#nyx’s art endeavors

[mayoiayasep]

falin friday<33

[id: a colored manga panel of falin touden from dungeon meshi. her hair is long and down and she’s sucking on the stem of a flower while looking at something offscreen. end id]

[crescentfool]

judgement day 🌕

[anemoidevotions]

The Anemoi

Hesiod, Theogony 869 ff :

"Notos (the South Wind) and Boreas (the North Wind) and clear Zephyros (the West Wind). These Winds are a god-sent kind, and a great blessing to men."

The Anemoi are the gods of the winds, especially the main four, but there are up to 24 different winds. Eight of these winds appear on Wind Towers, like the one in Athens, and act as both a devotional object, as the winds were often worshiped together as the Anemoi, and as a directional tool.

The Anemoi are all ruled by Aeolus, son of Hippotes, who was appointed to this position by Zeus. The winds themselves are the children of Eos, goddess of the dawn, and her husband Astraeus, an astrological god also associated with dusk/twilight.

In mythology and poetry, they often appear as tools of the Olympians, especially Zeus and Poseidon, who can command the winds to help in their endeavors, though they do appear helping other gods as requested. However, the witch Medea also calls on the Anemoi to aid in her magic.

Ovid, Metamorphoses 7. 192 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) :

"[The witch] Medea . . . in the deep stillness of the midnight hour . . . To the stars she stretched her arms, and thrice she turned about and thrice bedewed her locks with water, thrice a wailing cry she gave, then kneeling on the stony ground, ‘O Nox (Night) [Nyx], Mother of Mysteries, and all ye golden Astra (Stars) who with Luna (the Moon) [Selene] succeed the fires of day, and thou, divine triceps (three-formed) Hecate, who . . . dost fortify the arts of magic, and thou, kindly Tellus (the Earth) [Gaia], who dost for magic potent herbs provide; ye Venti (Winds) [Anemoi] and Aurae (Airs) . . . be with me now! By your enabling power, at my behest . . . my magic song rouses the quiet, calms the angry seas; I bring the clouds and make the clouds withdraw, I call the winds and quell them.’"

From this, other ancient magical practioners took inspiration.

Pausanias, Description of Greece 2. 12. 1 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :

"In Titane there is . . . an Altar of the Anemoi (Winds), and on it the priest sacrifices to the Anemoi (Winds) one night in every year. He also performs other secret rites [of Hekate (Hecate)] at four pits, taming the fierceness of the blasts [of the winds], and he is said to chant as well the charms of Medea."

The Ruler of the Anemoi - Aeolus

Aeolus is the God of the Winds and the king of the island of Aeolia. He was appointed as Keeper of the Winds by Zeus. Aeolus supposedly kept the most brutal of winds trapped in a cave on Aeolia. He was sometimes petitioned to let them loose to aid in some cause, by both gods an mortals. He is sometimes portrayed as a face in the sky blowing on some object, a trait he shares with all of the Anemoi. His sacred animal is the kingfisher.

His most famous appearance by far is his role in Homer's Odyssey:

Homer, Odyssey 10. 1 ff (trans. Shewring) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) :

"[Odysseus tells the tale of his wanderings :] We came to the Aiolian (Aeolian) island (nesos Aiolios); here lived Aiolos (Aeolus) Hippotades (son of Hippotas); the deathless gods counted him their friend. His island is a floating one; all round it there is a wall of bronze, unbreakable, and rock rises sheer above it. Twelve children of his live in the palace with him; six are daughters, six are sons in the prime of youth; moreover the king has given his daughters as wives to his sons. These all hold a continual feast with their dear father and much-loved mother; countless dainties are there before them, and through the daytime the hall is rich with savoury smells and murmurous with the sound of music. At night they sleep, each with his own chaste wife, on inlaid bedsteads with coverlets over them.

To their city and noble palace we now came, and for a whole month Aiolos gave me hospitality and questioned me on all manner of things, Ilion [i.e. Troy] and the Argive ships and how the Akhaians (Achaeans) sailed for home. I duly told him all he desired; then in my turn I asked his leave to depart and begged him to help me on my way. Nor was he unwilling; he set about speeding my return. He gave me a bag made from the hide of a full-grown ox of his, and in the bag he had penned up every Wind (anemos) that blows whatever its course might be; because Kronion (Cronion) [Zeus] had made him warden of all the Winds (anemoi), to bid each of them rise or fall at his own pleasure. He placed the bag in my own ship's hold, tied with a glittering silver cord so that through that fastening not even a breath could stray; to Zephyros (the West Wind) only he gave commission to blow for me, to carry onwards my ships and men. Yet he was not after all to accomplish his design, because our own folly ruined us.

For nine days and through nine nights we sailed on steadily; on the tenth day our own country began to heave in sight; we were near enough to see men tending their fires on shore. It was then that beguiling sleep surprised me; I was tired out, because all this time I had kept my own hands on the steering-oar, never entrusting it to one of the crew, for I wished to speed our journey home. Meanwhile the crew began murmuring among themselves; they were sure I was taking home new presents of gold and silver from Aiolos.

One of them would say as he eyed his neighbour : ‘What injustice! In whatever city or land he comes to, this man wins everyone's friendship and regard. He is taking back a mass of fine things from the spoils of Troy, while we who have journeyed with him from the first to last are returning home all empty-handed. And now come these latest gifts that Aiolos in his hospitality had indulged him with. Come, let us look without wasting time. What are these gifts? How much gold and silver is there inside the bag?’

Thus the men talked among themselves, and the counsels of folly were what prevailed. They undid the bag, the Winds (anemoi) rushed out all together, and in a moment a tempest (thuella) had seized my crew and was driving them--now all in tears--back to the open sea and away from home.

I myself awoke, and wondered if now I should throw myself overboard and be drowned in ocean or if I should bear it all in silence and stay among the living. I did bear it and did remain, but covered my face as I lay on deck. My own ship and the others with it were carried back by raging storm (anemos thuella) to the island of Aiolos (nesos Aioloios), amid the groaning of all my company.

There we set foot ashore and drew water, and without delay my crews and I took our meal by the rapid ships. When we had had our portion of food and drink, I chose to come with me one man as my own attendant and one besides; then I sent up to the place of Aiolos, and found him feasting there with his wife and children. We went in and we sat down at the threshold by the doorposts, while the household asked in deep amazement : ‘Odysseus, how is it that you are here again? What malicious god has set upon you? Surely we did our best before to speed you upon your way, meaning to reach your own land and home or whatever place you might desire?’

So they spoke, and I said despondently : ‘Faithless comrades were my undoing, they and the slumber that betrayed me. But you are my friends; you have the remedy; grant it me.’

With these humble words I made my appeal to them. They remained in silence, except the father, who answered me : ‘Away from this island, away at once, most despicable of creatures! I am forbidden to welcome here or to help send elsewhere a man whom the blessed gods abhor. This return reveals you as god-forsaken; go!’

And with these words he drove me forth despite my pitiful lamentations. Then we sailed onwards sick at heart."

The Four Cardinal Winds

Boreas (Roman name: Aquilo/Septentrio)

Of all the Anemoi, Boreas is the one we have the most information about. He is the god of the north wind and is associated with cold temperatures and the mountains in the north of Greece, and therefore, the element of earth. From his name, we get the term aurora borealis. Boreas was famous for his strength and temper. He is often depicted with shaggy hair and beard, with a billowing cloak and a conch shell in his hands. His sacred animal is the horse.

He is represented on ancient compass roses in the north with the name Septentrio.

In mythology:

Boreas delivered Leto to Poseidon by order of Zeus, so Poseidon could take her to the island of Ogygia where she would be safe to give birth to Apollo and Artemis.

Boreas was said to have kidnapped an Athenian princess he had taken a shine to named Orithyia. Originally, he had attempted to convince her to come with him, but when she refused, he kidnapped her instead, showing the temper he was well known for. She did not consent, but their children include sons Zethes and Calais (of Argonaut fame), Chione, the goddess of snow, and another daughter named Cleopatra (unrelated to the Egyptian queen). It is through his relationship with Orithyia that he came to be a "son-in-law" of Athens and the Athenians.

In another story, Boreas competed with Pan for the affections of a nymph named Pitys. Boreas tried to prove his might by uprooting all of the trees. Unfortunately, Pan only laughed at Boreas' show of strength and his joviality won Pitys' affection. Angered by her rejection, Boreas threw Pitys' off a cliff, where she died. Gaia took pity on the nymph and transformed her into a pine tree.

