#justice for the 5 second rule being honoured | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

theonceandfutureking6481 · 3 years ago

Text

BBC's Merlin Season 1 Episode 5: Lancelot Analysis

It's Lancelot's first episode which is tremendously exciting. I remember the first time I watched this show (last year- I really make it sound like it was much longer than it is), I wasn't particularly attached to him but on my second rewatch I loved him, I loved his and Merlin's friendship and I loved his sheer nobility and decency. Lancelot is of course typically one of the most central characters in telling's of the Arthurian legend, so of course his appearance is exciting. Also excitingly an episode where I talk about someone other than Arthur! Yeah, if you can't tell Arthur's my favourite character. I'm not sure how clear my point is throughout all of this, its hard to articulate but I hope I've done it justice.

"Sir Lancelot, the bravest and the most noble of them all"

This is a quote from much later in the show but it explains something very fundamental about Lancelot's character. Lancelot is supposed to be the chivalric ideal, in most versions of the story he is portrayed as such, as the only knight who really comes close to fulfilling it. Lancelot's fault that puts the dent in him being the true epitome of the noble chivalric knight is his love for Guinevere, and its actually his son Galahad (who doesn't exist in Merlin) who achieves this ideal. However, the point remains that Lancelot is almost there, his character is typically about a person who almost achieves this ideal of chivalry, and they run with this in Merlin, out of all the knights he is the most knightly, the most committed, the one most devoted to its ideals.

Lancelot talks like our idea of a knight, its kind of hard to explain but the way he talks is straight out of chivalric romances, out of films about knights. You notice it because everyone in this show talks in quite a contemporary way, its an Arthurian legend for people of today and the characters talk like it, but Lancelot just doesn't, he talks like a knight from a fairytale. It's just a small detail, but it really plays into the perception of Lancelot as the epitome of chivalric honour.

I'd argue that he represents a knighthood Arthur believes in, before he even realises it himself, a kind of honour that's about devotion to one another and helping others and fighting injustice. Arthur and Lancelot do get on extremely well, despite the fact that Lancelot, in Arthur's own words, doesn't sound or look like a knight. His passionate defense of him to his father, as well as the fact that Arthur releases him from prison without his father's approval is because Arthur respects him and admires him and probably because he sees him as a friend. King Arthur's court is often the ideal representation of chivalry, stories like these about chivalrous knights were very important to aristocratic culture in medieval times, and Arthur's court was at the center of it. The thing is that there is a code of honour and chivalry before Arthur in Merlin, the knights of Camelot already exist, and they are often honourable. But Arthur's task will be to reset the idea of chivalry and honour on new grounds, in new ways and Lancelot in many ways exemplifies this ideal

There is a huge emphasis in Lancelot's character in serving with honour:

"It's not my freedom I seek. I only wish to serve with honour."-Lancelot

"He laid down his life for me. He served with honour."- Arthur

"He meant no harm I am sure of it... he only wished to serve."- Arthur

I'm not exactly sure how to define honour, its kind of an abstract concept but I do know what it means, its acting with integrity and respect and honesty. It's a concept central to the Chivalric code, that knights should behave with honour, so its inclusion here further cements the idea of Lancelot's character as representing the ideal of chivalric knighthood. Also the concept of servanthood comes up again, Merlin emphasises (through Merlin most of all) the honour in being a servant, you don't need to be great or noble or a great leader, the world needs people who are willing to serve and that is just as noble as leading.

Chivalry as a concept is inherently bound up in the concept of nobility. The etymology itself is from the French word for knight/horseman, of which only nobles could be. However, one of the points of Merlin through many of its characters is upsetting this class divide so prevalent in Arthurian stories, not just in also including the stories of those who aren't noble but in setting up a code of honour that applies to everybody. Lancelot epitomises this, he is the knight who most represents the ideal of chivalry to Arthur, he's also not a nobleman. Just like making Gwen and Merlin servants, making the most noble knight not a noble sets up this shift, highlighting the capability of everyone to the kind of goodness and nobility that Camelot's ideal will represent. Because fundamentally what's the point of an ideal if it only applies to some people, ideals should inspire everyone to be better, they should make everyone's lives better not just a small subset of people.

As Gwen says that in Arthur's knights "we need ordinary people like you and me."

Arthur and Uther

Importantly Arthur realises the injustice of laws in his father's kingdom and you see the contrast between him and Uther.

"The code bends for no man."

"Then the code is wrong."

Uther is stubborn, we know that, he's unwilling to admit the fault in his rules, in his ideas even when the evidence is right in front of him and that is a fundamental fault, you can see it in his treatment of those who use magic. Arthur by contrast is someone whose views haven't been set, partly because he is still young, but also because he is a better person than Uther in the ways that matter. He's not going to purposefully blind himself to the truth. For Uther he is also one with a worldview of absolutes, all magic users are bad, laws are laws there is no room for argument or nuance, and I'm sure Uther would see accepting argument or nuance as a weakness.

It is also important that in recognising that the code should bend, Arthur recognises the essential flaw in Uther's construction of society and chivalry. The idea that knights should all be noble, Uther literally says that it is the fact that all knights are noble that binds them together, and this is emphasised by the fact that Uther created the first code of Camelot (also the fact that its the first code- makes this seemingly small law much more important). This is a premise Arthur does not agree with it, this episode proves what it really means to be a knight in Lancelot, its a willingness to do your duty and act with honour and self-sacrifice. It is not confined to class, and thus plays into merlin's wider subversion of chivalry as only being for knights, its a code of honour and behaviour that all people can aspire to, and the ability to live and die for noble causes should not be the sole preserve of knights. The Arthurian ideal is so premised on nobility, for the rest of the kingdom, yes they have a just king and presumably they are protected and safe but they are kept from the dignity of being allowed to be noble, being allowed to be considered a part of the nobility and goodness of the Arthurian ideal. It's significant that the first figure to represent this isn't noble.

Other Stuff

"I owe Lancelot my life and I am paying for that in the only way I can."- Merlin--> This is the worldview of knights and debts of honour in its own way as well

Gwen and Lancelot are just awww, like so sweet

"Merlin would do anything for anyone."- Gwen--> True and I love that about Merlin, even as he becomes more jaded as the seasons go on this doesn't change that much—>he's wonderfully decent

"You're the only thing I care about in this world."- Gaius to Merlin--> That was just sweet and kind of sad He's encouraging Merlin to put himself in danger and Merlin reacts with anger because its like does anyone care what happens to him—> but the point is Merlin can help Arthur and no one else can so he has to do it because its his job and its his job because he's the only one who can do it--> Duty is doing what you have to do, doing the right thing even when you don't want to

"It's my duty knight or not."---> Similar to Merlin—> Lancelot believes in being a knight so whether or not he actually is one he has a duty to act like one—> he is a swordsman he is skilled and (theoretically- if they weren't creatures of magic) could defeat a Griffin so he has to do it—> because he can and its his duty to his worldview And Gwen's response- "You really believe that don't you. I don't think I've ever met anyone like you."

"You've already proven that to us"- Arthur "But I must prove it to myself."- Lancelot--> Isn't there just something very noble in that- In the desire to prove your ability to yourself above all others- to hold yourself to a high standard not just to expect things to come Will parallel Arthur in later seasons as he tries to prove his right to be king to himself--> It's funny the scene when Arthur pulls the sword in the stone (much later) is the moment when he proves his right to be king in every version of the story- but usually its proof to others- In Merlin it was trying to prove to himself

"Till next time then, Sir Lancelot."- Merlin- wonderful way to end the episode on an acknowledgement of Lancelot's role in the wider story- he is a legendary figure

23 notes · View notes

drivingsideways · 4 years ago

Text

k-drama rec list

Prior to 2020 I’d maybe watched 2 k-dramas in my entire life, but this year I got sucked in, thanks to some great recs, and y’know, *gestures * everything.

I think I’d held off watching kdramas because my impression of them was limited to romances that I didn’t enjoy at all. But this was the year I discovered the equivalent of “gen fic” kdrama- dramas that had wonderful ensemble casts, strong story lines that weren’t entirely romance focused and also a variety in terms of themes and styles. A big plus was that I found so many of these dramas had women leading the writers’ room, and seeing the effect of that in the story telling. (Notable exceptions: a certain “star” writer who should please stop inflicting her badly written, formulaic crap on the world, yes Kim Eun-Sook, I mean you, and whoever wrote that trashfire Flower of Evil)

So here I am with my own rec list! Caveat- these are mostly not the dramas released in 2020, I’m still playing catch up! :)

Under the cut for length

My Mister/ My Ahjussi (2018, Written by Park Hae-Young, Directed by Kim Won-Seok, starring Lee Sun-kyun and Lee Ji-eun aka IU)

This was definitely my absolute favourite of the shows I watched this year across western/ asian media. It’s a story about the thread that binds us all and the ineffability of human connection. It’s also a story that deconstructs ideas of masculinity and honour and shame in a non-western context, but with an extremely compassionate touch. It’s a story that doesn’t shy away from showing the consequences of material and spiritual poverty; and how one can so easily feed into the other. It’s a love story that isn’t a romance, except that it’s a Romance. It’s about finding salvation in one another and in the kindness of strangers. It’s about choosing life, and picking yourself up off the floor to take that one last step and then the next and then the next. The one quibble I have with the series is that it could have been better paced, it does get extremely slow after the half way mark. But god, do they land the ending. Both Lee Sun-kyun and IU turn in absolutely heartbreaking performances, and fair warning, be prepared to go through an entire box of tissues watching this series.

Life (2018, written by Lee Soo-yeon and directed by Hong Jong-chan, starring Lee Dong-wook, Cho Seung-woo, Won Jin-ah, Lee Kyu-hyung, Yoo Jae-myung and Moon So-ri.)

Medical dramas are very much not my thing, and I wouldn’t have taken a chance on it except that @michyeosseo said I should, and she was right! It’s a medical drama in the sense that it’s set in a hospital, but rather than a “case-fic” format, this is actually a sharp commentary on the corporatization of health care, and the business of mixing, well, money and what should be a fundamental human right. Writer Lee Soo-yeon was coming off the global success of Stranger/Secret Forest S1 when this aired, so I understand that expectations were probably sky-high, and people were disappointed when this show didn’t give them the adrenaline rush that they wanted. On the other hand, I thought that this outing was really much more nuanced in terms of the politics and also how the ending doesn’t allow you the luxury of easy-fixes. This show has a great ensemble cast, and while it took me a while to get used to Lee Dong-wook’s woodenness (i ended up calling him mr.cadaver after watching this and was surprised to learn that he’s very popular?), in the end I was quite sold on his version of angry angst-bucket elder-sibling Dr.Ye Jin-woo. His best scenes were with Lee Kyu-hyung who turns in a lovely, achy performance as the paraplegic Dr. Ye Seon-woo who just wants to live a normal life. The love story between the two brothers is actually the emotional backbone of the story, and I think they landed that perfectly.

