#ss: ritual

[junkyard-gifs]

Harry Francis as Mistoffelees, peeking. 👀

He lurks in the shadows a lot in this production and I love it. That's their benevolent little cryptid.

City Springs, May 2023. With Steven Etienne as Mungojerrie and Olivia Windley as Sillabub.

[lozelinkhyrule]

The giving of the cloth segment is just precious showing how much Zelda trusts Link 🥹

[umemiyan]

very gently kissing his little eyebrow scar

[epitome-the-burnkid-viii]

🧩The good, bad, weird, & wild! Fortified with memes, music & movies!!!📺 Welcome to the 🎱#youtuberecommendedchronicles🔮 Come find my podcasts #SupplementalBroadcast & #PanPanenPiousPropheticPonderings on YouTube & Rumble!🎙️ Soundtrack available on #C0P3RN1CANR3C0RD5 via #SoundCloud📻 #TheGreatsResist #TheGreatAwakening #TheGreatTaking 🪬🕯️😱🧿🫶🏼👽

[chamannorteno]

Rituales para prosperar el año 2024

Los Rituales para prosperar el año 2024 son rituales que se realizan con el objetivo de atraer la abundancia y la prosperidad a la vida de la persona que los realiza. Estos Rituales pueden ser realizados por personas de cualquier religión o creencia, y pueden ser personalizados para adaptarse a las necesidades y deseos específicos de cada persona.

[29121996]

.

[dreaming-hibi]

In my quest to better understand the dying will flames’ system in KHR, I once again went into a deep dive of both the manga and the anime (as I have few other sources to consult). I immediately got derailed by the rings. 

I began my search at the very beginning of the future arc, considering that’s where most of the explanation on the dying will flames is, and found some interesting facts about the rings before I found anything about the flames. The interesting facts opened a can of worms I had purposefully decided to overlook many times, but now it was open so dig in I did!

In chapter 139, Lal explains the rules of fighting in the future. Fights in the future are fought with rings and boxes, completely changing the whole fight aspect of KHR going from there. Anyway, 

「リングはマフィアの黎明期に暗黒時代を生き��くために」

“At the beginning of the mafia, the rings were (used) to survive in its dark age.” = when the mafia started, the purpose of the rings was for survival (perhaps through legitimization of the power? as rings are passed from one generation to the other, especially from boss to boss)

「先人達が闇の力との契約を交わしたことの象徴だと思われてきた・・・」

“It has been considered to be a symbol of a pact made between our ancestors and the forces of darkness” = the rings were so weird and mysterious that everyone thought they were forged from a satanic ritual

「だが沈黙の掟に守られてきたマフィアのリングには 人知を超えた力が宿っていたんだ」

“However the mafia rings, which were protected by the vow of silence (omertà), held a power far beyond human comprehension” = only the mafia rings protected by the omertà hold powers, and these powers are beyond human understanding

Lal points out that Tsuna and Gokudera must have seen the rings light up with flames at least once. And while she’s interrupted when she tries to explain that the rings are capable of more than just that, it’s obvious that she was hinting at the rings’ ability to open boxes. Lal’s explanation makes it very clear that only MAFIA RINGS are capable of… er, lighting up. So what do we understand from this? 

Mafia rings are made with a special conductive material, which automatically transforms wave energy into visible dying will flames. This material is not found in common rings, something which simultaneously answers a lot of questions and rises just as many. 

You can’t accidentally light up a wedding ring or a candy toy ring just because it’s a ring and you know how to use dying will flames

Where the hell is everyone finding all these rings? 

 If they’re not finding them and actually making them (implied by Gokudera’s Skull Rings used for his Sistema C.A.I), how come everyone seems to know the recipe for making these rings but still consider them “Oh so mysterious”? 

Who the fuck crafted all these rings? And still is! (cause the Varia gets some custom-made rings)

Further down the line, we also get a ranking system for the rings, with E-rank being a low grade ring and an A-rank being the highest grade of ring, and the Tri-ni-sette being OVER RANK-A (basically SS). Considering the Tri-ni-sette was made from the seven stones supporting the Earth, it’s obvious how they would be of superior quality — which to me honestly just confirms that the mafia rings as a whole are made with a special material, not on par with the seven stones but somehow similar material.