In an Aesop fable, Boreas competed with his uncle, Helios, to get a travelling passerby to remove his cloak, in an attempt to prove which god was strongest. Boreas tried to blow the cloak off the man, but the harder he blew, the tighter the man wrapped the cloak around himself. Helios instead, made the sun shine bright and heat the land. The man removed his cloak when it got too hot. The moral of the story is that persuasion is better than force.

According to Pausanias, Boreas blessed Musaeus of Athens with the gift of flight.

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 22. 7 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :

"I have read verse in which Musaios (Musaeus) [the poet] receives from Boreas the gift of flight, but, in my opinion, Onomakritos (Onomacritus) wrote them."

[N.B. Musaios and Onomakritos were both Orphic poets.]

There are many claims that Boreas, in the form of a stallion, impregnated mares across the ancient world, and variations on these stories appear in Homer's Iliad and Virgil's Georgics 3.

In the Orphic Hymns, Boreas is also listed as a god of the season of winter.

Orphic Hymn 80 to Boreas (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) :

"To Boreas (the North-Wind), Fumigation from Frankincense. Boreas, whose wintry blasts, terrific, tear the bosom of the deep surrounding air; cold icy power, approach, and favouring blow, and Thrake (Thrace) awhile desert, exposed to snow: the air's all-misty darkening state dissolve, with pregnant clouds whose frames in showers resolve. Serenely temper all within the sky, and wipe from moisture aither's splendid eye."

The cult of Boreas:

Boreas was worshiped as a protector of Athens and sacrificed to when the city needed protection, though it is unknown exactly what these sacrifices were.

There are a few different accounts, but the main plot is this:

The Athenians received a message from an oracle that to protect the city, they should call on their ally who was a "son-in-law" of Athens/the Athenians. Boreas was considered a son-in-law of Athens because of his marriage to Orithyia, who was an Athenian princess. The Athenians made sacrifices to both Boreas and Orithyia in the hopes that they would destroy a barbarian fleet threatening them. The fleet was destroyed and a special district dedicated to Boreas was created.

Notos (Roman name: Auster/Australis, Notus when the Greek name was retained with Latin spelling)

Notus is the god of the south wind and is associated with winds from the sea to the south of Greece. He is usually depicted pouring water from a vase, like rain on crops. The winds he brings are hot. He is also said to be responsible for the storms of late summer and early autumn in Ancient Greece and Rome, indicating that his winds are both hot and moist, carrying moisture from the Mediterranean sea to the south onto the continent to the north, corresponding to the element of water. He was also feared as a destroyer of crops. On ancient compass roses, he is represented by the name Australis, from which the name Australia is derived. Notus does not have any sacred animal mentioned for him alone, but the horse is sacred to the Anemoi as a group.

The Romans associated him with the clouds and harsh winds and storms that would blow in from the south.

In Mythology:

Notus does not appear prominently in mythology outside of helping the other gods when called upon, usually with his brothers.

In the Orphic Hymns, Notus is associated with the season of Summer.

Orphic Hymn 82 to Notus :

"To Notos (Notus, the South-Wind), Fumigation from Frankincense. Wide-coursing gales, whose lightly leaping feet with rapid wings the air's wet bosom beat, approach, benevolent, swift-whirling powers, with humid clouds the principles of showers; for showery clouds are portioned to your care, to send on earth from all-surrounding air. Hear, blessed power, these holy rites attend, and fruitful rains on earth all-parent send."

Euros (Roman name: Vulturus/Volturus, but Roman poets often retained the Greek name with the Latin spelling Eurus)

Euros is the god of the east wind and dwelt near the palace of Helios, his uncle. He is said to bring a hot wind, and with his close proximity to Helios, is associated with the element of fire. Little else is known about Euros, as he is the least mentioned of all the Anemoi. Euros is depicted as a bearded man holding a heavy cloak. No animal is known to be sacred specifically to Euros, but horses are sacred to all of the Anemoi as a single group.

In Mythology:

Most references to Euros in mythology are passing. Most of what is attributed to Euros comes from the poets of the time, including Homer, Virgil, and Ovid.

One source lists Euros as the "Savior of Sparta."

Greek Lyric V Folk Songs, Frag 858 (from Strasbourg papyrus) (trans. Campbell) (B.C.) :

"Send a breeze then, over the fields . . . soft wind . . . Euros (East Wind) : Euros, saviour of Sparta, may you come with victory at all times! Ie Paian, ieie Paian!"

Euros is unofficially the god of Autumn. He fills the fourth seasonal slot most modern people associate with autumn, however, the ancient Greeks only recognized three seasons. There are no mentions of him in the Orphic Hymns.

It is important to note that Euros sometimes appears as the god of the southeast wind and Apeliotis as the east wind. Apeliotes also has associations with autumn.

Zephyros (Roman name: Favonius, Zephyrus when the Greek name was retained with Latin spelling)

Zephyros is the god of the west wind and is depicted as a beardless youth scattering flowers from his mantle, often with wings, associating him with the element of air (though, arguably all of the Anemoi are related to air). He and his winds were said to be most gentle and provided ships with favorable winds for sailing. He was known as the fruictifying wind and the messenger of spring. He is sometimes depicted as carrying a basket of unripe fruit. His sacred animals are his offspring, the horse and the tiger.

In Mythology:

Zephyros most famously appears in the myth of Apollo and Hyacinthus. Both gods were in love with a Spartan man named Hyacinthus. Apollo and Hyacinthus often spent time together, and one day, started a game of discus. Zephyros spotted them, and in a jealous rage, blew the discus off course, which then struck Hyacinthus in the forehead and killed him. Apollo, in his grief, turned Hyacinthus into a flower (either an iris or larkspur, depending on the telling).

Zephyros vied with his brother, Boreas, for the love of the nymph, Chloris (Flora in Roman mythology). Boreas, however, stole Orithyia from her father's home instead, allowing Zephyros to pursue Chloris uncontested. He married Chloris and made her the goddess of flowers.

Zephyros also had a relationship (or marriage, depending on the source) with the messenger of the Olympians and goddess of rainbows, Iris. Sometimes, they are listed at the parents of the Erotes: Pothos, Eros, and Himeros, though other accounts list their mother as Aphrodite. In other accounts, Eros was the son of Iris and Zephyros (or Aphrodite), and Pothos and Himeros the children of Eros, making them the grandchildren of Iris and Zephyros (or Aphrodite).

In the story of Eros and Psyche, it is Zephyros who delivers Psyche to the home of Eros.

Through the harpy Podarge, Zephyros was the father of the horses of Achilles, Balius and Xanthus, mirroring his opposite brother Boreas's association with horses.

Roman mythology gives him the additional domain of plants and flowers

In the Orphic Hymns, Zephyros is associated with Spring.

Orphic Hymn 81 to Zephyrus :

"To Zephyros (Zephyrus, the West-Wind), Fumigation from Frankincense. Sea-born, aerial, blowing from the west, sweet Breezes (Aurai, Aurae), who give to wearied labour rest. Vernal and grassy, and of murmuring sound, to ships delightful through the sea profound; for these, impelled by you with gentle force, pursue with prosperous fate their destined course. With blameless gales regard my suppliant prayer, Zephyros unseen, light-winged, and formed from air."

The Cult of Zephyros:

There were two known temples to Zephyros, one on the Isle of Rhodes, and the other in the town of Laciadae. It is also said that the Argonauts made an altar to Zephyros, among others, while preparing to depart on a voyage.

The Lesser (Tertiary) Winds

These wind gods cover the tertiary directions and are featured on wind towers and early compass roses, but little is known about them.

Lips (Roman name: Africus)

Lips is the god of the southwest wind and is depicted on the Tower of the Winds in Athens as a winged man holding the stern of a ship. He was a favorite of sailors.

KAIKIAS (Roman name unverified)

Kaikias is the god of the northeast wins and is portrayed as a bearded man with a shield full of hail-stones. These hail stones may reference severe, destructive storms.

APELIOTES (Roman name unverified)

Apeliotes is the god of the southeast wind and is depicted as a clean-shaven man, holding a cloak full of fruit and grain. He is associated with autumn and sometimes switches places with Euros.

SKIRON (Roman name unverified)

Skiron is the god of the northwest wind and depicted as a bearded man tilting a cauldron, potentially signifying the onset of winter. He is also associated with violent storms and winds.

