#so this would be him entering his... 8th century of exile

[bookofjin]

Qin Annexes the Six States, Part 1 (TTSJBM01)

[During the Warring States era, seven states, Qin, Wei, Han韓, Zhao, Chu, Qi, Yan, sat atop the power rankings, above a shrinking field of smaller states. Since, spoilers, Qin went on to dominate and then conquer the rest, the others are often collectively referred to as the Six States.

Here the rise of Qin to dominance is traced back to the ascension of Duke Xiao of Qin in 362 BC and his employment of a certain Wei Yang to reform the Qin legal code.

Qin's heartland in the Wei valley was protected by natural borders but was also somewhat isolated, and its people considered not quite civilized by their neighbors to the east. During the Spring and Autumn period Qin had had its heyday in the mid 7th century BC during the reign of Duke Mu of Qin. In the centuries after Qin suffered periodic bouts of internal instability, the last of these took place in 385 BC when the three year old boy-ruler Chuzi was killed and replaced by the future Duke Xian, the exiled son of a previous Duke and father of Duke Xiao.]

[ZZTJ002]

7th Year of King Xian of Zhou [362 BC], Duke Xian of Qin passed away, and his son Duke Xiao was installed. Duke Xiao was then twenty-one years old. At that time, eastward from the He and the Mountain there were six strong states, and between the Huai and the Si there were more than ten small states. Chu and Wei shared borders with Qin. Wei built long walls, and from Zheng adjoining the Luo and northward had Shang commandery. Chu from Hanzhong to the south had Ba and Qianzhong. Both, since the Yi and the Di got along with Qin, shunned and scorned them [Qin], and they did not mange to join the assemblies or alliances of the Central States. And so Duke Xiao let go of his frustrations, spread out his virtue and cultivated government, intending to strengthen Qin.

8th Year [361 BC], Duke Xiao sent down an order within the state which said:

In bygone times our Duke Mu [659 – 621 BC] from between Qi and Yong cultivated virtue and acted martially. To the east he pacified the chaos in Jin and used the He as the border. To the west he was hegemon over the Rong and Di, broadening the land a thousand li. The Son of Heaven made him Elder and the various feudal lords to the last sent their congratulations, making him founded a legacy for later generations extremely brilliant and fair. It happened in the past, during the unquietness of Dukes Li [476 – 443 BC], Zao [442 – 429 BC],, and Jian [r. 414 – 400 BC], and Chuzi [r. 386 – 385 BC], that state and family had interior troubles and had no leisure for outside affairs. The Three Jin attacked and took our former lords' land of Hexi, humiliation is not greater than that. When Duke Xian was installed [in 384 BC], he quelled and consoled the border regions, and moved the government seat to Yueyang. Moreover, he intended an eastern offensive, to restore Duke Mu's old lands, and cultivate Duke Mu's government and orders. This Orphaned Person ponders and recalls the Former Lord's thoughts, and frequently feels a pain in the heart. Those guests, visitors, and crowd of subjects who are able to put forth marvellous plans to strengthen Qin, I will moreover venerate with office, and grant to them an allotment of land.

And so Gongsun Yang of Wei衛 heard that this order had been sent down, and then went west to enter Qin.

Gongsun Yang, a commoner-born grandson of the Wei衞 ruling family, was fond of the school of Punishments and Names. He served Wei's魏 Minister Gongshu Cuo. Cuo understood his worth, but had not put him forth for advancement. He happened to fall ill, and King Hui of Wei [r. 369 – 319 BC] went to question him, saying:

With Gongshu's illness, if there is what cannot be avoided, what should be done for the soil and grain?

Gongshu said:

Cuo's Central Retainer Wei Yang, though young in years, has marvellous talent. [I] wish my Lord would lift up the state and listen to him!

The King was silent. Gongshu said:

If my Lord will not listen to and employ Yang, [you] must kill him, and not have him set out from the borders!

The King promised to assent to it, and then left. Gongshu summoned Yang to apologize, saying:

I put first my lord and after his subject, and for that reason first made plans with my lord, and afterwards report it to you, Sir. Sir, you must act quickly!

Yang said:

[If] my lord was not able to employ Sir's, words to appoint a subject, then again why would he be able to employ Sir's words to kill a subject!

In the end he did not leave. The King went out, and spoke to his left and right, saying:

Gongshu's illness is severe, how sad! [He] wanted to make this Orphaned Person have the state listen to Wei Yang. And then also he urged this Orphaned Person to kill him. How is that not confused!

[The King thinks Gongshu Cuo has become so ill he is no longer capable of coherent thought, completely missing his argument that Wei Yang is so talented he must either serve Wei or die.]

Wei Yang then arrived in Qin, and owing to the favourite Jing Jian, sought an audience with Duke Xiao, to explain his techniques for enriching the state and strengthening the troops. The Duke was greatly pleased, and discussed state affairs with him.

10th Year [359 BC], Wei Yang wished to change the laws. The people of Qin were not pleased. Wei Yang talked to Duke Xiao of Qin, saying:

In all cases, the people cannot be contemplated with at the beginning, but they can be rejoiced with at the completion. Those who debate the highest virtue are not in harmony with the commonplace. Those who achieve great merit do not make plan with the multitudes. Thus, a sagely person, regardless of anything else, if it can strengthen the state, does not model himself on the old.

Gan Long said:

Not so. By adhering to the law and then govern, the functionaries will be familiar with it, and the people will be calmed by it.

Wei Yang said:

Ordinary people are calmed by old customs. Those who study are immersed in what they know about. To use this pair to fill offices and defend the law is possible, but not to debate with them what is outside the law. The wise make the laws, the foolish are regulated by them. The worthy alter the rites, the incompetent are restrained by them.

The Duke said:

Good.

He used Wei Yang as Chief of Retainers of the Left. In the end he decided on an order for changing the laws.

He ordered the people be grouped in tens and fives, to shepherd and oversee each other and be jointly incriminated with each other. Those who reported treachery were rewarded similarly to those who cut of an enemy's head. Those who did not report treachery were punished similarly to whose who surrendered to the enemy. Those who had merit with the army would each proportionately receive a higher feudal rank. Those who engaged in private quarrels would according to its seriousness receive greater or lesser punishment. Those who put their efforts into the fundamental professions, who ploughed and wove to produce grain and silk in great quantity, would have [their taxes] returned to themselves. Those whose affairs were non-essential profitmaking and those who were impoverished from idleness were put forward for custodial servitude. Those of the ducal house had no evaluation for merit in the army would not get to belong on its records. He clarified the feudal title and salary, rank and grade for the honoured and the low, each proportionally to their names' rank had fields and dwellings, subjects and concubines, clothing and dress. Those who had merit were visible and glorious, those who had no merit, even if wealthy, had nothing that was alluring or elegant.