My one quibble with writer-nim is that she ended up writing in a forgettable and somewhat (for me at least) uncomfortable romance between the characters played by Won Jin-ah and Cho Seung-Woo. I think part of my uncomfortable-feeling was that I got the strong sense that the writer herself didn’t want to write this romance, it was as if she was being made to shoe-horn it in for Studio Reasons, and she basically grit her teeth and did the worst possible job of it. I do wish we could have absolutely had the OT3 of my dreams: Moon So-ri/Cho Seung-woo/Yoo Jae-myung like, c’mon TV gods MAKE IT HAPPEN, just...look at them!!!!

Anyway, that apart, I think this was a very engaging series, and by engaging, I also mean thirst-enabling, see below.

Stranger (aka Secret Forest or Forest of Secrets) S1 & 2��: (2017-, Written by Lee Soo-yeon, directed by

2017′s smash hit aired a much anticipated second season in 2020, and I managed to catch up just in time to watch that live, so that was thrilling :D . Writer Lee Soo-yeon mixes up thriller/office comedy/political commentary in an ambitious series. I think S1 is more “exciting” than S2 in terms of the mystery and pacing, but S2 is far more dense and interesting in terms of political commentary because it takes a long hard look at institutional corruption and in true writer-nim fashion doesn’t prescribe any easy solutions. Anyway, please enjoy public prosecutor Cho Seung-woo and police officer Bae Doona as partners/soulmates kicking ass and taking names in pursuit of Truth, Justice and just a goddamn peaceful meal, along with a stunningly competent ensemble cast. Also yes, Han Yeo Jin is a lesbian, sorry, I don’t make the rules.

Search: WWW (2019, Written by Kwon Do-Eun, directed by Jung Ji-hyun & Kwon Young-il, starring Im Soo-jung, Lee Da-hee, Jeon Hye-jin)

GOD. Where do I start? +1000 for writer Kwon Do-Eun saying “fuck the patriarchy” in the most grandiose way possible, i.e. absolutely refusing to acknowledge that it exists. Yes, this is that power fantasy, and it’s also a fun, slice-of-life tale about three women navigating their way through work, romance, national politics and everything in between. It’s true that I wasn’t entirely sold on the amount of time spent on the romance, and I really wish they’d actually had a textual wlw romance, though the subtext through the entire series is PRACTICALLY TEXT. But still, it maintains that veneer of plausible deniability and I think queer fans who are sick of that kind of treatment in media have a very valid grouse against the show. On the other hand, personally I felt that the queer-platonic vibe of the show is very wonderful and true to real life, and it was only reinforced by the ending. This is a show written by a woman for women (like me), and it shows.

Hyena (2020, Written by Kim Roo-Ri, directed by Jang Tae-yoo & Lee Chang Woo, starring Kim Hye-soo and Ju Ji-hoon )

Those of you who’ve been watching hit zombie epic Kingdom are probably familiar with Ju Ji-hoon’s brand of sexiness already. I had not watched Kingdom and got hit in the face by Mr.Sexy McSexyPants’ turn as a brash, privileged-by-birth, up and coming lawyer who gets completely runover by the smoking hot and incredibly dangerous fellow lawyer/competitor from the other side of the tracks in the person of Kim Hye-Soo. When I say they set the room on fire, I mean it, ok. Every single scene between these two is an actual bonfire of sexual attraction and emotional hand grenades, and they’re both absolutely riveting to watch. “Flower of Evil” wishes they had what this show has- an actual grown up romance as opposed to a thirteen year old twilight fan’s idea of an adult romance.

The “lawyer” shenanigans and the “cases” are hit or miss, and I think the occasional comedy fell flat for me. But that’s not why I mainlined like 6 episodes of this series overnight like a coke addict, and that’s not why you’re going to do it either. It’s so RARE, even in these enlightened days to find a female character like Jung Geum-ja: hard as nails, unapologetic about it, and not punished by the narrative for it. The best part for me is that she feels like a woman’s woman, not a man’s idea of what a Strong Female Character should be. Anyways, when I grow up I want to have what Kim Hye-soo has ok?

Other dramas that I watched this year, quickly rated:

The King: Eternal Monarch (3/10 and those 3 points are only for the combined goodness of second leads who deserved better- Jung Eun Chae, Woo Do Hwan and Kim Kyung Nam. Please head over to my AO3 and read my attempts to fix this garbage fire and rescue their characters from canon)

Flower of Evil (-10/100, dont @ me)

Tale of the Nine Tailed (5/10, I think it succeeds at what it set out to do, which is a light hearted, sweet fantasy-romance-melodrama, plus “second lead” Kim Beom will make you cry as the hot mess of a half human/ half fox spirit ALL TEARS character. I think if you’re into kdrama romances as a genre, this is probably a good bet?)

Signal (7/10, This was the first full kdrama I watched this year and would definitely recommend. It’s a police procedural with time travel shenanigans and has an engaging plot, good pacing, texture and compelling performances. My one disappointment with it was the way they wrote Kim Hye-soo’s character. As literally the only female character to survive in any way, she was given short shrift, and toward the end it really began to grate on me.)

Six Flying Dragons - (7/10, also would recommend if you’re interested in Korean historicals. It definitely already feels a bit dated in terms of styling and production values, and even scripting and acting choices. But it has a good balance of fantasy and history and political commentary. I was not a fan of Yoo In-Ah’s performance in this series, but it’s not anything that would make you want to nope out of the series. It’s GoT , if GoT was thoughtful about politics and characters and not the misogynist, racist trashfire that it became.)

My Country: The New Age - (3.5/10, and that’s 3 points to Jang Hyuk’s fan and 0.5.points to Woo Do Hwan’s heaving bosom. If you like your historical drama/fantasy with very pretty men, very gay subtext -seriously RIP to show makers who thought they could hetero it but didn’t account for Woo Do Hwan’s Tragic Face- lots of blood and tears and very nonsense plot, this is right up your alley. I probably would have enjoyed it more in other circumstances, I think? But this one just annoyed me too much at the time!

I have a couple of more dramas to watch on my list, that’ll probably carry me over into 2021, so see ya on the other side! :D

#k-drama #kdrama rec list #2020: A YEAR #i'm a queue for you

34 notes · View notes

orihara-infobroker · 4 years ago

Text

Bushido, Honour and Ghost of Tsushima

Now that I’m done crying over a horse (I WILL NEVER BE OVER THIS), let’s talk about Shimura and Sakai and the definition of honour to a samurai.

Because the story tells us that Jin has no honour and is a bad samurai but that is from the perspective of Shimura and the samurai like him. There is no good ending for Jin, not because he doesn’t have honour, but because he defied the authority structure. Basically, it’s politics.

I believe Jin is actually the one with more honour and that Shimura forsakes his own honour on the beach when he pursues a course of action that leaves Tsushima (and the mainland) open to invasion. Because without Jin’s willingness to adapt, Tsushima would have been lost, no question.

The principles of the samurai “code” - bushido - weren’t truly codified until Miyamoto Musashi wrote about the samurai class in his later years. This was in the 1600s. Ghost of Tsushima takes place in the 1200s, well before Musashi’s writings. Which is not to say that the samurai didn’t follow a code of honour but that code could vary from clan to clan, region to region. What was functionally the singular unifying factor was that the samurai were warriors and they were nobility.

Now, as we all know, the role of nobility has historically been a very divided one. There are the ruling class who believe that their job is to take care of the people and there are the selfish pricks who are rich and entitled and abuse their privilege. Now, I’m not saying that Shimura is abusing the peasants but it is made very clear that they are not his priority. His personal honour (or perception of what honour is) is more important to him than the lives of the peasants. Even the lives of his own soldiers are less important than their perceived “honour”. And Shimura makes it clear that the will of the Shogun (yaaay politics) is more important than the lives of the people. Even his own “son”.

Jin exemplifies the noble who understands that his role is to protect all of his people. He is the people’s hero because he cares about them. He earns their respect and loyalty in a way Shimura cannot because Shimura sees them only as subjects to rule over, not people to care about.

Further, in the game, Jin does some very “ninja” things. Using poison, assassinating, attacking from behind etcetera. Well. The shinobi as a class didn’t really come into being until the Sengoku era (around the late 1400s, early 1500s). So the criticism levied on Jin for his dishonourable behaviour is somewhat amusing because while samurai did have a general belief that assassination was dishonourable and that you should meet your foes on the field of battle face-to-face, they weren’t opposed to using non-conventional tactics to win battles. They just didn’t get their own hands dirty with it.

Now, if we were to talk about the principles of bushido as they have been interpreted through Musashi, there are nine principles by which a samurai should live his life:

1. Do not think dishonestly. 2. The Way is in training. 3. Become acquainted with every art. 4. Know the Ways of all professions 5. Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters. 6. Develop an intuitive judgement and understanding for everything. 7. Perceive those things which cannot be seen. 8. Pay attention even to trifles. 9. Do nothing which is of no use.

These are the principles that were later further reimagined as the eight virtues of bushido by Nitobe Inazo in the 1800s and are what most people see in reference to bushido today:

Righteousness (義, gi) Be acutely honest throughout your dealings with all people. Believe in justice, not from other people, but from yourself. To the true warrior, all points of view are deeply considered regarding honesty, justice and integrity. Warriors make a full commitment to their decisions.

Heroic Courage (勇, yū) Hiding like a turtle in a shell is not living at all. A true warrior must have heroic courage. It is absolutely risky. It is living life completely, fully and wonderfully. Heroic courage is not blind. It is intelligent and strong.

Benevolence, Compassion (仁, jin) Through intense training and hard work the true warrior becomes quick and strong. They are not as most people. They develop a power that must be used for good. They have compassion. They help their fellow men at every opportunity. If an opportunity does not arise, they go out of their way to find one.

Respect (礼, rei) True warriors have no reason to be cruel. They do not need to prove their strength. Warriors are not only respected for their strength in battle, but also by their dealings with others. The true strength of a warrior becomes apparent during difficult times.

Honesty (誠, makoto) When warriors say that they will perform an action, it is as good as done. Nothing will stop them from completing what they say they will do. They do not have to 'give their word'. They do not have to 'promise'. Speaking and doing are the same action.

