#banshee’s lament art

[huramuna]

it is a manacle of love. i’ll place it upon this fairest prisoner.

i missed sheramond so i needed to draw them.

details under the cut

[kaiserouo]

I still can't draw faces buuuuut here's some Banshee practice because I'm gonna draw more Houndy mourning for Cayde.

Yes those 2 are related.

[huramuna]

OH MY GOSHHHHH!!!! THESE ARE SO GORGEOUS OMG!!! she would so totally wear these!! you captured her style perfectly, thank you so so much!!

Shera Stark costume designs 💜💙

A couple designs for @huramuna's Shera Stark because I love her

[bishie-haven]

After-party, Day 1, Part 2!

Alright, so part 2 of that list, HERE WE GO!

#7: The Avatar of Lust (Initial UR)

This blasted card…another NB-exclusive, they’re really able to lean into the “we’re in the past” element of the story and bring it out into the open. Being brought to Lamentation on account of hearing ghost-like noises, it turns out to be Asmo literally wailing like a banshee because of Satan’s remarks on him putting on airs. This leads to a point of backstory that I absolutely adore. We all know about how Asmo was nicknamed “the jewel of the heavens” by Luci himself and how the two were effectively a pair, but we never knew his true intentions behind it. Well, thanks to a flashback, we find out it’s because Luci saw all the effort Asmo put into things, whether successful or not, and that’s what truly made him shine like a gem to him. It really puts into perspective his abundance of drive and self-confidence and how it shines in every other situation he’s in. I hate that it takes over two sections of the story just to even start TALKING to him, but you take what you can get. 

And the ART…I have merch of this card art, and whatever side you look at, you can TELL the artists went all out for the release, whether demon OR angel form. (And also, WHY has no one said anything about how the demon form’s pose is the gold-standard yandere pose?!)

#6: Treat for a Job Well Done (Water Panic UR)

Oh, the equivalent of my birthday present last year~ While the event that was attached was…a bit less than desired (it felt like I was ACTUALLY working that temp job pushing through it…and you couldn’t even kiss him ON THE FERRIS WHEEL!), the story we got for that grind was SUCH a treat. Even with a concept as simple as “beach episode”, so many cute elements were added in, like the floater keychains and the drink customization. And overall the tone was just so playful, like it truly was a reward for the work you did to get this card. And you ACTUALLY get that kiss (if you want it!)!

While the card art doesn’t have many bells and whistles, the composition is what sold it for me. Both the initial and DF unlock are framed like you’re both under the warm rays of the sun (a rarity in this world), and each show Asmo with the biggest smile on his face…it warms my heart just as much!

#5: Gifts for My Valentine (Valentine’s ‘24 UR+)

Now THIS is a direction I haven't seen the Valentine's Day surprise take before. Casually dropping that he and other students have been cursed, we get full access to Asmo's thoughts for the day, and instead of stuff you shouldn't really be posting on the internet, the thoughts are actually pretty wholesome. However, it seems to wreck every surprise he tries to give you. Between a secret that romantic feeding makes a chocolate ten times sweeter (attacking me with my favorite romantic trope, no less) to wanting to share a gift so that they could be connected, you end up knowing it all. And what does he do to combat this? Pulls the “I'm your present, unwrap me” card to shroud his brain in mystery and have a decorated demon as your gift. Absolutely. Freaking. Adorable.

And the art? Oh COME ON, not only attacking me AGAIN with the initial art, but the suit in the DF unlock? The freaking RIBBON?! We're getting spoiled here!

#4: Lovable Me (Initial SSR)

The last of the NB-exclusive cards I can rank, this one I feel gets the most right when it comes to what they're trying to do. They show the start of a character's personality trait (in this case, the fifth deciding he's going to pursue being famous on social media), showing how it can be in a negative sense (bringing his twin younger brothers along primarily as pack mules on a shopping spree), and how it can be turned on its head. Within this story, Asmo gets a huge break when a scouting agent asks him to be an in-house model, but only if he immediately signs a contract at their HQ. He could have done this, nothing was stopping him…but he promised his brothers lunch and rest, and he knew that while he would have plenty more opportunities, he only had these brothers. It really reveals that under the glitz and glamor he likes to portray, he is loyal and dedicated to those he cares about. I've said it before and I'll say it again: to those of you thinking Asmo only cares about himself READ THIS NOW. Also, the fact that Mammon ends up getting the spot in his place and the lusty boy ends up going ballistic on him is hilarious. XD

AND the art also portrays multiple sides of him too. A big reason I love this character is because he is very much GNC and is ready and willing to wear things that aren't necessarily coded as masculine, whether that be lipstick (initial) or even a gorgeous ball gown (DF unlock). And this was one of the INITIAL cards??

#3: A Taste of Stan Culture (Hobby UR+)

While I adore our demon of desire, he is not the only one in this game I like. For example, my 2nd favorite amongst the brothers is our lovable little nerd, Leviathan. And if there’s one thing I and the envy demon have in common, it’s the passion we share for our faves. And my #1 gets to understand the mindset of the #2 in this story, where a spat between the two leads him to try and apologize by trying to get into his head about anime, idols and overall stan culture as a whole. Although from Asmo’s perspective, the faves he has in mind? Himself and you. On his end, wearing homemade merch of your love (in this case personalizing shirts with his face on it which, fun fact, show the art from his Return My Glow card from the OG game!). On your end, a fashion show with him laying on the praise as thick as he can: penlights, fans, hearts in his eyes and all! It highlights a lot of little things about him, too: he and Levi share a skill of sewing, and because Asmo has a hoard of fans himself, this little experiment allows him to understand them just a bit more. Development just for going the way of the otaku for a couple of days!

