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abookishdreamer · 3 months ago

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Character Intro: Triptolemus (Kingdom of Ichor)

Nicknames- God of Crops by the people of Olympius

Honey by his wife

Dad by his son

Trip by his brother & friends

Age- 37 (immortal)

Location- Achaea, Olympius

Personality- He's a dedicated hardworker with a general laidback temperament. He holds family, community, and wellness of the land to the utmost of importance. Despite being a grudge holder, he doesn't see the need for unnecessary drama in his life, opting for simplicity. He's married.

He has the standard abilities of a god except shapeshifting. As the god of farming his other powers/abilities include transfiguration (can turn beings into a plant, tree, or crop), being able to use ancient/modern farming and gardening tools proficiently as weapons, soil manipulation (edafoskinesis), as well as chlorokinesis (to a much lesser extent than Demeter).

A notable physical feature is his golden brown tan skin, due to him always being outdoors.

His natural scent is a mixture of fresh damp soil and sweet corn.

Triptolemus is a native of Eleusis. Mostly bad feelings and memories come up whenever he thinks about his homeland; never mind the constant death he was surrounded by in his early godhood.

He's married to Eunostos (goddess of the flour mill). They have a child- a son Deipneus (god of cooking & breadmaking). Other members of Triptolemus' extended family includes his younger brother Trochilus (god of the mill wheel), his father-in-law Cyamites (god of beans), his sister-in-law Promylaia, as well as his nephews Matton (god of meals) and Keraon (god of baking & wine mixing).

He lives on a thirty acre farm property with his wife in a french country style home. The house has natural wood flooring, a wraparound porch, antique furniture (like armoirs), wood beamed ceilings, simple yet elegant chandeliers, & nude and cream colored toile patterned wallpaper. On the same farm just a few minutes away, there's the house his brother and wife live in.

Triptolemus is a HUGE animal lover. On the farm there's cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, chickens, & horses. There are a few employees on the farm (like a leimonide named Maris), but he and his brother don't mind actively participating in the responsibilities of the farm like trimming the horses' hooves, bringing in/tagging the many crops, administering vaccines to the animals, or operating farming equipment.

He usually starts his day at the crack of dawn. Following a session of meditation, Triptolemus will ride through the farm on his horse- a quarter horse named Moxie then take a swim in the private pond. He'll then tend to his garden before breakfast.

Displayed in the living room is a farming pitchfork forged from adamantine by Hephaestus (god of the forge). It's taken the place of Triptolemus' former divine symbol.

He loves eating a steaming plate of gyeran bap for breakfast. He also really likes when his wife makes buttermilk biscuits alongside her cajun breakfast casserole (made with scrambled eggs, sliced andouille sausages, shredded hash browns, hot sauce, heavy cream, red peppers, various spices, & shredded cheddar cheese. He'll also enjoy a big bowl of Earthly Harvest cinnamon oat hearty nut medley cereal (which is cinnamon coated flakes, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, and walnuts).

A go-to drink for him is bori-cha (barley tea) which he brews himself. He also likes his brother's homemade banana milk & sujeonggwa, mineral water, orange juice, his wife's homemade iced tea, beer, white wine, sparkling lemon cocktails, ginger ale, lemonade, mint juleps, good farmer cocktails, celery tonics, as well as hard cider cocktails. His usuals from The Roasted Bean include a cafe au lait and an olympian sized green tea.

There's a couple of secrets Triptolemus has kept close to him, only divulging in it with trusted beings in his social circle. In his early days of godhood, he was under the brief mentorship of Demeter (goddess of the harvest & agriculture). It's not a known fact in the pantheon or the public. His brother Trochilus was establishing his godhood in Corinth.

In the early days of the Titanomachy, Eleusis was the most fertile place in the entire country. Triptolemus and Demeter would be responsible for feeding many beings that were displaced due to the war. Every time the tax was raised, he would hand deliver a basket of crops to the needy and hungry families.

Triptolemus' earliest accomplishment in his godly career was when Demeter gifted him an Imperial Gold wheeled chariot, which was pulled by two majestic looking winged serpents. He traveled all throughout the country, feeding the hungry. Triptolemus was seen as a folk hero- first in Eleusis, then in Athens.

He had a quiet adversion to overseeing the Eleusinian Mysteries, being that he was never comfortable around suffering & death. He then spoke out against Demeter regarding her treatment of Celeus, the lord of Eleusis at the time as well as his family- particularly his son Demophon. Seemingly without warning, his chariot was revoked and Triptolemus has his mentorship transferred to Eubouleus (god of the swine & ploughing).

Even though he wasn't active in the war on the battlefield, Triptolemus supported Zeus (god of the sky, thunder, & lightning) and the rest of the Olympians.

After the war, he spent some time in Athens & reunited with his brother before settling in Achaea.

