#children of sea layouts

[agassi]

[fattymadiy]

children of the sea

[dsknsk]

Arknights and stars

On that topic, Arknights has always had a connection to the stars and its own star map is a bit wonky if compared to earth now but makes sense if you see it in the great scheme of things.

From Astesia's file on, it's been implied that the dome that surrounds Terra is fake, and Kristen is the first one who has gone beyond it so far (traveling from Terra to beyond the dome). It's also said that the reason people cannot navigate the sea reliably is because the stars themselves aren't reliable.

But it's also a bit more concrete that the stars are a bit off, or, it would look like that.

Remember Children of Ursus? Everyone remembers its dark story but few remember the map layout.

This is the Big Dipper, part of the constellation Ursa Maior. Fitting for an event that features bear characters.

But wait! Doesn't the Big Dipper look like this?

It does. But the Big Dipper over 50,000 years looks like this...

Like I pointed out in the previous post, the stars are always on the move. It may seem slow to us but if you take a large enough timescale then the sky sure does shift from what it's now.

Remember this skin of Astesia's?

It sure is a pretty skin. But zoom in on the star chart and you'll find something...peculiar...

Several constellations look...off. Like Leo, Virgo, Hydra and Gemini. And...

The star that's marked as the North Star (i.e the star in the middle) is not Polaris, but Vega, the largest star in the constellation Lyra! Don't see it? Here, I'll make it a little more clear:

And Lyra how it is now, which is, again, slightly different from how Lyra is depicted in the above image:

Vega is not our current North Star, it's the star Polaris (duh). But Vega was in about 14,000 years ago, and will be again in about 12,000 to 13,000 years in the future. So not our current North Star.

The celestial globe is also tilted at 45 degrees instead of 23,5 for earth.

So! A huge misser on the part of the artist, right?

Wrong!

You see, the ecliptic and equator in the artwork do obviously not align with our current ecliptic and equator. But our equator and ecliptic looking like in the skin can only happen if the precession of the earth's axis is tilted towards the south...which will be the case in 12,000 to 13,000 years from now. At that time, the constellations will look 'off' compared to how they look now (I was talking about the stars shifting over time in my previous post) and Polaris will no longer be the North Star, like in the artwork.

The kicker?

Lone Trail reveals that Terra is at least 13,000 years old.

[hellenhighwater]

I have an ask about your Artprize exhibit. I am planning on going down with my mother to Artprize and she is in a wheelchair due to terminal cancer. Are your pieces visible and able to be seen by people who are in wheelchairs / mobility scooters?

In particular, I am concerned about the arch because looking at the images posted it doesn't look like there's enough space for a wheelchair to get through. And it looks like the art pieces are too high for people in wheelchairs to see. (Not to mention children)

Have you checked to see if people in wheelchairs can view your art? Because this is something that I've run into in the past at museums and it is really frustrating. And I don't want my mom to start crying or just give up because she can't take in the art when she's been supporting Artprize financially and physically since Year One and this is her last year to see it.

The venue is wheelchair accessable, and while a wheelchair won't fit through the arch itself, both the front and back of the arch can be reached in a wheelchair--space constraints being what they were, and wanting the Icarus pieces to be low enough to be viewable but also wanting something to keep people from walking into things meant that we had to put something in the middle of the archway. But you should be able to get right up to the edges of the arch on both sides without problems--the area "through" the arch opens directly to the elevators, and there's about 4 feet of clearance on each side of the display pedestals up to the arch. Getting up close to the arch on the inside may involve running a wheel onto the supporting base, which is 3/4 of an inch tall, but is totally safe to be on. The space I'm in, between the wall and the stairs, is 10.5 feet wide, and the widest display pedestalis a little under two feet.

The display pedestals are 42 inches tall, and most all of the sculptures are only a little more than 12 inches. The only ones that you would want to look "down" into are Icarus the Sea and Narcissus, which you can look down at from the balcony above as well. The balcony is actually at street level. I wanted to make sure that the inside ceilings of the labyrinth pieces were viewable and 42 inches is the reccomended height for "small" artworks, according to my research. I'm hoping the experts were right!

It's not ideal, but working on the space we had we did try to make sure that all of it could be viewed. I would have loved about 2 more feet of width in this space! I'm including the pictures I have that show the layout a little.

The elevators are along the right wall in this last picture.

I did take it into consideration and tried to make compromises that meant I could get everything into the space without making it inaccessible. I hope that I got it right, and that you're both able to enjoy ArtPrize together! Art is for everyone.

[sleepyorchidmonster]

So, wouldn't it be fun if, when the Cataclysm happens, we temporarily enter a trial stage where we can see what the rest of Teyvat is doing while we're (presumably) in Khaenri'ah?

Like, Paimon makes an off-handed remark about how she hopes our friends are alright before we enter a domain, and next thing you know, we're playing as Jean back in Mondstadt, following her as she orders the knights to defend the city, before finding out to the Cathedral has been targeted and running up the flights of stairs alongside Lisa, Noelle, Mika and Eula. Once they reach the Cathedral, they rush to the basement alongside Barbara, only to find Albert rifling through priceless artifacts.

Then Albert reveals himself to be an Abyss Herald, saying how he spent the past years pretending to be an unsettling Barbara fan so he could be near the Cathedral and figure out the building's layout, as well as learn more about Barbatos.

We then beat him up for it. (I just want an excuse to beat up Albert). And, after the battle is over, Barbara wonders about Rosaria's whereabouts.

Rosaria is currently rushing through Springvale, trying to reach Wolvendom to see if Razor is alright. Diona, Bennet and Fischl are following her, alongside Draff and a few hunters.

They fight alongside Andrius and a pack of wolves, fending off the Abyss, especially the rifthounds (the people of Springvale evacuated to Mondstadt City).

And, just as the next wave of monsters appears, we cut to Dawn Winery, where Diluc, Kaeya and Amber are protecting the estate. (Assuming Kaeya is in Mond and not fighting his demons back in Khaenri'ah).

Meanwhile, in Dragonspine, Albedo, Mona, Klee and Sucrose are fending off a bunch of Abyssal monsters with the help of Albedo's siblings (there's an entire pack of rifthounds circling the group in a protective manner).

Then we hear an earth-shattering roar and a revived Durin suddenly takes to the sky, starting the final segment of the Mond Cataclysm fight, where we accompany Dvalin, Durin and Venti in a battle in the skies, the old foes now allies.

Then we jump from region to region, finding out how our friends are doing while the world burns to the ground.

