#and i don't do ''mains'' except for my idea of a pantheon that i just posted about lol | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

pearlaquaoceans · 5 months ago

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I have sat on this for so many days and I've read a lot thoughts from others and I guess I wanted to write out where I am right now with another episode coming out in a few days. I think I know better what made me feel junky about that last portion and also I can look at it and see the good.

I think the main issue that made me not feel good is more on a meta level. Throughout all three campaigns we have been built up with the world and Matt is using this campaign to take the 'history was written by the victors' approach.

It is not a line of thought I tend to enjoy in fiction and especially when the world is so built up like Exandria is. Matt has voiced a number of times things in what come across as more 'this is the actual fact and what was said before is falsehoods' which definitely can happen as he has built out the world over the decade. Things change and you want to work those changes in.

A lot of those changes have greatly minimized the impact the gods have had on the world and that is something he is allowed to do with his story, but it has never really landed with me.

Then there is the theory that the end result will always be the gods leaving or dying so they can move to daggerheart and break away entirely from WoC (trash company so really, I can't blame them) but then.. it doesn't feel like a choice. It's not the characters driving that story. It's real world money and corporate politics and that kinda sucks and I think that was heightened seeing the Arch Heart propose this plan that fits that idea perfectly.

They don't want the gods to die so lets bring in a way the gods just leave. Again, I do not fault Matt or CR for wanting to separate themselves from WoC but I can identify that I am selfish enough that I wish for a new world entirely for daggerheart instead of tearing a way a foundational block to it so that it can work.

But that also is only a theory, maybe they will surprise many and go for a 4th campaign in DnD, who knows. The future is not yet written. I also am aware enought o know my bias. The gods have always interested me. I tend to enjoy pantheons and the fact the gods are so present is interesting for character stories, and then I couldn't help but fall in love with them in Downfall because they were so utterly human and I find that the most fascinating. I simple don't want them to be gone. Give me a paladin of the Arch Heart. Give me a cleric of the Moon Weaver. I want to see those stories.

On the level within the game and the characters I felt kinda junky in the moment and I have reblogged quite a few posts that better outline some of my feelings.

I think the plan is not well thought out with too much citationless behaviour going on.

I think it is potentially betraying everyone who was in the meeting.

If they don't think people would try to hunt down the vessel to either kill or enslave them, they are kidding themselves unless the vessel literally leaves the planet to chase the gods across the stars.

I cannot imagine either Dorian or Ashton would ever want to sacrifice their friend to be a vessel for Predathos especially after seeing Laudna's struggles with a mere Wizard. I can only imagine the god eater would dissolve the mortal body much like the gods shedding their mortal forms in Downfall.

It is still a microscopic group of people making a decision for the world while consulting very few of the world and their decision could kill millions (they are a mirror to the gods of Aeor except the gods on their side and not holding a gun to their heads). I want canvasing of the neighbourhoods with surveys before they make a decision like that. I want the peer reviewed behaviour.

The Arch Heart is a single being and says multiple times it is only his opinion but that might get forgotten and it will become the view of all the gods when it is really only of the one who looked into the oblivion as they sailed away and felt a curiosity to know what it was like.

There will be a power vaccum that can only end terribly with people in the highest seats of power and they're going to care a whole lot less than gods like Sarenrae or the Wildmother about the mountain of corpses they'll create to get there.

They aren't going to be on the other side of the divine gate. The gods have been almost entirely kept at bay by the divine gate and it is almost always mortals causing the most harm in the world so the big door is in fact working.

I don't want this to be 'the world worked before the gods so if we smash the system is should work the same way again' kinda like the green lens even if Matt has minimized the gods effect on the world, I just cannot believe it would. I also cannot believe nothing would change if the gods left. They have changed the world and it has changed them.

And then, the most selfishly from my feelings, the Arch Heart reaffirmed Ashton's and Dorian's desires and handed them an all-too-perfect present with a bow that I see rotting at it's core, and they will feel validated and be more cemented in their stances. And so the god talk will happen and it will be the same things discussed but this time there is no pushing it to the side with saying 'you don't gotta like the gods but Ludinus sucks so lets stop him.' It is just about the gods and I do not like that this group skews from 'entirely neutral to undying hatred' for the gods outside Braius and I adore him but I do not exactly think he's the one whose gonna argue for the pantheon. I love Dorian and his feeling are valid and his priority is always going to be his friends. I just don't know if he will give the same thought to the strangers who love the gods because I want them to be equal in the conversation. I love Dorian but I do not think he is right and that's okay.

I also don't think it will go noted that Ashton has already been proven wrong that the gods did not want to smite them for seeing the recordings. It's small but it just struck something in me because it says something between Ashton's interpenetration of them and their actual feelings.

I dunno y'all I'm just already feeling exhausted about whats going to be said and it ain't even Thursday yet. But maybe they'll surprise me. Sorry this is so long. I rambled. I love the players and it is their game and their right and I just have feelings about it.

Cooldown is the one thing that saved that whole conversation for me because I was feeling really empty and hollow and icky and I really don't jive with that curveball item at the end. That was...uh. a thing.

Sleep will help. Cooldown helps. Hearing others thoughts might help who are smarter than me because I'm pretty sure I'm just too stupid to understand it.

Also, I know part of it is entirely selfish that it validates certain characters, and it means we are going to have the exact same Gods conversation 10 more times and this time there is no hiding behind Ludinus. It's just, keep the gods or chase them away. And I am so. Utterly. Tired. Of that discussion for the moment. Ashton is going to be more set than ever and I do not think will ever budge now and I'm just tired of it. Unless they also wanna go talk to a different god like Pelor who is more pro stay on the planet type.. I dunno. I'm just feeling empty and icky.

Tomorrow will be better I think. Tonight ends weird for me.

I already dread the opening convo of next week's episode.

This is all my personal feelings in the heat of the moment etc etc. Do not take this as an official critique or anything that I am thinking badly of of the players etc.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #cr spoilers #bells hells spoilers #cr3 #c3 e107

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beyondplusultra · 2 years ago

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sumire for the character ask!!

