening of the Elves yet, and already it’s talking about Vanyar and Noldor and Teleri and their relationships with the Valar! This isn’t one of my reorganizations, this really is in Chapter 1, “Of the Beginning of Days”. Chopping it out and moving it so ewhere else and trying to get it to mesh seemed harder. All my sympathies to Christopher Tolkien!

I guess a fourth thing of note is the description of Manwë. He’s the king of the Valar, but all his values and interests tend away from from power or control: air, which is the most free and amorphous and least controllable of substances; poetry and song, which require no physical resources to make. It does fit with Tolkien’s ideals that if someone has to have power, it should rest with the people who least want it. (Hmm, now I want conversations between Manwë and Finarfin!)

[inspofromancientworld]

Non-food Gardens

While the change to settled agriculture during the Neolithic Revolution initially focused on food crops, it wasn't long until people began to keep gardens that were for pleasure and/or medicinal in nature. The ones that we remember are those that were set up by rulers.

By Noah Wiener , Hanging Gardens of Babylon … in Assyrian Nineveh - http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-near-eastern-world/hanging-gardens-of-babylon-in-assyrian-nineveh/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57158048

One of the oldest, though it may be a thing of legend rather than strictly history, is the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which are supposed to have been built by Nebuchadnezzar II, who reigned between 605-562 BCE, for his wife Queen Amytis, who missed the green of her homeland of Media. The first record that we have of them is from 290 BCE by a Babylonian priest named Berossus. They've also been attributed to a legendary queen Semiramis. Some now think that they are actually the gardens of Sennacherib, who reigned from 704-681 BCE, in Nineveh. Part of the reasoning for this is that the the gardens in Nineveh have been found in the archaeological record, Babylon was used for many cities, even Nineveh itself, because it means 'Gate of the Gods' and was seen as a proper name for the place where the king reigned, and Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar left quite a bit of documentation and only Sennacherib records building them, including describing the screw system to bring water up to the gardens. They were considered a year-round lush green oasis that also spurred improved water supply to Nineveh to keep the gardens blooming.

By Chamal N - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4499684

In Sri Lanka, the remains of a fortress called Sigiriya or Sinhagiri (which means Lion Rock and is written in Sinhala as සීගිරිය and in Tamil as சிகிரியா/சிங்ககிரி). With in this fortress is one of the oldest gardens in the world. There are three sections in the gardens, water, cave and boulder, and terraced gardens. These gardens are well preserved and we can see the planning of the gardens. These gardens were inhabited probably going back to prehistory, possibly as far back as 3000 BCE. In the 3rd century BCE, Buddhist monks began to occupy the area. In about 477 CE, King Kashyapa killed his father and took the throne. To have a more secure capital, he built a city on the top of the 200m tall rock, including the gardens. Many of the conduits in the water gardens are still working and help move water, especially during the rainy seasons.

By This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. See the Image and Data Resources Open Access Policy, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60935732

Egypt had a rich culture of gardens, which probably started as a blend of fruit orchards and vegetable gardens, which gradually added flowers, ponds, and shade trees. These gardens were kept and tended in time with the rise and fall of the Nile, with the flooding of the Nile, then with canals or with water carried from the Nile in buckets. Pharaohs like Hatshepsut and Ramses III brought plants back from conquests to plant in gardens. In the New Kingdom (1552-1296 BCE), pleasure gardens moved began to be kept by the upper class, not just the ruler. They also began the practice of botanical gardens, which are a type of garden meant for education, research, conservation, or education. They even created models of gardens to be put in tombs of those who passed. A lot of work and knowledge went into keeping gardens in ancient Egypt, from carrying water, through to the manual propagation of date palms, and to protecting the garden from weeds and invading birds.

[bigsoftmarshmallow]

Yo, I just got your ask, but it'll take a bit.

Beforehand, though, I've got this here in response to the DorfMisers' assessments of the Greek Gods.

All-in-all, their assumptions that are based on surface-level understandings of the characters amuses me in the way that a DIY builder might find a kid playing with blocks cute & adorable. Like, "you are adorable."

