#also burial rituals can get people sick

[sukifans]

Hi!! I'm avoiding actually working because I don't like my job and I'm down to learn ebola facts!!

What actually is it? And how bad are the symptoms? -🍓

okay uhh GENERAL CW for lots of gross death and disease stuff (my fave)

oh now you’ve gone and done it lol. okay so basically it’s a family of viruses called filoviruses: threadlike chains of proteins that look like spaghetti under an electron microscope. they are rna viruses and contain only 7 different proteins and at the time of this book being written (1994), three of them were vaguely understood and other four were completely unknown. so far they’ve found marburg, ebola sudan, ebola zaire, and ebola reston. ebola reston is asymptomatic in humans and broke out in a facility in reston, va in 1989 where monkeys are shipped in from asia and africa and then are sent out to research centers around the country. marburg, sudan, and zaire are all highly lethal in humans—about 30%, 50%, and 90% fatality rates respectively. luckily for us, the known strains of ebola seem to bd pretty hard to catch (ie they are not known to be airborne, only infectious when contaminated fluids come into contact with a person’s blood, open skin, or mucous membranes). ebola reston seemed to be transmissible via air droplets, based on what happened with the monkeys, but it didn’t cause illness in humans.

here’s a basic overview of how the viruses attack cells: they can penetrate the cell membrane and use the cell’s machinery to replicate itself (viruses cannot ��live” without a host). ebola replicates itself to form “bricks” of virus in inclusion bodies, until the cell gets so packed with virus that it bursts and releases the pathogen to other cells. some viruses are specialized to certain cell types—red blood cells, lung tissue cells, intestinal cells, etc, but ebola targets basically everything, which is why it’s so devastating. zaire attacks every organ and tissue except skeletal muscle and bone.

the symptoms are basically the result of the virus liquifying you from the inside out, turning all your cells into viral-loaded mush. it usually starts out with some flulike symptoms like headache/fatigue/backache which escalate into vomiting, bodyache, and fever. then people’s faces tend to go “expressionless” with droopy eyelids and red eyes and the pain in the abdomen and muscles intensifies. the skin becomes jaundiced due to liver damage and a spotty red rash that starts to spread all over the body due to hemorrhaging under the skin. personalities often start to change as clots start to throw in the brain and cause damage. small clots that started in blood vessels all over the body are causing the blood to thicken and stick to vessel walls. this causes bigger clots and can cut off blood supply to cause dead spots in organs and skin tissue (the hemorrhage rash). the virus destroys collagen and connective tissue so the skin and organ walls start to go soft and mushy. the skin basically sags off the body, and the red rash turns into massive bruises

then, the real fun of “hemorrhagic fever” begins—the patient starts to bleed from every opening in the body, which can even include weeping blood and bleeding around the teeth and salivary glands. the problem is, the bleeding continues without clotting, almost as in hemophilia, because all the clotting factors have been exhausted at the massive clots around the body. at this point, the patient is now throwing up “black vomit” which is a mix of fresh blood and black granules of old blood. in this process, the linings of the windpipe, throat, and surface of the tongue can be sloughed off and vomited up. the intestinal lining is also sloughed off with large amounts of blood out the anus. this is the “crash” stage of ebola—at this point the patient is nearly braindead from clots cutting off oxygen to the brain (more pronounced in ebola infections vs marburg and can cause grand mal seizures) and the heart muscles has been softened to the point where blood leaks into the chambers and floods the chest cavity. often the patient is killed from blood loss and shock due to the crash, or can go into a coma or suffer a heart attack. basically, ya dead

autopsies of ebola victims are pretty brutal. the organs look like they belong to someone who was basically walking dead—a corpse a few hours old can look as if the person died days before. the abdominal cavity is filled with blood, the organs are mush, and there are necrotic spots all over the tissue from the blood clots. not fun!! nasty stuff!!

i bought his newer book about the 2013-2014 outbreaks that we all probably remember and i’m excited to read it bc all this info is from the 90s and i wanna know what new stuff has been found out while i also go find free copies of journal articles lol

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Weird, “A Preoccupation with Death.”

Hope you enjoy :)

Analysis By Dr. Krill MD

Humanity’s preoccupation with death has always fascinated me: I say fascinated because to say that it disturbs me would be rather unscientific, and I have been attempting to reign in my anger… I have had some… complaints over the last year about the unprofessionalism of my previous papers. The GA community does not appreciate, and I quote, “Excessive swearing, and screaming” in virtual reports, so today I will attempt to be calm and relaxed as I explain to you, common human traditions based around death.

Now you must understand, from my perspective these practices are quite bizarre. Vrull have no rituals associated with death. The Vrull are disposed of and their bodies are incinerated. The ash is then disposed with by mixing into the soil to produce needed plants on the planet surface. There are no other options, and no other arrangements are made.

However, I am told that funeral rights with humans are, often, more to do with what the living need than what the deceased do. However, there are some funeral rights believed to be required in certain human cultures, so that rule does not always hold completely true.

I will begin from the moment of death.

Unlike the Vrull humans do not know their exact time of death. Granted this is not because the Vrull have a set clocking system in their bodies which sets the time in which we die, but because our society sets forth a time of our usefulness. No one knows how long a Vrull can feasibly live because no one has tried it before. I myself might plan on finding out, as I have no intention of returning for my scheduled termination, which is already a year overdue.

Humans, like most other species die in several different ways, accidents, sickness, or the sudden failure of the body due to old age, the final one generally happening peacefully and in their sleep.

However this is where humans tend to diverge from their inhuman counterparts, in that they are very social creatures, the death of a human is usually witnessed by multiple family members and friends, in the case of sickness, and is mourned many weeks after because the death of someone in your social circle changes that circle forever. Social bonds are cut and entire social lives are upended. Humans bond so heavily with each other that the loss of one of their own can lead to mental and emotional trauma extreme enough to require medication and hospitalization.

Humans plan their deaths months to years in advance. In certain instances, their jobs force them to plan their death in advance in case something were to happen. Decisions need to be made about who owns their property, where it goes, what happens to their dwellings, and how the surviving members of their family will be supported. Sometimes they plan this due to terminal illness which they knew will lead to their deaths, otherwise they might just do it out of precaution.

There are many different ways of disposing of a corpse. First of all, you must determine if any of the human parts are recyclable: this being the very morbid idea of taking someone else’s organs and giving them to another person. Now with the advancement of this technology, organ transplants from donors is not as common as it once was seeing as they can now 3D print organs. However, this method is not time effective and is very costly, in some cases leaving the harvesting of deceased human organs to be the only viable option.

Yes, they take organs from dead people… the doctor and surgeon in me admires that thought process, but the thinking breathing creature inside of me recoils heavily at the idea.

Assuming that no one requires your organs, or if you have especially requested for your organ not to be used  than there are other questions that need to be addressed. There are humans who have jobs especially in the business of taking care of dead bodies. They are generally moved in special containers and placed in refrigerated units to slow decomposition while the relatives determine what they want to do with the body.

In certain cases, where the death is suspicious, as related to murder, there are, in fact, humans who specilize in determining the cause and time of death based on the decomposition rate of a body and the stiffness of the flesh itself. This is a semi-common practice across the galaxy, and I myself have performed one or two autopsies since my professional career began though they are far more common for humans.

I find that the most humane method of human enterrement, and the one that makes most sense to me as a Vrull is the idea of cremation. The body is taken and placed in a furnace that is then heated enough to turn the body to ash leaving only bone fragments and the occasional mineral deposit. The ash may then be given to the family members or disposed of accordingly. Some humans find it comforting to keep the remains in some sort of container.... A fact which I find morbid but, we have proven in abundance that I find much of what humanity does, rather morbid.

It is only going to get worse.

The other method of disposal, popular through human history, however made someone obscure in recent centuries due to the proliferation of human burial sites…. The common north american and European Burial and funeral rights went as follows. After death, and freezing in the morgue, a special human with the job of mortician is called in to prepared the body for burial…. This is where it gets very morbid.

The body is drained of all of its fluids and then pumped full of preservatives to slow down the process of decomposition. The faces are then painted with makeup to give the corpse the appearance of sleep rather than death. The body is dressed in fine clothing and placed inside a coffin or casket: these in themselves can cost thousands of dollars as the family members decide what materials the box should be made out of and lined with, precious metals, woods like oak or steel, and the inside lined in velvet satin or silk. The body is placed inside with the person dressed in a finely tailored suit before a hearse: a special vehicle designed to carry caskets is brought to the place of mourning, generally a curch or a funeral home.

Many times the body is then put through a “viewing”.... It sounds just as bad as I make it seem, when the humans come in…. In large groups…. To stare at their dead relative. Just…. Stare at their rotting corpse before it is hauled away and lowered into an six foot hole in the earth. A decorative rock is then place on top of that inscribed with the deceased’s name so that everyone knows where to find their moldering corpse….

….

….

I am told this provides a lot of closure for family members, though I have yet to understand why staring at a painted corpse would be helpful.’

Unfortunately, with humans, this isn't the most gruesome method they have of corpse disposal, nor the most involved 

You may also chose to donate your body to science…

They might hand your bod over to a medical school, where aspiring doctors will, in groups, dissect your corpse slowly over an intervening few weeks or months. It is… gruesome, but a necessary part of the learning process. Your skeleton might even be recycled for use as a tool to demonstrate the skeletal structure to those very same students.

Perhaps your body will end up in a museum, where they will encase your nervous system in plaster and place it on a wall for school children and visiting day travelers to view.

Perhaps you might donate your body to…. A body farm. A palace where scientists will toss your corpse out into different elements to observe the rate and change of decomposition based on different dump sites. They will examine the decomposition, the moisture loss, and the bugs which take to eating your body. This research will then be used to determine the cause o death for other corpses disposed of by murderers or in similar fashion.

It is gruesome, but I suppose…. It is useful for scientific efforts.

These aren't the only methods of body disposal.

Bodies have been tied to the top of large towers

Thrown into the woods to be eaten by animals

Dumped into pits.

And in a couple of cases, launched into the vacuum of space.

Different rituals require family members to spend more or less time with the body, to wrap it in special cloth, or to anoint it with certain oils. 

The Egyptians were widely known for their complex and involved enterrement rituals commonly known as mummification.

The body was first embalmed

The brain was removed

The organs removed and placed in specialized canopic jars 

The body was then dried

Then wrapped which continued to help in the drying process 

Then the body was finally entered, and due to the sandy heat of the desert, the body was often preserved to a great and surprising degree. Egyptians believed that those things you had in life would come with you after death, and so egyptian rulers were entered with great riches and inside grand palaces 

Then of course there is the last ritual which I learned about just recently.

Certain tribal societies will….. Eat…. their dead….

They will eat them….

As in the entire village will get together and consume the corpse in a feast, believing that without this they cannot enter the afterlife.

…..

…

…

…

…

I am going to draft a proposal to the GASC that screaming and profanities should be considered scientifically appropriate when in regards to humans

[ruensroad]

Dragon God AU Q&A

Here’s a compilation of all the questions I’ve gotten thus far! I’m willing to make a Part Two if more pop up! Thank you everyone for your interest!! :D

(image from Amazon.)

@amaskinamirror​ asked: I would like to know what led to Lan Xichen making his sacrifice and falling into the water in the first place.  He said it was his duty, but that being married to JC was not really his choice.  What was he trying to do?  Also what are the implications of both of the Lan Brothers now being gone? Is there an heir to their sect? Oh and, did LWJ know that LXC was alive before JC brought him for a visit?

In this world, Dragon Gods are worshiped, especially as “weather” deities, mostly because the places they inhabit allude strongly to one element or another (i.e. Water Dragon, Earth Dragon, Fire Dragon, Air Dragon). When news reaches the people that a new Dragon has come to earth, they arrange a human sacrifice to “appease” them. Humans have no idea the person selected is actually the Dragon’s mate and married upon entering the Dragons realm. They are truly sacrificing this person in every sense of the word. And this has been going on for centuries, when the first dragon came to earth seeking a mate and a young maiden was “sacrificed”. Over time, the legend skewed, as legends do, and knowledge of just why the Dragon came has been lost.

Lan Xichen is interesting because he was not selected at first to appease the Water Dragon God; Lan Wangji was. Lan Xichen chose to go in his place because he wanted his brother to live (something that will happen again with a certain Nie), and because he was a willing sacrifice, as well in a position of power to force the issue if he had to, it was allowed.

The ritual Lan Xichen was a part of involved walking backwards into the lake until the Dragon used its magic to drown him, accepting the sacrifice. So that is what Lan Xichen expected to happen. Instead he woke up under the lake to Jiang Cheng telling him they are fated mates. Hence, it wasn’t much of a choice in that sense, but the sacrifice was.

This world is not quite the MDZS world, wherein the only magic is with the Dragons. That being said, clans are still important structures to human daily life. The Lan Clan are pretty extensive, so even with the heir and his brother both “dead”, there are those who can take their place. Currently, Lan Qiren is leading the Clan (and has his eye on Jingyi as next leader, but that’ll not… go well XD).

And no! As mentioned above, Lan Xichen was supposed to die in the eyes of the humans watching, because, again, they don’t know what the Dragons really do. So the last Lan Wangji saw of his brother was him walking into that lake and then disappearing, never to resurface. The fact that his brother is still alive still feels like a miracle to him.

Oh and does Lan Xichen know that LWJ sacrificed himself to a dragon too. Or does, JC go to find LWJ to bring him down for a visit only to hear he had committed suicide and has to go relay that information to his husband?

Lan Xichen didn’t know Lan Wangji’s intent beforehand or when it happened, but Jiang Cheng does learn of it and tells him immediately. However, it was not to say he killed himself, but that he offered himself to Wei Wuxian, since Jiang Cheng knows that is his brother’s place of residence. So there is hope that they will see each other again, it’ll just take some time.

Is Jiang Yanli a dragon?  Is she with a human Jin Zixuan, then? If LWJ and WWX adopt A-Yuan, will he become a dragon?

She is! And this is an interesting question that I will get back to in a second. As for A-Yuan, he is already going to become a dragon, given his family was “adopted” by Wei Wuxian in a ritual so they could stay there and be safe. They were already doomed to never leave, because the Burial Mounds doesn’t really let people go, but Wei Wuxian offered them the gift of his blood to drink and become Dragon Kin that way, so they will one day be dragons through the way the magic works, as will Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen (and all the other Dragon Mates).

Note: this blood-binding ritual is how Wei Wuxian became a dragon also. He was found as a small child by Jiang Fengmian and given the blood to turn him.

The Jins are actually dragons! In this story, there are two types: those that refuse to leave the Heavens, and those that go to Earth. The Heavenly Dragons do not place as much stock in finding their true mates through the odd earth rituals, so only focus on breeding “purebred” dragons with other dragons. This is dangerous in a way, because of the threat of inbreeding, but they don’t exactly care. The Earth Dragons willingly leave the Heavens to inherit certain places on earth to gain a mate. Once that mate claims their dragon form, they return to Heaven, opening that dwelling to another and starting the cycle all over again.

The Jin Dragon line started with Jin Guangshan, who was actually an Earth Dragon’s mate. However, once he reached Heaven as a dragon, he really took on that Heavenly Dragon mentality and acts as though he is a “pure-blood” born dragon. Jin Zixuan is born of this first mating, so he is born a dragon and raised in that Heavenly mentality that he is only meant to breed pure-blood dragons.

He is arranged in marriage to Yanli, who breaks it; even though she is in love with him, she fears the way the Heavenly Dragons affect his personality, and she wants a mate that is true to her and her heart. So she goes to Earth to wait, only for Zixuan to follow her and actually mimic a real sacrifice ritual to become her husband anyway. They are madly in love now and have no time for that Heavenly nonsense, especially with a gremlin like Jin Ling to raise.

@hostile-invasion​ asked: I would like to see more xicheng and maybe a more definite description of the dragon forms?

More Xicheng is coming, that is a promise! As for what they look like, they are standard Chinese Dragons (see picture above). The only constant with them is their manes are almost always black, to match their human form’s hair. Their scales are very colorful and varied and can even reflect their health! The more vibrant the sheen and color, the healthier they are. Dull colors can mean pain, heartache, sickness, or grief.

Wei Wuxian is a black dragon, but after going into the Burial Mounds to keep that bad magic from spilling out and was cursed, he now has rivets of red cracks all over his scales that glow red, much like magma in rock.

Jiang Cheng is a royal purple with a bluish sheen; Yanli is a soft lilac while Zixuan is a yellowish gold. Jin Ling is more of a “true” gold.

@renattasama​ asked: BTW, how often "not-dragons'-mates-themselves" relatives are allowed to visit? Because it's been weeks since LWJ's marriage and, as far as I can tell, he didn't visit LXC. Moreover, nothing indicate he expected to visit anytime soon.

They can visit as much as they want, but without a proper blood tie to a Dragon, they will never gain that immortality and cannot fully stay in that realm without it adversely affecting them, since mortals are not meant for immortal spaces (bad on the mind). And it’s not that Lan Wangji can’t visit because he’s not blood tied, it’s because of the Burial Mounds, which makes it very hard to leave. Honestly, even Dragons have trouble coming and going because of how strong the magical pull is. Lan Wangji is still growing into immortality as a mate (as is Lan Xichen for that matter), so he’s not strong enough to break out yet! But he will be, one day, and the brothers will reunite. :)

[witchinessstuff]

Herbs and flowers🌿🥀

(Use any of these at your own risk and do research to ensure what you're doing with them is safe! Some herbs/flowers are poisonous!!!)

