#sword of virginity reveals etc etc...

[fauvester]

jun wu monroe. very nice king of heaven. no murder at all

[hattiecursedsigh]

NSFW Alphabet - Tsuboi Ryoutarou (Klein from Sword Art Online)

[cw: nsfw headcannons]

A = Aftercare

He would need time to himself to recover but would jump at the chance to run you a hot bath with bubbles and clean you up. He's a sweetie pie under all the teasing, however he would love to tease you for things you both did during the act.

B = Body part (His favourite on you and favourite on himself)

He's a chest guy all the way, but shows his love for all of your body. Especially the sexual parts which only he can see. He's very confident in his size, but is fairly happy with his back muscles. He is self-conscious about the size of his thighs.

C = Come (Anything to do with it)

His favourite thing to do is come either inside, or on your tummy. He loves the taste of your come especially while eating you out.

D = Dirty Secret

Has imagined himself with every female player he's met in games because of the big virgin energy he expels. He pleasures himself in ALO.

E = Experience

Klein has so much virgin energy that I have to say he hasn't been with many women, but because of how good of a listener he is, he is a quick learner based on your reactions.

F = Favourite position

Any as long as he gets some, however he prefers to switch it up every so often to avoid cramps. He likes being able to see you face and chest, so he likes it when you're on your back.

G = Goofy (How serious they are.)

Of course he's not all that serious, and he loves to tease you, and isn't afraid to laugh when something goes awry.

H = Hair (Grooming habits)

Trims when necessary, but isn't too bothered. Isn't fussy about your hair, but gets annoyed when your hair gets in his mouth.

I = Intimacy (Romantic/rough)

It depends on the situation. Because of his kinks, he would like to be rough with you sometimes, however romantic head kisses and hugs are frequent.

J = Jack off (how often etc)

He would do it a lot, but not so much that it poses as a problem. He likes to look over lewd pictures of you, as well as a lot of hentai...

K = Kinks

Dirty talk - He likes hearing the lewd things you can say only to him, and he can get off on your voice alone.

Bondage - He likes to both be tied up and tie you up, if you want to of course.

Master - He likes to be in a position of power.

Boobjob - honka honka?

L = Location

Anywhere. He would enjoy to explore your body in public especially.

M = Motivation (Turn ons)

Revealing outfits. Delicate finger touches anywhere on his body. You being touchy in public. Klein loves a woman whose not afraid to show the world who her man is.

N = No (Turn offs)

The sound of gagging against his length.

O = Oral

He loves giving you head, and he equally loves recieving head. He loves for you to sit on his face and get your come all over his body.

P = Pace

He would like to be fast with you, as he loves quickies, but if the time called he would love to be slow and thorough.

Q = Quickie

He would love to have a quickie, especially in public with a group of people and would be skilled in excusing himself for the reason. Quickies in a public bathroom are his favourite, as long as they're clean...

R = Risk (new things)

He's very willing to try new things that you want to, and is happy to take ideas he's found from porn.

S = Stamina (how long do they last, excluding quickies)

If it's been a long and tiring day, he might not last as long as he would like, however he would prefer to give you a long, passionate fucking with multiple rounds

T = Toys

He would love to use toys on you and on himself, and wouldn't be opposed to using a dildo on himself while alone and by you. He would appreciate a vibe on his tip for overstimulation.

U = Unfair

He loves to tease you throughout the entire time and edging you is his favourite just to hear your little whines of how mean he is.

V = Volume

Your poor neighbours. Both you and he would be very loud as he gets off on all the crude noises he can make you let out.

W = Wildcard (Any sort of headcannon.)

I ship him with sinon please someone else understand where im coming from 🙏🙏

X = X-ray (what is under their pants.)

Big. 15-19 cm idk exactly. Slight right lean when erect. Veiny and not very thick.

Y = Yearning

It is quite obvious when he is hard based on his expression, but only you would know that. He makes it clear when he wants something off you.

Z = Zzz (do they sleep after?)

He generally becomes more energetic afterwards, unless it was a particularly tiresome experience, however he will always make sure your needs are met before falling asleep.

[bitdemonic]

🪷

the first thing i noticed, the energy seemed similar to standing in tornado winds. “typhoon.” v whirlwind-ish, as is something is moving too fast and spiraling out of control. out of grip, “out of bounds.” muddled, yet aware.

tbh i channeled that past readers made the mistake of not discussing the overall relationship dynamic, and that this could be the problem. i feel they’ve skimmed over those details to jump into the “good” part, because to me it’s noticeable that someone isn’t a fan of this. that there isn’t enough sexual attraction to even fathom being in the bedroom. “standoffish and awkward, but i don’t want to change who i am for you.” there’s good reason too, this is just to reveal why that uncomfortable energy is.

this seems to be an arranged marriage, or building up to to become one. there’s two people with nothing in common (interests, mindsets, lives etc.) and it’s difficult for them to match. prominent swords energy being felt, there’s an outside influence—powerful enough—controlling the fate of this connection, forcing it to be one. traditions surrounding religion or culture, but church seems to be potent. “cathedral.” christianity or being catholic. either way, this is an opposites attract without the mutual interest. hot and cold, black and white.

there is no control, and i mean none, between the actual partners and their boundaries. someone could even be “pure” (a virgin, celibate, innocent etc.) because i sense that’s being used as an exchange, or at least a settlement to earn the other partner’s last name. don’t mean to overstep either, but i even heard that this arrangement conflicts with someone’s sexuality—“gender roles” and same sex were prominent. this could be at a time where someone is exploring their options or confused about them. ofc due to helicopter parent, that point is disregarded. to them this is a chance to be exclusive, to “earn royalties” or be apart of something larger than just one decision. def some monarchical influence behind this entire situation—england is significant.

all in all, i doubt this person was meant for longterm romance but for help. there is spiritual divinity behind meeting each other, but not for marriage or procreation. “soul family.” if not both, someone here is meant to break generational curses and step into their divine power. both partners are meant to combine and overcome this unfair barrier together—to end it with your generation. hearing that y’all are the only ones capable of doing so. tbh this reading aligns with the upcoming changes of pluto being in aquarius—power and structure vs. freedom and uniqueness.

this will usher in wealth and abundance, fortune for the all good. sending so much love and luck, my spiritual guides say the same. you’re meant to invoke change in the world.

fin.❤️‍🔥

apologies for the wait bby, i got stumped bc this turned into so much more than what was asked lol. hope this resonates sooner or later ❤️ keep me posted

feel free to message me if you need more clarification xx

[troybeecham]

Today, the Church commemorates the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

The Presentation of Jesus at (or in) the Temple is an early episode in the life of Jesus, describing his presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem in order to officially induct him into Judaism, that is celebrated by many Christian Churches on the holiday of Candlemas. It is described in the Gospel of Luke of the New Testament in the Christian Bible. Within the account, "Luke's narration of the Presentation in the Temple combines the purification rite with the Jewish ceremony of the redemption of the firstborn (Luke 2:23–24)."

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Presentation of Jesus at the temple is celebrated as one of the twelve Great Feasts, and is sometimes called Hypapante (Ὑπαπαντή, = "Meeting" in Greek). In Western Christianity, the additional name for the Service the day, Candlemas, is added. This Feast-day is also known as the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin or the Meeting of the Lord. In some liturgical churches, Vespers (or Compline) on the Feast of the Presentation marks the end of the Epiphany season. In the Church of England, the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple is a Principal Feast celebrated either on 2 February or on the Sunday between 28 January and 3 February. In the Catholic Church, especially since the time of Pope Gelasius I (492-496) who in the fifth century contributed to its expansion, the Presentation is celebrated on 2 February and is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.

The event is described in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22–40). According to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the Infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days (inclusive) after his birth to complete Mary's ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn son, in obedience to the Torah (Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12–15, etc.). Luke explicitly says that Joseph and Mary take the option provided for poor people (those who could not afford a lamb; Leviticus 12:8), sacrificing "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." Leviticus 12:1–4 indicates that this event should take place forty days after birth for a male child, hence the Presentation is celebrated forty days after Christmas.

Upon bringing Jesus into the temple, they encountered Simeon. The Gospel records that Simeon had been promised that "he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:26). Simeon then uttered the prayer that would become known as the Nunc Dimittis, or Canticle of Simeon, which prophesied the redemption of the world by Jesus:

“Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29–32).

Simeon then prophesied to Mary: "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:34–35).

The elderly prophetess Anna was also in the Temple, and offered prayers and praise to God for Jesus, and spoke to everyone there of His importance to redemption in Jerusalem (Luke 2:36–38).

Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

[kemetic-dreams]

"Africa swallowed both the hook, the line and the sinker" as reiterated by Dr Jochannan while speaking on the history of Africa and how Africans had reacted to events in history, especially that which had affected Africans negatively from the 'word go' up to this day.

Spirituality is not a religion. It is not an idea. It is not a philosophy, theology or ideology. It is humankind's connectedness to nature and to the beginner and beginning of all things. But spirituality became regarded as a religion from 325 CE. This was before Islam, the sociological ideology from the Arabian peninsula, which began with a son of an Aethiopian woman, a caravan trader and military tactician, in 622 CE. From then on, allegory became literal facts that are 'cast in iron...' unbendable, unbreakable, even when it stands against knowledge, progress and common sense... and even when it stands in the way of human development, especially the growth and recovery of the Africans. Ancient allegory like the 'forbiden fruit', hell fire, paradise(for the Muslims and heaven for Christians or illysieum for ancient Romans etc), judgement day, virgin birth, flying carpet(for the Arabs), Seth(Kemet god of darkness or evil 4000 BC, known by different names as set, sethe, sethan, setan, Satan etc) became literal figures in the belief systems that were doused down on the Africans: first by the Arabs, beginning in 634 CE, when Sa'id Ibn Abdallah marched on north Africa in a "Qu'ran or slavery and the sword" mode of propagating the sociological ideologies of Muhammad ibn Abd'ullah who founded the Islamic movement in 622 CE and died in 632 CE; secondary, the christian ideology that was ripped away from Africans through many executions in amphitheatres in north Africa, when lions ate people alive as entertainment for the Romans, because the people would not denounce the teachings of a Jewish Rabbi known as Yeshua who was impaled by Roman authorities in Judea in about 33/34 CE, and the sociological ideology was 'repackaged' in Europe in 1089 CE, in Baremount, starting with the crusades that saw the slaughter of thousands of Arabs in the Levant as was declared by Pope Urban... then the ideologies, now a religion, was doused out on other Africans from the 16th CE onwards.

Let's face it. Good or bad, bitter or sweet: history is just history, and "it is a clock that reveals to a people where they have been, what they have being and their location on the human geography and where they must be." -John Henrik Clarke.