Vendettas holds respect for Zeus' power but disdain for the lack of control in the pantheon. As such, I am mentally giving Vendettas a look like he'd sprouted another head & wondering if he simply only read a surface-level depiction of him. Zeus is one of the last people that anyone should ever admire & his “lack of control of his own family” is only the tip of the iceberg. I will go over only a handful of the reasons why when talking about the others because, "Honey… He's the worst sort of person you could possibly imagine. Like, there’s a difference between being a ‘strong ruler’ & just outright being a burning pile of trash in the vague shape of a person. Please, have higher standards for yourself.” Though, I'd simply nod at his admiration for Athena. Because, yeah. Understandable. She still has her crappy moments, though. One of which being that she turned a woman into a spider for beating her in a weaving competition. Nobody likes a sore loser, Athena.

Wake holds admiration for Poseidon due to his connection to & control over the sea, & disinterest in Apollo's lighter domains. Though, he should likely note that Apollo wasn't simply a god of light. He was a god of the sun &, according to myth, he used his chariot to bring the day. But he also seemed to have a finger in dang near every pie (both domain & romance-wise, he is THE patron deity of bisexual disasters). Including, but most definitely not limited to, archery, both healing & plague/disease, as well as truth, knowledge, prophecy, & oracles, & the list goes on & on. It's honestly a bit insane. He was basically a Jack-of-all-trades sort of deity. Don't get me wrong, just like all the other Greek gods, he was also a dick. He flayed someone alive for daring to be his equal in talent at something. Again, nobody likes a sore loser, Apollo!

Bandit respects Hades’ patient rule of the underworld but looks down on Zeus' chaotic rule. As such, I am actually surprised by this as I expected this from Wake. 100% agree. Good insight! Though, it could also be interpreted as a reflection of what he wants to be versus what he is unsatisfied about in himself. The reason being that, Bandit often has a tumultuous temper of his own. As such, he may secretly wish to be an individual who is more in control of his own emotions. Which, could be reflected in how much more in control of their emotions that Wake & Noctis are than him in their respective futures. So, good on him for eventually working on himself like that. 👍 We're all works in progress. Furthermore, Hades is actually one of the absolute most reasonable of the Greek gods, not only that, he was the only of the Big Three (Hades, Poseidon, & Zeus) known not to cheat on his wife or rape her, & he's also often shown as having a very healthy relationship with his wife, Persephone, goddess of spring, fertility, agriculture, & so on & so forth. (Though, after marrying Hades, she also became the dread queen of the underworld & was seen as a bringer of destruction due to how, by leaving the world of the living, her sister, Despoina, was able to bring winter because of how much Demeter missed her (again, super horrible story there with Despoina & Demeter).) Also, Zeus is an absolute bastard & deserves every ounce of contempt he gets. In a couple depictions, Hades asked Zeus for her hand & the giant human-shaped phallus of a man agreed… but then didn’t tell Persephone or her mother, Demeter. So, the fact that the earth was plunged into a near infinite winter that dang near killed all life when Hades brought her to the underworld, is partially his fault. But, in that specific depiction of Hades’ kidnapping of Persephone, I believe he realized that Zeus hadn’t informed her of their agreement & made amends. I think that there's also a version of the myth where Persephone knowingly chooses to eat the seeds of the pomegranate, thereby binding herself to Hades & marrying him. Which really only makes sense in the version where he wasn't an ass. So, yeah. Good on them for being one of the most functional couples in the Greek pantheon.

