#lcf is my life force

[scammysmileroksuu]

Hello amazing lcf fandom hello beautiful tumblr moots, it's past midnight here but I think I have a new theory about Cale so let me dump my thoughts here. (I'm heavy on spoilers as always so make sure you're caught up with part 2 raws before reading this though!)

I've been rereading random chapters from part 1 today to refresh my memory, and I came across an interesting paragraph that reminded me of a recent chapter in part 2.

Boom- boom- boom- Boom! Boom!

The drumming became even louder than before.

‘Hmm?’

Cale saw something odd at that moment.

[..]

The White Star’s cracked mask was slowly fusing back together.

It looked like a living being’s injury that slowly closed.

The crack in the mask slowly disappeared.

He had been wondering if he would be able to see this annoying bastard’s face if he broke that mask.

So there are 2 major info we get from this paragraph, the first one is that this is a foreshadowing for the later revelation that the white star in fact has Kim Rok Soo's face, courtesy of possessing his very original body. The other one is that, the demonic race has something to do with the white mask hiding the ws' face.

So these two are pretty clear, but here we have a question. Why did the demonic race ever give the ws this mask, the one tgat only the ws and Gersey know its abilities, or even support him in any way? And when did all of this start?

For now, we know that the Endable kingdom, (which turned out to be a place where the ws tried to turn himself into a demon in, a place that actually had a gate/a portal to the demon world), is only established 20 years ago. That should also be around time the white star was reincarnated in krs' body, the time the Thames barony disappeared from Rowoon, and could also be around the time Alver’s mother 'died a questionable death'.

So, does the white star having reincarnated in krs' body have to do anything with the alliance with demons?

We do know that hunters and GoD (despair) have been backing the ws since the start, and that they were actually only using him as a puppet, but we aren't sure of when or why the demonic race started doing so.

All these information reminded me of the title given to Cale in New World, "a half-demon with cursed blood".

Dark bear explained that 'cursed blood' meant that it's a mix between demon blood and divine blood, so Cale's status in the game is speculated to be a half-demon half-angel, but his race is only explicitly mentioned as half-demon.

So, what if that 'cursed blood' referred to something else, something the dark bear doesn't know about, like a cursed bloodline of a fallen hunter family?

Ofc I'm not saying that Cale is actually a half demon or something, no, I'm totally not^^ It is stated clearly several times in the novel that Cale's greatness (?) Comes from being a human.

But we know for sure that Cale is not a normal human either.

He is (supposed to be?) born from a household that has many time related ability users, a household that is theorized to have been one of the hunter families, and has time related abilities himself. He also, for some reason, unlike usual people with ancient powers, still can hear the ancient powers' voices. I thought of two reasons for that, one is that it's because Cale has his own 'unique powers', and the other is that it's because there's something wrong/different with Cale's soul. (courtesy of the curse). He is also literally stated in the God's diary to be a variable and a mutant.

And then, we have the novel's title, lout of the count’s family. The totle is accurate if Og!Cale is the protagonist, but the mc of lcf is KimCale. So now, who do we have as a count in the novel?

And honestly, with how people mistake Cale as any being that is *not* human more often than perceiving him as one, and how each time it happens Cale goes 'I'm just a normal human!'.. it makes me doubt if he's really just a normal human. Also, when the glutton was surprised that Cale was a half demon, Cale insisted it was only a character setting. And we know what happens when Cale insists.

The Henituse County is now a duchy. The Thames household is a fallen barony. The Snow family is also a fallen duchy. The Von ejellan is a duchy.

So the only non-mob count I can think of rn, yeah you guessed right, is none other than our amnesiac count Lupe!! Count Lupe is not a human!!

I ln the end, this talk is all about 'was supposed to be' since KimCale has only lived as Kim Rok Soo and Cale Henituse, who are both completely humans. I might be missing something in canon that denies all this, and maybe it's just a character setting to set the evil vibe, but I can't stop thinking about it and it makes me sooo excited so yeah, you, dear fellow Tumblr user will ofc be the victim of my crazy theories that rivals even that of the white star's ^^ I can't really make fun of that guy, I seem to share a braincell with him

The only way we might get to know the truth about the whole Thames family and ws' physical body’s birth thing is through fake hilsman, who is Cale's uncle, and could either be Kim Rok Soo's uncle too or his father. We'll probably have to wait for another three hundred chapters or something before that, but I'm willing to wait very impatiently while picking up any crumbs/foreshadowing and scream random theories like a fool.

Thank you YRH, your writing ruined me🥰🥰🥰

[xiximalette]

I've been hyperfixiating in Lcf and ALNST lately.

If you haven't read the Lout of Count's Family novel around the chapters 345-351 or haven't watched ALNST round 5 yet and don't wanna get spoiled, then I suggest you scroll.

So what if the test in the wind island was actually like taking one of the most happiest memories of Cale who was still Krs at the time but make it traumatizing.

Like a memory of Krs, Cjs, Lsh and their other team members having a celebration at a karaoke and Cjs forces Krs to sing with him the song Ruler of My Heart. It was like one of the most memorable moments of Cale's life while he was still Krs

So the test takes that memory and instead of Cjs singing, it's an illusion of Choi Han who's taking his place and like in ALNST in round 5 where Luka traumatizes Mizi by mimicking Sua, this Choi Han traumatizes Cale by mimicking Cjs and all while Cale hallucinates and the records do its thing ig. There at a stage like in the ALNST and instead of the audience being aliens, it's actually various screens showing multiple memories throughout Cale's life while he was still Krs.

So yeah, they have a singing battle where Choi Han is playing as Luka and while Cale is playing as Mizi. This illusion of Choi Han is basically like, "Haha, your hyungs are dead" and then Cale beats him up and he somehow passed the test? idk

I hope this makes sense😓

[web-novel-polls]

WN Weapon Tournament

[Please be courteous in the notes. Don’t make me block you.]

Chenqing - Wei Wuxian's dizi (MDZS)

Wiki Link

Hong Jing (TGCF)

Mod Propaganda: Snitch

Wiki Link

Jiangui / Ah! What the Hell - Mo Ran’s whip from 2ha

“There is only one person in this world who can open Ever-Yearning. This person is extremely important in your life; you must love this person dearly, and this person must also love you in return, and be wholly devoted to you.” - Ji Baihua regarding the Ever-Yearning box containing Jiangui

Mo Ran’s Holy weapon in his second life, Jiangui - which translates to “Ah! What the hell” due to Mo Ran accidentally exclaiming this when opening the Ever-Yearning box. 

Jiangzai - Xue Yang’s sword (MDZS)

Submission:

i don't know shit about swords but jiangzai can split into two swords and that's Very Cool methinks

Little Palace Mistress’s Whip (SVSSS)

Submission: Shen Qingqiu is whipped, and not just for Luo Binghe?

