#ruin babbles

[ruiniel]

Kusuriuri & Kitsune

This was likely noticed before but just thinking about how Kitsune are represented in culture and the likeness to the medicine seller's face markings/traits:

Fox Mask

Morita Kan'ya as Kitsune Tadanobu in Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura

Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Fox-Genkuro and Bando Kamezo as Yokawa Kakuhan

Kitsune:

"fox" or "fox spirit" - belongs to the yōkai family of supernatural Japanese creatures

shapeshifting abilities (usually as a young woman); the Kitsune can become extremely powerful and can take on any appearance, has the power to read & take possession of minds as well as dreams

believed to be the messenger of Inari Ōkami, a Shinto spirit which in ancient times was also the patron of swordsmiths and merchants

the more tails a Kitsune has—they may have as many as nine—the older, wiser, and more powerful it is

There are different types of Kitsune. Inari's Kitsune are covered in white fur, a color of good omen, possess the power to ward off evil, and they sometimes serve as guardian spirits

believed to be integrated in Japanese folklore from other cultures, where similar spirits had powers of illusion

In some legends, the Kitsune wears a necklace of beads around its neck to symbolize the 13 elements of Japanese mythology

masters of cunning

duality: portrayed as either mischievous or faithful in the role of guardian, friend, lover. Sometimes portrayed as playing tricks on overly proud samurai, greedy merchants or boastful commoners

Kitsune do not share human morality (as expected tbh)

Now:

definitely has shapeshifting abilities

"just a medicine seller" (merchant)

the mane of his sword and otherself is silver-white

possesses the power to ward off evil

possesses powers of illusion

necklace (though the pendant addition seems inspired by Ainu traditional wear)

is pretty sly, and surely displays cunning. Very foxy attitude throughout (let me have this)

duality: need not explain this one, linked to the shapeshifting

does not share human morality

Our medicine seller certainly displays some of the above traits but is unlikely to be a Kitsune (which is part of the mystery, love that). It's fun to see some mythological parallels though.

[ruiniel]

Friend I got you. The fanfics will pour

He is going through it guys : the shirt is buttoned up

[presidentalpaca]

From: Adam Conover ("Adam Ruins Everything")

"Instead of negotiating with us, Netflix decided to open an overpriced restaurant. Here's what we did in front of it. Starring the incomparable Adam Lustick, with concept and props by WGA writer Shawn Wines."

[donelywell]

HERES YOUR ART PAYMENT

SILVER!!!! (and Espio)

The boyyyy!!! Worth every cent!

[y-rhywbeth2]

'My old friend [...] we are brilliant [...] You are a god [...] I liked you,' he says as he deliberately outs you as the major villain of the entire plot, knowing that you're a mess of self-hatred and maybe that you have Bhaal whispering in your ear that you're 'worse than everybody else' and 'an awful person,' and now he's planting the seeds so that it seems that every new friend you had who was telling you otherwise now thinks so too so that he'll be the only person who praises you. (Sceleritas is programmed to do it, he doesn't count).

He's garbage: I adore it. Jaheira can even point out that he's deliberately isolating Durge to manipulate them here. It's not like this is anything the fandom doesn't know but sometimes I like to stare at this moment in awe. And I express my enjoyment through babbling.

Still the healthiest relationship my Durge had, pre-amnesia.

[ruiniel]

Ahhh I'll do my best! Nerdout incoming:

Basically these two are Sauron and Celebrimbor, characters from Tolkien's universe.

Sauron is the main antagonist of the Second and Third Ages of Middle-earth (after his master Morgoth is defeated in the First Age).

In Tolkien's universe Sauron re-emerges in the Second Age of the world. Sauron is a Maia (think of an association to a 'lesser god' in a pantheon, there's loads to expand on, but not here). He has powers™️ among which is shapeshifting so he puts on a fair guise and goes about doing what he does best: deceiving.

