#sept 13 2024

[fridayagaingarfiebaby]

Friday Again Garfie Baby

[classycoffeecat]

just realized this will be the first presidential election supernatural can vote in!

awwww babys all grown up and can cast their ballot for president on destiel day!! 🥺😭🗳

[thecinderninja]

Open Book

Albeven for mr Albedo's birthday. On Ao3 as The_Cinderninja This is a sequel to Force of Nature .

The funny thing about Venti is that he is very hard to find when he does not want to be found, and very hard to lose when he does not want to be lost. 

Ever since the incident on Dragonspine, Albedo seems to be finding Venti nearby more often than not. It doesn’t inspire the same dread inside of him as it once did, but he still finds it a tad confounding. Because before, when he was being watched, the bard kept his distance.

Not so now. Now, Venti stops by the alchemy table when he is in the city. Bringing him food and teasing him about working too hard, trying to rope him into going for a walk. At times, he even manages to egg Sucrose into tentatively taking his side, reminding Albedo precisely how long it’s been since he last took a break, and suggesting that maybe going for a walk with the bard would do him some good.

Other times, up in the mountain, he hears the notes of the archon’s lyre carried on the wind. But more often than not now, the music doesn’t stay distant. The bard wanders into his workshop, ingredients in hand, and starts cooking for the both of them. 

He is being followed. And he knows he told the bard that he accepted that, that he took comfort in the idea of having the archon watch his every move. But he hadn’t expected Venti to throw subtlety to the wind - pun not intended - and insert himself so blatantly into Albedo’s life.

The problem wasn’t that it was a problem. No, it…

Albedo knows the bard is Barbatos. A god, an archon. And Barbatos knows that he knows this. Venti constantly being so near is driving Albedo mad with the desire to know everything about him. 

Despite his focus being on alchemy, khemia, earth sciences… it would be unreasonable to attempt to define or contain the breadth of his interest in new knowledge. In short; it would be a lie to say he didn’t enjoy conducting psychological experiments on willing participants.

In fact… it was more difficult for him to remind himself it was not entirely appropriate to constantly attempt to analyse and test the unwitting in his day-to-day interactions.

Every one of his companions fell victim to his analytical mind at one point or another - propriety could only hold him back for so long. (So long being, in Albedo’s case, not very long at all before he began asking each and every one of his associates “invasive personal questions”). Venti’s status as a god which could level mountains, raze a nation, bring down a dragon, and return Albedo to dust if he so chose is currently the only thing keeping Albedo at bay.

Thus, the problem is that they are equally as painfully curious about the other. 

As much as Albedo wants to know every little detail about the archon hiding in plain sight, calling Mondstadt his home, Venti is equally curious about what exactly Albedo is, where he came from, and how he turned out the way he did.

And the bard isn’t as good at being blunt, isn’t as forward, isn’t as willing to demand answers, so instead he follows Albedo around, inserts himself into his life, talks to him, spends time with him.

And every moment of it exposes him. The way he wears his heart on his sleeve and yet his eyes are closed shutters. The way he laughs and smiles - always smiles. The way he talks so much, yet never says anything of import. 

The more time he spends watching Albedo, the more time Albedo spends watching him.

Like the Traveler, there are simply too many curiosities surrounding Venti for him not to prod at, and like the Traveler, Venti seems more or less willing to entertain his curiosity.

When there are questions Venti can not (or will not) answer - and there are many - he simply laughs and answers something Albedo had not asked at all, leading to an entirely new train of inquiry.

Most of the questions come from Albedo. Albedo, who needs to voice his thoughts as they come to him, who holds dozens of questions, each one needing a clear answer - and each time Venti dances around one, that is an answer unto itself.

But the bard doesn’t ask much in return. In fact, Albedo would almost be inclined to believe that Venti was genuinely only interested in friendship - that he just enjoyed time in Albedo’s company - if not for his eyes. Albedo knows the look of a mind in contemplation, and Venti, despite how foolish and unthoughtful he behaves, never stops thinking. His is a face that expresses much, but is frequently misleading.

Everything about him is at odds with himself.

At first glance, he is open and honest, willing to overshare, hiding none of his emotions. On second glance, everything about him is a lie. He is an open book of falsehoods, willing to spin endless tales to distract from the truth of his heart. But at a third glance, you once again find yourself asking if he is hiding anything at all, or if he truly is trying to be honest; he just doesn’t know how.

He is an open book written in a dead language.

.

“So I was thinking; you don't have real blood. Does that mean you can't get drunk?”

Albedo pauses. He is sitting at his desk in his office at the Knights of Favonius headquarters, which is adjacent to his lab. His door is shut but unlocked. The window is open a crack to let in the cool breeze. 

It seems to have let in more than just the cool breeze. 

Albedo doesn’t startle at the question or the unexpected appearance of the bard in his office. “What makes you think I don’t have real blood?”

“... Eh…??” The bard stops poking at objects on Albedo’s shelf and turns to look over his shoulder, caught somewhat off guard. “I just thought- you know. When you were hurt, your face was kind of bleeding… chalk.”

“I see. So you reached that conclusion from a single observation?”

Venti flushes, suddenly embarrassed. 

Albedo laughs softly at his expression. “It was a reasonable deduction to make, but not entirely correct. I am not purely chalk; anyone can see that. I have skin, hair, and yes, blood as well. But those things are only skin, hair, and blood in function, not in form. They function because of my life force alone. Without it, everything would return to chalk. My blood only remains blood so long as it remains mine. I suppose by your definition, you are right to say I do not have ‘real blood.’ Nor am I, to my knowledge, capable of becoming ‘drunk.’” He pauses, narrowing his eyes in thought.

He has his own questions about Venti’s own body - human in form, but he cannot possibly be human in function. He doubts Venti himself has human blood. And, from his own observations, he highly doubts Venti’s own ability to get drunk. He briefly wonders if this is a good opening to voice those doubts as questions. “... Why? Do you intend to get me drunk?”

Venti's face burns slightly at the way Albedo states that question. “When you put it that way, it sounds bad! But, no... I just… Well, I thought it would be fun to bring you into the city.”

Albedo smiles, amused at the blush on Venti's face. “Ah, I see the dilemma now. You wish to take me to a place that brings you entertainment, but you are concerned that... I might not be able to participate. How thoughtful of you.” He muses. “But... there is no need to worry. I can enjoy myself without alcohol, I assure you. So... please, go ahead and take me to where you wish. I will make the most of it.”

Venti taps his chin, thinking. Entertainment.... he muses. “That's not a bad idea. We'll go to the Angel's Share, I'll get drunk, and play ballads until Diluc kicks us out. How's that for entertainment? Do you think you could drag yourself away from your research for one night?”

Albedo looks thoughtful. “Perhaps. Perhaps I may not have to.” He muses. “Venti, how would you feel, being the subject of my research?”

“... Huh?”

There is no backing out now. Albedo steels himself; his expression levelling out to neutral as he leans back in his chair, carefully studying Venti as he speaks. "What I mean to say, Venti, is that you present a fascinating subject for study, as... someone who walks the line between the human and the divine."

Venti raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh?”

Albedo folds his hands together. “I’ve observed a rather perplexing duality within you. At times, you seem utterly authentic, completely at ease in your mannerisms. You wear your emotions openly, without a second thought. Yet, there are other times when I feel as though everything about you is... a performance. A mask, concealing something deeper. There’s a certain contradiction, as if you’re both hiding yourself and revealing everything at the same time.”

Venti is silent, his lips curling into a thoughtful smile.

“I’d like to know if that’s deliberate,” Albedo continues. “Or if it’s simply a part of who you are. Are you hiding anything? Or have you simply existed for so long that you’ve forgotten how not to wear masks? I can’t help but be curious. I want to understand the truth behind this... fluidity in your nature.”

Venti hums softly, looking up at the ceiling. “You want to peel away my layers and see what lies at my core, hm?”

Albedo nods, unfazed by Venti’s phrasing. “In a sense, yes. I’d like to see what lies behind the masks—if there’s anything there at all.”

A light laugh escapes Venti’s lips. He waves a hand dismissively. “Masks, huh? I didn’t know I wore so many.” Venti still stands by Albedo’s shelf, but his hands have long since stilled, no longer investigating Albedo’s tools and books.

If there’s anything there at all.

Venti finds himself wondering the same thing, sometimes.

Still laughing, Venti leans away from the shelf and shrugs. “To be honest with you, Albedo, I’m not even sure myself. Am I authentic? Or am I following a script?” His eyes flash with something unreadable. “I couldn’t tell you.”

Albedo’s brow furrows slightly. “You don’t know?” As he talks, he finds himself finished with his work for the evening. Normally, he would stay later to work on his own personal projects, but… with the offer already on the table, he finds himself standing, grabbing his coat from the back of his chair, and folding it over his arm. It seems he’s going to be spending the night out.

“Nope!” Venti exclaims, as though it’s the most amusing thing in the world, following Albedo out the door. “I’ve been at this for so long, it’s hard to tell where the real me begins and the role ends. If you figure it out, let me know, yeah?”

Albedo blinks, momentarily unsure if Venti is being serious or simply jesting. He hesitates, wondering if it was inappropriate to imply that Venti was inauthentic. Albedo once again finds himself confounded by how authentic the bard can seem at times, when saying things that sound anything but.

“I see,” Albedo murmurs, softly. “In that case, I’ll take you up on that offer. Although, unlike most, I highly doubt that drinking would cause you to lower any of those masks.”

Venti blinks, and everything about the way he carries himself… shifts. A moment before, despite his laughing words and tone, his eyes held a faraway look and he stood with the aura of someone far older than Albedo. But now as he speaks, he seems no more than a human youth. His eyes are unshuttered, lit up with the surprise and delight of somebody caught red-handed. “Huh?? What do you mean by that?”

Albedo’s expression remains serious. “I suspect you can’t get drunk any more than I can. Or rather, I doubt alcohol affects you the same way it does humans. You may appear human in form, but your essence is not bound by the same limitations. I find it hard to believe that something as simple as alcohol could impair an archon.”

Venti grins, eyes sparkling with amusement. “You might be right. Or you might be wrong. I suppose there’s only one way to find out, huh?” He winks playfully. “If you’re buying my drinks, you can observe me all night long.”

Albedo smiles faintly, already planning his approach. Venti has always seemed - ironically - his most authentic while performing. That is to say, while performing music, poetry, and tales. His layers seem to slip away until nothing is left but the bard he presents himself to be. That is where Albedo believes his true ‘core’ lies.

“I feel that your songs reveal much about your character. Is it all... completely off-the-cuff?”

“Hm? Oh, no, not all of it. But a lot of it is! I do have certain stories I like to perform, you know, old fables. But I also make things up on the spot.”

“I am rather impressed, it never occurred to me that your lyrics are mostly spontaneous. Though I suppose making up songs quickly is one quality of being a bard. I believe that the lyrics I have witnessed from you so far are very poetic and have a rather charming flow to them that captures the imagination. Is there a particular process you follow in formulating your songs?”