Longcheng / Dragon City - Xue Meng’s sword from 2ha

Since Xue Meng could not receive a holy weapon from Jincheng Lake, he used Longcheng, a high-quality scimitar from Taxue Palace. From what I remember, Mo Ran gifted him the Wangshu Crystal from the Carp Essence that was requested by Song Qiutong to help him cultivate/add to his sword, making it something similar to a “heavenly weapon.”

Shuoyue - Lan Xichen's sword (MDZS)

Submission: The sword that stabbed through Lan Xichen's best friend, Jin Guangyao. Tragic sword.

Wiki Link

Suibian - Wei Wuxian's sword (MDZS)

Suibian is Wei Wuxian’s sword that sealed itself after his death. Its name translates to “Whatever” due to Wei Wuxian’s inability to think of a suitable name and telling Jiang Fengmian to name it “whatever.” This is, in my opinion, the funniest thing Jiang Fengmian has ever done in his life

Taerang - Alberu Crossman's divine item (Lout of the Count's Family / LCF)

Wiki Link

Fantasy gun rights

Xuan Su - Yue Qingyuan’s sword (SVSSS)

Mod Propaganda: Xuan Su is Yue Qingyuan’s iconic sword that is only drawn twice after he suffers from a qi deviation bonding his life force to Xuan Su. 

Yan Zhen (TGCF)

Jun Wu’s Virgin Detector sword

Wiki Link

[ultimateyappgod]

mkay so i was reading a rokcale fic, and it only had a couple chapters (it was so good)

so i said:

author this update NOW. (pleasee😭)

and then the author sent a paragraph

Archive of Our Own

Author responded:

You know I typed here a really long reply detailing all the things happening to me in real life that explains why my updates are so slow this year, but at at the end of the day I still can't magically update this fic. You probably don't know, but I write fics in part because I love LCF a lot and in part to destress. It makes me happy. Part of that happiness is sharing my work with everyone who also love LCF. I like reading about the parts that everyone find enjoyable, and I like reading about how they felt reading my work. In turn I do my best to improve and also support others in the LCF community. I love this fandom a lot.

Usually I don't get affected by comments asking for an update. I usually don't mind that comments like that don't even share what they like about the chapter or show that they actually enjoy reading. I mean, if they want the update that must mean they like the fic a lot, right? But you know, just demanding for a chapter won't do anything. Update please? I'd like to, but I got to prioritize trying not to die first. Update this right now? How?? I can't just vomit the words out. Writing a 2k word chapter usually takes me 3 hours, and those 3 hours I write in between maybe 10 minute breaks I get from day to day. Sometimes I get lucky and have free enough time to write a whole chapter in a day. On super lucky days I get very motivated and write faster. Sometimes I get so busy that even if I try I only get to write a sentence max. Sometimes I can't just write it right even when I have time. It's like being forced to write an essay at gunpoint. Still, I'm trying. No amount of please can change this reality. What am I supposed to do?

I don't plan to abandon this fic. I really don't. I actually have a part of a chapter in progress already. If I get lucky I can even post an update in a week or two because things have started to calm down in my life and I have more free time now. I even managed to update a fic that's been sitting for almost a year. I'm slowly working on my fics, and I really want to update too. I just can't do it right NOW. And you know, it would be nice if you tell me parts of this chapter you like. That helps, you know? It really does. You don't even have to comment words at all. Just, please know that demanding an update won't do anything productive. If anything, it will just demotivate authors and make them stop writing.

You know that feeling when you are about to do something and then someone tells you to do it and suddenly you feel like you don't want to do the thing anymore? That's what reading a demand for an update feels like. And I'm sorry if this upsets you, I'm not trying to fight or be mean. You probably are not aware yet of what impact your words have yet, so I am saying this so you are aware. I hope this doesn't sour your reading experience, and I don't mind if you stop reading my works because of this, but please stop demanding me to update immediately.

Reply to this comment

Sorry for rambling. Today is really stressful and seeing a notification for a comment perked me up a lot, and although it may not seem like it, thank you for reading my fic. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. I wish you well.

..

I FEEL LIKE SUCH AN ASSHOLE.

I forgot not everyone is chronically online on tiktok or has that humor

AAAAAAA

[shuuenka]

TCF BROOKLYN 99 AU

LCF Brooklyn 99 AU (brainrot); 

okay so, this is something i started working on months ago, never finished it, used different artstyle. and figured might put it out anyways so. Enjoy.

(also i dont know much about police and i dont care enough to do research, so this is just for funsies after i finished watching B99)

Cale Henituse:

+detective

+has been training with Choi Jung Soo at police academy, with Lee Soo Hyuk as their instructor. Cale is in Roan St. precinct; they still keep in touch (ha! no Soos dead in this AU!)

+Cale wants his slacker life, after serving enough time in the force

+Cale wants to serve quielty, solving easy cases; but joke's on him, he solves the worst and hardest to solve cases

+often pairs up with Choi Han or Bud, the newbies

+he often ends up in ER if they have some action going, making literally everyone worried

+he has a binder calld ''Cale's road to slacker life'', which was filled with things like med insurances etc. now its filled with children's drawings and photos

+On, Hong and Raon are orphanage kids, that after saving, started hanging out at the sation

Alberu Crossman

+sergeant; aka Sun of Roan St. Station

+his family has long tradition of becoming comissioners and he also aims for this

+usually stays at the station, between mountains of paperwork; sometimes does some fieldwork too

+Alberu and Cale have desks right next to each other, and often drink tea side by side, while gossiping over cookies

+he is both stress baker and workholic and the worse paperwork becomes amount of cookies brought from home rise;

+great shooter, with high accuracy

+great at interviewing suspects, has 99% of confession rate; often plays bad cop-good cop with Cale, roles change and those two bastards have a lots of fun

+has his own teapot and god forbid anyone touching it

+allows kids to draw by his desk while he does paperwork

Bud Illis

+newest to the force, detective

+in perpetual state of wtf since he transferred; because this station is wild

+he is smart but dumb, he is great at finding clues at crime scenes, but aslo looses dumb bets with Cale so

Choi Han:

+newbie detective, but was serving in the army before as sniper; so senior in age but junior in ranks

+sniper

+often confused with step by step detective work, but helps by being intimidating

+saved on action by Cale, so has deep gratitude towars him

Eruhaben:

+captain

+wants to resign and retire every week, but nobody allows him

+fails at acting high and mighty, and worries about members of the station daily

+has a soft spot for the kids, and allows them to play with his gold dragon figurines

Rosalyn Breck:

+works as civillian administrator; has desk before Eruhaben's office

+also great at IT, and definitely collects dirt on everyone

+considers joining the force at some point but as IT specialist; for now helps out whre she can

Ron Molan:

+older detective, not active in field anymore; 

+acquainted with Cale's parents, so pays close attention to him; 

+servs him lemonade tea ofc

The White Star: 

+a criminal, somehow couldn't be put to jail and convicted because they always lack evidece etc.nemesis of Roan St. Station

+when he is finally caught and shoot dead, after his memorial all crew took photo by his grave and hung it on the wall

Clopeh Sekka: wants to transfer to Roan St. Station to follow legend, but somehow his application is always lost, cannot be read etc... hm. 