In 1455 CE, pope Nicholas V wrote a papal bull declaring; "you are authorized to reduce to servitude, all infidels...." Saracens, Moors, 'non-christianized' black-skinned persons were to be subjected to perpetual slavery and charged as heretics.... This gave "divine" rights to, first, the Portuguese and the Spanish (descendants of the European barbarian tribe, the Visigoths), and were later to be joined by France(descendants of the barbarian tribe, the Franks), Brits(descendants of the barbarian tribe, the Anglo-Saxons from 5th century CE), Dutch, Germans(descendants of the barbarian tribes Almain, Lombard etc), to enslave all of Africa in order to develop Europe, which was just coming out of her dark ages, as well as to occupy the discovered lands of the Americas, which was taken over through genocide on the indigenous native populations (Study 'Germs, guns and steel).

This was when the christian ideology entered back into Africa, but from a historical perspective, it was different from what Africans like Pope Mitiades (African Pope), Felicita, Perpetual, St Augustine etc, who had been practicing the tenets of the sociological ideology from the 1st century CE before it was ripped off the Africans by Roman emperor, Constantine in 325-337 CE.

In the Florentine codex, letters from Cortes who destroyed the Aztec civilization in early 16 century CE and the diary of Colonand Cristobal (Columbus), the Spanish were shocked to see that the Aztec who had never left their lands, had crucifixes, cruciforms, that symbolized crucifixion of QUEXALCOTE, a god-man who came from what they considered as heaven, was born of a virgin, was crucified, and resurrected on the third day as the saviour of all of the world. This had happened in 587 BC, over five hundred years before the birth of Yeshua from the plains of Galilee. A study by Kersey Graves, written in the THE WORLD'S 16 CRUCIFIED SAVIOURS in 1875, shed more light on this.

A study of 26 ancient civilizations revealed that there were 16 crucified saviours of the world that were prophesied of, born of a virgin, performed miracles, were betrayed, crucified, and resurrected on the third day to ascend to the sky as the 'Saviour of all humanity and the whole world. 6 of these saviours of the world were (based on calculation from the Gregorian calendar) born on December 25th. Below is a list of 16 saviours of the world before the birth of Yeshua (known in modern times as Jesus).

1. ATYS(ATTIS) OF PHRYGIA - 1170 BC

2. CHRISHNA OF INDIA - 1200 BC

3. THE HINDOO SAKIA. - 600 BC

4. THAMMUZ OF SYRIA -1160 BC

5.WHITTOBA OF THE TELINGONES-552 BC

6. IAO OF NAPAUL. - 622 BC

7. HESUS OF THE CELTIC DRUIDS. - 834 BC

8. QUEXALCOTE OF THE AZTEC. - 587 BC

9. QUIRINUS OF ROME -506 BC

10. AESCHLUS (PROMETHEUS. -547 BC

11. THULIS OF KEMET. - 1700 BC

12. INDRA OF THIBET. -725 BC

13. ALCESTOS OF EURIPIDES. - 600 BC

14. CRITE OF CHALDEA. - 1200BC

15. BALI OF ORISSA. - 725 BC

16. MITHRA OF PERSIA. - 600 BC

YESHUA happened to be the last saviour of the world, who was born of a virgin, was crucified and resurrected on the third day.

Horus(heru) was calculated be have been born of a virgin on the 25th of December, betrayed and killed, then resurrected on the third day. Beside Chrishna, most of the stories associated with Yeshua are the same with that of Heru. Chrishna was born of a virgin mother, Davaki, as was announced by a spirit being. A wicked king, Cansa sought to kill him by killing all infant children. Chrishna was taken out at night to a distant land of Gokul. He walked on water, performed miracles and was eventually, betrayed and crucified, only to resurrect on the third day. Chrishna was the god that was worshipped in 332 BC, during the time of Alexander, son of Philip of Macedonia who conquered most of India, Egypt and western Asia.

Are we to say that, the theological seminaries, the universities, Bishops, and all who know more books than bookshops don't know of this?

A lie is a lie, whether it's said in the church, in a mosque, in a shrine, in a synagogue, in a temple or in a university....

Truth is truth and remains true, whether it's said in a bar, in a brothel, in a mansion or in a slum... Whether it is said by a priest or a sinner. A 'Fact' has a voice of its own, it's just mostly too silent, and it needs some searching out and listening, intently, to the low 'whisper.

"History has indicated that there is a mighty creator of all things who is represented everywhere in nature. But the ways in which humankind have mostly approached this fact of life have affected us all in both good and bad ways."

We would continue looking into this subject, one bit at a time to avoid cumbersome informations, poured out all at once.

IMAGE: Forbidden fruit, in Kemet, 3000 years before any Hebrew came into existence.

[pushfox757]

Occult Sigils

There exists numerous examples of Sigil and Seals in ancient manuscripts and Occult tomes, yet very few of them lucidly explain and instruct on how to empower and construct them, and exactly what they are used for. Many a daring Occultist confuse a Sigil with a Seal and thusly the. Protected: PRACTICE BASIC SIGIL MAGIC WITH LAW OF ATTRACTION & MUNDANE THINGS (Patreon). Using the Occult Tarot To conjure any demon you wish to ask for favours or gain divination of the future you must use cards of The Occult Tarot, which bear the images and sigils of the 72 demons that great Solomon summoned, as well as their six rulers, the grand princes of hell, totaling 78 infernal spirits from the darkest realms. Create an infernal circle (see Figure 1) in which the demons. Aug 16, 2018 - Explore aloxard king's board 'Occult' on Pinterest. See more ideas about magic symbols, sigil magic, magick symbols.

Sigils are symbols linked to names and sets of ideas, by which spirits or deities may be called into awareness and controlled. The term comes from the Latin sigillum, which means “seal.” A sigil alone does not call forth spirits but serves as a physical focus through which a practitioner achieves a desired state of mind. Sigils represent the secret names of spirits and deities, which reveal themselves differently to each magic practitioner. Once a spirit or deity has been summoned in magic, it may be controlled, if necessary, by subjecting its sigil to fire or thrusts with the magical sword.

Sigils also represent complex concepts or contain the entire essence of a spell. The pentacle (see Pentacle And Pentagram) is the most powerful sigil for contemporary Witchcraft. Sigils are also used as identifying logos of organizations. An individual may adopt a sigil, such as a runic letter, to inscribe on magical tools (see wItches’ tools). Sigils may serve as Amulets, Talismans or meditational tools.

Sigils may be geometric shapes, astrological signs, alchemical symbols, Crosses and signs associated with deities. They are created through intuition, inspiration and meditation.

A sigil is energized in a Ritual with chanting and visualization. When it is charged, it is “sent” to do its work. meditation upon a sigil enables one to access everything the sigil represents without consciously thinking about it.

Further Reading:

Barrett, Francis. The Magus. London: Lackington, Allen and Co., 1801.

Tyson, Donald. The New Magus. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1988.

Source:

The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca – written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley – Copyright © 1989, 1999, 2008 by Visionary Living, Inc.

sigil In Magic, symbols that express occult forces, such as contained in a set of ideas, sacred nameS, and the numerical essences of PLANETS. ISRAEL REGARDIE described sigils as “symbols representing either an inherent occult force in man or an Essence or principle obtaining as an intelligent sigil 293 moving force in the universe.” The term sigil comes from the Latin sigillum, which means “seal.” A sigil itself does not call forth spirits, but it serves as a physical focus through which the practitioner achieves a desired state of mind. Its primary purpose is to stimulate the IMAGINATION of the MagicIAN in accordance with the purpose of a Ritual. A sigil is given energy via visualization, chanting, and intensity of WILL and then is “sent.” The correct use of sigils is one of the factors that determines the success of the ritual. Sigils can be likened to a form of shorthand that enable a magician to set in motion forces or to summon spirits into awareness and control them. Sigils are created from the Numbers in Magic SQUARES. They also can be Symbols, astrological signs, RUNES, and even designs created by a magician. They can contain the entire essence of a Spell or the magical properties of celestial forces, spirits, or deities. A magician might have a personal sigil that she or he engraves upon her or his Tools. Sigils also can serve as the focus of meditation and contemplation. The English occultist AUSTIN OSMAN SPARE developed his own system of sigils using ordinary letters of the alphabet, which he combined from affirmative statements concerning a goal. Spare said that “sigils are the art of believing, my invention for making belief organic, ergo, true belief.” Furthermore, he described them as “monograms of thought” that find fulfillment from the subconscious. He preferred his system to ritual magic, saying that it did not require a person to “dress up as a traditional magician, wizard or priest, build expensive temples, obtain virgin parchment, black goat’s blood, etc., etc., in fact no theatricals or humbug.” Spare’s sigil process has four steps: formulation, creation, charging, and relinquishing. First the goal or desire must be formulated in a sentence that begins “It is my desire . . .” or “This my will . . .” or “This my wish. . . .” All repeating letters are removed, and the sigil is designed from the remaining letters, which are combined into shapes. The sigil is charged at a “magical time” of peak emotional intensity, in which it is energized and shot off into the void of deep space. The sigil is then consciously forgotten, relinquished to the powers of the subconscious. In The Book of Pleasure (Self-love): The Psychology of Ecstasy (1913), Spare said that one must know exactly what the sigil is for and what it relates to. “If you use any form stupidly,” said Spare, “you might possibly ‘conjure up’ exactly what you did not want—the mother of insanity, or what always happens then, nothing at all.”

Further Reading:

Occult Sigils For Power

Regardie, Israel. The Tree of Life: A Study in Magic. York Beach, Maine: Samuel Weiser, 1969.

Spare, Austin Osman. The Book of Pleasure (Self-Love): The Psychology of Ecstasy. Available online. URL: https://www. spirit.starlord.net/mystic/mx35.html. Downloaded July 14, 2005.

Tyson, Donald. The New Magus. St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications, 1988.

Occult Sigils

Satanism Sigils

Source:

Occult Sigils Symbols

The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley Copyright © 2006 by Visionary Living, Inc.

Occult Sigils

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[pricechecktranslations]

OSS: Crime; Chapter 2-Project “Ma” -Eve-

Original Sin Story: Crime infomine under the cut

Scene 1

It’s said that the witch of the forest uses a spoon instead of a magic wand.

Eve makes her living selling fruits and mushrooms from the forest. She is the eldest daughter of Nemu’s village chief, but she likes the work—she doesn’t have to stay cooped up in the village all the time, and the Mogura (mogura means mole? Don’t know if it should be left as is or translated) are always looking to buy her wares.

The “Mogura” refers to the people who are excavating Second Period artifacts to the forest’s east, presumably because they have filled what was once an empty plain with holes. The people of Nemu hold little ill will towards them over this, as the money that they spend has made the village prosperous.

Eve bought an “automatic carriage” with this money and is currently driving it, using it to carry her stock. Note—this is not actually a car. It is a horseless carriage that makes the wheels turn through special gears that are powered by magic (Eve’s magic, in this case). If I’m reading correctly, it is controlled by a power crystal ball. This is something the “Mogura” discovered. Her father’s connections allowed her to buy it relatively cheaply, but it was still pretty expensive.

Her father is apparently houseridden, after having injured his lower back/hips/etc two years before (sounds like they give him chronic pain?), so Eve has been doing merchant work in his stead. Eve’s mother is also noted as being deceased.