Venti blinks, surprised. He's never been asked about his process before. “Oh, well... I suppose not. I guess I mostly just sing whatever pops into my head at the moment.” It has actually always been… odd. The words seem to come from somewhere outside of himself. Lyrics, melodies, it is like there is a deep ocean of poetry that he reaches his hands into, and pulls stories forth.

“So... there's no structure to how you compose a song? Does that not make the process unpredictable? What if you run out of words to rhyme?”

Venti laughs “I do all the time. When that happens I just... don't rhyme. Not every song has to rhyme, in my opinion. In fact, not every song needs to be ‘good’ at all, to be art.”

“...Oh, I see… So these spontaneous songs are not intended to be serious compositions that remain with people, but just meant to entertain yourself and those around you in the moment. Hmm... that is a different way of viewing things. It is rather refreshing to know that not everyone cares about the artistic beauty of each song they sing.”

Venti shrugs. “I think they have their own kind of artistic beauty. Every new piece brought into this world comes from somewhere, and not understanding it, not liking it, none of those take away from the meaning of its existence.”

Albedo considers this for a while before responding. “So, in other words, for you, songs are not meant to be studied, or analysed, or dissected. They are simply meant to be.”

“Yes!” He looks over at Albedo. “That’s not to say I’d begrudge you for dissecting them. Art exists to be perceived. If that’s how you perceive it, then - well, you’re free to it. I don’t always mean to put any kind of deeper meaning into what I sing, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing there. I’d be curious to see what you deduce.”

Albedo seems to seriously ponder this thought for a few moments. “Well, I certainly would like to give it a try. If nothing else, it would be interesting to see what sort of inner feelings you put into your songs, even if you only sing them to entertain yourself and those around you.”  A thoughtful look crosses his face. It would seem… he was not entirely wrong about Venti’s duality. It seems Venti himself doesn’t have the answers. It isn’t that Venti is necessarily hiding himself, but perhaps he does not know himself any better than Albedo does.

.

“So, when you improvise, you have truly written nothing, not even a basic outline of verses or anything, prior to performing them?”

Venti grins as they reach the Angel’s Share. “Truly! I like to be as surprised as my audience, sometimes.”

Albedo laughs quietly while tapping his chin. “And that does not make you nervous?”

“Nervous? About performing? No, I can’t say I ever have been.”

“In that case, I’m impressed by your confidence. However, I cannot help but feel like your songs are somewhat of a reflection of your personality.”

“You’re probably right. They come from me, after all.”

“Yes, and even if you are just singing about whatever pops into your head, a part of you must be in each verse. Would you mind if I asked you a rather personal question?”

Venti hides a laugh behind his hand. “You’re asking permission to ask me a question? Did you forget who I am? You can say anything you want, Albedo.”

A quiet expression flits across Albedo’s face. Not quite a smile, not quite a frown. “... Thank you. I was wondering something. You claim that you do not hold any deep feelings about your songs, but I have seen you performing before. You often sing about many deep themes. Things such as mortality, love, death, and betrayal. Could it be that for you, singing is your way of ‘venting’ your emotions?”

Venti snorts. “... Sorry, I’m not laughing at your question, it’s just… “Venti”, “venting”, it's a bit funny, see?”

“... Ah. I should not have phrased my question that way.” Albedo looks a bit sheepish at his unintentional pun. “But… your laughing does not answer my question, does it?”

Venti gives Albedo a cagey grin as they step inside, but before he can open his mouth to give Albedo a proper answer, Diluc is standing before him with his arms crossed.

“Not today, Venti.” He says, frowning, and pointing at the door.

Venti pouts. “What? A new record! I haven’t even stepped both feet in the door and you’re kicking me out already? What could I have possibly done this time? I haven’t been here long enough to cause trouble!”

Albedo is surprised by the sudden interruption and looks back and forth between the two. He does not know Venti’s relationship with the tavern’s owner.

“May I ask… what is the matter?” Diluc glances over, surprised to see Albedo behind Venti. Albedo has never come here before. To see him accompanying the bard is… unexpected, to say the least.

He frowns slightly and turns so he’s addressing Albedo. “Our bard here has quite the egregious unpaid tab, and I know he has no mora to pay it off tonight.” He shakes his head, looking equal parts frustrated and bemused. “Sorry Venti, but this is a business. No more drinks until you can pay for them.”

Albedo is caught off-guard by the bluntness of the bar owner, but manages not to react. He is silent for a bit before responding. “... I see. In that case, may I pay for Venti’s drinks?”

Venti’s eyes light up and, in a burst of gratitude and enthusiasm, he throws his arms around Albedo’s neck in a hug. “This is my dear friend, Albedo!” He introduces Albedo to Diluc, unnecessarily.

Albedo remains passive and unbothered by Venti’s outburst of affection. He maintains his eye contact with Diluc, waiting for a response, as if he doesn’t even notice the bard hanging off of him.

Diluc looks at Albedo, unconvinced. “I wouldn’t deny a paying customer, but… you should know he has an 80,000 mora tab.”

If he’s shocked, it doesn’t show in his expression. “... It does not matter that much to me. I rarely spend my mora on myself, anyway.”

“I take it back, he’s my best friend.” Venti announces as he lets go of Albedo and hurries inside, hopping up on a barstool and immediately setting to spinning in circles, like a child.

Diluc continues to look between Albedo and Venti for a moment before shrugging, and going to the register to accept Albedo’s mora for the bard’s unpaid tab. “Random acts of charity are unlike you.” He narrows his eyes slightly, looking between the alchemist and the bard, as if trying to solve an impossible puzzle.

Albedo remains calm, his expression unchanged. Albedo’s eyes move to follow Diluc’s shifting gaze. While Venti’s actions do seem childish, Albedo does not feel the need to judge him for it. 

“... My interest is in observing human nature. Perhaps you may view my actions as selfless, but I personally do not consider it as such.”

“I’m his science experiment for the night!” Venti enthuses, unhelpfully.

Albedo smiles softly at that. “... I suppose there’s some truth to that. I am here to study you, after all. But please, do not let my presence change your behaviour. Just be yourself, as you always have been.”

Venti wears his most charming grin. “I could never be anything else!” 

The statement doesn’t sit right with either of them.

Diluc has been watching this entire exchange with an expression of growing disbelief before finally addressing Albedo. “Is this… some kind of a date?”

“...” Albedo hears the question, but says nothing for a few moments. His body language is perfectly still as he contemplates. Eventually he responds. “You are mistaken. It is not that kind of a date.”

If anything, this only seems to amuse Diluc even more, but he leaves the matter alone and retreats behind the bar.

Several drinks later, Venti pulls out his lyre and begins to fiddle mindlessly with it, plucking notes at random until a melody seems to materialise.

Albedo’s eyebrows raise and he leans in closer to observe Venti’s playing, intrigued. “Oh, it seems like you are creating a new song again. It sounds beautiful. Will it be a ballad of your current mood?”

“Perhaps!” Venti replies cheerfully. “I won’t know until I play it!”

Albedo’s eyes gleam with interest. “So it is true. You really do go in completely blind… Would you be comfortable with me documenting you as you compose your next song, while it is happening?”

Venti laughs and shakes his head. “Of course not. I guess that’s your kind of ‘fun’, isn’t it?” He giggles. He hums along with a few notes, making sure he understands where this song is going.

Albedo cannot help but chuckle at Venti’s response. He has been trying to gauge Venti’s true emotions and feelings for some time now and has made considerable progress, but he is sure that there is much more to uncover.

Taking note of Venti’s current mood and the direction of the melody he is creating, he takes out a parchment and begins to write some notes on it, watching Venti’s face as he sings.

Running from the future Running from the past Running from the mirror How long can you last? Don't look back—the thunder's rolling Don't look back—you know what's there Don't look back—the sight will break you Look ahead and forget to care

Running from the living Running from the dead Running from the memories Just one jump ahead But you're still alive—there's a face in the mirror Still alive—the dead don't bleed Still alive—life is a changer And you're no stranger; come take what you need

There will be an answer The sun will rise Love is a survivor Open your eyes

Albedo silently scribbles in his notebook as Venti sings. When the bard finishes, Albedo puts down his pen and remains silent for a while as Venti plucks at strings, looking for a new melody to emerge.

“You know, I still do not understand your true emotions. You sing of love and optimism, yet many of your songs are also filled with melancholy. I wonder…”

Venti looks up, genuinely curious about what Albedo took away from that song. “Huh? What do you wonder?”

Albedo looks down at his notes, considering his response. “If your lyrics are always about your current sentiments and feelings, then why do you have so many melancholy songs?”

Venti looks genuinely surprised. “Was it melancholy?” He asks, as if he hadn’t noticed. “I thought it was hopeful.”

Albedo raises his eyebrows. “Hopeful?” He pauses there, thinking of how best to phrase his response. “... Do you not feel the sorrow in your own song? I know you seem to be singing of a brighter future, but the nostalgia I can hear in some of your songs indicates that you have experienced something worth lamenting.”

Venti blinks. “Huh… I guess that’s true. I’ve experienced lots of things worth lamenting. But hasn’t everyone? I sing about things that I once lamented, but they don’t make me sad anymore. It was all so long ago, and the hopeful future that the song is about, that’s what’s happening now. I think I sing more about overcoming grief, than the grief itself.”

Albedo takes his time to process Venti’s words. He doesn’t deny that he has felt sorrow, but he does deny - in complete, apparent honesty - that his sorrow lingers. 

He supposes that for somebody as long lived as Venti, to hold on to every sorrow would be unsustainable. Venti’s songs are filled with an incredible depth of emotion. His curiosity only deepens as he thinks about what Venti must have gone through. 

“So you don’t sing tragedies, then?”

For the second time since they’ve met, Venti hesitates to answer a question. His expression shifts in thought as his fingers ghost over lyre strings. “I would say I rarely improvise them. But… I do play them. I have an older song I could play. Would you like to hear it?”

“Of course. I would be delighted to hear it.” Albedo is, admittedly, intrigued. If Venti considered his last song to be hopeful and optimistic, he wonders what the bard would consider a tragedy.

Lost in the wind, a wisp on its own Where to begin, the journey unfolds Trapped by the storm and longing for sky A boy longs for freedom, reaching for wings to fly

Albedo immediately begins scribbling more notes down. Albedo has no troubles in deducing that this song is going to be very personal. Venti is giving him a glimpse into his own past through this song. 

A glimpse he likely would not get a second time.

The bard does not seem bothered by Albedo’s intensive focus and note taking. If anything, he quirks a grin at the sight of the alchemist’s hands trying to keep up with his thoughts.