So, the difference in quality of rings is probably due to: 

High quality material (A-rank) vs low quality material (E-rank) (it’s the same principle as choosing which material to use for a normal ring, some are more durable while others tarnish easily so think of it like that)

.

.

.

Where was I going with this?

[therosewitchcottage]

𝕮𝖚𝖗𝖗𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝕴𝖓𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘…

Floating ghosts through old libraries

Ancient tomes filled with old knowledge

Violens singing through the mist

The first whiff of brewed coffee in the early morning

Rays of sunlight glinting off of a polished stone

The hum of cicadas in the summer morning warmth

Gentle breezes carring well wishes from around the world

Scents of books and ink in a small room

Fluttering wings of moths at twilight

Quiet whispers from a lover in the depth of night

The scent of rose and lemongrass

The sound of pages turning rapidly from an excellent book

Soft shuffling of feet as folks browse through odd shops

Giggling from the table across from you as someone reads a message on their phone

The gentle caress of satin on skin

The celebration of fruit and knowledge, taking that first bite of an apple

Warm spices floating on your tongue after a taste from a warm drink

Cool water dancing in moonlight before you plunge in

Dragonflies flitting about

The collecting of crafts to tie one over for the cooler months

Scented candles during ritual

Speaking with demons and gods/sses about your day

The shuffle of cards and the subsequent knowledge they offer

Flickering flames of candle light

Soft ticking of a clock behind the song of a cello

[junkyard-gifs]

Riccardo Sinisi as Carbuckety and Hannah Kenna Thomas as Victoria.

Vienna revival, 24/06/22; filmed by @cryptidvoidwritings and @falasta.

[password-door-lock]

Mystictober Day 17-- Vampire/Elixir

Vampire Ray gives you a special elixir (1.2k words).  Content warning: blood, blood drinking, manipulation

“How are you feeling, my prince(ss)?” Ray asks. You have no idea how he got into your room… or when, for that matter. Being a vampire, Ray is sneaky and quick. Being freshly-built— much to your surprise, as you had no idea that new castles were still being erected in the 21st century— Magenta lacks the squeaky floorboards and creaking doors that would otherwise give him away. 

“Alright,” you assure him. “Um, just a little….” You search for a word that won’t offend him to communicate the troubling situation. You haven’t been outside in days, and it’s starting to weigh on you. “Restless.” That’s a nice, neutral descriptor, right? You don’t want to scare Ray or put him off, but you do want to be able to spend at least a little bit of time outdoors. You don’t think that’s too much to ask for. 

“Once that V is taken care of, we’ll be able to have our moonlight walks again,” Ray’s tone is casual, but of course it would be— vampires murder one another, not to mention humans and other mortals, on the regular. Ray has no reason to be disturbed by whatever is happening in the dungeons of Magenta. Your last trip to the garden was just before V arrived. After the strange vampire made the mistake of attempting a conversation with you, Ray tearfully confined you to this room with assurances that you’d be released promptly. This was nearly a week ago.

You have everything you need— clean clothes, a warm bed, and three magnificent meals each day. It’s clear that Ray is smitten with you, and that he delights in providing you with luxury far surpassing anything you’ve ever known before. It’s also clear that you’re his only source of food. He comes to you tired and wan, and leaves reinvigorated, though not before personally ensuring that you dine on the most luxurious fare available. 

“Did you eat well?” Ray asks. You know that if he took one sip of your blood and thought you were even the slightest bit malnourished, he’d pull away immediately and nurse you back to health. This might become a hazard to his own health, as well, considering how hungry he always seems. 

“Of course, Ray.” You undo the top button of your shirt, giving Ray more space to drink from your neck.

“Um, but before we do that—” With a gentle hand, palpably cold even through the leather glove, Ray arrests your wrist. “I talked to my Savior, and… she thought it’d be best if you… became a member of this place.”

The Mint Eye— named for the unnatural shade of some vampire’s irises— has a number of dedicated human believers, all of whom are used by the Savior and a select number of vampires. “If I become a believer,” you begin, “Would… would you still be the only one that feeds off me?” The Savior has been known to drain believers completely, after all. Ray warned you on your first day here not to leave your room unaccompanied for this very reason. He explained that his Savior is good and benevolent, but doesn’t seem able to stop herself from feeding to completion, even if it costs her prey their life. You wonder how hungry she must be for this to be the case. 