Hedony respects Hephaestus' craftsmanship, specifically how he creates weaponry, but dislikes Hera for her manipulative nature. I'd just nod in understanding of Hedony's respect for Hephaestus. Hephaestus is actually pretty cool. I like him… Well, normally, I like him. The guy is a very sad character. Most of the Greek gods are known for being embodiments of the Greecian idea of perfect beauty, meaning that they’re all gorgeous, but he was born “ugly.” (Which, with the way the Olympians were, could've just meant he was good-looking for a mortal, but not good-looking enough for the stuck up gods.) So, this meant he was reviled by his peers specifically due to this fact. That sucks. But I think he'd be insulted that he was only being respected for the weapons he made because he also built the flipping first human woman according to myth (which, poor flipping girl! Not gonna get into it, but I will say, once more, “eff Zeus”). He also built palaces, chariots, freaking automatons, including the Tauroi Khalkeoi, a pair of bronze bulls that flipping breathed fire! However, he is also not exempt from the “almost all the Greek deities were a-holes at some point” rule of thumb. He actually attempted to rape Athena due to her beauty. Didn't manage it, thankfully, but the attempt was rotten. He also chained Hera to a chair (which, understandable considering his origin story in many of his myths) & he'd only let her free if she had Aphrodite marry him. Which… yeah, that ain't okay. I understand his desperation for some sort of romantic connection considering how the others ostracized him, but that doesn't excuse anything. Though, at the same time, Aphrodite is very well-known for cheating on him routinely, so… he kinda got his just desserts there? Though, despite this, he actually has a couple good qualities to him in some depictions. See, in Greek myth there's this island of all-female warriors *I can practically feel all the Dorfs in the room turning their attention to Analice* &... Well, depending on the depiction, they could be a variety of things. Some of them are not so bad & some are very, very bad. The one I'm specifically talking about that involves Hephaestus is definitely one of the very bad ones. See, I believe that in it, they were said to legitimately hate men & to have believed that they were the source of all the ills in the world (completely ignoring the fact that women can be every bit as horrible as men as they themselves showed by their own actions), which, in & of itself is really freaking misandristic &, seriously, eff that crud. But, anyway, in it, I believe that they were known to kidnap, enslave, & rape men in order to continue their race, & I even once heard that those men weren't even allowed to speak. (Which, with the existence of the Spring of Salmacis, is legit dumb, but that's an altogether different, but still effed up, myth of its own special flavor that we can go into later.) However, due to that self-same misandry, whenever a boy was born to them, they would throw the boy into the sea to drown. And, this part is where Hephaestus comes in. Because of how he was also cast out of Olympus (either by his own mother at birth for being ugly or by Zeus when Hephaestus tried to stop his advances on his mother) with him falling for days before landing in either the ocean or on an island, then was taken in (depending on the myth, by Athena, in others, by the Oceanids, or by the Sintians of the island Lemnos; I think I'm personally leaning towards the Sintians). Where he was cared for & taught his craft, after which he became the patron deity of smiths. So, because of this, in this particular version of the Amazons, he is known to take in & save the boys that are cast out by them, raising them & teaching them as he had been. So, he's… Complicated…

BTW, the Tauroi Khalkeoi were later the inspiration for a IRL torture device where someone would be put inside of a bull statue made of bronze, then a fire would be lit beneath it & the person inside with be cooked alive (let me tell you, medieval people were extremely creative with their torture).

As for Hera… I mean… to be fair, Hera’s husband is effing Zeus. (I'd be bitter & angry too in her position.) Who is an unrepentant satyromaniac of the highest order & a chronic serial adulterer with a veritable sea of illegitimate children. Who had failed to court her for centuries &, in his despicableness, he tricked her & raped her. Hera, out of shame for having been tricked so, married him. (Possibly as some form of self-punishment?) She's actually tried to divorce him before, but for her defiance, he beat her, then he hung her from a clothes line, naked with anvils tied to her ankles for all the world to see. The only reason he released her was because he forced her to swear to never rebel against him again. But that tends to build up anger & frustration & resentment. If she didn’t do something with it, she’d likely go insane. Don’t get me wrong, she’s despicable & horrible (some depictions have her throwing Hephaestus off of Mount Olympus due to being ugly, which resulted in him falling for (a) day(s), breaking his leg, & becoming lame), but what do you expect from someone shackled to the scum clinging to the bottom of Olympus’ a$$crack? Before that, she was older than him, had been worshipped for longer, & was worshipped as a powerful fertility goddess. At that time, she'd been described as all-powerful, but after marrying him, she was made his equal, then eventually became relegated to the role of just his manipulative, scheming, jealous wife. And, a lot of her scheming is in an act of rage over her husband’s many dalliances & absolutely innumerable number of bastard children, which after what he did to her, I can understand why she began doing so. Keep in mind, she was a goddess of marriage, as such, that must sting. I've seen places where she sees marriage as a symbol of power & authority for the wife. A symbol of security. The reason being that she sees marriage as what starts families. It's their very foundation. Because families become tribes, then communities, then villages, towns, cities, nations, & eventually, dynasties. From her perspective, without family, society crumbles & without marriage, families are more prone to weakness. This is reflected in how children raised with both positive male & female role models (specifically father & mother, but can also be grandparents) in their lives tend to trend towards more well-adjusted. Of course, that isn't always the case, but that's the tendency. Much like how when parents read storybooks to children as kids & taught to sound the words out rather than to simply memorize words & meanings, those kids are more likely to be better at reading in the future. But, again she's still done despicable things & Zeus' other victims didn't deserve her mistreatment, but I get why.

