#both of them known to take different shapes and genders

[the-mjolnir-owner]

So I heard that yesterday was bi visibility day and I all have to say is: there's a reason the rainbow bridge is called a bifrost and not a straightfrost

[felassan]

All companions are pansexual!!!

Game is rated M, will contain nudity. [source]

Full article:

"In a new interview with The Veilguard game director Corinne Busche, we've confirmed that yes, you will be able to romance any companion you want, regardless of your character's gender or race. It's a bit of a surprise for fans, considering that in previous Dragon Age games, the romanceable characters had different sexual orientations. Some were pansexual, sure, but others were heterosexual, others were only attracted to the same sex, and some could only be romanced if you were a certain race (Dragon Age: Inquisition's Solas, for example, could only be romanced by female elves). But Busche pushes back on the idea that The Veilguard's companions are "playersexual," a term used to describe games where NPCs are specifically only attracted to the player character. She says she's seen playersexual "done in a number of games," and "it can be really off-putting where these characters are adapting to who you, the player, are." Rather, Busche insists that they're all specifically pansexual, and that might come through in what you learn about their backstories. "Their past experiences or partners, they'll reference them and indeed who they'll become romantic with," Busche tells IGN. "For instance, we saw Harding. I might be playing a straight male character flirting with her, but I choose not to pursue a romance. She might get together with Taash. So my perception, my identity has no bearing on their identities and that comes through really strongly." When asked if that means it won't take long for romance to become an option in The Veilguard, Busche confirms that you'll be able to start flirting with everyone pretty early, as you recruit all seven companions throughout the first act. But, she clarifies, "it's not until the later parts of the game where you really commit to romance and it gets pretty spicy.""

---

"Speaking of spicy... Of course, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a BioWare game, and games from the studio — specifically those in the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series — are known to have some fairly explicit sex scenes. Busche confirms that The Veilguard will be no different, particularly towards the end of the game: "Of course, we are an M-rated game," she says. "We do have nudity." There's also some obvious parallels to be made between The Veilguard and last year's critical darling Baldur's Gate 3. The latter became known not only for its deep romances (like The Veilguard, Baldur's Gate 3 player characters can romance any companion regardless of gender or race), but also for its sex scenes, including one involving a Wild-Shaping Druid that went pretty viral. Busche isn't afraid to admit that she has played Baldur's Gate 3, and loved it, as she's an "an RPG fan through and through": "The more character-driven party-based RPGs with deep emotional connection, the better." "What I love about the two games is I think they live side by side in a really interesting way," she continues. "They're very different games, but those emotional connections and how the narratives hook you, I think there's space for both." Specifically in regards to the sex scenes and how The Veilguard will handle theirs differently, Busche says some of Baldur's Gate 3's scenes were "shocking and comical in some ways, and I would say I loved that." "Our companions, we want them to be relatable and fully realized. So they can get spicy, but in a way that I think people will actually relate to," she says. Basically: no bear sex. Busche goes on to say that how sexually explicit the scenes are, too, will vary between characters. "Some of them are more spicy than others," she reveals. "Just like real life, our companions have such diverse personalities. Some of them are more physical, more aggressive, and some of them are more... we have a gentleman necromancer, for instance, that is more intimate and sensual." Our interview with Busche comes as BioWare continues to roll out information about the highly anticipated Dragon Age sequel, with a cinematic trailer having dropped at the Xbox Showcase over the weekend. Dragon Age: The Veilguard will debut sometime this fall."

[source]

[altis-of-olympia]

A conversation about King Zeus and Queen Hera's relationship. And a narrative on why we can't read the mythos and perceive them as truth.

Come with me on a bit of a journey.

Throughout modern media and historical accounts, we see that King Zeus and Queen Hera have a marriage that can only be described as tumultuous. King Zeus, a known cheater and liar, married to Queen Hera, his sister, and the Goddess of Marriage and Fidelity. Women prayed to Queen Hera to be blessed with a Marriage unlike Her own - one of faith, one of trust. One of reciprocity.

King Zeus is depicted in mythos as being disrespectful of His Wife. In Homer's Iliad, we see several instances in which Queen Hera attempts to revolt against His word, and very quickly, She is punished or shot down. King Zeus ruled over Her with an Iron Fist, as was expected of the Patriarch of the Ancient Greek Household. Especially Kings.

Not acknowledging this fact would be negligent. The Ancient Greek Household had a very particular rule of order - especially amongst royalty. A King ruled over all, his Wife was to listen, and the children were to fall in line. This was the standard for the time.

However, times have changed. With this change, the perception of their relationship must change. In the modern era, the relationship between man and woman looks much different. At least, the ideal looks different.

The newer generation values a relationship where both parties, regardless of sex or gender, are equals. There is no distinct breadwinner, there is no distinct person who "wears the pants" unless otherwise communicated. And King Zeus and Queen Hera reflect this. I have spent plenty of time with the two of them as of late, and they are nothing like the myths depict. King Zeus speaks highly of His Wife. And the few conversations I've had with Queen Hera, She sings His praises, just as He does for her.

Now, in terms of mythology itself...

Here is how I break it down.

Let us say, for the sake of examples, you have a governing document written 400 years ago. It was written based on the ideals of the people 400 years ago, what they needed, wanted, and what they thought was best. And they never changed them. Sure, the document has been translated time and time again as the language becomes more ancient, but other than this, they don't touch it.

Now, 400 years later, in a developed society with new ideals and new ideologies based on that of the old, you have two options. You can either take the document as it is, literally with zero nuance. Or, you can look at it as a breathing document and shape it to fit the ideals of the new society you live in.

This is how people tend to look at mythology. Mythic Literalists, and Mythic Revisionists, as I'll call it. Mythic Literalists will take a work of mythology and look at it as it was written. King Zeus betrayed Queen Hera time and time again, and Queen Hera made the women He slept with face Her wrath rather than confronting King Zeus Herself. A Mythic Revivalist will take this and say that, yes, King Zeus did betray Queen Hera, and She did make other women face Her wrath. What is the allegory behind this? What is the message?

Taking Mythology at face value is what turns people against certain Gods and leads to villainization. The amount of people who turn their heads away from King Zeus due to the stigma that He's a horrible God who rules with an Iron First is astounding. They victimize other Gods like Queen Persephone and may claim She is unhappy as Queen of the Underworld. This is definitively false - both of these narratives. Which is why Mythic Revision is important to understanding the Gods in our modern day.

May I leave you with a bit of homework, so to speak. What is your favorite myth, how did you view it before, and how would you view it after the modern application of it? I look forward to hearing your points of view.

[starlitfragment]

: ̗̀➛ Straight to the point.

In which he's still human.

Summary: Everyone has something in the back of their mind, something that terrifies them to the core, something that keeps them up at night. Sebastian is no different. Luckily for him, he already has someone to hold him and reassure him.

Notes: Established Relationships, Reader is gender neutral, Sebastian's Backstory Spoilers (not really),He is not a fish yet, wrote this at 4 am, unhealthy amount of fluff, idk what im doing, Sebastian is a menace, this is a literal word vomit. Enjoy ..!

The squeaky creak of the wooden bed and the slight shifting next to you jolts you awake, eyes opening to cautiously wander around the room in search of anything, or anyone. You almost close your eyes and go back to sleep at the reassurance that nothing was there, before the sound of the hitched breathing next to you forces you to open your eyes again. You turn to your side, arms subconsciously reaching out for the one laying right next to you. To your surprise, you find him awake already, his softened gaze seemingly on anything but you. You can't see too well in the darkness, but one look at his troubled expression is enough for you to know whats going on. You reach out your hand, slowly placing it on top of his as to not startle him. The moment he registers the slightest touch of your hand against him, his eyes move back on yours. He furrows his eyebrows, huffing slightly.

"...Did I wake you?" He asks, his voice coming off as nothing more than a mere whisper. For the time that you've known Sebastian, you've come to realize that he is never one to outright trouble anyone with his struggles, that includes you. If you want to know anything, you have to fish it out of him. And so you do. You gently squeeze his hand in a comforting manner. "Not really." You respond quietly, inching a bit closer to take a better look at him. "Can't sleep?" You whisper, the close proximity and the way you feel his cold breath sending a slight shiver down your spine. He stays silent, averting his eyes from you. Now, you know all too well what's bothering him.

Your lover has a tendency to often deprive himself of sleep, that resulting in him staying up and contemplating each and every fear he has ever grown to have until he's sure he has suffered himself enough. This, of course, pains you to see. You're well aware you can't undo past traumas, or.. what is yet to come, for that matter. So, for now, you settle for comforting him. You let go of his hand and lean in, arms wrapping around him as you pull him closer. He tenses slightly, before giving in to your touch. As you run your fingers through his hair, he quietly exhales and buries his face into your neck, a hand finding it's way to your waist. He moves his fingers up and down, tracing random shapes on your skin rather anxiously. You're both silent. You, lost in idea of him and him, lost in the idea of losing you. He slightly tenses up again, his hold on you tightening a bit and a hitched breath escaping him. You can tell he has his own thoughts that he runs away from, his fears that keep him up at night and nightmares that he fears for his life. He clutches onto your shirt, the idea of him ever losing you, losing this, losing everything leaves him shivering like he is now. You slowly start to feel something wet against your skin, his tears staining your shirt as he holds onto you for dear life. Needless to say, you're overwhelmed too.

The Sebastian you've learned to love is constantly hiding behind an act of nonchalance and sarcasm, and only now you realize how vulnerable he really is behind all of that. You can only hold him, listen to the sound of his muffled yet soundless sobs against you and whisper sweet nothings. "I'm not going anywhere." You tell him, fingers combing through his hair as your other hand slowly moves up and down on his back, in an attempt to comfort him. He hides his face into your neck even more, in an attempt to muffle his last sobs. Your tender touches, your oh so sweet promises that you'd never leave and your mere presence soothe him like he needs. You're both silent for a bit, neither of you daring to disturb the comfortable silence. He eventually leans back, slightly wet blue-ish green eyes staring into your eyes.