Eve pulls up to her destination, and the men at work all gather around as it’s close to lunchtime. The most popular item she sells is pfifferling (I believe this is German for “golden chanterelle mushroom”), which the Mogura put in dishes with venison that they buy from hunters. The next most popular is trauben (note that Nemu sells wine made with it too).

Once they’re done with their purchases, almost emptying the cart, the Mogura make soup with it and start to eat. One of them brings Eve a bowl. He goes to get a spoon for her, having forgotten one, and she airheadedly almost admits that she has a spoon of her own (the blue magic spoon that she’s not supposed to show people she has).

While eating, the Mogura talk about the “witch of the forest” using her lightning magic to drive out the “White Army” (白軍) that has been terrorizing the region. They come from the east, all have white hair, and use fire magic. Her father told her they were once nomads, but after some fight with the people of the forest long before, they slowly became a savage tribe. They’ve killed hundreds of people in the forest already, and have also been attacking the excavation site.

Just as Eve is thinking about heading back to the forest, they hear screams coming from the north. They see the “White Army” fighting with a fleeing automated carriage much larger than the kind that Eve is driving. Seeing this, Eve leaps into action, driving her carriage in the direction of the fighting.

Scene 2

There are three carriages being attacked. All of them have the crest of Levianta on their side. One has stopped, smoking. The other two have soldiers firing at the attackers with guns. Unnoticed, Eve goes to check on the downed carriage, and just narrowly avoids getting stabbed by the occupant inside (Adam), who after a moment quickly realizes she’s not one of the White Army.

Seth is also in the carriage, with a minor head wound. Adam helps him get into Eve’s carriage. She introduces herself as Eve Zvezda, which he notes with some surprise. He introduces himself to her, and bids her leave with haste (when she asks about the soldiers—Gammon among them--he shrugs it off as their job, and Seth notes they’re fairly capable).

Some of the White Army are headed their way, so Eve starts up the carriage to take them to Nemu.

Scene 3

Eve is able to outpace their pursuers, and takes them to her house (Nemu has no doctors, and so her father, who has medical knowledge, is their village doctor in addition to being village chief).

Her father quickly goes about tending to Seth’s wound, and then brings up that he’s an old friend of Horus (horusu), the former head of the research facility (based on context then this is Adam’s “father”). Adam has to share the bad news that he died two years ago (chief Zvezda hasn’t been to the 12 capitals much lately) and that Adam has taken his position now.

He notices that Seth is blind in his left eye, and notes offhand that Horus’ left eye was blind too.

After they’re done, Eve and Chief Zvezda encourage them to stay, noting the White Army won’t attack here (this is a village full of sorcerers—evidently this is not common knowledge).

Zvezda asks what they’re there for (no scientist has visited the excavation site itself until now).

As a note, his full name is “Raiou Zvezda”, and he is a sorcerer too (note—the only reference I could find is to a Yu-Gi-Oh card “Thunder King Rai-Oh”. “Rai ou” literally means “thunder king” with certain kanji, as well).

Adam reveals that they came to this forest to meet with Eve. This puts everyone on edge (especially given they were originally accompanied by soldiers). Seth pipes in then, trying to calm things down (though his efforts don’t feel genuine to me, personally), alluding to not wanting things to be like the time of “the Witch of Merrigod” (which leads to Raiou accusing them of being on a witch hunt).

Seth says that Raiou suspected them from the beginning—that he must have also known Horus was dead (which Raiou confirms—he hasn’t been to the capitals, sure, but mages have their own information network using green onions).

Against Adam’s protestations that it should be him telling them, Seth explains what they’re doing there, introducing himself as Horus’ greatest apprentice (Adam says he just calls himself that on his own).

The explanation is as follows (note—this sounds a bit like a PR spiel, so take it with some salt): Despite being called a kingdom, Levianta is little more than people assembled to follow the will of their gods (given that the very nation was founded around worshipping them and what they left behind). Thus, the leader must be someone who can hear the gods speak, a virgin maiden with high magical power.

Levianta is ruled by a queen, and they have several mechanisms from which to pick them; a special orphanage run by the Loop Octopus family, the Lighwatch temple run by the Asayev family, the research institute run by the Vaju family, etc. Whichever institution the next queen comes from, that family’s senate member becomes head of the senate. The current queen Alice is from the orphanage (hence why Miroku is the only one able to interact with her, because he’s head of the senate—also, on that subject, it seems Loop Octopus is the family’s full last name. So, Miroku Loop Octopus).

The research institute is looking into ways to artificially create a new Queen/woman with extreme magical power (and thus guarantee Vaju as next senate head)—this is the “Next Queen Project”, which has involved women from all over participating to be this new queen’s mother (Seth insists these women participated voluntarily and were not kidnapped, despite rumors to the contrary).

So…I suppose based on context (not entirely sure if I’m reading it clearly), the “Witch hunts” aren’t hunting witches to kill, but hunting witches to kidnap (which has happened recently). Seth explains that circumstances dictate they don’t have time to wait for volunteers—not on the Next Queen Project (as Alice is still in her 40s and not close to death), but on the new project. Project “Ma”.

Raiou dismisses “Ma” as just an old legend (the legend says that when disaster approaches the world, the two-headed dragon LeviaBehemo will be reborn as the “Twins of God”, and the woman who births them is the holy mother Mem Aleph, or “Ma”), despite Seth insisting that it’s all actually happening.

So, not only will the person who becomes Ma become queen, but whoever produces Ma will become head of the senate. Raiou asks why Miroku would give the research institute as many permissions as he has (command of their security, information, etc), knowing that if they succeed he’ll lose his seat to Vaju; Seth speculates that he must acknowledge that it’ll be hard to find “Ma” through his orphanage, and so figures that by collaborating with the research institute he’ll still be able to leverage some political influence after stepping down.

They came here searching for the “witch of the forest” rumored to appear in “The Forest of Held” to the south of this village. Supposedly, she does battle against the White Army attacking everyone here by using lightning and a blue spoon, and has green hair. They had the soldiers with them for protection (Eve wonders if they’re alright, but Adam assures her that while they can’t use magic, they’re all very skilled with swords and guns).

Eve already seems to have a crush on Adam.

Raiou tells them that they’re mistaken—that this witch is not Eve. All the people in the village have magical power, and there are a lot of girls with green hair. While the people in the village are immigrants from elsewhere, Eve is actually his adopted daughter. His wife found her in a river, and they raised her as their own. He says that they should head to Held’s Forest for their search.

Seth then brings out a two-pronged iron rod—a Second Period device that can read someone’s magical potential…but he left the data output device in the other carriage. Adam requests usage of their carriage to head back over there and get it (note, Adam has magic too—enough to make the carriage run, at least).

Just then, Gammon arrives. He reports on what happened—they handled the situation quickly enough (it just took a while due to the higher numbers of attackers). He had his people go to the capital for reinforcements to go on the offensive against the White Army. Meanwhile, he’ll be doing the bodyguarding duties for Adam and Seth by himself. He has also brought over what they forgot in the carriage (meaning Seth can test Eve’s magic now).

The rod is connected to a box that beeps when he passes it before Eve, and also provides the readings numbers. Her “M” level is 72. Just a little stronger magically than the average person (not candidate levels). He tests it on Gammon, showing his level is 0. Raiou’s level is 200, and Adam’s is over 300.

Eve is a little disappointed that she’s missed her chance to be a candidate, but then she knows her father (who hates politics and only became chieftain because someone had to do it) would never let her join. She loves her father, but doesn’t mean there aren’t things she’s dissatisfied with about that.

Scene 4

Seth heads to get treatment at a hospital in the 12 capitals just to be safe, while Gammon and Adam stay in Nemu for a while to look for the Witch of the Forest, with Eve acting as their guide and transportation to Held’s forest (they are paying her a lot to do it). She takes them to some of the villages in the forest that she knows, and they also go around places where the witch is rumored to be. No luck.

One day they’re heading along when the weather turns cloudy, and seems likely to rain (so Adam suggests they turn in early).

According to his information, the witch appears to help people attacked by the White Army. Those saved forget what she looks like afterwards, though, save for the green hair, that she’s a woman, and she uses a spoon to fire lightning. Adam speculates that this witch can manipulate people’s minds (Eve brushes it off jokingly, saying if she had that power she’d use it to make herself queen).

Eve is a little over 20 at this point (and Adam appears close in age to her).

Adam doesn’t know much of magic—he only recently learned of his high potential. Also note: while they are chatting, Gammon is just looking at their surroundings quietly. Eve’s internal monologue notes how much easier Adam is to get along with (and that he doesn’t look down on her like some 12 capital people do).

Adam used to live in a place west of the capitals, by the coast, in an orphanage. It was there that Horus Solntse showed up one day and adopted Adam. He says his only mother figure was a whale (a little confused here but I think basically a whale has been watching over him since before he was old enough to remember things). Eve speculates that this was an incarnation of a forest spirit.

Eve recounts a time when the loneliness of not knowing her true parents led to her running out into the forest at night. She got lost, and came to a stop crying. Then, a fearsome bear appeared (note that it starts raining on them now). Eve pulls up her skirt to show Adam a scar on her thigh (which flusters him initially because why wouldn’t it). The bear, probably hungry, attacked her. Just then, all the forest animals attacked the bear at once, driving it off. Since then she hasn’t seen a bear in the forest. She figures the forest spirits are protecting her now. This is something she’s hardly ever told anyone else.

Adam’s about to say something, but they suddenly hear an explosion from the direction of Nemu. And they see smoke rising from it. The White Army comes out from the trees, circling the carriage and trapping them. They are led by a woman. She is the “White Fiend of Jakoku”, Raisa Netsuma. Raisa says this is a test (vague though on what it’s a test for).

Raisa urges her men to be careful, as Gammon is a skilled fighter and they are with the “Witch of the Forest”, meaning Eve. Eve denies this—Raisa doesn’t believe her, and charges with a long and narrow weapon wreathed in pale flame.

Eve coldly takes out her spoon (which she got from her dad). She recites the “Medvedi ubit” spell, which sends lightning at Raisa and all her underlings (leaving the forest and its animals, as well as Adam and Gammon, untouched). Raisa is the only one who survives. Gammon goes to catch her before she can escape.

The village is still burning. Eve starts the carriage to go save them, but Adam thinks it’s too dangerous (as their main forces will be there). Gammon tosses Adam the sword that Raisa was using to defend himself with, as he has to stay with Raisa.

The people of Nemu were once a famous group of sorcerers, so it’s unlikely they’re being killed so easily. Still, they head there as fast as they can.

Scene 5

Eve is the Witch of the Forest after all. She isn’t too burnt up over Adam finding out, given that he’s clearly trustworthy and doesn’t mean her harm. And being queen doesn’t sound like a bad thing (albeit she’d need her father’s permission, and she’s not the kind to go against his wishes).

Nemu is burning, under attack by men in red outfits. Adam realizes, to his horror, that these are the “Witch of Merrigod”’s forces, the “Red Devotees” (might be a better way to translate that, 赤の信徒たち) She was once an “Ma” candidate, but the senate and the institute deemed her too evil to be made queen.