Notable mentions that I'll probably include in another post at a later date include:

- Qiqi healing Millelith soldiers while Keqing fends off the Abyss;

- Hu tao, Shenhe and Baizhu dealing with restless spirits in Wuwang Hill;

- Rhodeia single-handledly protecting Qingce Village with a thousand Hydro mimics;

- The Akitsu Kimodameshi Youkai children attempting to protect other kids in Hanamizaka, and when that almost fails, Itto and Yoimiya swoop in to protect the kids;

- Sara, Heizou, Kokomi and Gorou working together to fend off monsters coming from the Dark Sea to Watatsumi, with Raiden on the frontlines;

- Yae sending out fox spirits to protect Narukami Island from atop the Shrine;

- Xiao, Yelan and Yanfei fighting at the Chasm;

- Wanderer fighting alongside the Pari before returning to Sumeru city to help Nahida;

- Nahida and the Aranara coordinating efforts to protect and guide all the people of Sumeru, be if by offering protection or providing oasis and safe havens;

- The Akasha being temporarily back so the entire regionof Sumeru is connected, with eremites and people from the rainforest sharing knowledge, be it the location of enemies, evacuation routes or first-aid tips. The children and elderly are also swapping stories, to calm each other down and avoid panicking;

- Nilou is guarding the Sanctuary of Surasthana, not that anyone is getting near Sumeru city, what with the green shield of Dendro and Apep looming in the background;

- Lyney and Lynette looking for Freminet, only to see a gigantic hydro construct of Pers fighting a Wolflord alongside the Salon Solitaire (Freminet and Furina besties agenda);

- Enemies such as Treasure Hoarders and Fatui fighting alongside the playable characters against the Abyss.

[mandoriana]

Salazar Slytherin (Pendragon)

Curiosities about Salazar Pendragon:

Salazar is the youngest son of Merlin and Arthur.

He is the only one of the siblings who can always see Thestrals because he was weak and almost died when he was born.

Salazar is the "mama's boy"; Merlin spoils his youngest, and Salazar loves the attention from his mother.

Since he was little, he has had Basil, a basilisk. Merlin allowed Salazar to keep the young Basil because he trusted his son to control the magical creature.

Salazar walks very gracefully and rarely falls unless one of his siblings trips him, which happens often because the others inherited Merlin's clumsy legs.

Salazar has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and his hyperfocus is snakes.

Sal is the second tallest among the siblings, standing at 1.90 meters, only shorter than Godric.

Basil hatched on the same day Salazar was born. Merlin felt the connection between the two and decided to let the young Basilisk live with Salazar until the creature grew too large.

Sal is afraid of horses because they remind him of Thestrals.

Sal loves astrology and would spend his entire life looking at the starry sky if the sun didn't eventually rise.

Merlin was always more concerned with keeping Sal out of sight due to his magical "asthma" (instead of lacking air, Sal's magic can suddenly drop and kill him unless someone helps by transferring magic to him).

Arthur and Salazar spent nights awake looking at the sky. Initially, it was because Arthur wanted Merlin to sleep and knew his husband wouldn't agree out of fear of leaving Sal alone, but it soon became a tradition for the two.

Salazar's autism comes from Arthur.

Salazar is gay.

Salazar created the first wand with a phoenix feather. Since using his magic was dangerous, he solved the problem with the wand, which allowed him to better control the amount of magic he used and thus avoid risks.

Salazar spoke Parseltongue because Basil taught him.

He is the best swimmer among the siblings and loved swimming in the lake with Basil.

When he founded Hogwarts with his siblings, he thought it was okay to mix magical and non-magical people, but when a nearby village started a witch hunt, Sal lost faith in humanity.

Sal was the last of the siblings to die.

Sal never had a husband or children, but he fell in love with a man once. When the man discovered magic, he started the witch hunt.

He loves drawing and was the one who designed the layout of Hogwarts Castle. This is also how he created the Chamber of Secrets where Basil could live for years.

Salazar inherited from Merlin the druids' ability to speak telepathically. Thanks to this ability, he developed the Legilimency spell, allowing him to read minds and detect lies, which he uses to protect his family.

Gaius died at the age of 100, so Sal had time with his grandfather to learn some medical tricks.

Salazar has a secret garden where he cultivates plants and herbs, many of which he uses to create potions and remedies.

Besides Basil, Salazar has a special affinity with other magical creatures, such as griffins and Aithusa, and often spends time caring for them.

Salazar is known for accidentally creating several cruel spells. He tried to create one that would make cuts for surgical purposes, but it went wrong and became an Unforgivable Curse (Crucio).

He has a collection of ancient magical artifacts that he found on his travels with his siblings, each with a unique story.

Arthur feared not having moments with Salazar because, unlike his other children, Sal hates swords. So, to have father-son bonding time, Arthur began teaching Salazar to play the flute and guitar.

Salazar keeps a Pensieve where he stores his most precious memories, including special moments with his family and important magical discoveries.

Salazar loves the sea and frequently visits the coast to swim and explore underwater caves, where he finds rare ingredients for his potions.

He is responsible for gifting Rowena with pearls he finds during his visits to the sea.

He keeps a detailed diary of his family's adventures and achievements, ensuring that the Pendragon history is preserved for future generations.

[starzzach]

*ahem* son of the sea god ? 👀

hiiiiiiiiii malllllllllll

this one is really funny bc i have 1 wip of them being the gods, and this wip of them as the children of the gods set in a percy jackson-esque universe.

i haven't worked on this fic in a while but there's a solid enough foundation i think the snippet (under the cut) will make sense!

-

In fact, he hopes he can get another kiss out of the whole encounter, but Charles is sighing, standing up and tugging on the collar of his shirt, dragging Carlos with him. “Come on,” he says airily, dusting down his shorts, and tousling his perfectly styled hair. “It’s time for lunch.” Pointing down at the camp, he uses his other hand to take Carlos’, leading him down as if he hasn’t used this path countless times.

There are jeers and whistling from some of the other campers when they emerge, but Charles doesn’t drop his hand. Rumours have flown around about the two of them for more summers than Carlos cares to count. Lando spies him from the archery range, waving wildly in greeting. Carlos doesn’t have the chance to wave back, jerked yet another way by Charles’ iron grip. “Where are we–?”

“Lunch,” is the only answer he gets.

They’re, like, not really heading to lunch though. Unless the layout of the camp has completely changed in the months Carlos has been gone, the mess hall is in the opposite direction to which they’re moving in. He tries to fall in step with Charles but he’s making it much harder than it needs to be with the length of his stride. They walk past the Zeus and Hera cabins through to the Poseidon cabin, which Charles opens harshly with his shoulder, nearly knocking the door off its hinges. “You’re stronger these days,” he tries to joke, but Charles merely shoves him in, rolling his eyes. “What–”

“Gods,” Charles complains under his breath, hardly audible over the shut of the door behind them, “why can’t you take a hint?” Carlos only has a moment to try and comprehend the situation before Charles is walking them backwards, capturing his lips in a kiss so brutal he wonders whether the goal of all this is pain or pleasure. The air in the cabin has always been slightly salty, but Charles’ sweetness almost seems to be in a battle with it. Carlos loses himself in the embrace as his back hits the wall, arms hesitantly encircling Charles’ waist as his hands make their way along his jaw to his hair. 

An embarrassing noise escapes from Carlos, and he can feel Charles smile against his mouth, grip lightly tugging on Carlos’ hair in retribution. Carlos would stay here forever if he could, hiding away from his responsibilities and lost in Charles’ embrace instead. He deserves it, after the last two, three, four, five years. If it’s what Charles wants too.

Charles leans back, nibbling on his bottom lip before he lets go. He doesn’t go too far. Carlos doesn’t think he could take it if he did. His breathing is heavier than normal, which he takes as a small victory along with the redness coating his whole face, stretching down his throat and disappearing into the neckline of his shirt. But even after all that, he still looks mildly irritated.