While I’ll admit the initial art for this card is just okay (unless you’re a huge fan of embroidering), the DF unlock is where it really shines. This is where we get him waving the fan and the penlight, but also where he’s wearing this GORGEOUS outfit that I will pay SO much money for in order for it to be a model in-game, PLEASE SOLMARE!!

#2: Li’l Asmo’s Big Journey (Fairytale UR+)

This. This freaking story. How many ways can I say I love this story?? Since I was a kid, I loved movies like “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” and many an episode of a TV show where characters either grew or shrank and had to get used to the new perspective of the world around them. In this case, thanks to context from another unlockable chat, nibbling on a few cookies off-screen caused Asmo to go down to mere inches in height, leading to a slew of shenanigans as he wants to do multiple things just trying to get back home. From playing around and fighting dolls in a cursed dollhouse to ordering a sweet dish that’s quadruple his size (and another attack on my fave romantic trope depending on the dialogue choice) to getting KIDNAPPED BY A BIRD, it has all the trappings for a stupidly fun time with one of my favorite subjects. And the irony is, he asks you multiple times near the end if you would like to shrink as well sometime for a cute photoshoot amongst the flowers…and I currently have an OC dating him whose magic specialty is altering size, whether of objects or herself…

When it comes to the art, they really leaned on the Thumbelina inspiration for each image, and whether you want him resting pretty with a wand or relaxing with a pair of butterfly wings, if you like fairies, this is the card for you!

#1: Every Version of You (Learning UR+)

So this card from the Learning-themed Nightmare is my favorite. And while I will admit right now the art isn’t my favorite (I don’t hate it, but it’s more on the plain side with the collapsing books or the Demonus pong) and that some aspects feel a bit forced (specifically with the ending in the club), it’s honestly easy to ignore for me. I say this because the story that occurs is absolute perfection if you want character development for someone as perfection-obsessed as Asmodeus. The whole story revolves around a video of him studying going viral online, and because it doesn’t fit what he usually portrays as his image, he starts to worry that no one likes his personality anymore, and tries multiple avenues to try and give a new image to himself (and not like a CERTAIN #14). He tries, fails, and it’s only when a photo is snapped of him collapsing over a pile of tea reference books that he starts to realize that not only does he not need to change any aspect about himself, but that he needs to start showing the realm that he’s NOT always perfect. No matter whether he succeeds or fails at something, the fact that he’s doing his best is what’s most important at the end of the day. It revolves back around to the first UR he receives in this game. He isn’t a jewel of the heavens or even of all three realms just because he’s seen as perfect. It is because he’s determined, he’s passionate, he puts in the time to get the results he wants.

And that? That is one of the countless reasons why so many, including myself, see him as more dazzling than any gem a jeweler could offer. 

Alright, Day 3's contents are on the way! And this time? We'll be going into a bit into my head for our next wave~

[legend-collection]

Death

Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim's death by coming to collect that person's soul. Other beliefs hold that the Spectre of Death is only a psychopomp, a benevolent figure who serves to gently sever the last ties between the soul and the body, and to guide the deceased to the afterlife, without having any control over when or how the victim dies. Death is most often personified in male form, although in certain cultures Death is perceived as female (for instance, Marzanna in Slavic mythology, or Santa Muerte in Mexico). Death is also portrayed as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Death Le Mire and Oudry La Fontaine fable Death and the dying

Irish mythology features a similar creature known as a dullahan, whose head would be tucked under their arm (dullahans were not one, but an entire species). The head was said to have large eyes and a smile that could reach the head's ears. The dullahan would ride a black horse or a carriage pulled by black horses, and stop at the house of someone about to die, and call their name, and immediately the person would die. The dullahan did not like being watched, and it was believed that if a dullahan knew someone was watching them, they would lash that person's eyes with their whip, which was made from a spine; or they would toss a basin of blood on the person, which was a sign that the person was next to die.

Gaelic lore also involves a female spirit known as Banshee, who heralds the death of a person by shrieking or keening. The banshee is often described as wearing red or green, usually with long, disheveled hair. She can appear in a variety of forms, typically that of an ugly, frightful hag, but in some stories she chooses to appear young and beautiful. Some tales recount that the creature was actually a ghost, often of a specific murdered woman or a mother who died in childbirth. When several banshees appeared at once, it was said to indicate the death of someone great or holy. In Ireland and parts of Scotland, a traditional part of mourning is the keening woman (bean chaointe), who wails a lament – in Irish: Caoineadh, caoin meaning "to weep, to wail."

In Scottish folklore there was a belief that a black, dark green or white dog known as a Cù Sìth took dying souls to the afterlife. Comparable figures exist in Irish and Welsh stories.

In Welsh Folklore, Gwyn ap Nudd is the escort of the grave, the personification of Death and Winter who leads the Wild Hunt to collect wayward souls and escort them to the Otherworld, sometimes it is Maleagant, Arawn or Afallach in a similar position.