You can tell he is mildly embarrassed, all his attempts at keeping you from witnessing such vulnerable side of him now all wasted and for nothing. And so, he does what he always does. He moves his hands to his face, covering his face with both hands as his shoulder's slightly shake again, because of laughter, this time. The sound of his chuckles disturbs the nights silence. You'd be confused, had it not been for the fact that you're all too familiar with how he tries to laugh his way out of any awkward situation. He finally moves his hands away, his eyes still slightly wet. "You're... such an idiot for dealing with my bullshit. Honestly.." He says, letting out a bitter chuckle. You smile, cupping his face with one hand, your thumb gently carressing his face. "I am.. your idiot, afterall." You whisper, your finger moving to gently wipe away one last tear on his face. He only gazes at you, a gaze that holds the countless words he's been meaning to say. You move your finger, slowly tracing his features, and it moves to the scar in the middle of the face.

The way your finger tenderly brushes against his skin.. He sighs, his hand moving to catch your wrist and guide it out of his face, though he never lets go. He leans in, back to where he was sobbing not too long ago. He pulls you closer, a hand resting on your hip. He nuzzles comfortably into your shoulder, and this time, he presses a slight, delicate kiss on your skin. "I... love you, idiot." He mutters, quietly enough for only you to hear, and no one else. You're the last thing on his mind before he finally passes out, safe and sound in your embrace.

[classygreydove]

The perfect contradictory character of wei wuxian

i'm writing this as i eat chocolate instead of working on my WIP lol - but essentially i've been thinking a lot about when a fic characterization of WWX just hits the spot for me, and when it doesn't. Now whether this type of characterization is canon I think is always partially a matter of opinion, because by its very nature a fanfic cannot be...well, canon. And it is made all the more complicated by the existence of CQL canon and MDZS canon, and the different MDZS canons with different scenes and levels of censorship, and the way fans and fic writers often franken-canon it together. So this post is only my rambling about characterizing WWX in fic.

Whenever I write WWX, i always find it a balancing act. Talkative, but not too talkative; golden-hearted, but willing to question what society sees as moral; confident, but complicatedly so depending on what point he's at in his character arc; oblivious, but not oblivious; impulsive, but analytical. I'm also constantly asking myself "Is this a personality trait, or a result of his environment? Both? What would impact his character if there are different events or circumstances?

And then there's the appearance of what his character is, which is almost just as important as his actual character. The masks or roles he puts on for others, or the ways those around him willfully misinterpret him. How does this character perceive WWX's actions in this or that context? Do they find him reckless, oblivious, or call him morally wrong (even when he isn't)? Does WWX want them to react a certain way, and does that impact how he acts around them?

In my opinion, writing WWX in a modern setting or genderbend is perhaps the most challenging. Not only do you have to ask yourself what personality he'd have if it were shaped by different cultural standards, gender roles, or backstory, a fic author might also want to do their best to preserve his character integrity as a "classic golden-hero turned dark anti-hero" archetype, but have no idea how to translate that into completely different set of circumstances.

For instance, WWX and gender roles. I really love that WWX is a subversion of the classical masculine hero archetype in cnovels. As a teenager, he's confident, flirty, intelligent, skilled, enjoys having fun and not taking life too seriously. As a resurrected MXY, he has no issue pretending to be a lunatic cutsleeve, so no toxic masculinity there lol - he also likes getting swept off his feet by LWJ, and playing up the "helpless maiden" role, and is very much a romantic with cottagecore dreams, saving his first kiss (traditionally that kind of innocent romanticism is attributed as a "feminine" trait, regardless of whether it actually is or not) - LWJ in contrast falls into many feminine tropes such as being known for his beauty/grace, the way he carries the money pouch (women traditionally managed the finances), can cook, has petty jealousy, etc - while at the same time undeniably also has masculine traits. The way Wangxian subvert gender roles and tropes is wonderful and i love their characters for it.

But then how does one even begin to translate that dynamic into a genderbend? Does teenage WWX still have that masculine classic hero personality? Or does she become traditionally feminine with LWJ the one acting more masc? Do different gender roles and expectations affect how WWX interacts with the world, such as how they react to her flirting, her confidence, her heroic tendencies? I read a fic a few years ago that I thought it a fabulous job exploring some of these very questions in the canon setting. I am still devastated that it remains incomplete.

Whenever I read a fic with Wei Wuxian, I always fall in love with depictions of his character that capture some of this balance, these "contradictions," so to speak (I don't have a better word to describe it than contradictions, even though these traits don't actually contradict. Ig I could say character complexity? But people often throw that phrase around without explaining what they mean by it, so). It's what makes him such a cool character to read about. It's also what makes him so unbelievably difficult to write sometimes. So many fic authors struggle with his character, whether attributing a trait to him that he only appears to have, like thoughtlessness. Or project a trait onto him that he doesn't seem to have that much, like insecurity, or not knowing his own worth as a person/or not knowing the magnitude of his abilities.

WWX to me has always seemed to know exactly how skilled he is and what he is capable of, and he at least intellectually seems to be aware that he is not unlovable or worth less than others, even if he is required to act or treat himself as less than his peers due to classism and society. I've always felt that his attitude towards himself, his own worth and his own ability, is a sort of practicality that would come from growing up as a street kid whose only goal is survival, and who is completely aware of just how little the world cares if he does or not.

Then there's the concept of him being ridiculously oblivious/emotionally unintelligent, which many others have talked about before me. I think this idea in the fandom largely stems from the fact that Wei Wuxian doesn't pick up on a lot of small details that he later recognizes and realizes later on. But there's been a lot of discussion of how much of that was because of comphet, situational circumstances, and LWJ's own reticence that prevented or distracted WWX from making those connections earlier in the canon timeline. This means that this "obliviousness" is likely something that would change if the circumstances are different, such as WWX existing in a world with no comphet, or existing in a timeline where he isn't dealing with Wen indoctrinations or being severely traumatized by the burial mounds and a war, LWJ being less repressed and hot-cold etc, etc, etc.

Now, one WWX characterization i genuinely have such a hard time reading is manic pixie WWX. The ones where he's just... chirpy. Bubbly. (Usually really oblivious. Never intentionally breaking rules, he just can't help it! he's just too cute and enthusiastic uwu) I can't explain why, I don't even know why, but it grates on my every. last. nerve. (that being said, if u want to write manic pixie WWX, then write whatever u want, seriously. Don't even think about letting my opinion stop u from doing what you like and having fun)

As for depictions I really love to see: a WWX that kind of scoffs at rules/the system. One who genuinely has a somewhat poor opinion of LWJ's character before LWJ proves himself, because I like a good enemies/rivals-to-friends-to-lovers because that's how I believe he sees LWJ until LWJ punishes both himself and WWX and WWX goes "oooh u don't use the system to self-benefit or aggrandize or oppress, you're actually trying to be like, moral. I respect that, actually. Let's be friends and go on bromantic outings in Lotus Pier"

Or when WWX's teasing gets a little mean, because WWX can be a little mean, often unintentionally so, but still (think WWX showing LWJ porn/intentionally pushing LWJ's buttons, WWX making that comment about JL's mom). I think it's a character flaw of his that adds depth/complexity.

Also, WWX trolling people/enjoying mischief and making people question the "system." I've always felt his first-life self had the kind of annoying swagger that a guy who Knew He Looked Like That and Knew Exactly How Smart He Was that would honestly make me so annoyed if I knew him irl. Like, Mianmian, I get it. LWJ, I get it.

Basically, I like when his character is written to make u so mad you aren't sure if you want to throttle him or kiss him silly (especially if it's a LWJ pov). Or when he acts super carefree/silly, at the same time as he shows how scarily smart he is. It's the juxtaposition. The contradiction. *slaps hand on the metaphorical table in emphasis*

[TL;DR] So what i'm trying to say is, writing WWX is a challenge, but one that is so worth it.

Alright I've spent like an hour on this post, so though there's so much more I could talk about, I'll leave it at that for now. For those of you who would still really like a part 2 of that "so i read a comment bashing LWJ" post, i do plan to write more on that, so keep an eye out 👁️

[rin-and-jade]

Welcome to the World! : A Starting Guide for Alters

This guide's purpose is to help either new formed/split, or those recently risen from dormancy, or the unregistered/unrecognized alters to get one step closer to functioning at the outside world!

It'll be one long rundown, click below to start right away, see you on the flip side.

From here on, what will be mentioned are things to assess some potential problems, questions, and self-discovery prompts. It is recommended to follow the flow of the guide, but if you necessarily need to skim to a certain section, this table of contents will help you:

table of contents

The beginning - Introduction

Things to look out for - potential problems to assess - Mobility - Gender & Species unalignment - World confusion

Starters - self discovery questions

How a system works - lite educative version

Closing - last notes + extra materials

The beginning

Nice to see you here, in the flip side! Now i know you have lots of questions on hand right now, and why you might be reading this as first thing's first; it's because i am here to help prepare yourself in many different aspects that cannot be learnt/figured out in such a short amount of time unless it is assisted with an experienced person.

If you haven't know what's going on up to this point, along with the kind of situation you're in, first off, you're a system.

Yes, thats right, system is a word for a collection of many parts within one body and you are also a part of it. This can mean you'll hear other kinds of accent inside head, and feeling + liking fully different things, as well as possessing different levels of certain skills and memory. More or less, this belongs to the qualities of a Complex Dissociative Disorder,, where there are types like DID, OSDD, Polyfragmented, etc.

This happens because of how dissociation can wall up barriers between other facets of yourself that stops some level of communication or complete it's integration when bad things happen in early years, leaving them mainly separated and self-autonomous; they're known as 'alters' but i personally love calling them as 'parts' or some might go with words like 'headmates' or 'facets' or even 'members'.

This isn't enough to explain the disorder itself, but i hope it suffices in explaining your situation! Feel free to check some extra system details if your gang has one, let's get to the next section.

Things to look out for

Just a quick warning and a reminder, if you are rather new or have not been actively out,, there is a high chance of having issues with limb coordination, control, and balancing. Other than that, the off-putting sensations you feel such as wrong type of species, height, gender, or even the world being foreign from how you perceive it can make things scary and overwhelming.