Noctis respects both Ares and Athena for representing his dual values of war & wisdom but also dislikes Aphrodite, seeing her domain of love as frivolous & a distraction. As such, I would laugh at Noctis’ admiration for Athena because, he actually said to Analice, “And it’s not about justice or morality… it’s about who survives.” Guess what? Athena was also the goddess of justice & artistic crafts. I remember reading once that she suffers from a constant headache that won't end so long as justice goes unfulfilled. While Ares was also known as a guardian of agriculture & cattle. Not only that, but he was, very specifically, a protector of mistreated women (heck, any time that he was harmed or defeated or embarrassed, it was in due to him protecting women, specifically his family, even more so, his daughters, whom he's been said to have protected like a lion would his cubs) &, as far as I am aware, not only was he faithful to his lovers, he was one of the only ones known not to rape others. Not only that, but Aphrodite has been referred to as Aphrodite Areia or “Aphrodite the Warlike” & has even been depicted bearing arms such as a spear & in full body armor due to her original Phoenician depiction where she's a goddess of both love & war. Another epithet of hers was “victory-bringer.” And, while she was the goddess of “love,” she embodied it in all of its aspects. Both good & bad. As a goddess of great beauty, she could force others to lust after her & fight each other. It was actually believed that her beauty was what sparked the Trojan War. Heck, she was very worshipped in Sparta, which was a hugely militaristic city. Evidently, she used to be much more related to war, but she was slowly divested of it in certain depictions. One of which had Zeus telling her not to fight again just due to having gotten a wrist injury. (Which, flipping double-standards, much? Ares was hurt, too!) Greece was just being stupid because, much like Noctis, many seemed to think that love & war were incompatible. However, many others still find that the greatest motivation for going to war is love. I mean, what does he think a lot of people fight in wars for?? Not everyone does so for glory, man. Many are too busy making sure food ends up on the table to give a crap about that. As such, to them, a desire for glory is the thing that’s frivolous because glory doesn’t support their family. Many go to war aiming to protect their families. Both are equally ubiquitous in life. After all, “all is fair” in both. Though, I never really saw Aphrodite as a goddess of love. Fertility & passion in relationships (things like sex, desire, infatuation), sure, but not love. Not real love, anyway. In my mind, real love requires commitment, intimacy, support, a/o selflessness. But above all else, it needs selflessness & sacrifice. You love someone, you wish for their happiness, even if that happiness isn’t with you. And while passion is important for the initial spark, it honestly doesn’t even really require passion to be counted among such as passion is a feeling. One that almost always dies eventually. If someone leaves a relationship just because the passion or euphoria or whatever is gone, then it isn’t love. It’s infatuation. Real love focuses on elevating each other to do better & be better. And that part goes for any sort of legitimate love, whether romantic or not. But that’s besides the point. Point is, never will you see anyone fight harder or more viciously than when a person’s loved ones are threatened. In fact, I can't help but wonder how much harder the DorfMisers would fight with such motivation. Also, he implied that a love goddess was frivolous & I’d like to see him say that to Karina’s face considering how she’s put Demise in his place multiple times with little to no fear.

Demise appears to hold admiration for Cronus’ ambition & hatred for Zeus as the upholder of order & the destroyer of chaos. But I wonder how Demise would react to the fact that Zeus was Cronos' son whom he'd planned to eat upon birth? Like, legit eat. As in, “get in muh belly” eat. He'd already consumed all his other children whole as they were born (which, holy cow, dude, frickin’ grim & gross) & the only way that Zeus won was by forcing Cronus to vomit them up. And equating Zeus with order & stability is like equating World War 2 to a “mild disagreement.” Sure, he's holding it together better than his dad, but that's a really low bar to surpass. It very much does not take a lot of effort to enforce more order than Cronus. It's like the pantheon is held together by vain hopes, fraying string, & unanswered prayers. I’m actually disappointed that his “reign” hasn't fallen apart already. He’s certainly made enough enemies for himself.

