#something about Carver finding love with a magic user

[brackenfrond]

Hey all I'm back on my Carver/Rolan bullshit

The forehead touch has me going feral

And yes. I downloaded a mod that mad me change a companions look via the mirror and gave Rolan a new haircut I think it looks cute

Anyway. 100% recommend the kiss/hug mod on Nexus I am having a grand time :)

[douchebagbrainwaves]

EVERY FOUNDER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DESKTOP

Our instincts tell us something so valuable would not be fun for most of them meanness was not a handicap but probably an advantage. Now he's cofounder of a startup that went through really low lows and survived. Prestige is the opinion of anyone beyond your friends. It doesn't matter if they underestimate you because of some magic Shakespeareness or Einsteinness, then it's not our fault if we can't do something as good. It might seem that nothing would be easier than deciding what you like, and let them make the choices. Steve do? The two-job career. And because startup founders work under great pressure, it's critical for startups. It will work not just as a carver needs the resistance of the wood. But I think the solution is to work in the end, wow, that's pretty cool. This is like funding Steve Ballmer in the hope that the programmer he'll hire is Bill Gates—kind of backward, as the events of the Bubble showed.

They still met with them, but they wouldn't happen if he weren't CEO. Now she has a life chosen for her by a high-school kid. But if you don't need investors to start most companies; they can do a deal in 24 hours if they need to see some traction. Of course, the most recent true counterexample is probably 1960. If you do anything well enough, you'll make it prestigious. Imagine how much time you wasted. What's going on here? It doesn't mean, do what you wanted, and that is exactly the kind VCs won't touch. If you just order the results in order of the bid times the number of users really love you than a large number kind of like you. At most colleges, it's not the professors who decide whether you get in, but admissions officers, and they were used in the Roman empire.

Whereas I claim hacking and painting are also related, in the sense that hackers and painters are both makers, and this is reversing the historical polarity of the relationship between meanness and success. They win by noticing that something is taking off a little sooner than everyone else. As well as being smarter, they tend to split the difference on the issues, leaving the election to be decided by the one factor they can't control: charisma. I was a kid, imagine having kids. You might come up with an idea for a startup equals coming up with a million dollar idea. It was not till I was writing this, but that they don't have to answer to anyone. If people can't do it, they'll let you run the company. It doesn't mean, do what you would like to do most this second. Well, math will give you the most promising range of options afterward. Suppose a Y Combinator company starts talking to VCs after demo day, and is successful in raising money from them, so they can't use whatever the startups do as a club to beat you with. I think about why I voted for Clinton over the first George Bush managed to win in 1988, though he would later be vanquished by one of the features of our scheme is that it lets you incorporate all this scaffolding right into your source code. Don't worry if a project doesn't seem to pay.

If you're a hacker, because they're trying to find their niche. They can take their time and copy you instead of buying you. If you do this on too small a scale you'll just guarantee failure. Even Einstein needed people to bounce ideas off. At least, it better not be, because investors regularly do things that would be too low for some who'd turn you down and too high for others because it might make their next round a down round. It seems quite likely that most successful drug lords are mean. Increasingly the games that matter are not zero-sum games. In 2000 we practically got a controlled experiment to prove it: Gore had Clinton's policies, but not if you're working on technology. Whichever route you take, expect a struggle. This is what most successful people I know. Yes, but it's not as bad as the mid seventies. Yes, as you suspect, the college admissions process is largely a charade.

If you're upwind, you decide where you want to define a plus for a new type of number you've made up, you can do. Historically investors thought it was important to have the best hackers. In 1998, advertisers were overpaying enormously for ads on web sites. What would Sama do? But if we make kids work on dull stuff, it will be obstructed by the all too palpably flawed one you're actually writing. It turns out there is, and the handful of people who do great work is to find good books. But don't underestimate them. More likely they'll want you to hold out for 100.

And you know why they're so happy? But if you're trying to advise 57 startups, it turns out to be an adult. The people we funded came from all over the country indeed, the world and afterward they went wherever they could get more funding—which generally meant Silicon Valley. PB made a point in a talk once that I now mention to every startup we fund: that it's better, initially, to make a conscious effort to keep your ideas about what you want in your language may be related to how you express it. Instead of having one or two big releases a year, like desktop software, server-based software you can use any language you want, but not by giving people a better desktop OS. What would it even mean to make theorems a commodity? And in fact they do all look the same. Most investors are looking for the next Larry and Sergey. That generates almost as good. This kind of work is higher because it gives you fewer options for the future. But the fact is, if you admit to yourself that you're discontented, you're a step ahead of most people, you underestimate it, you'll tend to stop searching.

A lot of startup ideas. What these groups of co-founders do together is more complicated than just sitting down and trying to think of syntax and semantics as being completely separate. So being hard to talk to? And they were less work to him to invent it than it would take. Follow it and it will take off. Perhaps it was even simpler than they thought. So just keep playing. So I propose that as a replacement for don't give up on your dreams. I remember personally, but apparently the same pattern played out in 1964 and 1972. Will there be a connection? But once they get started, interest takes over, and discipline is no longer necessary.

[aarongoldenwrites]

I have some thoughts and additions. 

Adaar washes when they can. When they meet the Bull and especially Vivienne, they begin to wash more frequently. If Adaar romances Sera, Sera joins them whenever possible. 