*Acacia / Gum Arabic (Acacia senegal)// protection and psychic power. Can be mixed with others.

* Aloe Leaf Peel (Aloe vera)//healing, protection, grief, bitterness, affection

* Angelica Root (Angelica sinensis)//inspiration, magic

* Apple Blossoms (Malus pumila)// hope, love, unity, growth, vitality, connection.

*Azalea Petal (Rhododendron simsii)// beauty, abundance, passion.

* Beach Rose Buds (Rosa rugosa)// healing, divination, tranquility, harmony, psychic ability, spirituality, and protection.

* Beach Rose Petal (Rosa rugosa)//

healing, divination, tranquility, harmony, psychic ability, spirituality, and protection.

* Burdock Root (Arctium lappa)// to prevent workers from putting roots on you, meang curses. Can be spread around the home to ward off negative energie.

* Butterfly Pea Flower (Clitoria ternatea)// Butterfly pea flower has been used as a ‘smart drug’ (or nootropic) to enhance memory, cognition and intelligence; as a calmative / anxiolytic to reduce stress and anxiety; and also as an anti-depressant, anti-convulsant and anti-inflammatory. 

* Calendula Flower (Calendula officinalis)// sacred affection, joy, remembrance, grief

* Camphor Leaf (Cinnamomum camphora)// It is one of the most sacred substances to offer to the moon goddess on a new moon to thank her for her abundant blessings.

Camphor is also used in cleansing and purification rituals. Use it to get rid of unwanted passions or unwanted admirers....

* Carnation Petal (Dianthus caryophyllus)// Used to remove hexes and negative energy, the carnation is especially good for clearing out love problems.

* Catnip Leaf (Nepeta cataria)// Love, Luck, Lust, Aphrodisiac

* Chamomile Bud (Chamaemelum nobile)// energy in adversity, patience, long life, wisdom

* Chrysanthemum Flower (Chrysanthemum morifolium)// Chrysanthemum is masculine in nature and resonates with the energy of the Sun and the element of fire. Chrysanthemum has been used for burial rituals and is a suitable decoration for Samhain and for ancestral altars. The dried flower heads of chrysanthemum can be burned during house blessing ceremonies.

* Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum cassia)// Cinnamon is associated with the element of fire and the sun. It can be burned to sanctify an area or object, to increase the spiritual "mood", to aid in healing spells or in healing in general (this is appropriate for burning right in the sick room) and also to enhance the male libido.

*Clove Buds (Syzygium aromaticum)// clove buds in a tea to improve digestion, prevent and relieve flatulence and relieve nausea and diarrhea. It is also lovely steeped in milk, wine or juice with a cinnamon stick for these purposes. Cloves are masculine in nature and aligned with the planet Jupiter and the element of fire. Used in magick to attract good luck and prosperity, to keep good friends close, and to help stop malicious gossip. Burn to prevent people from spreading rumors about you or push the cloves into a red candle and burn that.

* Coltsfoot Buds (Tussilago farfara)// suitable for springtime rituals welcoming the return of the sun, such as Imbolc, Ostara and Beltane- depending on when they bloom that particular year! The long stems can be woven into wreaths. Coltsfoot has been used as in love, tranquility and money spells and burned during divination rites. It is also burned in divinatory and healing incense. Coltsfoot corresponds to the element of water and the planet Venus

* Costus Root (Saussurea costus)// love and elemental spells since it is good for clarity

* Dandelion Leaf (Taraxacum officinale)// faithfulness, happiness. The dandelion is masculine in action and associated with the planet Jupiter, the element of air and both Pisces and Sagittarius. It is also associated with any solar deity, Hecate, Brigid and Belenos.

* Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale)// pouring boiling water over a bowlful of roots will aid in calling spirits.

* Dragon's Blood Resin (Dracaena draco)// The resin burned as an incense can be used for cleansing and exorcism of a space, especially to rid a new space of the energies of the former occupants to make room for yours when you are preparing to move in(camphor increases its effectiveness here.). Dragon's blood can be burned during spells to increase courage and protect those going forth to meet danger (i.e. slay metaphorical dragons). Dragon's blood resin or incense may also be used in spells to encourage someone who has left to return.

* Echinacea Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)// Carrying Echinacea will provide inner strength during trying times. It can also be grown around the house or brought into a house and placed in a vase to draw prosperity into the home and protect the family from suffering from poverty. Echinacea is an appropriate flower for offerings, especially to place spirits and river God(dess)es. Including Echinacea in any spell or charm will increase its effectiveness.

* Egyptian Lotus Flower (Nymphaea caerulea)// resonates with the energy of the moon and the water element.

* Eucalyptus Leaf (Eucalyptus globulus)// Eucalyptus is used to bring fresh energy to a situation, to heal regrets and worries, and to relieve mental exhaustion. It is an excellent herb to use when someone or something is bothering you. It is often blended with other healing herbs to bring relief from physical or emotional concerns. Eucalyptus leaves may safely be burned, infused, sprinkled, or stuffed into mojo bags, pillows, and poppets. The protective magick of Eucalyptus is short-lived but very potent. It removes negative influences from the immediate surroundings. Unlike some other protective herbs, Eucalyptus gently creates a barrier without attacking or constraining others.

* Frankincense Resin (Boswellia carterii)// Burning frankincense is a suitable offering to any Sun God. It may have been used in the past as an offering to Ra and Bel. According to some translations of the Orphic Hymns, Frankincense is a suitable offering to Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Asklepios, Zeus, Boreas, Eos, Dike, The Erinyes, Hephaistos, Herakles, Hermes, Hygeia, The Kouretes, Korybas, Dionysos, Mnemosyne, Nike, The Muses, Notos, Ouranos, Palaimon, the Bacchai, Themis, The Titans, Tyche, Zephyros, Mercury, Diana, Jove, Daimones, Vulcan, Silenos, Satyros

Frankincense resin is useful for fumigating sacred space in preparation of any ritual as it burns away negativity and raises the energy of the space. Some believe this is the most powerful and useful incense for this purpose and it is used for exorcism as well.

* Ginger Root (Zingiber officinale)// adds power to any magical activity. It is used in spells to "speed things up" or to cause plans to come to fruition quickly. It can also be used in spells to add passion to an existing relationship.

* Ginkgo Leaf (Ginkgo biloba)// associated with fertility. Carry or use in amulets and charms as a healing herb. Useful in ritual healing. The dried nuts represent male fertility. Useful in all creative work. Immerse in water, then remove and keep in the bedroom to gain grace, love, and beauty.

* Globe Amaranth Flower (Gophrena globosa)// sacred to Huitzilopochtli, an Aztec Sun God and is a suitable offering to Artemis and Demeter. used to call forth the dead.

* Goji Berry (Lycium chinense)// goji berry can be made into an offertory item to attract friends, improve one's social life, and allow oneself to focus more intensely on one's ulterior goals. Eating goji berries prior to bedtime has also been reputed to give the consumer prophetic dreams or premonitions. mend the rift between two people.

* Guava Leaf (Psidium guajava)// health

* Hawthorn Dried Fruit (Crataegus pinnatifida)// love, marriage, health, fertility, chastity, protection and death.

* Honeysuckle Bud (Lonicera japonica)// Honeysuckle is associated by Culpeper with the planet Mercury and the sign Cancer. According to other sources it is associated with the planet Venusand the element of Earth. Honeysuckle flowers may be used in spells designed to determine the true worth of a person or thing. They may be burned in a censer or steep the flowers in wine, strain and drink. Honeysuckle brought into a home will help ensure a good marriage for the people who live there. Grow honeysuckle near your home to attract love, luck and wealth and to protect your garden from negative influences. The scent of honeysuckle is said to clear the mind, stimulate psychic powers, sharpen intuition, encourage psychic dreams, sweeten any mood and stimulate generosity. A flower rubbed on the forehead is said to increase psychic abilities.

* Jasmine Bud (Jasminum sambac)// Uses include snakebite and divination; good for charging quartz crystals. Use in sachets and spells to draw spiritual love and attract a soul mate. Carry or burn the flowers to draw wealth and money. Use in dream pillows to induce sleep or burn in the bedroom to bring prophetic dreams. Helps to promote new, innovative ideas.

* Jujube Slices (Ziziphus jujuba)// protection, health, autumn.

* Kiwi Dried Fruit (Actinidia chinensis)// love, romance.

* Lavender Bud (Lavandula angustifolia)// Magickal uses include love, protection, healing, sleep, purification, and peace. Promotes healing from depression. Great in sleep pillows and bath spells. Believed to preserve chastity when mixed with rosemary. Burn the flowers to induce sleep and rest, then scatter the ashes around the home to bring peace and harmony.

* Lemon Balm Leaf (Melissa officinalis)// Love, success, healing, and psychic/spiritual development. Use in love charms & spells to attract a partner. Use in healing spells & rituals for those suffering from mental or nervous disorders.

* Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)// Psychic cleansing and opening, lust potions.

* Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)// Love, lust, and fidelity. 

* Magnolia Flower (Magnolia denudata)// Magickal uses include health, beauty, love, loyalty, peace, calming anxieties, marital harmony, and overcoming addictions & obsessive behavior.

* Mandarin Orange Peel (Citrus reticulata)// love, fertility, divination, prosperity, friendship.

* Mango Dried Fruit (Mangifera indica)// prosperity and happiness.

* Mint Leaf (Mentha arvensis)// Promotes energy, communication and vitality. Draws customers to a business. Use dried leaves to stuff a green poppet for healing. Place in wallet or purse or rub on money to bring wealth and prosperity. Use on the altar to draw good spirits to assist in your magick. Place in the home for protection.

* Monkfruit Flower (Siraitia grosvenorii)// health

* Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)// bolstering ego, building confidence, success and counter magick. Keep in a jar by family pictures to keep the family safe.

* Mugwort Leaf (Artemisia argyi)// Carried to increase lust & fertility, prevent backache and cure disease & madness. Place around divination and scrying tools to increase their power or near the bed to enable astral travel. Use in sleep pillow or place in a sachet under your pillowcase to bring about prophetic dreams. Use an infusion of mugwort to clean crystal balls and magick mirrors.

* Mulberries (Morus nigra)// willpower, strength, healing, cosmic connection.

* Mulberry Leaf (Morus nigra)// protection

* Myrrh Resin (Commiphora myrrha)// Spiritual opening, meditation, and healing. This herb has high psychic vibrations that will enhance any magickal working. Burn as a potent incense to bring peace and for consecration, and blessing of talismans, charms, and magickal tools. Increases the power of any incense of which it is a part. Usually burned with Frankincense.

* Osmanthus Flower (Osmanthus fragrans)// Potency, fertility, healing, peace, protection, lust. Love & romance.

* Palo Santo Wood Chips (Bursera graveolens)// If you feel you have been cursed, rub this herb on your body and then bathe

* Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin)// Used in spells, sachets, baths and mixtures for money & love. Put in the wallet or purse to draw money. Place in a charm or use in incense for fertility. Helps to ground you and bring your consciousness back to the physical level. Burn to bring business growth.

* Peach Blossom (Prunus persica)// fertility, love, wisdom.

* Peony Flower (Paeonia suffruticosa)//

Protection from hexes and jinxes. Good luck, good fortune, prosperity, and business success. Hang in the home or car for protection. Used to attract faeries. Use in rituals to cure or reduce lunacy. Also:Peony Root (Paeonia suffruticosa)

* Perilla Leaf (Perilla frutescens)// health

* Poke Root (Phytolacca acinosa)// Magickal uses include finding lost objects and breaking hexes and curses. Carry to increase courage. Add an infusion of poke root to bath water to break hexes.

* Pomegranate Peel (Punica granatum)// Divination, luck, wishes granted, wealth, fertility.

* Red Cockscomb Flower (Celosia cristata)// longevity, death.

* Red Sage Root (Salvia miltiorrhiza)// protection, purification, health.

* Roselle Hibiscus Flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa)// Averts negativity, especially in the form of gossip or false accusations

* Rosemary Leaf (Rosmarinus officinalis)// spells, worn to improve memory, used in dream pillows to prevent nightmares, burned as incense for purification and removing negativity. Wear or carry while reading or completing tasks to improve memory of the material and aid clear thinking (great for students!). Use an infusion of rosemary to wash hands before any healing magick. Use in bath magick for purification. Associated with faeries.

* White Sacred Sage (Salvia apiana)// purification, divination, protection

* Safflower Petals (Carthamus tinctorius)// destruction

* Sea Lavender Flower (Limonium sinuatum)// Soothes/ restores body and mind. Arouses sexual desire in men, loyalty, purification, protection, healing. Third eye chakra, spiritually uplifting.

* Skullcap Root (Scutellaria baicalensis)// ​Worn by women to keep their husbands faithful. Used in sleep pillows for relaxation & peace. Used to bind oaths and consecrate vows & commitments (handfasting, initiations, etc.) also for a relationship that will extend beyond this life. For this purpose SKullcap may be worn, burned as incense, or used as an oil. Used in bath magick to clam the aura of tensions and stress. Use in spells for relief from disharmony and disruptive situations. Place a pinch in a lover’s shoes to keep then from being affected by charms of others. Love, fidelity, peace of mind.

* St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)// Worn to prevent colds & fevers. Placed under pillow to induce prophetic, romantic dreams. Protects against all forms of black witchcraft. Place in a jar in a window or burn in a fireplace to protect from lightning, fire and evil spirits. Used for banishing, protection & blessing. Carry to strengthen courage and convictions or when confronting nasty situations. Burn to banish spirits and demons. Used in divination for the care of crystals. Note: Can be poisonous, use with caution. Protection, exorcism, strengthens the will, divination.

* Star Anise (Illicium verum)// Clairvoyance. Burned as incense to increase psychic awareness & abilities. Placed on the altar to increase the power generated. Carried to bring luck.

* Stevia Leaf (Stevia rebaudiana)// health

* Thorowax Root (Bupleurum chinense)// mental health, meditation

* Turmeric Root (Curcuma longa)// purification.

* Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis)// Dream magick, reconciliation, love, and harmony. Placed in sachets for love & protection and used in sleep pillows. It is said that having Valerian Root nearby will settle an argument between a couple. Used to purify sacred space. Used as a substitution for graveyard dirt/dust in spells. Use in protection baths. Burn for reconciliation in ailing relationships, but only with the permission of all parties involved in the relationship. Wear to calm the emotions.

* Vervain Stems (Verbena officinalis)// Protection, purification, money, youth, peace, healing, and sleep. Bury in the yard or keep in the home to encourage wealth, protect from lightning & storms, and bring peace. Put under the pillow to prevent nightmares. Use as an incense to end unrequited love. Use in prosperity spells. Carry to prevent depression and/or bring creativity. Use in cleansing baths and rituals before working magick. Use in amulets, sachets, dream pillows, and baths for all-purpose protection of home sand people (especially children).

* Wintergreen Leaf (Gaultheria procumbens)// Protection, healing, hex breaking.

[vexie-chan]

Mortal Choice

Cadceus Clay has prayed for his friends before. The Wildmother listens. 

Spoilers for ep65

Her Clay is cold and wet and miserable. But that is only the first part of his prayer. The Wildmother cannot help but smile as she listens to him murmuring over the vegetables he’s chopping for a nice, hot soup.

              “It doesn’t seem to be a very good relationship,” Caduceus says, shaking his head. “This Uko’toa person seems like a tough customer. I know…I know you all have different relationships with your followers. But this can’t be right, can it? Everything about these temples seems unnatural.”

              Young Caduceus’s mind’s eye recounts images of the horrible drowned things he’d faced below the sea. The Wildmother watches thoughtfully. It’s true, Uko’toa is not one of her favorite beings. After all, he’d been locked up for a reason. If it was meant to be that he was freed, so be it, but it would mean the scales would tip toward death and destruction for a while. Enough of that is occurring with the wars and sicknesses in the lands at present.

              Still, it is not her place to intervene.

              Caduceus sighs, laying down his spoon for a moment. He closes his eyes as if he feels the same resignation she does.

              “I guess this isn’t really any of your business,” he says. The Wildmother smiles.

              “You’ve looked out for me—even though it’s been…it’s been pretty bad, I know you’re there. That’s why I’m still here, I think,” Caduceus continues, his voice becoming unsure.

              My sweet boy, the Wildmother thinks. It’s been good for him to leave the Blooming Grove. He has things she would like him to accomplish, but she also wants him to learn more about the world and the things in it. It’s good for him to question his faith—Caduceus has always been an unquestioning follower when he should really question things more. It pleases the Wildmother that he is asking questions and having doubts. The youngest Clay is growing up.

              “I don’t know if it’s something in your purview or not, but if it is, could you keep an eye on Fjord? He’s…he’s a good guy. I don’t think his patron is treating him very well. I don’t know much about any of this stuff about pacts and agreements, but I do know this isn’t a very healthy relationship. If there’s anything you can do, I think he’s going to be a good person in the end, if he could just get away from this Uko’toa character,” Caduceus says.

              This surprises the Wildmother. The Clay family have been faithful worshippers of hers for generations, but never evangelical. That is not how she wants her worshippers to be. They do their part and tend to her gardens and defend the balance between life and death. The Clays respect the worship and custom of all the other gods. They are well studied and well versed in those that require specific burial rituals or other death rites. Young Caduceus is the first in many generations to question the worship of another being.