The men circle the carriage as it arrives. Eve demands to know where the villagers are, but they all stare at her blankly. She prepares to strike, but the men part to let a red-garbed woman walk through—the Witch of Merrigod, Meta Salmhofer (she hasn’t been introduced as Meta yet but it’s obviously her). She has a very adult air to her, but in terms of actual age she looks younger than Eve. Meta makes an offhand comment that Raisa (and all of the White Army, I think) is an inheritor of Salem.

She claims she’s not attacking this place because of the White Army, but rather (among other reasons that she doesn’t elaborate) to get revenge on the institute (and Adam) for “making a fool of her” (it’s a little vague on exactly what went down during her “Ma” candidacy at the time).

Eve asks where everyone is, and Meta points to Eve’s house, telling her to go look. Eve heads that way with Adam. They find her father in the garden, naked, covered in wounds, and crucified on a big cross that was erected there, already dead. He’s surrounded by the other men of the village, who are standing lifeless just like the red devotees.

Eve is horrified and confused as to how this happened, given her father’s power. Adam explains that Meta is an inheritor of Gilles, and as such has the power to control men—she probably used the village men to attack Raiou, and he, not wanting to hurt them, couldn’t properly defend himself.

Eve wants to go attack Meta, but Adam points out she’ll use the villagers to get in the way (as human shields, basically). They’re about to head to regroup with Gammon when they hear reinforcements from the capital arrive.

They came to meet up with Gammon, but as they were already there they fought against the red devotees. Meta and her forces withdrew (including, unfortunately, the men of the village). When the fires have been put out, they find the corpses of all the village’s women piled up in a cattle pen.

Eve goes with Adam to the capital. She has nowhere else to go.

Scene 6

Asmouse is one of the 12 cities that makes up the capital (based on this phrasing I’m now more thinking that it’s less “12 distinct royal capitals” and more “12 cities that are collectively the royal capital”). It’s run by senator Ceci (Seshi) Vaju, and it has the strongest historical backdrop to it. Vaju is himself a descendant of those who first started discovering the Second Period stuff. He founded the research institute using permissions from the previous queen. Horus, who became the head, was a friend of his.

In addition to all the technological advancements of researching Second Period technology (and I should probably say this at least once—I am saying Second Period for clarity’s sake. But they don’t say Second Period. They say “legacy”. Legacy items), they are also researching how to create people with magical power—that is to say, the “Next Queen Project”. But Horus died of illness before it could be realized. Hence Adam taking over. Etc.

Eve doesn’t care about any of that. The only thing that matters is that she’s an “Ma” candidate.

Adam gives her some coffee (which isn’t common outside the capital) to try and calm her down—Eve (imo) seems restless and uncomfortable. She’s wearing bands on her arms and legs connected to a big box (the chair she’s sitting in is also part of the machine, I think) that will help them properly quantify her magical ability (like a larger version of the device they used in Nemu). It turns out that her spoon can both seal and amplify a user’s magical ability (apparently it was originally her mother’s), so that’s why the earlier reading was inaccurate.

Adam runs the machine (Eve notes that it makes her feel queasy at first). It takes roughly an hour to run properly—they don’t have to run it nonstop but she can’t leave the chair until it’s over. She decides to pass the time by asking Adam about Meta.

Adam explains that Meta is from Merrigod (far further east than Nemu), which is used as a citadel for the dangerous organization “Apocalypse”, of which the “red devotees” and “the white army” are simply different units of their forces. Some say they’re looking to overthrow the nation, while others say they’re just criminals. They are led by Pale Noel, and Meta is his girlfriend. They know almost nothing about Pale—even him being a man isn’t set in stone.

Adam, Seth, and some other researchers headed to Merrigod, backed by Gammon and his security unit. But things went wrong, and it turned into a battlefield. The researchers hadn’t wanted that, but Apocalypse and the security force (ie, Gammon) did. The battle failed—Meta used her powers to control the security force, and there was infighting. Adam and Seth were the only researchers who survived, which is why even now the institute is short-staffed (Adam doesn’t say how long ago this was).

Eve asks what an inheritor is. Adam says it’s someone with supernatural powers, different from magic. Like Raisa and her clan (they had originally thought that it was magic, but even those in the White Army who had no magical ability can use fire). They don’t know the source of inheritor abilities though (research into it is being undertaken by the Lighwatch temple run by Yegor Asayev). Adam doesn’t know much more than that, other than that they’re divided up into classifications like “Gilles” and “Salem”, named after the god’s kin.

Adam may be getting Eve hooked on coffee, I think. She finds it too bitter but can’t stop drinking it.

Eve asks what the senate will do about Apocalypse—he says that (according to what Gammon told him), they won’t do anything. They view it as little more than a fringe organization (as it hasn’t attacked the capital much), and not worth the manpower it would take to get rid of them. Eve understands why her dad hated politics so much.

Adam says that’s why she should become ruler, going to write something down. The machine is still processing, but already her score is higher than her father’s was. She seems unsure, noting that she’s just a simple girl from a village, but he reassures her. This leads to a sweet moment between them (confirming they don’t dislike each other, etc—I feel this is probably a point where he’s faking his affection to make her easier to manipulate, however as this chapter is from Eve’s perspective there’s no way to tell).

Note, Adam knows enough swordplay to defend himself.

They still have Raisa’s oddly shaped (probably eastern) sword (she is in jail right now). Adam speculates that even if she fully recovers from Eve’s attack, she’ll likely be executed. Eve reflects for a moment on how much evil there is in the world despite her work as Witch of the Forest, and what she’ll need to defeat it.

Several days later, Raisa escapes from prison, likely with the help of a collaborator. Meanwhile, Eve’s M number exceeds 350, which is more than enough for her to be an “Ma” candidate.

Scene 7

Eve has to take a “Queen Test” (probably a better way to word that, phrase is 女王の試練)—basically a formality, a ritual to get her accepted by the current queen as a successor. She and Adam are discussing this as they walk through Asmouse. Only the queen knows what this entails.

Having high magical power, in this country, signifies that one is closely related to the gods. The position of Queen used to be hereditary, but then the fifth queen couldn’t have children. So she declared that all in this land were the children of the gods, and that having strong magic was a sign of the gods’ favor. Conversely, those who don’t have magic were said to be unloved by the gods (there’s no actual persecution for that, but advancement for such people became harder). As such, those with magic became able to vie for the throne. Adam learned all this in school after he was adopted.

There was no school in Nemu, and Eve had no need for an education there (outside of which berries were poisonous and how to use magic and so on), so this is all new information to her. Adam says he’ll tutor her on all this stuff.

He takes her to a red-walled building—it turns out to be a shop for dining utensils for her to use. She notices a red glass, and is told what glass is by the old man running the shop (same as with us, but it can only be made by a legacy piece in Asmouse, and colored glass in particular is a rarity). It’s expensive—Adam says she won’t need it, as it’s a wine glass and she doesn’t drink wine. She says she’ll drink coffee out of it, and so he buys it for her. They buy some other things and then leave.

Eve needs clothes, too—she needs a lot of new things. Adam’s not hurting for money (as the head of the institute), so he buys them for her, saying she can pay him back when she’s queen (very certain she’ll succeed). He says that since the moment they first met, he felt like they already knew each other. She does too.

Scene 8

Not even a month has passed, and they’ve fallen in love. Just because they’re similar in age, get along, and are living together. Adam’s the first attractive (both intellectually and otherwise) guy that Eve’s actually been around. Of course, this gets her worried, because one of the conditions of being queen is to be a virgin maiden.

Adam reassures her that while it might be hard for them to be together publicly, he’ll always be by her side. She wonders how, given only the head of the senate can see her—he stumbles for a moment before saying  he’ll maneuver things so Gammon becomes head of the senate, and he’ll be able to change that law to make things easier on them (I feel like he’s bullshitting just to get her to go along with him at this point).

Adam has her drink more coffee (which, when she drinks it, makes all her worries go away—she’s basically addicted to the coffee, yes), and then promises that they’ll get married in secret when this is all over. Eve suggests Held’s forest—as soon as they’ve gotten rid of all the “evil” that’s made it dangerous right now.

Scene 9

A week later, Eve is called to the round hall in Alicegrad. She is greeted by Miroku—they’re about to set up the trial. They are then greeted by a woman in flimsy white clothes, accompanied by a short middle aged man (who is Hugen/fugen Asayev, Yegor’s older brother). She is another candidate for queen (which shocks Eve, which Fugen mocks her for)—her name is Zelarana Chirclatia (zerarana), a priestess of Lighwatch temple.

Miroku and Hugen bicker a little bit. As a note, Yegor apparently went missing very suddenly before this, abandoning his post and leaving Hugen in charge. Zelarana questions Eve on being from Held’s forest, noting an “evil god” lives there. The people of Nemu saw it (Held) as an evil god, but the people of the forest saw it as a guardian deity. Eve isn’t sure which is true. The area with Held in it is inside the border of another country, and Leviantan citizens aren’t allowed to cross the border without permission, so she’s never seen the giant tree Held resides in herself.

Zelarana is a bit pompous, boasting about the training she’s received as a priestess and that Lighwatch priestesses are able to remove the wickedness from someone’s heart. Eve almost brings up that she has brainwashing powers (I mean, it doesn’t say that outright but it’s strongly implied), but thinks better of it, as she knows it’s a power that frightens people more than the lightning and hasn’t even told Adam of it yet.

Miroku reminds them all that this is serious business and a holy ritual, and they back down.

Scene 10

Eve goes first, heading to the Temple of LeviaBehemo where the queen lives. When she passes through the large door on the “First Wall” that only the senate are allowed to pass through, she sees a field of flowers—a garden in the center of Alicegrad. There’s a white building in the center of that—the temple. It’s small, about the size of the house she lived in in Nemu, which disappoints her. Inside is a dim space with four plain white walls. She walks forward and smacks her forehead into a glass wall.

This is a maze, made of glass walls (we later learn it’s called the “Hall of Glass”). Eve makes her way through carefully, growing more disoriented as she does. She calls out, but there’s no reply—though as she goes deeper inside, she sees a humanoid figure in a white dress sitting in a wheelchair. But the air feels like it’s getting thinner. By the time she reaches the queen, she collapses before she can get a good look at her face.

Scene 11

The first scene is a snapshot of her and Adam as twin Irregulars after the end of the world, looking out over all the souls on the world’s ruined surface from inside the Clocktower.

In the scene, when he tells her the world is ruined, she asks if they can return everything to how it was—he says all they can do is do everything over again, putting his hand in his chest. Everything becomes white and disappears.

The next scene is Eve’s showdown with Elluka at the end of the sloth novel. As Elluka starts the body swap thing, Eve realizes that Elluka is the one who destroyed the world. As the light spreads, Elluka transforms into a large monster—one that appears both like a dragon and like a bear. Somehow.

