#candian book

[irhabiya]

i think my favorite thing that i got out of my medical anthropology elective is how culturally defined health and illness are... very interesting to think about

[lizzardtown]

Letterboxd why do you have to go down I was in the middle of making a list 😭😭

[thevalleyisjolly]

The biggest source of information that we have about the details of the Prophidian Heresy comes, in-canon, from the book that Jet reads in ACOC when she began researching the Bulb.  In that book, she learns not only about the Prophidian Heresy but also the Ramsian Doctrine.  We also later find out that that’s not the only connection the two philosophies have - Belizabeth Brassica, a champion of the Ramsian Doctrine, was mentored and first ordained by a priest who adhered to (and was executed for) the Prophidian Heresy.

Which led me to think, what is the point of connection?  How do these ideologies relate to each other, apart from being fringe beliefs of the Church?  With what we’ve learned this season about the FDA, who uphold the Prophidian Heresy, the followers of the two beliefs seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum.  The FDA wants to stop the end of the world by filling the world with rot and decay, while Belizabeth wants to bring about the end of the world by ensuring that it is only made out of “healthy” food - hence the attempt to annihilate Candia in ACOC.  On the surface, they appear to be foes, and Raphaniel even promotes the Ramsian Doctrine in an attempt to undermine the FDA.

Then I realized: sugar doesn’t rot.  It can spoil if moisture gets in -Candians are more vulnerable than anyone else in Calorum to watersteel daggers- but sugar acts as a preservative.  And so far, there aren’t any known Candians in the FDA.

It’s not about what they have in common ideologically but rather it’s what stands against them both.  Although they may seem to have opposite goals -the FDA and the Prophidian Heresy want to “save” the world by preventing its destruction while the Ramsian Doctrine headed by Belizabeth wants the end of the world to come- where they are both similar is that there is room in neither philosophy for Candians.  Sugar does not rot, that is a whole part of the world that theoretically remains palatable to the Hungry One.  Sugar is “junk food” (according to the Ramsian Doctrine), the Hungry One will not eat the world so long as it is unhealthy.  The followers of both heresies may be working to different ends but as per the details of their beliefs, neither group can succeed in their desired goals as long as Candians continue to exist.

I don’t know what, if anything, this means for The Ravening War.  We know that the FDA’s plan does not succeed, although we don’t know how it happens.  But I think it’s significant to the worldbuilding of Calorum that the biggest heresies of the Church (that we know of), the heresies which so many prominent Church leaders seem to hold to, are fundamentally hostile to the existence of Candia.  And I think that even if the vast majority of ordinary Bulbians probably consider these beliefs fringe and heretical, it doesn’t mean that the leaders at the top who do adhere to them aren’t using their influence to promote subtler anti-Candian ideologies.

You don’t get to a genocidal crusade from nowhere.  You don’t just declare one day that it’s going to happen, everyone get your armour on and grab a blade and torch, and people just listen to you.  But if you spend years cultivating mystery and fear, spreading rumours but never confirmed facts of strange Candian alchemy, that’s how you start to other Candians so that by the time you get to the point where you’re ready to make a move against them, people perceive them as mysterious heathen others “not like us.”

[yourbelgianthings]

posting my box of doom gift exchange fic for @wrenrix here too! it's a ravening war one, a short character study for all the scrumptious scoundrels based on a major arcana tarot for each of them, 2k words (also i've never done this b4 but i know she's pretty active on tumblr and i'm proud of this so shot in the dark here goes... @quiddie)

Amangeaux- The Empress The Empress represents femininity, fertility, and nurturing. Reversed, it indicates insecurity and an over-reliance on others. The day she told people they no longer needed to bother addressing her as "Lady", Amangeaux Epiceé du Peche finally felt free. She had been a queen as the wife of King Cardoon, and a lady afterwards as she hovered in between and attempted maneuvers to regain her former status, but there came a time when such things no longer mattered. What was a title in a world full of death and without trust in a time of war? To someone else, it was everything, but Amangeaux realized that she would rather develop her strength, both physical and mental. Since everyone was constantly making, breaking, and changing alliances, she needed too be able to stand and fight on her own, hopefully helping bring the war to an end sooner. It was hard to part ways to go with Karna when she decided to go to Ceresia. Although Karna was an adult now, Amangeaux was still older and more mature, and she knew no matter how much she cared for this young woman, those feelings would not be requited. So, they parted ways, and she became stronger, more independent, and more confident than ever before with the help of her family's old friend Gustavo Uvano. Uvano also promised to raise her baby son. It would be better for him to grow up not knowing he was born out of wedlock. When Amangeaux cradled the small grape in her arms before she left for the battle of Pangranos, kissing his forehead for the last time, tears dotted his blanket and her sleeves. In a perfect world, she would never pick up a sword again, and raise her son in peace until the end of her days. This was far from a perfect world though, almost the opposite, and she wanted him to have a chance at a better life. Her starfruit trotted off down the lane towards the final confrontation, towards the unknown, but certain danger. Queen Amangeaux would have been horrified by such a prospect, and while this new Amangeaux still felt fear, she knew she could hold her own against whatever was to come.

