#devoted to the noble achievement of man...

[daydreamerdrew]

The Hulk! (1978) #25

[mr-squiggley-poufs]

Thinking about a magical scenario where Li Yu and Shen Qingqiu meet and compare transmigration stories

-----

Li Yu: Oh, so you got wife plotted by your scamming system too?

Shen Qingqiu: Wife plotted? Wouldn't that be for the wives? I don't know what you're talking about, I've never been wife plotted.

Li Yu, staring at the harem of men who are in love with Sqq: Right....

------

Shen Qingqiu: So what kind of beautiful harem does your tyrant prince have?

Li Yu: ....none? It's just me

Shen Qingqiu: Well obviously, I meant in the original work

Li Yu: Still none?

Shen Qingqiu: Ah, a man devoted to his wife, a noble protagonist indeed

Li Yu: Male concubine, not wife

Shen Qingqiu: Your novel was a BL?????

Li Yu: Yours wasn't??????

------

Shen Qingqiu: So let me get this straight - you turned into a fish?

Li Yu: Yep

Shen Qingqiu: Like, one that was present in the original work?

Li Yu: Nope, completely new fish

Shen Qingqiu: Then at least a noble fish, such as a koi?

Li Yu: I mean, eventually, yeah

Shen Qingqiu: Eventually?

Li Yu: Well originally I was a carp from the kitchen, then I unlocked the koi achievement and turned into a koi

Shen Qingqiu: .......what the fuck

---------

Shen Qingqiu would absolutely call Li Yu a faggot and then upon it being pointed out that Shen Qingqiu is also married to a man, he would be like "nonono I'm different"

[literaryvein-reblogs]

more literary & character tropes

Tropes - themes, motifs, plot devices, plot points, and storylines that have become familiar genre conventions

All writers manipulate language to create certain effects. At the level of individual phrases and sentences, the skillful use of tropes is key to creating writing that’s fresh, memorable, and persuasive.

Artifical Script - found mainly in fantasy settings, this trope is about fictional scripts invented by the author.

Busman's Vocabulary - when a character in a certain profession isn't on the job, they're going to still use jargon from that profession, basically to let us know what they do for a living. Mafia guys will use "whacked" and the like, chefs will use culinary language, and so forth.

Classical Tongue - a language that isn't typically known or used by the common man. It may be dead and mostly forgotten, or only spoken by educated elites such as nobility, scholars, clergy, or mages. A few words from it might be used to denote something special, or it is used for something or someone's name, or someone who knows it might drop a phrase here and there in an attempt to sound clever, but don't expect the common masses to use it (anymore). It's often an Expy of Latin, if it isn't Latin itself.

Dissimile - when you attempt to make a comparison between two things that can't be usefully compared, realize your problem, and then throw more words at the argument in an attempt to salvage it. This just undermines your comparison even further, to the amusement of anyone listening. ["Boxing is a lot like ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other." — Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey]

Enslaved Tongue - certain types of monsters, wizards, and other supernatural or alien beings are able to control your voice, or otherwise replace your communications with those around you. They will use your voice to lie to teammates, friends and loved ones, or to deliver warnings or threats.

False Prophet - someone comes along and preaches a message about how they're going to make everyone's lives better. People will flock to them out of hope, or because they see an opportunity to increase their own power by aligning with the prophet. If they don't already have it, this figure will request assistance—physically, monetarily, or in some other way—so that their goals can be achieved.

The Grotesque - a character that induces both fear and pity in viewers because his deformities belie a perfectly normal — if not noble — personality. The pathos associated with The Grotesque is the implication that he could easily have been a well-adjusted member of society if not for the hideousness that he is powerless to remedy.

Higher Self - the aspect of a character which "knows better". More specifically, however, the Higher Self is the aspect which rises above whatever is going on in the plot and can see the situation in a way that's removed from emotional or melodramatic entanglement.

Inconsistent Spelling - when names and other terms are not spelled consistently in officially published materials (and not fan-made translations), usually because of transliteration issues.

Jeanne d'Archétype - a fictional character inspired by Saint Joan of Arc. This can incorporate various elements of the historical Joan's story. This character is Always Female, usually young, often an Action Girl, and often of humble origin. Her devotion to a religion, her country, or simply a desire to protect her loved ones causes her to assume an active role in liberating the oppressed from an overbearing force, eventually becoming not only a respected leader, but also a living symbol and a reminder of just how unjust the oppressors are if they bring out the warrior in the most unlikely of people. Therefore, her example directly inspires many otherwise ordinary people to follow in her footsteps and join the same cause.

If these writing notes helped with your poem/story, please tag me. Or leave a link in the replies. I'd love to read them!

More: Literary & Character Tropes

[coralinnii]

Since reading Riddles’ Villainess story I’ve been wondering, happens to the original heroine and her uprising? Since the reader is now Riddles’ true love and not her, does it end up affecting the coup d'état somehow? I figured it might if the heroines’ plan was the classic “seduce then overthrow” type. But I’m really curious to see how you would have it go down!

Original story The heroine and Riddle were to officially meet during his birthday after the imprisonment of original!villain/ess, and when they had their first dance Riddle was attracted to the gentleness of the heroine and requested her to visit the palace as replacement of his betrothed. The two were infatuated with each other but because of Riddle’s twisted interpretation of love, he treated the heroine the way his mother did, controlling her and expecting her to uphold perfection like he did. The heroine, realizing that the man she loved was not as she seemed and watching the atrocities he committed in the name of perfection, convinced her knights and even Riddle’s aides to start a rebellion, crying as she killed the man she thought loved her truly and became the new ruler. 

Current story Riddle worked to prove to his mother and his people that he was capable of ruling the land, gaining achievement after achievement which impressed the heroine who became an admirer in the background who started to fantasize herself with Riddle as lovers. Her admiration turned to envy when Riddle brought you back and announced your union, convincing herself that it was unfair how a fallen noble earned his love, believing that she was more worthy of Riddle since she had devoted herself to him for so long. She’s furious that the fantasies of how gentle and loving Riddle would be to his lover turn out to be true, but she wasn’t the recipient like she dreamed. She despises you for living the life she always wanted. 

Riddle Rosehearts was the epitome of a perfect man - boyish good looks, money, status, and dignity. In a field of plain daisies, Riddle was a sole rose bloomed to perfection. 

Her status and her family’s connection was not good enough for a personal audience with the royal family but still, she dreams of a moment where she could meet with the desirable man. She fantasized that perhaps like destined lovers, the two of them could share a moment akin to a fairy tale. The heroine held hope that she could have her happily ever after with the amazing prince, swooning over the idea of being cherished by such a perfect man. 

She then heard news of his successful throne accession, she rejoiced with the people that the impressive heir, at such a young age, won over the former queen renowned for her extremely high standards. 

Until she heard the news of you, a supposedly disgraced noble that suddenly reappeared that apparently took the place beside her beloved king. 

Unacceptable. Unacceptable. Unacceptable! 