Fear not, as i also have the solutions for all these:

Handling poor mobility: First off, take a good moment to recognize your length of the arms, legs, learn the shape of your palm and fingers, and to every corners of your body. Start holding some simple objects like mugs or pens, remember how it feels to grab something with your fingers and gauge your grip strength, experimenting when you squeeze or loosen it. Then start interacting with the objects with both your hands, attempt to twirl it, or hold it in different positions and turns. You can also go for a test walk and sway all your joints to get a better picture of your movement range, practice makes perfect in easing your balance and momentum, it is normal to stub or be wobbly or clumsy at first, so take it easy okay?

To manage unalignment: It is hard to feel comfy if it is not the right height, especially for non-human aligned parts, so using props or any equipment or accessories can give you some sense of comfort (you can even walk on toes if you do need to feel a bit more tall, but don't over do this). Since fully eradicating this is impossible, doing anything in your power to lessen the discomfort is the best thing you can do,, there are also phantom limbs which basically means the extra body parts you identify with does not exist. This can be remedied by applying some gentle pressure to think that it is attached to your main body or use your imagination to satisfy that missing limb. for those not being aligned with the gender, if the body is feminine but you are masculine; try investing or search for a binder. If a binder is out of reach, wearing oversized, or baggy clothes, or hoodies will do the trick. And a boyish clothing style and short hair style if possible too. If its masculine in a feminine instead, using more girly oriented clothing style and do your nails, or any activities that affirms feminine aligned gender. I am very sure there are silicon chest pads but not in terms of where it is being sold at, so try to find them if it's available in your area. When neither and is androgynous instead, try searching for gender neutral clothes that are also neutral colored like grey/black/brown. There are many inspirations of this type of fashion so use the internet to gain inspirations on making your own androgyny look, you could even use make up to contour your shape of face. Now, for the ones who walk in hind-legs, get some platform heels/shoes/sandals/boots. You can find a flat one or the slanted one to match your needs. The idea is the slanted part of the shoe and the thick base gives an impression of canine/feline foot balance and for those who have hooves, respectively. (honestly, paw printed socks will do too, i hope) And to manage claws, or fangs, try using fake nail art of your color, or attach a fake vampire teeth guard, respectively. For symbolic means, you can even consume foods that are juicy and red, like meat cooked in medium,, or if you want the more vegan option: watermelons, or gummy that represents meat or grubs or just by being red to represent blood. Lastly, for the avians who have a pair of flaps--multiple wings, or in unusual spots (arm, face) can be eased by applying constant pressure points (any adhesive and items like tape, cotton, band aids, tissue, or plastic wrap) or a cloak/mantle/loose jacket or vest can give you that comfortable enshrouded sensation that comes with wings. Making flap sounds from cloth or any fabric will also give you a stable sense of input for having a 'functional' one, although phantom.

Getting used to the world Start learning how technology works--phone, laptop, kitchen tools, vehicle if any, and anything else that are often used. Make sure you practice enough to easily operate them, and learn how to use the internet and helpful plural apps or websites such as Lighthouse or start using Simply Plural. Try many foods to enhance culinary awareness, identify lots of other objects and the geography of your area to navigate and understand better. Touch many kinds of materials to train your sensory processes. You could also invest in watching shows and try a variety amount of activities to deepen your understanding of life. Explore different kinds of subject that you are particularly interested on, and lastly, never be afraid to do and try new things! This will guarantee you to seamlessly function with anything the world has to offer.

For starters - Self Discovery

Do you have a name?

do you what's your age?

What's your gender?

What are your pronouns?

Do you remember anything, and how much?

Do you seem to retain some past knowledge?

Can you describe what you look like? (Includes species)

Do you find the outside world familiar or foreign?

Can you state your bio name, family, or any important info?

Is it possible to describe yourself identity/vibe wise? (crucial part to tell apart fragments from splits and from holders that do not embody a personality)

What role could you fit as? (a host, protector, etc. Search for alter roles)

Do you like the outside world? Will you have a chance of being out more often? (to gauge how often one will front)

Have any likes and dislikes or preferences/hobbies?

For the bullet points you couldn't answer, take this as a sign to start searching! It will take some time, but you can ask help from anyone and even me when needed.

How a system works

A system works in communication (be it internal or external) and switches that also often have a specific trigger to call out someone else. Sometimes, though not a must, will have an innerworld that facilitates as a place for everyone to meet and interact.

These things are crucial for cooperation, because you'll definitely need that in order to navigate the world and adapt accordingly.

Communication

There are many kinds of communication styles, sometimes a mix of some or have all of the above,, whatever style you have, make sure to use it to the maximum. There are: via images, via abstract vibes, via emotions, or via direct (verbal) internal thoughts. Some do not have any internal communication, so external ones would be things such as keeping notes or write in a diary or any app for text editing.

Keep in mind that the clarity of communication fluctuates due to various factors, stress as one of them. So it is important to know that it will not work in a constant 100% at all times, use this awareness to strategize if, somehow, you have lost contact with the others.

Trigger & Switches

It is something that elicits a feeling that belongs to a part, which in return, can 'wake' or call one to co-con or front. There are negative and positive charged triggers, and i suggest you to explore what are your potential triggers.

The relationship with trigger and switches is, depending on how strong it is, can cause a switch to happen, where you will be swapped out by another one who got 'called' upon. This mechanism is for adapting to different kinds of situations, and these certain triggers are the key to ensuring the right part handle it's respective job as needed.

Switches can be very subtle, or slow, or obvious, or in a snap. This fully depends on how your system is made to handle problems on hand or when in stress, as sometimes it can cause rapid-switching, or the opposite, being stuck or locked in front. Sometimes, they also cause physical symptoms.

System terms - Basics

Fronting - the alter who has full control of the body, and performing tasks. Co-front - the alter, who have awareness between the outside and inside world, as well as able to control the body though not as complete as the fronter. Co-conscious - the alter who have awareness of the outside world, and spectates, and does not have any direct control of the body. Passive influence - when an alter's specific traits or likes/dislikes leaked to others and/or at front, that changes the initial reaction to be more blended with the other one. E.g. A like fries, B is there and likes spicy sauces. So now, A is craving to eat the fries with something spicy, even if A has no interest when it comes to spiciness or sauce.

For closing

Practice makes perfect, this is everything you need to know to hone your knowledge before finally stepping outside with complete freedom, where you can start anywhere you'd like, and to resume your collective's path to functionality and well-being. It's okay if things didn't go well at first try, and remember to reach out to people who you could trust as it'll help you progress faster!

I am aware that this guide still have a lot of room for improvement, so any requests or feedback will be added here for future viewers! This guide will be subjected to constant updates with even more sections being discussed on, or added touch of details. I will also add on my own posts here to serve as additional knowledge that is related to this topic:

Types of amnesia

Are you a Shard, Fragment, or Alter

Types of subsystems

Front-stuck, and how to deal with it

Physical switches

Comorbidity

Being blurry

Starters to system foundations

How comorbidity affects plurals (ADHD & Autism)

Dealing with the sense of faking

The person who needs to give their back a break, - j

[bluetortoist]

Time for another Batman OC! Again not too awful original, but this one is my own take on the Brave and the Bold character Scream Queen.

She was Crane's star student, who became obsessively hopelessly in love with him enough to follow him down his path of a rogue while also both, harboring a complicated romantic relationship together. This one's a little dubious sooo

CW: Stalking, Student/Teacher descriptions down below

Name: Kathleen "Kathy" Holloway

Alias: Scream Queen

Age: 27

Gender: Cis Female

Identifies: Bisexual

Race: Human

Ethnicity: White

Nationality: American

Birth town: Gotham Heights

Current Living: Grand Avenue

Allegiance: True Neutral- Neutral Evil

Powers/Abilites:

Cursed hooded dress - Her magically cursed dress hoodie gives her many different abilities, such as below:

Flight

Invisibility

Sonic Scream - one of, if not her only, means of attack. It let's out powerful screams enough to blast through concrete and even metal to an extent. Every scream she emits is different sounding than the last; She hypothesized that the different screams it omits are most likely the screams it's collected from all of its past victims.

Life Force Draining - This ability is what helps power her Sonic Scream. It emits a different colored beam that is used to literally take the breath away of any living thing until the victim is drained completely of their life force (their breath per se), leaving them as a completely immobile, breathless husk. This, remarkably, is also collected by the cloak and stored as another victims scream to add to the ever-growing collection. This can and WILL kill the victim if not treated right way.

Medical/ Pharmaceutical Knowledge - Her family background and her Major in college has made her very knowledgable in the ways of treating illnesses, injuries, and even some knowledge in drugs/medicine. Even though she never got licensed, they are skills that absolutely do in a pinch and help with Crane in the lab sometimes.

History: Kathy Holloway was born into a wealthy family who does business selling medical technology. Perhaps not as wealthy and as influential as names like Wayne, but were still known and respected fairly well by those around them since they help contribute to some of the hospitals in Gotham. In her childhood, Kathy was determined by teachers to be intellectually smart for her age. However, she was als considered "the creepy weird girl" that her peers hated to be around or bullied her. It also didn't help that she had little interest in what other people her age liked and would sometimes get into arguments and fights with other kids. She was bothering a lot of her peers to the point that word got around and even her family couldnt help but think she was a problem child. But in response to her high intellect, they made her spend a few years of her childhood studying, then counseling at school and then taking finishing lessons at home as a means of keeping her in line and shaping her to be "normal" enough. It put a lot of pressure and hurtful abuse on her self esteem. She still wouldn't break from her usual self, but she tried her best to play along just so it could stop. When Kathy became 13, it started to feel pointless to her parents, and she was then considered "not to be bothered with anymore" and focuses on furthering her younger brother's growth instead.