Rile up the crowd, fight back against god He sings to the wind, his voice carries on Gather your arms and rally to me Steel up your heart and fight to be free

Tear down the lightning, the thunder will fall Hurricanes rage through the people’s resolve But bloodied and battered the people will stand Wisp of the wind will hold on and do what he can

Albedo listens intently, fascinated by Venti’s tale. The picture painted by his words is vivid and dramatic, and he is absorbed by it. Other heads have turned to watch the bard’s performance, but Albedo only has eyes for Venti. (As such, he is oblivious to Diluc’s incredulous expression as he stands on the other side of the bar, hands paused mid-polishing of a glass.)

His playing seems… effortless.

Never deterred, the people fight on The castle torn down, the King now is gone The boy tells the crowd, a tear in his eye; The city is free, now look to the sky!

Glorious blue like the waters below, Gone is the storm that had kept it unknown See how the birds all rejoice in their flight See how the sun touches down with its light

Albedo had asked what had made Venti so sad. So far, this song has the same hopeful, nostalgic feeling as most songs the bard plays. Venti’s eyes are closed and he wears a soft smile. It all leads Albedo to two conclusions.

The first is that Venti is not hiding nearly as much of his emotion as Albedo had believed.

The feelings of hopeful nostalgia, of healed scars and bright futures, are feelings that Albedo is coming to associate irrevocably with the bard. They are not illusory, but rather, his core.

The second conclusion is that this song will not have a happy ending.

The tale paints a picture of victory and freedom. The lyrics are hopeful and optimistic, but the melody holds a slow sadness. The end of the song is nearing, and yet the story has only reached the point of hope and victory. He can see that Venti’s hands are trembling slightly.

But war is not won without anger and hate An arrow was notched and he noticed too late The boy stumbled back as it shattered his bones The wisp of the wind watched as he fell alone

Albedo stares at Venti’s lyre as the song comes to an end. He waits for the hopeful undertone, the positive twists that Venti always, always finishes on.

And it seems like there is more to the song. His hands play out one last verse which he hums along to, a soft, barely-smile twisting his lips. But he doesn’t sing any further words. Whatever is left of the song is apparently reserved for him alone to know.

Albedo already knows the tale was based on true events, and the tragedy Venti mentioned must have indeed been a traumatic one. As he watches Venti’s trembling hands slowly settle to a stop, he can’t help but feel… heartbroken for the bard.

Although Venti has told the tale under the guise of it being about someone else, Albedo has pieced together much of the truth. That wisp of the wind, of course, must have been Venti himself.

Venti seems utterly still for a moment, in the breath of silence after the song. And then the room breathes and Venti is smiling again. He tucks the lyre back under his arm and reaches for another drink before grinning cheerfully at Albedo. “Does that suit your definition of a ‘sad’ song? It was about war and tragedy, after all.”

Albedo’s expression is solemn as he nods. “That was indeed a sad song. It told the story of a war where many lives were lost - and the death of an innocent young boy. The bard you mentioned… he had so much potential and life to live, yet he was taken too soon. Do you truly believe that the bard is gone, never to be seen again?” “... Well… He was human, after all.”

The brief silence after Venti’s words is deafening. Albedo considers this for a few moments before speaking, his voice soft and low. “Then why do you not mourn him?”

Venti’s eyes flash with emotion - wild and varied. Confusion, offence, amusement. He closes them and lets out a soft sigh, and his smile is back in place. He quirks it sideways at Albedo as he leans back. “What do you think the song is?” He points out.

Albedo frowns, not comprehending. It is an alien feeling, and he doesn’t like it much. “... That song was about a bard who, during a disastrous war, risked his life to lead the people to victory… It was a story about how his actions paved the way for a brighter future, one free of oppression and conflict.”

Venti shakes his head, smiling softly at Albedo’s expense. “You’re taking the question too literally. You asked why I don’t mourn him, but… you listened to the song, didn’t you? I mourn him each time I play it. But I celebrate him too. And I remember him. And I think those matter more than simple mourning.”

“... So you play this song to honour the memories of the boy who sacrificed his life for freedom. You mourn him with every strike of the notes, but… at the same time, you celebrate his bravery and legacy.”

Venti is still wearing his wistful smile.

It seems like all he does is smile. They come in every flavour, but they’re always there. Cheerful, cheeky, wistful or nostalgic. Proud, amused… Even when he’s sad, he seems to have a smile for that too. 

“So now you’ve heard two songs. One which I made up on the spot, and one which I wrote a long time ago. Have you learned anything about me yet?” He asks, genuinely curious to see what Albedo may have gleaned from his ‘scientific observation’ of Venti. He leans forward on his stool to try and get a peek at Albedo’s notes.

With a soft, amused sound, Albedo leans back, gathering his notes to himself to keep them away from Venti’s curious eyes. But as he speaks, he does not try to avoid sharing any of what he has observed.

“I see that you can play many different roles. A carefree entertainer, a wise teacher, and… someone who deeply understands the nature of sorrow and loss.” His expression is sombre, his tone solemn. His brows furrow as he speaks. “You know how to be happy, and you know how to make others happy.”

Venti leans back, and his smile turns softer. But he seems impressed. “All of that just from two songs? Well… I can’t say you’re wrong.”

“I see it in your eyes. A man who knows how to laugh is also a man who knows how to cry.” He takes in Venti’s expression for a long time. The bard seems so relaxed. Even as they discuss what must be a formative trauma, he is open and honest about his sorrow, and yet unaffected by it. He is at peace. “In all of your songs, I see many layers. Layers of happiness and cheerfulness, layers of melancholy and sadness. How many songs have you composed, in all your years as a bard?”

Venti covers his mouth with a hand to hide a laugh and leans forward to speak to Albedo. Their heads close together and his voice quiet so the other patrons won't overhear. “You know as well as I do that I am older than I appear - and I have been a bard longer than I have been an archon! I couldn’t possibly count the songs I’ve composed.”

“Hm.” Albedo acknowledges, accepting there won’t be an answer to that question. He eyes Venti’s lyre. “... True, you are an expert with your lyre. And you are impressively capable of improvisation. It almost makes me wonder what it would be like if you composed a song on the spot, just for me.”

Venti’s eyes go wide and he beams. “Oh! You want me to compose a song for you? Right now?”

Albedo meets Venti’s eyes, not showing much of what he’s thinking. “I would feel honoured if you did. If you feel so inclined.”

Venti’s lyre is already in his hands again before Albedo finishes speaking, and he is studying Albedo’s face intently as he strums random notes, trying to find his inspiration there. “Give me just a moment.”

Albedo waits patiently, watching as Venti strikes the strings of the lyre experimentally. He is content to watch Venti bite his lower lip and mutter to himself as he retunes the lyre, apparently dissatisfied with the current key.

He struggles. 

He retunes the lyre twice more, frowning as he plucks and twangs up and down.

Albedo is about to tell Venti it's okay if he isn’t inspired, when the bard shakes his head and thunks the lyre unceremoniously on the bar. He lays both hands on the table and begins to tap them percussively. He recalls telling Albedo once that he felt like gravity - heavy and grounded.

The lyre is too airy an instrument to play a song for Albedo.

As he taps, he begins to find a pattern he finally settles into. And then he sings the words that come to his mind, regardless of how much sense they may make. In his opinion… they don’t make much sense at all. But he doesn’t question them. He lets the song bring itself into existence, he is merely its vehicle.

Where most of his songs are silly and upbeat, or hopeful and melancholic, this song seems to be an alien entity. It feels ephemeral, untouchable, and entirely undecipherable. Much like Albedo himself.

Memory comes when memory’s old I am never the first to know Following the stream up North Where do people like us float?

I will never disappear For forever, I’ll be here

A lot of hope in a one man tent There’s no room for innocence So take me home before the storm Uncover our heads and reveal our souls We were hungry before we were born

Expression shifts again. Albedo is not taking notes. He seems to be frozen in place, like a startled animal, seen. His eyes are locked on Venti’s hands. He listens intently to every word, but the meanings elude him. He can’t make sense of the words, but the feeling it instils in him is intimately familiar.

“... Was that really… written just now, just for me?”

Venti nods, though he’s looking a little abashed. “Yes. I couldn’t tell you what it means though, sorry. That’s just what came to me when I thought of you, ehe.”

“I am certain it means something.” He affirms. His voice sounds far away to himself. Does it sound the same to Venti, he wonders? “I just need more time to discern the meaning. Your songs always have many layers, you know. It may take some time for me to unravel all of them.” He stares at the bard, a hint of something else on his face. He seems touched. “But please, do not apologise. You just crafted a truly wonderful gift only for me, how could I not be grateful for that?”

The bard still wears that abashed expression, as if he’s embarrassed by the song he just created. And after all that talk about not feeling nervous performing. Truly, he isn’t used to composing songs for people on the spot. He’s never been asked to, before. 

Albedo has been the first to ask him many things.

“I refuse to believe this isn’t a date.” Diluc’s voice from the other side of the bar startles Venti into jumping, nearly spilling wine down the front of his shirt.

Albedo’s body language remains still and calm, despite the sudden interruption. He turns his head to stare evenly at the new arrival to their conversation. “It is not a date.”

“Then what do you call it? You’ve been staring into each other’s eyes all night. He just wrote a song for you. I haven’t seen a hint of science the whole time you’ve been here, unless this was an experiment in chemistry.”

“It is not a date.” He repeats, shaking his head while the bard tries to stifle giggles.

Venti nods sagely. “I know bards are known for their hopeless romanticism, but in this case, I fall flat. Albedo is a very dear friend who wishes to perform scientific experiments on me. Nothing more.” He chimes in, cheerfully. Grinning. Still giggling.

“I must disagree with you on one count. You do appear to be a bit of a hopeless romantic. You flirt constantly, without seeming to realize it.”

Surprise flits across his face. Intrigued, but not bothered. “I flirt?”

“...” Albedo takes a moment to observe Venti’s face, trying to gauge if the bard is truly as oblivious as he claims. “Sometimes, yes. You have a tendency to charm people, but it doesn’t seem like it is intentional. You’re just being yourself, but many people are enchanted by your nature. It’s endearing, actually.”

A wolfish smirk. “Oh, so you think I’m charming.” He responds, apparently, supposedly, utterly unaware that he is, in fact, doing the very thing they are discussing.

Silence. Albedo’s expression does not twitch, but his cheeks have flushed - slightly. Barely. Imperceptibly. But it’s there. “... I can admit that you have charmed me, a little. But you don’t need to get any ideas.”

Diluc makes a disgruntled noise from somewhere behind them.

“The only idea on my mind is how long it will take to get another glass of wine.”

For the rest of the evening, Venti drinks. He talks candidly with Albedo, holding nothing back (so it would seem). He answers Albedo's questions with words that are entirely true, but never the truth in its entirety. He plays the lyre on and off as he gets progressively more drunk (Albedo has his doubts about this too, though if it is a charade, it’s a rather convincing one). 

He is having a good time. He hopes Albedo is too, since that was the whole purpose for dragging him here.

