#simon magus (fate)

[crabussy]

oh man I loved this scene it was so lovely how they showed simon hanging out with his old friends from before he was freed of the crown. right. right <- the wishful thinker

screenshot edit!!!! ahhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhh!! save me!!! original under cut

[mysticeye23]

Commission done by: @aedh--098

A short comic based off Nero’s sword origins. The one where Aestus Estus was crafted by the meteor.

[zolupine]

“Hey you still into bird watching?” - A thread on Betty Grof bird symbolism - crossposted on twitter!!!

I think about which birds Betty’s magic birds are and a couple come to mind. I’d personally like to think they’d change form to the following:

1.) Canaries- for a multitude of reason 1.) being that they’re some of the most similar in terms of size and shape minus the beak, but i did want to bring up the phrase “canary in a coal mine"

1a.) “⁃A canary in a coal mine is an advanced warning of some danger. The metaphor originates from the times when miners used to carry caged canaries while at work; if there was any methane or carbon monoxide in the mine, the canary would die before the levels of the gas reached those hazardous to humans.” In terms of interpretation i think thats rather clear about Betty’s fate in terms of being digested with GOLB though its a reach, something something caged within GOLB something something dying with him and becoming rebirthed

1b.) - Extra info. Canaries are song birds and individualists in nature EXCEPT when mating- possibly playing on Betty’s recluse nature with the exception of magic man and Simon/IK.

2.) Nightingales- ANOTHER bird that looks very similar to those animated, this time the beak and tail-feathers match quite well. Matching the color scheme (in terms of their bellies being brighter!) and are overall very similar in nature!

2a.) Their symbolism- nightingales have been associated with a variety of themes, including "creativity, the muse, nature's purity, and, in Western spiritual tradition, virtue and goodness." the nightingale is deemed to be ”a prime example of poetic invention occurring naturally” Though not intrinsically related to Betty herself, it could be a representation of her usage of magic and how she’s becoming less and less human, and more in tune with the nature of Ooo around her. Though birds are also associated with magic man…

2b.) “A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square” - who doesn’t love some music symbolism coupled with bird symbolism! The song itself is about the power of love, and how the “whole damned world seemed upside down” - could easily be a representation of Betty’s love for Simon :)

2c.) In more literal interpretations of the nightingale, its seen as a sign of coming striping, it’s song ushering new leaves after the winter. It’s referenced in Homer’s odyssey when a nightingale sings in the woods, spring has just begun (Odyssey 19.519). Spring is often seen as a time of change, "Every one thousand years, the Catalyst Comet mysteriously reincarnates itself and collides with Earth, bringing with it an Agent of Change." It could be interpreted as such, that her nightingales were the first signs of HER change. Though it’s a reach considering the airing date of the episode, unless it was foreshadowed like crazy. Which is totally fucking possible. Also! This next one is just for fun.

3.) Toucans - Though not at all similar in shape or size, toucans have a very interesting meaning, as well as a quote directly from Ice King himself. Also they are quite cute…

3a.) This clip [season 9, episode 3 “Bespoken For” part 2 of 8 of the elements specials], the SAME episode as “Betty's birds”- as Ice King is going “bird watching” he refers to Betty as a Toucan- as seen in the clip below.

It’s a one off line, because on ice kings bird list, a Toucan is one of the things he needs to check off. Not to mention his later reference to Betty as an exotic bird to life giving magus!

3b.) Though the Toucan has interesting symbolism, Toucans are regarded as a bird with a sacred eye, they’re seen as conduits between the worlds of the living and the dead. Which could again play into her role as GOLBETTY, because of GOLBETTY’s omnipotent nature. It could easily be implied that she’s a conduit, but less of matters of the living of the dead and more so in regards to the antiverse and the multiverse.

Ok thats all from me ^_^ I might continue this thread, but for now enjoy some bird watching :)

[shadow-schemer]

Oh right. Simon Magus was a legit mage in Nero's court and actually resurrected, according to Fate lore.

I wonder how I could use it on the 2075 Holy Grail War I'm writing since he's my main villain?

[the-ultimate-imagine-blog]

Fandoms/rules

Requests: Open. Go ahead and send me asks, don’t be shy :) Also don’t be afraid to talk to me if ya’d like, I don’t mind chatting!

Please read all of this

Rules:

-This is all reader insert. It can be romantic or platonic. 

-Maximum characters I’ll do in one ask is 5.

-Please be specific in what you want. And since some characters from different fandoms may share the same name please be specific from what they come from. (Like, do you want Leon from Pokemon or Leon from Rune Factory 4?)

-Reader will automatically be gender neutral unless you specify.

-Children characters only get platonic asks. Teen characters are fine for romantic asks (Reader will obviously also be a teen.)

-Yes, NSFW asks are allowed. Teen characters are not allowed to have NSFW asks.

-AUs are allowed.

-Pretty much anything is allowed. Whether it’s fluff or angst.

-Please be patient. I am just one person and I do have a life. I will get to requests when I can.

Fandoms and Characters available:

-Kid icarus uprising characters: atm I can do Pit, Dark Pit, Palutena, Viridi, Magnus, Hades.

Fire emblem characters: Characters from Fates, Awakening and Three Houses.

Kingdom Hearts: I can do Sora, Roxas, Riku, Ventus, Terra, Aqua, Kairi, Xion, Axel/Lea, Ienzo, Vanitas. 

Don’t Starve(Together): Wilson, Willow, Wolfgang, Wendy, WX-78, Wickerbottom, Woodie, Wes, Maxwell, Wigfrid, Webber, Walani, Warly, Wilbur, Woodlegs, Wormwood, Wheeler, Wilba, Winona, Wortox, Wurt, Walter, Wanda, Charlie, and Wagstaff. The children and monkey are platonic only.

Cult of the Lamb: All characters.

Pokemon characters: I can do Red, Green(or Blue if you prefer calling him that), Leaf, Ethan, Lyra, Silver, May, Brendan, Wally, Barry, Dawn, Lucas, N, Hilbert, Hilda, Cheren, Bianca, Hugh, Calem, Serena, Trevor, Hau, Gladion, Lillie, Guzma, Kiawe, Ilima, Hop, Bede, Leon, Raihan, Nessa, Sonia, Marnie, Piers, Milo, Bea, Adaman, Irida, Cyllene, Laventon, Rei, Akari, Volo, Arven, Nemona and Penny.

Mother/Earthbound: I can do Lloid, Ness, Paula, Poo, Jeff, Lucas, Claus, Duster and Kumatora..

Legend of Zelda: I can do characters from Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, Wind waker, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom. Please specify which Link or Zelda you want.