Sexuality Headcanon: straight Gender Headcanon: cis A ship I have with said character: i KNOW i said i headcanon her as straight because she just has that energy to me, but i still like sumitaba. i don't think it has anything to stand on though, i just think it's cute! a more serious answer would be sumi/ryuji, because come on. they're both jocks. they can bond over so much, and ryuji is totally into the type of girl that she is besides that. i think he can help bring her out of her shell a bit more too when she's trying to find herself again! A BROTP I have with said character: i love the idea of goro and sumi eventually being friends, and only in the version of P5R that i have in my head. in THAT world, goro would have been exasperated with her during third sem antics, but would eventually allow himself to be a mentor to her especially as a fellow cognitive psience experiment and child that got manipulated by an adult. but as it stands in canon, there's just no way that akechi gives that much of a damn about her at all— people can say all they want that he chose not to kill her during that fight, but i don't believe that was for her sake at all. akechi would have done it in a heartbeat; he just didn't want to upset akira. A NOTP I have with said character: ......and on that note, akesumi. akechi is simply not interested in anyone except joker, canonically, word of god-ly, and also because i say so A random headcanon: vanadis as her true awakening is still reflective of how sumi doesn't know what her true self is, which is okay; sometimes you have to take the time to figure it out! sometimes your true self changes as you grow (hence all the other second and third awakenings). i think vanadis came out because she's still in that in-between of figuring it out, and her vision of rebellion is not only joker now, but also crow. she watched them rebel against this false reality and she decided to do the same. her outfit already reflects joker's— and now her persona reflects his physically while coming from the same pantheon as akechi's. General Opinion over said character: oh baby girl, they did you so dirty. they could have written you so much better. she's such an afterthought in the main game, and then third sem happens and she matters for that one moment and then never again?? i'm so fucking sorry they did that to you sumire oh my god.

#ask game #clouiis #i wish the sumi in the game was the sumi in my head

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insipid-drivel · 3 years ago

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Any tips for someone who wants to make a lil surreal webcomic/series?

Sure! I no longer am affiliated with doublethickcustard, but I'm totally cool with sharing the behind-the-scenes creative process that ultimately were produced into webcomics:

Firstly, I'm a hardcore writer, not an artist, so I kind of tripped and fell into the world of webcomics by meeting DTC and finding that we had very compatible fantasy ideas. He was the art behind the comics (I'm not sure if he's still in the game; I haven't heard from him in years), while I worked on most of the worldbuilding, mythology, bestiary, main characters, pantheons, cultures, and even maps of the universe that I was initially working on myself and planning to publish as a novel, but DTC got into my work so much that he started painting characters and scenes and eventually got the idea to publish them as webcomics since they're such a popular format these days for storytelling.

When we started working together, we wrote the stories like books with the mind of creating a working manuscript. After a chapter was complete, it was time to storyboard, which he did from an artistic standpoint, and I did from the standpoint of distilling prose and dialogue into more condensed phrasing to fit well in speech/thought bubbles.

So, Rule #1: You want the size aspect ratios of thought and dialogue bubbles to take up about as little space in a panel or page as possible while remaining true to the core story and keeping the characters in-character. You don't want speech bubbles to take up more than about 25-50% of a panel (depending on the resolution you're using). However you can make exceptions if there's rapid-fire back-and-forth dialogue that you want to flow well and keep your readers engaged. For panels where a lot of dialogue is unavoidable and you can't fit a whole lot of art in, lean toward compensating by focusing on facial expressions and gestures between characters. That will let your readers picture the characters conversing while reading along.

#2: Don't be afraid to have fun with fonts. One great and crafty way to further impress your characters' moods and personalities is by assigning them with their own unique fonts. If you have a hard time thinking from that perspective, try thinking, "What would this character's handwriting look like?" Using colorful fonts to portray emotion (red for anger, for example) is also a great way to keep a reader's attention. You want to play on their peripheral vision so while they're looking at the art, they're still subconsciously registering dialogue even if they've finished reading it in that panel. Your brain is able to register an extraordinary amount of information using your peripheral vision, even when you're focused on one thing in particular. Your brain is still cataloguing the entire page even after you've moved your eyes across multiple panels.

#3: If you're working with a partner, get everything regarding publishing and monetary benefits in writing. DTC screwed me out of our earnings and I never saw a penny because he kept the money to himself and refused to share it with me because "as an artist, I do the really hard work and you just write shit. I'll let you have some money if you tell me what it's for. Why don't you trust me?" I'm an Aspie and was taken advantage of. I wound up relying on my mother just to afford food.

#4: "Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." -Cyril Connolly. I highly discourage trying to write and produce a story for an audience. Write and publish what you love to do, and your passion and dedication to your craft will endear your readers and shine through your work. You may be publishing, but it's still your work. Your creativity. Your spirit. The death knell to the passionate creator is having other outside forces pushing you away from what you want to create in order to please an audience. Let fanfiction writers retcon and reinterpret as they will. Your artistic integrity should always come first.

#5: Don't force it. Don't over-exhaust yourself in trying to meet strict deadlines and make yourself anxious and panicky to hurry up and get a new chapter out. If you're not a person that is comfortable with keeping a regimented work cycle, then just let your readers know. "You can look forward to a new chapter about every [your comfort zone here], but remember that I'm human, and sometimes life and writer's block happens." If you're up-front with your readers from the get-go that you're human and you have your own needs and life to lead outside of publishing, they'll respect you for being forthcoming. If anybody digs at you about it, feel free to send them my way. It's okay if you need an advocate to handle comments from your audience. You're not weak for struggling with unsolicited critique. In fact, here's my ancient essay "Unsolicited Critique And Why You Should Fuck Off" I wrote back in 2016.