Honour (名誉, meiyo) Warriors have only one judge of honor and character, and this is themselves. Decisions they make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of who they truly are. You cannot hide from yourself.

Duty and Loyalty (忠義, chūgi) Warriors are responsible for everything that they have done and everything that they have said and all of the consequences that follow. They are immensely loyal to all of those in their care. To everyone that they are responsible for, they remain fiercely true.

Self-Control (自制, jisei)

Now if we look at either of these lists, we can see that Jin does not lack in honour. He does not stray from the path of the samurai. Quite the opposite, Jin exhibits exemplary personal responsibility. Shimura, on the other hand, while not without honour and generally consistent with Musashi’s guidelines, does stray far afield of the virtues. In fact, I would argue that his strict adherence to the “rules” as he perceived them is actually what makes him less honourable than Jin. He cannot perceive things in any way other than the one he was raised with and that is his downfall - and nearly the downfall of Tsushima.

Which, historically is not inaccurate. (Not that you should be looking to Ghost of Tsushima for historical accuracy. In fact, please don’t... XD) During the actual mongol invasion of Japan, the mongols sailed from Korea and took Tsushima as well as Iki Island then proceeded to land at Hakata Bay. These islands simply did not have the number of troops sufficient to defend them against an entire fleet.

What actually defeated the mongols was not samurai honour (or Jin’s sneaky shinobi tactics). It was weather. During the battle at Hakata Bay, the mongols decided to retreat to their ships at night to avoid being ambushed by the Japanese. And because the troops were on their ships and out to sea when the tsunami hit, the mongols lost nearly half their fighting force. They retreated and, much later, planned a second invasion, following a similar path as the first. They attacked Tsushima and Iki again, routing the samurai and murdering many of the islanders. They moved against Nagato and Hakata Bay but this time the Japanese were better prepared for them and they were forced to return to Iki and other small islands. The Japanese counter attacked by launching raids on the mongol ships. As the Japanese continued to push them back, keeping them off the mainland, the mongol fleet was once again defeated, not by samurai, but by weather. A great typhoon struck the fleet and devastated it. The mongol commander fled, leaving many of his troops stranded on Taka Island where they were rounded up and killed by the Japanese. (Note this is a condensed summary of the invasions. There is obviously more detail to the actual events.)

Amusingly, what did come out of this war was a growing respect and fear for the Japanese from the Korean, Chinese and Mongol nations. The mongols, in particular were quite concerned by the Japanese swords. The Japanese, however, found that these earlier katana that they were using were inconvenient to use when fighting in close quarters against large numbers and responded by refining them.

Anyway, the history lesson aside, Jin’s story is a tragedy but it’s also an absolutely wonderful samurai story because it shows the lengths a truly honourable samurai will go to, to fulfill his duty to his principles and to his people.

#we stan jin #jin is best samurai boy #jin for Shogun 2020 #give this boy a hug #and buy him some sake #I only have one regret #and that is that I didn't kill Shimura #because that's how you get the white ghost armour #and I wanted the white ghost armour #but if you let Shimura live #you get red ghost armour #which is also cool #but not as cool as white #ghost of tsushima #thoughts and feelings #bushido is fascinating #the world could use more bushido

61 notes · View notes

junquisite · 4 years ago

Text

Be My King

WORD COUNT : 1.1K

GENRE : Royalty AU, Queen! OC X Kim Byeongkwan

WARNING : Morally ambiguous characters, mentions of death (a lot), implied murder

NOTE : Please enjoy my first ever Byeongkwan fic~

"Congratulations my queen, it's finally your coronation today." Byeongkwan said as he helped her with the robe.

"It's the first step. It'll be my rule now. Everyone will be served for what they did." She says as she adjusted her robe and turned around to smile at him.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked and she smirked at him.

"We did all that and now you want me to turn back?" And he shook his head.

"You're right, let's go."

"Don't do this! He's also a royal! How could you just kill him like?" She yelled as she tried to run out of the grip of the guards holding her.

"It's alright Aera, take care of yourself." Her older brother said, smiling as the sword came down and only her shrieks were resounding.

Just because his father was not the king, her older brother was executed, putting her as the next one on throne.

"The empress Kang Aera is now taking the throne. Everyone rise!" Was announced as Aera entered the throne room, Byeongkwan closely followed. She saw a few of the old ministers sneering at him, not comfortable with her having her own personal advisor of her choice, that too a common person and a person of a different nation at that.

She found him at a fair she had sneaked out to attend, she watched from afar how his group created a show everyone was so engulfed in that no one noticed when he emptied everyone's pocket. But then guards caught them and she saved him on a whim, brought him to the castle and now he was the only one in this castle she trusts.

As she entered the throne room, everyone stood up in respect and she took her oath and her throne. The ruler must hold their first court on the day of coronation was the rule. Usually they would set the court as per their liking and want of ministers. She looked around at the pleased faces, they all were happy because they had me appointed, but that precisely was the reason why I'll remove them.

Because they were the ones who got my brother killed, executed instead of plain banishment. They manipulated my father. The army general was changed overnight because he was my brother's friend, one of the minister's was appointed, chosen by the ministers themselves. The guards that held me and stopped me as my brother was killed in front of me were weeping along with me, only the fear of death and loyalty to the crown stopping them. My brother was loved by the army and now as I sit on this throne, I'll bring him to justice.

"I'll be changing the whole council." She said as the people gasped and Byeongkwan smiled from his position, two stairs below her dais.

"Starting from the army general, Sir Lee Donghun, you're reinstated." And starting with him, the whole council was full of no nobles and more or less, commoners. Commoners Byeongkwan had introduced to her for having great minds and potential for loyalty to her and only her.

"The council can't be full of commoners my queen!" One of the nobles wailed and the queen smirked, "Where does it say that?" Dumbstruck, the man settled down as she stood up.

"I'll be a queen of the commoners, the age of living in fear of nobles is over my people!" And the crowd had rejoiced, less for the nobles.

"All the past members of the Council are, though, ordered to be executed." She said amidst the chaos and the crowd stilled, commoners nobles alike as the ministers fought for freedoms as guards caught them under general Lee's orders.

"They are caught for treason and by no trial, to be executed and beheaded immediately."

"What treason?!" One of them shouted as Byoengkwan brought forward a bunch of letters.

"These are official letters with your seals, we have verified, plotting for the murder of the late King, my father."

Gasps and murmurs surround the crowd as the past ministers were dragged away in between their denials.

"You can't do this!" The past royal advisor fought with his guard to yell at her face.

"But I just did." She said with a smile mirrored by Byeongkwan right in the minister's view and it all clicked.

"I knew it was a mistake letting a little criminal into the castle."

The queen's expression changed and she halted the guards taking away the past ministers.

She spoke loudly, "Where is the special order I had given this morning?" And they saw as a few guards ran away somewhere.

"You see advisor, you were not to be executed, had you listened to the names of the to be executed ministers that MY advisor read. But your haste and hatred towards him might just cause your demise."

As she finished, the guards ran in with a second slightly smaller throne that they placed beside the queen's. She pulled out a small box from her coat's inside as she called a surprised Byeongkwan upto the dais.

"I know this isn't your ideal setting for a proposal nor do I have a proper speech planned but, Kim Byeongkwan, would you do the honour of being my husband?"

It was silent, as he was processing what was going on and the whole crowd was waiting with bated breath until he was nodding his head like crazy, tears unshed in his eyes as he started chanting "yes!" Again and again and she put the ring on his finger, backed up by the clapping and holler of the crowd.

After it had calmed down, she turned to the past advisor, "For the crime of humiliating and slandering the Royal Consort's name, I hereby punish you with Immediate beheading."

It was 5 in the morning when all the ministers were lined up in the ground for their execution. Same time as her brother.

As the swords were pulled down and they were out of the way, the Queen and her king turned around to leave.

"Thank you." She whispered as he grasped her hand. "I'm thankful to you. Even after all I did, you chose to marry me." And she laughed.

"You could kill me and I'll love you, killing someone for me only makes me love you more. So who cares if he was the king or my father." She said as she brought his hand to her lips leaving a gentle kiss there as she chuckled at his red face.

Just before entering the palace, she tugged at his hand and he turned around to look at her.

"Be my king?" She asked as the softest of smile took over his features.

"Forever."

#a.c.e #ACEWRITERS #kim byeongkwan #byeongkwan #a.c.e byeongkwan

7 notes · View notes

roman-catholic-mass-readings · 4 years ago

Photo

25th December >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Christmas Day - Vigil Mass, Midnight Mass, Mass at Dawn & Mass during the Day.

Vigil Mass

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the Vigil Mass, celebrated during the afternoon or evening before Christmas Day)

First Reading

Isaiah 62:1-5

The bridegroom rejoices in his bride

About Zion I will not be silent, about Jerusalem I will not grow weary, until her integrity shines out like the dawn and her salvation flames like a torch.

The nations then will see your integrity, all the kings your glory, and you will be called by a new name, one which the mouth of the Lord will confer. You are to be a crown of splendour in the hand of the Lord, a princely diadem in the hand of your God;

no longer are you to be named ‘Forsaken’, nor your land ‘Abandoned’, but you shall be called ‘My Delight’ and your land ‘The Wedded’; for the Lord takes delight in you and your land will have its wedding.

Like a young man marrying a virgin, so will the one who built you wed you, and as the bridegroom rejoices in his bride, so will your God rejoice in you.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 88(89):4-5,16-17,27,29

R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: I will establish your dynasty for ever and set up your throne through all ages.’

R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

Happy the people who acclaim such a king, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who find their joy every day in your name, who make your justice the source of their bliss.

R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

‘He will say to me: “You are my father, my God, the rock who saves me.” I will keep my love for him always; with him my covenant shall endure.’

R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

Second Reading

Acts of the Apostles 13:16-17,22-25

Paul's witness to Christ, the son of David

When Paul reached Antioch in Pisidia, he stood up in the synagogue, held up a hand for silence and began to speak: ‘Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen! The God of our nation Israel chose our ancestors, and made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt; then by divine power he led them out. ‘Then he made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.”’

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia! Tomorrow there will be an end to the sin of the world and the saviour of the world will be our king. Alleluia!