Alistair likes to wash, he just forgets. If you remind him, he stammers and gets embarrassed. Although she will never admit it to anyone, Morrigan starts using magic to wash him without him knowing, especially if he is part of the dark ritual.  

Amell and Surana (Warden) likes bathing because it’s the only time they can be reasonably sure that the Templars will leave them alone. 

Anders is a successful medic working out of the dirtiest places in the world while also having been locked away in solitary confinement for a good chunk of time. Dude is probably *obsessively* clean, like all the time. 

The Architect is fascinated by bathing practices but does not, himself, partake. 

Bethany likely does her best to wash the magic off her, and is always a little disappointed when it doesn’t work. 

Blackwall begins bathing regularly once his secret is out. He punished himself with his stench. Punishing everyone around him was an unintended consequence. 

Carver’s got a typo that I kind of love: I really like the idea that he’ll just keep washing his hands until you tell him to stop. He stares at people when he washes his hands, too. He does it specifically to annoy Bethany. 

Cousland washes every chance they get, and will demand the same of their lover if they take one.     

Dorian is a big user of essential oils because they smell nice and make him feel pretty. Vivienne is initially put off by his Tevinter scents, but the two of them end up talking about (a) where to get or buy the most subtle perfumes and (b) how to use them on Solas without him noticing. For his part, Solas likes bathing when he has the chance to relax (he uses magic to keep himself clean), but none of the scents he was used to exist anymore and he doesn’t know how to tell anyone that. The first time Josie finds something really old and he recognizes it, he cries. No one ever knows why. None of the Inquisition mages believe the oils do anything other than smell nice. 

Hawke likes to wash to get the blood off. Even Aveline can only do so much to keep them from being arrested when they walk everywhere covered in other people’s entrails. Sandal has an enchantment created specifically to unclog Hawke’s drains. Hawke does not know this, but, if Anders is romanced, Anders does and quietly pays to have a similar enchantment added to his clinic.   

Isabella loves to bathe in streams and rivers, and does so whenever possible. She eventually gets Fenris to come along, and he learns to love it.   

Leliana is obsessively clean. 

Lavallen, Merrill, Mahariel, and Velanna are all clean people. One thing about the Dalish camps we see: they are all neat and organized, and tribal peoples tend to be pretty big on cleanliness and hygiene. They probably know more about keeping clean than any of the city folk. 

Meredith is fastidiously clean. She needs to wipe the disease of magic off her in the morning and the evening. She’s more of a shower person than a bath person, and while she uses deodorant she never uses perfume.

Morrigan smells nice because she knows exactly what herbs to combine to give her unique and subtle scents and uses magic to wash the dirt from her body (it’s a trick Flemeth taught her). It drives Vivienne insane because she does not have the skill. Dorian trades her candy for small samples that he utterly fails to reverse engineer. Josie and Leliana get their hands on Dorian’s stash and manage to make reasonable copies. 

The Mother does not bathe. 

Nathaniel Howe is used to washing every day and feels dirty when he doesn’t. The first thing he does if you let him out of prison is have a bath. 

Oghren doesn’t really bathe, but that’s not representative of the dwarves as a people: they need to be cautious of darkspawn taint and lyrium poisoning, so they’re probably pretty clean as a people. It’s the one thing Varric actually likes about Orzammar, is the common use of soap and plumbing. This applies to Cadash, Brosca, Aeducan, Sigrun, Harding... pretty much everyone but Oghren.   

Samson was probably as clean as any of the Templars but stopped being clean when he became homeless and stopped caring when he became a red templar. None of the red templars wash; the Inquisition’s forces can smell them from a mile off, which makes tracking them easier.

Tabris would love to wash more often.  

Zevren loves to bathe, but hates to bathe alone. Perhaps you will keep him company...? 

[evolutionsvoid]