Colin- Justice Justice represents balance, integrity, and truth. Reversed, it has to do with denial and guilt. Colin Provolone, or rather, Sir Colin Provolone, had never intended to become a knight of the Bulbian Church. He hadn't even thought he would end up leaving Delissandro's side, but things were getting out of control and he needed to draw a line somewhere. The look in Deli's eyes as they ambushed the Candian delegation on the Glucian Road filled Colin with unease; he seemed much too enthusiastic about killing. Doing what you have to do is one thing, Colin knew that as he agonized over taking out the poor banana who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Deli didn't have to kill that scared little fungi. So, it was time to part ways. It was war, and he didn't think he was in some kind of place to judge Deli or Karna or anyone else, he was just making his own choices about which way to go while he still could. If Raphaniel was a true believer, Colin would have felt bad about accepting the title of knight only to gain more power with which to maneuver, but it was the now-demoted archdeacon's idea, knowing full well Colin was barely even Bulbian. What kind of insanity-inducing rabbit hole the old man was down in his office filled with old papers and books and pages of scribbled notes Colin couldn't even begin to imagine, but he felt some sense of responsibility for him. Wasn't that the duty of a knight, to protect their patron? As he grew more adjusted to his life in this odd in-between period (the war was in a lull, but he had a feeling that wouldn't last long), his thoughts drifted to Deli less often, but it still happened sometimes. Colin held no ill will towards his old friend, he hoped he was getting things figured out and doing okay. The days mostly passed trying to keep an eye on Raphaniel and wondering what was to come. There was no rush for the FDA to call him and his comrades again, though. Fighting may have been the thing he was best at, but he also hated to do it. After all, there is no true justice in war.

Deli- Strength Strength represents bravery, confidence, and fortitude. Reversed, it can mean anger, fear, or jealousy. Walking away at the end of the war was the strongest thing Delissandro Katzon ever did. As he parted ways with Amangeaux and Colin after the death of their other companions, he criticized himself for having no desire to return to the other Meatlanders, or to anyone. Who did he have? Where would he go? His aggressive political maneuvering in the Meatlands years earlier had caused his own mother, the former chieftess Cleva Katzon, to leave. Karna was dead, Gemelli was dead but had betrayed him so it wouldn't matter either way, and Colin saved his life but they both knew their former separation stood as soon as they left the cave. So, Deli did all he could think to do: walking north with no particular destination in mind. He had been confident in every decision he had made before, and this one was no different. Perhaps he would see his mother again as he traversed some of the same paths, perhaps not; that wasn't why he was doing it. As his mind wandered throughout all the hours of solitude, the anger at Gemelli and Archbishop Cauliflower and the rest of the FDA faded away and was replaced by grief. Not for those he and his friends had killed, Senator Ariana Gemelli deserved it and the others, innocents like Queen Pamellia and Princess Sapphria, were the consequences of war, unfortunate as it was. Karna stayed in his thoughts day after day, though, looking back, Deli couldn't believe he had been so oblivious to how she felt and why she was supporting him. Although he hadn't made false promises to her like Gemelli had, he had broken her heart nonetheless, and she died before he could do anything about it. Yet, as Karna died, in pain both physically and emotionally, his face was the last thing her eyes ever saw. He felt that she was forgiving him, and this mystified him, but it was her last gift, so difficult as it was, it would be selfish to reject it. Karna had forgiven Deli, so Deli was going to forgive himself and try to move on. He would never know where he and Colin stood, but the fact that Colin saved his life escaping from the cave told him enough. Every step forward was a step towards living for himself, finally free from all the tangled concerns of politics and alliances in war.