#6: There are free platforms everywhere. You don't have to shell out a ton of money for specialized software. I use Google Drive exclusively and it suits me very well. And remember, analogue is not dead. If you like to do your webcomics by hand in sketchbooks or on storyboarding easels, go for it, and you can upload your work for free by going to your local library. Lots of libraries have scanners that you can use to scan your art so you can digitize it and get it out there online for free. Many libraries are also strict about wiping their computers' metadata on a regular basis in order to prevent the government from using your reading and browsing habits against you to get their own way, so utilizing libraries can be an excellent source of anonymity (especially if you're researching "suspicious" content like The Anarchist's Cookbook; governments do flag certain sources of content as being potential material for terrorism paranoia. If you're concerned about your anonymity, consider utilizing a VPN; there are open-market VPNs available for free out there and they're not too hard to find.)

Regarding surrealism:

Surrealism is a tricky, yet rewarding path to pursue. However, it's difficult to do it well. I love to work with surrealism, because I have an extremely powerful manifestation of a condition called Schizotypal Personality Disorder. My entire life is a surreal experience, and so I have intimate familiarity with it. Here's how I express surrealism:

#1: Research. Get the most accurate, real-world information and data about the setting you're writing, even if it's not even close to being in the realm of reality. Sometimes, reality is surreal on its own. Whenever you have a subject you want to work with in your comics, before you start writing, look things up. Do not base your work on what you've seen other artists and television shows do. Almost all of it is rooted in hogwash. Look into experts; when you're writing about injuries, research what real trauma surgeons and EMTs really experience, for example. Get the hard facts and a solid foundation in reality, and then start bending and breaking the rules.

#2: Once you've got a solid understanding of what's really a real-world possibility in a scenario or setting, start fucking around. Be subtle at first. Start lacing little inconsistencies that, upon re-reading or closer scrutiny, will make your readers go, "Wait, what the hell?" Shoot for making your readers do a double-take. Don't highlight your little mind-games, and absolutely aim for sowing the seeds of uncertainty in your audience. When they have an uneasy sense that there's something off about the story, they'll keep reading and re-reading in order to try to puzzle things out. It's in moments like those (you'll it when you reach it; trust your instincts) where you can abruptly turn things upside down and inside out and completely shock and spellbind your audience. Misdirection is your best friend.

#3: Don't use the same mind-games twice in the same story. Your audience is full of people that are scanning for the rhythm of your work and trying to anticipate what's going to happen next. With every installation of your webcomic, tweak your approaches and disguise them by repackaging them in a new, sneaky manner. You can still use the same surrealist logic, but putting it behind many different guises will keep your audience surprised while not requiring you make extreme quantum leaps around in your surrealism; thereby saving you time and energy, while also making your audience smack themselves on the forehead with, "Dammit, you got me again?!"

#4: Leave some questions unanswered and some fates undetermined - not only will it continue hooking in readers, but it also gives your fans fuel for fanfiction and conjecture, causing them to mislead themselves. Keep your secrets and tricks close to the vest. Even as I reply to you here, note that I'm not giving examples from my own work. I'm totally happy for this reply to circulate, but it's not going to teach my audience anything new about my own secret methods. This may be unsatisfying an answer for you, but I'm still a working writer, too ;)

I really hope this helps. Get out there and pursue your dreams!

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mythologyfolklore · 4 years ago

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Ares and Athena through the years - Ch. 22

Chapter twenty-two: Apollon's birthday

It was rare, that Ares and Apollon actually got along.

But their roles in the Trojan War four hundred mortal years earlier had given them a thing or two to bond upon.

Today was Apollon's birthday.

The god of light, music, healing and plagues made surprisingly little fuss about it, considering how often he insisted on being in the centre of attention, like the pretentious prick he often was. Yet, when it came to celebrating the anniversary of the day he was born, he asked for it to be treated like any other day. He never threw a party or allowed the others to throw him one, though he did accept birthday gifts and wishes. He didn't even remind people, that it was his birthday. Which was why it happened sometimes, that one god or the other completely forgot about it.

Ares wasn't one of those gods – he always remembered his siblings' and half-siblings' birthdays, every single one. That was his subtle way of showing, that he cared.

And that was why today he was himself to sit with his half-brother and endure his fancy and pretentious music, even though he hated it. Ares liked the sound of war flutes and Spartan war drums, but apart from that, music wasn't his thing at all.

The Mousai weren't present (they were busy spreading inspiration on earth), so the two so opposite half-brothers were alone – except for all the animals, who had heard Apollon's music and had gathered to listen. The god just had that inviting and calm vibe, that drew animals in, especially when he sang and played his lyre. Ares on the other hand had a farouche and cold aura, which kept most at a distance.

When an old she-wolf placed her head onto Apollon's lap, he paused his music for a moment.

“Hello there, old girl”, he chuckled and fondly stroked her head.

Ares couldn't help but sigh in relief, because he had been close to falling asleep from the lulling music.

Apollon looked up. “Ares, you don't have to sit here and listen to me. I know you don't like my kind of music.”

“Meh, it's fine”, Ares assured him. “Just thought I might as well relax a little.”

The younger god smiled: “If it's relaxing enough for you to fall asleep, I do not mind. Besides, you look like you could use a nap. And a make-over.”

The war god blinked. “Huh? Do I have bags under my eyes again?”

“And dark rims. Also a few frowning wrinkles here and there. You look like an overworked middle-aged mortal.” The blond handed him a mirror.

Ares beheld his own reflection and laughed: “Oh fuck, you're right! I look like shit!”

He concentrated on his reflection, his face freshened up and he looked as youthful as gods were supposed to (though he still looked older than the other second generation Olympians).

“Better”, the war god nodded in satisfaction. “An' don't worry, Sunny. I'm fine. I just didn't get any sleep last night, no thanks to Zeus an' Hera.”

“If you say so”, the god of healing said doubtfully.

“Trust me on that”, Ares assured the younger man, despite both of them knowing, that he was lying – the fact, that he was referring to his own parents by their names gave it away. But the god of truth had the tact to accept the lie without back talk.

