#appreciate the variation of human experience

[diospore]

I'm just saying if you're writing smut featuring trans people and you find yourself ONLY writing pre-op transmen as receiving penetration. ONLY writing your transmen as submissive.

You should really take a step back and think about why this is.

Also consider including trans people who have gotten bottom surgery. I'd like to see more of that. Or transmen using straps. That'd be cool too thanks.

[regressionworldz]

I think it was about time I drew some CG!Aziraphale and Little!Crowley, I honestly can't get enough of them, especially since Crowley is clearly so baby coded, I can't wait for the next season!

On another note, I know you guys have been wanting me to provide headcanons on some of these characters, so I've decided to compile a small list for them! If you guys enjoy these headcanons, I'll try doing more for other characters.

GOOD OMENS AGERE HEADCANONS!

Aziraphale discovered that Crowley had been a regressor in the last 100, perhaps 200 years, around the 1800s era. Prior to that period, Crowley had been a regressor but kept it a secret, showing little concern for himself.

He unintentionally regressed and faced significant challenges in reclaiming his former self. Aziraphale likely perceived it as a panic attack, a common occurrence for Crowley and a factor that increased the likelihood of his regression.

He becomes extremely sensitive to pain during regression, yet he makes an effort to conceal it. Even a minor injury like pricking his finger prompts tears and shakiness, but he refrains from admitting the pain. This sensitivity stems from the trauma of the angelic fall, where angels experience pain for the first time, and the impact of the descent can leave their bodies broken for hours or even days. While Crowley may have felt pain as a human, the fall marked the first instance he truly felt vulnerable and weak.

Snakes have limited color vision, primarily perceiving shades of blue and green (though there might be some variation). Recognizing this, Aziraphale purchases and knits toys for Crowley within that specific color range.

During regression, Crowley opts for a more concise term, referring to Aziraphale simply as 'angel.' Occasionally, he might use 'papa,' though it occurs less frequently.

When Crowley is happy, he engages in vocal stims, emitting squeals or spontaneous, joyful noises.

Crowley holds a preference for snakes as his favorite animal, yet he appreciates any plushie he receives, with a particular fondness for sheep and goats.

Crowley typically sheds tears either upon waking up or at the onset of regression. Throughout the rest of the time, he makes an effort to suppress his tears. When upset, he opts for deep breaths as a coping mechanism, consciously avoiding crying. However, this emotional suppression can lead to him becoming worked up.

While regressed, Aziraphale assists Crowley in tending to his plants. However, later on, Crowley becomes frustrated with himself for being kind to his plants, expressing displeasure with the unexpected benevolence.

During Crowley's regression, Aziraphale is inclined to prepare warm meals for him. Although Crowley doesn't eat often, he readily indulges in meals provided by Aziraphale.

Crowley has a star mobile above his crib that Aziraphale added, allowing him to gaze at the stars, a simple joy that consistently brings him happiness.

Hope you guys enjoyed some of these papa azi and little crowley headcanons!

[luluthespectator]

Sleep (side story)

So, this was fun to write. I changed POV twice in there but it should be easy to track. I tried to experiment with Dawn and Scozar’s POV so the style isn’t perfect but I’m getting somewhere. Enjoy.

Us and The Pillars were “observing” the galaxy outside the ship. We could not perceive it but The Kerox and The Human seemed entranced by the view. Despite living for so long, we can never experience everything.

The Kerox and The Human seemed to finally believe they have at least one thing in common: they appreciated the world around them. It was the path to acknowledge their resemblances.

What a beautiful sight.

The Human’s voice arrived to us through the translator, melodious, smooth, full of variation.

-It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

The Kerox responded, confident, lively, primitive.

-It is. But no sight will be more beautiful than my home.

The Human opened her mouth wide and put a hand in front of it. When she tried to answer, her words were distorted.

-Yeah, if you say so.

-Is this a threat? Would you like to fight me over this?

-No, I’m tired.

-I don’t see the link.

-It was a yawn, not an aggression. I’m tired, this is why I did this.

-Don’t do that again.

-I can’t help it.

-You can’t even control your own body and you want to control the entire ship.

-I don’t want to control the ship, I’m the pilot- we already went over this.

Their conversations were always so lively. They expressed so much in their tone of voice and their posture. They put emotions in their words with such ease. We mustn’t forget their emotions can escalate easily.

The Kerox wanted to continue the conversation despite the rising tension.

-We didn’t finish this argument.

-And I’m too tired to continue.

-Would you surrender then?

-Not surrender. It’s going to be a tactical retreat to better kick your scaly a-

-No “tactical retreat” will grant you a victory against me.

-You know what? I’m going to bed either way.

And so, The Human left. We didn’t need to move to know they were already at the door. The Kerox stayed there. He knew to love the beauty of the world for a little longer.

———

We and The Kerox were in the “living room” as The Human called it or the “gatherings” as The Kerox said. Those were such nice ways of describing the place we and he were in.

The Kerox was cleaning his spear quietly, sharpening it with care, when his head rose up towards us.

-The Human still isn’t there. Is she plotting something?

We pondered. The Human was not one to plot someone else’s demise although they could do so with ease. We understood she had an imaginative mind, filled with creations and ideas. She was indeed one to think, shallowly or deeply. 

The Kerox walked towards us, his voice coming to us:

-Will you answer me at once? You’re taking your time.

-We believe we and you are not in an emergency, we need time to answer your question.

-Instead of thinking, we’ll find the human.

We stood up and followed The Kerox. He seemed agitated. Despite this he commended:

-You go to the pilot’s room and then the reactor core. 

We admired his capacity to think fast in times of perceived crisis. But a rushed thought can also lead to a disaster. It is good to have a great amount of information in that case.

-Where would you go in the meantime?

-It’s none of your business. When you’re done you come back to the gatherings and wait there for more orders.

We got on our four legs and went into the corridors. Checking regularly our surroundings for the physical form of The Human. But we knew The Human was resting in her quarters.

We stopped in the middle of the corridor. Our thoughts conflicted. Should we do as The Kerox said? Should we chose against it and see The Human were she was? 

One thing was sure, we should wait and think before taking any decision.

———

Scozar did good on keeping The Primavix away from the human. He didn’t want them to have many occasions to talk to her privately.

Contrarily to them, he had a plan ready. He knew exactly where she was. It didn’t take him long to find her den. He braced himself for the illuminated place he would find himself in.

He opened the door only to find the room plunged in darkness. Strange. He thought humans were uncomfortable in the dark. She might want to sacrifice comfort in favour of a surprise attack. 

It is a strategy that would work for most adversaries. It wouldn’t work with him of course. Scozar would see the warmth of her body first.

He looked around the place, examining it for any kind of traps. The walls were bland, the room was unchanged except for more pieces of furniture. It looked like the room had been made with the human in mind. Not only this room, the whole ship gave off this impression.

He walked while making sure to stay near the walls. A speck of warmth caught his eyes, there was another room, how much of the ship did she think she deserved? The room he was in was merely a small private gatherings, it seemed like.

He entered the other room. The human was laying on what looked like a soft headland. Humans were so weak and fragile they even needed to sleep on soft things, it seemed.

But something was definitely wrong with her. She didn’t move. Scozar thought the human would be more aware of her surroundings in an environment she wasn’t comfortable in. But it didn’t seem to be the case.

Maybe she used the same tactics as the warriors of his land, she didn’t move to blend in. But then again, he doubted the human could think of something like this, she was usually more inclined to fight him head first like a good warrior. Although, sometimes, a good warrior was one who knew how to trick his opponents.

Another thought came to him. What if she was dead? It would be a shame for her to die outside of battle. If so, what did a human look like when they were dead? Her body temperature was slightly colder but it couldn’t mean anything especially since it was so minor.

Scozar listened. Her body rumbled and growled as usual. But there was something different. All the sounds were there but something had changed. He couldn’t quite place it.

———

We arrived in The Human’s quarters. We knew The Kerox was right next to The Human. Her integral form was untouched. The Kerox was standing beside her.

We came in the other room on our four legs. We stood beside The Kerox who’s head turned towards us. He asked:

-Is she dead?

We checked her body from our position. Her physical form came back to us in rapid succession. She was not completely still. It seemed like her metabolism had slowed. It had slowed so much that she wasn’t conscious anymore, in a dead-like state. It was uncommon, however we used to have a good friend who was just like that.

-It reminds me-

-Answer my question Primavix.

We didn’t need to answer. The Human had stood up. Her voice came, raspier than usual.

-What are you doing in my room?

The Kerox didn’t wait to tell her:

-I thought you weakling had died from nothing.

-Hold on, I don’t have my translator.

-Stop disrespecting me.

The Human fumbled a little before tapping on a small button on her table. The Kerox reacted to this action. She then put a small piece of technology on her ear. She asked:

-What?