In Greek mythology, Thanatos, the personification of death, is one of the offspring of Nyx (Night). Like her, he is seldom portrayed directly. He sometimes appears in art as a winged and bearded man, and occasionally as a winged and beardless youth. When he appears together with his twin brother, Hypnos, the god of sleep, Thanatos generally represents a gentle death. Thanatos, led by Hermes psychopompos, takes the shade of the deceased to the near shore of the river Styx, whence the ferryman Charon, on payment of a small fee, conveys the shade to Hades, the realm of the dead. Homer's Iliad 16.681, and the Euphronios Krater's depiction of the same episode, have Apollo instruct the removal of the heroic, semi-divine Sarpedon's body from the battlefield by Hypnos and Thanatos, and conveyed thence to his homeland for proper funeral rites. Among the other children of Nyx are Thanatos' sisters, the Keres, blood-drinking, vengeant spirits of violent or untimely death, portrayed as fanged and taloned, with bloody garments.

In Scandinavia, Norse mythology personified death in the shape of Hel, the goddess of death and ruler over the realm of the same name, where she received a portion of the dead. In the times of the Black Plague, Death would often be depicted as an old woman known by the name of Pesta, meaning "plague hag", wearing a black hood. She would go into a town carrying either a rake or a broom. If she brought the rake, some people would survive the plague; if she brought the broom, however, everyone would die.

Scandinavians later adopted the Grim Reaper with a scythe and black robe. Today, Ingmar Bergman's 1957 film The Seventh Seal features one of the world's most famous representations of this personification of Death.

In Poland, Death – Śmierć or kostuch – has an appearance similar to the Grim Reaper, although its robe was traditionally white instead of black. Because the word śmierć is feminine in gender, death is frequently portrayed as a skeletal old woman, as depicted in 15th-century dialogue "Rozmowa Mistrza Polikarpa ze Śmiercią" (Latin: "Dialogus inter Mortem et Magistrum Polikarpum").

In Serbia and other South Slavic countries, the Grim Reaper is well known as Smrt ("Death") or Kosač ("Reaper"). Slavic people found this very similar to the Devil and other dark powers. One popular saying about death is: Smrt ne bira ni vreme, ni mesto, ni godinu ("Death does not choose a time, place or year" – which means death is destiny.)

Morana is a Slavic goddess of winter time, death and rebirth. A figurine of the same name is traditionally created at the end of winter/beginning of spring and symbolically taken away from villages to be set in fire and/or thrown into a river, that takes her away from the world of the living.

In the Czech Republic, the medieval Prague Astronomical Clock carries a depiction of Death striking the hour. A version first appeared in 1490.

In the Netherlands, and to a lesser extent in Belgium, the personification of Death is known as Magere Hein ("Thin Hein") or Pietje de Dood ("Peter the Death"). Historically, he was sometimes simply referred to as Hein or variations thereof such as Heintje, Heintjeman and Oom Hendrik ("Uncle Hendrik"). Related archaic terms are Beenderman ("Bone-man"), Scherminkel (very meager person, "skeleton") and Maaijeman ("mow-man", a reference to his scythe).

The concept of Magere Hein predates Christianity, but was Christianized and likely gained its modern name and features (scythe, skeleton, black robe etc.) during the Middle Ages. The designation "Meager" comes from its portrayal as a skeleton, which was largely influenced by the Christian "Dance of Death" theme that was prominent in Europe during the late Middle Ages. "Hein" was a Middle Dutch name originating as a short form of Heinric. Its use was possibly related to the comparable German concept of "Freund Hein." Notably, many of the names given to Death can also refer to the Devil; it is likely that fear of death led to Hein's character being merged with that of Satan.

In Belgium, this personification of Death is now commonly called Pietje de Dood "Little Pete, the Death." Like the other Dutch names, it can also refer to the Devil.

In Western Europe, Death has commonly been personified as an animated skeleton since the Middle Ages. This character, which is often depicted wielding a scythe, is said to collect the souls of the dying or recently dead. In English and German culture, Death is typically portrayed as male, but in French, Spanish, and Italian culture, it is not uncommon for Death to be female.

In England, the personified "Death" featured in medieval morality plays, later regularly appearing in traditional folk songs. The following is a verse of "Death and the Lady" (Roud 1031) as sung by Henry Burstow in the nineteenth century:

Fair lady, throw those costly robes aside, No longer may you glory in your pride. Take leave of all sour carnal vain delight I'm come to summon you away this night.

In the late 1800s, the character of Death became known as the Grim Reaper in English literature. The earliest appearance of the name "Grim Reaper" in English is in the 1847 book The Circle of Human Life:

All know full well that life cannot last above seventy, or at the most eighty years. If we reach that term without meeting the grim reaper with his scythe, there or there about, meet him we surely shall.

The "Angel of the Lord" smites 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp (II Kings 19:35). When the Angel of Death passes through to smite the Egyptian first-born, God prevents "the destroyer" (shâchath) from entering houses with blood on the lintel and side posts (Exodus 12:23). The "destroying angel" (mal'ak ha-mashḥit) rages among the people in Jerusalem (II Sam. 24:16). In I Chronicles 21:15 the "angel of the Lord" is seen by King David standing "between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem." The biblical Book of Job (33:22) uses the general term "destroyers" (memitim), which tradition has identified with "destroying angels" (mal'ake Khabbalah), and Prov. 16:14 uses the term the "angels of death" (mal'ake ha-mavet). The angel Azra'il is sometimes referred as the Angel of Death as well.

Jewish tradition also refers to Death as the Angel of Dark and Light, a name which stems from Talmudic lore. There is also a reference to "Abaddon" (The Destroyer), an angel who is known as the "Angel of the Abyss". In Talmudic lore, he is characterized as archangel Michael.