Triptolemus had no say in the matter when Demeter came back into his life by way of her newfound friendship with Eunostos and Promylaia. The family even relocated back to Eleusis while their sons were still little. At this point, he didn't tell anyone about his early godhood. Triptolemus always maintained a friendly disposition whenever Demeter came around and was surprised when his son & nephews developed a friendship with her daughter Persephone. When his wife and sister-in-law eventually had a falling out with Demeter, Triptolemus wasn't terribly surprised. When the family relocated back to Achaea, he finally revealed his past with the harvest goddess.

Despite his status as a minor deity, Triptolemus has two temples built in his honor- one in his native Eleusis and one in Athens.

He leads an active lifestyle through tai chi, riding horseback, jogging, working out, & even bullriding!

Triptolemus loves his younger brother and appreciates how protective they are for one another. Though their experiences in godhood was drastically different, they understand each other in a way that most can't, aside from their wives. They have a good working relationship as well, being that they're business partners.

He has a sandwhich inspired by him at his son's nationwide business The Bread Box. The farmer sandwhich is a toasted baguette with roasted chicken, sweet corn, melted brie cheese, tapenade, a thyme mayo spread, and romaine lettuce.

Triptolemus adores Eunostos. He finds his wife's supple soft skin & natural scent of flour and powdered sugar to be addictive. He also admires how she held her head high after the fallout Demeter. They enjoy spending time outside of their shared business- like taking a weekend trip to Athens to visit her father, traveling to New Olympus to see their son, or going on double dates with Trochilus and Promylaia.

He's heard whispers that the chariot (claimed by Demeter) was thrown into Tartarus following the end of the war, but he can't be too sure.

Triptolemus has a good relationship with his son and is proud of all of his accomplishments as a deity. He wishes that Deipneus would call him more often, but is understanding of his busy schedule. When he and his wife travel to New Olympus, Triptolemus (along with his brother) will play basketball at Eaglepoint Park with Deipneus, Keraon, and Matton.

Whenever he and Eunostos travels to New Olympus they'll either stay over at their son's brownstone in a guest room or they'll rent a room at The Hearthwood Inn.

His primary source of income comes from the business he co-owns alongside his brother, sister-in-law, & wife. The Achaean Flour Company is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of flour & flour products. On his own Triptolemus is the head of the Farming Union of Olympius, an organization that works to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. He also owns a small farmer's market in the town's square, known to give away products for free sometimes!

In the pantheon Triptolemus is known for his finger licking yangnyeom chicken, fried chicken covered in a sweet & spicy sauce and garnished with sesame seeds.

His favorite sweet treats includes his wife's beignets, his brother's bingsu (sweet shaved ice), and his own baesuk and yaksik (sweet rice cakes added with nuts, dried fruit, & honey).

In the pantheon Triptolemus is good friends with Ktesios (god of the household), Karmanor (demi-god of the harvest), Priapus (god of fertility, vegetable gardens, livestock, sexuality, & masculinity), Apólafsi (god of enjoyment), Kópros (god of manure & excrement), Corymbus (Cory) (god of the ivy), Záchari (god of confectionery), Pan (god of the wild, satyrs, shepherds, & rustic music), and Hestia (goddess of the hearth).

Aside from Demeter, he also dislikes Limos (goddess of starvation & famine).

Triptolemus thinks that his son's girlfriend Pandaisia (goddess of banquets) is a sweetheart.

His favorite frozen treat is pear ice cream.

When he and Trochilus travels back to New Olympus soon, they plan on finally tackling the culinary behemoth known as the Mt. Olympus burger at Poté Tróei, the restaurant owned by Adephagia (goddess of gluttony).

For fun, Triptolemus hosts a gardening club every week, open to anyone. The members generally "meet" online on Fatestagram by use of video group chat, with an in-person meeting at his greenhouse. Maris is one of the members.

He likes the jars of sweet onion salsa Priapus brings for him.

His favorite thing to get at Hollyhock's Bakery is the jumbo pancake cookie (topped with a buttermilk syrup glaze & a dollop of vanilla buttercream).

Triptolemus, Eunostos, Trochilus, and Promylaia always participates in the annual Achaean Beignet Festival.

Another trip he's planning is to Crete to see Karmanor compete in a bullriding competition.

His favorite meal is his wife's spicy sausage penne along with yangnyeom chicken, topping it off with a cold glass of hard apple cider.

In his free time Triptolemus enjoys gardening, cooking, baking, bike riding, swimming, basketball, sunbathing, golf, football (soccer), and sailing.

"The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn't still be a farmer."