The next scene is Eve in the cabin with Adam, noting he looks like the boy in the first vision but also someone else. They’re making food. The door opens and a cute boy and girl, her precious children, come home. Before she can greet them, everything goes dark.

Personal opinion: It isn’t clear if these are memories, hallucinations, or future vision (given that prophetic dreams are a thing). It does seem to be indicating that, if it’s not referring to this being a loop (one in which Eve retains some faint memories of the previous iterations), that Eve has some way to perceive the future here, albeit in a fragmented fashion. It’s a little too trippy to interpret at the moment.

Scene 12

Eve wakes up in the middle of a conversation with Miroku in the round hall, with no idea what the heck she was talking about. Miroku confirms that she is indeed the next queen, as she was able to meet with the current one and hear the voice of god—or see, more like. It seems she had related to him her vision (or at least part of it), which he took to be future events.

Hugen is heading back to Lighwatch, with Zelarana’s corpse in tow. Miroku speculates that Eve’s lack of memory is a side-effect from receiving a revelation for the first time. After Eve went, Zelarana also entered the Hall of Glass—then she was found running out of the “First Wall”’s door, screaming like a madwoman. She fell unconscious and then died, evidently unable to handle the ritual. Unworthy candidates face “Divine Punishment”, apparently. Everyone knows this. …Except Eve.

Anyway, now it’s back to the institute to be impregnated with the divine seed. Eve has a ton of questions but she’s too exhausted to ask them. She’s also a little cheesed at Adam for not telling her that the ritual was so dangerous.

Scene 13

Eve is lying on a table in the institute. Adam tells her she has nothing to worry about, but she knows now that he lies sometimes (though she hasn’t pressed him on the ritual business). Still, after some conflict she convinces herself that he wouldn’t have sent her into danger if he’d known how bad it was. She’s afraid that their relationship will be over if she stops believing in him. She knows it’s stupid but she loves him.

Adam explains that the ark Sin is underneath the temple. It’s called the Dark Legacy because supposedly the Sin has the power to both save the world and destroy it—and the gods are trying to descend to the world through Project Ma in order to stop their power from running wild and doing just that.

Adam pulls up a cylinder with a cloudy liquid inside—he says this is the “Divine Seed”, which is taken from Sin, and is part of the gods’ body. He’s going to implant it into her to get her pregnant. Eve is nervous, but excited too—she thinks that the twins that she saw in her vision are the ones she’ll give birth to, and is eager to meet them.

She starts to conk out from the anesthesia. He tells her when she wakes up, she’ll be pregnant, and to “Sleep well, sleep princess/sleeping beauty” (nemurihime). It references the song with the whole “after this is over let’s get married at Held’s forest” bit. End chapter.

[alishbakhanus]

Traditions, superstitions and protocol of a wedding

There are many couples who wonder about the traditions, protocol and superstitions around a wedding. Through this article we are going to shed some light on these issues. Although they are popular questions in our society, their meaning is sometimes confused or their origin is completely ignored.

There are many traditions that we all know about the ceremony. For example, regarding the organization of our big day, details of the costumes or the celebration. All of this is still latent in 2018, however, most date back to the Middle Ages .

There are also some superstitions that surround the celebration of marriage and have the most diverse origins and foundations. It is important that you know all of them, either out of curiosity or to take it into account on the day of your link. Take good note!

Popular beliefs dating back to the Middle Ages

The most deeply-rooted popular belief dates back to the superstitious middle Ages. We refer to using “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” on D-day:

– Something old. It symbolized the bride’s connection to her past and represented the continuity of her marriage. It used to be some jewel of the family. You can ask for this garment or object from a deep-rooted relative.

– Something Borrowed. He was referring to the belief that happiness could be attracted by using something from a friend who was happy. The borrowed symbolized friendship, obtaining happiness on loan (it used to be a jewel or simply a handkerchief).

– Something blue. That color represented the fidelity of the contracting parties. It used to be the garter on the bride’s leg.

In superstitious towns of the middle Ages, the night before the wedding had to be spent each at home or at the home of their respective parents. This even if the couple already lived in the same address

Since ancient times, to ward off evil spirits it is customary to make very loud noises. This custom is still present in some Western countries. Sometimes the bride and groom will honk their car horn and make a lot of noise.

The tradition of throwing rice or other grains after the ceremony in the church represented, the offspring. Something that we continue to see in our days very frequently.

The importance of clothing and details

We are going to review some traditions, superstitions and protocol related to the nuptial act.

First of all there are some issues related to clothing. For example, the groom and the bride must have a coin in their respective shoes to attract good fortune.

Does that sound familiar to you that the groom cannot see the bride or her dress before the ceremony? It is popularly believed that if the couple breaks this tradition, the marriage will not come to fruition.

Last but not least, it is believed that the groom should wear the perfect tie. Wearing it crooked means that you will be unfaithful to the bride. And nobody wants that bad start, right?

The color of the wedding dress

A very important symbolic issue is the bride’s dress. In Europe and throughout much of the world, white is the most appropriate color. Originally, it symbolized economic power and social status. This was because obtaining a white dress with the qualities of this outfit was worth a lot of money and was not easy to obtain. Curious, right?

Another fact that you may not know is that yellow, which is common in many countries such as the United States and England, is identified with the god of love and abundance. And the red one? It symbolizes that the bride is not a virgin.

There is nothing written about colors, but it is true that black is a not very recommended color. It is traditionally used as a mourning garment. However, this popular belief is invalidated in links of the “gothic” or even thematic type, since in color it fits well with the style of this subculture.

The headdress

The tradition of the bride wearing a headdress on her wedding day comes because in ancient times it was customary for women to wear a garland of flowers .

Some brides opt for tiaras or crowns, a tradition that comes from the use that royalty made of them. Its use served to distinguish the queens or princesses.

The veil

Originally, the bride wore the veil as a symbol of youth . Catholic brides use the veil as a symbol of purity . Because of this, sometimes the bride chooses it in two layers. The objective is to arrive at the altar in a veiled manner and for the groom to reveal it when it is handed over to him by his father or a close relative if he has died (such as a grandfather).

In Western culture it is customary for the bride’s veil and dress to be white, but this has not always been the case. In some places the colors yellow, blue and black have been used for the veil in honor of some people or gods:

The bride’s handkerchief

In ancient times, European farmers believed that tears at a wedding represented good luck and that it would cause it to rain heavily on the fields. Years later, the belief was maintained that if the bride cried on her wedding day, she would not cry again for her entire life.

The bouquet

Flowers represent emotions and merit.  They carry a message of fertility, flourishing and generosity. Superstition says that the lucky one who catches the bride’s bouquet will be lucky and will be the next to marry.

The Red carpet

The red carpet that is placed in the church at the entrance of the procession represents honor and respect. The petals that the pages fan, opening the way for the bride, symbolize a sweet and full future.

Bridesmaid

Most of the religions in the world within their ritual practices of the wedding ceremony include the figure of the maid of honor. A girl  (generally under 12 years old) with a direct blood link from the bride , who is in charge of opening the entourage and accompanying her to the altar . On some occasions she is accompanied by a page.

Generally, when there is no girl in the bride’s family who meets these characteristics, another girl is resorted to more distant in the level of consanguinity or simply an infant outside the family.

The Wedding March

The Bridal March is a hymn that is traditionally played when the bride enters the ceremony site . Its use is widely spread in Western countries.

The author of the Wedding March was Felix Mendelssohn and the play is part of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, written in 1826 from the homonymous play

The one composed by Mozart, who appears, can also be used as a wedding march . Although it is very rare, many grooms prefer it for their celebration due to the more cheerful nature of its melody. On the other hand, the very fact that it is less frequent is an incentive that attracts more than a few couples.

The request for a hand

The request of hand has its origin in the consent that the brides of his father needed to be able to contract marriage. Somehow the daughter’s marriage was ‘negotiated’ or ‘arranged’. At present, although we go through this formality, it is only an act of a family nature without any other type of claim or request for permission.

The meeting takes place at the home of the bride’s parents. According to the protocol, they are the ones who have to bear the organization and expenses, if any. It is a tradition that the groom sends that same morning a bouquet of white flowers to the bride.

Although the main reason, at present, for the request for a hand is the mutual knowledge of the families, there is a tradition that is the exchange of gifts between the couple. Now, only the bride and groom give each other gifts. No gift of any kind should be made by parents or siblings. The traditional gift for the bride usually consists of a ring with a small (or large, if possible) brilliant or any other type of ring. The usual gift for the groom is usually a good watch, although there are other less traditional possibilities such as cufflinks or an elegant tie pin.

The Catholic religious ceremony

The first person to arrive at church should be the groom. When the bride arrives (who will have been helped to dress by her mother and sisters), she will be escorted from her home to the church by her closest male relative (usually the father) and will start the way to the altar while the march begins to sound nuptial. The procession will be opened by the maid of honor and the page, followed by the bride on the father’s arm.

As a general principle, men give the Left arm. The exception occurs in the case of military personnel, because they carry their saber on the left. If one of the parents is military, the other will do the same and offer the right arm as well.

The tradition that the bride is to the left of the groom is due to the barbarian bride and groom placing their kidnapped partner on the left. In this way, his right hand (with which he wielded the sword) was free to act in case of attack.

During the bride and groom’s parade in the church, all the guests must stand up and direct their gaze towards the bride and groom. The bride will advance toward the altar to the beat of the wedding march.

Upon reaching the altar, where four seats with their corresponding kneelers will have been placed (there may be variations), the groom takes the bride and places her on his left. The father stands to the groom’s right and the groom’s mother to the bride’s left.

During the liturgy, the importance of Christian marriage , its purposes, etc., is expressed . It basically consists of the reading of a text and the preaching of the homily .

Validation of marriage

Immediately after the celebration of the wedding, the parish priest must register the link in the ” Marriage Book ” of his parish registry, where the names of the spouses, witnesses, the place and date of the celebration and any other information will be recorded. serve as useful and complementary information.

The priest will deliver to the newlyweds the ecclesiastical certification with the data required for their registration in the Civil Registry , and in any case, within a period of 5 days, he will transmit the certificate of the canonical marriage to his manager for timely registration, in the assumption that this had not already been carried out at the request of the interested parties.

Therefore, a marriage celebrated in accordance with the norms of canon law produces full civil effects from the moment of its celebration. However, for their full recognition, their registration in the Civil Registry is required.  This will be practiced by the spouses with the certification that the priest gives him or by sending said certificate that he must make in the Registry within 5 days.

The act of signing the registry puts an end to the wedding ceremony.

Next, the spouses walk slowly out of the Church as the wedding march sounds again. The groom offers his left arm to the bride, both beginning to walk down the aisle towards the exit, smiling at the assembled (but without waving and without speaking to them). In the most usual case of being the godparents, the newlyweds are followed by the father of the bride, giving his arm to the mother of the groom, and the father of the groom giving his arm to the mother of the bride. Until the end of the exit parade, guests should not leave the church. At the time, the correct thing is that they do it through the side aisles and not through the central one.

After the inevitable rain of rice at the exit of the temple and after receiving the congratulations of those present, the newlyweds will go to their car and will be the first to leave the place.

