#altar figures

[sunderwight]

Thinking about Black Widow Luo Binghe.

Hear me out -- so just like in canon, Shen Qingqiu self-destructs to save Luo Binghe, dies, and Luo Binghe steals his body to put on ice while he looks for methods to resurrect him. But unlike in canon, staving off decomposition is simply not that doable for a matter of years, even with cultivation and Luo Binghe pouring qi into the process. The qi costs are still high, so is Xin Mo, and now Binghe also needs a special artifact that can actually preserve Shen Qingqiu, but that runs on blood sacrifices.

To get the thing working, Luo Binghe feeds it a bunch of prisoners from the Water Prison. Then he starts kidnapping cultivators to drain for his own qi reserves, but that's difficult, controversial, and he can't use the same victims for the blood sacrifice afterwards. Frankly, between one thing and another it would be easier to satisfy Xin Mo with dual cultivation, and focus on finding victims for Shizun's Snow White style glass preservation coffin without having to choose between using targets for one or the other. Especially given that, if he finesses it, Luo Binghe can extend the use of his sacrifices and get more out of them with fewer deaths that way.

He's pretty sure that Shizun would want fewer deaths.

Of course, he is not a fan of the logistics of the plan itself, but he'd do worse things to one day be reunited. He consoles himself that he's building up bedroom experience for one day being with Shen Qingqiu, and that it doesn't really count because his heart's not really in it, and also if Shizun got to spend all that time in brothels then it's only fitting that Luo Binghe be his equal in this as well. It still doesn't make it pleasant for him, but it makes him able to tolerate the necessity of it.

So Luo Binghe ends up marrying a string of rich and powerful figures -- mostly the villainous single fathers and mothers and evil uncles of harem members from PIDW, rather than their daughters -- and coming up with creative ways of making all their deaths a few months into the process look like accidents. After the third one people are undeniably wary of marrying him, but there's always someone with a big enough ego to think they'll be an exception, or stupid enough to believe that it really has just been so much bad luck up to that point. It helps that the universe is predisposed to let him hit it.

When SY wakes up in the shroom body and hears about Luo Binghe's succession of marriages, he's not surprised. What he is surprised by is the bisexual graveyard of toxic dilfs and milfs that has replaced the harem.

What did he do to cause that?!

And what does Luo Binghe mean that he wants to marry his own shizun now? Is this his new method of revenge??? Binghe, you don't have to marry someone to kill them!

[my-name-is-apollo]

Why is Hera so hostile to Leto in a manner that she isn't with the other lovers of Zeus? I can't think of any other woman who was targeted so much by Hera. One could say she didn't want Leto to give birth because her children would be a competition to Hera's children, but why bother her even after she had already given birth? Is it because Leto herself is also a threat to Hera?

Sort of I guess?

I don't think Leto would ever be a threat to Hera's role as the queen of the gods but Hera might see her as a competitor for Zeus' affection, even though I think Zeus would not marry someone else and replace Hera.

The twins are definitely a big reason why Hera begrudged Leto - it is outright stated in the Callimachus Hymn to Delos that the reason Hera especially targeted Leto was because she was told that Apollo would be dearer to Zeus than Ares is. Zeus is very proud of Artemis as well. As he himself puts it, he doesn't mind facing Hera's wrath for children like her.

But the continued hatred even after the birth of the twins (like sending Tityus to rape Leto) could have been for different reasons. This wasn't like one of those affairs Zeus would have with mortal women where he'd leave them behind once the child is conceived. Neither could Hera, despite her many attempts, get rid of Leto like she did with the other lovers. Not only did Leto give Zeus children that he loves dearly, she also stayed on Olympus despite Hera's hatred towards her (which isn't directed to any of Zeus' other divine mistresses, btw). It might have also been because Leto herself is dear to Zeus, if the way she's treated on Olympus is any proof. In the Homeric hymn to Apollo, Leto stands next to Zeus - in the Olympian assembly - to welcome their son. Hera is completely absent from the scene, as if Leto had taken her place even if temporarily. Now you could say this is because Apollo himself is such a powerful and glorious son in a way that no other son of Zeus is, so of course Leto would get such an honor (the hymn itself presents it this way).