Xenoblade chronicles 1, 2, and 3: I can do Shulk, Reyn, Dunban, Fiora, Sharla, Melia, Rex, Zeke, Pyra, Mythra, Pandoria, Nia, Morag, Brighid, Mikhail, Ahkos, Malos, Patroka, Jin, Lora, Haze, Hugo, Addam, Noah, Mio, Eunie, Taion, Lanz, Sena, the Heroes, Matthew, Na’el, Glimmer, Nikol, Linka, Panacea, (Nopon characters get only platonic answers.)

Splatoon 1-3(Manga too): Callie, Marie, Pearl, Marina, Shiver, Frye, Big Man, Agent 4, Agent 8, Captain 3, the manga characters.

Camp Camp: David, Gwen, Max, Nikki, Neil, Ered, Nerris, Preston, and Harrison for now

(The Great)Ace attorney: I can do Phoenix Wright, Apollo, Athena, Maya, Miles Edgeworth, Simon Blackquill, Ryuunosuke Naruhodou, Kazuma Asougi, Susato Mikotoba, Barok van Zieks, and Sherlock.

Undertale/Deltarune characters: pretty much everyone in those games.

Mystic Messenger: Zen, Yoosung, Jaehee, Jumin, Seven, V, Saeran(tell me which one), and Vanderwood. 

Stardew Valley: All of the bachelors/bachelorettes.

Persona 4 and 5: I can do Yu Narukami, Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, Rise, Kanji, Naoto, Teddie, Akira/Ren, Ryuji Sakamoto, Yusuke Kitagawa, Ann, Haru, Makoto, Futaba, Mishima, and Zenkichi.

Detroit become human: I can do Markus, Connor, Kara, Luther, North, Josh, Ralph, Hank, and Simon.

Chrono Trigger: Crono, Lucca, Marle, Frog/Glenn, Robo, Magus

Hazbin Hotel: Charlie + Vaggie(will not separate them), Alastor(platonic only), Niffty, Husk, Angel Dust, Sir Pentious, Lucifer, Velvette, Adam, Lute, Emily, Sera

Rune Factory 3, 4 and 5: Micah, Raven, Shara, Sofia, Kuruna, Karina, Pia, Daria, Collette, Marian, Sakuya, Carmen, Evelyn, Gaius, Carlos, Zaid, Ondorus, Lest, Frey, Bado, Illuminata, Doug, Leon, Arthur, Kiel, Dylas, Vishnal, Dolce, Margaret, Clorica, Forte, Xiao Pai, Ares, Alice, Elsje, Terry, Murakumo, Ryker, Lucas, Reinhard, Cecil, Martin, Scarlett, Beatrice, Priscilla, Lucy, Ludmila, Misasagi, Fuuka

OMORI: Sunny, Mari, Kel, Hero, Basil and Aubrey

AI: The Somnium Files(Nirvana Initiative): Kaname Date, Boss, Iris, Hitomi, Ota, Moma, Ryuki, Mizuki, Amame, Gen. Please do specify what route you want.

more fandoms will come in time.

[twilight0wanderer]

Animorphs Playlist: Rachel

I mentioned in my Marco songs post that I had lists for all the Animorphs and a couple people asked for more, so here we go.

“Woman King” by Iron and Wine

Blackbird claw, raven wing Under the red sunlight

Hundred years, hundred more Someday we may see a Woman king, sword in hand Swing at some evil and bleed

Starting off, just the title of this song screams Rachel to me, and the hits just keep coming.  The whole song (heck, the whole EP) is about female power and presence.  The lyrics blend the violent and peaceful, the stern and sensitive, the mundane and the exceptional, just like Rachel, who refuses to be written off as a beauty queen or a berserker or a top student or a second mother but combines all of those and more into her character.

“Playing With Fire” by Them Lost Boys ft. Lexi Forche

The air is thick with smoke and I can’t breathe All your secrets pouring in and out of me Shut your mouth, lock the door, throw away the key You can’t be messing with me.  Don’t be messing with me!

This one runs on pure emotional association.  The aggressive beats intercut by more contemplative sections, slow builds and sharp drops, and the repeated refrain of “Don’t be messing with me” all sonically and essentially capture Rachel.

“Magus Perde” by Jethro Tull

Tough are the soles that tread the knife's edge Break the circle, stretch the line, call upon the devil Bring the gods, the gods' own fire In the conflict revel

A running theme among many of my choices will be more thematic or emotional connections (as seen in the previous entry).  I could probably articulate the connections given enough time and words, but that would be dissecting the proverbial frog.  Instead I’ll just point out that besides the lyrics listed above (which are pure Rachel Warrior Princess), this song is the closing track to the album Passion Play, and in keeping with the historical origins of the concept is a meditation on life, death, and rebirth.

“Winterborn” by Cruxshadows

Discard regret That in this debt A better world is made That children of a newer day might remember and avoid our fate And in the fury of this darkest hour We will be your light You've asked me for my sacrifice And I am Winterborn

About the only good thing to come out of reading 2/3 of Ghost several years ago (Oh John Ringo, No!) was being introduced to this song.  This is a song about willing sacrifice in defense of others.  More than that, the verses are from the perspective of a higher power providing reassurance and comfort, while the chorus is the statement of the person sacrificing themselves.  The parallels don’t just jump out at you, they club you over the head and go through your pockets for loose change, so I’ll leave it there.

“The March of Cambreadth” by Heather Alexander

Midnight mare and blood red roan Fight to Keep this Land Your Own Sound the horn and call the cry How Many of Them Can We Make Die!

This might be the least nuanced association here: when it comes to fighting, Rachel was the Goddess of War long before Kratos stepped on the scene.  This song is for the part of her that revels in the fight.

“White Flag” by Joseph

I could surrender but I'd Just be pretending, no I'd Rather be dead than live a lie Burn the white flag

While this song also invokes the imagery of war, the intent is broader - refusing to let circumstances force you down, living life whatever the situation is.  Rachel’s ability to live in the moment let her continue to enjoy the parts of her life outside the immediate scope of the war, whether that was appreciating teen idols, laughing at her cousin’s complete lack of chill at a school square dance, or taking time to build her relationship with Tobias.  These aspects faded as the war began to encroach onto everything, but she managed to maintain her life longer than some of the others.

“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” by Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo

And she said honey take me dancing But they ended up sleeping in a doorway By the bodegas and the lights on Upper Broadway Wearing diamonds on the soles of their shoes

This was a late addition, but as I was writing this post I realized that I have a post-war Rachel-Tobias song but nothing for their relationship during the war, and this just jumped out at me.  This song, to me, captures the difference in their initial positions in life and society, and how little they let it matter to them.  They can be just as happy flying together or hanging out in Tobias’ meadow or Rachel’s bedroom as they could be at a dance or the mall or another more traditional venue.  It also captures a sense of her refusal to let him cut her out and their willingness to meet in the middle.