“Oh, of course,” Ray holds your hand, settling it into your lap as though he might induce your relaxation by manipulating your limbs like a doll’s. “In fact… once you do this one thing… no other vampire could ever drink from you. They— they wouldn’t want to taste your blood, not even a little bit.”

Oh. Then whatever this ritual is, the Savior has probably performed it on most of the other believers— that’s why Ray only drinks from you. He doesn’t say it aloud, but the implication is clear: if you refuse, the Savior might intervene, and then, without a doubt, Ray will go hungry. 

“Okay,” you agree, avoiding Ray’s gaze. You’re somewhat daunted by the prospect of participating in an arcane rite that will cement your membership in a fucked-up vampire cult. At the same time, you don’t want Ray to starve, and you don’t want to become the Savior’s victim. He’s framing it like you have a choice, but he must understand that you do not. 

“Really?” Ray sounds so cute that you can’t help but laugh. You regain a little more of your confidence, set at ease as you always are by his calming presence. He’s giving you puppy dog eyes, which are incongruous with his large, obtrusive fangs. 

“Really,” you respond with newfound resolve. 

“All you need to do is drink,” Ray informs you calmly, using his fang to make a small incision on the underside of his wrist. The blood pools slowly as he holds his arm out to you.  “From my veins. Then you’ll be mine forever, and nobody else can have you.” 

“Will it hurt you?” You ask. Ray’s blood flows much slower than a human’s would, but you are understandably disturbed by the large wound in such a vital place. Sure, it’s fine for you when Ray drinks your blood, but he’s a vampire. There are chemicals in his fangs to ensure a pleasant experience for everyone involved, and his saliva has healing properties to ensure that the wound closes quickly and without infection. 

Ray chuckles, bringing his wrist right to your lips. You can practically taste the blood already. “I’ll heal in a few minutes. Drink.” 

You do as he says, bracing yourself for the horrible, salty flavor of human blood. Not being a vampire, you’ve never had any interest in consuming the stuff. But the elixir running through Ray’s veins is surprisingly sweet, and his free hand playing with your hair feels surprisingly comforting. The entire ordeal is quite intimate, and it’s difficult to tell whether your blissful lightheadedness is due to the vampire blood in your system or the contact between your lips and Ray’s cool skin. In this moment, the only thing you know is that you belong to him. You would follow Ray to the ends of the earth. 

“That’s it,” he encourages you. “Good. You’re doing so well, my prince(ss).”

You’re so dizzy that you hardly even notice when Ray pulls away. “Huh?” You ask, perplexed. You barely even got a taste. 

“You did so well,” Ray praises you, “But… prince(ss)... now it’s my turn. I’m… starting to get hungry, and the ritual is already complete.” There’s a wild look in his eyes. Something about watching you drink from his wrist must have invoked something within him— or maybe your senses are heightened somehow, and you’re better able to pick up on the world around you. 

“Of course.” He must be even hungrier after having his blood taken— you always are, and you usually get to eat before feeding Ray. “Please, go ahead.” For some reason, you desperately want him to drink your blood. In fact, you don’t think you’ll ever be happy again if Ray isn’t feeding from you for the rest of your life— but that’s no cause for concern, is it? You’re here with him at Magenta, where the two of you can take your time. 

[helios-kirbs]

fanart of r/ss by @stormyweathersslightlyclever my favorite pookie ever

[catcas22]

Definitely how it Happened

Lansseax: Vyke, what was it your people call that thing you do? With the rings? Vyke: ... What? Lansseax: You know, the mammal pair-bonding ritual. Vyke: You mean marriage? Lansseax: Yes, that. Lansseax: Do you want to get married? Vyke's brain: sdfghjkjbvvvjd;ss Vyke: Sure.