Why you when she spent years supporting and admiring Riddle? Why you when she watched Riddle for all the years you were gone?

She dressed herself with the finest fabric and accessories in hopes to capture his steel-colored eyes but you managed such a feat without even noticing. Why was it you that held Riddle’s gaze even when she could finally had the chance to dance with him? 

The heroine desires Riddle’s affection, to be treated like the finest treasure of all the land. She was sure Riddle would be the perfect man and provider, to cherish her and love her like no other. 

Her thoughts were confirmed when she saw the way he treated you. Rumors of a tyrannical ruler seem unfounded when she witnessed the gentle love Riddle showcased with you. Her beautiful rose was stolen by someone unworthy of him, and she would make sure Riddle realized the only one worthy of his attention is her, whatever means necessary.

[witchthewriter]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ | ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ ᴵᴵ

𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝑱𝒐𝒉𝒏 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆

ENTJ

Slytherin

Lawful Good / Neutral Good

Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon, Libra Rising

The Mentor: A wise and experienced character who guides and advises the hero, providing knowledge, skills, and guidance.

The Cunning Strategist: this character is known for their intelligence, sharp wit, and ability to manipulate situations to their advantage. They excel in political maneuvering and outsmarting their opponents.

The Fallen Hero: The Fallen Hero archetype represents a character who was once noble or heroic but has fallen from grace. They may have succumbed to their flaws, made tragic mistakes, or been corrupted by power. The Fallen Hero often grapples with guilt, redemption, or the desire to reclaim their former glory.

I will always see John as some type of leader. A leader of a wolf pack, or the King's Guard. Even a team of immortals. His task force would shift between each universe, but his station always stays the same. Price is the eldest and the leader of the men.

𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝑹𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒚

INTJ

Ravenclaw

Neutral Good

Capricorn Sun, Scorpio Moon, Virgo Rising

The Guardian: A character who protects or defends a person, place, or idea, often serving as a source of strength and support. I can see him taking stray kids under his wing, and taking care of them.

The Knight: Is a character archetype in stories that embodies chivalry, honor, and a strong sense of duty. I think the strong sense of duty is most previlent here. I think he would even be the King's Champion.

The Rebel: A character who challenges authority, norms, or societal expectations, often seeking change or liberation. After seeing all the pain and suffering from the villagers/those less fortunate around him, he would snap. Wanting to help them.

Simon reminds me of both Geralt and Sandor Clegane. I think he would do well both within a group setting (with his teammates) or going out and doing something indepedently.

𝑱𝒐𝒉𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝑻𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒉

ESFP

Ravenclaw

Neutral Good / Chaotic Good

Aquarius Sun, Taurus Moon, Sagittarius Rising

The Trickster: A mischievous and cunning character who uses wit and deception to achieve their goals or disrupt the plans of others.

The Wise Fool: The Wise Fool archetype is a character who appears foolish or simple-minded on the surface but possesses unexpected wisdom or insight. They often use humor and unconventional behavior to challenge social norms, offer unique perspectives, or deliver profound truths.

The Loyal Companion: The Loyal Companion archetype is a faithful and devoted ally to the protagonist. They offer unwavering support, loyalty, and may serve as a moral compass or voice of reason.

I think Johnny is a bit of a difficult one, because he's both humorous - which can place him in the archetype of jokester & comedic relief. But maybe thast just makes him ... a wild card? Hence I think that' why people often give him the hybrid of werewolf.

𝑲𝒚𝒍𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒌

ISFP

Gryffindor

Chaotic Good

Gemini Sun, Virgo Moon, Cancer Rising

The Romantic Interest: A character who forms a romantic connection or relationship with the protagonist, often adding depth and emotional tension to the story.

The Underdog: A character who faces significant challenges or disadvantages but ultimately triumphs against the odds.

The Sage: The Sage archetype represents wisdom, knowledge, and enlightenment. Sages are often revered for their insights and serve as a source of guidance or counsel for the protagonist.

God this man could fit into so many archetypes. He is just ... the perfect character. He can still have character development, however, he can still be put forward as a fully formed character. Romantic, loving, intelligent, mindful. He likes to sit back and learn about others. He's diligent in that way (hence the Underdog). I also think he's so wise. Especially for his age. And he feels the most magically inclined out of the rest of the men.

𝑲𝒐̈𝒏𝒊𝒈

ISTP

Hufflepuff

Chaotic Neutral

Aries Sun, Aquarius Moon, Leo Rising

The Outcast: A character who is marginalized or rejected by society, often possessing unique abilities, insights, or perspectives.

The Beast: A character or entity often found in stories that represents the primal, untamed, and instinctual aspects of human nature or the natural world.

The Antihero: is an archetype is a character who lacks traditional heroic qualities but still engages in heroic actions. They often possess flaws, ambiguity, or morally gray motivations.

I think there are many different ways of looking at Konig. Physically he's a powerhouse - tall asf, a tad arrogant (only because of his voicelines), somewhat dramatic. But some have written him as toxic, others like to baby girl him. I think he's a bit similar to Simon but there's more distrust about him.

What would really be great is the task force as the Knights of the Round table. I think I could see Simon or Johnny as Arthur and Kyle or Price as Merlin (obviously Kyle as a young version like the BBC Merlin).

I can also see them as pirates! I actually want to write a Pirate! Task Force. Obviously Price as the Captain, Quartermaster is Simon, Kyle as Bosun (or Boatswain) and Johnny as the Gunner (makes things go boom!)

If I had to give the men shapeshifting abilities (into one mythical animal) I would go: ▪️ John Price | 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏 or 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒖𝒓 ▪️ Simon Riley | 𝑮𝒓𝒊𝒎 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒓 or 𝑯𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 ▪️ Johnny MacTavish | 𝑾𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇 or 𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒙 ▪️ Kyle Garrick | 𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏 or 𝑷𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒔 ▪️ Konig | 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒌 or 𝑯𝒚𝒅𝒓𝒂

[mswyrr]

reasons i genuinely enjoy criston as a character

-deconstruction of ideas of the nobility of warfare: he was all amped up to fight! he'd trained his entire life for battle. of any man drawn into this civil war, he should have been the most able to meet that challenge... and one battle breaks him - as happens irl to so many people, not because they are "weak," but because war is inherently destructive and traumatizing. the glory is all a lie.

-the deconstruction of chivalric love. he wanted a lady to be his chaste beacon and he got... a seemingly exclusively homoromantic woman lol. so for decades he thought they had THAT, the thing his culture valorizes in stories and song, love held in check by vows and honor. but it was actually because she's just not that into you man. (i think she has love for him, but not romantic). and once her husband kicked it she was like "actually, i need to work out some issues and find out what an orgasm is, so let's fuck." a thing which he (because he buys all this shit) feels deep shame over. the rules of the system just don't work.

(not only does the lady he's devoted to not like him back the same way but he knows it and his culture has given him no tools to understand sexuality so he tries to tell himself--and HER SON, because her obvious homoromantic love for their enemy is so obvious he and HER SON have whole conversations about it!--that somehow Rhaenyra "intoxicated" her, like a siren singing Alicent to the shores of the Isle of Lesbos lol.)