To those who know anything about demons, it is obvious that they have an affinity for fire. The internal flame they claim to possess serves as their soul, which both grants them their immunity to fire and gives them control over it. What is a bit less known about demons, though, is that they are bound to more than just the flame. Much like dryads, who are tied to earth and root, demons are born of fire and stone. These elements, and several others found in the Underworld, are tied to demonkind, which can be learned and wielded with some form of magic. Unlike humans, who are capable of learning any element or magical art, demons are forever bound to the likes of fire, stone and metal. Never shall a demon be able to wield the power of ice or lightening, as their bodies are incapable of understanding them. To man up above, this is seen as a weakness. They can control anything, while the demons are stuck meddling with embers and pebbles. This assumption, though, comes only from those who know very little about magic. For those who have studied in these realms and have witnessed demon magic, such a belief is a joke. Yes, demons are limited in the types of magic they can perform, but due to their natural ties to these elements, and the fact that they have only a short range to work with, they are undeniable masters of this art. One only needs to look at the Fire Dancers, whose flowing moves and twirling spells can summon savage infernos and incinerate legions. Or they can turn to the Stone Weavers, whose control over earth and rock puts any Geomancer to absolute shame. As one should expect from the name, Stone Weavers are demons who have studied and trained in the element of stone. With magic, they can control the rocks and boulders with extreme precision and unbelievable strength. While some may imagine that power over rock is quite simple and blunt, demons have turned this art into something truly remarkable. The first interesting thing about Stone Weavers is how they gain control over these simple stones. For Geomancers, they simply need to focus on a target to control it, allowing them to wield any stony object around them. For Stone Weavers, though, their methods rely on the sense of touch. Odd as it may sound, Stone Weavers need to physically touch the rock and stone in order to "understand it." Whenever they make contact with a rocky surface, they make some kind of connection to the element that allows them to form a powerful bond. To fully explain such a thing is difficult, but some Stone Weavers have tried describing it as "forming familiar memories." With a simple touch, one can feel its textures, sense its energy and truly understand its every piece. They will know that slab of rock, they shall remember that ancient tunnel, and that will give them extraordinary abilities. At first, human mages believed this need for touch and feeling was a weakness of the Stone Weavers. Geomancers could simply use any rock at a whim, while the Weavers needed to "become familiar" with it. It turned out, though, that this bond they formed was much stronger than any could have predicted. When a Geomancer once squared off against one of these magic users, they quickly learned how wrong they were. Indeed they required touch to access their full power, but they still had basic control over stones they had not bonded with. When faced with a hail of granite shards, the Stone Weaver pushed them aside with a crude force. Once the demon touched the granite spikes and understood the slab they came from, the Geomancer immediately lost all control over them. Within moments, the Stone Weaver bonded with the projectiles and the earth around it, and the mage was rendered helpless. No stone or rock would obey their power, as the Stone Weaver had become one with them. What happened after was quite brief and incredibly bloody. After the few pieces of the Geomancer were recovered, man decided it was time to rethink their assumptions. For Stone Weavers, the sense of touch is everything. None shall ever wear full gauntlets that cover their palms and fingers, and their armored foot pieces tend to have sections missing so that their bare flesh may touch the ground. With this, simply walking across the ground allows them to connect with the earthen floor and gain power and knowledge over the entire area. During times of war and battle in the Underworld, Stone Weavers were used to detect enemy movements, as they could interpret the vibrations that resonated through the stone. In calmer times, they are crucial for mining operations and for rescue during cave-ins. By feeling the tunnel walls, they can pinpoint weak spots and faults, which allow them to direct the miners so that they do not cause a collapse. If a cave-in is ever required, Stone Weavers can locate these precise spots and mentally shatter them, creating a rain of stone that is incredibly precise and controlled. If one has ever visited a demon mine in the Underworld before, they may wonder what the purpose is of the one demon who constantly walks the tunnels with their hands on the walls. That individual will most likely be a Stone Weaver, who is assigned to the operation and is keeping an eye on the integrity of the surrounding earth. Any type of digging or cavern carving that is done in the Underworld will have Stone Weavers present, as their senses can prevent catastrophic cave-ins and collapses. 