In Hebrew scriptures, Death (Maweth/Mavet(h)) is sometimes personified as a devil or angel of death (e.g., Habakkuk 2:5; Job 18:13). In both the Book of Hosea and the Book of Jeremiah, Maweth/Mot is mentioned as a deity to whom God can turn over Judah as punishment for worshiping other gods. The memitim are a type of angel from biblical lore associated with the mediation over the lives of the dying. The name is derived from the Hebrew word mĕmītǐm ("executioners", "slayers", "destroyers") and refers to angels that brought about the destruction of those whom the guardian angels no longer protected. While there may be some debate among religious scholars regarding the exact nature of the memitim, it is generally accepted that, as described in the Book of Job 33:22, they are killers of some sort.

According to the Midrash, the Angel of Death was created by God on the first day. His dwelling is in heaven, whence he reaches earth in eight flights, whereas Pestilence reaches it in one. He has twelve wings. "Over all people have I surrendered thee the power," said God to the Angel of Death, "only not over this one [i.e. Moses] which has received freedom from death through the Law." It is said of the Angel of Death that he is full of eyes. In the hour of death, he stands at the head of the departing one with a drawn sword, to which clings a drop of gall. As soon as the dying man sees Death, he is seized with a convulsion and opens his mouth, whereupon Death throws the drop into it. This drop causes his death; he turns putrid, and his face becomes yellow. The expression "the taste of death" originated in the idea that death was caused by a drop of gall.

The soul escapes through the mouth, or, as is stated in another place, through the throat; therefore, the Angel of Death stands at the head of the patient (Adolf Jellinek, l.c. ii. 94, Midr. Teh. to Ps. xi.). When the soul forsakes the body, its voice goes from one end of the world to the other, but is not heard (Gen. R. vi. 7; Ex. R. v. 9; Pirḳe R. El. xxxiv.). The drawn sword of the Angel of Death, mentioned by the Chronicler (I. Chron. 21:15; comp. Job 15:22; Enoch 62:11), indicates that the Angel of Death was figured as a warrior who kills off the children of men. "Man, on the day of his death, falls down before the Angel of Death like a beast before the slaughterer" (Grünhut, "Liḳḳuṭim", v. 102a). R. Samuel's father (c. 200) said: "The Angel of Death said to me, 'Only for the sake of the honor of mankind do I not tear off their necks as is done to slaughtered beasts'" ('Ab. Zarah 20b). In later representations, the knife sometimes replaces the sword, and reference is also made to the cord of the Angel of Death, which indicates death by throttling. Moses says to God: "I fear the cord of the Angel of Death" (Grünhut, l.c. v. 103a et seq.). Of the four Jewish methods of execution, three are named in connection with the Angel of Death: Burning (by pouring hot lead down the victim's throat), slaughtering (by beheading), and throttling. The Angel of Death administers the particular punishment that God has ordained for the commission of sin.

A peculiar mantle ("idra" – according to Levy, "Neuhebr. Wörterb." i. 32, a sword) belongs to the equipment of the Angel of Death (Eccl. R. iv. 7). The Angel of Death takes on the particular form which will best serve his purpose; e.g., he appears to a scholar in the form of a beggar imploring pity (the beggar should receive Tzedakah)(M. Ḳ. 28a). "When pestilence rages in the town, walk not in the middle of the street, because the Angel of Death [i.e., pestilence] strides there; if peace reigns in the town, walk not on the edges of the road. When pestilence rages in the town, go not alone to the synagogue, because there the Angel of Death stores his tools. If the dogs howl, the Angel of Death has entered the city; if they make sport, the prophet Elijah has come" (B. Ḳ. 60b). The "destroyer" (saṭan ha-mashḥit) in the daily prayer is the Angel of Death (Ber. 16b). Midr. Ma'ase Torah (compare Jellinek, "B. H." ii. 98) says: "There are six Angels of Death: Gabriel over kings; Ḳapẓiel over youths; Mashbir over animals; Mashḥit over children; Af and Ḥemah over man and beast."

Samael is considered in Talmudic texts to be a member of the heavenly host with often grim and destructive duties. One of Samael's greatest roles in Jewish lore is that of the main angel of death and the head of satans.

Talmud teachers of the 4th century associate quite familiarly with him. When he appeared to one on the street, the teacher reproached him with rushing upon him as upon a beast, whereupon the angel called upon him at his house. To another, he granted a respite of thirty days, that he might put his knowledge in order before entering the next world. To a third, he had no access, because he could not interrupt the study of the Talmud. To a fourth, he showed a rod of fire, whereby he is recognized as the Angel of Death (M. K. 28a). He often entered the house of Bibi and conversed with him (Ḥag. 4b). Often, he resorts to strategy in order to interrupt and seize his victim (B. M. 86a; Mak. 10a).

The death of Joshua ben Levi in particular is surrounded with a web of fable. When the time came for him to die and the Angel of Death appeared to him, he demanded to be shown his place in paradise. When the angel had consented to this, he demanded the angel's knife, that the angel might not frighten him by the way. This request also was granted him, and Joshua sprang with the knife over the wall of paradise; the angel, who is not allowed to enter paradise, caught hold of the end of his garment. Joshua swore that he would not come out, and God declared that he should not leave paradise unless he had ever absolved himself of an oath; he had never absolved himself of an oath so he was allowed to remain. The Angel of Death then demanded back his knife, but Joshua refused. At this point, a heavenly voice (bat ḳol) rang out: "Give him back the knife, because the children of men have need of it will bring death." Hesitant, Joshua Ben Levi gives back the knife in exchange for the Angel of Death's name. To never forget the name, he carved Troke into his arm, the Angel of Death's chosen name. When the knife was returned to the Angel, Joshua's carving of the name faded, and he forgot. (Ket. 77b; Jellinek, l.c. ii. 48–51; Bacher, l.c. i. 192 et seq.).