But Albedo seems happy to be able to just observe. He has filled pages of notes already. (And with his back to the bar, if he were to have filled a few pages with sketches of the bard as well, only Diluc would know).

Despite the sketches, there are pages of notes. In depth notes. As Venti clambers onto a table to garner more attention for his next, inebriated performance, Albedo takes meticulous notes. Specific words and phrases, his expressions, Venti’s overall manner as he speaks - how he is more carefree, more relaxed, even more talkative than usual - and how his behaviour shifts with every new song. It seems that the alcohol is amplifying his usual behaviour and bringing his desires to the surface.

He is not “drowning his sorrows”, as Albedo has observed - is observing - many humans do. 

He is well and truly ‘here for a good time.’ And he is taking great pains to share that good time with the other patrons. Well… Albedo can’t deny that the mood in here is certainly uplifted with the bard’s presence. Jovial, loud, celebratory even, despite having nothing of note worth celebrating at the moment.

He’s torn from his thoughts.

“You really are… studying him.” Diluc is leaning on the bar beside Albedo, watching the alchemist take immaculate notes of Venti’s spontaneous tabletop performance. He frowns.

Albedo, too focused on his notes, does not look up as he speaks. “Yes. As I told you before. Venti has agreed to let me conduct some experiments while under the effects of alcohol. I am taking note of the various ways in which he expresses himself. The more observations I have of his behaviour under different conditions, the easier it is for me to make accurate and reliable conclusions.”

One red eyebrow climbs, very slowly, up Diluc’s face. “Is that how he got roped into this? You were looking for someone to study, and when he heard you wanted to get someone drunk, he agreed to be your guinea pig?”

He pauses his note taking to glance up at Diluc, expression even and unconcerned. “Venti was not ‘tricked’ into anything, I assure you. But no, I was not looking for ‘someone’ to study. Venti wanted to take me somewhere ‘fun’, and I wanted to observe him in a more natural environment. So, this was mutually agreed upon. Besides, who would object to a study session that involved going out in the city, enjoying an evening meal, and ending the night with music and wine?”

Diluc makes a strange noise as he stares hard at Albedo, as if he is trying to see the exact thought process behind the alchemist’s cold eyes. Albedo stares back.

“That still sounds like a date. You are describing a date.” Diluc holds a hand to his temple. “What exactly are you studying?” He frowns, gaze shifting from Albedo to the bard, still on the table. “And why Venti?” 

An undertone of suspicion. It seems Diluc is protective of the bard. How curious.

Albedo leans back against the bar, finally looking away from Diluc, returning his attention to his ever growing notepad. “I believe the most accurate way to describe the ‘experiment’ is to say that I am trying to deduce Venti’s inner desires and feelings that he does not show to others. I believe he has many masks that he hides his emotions behind. I want to see what is behind those masks.”

“Let me get this straight. You got him drunk so you could learn his deep dark secrets, and he… agreed.” He does not seem dubious, or doubtful. Just nonplussed. Tired, even.

Albedo tilts his head. He has noticed the change in Diluc’s mood, but doesn’t comment on it. “‘Deep dark secrets’ seems like a rather exaggerated way of putting it. I am more interested in Venti’s ‘inner self’ than his… ‘deep dark secrets.’ The information I am aiming to gather is… not overly important. What is important is that, in order to understand someone, you must pay close attention to the smallest of details.”

Diluc exhales through his nose, and steeples his hands together. He tries, with marginal success, to keep a straight face. “I see. So you took him out to dinner… and bought him drinks… To get to know him better.”

“Yes.” Albedo confirms.

“Alright. Well, good luck with your… science experiment.” Diluc’s expression seems tight, stifled. He is trying not to laugh. “But you’re going to need to continue it elsewhere. We’re closing soon, and he,” Diluc points at the bard dancing on a table, “is cut off.”

Albedo raises an eyebrow, but makes no objection. Venti’s behaviour now seems to have exceeded even Diluc’s tolerance for annoyance. “I see.” He rises, and with some effort, manages to coax Venti off of the table. He collects their things, and manages to corral the bard out the door.

He looks down at the stacks of notes in his arms.

He would consider this evening a success. .

Lyrics for the first song come from Still Alive by Leslie Fish Lyrics for the second song come from The Bard's Song by kxnite Lyrics for the third song come from Keep the Streets Empty for Me by Fever Ray

[nikizource]

[September 14, 2024 via Instagram]

nikizefanya: dream NYC show playing summer stage in Central Park (hot hot wheels custom dress by @/joeandohirsh!!!🛞🏁) + first ever headline gig in Philly. thank you all so much😭 the air was buzzing ⚡️#buzztour

[roanofarc]

chappell roan & gerard way stage outfit parallels

chappell looks:

vmas, sept 11 2024 / hinterland, august 4 2024 / bonnaroo, june 16 2024 / hangout fest, may 18 2024 / coachella, april 12 2024

gerard looks:

corona capital mexico, nov 18 2022 / london, nov 2005 / detroit, sept 13 2022 / los angeles, oct 11 2022 (but first worn in nashville, aug 23 2022) / sydney, march 19-20 2023

PART 1/2

[msbarrows]

Blanked on updating for a few days, not because of gaming for once but because we've had several annoyingly hot days in a row and I was too busy mentally swearing about how warm it still was at night to remember to post anything. Not HOT hot, but hot enough that doing anything (and especially cooking) pushes you over the line from 'barely tolerable' to 'dripping with sweat' (high 20C range basically). I am missing the single digit temps we had last weekend. Can I have that frost warning back? Pretty please??

Sept 12 - Pretty warm day, did some gaming and some crochet.

For supper I hauled the leftovers of a beef roast out of the freezer, and pressure cooked it with garden tomatoes and carrots. Turned leftover mashed potatoes from last night into potato pancakes with corn in them, to have the beef and sauce over. Using the pressure cooker didn't heat up the kitchen too much but the pancakes were not the best choice in that vein.

Sept 13 - Also a warm day. Baked a loaf of anadama bread.

Decided to go with something simple for supper and hauled the last tub of chili out of the freezer to serve with rice and a salad. Time to plan on making a new vat of chili in a week or so.

Sept 14 - An even warmer day. A lot of the day was spent lying in front of a fan crocheting because that was sedentary enough for me not to feel overheated. Also prepped a couple racks of pork ribs in two different marinades for future meals.

I made tuna fish salad and had a sandwich for supper because the will to cook was 100% Not There plus I had that loaf of nice fresh bread on hand.

Sept 15 - Yup, another day that was okay in the morning and stupidly hot by midafternoon. For supper I grilled a couple of lamb chops (seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic), cooked barley in lamb stock with chopped onions for the starch, and did a side of steamed mixed veg. All stuff that I could mostly stay out of the kitchen while it cooked.

[dearly-somber]

sharp teeth | m.list

pairing. wolf shifter!jungkook x human!reader (f)

sum. Jungkook—a love struck puppy pining for Y/N’s affection. Y/N—an oblivious, hard-headed tsundere too thick to realize a shifter likes her. What could go wrong?

genre. slow burn, pining, mutual pining, eventual romance, shifter/werewolf!au, suggestive at times, eventual smut, i2l (idiots-to-lovers), f2l (friends-to-lovers), fluff, humor, found family, established relationship, high school!au, university!au

total w/c. 23,227 (including drabbles)

overall rating. 13+

collection. mini-series

a/n. Main Series and Drabbles are finally in chronological order, woo-hoo!

Available to read on: AO3, Wattpad

Listen to the <Sharp Teeth> playlist on Spotify!

© dearly-somber

started. June 30th, 2022. finished.

🌕🌔🌓🌒🌑🌘🌗🌖🌕

Main Series

It’s An Affectionate Thing | Jun 30th, 2022

Naked | Jun 18th, 2022

Yours | Jun 30th, 2022

Warm | Jun 30th, 2022

Purr | Nov 8th, 2023

RBF | Oct 30th, 2023

Because It’s Soft | Feb 26th, 2023

stand still (i’m sniffing you) | Feb 19th, 2024

Twister | Sept 16th, 2023

Haircut | Nov 30th, 2023

Heat Stroke | Jun 10th, 2023

Body Art | Jun 23rd, 2024

I Like Me Better | Jul 6th, 2024

Oh No! | Aug 3rd, 2024

The Moon Will Sing |

🌕🌔🌓🌒🌑🌘🌗🌖🌕

Drabbles

Sharp Teeth | Jun 30th, 2022

Feel The Burn |

In My Bed |

20/20 Vision | Jan 28th, 2024

Y/N’s parents meeting the pack |

Jungkook staying at Y/N’s house |

Girl Talk |

Whine, Whimper, Weep | Sept 26th, 2023

‘cause your love, is my drug |

Graduation | Jul 11th, 2024

Y/N meeting Jungkook’s parents |

Drugs, Sex, and Al•Co•Hol |

Soft Blankets, Cold Days |

All The Right Ways |

Do It Again |

Y/N reacting to Jungkook’s tattoos |

In My Bed, Pt.2 |

Birthday Boy | Sept. 1st, 2024

Cuddling With Your Partner |

Love You Like That |

🌕🌔🌓🌒🌑🌘🌗🌖🌕

Extras

What’s The Prob? Dog. — First Draft.

What’s The Prob? Dog. — Second Draft.

What’s The Prob? Dog. — Third Draft.

[platinumshawnn]

Bound by Blood and Fire Masterlist

A/N: posted and upcoming chapters, their descriptions and updates regarding dates are below the cut. <33

Overview: Amidst rising tensions and a looming war, House Tully seeks to strengthen its strongest alliances by proposing a marriage between Benjicot Blackwood, heir to Raventree, and Elmo Tully’s only daughter.

Last updated: Sept 23 2024 (pt 10/13)

Content warnings: MDNI — 18+, adult language, mentions of blood, violence, and war; era related sexism and gender based harassment/discrimination, sexual content, mild depictions of family based violence, implied suicide ideation. TO BE EDITED AT A LATER DATE.

fancasting

inspo playlist:

ACT I — sanctus

“the saint”

prologue (07/14/2024):

Synopsis: Serra Tully, the only daughter of acting Lord Elmo Tully, comes to an agreement to betroth his daughter to heir of Raventree’s Blackwood, Beniicot Blackwood

1.6k words

pt i (07/17/2024):

Synopsis: Lady Tully and Kermit travel to Raventree to reunite with a long-time family acquaintance amidst finalizing the details of the pending nuptials with Lord Blackwood.