“What hint?” he asks incredulously, brows furrowing. He’s getting increasingly tired of being left out of the loop, especially like this.

But Charles steps back for real this time, clearly wanting to use his hands in what is sure to be an argument, and Carlos feels his loss immediately. “After this winter?” he says, as if that makes anything clear. “You don’t even check to see if I’m here? If I came?”

He sounds… he sounds something close to hurt. Carlos’ frown deepens. He’s actually seriously at a loss here. Much had happened last winter, but nothing immediately comes to mind. “What?”

“You–” And, yes, here is the hand irritated hand waving, accompanied by his signature pacing. If the other campers could see him now, the senior counsellor of the Aphrodite cabin losing his shit over Carlos of all people, well, it would cause serious scandal. “You’re so annoying!” he huffs out, and Carlos blinks.

He was. Well, expecting worse. “But, why?”

Charles covers his face in what seems to be a silent scream. “If you want to be together then we have to be together,” he stresses, glaring venomously at Carlos as if he’s a piece of mould on the wall and not someone he’s proposing a real romantic relationship to. “Stupid. You’re so stupid, gods.”

“But I didn’t even do anything!”

“Exactly!” he says, and now he’s more confused than ever. “You can’t just kiss me and then not make anything, you fool.”

“Do,” he corrects distractedly, trying to process the whole conversation. He cannot quite tell if Charles is speaking, well, normally, or if his words have a sweet tinge to them, fogging up his thoughts. He blinks and then looks back up at Charles in surprise. “You want to be together? With me?”

Charles closes his eyes, counting wordlessly to himself. After a beat, he says: “I’m going to drive my knife through you.”

Carlos is sure even his ears turn red. “Oh.”

“‘Oh’,” Charles mocks, but he’s red himself, too. That’s him blushing twice in one day. A new record. (Certainly not, but, come on. Carlos has earned the right to exaggerate.)

After a few moments of silence, they both speak up at the same time. 

“So–” 

“You–”

Carlos scratches the back of his neck in a nervous gesture, holding out his other hand for Charles to hopefully take. Hopefully is pushing it, because his arm doesn't feel like his own, but the air tastes salty again on his tongue. “Lunch?” he asks, avoiding his eyes. They’re green in this light, and he doesn’t think he’ll be able to look away if he does.

Charles clears his throat. “Okay,” he says indifferently, interlocking his fingers with Carlos’ as if that was a totally normal thing to do.

As if Carlos wasn't going to obsess over this for at least tonight.

-

honestly this fic has been kind of a headache to characterise bc half of their backstory is inapplicable due to their new parentage so. yeah. also i won't be hearing any complaints about their godly parents ESPECIALLY if its about charles (if you're thinking why not ares for carlos. you are thinking correctly)

[tears-of-amber]

FREYA (a deity deep dive & some UPG)

⚔️Who Is Freya?⚔️

Freya is a Norse goddess of war, love, beauty, sex, pleasure, magic, and so much more! Its very hard to summarize the extent of her powers, and what knowledge remains of her through artifacts and myths suggests she was once as complex a deity as Odin (bearing many alternate names and ruling over so many aspects of life). I took inspiration from @coinandcandle for the layout of this post. Hopefully that isn't a problem! If I get any information wrong or site sources that someone else discovers to be unreliable, I am open to feedback! Note: some of this is UPG, and I'm very clear when I'm stating UPG. If there's any confusion, feel free to message me!

⚔️Parents & Siblings⚔️

-Njördr (Freya's father, a Vanir god)

-Njördr's Unnamed Sister (Freya's mother, who some scholars speculate is Nerthus, yet it remains a mystery)

-Freyr (Freya's brother, a Vanir god)

⚔️Significant Other⚔️

-Odr (Freya's husband, a mysterious wandering god who is suspiciously like Odin)

⚔️Children⚔️

-Hnoss (Freya's daughter)

-Gersemi (Freya's daughter)

⚔️Epithets⚔️

-Hörn (meaning "flaxen", probably in reference to her hair)

-Gefn (meaning "the giver")

-Syr (meaning "sow" a creature that was associated with fertility like Freya)

-Valfreyja (meaning "lady of the slain", as Freya is the goddess who picks and rules over half the slain warriors in her hall Sessrúmnir, in the field of Fólkvangr.)

-Mardöll (meaning "sea-brightener" or "one who makes the sea shine") Note: I always think of her making her father Njördr proud, as a way of making the sea shine, but that is UPG.

-Vanadis (meaning "Vanir goddess")

⚔️Important Notes⚔️

-Freya is famous for her beauty, and her lavish taste. An example of this is her iconic necklace Brísingamen. She acquired this necklace by sleeping one night with each of the dwarves who made it. In return they made the necklace (which is said to have been gorgeous and forged out of gold with amber beads).

-Something that also confirms that amber and gold are sacred to the goddess Freya would be the story of how she cries tears that turn to gold when they touch the earth and to amber when they fall on the sea. Its important to note that she cries these tears for her husband Odr who has not returned in a long time from his wandering journeys. Below is a picture of the famous artwork that depicts her tears by Gustav Klimt:

-Oh, and Freya rides a chariot pulled by cats. Pretty cool, huh? The original cat lady. Cats are sacred to her, so if you want to honor her be sure to treat feline friends with extra respect and adoration!

-When she doesn't ride her chariot, Freya is said to ride her boar into battle. The boar's name is name is Hildisvíni (meaning battle swine).

-Freya possesses yet another treasure: her falcon cloak. This magical cloak of falcon feathers helps her to fly with the ease of a falcon. Therefore, its safe to say that falcons are sacred to this goddess.

-Despite being a goddess of sex and pleasure, Freya is not easily won over. The myths reveal she wont just sleep with anyone. Many giants sought to steal her away and wed her, yet she never caved and slept with someone she didn't see the benefit in sleeping with. In my UPG, she is a very independent goddess.

⚔️Modern Deity Work⚔️

Correspondences (These are based off of my UPG)

Rocks/Stones/Crystals

-amber

-gold

-falcon's eye (also called blue tigers eye)

-carnelian

-rose quartz

Herbs/Plants

-rose

-cinnamon

-mugwort

-daisy

-lily of the valley

-cowslips

Animals

-cat

-boar

-falcon

-rabbit

-hawk

Offering Ideas

-cinnamon tea with honey

-sweet decadent foods

-pieces of amber

-cat figurines

-jewelry (specifically necklaces)

Acts Of Devotion

-spending time caring for cats

-fighting for what you believe in

-standing up for yourself

-being respectful of your own and others sexualities

-beauty routines

-glamour magic

-learning seidr

-connecting with magic in whatever form feels right for you

-practicing being more loving and compassionate

⚔️Sources⚔️

[cyberpunkonline]

The Weirdest Games You May Have Missed

Introduction:

In the vast and ever-expanding world of video games, where countless titles are released every year, it's easy to get lost in the sea of "normal" and mainstream titles. But let's face it, sometimes, normality is overrated. There's a peculiar charm in exploring the weird, the offbeat, and the downright bizarre games that often go overlooked. These games might not be everyone's cup of tea, but they are unforgettable experiences that deserve recognition. In this article, we'll delve into the world of the strangest and most noteworthy games, offering a "Fucked up rating" out of 10 for each based on their themes, reception, and general consensus.