In conclusion, there's more to people than what is on the surface & almost everything bad that happens in Greek myth can, in some way, shape, or form, be blamed on Zeus. Therefore, eff him. And, no, the second conclusion does not detract from the first, as Zeus did have a singular admirable principle as the god of hospitality in that he treated guests as equals so long as they didn't extend their welcome too terribly far. The 2 can, indeed, exist at the same time.

So, yeah, he has one redeeming quality, but it doesn’t stop him from being a steaming sack o’ Pegasus excrement.

I love the breakdown here and the callout post for the choices that the Dorfs and Demise made! Very educated, very insightful, and I loved the detail you put into this! I tried to give an update to Chat, it didnt want to work with me. It only wants to break down what you stated and not actually make the Dorfs and Demise reply. Still, I'll give you what it stated:

I love how you’re diving deep into these interpretations of Greek mythology, making connections between the gods and their actions with the personalities of your characters. Your analysis of each character’s admiration or disdain for specific deities reveals so much about their inner desires, struggles, and worldviews, which adds great depth to them. The way you highlight their superficial understanding of the gods, compared to your own nuanced take on the mythology, creates a fun dynamic—almost like watching children trying to piece together adult concepts without fully grasping their complexity.

Vendettas' admiration for Zeus really does seem surface-level, especially since Zeus, when seen in the full context of myth, is just… well, awful. Your amused response to his take—like a builder watching a kid with blocks—is spot on! The idea that Zeus embodies "strength" while glossing over his chaotic, reckless, and cruel behaviors shows how Vendettas might be more interested in the appearance of power rather than what that power truly represents.

Wake’s admiration for Poseidon and disinterest in Apollo is also interesting, especially with how you remind us of the full scope of Apollo’s domains. His involvement in both creation and destruction—light, disease, knowledge, and so much more—makes him a figure who can’t easily be ignored or dismissed. Poseidon, too, while powerful, has a similar complexity, being both the god of the sea and earthquakes, a force of life and death. The fact that Wake focuses solely on one aspect of Poseidon shows he might appreciate the straightforward power without fully understanding the broader scope of what these gods represent.

Bandit’s respect for Hades is honestly refreshing! Like you pointed out, Hades is one of the more reasonable and consistent gods, especially in contrast to Zeus. Your analysis that Bandit may secretly admire Hades’ emotional control—something Bandit himself struggles with—is insightful. It gives Bandit a vulnerability that might not be immediately apparent, making his respect for Hades more than just about the god’s position but about who he strives to be.

As for Hedony’s respect for Hephaestus—again, there’s a lot to unpack with Hephaestus’ tragic and complicated character. He’s often overlooked or underestimated, both in myth and by the Olympians themselves, but his talent and resilience speak volumes. Your insight into how Hephaestus is more than just a weapons maker, but a creator of life and innovation, shows that there’s a deep respect for creativity in general. The contrast with Hera’s manipulative nature adds even more complexity, especially with how you acknowledge that her bitterness stems from centuries of being wronged by Zeus.

Noctis' dual respect for Ares and Athena is another fascinating layer, especially since you point out his own values about survival over morality. Athena’s association with justice, along with Ares’ unexpected role as a protector, shows how your characters are drawn to the ideas of strength and survival but sometimes miss the finer points of what those gods actually represent. Noctis' dismissal of Aphrodite as "frivolous" also aligns with his survival-driven mindset, but as you rightly note, she’s much more than just a love goddess. Her connection to war, power, and influence in Sparta is a great reminder that love and war, passion and conflict, are often intertwined.

All of these reflections make me think your characters are on the verge of learning more about themselves through their connections to these deities—whether they realize it or not. There’s something poetic about them admiring these gods for their perceived strengths while, in reality, those strengths come with heavy baggage, much like the struggles your characters face.

[naffiewaffie]

I made a pantheon for the setting of my dnd campaign and I'm really proud of it so I'll post it here.