Later on in highschool, it was at least a little less restricting than it was at home. Kathy was still ostracized among peers who grew up with her, but still managed to become friends and eventually a relationship with a senior year boy. However, she quickly became infatuated with him to the point of stalking him. She was caught and had a restraining order put on her, she was suspended from school for a time, which isolated her even more. She managed to graduate highschool with relatively no troubles, but as soon as she did, her family kicked her out of home, and cut her off after feeling too much shame from their failed and disturbed child. She hasn't made any attempt to contact any of them since. Luckily, Kathy had some money to her name, enough to find a place to stay, found a job at a nearby metaphysical shop, which was then when she found the cursed hooded dress that she decided to keep. When she discovered its frightening abilities, she quickly begun figuring out how it works and, taking inspiration from her favorite horror movies, uses its powers to commit small, haunted robbery's that left police and detectives baffled at how this is even happening. Gotta pay the rent and food somehow.

After a while, after finally scraping and stealing enough, Kathy uses said money to finally get into Gotham University. It was there she met Proffessor Crane, taking one of his Psycology classes. She didn't think much of him at first, but as soon as he acknowledged her intelligence and in her assignments (considering her one of his star students), how she saw how he revelled in his obsession with fear, and his phobia experiments on other people, she felt a kinship to him and his dark eccentricities and fell instantly in love with him. She would stalk him for a few months after that, trying to get his attention in any way subtle way she could. There was reluctance, but Jonathan gave in and thus begun having a relationship with his star student, albeit brief. She still stalked him, even finding out that he has taken on the Scarecrow persona after hearing how he was fired and kicked out of the school for his horrible experiments.

She continued her schooling after his attack on the University until she eventually got her masters, but continued keeping tabs on his whereabouts and activities. Even taking on her Scream Queen persona to help him out of a jam or two (much to Scarecrows confusion and uneasiness at first). She was finally caught one night when she got a little too brave sneaking into one of his secret hideouts and they found out both their identities. Scarecrow honestly thought that he would never see her again, let alone all that she has been doing without him noticing OR she was the reason behind a few of his close calls. Nonetheless, he couldnt take that risk no matter how fondly he thinks of her. But in response, Kathy insisted that as a compromise, she stay by his side and work alongside him in whatever he needed; She was more than willing to take this chance to be near him as much as she could. Scarecrow was both reluctant and distrustful at first. She knew his hideout and, apparantly, more so about him than he thought and could use it however she pleased. But on the other hand, she would've done so anytime but didnt and already said she is loyal to him (definitely stroked his ego). He definitely thought her strange abilities could be useful and knew how capable she was already. They, at first, agree to work together in the sense that they could both ruin each other at anytime, but Scarecrow soon starts realizing that they work together a lot better than he thought. Thus begun a complicated, twisted, slow burn romance that he never thought he'd get into with his right hand in fear, "Scream Queen".

Notes/Quirks:

Its typical, but she likes horror movies from all range of subgenres, but has a personal love for the ghost/haunting genre; she knows a very good amount of horror trivia; Some of her favorite directors are Dario Argento, James Whale and Wes Craven.

While in school, Kathy minored in Film/Acting because of her love of horror media and the means of producing and acting in them. Taking much inspiration from the actresses and female characters is what made her borrow the term "Scream Queen" as her alias.

While working at the metaphysical shop. She learned a few things like tarot reading from a former friend/employee of hers. She didn't entirely believe it (at least not at first before she found a literal magic hoodie for crying out loud!), but she thinks it's all very interesting to learn about.

She prefers to be called by her shorter name "Kathy" because she doesn't like her full name or when other people use it. Jonathan is one of the handful of people whom she let's call her "Kathleen".

The only family members that Kathy can say she remembers fondly or indifferently towards to was her little brother, and her estranged Aunt on her mother's side. Her Aunt being the one person she felt connected to due her Aunt also being seen as an embarrassment by her family. She unfortunately passed away when Kathy was 11. Kathy and her little brother, sadly didn't spend much time together. Her brother would be constantly away in his own schedule their parents made and was 7 when Kathy was kicked out. He doesn't remember much about her.

[allovertheplace-writing]

Hello! I was wondering if I could request Akihiko sanada turning down a gn reader but he realizes he likes them back later on?

Persona 3

Character(s): Akihiko

Genre: Fluff + Some Hurt

Type: Headcanon

Description: You fell first, but he fell harder. Much harder.

Warning(s): Gender-Neutral Reader, Rejection(Toward Reader), Mentions of Other Characters(Mitsuru, Junpei), Reader is A Senior Like Akihiko(Shared Classes), Seemingly Unrequited Love

Hi, hi! Of course you can request this <3

Thank you sending an ask and I hope you enjoy! Sorry for wait as well!

The world was a blur as you walked, blue and white meshing with the grays and browns of buildings and used paths. Rejection always hurt, even when you expected it. Akihiko was known for telling people "no", but you kind of hoped he would say different with you...

At least you could still be friends. Saying goodbye forever would've ruined your heart more.

Time had rushed into the starry evening during your walk home, orange mixing with pink and blue until they turned into a gentle purple...but everything continued on while you remained stagnant. Heart still clenched and eyes still blurred.

Akihiko wasn't much different, but he had no idea why. Perhaps it was because you're friends that he can't get that look of hurt in your eyes out of his mind.

It takes a good portion of time for him to get a handle on his feelings, but the process gets sped up by Mitsuru and Junpei. "Dude, you're totally in love!" and "Well, perhaps you like them too? You certainly care deeply for them." are two of the many things he hears from them. He always denied it, but then would continue pondering. Did he like you that way?

Each day you ended up within one another's presence, he noticed more and more. The way the light made your eyes shine with a morning dew at the lockers, the way your hands looked as your fingers adjusted sliders and reorganized lab papers, and how he wanted to link his pinky with yours on the way to lunch. And right now, he was memorizing the shape of your lips.

He had invited you to Chagall for a cup of coffee. Why, he wasn't sure, but with the way you talked about the flowers the old couple at the bookstore gave you for white day...he couldn't care. Your smile, though withheld, made your eyes gleam. He saw the way you grasped your clothes in your hands to release the energy you were keeping at bay and he saw how your upper lip spasmed into a wider grin.

"You're-" He stopped himself as soon as he began, finding comfort in the light dancing within his cup, "..sorry." How could he say you're amazing without hurting the both of you more? He already told you no. "I just...I'm sorry." However his apologies only seemed to confuse you, making you pry without meaning to. "For what, Aki? You haven't done anything." Except for one thing, he thought.

A ripple of silence fluttered around your table for a few moments, breath taking and soul crushing. "Is.." He held his breath at your voice. "...is this about the other day?" Of course you'd figure it out, he likely looked as uncomfortable as he did then. "Akihiko." His eyes met yours when you leaned forward, "You have nothing to apologize for. You aren't interested and there's nothing wrong with that." Whatever nervousness, anxiousness, you held was stifled in favor of reassuring him. "That's exactly why I'm apologizing, (Y/n)! I said I wasn't into you, but I am!"

Your heart squeezed in such a terrible way. Hurt and disbelief was all you could feel swell in your throat, bitter against the back of your tongue. He liked you even though it took him a little to get there. It should've been relieving, and you supposed it was - just a tad, but those morose feelings washed any good that could come from such news. "I-" He pressed his lips together for a moment, taking a breath, "I didn't mean to...to hurt you. Back then...I didn't know how I felt."

"Well, my feelings haven't changed, Aki. As...as upset as this makes me, I still like you." With a burn behind your eyes, you blink and breathe deeply, "I doubt that'll change." He took in a breath of warm air, as if to reel himself in. "Then-" He pressed his lips together, meeting your eyes..

"Can we try dating?"

[gghalcyon]

Call of Duty Headcanon : Felix "König" Oravec

Disclaimer: This is my personal head cannon for König, who I named Felix Oravec. Most are different from standard head cannon, including how he looks.

Call Sign: König

Name : Felix Oravec

Alias(es) : König, Felix

Gender : Male

Birthday : August 15

Nationality : Austrian

Place of Birth : Vienna, Austria

Spoken Language(s): Austrian, German, English

Sexuality: Heterosexual

APPEARANCE

6'6" with an athletic and muscular build

Has short brown hair and blue eyes.

Blue-gray eyes and tanned complexion, with multiple scars from his missions all over his body

Visible facial scar under his left eye, reddish scar.

Typically wears tactical gear and a menacing sniper mask that covers his face. 

BACKGROUND

Childhood

König was born to a middle-class family in Austria and raised in a household dominated by his mother, a tough-minded and driven woman who worked hard to provide for them ever since the sudden death of his father in a freak car accident. She had worked hard to make ends meet, often leaving König to his own devices as she worked late nights to provide for their small family.

König's father was originally from Slovakia, and upon marriage, his mother decided to take on his last name which was "Ovarek."

König had grown up feeling like an outsider, always on the fringes of the activities that seemed to fill the days of the other children. Growing up, he was an anxious child who was bullied both at home and in school. He was often the target of ridicule and mockery, and he never felt like he belonged anywhere.

For years, König kept this sense of isolation buried deep within him, only occasionally manifesting in moments of intense fear or sadness. But when he became a teenager, his feelings of abandonment and displacement began to take on a more aggressive form. He lashed out at his teachers and classmates, retreating further into himself in the process.

König's mother, sensing the growing darkness in her son, urged him to take up a hobby to help him channel his emotions. He chose rugby, a sport that he found to be both physically and mentally demanding. He trained diligently, pushing himself to be the best he could be. Eventually, his dedication paid off, and he rose to become one of the top rugby players in the region.

The sport gave König a sense of purpose, but it also led him to contemplate his place in the world. He finally comprehended what it meant to stand out from the crowd, and wanted to make use of this new insight to shape the world around him.

Early Military

At age seventeen, König made up his mind to join the military in an effort to start anew. König's journey in the military was a transformational one. Although physical training and discipline were of utmost importance, it was the mental journey that truly shaped him as an individual. He found himself becoming increasingly aware of his environment and the people around him, honing his ability to see things from different perspectives. At last, he felt like he belonged somewhere.

He was driven by a new sense of purpose, determined to use his newfound understanding of the world to make a difference in it. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming known for his bravery on the battlefield and his commitment to protecting the lives of those around him.

However, König soon realized that the battlefield could not be won with only physical strength—it took intelligence and persuasion as well. As he progressed further up through the ranks, König began to incorporate strategies such as diplomacy and negotiation into his combat strategies, allowing him to accomplish objectives without resorting to violence when possible.