Karna- Death Death means endings, transformation, and letting go. Reversed, it represents regrets and decay. Karna Solara really died when she made her pact with the Hungry One, or at least sealed her fate for a long death, a little bit every time she made a sacrifice. Her body slowly rotted away and she carved out pieces of it to continue receiving magic powers until there was almost nothing left for the garbage disposal to destroy by the time she fell into it. For her entire life, she was never herself, so to speak. Even when she wasn't undercover as another identity, the one she used for the longest being Ja'Cru Dite, she changed how she presented herself and acted to gain favor and get by. The Karna who traveled with Lady Amangeaux and Bishop Raphaniel was not the same one who would later take the title of Skald from Colin to fight by Deli's side, assassinating Princess Sapphria Rocks. However, all of these people were her friends. She kept some of them at a further distance than others, accepted or rejected their care and trust, but she considered them friends nonetheless. The widowed queen, an elderly bishop who would later be demoted, a warlord from the Meatlands, and a Dairy Islander who seemed like nobody but ended up becoming the warlord's right hand man and later a knight under the deacon: a motley crew if there ever was one. Some of them had known each other in smaller groups before, but on the whole, they were only brought together by circumstance. None of that mattered though, who they were, why they met- Karna was just glad she had once chance in her life to get close to people as herself, not as someone else or with an ulterior motive. When she was torn apart by Camille Cauliflower's cold, alien, metal blades in the cave, she wasn't scared. She had no regrets, which may seem surprising for someone who died so young, but there was nothing else she needed to do. Even the revelation that Deli had loved someone else didn't matter anymore. Of course it felt like her ribs might all break from her heart exploding when he and Senator Gemelli had that exchange, but deep down she knew that she would have done everything exactly the same by his side if there was another chance. Taking her last breath, Karna exhales and smiles. The clang of metal, the shouts and thuds, the heavy footsteps, everything fades away. It's time for her to let go.

Raphaniel- The Hermit The Hermit represents solitude, withdrawal, and seeking knowledge. Reversed, it denotes madness, isolation, and rejection. Newly-demoted Archdeacon Raphaniel Charlock barely left his office these days. He had never been a true believer in the Bulb, but he was more distant from the rest of the church than ever. Lady Amangeaux and Karna had gone their own ways, and Colin had ended up with him. Their dynamic had shifted, Raphaniel had spent the early part of their time together trying to figure out what Colin's deal was, and now he could sense Colin wondering what he spent his hours behind a locked door doing. Colin meant well and did his best to help take care of Raphaniel, which he appreciated, but nobody could reach him now. The paranoia-fueled spiral of frantic attempts to gain more knowledge and put together the pieces so he might finally be worthy to join the Architects constituted its own world. Only terrifying visions of spinning cold steel blades and the resulting viscera interrupted his focus. One night, exhausted and about to fall asleep with his head resting on his desk, the elderly radish thought back to how all this had started. Secrets, blackmail, mercenary assassinations- it was no wonder that everyone had reacted so differently and ended up wherever they were now. Raphaniel wondered if Lady Amangeaux ever suspected that the death of her beloved Cardoon was his doing. Either way, he didn't feel bad about it; he had spent his entire career in the church manipulating people and maneuvering things to his advantage. King Cardoon was just another pawn to him, but Lady Amangeaux was his friend, and he had a strange desire for her to know the truth. This was out of character for him, normally he did everything possible to conceal the truth from people. He wasn't so far gone yet as to want to tell her, but she was a smart woman, and he hoped she'd figure it out. With that thought, he drifted off into another night of fitful sleep and dreams of those cold, cold blades tearing on forever.

[heavenboy09]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU

THE MOST LEGENDARY & ICONIC CANDIAN 🇨🇦 ACTOR & MUSICIAN 🎶 IN CINEMA 🎥 & ENTERTAINMENT OF THE WHOLE WORLD 🌎 IN HISTORY

Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on September 2, 1964, the son of Patricia (née Taylor), a costume designer and performer, and Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr. His mother is English, originating from Essex. His American father is from Hawaii, and is of Native Hawaiian, Chinese, English, and Portuguese descent. Reeves' paternal grandmother is of Hawaiian and Chinese descent. His mother was working in Beirut when she met his father, who abandoned his wife and family when Reeves was three years old. Reeves last met his father on the Hawaiian island of Kauai when he was 13.

He is a Canadian actor and musician. He is the recipient of numerous accolades in a career on screen spanning four decades. In 2020, The New York Times ranked him as the fourth-greatest actor of the 21st century, and in 2022 Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Reeves is known for his leading roles in action films, his amiable public image, and his philanthropic efforts.

Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, he made his acting debut in the Canadian television series Hangin' In (1984), before making his feature-film debut in Youngblood (1986). Reeves had his breakthrough role in the science-fiction comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), and he reprised his role in the sequel Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991). He gained praise for playing a hustler in the independent drama My Own Private Idaho (1991) and established himself as an action hero with leading roles in Point Break (1991) and Speed (1994). Following several box-office disappointments, Reeves's performance in the horror film The Devil's Advocate (1997) was well received. Greater stardom came with his role as Neo in The Matrix (1999); Reeves became the highest paid actor for a single production for reprising the role in its sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (both 2003).

He played John Constantine in Constantine (2005) and starred in the romantic drama The Lake House (2006), the science fiction thriller The Day the Earth Stood Still and the crime thriller Street Kings (both 2008). He made his feature-film directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi (2013). Following another commercially down period, Reeves made a career comeback by playing the titular assassin in the action John Wick film series (2014–present). He voiced Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4 (2019) and Johnny Silverhand in the video game Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) as well as its expansion. He also reprised his roles of Ted in Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) and Neo in The Matrix: Resurrections (2021). Reeves reunited and toured with his band Dogstar in support of their first album in over two decades, Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees (2023).

In addition to his career as an actor and musician, Reeves is the co-writer and creator of the BRZRKR franchise, which started with the original comic book (2021–2023) and since expanded to include numerous spin-offs, including the BRZRKR spin-off The Book of Elsewhere with China Miéville. An avid motorcyclist, Reeves is the co-founder of the custom manufacturer ARCH Motorcycle, and is a co-founder of the production company Company Films with his associate Stephen Hamel.

PLEASE WISH THIS LEGENDARY ICONIC CANADIAN ACTOR & MUSICIAN 🇨🇦🎶

IN ENTERTAINMENT IN ALL OF CINEMA 🎥

YOU KNOW HIM

YOU LOVE HIS MOVIES 🎥 YOU GREW TO ALL OF HIS GREATEST MOVIES 🎥

& THE LADIES CANT HELP BUT FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM.

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MR. KEANU CHARLES REEVES 👨🏻 AKA NEO , THE ONE OF WARNER BROS PICTURES, THE MATRIX 🟢 & LIONSGATE PICTURES, JOHN WICK👨🏻 & PARAMOUNT PICTURES , SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG ⚫🦔 OF SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 🔵🦔

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU MR. REEVES & HERE'S TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME #KeanuReeves #BillandTed #Speed #TheMatrixTrilogy #JohnWick #SonicTheHedgeHog #Ted #Neo #JohnWick #ShadowTheHedghog

[welllpthisishappening]

Hey there! You said to message you about what we're reading, and I felt like chatting about that (hopefully you won't mind). I really love hearing your thoughts on various books.

I've been reading the Rokesby series by Julia Quinn (Bridgerton prequels) which I am really having fun with. I'm also reading The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig, Darling by K. Ancrum, Impossible by Nancy Werlin, The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams, The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson, and An Unexpected Earl by Anna Harrington (second of a series called Lords of the Armory) As you can tell, I am really bad at picking just one book at a time!

What are you reading at the moment?

Please come here to talk about books with me whenever. I promise absolutely never mind. And gosh, do you have a lot of things to talk about! I am impressed, honestly. I would never be able to keep all those plots and storylines straight!

I'm a strictly one-book-at-a-time kinda lady. Which is not great for the number of books on my Kindle, actually. Because I have this horrible habit of just downloading them, so I don't forget that I want to read them, and then I wind up with, like, 15 books on there, and I make Justin pick a number as to what I read next or give him a general idea of what the genre is and make him pick from that.

I am horrible at making decisions, you see.

As to what I've been reading recently, I've been a bit all over the place. I mean, there's been kissing in.... all of them, but the type of kissing varies. Some of my recent ones ,though:

the last in a series where someone on this football team falls in love with some quirky™ girl, and the sports descriptions are only kind of incorrect

a historical romance that was truly TOP TIER where the main characters used to flirt in their first season, but then she got married because her father was going to die and he wanted her protected™ but the guy was an unfeeling, uninterested jerk and then he died and now his sister is threatening to take her children away and so she needs to prove there's a responsible male presence in the home, so she and her lawyer!brother devise a scheme to fake an engagement, and who is the perfect candidate for this fake arrangement than her former flirting partner who is now a decided rake and in need of funds???

