#but in essence/in theory this is the sort of man he is

[radiaking]

Thinkin about how pre-bombs (and somewhere deep, deep down in that irradiated heart of his) coop is not afraid of love. Love is a comforting feeling. He doesn’t associate love with butterflies in his stomach but rather a sense of immense calm. Being with the one he loves doesn’t give him jittery feelings. It relaxes him. It’s such a calming, warm feeling.

He is firmly (again, way down in there, so deep he’s almost complete forgotten) of the mindset that it’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. And in that regard, this is also one of the reasons that he’s not a particularly jealous man. It’s not just that he trusts his partner to be faithful but it’s also that he feels like if a partner is going to cheat on him or betray him in some way, it’s just how it’s meant to be. Doesn’t mean it won’t hurt or crush him to have it happen bc it does. But there is always this part of him that views it through this lens of like, the truth always comes right when it’s meant to. And also he doesn’t see it as time wasted or lost of a relationship ends on those terms. He can enjoy what it was and feels secure in feeling that some parts of it were real and all of it was real to him and that counts for something. And he can, after a time (he’s only human after all), be grateful for the learning experience if nothing else.

[itshermocrates]

Some thoughts on Vander and Silco's relationship

I already talked about this when Arcane S1 first came out, but now that the show is over and we got to see a different reality where everyone has a good ending (except for Vi I guess) I want to bring back my Silco x Vander thoughts

So yeah, vanco ?? silder ??? post

Even if in Arcane S1 there’s some sort of parallel between Jinx/Powder and Silco + Vi and Vander, in my eyes those two were made for an old man yaoi story

Now that we have seen Jayvik’s evolution and that glimpse of them together in a “better future”, I realized that Vander and Silco (+ Felicia) could have something similar to what was happening initially with Jayce and Viktor (+ Mel)

Two best friends working together for a common cause, one hopelessly in love with the other while his partner can’t see ―or doesn’t want to recognize― his own feelings. Since I already have a Jayvik analysis in my drafts, I’m going to focus on Silco and Vander

This will be half a theory - half a fic + I also posted this on BlueSky so yeah, if you see it there it was also me lol

[Pinning, Unrequited love and love confessions that go wrong ahead]

I think Silco and Vander were the perfect duo back in their youth, together they had the brains and the strength, using both charm and cold logic to make people eager to follow them. What Silco lacked, Vander was able to provide and vice versa. Together they were the greatest leaders Zaun could ever ask for.

They not only completed each other like two puzzle pieces, but also shared a bond that had been nurtured since childhood. They had been facing hardships and Piltover’s aggressions since they were little kids, so it was natural that the years of friendship brought them impossibly close.

Some even said that they could have entire conversations without exchanging a single word.

At some point Silco developed a crush on Vander, how could he not? Despite his strength and sometimes scary appearance, Vander had always been the big sunshine boy who was looking after him. That urge to protect and take care of others seemed to be part of his very essence, and if someone benefited from this, it was his best friend.

Of course, they needed to fight and get dirty in the deepest hellholes of Zaun, but even when Vander got his knuckles drenched in blood, Silco could only see the kind man with bright eyes and a dream for a better life that Vander truly was.

Silco really thought that this new beginning for them was only possible because Vander was there with him, since when hope seemed completely lost, when the circumstances took another member of their little family, Vander always remained firm in his stance. They would find a way, they would fight back, they would keep pushing forward and they wouldn’t stop until they finally had the future they deserved.

Oh, wasn’t he convincing? Always the beacon in their times of need, who else could lead them out of their misery?

Vander’s kindness was disarming, and his light was so bright that Silco couldn’t help but fall in love with him. He loved him so deeply it made him feel sick, but he could do nothing about it. Vander had been in love with Felicia for almost as long as Silco had loved him, and even if she wasn’t really interested in him, there was no way that man could get over his emotions.

Just like Silco himself couldn’t make his own feelings go away. He pinned for years, forcing himself to hide how he felt so nothing changed between them and he didn’t lose his best friend. He had to protect their friendship, but, above everything else, he had to protect their dream of a free nation for Zaun.

Silco pinned and suffered in silence until he couldn’t take it anymore, until his unrequited love felt like an open wound badly infected, moments away from killing him. Then, and only then, he confessed.

Vander didn’t make a huge deal out of it, he was understanding and visibly confused. It was an awkward situation, but he could be nothing but kind, even as he broke Silco’s heart. Of course, he didn’t feel the same.

Or maybe he did, but he was too blind to see it, too infatuated by the idea of a future with Felicia to give a shot to a real future with him.

Vander had used a very familiar word to excuse his lack of introspection, one that served him as a shield while unknowingly harming Silco as if it had used the sharpest of blades.

“Silco, you’re my brother…”

They used brotherhood a lot to describe their relationship. Their found family, their friends, their allies in the Zaun revolution and even the fucking pilts, they all could see how deeply they cared for each other. And every time that was the reason they assumed to be behind their bond.

No one could ever deny the love in their eyes, the protective gestures, the smiles... It was obvious, but everyone assumed that what they shared was a blood bond. For Silco it was much more than some stupid liquid running through their veins, what they shared had been built over years of companionship, years of pain and struggle, blood was fucking nothing in comparison. Their souls were connected in a way no one could ever imagine or understand.

And Vander knew this. He knew how strong their bond was, but he hadn't really asked himself if what he felt for Silco was something more than brotherhood. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do if it wasn’t the case either, but he didn’t go as far as to truly consider it.

Vander didn't know how to react to Silco's confession, he didn’t want to hurt him or change their world forever. He was happy as they currently were, it was easy to live with Silco as a brother, but he didn’t know what was waiting for them if he ever allowed himself to analyze his own feelings.

Because of this, and completely unaware of the pain he was causing, Vander uttered that seemingly harmless word that Silco couldn’t stand anymore.

Brother.

The softness in his tone didn’t make it any less devastating. The pain in his eyes, as he knew how badly he was breaking Silco's heart, didn’t make it easier to hear.

The countless "I love you"s he pronounced after that, reassuring that even if it was not the same feeling, Silco was still one of the most important people in his life didn’t soothe the agony of his reopened wound.

None of that mattered.

Because he didn't feel the same as Silco.

The same word that once had been forced on them was now stronger than anything he had built together.

Silco didn't want to feel that pain, he couldn't allow it to stay inside his chest, not when it was so profound.

So he decided to leave The Last Drop. It would be only for a couple of days, to distance himself a little from the source of his pain and try to stitch close that damned cut.

During that time, alone and completely heartbroken, he focused on thinking of ways to achieve the goal they had been fighting for since they were teenagers. The Zaunite revolution and Zaun’s independence. He ignored his pain and used all his anger to plan their next move in their fight against Piltover, thinking of new ways to finally defeat their enemy.

It was during those days, blinded by the pain of his aching heart, that he understood they could only win against Piltover if they showed their true nature to the world. He knew by then that they needed to be more aggressive in their methods and destabilize, not only their government, but also their peace.

Let their own people know what monsters they had for leaders.