Captain Blood (Fucked up rating: 7/10):

Captain Blood takes you on a surreal journey through the cosmos as you attempt to communicate with alien species. The game's bizarre visuals, complex alien languages, and psychedelic landscapes make it a truly unique experience. Your goal is not just to survive but to decipher and interact with a myriad of strange extraterrestrial life forms. While it might not be for everyone, its unconventional approach to storytelling and communication is something to behold.

Weird Dreams (Fucked up rating: 9/10):

True to its name, Weird Dreams is a nightmarish adventure that blurs the line between reality and the surreal. Players navigate a series of disturbing dreamscapes, encountering grotesque creatures and solving perplexing puzzles. Its unsettling atmosphere and unconventional gameplay make it a true gem for fans of the bizarre. The game's eerie soundtrack and nightmarish visuals contribute to its deeply unsettling atmosphere.

I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream (Fucked up rating: 8/10):

Adapted from Harlan Ellison's sci-fi classic, this game explores themes of torture, redemption, and existential dread. It's a grim and unsettling journey through the minds of five tortured souls, each facing their own unique horrors. The game's dark narrative and moral dilemmas leave a lasting impact, and the voice acting adds an extra layer of unsettling realism to the experience.

Rule of Rose (Fucked up rating: 9/10):

Rule of Rose is a psychological horror game that delves deep into the disturbing relationships among a group of orphaned children in a mysterious, twisted orphanage. The game explores themes of power, cruelty, and psychological trauma in a way that is both disturbing and thought-provoking. The haunting orchestral score and eerie art design intensify the feeling of unease.

The Suffering (Fucked up rating: 7/10):

This action-horror game is a descent into the nightmarish horrors of a prison overrun by monstrous abominations. The game is known for its graphic violence and psychological elements, making it a haunting and disturbing experience. The game's gruesome creature design and oppressive atmosphere contribute to its unsettling nature.

E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy (Fucked up rating: 6/10):

E.Y.E is a surreal and ambitious cyberpunk game that blends elements of first-person shooters, role-playing, and exploration. Its complex narrative and bizarre world-building make it a challenging but intriguing experience for those who appreciate unconventional storytelling. The game's intricate lore and cyberpunk aesthetics add depth to its eccentricity.

Deadnaut (Fucked up rating: 8/10):

Deadnaut is a roguelike sci-fi horror game that places you in the shoes of a team of spacefaring investigators. As you explore derelict spaceships and face off against cosmic horrors, the game's oppressive atmosphere and grim narrative create a genuinely unsettling experience. The procedural generation of ship layouts and unpredictable encounters enhance its replayability and sense of cosmic dread.

Vangers (Fucked up rating: 9/10):

Vangers is a surreal and mind-bending open-world vehicular combat game set on a bizarre alien planet. Players navigate a surreal landscape in customizable vehicles, encountering strange creatures and solving cryptic puzzles. The game's absurdity is matched only by its complexity, offering a unique blend of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving that's as bewildering as it is captivating. Its nonsensical dialogue and intricate world-building contribute to its strangeness.

Conclusion:

The world of gaming is a vast and diverse one, and these weird and wonderful titles are just the tip of the iceberg. From surreal dreamscapes to psychological horrors, cosmic mysteries, and the alien landscapes of Vangers, there are countless overlooked gems waiting to be discovered. So, did I miss anything? Undoubtedly. The world of gaming is a treasure trove of oddities and eccentricities, and it's up to each player to embark on their own journey of discovery to find the next weird and wonderful game that will leave a lasting impression.

- Raz

[the-quicksilver-diary]

The Archive

Thunder rolls far beyond, resounding across an endless sea. The ocean crashes upon an island's sheer and jagged cliffs. And on this island, that forsaken hunk of ancient stone cradled in boundless sea and thundering sky, sits the Archive.

The Archive contains mathematical theorems written by the first scholars of the desert lands, and blueprints for vast machines dreamt by visionary artificers. It is a library of genius. The Archive contains forbidden esoterica, and secrets whispered to mad prophets in twilight hours. It is a vault of arcane power. The Archive contains maps of all the stars ever born, all the lands ever roamed, all the children of creation. It is a store of wonder.

For all it contains, the Archive serves as a bastion of memory. Its bricks, whose clay was made wet by tears and made stone by hellfire, were laid by the tireless constructs of yore. Each brick remembers the life cut down to make it, each cry of a widow or whimper of her young. And within those walls, anything known by man, beast, or god is recorded in a book for future retrieval.

The Archive, its name long dead with the poor soul who drafted its layout, is a structure erected aeons ago by sleepless builders, housing all the knowledge ever conceived. Its spires reach tall into the terrible night, grasping for a semblance of starlight unreachable by mortal-laid stone. Along the outer walls of the Archive, facing forever to the moon, are cast a row of stained-glass windows depicting strange geometries.

The moon, in accordance with her cyclical temperament, shines angles of light that refract through these geometries. While within her candle-wax humours, the windows filter light such to display small creatures of the pasture, mirages of wonder and fondness. And while the moon is within her waning and hollow humors, the glass bends to a crueler will and spawns countenances of nightmare and shadow.

These monsters blur the quality of their own outline, substance uncertain against the aether of being, demeanor hostile to the concept of life. Countless visitors to the Archive have become lost in its labyrinthine halls, devoured by phantoms whose rasping bellows call to mind a place that never was.

There once was a Librarian who lived within this grand and damnable Archive. None knew his name, even if such a thing could ever have been important. The Librarian was brilliant, he knew the home and content of every book in his domain. The Archive, as a result, was kept in impeccable and pristine condition. It was a monument of glory and brilliance sought by all in the kingdom of men, holding texts on still-fresh vellum and ink retrieved with lightning swiftness. That is, until came the inexorable end of the Librarian.

The Librarian, alone in his keep, was driven mad by visions of shadows that stalked the Archive's halls. Stalked by shadows that never were, he sought the cold embrace of the deep below. His fall was unremarkable, the splash of his body upon the water unseen among the havoc of the waves. Only the tide mourned for him.

And once the Librarian was gone, the shelves grew angry and afraid. They lost their cohesion, books dissolving through higher dimensions and rotating themselves to opposite ends of the complex. No-one can recall the order or material within these texts. Curious men still search the Archive, some to find wisdom of decaying sages, others to map its Escherian routes. Books open, and their pages bleed, their words illegible to the conscious mind. The Archive has lost its glory, containing still all the knowledge there ever was. And all the same, the hallowed sea sings a dirge for the corpse she cradled, and so sway shadows dreamt by glass.

[happyk44]

So I just found out that Poseidon is also the god of droughts and what are your thoughts on a child of poseidon with drought powers, a complete opposite to their more sea based children?

[ID: Screenshot of a google search. The search term reads, "god of drought in gr...". The search term is cut off due to the mobile layout of the screenshot. A featured snippet at the top comes from wikipedia, reading, "List of water of deities".