The Rabbis found the Angel of Death mentioned in Psalm 89:48, where the Targum translates: "There is no man who lives and, seeing the Angel of Death, can deliver his soul from his hand." Eccl. 8:4 is thus explained in Midrash Rabbah to the passage: "One may not escape the Angel of Death, nor say to him, 'Wait until I put my affairs in order,' or 'There is my son, my slave: take him in my stead.'" Where the Angel of Death appears, there is no remedy, but his name (Talmud, Ned. 49a; Hul. 7b). If one who has sinned has confessed his fault, the Angel of Death may not touch him (Midrash Tanhuma, ed. Buber, 139). God protects from the Angel of Death (Midrash Genesis Rabbah lxviii.).

By acts of benevolence, the anger of the Angel of Death is overcome; when one fails to perform such acts the Angel of Death will make his appearance (Derek Ereẓ Zuṭa, viii.). The Angel of Death receives his orders from God (Ber. 62b). As soon as he has received permission to destroy, however, he makes no distinction between good and bad (B. Ḳ. 60a). In the city of Luz, the Angel of Death has no power, and, when the aged inhabitants are ready to die, they go outside the city (Soṭah 46b; compare Sanh. 97a). A legend to the same effect existed in Ireland in the Middle Ages (Jew. Quart. Rev. vi. 336).

Death is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse portrayed in the Book of Revelation, in Revelation 6:7–8.

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

— 

He is also known as the Pale Horseman whose name is Thanatos, the same as that of the ancient Greek personification of death, and the only one of the horsemen to be named.

Paul addresses a personified death in 1 Corinthians 15:55.

"O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"

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In some versions, both arms of this verse are addressed to death.

The Christian scriptures contain the first known depiction of Abaddon as an individual entity instead of a place.

A king, the angel of the bottomless pit; whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek Apollyon; in Latin Exterminans.

— 

In Hebrews 2:14 the devil "holds the power of death."

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

— 

Conversely, the early Christian writer Origen believed the destroying angel of Exodus 12:23 to be Satan. The Grim Reaper, is stated to be destroyed by the Lake of Fire that burns with sulfur.

Death and Hell were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death.

— 

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

— 

In Islam, Archangel Azrael is the Malak al-Maut (angel of death). He and his many subordinates pull the souls out of the bodies, and guide them through the journey of the afterlife. Their appearance depends on the person's deed and actions, with those that did good seeing a beautiful being, and those that did wrong seeing a horrific monster.

Islamic tradition discusses elaborately as to what exactly happens before, during, and after the death. The angel of death appears to the dying to take out their souls. The sinners' souls are extracted in a most painful way while the righteous are treated easily. After the burial, two angels – Munkar and Nakir – come to question the dead in order to test their faith. The righteous believers answer correctly and live in peace and comfort while the sinners and disbelievers fail and punishments ensue. The time period or stage between death and resurrection is called barzakh (the interregnum).

Death is a significant event in Islamic life and theology. It is seen not as the termination of life, rather the continuation of life in another form. In Islamic belief, God has made this worldly life as a test and a preparation ground for the afterlife; and with death, this worldly life comes to an end. Thus, every person has only one chance to prepare themselves for the life to come where God will resurrect and judge every individual and will entitle them to rewards or punishment, based on their good or bad deeds. And death is seen as the gateway to and beginning of the afterlife. In Islamic belief, death is predetermined by God, and the exact time of a person's death is known only to God.

As is the case in many Romance languages (including French, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian), the Spanish word for death, muerte, is a feminine noun. As such, it is common in Spanish-speaking cultures to personify death as a female figure.

In Aztec mythology, Mictecacihuatl is the "Queen of Mictlan" (the Aztec underworld), ruling over the afterlife with her husband Mictlantecuhtli. Other epithets for her include "Lady of the Dead," as her role includes keeping watch over the bones of the dead. Mictecacihuatl was represented with a fleshless body and with jaw agape to swallow the stars during the day. She presided over the ancient festivals of the dead, which evolved from Aztec traditions into the modern Day of the Dead after synthesis with Spanish cultural traditions. Mictlāntēcutli, is the Aztec god of the dead and the king of Mictlan, depicted as a skeleton or a person wearing a toothy skull. He is one of the principal gods of the Aztecs and is the most prominent of several gods and goddesses of death and the underworld. His headdress was shown decorated with owl feathers and paper banners and he wore a necklace of human eyeballs, while his earspools were made from human bones. He was not the only Aztec god to be depicted in this fashion, as numerous other deities had skulls for heads or else wore clothing or decorations that incorporated bones and skulls. In the Aztec world, skeletal imagery was a symbol of fertility, health and abundance, alluding to the close symbolic links between life and death. There was also the goddess of suicide, Ixtab. She was a minor goddess in the scale of Maya mythology. She was also known as The Hangwoman as she came to help along those who had killed themselves.