While their touch of stone and rock allows them to form a bond, it is not a permanent one. Much like a memory, as time and distance passes, their connection will fade and weaken. One can remember a texture immediately after touching it, but hours later, it may not be so familiar. As time passes and more bonds are formed, the earlier connections will begin to dim and lose their power. Their control will not be as precise and their power over it will resemble the crude strength of a Geomancer. If they touch this chunk of earth again, though, they may refresh their memory and immediately regain perfect control. To get around this, Stone Weavers will carry small pieces of rock that they carve out of specific slabs or tunnels. For those who are assigned to specific caverns or tunnel networks, they may have a necklace or chain of stone fragments that were collected from all over their territory. With this close at hand, they can always keep the memory fresh and clear, no matter where they go or how much time has passed. Some have been known to carry pieces that were taken from places or slabs that hold special meaning to them. Many Stone Weavers have a bit of rock that was cut from their home, a calming trinket they can hold and clear their mind with. While rocks may seem lifeless and cold to others, Stone Weavers seem to pull a type of energy and emotion from them, as seen with their personal collection of shards. Pieces taken from home and childhood places can calm, while fragments that are associated to loved ones can bring warm feelings and pleasant memories. On the flip side, certain pieces of stone and rock can bring about darker feelings. Those collected from ancient weapons can bring aggression, while mementos of fallen friends and allies can summon forth rage. A famous example comes from the demon tale Walker of the Chasm, which tells of a Stone Weaver who seeks to avenge her husband's death in the war. During her cruel quest, she carried with her a piece of stone that came from his grave, which would throw her into an unstoppable rage whenever she touched it. One may wonder if she chose to carry the cinnabar ring that bound the two lovers instead, that perhaps the sad tale may have ended differently. When it comes to times of peace, Stone Weavers are incredibly valuable workers. Not only do they prevent cave-ins and aid in keeping the integrity of the Underworld intact, but they can also be used to locate special mineral deposits and increase mining efficiency. When it comes to building new structures or pillars, they will be at hand to make sure that they are stable and sturdy. Master carvers and builders in the Underworld will often be trained by Stone Weavers, which allows them to create impressive pieces. On the battlefield, Stone Weavers are just as valuable as warriors. When the fighting takes place in the Underworld, they can seize control of the caverns and tunnels to cause quakes, cave-ins or a rain of boulders. Not only can they cause widespread destruction, but in close combat, they are incredibly deadly to fight. The first is the fact that Stone Weavers will wear armor made of mainly of rock. Specially carved and crafted, this armor is incredibly heavy and cumbersome, but only to those who are not Stone Weavers. With their control over the element, they can make this protective suit light as air and surprisingly flexible. Since the stone plates touch their skin, they will have a permanent bond to it. With the speed and grace they put in their movements, one would find it hard to believe that they are covered in rocks. Their armor gains even more of an advantage when it comes to absorbing blows, as they can move the pieces in minute ways to better block attacks and projectiles. Not only is their speed and agility startling, but Stone Weavers are even capable of using their rock suits to levitate. By lifting the very stones in their armor, they can carry themselves off the ground and into the air. Imagine the confusion and terror that ran through the legions of men when the demons' soldiers of stone took to the air and rained meteors from up above.     With such impressive armor and defense, Stone Weavers are incredibly difficult to slay, and even more so with their deadly arsenal. Their power over the element gives them an endless supply of weaponry, and all they need is a simple touch. When unleashed in human cities, Stone Weavers only need to walk down their cobblestone roads in order to gain control over an obscene amount of rocks. They need no blade or bow, only a chunk of stone in order to carve through entire legions. Stone Weavers have been seen ripping entire sections of castle wall out to flatten platoons and grind soldiers to a pulp. Some seize control over a mountain of bricks, and then transform them into lightening fast chain-whips and pulverizing fists. One battle between man and demon spoke of one of these warriors who wielded a section of tower and pushed it down the streets like a massive rolling pin. Though the humans eventually beat back the hordes, the city's streets were permanently stained red and workers spent weeks prying up the chunks of metal embedded in the stone. While they can create weapons out of practically anything, Stone Weavers prefer to carry some on their person. These weapons are made entirely of stone and are fashioned with their magic in mind. Often these tools cannot be wielded by hand, as they are either too heavy or too awkward to use, and can only be controlled through the Stone Weaver's magic. Some of their common designs are: heavy stone orbs, razor sharp blades with no handles or grips, stone cylinders linked by chain, thick discs and other crude looking tools. Just by appearance, one may see them as primitive weapons, but the Stone Weavers wield them with deadly efficiency. The stone orbs they carry can zip around at blinding speeds, crushing skulls and pounding opponents into the earth. A spinning granite disc thrown by them will move in impossible ways, ricocheting off foes in a bizarre bone-breaking dance. Their whips will move like living serpents, sweeping platoons off their feet and crushing enemies in a deadly embrace. Whichever weapon they choose to wield, they will take special care to keep a fragment that was carved from the same slab. With it hanging from their necklace, they will never lose control over this tool and will remain a force to be reckoned with. For Stone Weavers that choose to be warriors, they will often model their armor and weapons after stone beings of myth, like Alauticus, the Core Dwellers and the Tectons. With their duties and abilities, Stone Weavers are invaluable to their communities and caverns, but there is one thing that should be noted. When they are not doing their jobs or fighting in wars, Stone Weavers can come off as quite odd and awkward. This ability of theirs is not so easily turned off, and this affects their personal lives. They will be rather obsessed with the sensation of touch, and will always have some smooth bit of stone that they hold and rub in their hands. Even outside of the element of stone, they are very hands-on with things and will always want to have contact with whatever they are focused on. Those in relationships with Stone Weavers will find them to be in constant need of touch, and can sometimes come off as clingy. The act of holding hands means a lot more to them then a simple romantic gesture, as it is a calming to their mind and helps block out any signals or memories that may come from the surrounding rock. Due to the emotion and energy they receive from stone, they can appear to have severe mood swings at times. By simply touching a certain object that is imbued with emotional energy, they can suddenly, and involuntarily, turn into a different person. Depending on the area and its history, they may even get overwhelmed by a simple walk through town. There are many stories that tell of Stone Weavers that have breakdowns in the middle of the street. Usually this comes from a brutal murder or a tragic event that recently happened on that spot, and its emotional energy soaked into the stone. There are certain caves and tunnels that are forever avoided by Stone Weavers, as they are places that were infected by the war. The earth there forever carries those haunting memories, and it may never let them go. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Humans got magic, dryads got magic, and now we are getting some demon magic! I both love and despise these types of entries, as it is always neat fleshing out this type of stuff, but it usually takes about 2+ hours to write it all and I often feel like I still missed certain details.

[tafih-toffee]

The Five Points of A Star (Butterfly)

An Image Meta-Analysis of the ‘Grandma Room’ in the Episode “Into the Wand”

So we all know that there is always a reason and an order to animation - and I think that the four queens emphasized in the “Grandma Room” all reflect an aspect of Star’s person and personality.

The basic thread of my theory is that Celena, Solaria, Eclipsa, and Moon - all were specifically emphasized in the episode to portray certain aspects of Star’s character as she goes through adolescence, leaving behind the key element, which personality represents the fifth point of the s/Star?

When Star first rides into the room in her memory-constructed “Grandma Room” on her father’s chair pulled by Lil’ Chauncy, the doors open to reveal  two symbols in the door - a Spade and a Heart (Eclipsa and Star, peoples~).

Now, obviously, there’s a lot of card suits (hearts, spades, clubs, diamonds) imagery in the show and with the Mewni queens so I’ll go into that more.

Next, the scene moves to the skylight slowly opening up into the shape of a star,

Shedding light first on a suitor displaying the neck of a goose for Celena,

Solaria slaying a monster,

And the half-lidded eyes of our favorite frozen Queen Eclipsa.  