              The Wildmother reaches out curiously. His heart is full of concern for his friend. He has truly come to care for these people.  

              I will watch and see, the Wildmother thinks. Caduceus smiles into his soup, relief tinging the edges of his aura. He felt her, then. He always was a sensitive boy. Her Clay.

                She watches, acquiescing to Caduceus’s prayer. For a short time, the Wildmother thinks Uko’toa has let Fjord go. The Mighty Nein make their way to the shore and travel further and further inland. The Wildmother watches, but they seem to be safe.

              It’s late one night—her attentions are mostly elsewhere—when she sees black tentacles reach for Fjord’s consciousness. She sees them writhing from the corner of her eye. As she turns to watch, a chill shudders through her celestial self. The tentacles wrap themselves around Fjord’s sleeping mind, filling his aura with fear and dread.

              The Wildmother hesitates. It is not her place to intervene, but she recalls how Caduceus was concerned about this relationship. He was right—it does not look healthy or natural. Uko’toa’s dark tentacles drip with a sickly green power as he threatens his chosen vessel. He isn’t strong enough to do very much yet, but mortals are weak and Fjord is not left undamaged.

              This will not do. Yet…what can be done? The boy entered into a pact with that unsightly being. It is not the Wildmother’s place to intervene. The rules are very strict. The gods should not fight over each others’ followers, but accept their coming and going with grace. Once, they fought for the worship of certain mortals. They destroyed each other and the mortals in the process. No more.

              The Wildmother watches Fjord wake up terrified with a frown on her face. She never did like Uko’toa.

                Caduceus’s second prayer for Fjord comes at the request of his friend Caleb. The Wildmother, of course, had seen the things that transpired between Fjord and his patron. She likes their relationship less and less. Her heart went out to the half-orc as he stumbled into the rain, clutching his lifeless sword, reaching for a power that had been rescinded.

              This is wrong, the Wildmother thinks, anger boiling in her like a geyser ready to blow. She’s become fond of her Clay’s friends. They’ve taken good care of him. Misguided as these Mighty Nein are, they do the best they can. She doesn’t like seeing one of them tortured by the being he’d trusted for so long. Nor does she approve of a higher being treating his mortals so poorly.

              The human wizard had watched carefully, feigning sleep. He watched Fjord through his eyelashes, eyes mostly closed. Fjord had been too frightened to notice. Caleb watched him fail to send his sword away, fail to cast. He watched as Fjord slipped out of the room, then sent his fey creature to watch as he tried to reach for that missing magic in the streets.

              Caleb woke early to find Caduceus, always an early riser. Now, they face each other over a cup of tea.

              “You…you have roomed with Fjord often on our journeys,” Caleb says hesitantly.

              “I have. Why?” Caduceus says.

              Caleb leans in, dropping his voice to ensure no one is listening.

              “Have you noticed whether he is getting more dreams from…from his patron?” he asks.

              Caduceus frowns.

              “I wouldn’t say more, but he seems unhappy when he gets one, now, doesn’t he?” he replies thoughtfully.

              “I think he is being punished for walking away before he could free him,” Caleb says. “He woke last night unable to cast. His falchion was still laying on the bed this morning. I don’t think he can send it back to wherever it is usually kept.”

              Caduceus lets out a sigh that might be a partial growl. He shakes his head.

              “I don’t like that Uko’toa,” he says. “He’s bad news, Mr. Caleb.”

              “You are…a man of the cloth. Is there any way to get Fjord away from his god? Can he break his geass? Can your Wildmother protect him?” Caleb asks.

              The Wildmother smiles at that. Caleb, the broken, faithless boy is always willing to support the faith of others. He believes in nothing, but knows enough to understand that his beliefs have nothing to do with anyone else’s.

              “I’ve asked. I don’t really know how all that works…I don’t know if she’s allowed to interfere with what other gods are doing,” Caduceus says. “It won’t hurt to let her know what’s going on, though. Maybe she can do something for him. ”

              “I hope so,” Caleb says. His aura is always gloomy and worried, but his concern spikes a bit for the sake of his friend. “I do not think it will bode well for any of us if that fiend comes for vengeance. Especially not Fjord”

              “No, I think you’re right,” Caduceus agrees. “I’ll see what I can do.”

              “Danke,” Caleb says.

              Caduceus asks for her help later that day.

              “I don’t know what you can do, or what you’re allowed to do, or if you’re even interested,” Caduceus says. “But you’ve taken care of me, more than I deserve. If there is anything you can do for Fjord, please do it. This thing…it’s not good. And we need him. He’s part of our team, and he’s a good friend.”

              The Wildmother sets a part of herself to look at the geass keeping Fjord bound to Uko’toa, and keeping Uko’toa bound in his prison. For days, she studies both.

              “You know, you do have options, sister.”

              The Wildmother turns to find the Raven Queen smirking at her.

              “I’d like to crush him in the deep waters he loves so much,” she replies.

              “And perhaps you will get that chance. For the time being, why not take the boy under your wing? If it’s bothering you so much,” the Raven Queen says.

              “I’m not about to steal someone else’s chosen as my own. I don’t play that kind of game,” The Wildmother says sharply.

“Who said anything about stealing? Don’t underestimate the power of mortal choice. You can always ask nicely…if the boy chooses you over his eldritch beast, it’s all fair game,” the Raven Queen says with a shrug. “Mortals change their hearts on faith as quickly as the weather changes. That’s hardly your fault.”

              “You make it sound so easy,” The Wildmother says with a shake of her head. “The balance—”

              “It is easy. Choice is as natural as it gets, sister. All you need to do is open a door. Whether he walks through it is up to him. You’ve disrupted no balance. But Uko’toa will if he breaks free again,” The Raven Queen says. She turns to leave. “Think about it, sister.”

              The Wildmother frowns, watching her go.

              A choice…

                Her Clay is angry with her. He does not like to be told no. He does not like being told that some problems are too big for him to fix. She loves him none the less for it, staying near as he closes his communication with her like a child slamming the door.

              Perhaps if she had not been so close anyway, she would have missed the black tentacles reaching for Fjord.

              Open a door.

              The Wildmother touches the consciousness of the half-orc. The cracking of Uko’toa against his binding is muted as she opens a door, filling it with as much light and love and life as she can.

              Fjord’s eyes widen as her emerald light touches his face. He leans into the light as if it were a caress.

              “Come with me, child.” She can’t help but whisper the words to him, reaching out.

              He’s mesmerized. At a glance, she sees the child-Fjord’s dreams of a mother’s plea just like hers, longing to be called to a place he can call home, longing to be loved by a mother. He moves toward her, arms outstretched.

              Uko’toa pulls back, but Fjord breaks free. The Wildmother pulls him into her embrace, letting vines sap the water from him, warming his clammy skin in her arms.

              “This womb I grant, but withers without faith. His wielder shall find you again,” she warns. She can protect him so long as he chooses her, but Uko’toa won’t let go that easily. Even now, the beast rages against her, fighting to pull Fjord back to him. Behind bars, he’s not strong enough to strike her down, but the walls encasing him are becoming thin.

              Fjord doesn’t reply, but stares at her in awe and admiration. The Wildmother looks down at him and smiles gently, flooding him with feelings of warmth and safety.

              “His will shall find you again, but until it does, rest,” she murmurs, embracing his small, mortal form.

              The relief on the half-orc’s face as he falls into a restful sleep makes her heart ache. How long has it been since he had found peaceful rest? She should have offered this to him sooner.

              When he awakes, the WIldmother watches as he fights with renewed strength and confidence. He marvels at the warmth of his magic now that she is watching over him.

              Don’t underestimate the power of mortal choice, the Raven Queen had said.

              “I will protect you as long as I can,” the Wildmother promises, knowing he can’t hear her. “My orphan boy.”

[thebibliomancer]

Dark Crystal Age of Resistance ep 6 liveblog

"By Gelfling Hand...”

Huh. I fell off the watching wagon in September. Thats a long time. I’ve probably forgotten all the proper nouns.

Just a stream of thoughts.

So last time in Age of Resistance people finally dreamfast and the age of resisting finally starts. I can’t wait for the Gelfling Rey to show up and stop the one-note Kylan.

Rian has been captured, transferred from one Skeksis to another, and escapes after deciding that he’s not going to escape.

The All-Maudra is dead, long live All-Mauldra Seladon. 

Wonder what will happen now, me too.

Deet, Hup, and Brea are under arrest. And now the General wants to drink them.

“These Gelfling have just the vigor we’re looking for. Throw them in. And their little podling too.”

C’mon, Var. Geez. C’mon. Geez. He’s tall for his age.

The only good thing about Skeksis deciding to drink you is that the crystal is all the way back at the castle and they’re not going to want to hurt you or else lessen the vigor.

I’m looking at that jail cell wheel and the gaps are totally big enough for Brea to get out of if she just tries.

Oh hey, Lore senses Brea in need and is leaving his chamber by the magic of bending over to fit through the doorway.

And coincidentally, Rian, Gurjin, Naia, and probably Kylan are all here and saw Brea et al get captured so now they’re going to have an exciting chase scene to try to save them.

-Seladon looking at throne like ‘oh shit oh fuck what have i done-

Pfft she sits on the throne just when Lore decides he wants to leave his horribly hidden chamber and bursts through it like the Kool-Ade Man

OH YEAH

Seladon didn’t even get to enjoy the throne in a conflicted way for more than five seconds. That’s amazing.

Ritual Master: “VAR GEEZ C’MON WHY DID YOU KILL THAT GELFLING GEEZ VAR GEEZ”

General: “The Emperor is forgiving”

Ritual Master: -sass- “Of course! If there’s one quality our Emperor is known for, it’s mercy.”

I never thought that the Ritual Master would be the voice of reason among the Skeksis but hot damn, I’m loving his tone.

Rian standing in the middle of the road like some kind of badass.

But the Rian ruse is a distraction.

Rian: “I heard you were looking for me”

General: ‘this fucking guy’

Rian: ‘Why don’t you come out and say that to my face’

Oh the General is just going to run Rian over with the cart. You can’t accuse him of not being pragmatic.

Ritual Master: ‘I DON’T LIKE ANY OF THIS!’

The rest of the team can’t get the back of the wheel cage open but thankfully Lore out of nowhere.

Lore Out of Nowhere is going to be the name of my band that just turns exposition dumps into songs. Once I learn how to sing, play an instrument, songwrite, or organize groups.

The Skeksis don’t know what Lore is but they’re both appalled and disgusted.

Huh. There are other Gelfling in the wheel cage instead of just protagonists. The paladins that the Skeksis were gathering for the ‘war.’ One can only imagine what they’re making of this.

Lore: -rips the wheel cage door off-

General: -squeaking a little in dismay- “My carriage!”

Oh the paladins are escaping too. I don’t know that they know whats even going on.

Ritual Master: -pokes head at cart to shake his fist and tell the kids to get off his lawn-

Lore: -stomps towards menacingly-

General: “We should escape without delay!”

Ritual Master: -sass- “At long last, you’ve had a good idea!”

And they swerve around Rian instead of running him over because he’s still just standing in the middle of the road like an idiot. Mighty courteous of the Skeksis or the pillbugs to not vehicular gelflingslaughter him.

Brea gives Rian a hug so Deet gives him a longer, lingering hug.

Pls no love triangle. Pls.

Paladins still not know shit start hubbubbing about how Rian is a traitor and a murderer.

Brea: ‘Nuh uh!’

Rian: “Everything the Skeksis ever told us was a lie. But its hard to recognize the light when you’ve spent your whole life in the dark.”

So clearly you should all get- yup Rian is like lets do a huge dreamfast circle.

And hey, good idea! He says afterwards they should spread throughout Thra dreamfasting with all gelfling to share the truth. 

Paladin: “I will dreamfast with you!”

Another Paladin: “I will dreamfast with you!”

A third Paladin: “I’m Spartacus and so’s my wife!”

Oh, cool. Funeral for the Dead-Maudra. There’s a cool sounding tradition for the death of the All-Maudra. “The windsifters will deliver six pieces of her crown to six Maudras that they might come together to reassemble it and place it upon the brow of the new All-Maudra.”

That’s pretty neat. A ritual to restate the unity of the Gelfling clans and publicly endorse the new All-Maudra as legitimate.

I have a feeling that its not going to go to Seladon’s liking though.

Woo gelfling song. 

Oh the windsifters are like. Batbirds.

I had been thinking that they were like a type of gelfling job, like couriers or something.

More gelfling beastmastery is nice too though.

Seladon: “Gelfling need an All-Maudra who won’t be swayed from the path set for us by the Lords of the Crystal. A beacon of light in these dark times. I shall be that All-Maudra.”

The, uh, librarian guy says that they should get around to the burial rites and return the Dead-Maudra to Thra but Seladon is going Creon from Antigone and saying that her mom isn’t going to get burial rites because she was a traitor. She is going to be cremated instead.

This is sure to endear Seladon to the Gelfling people who thought the All-Maudra was neat despite all evidence.

Librarian guy: “FOR SHAME!”

Seladon: “For Thra.”

Oh shit the Chamberlain limps into the Stone-in-Wood village after surviving that carriage crash last time and yells at everyone to bring him water and good and just generally do stuff for him. But the Gelfling all just kind of awkwardly shut their doors and ignore him.

And also throw stuff at him.

-Gelfling closes door-

Chamberlain: “I see you! I SEE YOU!”

Chamberlain: “How could you? I protect you! YOU OWE ME!”

Aw shit again, news of the Skeksis drinking people has spread here already and the Gelflings have no patience for Skeksis anymore.

And since Chamberlain keeps hanging around screaming instead of leaving, they start throwing rocks and fruit and possibly poo until he runs away.

Hey remember how you let Rian get away, Chamberlain? You goofed. You done goofed.

Scroll-Keeper: “The General and the Ritual Master have returned. ...Without the promised volunteers.”

Ornamentalist: -laughing- “The Emperor won’t liiiiike that!”

Scroll-Keeper: -chuckling- “No.”

-both start cackling-

I love how shitty the Skeksis are to each other. 

Some of the promised volunteers that escaped somehow made it back to the castle BEFORE the General and Ritual Master and have been spreading the truth.

Oh, hm. So you can dreamfast with someone. But you can’t then dreamfast the memories you saw in a dreamfast. So the escaped tribute basically has to go ‘yeah but just trust me, I saw what I saw in the psychic vision with the guy who is supposedly has brain sick’

But a lot of things are added up. 

The death of Mira. The weird sudden calling for volunteers. The death of the All-Maudra. 

A guard: “Yes! Spread the word and gather arms. We take this castle this very night!”

I cherish your optimism, guy.

It’d be a huge blow against the Skeksis but it feels doomed to fail. Plus one of the guards wasn’t as enthusiastic about the idea as the others and is probably going to snitch.

Oh dang I was ready to say that none of the new landscapes really match up to the bubblegloop swamp from the movie but the sweeping view of the Crystal Desert was pretty beautiful, if not as lively.

Kylan, I think: “They say the sands never stop shifting. Crossing the desert on foot will be as easy as walking on water.”

That’s that good shit.

Naia: “Must you complain about everything?”

Gurjin: “Its not my fault that everything is terrible.”

I appreciate you, Gurjin.

Uh oh. It seems like everything has finally hit Brea and she’s having a melancholy moment.

Brea: “I keep thinking that if I turn my head fast enough, I’ll see my mother’s face. Or if I listen hard enough, I’ll hear her voice. .. But I won’t.”

Brea: “I should be there to bury her!” Ooooof. Bad news there, Brea.

Deet suggests that they do their own ceremony there and Brea says that would help.

Deet: “Thats what friends do. They help.”

Brea: -sad hug, sobs- “You’re a true friend!”

Aww.

(Support Conversation rank A. After the time skip, they will be married)

Archer Ur Ru carefully rolling up stuff in a leaf for eats.

Aughra: “LONG NECK THERE YOU ARE”

Archer: -spills his entire lunch, sighs-

So Aughra’s problem is that she understands the situation now and all the pieces on the board but not how everything is going to end. There are many possible outcomes and she’s got to try for the best one.

I’ll say that two gelflings left finally healing the crystal cannot have been the Golden Ending. Maybe try harder, Aughra.

Archer: -seeing where she’s going with this- “And where does my path lead?”

Aughra: “Into the sands to face the Hunter”

Archer: … -sighs- “I cannot defeat my dark half”

Aughra: “You will find a way. But not without sacrifice.”

Holy shit Aughra are you telling him to kill himself? That’s kinda dark.

I mean, Skeksis and Ur Ru are quantum linked or whatev. Archer could just. Injure himself to the point that the Hunter can’t leap and gambol about the treetops anymore. Or ask Aughra to.

Aughra: “Get a move on. You Mystics are not known for your swift speed.”

Geez, Aughra. You dump a task like this on a guy and then call him a slowpoke.

Archer: “Will we meet again?”

Aughra: -hesitates for like a minute- “Some things even Aughra cannot see.”

Archer: -sighs harder-

And then she’s off to Stone-in-the-Wood to prevent a terrible mistake apparently. Hope it wasn’t throwing produce at Chamberlain because ship sailed.

Rian: “Life and death are a circle… not a line. There is no end, no beginning. Today, our beloved All-Maudra has returned to Thra. Though we cannot be there to guide her essence home… we will sing her memory across the wind. I will bind your words into a dream-stitch. All those who find this seed will know her as you did. Speak for the dead. Share your best memory that we may all know her goodness.”