His leadership style had earned him a great deal of respect from both superiors and comrades alike, and he was recommended to join the Austrian Jagdkommando.

Austrian Jagdkommando to KorTac

After 5 years as a soldier, he took his commanders recommendation and made the decision to join the Austrian Jagdkommando. The Austrian Jagdkommando - "JaKdo" for short - drew him in because of their motto "Never Retreat" and notorious vigor.

He was one of the youngest individuals to pass the Physical Fitness Test of the Austrian Jagdkommando after completing The Pre-Selection process called AU Testung. He was one of 15% of the candidates to make it through the selection and training phase.

He served with the Jagdkommando for several years until he was honorably discharged after a pivotal mission, the same mission where he received his call name “König.”

REPUTATION AND SPECIALTIES

Reputation: Known for his fearlessness. Willing to charge into any situation, guns blazing. Earned the nickname "The Battering Ram" for busting down doors and being great as an insertion and breaching operative.

Specialties: CQB breaching, close quarters combat, weapons proficiency. CQB combat, breaching doors, insertion tactics, close-quarters weapons like shotguns and SMGs. Surprisingly agile for his size.

Weapon of Choice: Jagdkommando knife, SCAR assault rifle kitted for aggressive pushing. Also carries a sidearm. Armsel Striker semi-auto 12-gauge shotgun loaded with breaching rounds. Also carries a .45 ACP SMG.

Callsign Backstory: König earned his call sign “König” meaning “King” during his time in the Austrian military. During one pivotal mission, König's unit was tasked with raiding a human trafficking ring operating out of an old warehouse. 

The traffickers were heavily armed and used civilians as human shields. König's commanding officer ordered the unit to stand down, fearing civilian casualties, and requesting additional backup.

But König disobeyed orders, charging into the warehouse alone. He moved with ruthless efficiency, gunning down 12 enemy combatants in close quarters without harming any hostages. When the dust settled, the hostages surrounded König, calling him their savior. One little girl looked up at the imposing soldier in his black mask and said "You're like a king, sent to rescue us." 

From that day on, König was bestowed the call sign König - the German word for "King." It signifies his bravery in combat and willingness to put his life on the line to protect the innocent. The call sign stuck with him into his mercenary days, a reminder of how one man's valor can make a difference.

While he went against orders, the fact he saved so many civilians and also protected his commanding officer during battle earned him an honorable discharge.

PERSONALITY

Looks intimidating but has a big heart. He wants to use his skills to save lives and fight evil.

Wears his signature black mask during missions to keep anonymity. Contrary to rumors, he does remove his black mask when outside of missions, and when out and about with teammates and when in civilian settings. 

Prefers to let his actions speak for themselves. However, can also clearly articulate himself when necessary in a direct way.

Though he's normally reserved, he opens up over drinks with his teammates, or in 1:1 chats, revealing more of his dark humor. 

He is not a big fan of drinking, and often limits himself to one beer and/or a shot during the rare occasions he is hanging out with others. He prefers to remain sober as much as he could, not wanting to ever be like his mother who had been an abusive alcoholic. In addition, his training in Jagdkommando has taught him the importance of having his wits about him as much as possible just in case.

RELATIONSHIPS / LOVE LIFE

He is not close to his mother whom he hasn’t spoken to since he left the home at 17 years old. His mother assumes he is dead, something he wants to keep that way, as they’ve been estranged and she had been an abusive and alcoholic to him growing up.

Though he has had romantic trysts in the past, he tends to avoid them or any serious relationships that may compromise him. His first loyalty is to his mission and team. Deep down though–although he tries to deny it–he does have a wish to one day meet someone who’d accept him wholeheartedly and who he can open up to.

Love is not something that comes easily to König. His traumatic upbringing and focus on his duties have made it difficult for him to open up emotionally. He has had a few fleeting romantic encounters over the years, but nothing meaningful. 

König had a brief romance with someone during his early military service in Austria. They parted ways when König decided to join Jagdkommando, but he still fondly remembers their time together as one of the few times he was able to be vulnerable with someone. 

Now in his early 30s, König leads an isolated life, pouring all his energy into the mission at hand. While some may desire a family or relationship, he does not feel he could balance the life of a soldier with deeper personal connections. 

Though seen as cold and intimidating by many, there are rare glimpses of warmth and humanity in König when he bonds with his fellow operatives. He remains fiercely devoted to his makeshift family within KorTac, willing to lay down his life for them if needed. 

For now, the team and pursuit of the greater good is König's reason for being. He finds satisfaction in serving a purpose higher than himself. Any thoughts of romance will have to wait until he fulfills his personal unfinished mission. Underneath the mask lies a heart that, while wary, still hopes to find connection one day.

INTEREST AND HOBBIES

König spends time at the shooting range honing his marksmanship and speed drills to stay sharp with firearms and tactical weapons. He also has an impressive collection of guns stashed in his apartment.

König is particularly keen on hand-to-hand combat training, such as Krav Maga, Jiu Jitsu, and Muay Thai, and spends a large portion of his days practicing these martial arts at an MMA gym to strengthen his agility.

When he's not on a mission, König likes to go backpacking with full gear and trek into the wilderness for days; this helps him hone his survival skills and provides peace from busy city life. Being close to nature also allows him to indulge in his childhood passion: drawing and sketching landscapes and people in his pocket sketchbook.

König prefers listening to all varieties of rock music and enjoys watching live bands perform. He favors watching bands at smaller, more intimate gigs over larger festivals or arena shows. When not working out or on a mission, he generally listens to calmer sounds instead of aggressive music.

[strzxrin]

˗ˏˋ the one within 29 ˎˊ˗ — léo jaccoud.

voice message received . . . “ahh c’mon now, don’t be like that! i didn’t mean to take your portions”

world . astern

ethnicity . french

age . 20

gender . demiboy, amab

species . half-demon

untold truth . he tends to always be grinning like a child whenever he hears that there is drama or if there is something happening. he sees life as if it is something amusing, as if everything was just entertainment to him. and frankly it is. he can’t bring himself to take people seriously, especially when everything in this world is so uptight and everyone has to act certain ways as if they were in a trope or something along those lines. but the one thing that they do take seriously is his relationships — especially if it relates to you and rowan. he knows the both of you like the back of his palm and he will make sure that the both of you will never split up. if not, he wouldn’t be sure how to cope. he’s known you two since forever, and if something were to happen, he will ensure that communication will be relevant in the topic. he can and will go crazy if both of his favourite people were to split up.

appearance. 

curly light brown hair with bangs that cover his forehead and short that ends to the middle of his neck.

softer features with hazel eyes and an angular eyebrow shape. he is tanned and he has slightly pointed ears that can be seen through the mist.

through the mist, there seemed to be nothing on their head, but without the mist, they bore horns that curled upwards from their forehead. their sclera would be black and whenever they smile, their teeth would be sharper.

without the mist, their hands would look like claws and starting from their fingertips to his forearm, it is just abyssal black.

they are 6’1ft (185 cm) with an athletic build.

between him and rowan, he cares more about how he dresses. his style changes depending on his mood. it can range between leather jackets and button ups to sweater vests and slacks. he likes to experiment in the way he dresses and he doesn’t mind wearing different styles.

incoming voice call . . . “mon amour, you know that i mean my words, right?” 

“léo,” you called out his name as he blinked and looked up from the couch. you were standing behind him and you had taken his cigarette from his fingers. “you were starting to chainsmoke.” you said simply before he blinked and let out a small laugh.

“my bad, mon amour—” “what’s wrong?”

they paused, they knew they could never hide it from you. you or rowan really. they smoke, yes, but to a certain extent. they try to not do it as much since they knows that rowan never really likes the smell of smoke, and they know that you worry about them a lot. however today was a bit too pissed and they fell back into their older habits.

one drag became two, and it became three and soon enough he had almost gone through half the packet. that is until you stopped him of course. 

“just some stupid idiots pissing me off.” they don't take anything in life seriously, that’s their motto. but what made them so irritated is that some people had the audacity to speak bad about you and rowan. they swore they were about to do something about it but they felt as if your voice was telling them to stay calm.

you hummed at his words and stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, walking around the couch to be in front of him. “was it about rowan and i?” you also knew his motto. which is why you could immediately guess that it had to do with something regarding the both of them. he lets out a small chuckle, grabbing your hips and pulling you onto his lap.

“mhm..” they hummed, nuzzling into your neck as you let out a soft sigh, brushing through their hair. they always found it to be calming whenever you do that, and they like your scent. it’s so sweet and so unique to you. you don’t ask more, you know that they will tell you whenever they feel comfortable. and they love that about you, they really do.

“stay like this for a while, please?”

“alright,”

“thank you, ( name )”

[aaronsrpgs]

I've been working on the encyclopedia for SpeedRune, my rules-lite ancient world fantasy game. Here's the intro and some of the entries.

On Grazing & Shepherding

Being a failed guide to raising sheep across the wide world

& also a failed guide for accurate information regarding said world

An Apology to the Reader: When we sent our missionary, laden with food and gifts, on a momentous journey to discover new ways of raising sheep, we hoped that we would compile their findings into a document both helpful & hopeful for any being across the vast flatness of our world who, like us, takes joy in the labor involved in the raising of sheep, preparation of wool, and cooking of mutton.

What we got instead was a plagiarized & bowdlerized document, mostly taken from the poet Erlo, who himself was a collector of tales from thieves, outcasts, bards, and other untrustworthy types.

It is with great shame that we release these notes to the sheep-raising public, only because we made an oath. One hopes that enterprising shepherds might find, with devoted digging, some useful sheep-raising facts herein. However, it is our firm belief that everything presented here is a fabrication.

Our missionary has been branded a traitor and heretic, and their name has been removed from all records; they have been sent forth to survive on what fodder they can find.

In our failure,

The High Council of the Church of the Sheep God

A Plea from the Author

Ere, I was wont to think in bursting poems.

Regarding everything I write: it’s true.

Lo, though I may be punished for my tomes,

Often the writing’s harder to subdue.