[extinct-fish]

HEYYYY! IT'S YUKA-TAN!

I think my recent endeavors with splatoonification helped a ton with her... plus, I did do a sneak peak back then with this number:

either way, I'm back and I'm gonna add more splatoonified SEES Members... But at the same time, I'm gonna give y'all a bonus! Poll ends next saturday!

[nyxronomicon]

nyx. 30s. bi. she/her.

🔞 this is an 18+ multifandom blog. minors and ageless blogs will be blocked. 🔞

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//. most frequent fandoms: jjk, hsr, wuwa, yakuza, bg3, genshin impact, bnha, pgr //. about me: goth gf. villain apologist. filthy leftist. titty enjoyer. elder weeb. music aficionado. problematic dilf enthusiast. //. DNI: racists, terfs, pedos, bigotry is not tolerated here //. favs: Toji, Choso, Gallagher, Gepard, Boothill, Endeavor, Ryuji Goda, Wyll, Halsin, Wriothesley, Capitano

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my other blogs // main: @vampnyx​ // art: @nyxronomicon-art

frequent kinks and ask guidelines under the cut.

🖤: titplay of any kind, cockwarming, monsterfucking (all types lol), yandere, intox, dub-con, mind control/hypno, cucking, public/semi-public/risky, stepcest, power dynamic, sacrilege, hatefucking, age difference (where both characters are 20+), horror & dark romance, praise & degradation, breeding/heat

❌: piss/scat, incest, virgin/inexperienced, ddlg, anal, pregnancy, furry

anything not listed above i am probably ok with but it's not my fave lol

ask guidelines: I don't do requests but my mind works on inspiration so sometimes i'll write drabbles/longer fics from asks! i'll answer pretty much any question if you're kind and if i get a bad vibe or you are rude i'll simply delete. i also enjoy rambling endlessly on my train of thought so watch out,

[stygiusfic]

if the hades characters were a tarot deck

I saw gorgeous art on twitter of a few Hades characters depicted as Major Arcana cards and, because I’m a humongous tarot nerd, I started thinking about who would be the best fit for each Major Arcana, based on their personality and character arc. Unfortunately I can’t draw well enough to do my ideas justice, but I hope it’s interesting to read!

Some minor spoilers for the events of the game up until the true ending, since character arcs are mentioned.

The Fool - Zagreus, setting out, damned be the consequences. Someone ready to take the first steps in a new direction, thinking only of what they stand to gain. The traditional fool shows a traveling youngster, maybe a bard, happily walking forward, not realizing or caring that he's about to walk off a cliff, because he's focused on the sky and the vistas before him. There is a dog at his heel, trying to keep him back, but he ignores the warning. Zagreus doesn't care that "There is no escape"; he is determined and does not lose sight of his goal.

The Magician - Chaos. This is a card of luck and creation, of forward momentum. You have made plans and now it's time for action. With the resources at your disposal, you enact change upon yourself and the world. There is a certain whimsy to this card that I think fits Chaos very well too, though I was tempted to place them in The Hermit, symbolizing the guidance they provide.

The High Priestess - Nyx. This card signifies the serene wisdom that comes from intuition and introspection. It's a card of deep, profound knowledge. The answers we seek are sitting inside of us, in our minds, our bones, they are truths we can feel, and those are what we must follow. This is Nyx urging Zagreus to pursue his desire to find his mother, and supporting him in the endeavor, because she knows as well as he does that he needs it in order to move forward.

The Empress - Persephone. The Empress provides; her generosity is built upon effort and careful cultivation in order to achieve the goal. Plus, harvest symbolism runs deep in this card. She ran away once, but once she returns, we see her trying to settle into her role as a mother and, once again, a Queen, and trying to be kind as she wants Hades to be.

The Emperor - Hades. In its reversed aspect, this card symbolizes a leadership that can be almost tyrannical in the way it lays claim to the loyalty of others and the rigidity and unfairness of his rulings. This fits his rulership and his intransigent attitude towards the members of the House and the Shades who enter compacts with him. His rule over the Underworld is absolute and, on occasion, stifling.

The Hierophant - Athena and, to a lesser extent, the other Olympians. This is a card of traidition and institution. In many cases, it can be an oppressive card of rigid rules that restrain our growth, but sometimes it can be interpreted as a calling to become part of an institution and seek a purpose. I'm going with that reading, with Athena lending her support to Zagreus' cause because they are family, and family stands united (family, too, is an institution). And she believes she is calling him to Olympus, which is its own hierarchy separate from the Underworld.

The Lovers - Zagreus in between Meg and Than. Mutual desire, a healthy partnership where all parties have their needs fulfilled. In some cases, it can represent a choice between two paths when you've come to a fork in the road, which works as well if you decide to choose a single romance. Alternatively, this could be the choice between reciprocating their feelings or staying friends; regardless, the relationships are positive.

The Chariot - Hermes and Charon. Healthy motivation, willpower, a sense of drive and certainty. Why not make this a card of Hermes delivering souls to Charon's "chariot", his boat? This is a card of purpose, of knowing exactly where you're going and heading there. The professional associates seem like a perfect fit for it.

Strength - Theseus and Asterius. In the way that traditional Strength cards picture a woman subduing a lion, I picture Theseus standing behind a sitting and relaxed Asterius, with his hands on his shoulders or mane. Theseus is as insufferable in death as he was in life, but we see him having realized some of his mistakes, starting with killing the Minotaur and then rescuing him from Erebus in death. Strength represents the courage to face your shortcomings and learn from them in order to move forward.

The Hermit - Sisyphus and Bouldy. In truth, Sisyphus would have been a good fit for Justice as well, as a character who pays penance for the atrocities he committed, but in the context of the game we often find him chilling during a break from the Furies’ wrath, and spending quiet time with Bouldy. The Hermit is a card that urges us to take time to be alone with our thoughts and reflections and use that to become better people, which Sisyphus definitely has, because oh boy, he was a piece of work in life.

Wheel of Fortune - The Pool of Styx. This card represents the ever-shifting nature of our lives; sometimes, we are on top of the world, and then we fall and are crushed by the wheel, only to rise again. Fortune and misfortune are temporary. Is there a better symbol for RNG? That being said, I would have chosen The Fates for this if they were in the game, because they're very closely tied to this card, for obvious reasons.

Justice - Erinyes. Balance, fairness, cause and effect. Good things happen to good people, and similarly, bad things happen to bad people. The Furies punish the worst of mortal sinners for the crimes they've committed.

The Hanged Man - Hypnos. Sometimes, you can feel stuck in life, and you just have to ride it out and accept it and do the best you can. Think of Hypnos' running commentary whenever you get killed. "Have you tried not dying?" And, "My brother never talks to me". And he fell asleep on the job again, and he gets scolded all the time. But the little dude is happy to just hang in there, make his lists and vibe. He does his best with what he has and I love him.

Death - Thanatos. Obviously because of the card name, but beyond that I think this card really fits Thanatos' journey. Death is a card about change, a deep change that can be painful because of its magnitude but is often necessary, and brings with it a new beginning. I think Thanatos is forced to reassess a lot of things when Zagreus decides to leave, and the change he goes through as a result puts him in a better place by the end.

Temperance - Euridyce. Temperance is a card of calm and balance, and it is the last of the virtues in the tarot; together with Strength and Justice, it brings the virtue of Prudence, which is the highest Platonic virtue. Following after the upheaval of Death, Temperance is the reassurance that despite the changes, the core parts of ourselves, what makes us who we are, will remain throughout it all. Despite the challenges, we thrive. Do I need to copy-paste the lyrics of "Good Riddance" here or are we good?

The Devil - Achilles. I picture him in this card as the most raw version of himself, the angry and afraid self that clings to the most harmful influences on him. The Devil symbolizes oppressive forces in our life that we are nevertheless loathe to part from, such as addictions or toxic relationships or negative emotions. Achilles is chained by his pact to Hades, separated from the man he loves and the happiness that he could find there, but more than that he is chained by his fear. He is consumed by regret that Patroclus died because of him and would rather imagine Patroclus happy in Elysium than confront him and his own feelings. When he decides to "risk it all", he is breaking the chain of that fear.

The Tower - Orpheus. In the deck I saw on twitter, he was assigned to The Fool, and that would be appropriate for the Orpheus setting out to the Underworld to rescue his wife, but when the game starts we see an Orpheus that is broken, standing in the wreckage of the consequences of his actions. The Tower has fallen, taking with it everything that seemed true and reliable about oneself, and we are left to question who we are in the wake of that destruction. He loses his will to sing and is listless and depressed. He is too swept up in the pain of his failure to move forward.