Either:

Gospel

Matthew 1:1-25

The ancestry and birth of Jesus Christ, the son of David

A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother, Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother, Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother, Obed was the father of Jesse; and Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Azariah, Azariah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah; and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers. Then the deportation to Babylon took place. After the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob; and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ. This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home and, though he had not had intercourse with her, she gave birth to a son; and he named him Jesus.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel

Matthew 1:18-25

How Jesus Christ came to be born

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel,

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Midnight Mass

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the Midnight Mass, celebrated during the night before Christmas Day)

First Reading

Isaiah 9:1-7

A Son is given to us

The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone. You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy increase; they rejoice in your presence as men rejoice at harvest time, as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.

For the yoke that was weighing on him, the bar across his shoulders, the rod of his oppressor, these you break as on the day of Midian.

For all the footgear of battle, every cloak rolled in blood, is burnt, and consumed by fire.

For there is a child born for us, a son given to us and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him: Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace. Wide is his dominion in a peace that has no end, for the throne of David and for his royal power, which he establishes and makes secure in justice and integrity. From this time onwards and for ever, the jealous love of the Lord of Hosts will do this.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 95(96):1-3,11-13

R/ Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

O sing a new song to the Lord, sing to the Lord all the earth. O sing to the Lord, bless his name.

R/ Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

Proclaim his help day by day, tell among the nations his glory and his wonders among all the peoples.

R/ Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad, let the sea and all within it thunder praise, let the land and all it bears rejoice, all the trees of the wood shout for joy at the presence of the Lord for he comes, he comes to rule the earth.

R/ Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

With justice he will rule the world, he will judge the peoples with his truth.

R/ Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

Second Reading

Titus 2:11-14

God's grace has been revealed to the whole human race

God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Luke 2:10-11

Alleluia, alleluia! I bring you news of great joy: today a saviour has been born to us, Christ the Lord. Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 2:1-14

'In the town of David a saviour has been born to you'

Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census – the first – took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David’s House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing:

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to men who enjoy his favour.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Mass at Dawn

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the Dawn Mass, celebrated at dawn on Christmas Day)

First Reading

Isaiah 62:11-12

Look, your saviour comes

This the Lord proclaims to the ends of the earth:

Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Look, your saviour comes, the prize of his victory with him, his trophies before him.’ They shall be called ‘The Holy People’, ‘The Lord’s Redeemed.’ And you shall be called ‘The-sought-after’, ‘City-not-forsaken.’

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 96(97):1,6,11-12

R/ This day new light will shine upon the earth: the Lord is born for us.

The Lord is king, let earth rejoice, let all the coastlands be glad. The skies proclaim his justice; all peoples see his glory.

R/ This day new light will shine upon the earth: the Lord is born for us.

Light shines forth for the just and joy for the upright of heart. Rejoice, you just, in the Lord; give glory to his holy name.

R/ This day new light will shine upon the earth: the Lord is born for us.

Second Reading

Titus 3:4-7

It was no reason except his own compassion that he saved us

When the kindness and love of God our saviour for mankind were revealed, it was not because he was concerned with any righteous actions we might have done ourselves; it was for no reason except his own compassion that he saved us, by means of the cleansing water of rebirth and by renewing us with the Holy Spirit which he has so generously poured over us through Jesus Christ our saviour. He did this so that we should be justified by his grace, to become heirs looking forward to inheriting eternal life.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Luke 2:14

Alleluia, alleluia! Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to men who enjoy his favour. Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 2:15-20

The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found the baby lying in the manger

Now when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Mass during the Day

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the daytime Mass on Christmas Day)

First Reading

Isaiah 52:7-10

Rejoice, for the Lord is consoling his people

How beautiful on the mountains, are the feet of one who brings good news, who heralds peace, brings happiness, proclaims salvation, and tells Zion, ‘Your God is king!’

Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices, they shout for joy together, for they see the Lord face to face, as he returns to Zion.

Break into shouts of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord is consoling his people, redeeming Jerusalem.

The Lord bares his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 97(98):1-6

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy.

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp with the sound of music. With trumpets and the sound of the horn acclaim the King, the Lord.

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Second Reading

Hebrews 1:1-6

God has spoken to us through his Son

At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is. He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name. God has never said to any angel: You are my Son, today I have become your father; or: I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Again, when he brings the First-Born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

A hallowed day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, worship the Lord, for today a great light has shone down upon the earth. Alleluia!

Either

Gospel

John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him. All that came to be had life in him and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God. His name was John. He came as a witness, as a witness to speak for the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light, only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light that enlightens all men; and he was coming into the world. He was in the world that had its being through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh or will of man but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims: ‘This is the one of whom I said: He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received – yes, grace in return for grace, since, though the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel

John 1:1-5,9-14

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

4 notes · View notes

sims4monarchist · 5 years ago

Text

United Realm Politics

The Imperial Senate: An Overview of Politics in The United Realm

The Imperial Senate of the United Realm is the legislative body of the federal government. It is comprised of 44 senators proportional to a state’s population, and is headed by an administration of five people: three of which are senators (president, speaker and vice president), while the other two are independent individuals elected by a select Senate committee (secretary, clerk).

The Senate was established by Her Imperial Majesty Empress Sequoia I at the beginning of her reign, when she decided to end a millennium of autocratic rule and turn the United Realm into a democracy and a constitutional monarchy.

As the legislature of the empire, the Imperial Senate is the most powerful political body in the United Realm, and therefore being a senator is considered a great privilege and an honour. Being the President of the Imperial Senate, however, is considered to be the next best position after the monarch’s itself, and so far only seven individuals have held that title. A president is elected by a majority of Senators to a five year term, and is limited to a total of two terms. Here are the people who served as president of the senate since its creation:

#1: Augusta Gauck

Viscountess Augusta Gauck was the first President of the Imperial Senate and an instrumental figure in the establishment of the Senate back when the Empress was young and inexperienced. Formerly a prominent courtier in the court of Emperor Karl IV and his Senior Counselor on Domestic Policy, Mrs. Gauck was the perfect person to help steer the nation in a more democratic direction. Empress Sequoia saw her experience as invaluable and immediately appointed her as the Chief Transition Officer, responsible for the transition from autocracy to democracy. She helped the young Empress form democratic institutions like courts of justice and state assemblies, and also the Imperial Senate. She was rewarded for her efforts and loyalty by being made the very first President of the Imperial Senate. Gauck served two terms, or 10 years, and received the title of Viscountess from the Empress upon her retirement. She passed away peacefully in her sleep after Empress Sequoia’s Silver Jubilee a few years ago.

#2: Othon van Nylph

Baron Othon van Nylph rose to power as the Vice President of the Imperial Senate under President Augusta Gauck, and was seen as her natural successor. He ended up being elected president - making him the first president to be elected in his own right, as his predecessor was appointed by the Empress - and served only one term. Baron van Nylph was born an aristocrat, a member of a Brimradish noble family. A man of culture, he built and financed many cultural institutions after leaving office, and still resides in his grand estate in eastern Brimrad.

#3: Albert Gauck

The young and charismatic son of President Augusta Gauck, Albert had always been interested in following his mother’s footsteps and becoming President of the Imperial Senate, a goal he had achieved earlier than expected. He no doubt managed to secure a slim victory over Johann Kilgore (who later succeeded him) only thanks to his mother’s connections, but unlike her, he wasn’t a successful president. Critics at the time described him as lazy and inattentive, and some historians today claim that even the Empress herself disliked him. President Gauck ended up resigning from his position only two years after his election, leaving it to his former opponent and then-Vice President of the Senate, Johann Kilgore. Today, Albert Gauck is a professor of law at Foxbury Institute.

#4: Johann Kilgore

Baron Johann Kilgore is one of the most experienced politicians that have ever held office in the United Realm. He started his career as the governor of his home region in Tyyr, the Duchy of Montezuma, and was then elected as a Senator from the State of Tyyr. He forged many connections during his time in the Imperial Senate, which helped him in his quest for the presidency. He narrowly lost the presidency of the Senate the first time he ran, defeated by Albert Gauck. He settled for the position of Vice President of the Imperial Senate until the next election, but his ascent to power came quicker, when President Gauck resigned. Kilgore immediately became president and later won the confidence of the Senate in a mandatory No-Confidence vote, which allowed him to stay in office for the remainder of the term Gauck was supposed to serve (3 more years). President Kilgore attempted to be elected for a second term, but by then some of his alliances were not as strong as they used to be, and the Presidential election was tied, 18 votes to Kilgore versus 18 votes to his opponent, Tacitus Baley (there were only 36 Senate seats at the time, as Klussia was not a part of the Empire). The election was therefore decided by then-Speaker of the Imperial Senate, Senator Gabriel Skoye, who voted for Tacitus Baley. Thus ended the presidency of Kilgore, however Empress Sequoia was quite fond of him and granted him the title of Baron of Natchez, the town in Tyyr where he was born, and still lives.

#5: Tacitus Baley

Undoubtedly the worst president in the history of the Imperial Senate, Tacitus Baley isn't looked upon kindly by history. He was so corrupt, the Empress herself was forced to end his presidency prematurely. As Senator from the State of Brimrad, he was involved in secret illicit activities involving foreign crime syndicates and mafias, for the benefit of his own pocket. A bureaucrat at heart, he knew exactly how to manipulate the system to fit his needs without facing any consequences. He decided to run for president of the Imperial Senate in order to gain more power and only defeated the incumbent President Johann Kilgore thanks to the vote of the Speaker of the Senate, who was reportedly bribed by Baley. Baley’s presidency saw a rise in crime and unemployment, but he couldn’t care less. One year into his term a group of senators, over two thirds, approached Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, requesting that she remove him from power before more damage could be done. The Empress entered the Senate Chamber and called the full Senate to order. She then ordered a vote of No-Confidence, which was almost unanimously passed by the Imperial Senate, cutting Baley’s presidency short. In order to avoid persecution of his former deeds, Tacitus Baley fled the United Realm and sought asylum in Klussia, which was a dictatorship at the time. He shared state secrets with the Klussian dictator, Ivan Mentlin - an act only recently discovered. The former president was caught by the Imperial Military when Klussia was conquered. He now serves life imprisonment in a federal penitentiary.

#6: Ulrike Meyer

Baroness Ulrike Meyer was a breath of fresh air after the short yet tumultuous presidency of Tacitus Baley. A Senator from the State of Erebor, Meyer was a down-to-earth and humble person, which made many people like her. She is considered to be the second most popular president, after Augusta Gauck. Ironically, Ulrike didn’t even want the presidency. Her fellow senators begged her to run after Baley was removed from office. She reluctantly agreed and received 34 votes, while only two went to her opponent Maximilian Frank, who was an ally of President Baley. Meyer’s presidency saw vast economic growth which contributed to her popularity. Empress Sequoia also liked her and awarded her the aristocratic title of Baroness and also made her an Officer of the Supreme Order of the Elasmotherium, the highest order of chivalry in the United Realm. Former President Meyer wrote a bestselling book about her experiences in the Green House (the presidential residence) and now resides in a cottage in the small town of Portberg, Erebor. She established a foundation to help endangered species, which she still chairs.