a set of short stories set in the daevabad verse, which is a fantasy trilogy i read last year and LOVED, but it is INTENSE and the world building is vast and i'm still not sure i understood the first book at all, but the stories were gorgeous and some of them made me cry

the sequel to a modern-day supernatural book that has witches and demons and werewolves and everyone falls in love and i liked the first one way more

another sequel, but this one is part of a series that's a spinoff of a different series and is focused on this one candian family and they own a ranch and everyone is decidedly emotionally stunted and needs heaps of therapy but they fall in love really well and kiss even better and the last one was my favorite because they were idiots! and pining for years! and the dude played hockey

If you can't tell, I've been traveling a lot. And spending a lot of time on team buses. And planes. And, so, I read. When I'm not making more Instagram reels.

[shadowfromthestarlight]

So many people are still talking about wanting to change their lives and I’m wondering whether I even need to. My life is pretty awesome. I’ve never lost a loved one suddenly or unexpectedly. I didn’t even lose a grandparent until I was 17. I’ve never been hospitalized. I’m in good physical shape with no major medical conditions. I’ve never been uncertain that I’d have my next meal or a roof over my head. I’ve never been unable to buy food or clothing or necessary supplies. I’ve never had a huge family issue with family members hating or not speaking to each other. I count my parents, my sister, my grandma, and my cousins among my best friends. I’ve never been hugely betrayed or cheated on or abused. I’ve never been a crime victim. I graduated from college and have an advanced degree. 

I’ve been to over 30 countries, over 30 U.S. states, and 27 U.S. national parks. I’ve been to some of the most recognizable cities in the world, including Sydney, Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, Paris, Rome, Prague, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Las Vegas, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dubai, Madrid, Miami, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Venice, and Athens. I’ve watched the sunset from New Caledonia and Aruba and the middle of the Mediterranean. I’ve ziplined through the Costa Rican rainforest. I’ve walked over the border from Thailand to Myanmar. I’ve taken road trips in Europe where I’ve been to 4 countries in one day. I’ve hiked in Patagonia. I’ve dodged traffic in Hanoi. I’ve seen the sunrise over Ankar Wat. I’ve ice skated in the biggest mall in the world on my birthday. I’ve watched New Year’s fireworks in Brisbane, Queensland and Cusco, Peru. I’ve stopped for lunch in Lake Como. I’ve stood on the Great Wall of China. I’ve ridden a train through the Candian Rockies. I’ve been to the place I consider the world’s most beautiful - Glacier Point, Yosemite - 4 times. My family owns property in Florida and the Hamptons so I have a beach getaway about 10 times a year. 

I have an apartment with my own washing machine and dishwasher. I have a job I can work remotely whenever I’m sick or otherwise need to be away from the office. I have coworkers I actually look forward to seeing. I have a cat who loves me. I live about 30 seconds away from a bakery, ice cream shop, Mexican restaurant, pizzeria, and bagel shop, and within walking distance of three grocery stores. It takes me about 4 minutes from my door to the train platform to get to work. I say this just to point out that my day-to-day life is almost absurdly easy. 

Some people would look at my life and think there are still things missing from it; I don’t have my own house, I don’t have kids, I’m not married, I have very few friends who aren’t from work or family, I don’t have my own car, I don’t make six figures, I’m still just an “associate” without a prestigious job title or ranking within my firm. But I still have a lot that most people don’t. I need to remind myself of that at times, because sometimes I even feel unsatisfied. I never feel like I’ve learned enough; I’ve never read enough books or watched enough movies or practiced enough hobbies to please myself. I often feel happy doing activities alone, but sometimes I wish I had a close friend my own age to hang out with just once a week or so to make things more interesting. I live somewhere convenient, but there are trade-offs; it’s loud, there are too many lights obscuring the sky at night, it’s crowded, it’s not where I want to be forever. I haven’t even figured out whether I’m serious about doing some of the things I say I want to do; move to the West Coast, open my own law office or other business, conduct research and write articles, buy my own house where I can have chickens and a root cellar, climb mountains. Maybe I’m just too complacent a person deep down? I fear that. I’ve found that a decent life can be a trap; if things are good enough, you can start to genuinely wonder if it’s worth it to work any harder or take any more risks to make them better. Let this be a reminder that nobody’s perfect, I guess; I have a lot that’s enviable but I still don’t have all the answers.

[mayhemproduces]

Diamante and Kiera Hogan are in the ring already, as Julia seemingly just gliding down to the ring as Skye Blue follows her like a lost puppy. We’ve already seen lovers, exes- whatever you can think of Effy’s booked them tonight! These two however, we’re not exactly sure what they are but it definitely suits the event.