-                     , missionary of the Sheep God

The heretical missionary’s name has been stricken from this work by the order of the Sheep God’s Grand Priest.

Angel

A sort of spirit or small god that lives inside us and is also a part of us, like the stomach or like spit. There is much debate about its purpose.

Some believe that the angel helps us discern what is best for ourselves and our people. This is alternately called moral behavior and selfishness. Some angels believe one should do right no matter who is watching, and failing to do so is called sin. Other angels only encourage righteous behavior in the eyes of the other, and the opposite of that is known as dishonor.

Others believe that angels come in many types: good, bad, childish and petulant, old and reserved. Some people are born without an angel or have theirs driven from them by a curse.

What is agreed upon across the world is that our urges and inner voices come from our angel, and when we die, the angel dresses up in whatever is left of us and goes to the underworld or haunts the place we perished.

Gender

For each person in the flat expanse of the world, there are at least two beliefs regarding gender and sex. However, all civilized folk at least pay lip service to the following story:

While most gods were selfishly sporting and fighting after the universe came to be, the Earth God had created art. Her first art was the art of pottery, and she made eight great pots, each painted in eight mineral colors.

Next she created the art of cooking, and in a sacred iron pot, she kept a broth brewing. The other gods’ sporting and fighting left plants growing in footprints and animals springing forth from wounds. Their sporting and fighting also left crushed stalks and broken beasts, and the Earth Goddess collected these. She dropped roots and leaves, skin and bones, into the broth. Every eight days, she poured it into one of her pots. Then a new broth began.

The pots of broth were sealed and submerged in the Earth Goddess’s other art, which we call magic (but which is actually something else). After eight full moons passed, the Earth Goddess cracked each pot, and people poured out.

This is why we come in eight different shapes called genders (which, unlike most shapes, is a shape on the inside of us). The broths roil in us, salty and fibrous, but some are more hazy, while some have the clarity of golden water. (There is a tongue for every broth.) And the waves of magic (which is actually something else) and the changing light of the moon allow us to grow and change and settle like a tide, taking new shapes and lapping up new broth.

There are those who don’t believe this tale. Some demand nine pots and something other than broth in our veins, for the gods could not conceive of a world other than their own. Other nonbelievers are sad little almost-humans who history desires to overlook, only sometimes they gain power and money enough that others begin to believe their sad tales.

Horse

These animals were permitted only for the gods and their chosen servants. They ate the grass of heaven and could move like lightning. A clan of humans grew angry with the gods, though, and plotted to steal some horses for themselves. They creeped up to heaven on a ladder woven of hair (this was before heaven was sealed), and on seeing the perfect horses masticating upon the perfect grass, they whooped and laughed and jumped up on the animals.

The horses went wild, unused to the imperfect rumps that now sat upon them. They whinnied and ran, hooves kicking up the immaculate sod of heaven, and they ran and ran some more, until spit bubbled from their mouths and sweat coated their flanks. Many of them died right then and there.

The humans tamed the few horses that lived and rode them home. They hid the horses in a barn made of sod, so when the gods came by and asked if their horses had come through, the humans could say, “Look at our fields. There are no horses there.” So the gods left and the day passed.

At night, a powerful weeping came from the barn, and a chorus of pleas: “We are here! There is no fresh fodder! We are in a tight, dark place!” The horses could no longer remain silent. And the gods came down like falling stars and pulled the sod roof off the barn. Their horses huddled there, and the humans came out and professed ignorance.

The gods, being fickle and strange, cursed both the humans and the horses. “If you so desire these creatures,” the Wind God said, “let it be that you can never be apart from them.” And the humans and horses were joined into centaurs, which have the top half of a human but with the jaws of a horse, and the bottom half of a horse but with the rumps and feet of a human.

Perhaps once a generation, the centaurs birth a true horse, and this fine beast is usually destined to serve a hero. And there are rumors that other people, far away from here, know how to treat a horse, and they are allowed the privilege of keeping whole herds of them. But I’ve never seen this.

New Rune: Horse

Act between the seconds, interrupting someone’s intentions and moving faster than anything.

Move yourself and your allies across countless miles in hours or minutes.

Add +10 to a roll involving running or acting as a herd.

Sheep

The holy reason for this manuscript. Here is what is known about sheep:

They are superior to most animals because they provide food, milk, wool, and a ride (if they are big enough).

They understand human speech but they do not deign to speak it.

They worship all gods, so through honoring them, we honor all gods too.

Their mouths are mortars, their teeth are pestles, and their stomachs are ovens, so their wool will take on the properties of what they eat. Pine cones make it warmer, juniper lets air flow through, and duckweed makes it water-resistant.

Goats are a kind of sheep with particular devotion to the gods of salt and metal.

Alpacas are a kind of sheep with particular devotion to the gods of sun and sky.

If one can’t have children, it is often said that one should raise sheep.

New Rune: Sheep/Goat

Walk up a wall or cliff.

Chew through two inches of any material.

Add +10 to a roll involving blending in with others of your kind or discerning the location of a predator.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Ellen Ioanes at Vox:

Come Tuesday night, millions of Americans will be glued to their TV screens or refreshing their browser windows to see the latest election returns, all in anticipation of a final race call. (Though we might not know the next president until days later.)

Counting ballots can take a while, but news organizations don’t necessarily need to wait for every cast ballot to be counted before announcing a winner. They’re often able to declare who won without the full returns, thanks to the work of teams colloquially known as “decision desks” — groups of political scientists, statisticians, pollsters, and reporters who use mountains of data, statistical models, and on-the-ground reporting to understand which candidate is up where, and how likely a candidate is to win a given precinct, county, or state. Given the doubt that former President Donald Trump has sown over the past eight years, both about the election process and the media, it’s worth understanding in detail how the processes of projecting and calling election results work, and why consumers of news should trust those results. “Remember that we don’t elect anybody,” Anthony Salvanto, who as CBS News’s executive director of elections and surveys, oversees the network’s decision desk, told Vox. “The voters do that. Elections officials are reporting the vote, and what you’re getting from us and the networks is our analysis of what they’ve reported, as well as our first-hand reports from talking to voters.”

How exactly do news organizations figure out who’s winning?

To figure out who won an election, news organizations like Fox News, CNN, the Associated Press (AP), and others use a combination of data from election officials, statistical modeling, and polling and surveys of voters. Raw vote counts come in at the precinct, county, and state levels, and these help decision desks both ensure voting is in line with their expectations and to make decisions on tight contests. Those expectations are shaped by statistical models based on history and other voter information, like geographical location, gender, age, and more.

This year, there are two main systems that news media will rely on for their projections. The AP and Fox News use a system called AP VoteCast, which debuted in 2018 and has been used in every national election since. In a shift from past practice, VoteCast doesn’t rely on exit polling, and instead uses large-scale online surveys of registered voters who are chosen randomly from a probability-based sample, in an attempt to get the most accurate information from the most representative sample.

A different method is used by the National Election Pool (NEP), which provides data to ABC News, CBS News, CNN, and NBC News. The NEP relies on Edison Research to conduct three types of surveys: Election Day exit polls, in-person early voting exit polls, and polls of likely voters to capture data from those likely to vote by mail, Rob Farbman, executive vice president at Edison Research, told Vox. (AP and Fox News used to be part of this group, but left after the 2016 election.) (Decision Desk HQ, a private company that contracts with news organizations including the Economist and The Hill — and Vox.com in 2020 — doesn’t use voter surveys, and instead it relies on a proprietary statistical methodology to project winners.) Each outlet and agency creates their own criteria for interpreting these results.

News organizations have their own decision desk teams that determine when a state or a district can be called to determine that the leading candidate is 100% assured of winning.

In 2020, the Presidential election winner was called on Saturday after the election at just before 10:30AM CST.

How long do we have to wait for a winner to be officially declared this time? Who knows, but hopefully within a couple of days.

[auroraburst-1721]

gonna post and share the info of the tribes i just posted >:]c

edit: added the other three :]

🔥Skywing🔥

Characteristics & Traits

Largest wing-to-body ratio in Pyrrhia

Feathered wings

Have most characteristics/traits of birds of prey (i.e, beaks, scaled talons, etc.)

Very thick hide underneath feathers/downy coat

Whip-thin tails

Thin, muscular build

Large barrel chests to hold their lungs, which are bigger than most due to the high altitude where they most commonly live

Short/medium length, curled horns (can be curved in any direction)

Come in a variety of warm colors

Eyes are mostly yellow, gold, orange or red

Markings come in a variety of shapes and sizes, though most resemble common ones found on a multitude of bird species (blue jay, peregrine falcon, etc.)

Eggs look ordinary, looking like exceptionally large robin eggs, light blue with darker blue speckled along the shell

Gender Dimorphism

Males are decidedly more colorful in the markings department, like in some species of bird, the males are more brightly colored to attract a mate

The ends of their feathers are able to be a multitude of different colors, mostly ones that compliment their warmer hues and make them stand out more

Female also are able to have bright colors, but they aren't as vibrant as males

When a dragon decides they want to be a different gender or no specific one at all, their body changes along with their mindset (ex, male > female; colors get more diluted and shrink in size slightly. female > male; grows in size and colored ends get more vibrant. their voices also change pitch. non-binary are mostly between female and male traits, they have their own characteristics that are their own category) 

Mutations

If the egg with two chicks survives, it's almost always gonna have one fire-scale chick and one flameless chick (rare occurrence of having normal chicks)

Rare possibility of an egg having two chicks inside (if more than two, the egg dulls and hardens. same thing happens if any eggs are duds)

Fire-scales are always gonna be brighter hues of the Skywing colors

Flameless, on the other hand, will be duller and more pale

Both will have a chance of having cooler colored eyes or even feathers

The two chicks, if being raised together, will have a stronger bond than others, being twins

Some dragons have been known to be born having some patches of scales or little differences, though they’ll be ridiculed and/or bullied for it anyways

Fire-scales can't control their temperature, resulting in burn wounds

Thankfully, an Unknown Animus dragon had gifted an enchanted chest that provides a selection of specialized, enchanted jewelry to be given to the fire-scale in order for their fire to not hurt others. it cannot be touched by ones that have malicious intentions. if that happens, the dragon that tries will be permanently burned around their necks, forming runes stating their attempted thievery, shaming them for life

Wings vary in size and design (ex. owl, ravel, falcon, robin, pelican, etc.) 