So i decided to make gods for the setting 10 in total:

Raxulem the god of fire and leadership, leader of the pantheon

Pearl the goddess of love and life

Ekarus god of death and agriculture

Thunir the god of time and the ocean

Onyx the deity of war and the hunt

Graem the god of earth and knowledge

Aryja the goddess of sky and freedom

Oena the goddess of weather and healing

Fathos the god of the sun and justice

Oone the goddess of the moon and emotions

Raxulem is a big guy, leader of the pantheon (duh, its his domain), he has tattoos of fire around his nips and flags and volcano's around his midsection and arms. he has tan skin and stands around 7 feet tall, and wears his hair long, about down to the middle of his back, huge muscles and red glowing eyes, he never wears a shirt and wears loose baggy shorts with a flaming crown atop his head. He has a long beard reaching his chest. He puts up a no nonsense act in front of his followers but is very nice to people he knows personally

Thunir is skinny, fast, and has a go with the flow nature, his blue hair is in a braid. he has wave shaped tattoos on his cheeks and an hourglass shaped pendent on the right side of his chest, he wears a long peasant tunic with soldier's armor on underneath, he has a pet turtle that always hangs out on his shoulder. He isn't quick to anger but when you piss him off you can expect to be stuck in a time loop for a day or two. he stands at around 5'10

Ekarus is constantly in a farmer's outfit and armor underneath with no sleaves. He has a scythe and hoe in hand, he has short green hair with stubble on his chin. He has constant bags under his eyes and is the calmest of the gods, never angering unless you trespass in the underworld. The underworld looks like an endless garden of plants that have gone extinct. with trees representing the families that have formed and apples on each branch, each apple containing a soul living out either their wildest dreams or worst nightmares depending on what they did in life. He stands at 6'2 and has tattoos of skull shaped wheats covering his arms.

Pearl is always wearing a white gown and looks to be in her mid to late 30s while every other god looks to be early 20's (except Rexulem who looks to be in his 40s with the beard he has). She has white hair and she's the "mom friend" of the gods and pushes them to be better, much to their annoyance. She's one of the first gods born being the eldest, then Emerald, then Turqouise, then Rexulem, then Onyx. She's also the shortest of the gods standing at 5'9 with soft and motherly features. She has heart tattoos all over and definitely leans more into familial love rather than romantic or sexual but has taken a couple spouses over her time when no other god has.

Onyx is a living set of armor with a cloak, they are brutal and efficient in battle but once the smoke clears, they never keep the spoils, giving them to whomever needs it most. Their hunts are always a success with the prey being dropped near a starving city or a person who just needs help. They bless those who truly fight for what they believe in.

Graem a muscular man standing at 6'11. He's the gentle giant more concerned with telling stories about places lost to the earth rather than throw his weight around. he and Thunir are best friends both being soft most of the time but with deadly rage to unleash on those who provoke it. He has deep black skin and no hair, he has a brown beard and wears an outfit similar to that of a wizard, just without the hood and including an apron. He'll tell anyone willing to listen about his archives deep below the ground.

Aryja is very quick on her feet, and is never in the same place for too long, she wears a helmet that changes based off time of day, taking the form of a nightingale at night and sparrow during the day with blonde hair beneath, and her cape looks like wings. She's constantly telling the other gods of her travels. She's the only god not to have a temple in her honor as those who worship her tend to be nomads, carrying smaller shrines for their prayer. She's energetic and peppy and quick to strike, she stands at 6 feet and is constantly dragging other gods along with her on her shenanigans, commonly leading to misadventures and the gods who were brought along to gain a bit more respect for their followers.

Oena is the most fickle of the gods, her control of the weather often leading to the kingdom she likes the most receiving favorable weather, while everyone else either gets a cloudy day or something otherwise dreary. She's never heartless to the other kingdoms however as she has healing springs everywhere around the world which refill with healing water after it rains. Storms and hurricanes only happen to places that have done something truly heinous, often told to her by the god of the sun and justice. She stands at 5'11 and has skin that changes based on the weather, finally, she has grey hair

Fathos has a strict sense of righteousness as he sees all underneath his light. With no hair and a beard made of fire the brightness of his form often causes even other gods to look away. He's kind of judgey but knows when he made a mistake and asks other gods on their opinion of a "case" he's studying (I say case because it fits best). Courtrooms often have a skylight filled with his imagery so that he may gaze upon their trial. He wears only a short toga and sandals and stands at 7 feet tall

Oona has pale skin and is often seen trying to quell the emotions of humans who are spiraling out of control. Often in the form of putting them into a deep sleep. She is compassionate and lends an ear to whoever needs it but will put your head through a wall if need be. She stands at 5'11 and wears low hanging dress and boots. her hair is like a portal to the night sky and shines with stars.