When the order had been drawn up but not yet published, [Wei Yang] feared the mistrust of the people. He therefore erected a piece of wood three zhang long at the southern gate at the state's capital market, and recruited those among the people who were able to move and set it up at the northern gate with a reward of ten jin. People were curious about it, but none dared to move it. He then said:

Those who are able to move it will be given fifty jin!

There was a single person who moved it, and he immediately gave him fifty jin. Then he sent down the order.

[The point of this exercise was to prove to the people that Wei Yang would keep his word.]

When the order had been in force for a full year, those commoners of Qin who came to the state's capital to talk of the new order's disadvantages were in the thousands. And so the Heir-Apparent violated the law. Wei Yang said:

That the laws are not carried out comes from the sovereign violating them.

The Heir-Apparent, as his lord's successor, could not be punished with mutilation. So he mutilated his tutor, Gongzi Qian, and tattooed his teacher, Gongsun Jia.

That the laws are not carried out comes from the sovereign violating them.

The Heir-Apparent, as his lord's successor, could not be punished with mutilation. So he mutilated his tutor, Gongzi [“Noble Son”] Qian, and tattooed his preceptor, Gongsun [“Noble Grandson] Jia. The next day, the people of Qin all submitted to the order.

[Both of these people would have been part of the Qin ruling family.]

When they had carried it out for ten years, on the roads in the state of Qin nobody would pick up what had been misplaced, in the mountains there were no thieves or bandits, the people were brave in the Duke's battles and were fearful of private struggles, and the villages and towns were greatly put in order. The commoners of Qin who at the beginning had talked of order's disadvantages had now come to talk of its advantages. Wei Yang said:

These are all people who make chaos of the law.

He fully moved them to the border. After that people did not dare to discuss the order.

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Wednesday, March 3, 2024

march _march 3

VENERABLE JAMES THE CONFESSOR BISHOP OF CATANIA (8th c.)

Saint James, Bishop and Confessor, was inclined toward the ascetic life from his early years. He left the world and entered the Studite monastery, where he was tonsured. He led a strict life full of work, fasting, and prayer. Pious and well-versed in Holy Scripture, Saint James was elevated to the bishop’s throne of Catania (Sicily).

During the reign of the iconoclast emperor Constantine V Copronymos (741-775), Saint James was repeatedly urged not to venerate the holy icons. They exhausted him in prison, starved him, and beat him, but he bravely endured all these torments. Saint James died in exile.

SAINT. SERAPION, BISHOP OF THMUIS IN LOWER EGYPT, FRIEND OF ST. ANTHONY THE GREAT (358)

Saint Serapion lived in Egypt during the fourth century. He is known as “the Sindonite” because he wore only rough linen clothing (sindona). From the time of his youth, he lived like the birds of the air (Matthew 6:26). He had no shelter, and for several days at a time, he would eat no food because he did not have money to buy bread. When he saw a beggar shivering from the cold, he gave him his sindon, and was left half-naked. He proved to be a prime example of philanthropy and mercy, distributing his own wealth and whatever his faithful visitors gave him for himself to the poor. Then, he became a monk and lived in the desert of Sketis. He was dedicated to spreading the Word of God in many different ways.

Once he fell into the hands of a bandit, and by his powers of persuasion he managed to turn the tables on him, and made this robber a servant of God. He also managed to convert the Manichean heretic Lakedaimon to Orthodoxy.

A certain Greek philosopher, who wanted to test the monk’s honesty, gave him a gold coin and began to watch him. The Saint went to a bread merchant, took one loaf and gave the gold coin to the merchant, walking away with no idea of the coin’s value.

Saint Serapion led many people to the path of salvation in special ways. Once he sold himself into slavery to a Greek actor who wanted to convert to Christ. The actor was astonished by the righteous one’s holy life, and so he believed and was baptized with his family. He implored Saint Serapion to remain with him, not as a slave, but as a mentor and friend. The monk left, however, without taking the money that was offered to him.

Departing for Rome, Saint Serapion boarded a ship, but did not pay the sailors anything for his passage. At first, they began to reproach him for this, but when they saw that the Elder did not eat anything for five days, they began to feed him for the sake of God, and thereby fulfilled the commandment of the Lord. In Rome, the monk continued to travel, going from house to house, having nothing, gathering only spiritual riches for himself and for his neighbor.

Later he was made Bishop of Thmuis in Lower Egypt. He had been a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great (January 17), and later he wrote A Letter on the Death of Saint Anthony. He was also a friend and supporter of Saint Athanasios of Alexandria (January 18 & May 2). At the end of the nineteenth century a collection of liturgical texts, ascribed to Saint Serapion, was discovered.

In the end he returned to his beloved desert, where he reposed peacefully in deep old age in the year 370, an example for all the monks

ISAIAH 10:12-20

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.” 13 For he says: “By the strength of my hand I have done it, And by my wisdom, for I am prudent; Also I have removed the boundaries of the people, And have robbed their treasuries; So I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man. 14 My hand has found like a nest the riches of the people, And as one gathers eggs that are left, I have gathered all the earth; And there was no one who moved his wing, Nor opened his mouth with even a peep.” 15 Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood! 16 Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Will send leanness among his fat ones; And under his glory He will kindle a burning Like the burning of a fire. 17 So the Light of Israel will be for a fire, And his Holy One for a flame; It will burn and devour His thorns and his briers in one day. 18 And it will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, Both soul and body; And they will be as when a sick man wastes away. 19 Then the rest of the trees of his forest Will be so few in number That a child may write them. 20 And it shall come to pass in that day That the remnant of Israel, And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, Will never again depend on him who defeated them, But will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

PROVERBS 9:12-18

12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.” 13 A foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knows nothing. 14 For she sits at the door of her house, On a seat by the highest places of the city, 15 To call to those who pass by, Who go straight on their way: 16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”; And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, 17 “Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of hell.

[angelic-guardienne]

Mercy - I

Thus commences my fall into Ardyn hell... though not in the expected way, I suppose. Ardyn is a huge angst ball, no wonder I was drawn to him. It’s an endless fountain of angst to draw from. It’s perfect. 

Also, before I forget, “Mercy” is just a working title right now... I may change it later on, so be on the lookout for that. I don’t think there’s anything else I can say that’s not already at least touched upon in the story, so let’s mosey!