Let the people of Piltover suffer the same pain they had suffered since the very moment the City of Progress came to be.

The fight had turned into a way for him to forget his own suffering, and in his anguish, provoking pain to others stopped feeling wrong at all if that meant they could get closer to their goal of freedom.

It was at this point where the conflict with Vander started. Suddenly, the word "brothers" didn't quite fit them anymore, it seemed too caring for them. Now it was a word pronounced in a low voice, and when it was Silco the one saying it, his tone could only express disgust. He rolls his eyes as if the word was some sort of sick joke he hated to voice out loud, a reminder of what could never be.

Silco’s pain is a heavy weight preventing them both from going back to what they once had, and seeing this wounded Vander every single time his friend reminded him of his rejection. This, and how differently they started to approach their fight, made them step further and further away from the other.

And when they saw each other during important meetings, Silco threw the word “brother” extremely carelessly, always with the intention to wound Vander instead of calming him and expressing how much he still loved him.

It had turned into a word that neither of them could ever forget, and that would hunt Silco until the end of his days.

It had turned into a word that neither of them could ever forget, and that would hunt Silco until the end of his days.

[There's still a lot of resentment in Silco's expression, and in this scene before saying brother, Silco rolls his eyes. The man was PISSED]

In conclusion, I think "brother" was Silco and Vander's equivalent of Jayvik's "partner" and I bet Viktor was pissed as hell everytime he heard someone reffering to him as Jayce's partner AND JUST THAT, for both scientific pride and his hopeless crush on Jayce Talis.

[ficnoire2]

A Little Legendborn/Bloodmarked (In prep for Oathbound) Who’s Your Daddy? Theory  

*Spoilers for both books ahead and mentions of Oathbound teaser*

We have about 41 days (at the time of writing) until Oathbound drops and what better time than now to explore a theory I have been kicking around ever since we met the illustrious Valechaz.  Those who have hung around my little page are not new to this, but if you are, welcome.  It is no secret that I think Erebus/Shadow King/The Hunter is the father of the one and only Valec AND Selwyn Kane.   There are ideas I have kicked around and figured it a good time to document them, so…

Here goes

Scent Signature Profile

Some time ago I did a scent theory profile for our crew (linked below) and in revisiting that, I noticed that Valec, Erebus, and Sel have a similar profile that falls in the oriental/woody category which brings forth scents of resins, vetiver, leather, incense and smoke.  In addition, the three of them share a similar color profile (also linked below).  There are many instances of black, reds, and golds.  All of them at some point are described as emerging from some sort of shadow.  These are the most shallow bits of evidence but…maybe not.

Valechaz and Selwyn (Who’s the Pappy?!)

“Told you not to mess with that red-eyed devil, but you did, didn’t you?  Ain’t nothing good coming from a man you meet at the crossroads, Pearl. Nothing.”

I have always found it very curious that the identity of both Valec and Selwyn’s fathers is shrouded in mystery.  Not to mention the name of Valec’s bar is referenced here.  In the Oathbound teaser, we learn that Erebus is essentially a shapeshifter who can wear many faces and be in many places at once.  We also know that he has lurked around the Rootcraft community for eons protecting his “investment.”  It is not yet known who the “Red-eyed devil” is, but knowing his capabilities it is not out of the realm of possibility.

“He may look like a baby, but that is their disguise.  They cannot be trusted because it is their nature to lie.  You know this, Pearl.  Just like his father, he will turn on you one day.”

I found this interesting because it suggests that this community had dealings with this type of demon/shapeshifter before.  Katherine says Pearl KNOWS this as if this knowledge is something common and she should know better.

“When I was young, my mother was killed by an uchel while on a mission.  After that, my human father fell into a liquor bottle and never came out.”

Selwyn says this with so much certainty only for us to find out a few pages later that, that was not the truth. It is never stated that he actually met this human father and if he had, it would be quite easy for the Shadow King to impersonate him especially since he was close to Natasia.  In essence, the identity of both boys’ fathers is unknown.

Peek a Boo, I See You

“Poor little cambion, little Kingsmage.  Leashed by the Order his whole pathetic existence and now manacled by them too?”

Valec’s taunting of Sel is top-tier, pure I will flirt with your girl and whoop your ass in front of her, older brother energy.  Their interactions are always tense and teetering on the razor’s edge of violence.  Selwyn despises Valec, not only because he flirts with Bree, but because he can see him for everything that he is.  He highlights his shortcomings and exposes them to the group.  I can imagine Sel felt this being in proximity to Nick in another way.  Nick being all the things he wants to be and be close to, but Valec exposes all of the things he is.

In all of Valec’s taunting (and ass-whooping) he also empathizes with Sel.  For perspective, as a formerly enslaved person, he would be well within his rights to hate Sel and everything he stands for, but he doesn’t.  He shows him mercy and understanding.

“When you’re a cambion, you’re caught between two worlds.  Always.  Not just two cultures or two communities, but literally two states of being.  Life.  Death. This plane, and the one that calls us back home in the middle of the night.  Most of us go a very long time without feeling like we belong anywhere.”

This was not only heartbreaking because we know in bondage, Valec experienced horror, not to mention being cast out.  The fact that he recognized the unique position of cambions in this universe and offered that grace to Sel only comes with the wisdom gained from the life he’s led. 

It does not seem coincidental that Tracy has given them this dynamic.  The line that he says to Bree “You can’t belong to an idea, Bree,”  The idea of slavery, mental and physical bondage, the Order.  You don’t belong to these things.  The idea that you were born as a unique being and that your spirit is autonomous even if your body isn’t.

Shadow Daddy

This brings me to Erebus.  Here is what we know:

He can shift form and travel through time and space rapidly.  He was in a close relationship with Selwyn’s mother (as Erebus) and has followed the Rootcraft community (whoring around if you ask me).  He is an opportunist and slips into bargains and situations that serve his purpose which is to gain power and ultimately get his crown back.  He is ancient.

The Parallels

The parallels and foreshadowing between him and the boys (I know Valec is old as hell) are glaring.  

The SK nameplate on Selwyn’s door

The fact that they have the same three-letters associated with their names (S.E.K)

Similar scent profiles and color profiles

Bree made a deal with Erebus at a crossroads in her journey, after seemingly exhausting every possibility

Valec’s bar being the Crossroads Lounge and he and Selwyn both being described as “Crossroads children”

The fact that Valec knows there is a Shadow Court, but Selwyn describes it as made-up children’s stories to scare young Merlins, hinting that he doesn't know as much history as he thinks he does.  

Also, in the Oathbound teaser, he has two Black children that he describes as his “Wards.”  I have so many questions.  Was Valec a “Ward” at one point?  I find it interesting that they are Black as well.

The lineage comes into play too.  Valec is evenly split.  Pearl was human and his apparent father was a demon *Whispers SEX DEMON*.  He says balanced cambions are rare.

Natasia is split but if Erebus (Shadow King) is Sel’s father that makes him more demon than human, not to mention the “Assload of oaths” he has attached to him, which are wreaking havoc on his life.  