I don’t have snark. This is just a beautiful ritual.

Now Rian is having feelings about his dad.

Like I get he’s feeling like his father actually loved him because he died for him but. C’mon. I feel like we’re sweeping the bad parenting under the rug.

“I love you. Get out of bed.” Wow. The All-Maudra was something.

‘When I looked at her eyes as the light faded out of them I realized that ‘I love you’ actually meant ‘I love you’’

Hup is a good singer.

Rian, why are you and Deet staring at each other longingly across a funeral fire?

Seladon: “I loved you with all I had” -sets her mom’s body on fire- “I’m sorry it was not enough.”

Mm. This is some contrast. In rites.

Oh the dream-stitch is just like flying off into the sky. That’s neat. 

OH THE MUTINY IS NOT GOING WELL AT ALL

Gourmand: “I hope you taste better than you fight”

GOD DAMN

Okay the Stonewood Maudra Fara has shown up to Ha’ra. 

oh geeez

Maudra Fara revered the All-Maudra so hearing she was killed going against the Skeksis makes her go ‘cool imma avenge her’

Also, this: Maudra Fara: “Several of your paladins are travelling the land telling a different story.”

Seladon is handling this as a reasonable individual. 

Fara: “You speak madness”

Seladon: “I SPEAK… as the All-Maudra.”

Chamberlain comes home and finds the castle in shambles. And Skeksis freely peeing and farting on everything. 

Seems like they just go full slob when they don’t have to put on a good face for the Gelflings.

Chamberlain is pretty disgusted at how gross things have gotten since he’s been gone but he perks up when he thinks he’ll be able to curry favor with the Emperor.

But nope. The big wild party is still going on and the Skeksis are binging on essence and foods. So the Emperor is feeling pretty good.

Gourmand: “Don’t worry, we kept the podlings.”

Chamberlain has to be a buzzkill.

Chamberlain: “I bring terrible news! Cease all merrymaking!”

Emperor: “I see you standing there but no Rian. What do you have to say before I punish you for your continued FAILURE?”

Shouldn’t’ve interrupted his hedonism, Sil.

Chamberlain: -had fruits thrown at him-

Chamberlain: “I faced grave danger!”

Chamberlain tries to argue that hey the open and rising revolt by gelfling clans is a Bad Thing Actually but the Emperor is feeling too buzzed.

-everybody laughs in Chamberlain’s face-

Emperor: “The General set us free! Never again will the Skeksis have to bear the burden of pretending to care for these useless Gelfling.

But who will make your food or- oh right, they’re going to enslave the podlings.

General: ‘HEY I HAVE AN IDEA LETS DRINK ALL THE STONEWOOD’

Everyone: ‘WOO THE PARTY NEVER STOPS’

And then they make fun of how much the Chamberlain stinks because he had fruit thrown at him.

They’ve been peeing on the furnishing and they tell Chamberlain to go take a bath.

I’d feel bad for him but y’know.

OH SHIT TAVRA, THE COOL SISTER

OH SHIT SHE HASN’T HEARD ABOUT HER MOM

Tavra: “Then she died doing what she had to do. What she always did. Protecting Gelfling”

Ehhhhh, speak well of the dead I guess.

Ok so i guess the rest of the Maudra have shown up. Except Maudra of the Grot who just sent the piece of crown back. Its just too bright up there.

So the Grot, the Vapra, the Spriton, the Sifa, the Dousan all support Seladon’s inauguration but the Stonewood and Drenchen withhold. 

This has apparently never happened.

Fara: “The All-Maudra has not always been a Vapra”

Fara: “A war is coming and Seladon is not the one to lead us”

Yup thought something adjacent to this would happen.

Seladon: “It was my mother’s crown. It belongs to me!”

Fara: “I would have followed her into a nest of spitters, but not you!”

gasp 

Fara: “I challenge Seladon for the Living Crown”

Oh snap

“We cannot challenge the Skeksis!”

Fara: “They are few, we are many.”

The dramatic irony here is palpable. 

Seladon: “Maudra Fara has invoked a challenge. It is her right to choose the nature”

Fara: “Trial by air”

-gasps-

A Maudra: “Tests and trials are the Skeksis ways, not ours!”

Apparently Seleadon is a contender being smart and careful but Fara is pretty confident.

Fara: “I will take no pleasure in besting you…. Childling.”

Wow Fara gonna condescend on top of it all. 

And back to the desert. 

The Dousan! The desert gelfling! Apparently they barely leave the desert and are forbidden from being castle guards for some reason!

He seems fun.

Dousan Guy: “To the great All. May the dead become one with Thra again. May we feel their tears in the rain. And their warmth in the suns. Though they are gone, they remain with us still.”

Brea: “That was beautiful.”

Dousan Guy: “But a trifle compared to your emotion.”

Oh they got the dream-stitch thing. 

Ah. Reky’yr. Sandmaster. 

Rek’yr is a smooth guy. He’s giving Brea a bone protection charm and offering to carry the group across the desert.

He’s the most helpful Gelfling they’ve met so far.

Oh. Until they mention they’re going to a place considered a cursed ruin and then he gets cold feet.

But Brea shames him into it by calling him a coward.

Brea: “You don’t trust Rek’yr?”

Rian: “Well for starters. He’s a Dousan.” Wow. Ok. Racist. “They’re obsessed with death!”

Brea: “They’re not obsessed.”

Rian: “HE GAVE YOU BONES”

I really hope Rian is proven wrong in his kneejerk suspicion. 

And then Naia, Gurjin, and Kylan peace out to join the spreading the news group of the plot. They recognize that they’re secondary cast and there’s no room for them in this subplot.

BOLD GURJIN! THANK YOU RIAN YOU’VE DONE SOMETHING GOOD AND GIVEN HIM HIS ADJECTIVE!

Hunter: -spots the party on the flying thing- “So. The hunt continues.”

Okay so trial by air is like a flying race. And everyone telling Fara not to be afraid of Seladon because she’s just a child makes me think that its not going to be so easy.

And that Fara is going to be for a rude awakening.

Oh god. Seladon is late to the challenge because she’s been dressing Extra Extra. Like a Skeksis.

I really can’t overemphasize how Aesthetic Seladon has suddenly become. 

And then she’s like ‘hey fara take the crown i don’t even want it its nasty’

Fara: ‘u wot m8’

Seladon: ‘Its cool i made a cooler, gother crown. Its much cooler.’

Fara is mighty pissed at this but Seladon just grabs her and throws her across the room and breaks the Living Crown with her.

Seladon: “Gelfling turning on Gelfling. We stand on the brink of anarchy. Bow before me, Maudra Fara. And together we will prove our loyalty to the Skeksis and snuff this fire before it burns us all.”

Fara: “As you burned your own mother.”

Damn Fara is good at burning Seladon.

And Seladon can only go ‘yeah well gtfo my city’

You know I was wondering how the trial by air would be portrayed. Flying gelfling is well within the special effects that they’ve already shown but a race would be different. But Seladon decided ‘screw that actually’

Ah well.

And then Fara and the Drenchan Maudra peace out.

And the other Maudras are like ‘geez Seladon geez’

Seladon: “And what will you three choose. Order or chaos?”

A Maudra: “This is not the gelfling way!”

Seladon: “It. Is. Now.”

Oh you three are going to bow? You cowards.

This is the Age of Resistance, not the Age of Follow Seladon She Has Some Good Ideas.

Well I thought that the clans were in revolt but it seems mostly just the Drenchen and the Stonewood. And standing alone against the Skeksis and the other clans is not going to go well for them. 

In general, the feeling ‘oh we should definitely trust our autocratic overlords they know whats best’ has been panning out really bad.

[bloodgarnet]

MDZS Original Mystery Fic Idea

So I came up with this idea for a mystery plot since I was so impressed with all the fic until I read the novel and realised most of it was just minor alterations on canon :/// (still impressive though). I got pretty far in the outline before I realised it would need a lot of minor character interactions and cultural knowledge which I respectively can’t be bothered with and don’t know shit about lol. The premise was also meant to have a lot of happy trolling WWX but most of the scenes turned out pretty serious… There’s probably a 99% chance I’m never going to write this so posting it publicly as free real estate.

Tags: Case Fic, Memory Alteration, Mystery, Plot Heavy, Romance, True Love

Title: Fortune’s Memory OR One Thousand Worries (*from Chinese proverbs)

Summary: Wei Wuxian successfully manages to convince everyone that he is Mo Xuanyu… through absolutely no merit of his own.

Prologue: WWX reflects after his resurrection that even if MXY forgot to state his wishes, he still did a pretty good job—after all, with a totally untested ritual from the branch of cultivation that he invented, who knows how many things could have gone wrong. /foreboding

WWX’s wrist held by LWJ as JC and he argue. Unexpectedly, JC says this is giving him a headache and decides to leave (jin ling says you too, uncle? JC like you ARE my headache, child). LWJ says WWX is coming with him to gusu but WWX argues it and says he doesn’t want to go to such a place with LWJ, whose eyes go cloudy and he suddenly releases WWX, confused. They part ways, but WWX wonders what the heck just happened—unexpectedly lucky! He’s still interested in all the weird things happening though and decides to meet up with wen ning elsewhere.

Meanwhile, LWJ inexplicably feels a profound sense of loss.

JC goes back to Yunmeng with Jin Ling and has trouble remembering things. He tries to recall the culprit of the ghost general incident but can’t picture his face. He tries to scold jin ling but can’t remember what for; jin ling also has trouble remembering. He tells jin ling to go to his room and if he wants sympathy, go to his mother for that. Jin ling freezes and says what are you even talking about. Jiang Cheng blacks out as jin ling screams.

Lan Xichen talks to Jin Guangyao about how both Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang have come down with a mysterious illness which affects their memory—possibly a targeted curse at clan leaders, though perhaps a small smattering of rogue cultivators have also been affected. Sadly, it has even affected the Jin heir, Jin Ling, though his is a bit better. JGY reflects since it’s the opposite way, it can’t be the strength of his golden core but rather maybe his youth that makes him resistant as some spells operate that way. LXC thanks him for the advice and worries that LWJ was recently in contact with JC and JL. JGY comments that these unexpected events are the most dangerous.

WWX meets up with wen ning and they discuss what to do: he frees wen ning from chains and needles and says he could go live life if he wants, but WWX is interested in the ghost arm incident. They get wen ning a disguise and hear from locals that nie huaisang and JC have come down sick. WWX frowns and wonders about the current political climate, who knows how many people would want to take down the sect leaders. Then he hears that LWJ is possibly also ill and feels really bad about it for some reason—that’s what makes him decide to investigate himself, putting this over the ghost arm incident. Wen ning asks how to do that and WWX says they need information now more than anything—they must prepare for the upcoming conference which will discuss what is happening.

JGY attends the conference and notices a strange bird outside. He’s seconds away from touching it when LXC calls him and it flies off. They go inside and discuss the potential epidemic; LXC confesses LWJ seems to show preliminary signs but Clarity seems to be helping him remain stable for now. They discuss it’s potential as a contagious epidemic and agree to have healers share findings as well as a group of famed Lan healers (?) visit the other sects with a small entourage in order to compare patients directly. JGY notes that this subject has totally eclipsed the issue of the ghost hand, which tried to escape Gusu Lan but was caught at the barrier with no casualties but many injuries. Also JC has woken and has a clean slate memory and just seems to be much happier??? They decide to keep the whole thing quiet from the public for now to prevent panicking. Conference ends with JGY accidentally revealing that he’s forgotten something important, so he’s infected too, to LXC’s shock. The bird flies away.

Wwx discusses the situation with wen ning at a restaurant (where wen ning is like thank god my tastebuds are dead lol). Wwx says that the situation is bad but not killing anyone so far which is good. Explains to wen ning that the healers probably know this but it can’t be an epidemic because it hasn’t spread enough; it’s far more likely a targeted attack since it’s really only affecting important people. Lan Sizhui and Jingyi enter the restaurant and WWX hides his face by faceplanting in his noodles lol. WWX and wen ning eavesdrop on their plans to escort the healers back from Nie territory to Gusu Lan, noting that LWJ may have gotten worse in the time they were gone. WWX worries and decides he needs to steal a jade token, but for now they have a convenient target for a little spy.

Sizhui and Jingyi report to LXC with the healers who explain that it IS contagious, a qi transmitted virus, but only from the carrier—likely only one since it hasn’t spread far: so it must be someone who has come into contact with all of the people affected fairly recently. Also it seems like an imbalance of energies causing qi deviation. Sizhui reflects this will be hard since the victims don’t remember anything. LXC says that’s somewhere to start, though, and gets disciples/servants to fetch LWJ from seclusion since it’s not contagious. LWJ joins (sizhui happy!) and says that his illness has not progressed at all. LWJ says that the number of potential carriers is too many but to retrace his steps he might as well seek out the rest of the ghost hand’s body as the hand has conveniently pointed in that direction. Sizhui and Jingyi volunteer to go with him along with some other junior disciples; justification that it can be a low-stress learning exercise if nothing else(?) which is what LWJ was doing originally. Then takes out his sword and strikes down the hidden bird which was trying to steal his token – LXC marvels that LWJ broke a rule (no killing) but LWJ says the bird was already dead.

WWX says, “Shit.” WWX talks to wen ning and says that chasing the hand’s body now is dangerous since LWJ will be there—he wants to investigate the victims too in case there’s a demonic element but has an inexplicable bad feeling. Laughs off concerns about memory because his has always been bad. WWX says that his expertise in this area is lacking though and what they really need is a healer who knows about demonic cultivation and wouldn’t run on sight… oh. Wen Ning is like I mean. WWX like would she kill us?? Hmm. They head to Yiling Burial Mounds.

Dead bird makes everyone realise it’s related to demonic cultivation

Filler scene…? Maybe LWJ POV? Tiger seal? Body parts?

Sizhui and Jingyi realise that someone LWJ met right before this happened (along with JL and JC) is MXY, so they should find him!

Wwx and wen ning arrive at the burial mounds and talk while wwx makes chenqing 2 (joke that’s a JC name! But I can’t think of one now lol). He uses it to summon wen qing with inquiry and ask her about it. She says it’s hard to say but given that no one’s died, it may not even be intentional, maybe just a side effect or symptom of something else. WWX says since there’s no change in political power. It does weaken the sects affected temporarily but a widespread attack like this isn’t so good tactically so it could fit. Wen Qing says she’d need to examine a victim herself but would need a body for that and hers is long gone. WWX like wait you would be okay with me getting yours back? Also idk how to do that?? He explains the ritual he used to come back and she frowns. WWX like to accomplish what you suggest would need more power than I currently have in this body… perhaps by repurposing the tiger seal???

And this is where I stopped because I legit can’t remember what happened to the tiger seal at this point in canon. Probably something about Xue Yang but I skipped over his chapters because I wasn’t interested lol. Since there wasn’t really a point to bringing Wen Qing back, I imagine their plan fails but it brings them into the fold with the other characters, and she stays a ghost and has a tearful goodbye with WN at some point near the end or something. Also having to figure out exactly how the whole Nie Mingjue thing would fall apart with both Nie Huaisang and JGY incapacitated, as well as the whole Qin Su thing... blah. Wanted to change the dead bird thing since I was annoyed at myself for copying a fandom trope but couldn’t think of anything better.

Basically the points I wanted to reach were:

Sizhui and Jingyi note that the spell reveals your ‘true colours’ lol

WWX is eventually caught and interrogation reveals that he also has the virus even tho he has a very weak golden core and they realise he must be a demonic cultivator; some pity because he seems so happy without memories of abuse (his happy antics are even kind of familiar... hmm)

Full clarification that WWX is the virus carrier: it’s a golden core imbalance caused by the imperfect resurrection which infectiously causes qi deviation for people who come into contact with his demonic cultivation and triggered by emotional upheaval which is why JC gets the full thing IMMEDIATELY lol

WWX was trolling at first but then actually DOES forget everything (caused by something with LWJ? Maybe a gay panic lol), but still knows his shit and explains that if it’s an imbalance then the opposing yang/yin energy must be demonic in nature so they should just huff a demonic seal or something lol

^ political statement that demonic cultivation isn’t evil, just ~opposite~

Jin Ling has recovered a bit and says he will talk to MXY but is like wait that’s… not him?? like yes I know he forgot everything but it’s really, really Not Him???

Interrogation of JGY’s spotty memory leads to deduction of what scrolls of WWX’s MXY learnt—body sacrifice and summoning

The cure is demonic energy + confessing your sins and being happy you fucks

And then like the one scene I actually had in mind when I wrote this: WWX confused but yelling MXY is not my name!!! And LWJ, on the brink of forgetting everything, still says, “Wei Ying,” recognising him immediately despite everything. Much shock, so drama.

[leviclark13]

My first blog

Blog 1

How would you introduce yourself to the blogging community?