Mary: IT specialist from the basement

Beacrox Molan: currently in SWAT team, but hans out at the station

+all my aus are alcale aus, so they are stupid idiots in love here too <3

+roan st station has badly photoshopped poster of Alver, and has inside joke of "SWEAR ON THE SUN" while pointing at it. (inspired by Derry Girls)

[nyxshadowhawk]

An Analysis of The Ninth Gate

I finally got around to watching The Ninth Gate after it was recommended on Occultism with a Side of Salt. Seriously, why did it take me so long to watch this film? This is pretty much everything I like! It’s a film from 1999 (incidentally, the same year as Eyes Wide Shut) starring Johnny Depp as an expert on rare books called Dean Corso. It’s based loosely on a novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte called The Club Dumas, and was directed by Roman Polanski (who’s the man behind Tanz der Vampire, but who is extremely problematic and we do not stan). Corso is employed by a rich book collector named Boris Balkan to authenticate his copy of a grimoire called The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows, which may be the coolest title for a grimoire ever. The book is supposedly designed to summon the Devil himself, and was copied from another mysterious book that the Devil was said to have written. Corso compares the grimoire with the two other existing copies to find out which one is the real one, but there are mysterious deaths and other unsettling events around the book, and he has a mysterious girl helping him.

The film is very spooky and has a wonderful Dark Academia aesthetic. What’s most interesting to me about it is, although it isn’t authentically occult, it feels very authentic. The grimoire is clearly modeled after real ones. The engravings in the book also could easily be mistaken for real ones if I didn’t know better. I think that the pentagram on the cover is a little too on-the-nose, especially since pentagrams weren’t associated with Satanism until relatively recently — I think the Sigil of Lucifer would be a better fit, since it’s reasonably well-known (for example, the Mother Superior of the Satanic Nuns in Good Omens wears one instead of a cross) and it comes from a real grimoire. That’s me being very nitpicky, though. Although this film follows some tropes of Hollywood Satanism, its portrayal of that is still more realistic than normal. Real-life occult ritual groups are more like book clubs or potlucks, but the actual ritual part can in fact look something like the one in the film. (Sure, it wouldn’t be in a mansion with cool-ass gargoyles, but this is certainly more realistic than Eyes Wide Shut.)

This film feels authentically occult becuase a lot of real occultism is pouring over old books and analyzing symbolic images. I do a lot of that! Right now, I’m reading a dictionary of alchemical symbolism. I hope to eventually be able to look at all the weird images in alchemical manuscripts and make some sense of them. This film is basically about doing exactly that. I noticed the tarot symbolism in the engravings immediately, and I felt a little like I was trying to decipher them right alongside Corso. It reminded me of solving Nox Arcana puzzles, and that just makes me incredibly happy. The approach this film takes is also realistic — (slight spoilers) it could have gone the classic Hollywood route of summoning Satan to destroy the world and all that, but it doesn’t. Instead, the end goal is more abstract and spiritual, much more in-line with occultists’ actual goals in real life. Just as in alchemy, the goal is not to make gold or live forever, but to experience spiritual transcendence, and this is encoded in alchemists’ notes and artwork.

So, I want to try my hand at deciphering the engravings’ secrets, and test my own knowledge of occult symbolism in the process. Everything that follows involves major spoilers, so I will dispense with the exposition and assume that you have already seen the film.

I’ve seen it argued on YouTube that the engravings represent actual events in the film, and some of them seem to. Bernie is murdered and hung upside down, the collapsing scaffolding is the “danger from above” arrow, Corso is hit in the back of the head in one of the film’s most chilling scenes, and the Girl (who is implied to be Lucifer) ends up… well… “riding” him in front of the burning castle. But come on, that is way too easy. For one thing, the related events don’t seem to occur in any specific sequence, either the engravings’ numbered sequence or Balkan’s rearranged sequence. It would make sense if Corso would have to experience every engraving and “pass through each gate” — that happens a lot in films like this one, where an eerily coincidental series of events plays out just as in the book/prophecy/whatnot. But that doesn’t really happen, or if it does, it’s not obvious enough for the only interpretation of the engravings to be literal. What impresses me the most about The Ninth Gate is that it goes for that more figurative, spiritual dimension. That is really what makes it feel realistically occult.

The real solution to the engravings seems to be spiritual growth or enlightenment, which is the goal of most occultists. Balkan sort of understands this, which is why he disdains Telfer and her coven being edgy and playing dress up instead of really making an effort to understand Lucifer’s secrets. And yet, Balkan also fails, because he is after power, not enlightenment. It seems as though both of them misunderstand Lucifer, believing him to be the kind of Lucifer that you usually see in these movies. (That would fit in well with his name and his role in the Eden story, if you interpret it that way.) If we assume that the Girl is Lucifer, then she is more benevolent an influence than anything else. Hell, Corso doesn’t even suffer any “temptation” consequences from having sex with her. Corso wins in the end because he actually puts in the effort, and the Girl helps guide him toward enlightenment. Maybe Lucifer is a good force in this film’s world. Lucifer’s own versions of the engravings seem to emphasize that s/he is genuinely invested in helping his/her followers towards enlightenment.

When Balkan assembles the engravings in the proper order, this is his interpretation of the riddle:

To travel in silence, by a long and circuitous route, to brave the arrows of misfortune, and fear neither noose nor fire, to play the greatest of all games and win, foregoing no expense, is to mock the vicissitudes of fate and gain at last the key that will unlock the Ninth Gate.

First, I want to say that this riddle reminds me a lot of the Emerald Tablet. It’s similarly cryptic, and I only sort of have it figured out. I love that something like that is real and authentically ancient. Anyway, moving on. I’ll go through the engravings in the order that Balkan puts them in (as opposed to their numbered order), and see if I can make sense of them.

The first engraving shows a knight traveling towards a castle. In the AT version of the engraving, the castle has four towers, while in LCF’s version, it has three. Balkan’s interpretation is “To travel in silence,” while the caption is “Silence is golden.” That immediately reminds me of the common occult maxim, “To Know, to Will, to Dare, to Keep Silent.” I’ve never been much of a fan of keeping silent, which is why I post things like this on the internet, but in general occultists tend to be secretive folk. According to this article, another translation of the caption is “Only one who has battled according to the rules will prevail.” I’m not sure whose rules are being referred to here. Lucifer’s, maybe?