#my oc #oc character #my character #my oc character #oc intro #character intro #oc introduction #character introduction #modern greek gods #modern greek mythology #greek myth retellings #greek gods #greek myths #greek mythology #greek pantheon

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happymeishappylife · 2 days ago

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Top Songs I Listened to in 2024

Ratatata by Babymetal and Electric Callboy

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2. Badhaai Do by The Cast of Badhaai Do

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3. Infinitely Falling by Fly By Midnight

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4. WOAH by MAX

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5. Happily Ever After by Tomorrow x Together

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6. Hurt by OneRepublic

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7. The DJ is Crying For Help by AJR

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8. I Saw This Coming by Zaid Tabani

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9. TEXAS HOLD 'EM by Beyonce

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10. Non-Stop by The Cast of Hamilton

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Other Songs I Enjoyed:

11. High Infidelity by Taylor Swift 12. I Can Do It With a Broken Heart by Taylor Swift 13. Eye of the Untold Her by Lindsey Stirling 14. Touchy Feely Fool by AJR 15. nice to know you by lovelytheband 16. SHUM by Go_A 17. Kool-Aid by Bring Me the Horizon 18. invisible string (the long pond studio sessions) by Taylor Swift 19. Tiny Moves by Bleachers 20. Don't Call Me by Eric Nam 21. Boy From the Mountain by Luke Thomas ft. The Gardner Brothers 22. Your Town by X Ambassadors 23. Too Much by girl in red 24. Love Killer by Baby Queen 25. Poczatek by Meskie Granie Orkiestra 2018 26. POM POM POM by WOOAH 27. Live a Fantasy by Modern Moxie 28. u suck! by Baby Queen 29. cardigan (the long pond studio sessions) by Taylor Swift 30. Yes I'm a Mess by AJR 31. Overcompensate by twenty one pilots 32. Chula by Grupo Firme feat. Demi Lovato 33. Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's wife by LE SSERAFIM feat. Demi Lovato 34. Verdiales by Marco Marin 35. HELLA BOY CRAZY by Tiffany Day 36. Self Respect by Bleachers 37. WASABI by MAX 38. Satisfied by The Cast of Hamilton 39. epiphany (the long pond studio sessions) by Taylor Swift 40. Enough by Jess Glynne 41. How Can I Love You Without Breaking Your Heart? by The Struts 42. You Say Good-bye by Yuma 43. The Blister Exists by Slipknot 44. Easy by Jess Glynne 45. Pushpa Pushpa by The Cast of Pushpa Pushpa 2 46. No Strings by X Ambassadors 47. STUPID IN LOVE by MAX feat. Huh Yunjin of LE SSERAFIM 48. Luminous by Jedward 49. Patrick Spens by Michiel Schrey 50. Make me swim by Siso

#2024 rewind #top songs I listened to #Youtube

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harmonyhighlights · 10 months ago

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Evergreen Valley

a charming town near the Harmony Heighlights School is known for its welcoming environment and vibrant cultural scene and the town's Evergreen Park offers a serene escape with winding pathways flower gardens and ponds and the town's close-knit community fosters unity and pride among residents making it an ideal setting for learning

Town ponies

Hydro Heli Lila Berry Breezy Coal Nila Oxie Flora Nova Salty Magi Ally Silvie Phoebe Sunny Clarity Aurora Pepper Cali Skyler Titan Vera Crystal Melody Ivan Coco Nixie Copperella Zephyr Galaxy Gemma Artemis Seraphina Brooke Krystal Ruby Stardust Yara Zara Nimbus Moxy Tessa Rhea Rosalind Pippa Stella Cadence Indy Tilly Astrid Tessa Isla Xena Celeste Belle Luna

Harmony Highlights Elementary

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strontiumsun · 2 years ago

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Gnashling tear up lawns and fields with their sharp tooth, looking for things to eat. Though they're known to hiss menacingly, some Trainers find them to be cute.

Greeser travel in flocks, searching for the best sources of food in the area. They use their large teeth to bully the Pokemon who already live there away.

---

Back for Fakemon Friday with more Dark-types. These are based on the ferocious Canadian Geese that live at the pond near my apartment. With Strong Jaw, they get a boost on already-STAB Crunch and Jaw Lock, but you can also go for a sweep with Moxie and Choice Scarf.

#fakemon #fakemon friday #pokemon #pokemon design #canadian goose #stront art #bird pokemon

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moxijunk · 7 months ago

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Heyyy Moxi :D

Back on my Scenario SMP as nursery rhymes thing-

Have you heard of the frog and the scorpion? The scorpion wants the frog to help them cross a pond, the frog doesn't want to help the scorpion because the scorpion would sting them, the scorpion promises not to sting them as they would surely drown should they hurt the frog while traveling, The frog agrees, and while they're in the middle of the pond he scorpion stings the frog and it is revealed that scorpions can hold their breath for a week.

Basically it's like a moral about not trusting what a sketchy person says. So the scorpion would be Sean and Kim would be the frog. Because Sean wants to kill Kim for no reason.