[troius]

Bouncing off your Ichigo being sidelined discussion (which, yes, where's he been this whole arc?) One thing that really made TYBW suffer imo was the lack of inner character insight from the main squad, Ichigo and Uryu (poor boy got practically offscreened in an arc about his own people) especially, given that the supposed rift between them is meant to carry the Karakura gang side of things and only got /one/ quick scene (and where, i think, the arc being cut short suffers). Where Hueco Mundo managed to balance both Ichigo/Orihime/the Six Hearts gang, their issues and give them a narrative to follow and spent time with them and gave them genuinely compelling moments (the Lust mini arc centered around Ichigo/Orihime/Uryu/Ulquiorra remains, imo, the very best writing Kubo did, it had great art, genuinely compelling writing, good fighting and interpersonal relationships between Ichigo and the three of them, and kept us hooked because we /care/ about these characters and the despair they're going through), and made room for the SS Captains without them being overwhelming (Mayuri/Szayel was tedious, I'll give you that), TYBW really became a Shinigami fest (the extended time spent on characters like Mayuri (two fights, restores everyone's bankai, gets "closure" with Nemu and conveniently zero repercussion for his crimes against the quincies) Shunsui, Urahara and Zaraki (also two very lenghty fights) which yielded, ultimately, not all that much in terms of meaty character development and relied on a lot of convenience/deus ex machina/plot armour, and feels unsatisfying when you're waiting to get back to Ichigo and the squad where the emotional crux of the arc lies (Yhwach killed his mother & Uryu's mother, and it yields... also very little), the arc, despite being super long also did extremely little in developping the Quincies (aside perhaps from Jugram and Bazz, and even that was limited. Uryu suffered the most for it imo, but I guess showing any hint of inner conflict with him would have gone against what Kubo tried to pull with him, the anime also cut out his exchange with Jugram, where Jugram spells out for him that the blood ritual has essentially trapped him on Yhwach's side and Uryu being clearly horrified by it & Uryu's reaction to Yhwach asking him why he's alive), and dropped the ball big time on the main characters we *should* be invested in (poor poor Chad tbh). It's a shame, when you see what Kubo /can/ do with a contained story like Everything but the Rain; which had heart and character development, and made us care about Masaki/Isshin/Ryuken and Katagiri because what limited stuff we were given was actually compelling, and we're already attached to both of their kids and the friendship between them. The Gerard Valkyrie fight goes on for just as long as ebtr, features the three most popular captains, but has none of that heart (and a lot of plot convenience), which is why people bemoan it so much.

It's pretty telling that even anime fans last cour were clamoring for Ichigo to come back after episodes of mere cameos from him, but also nice to see that while Mayuri/Byakuya/Zaraki and co are popular, *Ichigo* is the one who remains the heart of the story, the nexus that pulls together the Shinigami, his gang of friends and the audience. Given that animation can oft make what feels long and tedious in manga (Gremmy vs Zaraki was one ep in anime vs going on forever in manga), the Pernida/Lille stuff should hopefully not last beyond 2/+1/2eps. With all the talk about Cour 3 having a lot of addition, I'm crossing my fingers the anime will spend more time with Ichigo/those close to him (*cough* and the dad squad) in the next parts! Visual fights are nice and all, but character relationships, conflict and depth are, ultimately, far more compelling and memorable than any Cgi flashing swordfight and brute strenght boost can do, there's a reason ppl remember the Ulquiorra stuff on the dome as the pinnacle of Bleach, and not, say, Zaraki vs Gremmy. While I'm not expecting a Lust arc round 2, if the anime team takes their time, I'm hoping the ultimate Ichigo (&co)/Yhwach showdown to be reworked into something just as compelling.

Lol I feel kinda guilty posting this because there's not much to say in response. Get yourself a Tumblog anon, otherwise I'll get all the credit for your meta!

[keitoz]

I'm back after 10+ years!

Okay so. It happened about a week ago that my UlquiHime hyperfixation reignited. YouTube decided to recommend me my old ABSOLUTE FAVORITE MADs/AMVs (Hueco Mundo Revolution, Kokoro-Heart, Destiny's People, etc) and I haven't been able to stop thinking about them 24/7 since then.

It REALLY doesn't help that recently there have been more breadcrumbs for us such (more like for Ulquiorra fans in general) such as the BBS Cyberpunk teaser, Bleach April Fool's 2024 High School Warfare, and his absolutely possible return in the Hell Arc if Kubo decides to continue it. I've read lots of theories and discussions on the topic even from a pessimistic angle, but with Kubo recently keeping Ulquiorra "alive" in AUs, possibly due to popularity/cash grab, it's hard to imagine he wouldn't take this opportunity to bring him back (as well as Gin). It would upset a minority (the people who want his death to remain impactful), but it would be reasonable.