This is one of the only engravings in which there is no obvious tarot symbolism. There are four Knights in tarot, one for each suit — wands, swords, cups, and pentacles — but this knight doesn’t have a symbol of any of the suits or anything that could suggest that. The difference is in the castle towers — three in LCF’s, four in AT’s. In traditional numerology, three is a number symbolizing perfection and creation, as in the Holy Trinity, while four is the number of the solid and material and unlucky. (Source: Richard Cavendish, The Black Arts). Sets of three are especially common in fairy tales and mythology — three siblings, three tasks, three encounters, three magical objects, three questions, three trials or tests, repeating an action three times with the third time being different or conclusive, etc. Lucifer’s castle at the end also has three sets of towers. The most obvious interpretation of this is that your destination will be either material gain (AT) or spiritual advancement (LCF).

In the tarot, the threes represent the completion of the first stage of a venture — the Three of Wands represents a successful enterprise, the Three of Cups represents celebration and fulfillment, and the Three of Pentacles represents recognition for your achievements. All of them have something to do with attainment except for the Three of Swords, which represents loss, heartbreak, betrayal, etc. The fours aren’t bad, representing stability and structure — the Four of Wands is joyful and peaceful, the Four of Swords takes time to rest and recoup, the Four of Cups is bored and listless, and the Four of Pentacles receives material abundance. All of them are a bit more grounded and material, so I think it makes the most sense to interpret the difference in this engraving as being the spiritual three vs. the material four, and leave it at that.

The fourth engraving, which is second in Balkan’s sequence, is of a jester standing at the entrance to a labyrinth. In LCF’s version the labyrinth’s exit is open, while in AT’s it is bricked up. Balkan interprets this as meaning “by long and circuitous route,” while the caption reads “Fate is not the same for all.” that seems fairly straightforward — Balkan and Corso have different fates. Corso is able to find his way out of the Labyrinth, but Balkan’s exit is bricked up. This is because he never properly experienced the journey the way Corso did, he just wanted the payoff and tried to take shortcuts.

The Labyrinth is a very old symbol, and it carries the dual symbolism of a death trap in which there is a Minotaur, and a path to spiritual enlightenment. It can represent the Underworld or the darkness of the subconscious mind, with the Minotaur being your Shadow. Either you are trapped in the Labyrinth and eaten by the monster, or you find your way back out into the light having gained some self-awareness. The jester is probably meant to represent 0 The Fool, who, in the Tarot, is the naive adventurer who sets out on a spiritual journey over the threshold and into the realm of the subconscious and symbolic — i.e. the Labyrinth. As for the dice in the foreground, this seems to reinforce the caption’s point about fate. But dice, like tarot cards, can be used as both a game and a divination tool — it is the assumption of the diviner that random chance is always meaningful. And indeed, the visible faces on each die add up to 6 — 666.

The third engraving depicts a traveler walking towards a bridge. In the clouds above him, there’s a Cupid-like figure with an arrow pointing down at him. Balkan’s interpretation is “to brave the arrows of misfortune,” and the caption is “The lost word keeps the secret.” AT’s version is pictured here; in LCF’s version, there are two arrows, the other one pointing upwards in the quiver.

This traveller looks much more like the traditional Tarot depiction of 0 The Fool than the jester. The Fool is happy-go-lucky and doesn’t notice the danger he might be walking into. TV Tropes describes The Fool trope as referring to a person who, despite having no idea what they’re doing, doesn’t come to any harm because of their luck and innocence. So, the traveler will probably not be hit by the arrow, the same way Corso avoids the collapsing scaffolding. The two arrows in the LCF version seem to reinforce the idea of there being two possible outcomes. The arrow pointing up and the other one pointing down could also reference the famous occult maxim, “As above, so below,” adding another spiritual dimension to it. Balkan’s interpretation of the engraving reminded me a lot of a certain famous soliloquy: “To be or not to be, that is the question: / Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles / And by opposing end them.” In this scene, Hamlet is considering whether or not to take his own life. But when applied to this engraving, these lines seem to once again suggest the two possible outcomes — you can suffer and die, or move on towards your goal.

And then there’s the caption. “The lost word keeps the secret.” Well, it’s pretty obvious what that refers to — the ninth engraving, replaced with a forgery that changes the meaning of the entire thing. The missing engraving contains the secret. But that caption seems completely irrelevant to this engraving, except that the face of the archer doesn’t look remotely like a baby’s, as putti usually do — it looks like an old man’s, specifically, the Ceniza brothers’, who removed and replaced the missing engraving.

The sixth engraving, fourth in Balkan’s sequence, depicts a man hanging upside-down by his ankle, and an arm with a flaming sword reaching out of a castle tower. Balkan’s interpretation of this is “and fear neither noose nor fire,” which proves he knows fuck all about tarot. No wonder he got the riddle wrong. This one is so blindingly obvious. The man isn’t hanging by his neck, he’s hanging by his foot. He’s the Hanged Man.

XII The Hanged Man is a strange and disturbing card at first glance, but it has become one of my favorites. The Hanged Man is almost never depicted hanging by his neck; he hangs by his foot, and has a serene expression, indicating that he wants to be there. He represents going through a period of tribulation, suffering, surrender, or introspection in order to obtain wisdom, enlightenment, self-awareness, and insight. He goes through a metamorphosis, just like the caterpillar that hangs upside-down in its chrysalis to become a butterfly. He’s a Christlike figure, evidenced by the halo around his head in the Rider-Waite deck, and the fact that he willingly suffers for a higher purpose. He even wears the same colors as Jesus in Da Vinci’s The Last Supper in the Rider-Waite deck, although I’m not sure if that’s on purpose or not.

The caption to the engraving is “I am enriched by death,” which is a million times more meaningful than Balkan’s interpretation. If you’re an occultist, that line is probably self-explanatory. Pretty much everything mystical involves that theme of (symbolically) dying and being resurrected. The alchemical process has three stages — nigredo, which is death, albedo, which is the ascension of the soul, and rubedo, which is returning to life in a “purified” body as a more spiritual being. The Hero’s Journey follows this same pattern — the hero entering the Underworld or the Labyrinth and facing trials that allow them to spiritually ascend and achieve apotheosis (or something close to it). It’s everywhere in books, movies, and video games. It is the initiation ritual. Most occultists figuratively go through it in one way or another. And in tarot, XII The Hanged Man is at the rough midpoint of the Fool’s journey through the Major Arcana, and immediately followed by XIII Death. “I am enriched by death.” You cannot be reborn as a new and better version of yourself without first having died.