(and let's not even go into all the complexities of power, class, and gender at play in what went down with Rhaenyra and him that's a whole essay itself)

-shining a light on this corrupt class hierarchy. he thought he was rising in the world but this system, at core, is all about using people up for a very small few to have ultimate power (not even all the nobles! not even all the royal family - it's a damn pyramid scheme at every level). that is IT. no matter how high he rises, that's all it ever is or will be.

no matter how high he climbs, it's a layer cake of shit. through him the story shows what becomes of believing in all the lies this society tells itself (when you're not born at the top; the Targ kids show us what believing does to people at the top: it's a pyramid scheme, through and through). and it's gorgeous. it's ugly and heartbreaking. he's not an original thinker, he just wants to achieve within what his society tells him, he works so hard at it!! he wakes up every morning trying to live up to the lies. and that makes him the perfect man through whom to dismantle how these things work: he's just trying to do what he's told is honorable and just. and it's all shit.

his whole story came together for me in his despairing speech to gwayne in the s2 finale and it hit so well for me. particularly the touch where the high born man, gwayne, cannot contradict what criston has just said and so lowers his sword and sits beside him as an equal. made me like the whole character arc in retrospect, knowing where they were headed.

i love it. he reminds me of film noir and hardboiled detective novels i've loved, where you draw out the corruption and brokenness of a system through characters who relate to it in different ways. and the most agonizing way for someone to relate to a broken system is truly *believing* in it. they keep trying desperately to love it. but it doesn't love them back.

and major credit to fabian frankel who knows the kind of character he's playing and fully commits to it - he doesn't try to make the character look cool or undercut the deeper themes. he goes with it, and that is great, "story is king" acting.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

The poorest way to face life is to face it with a sneer. There are many men who feel a kind of twister pride in cynicism; there are many who confine themselves to criticism of the way others do what they themselves dare not even attempt. There is no more unhealthy being, no man less worthy of respect, than he who either really holds, or feigns to hold, an attitude of sneering disbelief toward all that is great and lofty, whether in achievement or in that noble effort which, even if it fails, comes to second achievement. A cynical habit of thought and speech, a readiness to criticize work which the critic himself never tries to perform, an intellectual aloofness which will not accept contact with life’s realities — all these are marks, not as the possessor would fain to think, of superiority but of weakness. They mark the men unfit to bear their part painfully in the stern strife of living, who seek, in the affection of contempt for the achievements of others, to hide from others and from themselves in their own weakness. The role is easy; there is none easier, save only the role of the man who sneers alike at both criticism and performance...

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat...

The man who does nothing cuts the same sordid figure in the pages of history, whether he be a cynic, or fop, or voluptuary. There is little use for the being whose tepid soul knows nothing of great and generous emotion, of the high pride, the stern belief, the lofty enthusiasm, of the men who quell the storm and ride the thunder.

—Theodore Roosevelt, "Citizenship in a Republic," remarks delivered at the University of Paris, Apr 23, 1910

[agentrouka-blog]

"But when the septon climbed on high and called upon the gods to protect and defend their true and noble king, Sansa got to her feet. The aisles were jammed with people. She had to shoulder through while the septon called upon the Smith to lend strength to Joffrey’s sword and shield, the Warrior to give him courage, the Father to defend him in his need. Let his sword break and his shield shatter, Sansa thought coldly as she shoved out through the doors, let his courage fail him and every man desert him. "

We had that.

At the end his "sword", his power of his menaces, ended broken and his "shield", his inmunity as the king, shattered, his "courage" failed him, on his last seconds of life he was scared of what was happening, and "every man desert him", as anybody who was truly at fault of his death was judged (LF will be, but not for this crime)

I love ACOK, Sansa V, and this scene is one of the loveliest.

She sits among the people, high and low, and they all sing together, a communal form of worship and prayer. She sings for her loved ones, for the ordinary people affected by this battle on both sides, even for some of her enemies.

He is no true knight but he saved me all the same, she told the Mother. Save him if you can, and gentle the rage inside him.

But when the septon, the authority figure, climbs up to direct their devotion toward the singular figure of this undeserving cruel king, Sansa refuses, leaves, curses Joffrey instead. A private malediction. She will not forget who and what he is. She wants him stripped of every symbol of power and legitimacy.

Neither Sansa's gentle song nor her defiant curse have an appreciable effect. The Seven represent a very worldly kind of religion without any miracles or magic in evidence. Joffrey will die later, murdered by a different villain. Her family is further ripped apart and destroyed. There is no justice to be found. This scene doesn't tell us how prayer comes true.

What this scene does is tell us who Sansa is, what she longs for deep down, which is peace, mercy and justice. And it tells us what she will do with power.

The greatest effect she achieves that night is by her own actions: she saves Lancel. She calms the guests sheltering in the ballroom. She herself is the one who gentles the rage of the Hound with the Mother's Hymn, thereby saving herself. She used what power she had and she used it well.

As you point out, Joffrey is, indeed, betrayed, and stripped of power, courage, dignity in his end. There may be no magical or godly intervention doing the work, but villains can and do fall. The monsters don't always win. Their own worst qualities make them vulnerable. The consequences of their own cruelty tend to invite a sense of poetic justice.

Sansa is likely to remember that when she finds herself in a position of power again. When she has a real chance to affect the course of justice by her own actions. What she begs of the gods, she may well achieve herself.

[fiddii]

Morty's parents were killed as a child, and the boy was placed in the care of Aunt Beth Parker and her husband, Paul Parker. Little Morty grew up with them, smart and purposeful in science. Although he was intelligent, he was scorned and teased at school due to his strange fascination with physics and other subjects in general. Morty Parker was also in love with Mary Jessica, a girl who took pity on the guy a little and tried all the time to prevent Parker's run-ins with hooligans. But the trouble is, the girl of his dreams already had a boyfriend! One big failure.

Morty devoted himself almost entirely to science (apart from a part-time job as a photographer, he completely covered the student life of this beautiful thing). His biology teacher, Dr. Squanchy Connors, was pleasantly surprised by Parker's determination and allowed him to oversee his scientific experiments to transform lizard genetics. Unfortunately, the same genetics killed Connors and created a monster out of him - a terrible red scaly, with a mangy tail. At the same time, Morty Parker himself suddenly became a superhero thanks to the experiments of the Professor: the spider was accidentally irradiated with radioactive waves in some Squanchy experiment and plunged its fangs into the boy's throat. This led first to the negative effects of the poison, such as dizziness and nausea, and the student immediately went home and went to bed. The next day, the boy was very surprised by his transformation: out of nowhere, he had an athletic physique, and his eyesight improved dramatically (the boy no longer needed glasses)! And the most interesting thing is that he could climb walls, shoot cobwebs from glands and regenerate. However, Morty only became Spider-Man after the death of Uncle Paul and his catchy line, "With great power comes great responsibility."