: As I Type my first Post in blogging Let me first Introduce Myself. I am a gamer and I love to read poetry's and Sometimes I love making Poetry and another one is that I love playing basketball But due to Studies My hubbies Became a Memories But I'm okay with that, because my priority is Studying, I am type of person who loves to eat but if I get fat I would start on a diet, and I love Making jokes but My jokes kinda sucks. for example who Sino and Bayani ng Pilipinas na may Apilyedong `C`

Edi Si Diego C-Lang (HAHAHA) my jokes sucks right? But at least I've tried to make people smile and I'm not hurting anyone and I'm a kind-hearted person too This is the personality that I love and at the same time I Hate why? Because I forgive easily even You've done horrible things to me if you just talk to me and even if you Didn't Say sorry, We're okay It sucks right but that's me I can't do anything about that. And in school I'm not that smart I'm an Average student who only know Small things But I'm a student who Is a grade conscious And trying to do my best to improve and make my parents proud because I believe that No one can stop you to Improve There are Obstacles but Don't let it stop you You can surpass that Obstacle because God doesn't give an obstacle To A person if he/she Can't surpass it . and. I love playing guitar, But I Just started playing guitar last month. so I'm just a beginner but I want to become A Pro Guitarist Someday and My dream is to become a Pilot someday but my father and mother Can't afford the Course that I want to take when I Graduate Senior high So My choices are Psychiatrist or Electric engineer but if God gave me A Opportunity to Take the Aeronautical Engineering I will do my best to be the top of my class and let me introduce to You My family members, my Father is a policeman and my mother is a teacher and I have a sister and a brother , I wouldn't say that we are that blessed through money but My parents are doing their best to Give the needs to us Sibling and that's the thing that I'm impressed about, no matter how hard it is . both of them are working hard and Even if they are Sick they still Don't think of themselves but they Think about Their child And just continuing Working and working that's why I want to Have a job that Can repay them For their sacrifices so let me end these blog Because I guess it's kinda boring if I tell you who I am right? So again I'm Levi Clark A. Camayang A new blogger and this is my First post And hopefully, you will support me thank you for the time In reading this Godbless Us all!

Where do I see myself 10 years from now? Was my learning in SPUP vital to I'm leading to

: I guess it is vital because I'm not that kind of person who will pick SPUP just for fun because I know that I will Grow and Be a successful person 10 years from now.

Was stem the best choice after all

: Sometimes I regret that I choose STEM because it is really difficult Track to take But I guess I will say that it's the best because I will have many Choices in choosing What course I would like to Choose in college

What course will you take in college and why?

: For now, I'm not sure if What Course I would take but I have 3 options psychologist, Electrical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering why because I like to talk A lot and travel at the same time and I want to help light up a Home who Doesn't have Light in their own home

What topic would you like to Lear more about this subject?

: The topic would be Programming Because it sounds interesting even though somebody is telling that it's really hard I like to learn that

Ask me anything:

Ma'am, are you glad that we are the student who you are teaching?

Blog 2

Nowadays, Gadgets has a big impact on our society.

It helps advance the human race forward and make doing mundane things more efficient. For me, My favorite gadget/technology is the mobile phone. the mobile phone has a lot of social advantage using mobile phones, You can easily communicate with others through calling, Messaging, Chatting, and also video calling/chatting. It is convenient, cost-effective, and can be done anywhere as long as the network collectively is available.through mobile phone network connectively is aware available. Through mobile phones it is easily for us to connect to the world and for entertainment because it is hand tight gadget and we can bring it anywhere we go. It is also safe because it is not like the Other gadgets that is heavy to bring and easy to put in our pockets with all that said and done the way you utilize your phone matter. Mobile phone can be one of the best gadgets you will hold and just a reminder. Mobile phone has also disadvatages but don't let that to discourage you, it a matter of choosing how best can it benefit you.

BLOG 3

A man with a faded, well-worn notebook opens his lap. A woman experiencing a morning ritual she doesn’t understand. Until he begins to read to her. The Notebook is an achingly tender story about the enduring power of love, a story of miracles that will stay with you forever. Set amid the austere beauty of coastal North Carolina in 1946, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner who returned home from World War II. He is Madly in loveeee with Allie who is the Daughter of a Rich Family in North Carolina, Who is in Vacation She met Allie at the Carnival and He fell in lovee to Allie In just a snap but allhat time has a date and by the time That Noah realized that he need to make a move immediately He jumpss to a Ferris wheel just to ask Allie to date with. And after many dates They fell in love with each other that they never like to be separated from each other and one day Noah HE bring With him to see ann old house which he wantss to. renovate and be their House someday but destiny Has a plan the father and the mother of allie Secretly Planed to seperate allie and noad so they decided to leave early Because they want to seperate Noah and allie And After noah Had found that Allie Left He immidiately Run to the house Of Allie and after that he wrote A 99 letters to allie but the mother of allie kept The letter and after The 99 letter he wrote a fair well letter .and after that noah had joined To annn Army and Return after 2 years and after that he Rebuilded the Mansion which Allie and noah Had Dream of and during the time when noah Is rebuilding he's house His father Died and after the burial he Continues to Build the Mansion And A photographer took a Photo Of him And the background Is the mansion And Published in trough a newspaper and many had tried to buy the mansion but noah refuses and On the other hand allie who is now lives in New york and became a nurse had a new Boyfriend who is in a military As she Work Her Friend Had shown to her a Newspaer he saw Noah and The mansion they wish to rebuild she fainted and after that she decided to Go to North carolina to comfront him and to clear thing out between them and after that Talk Allie realized that she is Still inlove with Noah And she finds out That her mother kept

the letters that noah wrote to her and Allie ,confronted her mother if it's true And her mother Said that it's true and Allie got mad And Immediately he return to Noah and Confess that she's still inlove with Noah and after that her mother find out that she is still is going to pick Noah and her mother revealed something Shocking she is Inlove with a man just like noah who works in a lumber jack when Her teenage days but Her mother and father wanted her to Pick a man who can Raise and give the need to her and Her future child and Thats why she picked the father of Allie and thats the Advice she Gave To her but Allie Chose Noah and She left her Boyfriend to Be with noah. And after that they Came back to the present Allie den realized that she was in the story and the one who is Reading it is Her husband She immediately hugged Him and they dance together And They had a little talk about their child and after that Ellie Had already forgotten Who Is she dancing with And scrambled with Fear And after that they died But Noah still loved Allie until death

What life lesson can be learned in the movie?

: The life lesson is If you love Somebody You will be there for them p even If He/she doesn't remember you because love will always be in your heart even if you don't remember it.

What part of the story told by the movie was the most powerful why?

:So its not gonna be easy, it's gonna be really hard and we'ree gonna have to work this every day, but I wanna do that because I want you, I want allll of you forever ;This was the most powerful for me because Noah Said that Even If we fight that'ss normal to us because That's us,but we keep on loving each other because I want you to stay forever in my life through thick and thin

Who was your favorite character in the movie why?

: Noah why? Because He didn't give up on his First love and He full filled There even if Allie was gone and When she returned she accepted her and love her truly In their Old age Even if Allie doesn't even remember Him She still Wants to be with her forever and He kept her promise that I want you and I love you forever

Did anything that happened in the movie remind you of something that has occurred in your own life or that you have seen occur to others?

: It reminds me of my Grandfather and Grandmother but Opposite my grandmother is the one Who is sacrificing Just to take care, my grandfather, Because my grandfather Had done a Serious Operation and Because of many medicines he easily forgot a thing and ask a question over 10times And thinks sometimes like a child

5.if you had a chance to ask a character in this movie a question, what would it be

: I would ask noah; where do you your strength in Understanding her and loving her Truly If She is only Your strength and she doesn't remember you?

[anitoanum]

Bikol Animism & Spiritwork Notes

[Image Description: Photo taken by Anito Anum of the Mayon Volcano with lush jungle in the foreground, water marked with rainbow colours, stars, and spirals. The title, on a semi-transparent black rectangle, reads: “BIKOL ANIMISM & SPIRITWORK NOTES”. The bottom caption of the photo in white font reads: “A reconstructionist diasporic anglophone perspective. Compiled by anitoanum.tumblr.com.”]

Note: My sources are listed at the end. I welcome any and all feedback from other Bicol/Bikol people, especially folks from the homeland, regarding their spiritual and healing practices.

People and Powers

asog: ritualist, priest/ess (what Westernized society would now consider a feminine male assigned at birth person)

balyan: ritualist, priest/ess (what Westernized society would now consider a female assigned at birth person)

parabawi: an exorcist, referring to anyone who drives evil spirits out of the body so that good spirits may return

parabulong: anyone who administers medicine

himara/maghimara: to predict the future by observing external movements, such as that of a wheel moving slowly, fast, etc.

hula: prediction; maghula / hulaan to augur, forecast, foresee, foretell, predict

hukloban/hokloban/hodoban: witch doctor, malicious sorcerer who killed men and animals, and demolished houses

matanda: a wise old ruler

nuom: clairvoyant; seeing in mind’s eye/imagining something that comes true

parapalad: fortuneteller

pintakasi: defender, patron, patron saint

sabong: pasabong: an omen, pagpasabong: clairvoyance, ESP, ipasabong: to be clairvoyant

sarawat: masarawat: describing someone who loves plants

sunat: a high priest/ess (gender unknown) responsible for ordaining the asog and the balyan

tagohalim/tagohalin/taguhalin: shapeshifting sorcerer

tagolainan: a sorcerer.

tuyaw: magtuyaw/tuyawon: to prophesy, paratuyaw: a prophet

Spiritual Concepts

gagamban: hell

kamburagan: paradise/heaven

liwat na pagkamundag: reincarnation, rebirth

pagkamundag uli: reincarnation, rebirth

Ritual/Palihon

Palihon/paliyon/polion is the general term for rituals, beliefs, and taboos, and their preservation.

To Whom: 

Rituals are done for the anito and/or gugurang, and sometimes for the tawong-lipod. 

Anito/diwata are generally ancestor spirits out in nature. 

Gugurang are generally ancestor spirits of the household that come along with a person, but in later folklore began to be seen as a single deity inside Mount Mayon.

Batala/bathala are a set of special gods/spirits that watch over a village or clan. 

The tawong-lipod are general invisible spirit beings, like giants, elves, dwarves, etc.

To hold a festival or ritual for the anito is called a maganito or anitoan. The anito/diwata are represented by carved wooden statues called ladawan or lagdong. The lagdongan is also the name of the basket that carries the ladawan/lagdong. 

By Whom:

Most ritual is presided by a balyan and/or an asog. 

The sunat is the head spiritualist who initiates the asog and balyan. 

There are also other ritualists, called the parabawi/santiguar, that deal specifically in exorcisms.

Where:

The anito have houses/temples called muog/moog that are built in open fields or in the branches of trees. 

The gugurang have a temple of bamboo, reeds, and coconut fronds called gulang-gulang or golanggolang. 

How:

An altar called a salagnat/salangat is created out of bamboo in which food is offered to the anito/diwata/gugurang. 

The food/banquet of the maganito is called the gamit. 

If you are sacrificing a chicken, it is called a hanggot. 

If you are sacrificing a pig it is called socob/sokob. 

Songs called suragi/sorague are done for the anito/diwata/gugurang. 

Prayers called adyi and pamibi are done for the anito/diwata/gugurang . 

After the balyan/asog says prayers, it is customary to say ahom, in agreement. 

A ceremonial dance called a dumago was also performed. 

The balyan/asog usually wears a a circlet with a golden nugget or wreath of leaves/flowers called tubaw/tabao. There may also be worn golden balls as ornamentation, called matambacao/matambakaw. 

The balyan/asog also use banay, the topmost fronds of the anahaw palm, during ceremony.

General Rituals: 

The tubas is a washing/bathing ritual. 

Gabas is to ask numbers from the spirits.

Thanksgiving: 

The atang is a specific ritual where a sacrifice of one-tenth of the harvest is offered as a sign of thanksgiving to the gugurang. This is later eaten by the participants in the ritual.

Blessings and Coming-of-Age: 

The yocod/yukod is in honour of the anito to bless a favoured child and protect them from the aswang. Children process around the inside of a dwelling. 

The baguet is a coming-of-age ritual where a pig that was raised since the birth of a child is sacrificed and eaten by the child-now-adult as a community, with special alcoholic drinks. 

Tagay is a wedding ceremony in which the drinking of liquor forms part of the celebrations. When pronounced differently, tagay is also a ritual in which food is offered to the tawong-lipod to ask for a rich harvest, a full catch, a successful hunt, or the removal of spells placed on an individual by the tawong-lipod itself.

Prevention: 

The duol is a ritual where the whole tribe fasts in prayer and sacrifice to the anito to ward off evil or stop a disaster. 

The halya is a ritual done during the eclipse to ward off the bakunawa by using balalong, bamboo or hollowed tree trunks, that are beaten with sticks. Halya is also done during the full moon in honour of the gugurang to continue to ward off the bakunawa. There is also chanting during this ritual. At the climax of the halya, roasted water buffalo or boar is eaten, which is called the sumsom. In later folklore, Halya/Haliya became the name of a masked goddess of the moon.

The hidhid is a ritual that can be done to have the aswang stop a storm or a plague using a chewed up betel nut mixture. It was also known as a form of exorcism when there was a public calamity.

Rituals for the Sick: 

The hidhid is in honour of the aswang to counter its influence over a sick person. The balyan chews up a betel nut mixture and touches the person on the head with it. 

Olad is a spirit feast/ritual performed for the sick. 

Ole is a ritual to heal the sick. 

Paypay is to use the banay to fan the sick as part of curing them. 

Posao/pusaw is a ritual where lemon/citrus leaves wet with water are squeezed in the eyes of the sick. 

Tigay are chants and songs of the balyan to help cure the sick. 

Sacom/sakom is when you call the soul of the sick person back to their body and use banay to do it. 

Lagaylay is a dance that the parabawi, an exorcist, gets the afflicted to perform to get an evil spirit to leave someone’s body.

Rituals for the Dead: 

Statues and figures that are carved in honour of the dead are called parangpan/paraparangpan or tatawo. 

Basbas is when you wash the body of the dead with the water-softened leaves of lukban/pomelo/citrus/lemon. 

Katumba is the loud prayers and songs sung during the purification rites of the dead. 

The ayay is when you cover the graves of the dead with cooked rice or rice mixed with dirt.

Duol is also done after the death of a relative, where you abstain from certain foods.

The taroc/tarok is a ritual in which a banay is carried into a battle of vengeance and if the enemy is defeated placed on the grave of the relative who has been avenged. 

Hugot is when a slave is sacrificed and the entrails are offered to the aswang to prevent it from eating a newly dead chief or other important person. 

The kataposan is the ceremony held nine days after someone’s death. 

The actual funeral ceremony is called pasaka, and when you partake of the funeral feast on the day of the burial in honour of the dead, that is called lalala. 

Lalawan is when you mourn the dead by dressing in mourning clothes, cutting the hair, or holding a special ceremony. 

Binangonan/Binagnonan is when you speak to the dead in ceremony. 

Uraw is the ceremony to resurrect the dead with incantations. 

Makatagi is to be influenced by the positions of the dead.

Spells & Charms

An anting is the name of a physical charm or talisman. Munay is a general ointment.

aguatiempo: a potion which replaces drinking water of sick people in the belief that it will hasten the effect of medicine which has been administered

barat: the wind from the west; bolt; a needle-like wooden or metal peg which is an accessory to a small idol in human shape possessing movable joints and having many holes; if the barat is inserted into a chosen spot on the idol; after an incantation mumbled by the mambabarat the victim is supposed to suffer at the spot pierced by the peg; mambabarat a sorcerer who uses a barat

hinaw: a charm created by the balyan capable of identifying a thief; maghinaw to divine by using such a charm; maghinaw/hinawon to suspect of thievery by such divination

huklob: root (used by witch doctors in their ceremonies); maghuklob / huklobon to enchant, bewitch; hukloban witch doctor

kabal: an amulet which has the power of making its possessor invulnerable to the bolo and the spear, rendering these weapons dull, or suspending them in air upon attack; generally a circular piece of copper with a hole in the center, or a bit of shell roughly carved into the shape of anito noted for particularly admired exploits

laaw: root used as a charm which if brought into contact with an enemy can cause sickness or inflammation maglaaw /laawan to charm or bewitch with this root

lumay: love potion, maglumay / lumayon to give someone a love potion so that he or she will fall in love with you; makalumay/malumay to be affected by a love potion

mutya: pearl, jewel, gem, precious stone, anything someone holds dear, something beloved

pamaghat: a medicinal mixture of tree roots and alcohol, given to nursing mothers

pato: a root or charm which causes someone to who steals from you to fall ill or die

tagalpo: a herb carried by hunters and used to charm wild game so that they will not flee; a magic formula which, if thought of mentally, can turn a hostile attitude into cordiality, or an enemy into a friend; a type of hypnotism

tagohalim/tagohalin/taguhalin: Someone who makes charms/spells through shapeshifting or saying words; a root that was used in spells to aid in flying or shapeshifting into animals (cats or dogs); a plant from which an extract is derived enabling a man to fly, or to change himself into a dog or cat or other animal

tagohopa/tagahupa/tagolmay/tagulmay: A species of grass from whose roots may be prepared a brew capable of depriving a man of his will-power.

tagulipod: a plant possessing roots which, when eaten, may render a man invisible at will

tambal: antidote, snake medicine, tambalan: one proficient in such treatment

tauac/tawak: A charm which can be protect someone from a poisonous insect or snake bite; the charm is affected by pricking the person with something serving as an antivenom

Omens/Pasabong

barubarita/baribarito: the name of the singing of a haya/sayasaya, a bird, in which hearing the sound was a bad omen.

didit: the cricket, if the cricket’s chirping awakens someone during the night, a relative or someone close to that person will die

kuro-kuro/korokoro: bird; also a messenger of the buggo whose cooing indicates that the aswang  is coming to devour the entrails of a baby or someone who is sick; cooing followed by a muffled sound, such as that of distant thunder, announces the impending death of someone in another tribe

patyanak: if the wailing of a tiny black bird is heard at night by a pregnant woman but not by others who are with her, this could indicate that she will have a miscarriage

yasaw/yassau: a creature which hides in the shadows of trees on moonlit nights, if it is seen at the same time a cry resembling that of an infant is heard or imagined, the aswang is on the prowl and someone is going to die

Taboos, Oaths/Vows, and Curses

Bawal/Palihon/Taboo

ngasa: a superstition/taboo that holds if one’s fields or crops are particularly successful in comparison with those of others, death or misfortune will soon be visited on someone in the town, or the crops themselves will be lost

puhon: an ancient belief which holds that if a slave or person of low birth were to drink from a glass or eat from a plate of someone of high rank in the community, the abdomen of the slave or person of low birth would swell with air

sibol/sido/siro: An ancient ritual and taboo to not go to the house where sick and wounded are healing. 

sibong: A ritual/taboo/curse where those who get tattooed without earning it through battles or other ways, become sick and die.