I hope we get more answers to Valec’s and Sel's lineage in book three.  Either way, I am excited as hell.  I believe he will be key in helping our crew gain balance and send his daddy back to where he belongs.  

I would love to hear your thoughts, especially if you have the same theory that I do!  I have also linked some of my other nerdy works below.  Happy reading!

Scent Theory Part One

Scent Theory Part Two

LB/BM Top Ten

*Color theory is linked in one of the scent theories*

[demilypyro]

There's a thought/theory/whatever I've long had about a specific pair of episodes from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ever since I was a teen, and I'm putting this post out there to see if anybody else had the same thought.

I think Julian Bashir from Deep Space Nine, especially his plotline about having been genetically altered at a young age, is a commentary on neurodivergency.

Bashir is characterized as being highly intelligent, albeit lacking in social insight. He excels in academic matters but frequently finds himself floundering around women, being led by the nose by more charismatic people, and not picking up what other people are putting down. This alone would make him the average stereotypical TV depiction of an autistic person, but what I want to focus on is the episode that provides a canonical reason for these traits: the season 5 episode Doctor Bashir, I Presume.

In this episode it's revealed, or retconned really, that Bashir owes his intelligence to genetic tempering. Bashir originally suffered from a learning disability. He was not as intelligent as other children his age, falling far behind his peers, and his parents resorted to illegally altering his genes to "cure" that disability. As a result he instead became exceedingly intelligent. In essence, it took away a symptom that made his life more difficult, and traded it for one that made him more functional.

That episode on its own isn't a super strong nod towards autism. Though it does establish that Bashir is at least neurodivergent, it's more a discussion on eugenics and the theoretical ethics of removing disabilities through genetics. What I really want to focus on is the sort-of-sequel to this episode, and the only other episode that really focuses on these themes: the season 6 episode "Statistical Probabilities." In this episode, Bashir sets out to help other people who underwent genetic alteration, but for whom the treatments didn't go as well. The people he meets all display symptoms of one neurodivergency or another. One of them is very hyperactive and lacks empathy, another is very childlike despite being an old man, and another is entirely unresponsive.

For me, as someone who grew up in special education, I couldn't help but recognize some of the people I knew. To me, the metaphor was clear: "genetic alteration" was really just sci-fi talk for neurodivergency. Julian was the savant, the high-functioning autistic person who successfully integrated into society, because his neurodivergency gave him intelligence and insight that made him useful. And the others weren't as lucky, struggling to lead normal lives because their symptoms impeded their ability to function by themselves.

Bashir spends the episode trying to prove that the other genetically altered people have something to offer society, that there is a place for them. It felt very on the nose to me. But no one I've seen talk about this pair of episodes ever seemed to have taken from them what I took from them. I can't find anyone else online who interpreted the episodes the same way. Maybe my perspective is very particular, as someone who spent so much time in special education growing up, and who has personally struggled with finding a place where I can offer something to others. But idk. Am I seeing allegories that aren't there? What do yall think?

[tonydaddingham]

okay wait so im having a bit of a crisis over how crowley fell. my man says "i only asked questions" in one breath, and then "i just hung around the wrong people". then about the fall itself, "i just sort of... sauntered... vaguely downwards'", but then "did a million-light-year, freestyle dive in to pool of burning sulphur!"

so which is it, crowley? my buddy my pal? which shitshow actually happened here?

well, only one of these remarks was in front of aziraphale. funnily enough, the one about it being a leisurely stroll into hell like he owned the place. the others, the wrong friends, the asking questions and the horrific crash landing into dis or wherever was alone, only to the camera.

has crowley been trying to protect aziraphale from knowing not only was the fall incredibly painful and frightening, but that also protecting aziraphale from the knowledge that even though aziraphale warned him not to, he went and asked questions anyway? that in essence, aziraphale failed to save crowley?

alternatively, are all answers wrong, and crowley is either lying, or doesn't remember why/how he fell? did he even technically fall at all (reawakening theory that crowley fell for a reason -- see reason: god's ineffable plan -- and she wiped his memory of it)? crowley still has wings, and presumably the other demons don't - is this why he does?

edit bc important: "I play an ineffable game of my own devising..." 👀

[theseshipsshallsail]

Happy Birthday, Elio Perlman. Then, now, and every tomorrow ❤️

My sincere apologies for leaving them crying in an airport bathroom for so long...

Summary:

“Regarde toi…” Elio murmurs, smothering a tipsy hiccup in the crease of their overstuffed pillow. “You look happy.” Oliver huffs. “I am happy,” he says, leaning in for a kiss: his clumsy tongue flavoured with the musky essence of Elio’s previous release.

HE WHOM LOVE TOUCHES (NOT WALKS IN DARKNESS)

In the liminal space between dreams and consciousness, where everything is hazy, blissful, and calm, Elio savours the post-coital high as a roaming palm draws abstract patterns on his outer thigh; chasing the field of goosebumps before settling - warm and possessive - in the shallow corrugation of his rib cage.

It’s a strange contradiction, all told. 

A charged sort of intimacy that keeps him buoyed by the ache of overtaxed muscles. 

The memory of Oliver moving inside him. 

The thickness. 

The stretch. 

The damp spill of semen saturating the rucked-up sheets.

He should fix that, he supposes, letting loose an almighty yawn, but his listless limbs refuse to cooperate as they gather their scrambled senses, and the other man’s grin - fond, jetlagged, coy to the point of transparency - holds him enthralled in the slate-grey pool of moonlight. 

“Regarde toi…” Elio murmurs, smothering a tipsy hiccup in the crease of their overstuffed pillow. “You look happy.”

Oliver huffs. “I am happy,” he says, leaning in for a kiss: his clumsy tongue flavoured with the musky essence of Elio’s previous release. “You - you make me happy,” he adds, humming an off-key rendition of Love My Way over the late-night drone of Via Manzoni:the song they’d so recklessly danced to not three months prior in a dingy, Roman piazza. “S’just like Plato said…”

Elio frowns; slightly perplexed by their trip into left-field. “Plato?” he asks,  rallying his drowsy focus.

“Symposium,” Oliver slurs, gaze a little bleary. “Have you read it?” 

A scoff. “Son of a professor, mon ami. I still have my father’s flash-cards.”

“So you’re familiar, then?” Oliver pauses; brushing an errant curl from Elio’s temple. “With his theories involving the human form?”  

“Absolument...” But it’s a deep-seated game of theirs - this idle exchange of wisdom - and one he’s loath to forfeit despite his heavy eyelids. “Indulge me anyway?”

“Don’t I always?” Oliver giggles, then clears his throat theatrically: every inch the college professor. “On the basis of Plato’s teachings,” he begins, hooking an ankle behind Elio’s exposed calf. “...there was a time we all looked vastly different… with four legs, four arms, and two heads apiece. We had two necks, also,” he continues, cupping his nape as if it were made of glass. “Two noses and two mouths…”

Featherlight, Oliver skims a thumb the full curve of Elio’s earlobe, wreaking havoc on his staccato lungs as it journeys even lower; gently parting the seam of his lips.