-What were you doing?

-I was asleep. What were you doing?

-You shouldn’t disappear for too long.

-Or else what? You’ll be worried?

-Human, I could easily crush you if you ever tried plotting something away from us. Don’t use this kind of strategy.

-Wow. I didn’t know you would be this paranoid. Good news, I was just sleeping. Now get out of my room.

-You will come with us.

-No.

-No?

-No. I have a few hours of sleep to catch up.

-You would willingly go back to the vulnerable state you were in?

-Yes. Out.

This answer gave us a new appreciation of The Human. The Human embodied the cycle of life and death. She understood the necessity of it and how much of a benediction it can be. It was beautiful. 

We didn’t want The Kerox to interrupt it.

-We and you shall wait for The Human to finish sleeping.

The Kerox stopped. He pondered on our words. He was respectful of us. Finally, he asked The Human:

-How long will it take?

-As long as it will take. Leave me be.

Those were such wise words from The Human. A cycle like this cannot be rushed nor stretched. It simply happened when it did. 

And so we and The Kerox left. It was an honour to know a member of another species so accepting of death in its most simple form. The death of the body was an important part of The Human and it was beautiful.

Continuation To the stars

Back to masterlist

Back to Oath in the dark

Back to A New Era (the beginning)

Tagging people who wanted to be tagged @hoshi-no-koinu, @jay--o

[neokamui414]

A non-exhaustive list of art, pieces of media, franchises, authors, and thinkers that I really need my fellow Cultsim/BoH/Secret Histories fans to get into and discuss with me and between themselves.

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(WARNING A LOT OF THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS COME WITH A LIST OF CONTENT WARNINGS AND ARE SOMETIMES CONNECTED TO CONTROVERSIAL ARTISTS AND PUBLIC PERSONS. THIS LIST IS NOT A ENDORSEMENT OF ANY PROBLEMATIC IDEALS OR STATEMENTS MADE BY ANYONE MENTIONED IN THIS LIST AND IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT ANYONE WHO LOOKS INTO ANY OF THE MENTIONED WORKS OF ART DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND THOROUGHLY CHECKS FOR DISTURBING / TRIGGERING CONTENT AT THEIR OWN VOLITION)

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Film Recommendations:

1. Dario Argento's Three Mothers trilogy, especially Suspiria & and especially especially the 2019 remake of Suspiria. Very Dancer DLC-coded, very Sisterhood of the Triple Knot and Thunderskin.

2. The Magic Lantern films of Kenneth Anger, who was a practicing Thelmaite* for many years. Lantern Principal is obviously what comes to mind when you hear of the name of the series and the dreams that were mystical experiences that inspired and were expressed in art, in this case films is very much akin to stuff we see in Cultist Simulator.

(* As shown in later parts of this recommendation list I argue that the games of Weather Factory become even more interesting and artistically impactful if you learn more about late 19th and 20th century occultism and movements like Theosophy and Thelma.)

3. Hereditary and Midsommar are obvious recommendations but even more so I would recommend the original 1970s The Wicker Man. Folk Horror in general is a great source of what the arts of The Bosk would look like in real life. They were definitely worshiping The Low Red Sun on Summer Isle.

4. A Dark Song, a 2016 horror film that actually revolves around the performance of a very famous and important real life occult ritual. I think a lot of the visual imagery in that film can give some inspiration for the kind of Rites our player character in Cultist Simulator is performing.

5. The Lair of The White Worm is a movie loosely based on a Bram Stoker story and is also very much a Gods of Stone overthrown by forces associated with humans raised to Divinity and the powers of the Sun and Apollonian principles type of story. Plus the whole Worm/Wyrms thing going on. I also recommend it because it's one of the more light-hearted and comedic entries on this list and I want some variation in tone. Also its psychedelic visuals compliment a lot of the surrealist elements that are tied to things like the Moth Principal.

6. Black Swan isn't explicitly supernatural but it is very Dancer Coded.

7. The Hellraiser movies, but only the first second, fourth, and the reboot. Leviathan, being associated with pain and pleasure and having the name of a mythical sea monster is probably very similar to whatever the hell The Tide was before The Red Grail vored her. The Cenobites are Long with Grail, Knock, & Forge as their Principals.

8. Pan's Labyrinth, for the Woods and the Bounds appreciators. I also think there is something to be said about the fascist subtext that underlines much of the Edge Principle, especially in The Colonel that can be explored and appreciated in this film and its reckonings with the evils of Spanish fascism.

9. To compliment the recommendation for the Magic Lantern films, also check out the short film The Wormwood Star, you can find it easily on YouTube and it's another piece of art heavily influenced by Thelma and stars Marjorie Cameron who I will talk about more later in this list.

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Game Recommendations:

1. Hollow Knight, it might as well be a story set in the era of the Carapace Cross. Sentient bugs, mighty Wyrms and dream gods with the powers of light but not necessarily moral goodness. Even the Void in Hollow Knight, and it's antagonism to The Radiance is very similar to The Nowhere and it's relationship with the established hierarchies in The Mansus.

2. The Silent Hill games, particularly the entries that revolve around The Order; like 1,3, Origins, and Homecoming. Dream worlds, Sun worship, the Dark Feminine and female psychics/mediums with deep associations with blood, birth and menstruation. Valtiel is totally a Name. Even the fog and mist of Silent Hill is giving The Bounds and it's Forge smoke meets Woods darkness type energy.

3. Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines, it's basically playing a Grail Long.

4. The tabletop games Geist: The Sin Eaters and Wraith: The Oblivion line up really well with the Ghoul / Medium DLC. *

(basically most if not all of the World of Darkness and Chronicles of Darkness tabletop games contain some themes, elements, or bits of World building that should appeal to anyone interested in the games created by Weather Factory)

5. The video games created by Korean studio Project Moon. Lobotomy Corporation has a lot of timers and simulation elements that have many similarities to those found in Cultist Simulator, and as the title implies Liberty of Runia takes place literally in a paranatural library just like Book of Hours even though the game play between the two is very different.

6. Fallen London and it's related media. The reasons why should go without saying. The controversies around AK aside, Echo Bazaar and Secret Histories are blood siblings and I desire more intersection and interaction between the respective fandoms.

7. The Bayonetta games have a surprising amount of real mythological and occult influence in their world building. The Solar Lumens juxtaposed with the Lunar Umbrans definitely has some resonance with Church of The Unconquered Sun and their on again, off again antagonism and allyship with The Sisterhood of The Triple Knot. The Apollonian natured House of the Sun contrasted with the Dionysian Woods & House of the Moo, and the Nowhere being connected to all three but being distinct; is not all together that different from the division of the Bayonetta universe into Inferno, Paradiso, the human world and Purgatorio between all of them.

8. The Shadow Hearts series of JRPGs are a Gothic, urban fantasy, historical fantasy, lovecraftian adventures around late 19th / early 20th century Europe and Asia. It has a lot of comedic elements and its world building and cosmology are not all that similar to the ones in Weather Factory games (barring their shared history as being inspired by Lovecraft). But if you want Lovecraft in video game form without the racism associated with his writings and you found Cultsim/BoH to fill that niche, then I recommend you give these games a try as well.

9. Secret World Legends, a functionally dead MMO but still incredibly fun to play and I think one of the best examples of urban fantasy / soft Lovecraft or post lovecraftian media in existence. Absolutely fantastic & memorable fully voiced NPCs and characters, really intriguing and rich world building and takes on mythology and folklore. Also given that you play as a quasi immortal with a deep association with bees and an ancient techno-organic goddess you're basically a Long.

10. To compliment the Lobotomy Corporation recommendation and the later SCP mention I think it's only natural that I also recommend the urban fantasy games of remedy entertainment like Alan Wake 1 & 2 and Control. Artists channeling / being used by Eldritch Forces in other dimensions and government institutions related to keeping a control on the supernatural are the most obvious similarities to stuff in WF games.

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Visual Artists:

1. Francisco Goya, especially his Black Paintings, his insights into the witchcraft and folkloric traditions of the Basque region and elsewhere in the Iberian peninsula should be very appealing to fans of The Twins and The Thunderskin. Plus all of the Catholic imagery brings to mind The Mother of Ants.

2. Austin Osman Spare, Rosaleen Norton, and Marjorie Cameron. All three of these people were heavily influential occultists and illustrators/painters so their work is definitely a great representative example of the kind of occult art that you are making when you Paint in Cultsim.

3. Salvador Dali is also a relatively obvious, but I think very appropriate all the same recommendation. Surrealism is by and large the big big tonal influence on Secret Histories in my opinion. He also did a tarot deck so that brings in the Lucid Tarot connection

4.Erté, absolutely the kind of art and fashion you would find in Cultist Simulator's 1920's. Art Deco for days but also his works in particular show a more flowy and organic influence that we would more stereotypically associate with the Art Nouveau of decades prior.