6.6k words

pt ii (07/26/2024)

Synopsis: Elmo and Oscar Tully arrive at House Blackwood to be debriefed on the finalized terms of Serra’s and Benjicot’s betrothal. Tensions among the houses rise as Serra receives support from her father and yields to giving Benjicot a chance. As their engagement is announced to the other houses, news of murders in King’s Landing highlights the broader conflict looming over them. (Contains sexual content, i.e. male masturbation)

9k words

pt iii (08/02/2024)

6.2k words

syn: news of Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen's murder rocks the Seven Kingdoms, intensifying tensions at Raventree Hall. Benjicot urges immediate action against House Bracken, while Samwell advises caution. Serra seeks solace in the godswood amidst growing unease. With the wedding approaching, diplomatic tensions rise as troop movements near their borders escalate, casting a shadow over Benjicot and Serra's impending union

pt iv (08/06/2024)

7k words

syn: Amidst growing turmoil, Elmo Tully works to forge alliances with old rivals. As wedding planning forges ahead, storm clouds gather over Raventree Hall. Guests arrive for the betrothal feast with hidden anxieties, while Serra and Benjicot struggle to find common ground to ensure their marriage's success. Benjicot's olive branch to Serra offers some hope, despite her doubts. The families celebrate amid rising tensions and news from King’s Landing implicating Rhaenyra in Prince Jaehaerys’s murder. Lord Samwell hears of the Brackens crossing their borders and finally cracks underneath the pressure of his council.

pt v (08/13/2024)

7.1k words

syn: The Brackens retaliate and send their own men to the frontline and into Blackwood territory four days to the wedding, causing some concerns amongst the members of the Blackwood house. Benjicot impulsively takes things into his own hands and mistakenly escalates things. 

pt vi (08/18/2024)

10.1k words

syn: Two days to the wedding and the risk of more bloodshed looms at the boundaries between Brackens and Blackwoods as the council encounter a bump following Benjicot’s actions.

Serra begins to hear rumors around the castle of the impending battle and word from King’s Landing regarding an army of Aegon’s that is making its way along the western shore and targeting the houses on his behalf. Serra approaches her father again regarding the matter amidst finalizing wedding plans and finds comfort and friendship in another Blackwood. (Contains sexually suggestive content, i.e. making out and heavy petting)

pt vii (08/25/2024)

17.5k words

syn: On the morning of the much-anticipated wedding, the feud between the Brackens and Blackwoods comes to a head, leaving everyone on edge. Benjicot ends his first day as a husband as the acting Lord of Raventree, as Samwell heads to the Redfork to confront the Brackens despite Benjicot's eagerness to go on his houses' behalf. Despite the ongoing Battle of the Burning Mill, Serra and Benjicot celebrate a successful wedding. (Contains NSFW 18+ content, i.e. smut)

pt viii (09/06/2024)

8.4K words

syn: Serra and Benjicot's newly-wed bliss is interrupted by news from the Battle of Burning Mill, leaving Raventree in a state of grief amidst changes. Serra attempts to comfort Benjicot and better understand him in the early days of marriage. (Contains sexually suggestive content)

ACT II — heres

“the heir”

pt ix (09/23/2024)

syn: A year after the wedding of House Tully and House Blackwood (130 AC) -- in the aftermath of the Battle by the Lakeshore, the Dance of Dragons continues to rage on. Benjicot returns home and confides in his wife about the horrors of war as he prepares for another return to the battlefield and makes a plea to Rhaenyra.

pt x (date tba)

pt xi (date tba)

pt xiii (date tba) — finale 

[seraphinitegames]

The Wayhaven Chronicles—Update 13/Sept/2024

Well, my internet was mostly back this week! :D

I always take even half-working internet as a bonus these days, lol. But having it mostly back did mean I could finally finish up the social media this week!

But apart from that, my full focus was Chapter Four. It’s a more linear chapter—waaay more than the doozy of a variable chapter that was the previous one, lol!—so I really want to get ahead on this one.

Which I have been doing even better than I was pushing for! The big opening scene is already finished! It includes quite a bit of exposition about Li-Sar and what they’ve been up to, and that was fun to start sowing all the seeds of foreshadowing, hehe! ;D

I do sometimes get asked about advice on how to avoid telling instead of showing, so to that I say—don’t worry! For a start, it’s your story, and you can write it how you want, always remember that! All these writing ‘rules’ are guidelines, advice. You don’t have to choose to follow them if it doesn’t suit your style. I’ve read plenty of stories where I’ve been told a character is scared and not shown it through a paragraph of description—it reads just fantastic either way!

I do try and not to do big exposition dumps, but I don’t worry about it when the story genuinely needs it. Just write it in a fun and digestible way, and your reader will be more informed without it being too bogged down in the scene!

Having multiple characters to bounce off each other and react to the information is always a great way to break up the wealth of information, as well as having the MC react to it too with choices in Wayhaven’s case! This is also where having Unit Bravo in for meetings when this kind of things happens is perfect, even better when the LI can have some kind of emotional moment to it all too, hehe! ;D

I’m already part way through the next scene, which is another much more linear one where it’s only two characters, which makes things A LOT smoother to write!

I do love my branching scenes and variation, but it’s nice to have a more straight-forward chapter as a break too, lol!

And speaking of break, I will be away next week, trying to recharge my batteries and rest my brain! But I will be back on the 23rd September and diving straight back into it…especially considering the scene I’m currently working on. Things are getting…electric ;)

Hope you all have the most fantastic week ahead! I’ll update you all again after I get back! <3

[evidence-based-activism]

Stop Calling Hispanic/Latino People "Latinx"

So, the Pew Research Center is one of the highest quality, non-partisan, public opinion polling and demographic research centers in the world. And they have a fun new report: "Latinx Awareness Has Doubled Among U.S. Hispanics Since 2019, but Only 4% Use It".

Their findings include:

47% of Hispanic/Latino adults have heard the term "Latinx" in 2023, up from 23% in 2019, but only

4% of Hispanic/Latino adults have used "Latinx" to describe themselves, and only

13% of lesbian, gay or bisexual Hispanic/Latino adults use the term "Latinx", with usage in all other sub-groups falling in the single digits

In addition, among Hispanics who have heard the term "Latinx":

75% of all Hispanic/Latino adults say it should NOT be used, and

68% of Hispanic/Latina women say it should NOT be used, and

60% of lesbian, gay or bisexual Hispanic/Latino adults say it should NOT be used, and

And most sub-groups prefer either the term "Hispanic" or "Latino", including:

81% of all Hispanic/Latino people

82% of all Hispanic/Latina women

75% of all lesbian, gay or bisexual Hispanic/Latino adults

61% of Hispanic/Latino people people who have used "Latinx" to identify themselves

In summary, stop using language that the communities don't like/want! It is not progressive to force linguistic changes changes onto marginalized groups. (Particularly not when you are a part of the oppressor class.)

Reference:

Lopez, Luis Noe-Bustamante, Gracie Martinez and Mark Hugo. “Latinx Awareness Has Doubled Among U.S. Hispanics Since 2019, but Only 4% Use It.” Pew Research Center, 12 Sept. 2024, https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/12/latinx-awareness-has-doubled-among-u-s-hispanics-since-2019-but-only-4-percent-use-it/.

[hboww2rewatch]

Welcome to HBO's WWII Fandom Rewatch!

You are cordially invited to join us in watching Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Masters of the Air in chronological order April 29 - July 14, 2024.

We will be watching three episodes a week and will have prompts to boost fandom creation as we watch together!

You can find the episode schedule and prompts below the cut. Individual posts can be found here and here if you prefer shorter posts.

If you are unable to watch the show at the same time as the schedule, no worries. While we are personally planning to liveblog together the episodes per the schedule, we understand everyone has lives outside of tumblr. Watch whenever you are able - our goal is to bond over our love for these shows and experience them again together. Pop in when you are able! :)

Please tag all your posts during this event with #hboww2rewatch and give us a follow for all updates on the rewatch.

Please reblog this post to spread the word!

Schedule:

We are tentatively planning to watch Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays, but that is not set in stone - watch when you are able during the week!

Week 1: Mon April 29- Sun May 5

The Pacific E1  (Dec ‘41- Oct ‘42) The Pacific E2  (Oct ‘42) The Pacific E3  (Dec ‘42- Fall ‘43)

Week 2: Mon May 6- Sun May 12

Masters of the Air E1  (Spring ‘43) Masters of the Air E2  (Spring ‘43) Masters of the Air E3   (Aug ‘43)

Week 3: Mon May 13- Sun May 19

Masters of the Air E4 (Oct ‘43) Masters of the Air E5 (Oct ‘43) Masters of the Air E6 (Oct ‘43)

Week 4: Mon May 20- Sun May 26

The Pacific E4  (Dec ‘43) Masters of the Air E7  (march ‘44) Band of Brothers E1  (June ‘44)

Week 5: Mon May 27- Sun June 2

Masters of the Air E8  (June ‘44) Band of Brothers E2  (June 6, ‘44) Band of Brothers E3  (June 7, ‘44)

Week 6: Mon June 3- Sun June 9

The Pacific E5  (Sept ‘44) Band of Brothers E4  (Sept ‘44) The Pacific E6  (Sept-Oct ‘44)

Week 7: Mon June 10- Sun June 16

Band of Brothers E5  (Oct ‘44) The Pacific E7  (Oct-Dec ‘44) Band of Brothers E6  (Dec ‘44)

Week 8: Mon June 17- Sun June 23

Band of Brothers E7  (Jan ‘45) Band of Brothers E8  (Feb ‘45) The Pacific E8  (Feb ‘45)

Week 9: Mon June 24- Sun June 30

Band of Brothers E9  (April ‘45) The Pacific E9  (April-June ‘45) Masters of the Air E9  (Feb-June ‘45)

Week 10: Mon July 1- Sun July 7

Band of Brothers E10  (May-Aug ‘45) The Pacific E10  (Aug ‘45) Saving Private Ryan (Bonus event)

Week 11: Mon July 8- Sun July 14 - post rewatch events to encourage fellow fans!

Reblog people’s creations

Leave comments on fics

Consider making a new friend in someone else who participated

Prompts:

Week 1: Mon April 29- Sun May 5:

Heading Out

First Fight

Friends

Orange

Week 2: Mon May 6- Sun May 12:

Crash

Crew

Superstition

Blue

Week 3: Mon May 13- Sun May 19:

Dancing

Reunion

Kinship

Red

Week 4: Mon May 20- Sun May 26:

Recuperation

Camp Life

Training

Green

Week 5: Mon May 27- Sun June 2:

Tuskeegees

Parachute

Injured

Purple

Week 6: Mon June 3- Sun June 9

Reunited

Replacement

Airfield

White

Week 7: Mon June 10- Sun June 16:

Typewriter

Loss

Cold

Pink

Week 8: Mon June 17- Sun June 23:

Shelling

Translation

Wedding

Brown

Week 9: Mon June 24- Sun June 30:

Discovery

Humanity

Celebration

Yellow

Week 10: Mon July 1- Sun July 7:

Bonding

Adjustment

Sacrifice

Dress Uniform

Black

Week 11 Mon July 8- Sun July 14:

Favorite Crew

Favorite Company

Best Friendship

Humor

Underrated Character

Character + Quote

Headcanons

Crossover

Something Missing

[ecto-implosion]

Hello Implosion Enthusiasts! As we are nearing the EI sign-ups day of September 1st, we would like to mention some changes that are gonna take place during this year’s event! We have already made a post detailing this year’s schedule, which you can find here.