“But the gods… fearing the untapped power we held in such forms… took it upon themselves to split us. Right down the middle.” 

Elio shivers as he draws an invisible line from chin to navel. 

“And in doing so, condemned us to a life of half-measures. Constantly searching for that which was stolen, in order to - to feel complete.” 

“The physical and spiritual alike,” Elio quotes, knocking their sweat-slick foreheads together. “So how will we know?” he asks softly, all carefully crafted nonchalance. “When we find our other halves, I mean?” 

Oliver smiles: hummingbird-heart fluttering against his chest. “I found you, didn't I?” Another kiss; rich as torta tenerina. “I worship you,” he says, the flush of his cheeks belying his confident demeanour, and Elio curses that last round of birthday shots as he’s overwhelmed by the swell of raw emotion. The bigger-than-this, more-than-us awareness that’s gripped them from the start. “Is that okay?”

A pendulous nod. 

“You don’t doubt it?” 

Elio blinks back the mortifying sting of tears. “Just myself,” he whispers at length, unable to quash his niggling insecurities, and Oliver sighs as he captures his wrist; ink-stained fingers tracing the spiderweb veins at his pulse.

“Please don’t,” he begs, forever unfazed by the trials and tribulations of a long-distance relationship. “Please don’t doubt the only thing I’ve ever been sure of.”

To name a belief - his grandfather once told him - is to give it shape. Sound. An echo. There's power in speaking, my boy! In being spoken about - and here in his childhood bedroom, Elio thanks his lucky stars as he breathes in the bergamot-citrus of Oliver’s shampoo. The syrupy sweetness of spilt Amaretto. The burnt-tar bitterness of unfiltered Gauloises. 

“I know you too,” he says, mirroring his candid confession. “I see you. Corps, esprit, et âme.”

It doesn’t matter that he’s crying. 

That his wayward emotions are on display. 

The other man’s faith is inherently grounding, and flattening his palm over Oliver’s star of David Elio reels him in by the silver chain; butterflies taking flight in his stomach as he thinks of the hard-fought future that’s destined to lie ahead. 

[isolde-illustrates]

Terik is literally Viktor from Arcane

Once you see it, you cannot unsee it. (This will have spoilers through the currently released content of each.)

Appearance:

Dark hair

Hairstyle

Cheekbones (both of them have such defined cheekbones)

Disabled from sickness or injury (Terik has a prosthetic leg while Viktor has that contraption then whatever he makes his body into. They both use canes at some point to help walk.)

Eyebrows

Eyebags

Canon Events

Both deal with a disability in a society unfamiliar with that (while Piltover has some characters that are disabled, most of that is after season one).

They have a fascination with crystal like objects. Terik could just wear his singular circlet jewel but no, this man decides to put it into the top of his outfit in case you had any doubt that he was upper crest. Viktor is obsessed with the hexcore and the powers that come from that crystal.

They both see potential from another viewpoint than their counterparts. Viktor sees Jayce's design as good potential until the idea is turned into weapons and views his group in season two as something that has the potential to help a lot of people.

They are both overshadowed by their counterparts.

Viktor's power is underrated and that becomes a grave mistake. Terik's has not been seen as that yet, but I feel like Elysian will make his ability even more valuable.

They both have some pretty awesome quotes.

"You'd be surprised at how powerful hope can be, Sophie."Councillor Terik

Our world is definitely experiencing some growing pain. But giving in to doubt or mistrust only helps the rebels' cause, wouldn't you agree, Sandor?Councillor Terik

"There is no prize to perfection... only an end to pursuit." VIKTOR

"Knowledge is a paradox. The more one understands, the more one realizes the vastness of his ignorance." VIKTOR

"Humanity. Our very essence. Our emotions... Rage. Compassion. Hate. Two sides of the same coin. Inextricably bound." VIKTOR

These silly guys are practically au versions of each other. The only difference is that Viktor (sort of) has someone but Terik doesn't. Give Terik someone! That would be a great way to show exactly what Alvar talks about in Unraveled. This man needs someone more than an old, grouchy coworker.

Take a sketch of Terik freaking out about Sophie's potential when descrying Sophie in the first book with my prime sources energy theory. My idea is that the brighter the source, the more potential. So if the sun is just barely above the horizon or covered by clouds, there is less potential, same for a waning moon or faint star.

[osmanthus-wine-addiction]

Happy Zhongli Day!!!

1. What left the deepest impression on you when you first met him? Was it how he looks, talks, or something else?

Definitely his voice. Hoyo really knew what they were doing hiring Keith Silverstein to voice him. I listened to all the other languages and although I love all their interpretations of Zhongli, they don't hit quite the way EN does when you first hear him. It was definitely a whoa moment. He definitely has that "old wise man" voice.

2. What do you like most about Zhongli as a character?

He's such a comfort character and everything about him feels safe and grounded, from his skillset, his lore, to the very nuanced things like his voice lines. I really can't make up my mind on him. This character has me constantly bouncing back and forth between unapologetic horniness and pure respectful admiration.

3. What is your favorite Zhongli voice line, and why do you like it?

Every journey has it's final day, don't rush. It's such a vibe. He has so many good lines, but this one I feel like I can keep in the back of my mind as a personal mantra.

4. Does Zhongli resonate with something in real life for you? Has he managed to influence your life in some way?

Zhongli has kind of transcended from just a videogame character into some sort of imaginary role model for me. Ever since I found out that one Olympic swimmer was also a Zhongli enjoyer, I felt so validated. He embodies so many values and virtues I hold dear. I started playing genshin in a low point in my life and it's amazing how a fictional character can encourage you so much. His story and all of his voice lines are so well-written and filled with little nuggets of wisdom that even if taken out of the context of the game, can be very inspirational.

5. What part of Zhongli's design do you love the most? Do you have a favorite outfit?

His cake Just kidding! I love his normal outfit most. No matter if he is going out on a walk or attending a formal dinner, he's got a whole suit ensemble on. I'm not a tedious person irl, but I've always admired people that put a lot of effort into their appearance and presentation. If I have to pick a part, I'd pick his tassel earring. It looks like there should be a story behind it.

6. Zhongli has a lot of lore. What’s your favorite story/feat that he's ever done?

I love the Archaic Petra flower lore. It shows a petty side of his character that I just can't help but adore. Zhongli can be a troll and still come out wholesome.

A flower bloomed in a cliff's impregnable cleft. It is an exquisite life shaped by the essence of Geo. There is a folk saying that goes thus: In times of yore, someone told the Lord of Geo that there was no life to be found in barren stone. Thus did the Lord of Geo command flowers of purest gold to burst forth from the face of an uneven rock. Perhaps the Geo Archon did once work such a great wonder. Or perhaps this is but one of the many tales that shroud this ancient world. But the prosperous harbor that grew out of the lifeless mountains, And that braves the raging waters of the Sea of Clouds— Perhaps that was the brilliant flower, after all.