But here's another instance - in the Iliad, when Hera goes to seduce Zeus, he is obviously very smitten but before getting into the action, he lists some of his lovers (I believe these were his favorite lovers, as a lot of others are not mentioned):

"for never has such desire for goddess or mortal woman so gripped and overwhelmed my heart, not even when I was seized by love for Ixion’s wife, who gave birth to Peirithous the gods’ rival in wisdom; or for Acrisius’ daughter, slim-ankled Danaë, who bore Perseus, greatest of warriors; or for the far-famed daughter of Phoenix, who gave me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthus; or for Semele mother of Dionysus, who brings men joy; or for Alcmene at Thebes, whose son was lion-hearted Heracles; or for Demeter of the lovely tresses; or for glorious Leto; or even for you yourself, as this love and sweet desire for you grips me now.’ (Book 14, trans. A. T. Murray)

Notice how when talking about most of them, he also mentions the children they bore to him but when Demeter and Leto are mentioned, he doesn't bring up their children at all despite them being some of the most accomplished kids of his. What's more, he takes Leto's name just before Hera's. I mean, this is an interpretation but it looks like not only did Zeus love Leto the most out of all his mistresses - giving her a place second to that of his wife, but also his love for her wasn't necessarily only because she gave him two amazing children.

Nonnus does something similar in the Dionysiaca (but this time Zeus is enamored with Persephone instead of Hera) but more notably, when Typhoeus attacks Olympus and Zeus is discouraged, Nike takes the form of Leto to encourage him and it's pretty telling of what Leto meant to Zeus.

One interesting similarity between Hera and Leto is that they both had a giant try to rape them. Porphyrion tried to violate Hera (Zeus inspired him to do this) and Tityus tried to violate Leto (upon Hera's order). Though both of them were killed, only Tityus got an eternal punishment in Tartarus of having his liver/heart eaten out by vultures so Zeus seems to have taken a greater offense at Tityus trying to assault Leto.

Again, I don't think Zeus would ever take anyone other than Hera as his permanent wife - she is irreplaceable to him. There's an entire myth about Hera leaving him and Zeus winning her back. Their relationship is obviously complex and involves all kinds of emotions including love and hate. But Leto is continually dear to him as well and that's something Hera can't do much about.

[coriander-candlesticks]

Hail Apollo and Hermes for helping me get my ass in gear to take care of a couple financial things that have been stressing me out for a while! ...and for the reminder to not impulse spend.

[thesilicontribesman]

Roman Genius Loci

A Roman altar dedicated to the Genius Loci, the 'Spirit of the Place: It was found in Sheep Street, Cirencester in 1880.

The Genius wears a crown and holds a cornucopia in his left hand. In his right hand he holds a patera, (a sacrificial bowl) extended over an altar.

Corinium Museum, Cirencester

[theplotwizard]

Pit is finally here! Just hanging out with his Lady Palutena Pallas Athena ✌️😁

[bugwolfsstuff]

I love how when I first started paganism I said good morning to just Apollo and Helios cause they're sun gods every morning and goodnight to just Artemis and Selene because they're moon gods every night before I go to sleep.

But now it's slowly just built up a list of gods, most of which I dont even regularly pray to or have associations with night or day.

So now I say good morning/hey to: Apollo, Helios, Lugh, Athena, An Dagda, Danu, An Morrigan, Brigid and now Dionysus

And I say goodnight to: Artemis, Selene, Hekate, An Morrigan, Áine, Brigid, Athena and now Dionysus

At this point I probably should just make up a prayer or something but this feels more...intimate? (cant think of the word)

[phoenixyfriend]

Why am I having so much trouble finding "Rey trying to avoid her grandfather's attempts to marry her off to an advantageous partner" fic (that isn't for The Ship I Don't Like)

[qlala]

so i think the best way to do a coldflash au of the greatest musical of our time, mamma mia, would be—yes i’m aware it’s 3 a.m., why do you ask—

anyway, the best way to do it would be like, a morbid dark comedy take on it where barry’s not trying to find his father, he’s trying to find the person who framed his father. for his mother’s murder. so he’s like ‘okay i’ve reviewed all the case notes, and i’ve narrowed it down to these three men. also, unrelated, iris and eddie, you don’t mind if i invite three people to your wedding last-minute, right?’

and the three men can be like, harrison wells, eobard thawne, and of course, leonard snart

and barry has sophie’s protagonist attitude of “i’ll just know which one it is when i see him,” except obviously, he doesn’t. harrison wells is an asshole, eobard thawne is a creepy asshole, and leonard snart is… flirting with him?