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Comic Books:

1. Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing and Grant Morrison's run on Animal Man. DC's Red and Green (plus all the other elemental forces) are a deeply underappreciated and underexplored element of the setting, and I think they have a lot of similarities with the Principles we find in Secret Histories.

2. Related to the above, Alan Moore's Promethea and Grant Morrison's The Invisibles for an exploration of 20th and 21st century occultism. Despite the two authors general distaste for each other, their works are often very complimentary.

3. The Hellboy franchise doesn't have a lot of one-to-one parallels with Cultsim & Co. but they draw from the same artistic influences of gothic fiction, weird fiction, mythology and folklore and the occult. So I feel very strongly that fans of one would and should find the other to be enjoyable. Both fandoms need to be more active on this hell site and though there are a handful of quality hidden gems of fanfiction for both franchises I desperately need more people to be writing & reading fan fiction for both. Plus I do strongly believe that Mike Mignola' s art style would really excel at illustrating characters and settings from Secret Histories. His non Hellboy work is also recommended especially the works that fall under his Outervers setting, like Baltimore and Joe Golem.

4. Although I will admit that I am not up to date on it, and that there has been a considerable amount of discourse around the quality of its storytelling (especially within the past few years) I would recommend the webcomic Gunnerkrigg Court to fellow Cultsim fans. Alchemic imagery, interesting reinterpretations of folklore and a setting and tone that is quintessential British urban fantasy / science fiction, Gunnerkrigg is in my opinion a work that has a lot of appeal for fans of WF's games and stories.

5. Lackadaisy Cats is an awesome Webcomic and animated web series. 1920s/ 30s gangsters and bootleggers in the form of anthropomorphic cats! And absolutely beautiful Art Deco illustrations! What's not to love.........

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Anime & Manga:

1. Any of the anime directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura especially Serial Experiments Lain and Ghost Hound(this one is seriously underrated in my opinion.) Surrealism is the name of the game as I've said earlier.

2. Le Chevalier D'Eon, both it's manga and anime even though the two are very totally different and have divergent takes on a similar premise. Historical fiction that reinterprets 18th century historical events through an occult lens is so very very Secret Histories. Plus both works have interesting explorations of gender and the nature thereof. It helps that as far as we know the French monarchy's Secret Histories equivalent are associated with the Hours, my personal headcanon is that Louis XIV was Lantern Principal aligned, and Louie XVI had Knock as his Principal. Also the manga version of the story has a lot of its magic system based around the Tarot.

3. You can't recommend D'Eon without recommending it's biggest inspiration (apart from Rose of Versailles of course) and that would be Revolutionary Girl Utena. Edge Dyads for days with that one. Utena and Anthy are totally The Twins. And the whole show and it's movie are full of surrealist pseudo occult imagery practically to the bursting.

4. Baccano! , a light novel / anime series that's about a bunch of immortal Mobsters in the 1920s and 30s. I mean that's basically The Exile DLC right there.

5. xxxHolic and Legal Drug / Drug & Drop, by CLAMP. A shop that grants wishes and a pharmacy that handles the paranormal are both the kind of businesses that I could see existing alongside Morland's, Oriflamme's Auction House & The Ecdysis Club. Plus both manga are hella gay and I will push my Weather Factory games are inherently Queer pieces of media agenda till the day I die.

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Theater, Operas, Music and Albums:

1. Jimmy Page's unused soundtrack for Kenneth Anger's Lucifer Raising. Definition of Occult rock and role.

2. Kiki Rockwell, especially her two most recent albums Rituals on the Bank of a Familiar River, and Eldest Daughter of an Eldest Daughter.

3. Stravinsky's Rite of Spring might just be the closest we will ever get in real life to an occult ritual in the form of an entire ballet like we see in Cultist Simulator and Book of Hours. Definitely a skill that could fall under the Wisdoms of Birdsong and The Bosk.

4. On that note, Mozart's Die Zauberflöte is also full of Hermetic Elements, Lunar / Solar antagonism, mystical initiation and ritual deity impersonation. Mozart was a Freemason so the fanfic of him as a Heart Adapt practically writes itself.

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Literally Fiction:

1. The webnovels Pact and Pale by wildbow. A magic system that revolves around incredibly hierarchical relationships between humans and mystical beings, where magic fundamentally requires discarding one's humanity and transforming into some kind of mystical being yourself is very similar to the Adapt to Long pipeline we follow in Cultist Simulator.

2. The Rivers of London series is one that I'm still familiarizing myself with but it's another example of wonderful British urban fantasy (that isn't the wizard books that shall not be named) The fact that the main characters of the series are magic police officers gives it a certain Suppression Bureau appeal.

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Nonfiction- Philosophy and Occult works and Authors:

1. Georges Bataille!!!!!!!! If you only pick one thing from this list to investigate further let it be the philosophical works of this man. His theory of religion as it relates to concepts such as economy, sacrifice, and eroticism you literally completely change how you understand The Hours and The House Without Wall.

2. Aleister Crowley, and any of his students, especially Kenneth Grant. He really is the quintessential modern English occultist, whether or not AK and Lottie intended it, the DNA of his beliefs or those of his Golden Dawn contemporaries, or his students is all over Cultsim and BoH. The Red Grail is like, so blatantly Babalon it's kind of ridiculous.

3. The Book of English Magic by Phillip Carr- Gomm & Richard Heygate, is a good introductory source of information on the history of magical practice and occultism on the British isles.

4. Occult Paris by Tobias Churton is a fascinating insight into some of the mystical practices that were en vogue in Europe just a few decades prior to when Cultist Simulator takes place.

5. Atlas of Cursed Places by Oliver Le Carrer. I could totally see some of the places documented in this book as being locations you could send your Followers to in Cultsim.

6. Please read everything you can that is academically critical about Greek magical Papyri. There are tons of resources for reading translations and analysis of these documents that are some of the most foundational examples of what real historical magical belief and practice actually looked like.

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Web Original Content, Podcasts, YouTube Channels and Tiktok Recommendations:

1. Greedy Peasant over on Instagram and tik tok does fascinating content related to Catholicism, medieval history and art, and other related topics. If you like all of the interesting reinterpretations of Christian religious iconography into sun worship that happens in Book of Hours I highly recommend his content.

2. The last few years have really seen an incredible ecosystem of academic scholarship on religion, mythology, occultism and esoteric philosophy develop on YouTube. Channels like Esoterica, Angela's Symposium, Let's Talk Religion, Religion for Breakfast, Jackson Crawford, The Modern Hermeticist, The Archaeology of Ancient Magic, and others are just overflowing gold mines of accessible and easily digestible but still academically critical and pseudoscience and conspiracy theory free information about mysticism historical occultism and esoteric religion and mythology.

3. There are also a number of great YouTube channels that aren't academically critical but are run by actual practicing witches and occultists and they offer fascinating and interesting insights into these same topics but from a lived more personal perspective which is just as important I think to learn about as the academically critical sources. Great channels include Benbell Wen, Maevius Lynn, Marco Visconti, & Nordic Animism.

4. In terms of fictional internet media, SCP is so broad that there's a lot of stuff that is completely different in appeal from what is enjoyable about Secret Histories, but there's also so much overlap. I need crossover fanfics and fan art more than air!!!!!

5. Lastly this is a fiction podcast so it's a little incongruous with the other nearby recommendations but, I cannot stress enough......... The Mangus Archives and Magnus Protocol!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are a lot of key differences between those two podcasts and Weather Factory games, but there are so many similarities that I have to write an entire three other posts about how similar the settings are and how I want to write a crossover/ fusion fic. I've seen like, one or two pieces of fan art and fanfiction that was related to both series but in my humble opinion it's not nearly enough. I really really really really really need Cultsim fans to talk more about Magnus and I need Magnus listeners to play these games soooooooo badly!!!!!!!!!!

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Well that mostly concludes this piece of propaganda for the time being, will probably make another post with further additions in the not so distant future. Feel free to reblog this with any other pieces of media that you think would also be appealing to fans of Cultist Simulator and Book of Hours.

[yeetmeoutthewindowdaddy]

The intricacies of elven naming conventions, and contemplating the possible meanings of Halsin's name:

This post was directly inspired by a Halstarion fanfiction on AO3, but I lost the link to the fic and can't remember its name. 😭 If anyone recognizes the example name I used here (which was Halsin's childhood name in the fic) and can send me the name of the fic so I can link it in this post, I would greatly appreciate it. It's a really good fic!)

When an elf turns 100 they take an "adult name", which is a name that they chose for themselves instead of the name chosen for them by their parents.