In his spare time, Parker did research and dug into the biography of one famous nuclear physicist, Rick Octavius. I wouldn't call it "stalking", it's just that Morty considers this person to be his idol..? He read every scientific article he created, watched every video related to scientists on his computer, and generally knew all the publicly available information about the professor. For Morty, Rick was like a breath of fresh air amid bullying classmates and life failures. He would definitely like to meet this noble scientist working for the benefit of mankind, but it was completely impossible. Although Morty once saved Octavius from some huge robot, but seeing your idol in the form of Spider-Man is not the same as seeing him in the form of an ordinary, unremarkable student. One day, Parker accidentally overheard Dr. Connors in a conversation with one person and found out that he and Rick were friends from a distance. Maybe this is a chance given by fate itself?

As for MJ (i.e. Mary-Jessica), she is an actress in her father's opera house. Her boyfriend Summer is the son of one of the greats - Jerry Osborne. The man has his own scientific corporation Ozcorp, which finances all the brilliant ideas of Rick Octavius (although Dr. Oct considers Jerry "a person far from the mind") and other scientists in general. Although this entrepreneur is not a very good father due to his dictatorial nature, he greatly appreciates Osborne Jr. And even Morty considers him a "second son" (of course, after the death of his uncle Paul Parker)! Therefore, he appoints good-natured meetings with the Parker family in his spare time. Summer and Morty used to be pretty good friends, but it's hard to tell now. Both of them loved Jessica, and one of them still achieved her, while the other was stuck in a muddy puddle. “Friendly” relations in this case are difficult to maintain. when Morty was celebrating his 18th birthday with Aunt Beth, Mary-Jessica and Summer, the latter nearly got into a fight with Parker. But he immediately came to his senses that they were, as it were, at a holiday, and in honor of his apology, he asked his father to allow Morty to Octavius, since the boy was buzzing Osborn Jr. about this with all his ears. . . Parker didn't know what surprised him more: Summer's raised voice at him or the long-awaited meeting with his idol.

In general, I kind of didn’t finish the story, but here I had to write about the Birdperson "Vulture".

What we have?

Morty Smith — Peter Parker

Beth Smith — Aunt May Parker

Paul — Uncle Ben Parker

Jessica — Mary Jane Watson

Jerry Smith — Norman Osborn

Summer Smith — Harry Osborne

Rick Sanchez — Otto Octavius

Birdperson — Vulture

Squanchy — Curt Connors

Daene Sanchez — Rosie Octavius

(Who is Paul? the man is on the right.)

+ I ordered art from one artist. Author: vrvarakknnn (vk)

[koscheimaryas]

PAMELASBDAYBASH — part five

Dear Elise Song, As much as I love watching you sleep, I can’t help but feel it is a conundrum that has ailed me much.

In a way, it is peaceful beyond measure; I’m transfixed by your steady breathing, the little sighs you let out every now and then, the sweet smell emanating from your skin. It makes me want to do nothing more than lay down with you, to drown in your stillness, to also travel to the land of dreams lulled by your presence. And while in there, to hope, violently hope that all the time I spend fantasizing about you in my awake hours will be channeled into the most wretched, undressed reveries as well.

On another note, cataloging your asleep time is something that bothers me. The reason for such admission is that, as much as I understand that you deserve some rest, I am still plagued by the tempting idea of waking you up and doing the most ungodly, ghastly things that my half-baked brain can come up with to you. Spending time with you, Elise, is a lesson in patience. As the months go by, I realize just how little of it I actually possess. They should invent a world where only you and I exist so that the people around us wouldn’t be subjected to my ire whenever desiring you reaches critical levels.

I have a feeling that, before meeting you, I’d been living life in slow mode. That isn’t simply a joke about all the weed I smoke; it is a fact. There comes a time when chasing high after high loses all sense, instead working as a substitute to something that had been missing for way too long. Turns out the one thing I’d been missing was one fun-sized girl, jealous beyond measure, too beautiful for her own good… and destined to be mine, mine, mine, all along.

It is arresting to love someone this much. It is humbling. It is a testament to the fact that I once thought I’d never deserve something this noble. You molded me into whatever it was that you needed, and I thank you deeply for it; without you, I could never achieve the proper greatness required to stand by your side. More than once I tried to let you go, for all the right and wrong reasons. Knowing that you didn’t give up on me, as much as it could be considered worrisome, is the one thing that propelled me into becoming the man that you could pridefully call yours as well. Even though I still have a long path ahead of me to prove myself truly worthy of you, there is no doubt that your steady hand will never let me stray away from this lovely, maddening road.

My sickening princess, as I jot down these chaotic thoughts, you still sleep fitfully, not a sign of distress from the constant scratching of my pen against one of the pages of a notebook of yours I found laying around. I remember with fondness how you begged and threatened me for a love letter, but it was foolish of you to do so. I have half a mind to rip this thing to pieces and never revisit it, but I muscle through an infinity of jumbled quotes and derangement in order to, once again, do whatever it is you want from me. 

You should know, Elise, just how I write love letters to you on a daily basis. The slide of my fingers against your bare skin is pure poetry; the ease with which I answer to your breathy requests is a testament to my devotion. The softness of your lips against mine is more precious than a thousand sonnets, my tongue on your pulse is the strange desire that only the most obscene, convoluted mouths could translate…

If it still isn’t clear for you, I will scribble it down as plainly as I can: I love you. I love you so much that there aren’t even words enough in my lousy vocabulary to describe just how deeply I long for you. Now and forever, I dedicate all the sincerity, all the gentleness left in me to you, only you. I could never treat you as anything else other than what you truly are: my regal girl, the most beautiful princess, made entirely, subliminally for me… 

With love and impatience, Daesik

It’s like learning a new language

As we catch up on my mind

If you don’t bring up those lonely parts

This could be a good time

It’s like learning a new language

You come here to me 

@henrystravss

[daytaker]

Obey Me! As the Russian Revolution (1917)

Disclaimer: This is all just for fun. I am not claiming that these characters are morally equivalent to these historical figures, some of whom did genuinely horrible things.

Vladimir Lenin - - - Solomon

After his brother was executed for revolutionary activity when Lenin was still a teenager, he became dedicated to the cause of socialism. He was single-mindedly and relentlessly pursued this goal for decades until he succeeded, at the expense of his own humanity. It was the concept of the revolution that motivated Lenin, not the individual people who might benefit from it. This justified the many innocent deaths that took place as a result of communist activities, both military and economic.

Solomon is a man of the people. He is a human for humans--no matter the cost. Generally, his view of humankind isn't concerned with the individuals in question, but for the destiny of the human world in relation to the seemingly more powerful Celestial and Demon worlds it coexists with.

Leon Trotsky - - - Satan

A wildly charismatic speaker who was perfectly willing to drop names and addresses. Young and happy to make both sacrifices and enemies in the name of the revolution, he spent some time in Siberia in exile before joining up with Lenin and others in London. He returned to Russia when the 1905 revolution began, and then was exiled to Siberia again when it fell flat. But he would not be stopped. No matter what it took, no matter how many times he would be forced to make his way back west from the tundra of Siberia, he WOULD see that the Revolution came about.