The only route I can see Kubo taking that wouldn't bring Ulquiorra back is that since he's a natural-born Hollow with no human origin, his reiatsu scattered with his ashes across Hueco Mundo. However, if the "Captain reiatsu being too dense to be reabsorbed" rule applied in HM as well, it would make sense that Espada who died there would also go to Hell. Not sure if they need a ritual for that as well though but considering Kubo only mentioned it for the first time in the Hell chapter, I wouldn't be surprised if he made one up for Arrancar in the future.

The theory that Ulquiorra is in Hell sits better with me rather than him reincarnating as a human or in SS if at all. Even if Kubo took the "Ichigo's Hollow is his Zanpakuto, therefore Ulquiorra was purified" route sounds too much of a stretch even for Kubo.

Now if Ulquiorra IS in Hell, I don't think he meets the same requirements as Szayel to be jailed as he was never human nor did he commit (many?) crimes as a Hollow.

I want to see his Hell version!! 🥺🥺 Any fanart of this?

Anyway, I'm open for discussion!

[sleeplesssmol]

Reverse 1999: Sylvanus Shape

"Silvanus meaning "of the woods" in Latin) was a Roman tutelary deity of woods and uncultivated lands. As protector of the forest (sylvestris deus), he especially presided over plantations and delighted in trees growing wild. He is also described as a god watching over the fields and husbandmen, protecting in particular the boundaries of fields." (source)

Resources and Descriptions

Page of Plantal Vimen: A tattered page. Used for the ritual of Plant Insight I. To reach the skies, its roots grow deep into the earth to extract nourishments from decomposed life.

Scroll of Plantal Vimen: Incomplete scrolls. Used for the ritual of Plant Insight II. It shall keep growing till it smothers the entire sky, till it chokes every single space, till the deep green tide blankets everything in sight.

Tome of Plantal Vimen: A heavy tome. Used for the ritual of Plant Insight III. It is the source of every twig in the deep woods, every strand of moss and floating weed and the mother of every tree. All of them know you.

Themes (speculation based on stage context): life, growth, purification, rebirth, nurture, cultivation of efforts

SS 1

People treat saplings as a symbol of life. Saplings also treat people the same way.

SS 2

When the druids wore their floral crowns, every bird and tree in the forest sang with them.

SS 3

They arrived at the lake on the 5th day of Spring and washed themselves with the lake water.

SS 4

Everything was meant for the Forest Festival and it shall arrive with the night.

SS 5

The hidden one of the oak forest wore a robe of woven thorns and vines. Ravens and eagles hovered beside it, while its crescent-like sickle felled trees like wheat.

SS 6

The hall of deep woods stood above the crescent and beneath the shade of the tree. Within it lies fire, life, death, and rebirth.

Enemies

[diceriadelluntore]

Storia Di Musica #318 - Black Widow, Sacrifice, 1970

Nella scelta di raccontare gruppi che hanno black nel nome, non si poteva non toccare il lato esoterico della musica: c'è tutto un filone metal, detto black metal, che porterà all'estremo queste tematiche, con un gusto quasi parossistico dell'orrido diventeranno una sorta di clichè. Il gruppo capostipite furono i leggendari Black Sabbath, ma qualche mese prima un altro gruppo che aveva black nel nome partorì un disco che se musicalmente si allacciava alle nascenti sonorità folk-prog nelle tematiche iniziava, in maniera tanto elegante quanto esplicita, l'anima nera della musica rock.