Our Lady of the Holy Death (Santa Muerte) is a female deity or folk saint of Mexican folk religion, whose popularity has been growing in Mexico and the United States in recent years. Since the pre-Columbian era, Mexican culture has maintained a certain reverence towards death, as seen in the widespread commemoration of the Day of the Dead. La Calavera Catrina, a character symbolizing death, is also an icon of the Mexican Day of the Dead.

San La Muerte (Saint Death) is a skeletal folk saint venerated in Paraguay, northeast Argentina. As the result of internal migration in Argentina since the 1960s, the veneration of San La Muerte has been extended to Greater Buenos Aires and the national prison system as well. Saint Death is depicted as a male skeleton figure usually holding a scythe. Although the Catholic Church in Mexico has attacked the devotion of Saint Death as a tradition that mixes paganism with Christianity and is contrary to the Christian belief of Christ defeating death, many devotees consider the veneration of San La Muerte as being part of their Catholic faith. The rituals connected and powers ascribed to San La Muerte are very similar to those of Santa Muerte; the resemblance between their names, however, is coincidental.

In Guatemala, San Pascualito is a skeletal folk saint venerated as "King of the Graveyard." He is depicted as a skeletal figure with a scythe, sometimes wearing a cape and crown. He is associated with death and the curing of diseases.

In the African-Brazilian religion Umbanda, the orixá Omolu personifies sickness and death as well as healing. The image of the death is also associated with Exu, lord of the crossroads, who rules cemeteries and the hour of midnight.

In Haitian Vodou, the Gede are a family of spirits that embody death and fertility. The most well-known of these spirits is Baron Samedi.

Yama was introduced to Chinese mythology through Buddhism. In Chinese, he is known as King Yan or Yanluo, ruling the ten gods of the underworld Diyu. He is normally depicted wearing a Chinese judge's cap and traditional Chinese robes and appears on most forms of hell money offered in ancestor worship. From China, Yama spread to Japan as the Great King Enma; Korea as the Great King Yeomra, ruler of Jiok; and Vietnam as Diêm La Vương, ruler of Địa Ngục or Âm Phủ.

Separately, in Korean mythology, death's principal figure is the "Netherworld Emissary" Jeoseungsaja. He is depicted as a stern and ruthless bureaucrat in Yeomna's service. A psychopomp, he escorts all – good or evil – from the land of the living to the netherworld when the time comes. One of the representative names is Ganglim, the Saja who guides the soul to the entrance of the underworld. According to legend, he always carries Jeokpaeji, the list with the names of the dead written on a red cloth. When he calls the name on Jeokpaeji three times, the soul leaves the body and follows him inevitably.

The Kojiki relates that the Japanese goddess Izanami was burnt to death giving birth to the fire god Hinokagutsuchi. She then entered a realm of perpetual night called Yomi-no-Kuni. Her husband Izanagi pursued her there but discovered his wife was no longer as beautiful as before. After an argument, she promised she would take a thousand lives every day, becoming a goddess of death, as well as giving birth to the gods, Raijin and Fūjin, while dead. There are also death gods called shinigami, which are closer to the Western tradition of the Grim Reaper; while common in modern Japanese arts and fiction, they were essentially absent in traditional mythology.

The Sanskrit word for death is mrityu (cognate with Latin mors and Lithuanian mirtis), which is often personified in Dharmic religions.

In Hindu scriptures, the lord of death is called King Yama. He is also known as the King of Karmic Justice (Dharmaraja) as one's karma at death was considered to lead to a just rebirth. Yama rides a black buffalo and carries a rope lasso to lead the soul back to his home, called Naraka, pathalloka, or Yamaloka. There are many forms of reapers, although some say there is only one who disguises himself as a small child. His agents, the Yamadutas, carry souls back to Yamalok. There, all the accounts of a person's good and bad deeds are stored and maintained by Chitragupta. The balance of these deeds allows Yama to decide where the soul should reside in its next life, following the theory of reincarnation. Yama is also mentioned in the Mahabharata as a great philosopher and devotee of the Supreme Brahman.

The canaan of the 12th- and 13th-century BC Levant personified death as the god Mot ( "Death"). He was considered a son of the king of the gods, El. His contest with the storm god Baʿal forms part of the myth cycle from the Ugaritic texts. The Phoenicians also worshipped death under the name Mot and a version of Mot later became Maweth, the devil or angel of death in Judaism.

Latvians named Death Veļu māte, but for Lithuanians it was Giltinė, deriving from the word gelti ("to sting"). Giltinė was viewed as an old, ugly woman with a long blue nose and a deadly poisonous tongue. The legend tells that Giltinė was young, pretty, and communicative until she was trapped in a coffin for seven years. Her sister was the goddess of life and destiny, Laima, symbolizing the relationship between beginning and end.

Like the Scandinavians, Lithuanians and Latvians later began using Grim Reaper imagery for death.

In Breton folklore, a spectral figure called the Ankou (or Angau in Welsh) portends death. Usually, the Ankou is the spirit of the last person that died within the community and appears as a tall, haggard figure with a wide hat and long white hair or a skeleton with a revolving head. The Ankou drives a deathly wagon or cart with a creaking axle. The cart or wagon is piled high with corpses and a stop at a cabin means instant death for those inside.

[jacobsneed]

Thank you to everyone still tagging me in stuff during my hiatus! (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

I've still been doing not so top-notch; body being wack and feeling absolutely braindead most days lmao, though I've taken a hard break from art, and got a few WIPs from before i stopped :3c But despite how I should be resting as much as I can, I've seemed to come down with the writing bug after years, lmao :P So what's a guy to do?