So this is probably my weakest case, which is funny because it was the first joke I made that inspired this weird little post. Of course, in the scenario I was joking about, I was comparing his failure to rally his brothers against Lucifer to Trotsky in 1905, but I mean. I'd buy Satan as a revolutionary any day of the week. Give him an individual to hate or a system to destroy and set him loose.

Also he kept getting stuck in the tundra. :/

Julius Martov - - - MC

A friend of Lenin, he became the leader of the Menshevik party when Russia's communists split into Bolsheviks (led by Lenin) and Mensheviks. The Mensheviks were the less radical group who favored more traditionally democratic methods of achieving power and were hesitant to reject dissenters and more willing to re-educate them.

Lenin remained friendly towards Martov, warning him ahead of time before Mensheviks were targeted by a political purge and trying to send him money while he lived in exile in Germany. Later in life, Lenin regretted losing Martov as an ally.

Tsar Nicholas II - - - Diavolo

Nicholas was not expecting to become the ruler of the country when he did. His father was hale and healthy, and Nicholas himself was on vacation, when his father suddenly died, leaving the throne to him. That's pretty much where the parallels stop, though. Nicholas was a cowardly and selfish ruler who struggled to empathize with his people and tended to agree with whoever spoke to him most recently.

But he's the emperor, so there's no getting around that.

Tsarina Alexandra - - - Lucifer

A German princess whose enthusiasm for her adopted Russian homeland was only matched by her subjects' dislike of her. She was extremely devoted to her family, sacrificing her reputation to keep Rasputin on board because she believed he could keep her son safe.

Grigori Rasputin - - - Barbatos

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian queen, the all-knowing mystic counselor to the tsar, whose devotion was absolute, who was extremely tricky to kill, and who was said to prophesy his own death and the fall of the Romanovs.... Most of those things are untrue, but history is partly about what happened and partly about what people believe happened.

Felix Yusopov - - - Mephistopheles

Yusupov was the ringleader of the group of nobles who murdered Rasputin. Horrified by his cousin the tsar's public reliance on the clownish peasant Rasputin and wanting to uphold the power of the nobility over the rest of the citizenry, Yusupov and several friends invited Rasputin to his estates and killed him. Later, Yusupov capitalized on his reputation as the person who killed Rasputin, who was reviled by royalists, communists, and everyone in between, to escape violence from the Red Army. He also turned the tale of Rasputin's murder into a fishing story, where the fish became bigger and harder to kill with each retelling.

Alexander Kerensky - - - Does anybody really, really hate Barbatos? Or is there another angle that will make someone? Come on, fellow Obey Me! history nerds, I need your help.

Kerensky was the leader of the provisional government which was in power from the fall of the tsar in February until the October revolution by the Bolsheviks. He was prime minister from May to September, and not a particularly successful one.

Hating Rasputin was normal for people from all political ideologies, but Kerensky really hated Rasputin. He blamed him for Russia's involvement in and humiliating failures in World War I, urged assassins to kill him, and, after the February Revolution, even dug up his grave and burned his body.

(Yes, I recognize that there is a giant omission here, but I am not going to frivolously designate an anime boy as "Stalin".)

[gainprincess]

There are some things that one simply does not expect in life. Some things that one simply cannot expect in life, because they are so unusual and unlikely that it should not even enter one's field of thought.

There are many such things, of course.

The youngest Gorgon sister, Medusiana, becoming an obese, meaty, greedy bovine...is one of these things. A woman so powerful, taciturn, and focused, becoming a cow beyond the ken of any reasonable person...well, that's just flat-out ridiculous in its unlikelihood.

The Alter-Ego of Pleasure, Meltryllis, becoming an equally indescribable lardass alongside her...well, that's not even in the realm of viable thought. Meltryllis values her slim figure above all else, considering her body a hand-crafted masterpiece that exemplifies beauty. The idea that she'd give it up for Medusa, a woman that, while someone she is endeared to by appearance alone, she does not really know that well or particularly care about...it's deranged. Obscene. Utterly absurd in premise alone, let alone execution.

And yet.

Meltryllis can say that she's never smiled this much before. She's never been this pleased, this content, this happy with someone. Not before her Albrecht arrived. She calls Medusa Albrecht when indignant, horny, or lovestruck, and her name normally. So what if the man of her dreams is a woman? That doesn't matter. Medusa's more man than most actual men anyway, in her heart.

Medusa is her boyfriend now, and all that means is that they can go on as many dates as they want, and be together.

Medusa, for all her unending hunger and lust, agrees with that, at the very least. Her happiness derives from Melt's, and as long as that blubbery face is smiling, so to will her own.

It was very hard at first; Resisting the urge to just go full-glutton and achieve her newfound dreams at the expense of Melt's feelings. To just eat and eat and eat, letting the Alter-Ego either watch or snap up the remainders. But she didn't.

After all...love redeems. It does not fix. It does not save. It does not truly cleanse. But it does redeem.

Because, dear viewer, it must be restated that Medusa is insane. Irrevocably so. However, she is not evil because of it. She is merely more Berserker than Saber at this moment. And focusing that insanity on a single person, one that can handle it...well, that's something she'd like. She doesn't want to be evil, after all; just fat.

However, regardless of their focus shifting to 'lovey-dovey together time', they're still Heroic Spirits devoted to the survival of Humanity, despite this new priority.

So they've decided to hit two BBs with one Noble Phantasm.

How, you ask?

...

"WHAT THE HELL, ALBRECHT?! THAT WAS MY TABLE!"

Her incredibly-obese frame bumps against her lover's in indignance, sending the Saber wobbling into another bar table, taking the thing into her gaping maw like it was a damn thing of Jello. How dare her boyfriend be so good at this?! Gulping incredibly long, massive things is her thing now that they're together! This is bullshit!

"There's...BBBBBBBBWWEEEEEELLLLLLCCCCHHHHH!~...plenty more on the other side of the bar, beloved...I wouldn't dream of letting you become underweight, after all. Please do not fret. The Grail is in this bar as well, so we can consider this a final meal before the next Singularity."

"Hwwwhurrrppp...f-fine. But only because the Singularity's collapsing. The next one we go to needs to be a more modern one than this; I want a hotel for us. And room service..."

Ah, yes. Meltryllis and Medusa, after consuming Holy Grails, have gained the ability to Rayshift independently. It was less of 'their wish' and more of 'their default reward' for such a hedonistic act. It gave them what they really wanted: A chance to be together, while also not forsaking their respected Master and Humanity.

Using singularities both minute and massive, they warped to and from everything on Chaldea's lists, recovering whatever Grail was responsible, and either sending it back to their Master or just chomping it themselves. Medusa, for what it's worth, has turned this minor German singularity's grail into snake-ass already.

"Whatever you wish for, my love...you will be given. I promise.~"

...