Tagging: @emilys-arty-farty-stuff (i wrote the soulmate au from my tags) @zer0pm @valkyrieofardyn @amicitonia @alicemoonwonderland @roses-and-oceans @for-lack-of-a-better-world @nemo-ne-impune-lacessit @kerrtrash @onpanwa @crazykruemel @ponkita @diabolik-trash-heap (come get ur sad man)

Time passes differently for the daemons, he writes, lips pressed together in concentration as he tries to keep the quiver out of his hands, and time passes differently for me. Three years are inconsequential at this point. And three years, to an immortal being…

Ardyn hesitates, his pen resting against the paper. Ink spreads, and he lifts it. He ponders.

For them, three years is a long time. So much changes in three years, yet it all remains the same to me. Until I return… Three years is nothing to me, but three years is so much to them.

He can’t bring himself to write any more, so he closes the journal with a soft thud, laying it on the desk in front of him. His eyes find his left arm, and he cringes.

Names.

Different names, different signatures, different times. He trails his fingers over the raised skin of the sprawling letters, his vision going blurry from treasured memories. He remembers them clearly -- as if he could ever forget them.

One set of sparkling eyes. A charming smile with a crooked tooth. One hundred and fifteen long eyelashes. Thin, graceful fingers. Two left feet. A silver tongue. Flowing, shining, silky waist-length hair.

His soulmates.

Each and every one of them he remembers. Each and every one of them is dead, all of their names bleached white against his skin, their signatures standing out like scars.

Ardyn remains.

Ardyn blinks, shaking his head. He tells himself that he doesn’t have time to consider these things, to think about all of his late lovers, to be angry at the Astrals for putting him through this--

He tells himself that over and over again, convinced that if he says it enough, he’ll start to believe it. (It hasn’t yet worked, but he still tries.)

He rolls his sleeve up, puts on his hat and coat, and stands from the desk, exiting his current home and entering the biting, freezing wind and rain. The other people in the small village -- no, town -- the others are all inside, not another soul to be seen. It’s reasonable, Ardyn thinks as he walks. Not only is it storming, of course, but it’s the wee hours of the night. Mortals require sleep. The daemons do not. He does not.

His destination isn’t very far away; the town is small, enough so that most people just walk wherever they need to go, biking the longer distances and using cars almost exclusively for travel outside of the town limits. Even then, only the wealthier residents have cars, so seeing one on the road is rare.

Ardyn stops, tilting his head back. The rain streaming down his visage doesn’t bother him while he checks to make sure he’s in the right place, even if he knows the path by heart now. The graveyard. He enters.

He stops at the fourth grave from the center in the sixth row on the left side, kneeling. Even through the downpour, he can still read the name on the tombstone clearly, and it still brings him pain when he reaches out and runs his fingers over the engraving. He smiles, but it’s hollow, broken. “You are the seventh, dearest. And I missed you by three years. I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you in your final moments.” He traces the date of death, his smile falling from his face. “I’ll always love you, as I do the others before you, and as I will those after you.”

And he thinks it’s a bit ironic, that one such as him -- someone so full of daemons, of inky corruption, of ravenous bitterness -- someone like him could possibly feel love… feel anything, really. Yet he’s here all the same, on his knees in the mud, soaked to the bone but unable to feel the chill over the pain in his heart.

Ardyn removes his hat and places it on the tombstone, unbothered by the rain now flowing through his hair and into his eyes. “You were a playful little thing, love. Always stealing my hat…” His voice falters, his body curls in on itself, and the rain hides his tears.

It’s only when the rain retreats into the heavier side of a drizzle does he stand, taking his dripping hat and placing it back atop his head. He trudges out of the graveyard and back down the street, watching listlessly as lights come on in homes and he hears the beginnings of the town awakening and starting its day.

He walks into his own home and closes the door behind him, uncaring of the mud he’s trailing in as he makes his way to the bathroom. He undresses and clambers into the shower. Even though he knows it won’t work from countless prior attempts, he stands under the hot stream with his eyes closed and his hands relaxed by his side, trying to let the water wash everything away.

The mud goes, of course, but the feelings stay, just like they always do. He’s not surprised.

Ardyn cleans himself off, then proceeds to clean the tracks of mud from earlier. He lingers in the sitting room, staring out the window at nothing in particular. Some of the citizens who think of him as a local (despite his rather infrequent visits) bring him supportive words and bouquets of wildflowers and baskets of fruits and vegetables. He welcomes them politely, if only to get them to leave sooner. He moves through the pleasantries automatically, exchanging words and nodding at all the reassurances. The day passes like this: every few hours, there’s knocking at his door and more hollow conversation, and in between, he stares out the window.

That night, he returns to the graveyard, laying a bouquet of flowers on his late soulmate’s grave. “They really loved you -- they still do, I mean,” he says, running his hand over the tombstone again. “I do, as well.” He apologizes one last time before taking his leave.

Ardyn leaves the town with the rising sun.

Fifteen years later, his arm burns with the branding of another deep black soulmark. He traces his fingers over it tenderly, trying to brace himself for the pain he knows will come with this one, too, and then continues on his way.

[mhdiaries]

Wave 2 Spectra Vondergeist Diary

The 18th of September

I finally get my own column in the school paper. I already have THE blog that’s on every gossip ghouls must read list but anybody can get a blog these days. Being in print gives me instant credibility however, not that I didn’t have it before... so obvious. Anyway the column is an anonymous advice/MH insider feature called Oh My Oracle. Why anonymous? Well if I used my real name I would never get anything done in class because monster would constantly be asking my advice and if I’m pursuing a bigger story I might need some monster to cover the column and I wouldn’t want my name associated with any bad advice that might be given in my absence. My suggestion box is already full of questions from monsters who need a little help negotiating teen monster life. It’s also overrun with spam. Apparently some monster thought it would be funny to sign me up for information on time share crypts and no I do not want to vacation in a “lovely little mausoleum overlooking the Great Dismal Swamp” DELETE! My first real question was this one:

Dear OMO

I’ve been seeing this really cute troll for a while now but he only wants to hang out under his bridge. How can I convince him that there are other places we could go that would be just as much fun? 

Signed,

A Ghoulfriend Gruff

Dear Ghoulfriend Gruff

I’m glad to know that he’s cute cause you’re going to be spending a lot of time underneath that bridge. It’s like my grandmother used to say, “Don’t date trolls.” Hope this helps.