#7: Nancy de Vriss

And now we arrive at the present, with incumbent President of the Imperial Senate, Nancy de Vriss. The Senator from Solis was a protege of Ulrike Meyer and that connection helped her ascend politically when the former decided not to seek reelection. De Vriss was first elected to the Senate at age 26, the youngest Senator at the time. A more conservative politician than her predecessor and mentor President Meyer, Nancy de Vriss took power at a time when the economy was booming and society was prospering. She continued to build on the work of President Meyer and the economy continued to grow. She would probably have gone down in history as a good but rather unremarkable president were it not for the Klussian War. Although the Empress still controls all aspects of foreign policy and the military, President de Vriss proved decisive in constructing strategies to defeat the Klussians, and indeed their defeat came much sooner than expected thanks in no small part to the help of the president. She won a second term as President of the Imperial Senate and continues to serve in this position to this day. For her help in decimating the Klussian forces, she was installed as Dame Commander of the Order of the Fir, which is the highest order in her home state of Solis.

#sims 4 royal family #sims 4 royalty #sims 4 royals #sims 4 monarchy #ts4 #ts4 royal legacy #ts4 royal simblr #ts4 politics #ts4 story #ts4 cc

18 notes · View notes

graciousheaven · 4 years ago

Text

HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO GOD’S GRACE

“God’s grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:21)

The Lord blesses those who obey his commands, but as a judgement to punish any disobedience, curse falls on anyone who breaks God’s commandments.

As a righteous God, the Lord punishes those who do evil, those who do not obey his commands.

We and our ancestors have never obeyed the Lord’s commands; we have broken them all.

No human being therefore can boast of being righteous before God.

For we were all conceived in sin, and in sin we live – we are all sinners.

As the scripture says, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of the Lord.

Therefore, for God’s justice to be satisfied, the reward for our disobedience should be curse, which results in death.

But the price for our disobedience was paid for us in full on Calvary by Christ: He died on the cross to pay for our sins, although He had no sin.

The full wrath of God the Father was cast down on Him in order to set us free from our penalties.

Christ is the Saviour of the entire human race, for all the curses brought about by our disobedience were cast upon Him.

Thanks to Christ God’s justice was satisfied and human race is now reconciled with God.

The blood of Christ has cleansed us of all our sins and we now stand spotless before God.

Christ has clothed us with his own righteousness and all believers have been legally justified before God.

“He has brought us by faith into this experience of God’s grace, in which we now live”, as the Apostle Paul points it out in Romans 5:2.

Sins no longer have a hold on us; we are no longer separated from God’s glory.

We used to be sons and daughters of disobedience, but in his abundant mercy and grace God has called us to be his children.

As the Apostle John highlights it in verse 16 of the first chapter, “Out of the fullness of his grace He has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another. God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

By the blood of Christ our Lord and Saviour, we have been put right with God, by grace through faith.

Christ our Lord has redeemed us and established us in God’s grace.

It is this grace that sustains our life, it is this grace that keeps us in God’s glory.

It is by the free gift of God’s grace that we have been put right with Him through Christ Jesus, who set us free. (Romans 3:24)

And so no human being should think that they are good enough to deserve anything good from God.

We should instead be infinitely grateful for the abundant grace we receive every single moment of our lives from the Lord our God – what He does to us and for us is neither a reward for us being good, nor because we love Him.

There is nothing good in us: human heart is full of wickedness and evil.

“As the Scriptures say: ‘There is no one who is righteous, no one who is wise or who worships God. All have turned away from God; they have all gone wrong; no one does what is right, not even one. Their words are full of deadly deceit; wicked lies roll off their tongues and dangerous threats, like snake’s poison, from their lips; their speech is filled with bitter curses. They are quick to hurt and kill; they leave ruin and destruction wherever they go. They have not known the path of peace, nor have they learnt reverence for God.” (Romans 3:10-18)

We all have sinned against the Lord our God; none of us does what pleases Him.

But the Sovereign Lord in his love for us used the cross to cancel out our penalties.

The death of our Lord Jesus on the cross is the greatest manifestation of God’s love for humanity.

Christ’s blood is the key that opened the fountain of God’s grace, which forever maintains us into God’s glory.

It is the seal of the new covenant that brings God’s grace into our existence.

In the absence of this grace, all we deserve, as a result of our disobedience, is the wrath of God.

Because we all do what is evil, and so what we deserve is punishment for our sins, which is death.

As Psalms 9:17 tells us: “Death is the destiny of the wicked, all those who reject God.”

But what a good news we have – that day on Calvary the Lord Jesus paid it all; He suffered the full wrath of his own Father in order to bring us into his glory, by establishing us into God’s grace.

Christ’s crucifixion was done to cleanse us of our sins and his resurrection brought about the defeat of death.

The splendour of his resurrection, then, lies in the victory it brings us over death.

Sometimes ungrateful and ungodly people in their pride like to complain how God has not been good to them.

They say things like, ‘If God really cared about me He would not have let me suffer.’

Even in your suffering you should rejoice in the Lord, and be thankful and faithful to Him.

For it is his grace that keeps you alive, it is neither your merit nor your strength.

You deserve nothing good from the Lord; all you receive from Him is a free gift.

Whatever God gives you should then be received with a thankful and rejoicing heart, because would it not be for his grace your reward would be death.

And this grace cost Him the crucifixion of his own Son; Christ suffered the fate of evil men although He knew no sin.

“Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made Him share our sin in order that in union with Him we might share the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Human beings are nothing without God, although many people are so arrogant and perverted that they do not acknowledge his existence.

People need to understand that God is infinitely good and full of grace, and all He does is right and good.

As a matter of fact, what we receive from God is not a reward for what we have done; it is not even because we love God.

For no human being has ever loved God as He deserves to be loved, except his own Son.

The Lord commands us to love Him with all our heart, with all our mind and with all our soul.

No one has ever done it, except his Son – we are all lawbreakers, and all we receive from God is by grace alone, grace from the Lord who saved us from his own wrath by sacrificing his only Son in order to satisfy his justice.

God owes us nothing. If He was to give any of us what we deserve it would be death – the reward for sin.

Because that is all we deserve; we have broken every God’s Command.

But his love for us abounds so much that He sent his only begotten Son to die for us, “so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Christ died to save us from the wrath of God his Father and from his own wrath, for Christ the Son is God.

Without Christ no one can stand pure before the Almighty God.

Christ is the Only One who has pleaded and He continues to plead for us before his Father.

And everything good we receive from Him is simply graciously given by God; we do not deserve any of them.

We are to be thankful for the abundant and endless grace of God in our life, this grace that has been made possible by Christ alone and without which we are doomed.

All the good things we have comes from God; no one is, then, to boast about who they are nor about what they own.

In Jeremiah 9:23 “The Lord says, ‘The wise should not boast of their wisdom, nor the strong of their strength, nor the rich of their wealth. If anyone wants to boast, he should boast that he knows and understand Me, because my love is constant, and I do what is just and right.’”

Oftentimes we hear people boast about their wealth, their wisdom, their job and achievements in life.

The Lord has blessed us all with different gifts – all the good things people have are gifts from God and all the good things they achieve is by the grace of God alone. Because if the Lord does not provide us with the knowledge and skill we need, then we simply are a bunch of good for nothing.

On the other hand, many others are so bitter and ungrateful towards God, especially when they do not have what their sinful heart desires.

They want to be blessed with all kinds of things to meet their carnal desires.

They blame God for not being fair with them, as if He owes them something.

People need to keep in mind that all we have, the breath of life, the skill, the knowledge and all we possess are graciously given to us by the Lord our God.

So we are to honour the Lord our God with thanksgiving praises.

If people were to receive from God what they deserve, it would be nothing but death, the reward for sin.

The grace of God through his Son Jesus Christ is what sustains our existence.

We are nothing without God’s grace which is revealed to us in the person of his Son.

As the Apostle Paul points it out in his second epistle to Timothy, God “saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace by means of Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but now it has been revealed to us through the coming of our Saviour, Christ Jesus. He has ended the power of death and through the gospel has revealed immortal life.” (2 Timothy 1:9-10)

We should therefore express our gratitude to the Lord with thanksgiving praises and worship.

We should also take our part in the suffering of our Lord by witnessing for Him, as He has commissioned us to do.

And there is no better way to witness for our Lord than through our actions and faith.

We should seek his glory in all we do and in all we say, and our thoughts should also be pleasing to our Lord.

We owe Him everything, yet nothing to Him we bring.

And neither our praise nor our thanks can ever be enough to honour his grace – his grace for us is so abundant.

Christ is all we have: all things were created through Him and all creation will be brought back to God through Christ alone.

We need to acknowledge God and be thankful to Him for the grace He constantly lavishes upon us through his Son Jesus Christ.

There is not a day in our life where we do not sin.

But the good news is that Christ our Saviour has already paid the full price on the cross.

He paid for all our past sins and for all our present and future sins.

However, this does not mean that we should continue to live with a depraved mind and heart.

For we have been called in by Christ into the grace of his Father, and so we no longer live to please our flesh, but we live for Christ.

Sin must no longer control us, for we are new creatures in Christ; our new life is hidden with Christ in God.

People should stop treating as a cheap thing the blood of grace that set them free.

Many people have hardened their hearts and are full of hate for Christ – they are ungrateful, they blaspheme his name and reject his teaching; they persecute his church; they alter God’s word to suit their heart desires; they worship false gods; they pervert the natural use of their sex by unnatural acts, they replace the truth with lies.

As a result of their shameful perversion “they bring upon themselves the punishment they deserve for their wrongdoing.” (Romans 1:27)

By rejecting the Lord and his teaching they also reject their share of the grace which restores us into God’s glory. For the Lord Almighty says: “I will honour those who honour Me, and I will treat with contempt those who despise Me.” (1 Samuel 2:30)

So those who treat as a cheap thing the grace of God revealed to us in the person of his Son are under God’s judgement.

Such people have brought the wrath of God upon themselves; they have been given over to their wickedness, because of their rebellion against the Almighty God.