(AN: Elves mature at approximately the same rate that humans do until they're around 25. An elf not being considered an adult in elven society until their 100th birthday is essentially a ceremonial rite of passage— showing that the elf has lived long enough, and gained enough life experience, to be taken seriously by older elves. [i.e.: An 18 year old and 38 year old are both legal adults, but I'd take the 38 year old's advise more seriously than the 18 year old's.])

Elven naming traditions are complex. How a name is pronounced changes the meaning of the name— even if two names are spelled same way they could be pronounced differently, and thus have different meanings. Prefixes and suffixes seem to be interchangeable. Not only that, (AFAIK) some letters can be interchanged, combined, or dropped to make the name flow better and/ or sound prettier.

"According to The Complete Book of Elves, the elven language is so full of subtlety and nuance that only native speakers fully understand it. Two names may sound the same to a human, but an elf would know the difference."

As an example of how intricate elven names are; the name "Arith" could mean "gold child" or "child of gold" if read as "ar-ith". But if the name is read as "ari-th" it could mean "silver healer"— if the "a" is removed from the suffix "-tha". Or it could mean "silver wing" if the "i" is removed from the suffix "-thi".

The name "Arith" could also mean "silver child" if read as "ari-ith", if the meanings of "ari" and "ith" are combined. Complicating matters, combining the "i"'s can elongate the vowel, changing the pronunciation to "aree-th". From what I can tell combining the "i"'s could lead to the vowel either being elongated or not, depending on the preference of the person who is doing the naming.

Hell, combining the "i"'s could lead to the name meaning "Gold-silver child" or "Child of gold and silver" or "Silver-gold child" or "Child of silver and gold" or other variations. The meaning of the name could also be used to represent an idea— so instead of a direct/ literal translation of "Arith" we'd get a name that means "Valued child" or "Treasured child" or "Little treasure" etc.

{11} Ar : gold, golden {12} Arì : silver {42} -ith (-lath; -lith; -lyth) : child, young {81} -thal /-tha (-ethal / -etha) : heal, healer, healing {84} -thi (-ethil; -thil) : wing

To say that elven names are complicated is a bit of an understatement.

Continuing to use angle fire's elven names charts to decipher what Halsin's name could mean is frustrating— as it seems as though his name isn't elven in origin. I don't even want to think about Astarion's name. [alt]

{39} Ha : free, freedom

Which makes sense, as he values freedom/ being free. But "Ha" is the only direct translation available off the elf name charts— which compelled me to add/ drop letters in prefixes/ suffixes in order to determine the meaning of Halsin's name.

If we add an "l" to "Ha" and remove the "a" in "san" and replace it with an "i" then the name "Halsin" means "Free drink". However using the suffix "-hal" as a prefix gives us a name with the meaning:

{39} Ha : free, freedom {31} -hal (-ahal; -ihal) : pale, weak {73} -san : drink, wine

"Pale drink", "pale wine", "weak drink", "weak wine", etc. Which doesn't really fit the Halsin we know. Though an argument could be made that Halsin chose this name/ its meaning because he was too weak to stop the Shadow Curse, and as an acknowledgement of how he turned to drinking to cope. But he would've been 250 years old when he chose this name. Ostensibly, he would've already changed his name upon reaching age 100— though he could('ve) change(d) his name multiple times.

Or if we drop the "a" in "La" and add an "n" to "Si", the meaning changes to:

{39} Ha : free, freedom {52} La : night {80} Si : cat, feline

"Free(d) night cat." Which fits Halsin in the same way that a foot does in a shoe that's a size to small— it fits, but not really.

If we combine the "Ha" and "-hal" we'd get a name that means "free weak drink". Which would be a nod to his escape from slavery in the Underdark, and how he drank to cope with his failures in the Shadow Cursed Lands. (And how he might've also drank to cope with what happened to him during his enslavement.)

There's many other combinations/ meanings, but none of them really feel like something Halsin would choose as a name for himself.

However! Looking at the (surface) drow names lead me to some interesting theories.

{33} Hal/Sol : Deft, nimble, spider {79} Sin/Szin : Festival, joy, pleasure

So his name would be: "Nimble pleasure" or something along those lines. But why would he use a drow name?

May I present to you the angsty idea that "Halsin" was his slave name and that for whatever reason he chose to keep it once he was freed.

He could've also used a combination of drow and elven name meanings, as by adding an "l" to the end of "Ha", "Halsin" means:

{39} Ha : free, freedom {79} Sin/Szin : Festival, joy, pleasure

"Free joy" or "Joy in freedom"— which could possibly be a nod to his joy at being freed, with the drow portion acting as a reminder of his youthful folly. We could also get the meaning "Free pleasure" which, uh, could be taken as 'he is free to pursue his pleasure', or 'it is a pleasure to be free' or 'it is pleasurable to be free', etc.

Or for more angst, "Free pleasure" which come from his drow captors combining the elf prefix "Ha" with the drow prefix "Sin" as both a mockery of his lost freedom and a reminder that he was to pleasure the matron of the house, or anyone who she gave permission to*, at any time (noncon free use).

(*AN: Drow society is staunchly matriarchal. The least powerful woman ranks above the most powerful man. However, a non-noble woman couldn't give orders to a patron; if she did then his powerful matron would most likely react with violence for using her "possession" without her permission— so in this way powerful drow men are protected, to an extent. However drow men, whatever their status, are above surface slaves, especially elves. (I think they hold dominion over female slaves, but I am not sure. Drow men are definitely higher up on the food chain than a male surface elf slave.) Which is why the patron got to 'enjoy' Halsin (and because the matron allowed him to). Honestly, Halsin is damn lucky to have survived as a slave instead of being sacrificed to Lolth or outright killed— most drow hate surface elves.)

I wonder if Halsin went to the Underdark before he turned 100. He was given into the care of a druid grove when the last of his family died, which implies he was very young at the time. <100 year old elves are full of wanderlust, and without an elven community/ family to help guide him Halsin would've taken risks that older elves could have warned him against.

And it would make sense for Halsin to use the name that means "free joy" if he was in the Underdark before he turned 100. It would also make sense for him to change his name to mean "weak drink" or "free(d) weak drink". The change would've been subtle enough that most wouldn't notice. And it would be in character for Halsin to change his name to be a constant reminder to himself of his failures and mistakes.

Of course he could've chosen the name "Halsin" because it has no meaning, and thus no expectations attached to it.

**(Please note that I am by no means a DND lore expert, this analysis is amateur at best. Angelfire seems to be a 3rd party website, so their translations are by no means official or correct, and idk how old the webpage is.)

[pablofabio]

Did you ever think about let say Dismas and Reynauld going through everything full vanilla and feeling fully confident in challenging the Heart yet again.

Rebuilding the entire Hamlet again, with all the experience they had on this year long Journey.

Then, they will slowly build their old teams alongside the Heir, who is their employee and trusted companion, and finally, after so much time...

There some new faces of course, with variations beauties, yes.

Then you finally got sent to a mission... to defeat a guy...stealing pets.

You, alongside the Religious Warrior and Friend, deal with this with the same professionalism, you always worked with him: barely.

The mission went fine, but you struggled less with a Swine Monarch, never fought before, but now you have the coolest pet you never had, even when enduring the worst of prison or poverty.

Then, for the next mission, you went to this new place, not the Farmstead or the Courtyard, "Pet Cemitery", which you swear you didn't exist on the last loop.

And then there team you got send up with, because you pretty sure marks the moment you realize: "OK, I being set up", no Tinhead to keep company, which makes you go 😢 already, but then you stuck with between the Bone Aristocrat you hate, one annoying scarecrow you beaten to hell several times, and that weird Woman...which owned a Circus.

You went to the Dungeon, tons of frigging ghosts and weird animals, keep collecting statues...finished the mission but not the Dungeon??

You heard from your Kleptomaniac love interest friend, they're some portals to another dimension which forces us to fight another hamlets, which is not the priority, your Boss expects you to fight Human sized rats unrelated to that Ancestral Sucker, which surprises you because at this point which isn't it the shithead fault.

Eventually, you take a break, drinking at the bar...and take a moment to break.

To relax, to appreciate the new hands, to realize you did succeed in fighting those threats, to the see the newcomers pull their weight and save your life...you feel great about yourself.

You feel like even if you have to deal with this all over again, you finally earned a purpose... your Redemption, as chaotic and senseless the world could be, you can still endure, you can surpass it...

You can finally let the pat beh-

Then, next mission, you got run over by a fucking Panzer.

(Modded Darkest Dungeon Experience.)

[ovwechoes]

Widowmaker Headcanons (general) I like talking about Amelie a lot, so I'm making a general hc list of things I think about her! It's entirely self indulgent but I just want to write for her more so cope /j My asks are open, and they're under the cut - enjoy!