All the best,

OMO

The 26th of September

Sometimes I think the only creature in the world who really understands me at all is Rhuen. She’s so clever at finding the secret places that other monsters don’t notice or have forgotten; especially at Monster High. She can be a bit mischievous at times and doesn’t always come when I call, but I absolutely reject the notion that every trail of chaos leads to Rhuen.

The 7th of October

I was just floating along today minding my own business, like I normally do, when I happened to see Deuce and Lady Twangs-a-lot... I mean Operetta... furtively slip into the empty band room. As a reporter I was intrigued, as a student I need to get to class that happened to be on the other side of band room and as a ghost, a door is not required to enter a room. As I passed through the wall into the room I heard sir hiss reading love poetry. The part I happened to hear sounded sincere... sincerely terrible. Not wanting to be late I didn’t stay for the whole conversation, just long enough to realize I had the scoop of the year! DEUCE DUMPS CLEO FOR OPERETTA!!! Naturally I went straight to Cleo to get her take on the story since that’s what a responsible reporter should do in situation of this gravity. I asked her if she felt such a betrayal was a long time in coming after what she had done to Clawd and if she would be willing to sit down and give me an exclusive interview regarding the situation. I had trouble understanding her response since she reverted to Ancient Egyptian, which I am a bit shaky in, but I think I caught the word “kiss” followed by “cobra”, “adder”, or some other type of poisonous snake, followed by what might have been “depart” “hammer”, and or “sand”. I was immediately persecuted for my investigation efforts and was set upon by that ruffian Clawd. I don’t know what his problem was since it’s obvious he and Cleo are getting back together. Fortunately, the whole school rallied to my side and our Headmistress called into question the leadership skills of our “BMOC”.

I am going to address this incident in tomorrow’s column.

The 8th of October

Oh My Oracle!

News item!

The big bad wolf was out huffing and puffing yesterday. What prompted this full moon freak out? It would be improper to speculate but could it be possible that ll that tall, dark and intermittently furry is still smarting over being dumped by his little wrapped riding hood? It’s a known fact he’s been chasing his tail for some time over that mark on his alpha status. Maybe. He. Just. Snapped. Monster High may never know but “you know who” will, as always, keep digging for the story even if it’s supposed to be dead and buried. 

The 12th of October

Our esteemed Headmistress wants every student to write an essay on their monster heritage... right. She obviously doesn’t want to know the real stories behind the students at Monster High or she would have just asked me since I have the real scoop on all of them. I offered to compile all my notes for publishing but she told me that each monster should have a chance to tell their own story. Whatever. I’ve already read through most of the essays that have been turned in - they were on her desk in plain sight so it was obvious, to me at least, that she had left them there for me to find. They run the gamut from boring to deadly boring. I suppose that I shall have to do mine now or it’s unlikely that any monster will want to read what is sure to be a wretchedly long haunt down monster memory lane. I come from royalty of course, my father was next in line for the throne of a large and powerful kingdom but my jealous uncle plotted against him and we had to go into exile. Sadly my father and mother were forced to take jobs far below their station in life to support us. It’s all quite tragic of course and I’m still debating if I should add in the part about my long lost love who still haunts our ancestral castle awaiting my return; or my family’s daring escape across enemy territory in the dead of night during the storm of the century. 

The 20th of October

I never understood why so many monsters held Ghoulia in such high esteem I mean she’s a zombie for groaning out loud. Hello? Can you say lowest rung on the monster ladder? What is it about her? Does she have some kind of special power? Has she cast some spell over everyone? I needed to know. So today I followed her because as an investigative journalist it’s part of my job to find the real truth. You’d think it would be easy seeing as how she’s so slow but several times she managed to give me the slip. Other than studying and hanging out with Cleo and the Fear Squad posers I couldn’t find anything remotely remarkable about her. I thought about just giving up until she wandered down a back passage in the library to a room that I thought only I knew about. It’s where they keep the really old reference books and stuff. I was sure she was just hiding out so she could read that stupid Dead Fast comic book she’s always carrying around but she wasn’t. She was looking through old newspapers. I don’t know how she knew I was there since I was hiding in the shadows but she pulled out the chair next to her, looked straight at me and patted the seat for me to sit down. I was so startled that I just floated over and sat down. The headline of the paper in front of her read “The Real Vondergeists” It was my family’s story... I had forgotten... Oh my soul. I must have broken down because the next thing I knew Ghoulia was patting me on the back and I was soaking on her shoulder with ectoplasmic tears. I couldn’t stop for a while and when I did Ghoulia just looked me in they eye and said in zombie, “Your secret is safe with me.” I guess now I understand.

[schoolcalidity]

Asherah: God’s Forgotten Wife

Those raised in the Judeo-Christian tradition may be surprised to learn that the god we were told was singularly sacred once had a wife. How do we know? Asherah figures prominently as the wife of El—the supreme god—in a treasure trove of cuneiform texts found in the second millennium port city of Ugarit (in today’s Northern Syria). For perhaps hundreds of years before Abraham migrated to what would become known as Israel, Asherah was revered as Athirat, Earth Mother and Fertility Goddess. Upon entering the region, the ancient Israelites soon adopted her and gave her the Hebrew equivalent name of Asherah. The Ugarit excavation of 1928 put Asherah, the goddess, on the map again, after having lost her place for thousands of years.

Asherah, Partner of Yahweh

But who was Asherah to the ancient Israelites? And why is she often found paired with Yahweh, the Hebrew god? Historians and archaeologists have pieced together Asherah’s narrative and found large chunks of it interwoven in the artifacts from the region and in the scriptures of the Hebrew Bible itself. Evidence suggests that Asherah was observed in ancient Israel and Judah as early as the 12th century BC, to a few decades before the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah (587-588 BC), a time known as the pre-exilic period.

Were the pre-exilic Israelites and Judeans polytheistic ? In fact, the very notion of polytheism is inherent in the quest for Asherah. After all, Asherah’s place in the pantheon is alongside Yahweh’s, the supreme deity. Furthermore, the many artifacts representing Asherah and her cult from the region belies the biblical prohibition against the creation of idols. How then did they worship?

Tracing the origins of the Serpent Cult

Evidence that Noah’s Ark Landed on a Mountain 17 Miles South of Ararat

American Gods: Rituals & Sacrifices to the All-Powerful Solar Gods

Asherah figurines. ( ninapaley)

Differences Between Book and Folk Religion

At this point it is important to make a distinction between the book religion of the ruling classes in the metropolis and folk or popular religion as it was practiced in rural communities for which most Israelites were a part. Literacy was close to non-existent in the rural communities, thus the book religion as practiced in the cities would have little meaning in the lives of those inhabiting the outlying areas. Instead, rural communities had their own religious beliefs using statuary and other artifacts.