Those are the people the Apostle Paul talks about in Romans 1. It reads: “Because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, He has given them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things that they should not do. They are filled with all kinds of wickedness, evil, greed, and vice; they are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, deceit, and malice. They gossip and speak evil of one another; they are hateful to God, insolent, proud, and boastful; they think of more ways to do evil; they disobey their parents; they have no conscience; they do not keep their promises, and they show no kindness or pity for others. They know that God’s law says that people who live in this way deserve death. Yet, not only do they continue to do these very things, but they even approve of others who do them.” (Romans 1:28-32)

We are to welcome the Lord’s teaching with a rejoicing heart, seek to please Him and live for his glory.

“God has revealed his grace for the salvation of the whole human race. That grace instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this world, as we wait for the blessed Day we hope for, when the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ will appear. He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to Him alone and are eager to do good.” (Titus 2:11-14)

We must not continue to practice sin like those who belong to the world and who are driven by their carnal desires and passions.

We must welcome with a thankful heart the grace of God which has been revealed to us in the person of his Son.

We are to become new beings, transformed by the glorious power of the Holy Spirit.

We must be dead to sin but alive in Christ; the desires of our flesh must be put to death.

Such desires harden people’s hearts and sear their minds and they remain prisoners of their human nature.

We should honour the Lord, we should be thankful and faithful to Him – He bought us for the highest price and brought us into the grace of God the Father, not because we deserve it, but because He loves us and is merciful to us.

As the Apostle Paul points it out in his letter to God’s people in Ephesus, “God’s mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great, that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience He brought us to life with Christ. It is by God’s grace that you have been saved. In our union with Christ Jesus He raised us up with Him to rule with Him in the Heavenly world. He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary greatness of his grace in the love He showed us in Christ Jesus. For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it. God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus He has created us for a life of good deeds, which He has already prepared for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:4-10)

So, it is more than important for us not to lose sight of the precious gift of God’s grace.

We are to keep our eyes focused on the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, through whom God’s grace has been brought down to us.

Christ is all we have, the only way to eternal glory, the only fountain of God’s grace.

It is only through our faith in Christ and by God’s grace that we will be saved.

Those who act as if they deserve blessings from God instead of curse, because they think so highly of themselves will be disappointed.

The same thing will happen to those who consider themselves righteous and think that they will get to Heaven by their own efforts.

No human being can be justified before God by their own efforts and deeds.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

God’s grace is what holds us up – we are saved by God’s grace through our faith in Christ alone.

No human being is to think highly of themselves; we are to humble ourselves and give thanks to the Lord for his grace, mercy, love, righteousness and goodness to us.

We must also keep in mind that all these glorious gifts we receive from our Heavenly Father are revealed to us only in the person of Christ, the Son of God to whom glory belongs for ever and ever. Amen.

He died so that we may live, and so those who reject the Son simultaneously reject their share of God’s grace.

Therefore they cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; instead, they fall under God’s judgement.

We are nothing without God’s grace; no one can receive salvation except by God’s grace, through faith in Christ the Saviour.

Therefore, as the Scripture says, “Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God – Jesus, the Son of God. Let us have confidence, then, and approach God’s throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it.” (Hebrews 4:14,16)

By this grace we have been put right with God and will come into possession of the eternal life we hope for.

#understanding God's grace #be thankful to God #glorify God's name #glorify God's Spirit #glorify Christ #seek God's grace #we are saved by grace #graciousheaven #Gracious Lord #God's endless grace #abundant grace #sermon on grace #sermon

1 note · View note

artdaily7 · 5 years ago

Text

The Golden Verses of Pythagoras by Pythagoras

1. First worship the Immortal Gods, as they are established and ordained by the Law. 2. Reverence the Oath, and next the Heroes, full of goodness and light. 3. Honour likewise the Terrestrial Daemons by rendering them the worship lawfully due to them. 4. Honour likewise your parents, and those most nearly related to you. 5. Of all the rest of mankind, make him your friend who distinguishes himself by his virtue. 6. Always give ear to his mild exhortations, and take example from his virtuous and useful actions. 7. Avoid as much as possible hating your friend for a slight fault. 8. Power is a near neighbour to necessity. 9. Know that all these things are just as what I have told you; and accustom yourself to overcome and vanquish these passions:-- 10. First gluttony, sloth, sensuality, and anger. 11. Do nothing evil, neither in the presence of others, nor privately; 12. But above all things respect yourself. 13. In the next place, observe justice in your actions and in your words. 14. And do not accustom yourself to behave yourself in any thing without rule, and without reason. 15. But always make this reflection, that it is ordained by destiny that all men shall die. 16. And that the goods of fortune are uncertain; and that just as they may be acquired, they may likewise be lost. 17. Concerning all the calamities that men suffer by divine fortune, 18. Support your lot with patience, it is what it may be, and never complain at it. 19. But endeavour what you can to remedy it. 20. And consider that fate does not send the greatest portion of these misfortunes to good men. 21. There are many sorts of reasonings among men, good and bad; 22. Do not admire them too easily, nor reject them. 23. But if falsehoods are advanced, hear them with mildness, and arm yourself with patience. 24. Observe well, on every occasion, what I am going to tell you:-- 25. Do not let any man either by his words, or by his deeds, ever seduce you. 26. Nor lure you to say or to do what is not profitable for yourself. 27. Consult and deliberate before you act, that you may not commit foolish actions. 28. For it is the part of a miserable man to speak and to act without reflection. 29. But do the thing which will not afflict you afterwards, nor oblige you to repentance. 30. Never do anything which you do not understand. 31. But learn all you ought to know, and by that means you will lead a very pleasant life. 32. in no way neglect the health of your body; 33. But give it drink and meat in due measure, and also the exercise of which it needs. 34. Now by measure I mean what will not discomfort you. 35. Accustom yourself to a way of living that is neat and decent without luxury. 36. Avoid all things that will occasion envy. 37. And do not be prodigal out of season, like someone who does not know what is decent and honourable. 38. Neither be covetous nor stingy; a due measure is excellent in these things. 39. Only do the things that cannot hurt you, and deliberate before you do them. 40. Never allow sleep to close your eyelids, after you went to bed, 41. Until you have examined all your actions of the day by your reason. 42. In what have I done wrong? What have I done? What have I omitted that I ought to have done? 43. If in this examination you find that you have done wrong, reprove yourself severely for it; 44. And if you have done any good, rejoice. 45. Practise thoroughly all these things; meditate on them well; you ought to love them with all your heart. 46. It is those that will put you in the way of divine virtue. 47. I swear it by he who has transmitted into our souls the Sacred Quaternion, the source of nature, whose cause is eternal. 48. But never begin to set your hand to any work, until you have first prayed the gods to accomplish what you are going to begin. 49. When you have made this habit familiar to you, 50. You will know the constitution of the Immortal Gods and of men. 51. Even how far the different beings extend, and what contains and binds them together. 52. You shall likewise know that according to Law, the nature of this universe is in all things alike, 53. So that you shall not hope what you ought not to hope; and nothing in this world shall be hidden from you. 54. You will likewise know, that men draw upon themselves their own misfortunes voluntarily, and of their own free choice. 55. Unhappy they are! They neither see nor understand that their good is near them. 56. Few know how to deliver themselves out of their misfortunes. 57. Such is the fate that blinds humankind, and takes away his senses. 58. Like huge cylinders they roll back and forth, and always oppressed with innumerable ills. 59. For fatal strife, natural, pursues them everywhere, tossing them up and down; nor do they perceive it. 60. Instead of provoking and stirring it up, they ought to avoid it by yielding. 61. Oh! Jupiter, our Father! If you would deliver men from all the evils that oppress them, 62. Show them of what daemon they make use. 63. But take courage; the race of humans is divine. 64. Sacred nature reveals to them the most hidden mysteries. 65. If she impart to you her secrets, you will easily perform all the things which I have ordained thee. 66. And by the healing of your soul, you wilt deliver it from all evils, from all afflictions. 67. But you should abstain from the meats, which we have forbidden in the purifications and in the deliverance of the soul; 68. Make a just distinction of them, and examine all things well. 69. Leave yourself always to be guided and directed by the understanding that comes from above, and that ought to hold the reins. 70. And when, after having deprived yourself of your mortal body, you arrived at the most pure Aither, 71. You shall be a God, immortal, incorruptible, and Death shall have no more dominion over you.

John Singer Sargent 1921 Orestes Pursued by the Furies, oil on canvas, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

note: In The Iliad, the king of Argos, Agamemnon, sacrifices his daughter Iphigenia to the Gods to assure good sailing weather to Troy. In Agamemnon, the first play of Aeschylus's Oresteia trilogy, Agamemnon is murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus as revenge for sacrificing Iphigenia. In The Libation Bearers, the second play of the Orestia, Agamemnon's son Orestes returns home to take revenge on his mother for murdering his father.

Orestes ultimately does murder his mother, and afterward is tormented by The Furies, beings who personify the anger of the dead

#The Golden Verses of Pythagoras #Orestes #John Singer Sargent #Pythagoras #Poems #Poetry #Verses #The Golden Verses #Sargent #JSS #Orestes Pursued by the Furies #Art #Fine Arts #Painting

14 notes · View notes

welshdragonrawr · 4 years ago

Note

Top five books

So here we go with attempt 2 for this cruel question (if this behaves this time around). You know how hard it is for me to narrow something like this down, so I’m just gonna give the Top 5 I can think of that made me cry and/or feel all the feelings. Plus some honourable mentions because I can’t stick to rules when it comes to books, obviously.

Dandelion Wine - Ray Bradbury

“It was the face of spring, it was the face of summer, it was the warmness of clover breath. Pomegranate glowed in her lips, and the noon sky in her eyes. To touch her face was that always new experience of opening your window one December morning, early, and putting out your hand to the first white cool powdering of snow that had come, silently, with no announcement, in the night. And all of this, this breath-warmness and plum-tenderness was held forever in one miracle of photographic is chemistry which no clock winds could blow upon to change one hour or one second; this fine first cool white snow would never melt, but live a thousand summers.”

Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut

“And Lot's wife, of course, was told not to look back where all those people and their homes had been. But she did look back, and I love her for that, because it was so human. So she was turned into a pillar of salt. So it goes.”

Hogfather - Terry Pratchett

“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable." REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE. "Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—" YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES. "So we can believe the big ones?" YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING. "They're not the same at all!" YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED. "Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—" MY POINT EXACTLY.”