Also Sneve is the itsy bitsy spider, amazing determination, stupid execution, and so many dirty jokes waiting to happen- "You're going up WHAT"

I don't know who the rest of them would be other than Legundo definitely being Mary

Yeah, this tracks. The Kim and Sean thing is actually so real. Honestly, maybe Sean was the starter of the prophecy (iykyk) and not me <- totally was me. Also Sneve, yeah, yeah I can see that, funny.

Thinking about other rhymes, and I'm in the same boat with you, I have no idea

#text post #mcyt #legundo #forgelabs #unsortedguy #scenario smp #sneve #mcsneve #ask

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guhamun · 7 months ago

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@himedachi said (inbox):

“You know what, Masamune-sama?” Once Mego had finished chewing on one of the dango balls right from its skewer, she playfully used the stick to point at him, who was sitting next to her on the engawa — just the two of them during an afternoon with fine weather. “Within the next 2 days, I want to challenge you for a public duel. In sparring context of course.” She was well aware that her request might sounded unusually bold for her, considering the difference in their powers && innate physical strengths, but… ( If she didn’t dare to take up the challenge herself, how else would she — in his own words — soar proudly like a dragon? Certainly, Mego couldn’t simply stay right where she was like a docile little cygnet in her own small pond, right? Even cygnets will eventually have to fly to leave their ponds once they grew up to become a beautiful swan… && yet she must aim higher to reach beyond the skies by herself. ) “Now, I’d like this match to be exhibited in front of everyone. Kojuro, Koto-san, your generals, your soldiers. Whoever can attend in this estate.” Mego declared; arms crossed && chest puffed up with confidence. “To make this more fun for both of us, how about if we make a bet?” Now came the part where she acted according to her usually-repressed thrillseeking instincts. Years of living under the Date household sure did make a lot of particularly interesting influence on her character. “Whoever wins would be allowed to make whatever request to the one who loses. Since it’s in two days, we have more than enough time to think up our requests to each other. It sounds like a nice deal, right?” Her free hand extended forward to him, expecting a returning handshake to fully seal their deal. “So…do we have a deal? Ah, backing off from a lady's request would be not cool, you see?” Princess Mego was simply returning a favor of being playfully cheeky, just like what he usually was towards her.

❝HAH?❞ MASAMUNE PLACED HIS empty dango stick down upon its bowl, single eye now focused exclusively on Megohime. Now from where did this sudden bout of enthusiasm come from, huh? They had just been enjoying dango when out of nowhere, this proclamation was made. Well, it felt out of nowhere to him, but more than likely it was something that she had been pondering for a while now. He recalled how she had been adamant about being trained to hold more than one sword like himself, and though at the end of it she was sore just as he said she would be, there had been this feeling of pride that emanated from her. ❝You sure are talkin’ pretty big today. Do you really think that you will be able to make it past the first minute with me?❞ She was improving, this much was true. However, to say that she was a match for someone like him…well…

That was wishful thinking.

Even so, despite this thought, there was nothing wrong with her challenge. If anything, he welcomed it. Win or lose, she would be one of the only individuals who ever attempted such a thing with him, and Megohime wasn’t even a trained samurai. Heh, he liked her moxie. ❝Deal.❞ Rather than attempt to deter her further from what could constitute as foolhardy, he agreed to her terms without another thought. Reaching out, he took her hand into his and squeezed to further place a seal on this little game of hers. ❝Two days, Mego. Make sure you work as hard as possible, YEAH?❞ He wanted to see how high she would soar into the heavens above.

#himedachi #;himedachi : megohime #;v: let's party #answered #;;inbox #;m: masamune #[he's just 'heh lets see what she does']

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spilledreality · 1 year ago

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On Joanna Newsom:

...So did they retire to Moorcrest, historied estate of Beachwood Canyon in the City of Angels, fallen from Krotona’s garden—replacing (for instance) an earlier Astor, Astor not by birth or marriage but dream and moxie, a surname war-roomed with the Paramount chief and the local whisper-weaver (not welcome, for instance, among the redwoods of Boho)...

Krotona was to be its West Coast jewel, nestled amidst the glamour and greenbacks of a not-yet-goldbricking Hollywood, a Roaring Twenties predecessor to the wedgwood blue of the Pacific Command Base at 4833 Fountain (known more casually among Operating Thetans as Big Blue). Heineman drew the first sketches, the same Arthur who, like the many touring bands that followed him, selected San Luis County for its midway sitch atween San Fran and Lotusville, thus building the world’s first motel off 101 North. The area was chosen for its temperate climate, its virgin magnetic conditions, and its ease of access; but what draws one draws many—desires being, as they are, socially learned and evolutionarily inherited from shared stock and shared situation—Thus, they found, like many Angelanos, the town’s stock reducing to something more common (“Los Demonios”) and at last departed to more pastoral surrounds: a new Shangri-La, the once-Chumash Ojai dressed in Normandy fashions as the Taormina hood.