With the new year of Ecto-Implosion, come new and updated rules, which you can read in their entirety here:

[RULES]

They include major changes like:

⋆⭒˚.⋆ Idea Clearance ⋆⭒˚.⋆

When first signing up, Artists will be required to submit their ideas. This doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind later, but it helps mods verify that each artist’s goal meets the event’s standards and rules. Major changes must be verified by an Artist Mod.

⋆⭒˚.⋆ Claims submission requirements ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Artists must provide adequate material for writers to work off of. Therefore we are requiring approximately 35-50% completion or at least a clear, visual concept of the artwork (i.e. a completed lineart - not a sketch) at the time of claims. Music submissions should focus on writing out the vast majority of the melody/main progression in order to give writers the clearest idea of the final piece.

⋆⭒˚.⋆ Partner Check-Ins ⋆⭒˚.⋆

As stated in the previously posted schedule, this year we are implementing Partner Check-ins. What that entails is that we ask our participants to confirm that they are in contact with their partner. All post-claims check-ins will require a partner check-in, in addition to normal check-in procedures.

⋆⭒˚.⋆ OCs ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Content with heavy focus on OCs will not be permitted. Fandom OCs (Wes, Kyle, Flynn etc.) are allowed. OCs that fill a pre-established role (an Ancient, a classmate, etc.) are allowed as long as they are not the main focus of the work.

⋆⭒˚.⋆ AUs and Crossovers ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Both AUs and Crossovers are permitted, but must be verified by a mod first. DPxDC is the only pre-cleared crossover.

⋆⭒˚.⋆Starting Early ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Artists are allowed to start their work before the sign-ups, but we ask to either DM @half-deadmagicperson or @the-oaken-muse about your idea or at the very least be aware that your idea will have to go through verification when signing up!

⋆⭒˚.⋆ Schedule ⋆⭒˚.⋆

Just a reminder of all the different sign-up dates!

⭒ Artists sign-ups: Sept 1 - Sept 13

⭒ Authors sign-ups: Sept 1 - Sept 16

⭒ Betas and Pinch Hitters sign-ups: Sep 1 - Sep 16

⋆⭒˚.⋆ [Full Ecto-Implosion 2024 Schedule] ⋆⭒˚.⋆

You can read more into all these points, as well as other requirements in the Ecto-Implosion Rules. If there are any questions, don’t be scared to reach out to any of the mods or send us an ask on here!

We hope to see you all on September 1st! Stay Imploding!

[breelandwalker]

PODCAST RECS - Debunking and Fact-Checking for Witches & Witchcraft Spaces

A collection of podcast episodes fact-checking, debunking, or just providing some clarity on modern myths, misinformation, and conspiracy theories that are frequent flyers in witchcraft and pagan spaces, both theories mistakenly touted by community members and some of the utter drivel spouted by non-witches that still affects us today. Check out these shows on your favorite podcast app!

(Updates to be made whenever I find new content. There will be some crossover with my Witches In History Podcast Recs post and some of the content will be heavy. Blanket trigger warning for violence, abuse, bigotry, sexism, antisemitism, and mistreatment of women, queer people, and children.)

[Last Updated: October 17, 2024]

This post is broken into three basic sections:

Historical Misinformation

Modern Myths and the People Who Create Them

Conspiracy Theories and Moral Panics

List of Cited Podcasts, in alphabetical order

American Hysteria

BS-Free Witchcraft

Dig: A History Podcast

Hex Positive

Historical Blindness

History Uncovered

Morbid

Occultae Veritatis

Our Curious Past

Our Fake History

Ridiculous History

Stuff You Missed In History Class

The History of Witchcraft

Unobscured

You’re Wrong About…

Historical Misinformation

General History of Witchcraft

Historical Blindness - A Rediscovery of Witches, Pt 1 & 2 Oct 13, 2020 & Oct. 27, 2020 A discussion of the early modern witch craze and the myths, misconceptions, and theories about witches spread by academics. Topics of discussion include the works of Margaret Murray and Charles Leland, the founding of Wicca, the emergence of the midwife-witch myth, and folk healers as targets of witchcraft accusations. Sarah Handley-Cousins of “Dig: A History Podcast” supplies guest material for both episodes.

Hex Positive, Ep. 36 - Margaret Effing Murray with Trae Dorn July 1, 2023 Margaret Murray was a celebrated author, historian, folklorist, Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, first-wave feminist, and the first woman to be appointed to the position of lecturer in archaeology in the UK. So why so we get so annoyed whenever her name is mentioned in conversations about witchcraft? Well, it all has to do with a book Margaret wrote back in 1921...which just so happened to go on to have a profound influence on the roots of the modern witchcraft movement.

Nerd & Tie senpai and host of BS-Free Witchcraft Trae Dorn joins Bree NicGarran in the virtual studio to discuss the thoroughly-discredited witch-cult hypothesis, Murray's various writings and accomplishments, and why modern paganism might not have caught on so strongly without her.

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep 03: The History of Wicca October 06, 2018 On this episode, Trae digs deep into the history of Wicca, and tries to give the most accurate history of the religion as they can. I mean, yeah, we know this is a general Witchcraft podcast, but Wicca is the most widely practiced form of Witchcraft in the US, UK, Canada and Australia… so how it got started is kind of important for the modern Witchcraft movement. (And trust me, there aren’t any pulled punches here.)

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 28: The Burning Times May 30, 2020 On this installment of the podcast, we tackle probably one of the more controversial topics in the modern witchcraft movement: The Burning Times. What were the actual “Burning Times,” where do we get that phrase from, and what really happened? Also, how has this phrase been used in modern witchcraft? It’s a heavy one, folks.

Dig: A History Podcast - Both Man and Witch: Uncovering the Invisible History of Male Witches Sept 13, 2020 Since at least the 1970s, academic histories of witches and witchcraft have enjoyed a rare level of visibility in popular culture. Feminist, literary, and historical scholarship about witches has shaped popular culture to such a degree that the discipline has become more about unlearning everything we thought we knew about witches. Though historians have continued to investigate and re-interpret witch history, the general public remains fixated on the compelling, feminist narrative of the vulnerable women hanged and burned at the stake for upsetting the patriarchy. While this part of the story can be true, especially in certain contexts, it’s only part of the story, and frankly, not even the most interesting part. Today, we tackle male witches in early modern Eurasia and North America!

Dig: A History Podcast - Doctor, Healer, Midwife, Witch: How the the Women’s Health Movement Created the Myth of the Midwife-Witch Sept 6, 2020 In 1973, two professors active in the women’s health movement wrote a pamphlet for women to read in the consciousness-raising reading groups. The pamphlet, inspired by Our Bodies, Ourselves, looked to history to explain how women had been marginalized in their own healthcare. Women used to be an important part of the medical profession as midwives, they argued — but the midwives were forced out of practice because they were so often considered witches and persecuted by the patriarchy in the form of the Catholic Church. The idea that midwives were regularly accused of witchcraft seemed so obvious that it quickly became taken as fact. There was only one problem: it wasn’t true. In this episode, we follow the convoluted origin story of the myth of the midwife-witch.

Dig: A History Podcast - Cheesecloth, Spiritualism, and State Secrets: Helen Duncan’s Famous Witchcraft Trial July 3, 2022 Helen Duncan was charged under the 1735 Witchcraft Act, but her case was no eighteenth-century sensation: she was arrested, charged, and ultimately imprisoned in 1944. Of course, in 1944, Britain was at war, fighting fascism by day on the continent and hiding in air raid shelters by night at home. The spectacle of a Spiritualist medium on trial for witchcraft seemed out of place. What possessed the Home Secretary to allow this trial to make headlines all across the UK in 1944? That’s what we’re here to find out.

The Conspirators, Ep. 63 - The Last Witch Trial Nov. 26, 2017 England’s official laws regarding the prosecution of witches dates back to the 1600s. Those very same laws would also remain on the books until well into the 20th century. In 1944, a psychic medium named Helen Duncan would gain notoriety by becoming the last woman to be tried under England’s witchcraft laws.

The History of Witchcraft Podcast, hosted by Samuel Hume Witches didn’t exist, and yet thousands of people were executed for the crime of witchcraft. Why? The belief in magic and witchcraft has existed in every recorded human culture; this podcast looks at how people explained the inexplicable, turned random acts of nature into conscious acts of mortal or supernatural beings, and how desperate communities took revenge against the suspected perpetrators.

Unobscured, Season One - The Salem Witch Trials Welcome to Salem, Massachusetts. It’s 1692. And all hell is about to break loose.

Unobscured is a deep-dive history podcast from the labs of How Stuff Works, featuring the writing and narrative talents of Aaron Mahnke, horror novelist and the mind behind Lore and Cabinet of Curiosities.

As with his other series, Mahnke approaches the events in Salem armed with a mountain of research. Interviews with prominent historians add depth and documentation to each episode. And it’s not just the trials you’ll learn about; it’s the stories of the people, places, attitudes, and conflicts that led to the deaths of more than twenty innocent people.

Each week, a new aspect of the story is explored, gradually weaving events and personalities together in chronological order to create a perspective of the trials that is both expansive and intimate. From Bridget Bishop to Cotton Mather, from Andover to Salem Town, Mahkne digs deep to uncover the truth behind the most notorious witch trials in American history.

Think you know the story of Salem? Think again.

Witchcraft and Other Magical Practices

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 43 - “Lilith” Jan. 29, 2022 Host Trae Dorn discusses the ongoing debate over whether or not it’s okay for non-Jewish witches to incorporate Lilith into their practices. Is Lilith closed? Is it cultural appropriation? There’s so much misinformation in New Age and poorly written witchcraft books on Lilith, it’s hard for some witches to get a clear picture. It’s common to run into folks on social media talking about Lilith as a “Goddess,” which she very much isn’t. Let’s dive into the origins of the folklore surrounding this figure, and we’ll let you decide whether or not it’s okay to work with Lilith. But, uh, spoiler – we don’t think you should.

Historical Blindness, Ep. 106 - Lilith, the Phantom Maiden November 22, 2022 Host Nathaniel Lloyd explores the evolution of the figure of Lilith, from Mesopotamian demon, to the first woman created by God, and back to a succubus mother of demons. It’s a tale of syncretism, superstition, forgery, and a dubious interpretation of scriptures.

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 55 - Lucky Girl Syndrome and the Law of Attraction January 28, 2023 Trae takes a look at one of New Age spirituality’s most toxic philosophies - The Law of Attraction. The history of the idea is discussed, where it came from, and how this dangerous combination of prosperity gospel, purity culture, and victim-blaming has come back in a major way to a whole new generation as “Lucky Girl Syndrome.” 