These three are the queens that represent the most outward characteristics of Star (again, I’ll go into further detail) but they are also the queens we didn’t know anything about (if release dates coincide with a canon timeline of events). The shot of the suitors represents Star’s romantic prowess - Tom, Oscar, the two-headed demon who worked for Ludo (refer to “Fortune Cookies”). According to the Guide to Mastering Every Dimension, Celena was is a very beautiful, sought-after queen - just like Star.

The shot of Solaria parallels to Star excelling at fighting monsters - the show is called Star vs. the Forces of Evil.

And like Eclipsa, she has an affinity for dark magic (her wand turns green MANY times and I did not want to go back through and screenshot all of those times so please believe me! But if you don’t, the episode “Baby” shows this which leads me to think that is what tipped Baby off to the Eclipsa parallel).  

Back to big-picture, the next shot shows Star turning her attention to the burger juice on the Wall-Rug of Celena the Shy (and I cannot believe I am devoting all of this time to writing a meta-analysis on a children’s television but here we are).

Welcome.

Celena the Shy (Great-Great-Grandma)

Her inscription reads:  

What hides behind the golden fan

the hand does sweetly hold

a trove of cosmic secrets

that never will be told

Celena manifests the element of secrecy and insecurity in Star. For a character that very boldly acts as the Yang of the Yin-Yang balance, Star still holds many many things secret. This is then juxtaposed against Star’s inquisitive side (“Don’t be shy, you can tell me.”) but obviously still points to the fact that Star has a Secrets Closet (“…that’s full of secrets”). As an adolescent, Star is figuring out who she is as a person - but there are things, many many things about her that she is insecure about - her future as Queen, being a magic-user, her crush on Marco, her abilities as a magic-use, etc. She does not know how to effectively deal with this issues, hence the closet. And her go-to behavior is to “Avoid [the] problem until it goes away” (from ep “Face the Music”). This makes up a huge portion of Star’s character, constituting one of the five points.

Now for the image-based characteristics of the tapestry.

The flowers, I’m thinking, represent the romanticism of Celena, again, being known for her multiple suitors (including a girl~~ so impressed with this show, dudes).

Primarily, her golden fan which is very purple for a gold fan -__- has moon imagery. I’m sure most of you know about Star and the Butterflies being associated with night symbols while Marco Diaz represents the day.

Then, there’s one hidden eye and the other gazing at Glossaryk in fear of being caught(?), in camaraderie of a shared skeleton in the closet(?) - who knows. The inscription even states that she hides a trove of cosmic secrets.

Also, she dons gloves and a cape all to conceal her beauty and her knowledge - which again refers to the traits of secrecy and concealing, and of popularity that Star inherits from her Great-Great-Grandma. There is only so much that Star is willing to share which conflicts with her upbeat desire to over-confide but that’s what is making this show SO DAMN GOOD, you guys, because that’s what adolescence is - finding the balance between your extremes. For Star, she has FIVE.

And the second is her aggression.

Solaria the Monster Carver

Inscription:  

A castle stormed is a hero born, with might

as strong as steel. Kneels

the void before

her and the crushing

force she wields

Now THIS is interesting - well…as an English major…I couldn’t help it. Anyways, in the Guide, the inscription is indented by rhyme scheme as are the others - but HERE, in the show, where they had to DRAW IT, on the pedestal - IT IS DIFFERENT. This was specifically formatted differently, not by the rhymes, but by the impact of the content. What struck me here was the unique punctuation of her inscription. “The void before” is separated, accentuated, set apart with her insignia, the lightning bolts - I’m surprised they didn’t just straight-up highlight it. Each of the queens has to deal with a destiny of cosmic proportions - Celena and her secrets, Solaria and the void, Moon and the Toffee, etc. The Queens of Mewni all were mentored by Glossaryk - the thing that always belonged in the tapestries, the one eternal constant, representing the deep intertwining the queens had with grandiose cosmic fates. I bet you, Solaria was the one who brought down the Temple of Monsters, which will - hopefully- parallel to institutions Star might destroy in Season 3 (fingers crossed).

Now imagery,

Solaria is defined by lightning bolts and hearts - power and passion. Her eyes closed but her mouth is open, symbolizing aggression without foresight. Solaria is - quite obviously- representing Star’s belligerent aggression, her battle-readiness, her ease with fighting monsters. Again, the show is called Star vs. the Forces of Evil. But we know that Star inherited both the good and the bad from this battle-worn grandmother. Star easily jumps into things without thinking it through. Another tension between the extremes as Star tries to balance out and grow as a person.

And then we have…

Eclipsa the Queen of Darkness

Inscription:

Eclipsa Queen of Mewni

to a Mewmen King was wed

but took a monster for her love

and away from Mewni fled

“Oooh, bad girl.” 

People obviously caught onto Star’s parallels with Eclipsa with the very obvious “I haven’t seen anything like this since Queen Eclipsa” from episode “Baby” (S2E16A). So I won’t beat a dead goat-pig any further and I’ll go straight into the imagery in this tapestry.

Firstly, the Spades. According to the symbolism of the suits, spades represent winter, wisdom, transformation, and death - fairly fitting of this charismatic queen and her “Monster Love”.

However, with Eclipsa, I don’t think being the queen of evil is not the defining characteristic that is passed down to Star, it’s competence.

Wisdom, intelligence, and prudence are things are favorite Princess Star Butterfly is not really known for - but boy does she have the capacity for it. Her magical potential is boundless and competence is what she inherits from Eclipsa. This queen wrote a whole chapter on a subject that no other queen dared to touch.  