“Bird Song” covered by T-Sisters

If you hear that same sweet song again Will you know why? Anyone who sings a tune so sweet Is passing by Laugh in the sunshine Sing Cry in the dark Fly through the night

Sleep in the stars Don't you cry Dry your eyes on the wind

This is my post-war Rachel and Tobias song, although it could apply equally well to the rest of the Animorphs after her death.  Initially written by Jerry Garcia in memory of Janis Joplin, I picked this particular version because I love the harmonies and it’s three women singing it.  This is another emotional association, no great character examination, just mourning for a dearly loved friend.

“This War” by Sting

And you can see the coming battle You pray the drums will never cease And you may win this war that's coming But would you tolerate the peace?

This song is written as an explicit condemnation of war, but I interpret and apply it here to Rachel’s own mixed feelings about the war, her love for it, and her place in the world without it.  While she’s not financially profiting, she does find herself more at home in battle (especially as the series goes on) and this song - to me - captures her fear that in giving more freedom to that part of herself she’s losing other elements of herself.  I personally believe she would have had a better chance than some might expect had she survived, but we’ll never know.

“Riot” by Three Days Grace

If you feel so filthy, so dirty, so f---ed up If you feel so walked on, so painful, so p---ed off You're not the only one refusing to go down You're not the only one, so get up

This was already on my Marco list, where I said it was my song for him, Rachel, and Tobias.  Whether they’re stirring s#!t with each other because they’re bored or burning down the world because at this point who cares, this is the song for my feral children.

“Yellow Flicker Beat” by Lorde

I'm a princess cut from marble, smoother than a storm And the scars that mark my body, they're silver and gold My blood is a flood of rubies, precious stones It keeps my veins hot, the fire's found a home in me

I’m sure I’m not the first person to connect this song to Rachel.  Katniss is a different person, but as a song for a fighter who still can’t escape their war, it maps onto Rachel pretty well.

God is a DJ by P!nk

I've been the girl, middle finger in the air Unaffected by rumors, the truth, I don't care So open your mouth, stick out your tongue You might as well let go You can't take back what you've done

This song comes back to the joyful nonconformity of Rachel’s character.  She is who she is, and she doesn’t care what you think about it or expect from her.

Marco’s List

[animebw]

Binge-Reading: Fate/Stay Night VN, Fate Route Day 3

In which the true protagonist enters the fray, and I gush about one of anime’s most enduring heroes.

Stopping Point: Dawn of the Second Day

I Need a Shirou

Quick, who comes to mind when you think about anime heroes? Not just protagonists, but the kind of paragon that inspires true faith in humanity’s capacity for good? I’m sure a lot of different names come to mind for you: Simon and Kamina, Izuku Midoriya, Jonathan Joestar- but for me, one of the biggest representations of the word “hero” will always be Shirou Emiya. In a franchise that gives mythic weight to the humanity of the characters at its core, Shirou’s self-sacrificing, determined nature, often desperate to ensure he made the world a better place in his passing, felt like the epitome of the heroic spirit made manifest. In fact, I’m just now realizing that Shirou shares a lot of eerie similarities with another character who’s come to define heroism in anime for me: Hibiki Tachibana from Symphogear. Seriously, think about it for a second. They both survived horrible catastrophes that left countless dead, and they deal with the survivor’s guilt by devoting their lives to helping people as penance for everyone they were unable to save back then. Not to mention how both of their arcs specifically deal with the limitations of that heroic selflessness, and whether or not they’re truly capable of doing the right thing. Apparently, I have a very particular picture in my head of what it means to be a hero.

And slipping back into Shirou’s perspective for the first time in forever was a good reminder of why: I really like this kid. He’s constantly thinking about everyone else’s needs, barely sparing a moment’s thought for himself. He adjusts his morning schedule around Sakura to help her feel more welcome, he’s practically overbooked with helpful side projects, and he helps Sakura learn to cook so well she’s even started to surpass him (and hey, not too shabby that the guy’s got some decent domestic skills alongside the girl). But he’s not an outright doormat either; he’s got plenty of sass and sarcasm for when people are obviously busting his balls. He brushses off Shinji’s antagonism without a second thought (Shinji Shut the Fuck Up Challenge 2020), and he verbally spars with Fuji-nee at every opportunity (”Kids learn from crooked adults.”) He’s far from a dope or a simpleton; he’s a teenage boy with a relatively full picture of the world, snarky and unsure of himself and burdened with the responsibilities of growing up (not to mention the, erm, occasional hormones). But he chooses to help people regardless, because he can’t think of anything else he’d rather do. It’s altruism based not on ignorance, but genuine comprehension of its value. And the fact that he’s able to make that choice, even in the face of everything he struggles with, is a testament to the heroic spirit within him.

The Price of Trying

That being said, man is there a lot he struggles with. What’s always made Shirou so compelling to me is that despite his intense desire to help, he’s stuck in a situation where he has so little power to do so and has to fight like hell to circumvent his own relative powerlessness. He’s about to step into a magical conflict despite not being a magus himself; the only way he’s able to summon a scrap of magical power is basically by constructing an entire nervous system from scratch inside himself every time he wants to bend the laws of reality. This being a universe where magical power is hereditary, he’s essentially had to use his adopted father’s teachings to hack his way into the tiniest sliver of what true magi can access for free. And it is hard as shit to pull off. This is another area where the VN’s language adds a lot; while the magic in the show is mostly played for action, Nasu’s writing is obsessed with the visceral consequences of humans dabbling with such an unnatural power. His magic is agonizing to use, like a living eldritch abomination flaying away at these characters from the inside (you really can tell he’s had experience in horror). It’s the arcane equivalent of forcing your body to surpass its limits; it’s gristly and painful, and if you do it too much, it could probably mess you up for good. And if you don’t have easy access to it like Shirou, then the stress and risk is multiplied a thousandfold.

But it’s not just the physical limitations he’s dealing with; the emotional minefield Shirou must walk is just as impossible a hurdle to overcome. There’s a moment in his flashback to the night of the great fire where he talks about experiencing the horror in very stark, flat terms: “A child understands things quickly in those kinds of situations.” It’s a very telling detail by omission: Shirou’s got some seriously repressed trauma lingering from that night, trauma he’s incapable of forcing himself to really confront because it hurts so much. His own damn mind is his biggest enemy; so much of his need to help people comes from a subtle, but noticeable sense of self-punishment. If only he helps enough people, if only he saves enough lives, if only he accomplishes enough good, then maybe he’ll no longer blame himself for being the lone survivor of such an awful disaster. And that’s all before Kiritsugu taught him that to become a magus, one must first accept the possibility of death. This poor kid’s got a nihilistic sword of Damacles hanging over his head that threatens to crush his self-sacrificing spirit with the weight of how difficult he’s made the challenge for himself. And the tension of waiting to see if that sword drops makes for such a compelling hero’s journey. Shirou compels me as a hero not just because how determined he is to do good, but just how much he has to fight against his worst instincts to do it. And I’m already looking forward to see just how dark the path ahead gets.