By way of contrast, the intellectual community in the metropolis produced a text, which was written entirely from the perspective of the upper or ruling classes. Perhaps surprisingly, Asherah is mentioned in the early Hebrew Bible some forty separate times, although most often as an object of derision. By and large, the biblical writers were unhappy that Asherah shared the same platform with their male deity, Yahweh, and repeatedly tried to dissuade their pairing.

Yahweh and his Asherah

As much as the ruling elite tried to inhibit Asherah and Yahweh’s “marriage,” their union appears solidified in an ancient blessing seen with some regularity at a number of excavation sites in the region. The inscription reads: “I have blessed you by Yahweh....and his Asherah.” Not only was this engraving found in the 9th-8th century BC Israelite caravanserai, Kuntillet Ajrud, the same text was found in a number of sites thought to be Yahweh sanctuaries, such as in Samaria, Jerusalem, Teman, and in the Biblical kingdom of Judah, at the ancient burial site of Khirbet el-Qom, dating to 750 BC.

Burial inscription from Khirbet el-Quom, 8th cent. BC., Museum of Israel. Inscription: Uriyahu the prince wrote it: Blessed be Uriyahu by Yahweh and his Asherah, for from his enemies he has saved him." (Nick Thompson/ CC BY NC SA 2.0 )

In fact, this phrase “Yahweh and his Asherah” was so quotidian that it actually appears in the Hebrew Bible itself. The cryptic blessing is in an early rendition of Deuteronomy 33.2-3, when Asherah’s influence had not yet been fully subordinated. The full hymn reads: “YHWH came from Sinai and shone forth.... at his right hand his own Asherah.”

Asherim Poles

However, as the book religion solidified, Asherah became increasingly marginalized in the scriptures to the point of being reduced to her cult object—the stylized tree or wooden pole which became known as asherah or asherim. Trees were revered as symbols of life and nourishment in arid regions and so became associated with Asherah and her cult. Many scholars believe that Asherah’s tree functioned in the Garden of Eden parable. The ruling elite propagandized against goddess worship by integrating the story of the fall of mankind to the tree which was clearly  associated with Asherah. Whereas Asherah’s influence was restrained in the official religion, her presence loomed large in the rural communities, most often in the form of figurines which are prolific in the region. Even while idolatry is reviled in the Hebrew Bible, ample archaeological evidence suggests that those living outside the metropolis idolized statuary and cult objects as part of their religion, leading one scholar to opine: “Folk religion can be defined as everything that those who wrote the Bible condemned.”

Asherah Pillar Figures

Asherah is represented many times in various forms scattered throughout the region. But the most abundant of these are her pillar figurines which were popular from the 10th through the 7th centuries BC. The term “images of Asherah” is often used in the Hebrew Bible and it is thought that these pillar figurines are what the writers of the bible had in mind.

Israelite ceramic figure of a nude woman, identified as an Asherah pillar. ( The Met )

Because the breasts are exaggerated with the hands supporting them, they are thought to symbolize the nurturing aspect of the mother goddess. Predominantly, the pillar figurines were found in private homes, suggesting their domesticity. In a world beset by hardship and drought, likely a concern for fecundity was what attracted the rural Israelites and Judeans to the goddess Asherah, whom they associated with abundance.

Goddess Ninkharsag—Ancient Powerful Mother who Faded into The Holy Ghost

The Hidden Identity of the Woman Glorified as Athena: Her Link to the Pre-Flood World

Lost in Translation? Understandings and Misunderstandings about the Ancient Practice of “Sacred Prostitution”

A small votive statue of the Mother Goddess of Asherah. ( Queen of Heaven )

Missing Pieces of the Puzzle

While there are voluminous artifacts identified as Asherah in the region, there are still pieces missing from the puzzle. Was Asherah Yahweh’s wife, as many scholars now contend? Was her worship confined to folk religion only, or was her influence felt in the book religion of the Hebrew Bible as well?

Indeed, unearthing a goddess who has been buried for close to two millennia has its distinct disadvantages. Yet increasingly, Asherah’s influence in the region is becoming recognized by archaeologists and historians alike, with the expectation of further scrutiny and scholarship to come in this area.

Plaque depicting Asherah. ( Looklex Encyclopaedia )

Top Image: ‘Veiled Mother of the World’ (Deriv.) (1930) by Russian esoteric Christian Nicholas Roerich. Source: northernway.org

By Mary Naples, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom Weekly

[dazzledbybooks]