The difference between AT’s and LCF’s engravings is that AT’s has the Hanged Man hanging by his right foot, while LCF’s has him hanging by his left foot. I don’t think this changes the meaning of the engraving too much. In Rider-Waite, the Hanged Man hangs by his right foot, but in the Tarot de Marseille, which is older, he hangs by the left foot. The only significance to this that I can see is that the Latin word for “left” is sinistram, and the word “sinister” has its current meaning because left was considered Satanic. Left-handed people were discriminated against for this reason, until as late as the mid-20th century. In occultism, the “Left-Hand Path” is an approach to magic that involves rejecting tradition and dogma and generally being edgy. I think that the right-hand and left-hand paths are a false dichotomy (you use both your hands, don’t you?), but anything Satanic is considered part of the Left-Hand Path. Jung associated left with the unconscious, so we’re back to the Labyrinth.

I don’t have much to say about the flaming sword. It could be foreshadowing Balkan’s death (more on that later), or it could represent the flaming sword of the angel of Eden (i.e. guarding spiritual knowledge).

The seventh engraving, fifth in Balkan’s sequence, is of a king and a peasant playing a chess game. Two dogs are fighting in the background, and the moon can be seen through the window. In AT’s version, the board is black, and in LCF’s, the board is white. Balkan interprets it as “to play the greatest of all games,” and the caption is “The disciple surpasses the master.”

The tarot symbolism that I see here is that of XVIII The Moon, which has dogs baying at it in the Rider-Waite deck. The Moon represents the subconscious, imagination, and dreams, but also nightmares, madness, and illusion. The illusion here is probably still the missing engraving being replaced by the forgery. The themes of the subconscious get reinforced. Underneath the Moon, a black dog and a white dog fight each other, almost seeming to create a yin/yang shape. This brings the dark and the light into balance, the same way the Moon spends equal times dark and bright as it goes through its phases. The game is chess, which is played with black and white pieces, and the board is either black or white. The game seems to be a draw, making the peasant and the king equals, just as the dogs are unable to defeat each other. So, this engraving is all about reconciling dualities.

There’s another layer to this. God is the “King of Kings,” so this could demonstrate a human becoming God’s equal. This is basically the goal of occultism — to become like God, in some form. Left-Hand Path’ers in particular seem to like the idea of becoming gods themselves, or even “surpassing” God. Since the book was created by Lucifer, this could tie in to Lucifer’s desire to become God’s equal that got him cast out of Heaven (but I’m not the biggest fan of that story, so I won’t go any further with that). To the occultist, man is God, just as God can become a man — as above, so below. That’s also a form of reconciling the duality of human and divine.

The caption, “The disciple surpasses the master,” probably refers to this, but it could also refer to Corso surpassing Balkan and succeeding where Balkan failed. Any good teacher wants their students to have learned so well that they surpass them. God (or Lucifer) intends for his disciples to surpass him, but Balkan tries (and fails) to prevent Corso from surpassing him.

The fifth engraving, which is sixth in Balkan’s sequence, depicts a man counting coins while Death stands behind him with a pitchfork and hourglass. Balkan’s interpretation is “and win, foregoing no expense,” while the caption reads “In vain.” Balkan is an idiot. Exactly like the man in the engraving, he is focused entirely on the money and completely misses the literal shadow of Death standing behind him. How does one overlook the significance of that? There’s a big difference between “I won the game so now I get money” and “in vain”! Of course, this means that Balkan is too focused on material pursuits and misses that he is about to die. In AT’s version, the sand is at the top of the hourglass, while in LCF’s version, it is at the bottom — the man has run out of time. The expression “you can’t take it with you” comes to mind. Money and material goods don’t ultimately matter compared to spiritual growth. “In vain.”

In tarot, XIII Death almost never represents physical death. Instead, it represents change, usually a change for the better. Death is about letting go of old things so that new things can come, stepping through a threshold into another life or state of being. This can be difficult or emotionally painful, but it is necessary and ultimately beneficial. If The Hanged Man is the chrysalis, then Death is the emerging butterfly (the Greek word psyche means both “soul” and “butterfly,” because butterflies represent the souls of the dead). Once again, Death is a required step towards spiritual advancement. And if you refuse to acknowledge this, it isn’t going to go well for you.

The checkerboard floor probably continues to reinforce the theme of duality. As for the pitchfork, maybe the reason Death has a peasant’s pitchfork instead of a scythe is because pitchforks are associated with Satan, or it could be a representation of peasants taking revenge on rich people. Or it could be a reference to American Gothic. I think it’s the first one.

The eighth engraving, which is seventh in Balkan’s sequence, depicts a praying man about to be bludgeoned by a knight with a mace, with the Wheel of Fortune in the background. Balkan’s interpretation is “to mock the vicissitudes of fate” and the caption says “Virtue is defeated.”

The Wheel of Fortune is a medieval motif that shows how fortune is apparently random. Some get to be kings, others are serfs, and your fortunes can turn at any moment. Just when you think everything is great, someone hits you on the back of the head. In tarot, X The Wheel of Fortune means exactly what you would expect it to — a twist of fate, a change of fortune. Whether it’s for better or for worse depends on the context and the cards around it. Life is full of ups and downs, so enjoy what you’ve got while you have it, etc. Sometimes when it shows up, it can mean that you should trust in fate.

But that’s the background. What to make of the foreground? Honestly, this is the most disturbing engraving to me, especially with the accompanying scene where Corso gets hit in the head. By whom? It’s probably Telfer’s lackey, because the knight in the engraving kind of looks like him. And if the caption is “Virtue is defeated,” the praying man hasn’t been defeated yet. The knight is about to hit him, not already standing over his body. It could be an example of “bad things happen to good people” — being virtuous won’t stop you from suffering. Since Corso is the one who gets hit in the back of the head, maybe that indicates that he’s the most virtuous character (which is saying a lot, since he’s not exactly an upstanding person). In LCF’s version of the engraving, the knight has a halo — does that mean that defeating Virtue is a good thing? I guess that would make sense if the artist is Satan? Or does it mean the knight is protecting the praying man? I don’t know. I genuinely am not sure how to interpret this one. What I do know is that Balkan is still an idiot. Nothing about this suggests mocking fate. If anything, this is an example of succumbing to it.

The second engraving, eighth in Balkan’s sequence, shows an old man with a dog, holding two keys in his hand. In AT’s version, the keys are in his right hand, and in LCF’s, they are in his left hand. Balkan’s interpretation is “gain at last the key,” and the caption is “Open that which is closed.”

This is another obvious tarot image. This is clearly The Hermit with his lantern. IX The Hermit represents withdrawing into solitude for contemplation and meditation, to gain spiritual wisdom and awareness. Like the Hanged Man, he indicates a need to be passive in the service of introspection. He’s the archetypical guru on a mountain, and he holds the keys to enlightenment. Keys represent access to information, and the ability to pass between worlds. “Open that which is closed” is pretty obvious — unlock the gates, receive spiritual insight. LCF’s version having the keys be in the left hand just reinforces everything I said about left earlier.