“I still think you should treat yourself to a day off for self-care, though.”

“Ya know I take care of myself as best as I can. I treat my body like a temple.”

“That's true”, the other admitted. “You have your physique to show for it.”

“Damn right.” Ares grinned and elbowed him playfully. “Admit it, ya like my looks. I've seen ya checkin' me out.”

“I wouldn't deny it, even if I could”, Apollon admitted candidly. “You are quite a handsome man – but also really unlikeable. So do me a favour and don't think I'm into you, just because my eyes have been wandering.”

“Rest assured, I don't”, the older god replied. “I wouldn't want ya to be anyway. Ya know how I feel about gettin' involved in that stuff. Speakin' o' which …”

“Yes?”

“When are ya gonna tell Hermes?”

The blond blushed bright scarlet and began to stutter helplessly, until Ares finally took pity. “Never mind, just take yer time. There's no such thing as bein' too prepared, after all.”

Apollon arched an eyebrow. “That's coming from the war god, who rushes into battle and immediately starts slaughtering people left and right, without so much as an actual plan?”

“We're not talkin' about my main job here”, Ares retorted. “I separate my work from my private life. My work is wreakin' havoc among mankind an' bringin' war, as well as performin' the duties of a crown prince – ya know, representation, paper work, all that jazz.”

Awkwardly, Apollon rubbed the back of his neck and admitted sheepishly: “I always forget that you're the crown prince and how dutiful you really are – how much father trusts you with.”

Ares shrugged: “It's okay. Besides, the fewer people know, how much I know, the better. I don't need them pesterin' me with questions about stuff I've sworn to be silent about.”

The blond smiled wryly. “Pretty ironic, how much we know and how little of it we're allowed to tell, isn't it?”

“It is”, Ares agreed. “An' you've seen how Daddy's Owl of all gods failed miserably to handle my princely duties; how she got us into trouble with the Romans.”

Apollon shook his head. “I can't believe she failed at that. Of Pallas Athena, one would expect that she's careful and tactful.”

“Don't blame her”, Ares told him. “She's got the brains for it alright. What she lacks is experience. An' she never got the chance to get it, 'cause I'm not allowed to talk to anyone about it, let alone tell 'em how that stuff works. That stuff is confidential, it's between Zeus, grandaunt Thémis an' me, just like the works of fate are between him and you. There was no way she could've known, especially with how introverted she is.”

“I suppose you're right”, the younger god relented. “But still … you saw them back then. They were so … it was as if they were just waiting for an excuse to come at us.”

“Oh trust me, they were!”, Ares grumbled. “I've been dealing' with them for many centuries. The empire they're dreamin' of is yet to come, yet they're already itching to subjugate the entire Mediterranean, like the hubristic and power-hungry fucks they are (especially Mars – ugh, I hate that arsehole!). Even though as to date Roma is just a small city in Italy, they already act like they own the world- hey, Apollon, are you okay? Shit, what's wrong, you're shaking!”

“Ares … did you hear, what Mars said, before you interrupted?”

“I came right in as he was getting into my mother's face and started to brag about their so-called glorious future.”

“And he said, that he and his pantheon could always fix their problem of not having a god like me … Ares, you should have seen his face!”

“Oh, I did!”, the older god snarled. “And I swear on my immortality, if the situation hadn't been so dire, I would've run a spear through him right then and there!”

“I've seen the future”, Apollon choked out – he was obviously on the verge of tears. “I've seen what is going to happen. The Roman gods and their mortals are going to … they're going to … oh Khaos, I'm frightened!”

“Hey! Hey!”

Before the light god could have a full-on panic attack, Ares grabbed his shoulders.

“Stop!”, he ordered, calmly but sternly. “Look at me. Deep and slow breaths, do you hear me? Deep an' slow.”

Wanting to help a little more, he allowed Apollon to lean into him. Ares hated body contact, but his younger half-brother needed the physical proximity right now. So he sucked it up and gently rubbed the other's back, as the blond sobbed into his shoulder.

“Shhhh …”, he murmured, “Yes, that's right … just breathe. Listen, okay? Whatever scares you, it's yet to come. It's far ahead. Focus on the now. You're safe. You're with family. No one can hurt you now. Everyone and everything's alright. Shhhh …”

Somewhere along the line, the animals that were still here drew nearer and nuzzled the blond, sensing his distress in the way that only animals really could.

Ares couldn't help but chuckle at the display. “Animals really love ya, huh?”

“So what?”, Apollon grumbled defensively. “Not everyone can be the unapproachable, stoic guy you are!”

“You flatter me, but I wasn't making fun of you. Here …” The black-and-red-haired god charmed a box of tissues into his hand and offered it to the other. “Want some?”

The Archer accepted the tissues and dabbed his face. “Thanks. Crap, that was pathetic …”

“Don't say that. It's not pathetic to be scared of the future – especially, if you know how shitty it's gonna be. But if you let it distract you from the present, it'll hurt you and ruin your life. So let's not talk about the future anymore, hm? After all, today's your birthday.”

He felt the younger god sigh into the crook of his neck.

“You're right. Thank you, Ares. For being so understanding.”

The war god chuckled: “Hey, we may not get along most of the time, but you're still my brother.”

“Half-brother”, Apollon corrected. “Do you remember, how you used to remind me of that all the time? How you always called me 'bastard', 'whoreson' and other charming things like that, and used the epithets 'Letoides' and 'Latôios'¹ in the most derogative manner you could?”

Ares laughed sheepishly: “Oh yeah. I did that, didn't I? Sorry for that.”

He could hear the smile in Apollon's voice, as he accepted the apology.

Eventually the light god backed away. “I think I'm better now. Thanks again. I really needed that, I guess.”

“Yeah, I could tell. An' you're welcome.” Then he had an idea and smirked lopsidedly: “So, Sunny. Wanna hear somethin' crazy?”

The younger god shrugged: “Sure, what is it?”