I am so excited that the POWER OF FIVE Series by Alex Lidell is complete with LERA OF LUNOS available now and that I get to share the news! If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful series by Author Alex Lidell, be sure to check out all the details below. This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $10 Amazon GC, International, A set of the eBooks, International, & a POWER OF FIVE Journal, US only, courtesy of Alex and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post. About the series: Title: LERA OF LUNOS (Power of Five #4) Author: Alex Lidell Pub. Date: January 4, 2019 Publisher: Danger Bearing Press Formats: Paperback, eBook Pages: 192 Find it: Goodreads, Amazon Read For FREE With Kindle Unlimited! Two immortal realms on brink of war. One mortal standing in their way. With the quint squaring off against the king of Slait, Lera is running out of time to tame her feral magic. Worse still, just when the quint must weave together to survive, demons from Tye’s past surface to tear them apart. Demons he fears facing, let alone sharing with Lera. But when Griorgi makes a move that no one expects, throwing River, Shade, and Coal’s lives into question, the clock runs out. Lera and Tye have no choice but to fight their battles within—or risk losing Lunos and their quint forever. LERA OF LUNOS is a full-length reverse-harem fantasy novel, the stunning finale to the Amazon-bestselling, KU-All Star POWER OF FIVE series. Title: TRIAL OF THREE (Power of Five #3) Author: Alex Lidell Pub. Date: September 26, 2018 Publisher: Danger Bearing Press Formats: Paperback, eBook Pages: 192 Find it: Goodreads, Amazon Read For FREE With Kindle Unlimited! Four cords of power. Three trials. Two soul-crushing secrets.  For Lera, training has never been so hard. With the males’ power roaring in her veins and River’s cold demand that she master the magic before the third trial, something has to give. Worse still, River is keeping something from her. Something about his past and Lunos’s future. For River and Coal, the past must stay buried. Though one male’s nightmare sits on a throne and the other’s hides in his soul, they are equally unprepared for Lera’s startling determination to undress the truth. But when Mors’s Emperor Jawrar makes a play for Lunos, neither Lera’s fledgling magic nor the males’ old wounds can remain untouched—not if their world is to survive. TRIAL OF THREE is a full-length reverse-harem fantasy novel, third in the Amazon bestselling, KU-All Star POWER OF FIVE series.  Title: MISTAKE OF MAGIC (Power Of Five #2) Author: Alex Lidell Pub. Date: June 29, 2018 Publisher: Danger Bearing Press Formats: Paperback, eBook Pages: 193 Find it: Goodreads, Amazon Read For FREE With Kindle Unlimited! Three trials stand between Lera and exile. Unless the training kills her first. Quint magic has never chosen a human before, and the Elders Council is convinced Lera is a mistake.  When the quint refuses to be cleaved apart, the enraged elders give them a choice: exile from Lunos or demotion to the lowest of trainees. Subject again to the humiliations and deadly trials they endured centuries ago, the males now face a new challenge—training Lera to survive.  River, Shade, Coal, and Tye will do whatever it takes to keep Lera safe. But Lera will do whatever she must to keep them together—even if it means putting herself in mortal danger. Title: POWER OF FIVE Author: Alex Lidell Pub. Date: May 4, 2018 Publisher: Danger Bearing Press Formats: Paperback, eBook Pages: 312 Find it: Goodreads, Amazon Read For FREE With Kindle Unlimited! Four elite fae warriors. One mortal female. A magical bond they can’t allow—or resist.  Orphaned and sold to a harsh master, Lera’s life is about mucking stalls, avoiding her master’s advances, and steering clear of the mystical forest separating the mortal and fae worlds. Only fools venture into the immortal realms, and only dark rumors come out... Until four powerful fae warriors appear at Lera’s barn.  River, Coal, Tye, and Shade have waited a decade for their new fifth to be chosen, the wounds from their quint brother’s loss still raw. But the magic has played a cruel trick, bonding the four immortal warriors to... a female. A mortal female.  Distractingly beautiful and dangerously frail, Lera can only be one thing—a mistake. Yet as the males bring Lera back to the fae lands to sever the bond, they discover that she holds more power over their souls than is safe for anyone... especially for Lera herself.  Power of Five is a full-length reverse-harem fantasy novel.  READ POWER OF FIVE FOR FREE JANUARY 4TH-8TH!!!! Excerpt from LERA OF LUNOS: “There was rather little incentive to follow the rules at that point,” Tye said simply. “And smuggling pays well.” He swallowed painfully, unable to look at her for this part, to see in her eyes the moment she realized he’d been right to push her away. “Now do you see why I thought you should go with Shade? If it were up to me, Lilac Girl, I would never let you out of my sight for the rest of my life. But it isn’t up to me, especially now that you know the full truth. You deserve better, Lera. You deserve the world.” Silence trailed at the heels of Tye’s words, the cave around them a capsule of secrets. Each memory shoving itself insistently from its hiding place in the depths of Tye’s mind drove another needle into his soul. Fingers tightening on the rough stone, Tye inhaled the damp, mossy air and awaited judgment. Several heartbeats passed before Lera rose to her knees, her cool hands gripping Tye’s face. Tipping it to look so deeply into his eyes that Tye felt his soul bared beneath her intense chocolate gaze. Stars, if the girl could make him feel so vulnerable with one look, what could she do with a word? A step? Fear crackled along his veins, but when he tried to pull back, to escape for a bit of air, Lera would not let him. “I see you, Tye.” Her words rang gently through the cave, stopping Tye’s heart. “And I want you. Not for play. I want you for you, forever.” Tye’s blood stirred, waking him to Lera’s words. She wanted him. She wanted him. The way he’d always longed for her but had been so certain she would never feel in return. He stared into her eyes, hardly daring to believe it. “And I want forever to start now, Tye,” she said quietly. About Alex: Alex Lidell is the Amazon Breakout Novel Awards finalist author of THE CADET OF TILDOR (Penguin, 2013). She is an avid horseback rider, a (bad) hockey player, and an ice-cream addict. Born in Russia, Alex learned English in elementary school, where a thoughtful librarian placed a copy of Tamora Pierce’s ALANNA in Alex’s hands. In addition to becoming the first English book Alex read for fun, ALANNA started Alex’s life long love for YA fantasy books. Alex is represented by Leigh Feldman of Leigh Feldman Literary. She lives in Washington, DC. Join Alex's newsletter for news, bonus content and sneak peeks: www.subscribepage.com/TIDES  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Book Bub | Instagram Giveaway Details: 1 winner will win a $10 Amazon GC International. 1 winner will receive a POWER OF FIVE Journal, US Only. 1 winner will receive the complete POWER OF FIVE series in eBooks, International. a Rafflecopter giveaway

http://www.dazzledbybooks.com/2019/01/poweroffiveseriesreleaseday.html

[anchorarcade]

The real message for the world in China’s first global congress | This Week In Asia

http://ryanguillory.com/the-real-message-for-the-world-in-chinas-first-global-congress-this-week-in-asia/

The real message for the world in China’s first global congress | This Week In Asia

Xi Jinping may be the lead character in the latest episode of a play unfolding since 1921, but the plot is about the Communist Party

By Kerry Brown

21 Oct 2017

Looking at various congresses over the past nine decades, one can map a narrative of the Communist Party and its development. They form the backbone of the organisation’s story.

The first, in 1921, was an epic of endurance and survival, held over nine days – the first seven in Shanghai and the last two in neighbouring Zhejiang after police disrupted proceedings. Of the 13 delegates who attended, more than half were to end up murdered, exiled or purged in the ensuing years.

China’s Asia vision harks back to 1945, but this time it has the money

From such inauspicious beginnings the 19th party congress, held from Wednesday in Beijing, has grown. Over the decades, it has been at congresses that major strategic decisions have been made, decisions which have fundamentally shaped the party story. To adopt an agrarian rather than an urban form of revolution in the 1920s and 1930s; to accede to Mao’s dominant role in the 1940s. In the Maoist era, the three congresses held – the 8th in 1956, the 9th in 1969, and 10th in 1973 – marked moments before or after upheavals such as the Great Leap Forward in 1957, the Cultural Revolution in 1966, or the fall of Lin Biao in 1971.

Watch: What has Xi Jinping done during his first five-year term?

Since 1978, they have acquired a five-year rhythm, giving a sense of party continuity and predictability in a China convulsed by marketisations and social change. Each congress over this period has come to contribute to the unfolding tale of the reform era.