The Star - Dusa. This card is a light in the darkness, a moment of encouragement to move forward in the wake of a catastrophe like the Tower. Dusa's bubbly manner always puts a smile on my face, and I think she's perfect for this card. There is also the reversed meaning, which is that sometimes you can lose track of yourself and you need some time to recenter yourself and decide what your next step should be, which happens to Dusa as well.  

The Moon - Patroclus. This is a card of reflection (look, he talks to himself a lot), and it can be a warning not to let yourself be led by your fears and anxieties. It's a card of dreams that encourages you to listen to your gut and not be swayed by the fears of others or your own. Very little is illuminated by moonlight, but we move forward even so.

The Sun - Cerberus. The best boy(s) is clearly a big source of joy for Zagreus, perhaps the most comforting constant in his life in the Underworld. The Sun brings warmth, a moment of joy and reprieve and the opportunity to bask in what makes you happy. If you don't pet Cerberus first thing after you return to the House of Hades, you're playing this game wrong.

Judgment - Zagreus and Persephone in the garden. As one part of the journey comes to an end, a higher purpose calls to you, and you should heed the call. That is why so often, in decks that borrow the imagery of the Rider Waite Smith tarot, this is depicted as people rising from their graves at the sound of the angels' trumpets. This is a card of consequences, of reaping what you have sown. At the end of his trials and tribulations, Zagreus finds his mother, but that is only the beginning. The road to reconciliation of all those problems is still open. (If you wanted to be funny with the rebirth themes in this card, you could just put Skelly here, for shits and giggles. That dude just keeps coming back, and he’s definitely receiving some of the energy he put out into the world if his eternal fate is to be a punching bag).

The World - The Olympian Feast. The World is the real culmination of the journey, where all the effort made so far pays off and brings a moment of contentment and completion. The Underworld and Olympus fixing their relationship over Hades' best wine feels like a good fit for this, aside from being the conclusion of the game's story.

[christinaengela]

Hello friends and fans!

Welcome to my 44th newsletter – August 2020!

On A Personal Note

The 17th of July was a terribly sad day for our family because of the death of one of our fur-children, Ming. She was my little writing companion who used to sit across my shoulders sometimes, or on my knee while I typed away on my laptop.

I love all three our kitties, but Mingy-moo as I used to call her, held a special place in my heart… and to be frank, I miss her presence in my life terribly, as does Wendy.

Lily – our giant white mommy-cat, and Nyx – our little black one, were clearly in mourning as well. Their behavior has changed since she disappeared so suddenly from our lives, and even after a week, Nyx still hovers around the spot where Ming sat the last day she was with us, and Lily still searches the house for the missing kitty.

Ming used to do little things the other two kitties don’t do – some endearing, and some outright naughty – whose absence only makes her loss that much more tangible. Somehow the house seems so much more quiet and empty. Something is missing, and for weeks the empty-nest feeling has hung over it like a pall. It will be a while yet before we lift ourselves up again, and move on.

Then, in the early hours of Friday 24 July, more bad news! Someone asshat with sticky fingers burgled our Golf! Fortunately they were unprepared and set off the alarm and fled, leaving the driver side door open. There was some good news with the bad – there was no damage at all. The enterprising individual must’ve used a ‘slim-jim’ or similar tool to lever the lock open via the window channel, so no windows or locks etc. were damaged. I figure they also probably tried to steal the wheels – and then discovered I had a lock-nut on each wheel, because the only thing the bastards seem to have got away with is one single, solitary wheel-nut!

That aside, on other, much happier fronts, I completed another two paintings since last time we spoke – bringing my total number of paintings to five – and then I returned to writing again! On that front, among the BIGGEST news items I have to share with you this time, is the release of the audiobook version of “Blachart” – it’s finally here – and after three weeks of availability, I’m happy to report that it’s doing very well! More about that below!

Art

I also indulge in painting from time to time – and no, I don’t mean walls! The following paintings are in my portfolio:

“Human Nature” 2017 A4 acrylic canvas

“Balancier” 2020 A2 acrylic canvas

“Rescuer” 2020 A2 acrylic canvas

“The Awakening” 2020 A2 acrylic canvas

“The Earth Wept” 2020 40x40cm acrylic on canvas

I completed “The Awakening” on June 5, and started “The Earth Wept” just a few days later. “The Earth Wept” is on 40x40cm canvas and I finished that on July 12. I’ve also since renamed “Untitled” to “Human Nature”.

You can read more about my art projects on the Art page.

What do you think of them? Feel free to let me know!

Music

Yes – I also make music from time to time!

A selection of music tracks I made using eJay and other similar apps between 1999 – 2008 are available on my YouTube channel.

You can read more on the Music page on my website!

Activism

For those of you interested in my activism-related posts and activities, you can follow them at “Sour Grapes: The Fruit Of Ignorance“.

Current Writing Projects 

In the past few weeks I deviated from writing and went into art for a while, delivering four new completed paintings in a little over a month! In the meantime however, I made a return to writing by starting the long awaited next title in the Galaxii series!

Book 4 – still under a working title – is currently at a little over 18,000 words and growing by the day!

Editing

On the editing side of things, my friend Brandon Mullins  has been getting me into a proofreading and editing sideline over at Moon Books Publishing, and I’ll let you have any news on that as it happens!

I’ve just received the first submission for a new project entitled “Captain Jockstrap and the League of Do-gooders”! Yes, it probably is as silly as it sounds – but that’s the idea!

In the meantime, I still have a horror anthology on my desktop, which still needs a couple more submissions to reach publishing length – and more than that wouldn’t hurt! There will be no payment to writers, but participation will help get your name out there. If interested, please send them along to christinaengela@gmail.com.

Marketing – The Dreaded “M” Word! 

Portfolio 2020!

I thought it would be nice if I could produce a neat, organized catalog of all my books that interested parties could download and browse – a free, distributable and shareable catalog, and so I created “Portfolio 2020!” – a listing of all my currently available titles!

Portfolio is more than that though, because it also contains a biography as well as synopses for most of my titles – and I have a plan to update it regularly, perhaps on an annual basis! Portfolio 2020 is available as a free download from my website.

Videos

In July, I made a new book trailer video for the audiobook version of “Blachart” – and so did Nigel Peever as it turned out!

https://christinaengela.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/blachart-video-by-nigel-peever.mp4

Aren’t they great? 🙂

Sales

Getting my writing available in audiobook format seems to have been the ticket I’ve been waiting for, and these are truly exciting times for me as a writer! At this stage I have only one audiobook out, my first, and with its first month almost complete, sales are really encouraging! For the past month most of my marketing has been aimed at promoting “Blachart” and upcoming new audiobook titles “When Darkness Calls”, “Malice!” and “Demonspawn”. With more to follow, these items really could be the thing that helps promote my writing and blow those doors open that so far have tended to keep me out!

Publishing

Under recent releases this month, these are the six books I’ve released so far this year!

  July really has been a month of change. Not only was there a death in the family, but it’s also the month I closed my account with Lulu.com – the self-publishing platform I’ve used since 2005. Although I am angry with Lulu, and sorely disappointed in what they’ve done – and how they did it – I am grateful for what they did for me over the years. There’s no way I would’ve had the foundations in self-publishing I have today, were it not for Lulu. At one time, they were the ONLY self-publishing platform that would take on writers from South Africa – let alone being willing to accommodate paying us via PayPal!

Sadly, I simply couldn’t get to grips with the awful new changes Lulu inexplicably inflicted on loyal users that – in my view – rendered the platform unfriendly and totally useless. In the second week of July I redistributed the titles that were based on Lulu between Moon Books (publishing eBook, paperback and audiobook via Amazon) and eBooks via EBooks2Go, Draft2Digital and StreetLib. Frankly I think some of them that were available only on Lulu will have an even wider reach as a result. I sent Lulu the account deletion request on the 20th.

Unfortunately, due to Lulu’s short-sighted idiocy, I now have to edit and update “The Pitfalls of South African Self-publishing” as well – there’s an entire section covering how to self-publish a book via the system Lulu just casually chucked into the bin that needs to change. Frankly, I’m thinking I’ll need to base that portion on EBooks2go instead – since their system is far simpler and easier to use, not to mention less fiddly.