Panata/Vow

matay: may I die; an oath taken whereby one swears to take his own life if he is not telling the truth

Curse/Tukso

karaw: a sickness inflicted by sorcery; magkaraw / karawan to curse; to put a curse on

ratak: to put a spell on, to charm or enchant, maratakan: to fall sick or have one’s wounds infected due to the evil medicine of a sorcerer, pagratak: witchcraft, sorcery

All words to describe witchcraft/sorcery/bewitchment/enchantment

aswangon/maaswang: to be bewitched, enchanted, put under a spell; magaswang/aswangon: to betwitch, enchant

babalo: enchantment; magbabalo/babaloon: to bewitch, charm, enchant, put a spell on; sound of a rooster crowing

barang: similarity; magbarang/barangon to bewitch, to cast a spell on someone; makabarang/mabarang to be bewitched, fall under a spell

dagon: to go ask a witch or sorcerer to hurt a sick person and/or eat his entrails.

himalo/maghimalo/himaloon: to bewitch, enchant

maibanan/yba/iba: to be bewitched, damage/enchantment by a sorcerer or demon.

lagaylay: enchanted, bewitched; lagaylayon: to be enchanted or bewitched

rawraw: to cast a spell over; pagrawraw: witchcraft, sorcery

usog: mausog: to be bewitched

Spirits & Otherwordly Beings

Benevolent:

Katambay are personal guardian spirits that watch over an individual.

Anito/Diwata are generally ancestor spirits out in nature. 

Gugurang are generally ancestor spirits of the household that come along with a person, later thought to be a single spirit that is Chief Spirit of the Bikol people

Batala/bathala are a set of special gods/spirits that watch over a village or clan.

Dawani is the legendary first woman of the world believed to have designed and woven the rainbow; hablon nin dawani: rainbow

Magnindan: spirit that helps fisherpeople

Okot: A dwarf/elf good spirit that spoke through whistling

Arapayan, Nagini/Naguined/Naguinao, and Makbarubak/Macbarubac are the three spirits that, when invoked with crocodile teeth and coconut oil mixed together, has the power to kill another

Harmful:

aguahan: A witch that eats human flesh. A sorcerer that is cursed or gives curses.

anananggal: a two piece witch that is capable of detaching its upper portion from the waist; the upper portion then flies in search of saliva to drink and human flesh to feast on

anduduno: a vampire that finds delight and nourishment in inhaling the odour and sucking the blood for a woman in labour, the sick and the dying; it assumes the shape of a huge bat and sucks from the back of a victim by means of a long, thread-like tongue

aswang: a devil or witch said to eat human flesh, though in later folklore was seen as a single deity (Asuang) inside Mount Malinao

bakunawa: a grotesque dragon that swallows the moon during eclipses, an event which is believed to bring bad luck

Bongan: malicious demon dwarf

bunggo/bonggo: ferocious “priests” whose eyes flash fire, consuming whatever is within the range of their heat. They wandered the woods and were possible descendants of Asuang.

buri: a one-eyed, three-throated creature inhabiting the swamps of a particular section of Bikol called in old records Punong

cacac/cacag/kakak: A witch. The song of a hen when she wants to lay an egg. Also the song of a witch who is flying and/or moaning by a sick person’s house.

daguit: To snatch something; to have something snatched by witches. Mananaguit: A bird of prey, or an aswang/witch that snatches humans.

hingnasuan: A witch that eats human flesh.

irago: the daughter of aswang, a serpent which can appear or vanish at will taking any form pleasing to its victims, often that of an envious woman with a sexy voice; same as uryol

kapri: a legendary giant; an evil spirit

lakaw: a ground witch

laki: a monster with the hoofs and mane of a horse and the face of a repulsive man with the wide protruding lips which entirely cover its face when it laughs; brushing against the invisible laki or simply being near it, could produce rashes curable by whipping the affected part with the long strand of a woman’s hair; same as unglo

layog: a witch that flies upright with its arms outstretched and its eyes gazing at the full moon; it snatches its victims from behind, between the legs, then carries them aloft by the ankles; it eats the flesh and laps the saliva of the tuberculous and can be found clinging to the rafters under the house of the victim

mampak: monster

mumo: bogeyman

pupo/popo: a hot-tempered, vengeful spirit who, by touching the head of a child with its hand, causes the child to grow weaker and weaker until it dies, or keeping the child a child forever

rabot: a master liar; also an ugly half-man and half ferocious wild beast that can transform its enemies into rocks by magic

silag: A witch that tears into the body of anyone dressed in white, feeding on the entrails and liver, causing the victim to die

tambaluslos: a small forest creature said to lead people astray; when it laughs, its lips open to cover its whole face

yasaw/yassau: a creature which hides in the shadows of trees on moonlit nights, if it is seen at the same time a cry resembling that of an infant is heard or imagined, the aswang is on the prowl and someone is going to die; the yasaw may be transformed into a laki

Neutral:

daro-anak: an ancient beast, usually a serpent or a wild boar, that has grown enormously large and, weary of its big size and old age, has plunged into the sea to become a sea monster or a small island

duende: dwarf, elf, goblin

ikogan: a spirit creature resembling a hairy man with a tail

mapangilaw: a giant who wears a vine for a belt 

isaw/issau: apparition, phantom, elf, dwarf

Kalapitnan: god/spirit of bats

liktin: elf, dwarf

luwok: elf

mangindara: merperson; person of the waters

patyanak: the fusion of an untimely discharged human fetus and a tiny black bird whose mournful wailing resembles that of an infant

sarimaw: tiger; a tiger’s tooth; a brutally fierce monster with crossed bulging eyes which appears unexpectedly before the guilty, tearing them pitilessly apart with its sharp claws

tandayag: a large serpent which is said to have gone to the sea and changed into a whale; also applied to a large eel which has undergone the same transformation; referring to things that are very old or very large

tawong-lipod: a general term for invisible creatures including giants, elves, etc.

tupong-tupong: a human-like creature which can stretch or shrink to take the shape of whatever it is next to

apo: grandparents; ancestors; respectful title; imp; small human-like creature living in little earth mounds and possessing magical powers capable of turning people into animals such as toads, snakes; tabi apo means excuse me apo and said when spitting, throwing a stone in the dark, etc. in case by chance one hits the apo

Sources:

Bikol-English Dictionary / diksionariong bikol - ingles by Malcolm Warren Mintz and Jose Del Rosario Britanico

Vocabulario de la Lengua Bicol by Marcos de Lisboa

Diccionario Mitologico de Filipinas by Fernando Blumentritt

Relacion de las Yslas Filipinas by Miguel de Loarca

[jupitermelichios]

those are all super good points, especially about magic being a key means of social mobility - given every religious leader of the old religion we see is a magic user, it probably came with a degree of religious power, which can in turn provide political power if you're prepared to use it, especially if you're prepared to use it in direct service of the crown

which also ties into what you're saying about the purge including magic supporters - it gets glossed over in the show but the implication is very much that the purge is a religious war, they're throwing out the old religion at the same time as the magic users, that's part of why the druids are persecuted. it may be that this change had already begun, the new religion may even already have been the state religion, but so many of the magic users are tied to the old religion that i think at minimum, the two faiths were co-existing, and I don't think it's too wild a supposition to assume that there was still widespread belief and practise of the old religion, and that this was cracked down on at the same time as uther was purging individual magic users, so of course there would be significant numbers of non-magic users who fought and were executed, because they're being ordered to change their faith. a lot more people were probably willing to fight for that than would have been willng to fight purely for the protection of magic users (especially if magic users tend to hold some degree of political power)

even people who weren't especially religious would have strong views, because it's not just a matter of salvation, from what we see of the ways the old religion is part of the lives of practitioners, it probably opperated very like christianity in medieval europe and it was part of everything. declaring the old religion to be illegal means marriages suddenly may not be valid, contracts sworn under religious oaths may not be legal, there's almost certainly implications for inheritance, really central rituals of life like burials for the dead and naming day customs for babies have to change, probably at pretty short notice.

combine that with the fact that healers and doctors almost all have ties to the old religion in the show, so medecine and medical treatment is also massively disrupted as everyone from village healers to famous experts like gaius are getting executed, and if they're not, they're suddenly losing access to a huge portion of their healing techniques that rely on magic. diseases that were treated with magic by default, and had been for generations, suddenly have no treatment, even if you can find a doctor who hasn't been executed!

there was probably a famine, or at least food insecurity, because you've got this massive disruption to life and the loss of labour, and if sickness followed, as it usually does after periods of scarcity, especially when you've lost most of your doctors, there'd be almost no way to fight an outbreak of something like scarlet feaver or plague. even just the usual winter flu outbreaks were probably significantly more deadly in the years immediately following the purge.

there really would be no aspect of life that wasn't screwed up, so widescale depopulation was pretty much inevitable

What if in Season 1 when Arthur tells Merlin to like, get all these things done, he doesn't actually mean like, Merlin is supposed to do them.

Like part of Merlin's job is supposed to be bringing that dented helmet to like, the fuckin blacksmith and then remembering to pick it up later but Merlin just doesn't know so he's doing it all himself.

And then Arthur is annoyed because hes like, why is my servant never around???

It's because Merlin is, personally, himself, trying to re-sharpen Arthur's entire collection of weapons instead of like, bringing those to the head of the armoury and explaining what Arthur wanted done.

Arthur's like, where have you been??? And Merlin is like, wtf why is he so annoyed with me.

"Fixing your boots! Doing your chores!"

And in Merlin's head this is like, he spent three hours hand stitching Arthur's boots, polishing his armour, and doing his laundry, he's like of course I haven't been around how long does this asshole think it takes to do all those things???

In Arthur's head he's like, it should have taken like, 1 hour to polish my armour and like 20 minutes tops to drop off my boots and laundry at the appropriate places?? Arthur's like, is Merlin an idiot? Did he just like? Get lost??? And that's why Arthur thinks Merlin's an idiot

[sparklyjojos]

75% into Cosmic, these really turned into mini-recaps after all huh

Nemu and Kirika fly to England to deliver the manuscript to Juku. Nemu thinks a lot about her brother, mostly about how different their personalities are. Nemu’s burning wish to Make The World Better gives her fiery determination, but also stirs up intense hatred towards bad people. Juku on the other hand is according to her infinitely merciful and understanding, ‘overflowing with love’ even, and gives the impression of being somewhat detached, as if he transcends this world or attained nirvana. Nemu is forever grateful to Juku for always supporting her, which gave her the courage to try and become a detective despite her color blindness getting in the way (it’s described as seeing in grey, so I’m guessing it’s achromatopsia). She calls Juku ‘兄さま‘ (nii-sama) -- a very respectful way.

--

Meanwhile in Japan... Amagi Hyoma is searching around the place where Ajiro and Juku have once seen the mysterious old man, sort of a delta made by rivers intersecting. He’s talking with some random lady called Yuu that I’m guessing is his girlfriend? We learn about “meta-detectives”, those whose reasoning is based on getting a ‘divine revelation’ of sorts. There are three meta-detectives in JDC: Juku with his Jintsuuriki power; Hyoma with ‘subconscious reasoning’ (ie. he drinks and sleeps a lot and gets enlightened in those states, lol); and the late Pyramid Mizuno. The way meta-detectives work is explained in a bit complicated way: if we consider the criminal to be a ‘writer’, then those detectives are able to understand ‘the intent’ of ‘the writer’.

Meanwhile in JDC... Ryuuguu and Hikimiya talk about the case. Ryuuguu’s bugged by one of the first victims having unusual writing on their back -- instead of the expected ‘locked room 9′, it’s ‘murder 9′. He even suspects that this is a dying message telling them the murders may have been in fact suicides (since ‘murder 9′ = ‘murder nine’ = ‘murder nein’ = ‘no murder’, lmao). Hikimiya’s not convinced, since how on earth would some of the victims cut off their own head and put it in a different place, and why there’s never a weapon found around? Ryuuguu also tells Hikimiya about his suspicions that Ajiro and Shiranui may have actually discovered what’s going on already, but have reasons not to share their knowledge with anyone else.

Meanwhile in Dakushoin’s house... bothered by the case, Nagisa retrieves an item from his urn that Dakushoin told her to bury with his ashes. Said item is a box containing 10 floppy disks. [...yep, it’s 1994 alright.] When the detectives check them out, they find files containing the text of the manuscript, as well as a letter from Dakushoin. In the letter, he admits that he wrote ‘The Locked Room Legend’ (that’s what’s the manuscript overall is called), that it was written for the Locked Room Lord but also that writing it wouldn’t be possible without said person, that he wants it to become as famous as Genji Monogatari in the future, and even considers the events about to happen [the case] more of a necessary ‘ritual’ than a murder. The letter is dated 24 XII 1993, which would be almost two months after Dakushoin’s death. Also, one of the ten floppy disks seems to be missing from the box, but from what they can tell no one could put their hands on the urn between the burial and now.

--

Meanwhile in England... Kirika and Nemu arrive in London, reunite with Juku and Yomiko, and meet Inugami Yasha and Lonely Queen. The last one, btw, is apparently ‘a secret child of a secret child’ of Ellery Queen, who in this universe seems to have been a real detective. Later that night, Kirika spends a lot of time thinking about very important stuff, like ‘what kind of women Juku may like’, as apparently she has a crush or something. While she realizes she’s probably wrong about it, she gets the impression that Juku may not even have ‘the lowly feelings expected to be there between men and women’ [and I’d be totally down for aroace Juku, but Kirika’s assumption is in context kinda dehumanizing and clearly meant to be the ‘he’s so pure it seems like he can’t have ~normal human desires~’ thing and I’m... uncomfortable]

Anyway, Juku and Yasha plan to spend the entire night over the manuscript. It’s not a problem for Yasha, whose reasoning is actually based on not sleeping for ridiculous amount of time (even 90h straight) to ‘get the mind clear’ -- he’s a yet unrecognized meta-detective, just like the others relying on the subconscious to solve cases. (Which apparently is very hard to practice near Juku, as his voice is so warm and calming it makes you want to go to sleep).

--

MEANWHILE in JDC (this book likes to jump around places a lot). We learn that Pyramid Mizuno’s younger brother, Christmas Mizuno (...I am so sorry about your name, dude) is planning to take the entrance test to JDC, and Ajiro hopes he could fill the meta-detective-shaped hole that Pyramid left in the organization.

Then the detectives learn about a new victim: it’s one of the policemen they were working with, who’s been on sick leave for a few days. Apparently the bed-ridden feverish man somehow went to an entirely different prefecture just to jump (fall? be pushed?) in front of a train. His corpse doesn’t have a head and the writing on his back matches that of the Locked Room Lord’s other victims.

On a meeting later, Hikimiya unleashes his statistics reasoning skills. He assesses that to find the Locked Room Lord they must search for someone who satisfies 5 conditions (has the freedom to go around killing, is intelligent enough to design the locked rooms, is strong enough to behead someone, knows his way around old documents, and is someone Dakushoin knew). Hikimiya also shows everyone his meta-analysis of the manuscript text, such as ‘how many times every character’s name is mentioned per page’. In a roundabout way this allowed him to notice that in one story there’s a phrase ‘流水の中の清涼’ [the same that Kirika remembered seeing somewhere]. This phrase, when shuffled around becomes 清涼中流水= 清涼in流水=‘Seiryoin Ryusui”, and if you assign different kanji to the sounds, you get 濁暑院溜水= ‘Dakushoin Ryusui’.

--

Meanwhile, Hyoma is after four days still hanging around the river in pouring rain, and pretty damn drunk. In this state he actually does find an old man sitting on the bank fishing, who introduces himself as Hikami Sensai and claims he’s 1000 years old. Sensai is very enigmatic, says he’s ‘fishing for time’ and a lot of other cryptic things. He admits that he is, indeed, the Locked Room Lord... but so is Hyoma, and every other human who knows about the Locked Room Lord. As he explains: since ‘cogito ergo sum’, that means an individual makes a word for himself, and is trapped in it [in his perception of the world I guess?]. The last things Sensai says before vanishing is that this mystery cannot be solved, and,

“The truth of the locked room is waiting... a waiting place. Like waiting for death.”