The core of the screenshot is the People Also Ask section, of which the return is "Who is the Greek god of drought?" This question has been dropped down to show a result from "www.theoi.com". The answer reads, "Poseidon was the Olympian god of the sea, earthquake, floods, drought and horses. He was depicted as a mature man with a sturdy build and a dark beard holding a trident (a three-pronged fisherman's spear)." /end ID]

Oh! I knew this 🙌 I think it's related to him being the god of the sea/water, sort of like how Apollo is associated with healing but also the plague. I always find it funny when that happens 🤣

So for the kids who skew more to the side of drought, obviously they still have their sea powers. They're probably far more dry in tone, less empathic, less emotional. Maybe they're more prone to the earthshaker side of Poseidon as well, and the equine, to make up for the lesser interest in the sea. Plus earthquakes and horses are more land-based and a drought affects the land (agricultural loss, wildfires, increased sandstorms, etc).

In PJO canon, I'd want to say drought-based kids grew up more inland where access to a large body of water was difficult to come across. So it's less about internal nature (as with my interpretation of the freshwater vs seastorm Neptune babies), and more about familiarity and adaptation - sort of like how catci and other desert plants have evolved to handle long periods without water.

Powers that they have an increased capability for over their sea counterparts:

causing earthquakes! they can manipulate them on a small or large scale, but they have higher propensity. it's a little harder for them to cause underwater earthquakes tho (which. can become tsunamis btw)

dehydration - sort of an inverse of drowning a person in their own fluids, they will the liquids inside them to dry up at a rapid pace

as a subset of that, i think it would be so cool if they could pull a tantalus-like punishment with enough focus on someone. no matter how much you drink, you will always be thirsty, you will never be satisfied, you will be captain barbosa and his crew, turning skeletal in the moonlight

they can withstand higher and drier heats than their sea-preferred counterparts (for example, percy would be hanging off of carter in the desert, crying for water, while they're chilling and vibing, truly a cactus of a person)

similarly, they retain water better, and sweat less. their bodies need less fluid to keep going on (this makes them better at giving blood lol, stay juicy everybody!)

while most children of poseidon are capable of piling water in the air into something usable, the drought prone kids have picked up how to pull water/usable liquid from anything available, as dry climates may lack enough water in the air for it to be worthwhile compared to humid climates --- so they're more likely to pull water out of living things, pull water out of the ground, or even find water deep underground (well water!)

due to the above, they're more capable of causing inland floods, they can pull water out from deep in the earth and force it to surround areas that are devoid of rivers, lakes, or even high rainfalls - this isn't just because of the whole "god of floods" thing either, it's because after a long period of drought, sudden rains can cause flash flooding to occur, so they're good at making flood happens

heat generation! they may be able to make things hotter, and/or drier

they have perpetual black thumbs. they are... not very good at growing plants lol

finding/summoning horses. it might take a while, but if there is a horse, they will find it (like the horse version of a dowsing rod, which, lol, they're kind of the human version of a dowsing rod, i guess), and if there are no horses nearby, they will get one to come to them through ✨ vibes ✨

their version of a storm is a heatwave OR extreme rain. yes, they can summon hurricanes or typhoons, but those are much more ocean-based things. so forcing high and burning levels of heat that makes everyone stumble and sag, sweating through every inch of fabric they have OR extreme and heavy rainfall that practically drowns you where you stand and knocks you to the ground is more their instinct

lowkey i wanna give them sandstorms as well, since that can be an effective of long-period of drought, but. you know. idk how much greece was ever getting pummeled by sandstorms for that to be something they associated with drought. (egypt, on the other hand, set, my dangerous and beloved)

(funnily enough set is also the god of foreigners, so like, who knows, maybe he and poseidon struck a funny deal when one of his kids traipsed over there while wandering around)

Since I think the difference between sea-based Poseidon babies and land-based Poseidon babies is just due to their adaptation of their environment, I think someone who is sea-based could easily become more land-based after living in such conditions for a while, and vice versa. Sort of like accents, lol. You know, if Percy decided to up and move to the desert in his 40s, he'd adapt after an initial period of "oh my gods oh my gods where is the fucking water where is the ocean i am dying" lol. it would take him a lot longer to pick up on the accent of the land than if he were younger, and so he'd still maintain his "sea" accent long-term

Because of this, I think it would be really neat if, way back when, it was common for the kids to take a few months away from camp to go living in the desert for a bit so they could pick up some land skills - like a rite of passage for poseidon demigods. one of the older cabin members goes out with them to make sure they don't die, helps them hone into the skills they might not have tapped into before, etc and so on. The kids come back at the end of their outing, more well-rounded and capable of tapping into the opposite side of their powers, when and if needed. Some of the kids might repeat the outing more than once for funsies, but most of them usually just do the one time thing, and then practice their land-based powers on a smaller scale at camp.

If a land-based kid comes into camp when they're much older, they don't typically have to do the outing, but sometimes they'll go out, not to learn anything, but to help the others, since they'll essentially receive assistance with their sea-based powers while they're at camp (presuming every version of camp has been based near the ocean or some giant water mass throughout the years - if not, then it goes the other way around, where they take a few months to go chill out on a beach for a few months).

Thanks for asking! If anyone else has any extra ideas, feel free to add them on! :)

Additionally, just 'cause, here are the four types of droughts I came across while googling "drought causes" because, lol, I'm an island boy, I am not familiar with droughts and wanted to get some facts in that weren't high temps and low rainfall (source):

Meteorological: region-specific; occur when an area receives less rainfall than normal; often measured by comparing the current situation to previous years’ rainfall. Some locations are affected more harshly than others.

Agricultural: when there is not enough moisture in the soil to sustain the growth of crops. Crops need different amounts of water based on their level of maturity, so they can be susceptible to droughts at different times. For example, most plants require moist topsoil to germinate, but this could be less important down the line as the plant matures. So, the effects of an agricultural drought hinge largely on the growth stage of the plants.

Hydrological: when there is a lack of surface and subsurface water supply; detrimental effects can be most readily observed in watersheds and river basins; affect the entire water cycle, take longer to notice, and have effects less immediately obvious than with other droughts.

Socioeconomic: when the water supply is too low to support human and environmental needs; wreaks havoc on the supply and demand of crucial commodities like water, grains, fish, and hydroelectric power.

[fattymadiy]

art by daisuki igarashi

[outofangband]

Teleri gardens post for @actual-bill-potts

Mentions of this on my other world building posts for the Teleri! I actually have a lot of head cannons about the differences in gardens between the three peoples of the Amanyar and I will make posts about Vanyarin and Noldorin gardens soon!

Second note: this is not meant to be a flora post as I want to make a separate one with more extensive information on that however, I will include some examples of plants 

As always please feel free to ask more!

-The Teleri have beautiful gardens of a variety of forms; formal gardens, groves, orchards, vegetable and herb gardens, aquatic gardens ranging from elegant ponds to elaborate whimsical waterscapes, and coral gardens.

-There are extensive and beautiful gardens at the palace of Alqualondë including a fountain carved over a natural spring, a grove of trees (mostly black and maritime pine) with a small natural pond, and a stream that runs to the ocean through a small opening in the sandstone walls.

-Shapes of gardens tend to be spiral or circular from above. Circles, spirals, waves, and other similar shapes are common and a lot of their art and this absolutely includes outdoors and garden art 

-Some of these coral gardens are cultivated from existing tide pools with help from Maiar of Ulmo. These can serve as living monuments to the ocean and its creatures, and are very sacred places to the Teleri.