“Has anyone ever told you I can actually sing?”

Apollon chortled: “Yeah, right! I'll believe it when I hear it!”

The older god's grin widened: “Play one of those cheerful dancin' songs you always perform at Dionysos' parties. And I'll sing to it.”

Apollon grinned back and picked up his cithara. “Alright, Andreiphontês². Show me what you've got!”

Athena was making pottery again.

Apparently Zeus and Hera had had another vicious domestic and a lot of earthenware had got shattered. So they needed new vases and pots.

With a sigh she molded the rim of the pot.

Really, when would her father and his wife finally get to their senses and get marriage counselling or something like th-

“ATHENA, I NEED YOUR HELP!!!”

Athena yelped in surprise, as Hermes bust through the door, and accidentally squashed the still soft clay pot, rendering her work for nothing.

“Thanks a lot, Hermes! Now my work is ruined and I have to start all over!”, Athena snapped, scrapped the clay and angrily threw it into a bucket of water.

“I'm sorry”, he mumbled in the smallest voice she had ever heard him speak with.

That made her sit up more straightly.

“What do you want, Hermes?”, she sighed. “Please make it quick, because Zeus and Hera are going through earthenware like papyrus and I have a lot of work still ahead of me.”

“…”

The goddess's bright blue eyes narrowed. “You better not walk away like 'it wasn't important after all', after you made me ruin my own work! You busted in here and yelled at me to help you, so whatever it is, spit it out!”

“I … I just … want advice for a present.”

Athena blinked and tilted her head. “Present?”

“Yes … present. Because today is Apollon's birthday.”

“Oh.”

Forgotten was the ruined pot.

It had almost slipped her mind (just almost, but still), that there was a birthday today (because for some incomprehensible reason Apollon insisted, that the mortals should celebrate his birthday, but not his fellow gods). He didn't even bother to remind others, when it was his birthday, even though it clearly hurt him, when they forgot.

“You want my advice on what you should gift him?”, Athena queried, as she washed her hands. “Listen, I may be the goddess of good counsel, but you know Apollon much better than I d- oh no, Hermes, no! Don't give me that look! Stop it! Stop giving me those puppy eyes! Anything but those damn puppy eyes!”

“Pweeeeaase”, Hermes whined and the puppy eyes intensified.

She sighed and dried her hands off. “Alright, fine. Well, I think you should give him something useful. Something he could use in everyday life. Hmm … he already has a lot of tunics and brooches and so on … oh, how about a hairband? With his impossibly long hair, he could always use one. Wait, I think I have a few pretty ones …”

She went over to her cupboard, got a wooden box from it and put it onto the table. “Here you go. You can pick two out of these – only two”, she added warningly, when Hermes eyed the hairbands with a scheming expression.

The god of thieves huffed, but began to search through the bands for two he deemed good enough.

But he seemed to have trouble deciding. “I don't know, they're all so pretty …”

“Pick something that fits his hair and eye colour”, Athena advised.

Hermes muttered under his breath, as he rummaged through the box.

Eventually he gasped and picked out two hairbands – both ruby red with golden embroidery.

“Ohhh, these are perfect!”, he squealed in delight. “They'd look so beautiful in his hair! Thank you so much, Athena! You're the best big sister! Oh boy, I hope he likes his birthday present! Bye!”

Then he made off with the new hairbands.

The goddess of wisdom sighed and inspected the box, if more than two hairbands were missing. And sure enough, that little bastard had stolen three: a dark green one, a bright blue one and one coloured like bronze.

The black-haired woman shook her head with a fond sigh.

That silly, little kleptomaniac …

Hermes hurried across Olympos, eager to deliver his own present.

It took a while to find the person it was intended for.

To his great surprise, he found Apollon sitting with Ares on the sill of a large window.

To his even bigger surprise, Apollon was playing his lyre and Ares was singing to it.

That sight was absurd in a lot of ways, last but not least because of the fact, that those two almost never got along and had absolutely nothing in common, save their father and their terrifying anger.

Hermes hid behind a pillar and spied on the two from behind it.

The two so different half-brothers seemed to be having fun.

Something about this bothered Hermes. A lot.

Why are these two sitting so close together, why are they genuinely laughing with each other, why are they smiling like that, since when do these two make music together, Ares doesn't even like music, this makes no sense whatsoever, since when does Ares even like spending time with Apollon, hey you big bully, get away from my beautiful sunshine, wait, when the fuck did I start thinking like that, what the fuck is even going on here-

Luckily, before the brunet could rile himself up he remembered, that Ares was very much straight and Apollon wasn't into people with Ares' demeanour.

Hermes giggled. Silly him! He'd been jealous, just because those two were getting along for a change!

Apparently the two men had heard his giggling, because they abruptly stopped their music and looked around in alarm.

“Did ya hear that?”, Ares noted.

“Yes, and I do hope that was just Hermes”, Apollon remarked.

“SURPRISE!”, Hermes shouted, jumping out of his hiding place.

The other two men screamed and Apollon dropped his lyre in shock. The animals that had been chilling with them, hurried to escape the perceived danger.

“DAMMIT, SQUIRT!”, Ares squalled, “WHY'D YA SNEAK UP ON US LIKE THAT?!”

“Yes, for shame!”, Apollon gasped out. “That was uncalled for, Hermes!”

“Are you kidding?”, Hermes cackled, “That was a riot! You should have seen your faces-” But his laughter died instantly, when he saw Ares' dark expression.

“No, squirt, seriously! That wasn't funny! Sunny Boy had a mental breakdown earlier! His nerves are still raw as fuck and the last thing he needs is to have the crap scared out of him!”

The Messenger blanched, tackled hugged the blond god and grabbed his face.

“What happened?! Please tell me!”, he pleaded.

“Hermes, let go, I'm okay now-”

“No, you're not!”, Hermes cut him off. “Look at you, you're still so pale! Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that!”

“It's nothing, I'm better now, really”, the older god tried to reassure him. “Would you please let go of my face?”