Another singer had fantasized the house a hundred years prior, had imagined its layout in magic specificity for the “rote” builders that followed. Her memories of travel informed its hybrid of Christian, Islamic, and Hindu design: Marie Russak had spent some time in Tamil Nadu, with a view of the Adyar River’s ox-led plows and palm trees. Did she see Los Angeles in the shimmering reflections of fronds on water, rippling like the curls of her hip-length hair? Marie’d been born in the first Indian summer of the postbellum, had studied music at the Mill and specialized in Wagner before her own ceremony (in satin faille with mousseline de soie and pointe d’aiguille lace was she lambent in pearls). Then a Theosophist and devotee-assistant to HiS Majesty Olcott, was initiated into the co-ed Masons, rising to its Provisional Supreme Council of the West Hemisphere on the fall of Paris to Hitler. Helios, they called her, Lady Helios. Now her text-trace survives in Helios Drive (the event lives only in print); she slipped off her gloves as she’d donned them, at the end of an epoch-making war. She’d come to believe in the spirit’s transcendence, “the lodger within me, larger than me”—in a hierarchy of body and soul, purification from mud.

The structures she left behind, upon spirit’s ascent? “Leaded stained-glass windows, copper and marble baseboards, custom cabinetry, hand-painted frescos and elaborate mosaic tiles.” Light floods its glassy atrium, darkness its stony grotto near the old lotus pond. Was the pool once Charlie’s sea-sim piscina, Caribbean sand and water saline, before his breakaway to shortened time horizons?

Now Joanna sits under the eaves where veggie ‘phists compared a day’s keynotes—Methods for Discerning Human Aura, and After-Death Experiences of Soldiers Killed in Battle. She’s just a California girl—raised in gold-rush country NorCal sure but planted now in Sur—but her penchant for layers (does Paul’s sirened short film attest) is decidedly Eastern in orient. Raise a Peach Melba and clink your grails in toast, King Fisher, “dear Mr. Smith,” for the mill churns eternal return on the waterway, bound to the wheel, round and round, again and again—a sense of cycles from the tomb of the womb to the womb of the tomb, amidst cypress trees and sun-bleached stone and chaliced poppies flamed to red...

(source)

#joanna newsom #marie russak #mary astor

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academicelephant · 1 year ago

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I asked on Reddit if anyone has met Teller, that what kind of person he is (because even though I have formed an idea of it based on interviews and all that, it's not the same as actually meeting him)

AND MOXIE JILLETTE COMMENTED ON THE POST!

Like, holy hell! Moxie practically praised Teller to the skies (as did everyone who has met him and based on what people told, Teller is a very sweet and likable person) but now I feel so weird because they live across the pond and because of that I will never ever meet Teller irl, yet I had a short exchange with Moxie about him. It's nuts and I can barely believe it actually happened!

Okay, it's not the first time I've felt like this after interacting with a celebrity and I'm sure it's just because of a parasocial relationship turning into real social interaction for a moment but it's still crazy

#penn and teller #penn jillette #moxie jillette #teller #reddit #parasocial relationships #fan interaction #fangirl #happy girl

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scumgristle · 2 years ago

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The sort of revelations that kill your childhood: So like a week ago I covered Columbine on the show. And part of the coverage centered around the myth of Cassie Bernall and the whole modern martyr "The Girl Who Said Yes" thing and how that sort of reshaped Gen. X American Evangelicalism into this..."edgy, post-grunge, faux-radicalism" about being "on fire" for Christ, and the whole preponderance of Dad Rock Youth Pastors. And I hadn't connected that in any real way to the sudden *explosion* of Christian hardcore and metal bands in the late 90s and early 00s. They were fucking ubiquitous for damn near a decade. Zao, No Innocent Victim, Project 86, As I Lay Dying, Norma Jean, Underoath, Thrice, Demon Hunter, Extol, Living Sacrifice...even bands like Evergreen Terrace and Hopesfall Started as Christian metal bands and shed the label early. But the hardcore/underground metal scene was fucking Inundated with kids who went to youth group and church and found metal records in their local Christian bookstore and started going to shows...and there's been an adjacent scene of kids who have NO connection to the sociopolitical or working class roots of hardcore whatsoever ever since. They came in after Columbine when the broader American Evangelical movement latched onto this New thing "the kids" were doing that had ties to skate culture and a million other places they wanted in to. And so you had bands...funded by Church projects...going on tour with Pastors...who handed out Bibles and tracts and did Altar calls at their merch tables. And NOW...24-25 years later? Hardcore is a bunch of spineless neo-conservative/libertarian chuds, who got into the scene through a crypto-grift by Christian propagandists in the music industry when they were kids. And it is *no* wonder I've been looking around thinking "when did everyone here turn into a Republican?" for the last 5 years. They didn't. They already were. And. If you FOLLOW this trajectory through the early 00s with the hardcore scene as essentially a stocked pond for the conservative movement astroturfed by megachurches (if you think I'm exaggerating go look up who half of Thrice worked for)...it explains deathcore and its tendencies towards misogyny and conspiracism. Because a lot of these guys hit their late teens and early 20s and discovered Alex Jones - who blew up in popularity after 9/11 - and the bits and pieces about kleptocracy, RFID chips, Reptilians, and a global shadow government popped up ALL over the place with bands like Molotov Solution, Job for a Cowboy and Pathology. This burgeoning RW recruitment space spun out, and the reaction was A.) A REALLY pissed off atheist sect B.) Guys with hangups carried over from the conservative spaces they came from...like rape culture, traditionalism, and a tendency toward the Fringe of political thought (the Alex Jones thing). Recognizing hardcore was coopted by the Christian Right sometime in 1999...the last 25 years of it make all the sense in the world all of a sudden.