-There are several green houses in Alqualondë including one or two built over warm springs that provide moisture to the plants and soil. Glasswork is another important Telerin craft as I mentioned on my first world building post. Though Noldorin architectural styles or practices might have been used in their construction, the glasswork and horticulture/ecological work is from Telerin knowledge and practices

-There are also many purely underwater gardens. Some of these are in lagoons, and groves found more inland. Some of these are in the ocean beyond the harbor. Many of these are very difficult to access to outsiders, requiring access through hidden coves and through steel treks. These gardens are home to many aquatic and ocean plants, and the creatures that find sanctuary in them; kelp, seaweed and sea grasses and others 

-Gardening, landscaping and design and water engineering are important Telerin crafts! They take a lot of pride in how land and water are represented in their gardens, in contents and layout and shape, etc

-The soil around and through Alqualondë is very fertile. It’s not uncommon to find fragments of shell and limestone or sandstone in the soil thus the plant life tends to be limestone friendly though the levels are not so high that it makes it inhospitable to species that aren’t 

-Small pebbles and shells often decorate paths in gardens and parks. Statues are rare in gardens but small rock/pebble formations are sometimes made

-Especially among the nobles but also elsewhere, aquatic gardens often with elaborate waterscapes. These utilize pumps, spinning wheels, elegant slanted trofts carved from stone, clay or bamboo, and elvenmade streams and ponds

-Even in non water based gardens, water elements such as fountains, often in whimsical or creative shapes, bird baths and ponds are common. There are carved sandstone structures around several saltwater springs creating fountains in Alqualondë’s main spaces. These are viewed as the sea opening up within the city

-Telerin gardens, even formal ones, tend to require minimal pruning, and rely on methods that allow the species to grow thrive, and cross pollinate as they would naturally. While, this is true of most elven garden practices in general it’s often especially visible in these 

-Children play in the gardens a lot and lessons are often held here!

-As I mentioned on my previous world building post for the Teleri, many streams run from the Pelóri to the ocean and they run through the city. There are also many underground streams, and both sources are utilized to bring water to gardens, houses and other water elements. I actually headcanon that both Tirion and Alqualondë have systems somewhere between canals and aqueducts.

-Sea cabbage, common gorse, juniper, bay, sea oats, yarrow, sea thrift, curry plants and sea campion are some of the most common plants in small gardens. Bay leaves are common garnishes and seasoning in Telerin cuisine.

[scotianostra]

On August 29th 1930 36 people, the entire population of St Kilda were evacuated from the island.

On 10 May 1930 the people of St Kilda sent a collective letter to William Adamson, the Secretary of State for Scotland, requesting that they should be evacuated from their home. By the end of August that year the evacuation was completed and the process of resettlement on the Scottish mainland had begun. The abandonment of St Kilda is sometimes described as one of the few occasions when the ending of a community has taken place in a voluntary fashion.

Generations had struggled to scrape a living from the unforgiving land far out in the Atlantic, but the 20th century had finally caught up with the harsh reality of existence there. It was a brutal process, as they carried their possessions and their furniture on their backs to the pier, the men had the unenviable task of drowning their working dogs in the sea, as they were not allowed to take them with them to the mainland, it was either that or leave them to starve, a very harsh ending to their life on the archipelago. Their cats were left to fend for themselves, but from what I can gather were eventually all killed off by the military over the next few years.

St Kilda is not unique, other Scottish Islands were abandoned beforehand, most notably, Handa, off Sutherland which met its doom in the 1840s. Mingulay, in the Outer Hebrides that was deserted by 1912. The Islands of St Kilda though had become a curiosity, a sort of freak show for tourists to observe.

St Kilda is actually the name given to the group of islands, though most people when quoting St Kilda, really mean the largest island where the actual village was, that is actually called Hirta, I myself when posting here have occasionally just title the photos St Kilda, rather than correcting myself, lazy, a wee bit I just find it easier than explaining the Island group each post.

Hirta was occupied by humans for over two thousands of years by various residents and there were many traditions handed down the generations, traditions influenced by monks, viking sailors, medieval rulers and landowners.

What remains there now are the ruins of both their original houses, mainly blackhouse type houses, alongside slightly newer houses which had been built for them in the later years. The layout of the 19th-century village remains to this day, and over 1,400 stone-built Cleit for storing food and fuel are scattered all over the islands, and even on the sea stacs.

In 1726 a St Kildan visited Harris, caught smallpox there, and died from it. His clothes were returned to St Kilda in 1727, and brought the disease with them. Most of the islanders died, only 1 adult and 18 children survived the outbreak. However, 3 men and 8 boys escaped the disease as they had been left on Stac an Armin to collect gannets. The disease spread while they were there and nobody could go to fetch them. They were eventually rescued 9 months later. The owner of St Kilda had to send people from Harris to repopulate St Kilda.

As if the harsh conditions weren’t enough the Islanders had to cope with the effects of the First World War, the Royal Navy erected a signal station on Hirta, and daily communications with the mainland were established for the first time in St Kilda’s history. In a belated response, a German submarine arrived in Village Bay on the morning of 15 May 1918 and, after issuing a warning, started shelling the island.

Seventy-two shells were fired, and the wireless station was destroyed. The manse, church & jetty storehouse were damaged, but no loss of life occurred. As a result of this attack, a 4-inch Mark III QF gun was erected on a promontory overlooking Village Bay, but it never saw military use.

[amelia55]

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[raayllum]

just wondering, whenever you go off about the cube placement (which like, iconic✨) are you focusing on which sides are in frame for the scene/moment, or what is currently facing on top? or does that change depending on circumstance? not sure if that makes sense but just curious :)

I typically focus on whatever we're seeing most overtly - so whatever sides are noticeably in the frame! As well as what's being discussed or happening in the scene around the cube to like, provide context. Obviously not every single rune placement or whatever is always important, that'd be silly and nigh impossible if you want to keep a certain amount of consistency in terms of how the cube is like, physically laid out, but what consistency is there is interesting and paints some very exciting pictures

So now is as good a time as any to talk about it I guess!

[ Side note: A simple layout of the cube is that Sky and Star are opposite (usually depicted as top and bottom), with Earth and Moon being opposite, followed by Sun and Ocean being opposite all wrapping around the other two. ]

1x04, the Cube's first appearance

In a box of keys in the game room of the Banther Lodge. We see Star (I), Ocean (I), and Moon (I) depicted.

A few things interesting about this arrangement that's interesting is that the Cube did not have to be laid out this way. You could've kept Ocean on display, kept Star, and had Earth on display as well (the way we see it depicted a second later in S2 with foreshadowing S4 etc). My first thought was Oh maybe they wanted the Star primal facing upright specifically (or upside down the way it is on Aaravos' chest). But we don't see either of those either. The Star primal isn't facing either up or upside down, it's just there. Which seems peculiar given that it's clearly always been associated with the Star primal. The only reason to necessarily frame it like this (if there is one) is because you actively want Moon to be on display for the Cube's first appearance, which is... something we will routinely come back to, just you wait

But the second shot of the cube is definitely the one that we're probably the most familiar with in terms of the show drawing attention to it, with Star (II) on top, Earth (I) to the left, and Ocean (II) to the left

We don't see the cube again until the very end of the episode in which Rayla tosses it to Callum and reaffirms the Game motif surrounding the Cube / Aaravos' machinations in some of my favourite pieces of future foreshadowing

A piece from a children's game

It's our first strong instance of Sky (I) and yet again, Earth (II) and Ocean (III) which takes the primary spot in this shot, for sure. Which just lends itself very well to the theory of both Aaravos' prison being in the Sea of the Cast Out, under the water, and that he will likely be set free in Book 5: Ocean, which is all but confirmed to be the title of S5.