7. If you could give Zhongli a birthday present, what would it be?

I'd give him a safety charm. lol It's something I actually wrote into one of my fics. Obviously in the game he keeps me from literally dying with his shield. I also bought myself a little Zhongli safety charm too. Safety charms are gifts you give to loved ones that convey your good wishes for them.

8. If Zhongli visited you for a day, where would you take him?

I'd take him sightseeing and show him all the places in my city that tourists go visit. Our city has a lot of those, both natural and urban tourist attractions. My wallet would probably hurt, because knowing Zhongli, he would be eyeing all the souvenirs.

9. If you could talk to Zhongli, what’s one thing you’d want to ask him?

Since Hoyo loves breadcrumbing us, we actually know very little about this 6000 yr old god. There's so many theories about him and none of them are confirmed. Is he just a lump of gold? Even though dragon Zhongli is fan-canon, we already know that the exuvia is just one of his many vessels. Zhongli, what the hell are you and where do you come from????

10. Which of Zhongli’s attacks do you like using the most? How do you prefer to use him in a team? What build do you have him on?

I love using his normal attacks. Hoyo is evil for giving him such sick moves and then making him a support. I bet the person who designed that spear kick feels cheated. I do too!!! ---

Feel free to copy this questionaire from the Zhongli community posts! It was the result of a poll to see what we should do for his birthday~

https://www.tumblr.com/communities/zhonglis-harem

[pageofheartdj]

Back to thinking about Hazbin lore because I fucking love it xD

So, the Fall. How does it work and what does it do.

Because what if, just a theory, the only thing the Fall does is prevents from coming back to Heaven. That's it.

Lilith and Lucifer are not to step back to Heaven and I assume only Lucifer not to go to Earth too.

What is a separate process is the Change. Lilith and Lucifer stayed a human and an angel in Hell. But they Changed once they Accepted Hell.

Think of it in some metaphysical way. They are in Hell, so hellish energy urges to make them a part of it. If they don't accept it, it can't make them theirs and can't give them its hellish powers.

I assume Lilith accepted it rather quickly and became half a demon in no time. Lucifer though, it took a very long time. It was thanks to Lilith he was able to accept it all. Would have been cool if the process is still not fully done because of his trauma and how he never resolved his complicated relationship with sinners.

Now. Cherubs. Heavenborn angels who basically suffered the same fate like Lucifer, but on a smaller scale. Lucifer cannot enter Heaven most likely by magic itself, no portal will let him pass through.

Cherubs though can come back, they just can't find the way. They are still fully angelic, not having a single reason to reject their home. But in Hell they stop glowing. There is a chance, if they accept Hell, they can Change too. Even if the access to Heaven itself is not cut for them.

And then there is Vaggie. I headcanon exorcists were winners. If comparing hierarchy of Hell and Heaven, exorcists would be on overlords level. While sinners become overlords by hoarding soul deals, winners become exorcists to Protect Heaven. There is no need to fight in Heaven for comfort and stability, there is no (open)cruelty to use against others. So the only way winners seemingly can grow in power if they join this sort of army.

So exorcists do not glow like heavenborn angels. They have black halos and their given wings are the same. I assume Adam glows because his special status of First Man automatically makes him powerful enough to reach the glow despite being a human soul(the way Lilith became stronger than Sins)

So back to Vaggie. She is a human soul. How does the Fall works for her? She was cut away like Cherubs were, by local powers, so she still has an access to Heaven, just no way to personally reach it.

She is not like Lilith, who was a living human, whose physical body changed and she became a new being. Vaggie lived her life, she deserved Heaven. She is in Hell not from divine judgement. CAN she accept Hell? Will she become the same kind of 'fallen angel' like Lucifer is or something a bit different? She did not change at all except having the smallest fangs. Is she in the process of Changing and finally accepting Hell as her home, not just Charlie?

Not to mention both she and Lucifer lack their halos unlike Cherubs who got to keep theirs.

What is the purpose of halos? They are physical, Adam's halo stayed after his death! Is it like an ID? Not having halo didn't prevent Vaggie to step into Heaven, but it doesn't allow Cherubs to just summon the portal. Does it have a connection to owner's essence? Does Adam still have Vaggie's halo somewhere? Is there Lucifer's halo still in Heaven? What will happen when they get it back?

[ketrin1607]

To distract from the main project - "Fiasco", I sketched the concept of the character Apop/Apep/ Apophis for another idea. For the one that I described in the alternative concept of Seth's character, what if instead of a girl with long hair in a man's body and in the second season of Enneada there would be a normal god of war, and not a weeper)

There has been no Apop in Mojito's story so far, so unlike Seth, he looks less like a copy of Mojito's character) Apop was conceived as a trickster character, it is unlikely that there is even any benefit for the god of chaos except for fun in the origin of chaos)

If Apop's physique is similar to Seth's, then that's how the idea was conceived. According to the condition of the story, he does not have his own human body, initially he looks like a big snake, but he is able to take the external form of any creature and inhabit them. So, in theory, he had to sort of "steal" Seth's body by sharing his body with Ka (he wanted to deprive him of his soul. For the Egyptians, it is a part, a kind of soul. Plus, he took away everything that the Egyptians considered a person's personality. The Egyptians have quite a lot of elements in a person and they are all very confusing and interchangeable. As for me, the body-soul structure is much simpler), but to understand to the viewer that this is no longer a Seth, Apop would change the clothes to these ones)🧥

I don't think I will seriously take up the idea and plot described earlier😔I am a perfectionist and in a new effort to "square the circle" also on this story, I will not pull it off, it will take as long as writing the script for the "Fiasco". It's hard to write a story from scratch and make it follow the rules of the world that don't exist yet. And the very essence of perfectionism is to keep track of rules) For me, of course, it's not like mowing a lawn using a ruler, but something similar)

So, if I still throw character concepts for that idea, they are unlikely to go further than the concept. But on the other hand, it helps me to distract myself and take a break from the stress of the script

[halfetirosie]

ཐིཋྀ ALL ROADS LEAD BACK TO PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSION, NO ONE CAN ESCAPE IT ཐིཋྀ

(Elysium 08-09 React-os!)

1) This is the CREEPIEST peer-pressure scene I have ever seen...

( ⊙ _ ⊙ )

I CALL BULLSHIT!!!!

(This part of Vampire Bitch's creepy speech kinda reminds me of the sermon Olivine was giving at the beginning of this event. It acts as a sort of dark reflection of the message Olivine was trying to give then, I think...

In his sermon, if I remember correctly, Olivine said that everyone has "shortcomings," and that people should accept them and still try to do the right thing. On the other hand, the so-called Master of Elysium is saying people should indulge in all of their desires, regardless of the consequences.

I don't know if it was intended, but this feels like a twisted parallel to me. 🤷‍♀️)

I CALL BULLSHIT!!!! x2

Say it with me, now: If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is!

2) Bro accidentally made the most effective ANTI-drug PSA of all time:

"Here, take this drug! Then you, too, can be a pasty, skeletal drug dealer that ignores others' human rights!"

Gee, how very persuasive...