Moxy O'Brien

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rottmntquotes · 3 months ago

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Four Ferals and a Warring Warrior Scientist

“Gone… it’s all gone. Years of studying, trials and errors, and extensive planning all down the drain!”

Huginn and Muninn glanced at each other warily from their perch on their master’s shoulders, staying silent in well learned obedience. They sat still, even as the Yokai they’d been issued to- Baron Draxum -paced and snarled his dissatisfaction. It made sense to them, they’d watched their master spend a good portion of his life dedicated to creating some sort of… ooze. It was meant to help create creatures of mass destruction, ones that could be bent and twisted to follow Draxum’s rule so he could take both Earth and the Hidden City as his own.

Of course, all of it went to shit the moment a man named Lou Jitsu decided to fight back against Draxum.

He’d had moxie, the gargoyles would give him that, but it was honestly annoying and somewhat insulting that he had the gall to ruin Draxum’s plans. A bit of ooze had been lost in the process, but that wasn’t what Draxum was upset about; no, he was furious that his four first subjects had been swept away with Jitsu. No trackers of any sort had been implanted into them, so there was no telling if they’d been killed, fallen victim to the residents of the Hidden City, or taken with Lou Jitsu. Regardless of what happened to them, all three knew that they’d likely never see any of the experiments again.

“Such a waste of time and potential…”

~~~~~~~~~~

Deep in the heart of a dense jungle, where the most dangerous of creatures lurked in the Hidden City, four baby turtles squeaked and wailed as they found themselves suddenly dropping into wet soil. They struggled to scramble to their feet, wobbling and stumbling around like newborn babies. Soft babbling and trilling drew the attention of multiple creatures hidden in the foliage, though none of them stepped forward to see if these turtles would be worthy meals. All but one were barely enough to be a bite-sized snack, and the largest looked like something that wasn’t worth the effort of trying to kill.

The sounds of birdlike screeching and low growls made the babies whine anxiously, looking around for the source of each noise. Much to their misfortune, the trees, bushes, flowers, and vines were too thick to see through without a trained eye, and these turtles could barely see a foot in front of them.

The smallest turtle (a Box turtle with orange markings) whimpered and squeezed between what was now a terrapin wall, not wanting anything to do with… this whole situation. The two second smallest turtles, one a Spiny Softshell and the other a Red-Eared Slider, cuddled together with deep frowns, noses twitching frantically as they tried to find the scent of… well, they honestly didn’t know what they were searching for. The final turtle, an Alligator Snapping turtle, looked around every which way, trying to see if there was anywhere that wasn’t out in the open. Despite being so young, the ooze flowing through their veins made these turtles process and digest information much faster than any normal turtle hatchling.

Grrrrrr!

Hiiiiiisssss!

Click! Click! Click!

The largest turtle huffed, using what little strength he had to begin urging the others into a nearby bush. They stumbled and whimpered for a good while, yelping in pain every so often when they stepped on a thorny vine or a particularly sharp rock. Upon reaching a small patch of area that harbored a large pond, colourful fruits, and plenty of areas to hide if needed, the largest smiled. He started to walk out and scan the area, quite literally snapping at the others when they tried to follow.

Soft chirps and curious trills let the largest know the status of his fellow turtles, and he kept track of each sound, making sure none of them went silent as he checked for predators. Upon finding none, the Snapper huffed and trilled happily, gesturing with his head for the others to follow and interact with the area to their hearts’ content.

This was a good place, a place for them to rest when tired, play when they wanted to, hide in the open, and grow into the strongest versions of themselves.

And absolutely no one could change that.