Seeing the desolation of the world, Sauron said in his heart that the Valar, having overthrown Morgoth, had again forgotten Middle-earth; and his pride grew apace. - The Silmarillion, JRR Tolkien

and then

Men he found the easiest to sway of all the peoples of the Earth; but long he sought to persuade the Elves to his service, for he knew that the Firstborn had the greater power; and he went far and wide among them, and his hue was still that of one both fair and wise. [...] But elsewhere the Elves received him gladly, and few among them hearkened to the messengers from Lindon bidding them beware; for Sauron took to himself the name of Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, and they had at first much profit from his friendship. -The Silmarillion, JRR Tolkien

Now in the meantime, Eregion was established as a lasting realm, with Ost-in-Edhil as its great city. In Eregion the craftsmen of the Gwaith-i-Mírdain "People of the Jewel-smiths", were a mighty guild, making things of such great skill none could surpass it save for another monumental figure in Tolkien's First Age legendarium: Fëanor (also Celebrimbor's dead granddad).

Long story short, Sauron basically finds his way to Eregion where Celebrimbor is:

It was in Eregion that the counsels of Sauron were most gladly received, for in that land the Noldor desired ever to increase the skill and subtlety of their works. Moreover they were not at peace in their hearts, since they had refused to return into the West, and they desired both to stay in Middle-earth, which indeed they loved, and yet to enjoy the bliss of those that had departed. Therefore they hearkened to Sauron, and they learned of him many things, for his knowledge was great. In those days the smiths of Ost-in-Edhil surpassed all that they had contrived before; and they took thought, and they made Rings of Power. But Sauron guided their labours, and he was aware of all that they did; for his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves and to bring them under his vigilance. -The Silmarillion, JRR Tolkien

To add, sneaky Sauron makes The One Ring in secret while the rest are blissfully unaware

Now the Elves made many rings; but secretly Sauron made One Ring to rule all the others, and their power was bound up with it, to be subject wholly to it and to last only so long as it too should last. - The Silmarillion, JRR Tolkien

But when he used the Ring, the Elves he'd wanted to control perceived him at last

Now Celebrimbor was not corrupted in heart or faith, but had accepted Sauron as what he posed to be; and when at length he discovered the existence of the One Ring he revolted against Sauron, and went to Lórinand to take counsel once more with Galadriel. They should have destroyed all the Rings of Power at this time, ‘but they failed to find the strength’. -Unfinished Tales, JRR Tolkien

So Sauron went to war with Eregion, demanding all the other Rings of Power that were made. He laid waste to Eregion, he ransacked the smithies and treasures of the Mírdain.

Celebrimbor, desperate, himself withstood Sauron on the steps of the great door of the Mírdain; but he was grappled and taken captive, and the House was ransacked. There Sauron took the Nine Rings and other lesser works of the Mírdain; but the Seven and the Three he could not find. Then Celebrimbor was put to torment, and Sauron learned from him where the Seven were bestowed. This Celebrimbor revealed, because neither the Seven nor the Nine did he value as he valued the Three; the Seven and the Nine were made with Sauron’s aid, whereas the Three were made by Celebrimbor alone, with a different power and purpose. [...] Concerning the Three Rings Sauron could learn nothing from Celebrimbor; and he had him put to death. But he guessed the truth, that the Three had been committed to Elvish guardians: and that must mean to Galadriel and Gil-galad. In black anger he turned back to battle; and bearing as a banner Celebrimbor’s body hung upon a pole, shot through with Orc-arrows 😐, he turned upon the forces of Elrond. Elrond had gathered such few of the Elves of Eregion as had escaped, but he had no force to withstand the onset. -Unfinished Tales, JRR Tolkien

Now finally I get to my point (thank you if you made it this far): this was the quick and dirty of bookverse events. In the Silmarillion/Tolkien fandom and fanon these two characters are a popular pairing, with interpretations ranging from fluff to drama to angst to non-con to just about everything under the sun. The pairing even has a name: 'silvergifting'. Why? Celebrimbor's name means 'Silver-fist' and Sauron's persona Annatar means 'Lord of Gifts'. Eh, eh? So when one sees #silvergifting, it's about Celebrimbor/Sauron.

The fanart here is a subversion of the bookverse, with added silvergifting: Annatar is the one in chains. The character designs were taken from the Shadow of Mordor/Shadow of War games, inspired by Tolkien but with some outlandish AU events! Sample:

If you search #silvergifting you'll find myriads of other fanon takes and fanart of them! So that's what that's all about, I tried to keep it short believe you me!