“Oh. Sorry”, the brunet muttered and complied. “Can you tell me what happened now? And how you two of all gods could … uh …”

“Sit together an' actually have some fun?”, Ares supplied.

The Messenger nodded: “Yeah. That.”

“Eh, we just bonded over confidential business – and no, I won't tell ya what it was”, Ares added pointedly, when the other opened his mouth. “I just said it was confidential. And everybody knows that you can't keep a secret for shit, unless we make ya swear the Stygian Oath. So, sorry. Not tellin'.”

Hermes frowned.

He hated when others had secrets from him, especially Apollon.

The god of sunlight, truth and prophecy was actually incapable of lying, so his only other option was to either speak in riddles, or fall silent altogether. It didn't matter what option Apollon chose, because being unable to be open always took a great toll on him.

By contrast, Ares was a natural; he dodged, lied, cheated, countered any attempt at prying and feigned ignorance, like it was second nature to him (which Hermes was sure it was). What he refused to reveal, people would never know.

But this time, much to Hermes' relief, Apollon told Ares, that it was fine.

Ares shot him a doubtful look, but told Hermes: “He's seen the future and it fucks him up, because the future sucks and the Roman gods do too. That's all I can say.”

The Messenger nodded, knowing he would have to make with that answer. “Alright. Whelp, I'm sorry for my crappy timing. Should I come back later?”

Apollon smiled: “No, no. Stay here. Let's talk about more pleasant things. What did you come here for?”

“Oh, right!”, Hermes cried and flashed the blond a mischievous grin.

The blond's golden eyes narrowed. “What are you plotting, you little cattle thief?”

The brunet laughed: “Just hold still and close your eyes!”

Apollon arched an eyebrow, but complied.

The younger god giggled and lost no time in tying up the other's long hair with the new red ribbons. They really did go perfectly with those golden curls.

“What are you doing?”, the older god demanded to know.

“Just you wait … there! All done!”

Apollon opened his eyes and blinked in confusion, as Hermes held a mirror in front of him and one behind his head.

“Look! I got you new hair ties! Aren't they pretty?”

The brunet didn't fail to notice, how the cutest blush ever spread over the older god's pale face.

“Yes … yes, they are”, Apollon said and turned his head to smile at his younger half-brother. “Thank you, Hermes. I love them.”

“Happy birthday, Sunshine!”, the Messenger laughed happily and gave the other a warm hug.

Suddenly there was a click – reminding both, that Ares was still here. And currently smirking at them from behind his camera.

“You two are hopeless!”, the black-and-red-haired god snickered and put his camera back into the bag he always carried about.

Apollon began to stutter in embarrassment, while Hermes just stuck his tongue at his oldest half-brother.

“Oh shut up, you mystery-monger!”, the brunet retorted. “You hate music and I still caught you sing with him earlier! Speaking of which …”, he smirked, “… I didn't know you can sing! You sure have an amazing singing voice for someone, who despises musical activities! What a hidden talent you are!”

“If you tell anyone, that you heard me sing, I'll rip out your tongue!”, the war god snarled.

Hermes put his arms up. “Alright, damn! Relax! I was joking! Seriously, I don't see what your problem is!”

“To be honest, neither do I”, Apollon agreed.

Ares huffed: “Ya mean, apart from the fact, that I'm the god of terrible war an' singin' pretty songs doesn't fit into my reputation? It annoys me, when people ask me to sing for them. I know I can sing, but it's not really a hobby of mine. My hobbies are … ya know …”

“Blood and thunder!”, Hermes groaned. “Yes, we all know it!”

The war god grinned from ear to ear. Then he stood up. “Anyway, gotta go. Bye!”

Apollon jumped up. “Wait! You can't leave me here alone with him!”

The red-eyed god cackled: “Oh, I can and I will!”

“You're pure evil!”

“I'm necessary evil! Happy birthday, Sunny Boy!”

“Why, you old-!”

“Now, now! Let's not stoop to the level of petty insults! Have fun, ya love birdies!”, Ares sang. Then that belligerent arsehole flew up and away, leaving behind two furiously blushing Olympians.

But once they recovered, Apollon turned to the Messenger and grumbled: “I'm telling you, Hermes, he's pure evil!”

“A first class jerk!”, Hermes agreed. “Still, did he give you anything for your birthday?”

Apollon's expression softened instantly and he nodded, smiling.

In that moment the brunet understood.

To spend some time with the blond and let him talk about his cares: that had been Ares' birthday present.

---

1) Letoides/Latôios: Son of Leto (one of Apollon's epithets) 2) Andreiphontês: Men-Destroyer (one of Ares' epithets)

#Greek Mythology #ares #apollon #Hermes #athena

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lokeanwelcomingcommittee · 7 years ago

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I was raised catholic & I have tried it, but worshipping someone else than god has always felt like betrayal (although I don't even pray or go to church) to me. But I have always been having a pleasant feeling whenever I stumble over Loki's name, even as a young girl who did not even care about history, even less about norse mythology. Even today I still don't know much about who he is as a person(ality), to be honest, only basic mythology stuff.1

2. But for quite a while now I have the gut feeling (and my gut feeling is usually extraordinarily precise. it has, on multiple occasations, scared the shit out of me) that Loki might be the one who would truly help, guide and support me as a spiritual force in life. I feel very calm when I think about worshipping him, despite my anxiety that usually, not with him, kicks in when I think about paying attention to someone else next to “god“.

3. I have read very often that Loki is connected to change, but what else does he approve of? What does he “stand for“(bad word choice) & support? I am willing to read myself through tons of texts on him, of course, but I would truly appreciate hearing about your experience with him to get an idea if we might indeed “match“. I would also deeply appreciate it if you could direct me to a good page that deals with a Christian reconciling “god“ with another spiritual force, if you know one, granted.