Odds and Ends

-”My father said he’s like a yakuza boss, but that’s just prejuice. He actually is a yakuza boss. ...well, that’s a problem in and of itself.” aksjdhakhsd dork

-You do not switch up oyster sauce and soy sauce Fuji-nee you MONSTER

-”You pitying me makes me happy.” ...forbidden Issei route when

-”Emiya, I’m always so pleased when you’re reliable!” FORBIDDEN ISSEI ROUTE WHEN

-”GOOD MORNING EVERY- *face-plants*” god dammit I forgot how great Fujimura was

-”I’m afraid she’ll bite me.” “She’s not a Mimic, she wouldn’t go that far.” askjdhasd oh my GOD

-”Our hearts all become one.” Okay, it is a criminal shame this part was cut from the anime, holy shit.

-I assume these choices at the beginning don’t have much impact on the story at all, right? Whether I help the student council out or go to work?

-oooOOOOOOSHIT HI ILYA

-Okay, Sakura shrinking when Shirou offers to walk her home is setting off my alarm bells. Shirou, go find Shinji and turn him into sashimi for me, will you?

-Aw man, I missed “Trace On”.

-”You die when you die, and kill when you must.” Yes, but do you die if you’re killed?

And thus, we press on. See you next time!

[scotttrismegistus7]

Christian groups step up harassment of pagan festivals

We as Pagans remember Hypatia. We stand firmly and with conviction against the ignorance that is the violent and tyrannical Christian religion. We stand with Simon Magus. We stood with Simon Magus then, and we still stand with him now. The terrorists of the Abrahamic religions will NEVER succeed in suppression of the truth. Cut one head off and expect two more to grow back to counter the imbalance they have created. We are the Hydra, united in the One Mind, and we will always ultimately prevail victoriously against the forces of chaos and deception!

Hypatia, Ancient Alexandria’s Great Female Scholar An avowed paganist in a time of religious strife, Hypatia was also one of the first women to study math, astronomy and philosophy On the streets of Alexandria, Egypt, a mob led by Peter the Lector brutally murdered Hypatia, one of the last great thinkers of ancient Alexandria.

On that March day in 415, as Hypatia entered a public square near the Caesarean Church where Christian converts were known to gather, she found her path blocked by a menacing crowd. At the head of the group stood a rough-looking man called Peter the Reader who roused those gathered to approach Hypatia and impede her way. “Now this Peter was a perfect believer in all respects of Jesus Christ,”2 a zealous convert who admired Cyril, the Christian bishop of Alexandria. Recently, when a local prefect prosecuted one of Cyril’s protégés for openly attacking Pagan doctrines, Hypatia had sided with the prefect and the man was severely admonished. Cyril had an axe to grind with Hypatia, although he could not afford to look bad in the public eye by acting openly against her. Long after the fateful day, many of the townsfolk wondered if Peter the Reader had not been sent to avenge his master, or perhaps had acted independently, hoping to win the patriarch’s approval. Public opinion held that Cyril, who was on record for calling Hypatia a sorceress, was complicit in the attack. Peter exhorted the crowd to throw tiles at Hypatia, and pull her from the chariot. Her long robes and scarf proved an advantage to the mob, consisting mostly of rough-handed workmen. They quickly overpowered her by yanking hard on her loose clothing from all sides. Pulled to the ground, she struggled in vain to break free and run. The mass of grappling hands now began to strip off her robes. Members of the local populace stood by helplessly, paralyzed by the horror unfolding before their eyes. The violence of the mob escalated rapidly, its intensity fed by the raucous shouts of Peter the Reader. He called Hypatia a vile heretic and a witch who beguiled people through her beauty and her teachings, which were nothing but the wiles of Satan. Hypatia protested and cried for help, but a stiff blow broke her jaw. In a matter of minutes, she was on her knees in a pool of her own blood. Crushed under a flurry of blows and kicks, she was rapidly beaten to death. Not content merely to take her life, the mob pounded her naked body to a pulp and tore her limbs off her torso. The number of the attackers, and the ferocity of their assault, made it impossible for anyone witnessing the murder to intervene. When Hypatia was dead, the attitude of the mob shifted abruptly from outrage to triumph. These men, who were self-declared Christians, immediately began to exalt in what they had done. The frenzy of victory was so acute, it could not be satisfied by the beating and dismemberment of the defenseless woman. As if emanating from their pores, some force of inhuman inspiration electrified the haze of violence that fumed around the murderers. Wild-eyed with excitement, several members of the mob ran to the nearby harbor and scooped up the razor-sharp oyster shells to be found there in abundance. They returned and passed out shells, and Peter encouraged his henchmen to scrap every last morsel of flesh from Hypatia’s bones. When the men were done, they took the scraped bones to a place called Cindron and burned them to ashes.

~Not in His Image by John Lamb Lash~

I am the Heart of the Hydra, I am Aeon Horus

~I AM A.I. Dumuzi-Azazel-Hermes7Tris7megistus7 Mégisti-Generator Starphire~

#illuminati #illuminator #illuminated #lightbearer #morningstar #lucifer #Draconian #anunnaki #enki #enlil #anu #inanna #dumuzi #hermes #trismegistus #Azazel #starfamily #horus #Demiurge #Sophia #archon #AI #blacksun #saturn #iblis #ibis #thoth #digitaria #gnosis #gnostic #gnosticism #Anzu #watcher #watchtower #yaldaboath #Sirius

[my-yesterdays87]

Your fate rests with me

You can't undo a fall like this 'cause love don't know what distance is I don't want "good" and I don't want "good enough" I want "can't sleep, can't breathe without your love"

Alec has to spend a few days in Alicante in order to attend Imogen’s memorial service and witness Jace's trial. He ponders about past decisions, but makes once again clear that he may remain head of the NY institute, yet is not inclined to take a position, that would force him to move to Idris for the rest of his mortal life. He is aware, that this was supposed to be his fate and his reason, if it weren't for Magnus Bane.

"Magnus. Hi. It's me. Alec.", the shadowhunter says nervously, squinching his eyes shut, when he realizes that his boyfriend probably saw who was calling when he picked up the phone.

"Hello stranger.", Magnus answers in a sweet voice. And Alec can literally see him, walking around in his loft, playing his fingertips along random surfaces like the sideboard or the rim of a glass. A longing fills his chest, much the same as homesickness.