The 1982 congress saw the acceptance of socialism with Chinese characteristics – 1992 deepened this, with Deng Xiaoping’s final swansong. In 2002 it was the affirmation of Jiang Zemin’s “theory of the three represents” and the then radical notion of entrepreneurs being allowed to enter the party. In 2007 Hu Jintao introduced “scientific development”. The last congress, in 2012, saw the rise of Xi Jinping. We now know much more about how this subplot is developing – 2017 will be the start of a major new episode.

We still do not know what the specific ingredients will be in the new episode of this grand drama, but we get the drift of the overall plot from all that has come before.

We know we are not watching a tragedy. That belongs to the past – the era before 1949 – when there seemed to be no hope. The party has now progressed through the years of purgatory under Mao, into the sunnier period of optimism – of the promise of happy endings and bright messages. For all the talk surrounding this congress’ likely challenges and problems, there will one dominant metanarrative: things will turn out well in the end.

Will Xi Jinping build on Deng Xiaoping’s legacy – or unravel it?

The party is delivering on its solemn promise of restoring China to its rightful place in the world, the century of humiliation over forever. Never has the country been stronger, richer, more respected, more feared. This congress will contribute to that confidence. There will be no dissenting voices. There will be no blips nor signs of uncertainty on this. It will be a congress that says to the world, and to Chinese people, we matter. And no one can take this moment of renaissance from us.

This is a global, not just a domestic message. It involves China speaking to the world as never before. In the past, even in 2012, congresses were largely domestic, introspective affairs – transacting party business for a party audience, watched by the rest of the county only when they could or would take time from their daily work and distractions. The rest of the world could make of it what they wanted – they were not the key audience.

In 2017, things are different. This is the first global congress – the first congress of the party since its assumption of international roles. In a week in which Xi appeared on the front of The Economist as the world’s most powerful man, the symbolism, and its timing, could not be more appropriate.

Many have been saying the story of the 2017 congress will be about the consolidation of power by Xi and about the emergence of him as an omnipotent autocrat. But Xi is, in fact, a character in the latest episode of a play that has been unfolding since 1921 – albeit the leading one. The real plot is about the party – about its survival, resilience and flourishing.

Xi’s new era beckons, but China’s leadership reshuffle may be less dramatic than expected

The one thing to do over the events in mid-October in Beijing is to resolutely focus on this story – the grander story of the party, not the individual players with their parts in it. Not looking at Xi’s rise as an individual, but how his rise is made meaningful within the metanarrative of the party itself. What does it say about the party’s plans, its future, its stewardship of China over the next decade or so.

In 2017, Xi is the main man – but the party is the story – and stories, unlike individuals, can go on indefinitely. ■

Source link

[awesomefelicitylewis-blog]

The real message for the world in China’s first global congress | This Week In Asia

http://ryanguillory.com/the-real-message-for-the-world-in-chinas-first-global-congress-this-week-in-asia/

The real message for the world in China’s first global congress | This Week In Asia

Xi Jinping may be the lead character in the latest episode of a play unfolding since 1921, but the plot is about the Communist Party

By Kerry Brown

21 Oct 2017

Looking at various congresses over the past nine decades, one can map a narrative of the Communist Party and its development. They form the backbone of the organisation’s story.

The first, in 1921, was an epic of endurance and survival, held over nine days – the first seven in Shanghai and the last two in neighbouring Zhejiang after police disrupted proceedings. Of the 13 delegates who attended, more than half were to end up murdered, exiled or purged in the ensuing years.

China’s Asia vision harks back to 1945, but this time it has the money

From such inauspicious beginnings the 19th party congress, held from Wednesday in Beijing, has grown. Over the decades, it has been at congresses that major strategic decisions have been made, decisions which have fundamentally shaped the party story. To adopt an agrarian rather than an urban form of revolution in the 1920s and 1930s; to accede to Mao’s dominant role in the 1940s. In the Maoist era, the three congresses held – the 8th in 1956, the 9th in 1969, and 10th in 1973 – marked moments before or after upheavals such as the Great Leap Forward in 1957, the Cultural Revolution in 1966, or the fall of Lin Biao in 1971.

Watch: What has Xi Jinping done during his first five-year term?

Since 1978, they have acquired a five-year rhythm, giving a sense of party continuity and predictability in a China convulsed by marketisations and social change. Each congress over this period has come to contribute to the unfolding tale of the reform era.

The 1982 congress saw the acceptance of socialism with Chinese characteristics – 1992 deepened this, with Deng Xiaoping’s final swansong. In 2002 it was the affirmation of Jiang Zemin’s “theory of the three represents” and the then radical notion of entrepreneurs being allowed to enter the party. In 2007 Hu Jintao introduced “scientific development”. The last congress, in 2012, saw the rise of Xi Jinping. We now know much more about how this subplot is developing – 2017 will be the start of a major new episode.

We still do not know what the specific ingredients will be in the new episode of this grand drama, but we get the drift of the overall plot from all that has come before.

We know we are not watching a tragedy. That belongs to the past – the era before 1949 – when there seemed to be no hope. The party has now progressed through the years of purgatory under Mao, into the sunnier period of optimism – of the promise of happy endings and bright messages. For all the talk surrounding this congress’ likely challenges and problems, there will one dominant metanarrative: things will turn out well in the end.

Will Xi Jinping build on Deng Xiaoping’s legacy – or unravel it?

The party is delivering on its solemn promise of restoring China to its rightful place in the world, the century of humiliation over forever. Never has the country been stronger, richer, more respected, more feared. This congress will contribute to that confidence. There will be no dissenting voices. There will be no blips nor signs of uncertainty on this. It will be a congress that says to the world, and to Chinese people, we matter. And no one can take this moment of renaissance from us.

This is a global, not just a domestic message. It involves China speaking to the world as never before. In the past, even in 2012, congresses were largely domestic, introspective affairs – transacting party business for a party audience, watched by the rest of the county only when they could or would take time from their daily work and distractions. The rest of the world could make of it what they wanted – they were not the key audience.

In 2017, things are different. This is the first global congress – the first congress of the party since its assumption of international roles. In a week in which Xi appeared on the front of The Economist as the world’s most powerful man, the symbolism, and its timing, could not be more appropriate.

Many have been saying the story of the 2017 congress will be about the consolidation of power by Xi and about the emergence of him as an omnipotent autocrat. But Xi is, in fact, a character in the latest episode of a play that has been unfolding since 1921 – albeit the leading one. The real plot is about the party – about its survival, resilience and flourishing.