Based on your description, it sounds to me like he’s trying to get you to pay attention to him, likely because he thinks that he would be a good fit for you as a deity. It is, of course, up to you whether or not you want to work with him, based on what you think you may be able to gain through that relationship.

You’re absolutely right that Loki is often associated with change. Many Lokeans also associate him with various forms of deviancy from social norms and relate to his outsider status within the main Norse pantheon, and he is often worshiped as the patron of minorities and oppressed groups, like members of the LGBTQIA+ community, PoC, spoonies and disabled devotees, women, etc.

Within that sphere, there are as many interpretations of Loki’s exact domains as there are people who work with him. I do recommend taking a look at our reading list to give you a better sense of how you feel about Loki and what you think he may be able to offer you – if anything! Keep in mind that if you don’t want to work with Loki, that’s ok. In my experience, most Pagan gods tend to be rather forgiving of rejection, and Loki is no exception.

If you do decide to work with him, there is historical precedent. When Christianity was first introduced to the far north, many polytheists were perfectly happy to adopt this new god into their pantheon as just another deity among many. (The Christians were less happy about this, and their tactic was usually to inform the Pagans that the gods they were worshiping were actually demons, and encourage them to view the Abrahamic god as the only truly divine being in the pantheon).

Similarly, through Christianity was already decently well-established in the British Isles by what we know of as the Viking era (~800-1000 C.E), most people still worshiped old gods and adhered to old traditions, but found ways to incorporate them into this broader umbrella religion called ‘Christianity.’ For example, St. Brigid, a patron saint of Ireland, is thought by many historians to actually be a Christianized version of the Celtic goddess Brighid, as the saint’s feast day is the same as the holiday most commonly associated with the goddess, and the legends, works, and customs associated with both figures are extremely similar.

It is also not unheard of for modern pagans to remain loyal to the tenets and deities of the faith they were raised in, and perceive their walking of a new spiritual path not necessarily a separation from their previous religion, but an extension of it. There are also communities of Christians who consider themselves polytheistic, preferring interpretations of the Trinity as a joint masculine/feminine/nonbinary. (These are links to sources written by members of these communities. They are not the be-all end-all of Christian Paganism and I can’t make any judgments on their factuality, but they may be a good starting point for your personal research).

Just know, above all, that you’re not alone; chances are that if Loki is calling to you, he has also called to other Christians. I hope that this answer has been a bit helpful, and at least given you a place to start.

-Mod M

Your post is kind of ambiguously worded, and I actually interpreted it more as you wanting to make a clean transition but were plagued by the fear and guilt that the whole doctrine of Hell tends to instill. So to cover all bases, I’m going to recommend what helped me the most: study the history of Christianity. I know this may seem paradoxical, but once you see how much doctrine was decided not by logic and scholarship but petty personal politics and squabbles, it’s a lot more difficult to see it as the One True Way.

Beyond that, you’ll find a lot of other posts about dealing with this issue in the recovering monotheists tag. If you are looking to leave Catholicism behind rather than make it work for you, maybe some of those suggestions will be helpful or at least allow you to feel less alone.

Either way, good luck on your spiritual journey!

- Mod E

#Anonymous

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pangeasplits · 8 years ago

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I have read your works! And I love 'The Stars Incline us, they don't bind us' so muuuuuch. If this is not too much to ask, can you make cherik fic rec? Thank you! Keep writing, awesome!

thank you very much, i’m glad you enjoyed my stuff! :3

since this blog is exactly 5 years old today, what better occasion is there to do cherik fic rec post, as lurking around cherik fic rec tumblr posts waaay back in the day is actually what originally brought me to tumblr in the first place. the following list is in no particular order, and odds are i like multiple fics by the authors included but i was determined to limit myself to one from each (though in some cases, this was a veeeery close call, haha).

anyway, the actual title of this list is coincidentally the main criteria i used in the interest of not having it stretch on for miles, which is to say:

Cherik Fics Pan Has Reread An Embarrassing Amount Of Times Throughout Her XMFC Fandom Tenure:

Hier steh ich an den Marken meiner Tage by MonstrousRegiment

Erik Lehnsherr is a spy in the SS, and his British liaison is strategist Charles Xavier. Their relationship from the moment they meet to a year after the end of the war.

“You’re the only person in the world who knows what I am.”

Boden’s Mate by kaydeefalls

“Shaw has information that we need, and we need him alive to extract it,” Moira says, and there it is: the job is on the table. Extraction.

XMFC/Inception fusion AU. Erik is an extractor, Alex is his point man. They’re assembling a team to go after the most dangerous mind in dreamsharing: Sebastian Shaw. But unless Alex and the team can keep him in check, Erik’s desire for vengeance might just rip the whole job apart around them – and then there’s the shade that haunts his dreams…

Malastare Racer by ikeracity

Ignoring strict instructions from Master Emma to stay hidden, Charles and Erik decide to enter themselves into the Gorian Podracing Classic. Because they’re idiots like that.

Star Wars AU!

The Secret of the Knights Templar by madneto

Erik is a CIA agent who has been tracking down black market dealer and occultist Sebastian Shaw for the past ten years with no real end in sight. When he stumbles upon an unexpected lead that will put him one step ahead of Shaw at last, archaeology professor and Templar enthusiast Charles Xavier becomes unwittingly entangled in the fray, and Erik suddenly finds himself with a brand new partner who is the only one who can truly help him on what’s become a quest to find the Holy Grail. But Charles is even more than Erik bargained for, especially after they’re forced to pretend to be a married couple as a cover while racing to find the Grail before Shaw does, and both Erik and Charles find they’ve possibly bitten off more than they can chew.

Powered AU vaguely inspired by Indiana Jones and James Bond movies.

Their Mouths Always Lie by keire_ke

Charles adheres to most police protocols like they are a personal code of conduct. Erik gets things done and over with, for better or worse. Raven knows what she’s doing, most of the time. The serial killer kills, regardless. Police AU.