All credit goes to 小佑 [pixiv]

[ruiniel]

Vodou symbolism in Castlevania Nocturne

Vodou developed among Afro-Haitian communities amid the Atlantic slave trade of the 16th to 19th centuries. Its structure arose from the blending of the traditional religions of those enslaved West and Central Africans, among them Yoruba, Fon, and Kongo, who had been brought to the island of Hispaniola. There, it absorbed influences from the culture of the French colonialists who controlled the colony of Saint-Domingue, most notably Roman Catholicism but also Freemasonry. Many Vodouists were involved in the Haitian Revolution of 1791 to 1801 which overthrew the French colonial government, abolished slavery, and transformed Saint-Domingue into the republic of Haiti.

At the heart of Vodou are the symbols known as vèvè. These cosmograms are intricate drawings made with cornmeal, coffee, or flour, and they serve as the visual representation of the spirits and deities (known as lwa, also called loa or loi) honored in Vodou. Each vèvè corresponds to a specific spirit, and invoking them involves drawing the corresponding symbol on the ground. This is often performed by an initiate who has learned the technique and is an essential part of Vodou rituals and ceremonies.

Let's look at some of the symbolism shown in Nocturne.

1. Agwe Arroyo or Agwe Tawoyo/Agwe 'Woyo - "Agwe of the Streams"

Captain of Immamou, the ship that carries the dead to the afterlife. He cries salt-water tears for the departed. He assisted the souls of those that suffered crimes against humanity during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Agwe is called to calm the waves of the sea or ensure happy sailing, but mainly he is worshipped by those who fish and whose life depends on the life in the waters. People under his protection will never drown and water will never harm them.

2. Kouzen Zaka, or Azaka

The patron lwa of farmers, but he is also known as a lwa travay, a work lwa. Kouzen Zaka, represented by this vèvè, is the guardian of the fields in Haitian Vodou. The drawing of his symbol showcases elements of agricultural activity, including the earth, machete, sickle, hoe. Zaka is closely tied to work and is revered by farmers and those who rely on agriculture for their livelihood.

3. Erzulie Dantò or Ezilí Dantor

The main lwa of the Petwo lwa family in Haitian Vodou. She is a powerful and protective mother figure, often depicted holding a knife, symbolizes justice and will forcefully fight to protect her children, who are her loyal followers. She is a single mother, a Haitian peasant who is fiercely independent and takes care of her own, a strong protector of women and children.

4. Legba: The Guardian of the Gates

Papa Legba, the first spirit to manifest during a Vodou ceremony, holds a special place in the Vodou Pantheon in Haiti. His vèvè symbolizes his role as the barrier between the two worlds, with two perpendicular axes and his cane. Known as a trickster Loa, he usually appears as an old man on a crutch or with a cane, wearing a broad-brimmed straw hat and smoking a pipe, or drinking dark rum. The dog is sacred to him. He carries a sack on a strap across one shoulder from which he dispenses destiny. He is believed to speak all human languages. In Haiti, he is the great elocutioner: Legba facilitates communication, speech, and understanding. During Vodou ceremonies he opens the spiritual gateway that separates the Loas from our physical world.

In addition, Papa Legba is the guardian of portals, doors, and crossroads. His role is critical in any Vodou ritual, as he's the one who grants access to the other Loas and allows them to manifest themselves during the ceremony.

What we hear Annette chant in the series is 'Papa Legba: Ouvè Baryè'a' (Papa Legba: Open the Gate).

There's a lot more to dive into, but this was a summary.

[tmuse-ac]

HAPPY ECLIPSE DAY YA'LL!!!

THOSE WHO CAN ENJOY IT DO IT SAFELY!

LOVE OUR WIFE JUST AS SAFELY THIS DAY

[ruiniel]

Well, this is disappointing.

Where's that post about welcoming amazing artists coming from other platforms or becoming more active here? Ah, it's here.