Courtesy: best shadi halls in Lahore

[monasticspirit]

The 4th Joyful Mystery, the Presentation of Jesus. I put Joseph up front because he had a very important part not only in the Circumsision of Jesus after 8 days but also the Presentation of Jesus after 40 days. In fact the Fathers are the ones who offer the sacrifice in private (with other jewish priests etc.) in order to "Redeem" the child. Hence one of Saint Joseph's titles: "The Redeemer of the Redeemer". He also has the unique title of the "Savior of the Savior" because in the flight to Egypt after this event Joseph saved Jesus from the hands of Herod. Oh and I got to see the tomb of Saint Simeon! It's in Zadok and we got to see his body, he still had flesh but his beard had fallen out (poor guy, lol). He was a very holy man, I could feel the graces there. ^_^ St. Simeon and St. Anna the Prophetess, pray for us!

Luke 2: 22-39

22 And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him (Jesus) to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord: 23 As it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord: 24 And to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons: 25 And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him. 26 And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, 28 He also took him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: 29 Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; 30 Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: 32 A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33 And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; 35 And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed. 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. 37 And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. 38 Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed o the Lord; and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel. 39 And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth

[scarletta-ec]

Original Sin Story: Re_Crime

CHAPTER TWO: ~EVE’S PROJECT~

Scene 1

It’s said that the witch of the forest uses a spoon instead of a magic wand.

Eve makes her living selling fruits and mushrooms from the forest. She is the eldest daughter of Nemu’s village chief, but she likes the work—she doesn’t have to stay cooped up in the village all the time, and the Excavators are always looking to buy her wares.

The “Excavators” refers to the people who are excavating Second Period artifacts to the forest’s east, presumably because they have filled what was once an empty plain with holes. The people of Nemu hold little ill will towards them over this, as the money that they spend has made the village prosperous.

Eve bought an “automatic carriage” with this money and is currently driving it, using it to carry her stock. It is a horseless carriage that makes the wheels turn through special gears that are powered by magic from the driver. It is controlled by a power crystal ball. This is something the “Excavators” discovered. Her mother’s connections allowed her to buy it relatively cheaply, but it was still pretty expensive.

Her mother is houseridden, after having injured her lower back two years before, causing chronic pain, so Eve has been doing merchant work in her stead. Eve’s other mother is also noted as being deceased.

Eve pulls up to her destination, and the men at work all gather around as it’s close to lunchtime. The most popular item she sells is pfifferling, which the Excavators put in dishes with venison that they buy from hunters. The next most popular is trauben, also selling wine made with it, too).

Once they’re done with their purchases, almost emptying the cart, the Excavators make soup with it and start to eat. One of them brings Eve a bowl. He goes to get a spoon for her, having forgotten one, and she airheadedly almost admits that she has a spoon of her own, the blue magic spoon that she’s not supposed to show people she has.

While eating, the Excavators talk about the “witch of the forest” using her lightning magic to drive out the “White Army” that has been terrorizing the region. They come from the east, all have white hair, and use fire magic and weapons. Her mother told her they were once nomads, but after some fight with the people of the forest long before, they slowly became resentful. They’ve killed hundreds of people in the forest already, and have also been attacking the excavation site.

Just as Eve is thinking about heading back to the forest, they hear screams coming from the north. They see the “White Army” fighting with a fleeing automated carriage much larger than the kind that Eve is driving. Seeing this, Eve leaps into action, driving her carriage in the direction of the fighting.

Scene 2

There are three carriages being attacked. All of them have the crest of Levianta on their side. One has stopped, smoking. The other two have soldiers firing at the attackers with guns. Unnoticed, Eve goes to check on the downed carriage, and just narrowly avoids getting stabbed by the occupant inside (Adam), who after a moment quickly realizes she’s not one of the White Army.

Seth is also in the carriage, with a minor head wound. Adam helps him get into Eve’s carriage. She introduces herself as Eve Zvezda, which he notes with some surprise. He introduces himself to her, and bids her leave with haste. When she asks about the soldiers— Gammon among them–he shrugs it off as their job, and Seth notes they’re fairly capable.

Some of the White Army are headed their way, so Eve starts up the carriage to take them to Nemu.

Scene 3

Eve is able to outpace their pursuers, and takes them to her house (Nemu has no doctors, and so her mother, who was a shaman among other things, is their village doctor in addition to being village chief).

Her mother quickly goes about tending to Seth’s wound, and then brings up that her wife was an old friend of Horus Solnste, the former head of the research facility, Adam’s “father”. Adam has to share the bad news that he died two years ago, since Chief Zvezda hasn’t been to the 12 capitals much lately, and that Adam has taken his position now.

She notices that Seth is blind in his left eye, and notes offhand that Horus’ left eye was blind too.

After they’re done, Eve and Chief Zvezda encourage them to stay, noting the White Army won’t attack here as Nemu is a village full of magic users— evidently this is not common knowledge.

Zvezda asks what they’re there for, since no scientist has visited the excavation site itself until now.

Her full name is “Raijoou Zvezda”, and she is a magic user too.

Adam reveals that they came to this forest to meet with Eve. This puts everyone on edge, especially given they were originally accompanied by soldiers. Seth pipes in then, trying to calm things down, alluding to not wanting things to be like the time of “the Witch of Merrigod” which leads to Raijoou accusing them of being on a witch hunt.

Seth says that Raijoou suspected them from the beginning— that she must have also known Horus was dead, which Raijoou confirms— she hasn’t been to the capitals, sure, but mages have their own information network using green onions.

Against Adam’s protestations that it should be him telling them, Seth explains what they’re doing there, introducing himself as Horus’ greatest apprentice (Adam says he just calls himself that on his own).

The explanation is as follows: Despite being called a kingdom, Levianta is little more than people assembled to follow the will of their gods, given that the very nation was founded around worshiping them and what they left behind. Thus, the leader must be someone who can hear the gods speak, a virgin maiden with high magical power.

Levianta is ruled by a queen, and they have several mechanisms from which to pick them; a special orphanage run by the Loop Octopus family, the Lighwatch temple run by the Asayev family, the research institute run by the Vaju family, etc. Whichever institution the next queen comes from, that family’s senate member becomes head of the senate. The current queen Alice is from the orphanage, hence why Gavriil is the only one able to interact with her, because he’s head of the senate.

The research institute is looking into ways to artificially create a new Queen/woman with extreme magical power and thus guarantee Vaju as next senate head—this is the “Next Queen Project”, which has involved women from all over participating to be this new queen’s mother. Seth insists these women participated voluntarily and were not kidnapped, despite rumors to the contrary.

So, the “Witch hunts” aren’t hunting witches to kill, but hunting witches to kidnap, which has happened recently. Seth explains that circumstances dictate they don’t have time to wait for volunteers—not on the Next Queen Project as Alice is still in her 40s and not close to death, but on the new project. Project “Ma”.

Raijoou dismisses “Ma” as just an old legend, the legend says that when disaster approaches the world, the two-headed dragon Levia-Behemo will be reborn as the “Twins of God”, and the woman who births them is the holy mother Mem Aleph, or “Ma”, despite Seth insisting that it’s all actually happening.

So, not only will the person who becomes Ma become queen, but whoever produces Ma will become head of the senate. Raijoou asks why Gavriil would give the research institute as many permissions as he has; command of their security, information, etc, knowing that if they succeed, he'll lose his seat to Vaju; Seth speculates that he must acknowledge that it’ll be hard to find “Ma” through his orphanage, and so figures that by collaborating with the research institute he’ll still be able to leverage some political influence after stepping down.

They came here searching for the “witch of the forest” rumored to appear in “The Forest of Held” to the south of this village. Supposedly, she does battle against the White Army attacking everyone here by using lightning and a blue spoon, and has green hair. They had the soldiers with them for protection- Eve wonders if they’re alright, but Adam assures her that while they can’t use magic, they’re all very skilled with swords and guns.

Eve already seems to have a crush on Adam.

Raijoou tells them that they’re mistaken— that this witch is not Eve. All the people in the village have magical power, and there are a lot of girls with green hair. While some people in the village are immigrants from elsewhere, Raijoou claims Eve is actually her adopted daughter. Her wife found her in a river, and they raised her as their own. She says that they should head to Held’s Forest for their search.

Seth then brings out a two-pronged iron rod— a Second Period device that can read someone’s magical potential… but he left the data output device in the other carriage. Adam requests usage of their carriage to head back over there and get it. Adam has magic too— enough to make the carriage run, at least.

Just then, Gammon arrives. He reports on what happened— they handled the situation quickly enough (it just took a while due to the higher numbers of attackers). He had his people go to the capital for reinforcements to go on the offensive against the White Army. Meanwhile, he’ll be doing the bodyguarding duties for Adam and Seth by himself. He has also brought over what they forgot in the carriage, meaning Seth can test Eve’s magic now.

The rod is connected to a box that beeps when he passes it before Eve, and also provides the readings numbers. Her “M” level is 72. Just a little stronger magically than the average person, not candidate levels. He tests it on Gammon, showing his level is 0. Raijoou’s level is 300, and Adam’s is about 200.

Eve is a little disappointed that she’s missed her chance to be a candidate, but then she knows her mother, who hates politics and only became chieftain because someone had to do it, would never let her join. She loves her mother, but doesn’t mean there aren’t things she’s dissatisfied with about that.

Scene 4

Seth heads to get treatment at a hospital in the 12 capitals just to be safe, while Gammon and Adam stay in Nemu for a while to look for the Witch of the Forest, with Eve acting as their guide and transportation to Held’s forest, paying her a lot to do it. She takes them to some of the villages in the forest that she knows, and they also go around places where the witch is rumored to be. No luck.

One day they’re heading along when the weather turns cloudy, and seems likely to rain so Adam suggests they turn in early.

According to his information, the witch appears to help people attacked by the White Army. Those saved forget what she looks like afterwards, though, save for the green hair, that she’s a woman, and she uses a spoon to fire lightning. Adam speculates that this witch can manipulate people’s minds, Eve brushes it off jokingly, saying if she had that power she’d use it to make herself queen.

Eve is almost 20 at this point, Adam just over 20.

Adam doesn’t know much of magic— he only recently learned of his high potential. While they are chatting, Gammon is just looking at their surroundings quietly. Eve’s internal monologue notes how much easier Adam is to get along with and that he doesn’t look down on her like some 12 capital people do.

Adam used to live somewhere west of the capitals, by the coast. But as he wandered the country on his own, Horus Solntse showed up one day and took Adam under his wing. He says his only mother figure was a blur under the ocean waves. Eve speculates that this was an incarnation of a forest spirit.

Eve recounts a time when the loneliness of not knowing her true parents led to her running out into the forest at night. She got lost, and came to a stop crying. Then, a fearsome bear appeared (it starts raining). Eve pulls up her skirt to show Adam a scar on her thigh (which flusters him initially because why wouldn’t it). The bear, probably hungry, attacked her. Just then, all the forest animals attacked the bear at once, driving it off. Since then she hasn’t seen a bear in the forest. She figures the forest spirits are protecting her now. This is something she’s hardly ever told anyone else.