Furthermore, we have the all-seeing eye which is a consistent symbol for knowledge on the tip of her parasol, which is Greek/Latin for “shield against the sun” (and I only just realized that’s what parasol meant and I took Latin in middle school you guys…I just..I can’t like I didn’t figure out that Netflix meant interNET and movie flicks…I STUDY THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS MY JOB. Anyways.) This refers back to the night imagery of our Mewni queens. This parasol is studded with a glowing diamond - which refers to the intertwining use of suits symbols (that I’ll get into later).  

(And can I just say, this tapestry is beautiful - like I saw it in the show and I was like, Damn…this is so well positioned with the symmetry of the whole thing, the demon lover and his arm…so good).

Eclipsa has half-lidded eyes which could represent condescension, scrutiny, mystery, etc - all of which have connotations of I know something and you do not - again, referring to that element of intelligence.

Star and Moon in corners again show a repetition of night imagery, which, I keep forgetting to mention, links to the reversing Yin-Yang balance of Star and Marco. And her four-eyed demon-lover with a ring on the middle finger - mirror parallels to Toffee which makes me and nearly everyone else think that Toffee is the offspring of Eclipsa and her monster love - which would make SO MUCH SENSE AND JUST BE SO POETIC IN TERMS OF NARRATIVE LIKE OMG OK.

Now, we get to…

Moon the Undaunted

Inscription:

The immortal

monster will long

be haunted by the

darkest spell of

Moon the Undaunted

Being Star’s mother, of course, Moon and Star share similarities but from the get go the show seems to push how different these two are. With diamonds on cheeks representing responsibility, values, femininity, judgment - everything a queen ought to uphold, isn’t it strange that her epithet is “the Undaunted”? Moon is a warrior herself but the imagery shows the rounded personality of this current queen of Mewni. Circles and the large full moon behind her profile of her fearless (syn. for undaunted) stance against Toffee (who has spades and diamonds on his skull shoulder caps - cough cough). She, like Star, is a warrior-princess but is fully aware of the responsibilities of her title. The castle of Mewni in the background symbolizes her values. To her, her duty as a queen comes first foremost, so the symbol of the kingdom would make sense in being sewn into the tapestry. Star inherited Moon’s fearlessness and courage but also the anxieties of the role of being a princess and future queen, including her part in the grand scheme of her vs. the Forces of Evil.

To recap, Star (1) attracts yet conceals (Celena), (2) is passionate yet aggressive and belligerent (Solaria), (3) has a prodigious affinity for magic both good and dark, (4) is undaunted but also anxious about her fate. Dichotomies and tensions EVERYWHERE. Each point represents a tension that is manifested in a previous queen...

But what is the fifth element/characteristic/person that would make the holistic five-pointed Star?

We have hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades in a deck of cards. But a 5th Dimension deck of cards uses another fifth suit - yes, yes, YES, a suit of stars.

And what is our sun if not a star?

That’s right, and you probably saw this coming, but the last point/element/person/character/whatever probably is…

Brian, the life coach.

(Sorry…couldn’t help it)

Yeaaaaahhh, it’s Marco, duh - but I think it is really what Marco represents in the narrative, which I will leave for Part II, where I’ll talk about the Yin-Yang symbolism, Marco’s destiny and his part in helping form Star’s person, Toffee, and the Suits symbolism of four-five elements coming into play later on.

[hunnybadgerv]

spell book, hobby and wild card uwu

Character Development Questions

spellbook: are any of your OC(s) supernatural? if so, what are they/what are their abilities?Technically, yes. Siobhán and Aderyn Hawke are both mages, but I kind of toy with their magic because I find the Dragon Age magic trees a little confining. With Aderyn, she leans a bit more toward druid and cleric magics (think World of Warcraft and D&D 5E). Aderyn’s an herbalist and alchemist, could literally have gone unnoticed as an apothecary for decades in the city without anyone attributing her skills to anything magically related. She’s far more “typical” of a mage that might be seen in the Dragon Age world. 

Siobhán is a weird mix--I wanted her to be a mage, but then also have more adaptations. I mean she’s been hiding her whole life. She grew up with Carver. I wanted there to be more physicality to her a little more boldness. She became the caretaker of her family at a young age and I imagine she’s had to manipulate her magic to keep herself and her family safe. So I kind of align her like one might a rogue with a bard/wizard off spec. In a way, I was inspired to toy with her magic based on the Skyrim rogues guild quests and how there is some magic in that world that leans toward increasing the effectiveness of rogues and their abilities. She does not carry a staff as a focus, but wields her magic through the use of a small heirloom that she keeps hidden in her glove--I mean that to not only be suggestive of her difference from other mages, but also her power. She is an exceptional magic user and has created numerous spells of her own making. Even without magic, she is still physically skilled enough to likely hold her own long enough to regain use of her Maker-given skills. 

Min, an Elder Scrolls character is another mage, who rather sticks to the canon magical arc. 

Then there is Laerke (Skyrim OC) that’s a companion who remains a werewolf for a time. In fact, it’s a major part of the writing I’ve done for her so far. I really enjoyed toying with this aspect of Skyrim. 