Is this how you intend on making them stay, tumblr?

turning the "ask" off and stopping Galeida Monday

first of all there's a lot of you that left me really lovely and sweet messages saying my art in a way or another meant a lot to you, and even if I didn't respond to all of you I read them all and they made my day better thank you!

but of course there's some people who keep leaving insults and threats in my "ask" because they don't like that my oc Galeida it's not fat, and I get it it's disappointing, and I guess it's my fault cause I stupidly made her so similar to Garfield except for body type...

but yeah I really don't like keep reading those kind of messages and since I already have depression it's not helping me.

but to be fair not all of you left aggressive dm, some of you were sincerely disappointed in me and I'm sorry, so I think I'll stop posting Galeida Monday here... I'm not sure, I like her but she now have a sour taste for all of this situation

[kingtomura]

new chapter is just downright depressing as fuck. like what is the end goal message here? don’t be a victim of abuse and trauma because you will inevitably crash and burn and die alone? Wow what a great conclusion!! So fresh and creative

[mischievouslittlecreature]

Thinking about how Lucy in Love Me Where I'm Most Ruined is doomed to forever be nothing but Tommy's mistress...

[ruiniel]

Aw, TY for the mention! Let me use this as a shameless Second Person POV writing plug and say: what manner of genre is considered by some not as easy to write? Erotica. What's considered the most difficult POV to write effectively in fiction? Second Person POV my frens.

Because it's not easy to stay conscious of the narrative, that is to remove *yourself* from the equation. Merge erotica and second person POV? Heck yeah. I think in the bias around Second Person POV we overlook that it's.great.writing.practice for the writer. It's why I started doing it for one fandom.

It breaks the fourth wall, which I personally enjoy doing to (for?) people, as it's hella interactive. Again, it implies the reader is a character (!) or protagonist in the story. You can have an OC and a narrative in Second Person POV, and it need not be a smut oneshot either, it can be a full fledged multichapter narrative (I'm writing one right now).

There's amazing published fiction out there. While it's not a very common POV used in fiction, when done well it can be quite fun, and dare I say powerful. I mean look at this:

“Things happen, people change,' is what Amanda said. For her that covered it. You wanted an explanation, and ending that would assign blame and dish up justice. You considered violence and you considered reconciliation . But what you are left with is a premonition of the way your life will fade behind you, like a book you have read too quickly, leaving a dwindling trail of images and emotions, until all you can remember is a name.” ― Jay McInerney, Bright Lights, Big City

There's more to say but I ran out of spoons. Oh, and personally, even if tagged as x reader, in all my fan fiction the 'reader' is actually a character in themself, so an OC I created.

I urge people to look beyond the pale, it's great out there!

17 and 24 from your nice ask list?

Thank you, friend!

17. Something you love that you don’t often share because you’re worried what others will think

So I was going to say sibling incest but I've moved past being worried what others will think of that one so here goes... (deep breath) Reader insert smut. There I said it. And guess what? I've even written it. (Shout out to @ruiniel for writing this so artfully and not hiding behind pseuds or anon like me.)

24. Give kudos to a keeper of the fandom's traditions and wisdom, someone who's been around for years and years and still going strong

Gotta be @spiced-wine-fic! Decades in the fandom (I'm pretty sure??) and such a positive and supportive and humble presence!

[Spread Love Asks]

[jewishvitya]

Sometimes you don't realize you're on edge until you break your favorite bowl and start crying

[agileo-101]

So I had a funny thought for why DJMM wasn't in ruin. He simply escaped. Broke down a wall and just fukin bailed. He is now a cryptid in the woods, and he scared some poor guy while he was trying to take a selfie

i think someone had already drawn that over at twitter somewhere lol

[pumpkin-in-a-pear-tree]

I have been working my way through sweet tooth for the first time and oogf the ending to s2e6 is BRUTAL. I knew it was suspicious that everything was going so well only 3/4 of the way through the season but man... That's such a good twist

[y-rhywbeth2]

Prodding the Undercity in BG1 and BG3 for comaprisons, I just got the reminder that Sarevok's lover Tamoko - back before the accidents - was wearing Banite armour.

Tamoko didn't get a lot of backstory so it's entirely possibly she got it from somewhere else, but it'd be funny if Bhaalspawn have a history of seducing Banites.