Carmilla - Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

“Dearest, your little heart is wounded; think me not cruel because I obey the irresistible law of my strength and weakness; if your dear heart is wounded, my wild heart bleeds with yours. In the rapture of my enormous humiliation I live in your warm life, and you shall die--die, sweetly die--into mine. I cannot help it; as I draw near to you, you, in your turn, will draw near to others, and learn the rapture of that cruelty, which yet is love; so, for a while, seek to know no more of me and mine, but trust me with all your loving spirit.”

A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness/Siobhan Dowd

“Because humans are complicated beasts, the monster said. How can a queen be both a good witch and a bad witch? How can a prince be a murderer and a saviour? How can an apothecary be evil-tempered but right-thinking? How can a parson be wrong-thinking but good-hearted? How can invisible men make themselves more lonely by being seen?”

Honourable Mentions (and I’ll spare you quotes from these because otherwise I could just keep going on and on and..):

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

Fried Green Tomatoes At the Whistle Stop Cafe - Fannie Flagg

The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith

#ask things #and yes I got a little too involved in doing this #I'm sure you knew what you were in for when you asked #not sorry about bombarding you with books

7 notes · View notes

scorlettimagines · 5 years ago

Text

Rules and Guidelines

Hello All,

First of all, welcome to the blog! If you’re here, it’s because you share a love of the boys from CAOS, and I’m so glad that you’ve chosen to come and pursue my imagines; it honestly means the world! Now to the point.

I’ve decided to put some rules and guidelines in place just to make your lives on this blog, and my life as a writer, just that little bit easier. Please follow them to the best of your ability; I’d really appreciate it. Okay, here goes:

1. Are Requests Open?

In my bio, it will say in BIG CAPITAL LETTERS whether requests are open or not. If you can’t access the bio, it will also say it on the masterlist pages for each section in (you guessed it) BIG CAPITAL LETTERS. Please, please check before you request that they are open as I really don’t like turning people down unnecessarily.

2. What Scenarios Can I Request?

Almost anything, as long as it involves a platonic/romantic relationship between Caliban/Sam, Nick/Gavin or Harvey/Ross and the reader. It can be an imagine, a headcanon, a gif drabble, or part of a collection. However, please, please check that something similar to the scenario you want hasn’t been done already. I know it’s a lot of imagines to read, so don’t worry if you can’t check, but if you can, that would be great!

3. Is This Is A Smutty Blog?

This is a smut free zone, and I intend for it to remain that way. I’m not a massive fan of writing full on smut, so usually go for a more suggestive style where I can, but I’ll still put a warning in the author’s note so you can move on if that’s not your thing. When it comes to gif drabbles, please don’t send me a nsfw gif, because it will be deleted instantly.

4. Why Don’t You Reply To My Comments?

This is a side blog, which means when I reply to comments on my work, it comes under my main blog, which some of you might not know about (it might look like a random person is thanking you for work that isn’t theirs!) I read all of your comments, and am equally thankful for all of them. I usually try and respond with a direct message to anyone who comments, but if I don’t reply to yours, please don’t be offended. I’m just really forgetful when it comes to that stuff. But, again, I would like to thank you all for all your amazing comments!

5. Part Two?

Okay, so there’s a few imagines where people have asked for second parts in the comments or through reblogs. When I write something, it’s very rare that I do so with a part two in mind, so am always flattered when it’s asked. However, from now on, if you want another part to something, please ask as you would any normal request. If it’s in the comments or through reblogs, I won’t count it as a request; even when it is requested, I still reserve the right to decline if it’s an imagine that I feel doesn’t need another part, or, as in some cases, feel that I won’t be able to do it justice.

6. Life On The Outside

Please, please bear with me when it comes to writing imagines. I’m a 22 year old student doing a Master’s degree in English Literature, with the possibility of an actual book deal in sight (and by that I mean I’m in discussion with certain people about how I get myself a literary agent). This also means that I have my own book to finish, and as this is the career I’ve wanted since I was 4, it is a bit of a priority. I also have a home life of my own, including spending time with my family, and doing other things that I enjoy. To end on a bit of a bum note, I suffer from anxiety and am on multiple treatments, so sometimes, may not be in the mood to write when I originally planned. Thank you all for understanding.

7. Other Blogs

So, as some of you may be aware, I do have 6 other blogs, 4 of which I write on regularly. This does mean that not all of my time is dedicated to this one, unfortunately, and the requests can pile up. From now on, if my requests close after being open for what might seem like such a short period of time, it’s because I’ve reached my limit on one of my blogs. This limit is now 15. Basically, if I get 15 requests on one blog, I’ve reached the point where I feel like I’m struggling to keep up, and so will be closing requests across all 7 blogs until I’ve caught up.

8. Be Nice

I’ve been lucky enough in about 4 years of Tumblr to have experienced only one act hatred or negativity (which was then diffused instantly) and I intend to keep it that way. Please, please, be nice to each other; we’re all here because we share a common interest. If you guys ever feel like you need to talk about anything, or just need to get something off your chest, or perhaps even ask the most random question you can think of, please feel free to message me. I’m honoured that some of you already feel like you can talk to me about things, and I hope it continues.

9. Enjoy

And finally, please enjoy yourselves on this blog. It’s designed for that!

So, those are my rules and guidelines. Now you’ve read these, you’re well on your way to exploring the blog in all its glory!

Have fun!

#caliban imagines #caliban #nick scratch imagines #nick scratch #nicholas scratch #nicholas scratch imagines #harvey kinkle imagines #harvey kinkle imagine #sam corlett #sam corlett imagines #gavin leatherwood #gavin leatherwood imagines #ross lynch #ross lynch imagines #rules #guidelines

8 notes · View notes

ghostfriendly5 · 5 years ago

Text

Five Vers Challenge

From @harleyleyquinn

Rules: Make a post with 5 versions of a character you like, then tag five people. @wunjotheorc. @violet-amet, @amberjeans, @cb-space

Character: Shuang ‘Susan’ Lei

1. Shadowrun Universe. Confident idealist outlaw, Phys-Adept Kung Fu mistress with strength and kindness. Warrior’s happy wifey and Wizard’s best friend. Overcame the trauma of sexual assault to sort of save the world from a mad A.I., and San Francisco from a troll terrorist.

2. Goblin Slayer Universe. Grim and vengeful armoured hero, mourning her lost friends Warrior and Wizard. Overcame the trauma of rape to kill a lot of goblins, empower other survivors to squash goblins, and finally sponsor Wizard’s brother to wipe the goblins out entirely with a magical plague.

Source https://ift.tt/2zf78Av

3. ‘Full Metal’ Universe. Determined and implacable armoured trooper of a fascist interstellar empire, filled with gene-mods and bionics. No time for stupid boys, but Warrior and Wizard are her valued comrades. Overcame vicious training to defeat a the trauma of a simulation of sexual assault, and won the Medal of Honour for saving the planet of Far Hope from man-eating lizards (possibly starting a terrible war).

Source: Hazel

4. ‘Manslayer’ Universe. A melancholy yet unflagging heroine of the weird west; sometime Ranger, sometime housewife sometime wandering Kung Fu nun. Mother of five children with her beloved husband, Warrior; the youngest named Ilsa after her dear late comrade, Wizard. Overcame being kidnapped and scarred by a psychotic renegade (and a whole lot more) to defeat the vilest monsters in the land at a terrible price.

5. Heroes Rise Universe. (NSFW) Passionate and aggressive costumed hero with animal-forms power. A public advocate for discriminated ani-powered heroes in her superpowered society, devoted to her Jellyfish-powered sister, Jelly Kelly. Stormy but sex-filled relationship with her recent boyfriend, Warrior, leader of the Justice League California. Overcame the trauma of a subterranean massacre on her second mission to save the world from a nature-powered demigodess.

Honourable mentions: ‘Priestess’ Tale’ Fighter, a determined detective, ‘Dawn Like Thunder’ Fighter, a girl from 1850′s China in love with a British soldier, AND the Stahlhelm and ‘What Comes After’ Fighters, from JR31Victor and Dunedan.

Across a dozen worlds and a thousand battles, the hero we need must never give up. Fighter shall not be silenced, and her story is far from finished.

#fighter (goblin slayer)#Goblin Slayer #anime #manga #light novel #choice of games #starship troopers #heroes rise #shadowrun #fanfiction

7 notes · View notes

whatthehellisastilesimagine · 5 years ago

Text

Rules and Guidelines

Hello All,

First of all, welcome to the blog! If you’re here, it’s because you share a love of Stiles Stilinski, and I’m so glad that you’ve chosen to come and pursue my imagines; it honestly means the world! Now to the point.

1. Are Requests Open?

2. What Scenarios Can I Request?

Almost anything, as long as it involves a platonic/romantic relationship between Stiles and the reader. It can be an imagine, a headcanon, a gif drabble, or part of a collection. However, please, please check that something similar to the scenario you want hasn’t been done already. I know it’s a lot of imagines to read, so don’t worry if you can’t check, but if you can, that would be great!

3. Is This Is A Smutty Blog?

4. Why Don’t You Reply To My Comments?

5. Part Two?

6. Life On The Outside

7. Other Blogs

8. Be Nice

9. Enjoy

And finally, please enjoy yourselves on this blog. It’s designed for that!

So, those are my rules and guidelines. Now you’ve read these, you’re well on your way to exploring the blog in all its glory!

Have fun!

#rules #guidelines #stiles stilinski #stiles stilinski imagines

6 notes · View notes

traekenimagines · 5 years ago

Text

Rules and Guidelines

Hello All,

First of all, welcome to the blog! If you’re here, it’s because you share a love of Theo Raeken, and I’m so glad that you’ve chosen to come and pursue my imagines; it honestly means the world! Now to the point.

1. Are Requests Open?

2. What Scenarios Can I Request?

Almost anything, as long as it involves a platonic/romantic relationship between Theo and the reader. It can be an imagine, a headcanon, a gif drabble, or part of a collection. However, please, please check that something similar to the scenario you want hasn’t been done already. I know it’s a lot of imagines to read, so don’t worry if you can’t check, but if you can, that would be great!

3. Is This Is A Smutty Blog?

Yes, there is smut on this blog but they have been labelled accordingly on the masterlist. I don’t mind writing full on smut, but usually go for a more suggestive style where I can, but I’ll still put a warning in the author’s note so you can move on if that’s not your thing. When it comes to gif drabbles, please don’t send me a nsfw gif, because it will be deleted instantly. Also, if you’re under 18 and you come across something labelled smut, please don’t read it. Of course, I can’t stop you, but I would appreciate it if you didn’t read something smutty when you’re underage.