What's Amelie's sexuality? I like to HC her as bisexual with a male lean - she has more experience with male partners, but after Gerald's death she's struggled with dating men (or really anyone since). She's demisexual as well, even though if you said that to her she'd have no clue what you're talking about whatsoever. Her sexuality is known to very few, and she intends to keep it that way to avoid discussions about her spreading more.

What's Amelie's preferred weather and season? Amelie has an appreciation for the spring and autumn - she finds it comforting seeing the seasons change to bring new life in the spring, and then for that life to come full circle in its life span in the autumn. Knowing that it's all a cycle, and it will always repeat itself (with some variation) is something she feels secure in. She loves the rain as well; often times she'll sit by her window, glass of wine in hand and will simply enjoy the music the rain makes against her home. It's peaceful, and helps quiet her mind when it's filled to the brim with things she can't quite understand.

Something small that Amelie enjoys? It might not seem like anything to other people, but Amelie enjoys styling her hair. When she's in private, away from anyone else, she lets herself watch tutorials and enjoy herself as though she's playing dress up with herself as the doll. It's something she keeps under lock and key, with only Moira knowing because she walked in on her trying out space buns after she saw them online. She hates the fact that she has to keep her hair up all the time to fit her image in Talon, and so it's partially a rebellious act, as a way to gain more independence in herself and her identity.

Any bad habits that Amelie has? Her worst habit is her drinking - it's been her main way of coping with her trauma for years. Often times, she'll go to bed wine drunk, with the bottles on her nightstand waiting for her to clean them up in the morning. She feels as though drinking is one of the only times she can actually feel emotions the way she's supposed to, and the way she did before her experimentations in Blackwatch. It helps her feel more human, more normal. She sometimes goes on alcohol bans, especially if she's busy with work. But, she's never going to decline a free drink or a present that's alcohol related. It's her worst feature, arguably.

Does Amelie like being in pictures? Not anymore - not since her wedding photos. She was never really a photogenic woman, but after the experimentations she grew to dislike her body. That's why I think she got her tattoo, as a way to bring something she likes into her appearance so that she's not full of hatred for herself. Amelie doesn't like the reminders of her unhappiness working in Talon, and so taking pictures would only feel torturous of her. She'd have to fully, genuinely, and truly trust someone to feel comfortable taking pictures with them. It's how she's always been deep down, but it's been amplified since Blackwatch.

How well does Amelie take care of herself? Because of Talon's strict guidelines, she has to take very good care of herself both physically and hygiene wise. She doesn't like to feel grimy or dirty either, so she tends to take 2 showers a day - once in the morning and once before bed. She's very into skincare, and likes to have a winding down nighttime routine where she focuses on her skincare, body care and focuses on healing herself however she can. No one knows this besides her, but she keeps a wellness journal to track the emotions she's felt that day, what they mean and what caused them. Amelie often fills it in when she's alone, in the bathroom with the shower still running to make people think she's still busy. It's her way of trying to understand the mental war going on in her mind, especially when these emotions were dulled down and almost removed completely for years. Physically, she does Pilates and endurance training alongside her continued treatments from Moira - it helps her relax, focus on her core strength, and ensures she's ready for the missions that come next. If she could, though, she'd be training through ballet practice. She misses it dearly, but Moira refuses to let her explore that route, just incase it brings back memories or emotions that would interfere with her work. It's something Amelie detests about Talon, but she knows she can't leave and this is all she has left now after everything that happened with Overwatch. It's all she knows, and it's all she can know, so she continues with what's recommended for her training as per Moira's guidelines.

Who do they go to for comfort? Honestly, it would be Olivia/Sombra. We've seen how understanding she can be of Sigma and his ailments in Talon, and if Amelie were to open up and reveal what's going on in her mind, how she's letting herself slowly learn how to feel again, I think Olivia would have her back throughout it all. Olivia would obviously be a risky ear to talk to, incase she spills it for the right price, but Amelie is short on people she can rely on. Anyone she could trust without experimenting on her or ridiculing her is gone now, and all she has is Olivia to give her the hope of support and genuine concern. They have a very sweet, private friendship and Olivia's a good shoulder for Amelie to rely on when she's struggling with her newfound emotions. Olivia's logical nature also helps when Amelie's in a pessimistic, agitated mood and helps her to ground herself and look at the situation from a different lens. Sometimes, though, if she's feeling very restricted, unable to be herself, she'll speak to Sigma about things going on, and listen to his rambles to help quiet her mind. They both feel the pain of being in Talon, even though they have very different mental states. Regardless, it would take a lot for her to go to anyone for comfort, and even if she wanted to she's always careful with her words, making sure that if anything was overheard or spoken about, that she could defend herself adequately.

[amadillo96]

Personal Ideas for International AKDFs - Particularly US

Just Brainrot mostly.

This mostly revolves around the idea of an America/US based AKDF. Because, while in the story, Japan seems to have one of the biggest Anti-Kaiju forces.

It is implied in multiple chapters that there are other nations with similar agencies dealing against Kaiju. The US, and California , specifically, being one of them. Though I'd imagine the West Coast would have heavier Kaiju defense measures. (For example, in Chapter 4 of Kn8, it's revealed that Kikoru graduated from California Neutralization University.)

In my mind, given the US's history of military prominence. Uses of Kaiju to military agencies and as weaponry would probably be much more common. Though the exact strength of these weapons may be less than any japanese counterparts.

Nonetheless, kaiju forces in the US would be very prevelant. Bc of Pacific Rims' influence of the Kn8 series, I'd figure that it'd be interesting if a US agency would primarily use bulkier armor and weaponry. Similar to a much smaller single person Jaeger from Pacific Rim.

Other than that a US agency could also go the route of extreme implementation of kaiju. For instance in one of the meetings where the higher ups discuss Kn8 after Kafka's capture. It's revealed there's rumors that a country has been experimenting with Kaiju-Human hybrids. (Chapter 33)

Which while vague would be a perfect option for a US secret AKDF unit. Plus, the US's already huge budget in military spending. As well as their large influence in other countries, which would make sense with what is said in the pannel.

All that said, I'd imagine the units in a US based AKDF would be similar is not exactly the same as the JAKDF.

With only slight variations based on what route you'd follow with a USAKDF. I'm preferable to a Kaiju-Human secret squad that'd follow the platoon ranks already established in Kn8. The Kaiju-human stuff I'll post more about later on, and this might even eventually develop into its own thing. But for now, I'm thinking Kaiju no. 8 terms.

Feedback and ideas would be appreciated. I already have a few outlines for myself, tho, and I might make write this into a series of pics. If anyone's interested. :]

[merleneish]

My favourite romance trope is reversed grumpy sunshine/sun moon dynamic, where the fmc is the smart loner and the mmc is the caring, cheerful person. There can be a lot of variations on those two and being the sunshine doesn't mean you gotta be caring and cheerful, the same for moon.

The reason I like it sm is bc when it's done right, the fmc isn't exactly feminine and the mmc is if that makes sense? And it's nice to see bc every fmc I see is feminine and it's good to be feminine, I love femininity and it's such an important quality for everyone to have, but that's the thing why are only the women feminine?

It's nice when we see a mood fmc that acts exactly like a mood mmc would act and the same for the sunshine character. Ofc there are differences in the way people act because of the way society effects them, but those experiences can be acknowledged while also treating people as just humans Yk? Don't write the fmc as a moon fmc, write her as a moon character that happens to be female, and has struggled that reflect that too.

I hope I explained myself well lol

Also when grumpy/moon is soft for sunshine. My favourite thing ever. And he actually appreciates it bc they're not usually like that and it's kinda like I have everyone but you trope as well but not in an engsty teen way but in an Introverted person that has a hard time with emotions that happens to be a girl, that cares for someone deeply that's usually caring and sweet and soft that happens to be a guy

[fantastic0fairy]

The creative world of neurodiversity

In recent years, the concept of neurodiversity has gained significant attention, reshaping how we perceive neurological differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive variations. Far from being deficits, these differences can be powerful sources of creativity and innovation. This blog entry delves into the creative potentials within the neurodiverse community, exploring how these unique perspectives enrich our world. We invite readers to engage in a vibrant discussion about the impacts and contributions of neurodiversity to creativity.

Understanding Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity refers to the idea that variations in the human brain regarding sociability, learning, attention, mood, and other mental functions are normal and should be recognized and respected. This concept challenges the traditional view of neurological differences as disorders that need to be cured or fixed. Instead, neurodiversity promotes the acceptance of all cognitive differences as part of the natural spectrum of human diversity (Armstrong, 2010).