Il gruppo in questione si chiama Black Widow. All'inizio erano un sestetto, che si chiamava, nel 1966, Pesky Gee. Ne facevano parte: Kay Garret (voce), Kip Trevor (voce, chitarra e armonica), Jess "Zoot" Taylor (pianoforte e organo), Jim Gannon (chitarra e voce), Clive Jones (sassofono e flauto), Bob Bond (basso) e Clive Box (batteria), e con questa formazione pubblicano un album, fino a pochi giorni introvabile (ci sarà una ristampa ad aprile 2024), dal titolo Exclamation Mark nel 1969, che è un tentativo di farsi strada nell'affollatissimo panorama inglese di blues rock: il disco passò inosservato. In quell'anno Kay Garret lasciò il gruppo, che si riformò con il nome di Black Widow a partire dal 1970. E il batterista Cox ha un'idea. Affascinato dal mondo dell'occultismo, convince la band a recuperare materiale: leggono per settimane qualsiasi cosa riguardi l'argomento nella Biblioteca della città di Leicester e arruolano un maestro Wicca per raccogliere informazioni. Ne viene fuori così un disco sicuramente affascinante, dove alla musica sofisticata e dalle soluzioni particolari si canta in maniera spesso senza filtri di un rito ancestrale per richiamare entità misteriose. Sacrifice esce nel 1970, stesso anno del primo disco dei Black Sabbath, ma fu registrato nel 1969 e prodotto da quel Patrick Anthony Meehan che sarà produttore degli stessi Black Sabbath fino al 1976 (il loro periodo d'oro) per la CBS.

In Ancient Days parte con un sinistro organo hammond a cui in serie si aggiungono gli altri strumenti ed è "una chiamata del male" che subito muta in Way To Power: c'è l'introduzione di una sezione fiati (che sarà uno dei pilastri di tutto il disco con il rullare tribale della batteria). Il brano ricco di cambi di tempo e dai cori fa da apripista al loro brano più famoso. È sempre il flauto di Clive Jones il protagonista di Come To The Sabbath, che simboleggia con maestria l'abilità del gruppo di rifarsi a canti mistici tribali. Qui è l'andamento a crescere della velocità e dell'ossessivo ritmico ripetere del ritornello evocativo (Come, Come To Sabbath, Satan's There) a rendere la canzone ansiogena ed affascinante allo stesso tempo. Diventerà poi uno della cover preferite dai gruppi heavy metal, e persino i Black Sabbah e i sanguinosi Death SS ne faranno una riproposizione. Ma il disco è un susseguirsi di sorprese: Conjuration è il brano più dark, dalla ritmica marziale e sofisticata dove è facile sottolineare la bella voce di Kip Trevor. A questo punto c'è una sorta di parentesi gioiosa: Seduction e' una ballata meravigliosa che combina momenti jazz rock ed echi di bossa nova che stridono con il testo, vibrante e sensuale: Would you have me stay with you?\Squeeze and hold you tight?\Soothe you with my tongue and touch\Share your bed at night. Il disco si conclude con due brani: Attack Of The Demon con l'armonizzazione affidata all'organo (non c'e' praticamente chitarra ritmica) e la lunga e magnetica Sacrifice, che nei suoi 11 minuti si sviluppa in una lunga improvvisazione strumentale. Tutti i brani hanno apporti davvero minimi di chitarra elettrica, caratteristica che già ne fa un unicum. Il disco ebbe successo anche perchè la band organizzò uno spettacolo dal vivo dove oltre che cantare si esibiva in una sorta di vero rituale: ad un certo punto dello show, sbucando da parti diverse a seconda del luogo del concerto, si presentava in scena la moglie di Clive Box, che attraverso l'uso di fumogeni e carrucole sembrava volasse tra il pubblico, finchè, sul palco mentre suonavano, veniva distesa e "sacrificata". Il caso volle che una sera, presenti dei fotografi del News Of The World, il famoso tabloid scandalistico, la spada del sacrificio lacerasse il vestito della donna, che alla fine rimase nuda. Per alcuni show successivi, la trovata fu organizzata apposta, ma la foto sul giornale fece il giro di mezzo mondo, attirando le feroci critiche sulla band, alimentando lo scandalo sulle pratiche occulte seguite dai componenti del gruppo.

Inspiegabilmente, il gruppo abbandonerà le tematiche gotiche e mistiche, per riproporsi in veste folk prog nel secondo lavoro, Black Widow (1971): il segnale fu l'abbandono del batterista Box per Romeo Challenger. Rimangono un ascolto particolare e storico, sebbene in molti articoli vengono considerati fondatori del doom: possono esserlo per le tematiche, anche se il loro approccio fu quasi sistematico e pieno di fonti e non estemporaneo e spettacolare come altri, ma non lo furono certo per lo stile musicale, che rappresenta davvero un evento nel binomio rock ed occultismo.