More doodles of Tatjana, Lupe, Ljubica, and the barbie meme with Seoyeon and Jared because they are my favourite goofballs

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand a bigger snippet of a short gtaiv piece I wrote

"It's been difficult, you know?" Niko murmured, approaching Ilyena, each breath exhaling a ghostly mist into the biting October air. "Yes. Very difficult," Ilyena replied through a heavy sigh. Feeling the weight of unspoken guilt bearing down on him, Niko averted his gaze, desperately searching for solace before offering his condolences. "I was sorry to hear about your husband," he said. A futile attempt at offering comfort through an embrace dissipated before it began; his head hung low, weighed down by unspoken thoughts. A strangled laugh escaped Ilyena's lips, slicing through the chilled air like a dagger, "Were you?" Her voice quivering with bitter disdain, looking down and exhaling deeply before continuing, "Maybe… Unlike that treacherous rat, Dimitri." Anguish spilled through her, each syllable poisoned with sorrow, turning away from Niko, her hand shielding her face from view. "He and I are not friends." Niko retorted with icy detachment. Ilyena pivoted back towards Niko, her glassy eyes reflecting the streetlamp's mournful glow before her gaze found his again– eyes glistening with unshed tears. "My husband was not perfect." she confessed through an exhausted shrug. "Far from it, he was awful. A murdering, drug addicted bully." Her voice wavered, cracking under the weight of her emotions. "In many ways, the world is better off without him––but now I am alone." She shuddered before him, defeated and vulnerable, posture hanging down in defeat. Awkwardness wrapped itself tightly around Niko's throat like a noose, standing detached––an observer in this storm of misery––struggling to discern any healing words amidst his murky sea of guilt. Wetting his cracking lips, he mustered only the simplest consolation: "I'm sorry about that." Rubbing his clutched hands for warmth against lips chapped by apathy, the chilly air gnawing at his guilt. Niko's attention returned to Ilyena, as she continued to bear her grievances - an unfathomable abyss of loss. "And my daughter grows up without a father…" she laments, "she's learning a bitter lesson very early." Niko's brow furrowed in helpless anguish; like banshees, the echoes of Ilyena's grievances stirred Niko's tormented conscience; like a merciless tidal wave, salt-stung lacerating thoughts of his own daughter–– Ljubica––surfaced. The realization materializes: how little he had been present in her life—how even now he was squandering opportunities. He was consumed by the stark realization that he'd dedicated more time to spilling blood in America than nurturing the love within his family. "Yes, it's bad," Niko conceded quickly, swallowing the lump in his throat that threatened to suffocate him, eyes locked forward, unwavering upon the cold horizon; anchored to some distant spectre. Mind swimming with his past and present failures. "And now the money is gone, the house got repossessed, and we are living in a one-room apartment." Ilyena vented with nervous haste, her voice tinged with rising frustration. Clutching her chest as if to anchor herself, "The land of opportunity!?" She scoffs, a burst of exasperation, her arms splayed wide like the wings of a disillusioned bird taking flight. "I'd rather be back in Russia! At least there, people don't pretend life has any pleasure." She snarls, defeated. A suffocating, oppressive silence ensnared them, akin to a funereal shroud of fog, marooned on the desolate boardwalk's stillness. Time seemed to crawl at a glacial pace until Niko finally shattered the torturous void in which they were entombed.

[readromanceink]

Binding Sasha by Emmy Lou Hayes

Her Fated Mate - Book 5

In the mystical heart of Ireland, the echoes of banshee wails and the howl of immortal wolves meld under the moon's embrace in Emmy Lou Hayes' thrilling fifth installment, Binding Sasha. As a 230-year-old banshee, Sasha has long mastered the art of solitude and the haunting melodies of death. But when Rory, a vigorous immortal wolf shifter, enters her life, the wilderness of her existence is challenged by a desire that feels as old as time itself.

 Rory, with his relentless determination and protective instincts, is a werewolf unlike any other. He's survived the centuries untouched by time's decay, but nothing has prepared him for the storm that is Sasha. Together, they must navigate the perils of an unyielding destiny that seeks to bind their souls and secrets deeper than any grave. As their pasts bleed into their present, threatening to tear apart their burgeoning love, Sasha and Rory are forced to confront what it truly means to be fated mates.

 Will the call of the banshee's lament spell doom for their future, or can love conquer the chasm between life and death? Buy Binding Sasha now and unravel the mystery of hearts bound by fate.

[qnewsau]

The couple behind Ipswich's pride event Queerswich

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/the-couple-behind-ipswichs-pride-event-queerswich/

The couple behind Ipswich's pride event Queerswich

Ipswich’s pride event Queerswich is back for another year. We chat with organisers Jules and Rach about the work involved and what to expect at this exciting and growing event. 

Ipswich couple Jules and Rach made quite the bold move in 2023. 

After lamenting the lack of visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community in their city, the couple, who have been together for over 20 years, chose to do something about it.

“There had been years of fabulous drag in Ipswich and we wanted to build on that for a community celebration,” Jules told us. 

“We figured if nobody else was going to put on a pride event, then we would put on a show ourselves,” 

And didn’t they put on a show!

The first Queerswich attracted over 5,000 visitors, something the pair were delighted with. 

“We were thrilled with the way the LGBTQIA+ and greater Ipswich community came together, it was inspiring and very humbling for us,” Jules tells us. 