Also as a result, I’ve had to update purchase links on my website and social media accounts that referred directly or indirectly to my books via Lulu. If you find any I haven’t got round to fixing yet, please drop me a line and let me know! 😉

Hally Park Publishers

For quite a while now I’ve been working to expand my marketing reach, and in the spirit of that endeavor I recently contracted with Hally Park Publishers – a South African small press who also list suitable self-published titles on their website – to list my eBooks!

It’s taken a little time for them to appear on their website – after all, I’m not the only author they have listed, and I have just over 30 books – so I’m sure that was quite a job! Nevertheless, the first fifteen appeared on their site during the night (yes, I’ve been watching)!

The advantage of this arrangement – that is, listing my books on a local South African book selling site – is that it’s a new local market which already attracts its own traffic! Additionally, the prices are displayed in Rands, as well as my books being displayed alongside titles by other local authors – which should attract more local readers looking for some local literary South African flavor!

You can view my listing there by clicking on the link, or the screenshot below!

Audiobooks

“All That Remains” JEA (2019)

“See Them Aliens” MBP (2019)

“Blachart” MBP (2020)

I mentioned previously in my post “Coming Soon! “Blachart” – the Audiobook!” back in May – and in my newsletters for June and July that I’ve been eagerly awaiting the audiobook release of “Blachart” – and I’m sure you have too!

On the July 10th I got a notification that “Blachart” the audiobook was available on Amazon! As I promised in February this year, “Blachart” has (finally) been released as an audiobook! It doesn’t usually take this long to go through the production process, and I’m sure the current pandemic must’ve had something to do with it – but regardless, the eagerly-awaited finished product has arrived at last! And – WOW – what a product it is!

Narrated by Nigel Peever, “Blachart” – book 1 in the Galaxii series – is 10 hours 26 min long, and is nothing less than a rip-roaring sci-fi adventure! You can read more about it here.

I’ve also had to review a string of auditions for “Malice!“, “When Darkness Calls” and “Best Served Cold” – and I have to comment on the diverseness of the sort of voices, accents and personalities that sent their auditions in! Wow! For a writer, nothing encapsulates the diversity of one’s audience more than listening to a variety of people, male and female, reading words you wrote in a variety of accents! It’s even more of a compliment when you can hear them enjoying it as they do so! “When Darkness Calls” is narrated by Miciah Dodge, and Michelle Innes had me covered in goosebumps as she read an excerpt of “Malice!” in her Scottish accent! Currently, “Malice!”, “When Darkness Calls”, and “Demonspawn” are in production, and we’re still looking for a narrator to read “Best Served Cold”!

Coming Soon

In the meantime, here’s a look at the covers for the coming audiobooks of “When Darkness Calls” and “Demonspawn”:

Reviews

You can see all my previous reviews here.

Currently Available Titles

I now have 29 unique titles available in 4 series (not including books I’ve been the editor for, and my 16 free promotional items)! My books are available in three different formats: EBooks, Paperbacks and Audiobooks. Click the links or images below to view titles available in these formats.

Communication

Below are links to a few of my most recent posts and articles since my last newsletter:

Expand The Brand: Hally Park Publishers

Guest Writer #4: Lee Hall

Coming Soon: “Malice!” – The Audiobook!

Coming Soon: “Demonspawn” – The Audiobook!

“Blachart” – TWO Audiobook Trailers!

“When Darkness Calls” – Actually A True Story

A Visit To The Archives!

“Blachart” – A Writing Journey [cross-posted on Moon Books website]

Unleashed: “Blachart” – The Audiobook!

Free Download! Portfolio 2020!

Another Round At The Crow Bar #43 July 2020

If you want to see more articles, just click on the category links below:

Elements of Horror

FAQ Answered

Fun Facts

LGBT Heroes

The Tech Side

Secret Weapons of the Resistance

Writing Advice

Guest Writers

Newsletters

Interactions

Fan Mail, Reader Reviews & Honorable Mentions

I very pleased to have quite a few items to show you this month!

Parade.com shared one of my quotes in a listing titled “150 of the Best Relationship Quotes and Sweetest Couple Quotes That’ll Make Your Heart Flutter” on July 08, 2020. “Regardless of what language it is said in, ‘I love you’ stays beautiful, and two hearts beating together make the same sound. It is the language of Love.” – Christina Engela

The Satanic Church of South Africa shared my academic book “Satanism: The Acid Test” on their website resource page! (found on July 12, 2020) This is of course, what this book is supposed to do – educate people, demystify the occult, and relieve people of their ignorance!

Miciah Dodge, the narrator recording “When Darkness Calls” sent a message via ACX on July 07:

Jennifer Shepard really seems to have liked my article about “Blachart”! (July 11, 2020):

The audiobook version of “Blachart” received a gracious reader/listener review on the 5th of July:

On July 21, Brandon Mullins, CEO of Moon Books Publishing shared the following compliment for “Blachart” in a publishing group on Facebook:

On July 26, Scott M. Darrah gave me his opinion of the audiobook:

Miciah Dodge, the narrator for “Christina Engela’s Strangely Compelling Scifi Stories vol 1”, “When Darkness Calls” and “Duck Blind” sent me this nice email on July 26, 2020:

I display my Fan Mail, Reviews & Compliments with pride, gratitude and humility. You’re always welcome to have a look.

Hate Mail & Horrible Mentions

On July 17, somebody thought it would probably be hilarious if they spam bombed my inbox with email notifications for a fake account they created in my name – on an Asian Dating Site in Indonesia! Unfortunately for them, I left the factory with a warped sense of humor, so instead of being bent out of shape by their ‘ingenuity’ all they did was give me a few good laughs… I mean have you seen half the profiles on any dating site?? Anyway, I know how to filter and block email addresses – and the admins of said dating site were kind enough to delete the profile for me when I asked nicely, so – better luck next time, whoever you are!

I’m rather proud of my hate mail, and you can review my collection here – but be forewarned, don’t do it while eating or drinking, or you might choke while laughing!

Interviews

All my interviews are linked to from this page. If you would like to do an interview with me about my work, please do get in touch!

In Closing

Well, that’s all for this time, folks! 🙂

Thanks again for all your support, friendship and interaction!

Feel free to email or message me via Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn if you have any comments or questions!

Until next time, keep reading!

Cheers! 🙂

Catch me on social media!

Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Academia | Minds | Instagram | GoodReads | Author’s Database | Library Thing | YouTube | Pintrest | Stage32 | The Book Marketing Network

If you would like to know more about Christina Engela and her writing, please feel free to browse her website.

If you’d like to send Christina Engela a question about her life as a writer or transactivist, please send an email to christinaengela@gmail.com or use the Contact form.

Show your appreciation for Christina’s work!

All material copyright © Christina Engela, 2020.

Another Round At The Crow Bar #44 August 2020 Hello friends and fans! Welcome to my 44th newsletter - August 2020!

[persona-rrau]

Hey there, I think what you've done with this AU is divine! It's so well thought out and the content always hooks me in regardless of what it is. How did you get started with it all? I'm trying to spread an AU I've started with my wife but I'm really not sure where to start for spreading awareness about it. (Not asking for a shout-out, just curious is all!)

TNT: One night I got really thirsty for hot boys in hot clothes, and drew a really self indulgent sketch of Akira as Minato’s retainer. My drawing tag was exactly “only I will care about this”. Surprise, Straylize ended up caring about it. So much that we bounced ideas off each other the entire night, and several days afterwards. Really, we couldn’t stop thinking about it, and at this point we don’t even know what we were doing before RRAU. I had a story for the AU outlined already, but since I outlined mine before I was even aware Straylize was outlining it as well, we ended up with a few deviations.

In the end, I posted the first concepts of RRAU on June 14th, and Straylize ended up posting the fic on June 18th.

I wasn’t expecting… that big a response on a self indulgent concept. The asks that ended up coming in after I posted those concepts were only giving me room to talk about what I couldn’t talk about in the first concept post. There ended up being so many asks that Straylize suggested we make a blog specifically for them in order to keep them organized, and that was ultimately the way this blog was formed.

Since Straylize also built the world in her fic, along with the other houses, it set the base of what was otherwise only a pegokita AU and made it into a persona au. Pegokita are still front line and center, but there’s a whole world around them now that people can toy with at their convenience. We ended up with deviations before because we didn’t know each other’s plans, but now we’re keeping in touch to unify all the roles/ideas. There will still be noncanon concepts, ships, and art, but we’re trying to agree on all the important plot-relevant things to avoid deviations (Akechi is currently the biggest deviation). 