"You're...HHURRRRRPPPPP...just as lovely as always, Albrecht...~"

"If...hfff..I am..it is only due to your support. Your affection. Your true, unshakable love for me."

She reaches out with a soft, hammy hand, cupping and stroking Melt's cheek as she murmurs at her. Lying in bed with Melt in some fancy penthouse post-coitus or post-meal is always her ideal time. Since they've finally found a modern city again...They get to have the most wonderful cuddles again.

"Medusa..."

It's this that makes Melt's numbed, bloated arms want to reach for Medusa. She wants so badly to just reach out and touch her Medusa, to feel such ponderous obesity for herself...to let her know that every inch of passion is returned, without having to say it in words. Her legs aren't much better, either, since the prosthetics she swaps into for close contact lack feedback receptors, meaning that she can't tell if she's brushing legs with Medusa, even if she wants to.

At times, it makes Melt hurt. It makes her heart throb to not be able to do all those things couples do non-verbally. Because her sadistic bitch of a mother thought it funny to ruin the parts of her that she felt would be unnecessary.

But when Medusa cups her cheek like that, and she feels their blubbery, gurgling guts ooze over one another...? It calms her back down again. The bottom-heavy hog-dancer's ass wobbles and WHAMCLAPs against itself as Melt snuggles closer into the other fatass's embrace. She has no chest to speak of, so the feeling of Medusa's engorged cow-chest mashing against her own is...invigorating.

"Hey...I'm here, alright?"

Medusa strokes her cheek again, pressing a soft kiss to Melt's forehead. Her other hammy hand rests itself around the bloated side-rolls of the Alter-Ego's stomach, kneading the doughy fat gently.

"Would you like me to get a breast out for you?"

"N-nononono, I'm alright...You filled me up plenty earlier."

She sighs wistfully, resting her lardy head on Medusa's heavy bust.

"I'm just...happy we get to be together like this at all, you know? I was afraid that...um. You wouldn't think I was pretty enough. Or you'd think I was just another Sakura. Or..."

Melt's voice trails off as she starts mumbling to herself. She's never really shared this much about her feelings with Medusa before. Her bad ones, anyway. The thoughts that eat away at her every time she feels those soft meaty arms wrap around her body.

"...You've been thinking about this for a while, I see...You've always felt this way, then? Since the first time I ate that Singularity for you?"

Melt's tiny nod is the only confirmation Medusa needs.

"Well, then let's start with the basics. When have I ever called you Sakura, Melt?"

"N-Never, but that's..."

"You're the beauty of Chaldea, the apple of my eye. You're Meltryllis, the Alter Ego of Pleasure, but you're also Meltryllis, the woman who would sacrifice everything for the sake of her love. You're Melt, the woman who I've had the pleasure of watching devour, consume, and digest anything and everything she views as a potential advantage to herself. You're Melt, the woman who I've seen fall flat on her blubbery gut more times than I can count, and most of the time, I have to help you up after."

"Medusa...!"

The embarrassed hissing doesn't register in Medusa's ears. She's already lost in her lovestruck monologue. Insanity can mean many things, but it USUALLY doesn't mean that one will become absorbed and obssessed by her lover's every action.

Medusa, however. Is very unusual.

"You're everything I do want, everything I will want, and everything I need. You are my Giselle, after all, yes? That means I must never leave you, or I'll suffer your vengeance after you've passed."

"...You know about that part of the play?"

"Well, you call me Albrecht quite often, so...I watched a few recordings, and read the novelization...Was I not supposed to?"

Medusa feels a twinge of regret. Has she erred so soon into their relationship?

"I'm so-"

"Nonononononoo, none of that angsty bull. I'm flattered and overjoyed that you took the time to learn about my favorite play, and I love you very much for that dedication, okay?"

Forcing herself forward to press a kiss to Medusa's soft lips, she sighs happily, feeling the Saber's fingers glide through her hair. She breaks the kiss, looking at Medusa with all the love a person can possess.

"My dear, sweet Albrecht."

"I love you too, my lovely, lonely Giselle. I'll make sure you'll never doubt my feelings again. In fact...shall we go exploring tomorrow?"

As Medusa's soothing words massage her brain, Melt feels tiredness start to take over her obese frame. In this tired state...she muses.

Maybe Medusa was always meant to beat her like this; To make her someone docile, agreeable, and happy. Maybe she's more like Prince Charming instead of Albrecht; Medusa would never bring her harm, after all.

"Mmmh...gnnaahhhh....Yeah, that...smack...that sounds nice. I'll...borrow some of Lambda's clothes...so we can have a real fun day in the town before we eat and locate the Grail..."

Her eyes flicker and blink, the stubborn Alter Ego wobbling in place in an attempt to stay awake a little longer. Sure, Medusa's all she sees when she closes her eyes anyway, but...she wants a bit more of the real thing...

"Albrecht...my sweet Albrecht...~"

That's the last thing Melt says before she closes her eyes one last time...and Medusa starts hearing peaceful snores from her blubbery love.

"Sweet dreams, Melt...I love you."

As she reaches over the hammy dancer, gently nipping at her ear when she shuts off the lights, she fantasizes about what they'll do tomorrow.

Her eternity with Meltryllis...

It's only just beginning.~

[cityandking]

93-97 for minah & one of your choice!

thanks tabbyyyyyy // 100 warm up questions

93. Who in the party does your character trust the least?

MINAH — well, first of all she doesn't trust any of them so jot that down. secondly, while she definitely distrusts riya's status as a noble more than anything else, I don't think she distrusts riya as a person (would you look at that! growth!). in terms of actual Party Member Actions, I'd say it's leo. the whole templar torture thing really unsettled her—she felt like she got a glimpse of the man underneath, who was willing to do anything in his quest for vengeance justice, and she just doesn't trust that level of single-minded (violent) devotion to a calling. DAI — ozy, obviously.

94. What is your character’s biggest flaw?

MINAH — she's a shifty little hypocrite and a liar DAI — he tries too hard to achieve an impossible level of responsibility to the world at large, generally at the exclusion of all else (including himself and the people closes to him)

95. How did your character learn the languages that they speak?

MINAH — grew up speaking common/trade tongue and whatever the native free marcher tongue is (fantasy scottish gaelic, I guess). she learned thieves' cant and antivan from the troupe, and she's currently learning tevinter from a primer she picked up in val royeaux. she also speaks a smattering of nevarran and orlesian—mostly enough to ask for tips, get directions to the nearest bar, and say "no officer it wasn't me" DAI — learned common growing up, spoke undercommon at home with his dad, and learned celestial as an acolyte. he speaks primordial as an earth genasi, but to be honest I'm not sure when/how he learned it—maybe it's innate? he's also learned abyssal courtesy of his current staycation in the abyss.