They’re both on the ropes as Julia soaks in the fans’ reaction, Skye’s head is on he shin, looking up like a priestess worshiping her goddess- a simple head pat does enough to make Skye grin like a child at christmas. as they get to their corner, Julia whispers something in Skye’s ear, waiting for a nod in response before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Diamante’s clearly annoyed by this whole exhibit, charging towards the opposite corner, yelling about ’all that fake shit’ but her complaints being cut short by the belling ringing and Skye decking her with a forearm!

Skye’s on her like a attack dog, forearms and elbows raining down on Diamante as the referee calls for a break. Blue allows the separation, but as Diamante gets to her feet, Skye’s bouncing off the ropes and slams her down with a missile drop kick.

Blue moves to target Diamante’s arm, wrenching her arm back with a devastating arm drag into not quite a submission but definitely pure pain for Diamante.

Kiera’s getting the whole crowd behind them with claps, Diamante trying to roll over and get out of Skye’s hold who seems to wrench back with more pure anger. Skye goes to wrench back one more time but as she moves her grip slightly, Diamante takes advantage and flips Skye forward, getting some forearm shots in before jumping over to tag in Kiera!

Kiera jumps over the top rope and slams Skye Blue down with an elevated dropkick! As soon as Skye’s up, Kiera’s got her down with a snap suplex!

Hogan goes for the cover-

1-!

Skye doesn’t even give her a one count before she’s up and grabbing a fistful of Hogan’s hair, knocking the sense out of her with a knee strike before pulling her into a DDT and slamming Kiera into the mat.

Instead of going for the cover, Skye tags in Julia with a smile, Julia slamming Kiera to the mat with a spinning heel kick to take her down before pulling her into a Surfboard stretch, wrenching her arms back.

As Kiera screams out, Julia doesn’t relent, but before Hogan has the chance to tap out, Julia lets go of her arms and kicks her head forward- practically folding Hogan in half!

Both women pull themselves to their feet, but Julia’s got the advantage and slams her with a Neckbreaker, before bouncing off the ropes and slamming Hogan down with with a sliding Lariat!

As Julia climbs to the top rope for a moonsault, Diamante climbs into the ring to attack, but Skye is on her almost immediately, taking her down with a devastating Candian Destroyer, before pushing her off of the apron and following her out.

Hart’s on the top rope as the crowd is cheering, relishing in their praise for a moment, before jumping off the top rop with a *violent* black arrow!!

1… 2… 3!!

Skye lets go of the chokehold she had Diamante in on the floor, scrambling into the ring to celebrate with Julia. Blue shoves Hogan out of the way, on her knees before Julia as the blonde stands up. Julia softly takes Skye’s jaw in her hand, guiding her up until they’re face to face.

Julia looks at Skye for a moment, her finger hooking around the loop of Skye’s black heart-shaped collar, pulling their faces closer together before smiling softly as she presses their lips together in a warm embrace.

The crowd is cheering for the two, and as they finally separate their lips, Julia takes Skye’s hand in hers and they leave the ring together.

[softtransbf]

First Second Meeting Redux

The alternate scenario for Barry and Lapin reuniting kept playing in my head, so I figured why not write it down.

I definitely skipped some turns of combat, compressing dnd bullet time into prose is never easy, and I chose pacing it the way I wanted to over technical accuracy lol

Again, not proofread, so forgive any errors

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

Making myself look away from La- Chancellor Cadbury, I scanned the faces of the other Candians. The children were so young, but the pain and fury in their eyes made them look much older than they did at the tournament, not twenty-four hours prior.

I couldn't blame them- between the Pontifex orchestrating the assassination attempt and what she just pulled with the Book of Leaves, that'd age anyone a lifetime.

The younger of the princesses, no, the former princesses, noticed me watching them.

"You! You're a priest, you have to know this isn't right. Please, help us get out of here," she begged, and I felt something in my gut soften. "My father made a mistake, yes, but we don't deserve this- this- this perversion of justice for politics!"

Before I could respond, her sister charged the dais, and chaos erupted. I stood there, frozen, torn between the letter of my vows and the spirit of them. These actions weren't in line with the teachings of the Bulb I knew and loved.

But then a sweet stench filled the air, drawing my attention to Chancellor Cadbury and the spell he had just cast on the gummy bear knight. He's a warlock? Of the Sugar Plum Fairy? Pretending to be a miracle worker? Why? For how long?