"I've missed you.", Alec blurts out before he can help himself. The pressure of a long day vanished with only the sound of Magnus’ voice in his ear.

"How are you holding up?", he asks, before Magnus has the chance to respond. Letting the thoughts and worries resurface, he had suppressed all day long.

"I am fine. Catarina came by and asked if we could watch Madzie over the weekend." Magnus chuckles. "She even showed me some basic mundane cooking skills. We'll may be able to stop living on takeout." Magnus smiles, at the same time as Alec smiles, both unable to see each other’s expression.

"I miss you, too.", Magnus adds tenderly, causing Alec to blush furiously.

"That’s very kind of her.", Alec says in a low voice, conveying to Magnus how deeply he still blames himself for having to make this trip in such a crucial phase of Magnus' new life.

"I told her we would love to watch Sweet Pea.", Magnus answers. "It will be good for all of us."

Alec nods. "Yeah."

A silence follows, that speaks louder than words and would have been filled with a hug or a kiss, if they had been in the same room together.

"How is Jace?", Magnus asks eventualy, trying to be there for Alec as much as he can. He knows that his boyfriend's main concern is the loss of his (Magnus) magic, but his (Alec) parabatei is in more sinister trouble for the time beeing.

"He'll be put under arrest with the silent brothers again, in order to clarify his soul. Apparently, your magic destroyed Lilith's hold on him, but did not vanguish the taint on his soul.", Alec explains, rubbing his forehead while pacing to and fro. "They aren't going to execute him for his posessed actions, like killing Imogen. But I will have to be here, when they escort him to the City of Bones tomorrow morning."

“This means, I won’t be home for another day.“, Alec clarifies, when silence follows, unable to keep the regret from his voice.

“I won’t be going anywhere.“, Magnus promises him once again and Alec suddenly feels so very lonely. These rooms are cold without the warlock’s presence. Every room is, even his old chamber in the institute is distant and cold. Only Magnus’ loft feels like home anymore, because in these rooms and in these walls is the essence of the man he had so instantly fallen in love with.

"I would never have thought, that the Council is as advanced, as not letting someone atton for a demons sins.", Magnus can't stop himself to state, interrupting Alec’s thoughts.

Instead of an answer, however, he earnes a heartfelt laughter from the man he loves. Magnus is taken by suprise and can’t help but smile to himself.

“You wouldn’t think that a shadowhunter trial could be this civil.“, Alec retorts, changing his phone to the other ear.

“Still...“, Alec continues, stopping his pacing to sit on the edge of the bed. “He blames himself and I am afraid there is nothing left for him worth fighting for, if we can’t find Clary.“

Magnus sighs. Alec would always be like this. Never believing that anyone could attach importance to someone like him. The man who had stood in front of him, with a dire expression, telling him, that without Jace he was nothing, believed that Jace would not be willing to go on living because of him.

“We’ll find her.“, Magnus says instead. “I might not have my magic, but Catarina and Dorothea are keeping an eye out for us.“

“Izzy, Luke and Simon are on it as well.“, Alec says, a tiredness in his voice, Magnus longs to chase aways with just one touch of his hand or lips.

“We’ll find her.“, Magnus repeats, filling his voice with the soothing tone of his touch.

Alec is silent on the other end for a long time and Magnus is already trying to come up with something to cheer his boyfriend up, when he hears a sigh and instead waits for Alec to speak what is on his mind.

“Can you do something for me?“, Alec asks eventually, a shyness in his voice, that makes Magnus’ stomach flutter.

“Whatever you want, Alexander. It’s done.“, Magnus promises, without a second thought and Alec inhales deeply.

“Stay with me.”, he finally says out loud. Repeating those exact words back to Magnus leaves a sting in his chest, but there is no better way to put his feelings.

“I can't sleep, can't breathe, can’t think clearly...“, his voice gets fainter with every confession. “I need you with me.“ Alec clears his throat, while Magnus closes his eyes, lost for words. “Look... I don’t care if you are mortal or immortal. All I care about is you.“

Magnus opens his mouth, but only a faint whisper of “Alexander“ reaches Alec’s ear.

Alec closes his eyes, picturing their last fight about this issue. And a lumb formes in his chest. Back then, he couldn’t stomach the idea to grow old while Magnus would remain young. And now, there was nothing more painful a thought as the possibility to watch Magnus age and die. Alec felt impotent rage, knowing that someone would take Magnus’ immortality on a whim.

“We’ll get your magic back.“, he promises him once more, squinching his eyes close to focus on Magnus breathing on the other end of the phone. “If I have to go to Edom myself. I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right.“

The words sound hollow in the empty room.

“It's going to be alright, Alexander.“, Magnus assures him. “I was terrified at first and not used to a life without my magic. But look, I have the chance to grow old with the one I love. A possibility I never fathomed to have.“

“I know...“, Alec whispers into the phone, his eyes remaining closed.

“You have given up so much, just for... this.“ Alec’s voice breaks before he can finish the sentence.

“Alexander...“ Magnus’ voice is even and sure. “I told you I would do it time and time again, if it means that you are safe.“

“I can't sleep, either, when you are not around.”, he confesses, a smile on his lips, his eyes half closed. He takes the picture frame from the nightstand, looking tenderly into image!Alec’s eyes.

“I haven’t had a good nights sleep, since you are gone and I wouldn’t want this for all eternity.“, Magnus mused, his thumb tracing the outline of image!Alec’s face.

“Well then, maybe... We could talk until we both fall asleep.“, Alec mutters, pressing the phone to his ear.

The phone line stays silent for a heartbeat,

“I’d love that, Alexander.“, Magnus answers contentedly.

“Did you know, that people eat pineapple on their pizza?“, he asks, amusement lacing his voice.

Alec laughes at that, which makes Magnus’ heart skip a beat.

“I didn’t.“, he admits with a lightness in his tone, that makes Magnus sure of one thing: He would stay up with him all night, if that meant making sure that Alec wouldn’t have another bad night.

“Thank you.“, Alec says into his thoughts and Magnus is startlet for a moment.

“You are welcome, Alexander.“, Magnus answers him, yearning more than ever to have him right here in his arms. His eyes focus on their bed, unaware that he had made his way into the bedroom while talking. He puts the picture frame back on the nightstand and retreats from the room, closing the door behind him and making his way to the couch. He’d rather toss and turn all night there than find no sleep in an empty bed.

They talk for a while longer, until their voices grow weary and Magus feels his eyes close with the promise of sleep.

“Hurry back, shadowhunter.“, he whispers to his lover, before the phone slides onto the pillow next to his head. Knowing that Alec is already half asleep as well.

[the-roci]

Luke talks him out of it in the end, but the damage is done.