~~~~~15 Years Later~~~~~

Draxum sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, grumbling as he listened to the incessant babbling of this new group of his. The “Evil League of Mutants” was what they called themselves; it had been awkward at first, rallying a bunch of unrelated mutants that had fallen to their unfortunate fates due to Draxum’s Oozesquitoes. Honestly, the group was… competent at best. They didn’t really work together more than tolerate and work alongside each other.

“Remind me, again, why I thought this was a good idea.” Draxum muttered to his gargoyles, who frowned with him as two of the mutants (Hypno-Potamus and Meat Sweats, if Draxum recalled correctly) argued over something inane and unhelpful to Draxum’s cause.

“FOOLS! Can you not learn to tolerate each other for more than FIVE MINUTES?!” Draxum roared, slamming a hand down on one of the barrels that resided in the warehouse the group was hiding in. He waited for complete silence before regarding the group with a sneer. “Now, the purpose of this group is simple: Create as much chaos as possible, aid my creations in transforming more humans, and help to create the largest and most successful empire that the Earth has ever seen!”

“That’s… a really big ask.” Hypno muttered, snapping his mouth shut at the harsh glare he received. “Right, cause chaos, make an empire. Got it memorized and ready to put into motion!”

“And what, exactly, do we get out of this?” The smallest mutant (a worm that Draxum couldn’t be bothered to remember the name of) asked.

“A place at my side as the most feared creatures alive, and being alive.” Draxum summoned a barrage of vines, face expressionless as the vines circled the lackeys and strung them upside down with a suffocating grip. Huginn and Muninn snickered at the sight, watching with delight as the mutants all agreed out of pure fear. “Good, now go and create more pets, and do it well.”

Each of the mutants raced out of the warehouse with anxious muttering, leaving Draxum alone for a good hour as he mused over the past 15 years. He’d wondered what had become of Jitsu, of the turtles he put so much time into; by all logic the turtles would likely be dead, unless they were taken by the movie star, in which case Draxum had no idea how they’d turn out.

“We could always search through the Hidden City again, boss.” Muninn suggested, already recognizing the look that Draxum tended to take when he thought about the disaster. “See if anyone has seen four turtles wandering around.”

“It would be an exercise in futility.” Draxum huffed, though one of his ears flicked as he thought about the possibility. “However, there is nothing for me to do while those mutants are out assisting in my cause.”

“See? We’d have time, and Muninn and I know you’re just dying to see if things have changed.” Huginn crooned, he and Muninn lifting themselves into the air and hovering around their master with devious smiles. “And who knows? If we do manage to find the turtles, you’ll finally get your warriors!”

Draxum was unimpressed by the attempt of temptation, though found himself agreeing regardless. He’d truly had nothing to do- at the moment -and had more than enough reason to get out and cause chaos if nothing else. Those Hidden City police could be fairly incompetent when they were really needed.

So, with a soft sound of agreement, Draxum opened a portal to the Hidden City, waiting for his gargoyles to return to their perch before stepping through.