Try, Try Again by and_backagain

Except that this has happened before, he thinks with a start, and something in his throat closes up as he revolves on the spot, already knowing what he’s going to see. Charles’ back is arching as he falls, his eyes wide, and the crumpled bullet falls to the sand beside him like a calling card. X-Men: First Class Groundhog Day!AU.

The Courtship by dvs

A story about a courtship that began five hundred years ago.

Beloved of ravens by khaleesian

978 A.D. Charles never uses his power, Erik never hesitates. Can a man be both the void and what fills it?

Limited Release by rageprufrock

When Alex Summers broke out of supermax to rescue his stupid kid brother, he had no idea it was going to be so fucking complicated.

A Curious Carriage of Crystal and Cold by Etharei

Charles, a miner from a poor village in the countryside, saves the life of Erik Lehnsherr, scion of a successful business family and the richest man on the planet Eisen. Charles is a telepath and somewhat anxious about it, while Erik abstains from relationships because the lights flicker and doors open and electronics vibrate when he gets too excited.

Also featuring a long-suffering sister, a foul-mouthed bodyguard, and a best friend with a heart that is definitely not gold.

In which there are princes, spaceships, long journeys, and old secrets uncovered. (An AU sci-fi fairytale)

The Tower and the Hurricane by dreamlittleyo

(Post-XMFC AU.) Five years after Shaw’s death, Erik’s predictions prove painfully accurate. Violence rages on both sides of the human/mutant conflict. In a world ravaged by war, it doesn’t really matter who’s more at fault. Charles struggles to teach his students a better way, but what choices will he make when peace really isn’t an option?

The Masked Man (Who Has Everything) by Traincat

The one where Erik is Batman, and Charles is kidnapped roughly once a week.

At the End of Day and Night All We Want is More by cm (mumblemutter)

It’s already too late. (Alien/Prometheus AU)

If You Liked The Book, You’ll Hate The Movie by paperclipbitch

Modern-Day High School AU. It’s not until Hank realises half the class are glancing towards the back of the classroom with something like nerves and something like schadenfreude that he finds out Alex Summers is back.

Pantheon by Yahtzee

In the year 96 AD, all Rome is aware that their gods have begun to Mark certain people with their gifts – the healing power of Apollo, the metal control of Vulcan, the deathly touch of Pluto, or the mental powers of Minerva. When those gifts fall to slaves or barbarians instead of the Romans themselves, strict control is necessary.

Then a gladiator from Judea meets an enslaved scribe from Britannia, and the repercussions will shake the Empire itself.

Swimming with Sharks by Not_You

Erik used to be a shark. Now he’s not, and has to figure out how to be a good human father to his twins. Charles is willing to help.

To Do List by Black_Betty

Somehow, Charles and Erik have become one of those couples who rarely see each other because of their busy schedules. They’re SO busy, they haven’t had sex in weeks. Erik has had enough, and forms a coordinated plan of attack. Charles is less than helpful.

On Hearts and the Finding of Lost Treasures (The Tombs and the Raiding Thereof Remix) by luninosity

The first time he met Charles Xavier, Erik Lehnsherr was—reluctantly, angrily, and decidedly against his will—impressed. This may’ve had something to do with the fact that Charles had just given him a sunny smile and somersaulted a foot over his head.

Watching the Stars Slide Down by groovyphilia

Seventeen-year-old Charles Xavier is ridiculously wealthy, and is used to being paraded around for show at his mother’s high-society Christmas parties. He’s always been rather sporting about it, and dutifully rubs shoulders with the elite every year in the glitz of the mansion ballroom.

This year, he meets a man by the name of Erik Lehnsherr.

Utopia by Takmarierah [Note: WIP but I had to include this fic]

It’s been five years since the beach, and four years since Charles was captured by the Brotherhood. Since then, he’s been kept in a safe house while Erik finally achieved what Shaw failed to do.

Now that most of humanity has been eradicated, Erik’s summoned Charles back to his side, promising a cure and political influence in exchange for Charles’ help - but Charles knows it’s only a matter of time before he asks for more.

Neither Rhyme Nor Reason by unveiled

Charles liked to tell people that the first time they met, Serik punched a kitten. (Or, the one where Erik is an angry Vulcan, Charles is still a telepath, and grief still shapes their lives.)

Incy Wincy Spider by Tawabids

Erik Lehnsherr is a renowned homicide detective, with his husband Charles at home and his partner on the job, Moira MacTaggert. When a twisted serial killer starts targeting mutants, Erik and Moira are the perfect team for the job, especially since Erik himself is the mutant poster-boy of an NYPD trying to improve their image.

But what they don’t yet know is that the serial killer is an old soul out of Erik’s past, and his next move is to pull Charles into his web.

The Amazing Adventures of Cat-Man by so_shhy

Charles is the non-powered, butt-kicking, high-tech teen sidekick of a cheesy superhero. Erik is the sidekick of the corresponding cheesy supervillain, and makes Charles’s life even more complicated than it already is.

Spy Games by manic_intent

Burn Notice AU, with Erik Lehnsherr as the spy and Charles as the trigger-happy ex boyfriend. Erik is burned for unknown reasons in Mexico and wakes up in New York City. Somehow, he needs to raise $500,000, in order to find out -why-.

Aaaand a shameless plug, since you brought it up, and since to this day ike and i still look at this fic and ask each other “wtf how” (and also we reread each other’s bits and yell at each other):

The stars incline us, they do not bind us by ikeracity, Pangea

Intergalactic Federation pilot Lieutenant Charles Xavier is assigned last-minute to a high profile mission: transporting over two thousand prison inmates from an old and overfilled prison complex to a newer, higher-capacity prison stronghold located on the outer reaches of the galaxy. Just as he’s settling down for a long and uneventful ride, things take a turn for the worse after the inmates riot and stage a hostile takeover of the ship, leaving Charles to find himself at the complete mercy of cold-blooded killers and facing the chilling prospect that he might not ever make it back home alive.

#cherik #fic rec #cherik fic rec #anonymous #pangea creaks

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