So yeah, all the advice I can give is, just start your au and fuss about the details later. The important thing is to just get stuff out there where people can see it. Tag it accordingly, post consistently, and pray to Nyx, because it involves a good bit of luck as well (yes, that one useless smt stat, turns out it has a purpose, shocker). I also think (since you’re building it together) that communication is important to make sure you both get what you want from the AU. I wish you good luck on your own au, anon! This was more story than help, but I hope it gave you a bit of insight regardless.

straylize: Honestly, I think there’s not much more that can be said that TNT hasn’t already. Pretty much entirely, things have gotten spread the way they have because neither of us ever shuts up about it, lmao. Not to each other, not via TNT’s tumblr, not on our twitter accounts. 

The blog was just a centralized way to handle things so we had an easy platform for the both of us to share our ideas and our work.   Things like worldbuilding and lore could get easily lost in twitter threads, and a lot of concepts are there for the world that may not get focused on in TNT’s art/comics or my fics.

Basically, just love the work you do and the world you build. Concepts that are interesting can easily sell themselves so long as you’re passionate and excited about it; hell, even with me and TNT, so many of our unified AU ideas come just from us bouncing ideas around and then getting carried away until we really decide we have to use it to satiate our thirst.

It’s fun and self-indulgent, and as long as you and whoever you’re working with are having fun, that enthusiasm will shine through and bring others in! Good luck in your own AU endeavors, and thank you so much for the kind words!

[triumphorce]

Canali cloth attire, laid nonchalantly over fire, from topics uninspired to disgruntling pressures under fire, targetin spires, charrin sleeves and leavin nothing but naked wholehearted beings and tarnished iron trim,

Finest barbed wire imprisonment, causin marred alliances, as blood rushes from self and rusts the pine links and pinned leaves of holly twine wreathing appeasement in drama, makin tied seam strength synonymous to tenacious, blocking and blanking aiding regimes agelessly fought for, proud of sorrow, lamenting praising or barrowing triumph,

Enough with all the staged in attention addicted Lady Gaga verbal-apparel, needless needle embroiderin shared ploys of disappointment, but this ain’t Roleplayers anonymous and if it was you staged it rather obvious, in which case, yeaa, I think we got it,

shit changed, you couldn’t foster, lest maintain and thus you lost “it”, only caught up in acts of homicide and robbery, so bring the coffin please, from Dubai to a community threw to die in poverty,

Only spewing faux wit, So now I faux pas truth, dismissin laundered talent, in a drought cause you deserted yourself, So now it’s comin back to haunt you, in all of these fluent water spouted lakes, flow faux naïf-unbound, quenchin haters inner child, Dasani crisp, Danali limits I exemplify in lyrics, announced atop of cliffs, offerin poetic gifts to ones not honest to his or her own, spread my mission and bring it home,

Forever getting nearer…

In completing literary pyramids of intricately-equaling mirrored wit, clearer than disappear and gentle wind, so why do I still progress through temperance, when seeking creative ledges and you can't? risen over fallen tears and then some, tearing hair out and donating it, hearing nothin to turn my cheek, only bit inside of it, fearsome hearings anxiously veered me to mutiny within my mental premises,

Breached only by a will to hold on for the truth of dawn’s sight, my muse has already prophesized,

So all the whining and sighs are not from loss in site, just from loss of sight to finding pride, ultimately locked by their own conceit, slowly teeming in self affixed, self-defeating exemption of ever proceeding again, ignorantly limitin their consistency and causes them to make excuses as proof of cloaked Excellency, good enough to leave them hopeless in others’ motives while only promotin de-motifs,

So don’t stick around if you enemy to entropy of Nyxheim’s present loathe-state to future shone intimacy, loss of lust whilst shifting reigns in palindrome planes of outer realms, nothing gained to balance attention deficient objection-ist, only denoting initials sewn in collages

Of over-flaunted acknowledgments, either in past-due accomplishments, preceding reasons for “dis-membership”, or indicative diction of whose grievance was largest in adoptin Nyx, ehhhh, really more like auctioned it,

And left those who were followin nothin but college-long lists of problems and Martyr trails of wrongly “discarded” characters, that newcomers are forcibly strayed to wallow in,

Cause you felt betrayed, orphaned with no conception of tolerance or perseverance, so you bring Apollo carriages, carrying Carrie despair within, isolating Carian with over-weary, heavy cargo of caricaturing problems, harnessing false pretenses of sharply edged double-sided warfare relieving care of duty,

Started bombing in the name of over arching tales for plotted dreams in fallin air, waiting to be harvest bare,

But faith, as sun’s rays, fades to darkest made disguises, on a stage portraying lively, their pain, light seldom playing a part in, not sayin what’s displayed is fake, but obstinately placing blame in comments that only lack grace, negates the modesty, replaced with garnished garbage feeds, it’s okay to leave, but not absolve your fallen dreams through thoughts displayed, always talkin bout Arcadia when it’s obvious that that ain’t the problem here,

subliminally imprintin dreams, that only break ‘way the ones who inherit post-Bush offices, self acclaimed authors in the art of roleplayin but lose throttle when change of what has brought them here brings loathe to redeem past events, no desire in furthering grasps, or going beyond to creatin a masterpiece,

Needing to get away from all of this, might drop another thousand bars again, so maybe it’s best for the one’s stuck in the dust of production’s joggin pace, place their resignation, doin nothin but hatin and disengagin,

Been restraining range in all of these poems’ exposure and chosen topics’ engagement, Been thinkin a cadence of change in scenery is needed, so I needle topics, stringing phonics, innovatively harpin new is the god in us,

More importantly, expressing more openly my focus on what’s goin on in ominously woven carcasses unbeknownst to their artistic reach in ever paused heart beats, in that moment, leavin no hope for today, tomorrow’s already over,

If none elope, then what other possible motion is left, guess I need to spell it out cause most of all I’ve seen is over-merited

Oblivious talkin, no shown weight difference in comparison of something cherished behind, just pound for pound hypocrisy

Encased in deceitfully thoughtful speeches boxed in reminiscences, obnoxiously demeaning what the beginning offered,

Speaking of how awesome it once was, forgot love, well what’s not love is the op-tion to allow what you claim gave you a faucet to fall flacid,

Turnin diamond ring carat facets to fragmenting all of us, and not even from any leave of absence, but more because of a leave in passion and that is self-practiced,

In the face of comparin the past and present, one in the same path of two,

So of course what’s already been contracted looks more attractive when you haven’t attempted latter effort, or laddered endeavors, lapped or even attempted to catch ghost from past time trials, just  just the action of lacking spirit,

never heard of movin backwards to get to past hurt and since truth is truth, what’s done is done,

Like what’s hope is hope, thus, when true and influenced, is so, still only renewed once the whole of affiliates facilitate to group as one again

until then i will promote hope in, and gratitude forever owed

Fin.

[clarissadixonsart]

I finally got around to making some nice art of my fatesona~ 

Here are all of her different facial expressions with blush and sweat variations along with a little map sprite!

Details about my fatesona under the cut!

Name: Clarissa Starting Class: Sorcerer Secondary Class: Outlaw Boon: Skill, Bane: Luck Personal Skill: Vengeful Friend: If engaging with an enemy unit who dealt damage to an A supported or higher ally, Crit +10

Personal weapon: Draining Curse Mt: 5, Crit +10. May recover HP equal to half the damage dealt depending on the user's luck

A+ Supports: Selena, Nyx, Orochi, Kagero, Setsuna, Mozu, Flora S Supports: Laslow, Niles, Takumi, Tsubaki

Bio: An ambitious Nohrian sorcerer with a generally calm exterior and subtle presence. Although she has issues dealing with revenge, she's a valuable ally who sticks to her word. Is up the latest. Born 12/28

Stat screen "help" description: A Nohrian sorcerer with a knack for using manipulative magic and curses non conventionally.