Also, that Hebrew symbol next to him is the one for the number nine. That suggests that the Hermit is right in front of the Ninth Gate. In numerology, nine is a magical number, being three times three. It represents completeness, spiritual achievement, and initiation. So, that’s self-explanatory. In tarot, tens are the ultimate state of completion, so the nines are the penultimate step — the Nine of Wands gives you the strength and willpower to overcome obstacles, the Nine of Cups represents success and contentment, and the Nine of Pentacles represents celebrating an accomplishment. (Once again, the Swords are the outlier, representing fear and despair.) Nines in general are good, the perfection of three multiplied by itself. (The Hermit is also the ninth card of the Major Arcana, if you noticed.)

And finally, we come to the ninth and final engraving (that Roman numeral should read “IX”). This depicts a woman who looks suspiciously like the Girl reading a book, ostensibly The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows, and riding a dragon with seven goatlike heads. There is a castle in the background, and the castle is a real place. There are three versions of the engraving — this one, which is signed by AT and has the castle as-is, a forged LCF engraving that shows the castle in flames, and the real one. Balkan’s interpretation is “that will unlock the Ninth Gate,” and the caption is “Now I know that from Darkness comes Light.”

The woman is apparently an image of the “Whore of Babylon” from Revelations, who rides a seven-headed dragon. I’m not really sure what she’s supposed to represent, beyond being generally Satanic. Of course, Crowley recasted her as a sex goddess. The seven heads of her dragon are significant — seven is the number of secrets, mysteries, magic, introspection, and searching for inner truth, which have been running themes this whole time. It also signifies creation, completeness, and rest, since God created the world in seven days. In tarot, the sevens present a new challenge after the perfection of the sixes — the Seven of Wands brings new obstacles that require determination to overcome; the Seven of Cups represents imagination, dreams, and illusions, so back to The Moon again (and the illusion of the forgery); the Seven of Swords also represents deception or a con artist (like the Ceniza twins, or maybe Balkan); and the Seven of Pentacles represents a threshold or a new opportunity, and reflecting on one’s achievements. That all aligns scarily well with the situation here.

The critical illusion is that the “LCF” engraving with the burning castle is a forgery. So, Balkan sets himself on fire for no reason other than egomania. This image is similar to XVI The Tower in Tarot. The Tower is one of the scariest cards to get. If Death is a difficult but beneficial change, The Tower is a dramatic turn for the worse, complete destruction and devastation. It is struck by lightning and destroyed, going up in flames. I drew this card shortly before the pandemic hit. That was The Tower — destruction, upheaval, devastation, but with the promise of rebuilding. I also had to deal with a lot of emotional turmoil because of an unrelated thing that happened around the same time, and it shook me to my core. So, obviously the forged engraving leads to Balkan’s destruction.

The true ninth LCF engraving shows the sun shining from behind one of the castle’s towers:

Replacing The Tower with The Sun is a drastic difference. If The Tower is one of the worst cards to get, XIX The Sun is one of the best. The Sun is a good omen in every capacity. It represents everything that these engravings have been working towards — spiritual growth, fulfillment, success, enlightenment, revelation of secrets, good fortune, etc. It fits right in with Lucifer’s status as the Light Bringer, and it is the solution. (The true engraving is also very reminiscent of The Star, which directly follows The Tower, and represents hope and the light at the end of the tunnel. I drew it recently, signifying the end of my emotional turmoil.) The jagged rocks at the bottom of the castle in the other two versions are missing here, and the castle is more accessible, with a visible path. The woman gestures directly to it.

The rest of the scene is much more shadowed in the true version, which fits right in with the caption: “Now I know that from Darkness comes Light.” I, in my obsession with Shadow work, interpret this as confronting the dark parts of oneself and bringing them out into the light to become a whole person, and to grow spiritually. This goes back to the Labyrinth, needing to enter the dark Underworld or the realm of the subconscious in order to gain spiritual wisdom and finally achieve enlightenment. Everything in the engravings seems to point back to that — needing a period of introspection, reconciling of duality, obtaining safe passage through the various trials until you see The Sun, which is followed by Judgement (resurrection) and The World (fulfillment). The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows are like the seven gates of the Underworld that Inanna must pass through (and that eight-pointed star is a symbol of Inanna). Corso passes through the Ninth Gate, out of the Kingdom of Shadows and into the light.

Balkan’s interpretation is clearly off. So, let’s rearrange the engravings back into their intended order:

Silence is golden. Open that which is closed. The lost word keeps the secret. Fate is not the same for all. In vain. I am enriched by death. The disciple surpasses the master. Virtue lies defeated. Now I know that from darkness comes Light.

If you, who seek after secrets, wish to unlock the gates to wisdom and enlightenment, be wary of potential dangers and missing pieces. You can either suffer and die, or move towards your goal. You will either find a way out of the Labyrinth or find that your path is blocked. Do not pursue material gains, and miss the shadow of Death hanging over you. Face Death, and you will be enriched by it, gaining spiritual insight that will allow you to surpass your superiors and become God’s equal. After a final challenge, test of virtue or twist of fortune, you will emerge from the darkness and into the light.

Am I reading way too deep into a spooky movie? Maybe, but come on! How could I resist? Do any of you have interpretations of your own?

Sources:

https://slapphappe.wordpress.com/2009/03/22/symbolism-in-the-ninth-gate/#%3A~%3Atext%3DThe%20fire%20at%20the%20Ninth%2Cof%20the%20Kingdom%20of%20Shadows.

https://davidjrodger.wordpress.com/2011/08/24/the-ninth-gate-occult-and-tarot-like-symbolism-in-the-engravings-by-aristide-torchia-and-lucifer-plus-wider-meanings-of-the-movie/

[luxe-pauvre]

I just found your blog so forgive me if this has been asked or sounds too stalker-y, but I'm curious as to what happened to your dream of fashion journalism?

You must have scrolled back years to find a mention of that; that’s commitment. I’m weirdly happy that this strange little corner of the internet I’ve maintained is worthy of that kind of time.

The first problem was that it wasn’t ‘the dream’. An issue I had at school, and still do to this day, is that I love most subjects. It wasn’t that I really loved music and so was destined to be a musician, or I really loved maths so I was destined to be a statistician, I enjoyed nearly everything. I had an inkling of careers I’d be suited for (fashion journalism being on the list, but not at the top of it) but I’ll never be able to write ‘since I was 3 months old I’ve always wanted to be a … ’ on an application.