96. What is your character’s favorite school of magic/type of weaponry?

MINAH — honestly minah likes anything that'll reward her for being quick and quiet, but she likes bows best for range. she likes things clean and quick—not a big fan of getting messy DAI — where he grew up, illusion and necromancy were illegal and enchantment magic was super regulated (due to the war against the necromancer mind-bending king; it's a long story), so he really leaned into abjuration. fitting for a kid who would grow up to become a shield paladin, I think. (he's also a fan of evocation—sometimes you gotta hit hard and fast.) regardless, he prefers to take the field as a caster + shield rather than wield a weapon in his off hand—though maybe that'll change when he gets a second attack

97. What is most important to your character: health, wealth, or happiness?

MINAH — health. what else have you got, really? obviously she'd like to be wealthy, but a lot of that stems from "money can be exchanged for much healthiness." she's no stranger to lean seasons, and she knows there's more danger in illness than empty pockets—one can be rectified with a little guile and quick fingers, and the other can ruin you. DAI — happiness. it may be an extremely uneventful subject, but he's realized it's also an underrated emotion. he'd like more of it in his life.

[thefernmanner]

"An Anthill of Words." Introduction to the Book of Sirach, "The Manner of the Fern."

The Book of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus or the Wisdom of Sirach, was written between 200 and 175 BCE.

The book was written by Ben Sira, a Jewish scribe from Jerusalem. Ben Sira's full name was Yeshua ben Eleazar ben Sira, and he was also known as Jesus son of Sirach. 

A sirach is a type of fern. The etymology explains the Kabbalah behind the word. Kabbalah is a Jewish method for looking under the surface of a scripture. Scripture is not meant to be taken literally. The mind does not respond to literal instruction. Do this, don't do that, the ego will react to this with fear and conniving. Illustrations of moral, noble character traits are the only way to disarm the ego and train it how to be rational and humane in its reactions to the world and the churning and burning inside the mind and the anus penis marketplaces that sit below it:

"The difficult noun φρην (phren) originally, or most literally, described the lung(s) but in the overwhelming majority of its usages came to refer to a faculty of the mind, and specifically the imagined partition between the fluidic world of one's emotions and the dry land of one's words and rational thoughts — and rational thoughts are thoughts in words: deliberate, logical and constructive thoughts.

Since one's emotions were considered seated in the belly (κοιλια, koilia), and the ratio in the chest or heart (καρδια, kardia), our noun φρην (phren) mostly corresponds to the function of the midriff. In the Greek classics this word occurs only once in singular and elsewhere (including the New Testament) always in plural, which indicates that it not so much emphasizes the mere existence of the midriff but rather its perpetual reciprocating motion.

The act of contracting the midriff pushes the bowels down and expands the chest cavity, and we breathe in. The opposite is achieved by relaxing the midriff, which allows the bowels and abdominal muscles to push it back up again. And this is a big deal because the Greek word for inhaling gave us the word for soul, namely ψυχη (psuche), while the word for exhaling gave us the word for spirit, namely πνευμα (pneuma). And that means that our noun φρην (phren) is a very important word indeed.

Emotions are grouped together with the senses, and we share all these with the animals, who, like humans, have emotional cores and mouths to absorb raw food and the senses to absorb raw data; all to feed the emotional self. Despite popular contentions to the contrary, all animals have awareness and a sense of symbolism or else a male fruit fly wouldn't mate with a female fruit fly. All animals are vocal and all have vocal symbols (proto-words) between them, but only humans are truly verbal and create their very world, their human beehive, their human anthill from words."

A man who cannot use the words of a scripture properly to develop a proper spiritual core shall not look, feel, act, or accumulate success.

The Prologue

1 Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law and the Prophets 2 and the others[a] that followed them, 3 and for these we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom. 4 Now those who read them must not only themselves understand them 5 but must also as lovers of learning be able through 6 both speaking and writing to help the outsiders. 7 So my grandfather Jesus, who had devoted himself especially 8 to the reading of the Law 9 and the Prophets 10 and the other books of our ancestors 11 and had acquired considerable proficiency in them, 12 was himself also led to write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, 13 so that by becoming familiar also with his book[b] those who love learning 14 might make even greater progress in living according to the law.

15 You are invited, therefore, 17 to read it 16 with goodwill and attention 18 and to be indulgent 19 in cases where we may seem 20 to have rendered some phrases imperfectly, despite our diligent labor in translating. 21–22 For what was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same effect when translated into another language. 23 Not only this book, 24 but even the Law itself, the Prophets,[c] 25 and the rest of the books 26 differ not a little when read in the original.

Thus begins the Book.

[yhwhrulz]

Morning and Evening with A.W. Tozer Devotional for September 22

Tozer in the Morning Man - The Dwelling Place of God - How to Make Spiritual Progress

THE COMPLACENCY of CHRISTIANS is the scandal of Christianity.

Time is short, and eternity is long. The end of all things is at hand. Man has proved himself morally unfit to manage the world in which he has been placed by the kindness of the Almighty. He has jockeyed himself to the edge of the crater and cannot go back, and in terrible fear he is holding his breath against the awful moment when he will be plunged into the inferno.

In the meantime, a company of people exist on the earth who claim to have the answer to all life's major questions. They claim to have found the way back to God, release from their sins, life everlasting and a sure guarantee of heaven in the world to come.

These are the Christians. They declare that Jesus Christ is very God of very God, made flesh to dwell among us. Thy insist that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. They testify that He is to them Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption, and they steadfastly assert that He will be to them the Resurrection and the Life for eternity to come.

These Christians know, and when pressed will admit, that their finite hearts have explored but a pitifully small part of the infinite riches that are theirs in Christ Jesus. They read the lives of the great saints whose fervent desire after God carried them far up the mountain toward spiritual perfection; and for a brief moment they may yearn to be like these fiery souls whose light and fragrance still linger in the world where they once lived and labored. But the longing soon passes. The world is too much with them and the claims of their earthly lives are too insistent; so they settle back to live their ordinary lives, and accept the customary as normal. After a while they manage to achieve some kind of inner content and that is the last we hear of them.

This contentment with inadequate and imperfect progress in the life of holiness is, I repeat, a scandal in the Church of the Firstborn. The whole weight of Scripture is against such a thing. The Holy Spirit constantly seeks to arouse the complacent. "Let us go on" is the word of the Spirit. The Apostle Paul embodies this in his noble testimony as found in his Philippian epistle: "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ . . . that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection . . . but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

If we accept this as the sincere expression of a normal Christian I do not see how we can justify our own indifference toward spiritual things. But should someone feel a desire to make definite progress in the life of Christ, what can he do to get on with it? Here are a few suggestions:

Strive to get beyond mere pensive longing. Set your face like a flint and begin to put your life in order. Every man is as holy as he really wants to be. But the want must be all-compelling.

Tie up the loose ends of your life. Begin to tithe; institute family prayer; pay up your debts as far as possible and make some kind of frank arrangement with every creditor you cannot pay immediately; make restitution as far as you can; set aside time to pray and search the Scriptures; surrender wholly to the will of God. You will be surprised and delighted with the results.

Put away every un-Christian habit from you. If other Christians practice it without compunction, God may be calling you to come nearer to Him than these other Christians care to come. Remember the words, "Others may, you cannot." Do not condemn or criticize, but seek a better way. God will honor you.

Get Christ Himself in the focus of your heart and keep Him there continually. Only in Christ will you find complete fulfillment. In Him you may be united to the Godhead in conscious, vital awareness. Remember that all of God is accessible to you through Christ. Cultivate His knowledge above everything else on earth.

Throw your heart open to the Holy Spirit and invite Him to fill you. He will do it. Let no one interpret the Scriptures for you in such a way as to rule out the Father's gift of the Spirit. Every man is as full of the Spirit as he wants to be. Make your heart a vacuum and the Spirit will rush in to fill it.

Nowhere in the Scriptures nor in Christian biography was anyone ever filled with the Spirit who did not know that he had been, and nowhere was anyone filled who did not know when. And no one was ever filled gradually.

Be hard on yourself and easy on others. Carry your own cross but never lay one on the back of another. Begin to practice the presence of God. Cultivate the fellowship of the Triune God by prayer, humility, obedience and self-abnegation.

Let any Christian do these things and he will make rapid spiritual progress. There is every reason why we should all go forward in our Christian lives and no reason why we should not. Let us go on.

Tozer in the Evening Walking in the Light of His Presence

Our frantic and futile effort to harmonize the truth of Christ with psychology, philosophy and science is proof enough of a deep incertitude among us concerning the sufficiency of Christ. It is a tragicomic sight to see our modern apostles licking the palm of any man of learning who will condescend to say something complimentary about Jesus Christ. How eagerly we rush into print with any quotation from the lips of the Great Man of the world that can be tortured into an admission that he believes that Jesus is the Son of God. The New Testament points to Christ and says God now commands all men everywhere to repent: because He has appointed a day, in which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He has ordained; whereof He has given assurance unto all men, in that He has raised Him from the dead. God validated forever the claims of Christ. He is who He said He was and what He said He was. Christ stands before no man to be judged, but every man stands befo re Him. Any uncertainty about Him was swept away forever when He arose from the dead, ascended into heaven and sent down the Holy Spirit as His final witness among men. Now it may be said that Christ as the Second person of the Godhead is self-validating. He needs no supplementary witness from the world of nature or from the race of men. He is His own witness.

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[bellatrix-lestrxnge]

BASICS

Name: Bellatrix Violetta Lestrange (née Black) Age & Birthday: 30, August 2nd 1949 (started Hogwarts in 1960) Gender & Pronouns: cis-female & she/her Sexuality: heteroflexible Occupation: Senior Minister (Department of Magical Accidents & Catastrophes) War time roles: uses the trace to track magic users, obliviates and alters memories legally, makes magical activity in the muggle world disappear. Blood Status: pureblood House: Slytherin Affiliation: Death Eaters Family: Cygnus Black (father), Druella Rosier (mother), Rodolphus Lestrange (husband), Andromeda Tonks (sister), Narcissa Malfoy (sister), Sirius Black (cousin), Regulus Black (cousin), Evan Rosier (cousin), Leta Rosier (cousin) Languages: French Connections: here

MAGICAL

Boggart: herself alone and invisible. Patronus: she can no longer cast one (it was an occamy). Amortenia: burning wood, cedar oil, dragonhide leather. OWLs: Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Divination, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration. NEWTs: Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Divination, Transfiguration. Wand: 12 3/4", dragon heartstring, walnut.

PERSONALITY

+ devoted, talented, quick-witted, calculating, determined. - sadistic, fanatical, ruthless, volatile, emotional, impulsive.

Bellatrix is notoriously self-sufficient and ambitious. She never does anything by half; it is all or nothing, so she will go to any lengths to fulfil her goals, heedless of how difficult or impossible they may seem. Her emotions are largely driven by base instincts, and she is full of extremes. She prides herself on achieving success, and scorns failure and laziness. She hold grudges until forgiveness is earned. Most of all, she values loyalty. She is often caught up in her own schemes, becoming obsessively passionate until they reach fruition. Thus, she throws herself uncontrollably, wholeheartedly into the cause. Her determination is often her destruction. Unusually, Bellatrix excels at divination. Not the foolish indulgence in fanciful interpretations, or the not-so-subtle readings that bear no relevance to anything. She is no pointless soothsayer. Instead, she has mastered the finer nuances of the craft, and is able to sense the smallest emotions and identify weakness and strength. She is proficient at using base instincts to judge the most likely of outcomes. Ruled by blazing passions, and governed by blind faith, this is not unexpected. But her parents did not consider divination a reputable branch of magic and they forbade her from studying it. She didn't listen.

APPEARANCE

Height: 5' 7" Eyes: blue Hair: black Build: slender

BACKGROUND

Born the eldest daughter to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Bellatrix relentlessly gave her parents more than they bargained for. Their first mistake was naming her for a warrior - she soon lived up to it in ways they could barely handle. Impetuous and strong-willed, she was difficult to tame, though her parents always found ways in the end - the girl was also loyal and knew right from wrong, obeying social expectations with reluctance when it mattered. Thus, she went through her childhood knowing her destiny as a girl was to marry and bear children, cursing her gender and vowing she would break the mould and live her life as she wished. She would be no man's trophy whore. The world would cower at her feet.

Her sisters' births gave her focus. She loved them in her own way, with obsessive infatuation that was borderline cruel. She had no respect for their privacy, wanting to insert herself into every part of their lives because they belonged to her. But despite this intensity, there was no doubt that she would do anything for her family. Both Andromeda and Narcissa could depend on her and trust her wholeheartedly. Bellatrix was always an open book, unable to conceal her wild emotions for long. But she gifted her sisters with her most secret desires and plans. So despite what she may claim, Andromeda's departure (and to a lesser extent, Sirius's) cut her to the core - she cannot comprehend how anyone could abandon their family so mercilessly. Her sister made a choice - she knew the rules, and she cast them all aside as though they were worthless.

As Bellatrix grew older, she delved more deeply into Dark Magic. Her NEWT years were spent studying ferociously, as the world started to change and whispers of a Dark Lord flew around her ears like salacious honey. She knew, even then and without having met him, that her place would be at his right hand side. She kept newspaper cuttings under heavy curses, wrapping herself fanatically in his teachings and barely able to prevent herself from launching into this route prematurely. Many of her classmates became like-minded, but she scorned their interest. None of them had her fervour. They didn't realise what the Dark Lord could offer; they lacked the need for an outlet, and Bellatrix's ambition was very much a need. She craved a release, both a purpose for her chaotic adorations and her taste for cruelty and manipulation, and a way out of the dull future that awaited her.

After graduating, her parents quickly secured a marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange, believing he was best able to control her. It was their second and biggest mistake. Together, Bellatrix and Rodolphus formed a union more dangerous than any other that could have been designed. Far from holding her back, he encouraged her to join the Death Eaters and earned her bitter respect in the process. But there is no love, here. Potent and indecorous, in constant conflict and competition, they are a desecration.