Backstory: Although Clarissa had a relatively normal upbringing, she often found herself extremely bitter about life's occasional grievances. Not being one for direct conflict, she found herself drawn to the dark arts as a teen. She saw it as a way to more passively deal with the things troubling her and those around her. At first, she mainly used her newfound knowledge of sorcery to attempt to curse local thieves and criminals in her neighborhood so that they too could suffer for the trouble they caused. However, Clarissa soon found herself more comfortable with the process and began cursing people for her own personal gain or other petty reasons. Realizing that she shouldn't abuse her skills in such a way, she decided to devote time into looking into ways in which she could use hexes and curses in a more positive manner. After about a year of practice and studies, she began attempting to control and bring life back to things that had died and were beyond saving with the use of staves. Over the years, she's honed her skill and is known around her neighborhood for reanimating (or attempting to) animals that people bring to her, however, rumors still circulate about some of her more ethically questionable endeavors. Seeking fame, wealth, and future success for her daughter, her mother pressured her to consult with the Nohrian army to see if her skills would be of their interest. Although hesitant at first, she agreed with hopes that she would have easier access to more rare and powerful tomes. She currently resides just outside castle Krakenburg and frequently meets with more experienced sorcerers and tacticians. Oftentimes she's put in charge of further research concerning faceless and powerful curses to be weaponized and used against Hoshidan forces. She has no real ill will towards Hoshido, but she finds her research interesting and often thinks of ways to implement it in everyday life. Although she began studying the dark arts for generally good intentions, she continually finds herself at war with her own moral compass as she experiments with different applications.

[mayoiayasep]

assorted doodles from the past month ^^

[sofunsd]

進入八月中了感覺應該要收心了齁，阿不過有趣好玩的活動怎麼沒有收尾的現象、還是一波接一波阿? 這個週末在離聖地牙哥不遠的橙縣和洛杉磯，有汽車迷喜歡的Auto Enthusiast Day、有時尚達人喜歡的BeautyCon、有貓奴們不可錯過的CatCon、有充滿浴衣太鼓的日本盂蘭盆節夏日祭典、還有那萬頭鑽動的626夜市和即將結束的OC County Fair……哇! 真的是又讓人開始頭痛要去哪個活動比較好呢! 跟著小編一起來看看吧!

☀周末去哪 Fun？SOFUN 帶您漫遊OC & LA~

Fiesta Music Festival (8/13)(OC)

橙縣的San Clemente將在這週日舉辦ㄧ場街頭音樂狂歡節，在downtown的主街Avenida Del Mar上 會封街舉辦這場一年一度別開生面的活動。當地的非營利組織贊助美食和遊戲攤位，一整天並有三個主舞台上演不間斷的音樂表演。一整天有適合各種年齡層的比賽和活動，如呼拉圈比賽、salsa大挑戰、吃派大賽、吃冰淇淋比賽、吹泡泡比賽、寶寶爬行比賽等，kids fun zone的活動如臉部彩繪、跳繩比賽、跳跳屋、氣球藝術、和各個DIY手工勞作區。活動免費，歡迎有興趣的朋友前往參加喔!

時間: August 13 Sun, 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

地點: 100 & 200 block of Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente

網站: http://www.scchamber.com/events/details/san-clemente-fiesta-music-festival-08-14-2016-2603

2017 Auto Enthusiast Day(8/12) (OC)

汽車迷的朋友，可別錯過這週六在橙縣安納罕天使球場的這個由��Nitto Tire贊助專門設計給汽車迷的第五屆Auto Enthusiast Day! 現場會有許多汽車廠商展示最新款式的各式車輛、還會有車手展示如甩尾等高難度精彩動作。活動完全免費，現場還有許多攤位可採購汽車週邊商品、也備有美味餐車，另外還會有很多精美贈品大放送喔!

時間:   August 12 Sat, 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm

地點: 2000 E Gene Autry Way, Anaheim, CA 92806, USA  (Angel Stadium)

網站:   http://www.autoenthusiastday.com/

Antique Phonograph and Record Expo (8/13)(OC)

您對古董留聲機有興趣嗎? 本週末在橙縣的Buena Park的UFCW聯合廳有ㄧ個外行的看熱鬧、內行的看門道的好機會，古董留聲機協會將於舉行一年一度的古董留聲機及音響博覽會，來自北美各地的經銷商將齊聚一堂提供各種各樣的音響相關物品，從基本入門款到蒐藏行家版本都有。不論是舊的留聲機、伴唱機、黑膠唱片、自動唱片點唱機或其他古董機械音樂等等應有盡有。想讓家裡多點懷舊風的氣氛、讓家裡時常餘音繞樑的話可要把握機會去現場挖寶囉!

時間:   August 13 Sun,10 am to 3 pm

地點:  UFCW Union Hall in Buena Park, 8530 Stanton Ave – At the corner of Crescent Ave., one block from Knott’s Berry Farm’s main entrance

網站: https://www.antiquephono.org/events/2017-aps-showsalebanquet/

Sizzlin’ Summer Concert: Stone Soul (8/13)(OC)

橙縣的爾灣市政府在夏季週日傍晚在Mike Ward Community Park舉辦的夏季戶外音樂會系列( Sizzlin’ Summer Concert series)已經默默地來到了最後一場，此次邀請到南加著名的Stone Soul樂團擔綱閉幕壓軸嘉賓，為民眾帶來經典的抒情靈魂音樂和帶來摩城風格的美聲。活動免費，現場有許多的兒童遊樂區、還有食物餐車，有興趣參加的民眾請記得帶上薄毯、海灘椅和薄長袖衣服喔!

時間:  Aug  13 Sun, 5:30 p.m.

地點: Mike Ward Community Park, 20 Lake Road, Irvine

網站: http://www.cityofirvine.org/news-media/calendar-of-events/event/sizzlin-summer-concert-stone-soul-classic-soul-and-motown

626 Night Market 2017 (8/11-13)(LA)

如果你錯過了六月和七月的626 夜市活動的話，那這週末千萬不要錯過這個全美最大的華人夜市「 626夜市」 。 作為全美最大的華人夜市，「 626夜市」可說是聲名遠播，每年舉辦之際都是摩頂放踵、萬頭鑽動，上百攤的美食攤位一字排開，沒人受的了它的誘惑。今年除了有鹽酥雞、烤魷魚、串燒、章魚燒、烤玉米串、香港雞蛋仔、珍珠奶茶、西瓜汁、檸檬愛玉冰、芒果冰沙、炒冰淇淋等傳統小吃的美食攤位外，還有像賣生活雜貨、服飾、手工皂、傳統手工藝品的攤位，真的是會逛到心滿意足、飽到走不動啦! 今年的「 626夜市」整個暑假只舉辦四個周末喔! 趕緊把握機會吧! (PS. 「 626」是電話區域號，主要是指在洛杉磯市東邊的聖蓋博谷及鄰近城市、有眾多亞裔的地區。)

時間: Aug 11 Fri & Aug 12 Sat, 4:00 pm-1:00 am |  Aug 13 Sun,  4:00 pm-11:00 pm

地點: 285 W Huntington Dr, Arcadia, CA 91007, USA

網站: 626nightmarket.com

票價: 週五& 週日$3, 週六 $5 。六歲以下兒童免費。

CatCon 2017 (8/12-13)(LA)

貓奴們盡情尖叫吧！貓咪博覽會將在這週末來到洛杉磯囉！現場有各式各樣貓咪相關的寵物家具、玩具服飾和藝術品攤位、也可以近距離跟許多知名網紅貓互動，若受不了喵星人的無辜大眼、撒嬌的舉動，現場也開放領養、把有緣的喵星人帶回家喔!

時間:  Aug 12 Sat,  9: 00 am-6:00 pm   |   Aug 13 Sun, 10:00 am-5: 00 pm

地點:  300 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91101

網站:   catconworldwide.com

票價: 15-100

Gardena Obon Festival  (8/12-13)(LA)

Obon Festival是佛教中的重要節日，佛教徒用來表達遙祭祖先、追悼先人之意，而由於盂蘭盆節時間剛好與中元節重疊，又稱為「魂祭」或「燈籠節」，可以說是新年之外的第二大節日。而擁有眾多日本移民的洛杉磯，這週末就將在Gardena Buddhist Church舉辦Gardena  Obon Festival 盂蘭盆節夏日祭典，這可說是每年南加夏天最大型的日本祭典活動之一。

活動上將有豐富的美食攤位，包括壽司、拉麵、蕎麥麵、烏龍麵、咖哩、串燒、刨冰等，伴隨豐富多彩的娛樂和武術節目表演、手工藝活動、有獎遊戲、商展攤位等。重頭戲當然就是日本太鼓表演，還有Bon Odori Dance的民俗舞蹈可觀賞，也有很多民眾會穿著漂亮的浴衣或和服前往參加慶典呢! 對日本傳統文化有興趣的朋友可別錯過這難得的機會喔!