(i have zero notes on the “does your mother know that you’re out” scene from the mamma mia! movie. just do that again, but angrier, because barry isn’t sure if len is taunting him over his mother’s death or just poking fun at their age gap. but it should be exactly as horny)

len would be the first to catch on to what’s going on, because he knows doc allen from iron heights and puts it together, and he would be impressed at what a ballsy idea it was if he wasn’t too busy being mad at barry for what a stupid fucking idea it was instead, inviting the man who killed his mother to a wedding he’s in, to what? give him a shot at slitting barry’s throat in his sleep next?

if that happens, iris will probably cancel this wedding that len fully intends on crashing, so naturally his only option is to follow around iris’s very stupid, very cute best man for the next three days, just to keep him from getting murdered by whichever of the other two men did kill his mother. and, since that includes the previously-mentioned threat of barry getting killed in his sleep, well… he’ll just have to talk his way into barry’s bed so he can keep an eye on him overnight, too

[thatshowthingstarted]

ALTAR FIGURE,

Anonymous Keaka artist, Nigeria - Cameroon,

Wood, soot, pigment, Height : 80 cm,

© Valentin Claivarolles

[missr3n3]

ok i did the comfort character trend thing

(bonus au version under the cut!)

[bolszaja-miedwedica]

i wanted to find a body lotion that smelt cute for when im feeling small and i couldn't find one for so long and today i went to the store and i found not only two super cute body lotions (one vanilla and one strawberry chupa chups) but also a cherry blossom body mist, a pusheen strawberry shampoo, a cherry scented hand soap and a hello kitty strawberry lip balm so thank you Lady Aphrodite for allowing me to find those things i will take good care of them

[relmint-draws]

Nezha moment

[ID: A full-bodied illustration of Nezha donning a serious expression on his face. His short black hair falls above his shoulders, some wrapped in twin buns with a red ribbon. Underneath his bangs, a red huadian peeks out in the middle of his forehead. He is wearing a red dudou paired with a green skirt mimicking a lotus leaf. He has a golden ribbon tied around his waist. He is wearing a golden band around his neck accompanied by a pink yunjian that mimics lotus petals. He has golden bands around his ankles and is wearing red and gold arm braces. He floats over his Wind Fire Wheels which look like lotus roots, while clutching onto his Fire-tipped Spear in his left hand, and the Universe Ring in his right. He has the Red Armillary Sash around his shoulders. END ID]

[wine-and-madness]

HEY GUESS WHAT

ALTAR

This is my first ever altar!!! Depression and ADHD have made this YEARS in the making, and I'm so happy to finally have done it!!! I used it to offer the first wine I've ever made that I find palatable 😊😊😊 Which is only my second batch, and vastly needs improvement still, but it's EXCITING to be getting somewhere!!!!!

[allthesunlightwecansee]

I wanted to post some more altar updates! I haven’t been posting on here much because I’ve been doing a lot of reading (and also I was working on graduating with my MA!). I gave myself a few reading projects to do, including reading about different kinds of folk magic to compare regional similarities, and reading pagan and Wiccan books from the 70s-90s to learn what people were working with pre-social media.

Anyway, most of these are altar updates that involve action figures. I absolutely love seeing widely available depictions of the gods, so I was really excited to get all of these! I actually find it really odd that there have been no major figure lines based on mythology, so I’m always thrilled when new ones come out and look like the designers have put a lot of care into them. I also included a couple of things that were graduation gifts from my boyfriend and best friend!

[whats-in-a-sentence]

"Inside a cavern room, at the bottom of the volcano, stands an altar to Takhisis. What it may have been carved to represent, I could not tell, for it was so covered with green blood and black slime that it seemed a horrid growth springing from the rock. Around the altar were robed figures – dark clerics of Takhisis and magic-users wearing the Black Robes. (...)"

"DragonLance Chronicles: Dragons of Spring Dawning" - Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

[coriander-candlesticks]

On today's episode of "Is This a Bad Idea or Am I Just Anxious": is it disrespectful to have a separate tarot deck for "public"/"for fun" spreads?

Audience vote says "no" but if anyone has a strong opinion about it I'd legitimately love to hear it