The best piece of advice I received at school, from a particularly brilliant teacher, was to not specialise until university. To try to take the broadest range of A-Levels possible so that when it came to choosing a degree my options were open. This turned out to not be possible for me. I went to a school that was in ‘special measures’, and when I was interviewed by the great college I went on to attend I was openly called a ‘risky student’. In real terms that meant the subjects I could choose from were limited. They didn’t want me taking anything deemed too hard because what if I messed up their averages? I ended up taking A-Levels that were mostly in the arts realm, and so the course toward fashion journalism was set as I wouldn’t meet the entry requirements with those subjects for my other interests.

The way I dealt with that disappointment is apparent from what you read: I maintained to everyone that I had been interested in fashion and journalism for a long time (which is true, I edited my school paper, I find fashion fascinating, I quite enjoy writing), and that it was my dream job; the only and ultimate goal I have ever had (not so true). When I say everyone, I mean everyone. School friends, college friends, my parents. I decided if that was the path that I was going to be forced down then I would embody it wholeheartedly, which helps at the time because it removes those nagging 3am doubts.

Roll on some years later, and I’ve started the degree at LCF: it wasn’t what they had made it out to be. They had spent a lot of time at open days trying to hammer home that it was an academic course (which is what I wanted) and not just about pretty dresses, and it wasn’t just about pretty dresses but it also wasn’t very ‘academic’. I don’t know if this is the case now, this was years ago and so it is not a comment on the course as it’s being taught now. I became friendly with the programme director and she got me an internship at a start-up where I met the (now former) art director of Harper’s Bazaar and some Vogue stylists. I worked hard for them and they liked me, which led to me interning for them on and off for a couple of years. And it wasn’t for me. There’s no other way of putting it. I throughly enjoyed my time with them, and working (even if for free and unofficially) for the magazines I’d always dreamed of working for was a great experience, but I couldn’t see myself doing it as a career. I think I expected the ‘behind the scenes’ of the fantasy to be a lot more business-like than it was - it’s a multibillion dollar industry after all - but it was for all intents and purposes still rather ‘fluffy’, for lack of a better word.

But it is a cardinal sin to change your degree. You are not allowed to change your mind, it is a complex and basically irreversible decision (is how it felt in my head at the time), and so I persevered. Until I got sick. Very sick. Life-as-you-know-it-ripped-out-from-under-you sick. ‘Sick’ culminated in a night in resus, a ‘do you want to see the chaplain’ ‘you might not make it through the night’ night in resus, and then a month or so in intensive care. A few weeks later, when I was finally left on my own for the first time, I had what can only be described as some sort of hysterical breakdown. I think it hit me all at once: I was 20, something like that isn’t supposed to happen to you when you’re 20, I’d done everything ‘right’ after all. I did however make me realise that I didn’t want to do anything that wasn’t fulfilling me anymore (increased mortality salience has that effect), and so I left university on medical grounds, and left fashion journalism behind.

To transform this into something that might be useful to others rather than me just cathartically turning my life into a coherent narrative: it’s okay to like/love multiple subjects, and it’s okay to “change your mind”. There is a pervasive idea online, particularly in ‘study’ based social media, and in UK colleges that you pick one thing, one career path, one degree, and that’s what you do from now until eternity. You can’t adore literature and science at the same time. You’re good at English, you chose English, and that’s your life now. I’ve seen people on this hellsite be attacked relentlessly for changing career paths/degrees like it’s an awful thing that makes their love of the subject(s) less valid, and that they aren’t a ‘good’ student because of it and will never be great at what they do. I don’t fully understand why this idea has found its way into culture, other than that “changing your mind” is nearly always perceived negatively, but it’s not true. Some of the best and most successful people I know changed their degrees and/or career paths. Some rather late on in life. Don’t stick at something (and run up a large student debt) because you feel that there’s no going back and want to appear committed. And most importantly: it’s a cliche that life is short, but it is. Don’t think that everything you know, want, have ‘dreamed’ of, can’t be ripped out from under your feet because it can. Your world can suddenly shift on it’s axis, so enjoy what you’re doing, or at least be doing something that moves you towards where you’d ultimately like to be, and if you’re not doing that, turn over the table.

[jasminenessaart-blog]

2 Artist Symposium

Yesterday I went along the the Artist Symposium which was held at De Koffee Pot on Left Bank in Hereford. Over 10 amazing post-HCA artists, who all work in different creative practices all over the world, came in to chat to us about what they had been up to since graduating the college. Obviously I was extremely excited, going in with an open mind ready to absorb as much information I could. There were many artists that inspired me instantly, as well as some that made me realised what I definitely didn’t want to do. I still feel overwhelmed, and I cant thinking about how my new knowledge can help develop my FMP and effect my creative development as an individual. I also learnt a wide range of advice I can take into the future considering the creative career ahead of me.

The artist who stood out to me the most was Ed Curtis, as I felt I related to his style and interests the most. I adored his extravagant and experimental approach to fashion, and how he consistently pushes himself creatively to form amazing outcomes. In particular I loved the collection he made for his degree finals, the collection was exciting and thought provoking, forming a reaction I desire from others when they experience my own work.  I saw his personality and creative development through the collection which was really fun. I was particularly inspired by his past time paintings, and the idea of taking a step back to a naive way of working. This is an amazing way of keeping your creative mind flowing when stuck in one project. He used the paintings to form sets for fashion photography, which he shoots himself in his living room. I thought this was really cool, and made me realise that its good to do something different to your main project, as you can get a lot out of it mentally and practically. He also talked about his collaboration with Charles Jeffrey, an artist I have previously done some research on and found I connected with. I was so excited when he explained a set design he created for Charles after a weeks notice, and how they worked together on an artistic music concert. I am now eager to get my name out there and find confidence to email people who inspire me to do collaborations such as this, as Ed proved this was possible. I am going to be doing a lot more research on Charles Jeffrey for my FMP, as I love his rave culture influences and ‘don’t give a f**k’ approach to society opinions. He makes fashion to represent his culture, and I want to create fashion and moving image to represent mine.

I also really loved the work from Harry and Grant, who are part of an artist collective in Manchester. Each artist in the collective is completely different, therefore present a diverse range of talent that could accommodate any clients needs. Many of the artists said that when you leave university it can be a scary, lonely place as you no longer are surrounded by creative individuals. By being in a collective, each artist is able to bounce of each other and constantly still be learning and developing their creative talents without being in education. I thought this was really important and opened up my mind that this may be something to consider in the future with like minded people to myself. Harry also explained how hes trying something new, Tattooing. He has always been an illustrator, but is now transforming his naive, child like style into something that can be inked. I love how you can combine two of skills to creative something original. He made it clear that exploring different practices as an artist is a great thing, and can be great for your creative mind. This is advice I will definitely be taking on board throughout my FMP process.