Hex Positive, Ep. 19 - The Trouble with Tarot August 1, 2021 Tarot and tarot-reading have been a part of the modern witchcraft movement since the 1960s. But where did these cards and their meanings come from? Are they secretly Ancient Egyptian mystical texts? Do they have their origins among the Romani people? Are they a sacred closed practice that should not be used by outsiders? Nope, nope, and nope.

This month, we delve into the actual history of tarot cards, discover their origins on the gaming tables of Italy and France, meet the people who developed their imagery and symbolism into the deck we know today, and debunk some of the nonsense that’s been going around lately concerning their use. The Witchstorian is putting on her research specs for this one!

Stuff You Missed in History Class - A Brief History of Tarot Cards Oct. 26, 2020 How did a card game gain a reputation for being connected to mysticism? Tarot’s history takes a significant turn in the 18th century, but much of that shift in perception is based on one author’s suppositions and theories.

Hex Positive, Ep. 23 - The Name of the Game November 1, 2021 Bree delves into the history, myths, and urban legends surrounding Ouija boards. Along the way, we’ll uncover their origins in the spiritualist movement, discover the pop culture phenomenon that labeled them portals to hell, and try to separate fact from internet fiction with regard to what these talking boards can actually do.

Our Curious Past, Ep. 20 - The Curious History of the Ouija Board August 18, 2023 Host Peter Laws explores the history of the “talking board,” which was wildly popular in the early 1900s, until something happened that would tarnish its’ reputation for good. 

Ridiculous History - Brooms and Witchcraft, Pt. 1 & 2 Oct. 13-15, 2020 Most people are familiar with the stereotypical image of a witch: a haggard, often older individual with a peaked hat, black robes, a demonic familiar and, oddly enough, a penchant for cruising around on broomsticks. But where did that last weirdly specific trop of flying on a broomstick actually come from?  Could the stereotype of witches on broomsticks actually be a drug reference? Join Ben, Noel, and Casey as they continue digging through the history and folklore of witchcraft - and how it affected pop culture in the modern day.

Historical Blindness, Ep. 116 - The Key to the Secrets of King Solomon  May 02, 2023 Host Nathaniel Lloyd continues his occasional series on the history and mythology of magic. In this installment, he looks at the development of the story that the biblical King Solomon was actually a flying-carpet-riding, magic-ring-wielding wizard and alchemist who bound demons to do his will. The origins and content of the legendary Key of Solomon are also discussed.

Dig: A History Podcast - Plastic Shamans and Spiritual Hucksters: A History of Peddling and Protecting Native American Spirituality July 24, 2022 In the late 20th century, white Americans flocked to New Age spirituality, collecting crystals, hugging trees, and finding their places in the great Medicine Wheel. Many didn’t realize - or didn’t care - that much of this spirituality was based on the spiritual faiths and practices of Native American tribes. Frustrated with what they called “spiritual hucksterism,” members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) began protesting - and have never stopped. Who were these “plastic shamans,” and how did the spiritual services they sold become so popular?

Historical Blindness, Ep. 145 - All Is Number: Pythagoras and Numerology May 28, 2024 In this installment of the ongoing Encyclopedia Grimoria series, host Nathaniel Lloyd talks about a cult leader who is remembered as a great mathematician, whose real lasting contribution to the world is the nonsensical divination "magic" known as numerology.

Holidays

Hex Positive, Ep. 28 - The Easter-Ostara Debacle April 1, 2022 Host Bree NicGarran puts on her Witchstorian hat once more to delve into the origins of both Easter  and Ostara and to finally answer the age-old question: which came first  – the bunny or the egg?

Historical Blindness, Ep. 28 - A Very Historically Blind Christmas Dec. 18, 2018 An exploration of the origins of Christmas traditions, with special guest Brian Earl of the Christmas Past podcast. (There is also some mention of Christmas witches!) Further installments of this series explore additional Christmas traditions and iconography which have been falsely claimed to have pagan origins as well as the myths surrounding the history of Christmas itself. (Eps. 47, 63, 84, & 132 in December of subsequent years)

Modern Myths and the People Who Create Them

Ed and Lorraine Warren

You’re Wrong About…Ed and Lorraine Warren w. Jamie Loftus Nov 8 2021 Special Guest Jamie Loftus tells Sarah about Ed and Lorraine Warren (of The Conjuring and Annabelle fame). Topics of interest include Connecticut as a locus of scary happenings, New England uncles, and psychic communication with a tearstained Bigfoot.

Dig: A History Podcast - The Demonologist and the Clairvoyant: Ed and Lorraine Warren, Paranormal Investigation, and Exorcism in the Modern World Oct 3 2021 In the 1970s, Lorraine and Ed Warren had a spotlight of paranormal obsession shining on them. In the last decade, their work as paranormal investigators–ghost hunters–has been the premise for a blockbuster horror franchise totaling at least seven films so far, and more planned in the near future. So… what the heck? Is this for real? Yes, friends, today we’re talking about demonology, psychic connections to the dead, and the patriarchy. Just a typical day with your historians at Dig.

History Uncovered, Ep. 92 - The Enfield Haunting That Inspired "The Conjuring 2" Oct 25 2023 The Enfield Haunting began with a bang. Literally. From 1977 to 1979, an unassuming North London home was the site of near-constant paranormal activity, from knocking sounds and moving objects to disembodied voices and the terrifying alleged possession of one young daughter of the Hodgson family. But how much truth was there to these happenings? And since the Warrens got involved briefly and subsequently touted themselves as experts on the case (and made money from talking about it), how much of what we think we know reflects the actual events?

Hex Positive, Ep. 042 - Extended Warren Tea with Jenn the Ouija Girl and Lorelei Rivers Jan 01 2024 Discussions about the careers and rhetoric of the Warrens make the rounds regularly in conversations about the paranormal among members of the witchcraft community. But who were the Warrens? Why do they inspire such ire even as the Conjuring franchise gains steam? How much of what we think we know about the supernatural comes from them? And why is it important to recognize - and refute - their rhetoric when we encounter it? Bree NicGarran sits down with Jenn the Ouija Girl and Lorelei Rivers to spill ALL the tea.

"Paranormal" Literature & Media

You’re Wrong About…Winter Book Club - The Amityville Horror, Pts. 1-3 Dec 20 2021 - Feb 6 2022 Sarah tells guest host Jamie Loftus about the Amityville Horror, how it’s a Christmas story, and buying murder furniture might not be such a great idea. Further highlights include Jodie the Demon Pig, poor insulation and terrible parenting as evidence of a haunting, lots and lots of sunk cost fallacy, and how the book kind of debunks itself.

MORBID, Ep. 610 - The Amityville Horror Conspiracy October 17 2024 The supposed experience of the Lutz family at 112 Ocean Avenue served as the basis for the iconic haunted house story, “The Amityville Horror,” and the countless films adapted from or inspired by the original novel. However, unlike most other stories of paranormal experiences, “The Amityville Horror” became a phenomenon that influenced everything from Ronald DeFeo’s criminal defense during his murder trial to the American public’s belief in the supernatural. Yet for all their talk of it being a genuine story of demonic activity, in the years since the publication of the popular novel, a large body of evidence from skeptical evaluations to court records and interview transcripts suggest that America’s most notorious haunted house might not have been quite so haunted after all.

American Hysteria, Ep. 125 - I Was A Teenage Poltergeist October 14 2024 Sarah Marshall, host of “You’re Wrong About…,” transports us to the old world of British Hysteria to reveal the mysterious story of the Enfield Poltergeist and joins host Chelsea Weber Smith at the seance table to discuss the great unknown and the ghosts they know.

You’re Wrong About… - Michelle Remembers, Pt. 1-5 March 26, 2020 - April 30, 2020 Intrepid hosts Sarah and Mike delve into one of the foundational texts of the Satanic Panic - “Michelle Remembers.” A young woman spends a year undergoing hypnosis therapy, which uncovers repressed memories of shocking and horrifying abuse at the hands of a Satanic cult. The book became a foundational text for both mental health professionals and law enforcement attempting to grapple with an alleged nationwide network of insidiously invisible child-abducting cults. The only problem is…none of what Michelle remembered ever actually happened.

You’re Wrong About…. - The Satan Seller, Pt. 1-5 June 28, 2021 - August 9, 2021 Sarah and Mike return to Camp You’re Wrong About for another Satanic Panic story hour. This time, the summer book club explores Mike Warnke’s 1972 “memoir” about joining a demonic cult, rising through the ranks of Satan’s favorite lackeys, his sudden downfall and redemption, and the California hedonism that made him do it. This is followed by a discussion of the Cornerstone Magazine exposé that brought the facts to light and thoroughly discredited Warnke’s story.

American Hysteria, Eps. 64-66 - Chick Tracts, Pts. 1-3 March 20 - April 03, 2023 In his own lifetime, Jack Chick was one of most prolific and widely-read comic artists in history. His company, Chick Tracts, published hundreds of millions of copies of pocket-sized bible comics, filled with lurid illustrations of cackling demons, wicked witches, and sinister cults, all hell-bent on corrupting any hapless mortal they could get their hands on. These tracts were meant to be left where they might be found by a sinner in need of salvation, with a scared-straight morality-play approach to Christianity that contributed in no small part to the period in the late 20th century we now call the Satanic Panic. (There’s also a follow-up two-part episode about one of Chick’s “occult experts,” who claimed to be, among other things, a real-life vampire.)

History Uncovered, Ep. 95 - Roland Doe, The Boy Who Inspired "The Exorcist" November 15, 2023 In 1949, priests performed an exorcism on a boy referred to as "Roland Doe," aka Ronald Hunkeler, in a chilling ordeal that became the real-life inspiration for William Peter Blatty's 1971 book, "The Exorcist," and the movie adaptation released in 1973. But what really happened during this alleged exorcism and was there any proof of the claims of alleged demonic paranormal activity surrounding the events?

You're Wrong About... - The Exorcist (with Marlena Williams) December 27, 2023 Marlena Williams, author of "Night Mother: A Personal and Cultural History of the Exorcist," joins host Sarah Marshall to discuss the little possession movie that changed America forever. Was the set cursed by Satan himself, or plain old 70s misogyny? What makes a country going through a cultural upheaval embrace stories about the Devil? And - the most critical question of all - do Ouija boards really cause possession?

Frightful, Bonus Episode - Is the Paranormal Like A New Religion? June 25 2024 Since the early 2000s, paranormal content has exploded in popular culture. It seems we can't get enough of ghosts (and hunting for them). What could be behind this enthusiasm for spooky things? Host Peter Laws shares a theory - that the paranormal is a clever way for us to be religious...without being religious. (This is less a debunking than a discussion of a personal hypothesis, but it deals with the pervasiveness of cultural religious themes, the influence of social media on modern mythmaking, and the sense of community surrounding paranormal belief.)