Then Callum drops it and it interacts with his primal stone and we learn that it's a glow cube with possibly more secrets in store than he realizes ;)

1x05 Viren Foreshadowing

Next time we see Callum with the cube it's in early 1x05 (which Rayla has already noted his fixation with it in the novelization by this point / on this fine morning) and it's directly after Viren has used a butterfly to disguise/heal his corrupted form. This is similar to how Claudia's fiery dark magic smoke transitions into the primal cube storm in 1x04. We see Callum looking at the Star rune (III) with nothing else really in focus.

You can see Sun vaguely below Star, but it's not sharing the frame in the same way we've seen before. One interesting thing I've noticed in shots about the Cube is that generally, Sun is displayed very rarely, and so is Earth, outside of its purposeful Ocean-Earth-Star trifecta. This absence of Sun has always struck me given the Sunfire elves have the most overt history with Aaravos up to this point: the murder of Queen Aditti, the Sun primal being able to remove dark magic (and therefore Aaravos being able to possess/control people), Khessa's murder, Karim's "This rising sun has now become a falling star," the Orphan Queen's title logo having a Sun primal symbol.

And again, the Star primal is not facing upright, so it doesn't need to look like that - except for the next shot, which features Ocean (5) and Moon (IIII) while Callum ponders the cube, again

Callum then uses the Cube on the primal stone again and we get a ton of Sky and Ocean (aka makes sense, since we want to establish the Ocean rune is there later for this episode in particular and Callum's arc with Sky magic).

Then he uses it on Rayla, leading to yet another piece of foreshadowing that haunts me the most

1x05 Foreshadowing Boogaloo

What gets me here is again, did not need to have Star (IIII) be what was in this shot at all, and that when Rayla initially stops him, his upper arm and the cube is mostly out of frame. She then pulls him down and brings the cube directly into frame to the point of taking up half the space while she continues her trend of ominous Cube foreshadowing statements. Last time it was "I hope it was worth it to you, putting everyone's lives in danger," this time in response to Callum messing with magic / interacting with her, she says, "This doesn't end well for you" and we also get a little glimpse of Ocean (6) and of course, Moon (5) most prominently in display

We see a rare Sun (I) display with Bait and then again we see it in the boat with Star (5) and Ocean (7), as well as Moon (6) while he contemplates why it is glowing (but I hand-wave that under just wanting a shot change for the scene in general and then we don't see it at all for a few episodes until 1x09

1x09 Moon Arcanum Foreshadowing

Its involvement in 1x09 is almost surely to foreshadowing Callum's initial inklings with the Moon (7) arcanum that S2-S4 have kept building on, as well as setup for Lujanne's illusions being well, illusions, ahead of time

Ironically we see the cube less in S2 but it's arguably the season where we learn the most about it, with Callum's sad "It doesn't glow for me" scene in 2x01. However, the scene doesn't actually have him looking a the Sky (III) arcanum until the very end. They actually give a moment to stroke and consider the Moon (8) arcanum first, since that was his initial let-down with Lujanne, and we see the typical other trifecta of Moon-Star-Ocean when he first picks it up

We don't see the cube again until 2x06 and it's the Big One, arguably, with

An elven archmage named Aaravos

Which, I think the displays of Star (7), Moon (9), Earth (3), Ocean (9), and the context of the letter being bookended by Harrow's gifts to Callum (the sketchbook memory, and now the cube), the fact this is when it is called a Key, etc. with Ocean most prominently on screen, all speak for themselves. Like just... everything? Good. Good

2x07 and Merging Metaphors

The scene between Callum, Rayla, and Bait about the cube is one of the most important I think for the framing of the language used to describe the Cube because it's the first scene to reconcile the "Cube as a Game piece" motif (started in 1x04 by Callum) directly with the "Cube as a Key" language (started lowkey in 1x04 by Callum, but completely dropped until the letter the previous episode). Here, we have Callum musing, "He said it was a key, but a key to what?"

We see Sky (5) primarily - makes sense, as Callum will be connecting to / unlocking the secret of that particular primal pretty shortly - and Ocean (10), which if Aaravos' prison is under water and is unlocked by the end of Book 5 and he requires the Key to get out, it would make a lot of sense.

And then Rayla walks out, merging the metaphoric and literal language into one: "You practicing magic or are you losing to Bait at a game of rolly-cubes?"

And you would think given that the scene is discussing Callum's anxieties over not being a Sky mage and that again, like the previous half of this scene, would highlight the arcanum he's going to connect to. But it doesn't

Instead we yet again see Star (8), Ocean (11), and Moon (10), the Moon rune being lit up by Rayla as they agree on needing a breakthrough.

The 2x08 Dark Magic Dream Sequence

Don't have the bandwidth / space to include all the pictures because there is a lot here but: Earth (4) and Ocean (12) are most prominently displayed when he lifts it out of the pile of keys. The Dark Mage Callum card for "dig deep" on the game Battlecharged features Callum holding the Cube with the Moon (11) rune displayed as he lifts it out from another angle as well, so fuck it, I'm counting that implication. Then the Sky (6) rune changes from its original form to the dark magic sigil. However I find these shots the most eye emoji in terms of implications, particularly if next season is Ocean (12) and things with the Cube go the way I think they might and/or Callum has an incentive to do dark magic (the coins with the Moon fam perhaps?)

Then of course all the sides of the Cube turn to the dark magic sigil to symbolize Callum's perceived destiny closing around him (and before that, dark Callum's "You need to accept your destiny" having Moon and Ocean once again the most prominently displayed).

In 2x09 we don't actually see any symbol beyond the Sky (7) rune nor is there a moment after Callum's achievement where we see him hold the rune up to himself for a full circle moment (also leaving more of the Cube's more negative associations / implications fully intact). 3x02 probably has the least important Rune scenes simply because there's plenty of growing creatures and explorations and is one of only two times we see the cube the whole season so I'm basically writing that off.

See, I'm not talking about every single instance the cube shows up. I'm normal.

3x08 and Turning Tides

However 3x08 is when we get arguably the biggest positive consequence of the cube, in that it reminds Callum the pendant from Rayla is a moon opal and can be used for the history spell Lujanne had shown him in 2x01. This allows him to see what really happened to her family and help place agency back in her hands, rather than her feeling obligated to take on a shame induced suicide mission out of guilt. And again, we see our Moon (13)-Star (9)-Ocean (13) trifecta.