Creativity and Neurodiversity

Neurodiverse individuals often exhibit exceptional creativity. For instance, people with autism might display remarkable skills in areas such as art, music, and mathematics. Temple Grandin, a renowned scientist and autism advocate, attributes her success in animal science to her ability to think in pictures, a trait common among many autistic individuals (Grandin, 2006). Similarly, individuals with ADHD might excel in creative fields due to their ability to think divergently and generate a multitude of ideas quickly (Eisenberg & Strikwerda-Brown, 2011).

The Role of Different Perspectives

Neurodiverse individuals often approach problems from unique angles, offering fresh perspectives that can lead to innovative solutions. For example, historical figures like Albert Einstein, who showed signs of dyslexia and ADHD, revolutionized physics with their unconventional thinking patterns. Such diverse cognitive styles can be invaluable in collaborative environments, fostering a culture of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking (West, 2014).

Challenges and Support

While the creative potential of neurodiverse individuals is immense, they often face significant challenges. Society's misunderstanding and stigmatization of neurological differences can hinder the ability of these individuals to express their talents fully. Providing support through inclusive education, workplace accommodations, and social acceptance is crucial for unlocking their creative potential (Singer, 2017).

Inclusive Practices in Education and Workplaces

Inclusive practices in education and workplaces can make a significant difference. Schools that implement flexible teaching methods and workplaces that offer tailored support and accommodations can help neurodiverse individuals thrive. For instance, project-based learning and the use of technology can cater to different learning styles, while flexible work hours and quiet workspaces can enhance productivity and creativity (Armstrong, 2010).

The Future of Neurodiversity and Creativity

The future of neurodiversity is promising. As awareness and acceptance grow, we are likely to see a greater appreciation for the contributions of neurodiverse individuals in various fields. Encouraging diversity in thought and experience not only enriches our culture but also drives innovation and progress.

Try reflecting on these questions ”How has neurodiversity impacted your life or the lives of those around you?” “ What steps can society take to better support and celebrate neurodiverse individuals?” And feel free to leave your comments below with your experiences and opinions in order to engage with others in this enlightening discussion, on the creative world of neurodiversity!

References

Armstrong, T. (2010). Neurodiversity: Discovering the Extraordinary Gifts of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Brain Differences. Da Capo Lifelong Books.

Eisenberg, D., & Strikwerda-Brown, J. (2011). ADHD and creativity: Exploratory and confirmatory findings. Journal of Creative Behavior, 45(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.24

Grandin, T. (2006). Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism. Vintage.

Singer, J. (2017). Neurodiversity: The Birth of an Idea. Judy Singer.

West, T. G. (2014). Thinking Like Einstein: Returning to Our Visual and Active Roots in Education, Learning, and Research. Prometheus Books.

[sepublic]

Tbh I wonder if it's even necessary to make the distinction between Glatorian and Agori as separate species, and for that matter, the Skrall and Bone Hunters. I do appreciate the idea of retroactively having the Matoran and Toa be recreations of the society that created them, but on the other hand, making it all one species within the lore would also help to differentiate the setting as more grounded, especially with the removal of elemental powers and Kanohi;

In general, Bara Magna's stories feel more human with how the cast struggles with human problems like getting enough food and water, poor working conditions, wages, etc. It's what helps differentiate the setting from the Matoran Universe, and leaning into that helps Bara Magna stand out in its own compelling way. Come to think of it, one could easily imagine everyone as human in these stories, and it wouldn't really change a thing nor contradict lore, minus the Glatorian and Agori being ridiculously long-lived; But that can be explained via cybernetic enhancements and the Great Beings' experiments.

But that gets me back to my main point; It'd be easy to explain the height difference with Glatorian as just genetic, species variation as one can see in humans themselves. And of course the bigger Agori gravitate towards the Glatorian profession, because it's one where their physique gives them a natural leg up over their peers; And it's not as if anyone has the privilege to choose jobs they enjoy vs ones that put food on the table.

In the first half of 2009, we're introduced to Berix, who wants to participate in the arena someday. Now we do have the Glatorian game, both its in-universe and real life counterparts, to justify this; Agori function as a separate game piece in the rules. But if Agori can fight alongside Glatorian in the ring, why not have Agori vs Agori matches, especially when the dilemma of tribes not having enough Glatorian is a thing?

Plus, this brings us to the second wave of 2009, which introduces a lot of Agori who can fight in the arena (even against Glatorian such as Perditus) via the great equalizer of vehicles; And then there's Telluris, who's a perfect middle-ground between Agori and Glatorian in terms of stature. Body types don't have to be canonized as a separate species, because sure the Skrall are built different, but so are Kiina and Strakk, who are nevertheless Glatorian. It avoids falling into the trope of the Evil Race, and again, humanizes the story even more by making it all one species. By the end of the day, the term Glatorian canonically only refers to the occupation, and not the larger species, which is technically still unnamed.

[mushiver]

How can you be Bi/Trans and Christian?

Good question! Also a personal one, so it's hard to tell without a story. If you stick around to read, I appreciate it. I'm gonna be vulnerable on this dinky little tumblr page

I was raised a Christian and always believed. I'd say it "clicked" the most when I was 13, and that's when I committed. I've lost faith at times, but for the most part, it's always been the foundation of my life. I think about God before I make decisions, I rely on Him when I'm anxious, and I thank Him for everything. I'm very much summarizing it, but I have a good relationship with God. The more seeds I have planted in my faith, the better my life is, and the more loving I am to others

I heard about gay people when I was eight, and my first thought was "why didn't I think of that?" Like... of course people of the same gender can have romantic feelings. There's tons of variations in nature and humanity, and that made sense to me. I also thought it was ultra rare, so for the next several years, when I saw gay couples or lgbtq things online, I was looking from a distance, like I related so hard because of my isolating gender experience, but I thought no way it could be me out of millions. I was weirdly focused on the odds.

Similarly, when I found out about trans people at 12, I was like "of COURSE they exist" and I was blown away that people could transition. I related hard, even if I thought it would never be a possibility for me.

First, finding out I was bi. Even though I was blatantly attracted to guys and girls, I swept it under the rug with things like "but anyone would-" "but I wouldn't date-" "it's just admiration" until I was 14. I had a real crush then, and I fell super hard for one of my friends I met at church (he's now out as trans, but either way, we were the same gender at the time and are now), and that's when it hit me that it wasn't some fluke or me "wanting to be a part of the community" (even though the reason I did in the first place was because I felt ostracized because of the way I felt about gender)

I was down bad for this guy, and it was hard to tell what he thought of me because he was affectionate with everyone. But I thought I had a sliver of a chance, so I had a freakout and questioned my sexuality.

Throughout the years, I've heard Christians be homophobic, and I've heard people say it's a sin, but I never understood it. I never felt it in my heart. I didn't know gay people, but I wasn't kept out of that sphere, so I knew they had real, loving relationships, and it wasn't all about a party drugs and sex lifestyle. Can gay people live that way? Yes. Is it the majority? Not even close. Unhealthy behavior is what churches usually cling to, and they condemn the whole community by it. Similarly, people point at churches like Westbro and condemn all Christians. I'm sure you've all seen the vitriol back and forth, and queer Christians are in the line of fire on both sides. Community and support is beyond helpful because of that

Again, my faith comes first. I couldn't accept being bi if God couldn't, so I did a lot of research. On the anti-lgbtq side, I heard the Bible verses. They seemed to condemn it, but never spoke about love between two people. I'll come back to this. Mostly, the anti side used their own arguments, like "look at these people, they get aids" and "your identity should only be in christ."

The pro-lgbtq side took a deep dive into scripture. I was used to hearing "it's on the page, the Bible is clear" when TONS of scripture cannot be taken at face value. That's why theologians study the true meaning AND its use in modern, post resurrection life. It's hermeneutics. And the fact is, the word "homosexual" was added in the Bible in the 40s, before our modern understanding of it. References to homosexuality were references to the "lover-beloved" relationships between slaves and slaveholders, or teacher and student. "Effeminates" were catamites. Homosexuality wasn't a concept in the first century, but pederasty was, and the Bible condemns it. There's a long, rich history of the 6 verses about homosexuality, and it's too short for a tumblr post, but there's the Reformation Project to check out, CenterPeace, Torn by Justin Lee, God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines, and Walking the Bridgeless Canyon by Kathy Baldock.