時間:  Aug 12 Sat,  3:00 pm – 10:00 pm  |   Aug 13 Sun, 2:00 pm – 9:00 pm

地點:  1517 W. 166th St., Gardena, CA 90247 (Gardena Buddhist Church)

網站:  gardenabuddhistchurch.org

Beautycon LA 2017(8/12-13)(LA)

想要最新最IN的美妝知識嗎? 那就不能錯過這週末在Los Angeles Convention Center舉辦的 2017 Beautycon 美妝博覽會！現場有超多美妝網紅現身說法分享他們的美妝知識和彩妝技巧，當然還有很多美妝品牌如大家熟悉的Loreal 、Maybelline、Laneige、NYX、Anastasia等設置展覽攤位。主舞台上除了有DJ帶動氣氛外也會不時舉辦彩妝示範和講座，還有許多小贈品大放送喔! 有興趣的美眉們趕緊去現場朝聖吧! 包準你一定美美地出來!

https://vimeo.com/204406188

時間: Aug 12 Sat to Aug 13 Sun, 12:00 pm -7:00 pm

地點: 1201 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

網站 : https://beautycon.com/

☀Movie of the week 週末電影推薦！

謝謝你，在世界的角落找到我 (In this corner of the world)

據說比「龍貓」更好看的日本動畫，另一部奪下日本旬報年度最佳影片的動畫作品，在日本獲得廣大票房肯定。故事大綱是出身廣島的鈴，個性憨直可愛，畫得一手好畫，總用獨特的想像力勾勒出奇幻的美好世界。1944年，十八歲的她離開家鄉，嫁到吳市。稚氣未脫的新嫁娘粗心手拙，在這個陌生的軍港城鎮裡，跌跌撞撞地開啟了新的生活。隨著空襲加劇，生活愈發艱困，但鈴堅毅幽默面對，也漸漸發現，異鄉成了家鄉，亂世裡原無愛情的婚姻，竟也在她私密畫冊中一幅幅展開幸福。戰爭結束後，幾乎被摧毀的小鎮重新綴起閃爍燈火。「這不是我計畫的人生，但此時此刻，是我最好的人生。」鈴與她勇敢選擇的人生，繼續展開。

堅果任務2:保育行動(The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature )

這部電影是2014年「搶劫堅果店」的續集。松鼠塞利（Surly）和他的小夥伴們遇到了新的威脅，邪惡的市長要拆掉公園建築遊樂場，塞利這次必須和小夥伴們團結起來，抵禦外敵，拯救家園。

☀ONgoing! OC 夏天不間斷

2017 OC Fair (-8/13)(OC)

2017 橙縣博覽會轉瞬間就來到最後ㄧ個週末啦! 這個馬拉松式的嘉年華會，裡頭有吃不完的美食、美酒、讓孩子玩到瘋的遊樂設施、欣賞不盡的重量級表演等，絕對是值得全家一去再去的超大型嘉年華會! 現場有西半球最大的行動觀景摩天輪 La Grande Wheel 還有讓人在高空60呎處嚇破膽的”Endeavor”；Kids zone有雲霄飛車、海盜船、賽車、可愛動物區、豬豬賽跑比賽、甚至還有小型的動物拍賣會; 其他還有Salsa 比賽、夜間呼拉圈大賽、各種廚藝競賽、精釀啤酒品嚐大會等。最棒的是，針對不同天也有提供不同的入場優惠呦！其他詳細活動請看SOFUN專文: 2017 OC Fair is Coming! 橙縣博覽會來囉! (7/14-8/13)

時間: July 14 Fri to Aug 13 Sun, 10:00 am- 8:00 pm

地點: 88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA

網站: ocfair.com/oc-fair

票價: $7-35

Pageant of the Masters (-8/31)(OC)

在橙縣藝術氣息濃厚的Laguna Beach 每年七月到八月都會舉辦讓人嘖嘖稱奇、號稱為「 活畫作」(living pictures) 的「Pageant of the Masters」藝術活動，是一個請真人模擬演出古今中外著名的畫作的表演秀，不論是中古歐洲古典畫或是當代新興藝術家的創作，都由表演藝術工作者上了極為擬真的舞台妝和造型演出，演出前置作業相當繁複，而整齣秀會由一個說書人在現場管弦樂團的優雅樂聲中、為大家解說舞台上一幕幕的活畫作，把大家熟悉的世界名畫演出來! 相當另類特別且難忘!  雖然表演期間長達兩個月、幾乎每晚都在 Irvine Bowl上演、但吸引了全球各地的藝術愛好者前往欣賞，仍是相當一票難求。

今年的主題是「Grand Tour」將帶您回到17和18世紀的歐洲，透過當時的畫作、從藝術家的視野來了解當時歐洲人民對航向未知新大陸、開創新生活的渴望。有興趣的朋友們請快上網站搶票，不然就明年請早囉!

時間:  July 7 – August 31,  Nightly at 8:30pm

地點: Irvine Bowl at the Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

網站: http://www.foapom.com/pageant-of-the-masters/

票價:  $15-$230

Summer Sawdust Art & Craft Festival(-9/3) (OC)

在Laguna Beach舉辦的夏季鋸屑藝術節從1966年開始舉辦、至今超過半個世紀，已成為南加藝術愛好者們、收藏家、新銳��術家的年度盛事，每到暑假都會有長達兩個月的藝術活動、讓超過 200 位學有專功的藝術家們齊聚一堂，藝術品形式從繪畫、首飾製作、陶瓷、服裝皮件、木雕金雕石雕到攝影等，都可以在鋸屑藝術節挖到寶。而且這個藝術節在每周五和周六的早上時段，有開設各式各樣的藝術課程喔! 趕緊來Laguna Beach 感受一下夏日海濱的這個藝術盛會吧!

時間：June 30 Fri  to Sep 3 Sun,  每天10:00 am-10:00 pm

地點：935 Laguna Canyon Rd，Laguna Beach, CA 92651

網站：https://sawdustartfestival.org/

票價: 成人 $9,  6-12歲孩童 $ 4, 65歲以上長者 $7, 5歲以下孩童免費

Little Saigon Night Market(-9/3)(OC)

橙縣的 Westminster 被稱為「小西貢」，而這個小西貢每年夏天最熱鬧的活動就是在Asian Garden Mall的停車場舉辦的小西貢夜市！這個夜市以東南亞特色為主，在這裡可以嚐到許多特色美味，像是海螺、越南春卷、越南蛋餅、西米露等。除了東南亞美食外，也有東南亞音樂表演、越南傳統服飾、小童玩傳統遊戲等。小西貢週末夜市會持續舉辦至暑假結束(9/3)。

時間: June 16 Fri  to Sep 3 Sun,   每週五六日 7:00 pm-11:00 pm

地點: 9200 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92683, USA

網站:  facebook.com/events/1737703799892620

週末去哪FUN？帶你漫遊Orange County & LA (8/11-13) 進入八月中了感覺應該要收心了齁，阿不過有趣好玩的活動怎麼沒有收尾的現象、還是一波接一波阿? 這個週末在離聖地牙哥不遠的橙縣和洛杉磯，有汽車迷喜歡的Auto Enthusiast Day、有時尚達人喜歡的BeautyCon、有貓奴們不可錯過的CatCon、有充滿浴衣太鼓的日本盂蘭盆節夏日祭典、還有那萬頭鑽動的626夜市和即將結束的OC County Fair......哇! 真的是又讓人開始頭痛要去哪個活動比較好呢! 跟著小編一起來看看吧!

[mayoiayasep]

happy nekuyan uhhh *checks calendar* monday. happy nekuyan monday

[id: a torso-up sketch of yuuma hanae as Hana smiling brightly at the viewer in her cafe roman uniform. end id]

[mayoiayasep]

drop this nico robin when they least expect it

[mayoiayasep]

hori future design for the girlies birthday<3

[id: a pencil bust sketch of hori’s 10 years later design from the bonus horimiya chapters. she’s wearing a birthday party cap and is smiling while looking at something off to the side. end id]

[mayoiayasep]

2024 year of the nami fr‼️‼️

[id: a colored sketch redraw of nami's orange town outfit, with her having one hand on her hip and the other with her pointer finger extended upward. there are two oranges drawn to the left side of nami's head and her name written on the right side, the background is colored in several shades of turquoise. end id]