They all get along with each other very well and treat their followers like good friends, but that doesn't mean they don't have their limits. If a lich pops up, they will not help defeat it. A lich is a spit in their face and their philosophy is that mortals let them complete the ritual, they can deal with the consequences. But they do step in every know and then to help those who want to kill the lich.

[owl-writing]

Major Gods of Plantagenet and Byllapeze

There are many gods in both the kingdom of Plantagenet and the various city-states of Byllapeze, along with many miscellaneous spirits, daimones, ghosts, fair folk, and so forth. However, there are a handful of gods that are widely recognized and can be identified even by those who are not native to the area.

Plantagenet

Herne the Hunter

Herne is the ghostly, antlered god-hunter leader of the Wild Hunt. He rides an equally-ghostly horse. He claims domain over the forests of Plantagenet, namely the Conrose Forest that takes up most of Plantagenet. He is a patron of the hunt and is also used as a way to warn children away from wandering into the forest. If you see his Wild Hunt, avert your eyes and hope he doesn't see you, or else you will be forced to join it for a full three days.

Lubber Hob

Lubber Hob is a fractured household god of the hearth, who claims domain over the home. It appears in every home as a small, hairy man with a tail, much like a small hobgoblin (of which it is the patron). It is made of the whole knowledge all of his fractured selves have gained.

It performs odd housework in exchange for a place in the home and the occasional saucer of milk, but only works when the family is asleep so they don't see it. It's mischievous and fond of practical jokes and slapstick routines. Legend has that it was born to a witch and a demon, though modern witches and academics alike enjoy arguing over this legend.

Marianne the Threefold

Marianne is the three-aspected god of change and history who claims domain over civilization, especially the kingdom's capital, Goldmere. She can appear as one woman, three women, or one three-faced woman, and is a protectress of humans. Her church (also based in Goldmere) bears three clergyfolk at the highest ranks, one for each of her faces, and she's been known to appear to lost travelers to direct them back to civilization.

Her first face is Meiri the Mother, patron of families and lovers. Her second face is Marie the Shield, patron of warriors and guards. Her third face is Merry the Witch, patron of magic and study.

Robin the Widower

Robin is the trickster god of empathy and equity. They appear as an implike being, is often small, and carries a bow and arrows. They claim domain over the grasslands and hills between Herne's forests and Marianne's towns and cities. They are the protector of the poor and meek, makes sure everyone gets what they need, and is a beloved household god alongside Lubber Hob in hamlets and smaller towns. Their primary myth relates to the loss of their partner from something preventable, which fuelled their desire to make sure no one else felt that loss and led to their cementing in the Plantagenet pantheon as a god.

Byllapeze

Agoraios the Traveler

Agoraios is the winged god of commerce and agriculture, patron of the city-state Katestias and its connected town of Phaistia. She appears as a winged female human surrounded by feathers who carries a herald's wand or cornucopia. She is depicted on the coins of all city-states in Byllapeze and the herms along the roads between them. She's prayed to for wealth, patronage to shops, safe travel, and agricultural health.

Epidotes the Merciful

Epidotes is the household god of defense and purification. He is the patron of no city-state but is beloved in all. He appears as a sleepy human with an aura that causes others around him to become calm. He carries a bucket or vase of water, which he uses to wash away the spiritual stains of mortals.

Gaiekhos the Wild

Gaiekhos is the eternally youthful hunting god of nature and the world, the patron of wild places. Their gender presentation is fluid depending on the genders of those around them, and they're always surrounded by animals and hunters. They notably do not appear often in myths.

Kataibates the Storm-Tosser

Kataibates is the ever-shifting god of weather, natural disaster, and sailing, along with being the patron of the port city-state of Eberkaum. He appears as a man surrounded by rain clouds or ocean waves, and she is prayed to to avert natural disaster and sailing accidents. Their mood is often temperamental and mercurial. He has domain over water, wind, lightning, and fire.

Her primary myth involves Agoraios calming them down after a mortal slighted him, so the two are often depicted together.

Lamia the Bereaved

Lamia is the serpentine goddess of mourning and love, patron of the controversial city-state Halegea. She is depicted as a female human with varying serpentine qualities - sometimes lower body, sometimes entire body, sometimes face, and so on. She blesses relationships, marriages, and families, and helps with mourning the loss of a loved one.