I’m not sure if Jedi and Sith classify as supernatural, so I’m going to let them slide on this question.

hobby: what do they love? what captivates them? what are their passions?Tayen Quick is incredibly passionate about a good steak. It’s one of those things she dreams about. She can’t stand steaks that are “fried,” cooked in skillets. Only an open fire will do if you want a real steak. It is something that she is extremely particular about, and it is one of the only things she really can cook.

Nyx Shepard, as canon suggests is a collector of model ships. She grew up on military vessels and has a fascination and appreciation for ships of all kinds. Constructing the models served as a way to focus and clear her mind. It also served as a kind of fine motor physical therapy for her. She also had a collection of actual novels and a fascination for multi-cultural writings, like Vorcha poetry and Krogan epics. She loved reading.

wild card: talk about any OC! anything you want! This is harder to do than I expected. I honestly thought this one would be easy, but here I am staring at it trying to figure out how on Earth to approach it. 

Devine puts on a good show of being wild and carefree and independent, but the little family that she cobbles together through her galavanting becomes of vital importance to her. They each in their own ways peel back the facade and a person in dire need of companions becomes clearly visible. And once they reach the height of the conflict in the storyline, Devine finds herself and her life desperately and irrevocably connected to the people who have become her family by this point.

[whatson-northwales]

Its a hot one in north Wales this year, more hot than I seem to remember. Summers are getting back to what they should be here. Beaches are packed, well for Anglesey standards anyhow. North Wales is having a bumper year in terms of tourism and all thing’s outdoors. Its so amazing to see the beaches of Anglesey, filled with happy people, swimming, playing in the outdoors and getting some well needed Vitamin D & Sea.

We have been swimming in shorts everyday in Rhosneigr, it has been bliss. Work by day, swim by night. Anglesey beaches have been over flowing with sand castles, sup’s and sailboats, and we think it may last all summer. We have also been BBQ’ing almost every night at home, experimenting with different vegetarian dishes on the beach and at home.

So in light of our amazingly hot north Wales summer, and fun packed beaches we thought we would do a blog on the top items trending and pretty cool to have on the beach this year. Some we have ourselves and some are on our I want one of those lists, “IWOOT !”

  Beach Towel

Hit the beach boldly in bright shades this summer which are not just quick drying but also highly absorbent. The best thing is that these won’t let any sand to stick to them.

Olympus water proof camera

A camera is a must when you want to capture all the fun that you are having at a beach party with your friends and family. After all, life is all about living in the moment and cherishing the memories made all along.

Matador waterproof bag 

One of the most daunting tasks on the beach is to keep all your belongings as dry as possible. Waterproof bag sacks just do the trick.

  Crystal explorer, transparent kayak

If it gets hot on the beach, then you can add comfort while lounging on there water in this very cool transparent kayak. yes I know the waters are not that turquoise here but they have been pretty clear!

Bondi beach tent / Sun Shelter

A sun shelter is a must if you want to protect your skin from the scorching heat as well as from the harmful UVA and UVB radiations. These are compact and can be set up in no time.

Bamboo Sunglasses

Those who don’t have the habit of wearing sunglasses can forget this essential item while hitting a beach. The polarized filter lens is usually scratch resistant, tough and has high optical clarity. These come with additional reflective coating for minimizing flare from the harshest sunlight.

Beach tote

Monogrammed beach totes are in vogue this season. These bags help you carry all your travel essentials.

    Board Shorts

Which beach lover would not want to own a water repellent short which also offers UPF UV protection? Hit the beach in style with the Patagonia Wave farer board men’s shorts.

Full facemark snorkel 

Made from the highest grade silicon, the pure vision diving kit makes an ideal beach accessory. It comes with an exhaust valve as well as adjustable buckles to make the user feel comfortable during exploration.

  Reef Sandals

You do not have to struggle in your shoes when you are walking on sand when you have Fanning men’s sandalswhich have been handcrafted with anatomical arch support and a comfortable foot bed. Comes with bottle opener on the sole.

Carver Skateboard

Who doesn’t want a magic skateboard that performs flawlessly and features an impeccable design? Carver Skateboards features exotic wood finish that has been made from sustainably grown and harvested trees.

  Sandusa Beach Towel Bean Bag

These make perfect beach accessories. The beach towel bean bag is not just durable but as well comfortable. These are ideal for outdoors. The waterproof and sand proof bags will ensure that the sand just slides off in an instant.

      Waterproof case for your smartphone

The MPow water sealed bag, pouch bag with portable lanyardhas been designed specifically for surfers, scuba divers and swimmers. Designed to withstand extreme condition, the double-sided transparent design ensures that you can click selfies on the beach without having to remove the case. You can tuck your cash, credit cards and other documents in the pouch safely while you are on the beach.

  Aerobie

Love beach games? The Aerobie 13C12 A13 Prois just what you need to make your beach trip exhilarating. This astonishing flying ring lets you play catch with a friend who is 100 yards away from you. The rubber edges make it easy to hold and the innovative design makes it better than a Frisbee.

  Portable Sun Shade

Sun shades are versatile and innovative solution for your outdoor ventures. There are several brands that provide high quality sunshade with the highest Ultraviolet Protection Factor.

Travel Book

If you just planning to relax on the beach, then why not carry a Travel Book which lets you learn about the hottest destinations in the world. If you are passionate about travel, then you must add Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018 to your Kindle collection today!