(◔_◔)

3) PFFFFFT!!! 😂

Eiden over here hiding behind Kuya like he's his big brother--

😂😂😂

4) Damnnnnn, Kuya calling Vampire Bitch out on his Bullshit!!!!!

Lemme tell you, it feels WEIRD AF to actually side with Kuya on something.

Like, I know in my last post I talked about how Kuya is more reasonable when it comes to large-scale issues. But seeing him actively scold someone for harming others? All of this ★ Responsible Kuya ★??? WEIRD.

It's like going to a high school reunion, and seeing the Deadbeat Stoner Kid™ wearing a suit and talking about their corporate job---I mean, hell yeah, good for them, but I do not know this person anymore :D

5) Eh, idk man. I'm having so many THOUGHTS.

First of all, I think it's definitely debatable whether this has "anything to do with Mr. Kuya." Yes, people always make their own decisions in the end---by their own will---but you can't ignore the reality that others have the power to influence their decisions.

It's the second part of this exchange, where Kuya talks about how our decisions make us who we are, that feels strange to me.

I assume that this statement, along with the insistence that Olivine take the "Trial of Choice" (whatever the hell that is), is Kuya's weird-ass Tsundere Bullshit™ way of helping Olivine? As in, he sees Olivine having an internal struggle with himself, and this is his way of helping him be decisive??? 🤔

Or maybe Kuya just wanted to find a non-violent way to get Vampire Bitch to let him leave (+ leave him alone in the future)?

I just don't know, man.... Why does every goddamn thing the fox say have to be so cryptic???

(╯◉ _ ◉)╯︵ ┻━┻

6) Yeah, I agree with Eiden---

Just what the FUCK is this Trial for it to be such a big deal??? I trust NOTHING that has "Trial" in its name---

Although, I wonder; was the flashback we saw at the very beginning of this event from a past Trial of Choice? 🤔

7) BRUH. What kind of drug keeps you high for MULTIPLE DAYS??? After only one pill?????

Eiden's talking as if it's expected for him to still act loopy all these days later----

Oh shit, Was my theory from my first event post correct??? That this drug's effects last a really fuckin long time, which is why "occasional" use is enough to fuck up a person's body chemistry quickly???

That just makes me wonder even more; was the pill Kuya gave him really fake, or does it just not have much effect on someone with a ton of essence?

8) SEE, THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!

Ignoring others' influence on one's (in this case, Olivine's) decisions is stupid!!!! 😡😡😡

Peer pressure wouldn't be possible if that wasn't a truth of life!!!

And in this case, where Olivine was literally being threatened, suggesting that he alone is fully responsible for his temptation is, respectfully, bullshit. ♡

Fuck, man, Olivine is always way too hard on himself....

( • ᴖ • )

9) (⊙ᗣ⊙)

KUYA, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK????

I know this might be an urban legend, but honestly, it sounds like the sort of thing Past Kuya would do... The dude literally tore out the eyes of someone because they checked him out, after all....

Current Kuya has changed a lot, so I don't think something that grisly would be appealing to him, but.... the very idea that he once like that sort of thing is upsetting....

I also still strongly suspect that the "one survivor of the Trial" was the Master of Elysium....

A ton of weird vibes around this.

ཐིཋྀ End of report! ཐིཋྀ

[queerlyvictorian]

Alright, in the name a various people throwing out theories, I realized that I have been assuming something was already proven canon but I believe it so strongly that I thought it was obvious. Now, I don’t believe the King of Night when he says that he is “an old friend of Grandmother Wren’s,” but I do believe that he must be an integral part of her past. We’ve now seen how Wren dealt with spirits who were dangerous, locking Orima out of the mortal world with a good offering that will never expire. But the questions remains… what about Great Spirits who already spent most of their time in the mortal world?

Looking beyond his names, the Stranger says of himself: “I wait at the crossroads, and I bide my time. I am ever ready, and always near.” Does that not sound like the embodiment of death? I think Grandmother Wren was forced to make a deal with the death itself, and had to give him the terms of “come see me when I have died.” And Ame then extended the deal by one year. This isn’t particularly mind blowing, I realize, but it just feels true. Occam’s Razor, and all that.

“I have held by breath since the dawning of the world” still baffles me, but I think it’s meant to. I do actually think he has to mean “breath” in the spirit way we found out about later in the arc. It feels like the sort of turn of phrase that most human wouldn’t understand, unless you knew that spirits referred to their essence as their breath. I do like one interpretation that I saw where someone suggested that this is a boast, like the Man in Black is gloating about how he has had access to his full power for the entire history of the world. Which, again, that sounds like the Great Spirit of death to me. Night is the death of the day, so it would be cool that ever since the “dawning” of the world, the King of Night has been biding his time to end things. He honestly could be the spiritual BBEG, if he’s after the World’s Heart in some sort of apocalyptic “I am destined to destroy the world” sort of dealio.

IDK, now I’m throwing things at the wall, but he’s fascinated me ever since Suvi considered him as the first option when identifying the origin of Ame’s curse. The fact he didn’t actually come up felt like a confirmation of “this is bigger than the answer to Arc 1’s mystery.”

[legaciestold]

@honorhearted continued from x

as morning light found it's way through the window and katarzyna felt the sudden loss of contact of his body against hers, she began to stir. she felt sore in both pleasant ways that brought a flush to her skin as she recalled the events which had transpired in this room and unpleasant ways as she recalled what had happened prior. it was a strange flurry of emotions which welled within her. happiness and anger of two different sources. what marks would she find once she rose to look into her looking glass? battle wounds were nothing to her now, yet these would be a reminder. she had let her guard down and she had failed a heed longwei's teachings. it mustn't happen again. she thinks, a silent vow as she opens her eyes to watch benjamin and finally follows suit. there's an energy buzzing in the air around her as she moves, her senses alight with it once more. she doesn't feel ill or weak. she doesn't feel disconnected from nature but embraced in it.

katarzyna nearly hums as she sorts out her uniform. no, she does not seek the dress she had wore the night before that was much worse for wear, or even any dress similar; she chooses what she should have been wearing the entire time. there had been a purpose in her effort prior, to attempt to seem to fit in more than she would have since she traversed washington's camp as much as her own. however such had not prevented the events of the night before and the fact remained, katarzyna was allied with washington and as such held loyalty to him, but she was not under his sole authority in the same fashion others were. she held her own forces. she was a part of them. she did not need others to fully accept her even if they should question her appearance as all that mattered was the trust and partnerships she did hold with washington's circle. it was time to halt pretenses and be who she was. and to show hickey who she was too. he and the other man may have been able to gain the advantage over her when she was in a weakened state. but katarzyna was a force to be reckoned with and to that point so was benjamin.

speaking of.. light hues drift toward him again upon his utterance, her finishing securing the outer layer of her dark uniform though she had yet to get to her messy hair. "i should hope so. between us he will reveal his alliances." she states confidently, before feeling the energy around her and calling out to her previously missing shadows as if they were children being called home. "or he will die for them." she states, allowing her shadows to manifest between them in a kind of humanoid cloud that suddenly disperses a moment later as if mimicking death. then she moves forward, toward benjamin until she can feel the warmth of his body radiating off him. she raises her hand to the side of his face feeling comfort in their newfound closeness.