Xi’s new era beckons, but China’s leadership reshuffle may be less dramatic than expected

The one thing to do over the events in mid-October in Beijing is to resolutely focus on this story – the grander story of the party, not the individual players with their parts in it. Not looking at Xi’s rise as an individual, but how his rise is made meaningful within the metanarrative of the party itself. What does it say about the party’s plans, its future, its stewardship of China over the next decade or so.

In 2017, Xi is the main man – but the party is the story – and stories, unlike individuals, can go on indefinitely. ■

Source link

[mhdiaries]

Diary of Spectra Vondergeist

I don’t snoop in your unlife, so please don’t snoop in mine.

The 18th of September

I finally get my own column in the school paper. I already have THE blog that’s on every gossip ghouls must read list but anybody can get a blog these days. Being in print gives me instant credibility however, not that I didn’t have it before... so obvious. Anyway the column is an anonymous advice/MH insider feature called Oh My Oracle. Why anonymous? Well if I used my real name I would never get anything done in class because monster would constantly be asking my advice and if I’m pursuing a bigger story I might need some monster to cover the column and I wouldn’t want my name associated with any bad advice that might be given in my absence. My suggestion box is already full of questions from monsters who need a little help negotiating teen monster life. It’s also overrun with spam. Apparently some monster thought it would be funny to sign me up for information on time share crypts and no I do not want to vacation in a “lovely little mausoleum overlooking the Great Dismal Swamp” DELETE! My first real question was this one:

Dear OMO

I’ve been seeing this really cute troll for a while now but he only wants to hang out under his bridge. How can I convince him that there are other places we could go that would be just as much fun?

Signed,

A Ghoulfriend Gruff

Dear Ghoulfriend Gruff

I’m glad to know that he’s cute cause you’re going to be spending a lot of time underneath that bridge. It’s like my grandmother used to say, “Don’t date trolls.” Hope this helps.

All the best,

OMO

The 26th of September

Sometimes I think the only creature in the world who really understands me at all is Rhuen. She’s so clever at finding the secret places that other monsters don’t notice or have forgotten; especially at Monster High. She can be a bit mischievous at times and doesn’t always come when I call, but I absolutely reject the notion that every trail of chaos leads to Rhuen.

The 7th of October

I was just floating along today minding my own business, like I normally do, when I happened to see Deuce and Lady Twangs-a-lot... I mean Operetta... furtively slip into the empty band room. As a reporter I was intrigued, as a student I need to get to class that happened to be on the other side of band room and as a ghost, a door is not required to enter a room. As I passed through the wall into the room I heard sir hiss reading love poetry. The part I happened to hear sounded sincere... sincerely terrible. Not wanting to be late I didn’t stay for the whole conversation, just long enough to realize I had the scoop of the year! DEUCE DUMPS CLEO FOR OPERETTA!!! Naturally I went straight to Cleo to get her take on the story since that’s what a responsible reporter should do in situation of this gravity. I asked her if she felt such a betrayal was a long time in coming after what she had done to Clawd and if she would be willing to sit down and give me an exclusive interview regarding the situation. I had trouble understanding her response since she reverted to Ancient Egyptian, which I am a bit shaky in, but I think I caught the word “kiss” followed by “cobra”, “adder”, or some other type of poisonous snake, followed by what might have been “depart” “hammer”, and or “sand”. I was immediately persecuted for my investigation efforts and was set upon by that ruffian Clawd. I don’t know what his problem was since it’s obvious he and Cleo are getting back together. Fortunately, the whole school rallied to my side and our Headmistress called into question the leadership skills of our “BMOC”.

I am going to address this incident in tomorrow’s column.

The 8th of October

Oh My Oracle!

News item!

The big bad wolf was out huffing and puffing yesterday. What prompted this full moon freak out? It would be improper to speculate but could it be possible that ll that tall, dark and intermittently furry is still smarting over being dumped by his little wrapped riding hood? It’s a known fact he’s been chasing his tail for some time over that mark on his alpha status. Maybe. He. Just. Snapped. Monster High may never know but “you know who” will, as always, keep digging for the story even if it’s supposed to be dead and buried.

The 12th of October

Our esteemed Headmistress wants every student to write an essay on their monster heritage... right. She obviously doesn’t want to know the real stories behind the students at Monster High or she would have just asked me since I have the real scoop on all of them. I offered to compile all my notes for publishing but she told me that each monster should have a chance to tell their own story. Whatever. I’ve already read through most of the essays that have been turned in - they were on her desk in plain sight so it was obvious, to me at least, that she had left them there for me to find. They run the gamut from boring to deadly boring. I suppose that I shall have to do mine now or it’s unlikely that any monster will want to read what is sure to be a wretchedly long haunt down monster memory lane. I come from royalty of course, my father was next in line for the throne of a large and powerful kingdom but my jealous uncle plotted against him and we had to go into exile. Sadly my father and mother were forced to take jobs far below their station in life to support us. It’s all quite tragic of course and I’m still debating if I should add in the part about my long lost love who still haunts our ancestral castle awaiting my return; or my family’s daring escape across enemy territory in the dead of night during the storm of the century.

The 20th of October

I never understood why so many monsters held Ghoulia in such high esteem I mean she’s a zombie for groaning out loud. Hello? Can you say lowest rung on the monster ladder? What is it about her? Does she have some kind of special power? Has she cast some spell over everyone? I needed to know. So today I followed her because as an investigative journalist it’s part of my job to find the real truth. You’d think it would be easy seeing as how she’s so slow but several times she managed to give me the slip. Other than studying and hanging out with Cleo and the Fear Squad posers I couldn’t find anything remotely remarkable about her. I thought about just giving up until she wandered down a back passage in the library to a room that I thought only I knew about. It’s where they keep the really old reference books and stuff. I was sure she was just hiding out so she could read that stupid Dead Fast comic book she’s always carrying around but she wasn’t. She was looking through old newspapers. I don’t know how she knew I was there since I was hiding in the shadows but she pulled out the chair next to her, looked straight at me and patted the seat for me to sit down. I was so startled that I just floated over and sat down. The headline of the paper in front of her read “The Real Vondergeists” It was my family’s story... I had forgotten... Oh my soul. I must have broken down because the next thing I knew Ghoulia was patting me on the back and I was soaking on her shoulder with ectoplasmic tears. I couldn’t stop for a while and when I did Ghoulia just looked me in they eye and said in zombie, “Your secret is safe with me.” I guess now I understand.