Not only is there a lot of evidence (made in faith by people who want to determine God's will), there's tons of queer Christians living happily. It's not a double life. It's not holding onto sin. It's not holding onto a toxic religion. If you hate being lgbtq, something inseparable from yourself, then you're going to hate yourself. So many lgbtq Christians live in shame because they think it's their only choice. Conversion therapy doesn't work. Straight people can be straight and have their identity rooted in christ, but gay people are told they can't do that

Because I prayed about it for so long and did the research, I believed that being bi and Christian were not at odds. If you're a Christian, you probably know the feeling of being spiritually guided. I came out to a few people, including my parents, and they didn't accept it, but they tolerated it and didn't forbid me from dating if I got the chance (I didn't lol. Still have never dated and I'm 19). But even though I struggled with shame from their judgement, I was grateful they didn't ostracize me

Gonna fast track this because it's getting long, but being trans was the back-of-my-mind thing I ignored. I ALWAYS felt it somewhere. Since I was three, I sometimes imagined growing up a man. Any chance to prove I was manly, I did. I also hid it out of fear, so I was often hyperfeminine in appearance while masculine in behavior. It's all subjective, I know, but the point is that being masculine grounded me. That's what made me feel like myself. But I also wanted to be seen. It's frustrating when you're so uncomfortable in your body and being feminized, and you can't even look the way you want to because your family is the cops you don't want to make suspicious and the church is prison. It shouldn't BE the prison. It wasn't always that way. It's still a haven for lots of queer people, but I didn't want to be condemned for something that I couldn't change and didn't cause. I felt like there was a boy brain inside me, but it was my job and duty to play a girl

Once again, at 14, it came into question. It was my most social year (being homeschooled) so dysphoria was the worst it had been. I wanted to be seen as a guy. It took months of questioning and debating, but I cut my hair. Everyone was surprisingly cool with it, so over the years, I phased out my clothes and accepted my masculinity.

Every once in a while, I'd privately question my gender, think about my name, and pray like my life was in danger (from the anxiety) but I ultimately stopped when a family member got suspicious. This went on repeat for a year. Before I tuned 16, I was absolutely sure. I couldn't keep doubting it, and I needed to come out so I wasn't dealing with it alone. But again, some Christians are so hostile towards trans people, and I went down a rabbit hole that pulled on my anxiety and despair. It wasn't wrong in my heart, I wasn't furthering myself from God spiritually, but shame took over my own convictions. I spent the next year in deep denial and punished myself every time I thought about being trans. I grew out my hair, bought new clothes, and forced myself to wear makeup. I almost lost my life, and my arms and legs were covered in scars

That was the furthest I'd been from my faith. I carried my own cross with a "I'm doing this for you" mentality when it was never something God asked me to do. In a way, it was cowardly. I listened to the world, my shame, and my parents, and threw away what I knew to be the truth because standing for it made me too anxious. I did that for a long time, and I lost some months of my life. I can't physically remember them. It was a traumatic experience, so they're blocked out

When I couldn't take it anymore, I prayed after my silence and said "guide me." I took it slow, and stopped denying and pushing away thoughts about my future and my identity. I grounded myself and came back to my faith and started researching deeper into theology.

When I was sure of myself, I came out to my parents at 17. At the time, they took it as well as they could. They didn't shun me, and they started using the name I chose. It's been hard throughout the years, and they're not on good terms with it still, but I trust God to take it where it needs to go. I deal with a lot of grief with my parents, but I can't cower and hide what I believe in anymore. It effects more than just me

Now I've done years of praying, theological research, writing a 45,000 word essay, meeting queer Christians, reading the whole Bible, and having a relationship with God, and I'm at peace with myself. It took my whole life to get there, but I fight the shame that's placed on me with my faith. I rely on God. It's important that I distinguish myself as both a Christian and queer because there's still millions of people who are scared and suicidal because they've been told they have to get rid of it to love Him. When they can't get rid of it, they assume they're not enough, so they either lose faith or hate themselves

It's just a little detail in my bio, but that's how I'm both. I want queer Christians, or anyone really, to see me and know that I am this way, and my life is still whole. That's the long story short. If you're reading this and you're also a queer Christian, you're not alone and there's tons of people of faith fighting for us :)

I don't know anything about anon, but hopefully this answered your question

[scenvs3000w25]

On the Meaning of Reading (Unit 6)

We read everyday. You’re reading this right now. This morning, you woke up, and read something on your phone, whether it was a text from a friend, a social media post, a news article, or something else. Then you went to school, where you read words on lecture slides or pages from a textbook. 

Reading is everywhere, so much so that we don’t think about it. However, what surprised me when reading the textbook chapters was the level of effort and planning that goes into much of what we read. The rules, the indices, the carefully curated suggestions and step-by-step programs for effective writing. The realization that someone carefully considered and chose all those words I just read on a day-to-day basis without a second thought. 

This revelation has me reconsidering my own writing. Leftridge (2006) makes the excellent point that ‘it’s good to have goals in your interpretive writing’. Having a clear, defined goal will make your writing impactful and help your story resonate with your audience. 

I also found the tips from William Zinsser (2006), who advises writers to keep sentences short and simple, use positive phrases, be specific, use active voice, and generally just try to be as clear and concise as possible. Zinsser said, “The essence of writing is rewrit-ing”, and I believe these tips can be extremely helpful for writers in the editing stage. Initially, just write what you want to write. Then, revise it until you are confident your words say what you want to say. - Serena 2025

Overall, though, I think the most important advice given in Chapter 14 of Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage is Zinsser (2006)’s fundamental rule to be yourself when writing. Have the courage and confidence to be authentic. Expanding on this rule, Tilden states, “Whatever is written without enthusiasm, will be read without interest”. If you are true to yourself, you will write about what interests you, and that is your best bet at keeping your audience engaged. Authors have repeated variations of this sentiment through the years: 

"You don't write because you want to say something; you write because you have something to say." - F. Scott Fitzgerald 

If we consider writing as a record of human history, then authenticity becomes paramount. What are we recording if not the authentic voices of past people? What would we know about the tenacity of the human spirit, about love, about living, if great writers throughout time had not experienced these things and been brave enough to express themselves? To express oneself authentically is a form of integrity. As Edward Hyams said in Chapter 7 of The Gift of Interpretation, “There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity”.

 Hymes goes on to describe integrity as a presentation of all the parts of a whole, to recognize the past as part of the whole, part of the process that shapes what stands today. If we choose to ignore the past or selectively focus on only what we want to see, we lose our integrity. We must acknowledge and understand our history and everything that led us here in order to understand and appreciate ourselves, on an individual and on a societal level. 

That is why, in writing, we must write with purpose. We must write with intention. We must write with authenticity. We must preserve our true selves in the written word, our experiences and lessons learned, in order to guide future generations and uphold a clear image of the past. This is important now more than ever, in my opinion, as we go through tumultuous times on a social and political level. 

References: 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Leftridge, A. (2006). Interpretive Writing. Rowman & Littlefield.

Zinsser, W. (2006). On Writing Well. Harper Paperbacks.

12 Quotes on Writing by F. Scott Fitzgerald. (2021). Writinganalytics.co. https://www.writinganalytics.co/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/

[walkswithmyfather]

Psalm 16:11 (NASB). “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

“Joy in God’s Presence” by In Touch Ministries:

“Draw near to God to discover authentic joy.”

“Today’s verse tells us, “You will make known to me the way of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” What a promise! This scripture teaches that for us as God’s children, the delight of our Father’s presence is beyond measure and always available.

To help us appreciate this profound spiritual joy, let’s think about the pleasure derived from a more mundane source—a summer garden. In full bloom, a flower bed can be a riot of color, with variations of green, red, yellow, purple, white, and more. Blossoms release fragrance into air that is often filled with birdsong. It’s a treat for our senses.

But delight in God’s presence surpasses that of any human experience. In Him, the psalm says, we find “fullness of joy.” What’s more, His goodness is not dependent upon circumstances; it is always accessible—even when life is filled with concerns and hardships.

God’s presence and the blessings it brings will endure for all eternity. But cultivating a heart of gratitude, prayer, and worship can help us experience deep delight now. As we draw near Him, we will find solace in sorrow, strength in weakness, and hope in despair—all of which add to the fullness of our joy.”

(Picture by Mi Pham at Unsplash)

[shikotei-asheer]

Yao Dàiyù [姚黛玉]

«"I [朕, zhèn] lack appreciation towards those who deemed themselves worthy of my [朕, zhèn] presence".»

Basic info here.

Yao Dàiyù is the head of the medical department for both humanity and divinity. Her complete knowledge in various medical areas makes her respected by both factions, thus saving unecessary discussions.

Her title of most usage is "Qín shì ruanyù" (秦のネフライト, Hata no nefuraito), being a title which translates directly as "Qin's Nephrite". She's the wife of Qin Shi Huangdi, and co-founder of the Qin Dynasty.

Other few titles she's been referred to are "The Queen where It all was reborn" (再生の女王, Saisei no joō), the "Queen of humanity" (人類の女王, Jinrui no joō) and various other titles.

Yao Dàiyù Is a woman slightly taller than chinese average stature (155.8 cm), with a fragile-looking overall body composition.

Her clothing right now is under construction, sorry for the inconvenience.