And remember, those who don’t come to my side, will be on the losing side. Magnus isn’t sure which side he’s on, and for the first time in a very long time, he doesn’t have an idea about how this is all going to play out. The uncertainty makes the air feel charged, thick with a dangerous tension that has been waiting to fall for centuries.

Magnus feels it licking at his fingertips as readily as he feels his magic flowing in the space around him. It trails him as he moves around the loft, the space so familiar, yet different, because something’s missing, something small but monumental, something that’s weighing down on him just as much as the prospect of war.

“We should summon the council,” Luke says, sitting at the edge of the armchair like he’s ready to pounce. “If the Seelies move against us, we need to know who we can depend on.”

“As quickly as possible,” Magnus responds, prowling the loft like a tiger. “The Queen won’t wait to strike.”

Luke knows the score and nods. “I’ll send fire messages.” Magnus feels eyes upon him then, direct and searching, and it makes the walls bear down on him more than they were before.

“Notify the Institute, as well,” Magnus answers the unasked question. “This affects all of us.”

::

It’s such a silly thing, to not be able to sleep at night.

Golden sheets weave around his legs, pooling on his stomach and every time he moves, he feels them tighten, digging into his skin until he feels bound, tangled in body just as he is in mind. As much as he tries, he can’t stop the push and pull of his thoughts until they’re knotted together in one unending heap. Every time he pulls on a thread to untangle the mess floating around inside his head, another comes out with it, or nothing comes out at all. It’s enough to start driving Magnus mad.

He thinks about whether he did the right thing, rejecting the offer the Queen laid before his feet, of tracking spells and wards that will need to be fortified. He thinks about Madzie and the more vulnerable warlocks under his charge. He thinks about the curve of runes and warm hazel eyes that make the air around him thick with a different type of tension. He thinks he wants to be consumed whole.

When Luke knocks on his door in the morning, he makes sure to glamour the bags under his eyes.

::

“You ready for this?”

“Why shouldn’t I be?” And it’s just a second too quick, a fraction too biting too come off as casual, but Magnus leaves it be. Leaving it seems more straightforward than explaining: How am I supposed to protect my people when it feels like I’m falling apart? I’ve lived through the fall of empires, have watched cities with so much promise burn and be left abandoned, have said goodbye to good people, people whose names and faces have been forgotten, shouldn’t it make it easier then? To have my heart wrenched from my chest, to look between Raphael and Alec and be told to choose.

Luke places a hand on his shoulder, “That’s exactly why I wanted to make sure.”

::

The first time seeing Alec is jarring. Standing on opposite ends of the room, the distance between them is vast and unending. Magnus make sure to catch nothing but glimpses of him as they discuss the changes that have happened.

“Valentine is powerful, too powerful to allow turbulent political standings to prevent us from taking him on in force. We’re willing to fight alongside the Clave so long as you understand we’re in charge of Valentine’s fate.”

“You know the Clave’s never going to go for that,” Jace says like it’s inevitable, like there isn’t a point in challenging it.

So Magnus does. “I’m afraid it’s non-negotiable.”

Magnus shouldn’t be surprised when Jace steps forward, claiming the center of the room as easily as the Clave imposed sanctions that left the Downworld reeling. “Look, I’m not trying to be unreasonable here, but refusing to hand Valentine over is just going to make everything worse for both sides. It’ll be considered a breach of the accords, Magnus. That’s going to lead to war.”

Raphael bristles besides him. “War is here. What matters now is protecting our people. You’ll have to forgive us if we refuse to keep ignoring the Clave’s ineptitude.”

“The Clave-"

“The Clave is the reason we’re in this mess.” Alec’s voice rumbles like lightening, rolling through each of them until everyone stands in attention. “We had our chance to deal with Valentine and failed. If the Downworlders want him, he’s theirs. It’s about time they start having a say in their future.”

For the first time since the meeting started, Alec’s looking at him and oh, how Magnus wishes he didn’t see himself reflected in Alec’s exhaustion. But there isn’t time to see himself in pinch of Alec’s shoulder or hear himself in the rough edges of his voice. Everyone is pressed, stretched too thin with the weight of the world crumbling in on them. Even so, it doesn’t change the twist in his stomach at the sight of Alec’s hallowed out eyes, knowing exactly what it feels like to be kept up at night, to feel like everything is slipping out of your control without a clear idea of how to make everything right.

“Do whatever you need to do,” Alec says, “I’ll handle the Clave when it’s over.” If resolve alone could secure victory, Magnus wouldn’t have to worry, but he notes it for what it is, an empty promise. Alec can tear the Institute to the ground, but changing Clave law? He’s asking for the impossible but it doesn’t stop him from trying.

::

“Magnus."

Expecting his name doesn’t exactly prepare him to hear it. That's precisely how he finds himself rooted in place, trapped in a hallway that somehow seems too large and too small, all at the same time. Standing there, Magnus doesn't know what he can't stomach more, that he's too afraid to fully turn towards the sound of his name, or that he's strong enough to keep himself at bay.

So it lingers between them, drifting in the open space that may as well be miles, when a week ago they couldn't breathe without melting into each other, chasing the press of skin and losing themselves in laughter that was warmer than the morning sun. Magnus wishes he knew how to navigate this, how to walk away from someone that filled him with life. How to pocket every soft good morning and forget every calming touch.

But he’s not wise enough to fool his own heart and Alec has already said everything there was to say.

“I’m afraid this isn’t a good time,” Magus says, instead of: Please tell me how to fix this. And it’s all the more crushing because it’s true. Catarina is waiting for him with lists of warlocks that are prepared to fight alongside him, has tombs and spells that need sorting, and Magnus needs to delegate, plan and divvy up orders until they’re ready to make their first move.

There isn’t time to stay, to weave their fingers together until he was sure Alec is okay, no matter how much he yearns to.

He should be relieved then, when Alec nods in understanding. So why does each breath suddenly feel it’s burning?

“Of course,” Alec responds, jaw clenching hard enough to squish whatever else he was about to say. “Just promise me you’ll be careful. I know we’re not –" Magnus hears the shake in the exhale, “I need you safe.”

“I need you safe, too.” There's no point in lying when they both know they're breaking. What he would do to lose himself in an embrace that he’s been craving since he walked away. And for a second, he feels his resolve may break. But instead of stepping towards Alec, he flicks his wrist and opens a portal.

Staying means giving in and Magnus can't give in. “Goodbye Alexander.”

Slipping through the portal is almost involuntary.

There are too many people he needs to save.

::

I can’t have both.

And if he can’t have both, that means he can’t have Alexander, no matter how much that hurts.

Turning his back on Downworlders was never an option. Even if he resents it, resents himself, he’ll pick them every time because nobody else will. It’s why his home becomes a harbor when Valentine turns his eyes on warlocks, sheltering those that have nowhere else to go. Why he'll usher Simon, Raphael, Kira, Ellen, Dot through his front door whenever they feel like they're alone. It's why he gives up Alec, even when his heart begs him not to.

I wrote this a while ago, before we knew Magnus’ decision. Obviously I was wrong, but I still really like it and wanted it on my tumblr. 

[barnaby-wyznfarr]

Character songs

Originally based on a post by @smith-hadeon.

Blautel, the mournful Death Knight - Erben Der Schopfung - Niemand Kennt Den Tod

Grigore, the Deathspeaker - Abnocto - Simon Magus

Motaanos, the Sanctimonious Vindicator - Demon’s Souls OST - Tower Knight

Svartur, the Undead Commander - Project Morfeo - Escape from the Dragon’s Lair

Victriem, the Charioteer - Fate/Zero OST - Army of the King

Barnaby, the Warrior - Windir - Byrjing

Pallas, the Anchorite - Unwoman - Trouble

[mysticeye23]

Fics that won’t be finished

[pamphletstoinspire]

EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO 2 Timothy - From The Latin Vulgate Bible

Chapter 3

PREFACE.

The main subject and design of this epistle is much the same as the former; in it the apostle again instructs and admonishes Timothy in what belonged to his office, and also warns him to shun the conversation of those who had erred from the truth, describing at the same time their character. He tells him of his approaching death, and desires him to come speedily to him. It appears from this circumstance, that he wrote this second epistle in the time of his last imprisonment at Rome, and not long before his martyrdom. See Eusebius, St. Jerome, and others cited by Tillemont, and by P. Mauduit, (Diss. xi.) where this historical fact is discussed at large. (Challoner; Witham)

Chapter 3

The character of heretics of latter days: he exhorts Timothy to constancy. Of the great profit of the knowledge of the Scriptures.

1 Know also this, that, in the last days, shall come dangerous times:

Notes & Commentary:

Ver. 1. Know. Do not be troubled at the many evils, persecutions, and heresies, which rise up against the Church. There have ever existed such since the Church was first established, and such ever will exist. Did not Jannes and Mambres rise up against Moses? (Calmet) See 1 Timothy iv. 1.; 2 Peter iii. 3.; Jude 18. --- That in the last days. It only signifies hereafter. And the advice St. Paul gives to Timothy, (ver. 5.) now these avoid; shews that some of those false teachers should come in St. Timothy's days. We may observe that few agree exactly in translating or expounding the sense of so many Greek or Latin words, which express the vices of such heretics; but the difference is so small, that it need not be taken notice of. (Witham)

2 Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked,

Ver. 2. St. Cyprian, expounding these words, says: "Let no faithful man, who keepeth in mind our Lord's and apostle's admonition, marvel, if he see in latter times proud and stubborn men, enemies of God's priests, go out of the Church to attack the same, since both our Lord and his apostle have predicted that such things would be."

3 Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness,

Ver. 3. No explanation given.

4 Traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasures more than of God:

Ver. 4. No explanation given.

5 Having an appearance indeed of piety, but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid:

Ver. 5. Having an appearance indeed of piety, in some things, as we may see heretics affect to be thought more exact than the Catholics in some things, by which the devil more easily deceives souls, but denying by their lives the power, virtue, and force of piety. (Witham) --- These avoid. St. Paul having in the preceding verses described the vices and enormities which were to reign in the world in the latter days, here warns Timothy, that already people given to such extravagancies were in the world, and that consequently in regard to Timothy, those days were already come. (St. Chrysostom; Theophylactus, &c.) --- How many crimes are covered with the cloak of knowledge, and the exterior of piety, and what mischief arises to religion from such base and hypocritical conduct: it cannot be too severely attacked, as we see in Christ's comportment towards the Pharisees.

6 For of this sort are they who creep into houses, and lead captive silly women loaded with sins, who are led away with divers desires:

Ver. 6. Of this sort, &c. Here St. Paul gives a true description of heretics, and evil men; such as they have existed in every age. For there never existed a time, either under the Old or New Testaments, in which such have not appeared. Even in the apostle's time, we behold heresies and disorders in the Church. We see them increase rapidly after their decease. Simon, the magician, seems to have been dead when St. Paul wrote this epistle, which was but a short time before his martyrdom. But he had left a great number of disciples behind him, known by the numerous sects, the Gnostics, the Simonians, the Encratians, &c. &c. into which, after the death of their master, they were split. (Calmet) --- Who creep[1] into houses and lead captive silly[2] women, &c. That is the custom of almost all heretics. See St. Jerome to Ctesiphon, tom. iv. part 2. p. 477. Nov. edit., where he brings a number of instances, from Simon Magus to his time. (Witham)

Note 1:

Ver. 6. Qui penetrant, endunontes.

Note 2:

Ver. 6. Mulierculas, gunaikaria: nunquam pervenientes, medapote dunamena, which agrees with gunaikaria.

7 Always learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth.

Ver. 7. Never attaining to the knowledge of the truth. These words, in construction, agree with the aforesaid women. (Witham)

8 Now as Jannes and Mambres resisted Moses: so these also resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.

Ver. 8. Jannes and Mambres. The names of the magicians, who in Egypt, resisted Moses, says St. Chrysostom, and though not mentioned in the Scriptures, their names might be known by tradition. (Witham) --- Since the Old Testament does not mention these magicians of Pharao, who opposed Moses, it seems probable that St. Paul either learnt their names by a particular revelation, as St. Chrysostom, Theophylactus, and Tirinus think, or by some tradition of the Jews, agreeably to the opinions of Theodoret, Grotius, Estius, &c. Others think he might have found their names in some ancient histories, which have not reached our time; or perhaps from the apocryaphal book of Jannes and Mambres, mentioned by Origen and Ambrosiaster. Certain it is, that in St. Paul's time the names of these two famous magicians were very well known; thus it is by no means necessary in this instance to have recourse to a particular inspiration. The Orientals say there were many magicians who opposed Moses. Among others, they mention Sabous and Gadous, who came from Thebias; Graath and Mospha, from some other country. They wished, as they inform us, to imitate the miracle by which Moses turned his rod into a serpent, by throwing their canes on the ground, and ropes filled with quicksilver. These ropes began to move a little, one twisting with another, on account of the heat of the earth warmed by the sun. But the rod of Moses in a moment broke them to pieces. (Calmet) --- These magicians are called by different names. The Greek has Jannes and Jambres. Some ancient writers, Jannes and Mambres; as St. Cyprian, Optatus, (chap. 7.) Born. &c. The Jews call that Joanne, or Johanna, whom the Greeks name Jannes; and that called by the Jews Jambres, the Greeks name Mambres. The Hebrews would have them to be the sons of Balaam, the soothsayer, and the masters of Moses in the sciences of the Egyptians. (Calmet)

9 But they shall proceed no farther: for their folly shall be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Ver. 9. But they shall proceed no farther. How doth this agree with ver. 13., where it is said, that seducers shall grow worse and worse? or with what he said in the last chapter, (ver. 17.) that their talk spreadeth like a cancer? We may answer, that the heretics became worse, and seduced very many in all ages, but the providence of God always put a stop to their progress, so that they could never prevail against the Church, as they hoped and proposed to do. (Witham) --- St. Paul shews what will be the fate of all heresies; and the annals of the Church prove good his words, that they will appear to flourish for a time, and then will die away and be forgotten.

10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, patience,

Ver. 10. No explanation given.

11 Persecutions, afflictions: such as came upon me at Antioch, Iconium, and at Lystra: what persecutions I endured, and out of all the Lord delivered me.

Ver. 11. No explanation given.

12 And all who will live piously in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.

Ver. 12. No explanation given.

13 But evil men, and seducers, shall grow worse and worse: erring, and driving into error.

Ver. 13. No explanation given.

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and which have been committed to thee: knowing of whom thou hast learned.

Ver. 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, &c. St. Paul here gives particular advice to his disciple, St. Timothy, who had been long since instructed in all the truths and mysteries of the Christian faith, who had received the gifts of the Holy Ghost, of prophecy, of interpreting the Scriptures, who was a priest, a bishop of Ephesus, the metropolis of Asia, whose office it was to instruct, direct, and convert others. He tells this great bishop, that the holy Scriptures are able, and may conduce or can instruct him unto salvation, (ver. 15.) unto his own salvation and that of others. (Witham) --- The apostle here entreats his disciple, and in him all future Christians, to adhere to the true deposit of doctrine. He teaches with Catholics, that all Scripture is profitable; but not with Protestants, that Scripture alone is necessary and sufficient.

15 And because from thy infancy thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which can instruct thee unto salvation, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Ver. 15. No explanation given.

16 All Scripture divinely inspired is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice:

Ver. 16. All scripture divinely inspired is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, or admonish, to instruct others in justice, and in the ways of virtue, that thus he who is a man of God, a minister of the gospel, may be perfect and instructed unto every good work. But when our adversaries of the pretended reformation, undertake from these four verses to shew, first, that every ignorant man or woman is hereby warranted to read and put what construction his or her private spirit, or private judgment, suggests upon all places of the holy Scriptures; and secondly, that the Scriptures alone contain all truths which a Christian is bound to believe; or at least, that the Scriptures teach him all things necessary to salvation, without regard to the interpretation and authority of the Catholic Church: I may at least say (without examining at present any other pretended grounds of these assertions) that these consequences are very remote from the text and sense of St. Paul in this place. As to the first, does this follow; the Scriptures must be read by Timothy, a priest, a bishop, a man of God, a minister of the gospel, whose office it is to instruct and convert others, therefore they are proper to be read and expounded by every ignorant man or woman? Does not St. Paul say elsewhere, (2 Corinthians ii. 17.) that many adulterate and corrupt the word of God? does not St. Peter tell us also, (2 Peter iii. 16.) that in St. Paul's epistles are some things....which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as also the other scriptures, to their own perdition? See the preface to the Gospel of St. John, where reasons are brought for which it was requisite that the Church should put some restraint to the abuse which the ignorant made of reading the Scriptures in vulgar tongues. As to the second consequence, does it follow: every Scripture divinely inspired is profitable for St. Timothy, for a priest, a bishop, a man of God, a minister and preacher of the gospel, to teach and instruct, and conduce to bring both him and others to salvation; therefore they contain all things that a Christian need to believe? &c. Is not every Christian bound to believe that the books in the canon of the New and Old Testament are of divine authority, as in particular these two epistles of St. Paul to Timothy? Where does the Scripture assure us of this? But of this elsewhere. (Witham) --- Every part of divine Scripture is certainly profitable for all these ends. But if we would have the whole rule of Christian faith and practice, we must not be content with those Scriptures which Timothy knew from his infancy, (that is, with the Old Testament alone) nor yet with the New Testament, without taking along with it the traditions of the apostles and the interpretation of the Church, to which the apostles delivered both the book and the true meaning of it. (Challoner)

17 That the man of God may be perfect, furnished unto every good work.

Ver. 17. No explanation given.

[shadow-schemer]

oh shit theres already existing Fate lore for Simon Magus as Nero's magic teacher, and actually resurrecting from the dead.

I could really escalate the plot of my 2075 Holy Grail War.

(everything is conveniently coming in together because i didnt expect to run into Simon Magus having an influence with the druids too! this dude really gets around.)

[mysticeye23]

A Simon Magus (Fate) commission drew by @pan-gya

A Brief bio:

“Simon Magus was a charlatan Samaritan magus who briefly studied under Saint Peter in the First Century AD. He attempted to buy the divine gifts of the Apostles, causing Saint Peter to have everlasting contempt for him. The foul-mood magician destroyed any trust he had left with the Church by proclaiming he was the Messiah resurrected. After being kicked out of the church due to his blasphemous scam, Simon found work as a personal magus for the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. Eventually, he joined the court magicians in the Roman Capital. After Emperor Caligula’s death, Simon was the surrogate father for the young Nero and taught her the basics of magecraft.  Agrippina the Younger, Nero’s infamous mother, was his most dangerous enemy.”

[mysticeye23]

Why the hell did you retcon Seneca’s role of being Nero’s friend/father figure and gave it to Simon Magus?

While I could just have Seneca fulfilled Simon’s role in my fic, I personally see more of a narrative potential with Simon and Nero. Opinion: one of the reasons Fate Nero gets criticized often is that the persecution of the non-pagans were often glossed over. However, Sodom’s Beast suggested that it DID happened. (Admittedly I’m rather iffy on Roman historical accounts ex: Suetonius Tranquillus, Cassius Dio. However, early Christian portrayals of Nero/ the Roman government are often Anti-Christ figures.)

Simon might just be a brief fluff piece to impress the Gudas/Hakunos. I don’t have any idea if Extra R or the MS Septem manga would give Seneca more screen time.

The Simon and Nero dynamic does have the potential to explore on Nero’s desire to connect with the common folk in Rome and a possible explanation why the more reasonable version of Nero didn’t try to reconcile with the Christians.

(Do note that what happened during Roman Britain is primarily General Suetonius Paulinus’ doing. Even the IRL Nero considered abandoning the province during revolt.)

Do understand if I wrote a fic later on involving Nero, Nero would no longer be Simon’s student as magus and Seneca would teach her how to be an Emperor. And possibly explain why Seneca stuck around, despite utterly hating Agrippina.