4x01 - 4x04

So the first time we see the Cube in S4 is when Soren goes and picks it up in 4x01, messing with it, and constantly making it flicker with Moon and Star on display. Most noticeably, however, it takes place when Callum is talking about trying to decipher and the mirror. And twice, Soren presses down on the Star rune like it's a button with Ocean prominently on display, the Moon rune being what's most visible when Callum reaches over to irritably reclaim it (and we know by the end of 4x01 just how much he's associating Rayla with the Moon).

So the first shot of the cube in S4 is of the Moon (14) and Ocean (14), and then switches to Ocean (15) and Star (10)

It's also worth nothing that the cube being in Callum's little 'shrine' corner initially with his drawings of his mother and of Rayla in 4x02 (before Stella takes it) isn't the case in 4x01. It's somewhere different, perceivably, as Soren picks it up, and Callum either puts it back in the shrine spot or puts it there as a new spot after the fact

When he's in his office trying to decipher the mirror, the Star (11) rune is what is most consistently on display with one Sun (approx. 4 or 5) and then another Ocean (16). We see Sky (8) when Callum comes over to inspect the Cube upon seeing it glow and turning away from the mirror. Then of course you have the big Rayla shot with Stella holding the Cube on her shoulder

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the scene did not need to be shot or framed this way. The season had a million opportunities to show Stella making the Star arcanum glow, most notably ones in which Callum wouldn't even be aware of it. The same way that Stella and her connection to the specific Star arcanum has to be tied to a Rayla plot line in future seasons and during the timeskip, otherwise why not just have her be a little Xadian friend Ezran could have made during trips to visit Zym? And even then, why align it so heavily with Rayla's moonlight halo'd re-entry into Callum's life unless all of those things are going to be even more tightly bound than they already are?

It reminds me of the "Callum realizing he can do dark magic to save her" scene in 2x07, in which there were many ways we could've had Callum stumble upon the solution, but the writers chose to show him drawing Rayla, show that she's someone he's developing feelings for by having the book flip back to his previous crush, and have Callum realize the dark magic stuff from there. On that note, if you are interested in more thoughts of how Rayla (and Rayllum's arc) has already been interwoven with Cube symbolism in S1-S3 I'd check out this meta of mine here.

Then of course you have the 4x04 intro when Callum doubles back to get the cube before they depart for Xadia, leading to the classic Star-Earth-Ocean trifecta we haven't seen in a little while or so noticeably since 2x06, as well as the Ocean and Callum staring directly at the Star arcanum on the cube.

This of course means that once Callum has fully turned to stone, he is facing as far away from the Sky arcanum as possible, and it's the arcanum symbol most directly facing Aaravos when he lifts up Callum's piece. This may be because Aaravos knows he can take away Callum's agency/freedom or because he knows Callum will willfully sacrifice it under certain circumstances, or perhaps barter for someone else's freedom, but it's not a sign of anything good, I'm sure.

Callum snatches the cube up and brings it along, playing with it while Zubeia, Rayla, and Ezran discuss Aaravos laid overtop.

Z: Aaravos was able to give them something they wanted very badly. Aaravos chose as his instruments people who had strong minds and strong hearts, but who had an insatiable thirst and fascination with magic.

Rayla: Mages. Z: Yes, mages were his prey.

So we have Moon (approx 17) in every shot, followed by Ocean (18), Star (13), Sky (9), and a rare Sun (6), once again reaffirming Rayla's link to Callum's magehood when Ezran as an alternative and right there, and Zubeia directly paralleling what Aaravos says to Viren in late s2: "Search your heart. There is something you want very badly." It is also worth noting that Zubeia's description of mages isn't entirely accurate of Callum. His desire and love of magic is very strong, but not insatiable (cue him rejecting dark magic after using it once in spite of the power it would offer him, and him not going through with the lightning rod plan in 2x04). In contrast, Callum is willing to risk himself without hesitation and with only minimal hope for his loved ones, specifically Ezran and Rayla, no matter the cost.

And with that out of the way, last but not fucking least we have

Unable to Let Go 4x07

After the possession the next time we see the cube is a couple episodes later in 4x07, and it is the last time we see it in the season. Callum takes it out in the Crystal Labyrinth led by N'than, and then upon having his selection of any five of the primal gems, Callum picks a gem of the magic type he's used the most after Sky magic (because no he doesn't have any favouritism at all, why would you say that). But hey: moon ones are the prettiest.

Then crossing the Bridge of Darkness, Callum drops the moon opal, retrieves it, and...

This one drives me particularly crazy because I love my light and darkness motif, as well as likely pushing Moon to appear just a couple more times than Ocean does for the unofficial 'competition' of "what rune shows up the most?"

Then in the cube's final scene for the season, and upon being prompted by Rayla to take a different path than the one of darkness Callum is worried he's on, Callum resolves to throw away the cube. This gives us a Sun and another prominent Star rune, the second in this episode and 100% symbolizing Aaravos and Callum's lurking fear of him.

And then of course we see the Star-Ocean-Moon, with Callum lifting the cube up and, I shit you not, looking at the moon rune of all things when he is unable to part with it. This of course leaves the Star primal on display but also the Sun, and we know that Callum has a variety of reasons to feel a fixation / strong attachment to the cube that he's unwilling to let go of, but given the interplay between Rayla and the moon rune and the upheaval in their relationship, I do think his relationship with Rayla is something you can read into this moment, especially when it's her advice that makes him resolve to try to let go of it in the first place.

Conclusion

So like, we did it. We reached the end. Ocean and Moon show up the most. What's the point of all this? Fuck if I know, I'm incredibly sleepy, but I have my theories.

Ocean popping as often and in the manner it does indicates not only that Aaravos' prison is related to water (specifically the Sea of the Cast Out) but that he is going to be out of his prison by the end of S5.

Given the line about Callum figuring out secrets, we will probably know at least what the cube is supposed to do or how it is supposed to work by the end of S5, even if we may not see it come to fruition yet. I personally think we will see the cube in action and be used for at least one of its intended possible purposes in S5

Only three characters are really represented with the cube runes, being Rayla, Callum, and Aaravos. Part of this is because Sky is Callum's primary magic, Star magic is ubiquitous with Aaravos currently, and the cube never had time to foreshadow Moon outside of Rayla because Moon was book one

For Earth and Ocean at the very least, they are tied to representing seasons for now > characters, although Rex Igneous having the location of the prison and a Tidebound elf helping to create or seal the prison, that would be a very nice complement

In spite of the Sunfire elves fairly in depth recent history with Aaravos, the Sun rune is almost never displayed. Meanwhile Moon, which is linked historically to only Luna Tenebris, is displayed with a consistency either equal or slightly lesser / more than Ocean, with a wide margin between those two and all the other sigils

Earth is also almost never displayed outside of the Earth-Star-Ocean trifecta

Even after losing magic, Callum relies on the cube very little as a magical tether. The seasons where the cube is most relevant to the plot and occurs most frequently is S1 and S4

The Cube is more closely associated with general primal magic / other magic types than Sky, in spite of Sky being Callum's primary arc in S1-S2 in particular and his primary type of magic (with Moon as his, currently, only secondary).

The Cube was the main tether to the Game motif prior to S4 when it became more aligned with Aaravos. The metaphorical inner workings are currently tightening and being fastened together, and I'm really excited about it.

And I think that's everything, I am so sorry that this is so long, and I hope that you enjoyed reading it. As for me, always remember: