#in that dragons are like a representation of this mystical knowing other

[cruelsister-moved2]

i love unicorns im so sad how little mileage they get in fantasy literature...i got this compilation of unicorn short stories and i DNFed it so quickly because it was like trying so hard to be edgy and not whimsical at all literally what is the point of a unicorn if you arent being a lover and a dreamer!!!

[theavianlady]

...tw? Tw.

TW: Gore, Blood, Injury, uh...Pain and Sadness-

@psychologicalwarclaire

Ha ha! Tis I! I was the anon!

(Cue dramatic exclamations of disbelief)

Ahem. Tis the anniversary of Spider's Web with Strings Attached, and I wanted to make something! Go and read the fic if you haven't already; it's incredible.

Lots of ramblings and other versions under the cut (if anyone wants to see any other parts with or without different lighting and stuff that I didn't include, just let me know; I'm happy to share).

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This is the first (almost) completely original thing I've drawn digitally! Poses are really hard for me, so I'm super proud of this. No tracing, only references!

...so. Many. References.

Except for the bricks, which I'm not counting, because bricks are scary. And the chains. I used a brush. Chains are scary too.

I started July 28th, and then spent almost 40 hours across various canvases planning, experimenting, and actually working on this. Not including research. It took me absolutely forever, but I regret nothing.

Except for the fact that I spent over 6 hours just shading bricks. I didn't even draw them! I took a pattern for the grooves from google and filled it with black, (rotated and edited for some variance in their cells), and then did the red lighting and some shadows you can't even really see. For 6 hours.

I tried to draw their spider brooches many times, but I could not get them to look right (especially from a side angle), so I gave up. Let's all just pretend they're there until I come back later. Eventually. Maybe. Oh, and Leo's chains. At the time of posting, I really just want to get this up and posted, so they're not shaded, but again, I might do it later.

I wanted to have this set when they're both in their separate cells, right after Viper was, uh...in the cell with Leo. So, Donnie is all stitched up and healing, while Leo is...not doing great (not certain about the timeline, because I'm paranoid about everything, so it's probably fine). But, I wanted to convey what happened to Donnie, so I drew that weird glowing spine thing to indicate some kind of mystic healing something. I don't even know.

It didn't turn out as well as I wanted it too, but I'm probably biased. Because there was so much gore on Leo's side, Donnie's looked boring. I couldn't figure out how to do the lighting. The values could be better. It could do with more time spent on the shadows. Etc, etc. I'm a perfectionist.

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Uh, in order of posting, behold!

1. Big version.

2. Big version without lighting (except on the bricks) or Japanese characters.

3. Close up of magic spine representation thing because I'm proud of it.

4. Close up of gore-covered-Leo because I'm also proud of that. I have never drawn such...messy gore before.

Fun fact, the group of layers all of that was on is called "Bad Stuff".

5. Close up of Donnie's shell stitches without the spine thing, because I worked hard on those. It was also pretty tricky, because I couldn't find any references for large stitched wounds. Only open ones. If anyone knows any good places for references like that, t'would be greatly appreciated.

Also, they don't usually stitch puncture wounds, because it could trap infection, but I feel like with something so large and deep as dragon teeth it would be necessary? So I tried to include those.

But also, would they just stitch the skin in such deep wounds? Is there still a gaping hole under the skin? Do they also stitch muscles with the dissolvable sutures or something? I'm like, going to go to med-school just so I can draw more accurate wounds and stitches and stuff.

6. Close up of Leo without the gore because he's pretty and I'm really proud of the plastron. And the right forearm armour piece. I couldn't get the other ones to look as nice, much to my dismay.

The Japanese characters write out to Omae wa hitoribocchi da, which translates to You are alone. I think. Google Translate says it's You are all alone, but translation services that I trust slightly more, like Reverso.net and ChatGPT (the most reliable of sources, I know) just say You are alone.

Omae is the equivalent of anata, for those familiar with Anata wa hitori janai. They both mean you, but omae is more...condescending, from what I can tell. Informal and rough, often used to express disdain or superiority.

Wa indicates that anata or omae are the subject of the sentence.

Hitori is present in both, meaning alone, though from what I can see, hitoribocchi is more...desolate and painful. It's a more emotional term for being alone.

Janai kind of means is not, or are not, while da is just like...closing the sentence. A firm, declarative ending particle.

I tried to paste the actual Japanese characters from different translation services (I am not fighting with using a keyboard from another language), but Tumblr wouldn't let me. Boo. So, you can all suffer with my English-Japanese. Also, don't trust anything I say. I'm learning Japanese on Duolingo, but I've only just started and it gets way more complicated. So, pretty much anything I just said could be wrong. I just did a lot of research.

If anyone does speak Japanese, and knows a better way to convey this, please tell me. I crave knowledge and accuracy.

I should get like, a personal human translator. No AI or program can truly understand a language like its people. Especially comparing Japanese and English. From what I've learned, there are a lot of words that could be translated many ways, depending on exact feel. It's complicated, and I'm scared to get farther into Duolingo's course.

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I also just discovered yesterday that today is also the anniversary of the Rise Movie, so yay! Happy Anniversary to the movie that literally changed my life. And Curly, you're awesome. It's authors like you keeping this fandom alive, so thank you!

[mystery--mist]

Hey mist, if you watch Helluva Bosses' new episode You be in a surprise involving uhhh....New Sins?

Sorry for the late answer aaaah!! I always take my time to answer properly asks but again, so busy, sorry!

I watched the episode immediately and I enjoyed so much! Seeing all the sins together (except Lucifer) made me truly happy aaaah So far my fav episode!

I love seeing they have kind of "Royal Hellish Trial" with the 7 sins in Hell for this kind of things or serious matters. I guess Lucifer is the one who judges by default since he is the King of Hell. But since Lucifer is absent due to his depression issue, and Hazbin Hotel events I guess, Satan is the second in charge by their hierarchy of Rings. The Trial is so epic and cool how is set up. The big throne up there is hella epic and the rest of sins under it.

I guess Satan made his own "throne" to don't touch the Royal one due to respect. I mean, if you sit down in a throne not yours is disrespectful and insulting in this kind of hierarchy and society. Although Lucifer can care less in his current state :")

Also I noticed the Sins wear other different outfits (Asmodeus, Mammon and Beelzebub), I guess their royal outfits as princes/princesses of the sins (or Kings/Queens dunno). I think this alternative outfits represent the circus roles once more.

Lucifer, The Ringmaster

Satan, The Strongman

Mammon, The Clown

Beelzebub, The Animal Tamer

Asmodeus, The Fire Breather

Belphegor, The Magician

Leviathan, The Freak Show

Some are obvious, others are more ambiguous, still not sure about Leviathan but I'm sure Belphegor is related to magic.

Satan design is so damn epic and hot!!

No wonder why Bee mentioned he was hot and wanted to fuck him in her episode XD This dragon daddy looks and sounds truly sexy-hot. That deep voice is quite menacing and authoritative.

Dragons are majestic and threatening, it fits so great with Satan, quite powerful vibes. Also I like the detail he has another second pair of horns similar to male Imps, that says a lot of the character as creator of the Imp species. Dragons are lizards and Imps have a kinda demon-lizards aspect as well with the tail, horns and red skin. The same traits that Satan has. Quite wise design ^^

Also the good representation of his own sin, Wrath, he has anger issues so he has a lil demon to help him to manage and control them XD Yeah it's the best to stay calm, you can't judge someone and make decisions when your emotions control you.

Belphegor design is so pretty and adorable, so fluffy!

I thought she was a giraffe for the long neck and the candle reminded to a giraffe horn, but can be also a llama because llamas have fluffy hair :")

I always loved the fact she has a candle on the head. Candles can represent the subconscious or dream world, due to she represent Sloth sin and sleeps a lot, fits quite well, also candles can represent knowledge, and I believe Bee mentioned she had medicines, powerful drugs surely and ingredients. The field of medicine is known as a field where you must have enough/high knowledge about what you are doing and using to create said medicine. Once more fit with her. And of course, candles in christian mythology represent the Soul. The eyes partner also is related to the Soul or mystic symbols.

Can't wait to hear her voice and see her personality to know more about her ^^

Leviathan design looks rad!

I didn't expect 2 heads in her design but it doesn't bother me!

I love the marine aesthetic, well since is marine monster in the mythology :"D I like the trait of the 2 heads because I believe it represents well her sin Envy since it exists the 2 kind of Envies: Malicious Envy and Benign Envy. Unlike the popular tradition, Envy doesn't represent the typical angry jealous person, you can also feel envy without having bad intentions.

The Malicious Envy, represented by the snake head, more skeptical and stoic. The one that has negative connotations, the typical, bad wishes and toxic emotions (fury, resentment, frustration) toward the other person. Destructive behavior towards yourself and the other person.

The Benign Envy, represented by the friendly head, less toxic than the other and more positive. This envy feel admiration for the other person and wants to emulate it. For example, if someone wears a beauty dyed hair that you like, you want also that dyed hair, or when you want to emulate your idol and be like them of cool (typical in teens). This envy also want to surpass yourself, set ambitious goals and motivate yourself. Although benign envy also stems from a lack of personality because you only want what others have without stopping to think about what you truly want. But in general, is less destructive.

I also must mention, dunno which head has more control over the body, maybe both and sometimes one win to the other. But when Mammon tries to flirt with Levy the first time.

The friendly head seems to be ok with Mammon while the Snake one is annoyed and take the control of the body to avoid him which results in the other head look surprised by the sudden action and gets angry with her other head, she didn't agree with the action.

Can't wait also to hear her voice and know more about her when she has her own episode.

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Side extra personal note: I like how Vivzie represents the Deadly Sins characters, not because of the design but mainly cause of their personality/behavior. People complains they are not the stereotypical Sins so no accurate and "bad design", "no original", which I disagree. It would be quite boring if they were like the typical design of each Sin, that YES WOULD BE NO ORIGINAL AT ALL. I like them because they are different in fact. And people who makes redesigns ONLY as degatory intention and play the card "I fix your design" are quite nasty, honestly. The great most of them create mediocre designs, very generic and without any personality. And of course, about people that genuine enjoys playing with the designs and want to redesign them to explore their skills, they are totally ok for me ♥

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I must mention, finally they addressed something I liked, Ozzy and Bee enjoy hang out with the lowest ranks. It seems nobody else except Mammon has a "problem" with that (?) I mean, yeah big drama, both levels of hierarchy interaction like equals, but since they are quite poweful and one of the most highest ranks in Hell, nobody should give a fuck about it. Mammon just being a bitchy about it because stupid classist. But yeah I like it exists dramas between the same Sins, some get along and others don't.

Asmodeus and Beezelbub totally sibling team power hehe High Five!

I like seeing part of Levy shows care for Mammon in the same frame XD

Also Satan just facepalm-ing because these 3 are fighting.

They are totally Siblings Family core! ♥

I also want to address this fact as well since I find important to remark. It seems Mammon has a good feeling with Leviathan, and maybe mutuals (just from her friendly side).

I mean, she was still angry with her other head/side and Mammon goes back and call her, quickly she genuinely smiles at him XD

I ship them :"D Are they in love, your Honor?

But anyway, being Mammon an asexual character, canonized in the promotional art for Pride Month, I want to say that it’s amazing to finally see an asexual person showing romantic interest and even, perhaps, a subtle sexual implication by asking Leviathan out. This is something I needed to see on screen because people often have a misguided perception of asexual individuals, assuming they can’t feel love, romantic interest, or sexual attraction towards others, which is entirely false. An asexual person can fall in love, have a partner, and engage in sexual relationships if they choose to. The asexual spectrum is broad, ranging from little to no interest in sex and/or romance. Not all asexual people share the same tastes or interests, and like anyone else from any other identity, they have their own preferences.

I hope Alastor fans stop defending the character like white knights and treating him as someone innocent and pure... Alastor can have a relationship if he wanted, yes, stop harassing people who ships him with another character only because you don't understand what is to be asexual, thank you ♥

And yes, like 4 mentions/references to Lucifer in the episode :"D He "exists"

And of course, Satan, King of Lies, just bitching XD

And the last thing I want to mention here is the symbols of every Sin Realm. Truly precious all of them!

Lucifer symbol being shattered, so meaningful due to his current state with the depression, the loss of someone, his absence.

And here the Sigils of every Demon Sin

Source image link

Which are real symbols in the demonology. Goetia demons also have sigils. I think you can see Stolas or Paimon ones as well

And in the trial as well, in their chairs are their sigils

And I guess the big pentagram there it represents the Trial of Satan

I think these all my thoughts about the Sins only so far :"D

[babbletaels]

The godess of time

Many people think that Hylia is the godess of time, but I feel like the godess of time has always been supposed to be Nayru? Nayru "gave the spirit of law to the land" and by law I'm pretty sure they don't mean like "don't be a thief", but laws like time, gravity etc, like laws of nature. Oracle of ages features Nayru, and revolves around time travel. I've seen some people claim the godess of the sands is the same as the godess of time because of hour glass, and I was kind of on board for that being a predessor to botw hylia worship, but also Lanayru obviously named after Nayru, a dragon in the desert. There's the fact that all zelda deserts were once oceans, Nayru is connected to water and ice, so the godess of the sands could very well have once been the godess of the sea?

And then we have the fact that the ocarina of time is an item that belongs to zelda, the sage of time, also the bearer of the triforce of wisdom, which is Nayrus triforce piece. It just seems like the godess of time just simply IS Nayru? I honestly feel like this whole Hylia thing is so unnecessary, like they could've just had Nayru "reincarnate" to become zelda if Hylia really was a godess like the golden godesses, but they didn't even need her to do that cause the spirit of the three godesses basically do reside in normal hylians whenever the triforce splits.

Anyway back to the topic. I feel like Hylia is more like a godess of light? It's always the bow of light and swords that emit light and mystical light powers, that are needed to defeat ganondorf/the incarnation of demise I guess, the supposed enemy and opposite of hylia. In tears of the kingdom we have five dragons total. Heat, cold, electricity, light and... "demon dragon". No. He's the shadow dragon, or the darkness dragon. If there's light, there's darkness - we all know this. The three dragons in botw are representative of the three golden godesses, and then we have a fourth dragon, and a fifth dragon. Do I need to spell it out more? There's a reason why she's called "the light dragon" and not "the time dragon". I think Hylia is the godess of light, whether she counts as a golden godess I'm very unsure. But with Hylia out of the way it is very clear to me that the godess of time is in fact Nayru.

This complicates things, though, because in ocarina of times spirit temple, where we can see the godess of the sand, light is a very important mechanic. But I think I have a very far fetched explaination for this. I'll try to keep it short. In majoras mask, similarly to ocarina of time, we find the mirror shield which we use to reflect light to complete various puzzles in both games. The two mirror shields don't look the same. The mirror shield in ocarina of time has the gerudo symbol on it. The one is majoras mask has a face on it. But it's not just a face. I'm 100% certain that the face on the mirror shield is supposed to be a symbolic representation of the moon, because the majoras mask moon has a face. We can find moon symbols with faces in other parts of majoras mask. The moon only shines because it reflects light from the sun, just like the mirror shield. The gerudo symbol used to be a moon. And moons aren't associated with light, despite reflecting it, they're associated with water, they're associated with the tide. Tide is derived from old english, it means time. So light reflection - moon - water - tide - time. The godess of time is not Hylia and the godess of the sand is not the godess of light.

Nayru is the godess of time

[solardick]

So playign with the new script. And at haphazard i have this. Some im secure about others im not.

Some order will change. Preliminary, intuitive, brainstorm. Some cards may be added with some lever of confidence. Letter B(Бб) will most definitely change. The pope, the empress, the star(s) the moon, and maybe one for the sun will be added. Not sure if the sun will represent the peak of summer fun. Perhaps more along the lines of работе and discipline. Having the star as venus. Doesn’t really fit. It’s seen all over anyway. It’s more as a nation of individuals. Outside of the self. Each star being ots own seperate sun in the sky. But ultimately. The grand focus is on the self. And lesser as a secondary body with the moon. If soeaking purely on celestial bodies. The pope card centers the throne to the stars. Thats the innitial idea anyway. With the added association of letter Н and negation. The queer death card centers the petulant fool, if viewed that way to the moon card of baser “lunar” needs. As the fool moon is taught to be the ending of a cycle. Or completion. Still need the temperance card. To center the seperate state of letter Ы to that of letter Ж. Which i presently gave to the chariot card. Which for at the moment only leave a few empty slots for i don’t know what. And to see simultaneously, if intuition or some other esoteric, mystical crap term completes it for me. As did the mossing elements of the latin tarot overlay did one evening.

And then its to, at the same time. Numerical associations. Whcih hopefully woon’t probe too hassle some. Whuch may take a bery long time jndeed. Not to mention pronunciation connections. Of changing letters. As was done with the Г card. And the Д card. Which are amazing by the way. And the complexity or complex, confusion for the “ artistism” of the Д card. Which to, i beleive, simultaneously is a representant of the home and of god. For both home and god i. Russian start with Д. The added level of confort shows through well enough as it does with ot connection to the tower card with it is tied with. As the И card is not necceserily killing the “dragon” solely an aspect of the self which is detrimental or harmful or fake or whatever else fit into that nice little nudge one calls motivation, or egotism.

Though, its still too early, to say anythign defrinite or whether or not i drop the whole thing in favour for a dame. Cause the devil will mostly deffinatelly send me a distraction the moment my motivation takes wheel. As does it always. For the last few several years its been this group of cunt tards. But in the past its been other things.

Lets see if this dumb layman isnt capable of creating a beautiful card game. That brings out the best in both worlds.

… your not dumb, your outclassed, out taught, out numbered and out-moraled. And most people are far more evil intended and fake than you’r capable of being. And if those are the typws of personalities you were raised by, they’ll most likely always be apart of your life whether i try to escape or not. So, stay still. Though their inteligence-complex game they play is rather annoying. Its nothign new to you. You know that. You “shred” a boyroom with a cuntard that did the same thing everytear of your childhood. As you watch the narsicistic joy on his face while he did it. And you know that your framed into this disposition. So dont sweat it. Wait for the grand finally.

Bashnyа = tower. Maybe thats were they want the tower as in the “big bang” of B(Бб). Suits the missing top of the latin B. But then. As above so below. I’d rather keep it idealistic. And not someones script. No?

But, there is a sheild on the bottom of that tower card….. uh. Tower is one of my “birth cards”. Well guess we have the answer to the grand finally. Eh.

Though curious how the street peddler is the chosen card. Trying to sell bs and mise people out of their money with cure-alls and tabloid prints of unfounded fake news. At least thats one description of it. If ots not viewed in the positive sense. Of being prepared formthe job at had. And glorifying a toast of a ccomplishment. But, that isn’t my disposition. Nor how i am. So it ain’t me. Not that i wont suffer fir it regardless. But, one can go further considering the tarot. And number two being that of the high priestess, holding that inner knowledge. In which she grants those whim go looking. Or as the state of the in er mimd and how it should be treated with a sense of delicacy and mothering loving nurturance. It also being to represent solomons temple made out of gold for communion and transmission of god’s word. Maybe it should be replaced, the peddler, with the broken mirror’s, magician card. Of magic. Different format so. Its open to debate. Which is one of the reasons i changed the high priestess, from the marseille’s grandmother with a dash of waite’s temple and included the logos or higher conscious of god. At the same time as the innocent virgin, to be treated and care for in a fatherly way of protection. I improved it quite a bit.

And so i dont like having the tower there. The destruction of the temple. Violation of the innocence and the coherency of the mind. Though on that argument of decohenrence and thinkin( outside of the box. Which is theming lately with the show, dark matter. In where the only way through is with a clear mind. An knowing exactly want you want. And all of these issues prevent that possibility.

But, one olso need to plug the deck i to rhe calendar. Or ots not going to be very effective for divining. All calendwr hollidays for tarot. Are negative. I could plugnin the cloud read prophecies. But, i dint want to pictorialize rhat experience. Ive been through more than once. And irs not pleasent. It’ll make the devil card look like a vacation.

Anyway to continue on the last arguement and the tower. It is interrsting to note sequences of nine. Which repeat fully 3 times. Leaving 4 cards from 1 to 31. For Ь & Ъ i am not counting. Instead of continuing the numbers 1 through 31. One just calculates 1 through 9. And use this as a reference to see which cards are connected by number. Numbers 1, 2, 3, start and end each row of cards which consist of ten cards. Numbers repeat diagonally / like this. And increase by 2 like \.

4 is the last number that contains 4 numbers. The rest only contain 3.

The other curiosity is history. And the russian alphabet reform. A decade after the release of the Waite deck. Though, it stems generations before hand. And the tower card being placed at the beginning of the alphabet. And the governmental change from a monarchy to that of a communism. Often enough villainized as demonic by tyrannical government offices.

Though if one went looking, one may find another 4. In conjunction to the calendar. Though the Gregorian calendar and not the Julian calendar. Which is what the Russians still use. Not fallowing the papil church. So for at the moment their christmass doesn’t fall on December 25. But on jan. 7. Though for me. December 25th is still the date as Christmas for as i know it, is for the decline of the sun on the darkest day of the year. Cyclic repetition. Including letters Ь & Ъ brings that day of the year to the E card. Or if excluding, to card number 4 the Г card. Both cards at the moment shows light. Rising light. As the dove is also a Venus symbol and a symbol for jesus. As the 4 is also a number for the emperor or king. And the 6 is a number for the lover(s). The poetry here is beautiful. And instead of the connection tarot as with christmas to the devil card. Which makes sense. On the darker side of things if not just as for a venus symbol. As the classical tower card fallows next with colourful lights floating doen from the sky. Not in the waite’s version. Not a farcry for christmas lights. And the tearing of the presents waiting under the tree. As the tower card is also places on valentines day….. tarot is evil. Maybe not.

It’s worth going over thinking about the devil card and Christmas. Truth. Hiding behind the holly. And allure and lies. Though that truth isn’t desirable. All that time being covered over by illusions. Its not so much the devil that lies. Only it gets sealed by lower truths. And the unveiling onlu gwts more potent the more it’s hiding by duration. This isn’t something the russians do. It gets faced every year. And the rising of the sun. Is more of a victory, to say. When time is given to joy and light. It does’t hide it behind a facade if bs. Popular loving bs. But bs just the same.

On this topic. There are others things interresting.

“Women’s christmass falling here on the Ë fool card. And soemthing else. For when the julian calendar finaly moves one day forward. And hits jan. 8th. What does this imply on the world stage? As something will undoubtably happen. When, 2101, julian Christmas on jan.8th. …. Curious. Generation Z. Will be all but died out on that date. The end of the alphabet and the start of a new age. Dawning. …. Too grand? Maybe. Thought it curious is all.

Further more, when christmas first started on jan. 7th was in 1972. A major thing of inportance on this date between the american and russian goverments was the anti-ballistic missiles treaty aims at limiting nuclear arms, with president Nixon. In 2036 will be the half way mark of the 129 year cycle of the julian calender. Which is the final year that current president vladimir Putin will be legally allowed to hold office.

Forgive my mistaken god to be written with a Д. When it comes to the throne. It’s with a Б. Though the prefix “бес” is the negation of a term or word, as it is with “un” and “in” predixed to english words. -Letter Б when attached with an O. Seems to play the opposite case. Though not being a prefix, as far as i know, where the words and terms bear positive meanings- Tower, god, declensions, a host of negative words. Baggage. Which seems to dwarf the positive by number. They do seem to paint the tower card rather perfectly. At the moment. The tower and temperance when speaking purely of letters and tarot. Was also an issue for attention. Though because the tower in tarot paints the mars function solely in a negative light. It is also in line when the letter T which makes a sense of its own. As t is to T. But Temperance. Which also starts with a T, binds them. This is a subject all its own. But to fallow this lead of the tower and letter T. One does the same with бashnya and letter Б. The added weight is that the russian Б words describe the tower and its details better that the english T. Plus it aint found in the middle of the script. Wasting time and effort. And all tgat was built. Its found at the start. With a long road ahead.

Dont want to keep too strictly to the rule of majuscule. A sin “Major”. Though ir will enivitably affect the outcome. Argument came to about the “pope” card effecting and being the lover card. Card H in tarot latin overlay. Though H plays favour as being No. can’t really have that as the russian overlay. Its even defined by associative deffintion from popular vote by infancy and regulation. As No, is paramount on this regard. Argument at current as having russian letter L as lover, as it starts the same and Waite’s transfiguration of the strength as violence to something more pleasing. Though simce there was already a “lovers” card, didn’t leave him with much choice with also transfiguring the actual lover card with something biblically grotesque as adam and eve. And the fun part about this image is that the lion also starts with an L. Curios here when writting an L and not a L. Its not a vowel. Lion’s love.

My apologies if that whole paragraph causes some kind of grammatically cause upheaval. But perhaps there is some sense when it comes to russian letter Ь & Ъ. The called soft amd hard signs. As an L os a soft signed artical compared to “a” L. Even though grammatically speaking it’s wrong. Unless theres an exception that my secondary 4 flunked english class is unaware of.

As H(n) is to N and the tower card is to valentines day. Waite didn’t just switch the strenght card and the justice card but he also switch the lovers card and the strength card. And also changes the debt card (death) with a fool’s tyranny. Which connects it with relunctence or avoidances and antipathy towards owing whats due and not paid for. But the death card is also painted as glory in the transfiguration of the fool body, with the death of the king and his wealth and sit of power against the church and marriage. Agaisnt the feminine body and pleas for mercy.

Its fucken revolting.

…. The house of the golden dawn? In the land of the setting sun.

[horizon-verizon]

Do you think Helaena has an opinion on the whole Blacks vs Greens situation and the impending war? Do you think she truly believes in the Green cause or just goes along with what they do because she has no choice? From what I’ve seen, Helaena is mostly regarded as merely an “innocent” by both sides of the fandom, I’ve seen neither Team Green or Team Black people say that they think Helaena has either negative or positive feelings towards the Blacks.

In my opinion, it is unlikely that she has negative feelings towards the Blacks despite Alicent spewing her poison, because she happily toasted to Baela and Rhaena in 1x08, who she must know where involved in the fight that took her brother Aemond’s eye, and she also agreed to dance with her nephew Jace, and it seemed to be the first time in a long time where she was truly happy. I also remember her smiling a little when Viserys showed up to defend Rhaenyra against Vaemond. I honestly think that Helaena might wish that she could be closer to her family members from the Black side, and I don’t buy that Aemond treats her all that well either.

Aemond might be gentle with her and defend her from Aegon, but he clearly hates his relatives from the Black side more than he cares about her, given how he interrupted her happy dance with Jace by slamming his fist on the table so he could mock his nephews. Helaena deserves so much better. She was just born into the Greens. I don’t think she actually agrees with what they are doing, especially because she can see the future at times as well, which means she might be able to see all of their tragic fates which are caused by her mother and grandfather’s schemes.

Helaena is not a real player in this whole thing, even in the book. And I think that she likely just wished everyone will get along but knew it will never happen. Both in book and show. The book, written by a maester in a patriarchal society, emphasizes her gentleness and how others thought that trait would work well for motherhood.

In-world & in the greens' schemes, she is a means to:

legitimize and strengthen Aegon’s image and rule

(later events I won't spoil) draw more sympathy for the greens due to how vulnerable her neurodivergence makes her to societal and familial dismissal

a means for Condal/the writers to both add some more mysticism for this fantasy-less show (where are the damn dragons?!)

validate Aegon I’s prophecy and its unnecessary narrative role in HotD (the prophecy may be an element of fantasy but for the purpose of this particular story, it was both unnecessary AND the show writers try to use it as a means to diminish Rhaenyra's willingness to fight back aginst the greens whether that mean the actual usrpation or in one of many of the smaller conflicts before then, bcit's paired w/her guilt, her need to perform as aruler her neglectful & ineffective father said a ruler should be, etc.)

appeal to people justifiably looking for neurodivergent representation in their media and make the show more attractive

I really can’t see Helaena as hateful towards the Blacks. 

The show gives us no real indication that she despises or dislikes any of them because she doesn’t give them any particular look nor does she interact with any of them at all until she dances with Jacaerys. Happily and with more life in her than she ever had with any Green, I might add.

Of course, she would not be close to any Black because Alicent would have kept her away from them for most of her life (not that the jump cut between episodes 5 & 6 helps). But since Helaena seems very distant from Alicent and Otto treats her both “better” than he does his grandsons and a bit condescendingly as if she were a child or he was entertaining a cute puppy’s burst of energy, I would go out on a limb and see her as being a sort of innocent bystander in her own world. 

Otto has no real stake in her behavior apart from her giving Aegon kids and staying quiet and out of the way. Which she usually does from what we get to see.

This is also why, I guess, people also feel her adaptation into being a prophet makes sense and is good. But I already have my problems with her TV characterization (POST & POST). 

About Aemond Defending Her

This is the script piece of episode 7:

Aegon: We have nothing in common.

Aemond: She’s our sister.

Aegon: You marry her, then.

Aemond: I would perform my duty, if mother had only betrothed us.

Aegon: If only.

Aemond: It would strengthen the family. Keep our Valyrian blood pure.

And he looks for a bit longer than necessary at Helaena without directly engaging with her. 

Before Alicent pops up in her room to see her, Helaena also recites in episode 9 that: “It is our fate, I think, to crave always what is given to another. If one possesses a thing, the other will take it away”. So folks heard Aegon and Aemond’s words, the latter’s look at Helaena in the 7th episode, and Helaena’s words here all show a potential or certain reality where he is secretly infatuated with her and she knows of it through her extra sight. 

They might see Aemond as more sympathetic or morally better than Daemon since that Aemond is also trying to prove himself, and Helaena-- being his sister (Targ custom and Targness) and his older brother’s neglected wife--also would bring him closer to the throne if only Aegon hadn’t existed. Poor Aemond. He has to work for a brother who doesn’t appreciate the position he is in: has the birth order, the girl, the support from the grandfather and the Hightowers.

In episode 8, I think that if you are one to think he is in love with or infatuated with Helaena, you’re inclined to think he got angry for many reasons: 

Lucerys goaded him

he is upset/flabbergasted that Alicent called a cease fire despite the years she’s been telling them all Rhaenyra needs to be usurped/killed and is trying to begin the process of reorienting his life’s mission

Jace is taking all of Helaena’s attention

or/and Jacaerys purposely danced with Helaena just to get back at Aegon for his incessant goading. 

Rather than him just wanting to get back at Lucerys. 

One problem with that Aemond would have to be a lot more explosively angry than what he’s been portrayed so far. Like how he is canonically.

Another problem is that, as you pointed out, Aemond of HotD AND Fire and Blood really care about proving himself more than Show! and Book!Daemon did. (POST, POST, POST & POST).

Final problem is that we do not get a scene with them together alone where we can gauge how he thinks of her and vice versa in a more concrete way after watching episode 7.

We’re given this suggestion of romantic feelings, but nothing afterwards to really cement or negate it.

Perhaps Condal doesn’t even know what to do about this supposed ship himself yet.

[lilmissbacon]

My review of;

I've seen almost nothing but hate up to this show's release, just because it's a continuation of HttyD that doesn't have the absolute best animation.

Granted it also takes place in the modern day so it doesn't feel nearly as much like the original trilogy but there's nothing wrong with having a new take on stories.

I decided to give my opinion on this show because I just watched it and I'm just gonna say it... I really liked it.

Quality

Like I said, the animation isn't amazing and I've seen people voice their dislike for that because they think DreamWorks is a multimillion dollar company.

Disney is the multimillion company. DreamWorks has been having money troubles since 2013.

It's only still prominent to us because the success of HttyD, Kung Fu Panda and Shrek.

As long as you can look past the animation quality then you're golden because the story in this show is actually pretty charming. Sure the cliché tale about teens who need to keep something a secret but you can tell it's not because they don't trust their parents.

I'm gonna try not to give any spoilers but let's just say that Tom (the main character) talks to his mom about the company she works for. It shows how he and his mom love to discover and study but how the company would exploit it to make money and it shows that they both have a distaste for that.

So they trust their parents, just not the company.

Characters

This show has some great representation as well. There are a lot of poc characters, a disabled character, a mixed couple who are also a gay couple, we stan.

And I love the designs of the dragons. If you have a problem with barely seeing dragons we recognize, it's super easy to sum up that the dragons we're familiar with were only common around the archipelago.

The Hidden World runs all throughout all of Earth, it's most likely there are just completely different dragons in different places.

Jun (girl in purple) is Chinese and her dragon is heavily designed from the dragons of Chinese culture. Her dragon is a two headed one that breaths fire and ice which is most likely a reference to how Chinese dragons are known for being water based. Plus the red and blue colors being connected by gold is just really pretty.

Alex (girl in overalls) I believe is Hispanic and her dragon –as she explains in the show– is designed off of a legend called the Quetzalcoatl.

D'Angelo (green vest) is kinda like a mix between Snotlout and Fishlegs. He's kinda a jock and adventurer but he's also a gentle soul who prefers to follow the rules and knows how to take care of animals. In fact that's why Tom and Jun told him about dragons in the first place.

None of these teens are instantly friends (except for Tom and Jun because they knew each other as kids). D'Angelo is brought in on the secret because the dragon he ends up bonding with, was injured and Tom and Jun didn't know how to help. And Alex was only brought on because of an accident.

They didn't even really become fully fledged friends by the end of the season. They're buddies because they bonded with these dragons but that's about it. It's most likely gonna get a second season (if the very ending is anything to go by) for them to grow but the pacing of this show is actually pretty good. The teens were kinda disconnected in the beginning so they're not gonna leave their shells in just a few days.

Plot

The bonding of the dragons is pretty well done too. They don't take super long to bond with each person like how Hiccup and Toothless take half the movie but as the characters themselves state in this: the dragons are pretty trusting. Most likely that dragons were in hiding for so long that they forgot how dangerous humans can be.

Tom and Thunder are both adventurers who like to discover new things and search for more. Jun bonded with Wu/Wei through her desire to know more about the mystical as well as the dragons reminding her of tales from her culture. D'Angelo and Plowhorn bond through him helping her while she was hurt, as well as their gentle nature. And Feathers actually bonds with Alex first because she saw how lonely Alex was. She even kinda helped Alex deal with some PTSD that made her scared of going outside.

So while the bondings may come across as fast to some, it's not poorly set up either. It's quick but it never feels rushed. They're believable and genuinely cute.

How to Train Your Dragon

They actually manage to give a handful of references to the franchise without it coming across as pandering.

Like the opening of the first episode is a book opening with illustrations of Hiccup and Toothless, along with Hiccup's map. Plus familiar images and the "that's for scaring me," line. None of it feels forced.

Also the fact that Tom is actually, most likely a descendant of Hiccup because he mentions that he and his mom are descendants of Vikings.

Plus his mom calls him boyo, it's adorable.

Also (and this is on the HttyD wiki) Tom's last name "Kullersen" in danish, translates to son of Haddock. I can't-

I'm kinda just gushing now so...

In Conclusion

I'd rate this season a 6 out of 10.

The plot isn't revolutionary but it's still a lot of fun. The animation is not as bad as haters are making it out to be, it's actually super reminiscent to Camp Cretaceous. Which is another show DreamWorks is involved with, so it makes sense.

I very much recommend.

[theoppositeofprofound]

Scientific Fields Sorted By How Easy It Is To Directly Apply Them To Tolkien Fanfic

Math: Math is apparently the purest science which sounds like elitist nonsense but I will give them credit for the fact that old Johnny never dropped any lore disproving calculus. Math is presumably exactly the same in their universe as it is in ours!

Pure Physics: Just math wearing a silly hat, works mostly the same way with the caveat that the god of evil did invent thermodynamics. Seriously, just ramble about photons for a few paragraphs and throw in a line about how this proves that Varda is a most powerful of the Valar at the end. You’ve just written an elven term paper. 

Linguistics: You are not only encouraged but required to do linguistics in your Tolkien, with the caveat that some of these losers exhibit linguistic drift at a glacial pace thanks to the whole “immortality” thing. 

Applied Physics: It starts to get shaky here! Manwe’s eagles must fly on the power of prayer because they’re not airborne on their own two wings, not in this atmosphere. Also Frodo and Sam were pretty convection proof on Mt. Doom

Structructural Engineering: Pretty safe, mostly because it doesn’t get a lot of attention. Moria and Barad-Dur might be stretching things but they do have magic. 

Chemistry: Solid, apart from mithril which defies the periodic table and also god. 

Zoology: Ponies are real but giant wolves and dragons are not. However they’re handled impressively realistically. Bonus points for the first attempts at dragons not even having wings, that’s the sort of real representation of the scientific process we like to see

Astronomy: To apply astronomy to the Silm you must accept that the world functions in a dual reality where the sun is both a gaseous celestial object and an immortal woman carrying some fruit, where the earth is both round and flat and some people can still sail off the edge it does not have. Once you get that though it’s jolly good fun.

Applied Engineering and Chemistry/”Tech”: I do not know how the Silmarils work, I don’t think I’ll ever know how the Silmarils work. Whenever I try to design a model for how the Silmarils work it looks like I’m making a magic potion out of stardust and diamonds. But all the magic is underpinned by a respect for craftsmanship that allows your to throw in lots of nerdy forging facts so points for that.

Geology: Again, the Mithril Issue, closely related to the Arkenstone Issue and the Silmaril Issue. Lots of potential for fun times at the jewelers bench with elves and dwarves alike though, so it gets a pass. 

Biology: I hate some of the concepts raised by this old British man! How do trolls work? What is Gandalf made of? Hobbits and dwarves, okay, manageable. I can even tolerate elves and Western men, mystical and immortal-ish as they are. But what the HELL is an orc?

Botany: You get a magical flower that cures everything! And you get a magical flower that cures everything!

Geography: Mountain ranges don’t work like that.

Neuroscience: JRR said “the soul influences the body not the other way around” and I said “okay, that’s a worldbuilding choice but this does mean that I have no chance of using anything I’m actually studying while writing for your work, you understand this right, John? John, look at me.”

[this-is-my-jaam]

Cultural Representation in Fantasy and the Dalish pt 2.

2) Cultural bias and stereotyping in pop media

I think that everyone knows already how Westernized fantasy is as a genre already. The most popular aesthetic is a whimsical version of medieval Europe. The protagonists are usually nobility of a very Tudor English variety or some plucky small town Anglo-Saxon coded peasant with a good and honorable soul. I can think of dozens of Fantasy stories with that set-up and design. 

The cottagecore aesthetic is cute and I do like it very much, but the problem I find with this setup typically comes when the villains of the stories are introduced. Because more often than not, the villains are coded as people of color.

This isn’t Fantasy exclusive, but fantasy tropes are notoriously white coded and very often contain racist undertones, but I’ll get to that later. For now, I want to talk about how these tropes are made in the first place and how the media shapes general beliefs on cultures that they are otherwise unfamiliar with.

As I mentioned in the last post, the Dalish are based on the Romani, the Jewish, and the Native American people. 

I think that if most people were to Imagine what the Native American people are like, they would picture something out of an Old Western, some tragic drama, or Pocahontas. There are fewer depictions of Romani people, but all of the ones that I have seen are either tarot reading mystics or Esmerelda. I like Esmerelda, don’t get me wrong, but that movie is not at all accurate about Romani culture and refer to them by a slur for the whole movie. (btw the term g*psy is a misnomer given to the Roma by Europeans who mistook them for Egyptian when they first came to Europe).

None of those are really accurate to the Roma or any Native American culture from any point in history. The problem is that popular media shapes popular perception of the world and of things that we otherwise don’t understand. When movies about Cowboys vs. Native Americans were popular, those movies depicted the Native people as A) the villains B) through a lens of stereotypes and racism. When movies include Roma culture in them, it’s usually just to do some mystical mumbo jumbo and tarot readings that are not faithful to any actual practices of the Roma people.

The ‘mystification’ of the practices of people of color is also a huge bone of contention for me in pop culture and in Dragon Age. The ‘magical POC’ trope is used very often in a lot of movies in a lot of genres to provide answers, quests, and other bullshit to the white protagonists with no actual basis in the beliefs or practices of the ethnic group being used by the writers for plot progression. That or just as a gag bc ‘haha strange cultural difference isn’t that weird.’ In Dragon Age we get that pretty often with the Dalish as the player character, especially as Hawke. I love sarcastic Hawke, but sarcastic Hawke needs to stop being a dick when talking to the Dalish about their practices and culture. 

So as time went on, the stereotypes surrounding Roma culture and Indigenous culture became the common belief of what the Roma and Indigenous people actually were, which is not correct even a little. The movements for better representation in Hollywood only really gained traction in the 2010s, so people didn’t really bother putting a whole lot of effort into research and realism until then. Prior to, we ended up with nothing but negative stereotypes misrepresenting entire ethnic groups that Hollywood didn’t care to correct because there was already a successful framework for making money off of this preconceived idea of what the culture was like.

And after stories about Indigenous people evolved to no longer framing them as villains, Hollywood still fucked it up by presenting them as victims in need of a White Savior. Which brings me back to one of my biggest issues with Dragon Age and how it writes the Dalish and the Elves.

Solas reads as a White Savior to me. I like Solas, don’t get me wrong, but I can’t deny the very bad qualities that he has that just remind me of lots of old arguments from white colonizers who supported ‘Manifest Destiny’ and ‘civilizing the Native population.’ 

Take this poem from Rudyard Kipling, titled ‘The White Man’s Burden,”

Take up the White Man's burden—    Send forth the best ye breed— Go bind your sons to exile    To serve your captives' need; To wait in heavy harness    On fluttered folk and wild— Your new-caught, sullen peoples,    Half devil and half child. Take up the White Man's burden—    In patience to abide, To veil the threat of terror    And check the show of pride; By open speech and simple,    An hundred times made plain. To seek another's profit,    And work another's gain. Take up the White Man's burden—    The savage wars of peace— Fill full the mouth of Famine    And bid the sickness cease; And when your goal is nearest    The end for others sought, Watch Sloth and heathen Folly    Bring all your hopes to nought. Take up the White Man's burden—    No tawdry rule of kings, But toil of serf and sweeper—    The tale of common things. The ports ye shall not enter,    The roads ye shall not tread, Go make them with your living,    And mark them with your dead! Take up the White Man's burden—    And reap his old reward: The blame of those ye better,    The hate of those ye guard— The cry of hosts ye humour    (Ah, slowly!) toward the light:— "Why brought ye us from bondage,    Our loved Egyptian night?" Take up the White Man's burden—    Ye dare not stoop to less Nor call too loud on Freedom    To cloak your weariness; By all ye cry or whisper,    By all ye leave or do, The silent, sullen peoples    Shall weigh your Gods and you. Take up the White Man's burden—    Have done with childish days— The lightly proffered laurel,    The easy, ungrudged praise. Comes now, to search your manhood    Through all the thankless years, Cold-edged with dear-bought wisdom,    The judgment of your peers!

The poem was written about the US acquisition of the Philippines from Spain after the Spanish American War in the late 1800s. America was debating whether or not to colonize the Philippines because of how far away it was. Also because the military had been aiding the Filipino freedom fighters against the Spanish and had promised them freedom when the war was won. 

Spoiler alert, they did not give the Philippines freedom.

But Kipling’s poem is claiming that it is the ‘White Man’s Burden’ to conquer the nations of ‘uncivilized’ people (of color) even if they are hated by the native people of that land. This burden was for the greater good, because the White Man could then civilize the savage ways of those people, and they would be better off for it. 

It’s a load of absolute fucking horseshit and I refuse to read or watch the Jungle book because of it, but the point is that Solas’ mission to return the Elven people to their former greatness reads very ‘White Man’s Burden’ energy to me. 

Solas considers his mission to be his burden because he is responsible for the downfall of Arlathan and destruction of the old elven people. He even tells your Inquisitor (if you romanced and are a Lavellan) not to come with him if you ask because he does not want you to see what he would become. He is willing to take on the role of the villain, hated by the rest of the world, for the greater good of restoring the elves to their former glory. 

That’s all fine and dandy except that by that he also intends to erase the modern Dalish culture and return to the culture and society of Arlathan (minus slavery). And that right there is where the Burden of duty becomes the White Man’s Burden of duty to me.

He repeatedly talks about how he hates the Dalish culture and how their lifestyle is inaccurate to what real elven culture was like in the days of Arlathan. Reminder, he compares the Dalish culture to children playing dress up. The implications that the poc coded lifestyle of the Dalish is inferior to that of the original culture really rubs me the wrong way. Especially because the original society in the days of Arlathan is a much more fantasy traditional, white-coded high elven society. So Solas treating his mission to restore Arlathan as restoring the Dalish and elven culture to what he thinks it should be really just does not sit right for me. And it bothers me that the epilogue has a lot of Dalish people just going along with it because they already have a culture, why would they just let Solas erase all of that because they were different in the past? Like yeah, they want to return to the glory of Arlathan and to stop being mistreated by humans, but I’m pretty sure they don’t want to just toss their entire way of life out the window what the fuck.

Its a very ongoing problem in fantasy fiction that the non-white coded, non-human cultures are either a joke to not be taken seriously, incomprehensible mysticism to solve the hero’s problem, or just straight up bad guys. And after the Trespasser DLC, the Dalish manage to somehow wind up in all three categories. Weeeeeeeeeee are you having fun yet?

to be cont. in part 3

[niteshade925]

Meta Theory:  Man vs. Nature (Long Post)

(SPOILER WARNING for Historia Antiqua act 2:  No Mere Stone; I was clearing my drafts box, saw this draft, and just went “why not”  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  This post is a month late coming on the tail end of v1.5, but it does contain lore speculation, so anyways, hope you all enjoy reading it.)

The biggest thing No Mere Stone contributed to the overall lore is the idea of "erosion" from time.  TvTropes nailed this one on the head with the "who wants to live forever" trope entry for Zhongli.  But old age wasn't the full reason for Morax/Zhongli retiring.  The other part of it is because he's seen what erosion did to Azhdaha (made him forget his pledge to Morax to protect Liyue), so he wanted to prevent this in case it ever happens to himself.  He wasn't just tired, he was also afraid of turning back on his word to protect Liyue due to erosion, because he still has a considerable amount of power, and if he ever went full-on berserk like Azhdaha did, it would spell disaster and maybe even doom for Liyue.

“Even I cannot avoid it. But there is something I understand better than most: When the door opens, it is time to leave.”

So what exactly is this "erosion"?  Zhongli refers to it as a curse from Heavenly Principles/天理 (this was one of the many things lost in the English translation), which is interesting, since this points to the Heavenly Principles, Celestia, the Archons, and the various gods of Teyvat being simply forces of nature or natural phenomena.  This is made even more clear with Azhdaha.  The original Chinese had Zhongli using a phrase to describe Azhdaha: 地龙翻身，撼天动地, which roughly translates as "when the Earth Dragon turns, the heavens shake and the earth quakes".  The first part of the phrase, "地龙翻身", came from traditional Chinese folk belief and astrology, and was used as a metaphoric term for earthquakes.   Thus we can definitively conclude that Azhdaha is the literal representation of earthquakes.  So what was Morax?  From his elemental burst, I'm guessing that Morax could be a representation of meteors, which accounts for his combat style of dropping boulders from above.  The same extends to Barbatos and Decarabian, and possibly each of the other five Archons.  The elements themselves represent different forces of nature, and there’s even hints in game of the existence of many more elements than just the seven we know about:

Coming back to Heavenly Principles/天理.  Based on all of the above, we can conclude that the Heavenly Principles is some sort of representation for the laws of nature, physical rules of the universe, kind of like fantasy equivalents of the 26 fundamental constants or laws of thermodynamics or conservation of mass and energy.  Basically something that rules over all forces of nature and natural phenomena.  This has interesting implications for the nature of the central conflict of humans vs. gods that I have posted about before, and partially turns it into the classic conflict of man vs. nature.

Going further along this theme, the whole story can be viewed as a sort of fictional retelling of the timeless struggle between humans and nature, which also very roughly paralleled real life human history.  In the beginning, humans were totally at the mercy of the gods and the elements (nature), and because they did not understand how the elements (nature) worked, they worshipped beings of different elements (different aspects of nature) as different gods and sought to appease them.  The gods (nature) helped humans by giving resources:  in Mondstadt, people have windmills to utilize the wind, and in Liyue, people mine resources and trade with gold.  However, the gods (nature) also kept them from knowing the true inner workings of the universe.  Eventually, humans sought to understand the elements (nature) and harness it for the betterment of their own lives, and so alchemy (meant to parallel science irl) and technology came into being.  The most technologically advanced human nation, Khaenri’ah, stopped worshipping on the gods, and instead relied on their own technology.  This is basically what we know about Teyvat history up until Khaenri’ah’s destruction.

So what exactly happened to Khaenri’ah 500 years ago?  In other words, why, according to Dainsleif, did the gods destroy Khaenri’ah?

Assuming the parallels to real life hold up, we might have a feasible answer to that question right now.  In real life, human-made technology is so effective at harnessing and exploiting nature that it may have changed Earth forever.  However, this has plenty of consequences, some of which I’m sure we all know about.  From a purely mystical point of view, it’s as if nature is “aware” of what humans did, and is beginning to punish humans.

Perhaps the gods of Celestia, the Heavenly Principles themselves, destroyed Khaenri’ah because its technology posed too much of a danger for nature, or Teyvat itself.

This isn’t just baseless speculation either.  In No Mere Stone, the part of Azhdaha that sought to peacefully coexist with humans told us that the reason Azhdaha lost it wasn’t just because of the “Heavenly Principle” of “erosion”, it was also because humans overmined the resources that sustained him.  Treat nature badly, and nature will fight back.....this might be literally true in the world of Teyvat.

However, this isn’t the entire story of Genshin, of course, and there’s much more to the storyline than just “man vs. nature”, even if this theme does turn out to be real.  The writers are pretty ambitious with this story.

[therealvagabird]

The Zodiac of Auma-Maan

AKA: I made a star-sign chart! It references some occult setting themes I’ve used in several contexts. Feel free to find your astral avatar, as dictated by the ancient sages of the far galaxies...

Many species across countless reaches of time and space have crafted their own mystical star-charts to attempt to bridge the material and the divine. Yet the eldest and most powerful of all these zodiacs is held to be that of Auma-Maan, the star-cycle of the Ur-Aum, also known as the Dawn Celestials. Understanding of the Auma-Maan can enlighten one to many patterns within the fabric of creation, peeling back time and energy like the petals of a flower bud to expose the secrets within. To dissect the endless tessellations and trines of the Auma-Maan zodiac would be an infinite endeavor, and so what follows is the simplest form adapted for human use.

Jan 6 – Jan 20: Dormin, the Colossus

Lord of winter, Dormin bears similarities to legends of the Jotunn or other such elemental giants of Earth. He sleeps throughout the stellar cycles and is awakened only in times when all other things die or lay dormant. Thus is his warpath unchallenged when he arises at last in might. Those born in the time of Dormin are resolute and unflagging, with a fire burning ever in their chest, even if they appear outwardly stoic.

Jan 21 – Feb 3: Avaka, the White Horn

An omen of good fortune, Avaka is a mysterious being sometimes said to be bestial in appearance, though none know much more than that. Common traits of Avaka are the majestic horns it bears on its head, and that it moves like a rushing winter’s wind. Avaka appears to the worthy during their darkest times, glimpsed at the edge of one’s vision and thereafter forgotten, but forever imprinted upon their soul. Terrifying to the ignorant and the ignoble, Avaka is the enemy of evil spirits and inspires those born under it to be as enigmatic and powerful as it is.

Feb 4 – Feb 19: Vui Wanai, the Everborn

Sometimes called the “Fey” on Earth, Vui Wanai is the Ur-Aum representation of a “precursor god” to the Vuwana, the Everborn. The Everborn are a eusocial race of adaptable plantlike beings which were known at the dawn of time for their great magics, growing from among the youngest of the old Pentarchy into a powerful empire. Those born under Vui Wanai are attuned to nature and can never be cut off from it.

Feb 20 – Mar 5: Ka, the Leviathan

The great beast of the abyss, Ka symbolizes the unknown, the powerful and unfathomable forces of the outer dark, and the might of the gods. Ka is both a creator and a destroyer, and an aspect of the incomprehensible power of the tides of fate and nature beyond mortal skeins. To be under the dominion of Ka is to have the opportunity for untold power, but also for untold ruination – though fear of the unknown will never prove insurmountable.

Mar 6 – Mar 20: Akshia, the Vessel of Plenty

Likened to the cornucopia of classical myth, Akshia is a legendary invention said to hold the keys to true genesis. Akshia represents unfettered abundance, infinite resources, and boundless energy. It is associated with birth, creation, and life. Individuals born under Akshia can likewise expect bounty to flow their way and tend to have larger reserves of energy and good luck than most. Akshia is among the most powerful of the Terran signs and can be invoked for wealth and prosperity. The most powerful of races throughout history have placed the sign of Akshia upon the hulls of Genesis Engines as a point of ritual.

Mar 21 – Apr 4: Amon-Bal, the Horned Hearth

Incarnation of the home, the balance of nature and humanity, and the bounty of the divine. Most often represented by an ambiguous figure crowned with great, twisting horns, Amon-Bal has sometimes been mistaken for a demon or other fel creature of the outer dark. In truth, Amon-Bal stands for sustenance, fire, family, and other basic necessities which sustain mortal races long before they ever ascend to the stars. Those born in the time of Amon-Bal are often of temperate attitude and simple pleasures, but will not shy away from doing what is necessary to take care of them and their loved ones.

Apr 5 – Apr 20: Eanlil, the Egg

Eanlil is a powerful concept, representing dormant power which has yet to come into fruition. It mirrors the collective consciousness of sapient species, the biospheres of entire worlds, or the harmonic fields generated within the hearts of stars. Eanlil is perfect balance and unlimited energy, yet unborn and unrealized. The “Egg” which this astral avatar inhabits is the same type from which the Celestial Dragons were said to have been birthed. To be born under Eanlil is likewise to have limitless potential, and often a tendency to attract power in turn.

Apr 21 – May 4: Khar-Nin, the Primordial

Great beast of the deep earth, Khar-Nin is a personification of the raw forces which shape planets and entire terrestrial landforms. Khar-Nin embodies eternal change and the clashing powers of creation and entropy within the cosmos. While not so tied to life and the cycles of nature as some other avatars, Khar-Nin still grants those born under its sign the blessings of endurance and perseverance. The Primordial is strength, eternity, and power.

May 5 – May 21: Insar, the Demon

Insar is a distillation of all those traits which define demonkind, both positive and negative. Standing for selfishness, chaos, destruction, and mutation, Insar is also a patron to passion, survival, and change. Still, Insar is often regarded as one of the darker signs, and those who hold its power are said to be prone to demonic behavior in turn. None would deny the efficacy of such attributes, though one must always be careful that ambition is put towards constructive ends, and does not lead to ruination.

May 22 – Jun 5: Orhirat, the Eternal Serpents

Also referred to as the Orhirati in plural, this sign is oft represented by two snakes devouring each other in an eternal cycle. As such, Orhirat symbolizes rebirth and eternity, not unlike the ouroboros or the taijitu. Raw energy is held within the Orhirat, and it is often associated in turn with the Celestial Dragons and their boundless power. Those born under Orhirat are often subject to extremes of passion – love, anger, and the like. They attract energy and produce energy in great abundance, making them vivant and willful with the force of their personalities.

Jun 6 – Jun 20: Ohol, the Conquerors

Human interpretations of Ohol tend to evoke images like the Wild Hunt, great figures like Genghis Khan, or other ravagers which come upon galloping steeds and lay waste to their foes. Ohol is an elusive concept which contains many contradictory elements within it – pain and pleasure, love and tyranny, chaos and unity. A popular depiction of Ohol is a pair of beautiful yet terrifying riders on horseback. Those born to Ohol likewise can be prone to flairs of passion, great ambitions, and a love of life’s pleasures. Terran warlocks are fond of invoking Ohol for all manner of rituals, being that it is among the most powerful signs that can manifest on our world.

Jun 21 – Jul 6: Praven, the Mariner

Patron to the intrepid, the enduring, inventive, and the adventurous. Praven is an ill-defined figure who nonetheless seems to uphold many of the traits and skills lauded by seafarers, void-sailors, and all those who ply the treacherous expanses. Rewarding those of great skill and discipline with the boons of freedom and fortune, Praven is among the most powerful avatars which can be invoked upon Earth.

Jul 7 – Jul 22: Itamn, the Chitinous

A representation of the “precursor god” of the Kitan, another of the Pentarchy and considered among the most intelligent races in the cosmos, having long since ascended to a higher plane of existence. Itamn takes the form of a titanic, crab-like creature, and is a patron to science and arcane study. Those born in the time of Itamn are often highly erudite and adept in learning.

Jul 23 – Aug 6: Ekhissu, the Chimera

Embodying change, the power of the unnatural, and the complexities of opposites and the harmony and discord they bring in equal measure. On Earth, Ekhissu is often represented by the Greek chimera or the Persian lamassu, though more traditional depictions tend to bend the mind with their alien anatomies. Ekhissu shows the strength to be found in things which are not always considered “natural” and is a patron to science and invention. However, adversarial concepts war within Ekhissu. Those who can find harmony within themselves will find a wealth of creativity and focus born from the synthesis of their internal struggles, while those who fall prey to discord will become monstrous and unthinking.

Aug 7 – Aug 22: Sol Rosol, the Ruler

Depictions of Sol Rosol among Terran cults has diminished much since the ancient days. The visage of the Lion Lord was subsumed into more palatable sky-gods and humanoid avatars. Among the earliest humans who were made privy to the secrets of the Ur-Aum magics, Sol Rosol was regarded as one of the most powerful and fearsome avatars of all the celestials. Drawn as a great lion-headed warrior in solid armor, with the tail of a monkey and holding a flaming scepter, Sol Rosol stands for divine rule, tyranny, beneficent leadership, warfare, and peaceful prosperity all in equal measure. Those born under its sign are often destined to lead and can look to Sol Rosol for their providence.

Aug 23 – Sep 7: Anu, the Child

Representation of birth, beginnings, purity, curiosity, imagination, and innocence. Anu is often interpreted as the “child” to Panduma’s “mother”, though in truth Anu embodies the beginning of all things. The limitless potential and endless diverging paths which remain un-congealed with every new beginning are held within Anu, and it forms the start of all reality, just as entropy forms the end. Those born under Anu often maintain a childlike wonder throughout their lives, and may benefit from mental elasticity and curiosity even into their old age – the greatest boons of childhood.

Sep 8 – Sep 23: Panduma, the Mother

Aspect of fertility, love, and plenty. On Earth, Panduma is associated with mother-goddess figures and harvest matrons. To the Ur-Aum, Panduma is an embodiment of biological cycles, such as those expressed in reproduction, which are of obvious importance to all lifeforms, as well as the passage between life and death, which also maintains balance in the world. Panduma is a patron to civilization and order. Individuals born under this sign tend towards traditional values, loyalty to their families, and are rewarded for their hard labor with great bounty. Also one of the most powerful of the Terran signs, Panduma bestows the resolute with good fortune.

Sep 24 – Oct 7: Terthon, the Winged

Symbol of the air and the power of flight. Terthon is notable in that, within the rune-tomes of the ancient Pentarchy, Terthon is depicted as a divine flying machine as much as (if not more than) any biological winged creature. To beings like the Ur-Aum and the Ga-An, Terthon was a representation of their birthright, their mastery of the air. To other species, Terthon symbolized that which they coveted, and the promises of progress and technology. Invoking Terthon or being born under its sign grants lightheartedness, inventiveness, agility of both body and mind, boldness, and other virtues held both within the winds and by those beings which sail upon them.

Oct 8 – Oct 23: Volk, the Hunter

Patron of hunters, tamers of beasts, and the like. In Ur-Aum spirituality, it was the essence of Volk which compelled various intelligent species to tame other creatures rather than just slay them. Likewise, Volk grants power to those who hunt to survive or to fell terrible monsters. In this way does the great hunter symbolize balance in the natural world. To have Volk’s blessing is to likewise be given the guile, strength, and wisdom to uphold this balance. For occultists, one of the most notable spells of this sign is to summon the Hounds of Volk – terrifying beings from beyond the skein of the void, who nonetheless are beloved for their great loyalty and focus.

Oct 24 – Nov 6: Kur-Ana, the Abyssal

Precursor sign of the Anaman race, also known as the Nameless Things. Among the oldest races in the cosmos are the Nameless, who were spawned from the effluvium of entropy produced as a by-product of other life coming into being. Kur-Ana is a reflection of the virtues held within Anamani Annihilism, their sacred theology. To follow the tenets of Kur-Ana is to embrace pain over pleasurable distractions, to not fear the darkness and to feel equal compassion for all things. Some xenodaemonologists of Earth have posited that certain lessons of Annihilism were uncovered and embraced by the precursor cults of certain near-eastern religions, though these are just hypotheses.

Nov 7 – Nov 22: Nammu, of the Oceans

Sign of the oceans and all great waters, from the primordial puddles which later give rise to entire worlds of life, to the astral glaciers which hold within their hearts secrets incomprehensible. Of all the essences in existence, water is among the most powerful. Nammu shares traits with many sea gods of Terran lore, being both a bountiful provider and a bitter destroyer. Those born to Nammu’s sign often hold within them the strength of the sea, along with its deceptive nature.

Nov 23 – Dec 6: Zagaya, the Spear

Avatar of warfare and warriors. Long have been the millennia past since the Ascended have had to stoop to base warfare, but the struggle of conflict is never so far removed from the hearts of sapient beings. Battle is both an addiction, a lust, as well as a necessity at times – when horrors lurk always in the outer dark. Though mortal fighters may often prefer to trust in the strength of their own hands, or the favor of their personal conqueror-gods, Zagaya is always looking down upon them. To be held under Zagaya’s sign is to be a warrior true, even if one is so fortunate as to never know battle in their lifetime.

Dec 7 – Dec 21: Path, the Thunder Bird

Embodied by the lightning bolt, and herald of the storm, Path is a being of pure power and sometimes likened to the Celestial Dragons – most ancient and mighty of the primordial beings which shaped the cosmos. Path brings both destruction and creation, terror and exultation. Though not malevolent, all should be careful when dealing with the Thunder Bird. Those born during the time of Path are likewise noted for their sheer drive and natural ability in all that they do, no matter what stands in their way. Path is also among the mightiest signs to invoke upon Terra, due to our world’s astral positioning, and is considered among the greatest sources from which star-paladins can channel their power.

Dec 22 – Jan 5: Paramis, the Devourer

One of the darkest and most terrifying of the zodiac signs, Paramis is likened to the demons, the void-parasites, and the Hungering Blood. The house of Paramis is death, deception, and conquest. Paramis’ power lays in adaptability, using your opponent’s strengths against them, and always pursuing your own growth and empowerment. Despite this, Paramis is not considered “evil” in the confusing cosmology of the Ur-Aum, given that Paramis is held to be a tester, a tutor, an embodiment of survival, and one of the beings which brings about the end of kalpas. Paramis is also one of the most powerful signs that can be invoked on Earth and is a favorite of the most daring warlocks. To be born under Paramis is to have the will to survive at all costs, to fear nothing, and to crave everything.

[nerdythebard]

#13: Doctor Strange [Marvel]

By the Eternal Vishanti, I welcome you back!

Today we're making the Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe-616, Doctor Strange. This spell-slinging master of the mystic arts has been my favourite superhero for quite some time now, and I'm always excited whenever we get something related to him. Now, just a quick note – this build is going to be based on the comic book version of Strange, not the MCU one. We're having real spells and incantations, not some thinly-veiled Clarke's Third Law. #LetMagicBeMagic.

Next Time: The Gods call for us again. The Dragon King blesses us with his presence.

Now then, let's examine what we need to become the mightiest mystic of the Multiverse:

Arcane Artillery: Doctor Strange holds enough mystic knowledge to give Mind Flayers an indigestion. What he doesn't know, he can look up in his Sanctum Sanctorum's library. We need to be prepared to have a spell for almost any situation.

Mystic Fists of Fury: Before opening his Third Eye fully, Strange spent some time in Kamar-Taj under the tutelage of the Ancient One, practising his combat skills in case he was ever in a situation where magic would fail him.

The Old Favourites: Whatever incarnation of the character we encounter, Doctor Strange is almost always certain to have the following items on him: the Eye of Agamotto, the Cloak of Levitation, and occasionally the Book of the Vishanti. After the Last Days of Magic event, Strange found a likeness for weapons like shortswords, staffs, and axes.

---

Stephen Strange was an ordinary human, but due to the years of exposure to otherworldly mystic forces, his biology changed to not accept regular human food anymore. This sounds like a good excuse to make him Variant Human. We get a +1 to two abilities of our choice (Intelligence and Constitution), we know how to speak Common and one other language of our choice, we get to pick one skill to be proficient in (Investigation), and we get to pick a feat. The Medic feat gives us a +1 to Wisdom, proficiency with the Medicine skill, and the ability to tend to our party members' wounds on short rests (Medicine check [DC 15], if successful - the player can use the maximum value of their Hit Dice to regain Hit Points).

Although he started as a simple physician, the turning point of Strange's life was his training in Kamar-Taj. He gained skills and knowledge, vast enough to call himself a Sage. From this background, we gain proficiency in Arcana and History, we learn two more languages, and we gain the Researcher feature; when we're to recall a piece of lore, and we don't know it, we usually can figure out where to find the information (be it a library, a temple, or somebody's private collection).

ABILITY SCORES

Intelligence is our primary stat, serving as our casting ability and our pride. Next is Constitution, all casters need to keep it high. We follow that up with Wisdom, lessons of the Ancient One granted us both humility and broadened our horizons.

Dexterity is a little low, but we'll take care of that later. Charisma is next, even after his training was complete Stephen can be a bit of a jerk and refusing to hear anyone but himself. Finally, we'll dump Strength.

CLASS

Assigning a D&D class to Doctor Strange was a very (and I mean very) difficult task. Starting off, I had to disregard his Sorcerer Supreme title, because in D&D sorcerers are born with the ability to wield magic. Strange had to study and practice to get his powers, so that makes him a Wizard. Kamar-Taj is also dedicated to studying the teachings of the Vishanti, a trinity of god-like beings who give the Sorcerer Supreme their powers, so that would make Strange a Cleric. Finally, he also draws powers from deals he made with otherworldly entities (such as Cyttorak, the Faltine, Munnopor, Watoomb, sometimes even Dormammu himself), which screams 'Warlock', except there's no way to incorporate multiple patrons without homebrewing. It wasn't easy, but I am satisfied with what I've created. Hopefully, you'll be, too.

Level 1 - Monk: We start just as Strange started, by honing our body first. Monks get the d8 Hit Dice, [8 + Constitution modifier] initial Hit Points, proficiencies with simple weapons and shortswords, and proficiency in one set of artisan's tools or a musical instrument (I'd go with alchemist's supplies). Our saving throws are Strength and Dexterity, and we get to pick two class skills (Insight and Religion).

Monks start with Unarmoured Defence. When we're not wearing armour, or holding a shield, our AC equals [10 + our Dexterity modifier + our Wisdom modifier]. We also get Martial Arts, which gives our unarmed strikes some more power. We can now use Dexterity instead of Strength for our unarmed strikes attack and damage rolls, we replace our Strength modifier with a d4 for damage of our unarmed strikes, and if we use the unarmed strike (or a monk weapon) on our turn as an Attack, we can use a bonus action to make an extra unarmed strike.

Level 2 - Monk: We get more mobile with Unarmoured Movement. Our ground speed increases by 10 feet if we're not wearing armour or holding a shield.

We also get access to the Monk's signature feature, the Ki energy. We start with 2 Ki Points, which we can spend on the following abilities:

Flurry of Blows: Spending 1 Ki Point after making an attack, lets us make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action;

Patient Defence: Spending 1 Ki Point lets us take a Dodge action as a bonus action on our turn;

Step of the Wind: Spending 1 Ki Point doubles our jump distance for the turn, and we can take the Dash or Disengage actions as a bonus action.

Level 3 - Wizard: We finally begin our study of spells and arcane arts.

Unfortunately, multiclassing into Wizard does not give us any additional benefits. We do, however, get Arcane Recovery. Once per day, during a short rest, we can choose a number of expended spell slots and refill them. The number must be equal to half of our Wizard level (rounded up), and the recovered spell slots cannot be 6th-level or higher.

Wizards also start with Spellcasting at their 1st level, and they know both cantrips and ritual spells. Our spellcasting ability is Intelligence, but unlike many other casting classes we do not get a full access to our spell list. Instead, we start with six spells in our spellbook and get two more each time we level up. Then, we can only prepare and use [Our Intelligence modifier + our Wizard level] spells at once. Describing all of those spells we pick would make this post over a mile long, and I've made that mistake with Sypha. To not make this a chore for you guys, I decided that from now on whenever I make a Wizard (or, a build where Wizard is a majority), I will simply list the spells we pick without descriptions. Let's be honest, if not here, you'll certainly find those in a different build. Alright, let's begin! First, we get to pick three cantrips:

Fire Bolt

Mage Hand

Minor Illusion

When it comes to our starting spells, let's take these six. Remember, we can only prepare a certain number, and we start with only two 1st-level spell slots.

Alarm

Detect Magic

Fog Cloud (to represent the Mists of Munnopor from the comics)

Shield (of the Seraphim)

Magic Missile (as a stand-in for the Daggers of Daveroth)

Sleep

Level 4 - Wizard: We get to pick our subclass, our Arcane Tradition. For Strange, who can be any combination of Wizard, Cleric, and Warlock, the best choice is to pick Theurgy from 2017 Unearthed Arcana. Theurgists are religious magic-users, who focus more on the arcane research rather than prayer and worship.

With Divine Inspiration, we get to select a Cleric Domain and a deity we wish to follow. Ask your DM if it's possible for you to worship three gods as a collective, a magical triumvirate. For your own Vishanti I suggest Mystra, Mother of All Magic, Azuth, the Lord of Spells, and Savras, the All-Seeing. For a Wizard, I'd say there's no better choice than Knowledge Domain.

We also get Arcane Initiate, which lets us replace spells we learn as we level up with the cleric spells of our chosen domain. What's cool about that feature is, other wizards cannot copy those spells from our spellbook. If we get all of our chosen domain's spells, we can keep replacing spells we learn with spells from the Cleric spell list.

Finally, we gain the Cleric's unique skill - Channel Divinity - except in our case it becomes Channel Arcana. We start with two effects: Divine Arcana and the effect granted by the chosen domain. Unlike Clerics, we can use the Channel Arcana once per short or long rest.

Divine Arcana lets us use a bonus action to control the flow of magic in the area. The next spell we cast gets a +2 to its attack roll or saving throw DC.

Knowledge of the Ages grants us quick insight into a skill we're not familiar with. For the next 10 minutes, we're proficient with one tool set of our choice or proficient in one skill we choose.

We gain one more 1st-level spell slot, and for this level's two spells let's get Feather Fall, and Command from the domain list.

Level 5 - Wizard: At this level we unlock 2nd-level spell slots, and we can access 2nd-level spells. Let's get Hold Person (for Strange's famous Crimson Bands of Cyttorak) and Icingdeath's Frost from 2021 Unearthed Arcana: Draconic Options (for the Icy Tendrils of Ikthalon).

Level 6 - Wizard: Time for our first Ability Score Improvement! As is the rule of thumb with all Wizards, boosting our Intelligence is a priority. That's what we shall put the 2 points into.

For this level's spells, we get another cantrip (Light), and let's take Locate Object and Mirror Image (to represent the Images of Ikonn).

Level 7 - Wizard: We unlock 3rd-level spell slots. Let's get Dispel Magic, and we can get Fly to finally get a representation for our Cloak of Levitation.

Level 8 - Wizard: We get our first subclass upgrade. Arcane Acolyte grants us the 1st-level benefits of our chosen domain. For Knowledge domain, it's Blessings of Knowledge; we learn two languages of our choice and get proficiency in two skills... which we pretty much are proficient in already. To not waste a feature, ask your DM if you can double your proficiency bonus for those two skills instead. If you get a 'yes', pick Arcana and Insight.

For this level's spells, let's get Counterspell and Magic Circle.

Level 9 - Wizard: From here, we get access to 4th-level spell slots. Banishment and Dimension Door seems like exactly what we need to keep enemies at bay and have fun with portals.

Level 10 - Wizard: Halfway through the build, and we get an ASI. Let's cap our Intelligence at 20, with those two points.

For this level's spells, let's grab Arcane Eye and turn back a little and get Speak with Dead from our domain list, as it is one of few spells not available to Wizards.

Level 11 - Wizard: We get access to 5th-level spells. With Contact Other Plane and Legend Lore, we become an even bigger magical know-it-all to aid our party.

Level 12 - Wizard: For our subclass upgrade, we get Arcane Priest, which grants us the Knowledge Domain's 6th-level benefit - Channel Divinity: Read Thoughts. One creature within 60 feet of us must make a Wisdom saving throw, or grant us access to its surface thoughts (emotions and active thoughts, no deep secrets or hidden motives) for 1 minute. During that time, we can also use our action to cast the Suggestion spell on the target; they fail their saving throw automatically.

We also get our final cantrip for this build (Sword Burst), and we get two more 5th-level spells: Planar Binding and Wall of Force.

Level 13 - Wizard: We unlock 6th-level spells. With Globe of Invulnerability and True Seeing, we upgrade our Shield of the Seraphim and give our Eye of Agamotto even more mystic abilities (as it should have had!)

Level 14 - Wizard: Time for another ASI! Let's put one point into Constitution for better HP chance, and one into Dexterity.

Arcane Gate finally gives us a proper yellow sparkly portal thingy, and let's get Chain Lightning for some much needed offensive capabilities.

Level 15 - Wizard: We're getting into 7th-level spells at this level. Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion allows us to recreate our very own Sanctum Sanctorum, and with Project Image we can get Strange's Astral Projection.

Level 16 - Wizard: At this level, we get our final subclass upgrade (and we cross the 100 HP mark, yay!). Arcane High Priest grants us the Knowledge Domain's 17th-level benefits. Visions of the Past lets us spend at least 1 minute of meditation to receive information about a specific object we're holding, or our immediate surroundings:

Object Reading - we learn of the object's previous owner. We know how the person came into contact with the object, how they lost it, and a significant even in their life tied to the object.

Area Reading - we see the events that transpired in the specific location (up to 50-foot cube), going back a number of days equal to our Wisdom modifier.

For this level's spells, let's get Plane Shift and Teleport to double-down on Strange's interdimensional travels.

Level 17 - Wizard: Time for 8th-level spells.

Illusory Dragon is a nice nod to the great "Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme" series (go check it out, it's awesome!), and Maze is another good banishment-type spell to have. Just don't use it on minotaurs.

Level 18 - Wizard: For our final ASI, let's put two points into Dexterity, leaving us unfortunately with an odd number (hopefully, you'll manage to find some ability-increasing item or benefit in your adventure).

For this level's spells, let's grab Power Word: Stun and Demiplane is a good combo to immobilize a foe and send it to the Shadow Realm Mirror Dimension.

Level 19 - Wizard: We unlock the pinnacle of D&D arcane, the 9th-level spells... that is, unless your DM introduces High Magic, which is... whew, a league of its own.

Time Stop and Foresight give us those Time Stone abilities (for all you MCU degenerates. Yes, I know what I said, but Strange was given the Time Stone in his new run, so I did not lie!)

Level 20 - Wizard: Our capstone is Wizard 18, which gives us the Spell Mastery feature. We get to choose one 1st-level spell and one 2nd-level spell from our spellbook and make them our signature moves; we can now cast them at will, without expending a spell slot. Shield and Hold Person seems like a good choice here.

For our final spells of this build, we cannot go without Astral Projection, and let's get Imprisonment a chance.

---

And there we go! Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts. Let's see what we've created:

First of all, we're the epitome of Wizard, we're a great utility caster and a pretty good support, with Internet-like capability of finding information. We're don't have a lot of damage-dealing abilities, like Sypha did, but remember - Wizards also get spell by finding them in the world and copying them in their spellbook. This here is only what we get automatically. Go and roam the world in search for that Fireball!

We have AC of 14, but with Shield (and later making it pretty much permanent) it can get up to 19, and we have 130 Hit Points on average. Our speed is also a little better, with 40 feet of movement (plus flying thanks to the Fly spell).

Unfortunately, our Charisma and Wisdom are not great, so those saving throws might be difficult. Our Strength is also not the greatest, so we're pretty much forced to fight with magic.

---

And that is it! Next time, we return to SMITE for a few builds, as I absorbs information about Fire Emblem: Three Heroes. Also, the game devs just released a teaser for Morgana le Fay, and my first reaction was 'Hexblade Warlock'. Do you agree?

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it and your day is going great. I'll see you next time!

- Nerdy out!

[lions-arch-chronicle]

Mild Spoiler Warnings for LWS5 No Quarter

Image ID for stories below read more

Title: Smashing, bashing Dragonbash returns

“Tyrians held the first Dragon Bash after Zhaitan’s defeat—an expression of relief and joy at beating impossible odds,” a statement by Arena Net reads. “With Jormag’s influence on the rise, it’s more important than ever to commemorate your victories with an annual party!”

Dragonbash has returned to Hoelbrak once again to bring joy and hope to the citizens of Tyria.

Fan-favorite events return to the Norn home city such as the hologram stampede, moa races, and the ever-popular and ever potentially fatal dragon arena.

“It wouldn’t be a proper celebration without your attendance. Join me in Hoelbrak for another moot for the ages! There will be tests of strength, racing, food, song, and most importantly—ale,” said Knut Whitebear.

I’ll see you there. Unless, of course, you don’t enjoy the fun.”

This year introduces new items to players that include the unique Holographic

Dragon Shoulder as well as holographic representations of the first generation of legendary weapons in the Imbued Holographic weapons set.

The moa races this year sparked a bit of controversy with allegations that one racer, Mystic Forgery, had experimental rockets strapped to its torso in an attempt to propel the moa forward. According to Photo Editor Dexsia Truthseeker, Mystic Forgery also had roughly 30 Superior Runes of Speed hidden within its feathers, a clear violation of the rules. After officials and Knut Whitebear were called to mediate the rockets were ruled as an unfair advantage to the other moas and the extra equipment was removed.

Dragonbash organizers also want to remind The Commander and other participants that while Zhaitaffy is a sugary, delicious, chewy treat it is not meant to be consumed in quantities of over 1000 pieces at a time, and doing so may cause intestinal harm and a sugar rush followed by an intense sugar crash.

Organizers also asked us to remind all participants that rollerbeetle racing is not for children, or sylvari, under 5 years of age because of the dangers that the highspeed races present. They recommend that families and participants who fall outside of this age range instead participate in spectating the races from a safe distance or hitting dragon pinatas located around Hoelbrak.

We here at the Lion’s Arch Chronicle wish you all a safe and happy Dragonbash!

Title: United Legions brace themselves against Dominion forces (spoiler warnings for lws5)

The newest shocking turn in the battle against the elder dragons has brought the charr to outright civil war with the defection of Imperator Bangar Ruinbringer and his followers creating the Dominion forces. Currently, a savage battle rages in the Drizzlewood Coast pitting charr against charr as more members of the United Legions allegedly defect to the Dominion.

According to the latest intel, the negotiations with the newly promoted Tribune Ryland Steelcatcher have failed due to the unexpected arrival of Pact Marshal Logan Thackeray and Lady Kasmeer Meade as reinforcements to the United Legions during the parlay.

The area has been split into two major battlefields with a seemingly neutral zone in the center. The situation is changing hourly but at the time of publication the United Legions control, Petraj Overlook, Vloxen Mine, and Port Cascadia. While the Dominion forces control Fort Defiance, Leadfoot Village, Wolf’s Crossing, and Lighthouse Point.

Editors Note: As the situation is changing rapidly this information is subject to change and may be inaccurate, we have reported the information as accurately as we could at the time of publication.

The former pact commander has allegedly aligned themselves with the United Legions, and have been helping to turn the tide in this brutal civil war that so far seems to have no end in sight.

The coverage of this story is ongoing and will be updated as new information is revealed.

Title: Lion’s Arch sees increase in fountain related accidents

I recently went on a tour of Lion’s Arch, and we came across the most beautiful fountain near the Trader’s forum. Our tour guide made a point to let us know that it’s where most of the accidents happen on the tour. An amazing 80%!! Obviously this had to be wrong because there were two quaggans having a good ole time playing in the fountain. I thought, “what the heck” and started playing along. Let me tell you I had the best time until I fell flat on my face after one of those little fellas told me I was too big for the fountain! Lesson of the day: Listen to your tour guide! Or wear non-slip shoes…

Editors Note: The Lion’s Arch Tour Guide asked us to remind everyone that those statistics are not a joke and that everyone should have listened to her when new Lion’s Arch was under construction because this all could have been avoided in the first place. The Lion guard has also asked us to remind everyone that this should not be attempted and that what our staff writer did was ill advised and could lead to serious injury.

Title: Opinion Article, About the Birds of Tyria

There are all kinds of amazing birds of Tyria! The most superior bird of all is the Ascalonian Quail. It is clear because they are compact and have ornamental feathers to show off their superiority to the rest of the birds of Tyria. I’ve heard many people say Griffins are the superior bird of Tyria but I am here to say that those folks are wrong. Griffins aren’t even birds!! They have four legs! All birds I’ve ever seen have 2 legs! Griffins in fact are arachnids! They have 6 limbs! I mean look at them! That’s not a bird! Some could argue that Moas are the superior bird, but alas they are too tall to hold in your hand! You can’t even carry them in your pocket! Owls are pretty cool! I even hear some people have them to help them fight. However, that’s too aggressive for most folks, unlike the small quail of Ascalon! Why not Hawks you ask? Their beaks and claws are very sharp! Great for hunting, or stabbing holes into your arms or eyes. Crows are pretty neat, they have the whole goth aesthetic going, but they don’t have the super rad head ornaments like quail do. And Griffins hardly have any of the benefits of these other birds, because they aren’t even birds!  In conclusion, Ascalonian Quail are the best birds in Tyria and Griffins are abominations.

Title: Lion’s Arch Chronicle welcomes new staff writers

The Lion’s Arch Chronicle proudly would like to introduce our two newest members to our  staff, Freepaw Kittyblog and Consultant Teekay they reached out to us after the publishing of our first issue.

Kittyblog will be covering local attractions and places to see when visiting your travel destinations, as well as being promoted to being the head of local advertisement while she travels.

“Hi there! I’m Freepaw Kittyblog! I’m a char who grew up in Divinity’s Reach,” Kittypaw said when asked for a statement. “I love visiting new places and I hope to one day make a living as a travel blogger!”

Our second newest member is Consultant Teekay they are well versed in all manner of research and have a knack for finding the deep truths that no one had thought to look for yet. They will be covering and either proving or debunking the latest rumors that are floating around Tyria, a true light at the end of the tunnel.

“Greetings readers! I’m Consultant Teekay, a fun loving, truth telling columnist from Rata Sum,” said  the Consultant in her statement. “I’ve traveled Tyria in search of secrets big and small, but secrets are no fun if we can’t share them! And that’s exactly what I intend to do!

We are proud to have these additions to our team and hope that you enjoy the stories  that they will be writing in the near future.

End ID

[ask-the-jester-buds]

LUSUS HEADCANONS

In the world of Alternia there are not only the trolls we all know and love, but also the amazing white furred creatures that serve as guardians to them.

Yes, tonight we are talking about lusii and some of our headcanons on what species and characteristics lusii should have according to caste. 

We made an extensive research, using all the canonical material to bring you a quick and easy guide to lusii by blood type. We hope that this can help you decide what lusus you want for your troll in the future. 

Now a few short disclaimers before we start:

Firstly, we refer to “lusii” as the creatures that act as the troll’s guardian, they are different to “pets”, those are creatures adopted by the troll for company and are non-existent in the canon. A lusus can act as a pet but a pet is not necessarily the troll’s lusus. 

Secondly, Mutant bloods and cuspbloods would often be ignored by lusii the same way an animal would reject a defective offspring. Despite the fact that the followers of the signless created a lusus to take care of mutant grubs, we are not sure how many species of mutant blooded lusii are out there and if they would adopt any mutant blood. 

Cuspblooded trolls could be adopted by a lusus that shares one of its colors, however cuspblooded lusii do not exist.  

And thirdly, We talk high and mighty about our headcanons and about the canonical material, but please remember that these are just our point of view and are not the norm. You don't have to accept it if it doesn’t work for you, in the end you create your troll’s world the way you like the best.

With all that said, have fun and enjoy the ride. <3

The burgundy caste is often known for being often weak physically compared to other castes like Olives, Indigos or Purples, but they are very strong mentally, with their dominion over thelepatics. Canonical Rustbloods also tend to be more docile and obedient, not as aggressive as higher castes, which deems them perfect for servitude. So we figured Rustblooded lusii should follow these patterns. 

A rustblooded lusus could be a creature with a gentle nature or a creature that is not very active. A good example of this would be Xefros giant sloth lusus, that even though is big and protective, it doesn’t seem to be aggressive and its movements are lazy. 

Other good examples would be creatures like Dormice, Lazy cats, Koalas, and other meek animals that are not usually aggressive. 

However, another possible type of creature for a Rustblood lusus could be a mystical creature commonly associated with the mind or death. Since Rustbloods are known for their strong psychic powers and the ability to connect to the dead, it wouldn’t be surprising that they were chosen by a lusii with similar powers as well.

There are a few canonical Bronze lusii, Tinkerbull,  Lady the collie, Canary the emu and the deercat.

All these creatures share a common trait: they are all based on domesticated animals. 

Yes, even the deercat, which is portrayed with a saddle, a clear sign of domestication. 

It fits well with bronzebloods as they are known for being hardworking trolls, often handling other lusii or doing heavy duty work. Being the second lowest caste, they are also portrayed to be servants to higher castes, and are often deemed to be friendly and non aggressive. 

There are of course exceptions, as we know the Deercat chooses bronze trolls that have strong leadership traits. 

Any animal that has some form of domestication fits well as a Bronze lusus, from farm animals like cows, sheep, fowl and pigs, to any other company animal like dogs, cats, ferrets, birds and even hamsters. 

You wouldn't believe what animals have already been domesticated. 

Canonically there is only one goldblooded lusus, that being the biclops that is Sollux dad. However it’s been theorized that Cirava has a wasp-like lusus, seeing as how they have a wasp like hive in the ceiling of their… Well, hive. 

With this in mind, We believe a goldblooded lusus should be any creature with a duplicated feature: two heads, two tails, to sets of ears, two extra limbs, two extra eyes, etc. Always keeping the symmetry as all Goldbloods are shown to be symmetrical at birth and have double horns compared to other trolls.  

Insects like beetles, butterflies and bees all enter this category as they already show to have extra limbs. Not to mention that Goldblooded trolls often work in apiculture and apiculture networking.  

Another good option are creatures that are receptive to electricity and electromagnetism or are receptive to frequency waves, as gooldbloods are known for their psionic powers and their knowledge of  technology. Eels and bats are a good example for this. 

Of course, there are no existent lime trolls in the canon, therefore there are no existent lime lusii either. We could argue that Karkat’s Crabdad could be considered a lime lusus, however he was created by the signless followers so mutant grubs would have a lusus of their own.

Therefore this headcanon is purely based on our opinion and how little we know about limebloods. 

With so little to work with, we theorize that Limebloods could have hybrid or strange creatures as their lusus, this will go well with the overall “mystery” of what a limeblood really was and what their powers were. 

We have theorized before what limeblood powers were, but as of now there is no canonical interpretation of it. 

So hybrid or strange animals like platypus, echidnas, and any strange combination you can think of could work well for the elusive  limeblood. 

Olives are a jack of all trades in Alternia, known for their agility, strength and sharp minds, they can do a large range of works throughout the world, from hunters and mercenaries, to clever detectives, artists and even salesfolk.

With these traits, we theorize that Olivebloods should have mammalian-like creatures covered in fur as their lusii. We would even say that Olives tend to have predatory animals, not necessarily mammals. as lusii, such as wolves, felines, mustelids, bears and so on... but we could easily see a young olive troll learning their agility and cleverness from a rabbit, a deer or a squirrel. 

Now, there are mixed beliefs when it comes to Jade lusii. Kanaya has a virgin mother grub as her lusus, however it's unclear whether her having a lusus is a special case or a common occurrence between jade trolls.

We like to theorize that jades have lusii around helping them take care of younger jades and even grubs before they are taken by their respective lusii. 

Jade lusii should be all females, just like jades, with very few exceptions. Creatures with strong maternal instincts, or creatures that are often associated with femininity work well as Jade lusii. So lionesses, does, hens, bears, cows, swans, butterflies or even mantises and spiders could be good options for jade lusii. 

However, another good example could be cave-dwelling creatures that are already native to the brooding caverns, so bats and glow worms could be a good idea. 

Some of these lusii could even have bioluminescence, similar to how some Jades develop glowing skin as rainbowdrinkers. 

There is quite a large menagerie of canonical tealblooded lusii, and we have found a few traits that could be considered a pattern.

Seeing as how Tealbloods are born and raised to work in the law career, it would be appropriate to assume that tealblooded lusii reflect this as well.

So creatures that are often associated with justice, law, loyalty,  protection or balance could be a good lusii for a Tealblood. So creatures such as dogs, lions, bears, and hedgehogs are good examples of this. 

There is also the possibility that tealblood lusii have all some sort of relation to dragons, seeing as how dragons are often portrayed as a symbol of protection, justice and loyalty. So reptiles and birds could enter this category, there are thousands of dragon types out there and creatures that are related to draconic creatures. 

Ceruleans are often known to be sly and sneaky, sometimes even a bit manipulative and they are commonly not well seen by other trolls, even if they are considered “blue bloods”. It wouldn’t be a surprise that creatures often deemed as “vermin” or “creepy crawlies” would favor Ceruleans as their charges, possibly adding to the overall bad and unjustified reputation of the blood.  Also creatures with bad reputation or creatures commonly known as “sly”.

So creatures like spiders, insects, snakes and rats could be good options for a cerulean troll. 

This one will be very short, as of now all Indigo lusii show the same traits: they are all Ungulate creatures. Which makes sense considering there are a lot of horse puns around the indigo blood. Not only that, but horses and other ungulated creatures are often a representation of strength that is the main trait of Indigo bloods. 

So any ungulate creature from horses, goats, elk, and even giraffes or rhinos work as good indigo lusii. 

We have talked here a lot about our headcanon for purple lusii. 

It has been shown in canon that purple lusii are aquatic or semi aquatic, not to mention that often purples build their hives near the sea so they can be close to their respective lusii. So any creature that depends on water for survival but can still breathe air can be considered a good lusus for a purpleblood.  

So Aquatic animals like whales, seals and dolphins, Semi-aquatic animals like aquatic birds, otters and hippos, to even amphibians could be your choice for a purple lusus. 

So this one is a no-brainer, since violetbloods are aquatic themselves, it would only be reasonable to think that their lusii are aquatic as well.

So any type of aquatic or semi-aquatic creature fits here, as long as they can breathe underwater. 

Yes, you heard us right!

Fuchsia trolls could have lusus too!

Though it's commonly known that the heiress is often raised by the Gl'bgolyb, however when there is more than one fuchsia troll around, there is the possibility that the Gl'bgolyb would prefer one to the others.

So It wouldn’t be too out there to assume that some fuchsiablooded lusii would assist in the raising of young possible heirs to the throne. 

A fuchsia lusus should be a water dwelling creature that doesn’t often come to the surface, so bottom dwellers, deep sea creatures or reef creatures are good examples for this. 

And there you have it folks!

Our headcanons for lusii characteristics according to their caste!

Please remember we are going with standards here, we are aware that all trolls are different and show the traits of their caste in a different way than the rest. Their lusus should also represent that!

We hope it was of your liking and that it will help you in the future. 

[herald-divine-hell]

The Failure Toward Islam in Dragon Age

This is a response to @shimmrgloom. He asked to go into detail about why I consider the Qunari a poor representation of historical Islam.

Warning: this will be a long post.

-

Let us start off the bat with most likely the most superficial reasoning why the Qunari and the Qun are meant to represent Islam. First and foremost, the world: “Qunari” is merely a switch around of the world “Qu’ran”, the holy book of Islam, just with an added “i” at the end. But you may be wondering: Herald, surely that was so coincidence? Not particularly, I say, no. BioWare does not accidentally name things - Templar is not coincidentally a term that they used to describe violent oppressors who serve the Thedas’ most religious and centralized body. Something so similar, describing a people who come from a land that is foreign to the rest of Thedas, a foreign way of life, and who are - to the minds of the Thedosians - quintessentially different that it leads to contempt and distrust almost automatically in their first meetings.

Background:

Now, some history over Islam. Islam, as most people know, was founded in the 7th century by the Prophet Muhammad, who revolutionized the societal framework of the Arabian Peninsula. Once a sandy land filled with bickering tribes that fought each other more and less than the outside the great powers of their heyday, the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sassanid Persian Empire. What Muhammad did, and not only did he start the world’s second largest religion, was unthinkable at the time. Instead of unifying the tribes in a manner of merely just conquest, though Muhammad was indeed a fearsome warrior and tactian, Muhammad utilized religion, and bounded everyone under the idea of the Ummah - the community of Islam - which thoroughly demolished any idea that kinship was greater than religion (though the idea would continue on to the modern age, with the rise of nationalism, to muddy the waters even further.) Now, it was near impossible for any one tribe to claim superiority over the other. All were equal in the eyes of God, and so the community should see each other as equals. (Again, the idea was there, but slavery was, and still is, prevalent, though Muhammad was known to have freed many of slaves throughout his life, with one of the first converts in Islam to have been an African slave.)

During the time of the Prophet, and the later successors to him after his death, known as the Caliphs, raids were conducted against the warring Romans and Persians at their Arabian border. It was only after a while did the Arabs commit a full offensive attack, utterly demolishing and annexing the Persians, and conquering large swaths of North Africa, including one of the Eastern Romans’ most prized provinces, Egypt. In only a few short decades, the Rashidun Caliphs - those who were companions and close friends and were, actually, elected by a council to be the successors, akin to a weaker sense of democracy - crafted an administrated dominion that was larger than Rome during its height. Most commonly, a lot of Westerners believe that the Arabs actively sought to convert their newly conquered subjects to Islam, and while there is a law that says a non-Muslim may not take a high ruling position in the government, (which would later change, as many religions and ethnics became the second highest positions in some islamic states) and that they must pay a higher tax, known as the jizyah, most of Islam’s converts came from the people’s own free will (if they lived under the Caliphate, most likely paying less in taxes was a large incentive) or from trade, as the Mali Empire and others showed, or it came from other governing powers, like the Turks or the Mongolians, adopting the religion of their subjects. Though, it primarily came from trade.

After the fall of the Rashidun Caliphate under Caliph Ali (and I’m not even going to get into the First Fitna, or the First Islamic Civil War, nor am I going to get into the Sunni-Shia split that occurred during the rule of the first Caliph, Abu Bakr.) the Umayyad family rose to power and claimed the Caliphate for themselves. Now, the Umayyads were different then the Rashidun - all five Caliphs were elected - but the new Caliphs were hereditary, adopted with even more practices from the more sophisticated Byzantines and Persians. During their rule, the first contacts between Islam and the West properly. (Prior to this, the only real meetings were between the Eastern Romans and the Caliphates, with a few incursions into Sicily.) The Umayyds swept up into the Iberian Peninsula, where Spain and Porturgal, and a little bit of the United Kingdom through Gibraltar, now resides, and moved into a little of southern France - though it was merely a tiny raid, Western History would compare it to a major victory for Christendom. (It did stop Islamic movement into Western Europe, but the Ottomans would show that Islam did not leave Europe entirely. The Umayyads would not continue heading into France for numerous reasons. Number one being that there was a massive rebellion occurring in the central part of the Caliphate, and two, their power would be extremely diminished.)

Now, after the Umayyads, come the Abbassids, the new Islamic Caliphate - and though not the largest, it was considered to be the greatest in terms of cultural and scientific importance for Islam. For under the Abbassids, Islam would begin its golden age. In this time, men like Ibn Sina, the Father of early medicine, or ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, the Father of algebra, or ibn Hayyan, the father of modern pharmacy, would live in thrive. The Islamic Marco Polo, ibn Battuta, who traveled across Asia and Africa more times that one would consider necessary, would be born. The House of Wisdom, created by Caliph Harun al-Rashid, where Muslims, Jews, and Christians would work side by side, peacefully. (And even in Islamic Iberia, under the rule of the overthrown Umayyads, intellect bloomed, especially for the Jewish people.) And one of the first modern university in Islam, and the known world at the time, the University of al-Qarawiyyin, by Fatima al-Fihri, was also established during its time, and is still open to this day. 

Why am I harking on and on about the glories of men and women long dead? What does this have to do with the Qunari? Well, everything.

The Qunari:

As I mentioned before, the Qunari are meant to be the historical counterparts of the Islamic caliphates during its time. Why, you may ask? Well, for starters, their entire relationship with Thedas (Europe) is identical to Islam...from a European perspective.

The Qunari are invaders, fanatics about spreading their philosophy/religion/way of life to all the world who does not follow it. Now, out of everything I just explain, surely it has no connection to Islam? But it does. To Europe, their safety was in constant threat by Islam, especially the Byzantiums. Which was not unwarranted to be believed - the Arabs had tried to siege down Constantinople twice, and the Seljuk Turks, whom overwhelmed the Caliphate to establish their own nation over the Middle East, while allowing the Caliph to remain nominally head of Islam, had pushed deep into Anatolia, nearly to Constantinople, which sparked the Crusades.

What we got from the Qunari wasn’t not Islam as we noted, not totally at least. (which is fair. You typically don’t want to take everything from real life in your fantasy world) But it is the way Europe has viewed Islam for over one thousand and four hundred years. But unlike Europe being wrong, from what we get of the Qunari, from actual interactions, especially from the Iron Bull, of the Qun, we can assume that the Thedosian xenophobia is seemingly justified. Islam is foreign, and the West has always perceived the Near East as foreign, mystical, animistic. (This goes way back to Ancient Greece and Rome) And unlike our world, the Qunari is all of that, and more.

Instead of getting intellectual growth and cultural prosperity, we get what the modern West considers the Islamic fanatics, but as the entirety of the group. The Qunari wants to subsequent Thedosian and Andrastian doctrine to the philosophy of the Qun (Sha’ria) Instead of wearing armor, they wear tight ropes that show off skin that is alien in color, and have horns that are exotic. (Just like how Europe saw Muslim women as seductresses, with near-translucent cloths for clothing) Instead of being tolerant to other peoples religions - which the early Muslims were very much were, especially during their times - the Qun would take no one else, but Qunari. All will have to convert, or risk death, imprisonment in a mine, or worse. They are “reeducated” by the Qun, to follow orders and to die for their philosophy. Where do we see that? ISIL, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban - contemporary fanatics, but they are the near closet to Islam as the Qunari get.  What we see is a mockery to beliefs that Islam had stood for over a thousand years.

We do not get the Qunari preserving ancient Tevinter documents. We do not get ibn Sina, and other Islamic philosophers and investors that changed the world - for better, or for worse. We get nothing that shows Islam during the time period that Thedas is meant to take place, but the rest of the Thedas easily can pass for their historical time period, except with fantastical creatures. Even with the Ottomans, sure they took boys to make them guards and an elite infantry, and thats the fairest you can say that looks like the Qunari during that time period, but thats it. 

All in all, the Qunari is meant to take the place of Islam, while demolishing everything Islam was and is, instead propping forth centuries old propaganda and stereotypes and fears.

I do acknowledge that the Qunari are not entirely Islamic in society - they have large aspects from Communism and Confucianism - but their historical and geopolitical placement in Thedas, alongside their foreign policy toward Thedas is merely Islamophobia in its entirety. And that hurts to say, because the Qunari could had been something more, but BioWare did not even try to recon it. Sure, they are technologically advance, but at what cost? Slavery? Conquest? Everything that I have learned since I was a child about the terror of Islam? It’s true for the Qunari, and its hurt. Don’t get me wrong, I find the Qunari fascinating, and I can’t (hopefully) wait to learn more about them in DA4, but it still hurts to see my history so tarnished by BioWare’s lack of even proper research.

[daeneryswhitehorse]

Dany hate throughout the years.

( This is base on a reply I made in post create by @yendany . I also want to precise that it is only my perspective of the fandom as a dany stan, other people probably have a different opinion of what was going on. )

I came in the asoiaf/got fandom in 2011, when the show first came out. I fell in love with dany on my first watch and still like her after reading the books. I started to get involved in the fandom because I wanted to learn more about her.

I didn't know tumblr at the time so I was on westeros.org. The mad queen dany theory was already a thing, mostly for the persons who didn't like that dany could be azor ahai and not one of the male character. But the forum still liked her for her baddass moments in asos or her portrayal in the first season of got.

Everything changed when adwd came out. The incels in this site really didn't liked dany having sex with daario after rejecting jorah/quentyn. They also didn't understood her plot, were tired of her staying in Essos or not interacting with main pov character. It was enough for them to think she was boring.

From then on, there were a lot of bad take of her character. Grrm wanting to talk about the consequences of her mistakes and her decision of staying in meereen was understood as dany being dumb and incompetent as a queen. People made fun of her long list of titles and thought it make her look arrogant. They claimed she was nothing without her dragon, in contrast to male character like stannis. Or not a true warrior because she spend her battle hiding in her tent, unlike stannis or jon who fight with swords. Or that she didn't car about the common people, because she try to negociate with the meereeness nobles. Most of those claimed exist to prove why character like Jon or Stannis would be azor ahai or the true king of Westeros.

After season 3 of the show came out, a lot of people were rightfully offended by the final scene with daenerys where she surf on a sea of brown people. A lot of fans start seeing Dany as a white savior in both books and show, and a lot of essay were about how how her storyline was rooted in racist orientalist ideas. If you were a person of color and still stan her, it was probably because of internalized racism.

Before this season, feminist critized the butchering of most of dany storyline, like they did with other female characters. But none was as talk about then Sansa's, because the most popular female character like Dany, Arya and Brienne were seen as the cash grab of the show. It was considered more important to defend her in particular, and liking Sansa over them was seen as resistance act against D&D misogyny.

The intellectual part of the fandom really went out of their way in defending her. They liked her because she was a gateway to the political part of the story in King's Landing and the Vale. They didn't like how some fans victim-blamed her for the abuse she suffered with the Lannister, and praised the fact she didn't end up with stockolm syndrome like Dany or Theon. "Not everyone can be an Arya" did they said, as they wanted people to acknowledged she was the more relatable point of view and how her traditional feminity shouldn't be put down. They emphasis a lot on her kindness, her emphatie, or her observational skills but and said those qualities were unique to her and are what separate her of the rest of the cast. She was the representation of humanity in this crapsack world. And after outsmarting Littlefinger would probably be rewarded with an important political position and would be one of the builder of the new world after the apocalypse.

All of this probably wasn't meant to be interprete as hate toward other female and some of the male characters, but it sure did for the Sansa stan! Who would then create their entire defense meta around putting down any character they found and upliftting her above them. Their favorite target was Arya, but you could found from time to time one on Dany. I remember someone defending Sansa innocence in trusting Cersei in the first book, by emphasing on her age and naivety, and putting down dany for not knowing mirri maz durr would get revenge on her khalassar.

Talking about Dany, the intellectual part of the fandom didn't really like her. I mean they didn't hate her, and didn't diminish her importance in the story, but she clearly wasn't a fan favorite.

There was two angle in their analysis of daenerys: the political leader and the messiah.

For the first part, they were trying to define daenerys position in the story, and came to the conclusion she was the destroyer of the old world. In their point of view, dany didn't free the slaves in asos for pure reason but because she couldn't pay for an army, and then didn't know how to build a new economy, leading to the horrors in astapor in adwd and her failure in maintaining peace in meereen. For them, Dany is unable to control her emotion and confuse revenge with justice. They also think she is an incompetent queen who make decision on a whim and never listen to her adviser. Her relationship with Daario represent her want for easy solution through war, wich she embrace at the end of adwd. When she can't remember Hazzea name, it meant innocent would die in her violent path in twow. Because of this, the expression "the path of hell is paved with good intention" became popular to define her arc from asos to beyond.

For the second part, they were clearly interressed by the mystical part of her story. Dany has a lot of prophecy around her that can be used to determined the next plotlines post adwd. For some reason, they pushed their own obssession with it on Daenerys, who they now believed is blinded by her own destiny. They claimed she think she is the hero of story and is unable to see when she does something wrong. This until she will blow up King's Landing in ados. This would push her toward her true destiny in the fight against the others where she will sacrifice herself for the greater good.

And lets not talk about the weird part of the fandom who are obssessed with deconstruction and who would only acknowledge dany as azor ahai reborn if it meant the hero is actually the true villain of the story, and the Others misunderstood victims.

2015 arrive as well as season 5 of got. This season was so controversial it manage to divided the fandom in three.

The first one were book purist who were disguted by the total butchering of affc/adwd plotline to replace them with offensive mess, and decided to stop watching the show and focus on the books. While some of them were dany friendly, they all seem to favor character like Sansa, Stannis, Brienne, the Lannisters, or the Martells. A lot of effort were put into their metas to uplift their book plotline and personality above their show counterpart.

The second part is similar to the first one, exept they didn't stop watching the show but decided to view each season through critical lense to try to understand the sexism and racism of D&D. They were mostly Sansa and Martell stan.

Both of those point of view were seen as too radical and annoying by the dudebro show apologist. Being a Martell and Sansa stan also become a sign of being a woke feminist, a book purist and a show anti.

The third part of the fandom decided that the failure of season 5 was the responsability of Grrm for not finishing his books in time, and that the show writer had run out of material and were forced to improvised. Plus the book plots were too complex and boring to be adapted, they had to simplify them. And they were also given futur plot point by Grrm that could explain some of the controversial decision this season. Like Sansa wedding with Ramsay, it was probably made because the character would end up in the North in one of the next books.

Thoses three point of view are important to understand why when the theory saying dany is a villain not a hero became more popular, dany stan were pretty isolated.

And why did this theory became more popular? Well it's a mix of all thoses perception of daenerys that I mention above but mostly because of the peoples who decided that dany in season 5 was Joffrey.02. Like I say there were people who thought that D&D were now working with futur plot point given by Grrm. And since dany storyline was read as one of a white savior, and the fandom believed Grrm can't do no wrong, and dany did some stuff this season they disapproved of, they decided it meant dany should be seen as a villain. And in a way, it manage to reconciliate the feminist anti racist and the pro D&D point of view , now united in hating daenerys. It allowed them to still trust the show, because it meant it was not D&D and grrm who were racist but dany, and it made them feel smart for having figured out this big plot point. Plus a chunk of the show!jon stan decide the parallel between them this season meant he would become the true hero of the story. Because they thought janos execution was more honorable than mossador's, and jon fight against the wight walker to defend his brothers and the free folks was contrast with dany running away on drogon.

But there were people who didn't like dany and didn't think she would become a villain. Thoses people were feminist who thought daenerys, as the face of the show, was the embodiement of D&D fake feminism responsible of the ruined of character like Sansa or the Martells. Sansa in particular because they felt the show hated traditional feminity which is something Dany was not, which was what allegedly gave her more priviledge and love by the writer and fandom. When season 6 came out, they criticized the double standard between Cersei and Dany, where the former was demonized for burning a Church and the later was celebrate for burning the khals in their holy place. Obviously, the criticism of orientalism and racism within her story didn't make her very popular with feminist.

Season 6 end, and the sansa fandom decide to ship their fav with Jon Snow. But unfortunalty for them, it was obvious that jonerys would become a thing in later season.

Now Sansa was pretty well beloved by the fandom. Like I said earlier, the intellectual part of the fandom and the sansa defense squad really went out of their way to give a better image of the character, wich was fairly popular now that show sansa had a more active role. Plus the feminist adore her!

On the other hand, daenerys was seen as either a villain in the making, or the representation of the show fake feminism and racism. At this point dany stan were considered the dumbass of the fandom.

So, what happen when the jonerys vs jonsa shipping war happen? Well the jonerys shipper were seen as the big bully who victimized the poor sansa stan. Since in their point of view, dany stan were racist people who can't read, and the sansa stan were the woke book purist. Since Sansa was the underdog unfairly hated by the dudebro of the fandom, but beloved by the intellectuals. And Dany was the popular girl who got dumb stan and is only loved by pop feminism. People were naturally more incline into believing jonsa shippers as the victime of this war.

Even when the sansa stan were saying the most heinous things about dany and other female character to prop her up. Even when they were using the villain dany theory, the dark!dany theory, the white savior theory that had now become about dany being a colonizer and imperialist, or the ableist mad queen dany theory wich they backed up by diagnosis her with all the real life disorder they hated. It was seen as normal and dany stan just can't handle criticism. Even when multiple blog were created on tumblr to hate on daenerys which had almost no equivalent for the sansa/jonsa fandom, the jonerys shippers were the bad guys.

Jonerys was made canon in season 7. The intellectual part of the fandom either accept it but thought it was a cliche uninspiring ship, or they defend it for the themes but didn't see it as a complex relationship like jaime with cersei or brienne. The feminist, particulary the one who hated house targaryen, were shocked that grrm could romantize incest. And obviously, the jonsa hated it, and there ugliness started to be notice more with the weird theory they builted, like political!jon. The Jonerys fandom were finally getting some justice.

Plus more big name essayists in the fandom started debunking of the baseless incel hate dany receive post adwd. Dany had now the right to sleep with Daario, Jorah was a creep, Dany rejected Quentyn for peace, and Drogo being Dany rapist was getting more believed by the fandom.

During the hiatus before season season 8, @rainhadaenerys wrote down a lot of meta as a defense against the worst claimed that the fandom made about Dany. It gave hoped to dany stan, but it was crushed by season 8 with D&D deciding to make the mad queen theory canon the worst way possible.

Now the feminist and the intellectual part of the fandom are both defending daenerys. But there is the dominant idea that certain event of the last season could happen in the books, like dany burning King's Landing. And the possibility of her going insane should be accepted by the dany stan, and if not, it mean we are not real asoiaf fans.