"if i had known all i needed was a night with you to regain my powers and strength, we'd have already had many nights like last." her tone is light, teasing, almost playful even if the matter of discussion is serious. of course, katarzyna knew it was a variety of factors which allowed her to finally regain her strength. the temporary loss of her powers had been just that: temporary. however, she could not discount the weight of what they had shared and the evidence it laid forth to her previous theories. if they truly had called to each other in some way, their essences over time, having come together now. then perhaps he did have something to do with her present state. life giving life. energy shared. magic and nature worked in many ways perhaps they were not meant to understand.

"i'll have to speak with a few of my people first. there should be a few reports for me downstairs. it will not take long but i do not know how long our interrogation will last. i should do this before we go." she considers a moment, before speaking again. "you can be there. with me." trust. it was trust which exudes from her tone and words. a trust she wasn't sure others may have for him but they would accept her trust in him. they had to. "perhaps it's time you understood some of my people's side of things." of course, she does not expect to spend long on this, not right now. not when they still had hickey to attend to but she feels, perhaps, allowing him to be present for the small meeting she'd have to have before she could leave the residence would illustrate something. if nothing else, he'd see the base designs of their campaign from their maps and mock ups. it was the same land and towns and terrain but a very different war and her willingness to allow him to see any of this proved the level of trust she was affording him.

[acourtofthought]

What do you think of this part?

"Jurian coughed, and Cassian glanced at the human warrior. Once human? Partially human? He didn't know. Jurian had been sliced ​​apart by Amarantha, his consciousness somehow trapped within his eye, which she'd mounted on a ring and worn for five hundred years. Until his lingering bones had been used by Hybern to resurrect his body and return that essence into this form, the same one that had led armies on those long-ago battlefields during the War. Who was Jurian now? What was he?"

It's strange that the Jurian was resurrected through the Cauldron and doesn't have any power or even immortality. What do you think SJM meant by "What was he?"

Do you think SJM will somehow make Vassa and Jurian immortal?

I think for the fact alone that SJM had Cassian question that Jurian may not be completely human means there's a good chance he's going to be something more. Maybe it only means he's got a longer life span which would be nice if he is part of Lucien's found family. Maybe it's just a reminder that he could play a bigger role in the future of the series than we're imaging considering he's Made too. Actually, you triggered a thought and now this is going to turn into a theory answer 😂 From my perspective, Jurian and Vassa are looking like an endgame possibility and we know that Vassa is going to be forced to return to Koschei soon. What would a man in love be willing to do in order to free Vassa from her curse? SF has Briallyn talking of those in the NC that she could convince to retrieve the trove with the right incentive but Briallyn is gone so that seems like a bit of a fizzled out threat. But Koschei COULD possibly manipulate Jurian considering he's always played both sides and is Made. Though he allied with the NC in the war, I don't think he's all that fond of them and therefore would not have loyalty to them over Vassa, his priority would be saving her. It's not like he'd want to betray anyone but when his concern is primarily for the humans and I'm thinking Vassa, then I could see him doing what was needed to protect her. And maybe Lucien would then have to step in to stop Jurian and Koschei from getting his hands on the Trove. At the end of it all, I don't think it would cause problems for their friendship especially because if anyone understands wanting to protect the woman they loved, it would be Lucien after watching Jesminda's murder. And I could see Vassa also being granted some sort of immortality because of the curse placed upon her by a Death God or whatever Koschei is.

[apilgrimpassingby]

You asked me a question now I get to ask you one. (Though of course only answer If you want to). What drew you to Eastern Orthodoxy? Why have you chosen to be catechized? Also book recs on orthodoxy if you have any?

What drew me to Orthodoxy? Glad you asked. Here's a list of reasons I'm Orthodox (most of them are copied and pasted from a previous post I did on this).

The New Perspective on Paul, a view in New Testament Studies that says that Paul did not teach justification by faith alone, only that "works of the law" (circumcision, kosher, observing Jewish festivals, etc.) are useless for salvation. It resolves all conflicts between Paul ("For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from the works of the law") and James ("You see how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone"), resolves apparent contradictions within Paul (say, the already quoted Romans 3:28 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 - "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil") and explains why both use Abraham as the centrepiece of their cases (Abraham lived before the Law). In other words, a theory of justification that omits the tangles of Protestantism ("James is about a different kind of faith", "Good works come from justification without contributing to it", etc.). While it's a Protestant point of view, it's pretty much what Catholicism and Orthodoxy have always taught - it's only "New" to Protestants.

For a long time, C. S. Lewis has been my favourite writer; his theology is way deeper and more coherent than the Evangelical theology I was raised on. And having read more of both, it's almost uncanny how similar Lewis' theology and Orthodoxy are. For example, Orthodoxy teaches that you can't draw up "sin lists" the way Catholics do or definitively divide them between venial and mortal. And C. S. Lewis: "You complain that my last letter does not make it clear whether I regard being in love as a desirable state for a human or not. But really, Wormwood, that is the sort of question one expects them to ask! Leave them to discuss whether "love", or patriotism, or celibacy, or candles on altars, or teetotalism, or education, are "good" or "bad". Can't you see there's no answer? Nothing matters at all except the tendency of a given state of mind, in given circumstances, to move a particular patient at a particular moment nearer to [God] or nearer to us." (The Screwtape Letters, written as a demon writing letters to another). And Orthodoxy teaches salvation-as-deification (although for us, it's taking on God's energies rather than His essence). And Lewis: "We are to be re-made. All the rabbit in us is to disappear - the worried, conscientious, ethical rabbit as well as the cowardly and sensual rabbit. We shall bleed and squeal as the handfuls of fur come out; and then, surprisingly, we shall find underneath it all a thing we have never yet imagined: a real Man, an ageless god, a son of God, strong, radiant, wise, beautiful, and drenched in joy." ("Man or Rabbit" from God in the Dock). I could go on, but this point is already too long.

The Orthodox theory of theosis, that salvation is our relationship with God and is a process of becoming like Him that befits us for eternity with Him. It's a wonderfully elegant theory that unites salvation, faith, good works, our relationship with God and Heaven into one. Again, far less tangled than Protestantism.

The exclusion of the Deuterocanonical Books (Tobit, Sirach, Judith, etc.) looks more unjustifiable with every glance I take at it. Yes, they're not in the Hebrew Bible, but neither is the entire New Testament. Yes, Jerome said they were "not to establish any doctrine" but most of the Fathers disagreed and said so at the 393 Synod of Hippo. Yes, they're never quoted in the New Testament, but I don't think non-quotation demonstrates non-canonicity because quotation does not demonstrate canonicity - Paul quoted pagan authors (Acts 17:28, 1 Corinthians 15:33) and Jewish traditions (2 Timothy 3:8) and Jude quoted extracanonical Jewish works (:9 and :14-15).