[angeltreasure]

Ok OP let’s set things straight here.~

▫️Christianity and witchcraft don’t mix.: Nothing about Christianity is secretly witchcraft at all. You can’t be both, you have pick a path. Concerning the denomination of Catholicism, it is even written in the Catechism that witchcraft is not allowed at all while being a practicing Catholic, as it goes against our beliefs. Also fun fact: whether you get sent to hell or not is not determined by other people or God, but only yourself. You are responsible for your actions, so be careful with all the choices you make.

▫️ The crucifix is feared by Satan and demons and will absolutely get burned from it in an Exorcism. The crucifix is a sacramental, a reminder that Jesus the son of God died on the cross for our sins, the ultimate passion. We don’t use it as a summoning amulet because God is omnipresent and we don’t preform any magic. Having amulets are forbidden for Catholics, as written in the Catechism.

▫️ The sign of the cross is not a means of summoning anything. We don’t play Naruto. Making the sign of the cross however, can strengthen faith. Making the sign of the cross is a form of prayer that prepares us to receive grace from God. When we make the sign of the cross, we confirm the Holy Trinity’s existence as well as what has taken place upon the cross Jesus was on. We can make the sign of the cross for various reasons. “Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow, and on everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we rise up; when we are in the way, and when we are still. … “It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of devils… for when they see the Cross they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, who bruised the heads of the dragon.” (Catechetical Lecture 13) - St. Cyril of Jerusalem.

▫️ There are some oils used for anointing at various times in the life of a Catholic. Baptism and preparation for funerals come to mind, as well as other events. “Oil is one of the array of rich symbols we have in our Christian tradition. Today, the Church uses three types of holy oils for a host of purposes. The multifaceted use of oil among ancient peoples is referenced in a variety of scriptural passages. These include use in preparing food for nourishment (see Nm 11:7-9) or as lamp fuel (see Mt 25:1-9). A medicinal use for oil is found in both Old and New Testaments (see Is 1:6; Lk 10:34), or for physical embellishment (see Ru 3:3). Oil is also useful in preparation of bodies for burial (see Mk 16:1) and as a ritual anointing for welcoming guests (see Lk 7:46). The Church’s rites prescribe that the oils are normatively blessed (or consecrated, in the case of chrism) at the Chrism Mass each year. All priests may bless the oil of catechumens and oil of the sick “in case of true necessity.” As evidence of their fruitfulness and importance in our sacramental life, oils take center stage when they are blessed and consecrated just before Easter, at what is called the Chrism Mass. This provides for the new oils to be used at the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil.” … “In the ancient Near East, olive oil was used for healing, sealing, and strengthening. Athletes in ancient Greece would use it to limber up and soothe their muscles before competing. Oil was also poured on the head of guests as a sign of hospitality. Prophets were anointed with olive oil, and they in turn anointed kings.”

▫️“Eating God” by means of the consecrated Eucharists and wine is not cannibalism. Transubstantiation is the proper term. For Catholicism: Jesus is truly present body, blood, soul, and divinity in the hosts and wine blessed by the Catholic priests at Mass when the priest’s blessing changes the substance of the bread and wine but the appearance and taste remain the same. A Catholic Mass is not a plain ceremony, but in fact the ultimate form of prayer. Jesus said at the Last Supper that the bread is His body, the wine is His blood. He was crucified later on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins. He said to eat and drink of it, in remembrance of Him, the bread of life, the son of God who was born in a cave in Bethlehem (literally meaning “House of Bread”). Each time we consume the Eucharist, we are reminded of all Jesus has done for us. Some saints have survived only eating the Eucharist alone. Although not all Catholics even believe in Transubstantiation like they should, Jesus waits patiently for all of us Catholics to discover this.

christians: witchcraft is evil and if you do it you go to hell

christians: *use cross as a summoning sigil*

*cross on the body for protection*

*annointing oil*

*ceremonies that involve cannibalism*

[earthstory]

The geology of Stonehenge.

As this post goes up, the sun is rising over the Heel stone at Stonehenge, in a man-made alignment at least 5500 years old. Today is the summer solstice, one of the only two nights of the year when people are allowed amongst the stones (the second being the somewhat chillier winter solstice in 6 months time).

A mixed mob of hippies, druids, wizards and witches, tourists, local farmers, their families and astronomy enthusiasts are all greeting the coming dawn with a wide variety of noises, ranging from shouting and chanting to sounding traditional style curved Celtic horns. Drums have been beating all night, bottles and joints passed around, and a strong feeling of shared camaraderie has grown between these very diverse individuals. People are standing atop the trilithons, gazing awestruck, as our distant ancestors must have done far back in the mists of time. The vigil is over, the moment all have awaited is come. There is a powerful shimmer of excitement hanging in the air that you can almost taste as the dawn approaches, and every hair on your body is prickled up in goose-bumps. With luck, it won't be raining, and the sight of the sun's first peep over the Hele stone between the pillars of the central trilithon will be clear and filled with glowing rosy light. In this climactic minute, the whole crowd becomes one entity.

Stonehenge was built on Salisbury plain, a plateau landscape of rolling grassy hills underlain by Cretaceous chalk, sitting below the prehistoric Ridgeway that served as a road from the Thames Valley to the West coast. Had you visited it at solstice time in 2600BCE, when the large trilithons (one stone atop two pillars) were being installed, you might have seen a similar scene. Analysis of cattle bones excavated in the nearby population centre of Durrington Walls (the largest stone age site in north-western Europe) shows that they came from all over the isles, and were mainly slaughtered at midsummer and midwinter, when the ceremonial gatherings (and vast communal feasts) presumably took place. Scientists estimate as much as 10% of the population of our isles travelled there every year, and speculate that the building of the henge brought the nation together for the only time in its early history.

The first use of the site dates from about 3100BCE, marked by a chalk bank and ditch. Over the next few centuries, a series of cremation burials were marked out by the inner ring of stones. Wooden structures were also part of the site, and the first astronomical alignments were marked out by posts. Then, around 2600BCE the 'main' circle of posts and lintels and the horseshoe of uprights and cross stone trilithons was erected, while the inner ring stones were moved inside it. The two rings are made of different rocks sourced in distinct localities, and both show deliberate astronomical alignments. Stonehenge is in fact a complex structure, a palimpsest that was built, modified and rearranged over the 1600 years that it was used.

Those in the older ring are smaller (at a mere 4 tonnes each), and were lugged from 240Km away in Wales, though some have suggested that they were locally available erratics, transported by ice age glaciers. These Bluestones (named after their bluey-grey shade when wet, a common event if you're a British rock) are a mixture of spotted dolerite (a coarse grained basaltic intrusive rock containing big blobby crystals of plagioclase feldspar), silica rich Rhyolitic volcanics, tuffs (compressed volcanic ash) and sandstone. Twenty different rock types have been identified.

The Ordovician dolerites have long been known to come from a distinctive outcrop in the Preseli hills of Wales, and are part of an arc volcanic sequence dating from the closure of the Iapetus ocean (the first version of the Atlantic) as it subducted beneath England, joining Scotland's fate to the rest of the isles. The source of the other bluestones remained mysterious until 2011, when the quarry site for the felsic volcanics was finally pinpointed to a 65 metre outcrop (within the same hills) using detailed petrographic and zircon analyses. Such bimodal volcanic (basalt and rhyolite) rocks are common in arc sequences and continental rifts.  

Some claim that the arrangement in the stones in the henge reflect that of the outcrop, implying that those hills were a very special site, but with the rearrangements that have happened (only 43 out of an estimated 80 bluestones survive) during the monument's history, stating such a thing with any certainty is impossible. These quarries are associated with healing springs to this day, and were also a source for handaxes found all over Britain.

The huge outer ring stones (including the Heele stone), weighing 25- 50 tonnes, were shaped from a Paleocene silicified sandstone (known as Sarsen stone in old mining speak) and were transported from 'nearby' outcrops in the Marlborough Downs 40 Km away. They are the remains of a Tertiary silcrete (sand cemented by silica bearing fluids) that once covered most of southern England, a relic of a more arid era, now mostly eroded away by glaciers. Held together by mortise and tenon joints, similar to those used in carpentry, they have been dressed to millimetric precision, even tapering slightly so they look the same from the ground all up their length, negating the effects of perspective.

No one know how the rocks were transported, nor the mix of sea and land travel. The glacial erratics theory is mostly discredited, but their feats of transport would challenge modern equipment, and the logistics deployed imply that the bluestones were held to be uniquely special. The Grand Menhir in Brittany, a short hop across the English channel (or The Sleeve as the French call it), weighs an estimated 340 tonnes and travelled a minimum of several miles. No one knows the actual purpose of the complex ritual landscape of the Salisbury Plain, which includes Woodhenge by the Avon river, an avenue linking it to the stone one, many barrows, other stone circles such as Avebury and the largest man made hill in Europe (Silbury Hill).

Whether you subscribe to the idea that the site was an astronomical observatory, healing centre, link between the lands of the living and dead or other, the wonder inspired by the presence of these ancient stones is hard to express in words. Knowing the geological story behind them adds another dimension to this electric sensation. I leave you with a poem written by Layamon in 1215CE, based on the 10th century account of Stonehenge (stating that Merlin brought the stones from Ireland) by Geoffrey of Monmouth, who shares with Gildas and the venerable Bede the distinction of being our first historian: The stones are great; And magic power they have; Men that are sick; Fare to that stone; And they wash that stone; And with that water bathe away their sickness.

Normal tours take you around the stones, but not amongst them, and are rather expensive and filled with coachloads of tourists. If you ever get the chance to go for the solstice night vigil (I personally recommend summer, though the winter gatherings are more intimate)...Go! Its the only time you can actually touch these mysterious pieces of history and let the awe at being a living human in this special place fill your soul.

Loz

Note: English Heritage rents nearby fields as car parks for solstice night, and they are clearly signposted. The stones open roughly from dusk until 8am the next day (9 in practise), and the car park has to be clear by noon. Food/drink/first aid tent and portable toilet facilities are provided, so logistics is no obstacle to enjoying the vigil.

Image credit: Max Alexander, via APOD.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stonehenge/summer-solstice/access-times/ The geology of Wiltshire (includes map): http://www.wiltshiregeologygroup.org.uk/geology/ http://phys.org/news/2013-03-stonehenge-ancient-rave-theory.html http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2013/mar/16/stonehenge-conflicting-theories-spa-cemetery http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/mar/09/archaeology-stonehenge-bones-burial-ground http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/light-on-stonehenge.html http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/stonehenge/alexander-text/1 http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/stonehenges-mysterious-stones http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-12/19/stonehenge-rocks Paywall access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440310003699 Please google search solstice sunrise at stonehenge images to get a feel for the event and enjoy some of the colourful characters who go there. You might even spot me and some buddies (to whom this piece is dedicated) in a few of them.

[powerbottomranmaru]

so the long zangetsu shin au inspired by long agito by @blood-ritual. here are some rough as fuck notes about that. none of it will make sense. i just gotta info dump it all somewhere before i go insane.

ryoma is somewhat of an inventor but mostly serves as a healer who conducts his experiments on people who need to be healed. because people are willing to let him test new herbs and medicines on them, he’s become the healer with the best success rate. he doesn’t live in any certain kingdom because he doesn’t want to submit to any one leader, he thinks he’s too good for that. he ends up taking in the generals of the opposing armies one night because they’re dying not far from his doorstep and he figures he might as well. they’re staying with him and they talk to each other and when they can actually walk out of his house they have a peace treaty drafted to take back to their kings.

takatora is zangetsu shin aka the god of war and the scariest motherfucker to piss off. he’s very intrigued in this human who managed to end a war by doing nothing more than refusing to let two people argue with each other while they were under his care. he takes his human form and goes to visit ryoma, injuring himself and claiming he’s a traveling merchant who got injured on his trip and wants nothing more than to be healed. while he’s there, he listens to ryoma talk about his aspirations and his dreams and he’s moved by this mortal who reaches for the stars. so he goes back to where the gods live in their enchanted forest-- the equivalent of helheim-- and calls to ryoma in his dreams.

ryoma is like “yeah okay” and packs his things and goes into the forest. essentially you can’t survive the forest unless one of the gods has called you to their side because their magical protection enables you to find the pathway to the castle. otherwise you’ll die of starvation or dehydration before long because the flora isn’t edible and there’s no drinking water. smarter humans have brought food and water with them but no one ever finds the castle through sheer will of force. humans that kaito kumon deems worthy of his service can live, but their only real option is to live in service to him.

kaito is overlord baron, the god of chaos and strength and power who protects the weak and oppressed. he watches over children abused by their families and uses his powers to punish parents who endanger their children. as a child he ran away from his abusive home and found himself lost in the forest. he would have died except mai takatsukasa, the goddess of the forest, took pity on him and cared for him. when he was older, she gave him a golden apple from her tree that gave him his godlike form and powers, and kaito uses that power to protect those who were in a bad place like he was.

mai has always been and always will be. her very spirit and being is tied to her shrine, which is the massive tree at the heart of the forest that spawns the golden apples when someone worthy of claiming them comes along. there used to be other gods and goddesses, but when most of them went bad in a mad grab for power, mai took up fighting and slayed them because she couldn’t have them wreaking havoc on the human world. her love of humans and her belief in them is what lead her to decide that she would preserve the powers of the former gods and goddesses and when humans who were worthy came along, she would grant them the power necessary.

she doesn’t live alone, either. rica and chucky are essentially forest nymphs who came from the tree and they live with mai and take care of her and help care for the tree. they serve as her messengers to the other gods and goddesses-- of whom she is the most powerful-- and they fiercely protect her because her powers are way stronger than anyone else’s are. she shows up in visions only to the humans deserving of godhood.

takatora was a warrior who fought endlessly for the king he followed and he was far more successful in war than anyone else was. he was in the midst of battle to protect a small village and when an enemy warrior went to kill a woman and her children, takatora intervened and nearly died in the process. as he laid dying, mai came to him in a vision and willed him to survive only if he would come to the forest and claim the power that was rightfully his. he was able to make his way to her tree, where she plucked a golden apple for him and gave him the powers of the god of war and the form of zangetsu shin.

yoko minato is marika, the goddess of nature, and she preserves the forest, cultivates the actual vegetables and fruit safe enough to eat, and her being is tied to the nature that humans encounter, as well. she and ryoma become fast friends because he realizes her herbs and plants have a lot of interesting properties and he offers to help care for them in exchange for having access to them. she has a human lover named touka akatsuki.

touka was an archer for the army who flew marika’s banner quite firmly even though most kings who care about that fly banners for zangetsu shin or baron (warlord and strength/power). she and her squadron of warriors were especially well-known for their strength as a unit, stronger than pretty much any group possible, and she made a name for herself because she’d viciously defend farmers who otherwise couldn’t fight for themselves. doing that caught yoko’s eye because it was clear to her that touka not only understood just how hard it was to take care of the land like that but she also had great respect for it and saw it worthy of being defended, so she drew her to her side.

sid is also here. sid is sigurd, the god of lies and trickery and deceipt and basically how to be shady. he was one of the best conmen living and by and large had no great attachment to anyone or anything, he just lived day to day and did what he had to do to get by. takatora and yoko were visiting the human world and talked to him a bit, and sid felt something off about them so he didn’t try to con them and instead warned them about some of the other conmen that live in the area. he also totally noticed a few shady people following them and decided he was going to intervene. sid pretty much believes solely in stealing from bad people since like, they deserve it. takatora and yoko didn’t.

long story short he ended up mortally wounded and mai reached out to him and told takatora and yoko to bring him into the forest. sigurd is on every charm and token that thieves and conmen keep on their persons almost religiously, though sid is in the human world far more often than people would think. he likes to see how modern day humanity is working out.

oren is bravo, obviously, and though he was also a famed warrior who could have become the god of war, he ended up becoming the god of family relationships when he put his life on the line to protect jonouchi, whom he’d always seen like a surrogate son since jonouchi’s father treated him like shit for not being the man he wanted him to be. mai was touched and invited them both to come live at the castle, jonouchi gaining immortality in the process, but oren is the only two of them to be a god. he and baron get along quite a bit when it comes to punishing fathers who don’t deserve to have children.

lastly micchi is the god of death, ryugen yomi. he was always too weak and sick to fight so he stayed behind and did his best to tend to the bodies of the dead, giving them proper burials and leaving flowers over their graves. he and his father had a very terrible relationship because micchi was never who he was supposed to be and his father punished him for it liberally. micchi just snaps one day and fights back and he accidentally kills him in the process, and of course the soldiers try to chase him down because that’s a crime no matter what was happening to him. he ran into the forest to try to get away and mai felt his presence and felt the heavy aura of death around him, so she offered him a golden apple. he resides over death and the peaceful passage between this life and the next, the peace that comes from long illness and painful wounds.

oren’s human lover is bando because bando spent most of his life tending a fruit stand and a pub and he was like a shoulder for every kid who had a bad home life and he caused some pretty heavy strife in his village because he got between ryoji hase and his parents because hase wanted something different for himself and his parents didn’t agree. oren ended up inviting both bando and hase to come stay with him, and he and bando fell for each other very quickly. it was doubly good because hase and jonouochi adore each other.