My confusion was short-lived, as just seconds later, Sir Keradin Deeproot, with three sickening blows, dropped him to the ground, and time stopped.

I saw my first day at the seminary, meeting him, with his sharp wit and eyes full of mischief. I saw nights sitting closer than necessary and talking about the cosmos and the powers other than the Bulb. And I saw him get in a carriage and leave for Candia.

It is true that miracle workers are few and far between, but the Bulb saw the love I had for it and the people around me and saw fit to bless me with certain abilities. Not faith, not blind devotion. Love. Everything I could do was simply an outpouring of love.

So it was both surprising and completely natural when I called out Lapin's name and, without any conscious decision to do so, the strongest healing magic I had ever cast flew from my hand, bathing him in light and lifting him to his feet.

Sir Deeproot turned to me, his mace covered in chocolate. "He is a heretic! Worse than that- an apostate! Why are you using the Bulb's power to heal him?"

A calmness I'd never felt before washed over me, and I stood tall. "What has been done here today is not of the Bulb. It is nothing more than schemes and political machinations that defy everything the Bulb teaches us. The Pontifex is eloquent and powerful, but that does not make her infallible. It has made her proud and given her delusions of grandeur. I cannot stand by and watch the name of the Bulb I love so much get tainted like this. Especially not to Saint Citrina's family."

Sir Deeproot swung back his mace and stepped closer to me. Half a heartbeat later, I felt a familiar paw take my hand, and suddenly I was on the upper balcony with the rest of the Candians. I looked over at Lapin and noticed that the hand not still holding mine was slightly crackling with magic, and his eyes were locked on my face.

"You-" "I-" We both spoke at the same time.

"Please, you go first," he said, breaking eye contact.

"It can wait until we're out of here. Which, uh. What's the plan for, from up here?"

The words were barely out of my mouth when there was a massive crash and the stone in one of the windows crumbled.

Amethar looked at me from amidst the rubble, clearly sizing me up. "I dunno who you are, but you saved Lapin, and that's good enough for me for now. Let's GO, people!" In pairs, we leapt out of the cathedral and ran for our lives deeper into Comida.

Lapin's hand didn't leave mine for an instant until we were safely stowed away on the Colby and it set sail.

[canadaville]

Enjoy a flametastic reading from book 9 in the Adventures of Flame Gurl book series, Red is for Heroes, on Flame Gurl's official Facebook page! Who do you consider a hero? * Book Reading: bit.ly/3qnkNOa Purchase Red is for Heroes: bit.ly/2yNL27S Purchase other books in the Flame Gurl universe: lulu.com/spotlight/flamegurl

[emmettsjeepx]

Emmett Cullen is Canadian and I will not accept criticisms

[lesbiandatekaname]

If the gang doesn't steal the book of leaves during the fight I'm going to be INCREDIBLY SAD. Not because its a powerful item, but bc it was Amethar's sister's book and the bulbian church doesn't DESERVE to have it. Citrina's legacy does not belong in the hands of belizabeth brassibitch.

[thefatfeministwitch]

6 Witch Reads for 2022!

6 Witch Reads for 2022!

It’s the beginning of a brand new year and time for me to think about the kinds of things I want to learn and experience this year, the things I want to leave in 2021, and where I’m going to go looking for magic. In a bizarre bit of irony, over the last 2 years of being even more AT HOME ALONE I have actually read way less than… well, literally ever before. Maybe it’s because I spent so much time…

[minervasmap]

PREVIEW OF ISSUE  THREE OF MINERVA’S MAP

PICK IT UP AT @vancouvercomics THIS WEEKEND

[calorumcookbook]

Hey gang! Our shop opens in less than 3 days, and it's time to reveal our bundles! Check them out in the pictures above; prices are in $USD! 👑  All proceeds will go to the Action Against Hunger, a charity aiming to end world hunger and malnutrition. ❤️  For any additional questions, please refer to our FAQ here or contact us through DMs or email!

For a transcript of what each bundle holds, see below:

CANDIAN CANAPE - $15

🍭  Digital PDF of Zine (100+ pages, 100+ illustrations, 39 recipes)

BULBIAN BRUNCH - $25

💡 Digital PDF of Cookbook Zine

💡 Digital 'Making Of' Book (bonus art, WIPs, & artist thoughts!)