Adam’s about to say something, but they suddenly hear an explosion from the direction of Nemu. And they see smoke rising from it. A White Army comes out from the trees, circling the carriage and trapping them. They are led by a woman. She is the “White Fiend of Jakoku”, Raisa Netsuma. Raisa says this is a test of her “Second Regiment”.

Raisa urges her strange-looking army to be careful, as Gammon is a skilled fighter and they are with the “Witch of the Forest”, meaning Eve. Eve denies this— Raisa doesn’t believe her, and charges with a long and narrow weapon wreathed in crimson flame.

Eve coldly takes out her mother’s spoon. She recites the “Medvedi ubit” spell, which sends lightning at Raisa and all her underlings, leaving the forest and its animals, as well as Adam and Gammon, untouched. Raisa is the only one who does not fall. Gammon goes to catch her before she can escape.

The village is still burning. Eve starts the carriage to go save them, but Adam thinks it’s too dangerous, as their main forces will be there. Gammon tosses Adam the sword that Raisa was using to defend himself with, as he has to stay with Raisa.

The people of Nemu were once a famous group of shamans and mages, so it’s unlikely they’re being killed so easily. Still, they head there as fast as they can.

Scene 5

Eve is the Witch of the Forest after all. She isn’t too burnt up over Adam finding out, given that he’s clearly trustworthy and doesn’t mean her harm. And being queen doesn’t sound like a bad thing, though she’d need her mother’s permission, and she’s not the kind to go against her wishes.

Nemu is burning, under attack by figures in red cloaks. Adam realizes, to his horror, that these are the Witch of Merrigod’s forces, the “Red Devotees”. She was once a “Ma” candidate, but the senate and the institute deemed her too evil to be made queen.

The figures circle the carriage as it arrives. Eve demands to know where the villagers are, but they all stare at her blankly out of the shadows. She prepares to strike, but the men part to let a red-garbed woman walk through— the Witch of Merrigod, Meta Salmhofer. She has a very adult air to her, but in terms of actual age she looks younger than Eve. Meta makes an offhand comment that Raisa is an Inheritor of Vlad. 

Adam quietly notes that this explains the White Army they just saw— instead a white army made of the albino Netsuma Clan, Raisa had risen a white army of the dead, who lacked blood. Her earlier remarks make more sense.

Meta claims she’s not attacking this place because of the White Army, but rather, among other reasons that she doesn’t elaborate, to get revenge on the institute and Adam for “making a fool of her”.

Eve asks where everyone is, and Meta points to Eve’s house, telling her to go look. Eve heads that way with Adam. They find her mother in the garden, naked, covered in wounds, and crucified on a big cross that was erected there, already dead. She’s surrounded by the other men of the village, who are standing lifeless just like the Red Devotees.

Eve is horrified and confused as to how this happened, given her mother’s power. Adam explains that Meta is an inheritor of Gilles, and as such has the power to control men— she probably used the village men to attack Raijoou, and she, not wanting to hurt them, couldn’t properly defend herself.

Eve wants to go attack Meta, but Adam points out she’ll use the villagers to get in the way as human shields. They’re about to head to regroup with Gammon when they hear reinforcements from the capital arrive.

They came to meet up with Gammon, but as they were already there they fought against the Red Devotees. Meta and her forces withdrew, including, unfortunately, the men of the village. When the fires have been put out, they find the corpses of all the village’s women piled up in a cattle pen.

Eve goes with Adam to the capital. She has nowhere else to go.

Scene 6

Asmouse is one of the 12 cities that makes up the capital. It’s run by senator Ceci Vaju, and it has the strongest historical backdrop to it. Vaju is himself a descendant of those who first started discovering the Second Period stuff. He founded the research institute using permissions from the previous queen. Horus, who became the head, was a friend of his.

In addition to all the technological advancements of researching Second Period Legacy technology, they are also researching how to create people with magical power— that is to say, the “Next Queen Project”. But Horus died of illness before it could be realized. Hence Adam taking over.

Eve doesn’t care about any of that. The only thing that matters is that she’s an “Ma” candidate.

Adam gives her some coffee, which isn’t common outside the capital to try and calm her down— Eve seems restless and uncomfortable. She’s wearing bands on her arms and legs connected to a big box; the chair she’s sitting in is also part of the machine. that will help them properly quantify her magical ability like a larger version of the device they used in Nemu. It turns out that her spoon can both seal and amplify a user’s magical ability, apparently it was originally her late mother’s, so that’s why the earlier reading was inaccurate.

Adam runs the machine; Eve notes that it makes her feel queasy at first. It takes roughly an hour to run properly— they don’t have to run it nonstop but she can’t leave the chair until it’s over. She decides to pass the time by asking Adam about Meta.

Adam explains that Meta is from Merrigod, far further east than Nemu, which is used as a citadel for the dangerous organization “Apocalypse”, of which the “Red Devotees” and “White Armies” are simply different units of their forces. Some say they’re looking to overthrow the nation, while others say they’re just criminals. They are led by Pale Noel, and Meta is his girlfriend. They know almost nothing about Pale— even him being a man isn’t set in stone.

Adam, Seth, and some other researchers headed to Merrigod, backed by Gammon and his security unit. But things went wrong, and it turned into a battlefield. The researchers hadn’t wanted that, but Apocalypse and the security force (i.e., Gammon) did. The battle failed— Meta used her powers to control the security force, and there was infighting. Adam and Seth were the only researchers who survived, which is why even now the institute is short-staffed.

Eve asks what an inheritor is. Adam says it’s someone with supernatural powers, different from magic. Like Raisa and her undead army; they had originally thought that it was magic, but the only magic used by the Netsuma clan is the “fire arts”. They don’t know the source of inheritor abilities though, research into it is being undertaken by the Lighwatch temple run by Yegor Asayev. Adam doesn’t know much more than that, other than that they’re divided up into classifications like “Gilles” and “Vlad”, named after the godkin.

Adam is getting Eve hooked on coffee. She finds it too bitter but can’t stop drinking it.

Eve asks what the senate will do about Apocalypse— he says that according to what Gammon told him, they won’t do anything. They view it as little more than a fringe organization as it hasn’t attacked the capital much), and not worth the manpower it would take to get rid of them. Eve understands why her mom hated politics so much.

Adam says that’s why she should become ruler, going to write something down. The machine is still processing, but already her score is higher than her mother’s was. She seems unsure, noting that she’s just a simple girl from a village, but he reassures her. This leads to a sweet moment between them, confirming they don’t dislike each other. This is probably a point where he’s faking his affection to make her easier to manipulate, however as this chapter is from Eve’s perspective there’s no way to tell.

Adam knows enough swordplay to defend himself.

They still have Raisa’s oddly shaped sword. Raisa herself is in jail right now. Adam speculates that even if she fully recovers from Eve’s attack, she’ll likely be executed. Eve reflects for a moment on how much evil there is in the world despite her work as Witch of the Forest, and what she’ll need to defeat it.

Several days later, Raisa escapes from prison, likely with the help of a collaborator. Meanwhile, Eve’s M number exceeds 350, which is more than enough for her to be an “Ma” candidate.

Scene 7

Eve has to take a “Queen Test”— basically a formality, a ritual to get her accepted by the current queen as a successor. She and Adam are discussing this as they walk through Asmouse. Only the queen knows what this entails.

Having high magical power, in this country, signifies that one is closely related to the gods. The position of Queen used to be hereditary, but then the fifth queen couldn’t have children. So she declared that having strong magic was a sign of the gods’ favor. Conversely, those who don’t have magic were said to be unloved by the gods; there’s no actual persecution for that, but advancement for such people became harder. As such, those with magic became able to vie for the throne. Adam learned all this from Horus after he was adopted.

There was no school in Nemu, and Eve had no need for an education there, outside of which berries were poisonous and how to use magic and so on), so this is all new information to her. Adam says he’ll tutor her on all this stuff.

He takes her to a red-walled building— it turns out to be a shop for dining utensils for her to use. She notices a red glass, and is told what glass is by the old man running the shop (same as with us, but it can only be made by a legacy piece in Asmouse, and colored glass in particular is a rarity). It’s expensive— Adam says she won’t need it, as it’s a wine glass and she doesn’t drink wine. She says she’ll drink coffee out of it, and so he buys it for her. They buy some other things and then leave.

Eve needs clothes, too— she needs a lot of new things. Adam’s not hurting for money as the head of the institute, so he buys them for her, saying she can pay him back when she’s queen, very certain she’ll succeed. He says that since the moment they first met, he felt like they already knew each other. She does too.

Scene 8

Not even a month has passed, and they’ve fallen in love. They’re similar in age, get along, and are living together. Adam’s the first attractive, both intellectually and otherwise, guy that Eve’s actually been around. Of course, this gets her worried, because one of the conditions of being queen is to be a virgin maiden.

Adam reassures her that while it might be hard for them to be together publicly, he’ll always be by her side. She wonders how, given only the head of the senate can see her— he stumbles for a moment before saying he’ll maneuver things so Gammon becomes head of the senate, and he’ll be able to change that law to make things easier on them.

Adam has her drink more coffee, which, when she drinks it, makes all her worries go away—she’s basically addicted to it, and then promises that they’ll get married in secret when this is all over. Eve suggests Held’s forest— as soon as they’ve gotten rid of all the “evil” that’s made it dangerous right now.

Scene 9

A week later, Eve is called to the Round Hall in Alicegrad. She is greeted by Gavriil— they’re about to set up the trial. They are then greeted by a woman with streaked blonde hair in a long white robe over a gray dress, accompanied by a short middle aged man, who is Hugen Asayev, Yegor’s older brother. She is another candidate for queen (which shocks Eve, which Hugen mocks her for)— her name is Zellana Chirclatia, a priestess of Lighwatch temple.

Gavriil and Hugen bicker a little bit. As a note, Yegor apparently went missing very suddenly before this, abandoning his post and leaving Hugen in charge. Zellana questions Eve on being from Held’s forest, noting an “evil god” lives there. The people of Levianta saw Held as an evil god, but the people of the forest, and likewise, Nemu, saw it as a guardian deity. Eve is more inclined to believe Held is not evil, so she holds her tongue. She’s never seen the giant tree Held resides in herself due to her work taking her elsewhere with little downtime, though she made time every week to give him her thanks. The area with Held in it is inside the border of another country, and Leviantan citizens aren’t allowed to cross the border without permission.

Zellana is a bit pompous, boasting about the training she’s received as a priestess and that Lighwatch priestesses are able to remove the wickedness from someone’s heart. Eve almost brings up that she has brainwashing powers, but thinks better of it, as she knows it’s a power that frightens people more than the lightning and hasn’t even told Adam of it yet.

Gavriil reminds them all that this is serious business and a holy ritual, and they back down.