Fran was another artist whos work I really liked. In particular I admired the way she presented her work for her portfolios and job applications. Each design sheet showed development of a pattern, how it was made, initial material and colour ideas, then she used Photoshop to apply her designs to real life photography in the style of the clientele. I will defiantly start developing and presenting my work in a similar way, as it appeared professional and clear. I have already started doing this throughout year 1 and am sure it is a skill that will become easier. Despite this, I am unsure whether print is a practise I want to go into entirely, as it is very restricted and not as creative as I would like to be working. I want to be working in more design, similar to Ed Curtis, instead of pattern. I have previously considered print as a career, therefore hearing Fran’s journey was a turning point in what I think I would like to do.

I was previously excited to learn about Sasha Louise, a fashion designer with her own label. Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Paloma faith have been seen in her clothes, so I was excited to see the development of her brand. She explained that owning her own brand was 80% business and only 20% creativity, which instantly surprised me. Sasha explained she had to handle the distribution, wholesale, marketing, and money side of the brand and hardly got any time to experiment. Not only doesn’t this she get paid when celebrities wear her clothes, it’s the stylist and photographer that get the money. All of this considered I came to a conclusion I definitely did not want to jump into forming my own brand. I want to be in a creative position, where I live and breathe design and have freedom to experiment. I don’t want to have to worry about business because I am an artist, not a business woman.  I know there will always be guidelines to follow, but working for a brand that does its own thing anyway would be perfect.

Over the course of the day each artist gave exceptional advice which I will take with me throughout life. Hannah Sunny, a typewriter who studied in Falmouth, said to always go down roads you don’t expect. She worked in a pub for a while doing sign art for various places around Bristol, and found it hard to step out of the comfort cycle and buy her own studio space so she could commit to larger projects. She said it was the best decision she ever made and that taking risks will almost always pay off. I relate this to my own style of working, as something I get stuck into a project and despite it not exciting me anymore, because I’m good at this style, it is hard to jump to a new opportunity. So throughout my FMP when I am stuck, I will tell myself to take a new route.  Hannah also said to have confidence in yourself as a creative, and that you should trust in your personality. I am going to be myself and not try too hard to force work, as this is when I am disappointed in my outcomes. Things always go well for me when I am working naturally.

I prefer chatting to creative people one on one, as I find I connect with people more when we talk informally as I can open up how I feel. Unfortunately due to a lot of other students being present, I did not feel confident to ask many questions at the symposium, even though there was so much I wanted to ask ED and The Collective. Hopefully this is a people skill I can improve dramatically as I meet more creative people of importance. I have already contacted Ed through social media, explain how inspiring he was, how I feel we connect well artistically and if I could ask a few things relating to my FMP topic ‘Identity’. I will also ask him about London living, and internship advice, as I am looking to go to LCF or CSM in the future.  I am extremely excited to hear back from him and have his opinions as part of my own work, which will develop to a fashion outcome. I would also like to contact Fran about internships, as she got a lot of skill and life advice out of the ones she took part in.

Overall I am completely in awe of this experience, and I have already felt myself develop over the last day. I cannot explain how important all of the information I learnt is to me, and how I am going to strive hard to be where they were in the next 5 years.

[web-novel-polls]

[Link to submissions]

This would allow divine items and weapons, such as Taerang (a divine relic from LCF that turns into a gun), into the tournament. There wasn't a specific reason I made it cultivation weapons specifically - I just forgot most people aren't weird about weapons like me, and it might be a bit niche for just cultivation weapons. The submission deadline will likely be extended regardless, and if there's a clear winner to this poll, I may not wait till it's done.

Submissions & Dealer's Choice under the cut

(CW: suggestive language, spoilers)

Submissions

Xuan Su - Yue Qingyuan’s sword (SVSSS)

No propaganda submitted

Xuan Su is Yue Qingyuan’s iconic sword that is only drawn twice after he suffers from a qi deviation bonding his life force to Xuan Su. 

Zheng Yang - Luo Binghe’s sword (SVSSS)

Submission: Something about a childhood sword that was broken, then preserved, then restored, and in the end was the one that remained, instead of the more powerful one that brought only misery. 

Potential Dealer's Choice

(Submit these to make sure they make it in & add propaganda!)

2ha / the Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Jiangui / Ah! What the Hell

“There is only one person in this world who can open Ever-Yearning. This person is extremely important in your life; you must love this person dearly, and this person must also love you in return, and be wholly devoted to you.” - Ji Baihua regarding the Ever-Yearning box containing Jiangui

Mo Ran’s Holy weapon in his second life, Jiangui - which translates to “Ah! What the hell” due to Mo Ran accidentally exclaiming this when opening the Ever-Yearning box. 

Bu’gui [“No Return”] / Guilai [“To Return”]

“No Return… Affairs of the past upon vermillion bridge in emerald green; Another year goes but still you do not return.” - Chapter 81 

Bu’gui was Mo Ran’s sword in the original timeline that he received by bringing a plum blossom branch to an old dragon named Wangyue. He had Chu Wanning seal it until he could think of a name for it, and it was only named “No Return” after Chu Wanning’s death.

In the second lifetime, he received Jiangui instead, but Bu’gui appeared once more at Xuanyuan Pavilion and was auctioned off to the Rufeng Sect for 5 million; this time it was referred to as Guilai or “To Return.”

CWN - Tianwen, Jiu’ge, Huaisha (undecided)

Longcheng / Dragon City - Xue Meng’s sword

Since Xue Meng could not receive a holy weapon from Jincheng Lake, he used Longcheng, a high-quality scimitar from Taxue Palace. From what I remember, Mo Ran gifted him the Wangshu Crystal from the Carp Essence that was requested by Song Qiutong to help him cultivate/add to his sword, making it something similar to a “heavenly weapon.”

Xue Zhengyong’s fan

While this fan is never named, Xue Zhengyong’s fan is well-known due to the writing on it - “Xue is beautiful” (which faces others) and “others are ugly” (which faces him). It really is iconic

“Xue is beautiful, others are ugly.” - Chapter 31

MDZS

Suibian

Suibian is Wei Wuxian’s sword that sealed itself after his death. Its name translates to “Whatever” due to Wei Wuxian’s inability to think of a suitable name and telling Jiang Fengmian to name it “whatever.” This is, in my opinion, the funniest thing Jiang Fengmian has ever done in his life

Bichen

Yes, this is the sword Wei Wuxian stuck up his ass in the Incense Burner Extra. It’s also Lan Wangji’s main weapon that was included in the iconic “Lan Wangji calling Wei Wuxian his scene” where Wei Wuxian believes he’s pointing toward Bichen (Chapter 31). It’s a legend, and I would be doing a disservice to Jin Guangyao (who Bichen defeated in the first round of the Danmei Character Tournament) if I did not include it.