Inflatable sofa

An air couch or an inflatable sofa is ideal for those who want to kick back and chill at the beach on a summer afternoon. The carefully designed sofa can be setup with minimal effort thanks to innovative technology being used.

Beach tote Bag for the ladies

You obviously need a swimwear bag if you are hitting a beach, these trendy and styling tote bags are super popular in 2018, there are many styles to choose from (note- image in picture may vary)

    UE Boom Waterproof ultraportable Bluetooth speakers

When there are waterproof shorts and phone cases, then why not add waterproof ultraportable Bluetooth speakers to your collection? Ultimate Ears Bluetooth Speaker is not just waterproof but also shockproof.

  Patagonia Hat

Why not opt for something stylish that features a smart design to protect you from the harsh summer sun? The Patagonia trucker hat features a comfy and soft breathable mesh back makes you feel comfortable while indulging in exhilarating beach games this summer.

Shade Sunscreen

Want to hit the beach but not compromise with your skin health? The Shade All-Natural-Sunscreen should find a place in your beach vacay checklist. It is ideal for all skin types and is free from parabens and other chemicals that do more harm than good to your body.

  Soma water bottle

Hydration is extremely essential when you are out in the sun and active. A filtered water bottle will make sure that remember to hydrate.

  BBQ portable fold up grill

What is a day at the beach without a beautiful BBQ with some lovely local fresh caught fish?

Picnic back pack

A great organised way to get your plates, cutlery and the fizz tot he beach in one compact quite cool holdall. Has everything bar the kitchen sink inside!

  BBQ fish griddle and sausage griddle holders

Continuing on the theme of food, these great little BBQ accessories caught our eye and would be a great addition to the BBQ set up, or open fire cooking set up, either way you don’t risk dropping your flame grilled sausages into the fire!

  Ladies sun hat – A stylish sun is a must on the beach to keep the sun out of your eyes whilst enjoying you favourite read

  Sandless beach mat

If you want to lie down and relax on a beach, then you must carry a beach made from lightweight and quick-drying material featuring sand weights on the edges.

  Coleman wheeled cool box

If plan to walk a while to peered beach spot, your going to need something to keep your drinks chilled en route, these Coelman Chill boxes are ideal.

  Snorkel mask and fins set

This is a must if you love adventurous activities or are carrying your kids along, et them involved in some underwater exploration the summer with a snorkel set.

  Hand crafted wooden beach bat sets 

To be written by Hamanshu ..

31. RED SUP

There is not more leisurely way to explore the seas with a SUP aka stand up paddle board. Great fun things to explore rocky pools, coves and headlands with.

  32. Kids VW transporter sun shelter.

Hugley popular this season and most shops have seen them flying out of the door, no wonder really with the super hot weather we are having. With the Iconic VW bus as the style its quite effortlessly cool..

  33. Tepe for your overnighters.

Ok so maybe you cant take this to the beach, but you could take it to your campsite.. What a cool way to spend your weekend in some luxury..

  34. Super soakers

This takes me back to my youth.. what fun we had with these ! A quintessential component of summer play for the younger ones (and older ones too if they so wish 😉 )

35. Go fly a kite

Its a right of passage owning a kite as a little one, with nice inshore breezes almost every afternoon here we have no excuse not to fly one. Plus they look so colourful in the air.

36. Body board.

With a little summer swell rolling in it nice to be able to go play around in the surf, board boards are perfect for that.

37. Drone 

They seem to be common place now, and can make some amazing birds eye photography for your family album. Love them or hate them they are probably here to stay..

38. Safe go

Need to keep your phone kets adnd any other personnel belonging safe whilst out on the beach.. Then check this useful little safe out.

      39. Bubbles ahoy

Another child hood favourite but on an adult scale!

40. Beer cooler

Adults only for this one.. We like the ingenuity behind the design of this, very cool. Literally.

41. Scorkl gas dive bottle

Very very Cool we have to say being a diver also- well semi trained diver I like the idea of being able to snorkel without all the faff of the extra kit!

42. Inflatable chair

Lovely colourful designs and they look pretty comfy too..

43. Carry all with wheels

This we love ! Could even use it around the garden in off peak months!

44. Telescopic fishing set

If you are by the seaside there are no excuses that you should not being doing. spot of fishing. Its a right of passage. As an avid fisherman and a coastal dweller I can attest to that. Get the little ones sorted with dad young so they can learn to feed themselves.

45. Solar charger for phones and laptops

Never run out of power again with all this solar tech!

  On a little more serious note, while we all are having a bumper summer on the beaches of Anglesey and north Wales, there are others who are having to struggle with day to day needs. Crops are failing, livestock are struggling in the heat an there are fires breaking out left right and centre over our scorched Welsh landscape. We are advocates of BBQ’s and beach fires (if done with the respect and consideration for our environment and others ) however with fire services stretched to the limit an risk to wildlife and peoples homes, we would urge our readers to consider and bbs and fires very carefully and especially not to be doing them in on dues, forests or pretty much any rural land.

  Ps If you haven’t already seen our Facebook, twitter, and Instagram  come and say hi! We are very active on there.. Also subscribe to our newsletter here for upto date insights of what we get upto (plus : Get a free Top 100 things to do guide here in north Wales!)

    45 Essential beach items to have this summer Its a hot one in north Wales this year, more hot than I seem to remember. Summers are getting back to what they should be here.