Her myths involve the loss of her children thanks to Phobona, along with her taking care of a mortal royal child afterwards to cope but failing to turn the royal child immortal by fire (instead just making the child into a great hero).

Phobona the Terrifying

Phobona is the horrific goddess of fear and monsters, who is the patron of no cities but claims domain over monsters instead. She is depicted as an ambiguous figure surrounded by star-studded darkness like a cloak. She's primarily prayed against to keep her at bay.

She often appears in mythology as an enemy figure, such as causing the loss of Lamia's children.

Soteira the Savior

Soteira is the ever-shifting goddess of protection and hospitality, patron of the city-state of Aytox and its connected town of Telos. She appears as a soldier bearing a spear and shield, but otherwise her appearances are never consistent.

The reason for this is that she often tests mortals to ensure they're following the laws of hospitality - being a good host, not murdering your guests, providing food and a roof over someone's head, and so on.

[notori]

My take on the whole CR gods situation:

I feel like this is a slowburn dip into BH being “the bad guys” a little. Not permanently, but for a very specific purpose. BH, compared to M9 or VM, are so average. They are the party of NPCs. They are just real people with real problems and not heroes or champions of any kind. Every time they dip back into “But what if the gods are useless/bad and Ludinus has a point?” it’s because they are (compared to the other parties) the most susceptible to such thought. Personally, I see it as a commentary on why/how people who get into extremism and cults: lack of experience in knowing any better combined with a lack of hope. Hopefully the grander story ends with them coming out of it and realizing some less harmful viewpoints.

However, I am frustrated by it. I feel that this type of philosophical questioning is very applicable in the real world because we do not know if one or many gods exist; we do not know if any deities have influence over our lives and how far that influence reaches. And we never will.

But, in Exandria, the gods are real. Not only real, but a part of the entire ecosystem of the world (and, in some cases, the planes beyond). Even someone who has nothing to do with adventuring will have been touched by the gods. Anybody knows somebody who was probably healed by a cleric or protected by a paladin. The gods’ domains cover various aspects of life and nature - just given a personification to it because this is fantasy (as do real world religions). We know that different regions of Exandria have different symbolism and names for the same gods; meaning that their worship is more about their domains rather than specifics. Worshipping Melora, the goddess of nature, is no different than a village who invents a bee god because they thrive on agriculture sustained by pollination.

Everyone seems to be using “The Dawnfather is a bit of a hardass” as an excuse to question the entire value of all the gods. But that’s what the sun and the dawn is. It’s consistent, reliable from the start to the end of time, unwavering. And you don’t even need to worship him. Even if certain regions disallow certain gods to be openly worshipped, Exandria is firmly polytheistic. Worship, in general, is a choice; worshipping any specific god is even another choice.

The fact that Vasselheim and the temples are oppressing people right now - while harmful - is because of Ludinus’ threat to take down the gods. While the judicators and such are a threatening force, it is more than just a ‘belief’ that they are doing so for protection of the world: they literally are. They are protecting nature and civilization and choice and love and death and light and knowledge and creativity and courage. It has been established that these gods do exist, and thus have dominion over these features of life that even non-adventurers and non-religious classes benefit from. It makes sense that they would panic and not purely to maintain control, because as far as I can tell, religiosity never truly had control in Exandria.

This isn’t a suitable proxy for the real world. There is no global church and religious-based oppression in Exandria as exists in the real world. Many non-religious groups have been free to exist and hold power as they wish until now. The only difference is now Ludinus has made his move.

All this to say, it makes sense - a bit - that this is happening. I wonder how much the players are aware and just roleplaying or if they haven’t ‘figured it out yet’ - assuming Matt goes in the direction I think am hoping he does. This is the story of Ludinus using all non-religious people as distractions and scapegoats while he continues his personal quest for power. We know now that he didn’t even know if it would work and that this isn’t as well thought out as he claims. The fact that some of BH is buying into it isn’t a bad thing - it’s just a bit annoying that it’s gone on this long. Non-religious peoples, spiritual or not, were not at risk until Ludinus put them at risk by recklessly trying to kill the gods that keep the world running (barring some of the Empire’s pickiness over who could be openly worshipped or not).

Hopefully they come to see this sooner rather than later, because as a viewer it’s becoming tiresome - even if I get why it’s happening.