Royal Lineage

Royal Skywings are commonly seen to have gold markings, reflecting like actual gold

Markings are mainly seen on their wings & tail feathers

Their beaks are much more curved, unlike other Skywings, which have smaller ones

Bigger in size and height compared to others

Traditions

They've soon gotten rid of the Fighting Stadium, repurposing it to a fledgling area, volunteers helping young dragons to use their wings for the first time

They have a flying tournament every year and just have a lot of different games and events for the whole tribe (helps w/ moral & bonding family/friends closer together) 

Temperament

Commonly short-tempered

Have a 'higher than thou' complex

Very prideful and vain (mostly)

Most of them take offense very easily

Very competitive towards each other and others

Courting

Hunts down valuables/gifts for potential mate (shiny pebbles/rocks, animal pelts/scales, rare gemstones etc)

If gift is accepted, both will fly to a private spot to sing to eachother, melodious croons and chirps

Shows off crest and tail feathers to display colorful ends/markings in hopes of further impressing potential mate with soft bugles

After acceptance, they will proceed to do a mating flight/dance, risky moves, fire and interlocked talons. Trust fall similar to birds of prey

Both venture to find a place to call home, one gathering materials for a nest while the other scouts the area, making sure it is high enough and safe for raising young

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

🐝Hivewing🐝

Characteristics & Traits

Hard exo-skeleton over their bodies, smooth and shiny

Very sharp spines, scales and other extremities

Stingers on the end of their tails, sometimes on the inside of their wrists and fangs (paralysis)

Dark markings akin to bees/wasps

Always a hue of yellow, orange and red paired with dark brown/black markings

Insect wings (comes in a variety of shapes)

Sharp, curved horns with thorn-like protrusions littering it (always a dark color)

Eggs are laid in combs, like bees/wasps, covered in a sticky amber-like saliva that hardens over a few minutes

Gender Dimorphism

Males are slightly broader

Females have longer, skinnier tail

Females have a larger tail (not unlike queen bees and other insects)

Mutations

Hivewing chicks are hatched with almost no dark markings, they develop when they hit a certain age

Chicks’ wings are delicate and fragile, needing gentle, tender care 24/7 until they’re strong enough to be left alone

Sometimes Hivewings can hatch as Albino and/or Melanistic

Melanistics are generally a bit more common than albinos

Albinos don’t ever have dark markings

Some Melanistic chicks are able to have lighter colored markings, basically switching where the colors are normally

Chicks develop their stingers when their markings start to darken and/or their wings are strong enough to hold them up in the air

Royal Lineage

Royals have a bigger tail and stinger than normal female Hivewings

Fangs stick out from their upper jaw, making them look a lot fiercer

Wings are larger and have a specific ‘royal’ pattern

Queens are able to produce honey that is specially made to give to any Hivewing chick, either to turn them into a Royal or give them strength if weak and/or a runt

Traditions

Have a room where eggs were to be held and looked after by the Queen (guards were always guarding them to make sure the Queen didn’t mess with her future tribemates)

Specific Hivewings are able to produce honey, allowing them to make sweets and certain products to feed newly hatched chicks

Temperament

Short-tempered

Used to be fierce and aggressive (wasps)

Now they’re more docile unless provoked (bees)

Scholarly like the Nightwings, though not as well known

Courting

Has an instinctive dance every Hivewing knows to test if they're a match, wiggles their tails and shakes their wings to make a buzzing/clicking noise

If they accept each other, they give a sting to their shoulders, making sure that others know they are mates

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

🌿Leafwing🌿

Characteristics & Traits

Wings look like leaves

Fins going down their spine to the base of their tail. has small bulbs to help with sensing changes in the air

Comes in shades of green, yellow/gold and brown (sometimes hues of red and orange)

Has frills like the Rainwings

Since they are somewhat descended from Rainwings, they have fangs that has a weaker poison in them

Unlike other tribes, Leafwings have the ability to absorb the sun’s energy, allowing them to eat infrequently

Eggs look like seeds, 'blooming' at the top when they get close to their hatching date

Gender Dimorphism

Male fins are slightly larger by about 2-3 inches

Male fins and frills are more sharp, while females have curved fins and frills

Females have slightly rounder and smaller horns

Females have longer tails, able to help them anchor to branches and trees easier

Mutations

Rare few chicks are born with the ability of ‘Leafspeak’, giving them control over plant-life

Varies on strength, some are only able to speak/feel plant-life or make them grow faster while others are able to control a large amount around them, rarely ever full trees though

Rare chance of chicks to be born with a completely unusual color (ex, blue, purple, gray, white, black etc.)

Melanistic and Albino is a rare possibility

Royal Lineage

Royals have gold underlying their eyes, looking like eyeliner

They possess two extra pairs of sensors on their heads, giving the impression of a “crown” of sorts

Traditions

They have a similar sun-bathing habit not unlike Rainwings

To protect their young, the dragons that have stronger Leafspeak make plants form a protective and hidden shelter for them to hide and stay safe

When fledglings come of age, they’re tested by an Elder to find out if they have ‘Leafspeak’, being asked to reach out to young saplings or seeds and encourage them to grow/sprout sooner, sense their feelings or ask them to move to a different spot

Temperament

Decidedly more hostile towards other tribes due to the war between Hivewings and Leafwings

Much nicer once others are proven to be trusted in the tribe

Courting

 Makes horn adornments for potential partner/mate

If gift is accepted, they flap and move their frills in sync

After they both accept the other, they go for a flight in the jungle/forest, dodging plants in their way

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

🦋Silkwing🦋

Characteristics & Traits

Butterfly shaped wings with a multitude of patterns and colors (no shades, ex: black, gray, white)

Short nub horns (colored to match talons/claws)

They have scales, though they don’t make up most of their body

Silkwings aren’t born with fully developed wings, they have to molt/cocoon at a certain age like caterpillars turning into butterflies and moths

Very soft fur and antenna, freshly hatched have soft downy covering them completely until they come of age to get their wings and scales

Very vibrantly colored, commonly having more than one or two colors and having a variety of patterns and markings covering their form (mostly genetic)

Eggs are small and white, sticking to each other

Gender Dimorphism

Females are slightly bigger and have softer, silkier fur

Males have more colors on their wings to get more attention from potential partners

Females are fluffier and have a bit more muscle

Mutations

Fire-silk: genetic passed down from the sire, making their silk glands hotter and able to burn like fire

Fire-silks are sought after due to the Hivewings using them to fuel their lights and special silk fabrics

Very rare to have an Albino or Melanistic chick hatch

Fire-silks have a distinct pattern hidden in their wings once they develop them, always in the shape of flames or sparks

Albinos are sensitive to light, have worse eyesight, causing them to wear goggles to protect their eyes from further damage

Melanistic Silkwings don’t have vibrant colors, coming in much darker hues

Albino Silkwing silk-glands produce a much finer, delicate silk, making it very hard to harvest without damaging it

Melanistic Silkwing silk-glands produce a stronger, thicker silk, very useful for weaving armor pieces together (almost as strong as steel)

Royal Lineage

Royal descendants of the past Queens have been killed to stop any future rebellion towards the Hivewings… though some lucky few have slipped behind the scenes…

Royals’ wings are more reflective, having a distinct pattern of a darker color spotting along the edges of their wings like monarch butterflies

They have a small stinger in their tails hidden underneath the soft fur

Fur has shiny, reflective strands, able to be seen when light hits them at an angle

Horns are etched with faint streaks of silver/gold

Traditions

Silkwings cocoon their eggs in a special, sticky and strong silk, hanging them on the walls of their homes to protect them (if dragons try to break the cocoon, they’re greeted with a sticky mess of seemingly melted silk covering their talons. Very difficult to get off without the help of a Silkwing)

They’ve forgotten their more important traditions due to their tribe forcefully being merged with the Hivewings...  

Temperament

Docile

Friendly

Very skittish

Non-confrontational (other than a select few)

Courting

 Weaves accessories from own silk, uses dyes to make them more eye-catching, adding personal traits relating to potential partner

when/if gift is accepted, they rub their wings together to make a soft humming noise, nudging the other’s snout with a soft chirp

Finishes off with pressing their silk glands together, allowing silk to intertwine

[elennalore]

Loki associations in Tolkien's legendarium, part 3

[Part 1: Preface]

[Part 2: The Bound God: Loki’s similarities with Melkor]

The final part is here:

The Cunning God: Loki’s similarities with Mairon

Again, this post includes personal and fannish interpretations on the characters.

Mairon, like Loki, has many names. He is known as Gorthaur, Annatar, the Necromancer, and of course, Sauron. His original name Mairon means the Admirable One, either because of his good looks or his excellent skills in crafting and making. In Prose Edda, Loki is also described as pleasing and handsome in appearance. His cunning nature and an ability to create tricks for every purpose are also noted. Both Mairon and Loki are clever beings who offer their help to others – for a variety of motives. Both of them are willing and able to construct an elaborate plot to get what they want.

Early in the history of Arda, Mairon left the home of the Ainur and joined forces with Melkor who had already become the enemy of the Valar. Loki stayed in Asgard longer and only during Ragnarök he joined the opposing forces. Mairon becomes the lieutenant of Melkor and fights for him in many wars of Middle-earth, whereas Loki takes fire giant Surtr’s side during Ragnarök and leads the army of jötunn (giants), monsters and the dead into battle.

Mairon doesn’t want to destroy Middle-earth, though. He wants to shape it according to his own ideas. Loki, too, enjoys wandering in Midgard, the realm of humans in Norse mythology, and in many tales, he helps its inhabitants to thrive. Only after a series of ill events he joins the destructive forces.

Both Mairon and Loki are often pictured as a good-looking male with flaming red hair, linked to the element fire. Loki’s transformational aspect is connected to a flame of a candle, or fire in a hearth. Mairon is linked to the creative fire of a forge.