Yao Dàiyù is shown to be a very calm and collected yet cunning and apathetic individual.

She also seems to be well versed in multiple medical areas and politics, knowledge she uses throughout the Ragnarök rounds, demonstrating her deep intellect as she responded to Brunhilde's plea of a complete round's analysis with perfect accuracy.

Dàiyù, when encountering Odín wandering throughout the medical halls, showed no real fear for his menacing aura, just responding with wariness.

Her past seems to have made of her a fearsome and cold-hearted individual whose only concern isn't humanity's survival, but her husband and descendants, for what she'll do anything It takes for them to live.

Overall abilities: Yáo Dàiyù's knowledge makes her an opponent to be wary about. Her medical knowledge isn't just used to heal, but also for harm, which is shown as she easily dislocates an intrusive god's arm with the single movement of her wrist.

Brunhilde did consider her for Ragnarök, but declined to it in favor of having her as the head of the medical department and as a strategist in favor of humanity.

Average strength: At difference of the einherjars, she lacks the godlike strength to take against gods' or destroy structures with singular strength.

Godlike speed & reflexes: To complement her lack of strength, Dàiyù possesses a speed matching the likes of Gods as the ones participating in Ragnarök.

Godlike endurance & stamina: Dàiyù possesses a great degree of physical and mental fortitude. Her inhuman appliance and experiments on herself forced her to feel a great amount of physical and mental pain to the point she has grown careless of her own pain.

Martial arts master: Dàiyù Is a very skilled martial artist. She uses her family's signature fighting style and a more tactical approaching of said martial arts.

She's also shown to be a master Hand-to-hand combatant, quick to adapt to other people's combat styles and create a quick counter attack that favors her.

Medical knowledge areas: Greatly skilled in many medical areas, her área of most knowledge and skill Is the pharmaceutical and toxicology area, being really skilled when It comes to the creation of poison and toxines.

Musical knowledge: Having learnt since a young age, Dàiyù possesses a maestry with the guzheng, the xíqin and many more instruments.

Golden age: As a soul in the afterlife, Yao Dàiyù possesses the same appearance and skills that she did when she was at her peak.

✧ In chinese culture, jades were associated with Immortality. Therefore, her name represents and reflects her and Qin Shi Huang's pursuit for the Elixir of life, known as Xiandan (仙丹), throughout his life.

✧ Dàiyù's title as the Beauty of chaos Is thanks to her enemies' underestimation. Being a female, she was often disregarded and not taken into account until too late, when they were at the brink of death.

✧ [朕, zhèn] is the Chinese imperial pronoun that the Emperor Qin Shi Huang used on himself. It works as an I and also as a variation of the imperial 'We'.

Plot / Relationships / Image Gallery

"Every information here may be subject to changes. If any of the previous titles holds no URL Is because the page hasn't be created yet. Please wait for It" - Admin, Asheer.

[ridibulous]

Judas / Choir

Judas: host & body name // Choir: system name (Choir System)

P@yP@l Link // V€nmø Link // C@sh@pp Link because we're broke and society fails us continuously so help always appreciated

♫♪.ılılıllılılı. ♫♪

— body is twenty [20] years old.

— collectively he/him and (when referring to multiple parts/the system as a whole) plural they/them. alternate between first-person pronouns i/me and we/us.

— multiply disabled; autistic DID system, cane user for chronic pain & balance. hard of hearing because auditory processing disorder. we have other issues but I'm not going to list them out lmfao

— intersex cistrans man. multigendered like a math equation; cisgender nonbinary, transgender boyflux(man–neutrois)+agender. sometimes butch lesbian on top of that. check out the full hoard here on pronouns.page (link)

Testosterone HRT Jun.1.2023 | Top Surgery Oct.30.2024

♫♪.ılılıllılılı. ♫♪

psst... this is only a basic intro. click below for lots more!

Boundaries and BYF info.

— Feel free to send us asks or DM us. We like messages.

— If we do anything wrong... please just tell us? We're constantly trying to learn and grow for the better.

— We block liberally to curate our online experience. If you make us uncomfortable we won't hesitate to do so, even if you aren't on our below "DNI".

— Folk who apply to our DNI can and will get blocked, including when found in our notifications.

— We also read all of our notifications. Expect the possibility of a response as well when you say something, whether it be in your askbox, a reblog of your reblog, whatever.

— If you say dumbfuck shit in my notifications expecting me to debate you (especially if you're on our DNI!), you're sorely mistaken. I rarely if ever debate or argue because it's worthless time & energy to expend. At least be funny if you're gonna try?

— Please do not interrogate us about our full background, especially if you are a stranger. We literally don't know it all, and more importantly we don't owe you it.

— If you ask our intersex variation(s) you owe us $20.

— For the love of humanity if you have a complex typing quirk and are able to, please be willing to translate it into plain English. Obligatory "typing quirks are inherently ableist and refusing to translate is being actively ableist". As a Homestuckie I can understand leetspeak-esque quirks, but if yours is so esoteric I can't easily gleam what your message says it will get on my nerves.

— Please please please understand that if you misinterpret my posts as a stranger I might get passive aggressive. I try not to, this is unfortunately the piss on the poor website, but god damn please use your reading comprehension for a minute before saying something on our posts.

— We personally do not like being called a "plural". If you enjoy the label, cool. Please don't use it on us.

— Parts/alters (we use both terms interchangably) don't have signoffs by default just cause we don't really see the point here. Everyone who's willing & allowed on here uses tumblr as they wish.

— At this point we're endo-apathetic. Not neutral or pro, and I still lean towards the anti side just from knowledge & opinions alone, and I do prefer to interact with traumagenic systems regarding systemhood, but truly I can't bother to give a fuck anymore. Don't be someone who spouts blatant misinformation about OSDDID and systemhood and we should be fine.

— We don't usually tag triggers (or much of anything) especially on reblogs. We just hit the funny green button unless the content is particularly compelling enough for us to tag.

— In general we're really sloppy with tags. We've had this blog for years on end, and don't feel particularly inclined to sideblogs. This also means you might stumble upon old posts and/or opinions if you go through our blog. Sorry for any cringe you find /lh

DNI

more of a broad "who we ignore/block" and opinions list. I mean seriously, is a flesh & blood TERF going to listen to this?

in other news, if you don't apply to any of the below, you should follow us! /not forced

— Any type of bigot.

— Radical feminists in general. This includes TERFs, T"I"RFs, SWERFs, febfems, transradfems, etc. We include them under our "bigot" label, but just being thorough.

— Any flavor of right-wing nonsense. (conservative, alt-right, neonazi, pro-life, antivax, etc.)

— Anti-Furry. Your life is boring as shit.

— Anti-therian/otherkin/objectum, or any adjacent label.

— Anti-self-shipping, self-inserts, and OC x Canon. Your life is ALSO boring as shit.

— Heavily involved in pro/anti-ship discourse. We are not proship, antiship, or neutral. Do not force any of these labels on us, we do not engage with the discourse seriously. It should be common sentiment that pedophilia(+related i.e necro, zoo), incest, abuse etc. that's publicly romanticized/fetishized as normal or okay is wrong. TL;DR,

[ID: A tumblr screenshot with a grainy filter overlay. It's a post by @/bloodenjoyer posted on May 25, 2023 that reads as follows, "i’m not “pro ship” or “anti ship” i live in the real world + have media literacy + am grossed out by pedophilia which is all pretty standard fare for people who life in the real world actually". /End ID.]

— Queer exclusionists, infighters, and feds (truscum/transmed, anti-contradictory identities, believes aspec aren't inherently queer, doesn't believe transandrophobia is real, attempts to rehash the gender binary i.e. with afab/amab or tme/tma, etc.)

— Not normal about intersex people. Sex is not binary. You cannot "transition to become intersex". Intersex doesn't mean "both sets of fully-functioning genitalia". AFAB doesn't equal müllerian (link) and AMAB doesn't equal wolffian (link). Be a better advocate.

— Pro-radqueer/transx identities.

— Pro-contact paraphiles. (ex. pedophilia, zoophilia, necrophilia)

— Believe in "narc abuse" or other cluster B "abuses".

— Anti-age regression/age dreaming (agere/agedre) or pet regression/pet dreaming (petre/petdre).

— Anti-well researched self-diagnosis.

— Believe RAMCOA/OEA isn't real or purposefully believe conspiracy theories & other disinformation related to it.

— Porn blogs which are centered around hard CNC/rape kink, gore/guro, DDLG & other ageplay (agere/agedre are inherently SFW to us.), raceplay, fat fetish/feederism, and detransition kink.

— If you don't know how to use the block button yourself and shit bricks in our notes/askbox over something trivial. /hj

♫♪.ılılıllılılı. ♫♪

To be updated whenever we feel like it.