Conspiracy Theories and Moral Panics

Ancient "Mysteries"

Historical Blindness, Pyramidiocy, Eps. 146-151 June-July 2024 Host Nathaniel Lloyd delves into the great pyramids and the various myths and misconceptions surrounding them, some of which, despite vast amounts of historical evidence to the contrary, endure to this very day. Further related segments on this topic may be found on the show's Patreon, including a highly interesting July 2024 minisode regarding "Books of the Dead," which examines claims about H.P. Lovecraft's "Necronomicon" and its' supposed relation to the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus.

History Uncovered, Ep. 117 - The Real History Behind the Mythic City of Atlantis June 12, 2024 First mentioned by Plato in Timaeus and Critias, the lost city of Atlantis later became a widely debated topic among historians. But is Atlantis real? (Spoiler: No. No it is not.)

Hucksters, Secret Societies, and Antisemitism

Historical Blindness, Ep. 14 - Bloody Libel December 12, 2017 An exploration of one of the most destructive myths in history - the blood libel, or the false accusation that Jews of the Middle Ages and beyond ritually murdered Christian children, a lie that host Nathaniel Lloyd traces back to its’ roots in medieval England and the murder of one Young William of Norwich.

Historical Blindness, Eps. 56-57 - The Illuminati Illuminated September 15-29, 2020 A contemplation of the modern conservative conspiracy theory of a “deep state” leads host Nathaniel Lloyd back to the dawn of the modern conspiracy theory, the Enlightenment, when the ultimate conservative conspiracy theory was born as an explanation for the French Revolution: The Illuminati!

Historical Blindness, Eps. 38-40 - Nazi Occultism, Parts 1-3 July 2-30, 2019 An exploration of the dark roots of Nazi occult philosophies, from a neo-paganism preoccupied with the Nordic Pantheon, to a folksy back-to-the-land movement that evolved into a nationalist sentiment, to an ideology of racial supremacy all tied up with contemporary myths and pseudoscience. (The host is careful to note with clarity and vehemence at the start of each episode that this series IN NO WAY approves of, promotes, or supports this ideology and Nazism is roundly condemned at every turn. It’s not an easy listen, but understanding how and why this bigotry continues to be a problem in pagan spaces and how to recognize it is very important.) TL;DR - Fuck Nazis. No tolerance for genocidal fuckwads.

DIG: A History Podcast - Werewolves, Vampires, and the Aryans of Ancient Atlantis: The Occultic Roots of the Nazi Party Oct 17, 2021 Modern movie plotlines which portray Nazi obsessions with occultism might be exaggerated for dramatic effect, but they aren't made up out of wholecloth. The NSDAP, or the National Socialist Worker's Party, was a party ideologically enabled by occultist theories about the Aryan race and vampiric Jews, on old folk tales about secret vigilante courts and nationalist werewolves, and on pseudoscientific ideas about ice moons. In this episode, the hosts explore the occult ideas, racial mythology, and 'supernatural imaginary' that helped to create the Nazi Party.

Our Fake History, Eps. 66-68: Who Was the Mother of the Occult? May-June 2018 An exploration of the life and works of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, self-described sage, medium, guru, author, and one of the founders of Theosophy.

The Satanic Panic

American Hysteria - Satanic Panic, pt 1 & 2 Dec. 10 2018 - Jan. 07, 2019 This two-part episode covers perhaps the most mystifying moral panic in US history, the 1980s and early 90s ‘Satanic Panic.’ For this episode, Chelsey covers the rise of organized Satanism beginning in the late 60s, as well as the adversarial countercultures of the hippies and the metalheads, and their apparent Satanic crimes that would be hailed as proof of their evil, as well as proof that teens, as well as children, were in serious moral peril. Satan was allegedly hypnotizing the youth with secret messages in backwards rock songs, teaching them occult magic in Saturday morning cartoons, and causing suicides through a popular role-playing games, all while helping religion blur into politics for good.

For part two, Chelsey will cover what came next, a serious investigation into an imagined network of Satanic cults ritually abusing children in daycare centers all over the country. Chelsey will try to understand this shocking decade in history, why it really happened, and the cultural issues it was really about.

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep 10 - The Satanic Panic April 27, 2019 The Satanic Panic of the 70s, 80s, and 90s shaped the Modern Witchcraft Movement in a lot of unexpected ways. Its effects still ripple through a lot of our sources, so in this installment of the podcast we’re digging into this extremely weird part of American history. It’s a bit of a doozy, after all.

BS-Free Witchcraft - Ep. 32: A New Satanic Panic? February 27, 2021 A couple of years ago, we did an episode on the history of the Satanic Panic of the latter half of the twentieth century, but recent events have led us to ask - could it be happening again? It’s very possible that we are at the start of a new wave of satanic panic, and QAnon is just the latest symptom of a larger problem.

Occultae Veritatis, Case #014: Satanic Panic of Martensville Jan. 28, 2018 Today the hosts cover one of the various Satanic ritual abuse scandals that happened close to them. Is it full of hot air and false allegations? Yes. Yes it is. 

Occultae Veritatis, Case #097A & B: Dungeons, Dragons, and the Satanic Panic Dec. 07, 2019 - Dec. 15, 2019 Dungeons & Dragons, introduced in 1974, attracted millions of players, along with accusations by some religious figures that the game fostered demon worship and a belief in witchcraft and magic.

[Last Updated: October 17 2024]

[nikizource]

[October 11, 2024 via Instagram]

joeandohirsh: made a dress for @/nikizefanya show <3

[truth4ourfreedom]

RIP THAIS BELEM.

RIP Thais Belém💐 28 years old She was a model and a journalist.

📌 1st dose: July 5, 2021 📌 2nd dose : 17 sept 2021 📌 Brain tumor early 2023 📌 Deceased: September 13, 2024

Another turbo cancer?

She wrote about Covid and vaccination on her Instagram on July 5, 2021:

"See how these people trust us, in the power of the press .. Today I realized that this dose is not right for me. This was for everyone who suffered in some way"

Rest in peace 💐🙏

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

Another victim of the Great Reset?

[dearly-somber]

Birthday Boy | j.jk

-> pairing. wolf shifter!jungkook x human!reader (f)

-> genre. tooth rotting domestic fluff, birthday celebration, found-family, established relationship

-> rating. 13+

-> w/c. 846

-> warnings. Kinda suggestive at the start 😭👍🏻

-> a/n. Self-indulgent birthday JK fic <33

-> collection. mini-series

-> started. Sun., Sept. 1st, 2024 @ 09:41

-> fin. Sun., Sept. 1st, 2024 @ 16:55

-> edited. Sun., Sept. 1st, 2024 @ 18:46

-> divider credit. @mmadeinheavenn

Jungkook wakes to the unmistakable feel of your lips around his earlobe.

“Mmng…”

Your giggles tickle his ear as you trail your lips over the underside of his jaw, dotting wet little kisses all across his throat. “Morning.”

Jungkook hums appreciatively, tilting his head back for easier access, his hands making their way to your hips when you give his Adam’s apple a sweet little nip.

“Bunny,” he mumbles, forcing himself to slow-blink his eyes open.

“Mm?” You kiss him (finally), gently pulling his lower lip between your teeth before leaning back down to press your foreheads together, mouths a hairsbreadth apart.

This is Jungkook’s favorite thing, he thinks. He wishes he could stay in bed with you forever… but, knowing you, you definitely had something a little extra prepared.

He smiles into your mouth, giving you a quick peck before leaning up to nuzzle against your cheek. “G’morning,” he sighs contentedly.

You giggle again, using his chest to push yourself up into a sitting position. “Sleep well?”

He nods, laughing when you smooth over his hair with your hands, cupping and squeezing his cheeks together while growling about your cuteness-aggression.

“Thank you,” he mutters through forced duck-lips, rubbing gentle circles against your exposed hips.

You frown. “For?”

“Gift,” he says. “Waking up like this…”

You scoff, gently smacking his chest before swinging your legs over the side of the bed like you’re dismounting a horse, pulling your (his) shirt down over your stomach so it rests across your thighs. “Idiot. This is a cherry on top.”

You walk across the room, rummaging around the drawer for a pair of shorts. “Get up and get ready.”

Jungkook frowns as he sits up, picking the sand from the corners of his eyes. “Huh?”

“We’re going shopping.”

“Isn’t that something you’d wanna do for your birthday?”

“Har-har, babe. Very funny.”

Jungkook grins, watching you with sparkling eyes as you come back to him, grabbing his jaw between your fingers and giving his puckered lips a firm smooch. “I got us tickets to Deadpool and Wolverine.”

“YOU DID WHAT?!”

🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕

“The Honda Odyssey fucked hard,” Jungkook gushes, swinging your hands back and forth as he takes a bite out of his ice cream.

You laugh fondly, biting into your sweet sugary cone. “The choreography was phenomenal,” you agree.

“Right?! Ugh—“ He kisses your cheek, pulling away with a cute little mwah that makes you involuntarily smile. “Thank you so much for today. Seriously. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.” He smiles and squeezes your intertwined hands, taking another bite out of his ice cream.

“Always, Kook.”

He briefly lets go of your hand to reach into your back pocket for the apartment keys, twisting it in the lock and pushing it open while trying to catch the melting ice cream on his tongue, giving you a sly grin over his shoulder.

“Although, I might have one other thing in mind for tonight—“

“Surprise!”

Jungkook flinches in surprise as the apartment lights flash on, party streamers flying across the room as the pack come jumping out behind every nook and cranny they managed to squeeze themselves into.

“Happy birthday, brat,” Jennie grabs Jungkook by his neck and digs her knuckles into his head, laughing as Rosé pulls her off so she and Lisa can wrap their arms around him.

Jisoo fondly shakes her head, giving the younger girls a chance to finish greeting their maknae before hugging him herself, followed quickly by Taehyung, Jimin and Hoseok who all collectively dogpile Jungkook (so much so that he nearly falls over).

You laugh as you close the door behind you, watching with a burning heart as the pack envelop him in their arms, loud and rowdy and full of love.

“Yah! Make room, you rascals! Stop hogging my son!”

Jungkook’s eyes widen, the tears that’d been slowly building in the corners of his eyes finally flowing down his cheeks at the sight of his mom and dad.

“Eomma,” he whispers, falling into her arms as she wraps her arms around his shoulders, cooing at him like all mothers do.

He pulls away and grasps onto his dad’s shoulder as his mom wipes at his tears, scolding him for making her emotional. “Appa,” he sniffles, hugging them both again, his dad laughing as he tries not to cry himself.

They hadn’t been able to see each other in months, and Jungkook had seemed so sad when they said they wouldn’t be able to make it. You couldn’t let that happen, so you pulled a few strings to get them off work and up to Seoul.

You can’t help the strong pulling sensation in your chest, your love for this family so close to spraying out of you in a wave of bright, iridescent light.

And despite the tears streaking across his cheeks, Jungkook’s happiness radiates like a sun radiates heat—strong and all encompassing.

He looks at you over his father’s shoulder, a tearful, loving smile on his face. Thank you, he mouths. I love you.

I love you, you whisper.

Happy birthday.

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