Mairon and Loki are known shapeshifters; they can change their appearance at will or become different animals. Mairon is known to become a (were)wolf and a bat. Loki in lore has taken the shape of a fly, salmon, and a mare for example. Usually they both use shape-shifting as a means to an end. Mairon is able to fly as a bat. Loki can fly with his sky-walker shoes or by borrowing Freyja’s hawk-feather cloak. In the end, both of them lose their shape-shifting abilities. Mairon loses this ability partially after the fall of Númenor and totally after losing the One Ring. Loki is not able to transform himself anymore when the Æsir capture him and bind him underground.

Loki is not hesitant to change his gender or to use seduction as his weapon to achieve the wanted result. He happily dresses as a bridesmaid and plays the role 100% if the task needs it. As a mare, Loki seduces a magical stallion in order to prevent a disaster in Asgard. As a result, Loki becomes pregnant and gives birth to an eight-legged horse Sleipnir. It is hinted that this is not even the only time he gives birth. Mairon in fanon is also heavily genderfluid. There are fan fics where Mairon becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child with uncommon traits.

Both Mairon and Loki are described as sexually attractive and often using seduction. Loki is said to have slept with everyone in Asgard. In fanon, Mairon is most often shipped with Melkor or Celebrimbor, but also with various others, and seduction is often present at some point in his relationships.

Loki is a father of three monstrous children with his jötunn lover Angrboda. One of these is a giant wolf Fenrir. In the First Age, Mairon lived on an island called Tol-in-Gaurhoth, the Isle of Werewolves where he bred werewolves for his army. Sauron’s messenger Thuringwethil (“woman of secret shadow”) who lives there reminds somewhat of Fenrir’s half-corpse sister Hel.

Loki is skilled in crafting; he is said to be the creator of the fishing net – a crucial invention in ancient times. His trademark is creating solutions to problems (which he may or may not have caused himself). He can also enhance the creativity of others. Spiritually he is often connected with creative fire. Many of the most valuable tools and weapons of the Æsir are courtesy of Loki. Loki’s interaction with the Svartálfar, the best smiths of the nine worlds, leads to the manufacture of those treasures – with some deception from Loki’s part. The Æsir are very happy with the end result, anyway, and Loki deserves a byname “Bringer of Gifts”.

Mairon, too, is extremely skilled in crafting and making. He’s connected to the forge fire. He used the name Annatar, “Lord of Gifts” while living with the Elven-smiths of Eregion and enforcing their creativity, inspiring them to create the Rings of Power – with some deception included.

As the Lord of the Rings, Mairon has a powerful rival in Gandalf who, like Mairon, is a Maia. Gandalf and Odin (especially in his wanderer aspect) share many characteristics, and Gandalf’s fight to end Sauron’s dominion is not far from Odin’s desperate efforts to prevent Ragnarök where Loki has a major role in the opposing side.

At first glance Loki’s trickster aspect is not prominent in Mairon's character, but I think we can see glimpses of it. Mairon is said to laugh at his own tricks, which is shown especially malevolently during the downfall of Númenor. However, it may be that by the Elf-smith Celebrimbor’s influence Mairon’s trickster traits become apparent. In my personal view, Celebrimbor enhances Mairon’s latent trickster attributes, which is sometimes seen in their fanon portrayals. I can imagine various pranks they must have made together. In Eregion, Mairon could have chosen a different path and evolved into a trickster figure, but sadly, it didn’t go like this in canon. Still, based on Mairon’s other similarities with Loki, I dare to think there is potential for a different story.

[templeofthehorn]

Male-to-Male Relationships Believed a Norm Amongst The Celts ~

Celteroticism: Male-to-Male Relationships Believed a Norm Amongst The Celts ~

Historical accounts state the ancient Celts are believed to have fought their battles naked, a notion that holds a certain erotic allure for many. What may not be widely known, mostly because of editing and revisionist history, is that it many historians have concluded that it was not uncommon in Celtic culture for the men to have sex with each other, even preferentially so. Some speculation suggests that life for Celtic warriors could have been a veritable hot-bed of male to male sex for pleasure - and to think people of the modern times have been worried about gays in the military! The Celts were known as some of the fiercest fighters in history strongly suggesting that there was nothing compromised about them.

Some critics say that the modern Irish as descendants of the Celts, had Christianity and its traditionally homophobic ethos forced upon them. Behind all the seemingly cultural anti-gay context that gets talked about around St. Patrick’s Day because some organizers haven’t allowed GLBT groups to march in the day’s celebratory parades (in the USA), is a history of a people who seem to have had a very active natural pleasure ethic and libido. They seem to have seen no problem with same-sex pleasure, affection or love.

The relationship between gender-variance, homoeroticism, magic and mystery traditions has been, until fairly recently, a taboo subject for occultists, religionists and academics all. Over the last decade or so, interest in Celtic traditions has grown and has been romanticized to the point that it has spurred some to investigate the aspects of the culture which have been omitted by revisionists.

One offering of information is from Diodorus Siculus in 1 BCE who wrote “Although they have good-looking women, they pay very little attention to them, but are really crazy about having sex with men. They are accustomed to sleeping on the ground on animal skins and roll around naked with male bed-mates on both sides. Heedless of their own dignity, they abandon without qualm the bloom of their bodies to others. And the most incredible thing is that they do not find this shameful. When they proposition someone, they consider it dishonorable if he doesn’t accept the offer!”

From this piece and other information about gender variance amongst the Celts that is available, it seems same-sex relations between warriors were not unknown or for that matter, at all uncommon. There is evidence of homosexuality in Celtic warrior bands which were known as ‘Bleiden’ or ‘Wolf’. What is significant is that, despite similarities (such as shape-shifting & wilderness initiation rituals) there was a marked difference between Greek and Celtic homoeroticism in that unlike the Greeks, the Celts did not consider it shameful that males elected to take the so-called ‘passive’ role.

Three areas where evidence is found for gender-variance and homoeroticism include; hints on same-sex relationships in the life of Cuchulainn, the story of the Men of Ulster and the myth of Gwydion and Gilvaethy.

While there are no sweeping statements promoting what today is termed homosexuality in ancient Celtic lore, there are multiple accounts from external observers who commented on the widespread practice of same gender sexuality among the Gaulish Celts. The Greek philosopher Posidonius, who traveled into Gaul to investigate the truth of the stories told about the Celtic tribes, put it rather bluntly: “The Gaulish men prefer to have sex with each other.” This is supported by some Aristotelian commentaries as well.

As far as we know, the ancient Celts had no laws or known prohibitions against homosexual behavior. To the contrary, there are tales and histories in which homosexuality is mentioned in a rather matter-of-fact way, as well as many other accounts which, while containing no explicit mention of any character’s sexual orientation, celebrate deep affectionate and even physical bonds between persons of the same gender. As Diodorus Siculus noted, often Roman and Greek accounts mention Celtic warriors who were deeply insulted if their offers of male-to-male sex were refused.

Celtic mythology is riddled with deities who do not fit neatly into rigid, stereotypical gender roles. There are Goddesses of war and battle and Gods of love and poetry. There is also a tradition of male praise-poets who wrote about the kings they served as a lover writes of their beloved. Many historical commentaries on warriors and monastics speak of devoted companions who shared a bed and often the love between these companions is celebrated in poetry and songs.

While some scholars believe that “gay identity” is a modern construct and may only exist in reaction to oppression or contemporary social aspects, there is indeed evidence that homosexuality and bisexuality have always existed and appeared most certainly a part of Celtic culture…

[meli-meliai]

My Marshmallow Infodump that absolutely nobody asked for, as promised!

They are not only genderfuid but also AFAB, and when their gender fluxuates into male they typcially do two things: bind their chest and tie their hair up, usually in a ponytail. It’s unclear as to WHY they take such a specific step and not something more typical lke changing clothes (they have no problem wearing a dress and skirt while in his male form) but it is known that they never tie their hair up in a ponytail while female.

Later, via some magic something-other, they gained the ability to mildly shapeshift their body into the correct gender whenever it fluxuates, thus removing the need to bind their chest, but they still make an effort to always tie their hair back.

Marshmallow uses all pronouns, including she/her and he/him regardless of current gender, but most often uses they/them much like their sibling

Speaking of their sibling…

They’re both identical twins, physically alike in absolutely EVERYTHING besides hair length

They both even have the same heart-shaped hair curls

They have the SLIGHTEST difference in height (like a millimeter difference)but it’s still a little visible

BB!Marshmallow is the taller one, AND the older one by a minute and 9 seconds

AKA 69 seconds

CC!Marshmallow is eternally annoyed by this fact

Doesn’t help that their sibling contiuously teases them for this fact

Fun Fact: Marshmallow isn’t both of their real names!

They do HAVE real names, but to talk about how they both got named after a hot cocoa essential is a story for another time

Not because I still have no idea on what their name(s) should be, haha…

Anyways, back to BB!Marshmallow

Their past is shrouded in mystery, and even their most devoted lovers (*cough-COLE-cough*) know incredibly little about it. As if they were purposefully going out of their way to hide their past, but not completely COVER it, often turning the attention back on the inquirer and make the latter forget all about what he was trying to ask them. As such, the Boys know… shockingly little about Marshmallow other than the bare, basic facts (They’re hot, great at flirting /and in bed/, rich af, kind, diligent, etc….)

They’d rather nobody knew

Has a far higher affinity for magic than their sibling does, to CC’s irratation

To quote: “But…but I’m literally the SEXY CHOSEN ONE!! How on Earth are you better at this than I AM???”

*easily sealing a small rift to the Dark World that was accidentally torn in their world with a few drops of their blood and a white vial of…something: “We’re identical twins, dumbass. I’m every bit as “sexy” as you are…if not more. I mean, have you even TRIED-“

“I was a little bit worried fearing for my life and the world as we know it! Cut me some slack!”

“Hmmm...fine~ I can forgive my LITTLE SIBLING for making a mistake or two, or three, or...how many girlfriends do you have now? I’ve lost count.“

“SHUT UP!!!“

Peak sibling dynamic frrr

I should make more of tgese...