What else did he have to lose?

~~~~~~~~~~

Chirp! Chirp! Chirrup!

Caw! Caw!

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!

SNAP!

Silence. That’s what followed the sound of a branch breaking under the weight of one giant Snapping turtle mutant. He huffed in frustration at his rookie mistake, though kept his eyes locked on the glowing, blue, two-headed deer that he’d been stalking for the past two days. His bale was likely getting restless without food, and the last thing he wanted was to return home with no food.

The last time that had happened, he received furious hissing, clawing, and a bold bite on the tail from his youngest bale-mate. It was a bad day for all four of them, as they’d grown quite tired of the fruits proffered by the trees in their territory and the plentiful fish that lived in the pond they drank from.

With this in mind, the Snapper waited for the deer to let its guard down and the rest of the animals to resume their twittering, squeaking, and overall high-pitched sounds that drowned out his cautious steps. Seconds passed, though it felt like forever until the Snapper launched forward and just barely managed to scratch the haunches of his prey. A loud screech of pain and terror came from the deer before it kicked at its assailant, missing by a foot before attempting to run away despite its limp.

A satisfied smirk crawled its way onto the Snapper’s face, and he hissed before chasing the deer, all four limbs working their hardest, though he was perfectly aware that he didn’t need to waste so much energy on what was now an easy meal. The chase barely lasted an entire minute, ending with the Snapper pouncing on the deer and pinning it down, killing it with one bite to both necks. His giant stature and oversized mouth allowed for him to snap both necks at once.

Once again, silence filled the forest, leaving only the Snapper and his slightly labored breathing. As he lifted the deer with his strong jaws and started carrying his dinner home, the lively sounds returned and helped soothe the Snapper with its familiar cacophony. He grunted happily as he traversed the now fully memorized path to his bale’s territory, trekking through thick brush and letting out deep trills upon reaching their usual feeding spot. A few vulture-like creatures had gathered amongst their uneaten scraps, only scurrying into nearby trees to wait for their next meal.

One by one, the Snapper’s bale-mates acknowledged his return, trilling with interest at the sight of his kill. The smallest and youngest of the bale easily trotted over to inspect what was captured. The next to arrive was the Softshell, who grumbled at the sight, deciding to wait for the meat underneath to be shown before even touching the kill. It was a commonality that annoyed the eldest, but nothing could be done to change it. Finally, after lazily crawling out of the pond and opening his third eyelids, the Slider sauntered over to the kill, instantly tearing a large chunk of the deer’s skin off, focusing more on it and grunting at the Softshell to show that his preferences were being fulfilled.

With that, the group ate in relative silence, occasionally needing to chase off the scavenger birds, but otherwise feasting without worry.

“Do you really think we’ll find anything worthwhile out here?”

The sudden voice made all four turtles jerk their heads towards the sound, both interested in and intimidated by the noise. There had never been anything able to talk in this area, nothing in the Hidden City jungle really needed to, everything relying on instinct and their animalistic sounds/abilities. Low growling came from the Snapper, who rushed to urge his bale into the nearby brush, earning more than a few whines and hisses of annoyance.

“Who knows? Nobody ever comes into the jungle, so there could be loads of stuff out here!”

The second voice only made the Snapper growl more, and he placed his body between his bale and their once undisturbed territory. Said growling continued as two young Yokai popped their heads into view, laughing and carrying large sticks. One of the Yokai looked like the large cats that none of the turtles dared mess with, whilst the other looked similar to the bale’s most recent meal, only with one head and brown fur. It was obvious that both were young, though that mattered not to the Snapper, who was ready to take down what he saw as intruders.

“Whoa! Look at this, Casper!” The cat-like Yokai gasped, pointing at the dead deer and snickering as their friend gasped and gagged.

“Jodie, why would you show me that?!” The apparent Casper asked, tearing their focus away and shuddering. “So gross!”

“Oh, don’t be a baby!” Jodie scoffed, using their stick to poke the dead deer. “I wonder if the thing that killed it is still nearby.”

“Don’t say that! You might jinx us and make it appear!” Casper whisper-shouted, looking around frantically. They gulped nervously, waving their hands in clear shock as Jodie took a picture of the deer. Jodie then proceeded to start recording the area.

“Here we have an Ornate Deer, slain by a savage beast with its remains left for scavengers!”

“It’s probably left like that because we scared the predator away!” Casper huffed. “Which means that the predator is nearby and could be waiting to kill us!”

As if on cue, the Snapper decided he was done with listening to the Yokai babble on. With a loud snarl, he launched out from the brush, hissing and snapping at the young Yokai, even as they screamed and raced away.

Once they were gone, the Snapper huffed and gestured for his bale to return, unsurprised by their hesitance. As the hesitance wore off, however, the bale remembered how hungry they still were, and returned to their feast, throwing the brief encounter to the back of their minds.

As long as nothing else had the chutzpah to disturb them, nothing mattered more than making sure they wouldn’t starve.

Unfortunately, that was likely to change, considering how the Snapper had been caught on camera and uploaded to the entire Hidden City network.

~~~~~~~~~~

“BOSS! BOSS, YOU’VE GOTTA SEE THIS!” Huginn and Muninn screeched and chirruped with excitement as they carried a phone to Draxum, who seemed more than annoyed by his gargoyles’ cheery demeanour.

“You’d better have a good reason for leaving your posts.” Draxum growled, quite visibly annoyed that the duo weren’t currently searching for the turtles as they were instructed to.

“Oh, this is a perfect reason!” Muninn exclaimed, nudging Huginn and smiling widely as they showed their master the video that had been posted just moments ago. Judging by the look of shock and disbelief on Draxum’s face, it was clear that they’d all come to the same conclusion. “It’s gotta be one of them! It looks exactly like the spiky turtle you mutated!”

“And if that one is alive, then that means…” Draxum trailed off as he processed the information, eventually finding his shock replaced with triumph and delight. “We have to find them, all of them! This could help restart the project I’ve been attempting to recreate for years!”

“Huginn and I will search every inch of the jungle! Even one brief sight of them and we’ll let you know immediately!” Muninn announced, saluting in midair and urging Huginn to do the same.

“It’s moments like these that I don’t regret having you as servants.” Draxum praised, acknowledging the happy trills he received before pushing past the moment and ordering the gargoyles to start their search. “If they truly did survive, then building my empire and conquering the humans will be easier and bloodier than I’d ever dreamed…”

#RotTMNT #Rise of the TMNT #Feral Turtle AU #It's Basically My Origin Story for These Wackos #Don't Worry #There's More Coming #Maybe #If This Does Well I'll Make a Second Chapter

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