💡 6 Landscape Desktop Wallpapers (HQ art of the 6 nations)

💡 8 Taste Buds Emojis (HQ digital PNGs of our stickers)

CERESIAN SUPPER - $30 (+ shipping)

🥐 Physical Cookbook Zine (U.S. Letter, 8.5" x 11")

🥐 ALL DIGITAL MERCH: Digital Zine, Digital 'Making Of' Book, 6 Wallpapers, 8 Emojis (HQ digital PNGs of our stickers)

FRUCTERAN FEAST - $45 (+ shipping)

🍇  Physical Cookbook Zine (U.S. Letter, 8.5" x 11")

🍇  2 Mystery Scene Art Prints out of 4 (8.5" x 11")

🍇  3 Mystery Landscape Postcards out of 6 (4" x 6")

🍇  Jet and Ruby Acrylic Charm (Stretch Goal - Will be unlocked at 200 orders)

🍇  ALL DIGITAL MERCH: Digital Zine, Digital 'Making Of' Book, 6 Wallpapers, 8 Emojis (HQ digital PNGs of our stickers)

CALORUM CORNUCOPIA - $60 (+ shipping)

👑  Physical Cookbook Zine (U.S. Letter, 8.5" x 11")

👑  All 4 Scene Art Prints (8.5" x 11")

👑  All 6 Landscape Postcards (4" x 6")

👑  Taste Buds Sticker Sheet (4" x 6")

👑  Chef Preston Enamel Pin (Stretch Goal - Will be unlocked at 100 orders)

👑  Jet and Ruby Acrylic Charm (Stretch Goal - Will be unlocked at 200 orders)

👑  ALL DIGITAL MERCH: Digital Zine, Digital 'Making Of' Book, 6 Wallpapers, 8 Emojis (HQ digital PNGs of our stickers)

[ID: Five pink graphics that contain mock ups of each of the products you would get if you purchased that bundle. Bundles containing the acrylic charm and enamel pin have those products greyed out with a lock symbol in front to signify its status as a stretch goal. Each graphic contains text with the bundle name, price, and a brief list of each item. END ID.]

[finaltennessee]

I saw some people tweeting that they are upset about the lack of positive Christian representation in D20 campaigns and that all of Brennan’s bad guys are religious and… I got unnecessarily annoyed about it and wrote a whole ass paper.

To begin, let’s look at ACOC. Is the main religion and head of that church depicted as one of the big bads in this season? Yes. Was every person who worshipped the bulb evil? Absolutely not. Saint Citrina was literally a Saint. She wasn’t depicted as evil. Sir Morris Brie was a good dude. He worshipped the bulb, but he wasn’t down with what the Pontifex was trying to do. In fact, when the Ramsian Doctrine was made official by the Pontifex, Brennan expressed how there was some split between followers on the morality of it. Not just with Candians either, if I recall. (I’m in the middle of rewatching it, but I’m not quite to that part yet). Also, the Bulb wasn’t the only being that was worshipped in Calorum, despite the fact that many presented as faithful bulbians to keep up appearances for the concord. There was the sweetening path, the great beasts, and the ones the dairy islanders had (cannot remember the name). To my understanding, these were all loosely based on paganism and were represented in a much much more positive light as were their followers (even though the sugar plum fairy ended up sucking). This alone disproves the narrative that Brennan presents all religions as “bad”. Ignoring all of that, Brennan expressed in an interview that some of acoc is based on the crusades. Are you gonna be mad still that he presented a church that shunned or even hunted down and killed those who didn’t fit their norm as an enemy when we can literally read about that in our history books? Or in Fantasy High’s case, Kristen’s church wasn’t even THE big bad. But it was something that he probably put in there to appeal to Ally and their history with religion. A history that many MANY other people can relate to. Faith or religion isn’t inherently evil. The people who would use it and twist it to manipulate or harm others and to fit their own agenda are. And THAT’s the message I see coming across when I watch FH or ACOC. Some people may have very positive and amazing experiences with their religion or faith and that’s great for them. (specifically talking Christianity) But many don’t. You can’t blame others for wanting to defeat the fantasy version of something that gave them irl trauma in a game of spicy dice. Or blame the person creating a world in which those with religious trauma can do that. I can completely understand the want for other religious representations, and I completely agree. They should explore more of that if they’re comfortable with it. But if we are talking about more positive Christianity/Catholic representation…you should probably look elsewhere. The things he puts in to those two campaigns aren’t exactly pulled out of thin air… You can still have faith and love your religion while acknowledging all the harm others in the past (and present) associated with your religion have done to others. Just a rant from a former jw (jehovahs witness)