However, it wasn’t just the volume of attendees that convinced the couple that the event was worthwhile.

“Rach saw two lovely young boys, holding hands and walking around the event like they were on their very first date,” Jules says. 

“You could see on their faces that they were tentative about being demonstrative in public but also beaming with pride that they could walk around safely in their city, as a queer couple.  It was little moments like these, that hit home just how important Queerswich and queer visibility is to all of us.”

The need for Queerswich

Despite the outpouring of positivity, they did have to put up with some homophobia. 

“In the lead-up to the event we did attract a few derogatory comments on social media.  It was very confronting.  The overwhelming response was amazingly positive though.  The queer community really embraced the event and the vast majority of comments on social and print media were super supportive,” Jules says. 

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Queerswich Rachel (@queerswichfestival)

Creating a safe space and tackling hate only highlights why the need to put on an event like this in Ipswich. 

“Many people in the wider community will ask us ‘But you’ve got marriage equality, what is there left to strive for?’” Jules explains. 

“Then you ask them, ���When was the last time you saw a same-sex couple walking hand in hand down Brisbane Street in Ipswich?’ Even in our city, in 2024, queer people don’t feel comfortable being open and visible.”

A new social group for Ipswich

Not only are Rach and Jules creating a safe space at the annual event, but they also started a regular social group to keep connections going. 

“After Queerswich 2023, Rach and I were receiving a lot of questions from members of the queer community. There seemed to be a real need for connection so Queerswich Social was born,” she explains. 

“The monthly get-togethers are run out of Banshees Bar and Art Space in Ipswich and occur on the fourth Saturday of each month in the lead-up to the Queerswich event, so between January to July.”  

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Queerswich Rachel (@queerswichfestival)

“It’s somewhere where we can gather, socialise, network, listen to some amazing guest speakers and have a laugh”

Queerswich 2024 highlights

With the success of 2023 and the founding of Queerswich Social, the couple are excited about this year’s events. 

“Our local drag queen troupes are back including Palace Ipswich, The Golden Girls of Drag and Dancing With The Queens,” Jules says excitedly. 

“Plus there are other event favourites like the Paws for Pride Puppy Pageant and Wonder Woman Bean Bag Toss.  We have on-stage entertainment, fun activities and lots to see and do.” 

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Queerswich Rachel (@queerswichfestival)

In addition, there will be markets, food and other stalls including many businesses and organisations that support the LGBTQIA+ local community. 

“Putting individuals in touch with essential services and support networks is a huge feature for us,” Jules says.  

“Our main aim is to capture that celebratory and communal vibe that everyone loved about last year’s Queerswich.”

The hard work involved  

What is more remarkable about what the couple have achieved is that they do all of this in their spare time. 

“Both Rach and I work full-time, so Queerswich and Queerswich Social are our passion projects.  But we love hard work and we love working together, so any challenges are far outweighed by the positives,” Jules explains. 

“Sure, we get down when we read comments on social media, calling us paedophiles, children groomers and simply ‘wrong,’ but we’re developing a thicker skin and we’re using those comments to fuel our fight to bring about change.”  

Jules finishes our chat with a call to arms for the queer community. 

“Queerswich 2024 is going to be an incredible event.  It’s an important day for Ipswich and for our LGBTQIA+ community.  It’s worth the drive for those of you who live further away too,” she says.

“Rach and I are working hard to deliver a free family fun day with the glitz and glamour that only our rainbow community can bring.”

Queerswich takes place on Saturday 3 August from 1pm at Nicholas St Precinct, Ipswich. More details at queerswich.com and follow the team on Facebook.

More on Pride across Queensland:

Ipswich’s first Pride event Queerswich returning in 2024

Queerswich team to launch a new social event in Ipswich

When pride came to small-town Marburg

Pride March through Townsville as city’s new Pride Centre opens

Turtle Cove Beach Resort bounces back after summer cyclone

Loud & Proud is Logan’s first major Pride festival

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[evegoldenwoods]

To explain a very silly pun at length:

One of the meanings of keen is weep, which comes from the Irish word caoineadh. It was traditional to pay women to keen behind coffins when you were burying people, which is also where the legend of the banshee comes from - in the original myths, part of the framing is that banshees are associated with families important enough that even fairy women would weep for them.

From this tradition comes the keening poem, the lament for the dead. The most famous of these is The Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire, the lament for Art O'Leary, written by his wife Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill, considered one of the greatest poems to come out of Britain and Ireland in the 18th century.

The Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire is a lament for the death of a husband, but it is also an indictment of the colonial violence that killed him.

Being part of an oral tradition, and composed orally rather than written down, The Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire makes use of repeated refrains and stock phrases from other laments, which give it a guiding structure.

A joke that is for maximum three people:

The Caoineadh Forester Gloaming

[huramuna]

some shera art to relieve stress ✨

[hyakunana]

A reverie of what could have been...

[ironyhasit]

...that Sword of his wailing like a banshee, carrying the weight of thousands of lost souls...

[esylus]

First proper sketch I made when i got my Graphics tablet last year.

[ferainart]

Loving the lore we got with Beyond Light, it’s been really fun going through the quest lines for the Lament and others and unlocking so much backstory for the Exos etc.

[old-cincearts]

And she is complete, My Banshee Queen

Twitter: (@)halibearish // (@)rlydazed (nsfw)

[bran-ridire]

LOK'TAR OGAR!