Please see the separate Rules and Guidelines on smut for Hunting Season

4. Why Don’t You Reply To My Comments?

5. Part Two?

6. Life On The Outside

7. Other Blogs

So, as some of you may be aware, I do have 7 other blogs, 3 of which I write on regularly. This does mean that not all of my time is dedicated to this one, unfortunately, and the requests can pile up. From now on, if my requests close after being open for what might seem like such a short period of time, it’s because I’ve reached my limit on one of my blogs. This limit is now 15. Basically, if I get 15 requests on one blog, I’ve reached the point where I feel like I’m struggling to keep up, and so will be closing requests across all 8 blogs until I’ve caught up.

8. Be Nice

I’ve been lucky enough in about 5 years of Tumblr to have experienced only one act hatred or negativity (which was then diffused instantly) and I intend to keep it that way. Please, please, be nice to each other; we’re all here because we share a common interest. If you guys ever feel like you need to talk about anything, or just need to get something off your chest, or perhaps even ask the most random question you can think of, please feel free to message me. I’m honoured that some of you already feel like you can talk to me about things, and I hope it continues.

9. Enjoy

And finally, please enjoy yourselves on this blog. It’s designed for that!

So, those are my rules and guidelines. Now you’ve read these, you’re well on your way to exploring the blog in all its glory!

Have fun!

#theo raeken #theo raeken imagines #rules #guidelines

5 notes · View notes

destinychose-a1 · 5 years ago

Photo

BASIC INFORMATION:

NAME: Arakawa, Sabito ( 荒川, 錆兎 ) AGE: 23 ( joined the MWPSB at 21 ) HEIGHT: 5′7″ / 170cm AFFILIATION: Public Safety Bureau OCCUPATION: Inspector, Division 4 STATUS: Alive CRIME COEFFICIENT: 82.6 HUE: Pale peach

LIKES: Protecting innocent lives, coffee, the city at night, ikayaki DISLIKES: Injustice, people who needlessly complain, displaying weakness HEAVENLY VIRTUE: Diligence DEADLY SIN: Wrath POSITIVE TRAITS: Adaptable, brave, disciplined, independent, loyal NEUTRAL TRAITS: Blunt, fiery, proud, selfless, shrewd NEGATIVE TRAITS: Abrasive, aggressive, impatient, stubborn, tactless

ABOUT:

Born to moderately wealthy and mentally healthy parents with stable, Sibyl Approved jobs, Sabito’s upbringing was uneventful, perhaps what some would even call “normal”. He was loved, cared for, supported, given the best opportunities to thrive in education and social situations — all in line with what was expected of the ever-present system that oversaw every aspect of their lives.

Despite this, from a young age, Sabito’s father instilled strict, honourable ethics within him with little care for Sibyl’s expectations and judgement, a sharp contrast with his mother’s constant worrying over his hue and aptitude. His father consistently taught him to focus on developing his skills and forging his own path forward, regardless of what Sibyl wanted for him, reminding him of the importance of thinking and acting for himself. No matter how easy Sibyl’s aptitude tests might make things, it was no reason to grow complacent.

As a result of his father’s teachings and his own views of the world around him, Sabito grew up to be a very rational and shrewd young man, his undeniably kind and soft heart tucked away beneath a stoic layer. Intelligent, perceptive, skilful and resourceful; it seemed only logical that Sabito was destined for great things in the eyes of Sibyl.

Following graduation, like the rest of his fellow former students ( and alongside his childhood friend, Tomioka Giyuu ), Sabito was entered into Sibyl’s infamous aptitude exam designed to determine which job would be best suited for him over the course of his life. Amongst the hundreds of candidates, only Sabito and a handful of others held an A RANKING for a position at the Public Safety Bureau.

If Sabito were being honest with himself, it was a position he’d secretly been hoping for. Pleased that Sibyl’s judgement aligned with his own drive and desire to help people, Sabito entered the MWPSB’s notoriously difficult training programme at the age of EIGHTEEN.

At the age of TWENTY-ONE, Sabito finally graduated from the programme and was granted a position in DIVISION 4 as an INSPECTOR.

Over the next two and a half years, Sabito and his Division solved a number of cases, swiftly cementing themselves as a hard-working, quick-thinking team. Sabito’s methods were viewed as somewhat unorthodox by his fellow Inspectors; rather than bark orders at his Enforcers and regard them with disdain due to their status as Latent Criminals, Sabito treated each of them with respect. If he ever wanted to earn their trust and bring out the best of their abilities, he knew better than to treat them like trash, regardless of what crimes they may or may not have committed prior to their appointment as Enforcers.

For a while, Sabito was convinced that his efforts were a benefit to society, that he was protecting innocent people from falling victim to mindless violence and helping those that still had a chance for recovery. Foolishly, he had become blind to the very system his father had warned him to remain aware of, an oversight that would soon prove his downfall.

One day, when his parents were due to arrive in the city in order to visit him, a freak, one-in-a-million accident results in the death of his mother. His father, also in the car at the time, survives the accident. However, after watching his wife perish in the crash, his crime coefficient abruptly spikes and he’s later hospitalised, branded a Latent Criminal by the Sibyl System.

Confused and angered by Sibyl’s decision, Sabito’s disillusionment in the system he had come to place his trust in begins.

TRIVIA:

While Sabito treats his Enforcers with the respect they deserve as fellow human beings, he rules his Division alongside his fellow Inspector with an iron fist. He does not tolerate misconduct, laziness, excuses, or whining. He gives his best and expects their best in return. He won’t hesitate to put his foot down with anyone if they fail to meet his impeccable standards.

A few months into his appointment as an Inspector, Sabito receives the scar on his cheek ( identical to the one in canon ) when confronting a knife-wielding suspect. Many think it adds to his already intimidating aura.

Despite his strict, by-the-books conduct, Sabito possesses a dry, sarcastic sense of humour.

He’s in the process of teaching himself how to properly cook, a dying art in a world where everything can be fabricated for you. At present, he can only confidently make salmon daikon soup, his childhood friend’s favourite dish.

He has a strong sense of justice. There’s little he hates more than seeing innocent people in danger and takes it as a personal blow whenever he’s unable to save someone. He becomes angered at suspects and criminals when they involve innocent people in their whims.

Sabito has a bad habit of bottling his feelings up, very rarely revealing his true self to those around him. He keeps people at arm’s length, is typically stoic and perhaps even unapproachable at times. Despite this, he’s well-liked amongst his fellow Inspectors, as he never turns away from someone in need and will go above and beyond to help them.

He’s selfless to a fault. He has no qualms with putting himself ( mentally, physically, emotionally ) in harm’s way if it means protecting others.

BASIC INFORMATION:

NAME: Arakawa, Sabito ( 荒川, 錆兎 ) AGE: 25 HEIGHT: 5′7″ / 170cm AFFILIATION: Public Safety Bureau OCCUPATION: Enforcer STATUS: Alive CRIME COEFFICIENT: 159.2 HUE: Rusted orange

LIKES: Protecting innocent lives, coffee, the city at night, ikayaki DISLIKES: Injustice, people who needlessly complain, displaying weakness, being treated inhumanely HEAVENLY VIRTUE: Diligence DEADLY SIN: Wrath POSITIVE TRAITS: Adaptable, efficient, disciplined, independent, loyal NEUTRAL TRAITS: Blunt, observant, practical, selfless, stoic NEGATIVE TRAITS: Abrasive, angry, impatient, pessimistic, tactless

ABOUT:

The loss of his mother and the subsequent increase in his father’s crime coefficient resulting in his hospitalisation left Sabito jaded. How can trauma — a perfectly human response to a stressful event — equate to criminal activities? How does grief turn someone into a potential threat to society?

He saw the flaws in Sibyl’s judgement and, unable to cease the ever-growing list of questions burning at the back of his mind and fuelled by his anger towards the unjust system callously deciding right from wrong, Sabito’s once stable, healthy Psycho-Pass began to slip. Against the warnings of his fellow Inspectors, Sabito refuses treatment.

In a little under three weeks, Sabito goes from one of the most well-respected Inspector’s of the MWPSB to a disgraced Enforcer, stripped of his prestigious rank and delegated to the role of a hunting dog. In an ironic, twisted way, his suspicions are proven correct — regardless of trauma, mental illness or a desire to commit a crime, the moment a person no longer fits Sibyl’s ideal of the perfect citizen, they are discarded without a second thought.

While he continues to work at the MWPSB, forced to carry out Sibyl’s commands, Sabito remains focused on a single goal: to find a way to dismantle the corrupt system dictating their lives and return agency to the citizens of Japan. No matter how long it takes to get there, Sabito intends to help out as many people as he’s able to along the way.

TRIVIA:

Sabito’s outlook on life has become a lot more jaded since his demotion to Enforcer. While he still possesses the same drive for justice, his faith in the system and in society as a whole has taken a mighty blow.

He is quieter. Angry. Constantly one step away from exploding. It takes little to invoke his temper, but he soon cools off and apologises for any harm caused.

He stops learning how to cook.

#⤿ 𝐕. the road to hell is paved with good intentions. ／ psycho pass.

5 notes · View notes

wieldbrave · 5 years ago

Photo

BASIC INFORMATION:

ABOUT:

At the age of TWENTY-ONE, Sabito finally graduated from the programme and was granted a position in DIVISION 4 as an INSPECTOR.

Confused and angered by Sibyl’s decision, Sabito’s disillusionment in the system he had come to place his trust in begins.

TRIVIA:

Despite his strict, by-the-books conduct, Sabito possesses a dry, sarcastic sense of humour.

He’s selfless to a fault. He has no qualms with putting himself ( mentally, physically, emotionally ) in harm’s way if it means protecting others.

BASIC INFORMATION:

NAME: Arakawa, Sabito ( 荒川, 錆兎 ) AGE: 25 HEIGHT: 5′7″ / 170cm AFFILIATION: Public Safety Bureau OCCUPATION: Enforcer STATUS: Alive CRIME COEFFICIENT: 159.2 HUE: Rusted orange

ABOUT:

TRIVIA:

He is quieter. Angry. Constantly one step away from exploding. It takes little to invoke his temper, but he soon cools off and apologises for any harm caused.

He stops learning how to cook.

#* ✦ . SABITO / V03 : THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS. ( PSYCHO PASS )#* ACT ONE .#* ACT TWO .#( i'll add more to the trivia sections as i think of them!#I'LL BE WORKING ON KYOJURO'S VERSE NEXT I'M SO EXCITED #*blows a kiss to the sky* for june & dakota..... for inspiring & encouraging me )#( i'll likely edit/add to this as i go... it's not perfect but it'll do for now )

9 notes · View notes