Sola scriptura requires that Scripture is perspicuous, when to me the great multitude of denominations shows that it's not. That's why we have Church Tradition, to sort out the ambiguities in Scripture.

Orthodoxy has generally been more accepting of allegorical readings of Genesis 1-11 than Catholicism and especially conservative Protestantism. The fact is that the Human Genome Project shows that the human race did not originate with a couple in the Middle East in 4004 BC, but with a population of several thousand in East Africa 300,000 years ago. And since nature was made by the same God who made Scripture, who knows all, cannot lie and never changes His mind, and science is the systemic study and analysis of nature, we cannot dismiss sound science we don't like or find inconvenient any more than sound theology we don't like or find inconvenient. And what I've described is not some atheist plot - the director of the Human Genome Project, Francis Collins, is an Evangelical who has written apologetics.

Relatedly, why do you read a Bible with, say, James, Hebrews and 2 Peter and without, say, the Didache or the Shepherd of Hermas or the Apocalypse of Peter? The judgement of the Church. So there are two options I think you can take. Either the Bible is malleable (and thus not much of an infallible authority) or the Church is also an infallible authority.

Martin Luther was the Charles Taze Russell (that's the guy who founded the Jehovah's Witnesses) of the 16th century, complete with insertions to and omissions from the Bible, with a side order of rabid antisemitism.

Which is more likely to be the closer to the original - a 1700-or-more (Nicaea was in 325)-years-old group that makes a point of tracing an unbroken line as far back as possible or a 500-or-less-(the Reformation began in the 16th century, but most extant Protestant groups are significantly younger) years-old constellation of groups that make a point of questioning Tradition?

Jesus instituted the Eucharist (Mark 14:22-25, Matthew 26:26-29, Luke 22:14-20) and Baptism (Matthew 28:19), gave rules for dealing with sin in the Church (Matthew 18:15-20), gave His Disciples spiritual authority and appointed them as ministers (John 20:21-23 especially) and explicitly established a church (Matthew 16:18). What did He never do? Establish a Biblical canon. So why are we declaring the Bible to be the judge of the Church?

I want to have a physical faith - one that reminds us of Christ's presence and power with icons and priests and beautiful worship spaces. As C. S. Lewis said, "It is no use trying to be more spiritual than God. God never meant for man to be a purely spiritual creature. That is why He uses material things like bread and wine to put the new life into us."

Most historians agree that Papal supremacy was a relatively late institution, and that the early Church was run by a confederation of local church leaders with no clear head - which is exactly what Orthodoxy teaches.

In terms of leaving Evangelicalism specifically, I learnt that a lot of what I thought Catholics believed - Scripture as not the sole authority, infant baptism, ornate churches, Liturgy, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, Jesus' descent into Hell/Hades - was just what Christians believed until c.200 years ago and what Methodists, Anglicans and Lutherans believe now.

The Didache is a church manual written in 50-110 AD, and specialists prefer earlier dates of 50-70 AD. For perspective, Paul died in 63 AD and Revelation was written in 95 AD. This is a book describing a church service in the time (or at least the living memory) of the Apostles. And it describes a very Orthodox mode of worship: set prayers for Communion, daily prayers (the Lord's Prayer three times a day), a church run by bishops, priests and deacons, referring to Communion as a sacrifice, fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays.

As for catechesis, it's necessary to join Orthodoxy. There are a few reasons for this. First and most obviously, to ensure that new converts know what they're converting to. Secondly, to ensure that new converts are willing to persist in becoming Orthodox. Thirdly, because the cultivation of an Orthodox way of thinking about the world (a phronema, we call it) is an important part of becoming Orthodox, we think there's value in making new members take a while to become Orthodox.

My Orthodox reading has been mainly online, from the parish websites of St. John the Evangelist Orthodox Church and St. Andrew's Orthodox Cathedral. If it's books you want, I can also recommend The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity by Timothy Ware.

[aur-el-ias]

centricide ask again! do you think there are parental bonds between the ideologies (other than Nazbol and his parents)? either "blood" or spiritual relatives. or are there none, Nazbol included?

ask me a question about centricide because i'm the closest thing ya got to jreg and everything i say makes complete sense.

Centricide spoilers and my own fanfiction "monopoly man" spoilers under the cut.

OKAY I'm really excited because this is a concept I want to explore in Monopoly Man, but it might get lost in all the subtext (which I tend to overstuff) so let me scream my truth.

There is a duality of humanity-divinity/ideology that exists in every identity of each Centricide character. You see this most clearly in Centricide 6, Identity, where N*zi finds out he's Jewish. Jreg combined a human element (DNA, physical biology) to ideological identity (political and moral belief). In a sense, we are what we believe. When your beliefs are inconsistent with your reality, something has to change. We see this happen when N*zi becomes a Z*onist, and Jreg's Blueman is obviously a criticism of the state of Israel.

In dialogue, the characters also almost talk exclusively about politics and in political terms. However, because they are political ideologies, they are talking about themselves. This sort of self-divulging creates an interesting dialogue of desire. Personal desire can be radically different from political desire. Most Centricide characters don't realize this, and that is why you see a lot of struggles with identity with the characters. Ancap famously establishes Ancapistan and starts to exploit minorities and women after the statists give him a dressing-down. Ancom becomes Post-Left. The only ideology that does not go through an identity crisis is Commie, but that is because Commie has a very solid belief in his identity that is supported by his knowledge of history.

In Monopoly Man Chapter 4, Ancap and Ancom have a conversation about Ancap's empathy. Ancap can only empathize with Ancom due to Ancom's ability of Mutual Aid. In this conversation, Ancap argues that it's not about politics anymore, and urges Ancom to stop talking about it. He has realized that his personal desire, care, and empathy for Ancom exceeds his principles of non-interference. But to talk about the person's desires as an individual is a breakaway from high-minded political theory that most Centricide characters engage in. It's almost a radical betrayal of their identity.

So what does this mean about familial ties? In my interpretation of the world in general, familial connections and love are something that is human in essence. As political ideologies and demi-gods, the ideologies struggle with this humanity-divinity conflict. Is it better to be "godly" and disengage, go the Buddhist route and sever your attachment from the world in favour of your ideals? Or is it more important to think about the people that you will impact? Your neighbours, lovers, and friends?

I think instead of family, due to the complex nature of political ideologies being born from each other but is not necessarily related or the same, I use the term "kinship." It feels quite spiritual and abstract, which I feel matches the vibe of political ideologies. So for example, Nazbol is both kin to N*zi and Commie, but is not the necessary result of the two joining together to unite and create a separate ideology. Commie and Ancom share a special connection, or "kinship", through leftist unity, but is not necessarily brothers or blood-related. The same goes with libunity and authunity. Posadist is kin to Commie but is not kin to Ancom, etc.

I think that as part-humans, they can have their own families separate from their beliefs and actions as political ideologies, but again, it can never be completely divorced. Thinking of the extremist polycule as parents and I think that'd be really cute. Their child's gonna be a mess of conflicting ideologies and end up as a centrist LMAO.

Thank you for the question! I always love your questions and seeing you on the dash <3