kaito has several humans who live at his castle, which is separate from the bigger one. shura was his first, a person kaito called to because he stood up for his friends and fought someone who tried to hurt them. shura no longer lives there because the two of them are both too different and too similar to get along, so shura decided he was going to travel. kaito was worried for his safety and he went to mai, and she created a lock for shura to wear on a chain around his neck born from her tree. when he steps into battle, kaito’s protection gives him armor that nothing can break through. he uses this to fight various monsters. sometimes he sends kaito presents.

zack came into the forest looking for someone, anyone, who would help peko when no healers could save him from a deadly infection. he stubbornly survived for a week and kaito, impressed at his strength and skill, came to him and offered him a place in his service. zack agreed on the condition that peko could be saved, so kaito took one of marika’s fruits and healed him and brought him to his castle too. zack likes to explore the forest, which is how he found the other castle that stands away from the rest-- ryugen yomi’s.

micchi isn’t exactly a talkative person, he doesn’t really spend time with the others, so zack finding him is a surprise to him. zack comes to visit him and they talk a lot. sometimes he brings peko with him, it just depends. peko used to be a dancer who taught zack how to dance and decided to stay with him instead of travel anymore, and they teach kaito how to dance.

shapool also lives there. he was the son of a noble who adopted him to have an heir and then who tried to have him killed when he had a biological son. shapool was dying but not dead yet and kaito came out of the forest and saved him and then brought him into it to keep him safe and keep him nearby. shapool adores kaito far more than any of his other humans and the two of them are like brothers. shapool also explores the forest a lot because he loves meeting the animals, and mai loves having him come to visit her.

yuya stumbled into the forest with rat by accident, the two of them on the run from thieves, and they both nearly died. yuya’s survival skills kept them alive long enough to impress kaito, who came to collect them to come tend his home and serve him. they both actually really like him despite the fact he scared them at first and both of them would defend him viciously if given the chance.

kouta comes into the forest looking for ryoma when his sister gets sick and no one else can help her. he heard that ryoma walked in and never came out and even though he knows he has no hope of finding him, he has to try. kaito plans on letting him die as most humans do, but kouta’s dumb perseverance intrigues him so he comes to him and asks him what he’s doing in the forest. kouta tells him his sister is dying and kaito offers to save her assuming both of them would be willing to come into the forest. akira gets to stay with marika when ryoma is finished taking care of her, and kouta comes to baron’s castle.

kouta likes it there, actually. he loves spending time with shapool, who is boundless energy and excitement and joy. he likes hanging out with yuya and rat, who are both easy to get along with kinda guys who are more than willing to show him around and help him figure out how to do his work. he likes peko and zack, who are levels above him and yuya and rat but who never act like it. he begs them to teach him how to dance because he was learning how before he came here and he wants to finish those lessons up.

he’s also the one who starts asking about shura when zack mentions him once or twice in conversation, but kaito is quiet on the subject. kouta finally ends up going to mai about it, which is kinda hard because rica and chucky don’t just let anyone near their goddess girlfriend. kouta swears on his life that he only wants to know what happened and mai tells him about how kaito and shura argued so much that shura decided to leave and how mai gave him special armor that would arise from kaito’s love and protective feelings over him to keep him safe no matter where he was. and he starts pushing for kaito to bring shura home.

kugai kudo is the healer who takes over for ryoma, but unlike ryoma he’s also a warrior who basically turned his back on his kingdom in order to take up ryoma’s work and help people. sid becomes interested in him when he sees someone has taken up residence in ryoma’s old house and he drops by to visit him, saying he isn’t sick or anything, just he’s heard some rumors and is curious. kugai humors him and tells him what he wants to know and sid drops by every now and then to say hi. but of course that betrayal isn’t going to stand for long and kugai eventually has people come after him for betraying his kingdom. sid ends up saving him and bringing him into the forest.

there are also some evil gods from another faraway kingdom who try to invade and kill and takeover but they aren’t important yet.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Uliuli Iwi (Part 5)

4 Years Ago.

 The waves rush to meet the shore. As they recede, they take and handful of shells, rocks, and small sea animals unfortunate enough to have been resting too close. A lonely figure makes her way over the sand. The beach is unusually quiet. No splashing children nor scolding adults. No sunbathing teens nor picnicking families. Only one other person sits on the beach. She is crying out to the sea, asking it why it has taken her daughter. Her wrinkled hands are raised towards the sky as if the clouds will rain down the answers that the sea doesn’t wash up.

 With nothing to really offer, the stranger walks passed the mournful elder.

 For a moment, she listens as the breeze whispers through the palm trees and across the barren beach. She heads into town, intent on buying new shoes. She had been traveling without for quite some time now and her feet are growing anguished. She fears infection among other things.

 The stranger walks through the village as a mere observer. Though the village is dismally quiet too. A few people are out and about trying to sell fruit or handmade jewelry. But other than that, the place is dead quiet. Azula doesn’t like it. It reminds her of the village she’d just left. The village she’d called home.

 She knows this kind of silence well.

It is the silence of a plague town.

Only the daring come out and make noise. Only those who have a death wish or are already sick walk the streets. She looks at the woman selling jewelry…or the desperate.

 Azula clutches the warding charm around her neck. The one she had found some time ago in a hidden place heavy with spiritual energy. She hadn’t been able to find that place again. The charm has kept her safe from disease all this time.  She stares at the helpless faces in the windows. The blanks stares of those who have lost all hope. She decides that this is where she must stay. She finds a small inn with a rickety sign. ‘Vacant: at your risk’ and just below that reads, ‘village cleansing and prayer ceremony: sundown’. She notes that time down in her mind and pushes the door open. The man at the front desk is quiet. “One room.” Azula requests. The man seems to look right through her. But with absent movements he hands her a room key. “How much?” Azula asks. All he does is shake his head and she knows that his time is coming to an end.

Without another word, she looks at the number etched into the key and finds the corresponding room. She takes a look around. The place is a tight squeeze, but she didn’t have many possessions to fit in anyhow. Morbidly, she wonders if any people had died on that bed. She sets her pack down; a sleeping bag, some food, a waterskin, box of herbal remedies she had collected and mixed on the road, and a messy looking handmade bracelet. She brings the bracelet to her lips as she so often does. She carefully puts it back among her other things.

 She witnessed death again that night.

 She attended the ceremony after a somewhat long and taxing trip to a river some miles from the village—even with her sprit charm she couldn’t bring herself to chance washing her clothes in the village’s own river. For all she knew, it was the source of whatever illness she had yet to see.

 She admitted to herself that she felt out of place among these people who knew each other so well. Once again, she sees herself as only a silent observer. She sits on a log by a growing bonfire. Mothers and fathers cling to each other and to their children, as if keeping such a close-knit embrace would leave no room for sickness to get in between.

 The woman Azula can only assume is the village chief stands before everyone and thanks them for coming out. She encourages the people to keep faith and to be strong. The ritual begins and a team of mystics emerge. They dance around the fire chanting—this is how she knows that they are con-artists, taking advantage of an entire village during low times. Their chants are nonsense and have nothing to do with the spirits at all, she figures they probably made up that gibberish entirely. But she says nothing, the only thing keeping these people together his blind hope. To unveil the truth now would tear the village apart. She would show them a real mage.

 She watches the offensive display reach its climax. This is where the healing is supposed to happen. But in a cruelly poetic display one of the village woman begins seizing violently.  She cries out to her husband, before she is completely consumed by sickness. She sweats terribly and blood trickles from her ears and her mouth. Azula clenches her charm, she knows now that she will need its full enchantment. The woman lets out a piercing final scream accompanied by a grotesque tearing noise and then it cuts off. Azula swallows down a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding.

Apparently, the woman and her family hadn’t been hugging each other tight enough, for the illness got in, stole a life, and made a clean get away.

“What a horrible way to go.” Azula thinks to herself.

 The ceremony comes to an abrupt end. People back away and flee to the safety of their homes. The more sympathetic of them nod sorrowfully in the man and child’s direction. The shamans scowled and scattered, realizing that this particular scam was much too risky. She knew in that moment, exactly who had already lost a loved one. For those were the only people who remained and helped the boy and his father close the woman’s eyes and wrap her body up. But their stares are blank too and even they don’t offer condolences. It is up to them now, to honor her in death and burn her remains.

Death has become so common here, people can no longer be bothered with formal, cultural burials.

 Azula can’t help but cringe. She has seen this before as well.

 She walks up to the reduced family. She knows that they acknowledge her presence, but neither look up. In a lifetime that seemed so distant now, she would have scoffed at their poor manners and proclaimed that ‘you could always leave it to the waterbenders to be so discourteous. Instead she puts a hand on the shoulder of the boy. “I can’t do much now.” She breaks the quiet. “But I can help you honor her properly. How do you do it here? A feast? A candle lighting?”

 “We paint the face red and cloak them in white. We write down our favorite memory of them and tuck the scroll under their arms so they do not forget who they are in the life after. After that we hum them a traditional song to show their soul off happily.” The man replies. “You cannot write a memory down for a person you’ve never known.”

 “You underestimate how little time it takes to create a memory.” Azula replies. On a scroll, she is already writing what she has seen. “You said the memory must help them remember who they are…” She holds out her scroll—in it she talks of a woman strong in nature with love and fight in her eyes, a woman who didn’t let go until the very end.

 The man nods respectfully. “Thank you…”

 She doesn’t give him a name to fill in. It is easier that way—when she leaves the village he won’t have a name to miss, eventually the face will fade. He will be spared more heartbreak.

 “My boy. Kho-Nhm, he doesn’t talk much, but he apricates your gesture.”

 “I want to help your village.” Azula says. “To give you real help. Not…whatever that was.”

 “How can you do that?” He asks.

 She shows him her charm. “I’ve been teaching myself to make remedies. Trial and error, of course. I’ve cured a few vagabonds and journeymen. I also know how to call the spirits.”

 “So did they.”

 So, he saw through the lies too. She had to respect his skeptism.

 “I suppose you’ll just have to give me a chance then. The worst that can happen is another sense of false hope to keep your village together, yes?”

 He looks her in the eye. “You are not like them. I can tell. At the very least, you truly believe that you can call upon the spirits. They know they cannot, and yet they claim to anyhow.” He picks Kho-Nhm up.

 Azula doesn’t know how she should interpret that.

 “Come back to my hut if you will, my son and I don’t want to honor Waituba alone.” He says. “You can stay with us until you rid our village of the disease.”

 She drops the key off and gathers her belongings before joining them in their home. They treat her well and tell stories of Waituba and her fiery nature. The man is absolutely convinced that his wife’s attitude was what happened when you cross Fire Nation and Water Tribe blood. She finds out through these stories that his name is Kurlok. He passes around Waituba’s favorite dishes and asks if Azula is a firebender—the final step in the ceremony would be much easier that way.

 “I am.” Azula answers. This time she doesn’t need to disguise her flames. She knows she is far enough from home for the brilliant blue hue to go unrecognized.

 “I put my faith in the right place.” She hears the man mutter. He has come to the right conclusion, but for the wrong reason. She doesn’t correct him, she will give him a real reason to trust her healing abilities when the time comes.

 They bow to the body and scatter her ashes amid the sand in their yard.

 Kho-Nhm yawns, a solid reminder to both she and Kurlok that it has grown late. The night, however, isn’t done with Kurlok. His son’s legs wobble and he pitches to the left. Azula catches him before he can meet the sand. When his eyes reach hers, they are dazed and confused. She can’t bring herself to look back at Kurlok.

 “Daddy, my head hurts.”

[screamingtofu]

d&d session 6: burials, bathhouses and buying things

Had another d&d session, I’m now keeper of the party funds because I was keeping track of it anyway.

We pick up outside Merigan village, Eridol surrounded by guards giggling uncontrollably at his prank and our now conscious charge, Melissa bolts into town towards the temple and we all follow suit. We find a room of 12 people, covered in pustules, black veins spiderwebbing all over their bodies, all of them as pale as the sheets they’re on. They’re sick yo. Fortunately there’s a cleric and paladin that just turned up like awesome magical EMT’s and Drack and Eridol get to work. Eridol cures one of them and heals a few others to keep them alive longer and Drack cures Heinrik (aka the dude who’s daughter we had to find) and an old man before dumping his last batch of divine magic into a small child who while it did cure her of the disease she had been plagued with, couldn’t do anything to stop her from dying. She was just too far gone unfortunately. Drack says a prayer to Lentys and hears a high pitched ringing as his prayer finishes.

We go and talk to the abbot of the temple to let him know and discuss burial rites for the girl, Sarah. The abbot gives us a brief rundown of what is required and takes us out to a bunch of freshly dug graves, but suggests we talk to her family to see if there is anything they would need for the burial. Drack mentions that we believe we had encountered the source of the disease in an orc shaman for Yurt’ris - the lord of maggots/the rotting one ... this seems to alarm the abbot and he runs off to his chambers, leaving Drack and Eridol standing by the graves. After a minute or two of silence, Eridol brings up his vision from last session and they talk about what it could mean and what to do for the remainder of the time they’d be in town. They head back to the temple and sleep outside the room with all the sick people. Eridol had flashes of his vision throughout the night, Drack had a full fledged vision this time though. Bright light and fire surrounds Drack from every direction as far as the eye can see, a shadowed figure appears at the centre of the fire and moves towards Drack before he wakes up.

Olgum, our hobgoblin fighter decided to sleep in an alley outside and found out he was being followed by two of the towns guard. Olgum being the “negative shits given” type decides to continue napping as the guards get close enough to draw the attention of Olgum’s worg pup, Ras. This is enough to get Olgum’s attention and he finds out the guards had been following him for a while because they’re hunting aficionados who like to bet on hunts and as Olgum tends to come into town with multiple carcasses each time he goes hunting, they wanted to make a wager. Olgum shuts them down as gently as he knows how to ... which is not gentle at all. As they wander off, Olgum drifts off to sleep. Waking up to find a good chunk of his gold and one of his prized hand axes missing. After a failed investigation check, he makes his way to a local tavern to partake in everyone’s favourite past time, Day drinking.

Drack and Eridol cure another 4 people of the disease that’s been afflicting them and heal the remainder of the ill to make sure no one else dies and head out to get some supplies for the burial and to run some errands as Raven, our elven druid goes to spend a day relaxing at the spa.

Drack and Eridol go to see possibly my favourite npc, Sven the creepy skin guy. Whose shop is now much more inviting and less “I’ll take your organs while you’re not looking”. Eridol commissions a crocodile skin cloak because although Sven practically terrifies Eridol, the dude does amazing work. We also sell him some left over animal skins and then get to the real business, Drack brings out the 8 orc heads, 2 goblin heads and pristine elf skin gloves we snagged from the shaman/priest back at the orc camp and sweet babies, Sven nearly dies of joy. I bring out the scalp cape we took off the orog warchief from the orc camp and explain to Sven that I want to make sure that everyone that died to make this thing gets proper burial rites and that I need Sven’s help to disassemble it. As payment I bring out the full orc skin I somehow nat 20′d on getting. Sven refuses payment and disassembles the cloak for us, We sell him all the skins and heads before leaving to visit the blacksmith that “borrowed” Drack’s sword last time we were in town. Drack organises to get his plate armor repaired and a filigree added as well as retrieves his sword which as we find out was a lot fancier that originally thought and is a god damn magical sword with +1 to hit as well as some kind of evocation magic to it as well. Lucky lizard bastard gets the first magical weapon. I’m not jealous, you’re jealous.

We go to the bathhouse and get cleaned up before going to see Sarah’s family to let them know about Sarah, the burial and to see if they had any specific rituals required for the burial rites. Drack decides to hang back because he’s not exactly the person you want to hear bad news from. I knock on the door and am greeted by a tired, emaciated man who within seconds becomes a tired, emaciated and emotionally broken pile of a human being. I bring the guy back inside, we talk and he starts drinking. He was Sarah’s father and her only living family after the mother died, he would make it to the burial at sunset to see Sarah off and that her mother was a follower of Tyr which eyyyyy is great news for me. I give the father a satchel of gold as condolences and we leave. After a few other non essential errands Drack and I head back to the temple to start preparations for the burial to find our sorcerer, Core in a heated discussion with the abbot about the orc shaman and what followers of Yurt’ris being seen means. Drack and Eridol get into their priests vestments and start out to the graveyard, the body already prepared by the abbot and temple staff. We consecrate the ground and wait for the father to arrive. The sun sets and it starts to rain. We wait 30 minutes and nothing, the rest of the party and the temple staff come out to watch an hour after sunset and the father shows up. Stinking of booze and grief. We start the ceremony with Drack assisting and Eridol giving the burial rites of his god. Everyone watching begins helping to lower the body and Eridol gets more flashes of his vision, this time the bright pinprick of light seeming closer and chasing away more of the darkness. As the vision fades, the burial is completed and people begin moving back to the temple. All except the father who is just weeping on the ground next to the grave and Eridol who just sits down next to him in silence.

Everyone ends up at the tavern for the night to drink and eat. Eridol sees Olgum over in the corner and tries to get his attention by using thaumaturgy to make the fire burst slightly ... this certainly does something and accidentally sets a small girls pigtail on fire but does not get Olgums attention. Drack and Eridol get super drunk and drack passes out, keeping with tradition eridol messes with him and draws dicks on every exposed piece of skin Drack has before signing it with the sorcerers name. Our sorcerer gives us a sending stone so we can talk to him from anywhere on the plane and tells us that we need to go see the council in the capital city of Principium and that we’ll need to think up a group name for when we are introduced to the council. And we end there for the session.