Scene 10

Eve goes first, heading to the Temple of Levia-Behemo where the queen lives. When she passes through the large door on the “First Wall” that only the senate are allowed to pass through, she sees a field of flowers— a garden in the center of Alicegrad. There’s a white building in the center of that— the temple. It’s small, about the size of the house she lived in in Nemu, which disappoints her. Inside is a dim space with four plain white walls. She walks forward and smacks her forehead into a glass wall.

This is a maze, made of glass walls, the “Hall of Glass”. Eve makes her way through carefully, growing more disoriented as she does. She calls out, but there’s no reply— though as she goes deeper inside, she sees a humanoid figure in a white dress sitting in a wheelchair. But the air feels like it’s getting thinner. By the time she reaches the queen, she collapses before she can get a good look at her face.

Scene 11

The first scene is of Neoeve and Neoadam after the end of the world, looking out over all the souls on the world’s ruined surface from inside the Clocktower.

In the scene, when he tells her the world is ruined, she asks if they can return everything to how it was—he says all they can do is do everything over again, putting his hand in his chest. Everything becomes white and disappears.

The next scene is Eve’s showdown with Elluka at the end of the sloth novel. As Elluka starts the body swap thing, Eve realizes that Elluka is the one who destroyed the world. As the light spreads, Elluka transforms into a large monster— one that appears both like a dragon and like a bear. Somehow.

The next scene is Eve in the cabin with Adam, noting he looks like the boy in the first vision but also someone else. They’re making food. The door opens and a cute boy and girl, her precious children, come home. Before she can greet them, everything goes dark.

It isn’t clear if these are memories, hallucinations, or future visions. If not evidence of a time loop, Eve has some way to perceive the future here, albeit in a fragmented fashion.

Scene 12

Eve wakes up in the middle of a conversation with Gavriil in the Round Hall, with no idea what she was talking about. Gavriil confirms that she is indeed the next queen, as she was able to meet with the current one and hear the voice of God— or see, more accurately. It seems she had related to him her vision, which he took to be future events.

Hugen is heading back to Lighwatch, with Zellana’s corpse in tow. Gavriil speculates that Eve’s lack of memory is a side-effect from receiving a revelation for the first time. After Eve went, Zellana also entered the Hall of Glass— then she was found running out of the “First Wall”’s door, screaming like a madwoman. She fell unconscious and then died, evidently unable to handle the ritual. Unworthy candidates face “Divine Punishment”, apparently. Everyone knows this. Except Eve.

Anyway, now it’s back to the institute to be impregnated with the divine seed. Eve has a ton of questions but she’s too exhausted to ask them. She’s also a little pissed at Adam for not telling her that the ritual was so dangerous.

Scene 13

Eve is lying on a table in the institute. Adam tells her she has nothing to worry about, but she knows now that he lies sometimes though she hasn’t pressed him on the ritual business. Still, after some conflict she convinces herself that he wouldn’t have sent her into danger if he’d known how bad it was. She’s afraid that their relationship will be over if she stops believing in him. She knows it’s stupid but she loves him.

Adam explains that the ark Sin is underneath the temple. It’s called the Dark Legacy because supposedly the Sin has the power to both save the world and destroy it—and the gods are trying to descend to the world through Project Ma in order to stop their power from running wild and doing just that.

Adam pulls up a cylinder with a cloudy liquid inside— he says this is the “Divine Seed”, which is taken from Sin, and is part of the gods’ body. He’s going to implant it into her to get her pregnant. Eve is nervous, but excited too— she thinks that the twins that she saw in her vision are the ones she’ll give birth to, and is eager to meet them.

She starts to conk out from the anesthesia. He tells her when she wakes up, she’ll be pregnant, and to “Sleep well, sleep princess”. “after this is over let’s get married at Held’s forest”. End chapter.

[fyrapartnersearch]

Long term M/M roleplays

Hey! I’m Kat, and looking for some more roleplays. I’m in my early twenties, so no worries there, and I’m in the GMT+3 time-zone, though I tend to be up at odd hours and I’m often online.

I mainly want to roleplay M/M right now. I tend to write multi-para and more often than not my replies are 700+ words. I don’t mind shorter replies, as long as I get at least a few good sized paragraphs and correct spelling/grammar. Mistakes happen and that’s fine, but I don’t want to read something with no punctuation and that’s nothing but mistakes.

Also please read this whole thing before sending me a message!! I ask you don’t just send “wanna RP?”, because I won’t know unless you tell me something you had in mind: a plot, an idea of mine you liked, anything really.

As for smut, I adore it. I don’t want to write only smut for now, but anything from 20/80 to 80/20 on plot/smut ratio is good for me. Just tell me if you want more plot or smut.

In M/M smut I prefer playing a submissive/bottom character. I can play a dominant character, but I don’t enjoy it so I wish you’ll be willing to play an exclusively dominant role.

What I like:

- Medieval/historical settings (especially ancient Egypt/Rome/Greece) - Forbidden love - Arranged marriage - Lots and lots of drama and dark themes - But also fluffy scenes and cute/happy moments - Mpreg (not a must at all, if you’re not into it) - Supernatural beings (werewolves, vampires, demons, gods etc.) - Omega verse - Role reversal (such as, for example, a bully getting himself in a situation where the bullied has complete control)

I’m rather reserved when it comes to modern day settings, but I can do those as well if there’s a lot of action and drama involved. I prefer a plot-heavy story in modern setting though.

Pairings I’d like to try: (Dom/sub)

- Warlord/prince - King or prince/prince in an arranged marriage setting - Pirate or thief/nobility - Samurai/geisha - Nobility/prostitute - Servant/nobility or royalty - Guard/nobility or royalty - Bullied/Bully - Nerd/popular student - Stepbrothers - Demon/angel - Poor guy/rich guy in an Victorian era/early 20th century setting - Mage/human (yes I have just finished rewatching all Harry Potter movies lol) - Werewolf/human - Professor/student

And many more fun things, but I can’t remember everything off the top of my head. Feel free to suggest anything, really. I’m also very much into playing femboys/crossdressing characters, though if that’s not your thing I can do other kinds of characters as well. I know it’s a concern for many with these kinds of characters, so I’ll promise my characters are never the “I-can-do-nothing-on-my-own-and-will-cry-at-the-drop-of-a-hat-and-whine-the-rest-of-the-time” blushing virgin, maiden in distress types. No need to worry about that.

I am busy a lot, so I might not always have time to reply every day or even every other day, but I try to be as active as I can. Feel free to poke me if it takes more than a week or so though.

A few plot ideas: (MC = my character, YC = your character)

1) Insipred by the TV show “Lucifer”. YC is the Devil himself, ruler of Hell, the first fallen angel. He has grown tired of the same old tortured souls and fires of damnation scenery though and decides it’s time to visit Earth for a bit. A notorious playboy, seducer to sin, the owner of one of the hottest nightclubs in town is the image he creates for himself among humans. He grants wishes in exchange to favours and soon enough everyone knows of him. MC is a struggling student, or someone who has just graduated and can’t get on in life, and as a last resort goes to see YC. YC takes an immidiate liking to him, and initial fascination quickly turns into something more… human. Love, maybe? Suddenly YC has to make a choice of whether or not he’ll reveal who he truly is to the innocent human he has fallen for.

2) Once upon a time MC and YC were lovers, young and oh, so in love. They were happy together, planning their future, until one day YC disappeared without a trace and MC never saw him again. Until 10 years later; YC has inherited a large fortune from his uncle who had no family of his own, and one lonely evening he heads to a brothel to ease his longing for company. There, much to his shock, he is reunited with MC who is a shell of what he once was. The bubbly, social human, always so full of life, has turned into someone with a haunted look in his eyes and a deep distrust for other people. Not able to leave MC there, YC buys him from the brothel and takes him home. Now he needs to decide what to do with him. (Historical setting)

3) (Omega verse, preferably mpreg included) MC is a rare kind of a shifter, an omega desired by many. He was born in a different kind of a prison: to a man who breeds only the best omegas for the royalty. He and the other omegas he lives with have never seen the outside world. They are kept safe behind locks in the innermost monastery on the castle grounds, where there’s no chance of them getting out on their own. They are given to the harems of the royal family, or occasionally bought by the wealthies of the wealthy. But MC wants more, he wants independence and a life of his own, rather than a life dedicated to fawning over an alpha with an ego big enough as it is. YC is an alpha who has made a considerable contribution to the kingdom (could be anything from being an honored soldier to being a famous artist, whatever you come up with) and who is being gifted one of these rare omegas by the royal family themselves. On his visit to the monastery to choose one of them, he takes a liking to MC, the spiteful little thing who can’t seem to know when to shut up and who won’t bat his lashes and swoon at everything YC does. It seems like MC will be getting a new home.

4) MC is a shifter (species can be discussed and decided on later) who has been separated from his pack and survived alone for a while now. He gets caught in the middle of a fight between YC’s pack and YC’s rival pack, and after - possibly accidentally - saving YC’s life he is accepted into the pack. Some time passes, YC and MC grow closer, the suspicions some had about MC fade and MC feels he’s starting to belong in a pack again, when he finds out his old pack has merged with YC’s rival pack. Now he’ll have to choose whether he is loyal to his new, or his old pack. (I would prefer this had mpreg, but again not a necessity)

5) YC is a shapeshifter, the leader of a clan of dragons. Dragons have long ago been thought extinct, but the truth is there are still some clans left. The problem is, with the dominant personalities of dragons, it’s quite difficult to find a mate or a breeding partner. YC thinks to look for the solution outside the clan, to make humans their child-bearers. He picks MC as the first test subject. (Includes Mpreg)

6) Two countries have been at war since the beginning of time, as long as anyone can remember. All boys who come of age must join the army and go to war. MC knows he could not survive the war - he’s never touched a sword in his life, never hurt anyone. He’s not physically strong nor does he have any knowledge of fighting. His family has already died because of the war, leaving him alone on a small farm. So, to avoid having to go, just before coming of age MC started disguising himself as a woman. For some years it has worked out well, he’s lived his life peacefully on his little farm, until the enemy forces take the city just outside of which MC lives. YC is a high ranking officer (or the king) who takes an interest in MC, thinking he is a woman. Now MC must figure out what to do with the peculiar situation he finds himself in.

7) (A rare futuristic plotline I’ve been dying to do since I watched Black Mirror; Nosedive) People want good ratings on their pictures, on their posts and videos - on themselves. Everyone has a technological chip inserted into their eyes when they’re born that lets them see how other people are rated. Only the “best” humans in society are rated 9 or higher overall - 5 or lower makes life Hell on Earth for a person. Anyone can rate anyone on their phones every time they interact in person. One’s rating has a tremendous impact on their lives; whether they get the job they want, whether they can apply to a certain school, even whether or not they can buy a house in a certain neighborhood… this system makes creating deep relationships nearly impossible, because people are too afraid to show who they really are in fear of being rated badly. MC is the youngest son of a well-off family, an ideal family where everyone is rated 8.9 or higher, loved by most people. YC is from a family who have never much cared about the system. They are decently rated, but they don’t seem to care - what they care about is the honestly and real human relationships that are so hard to find nowadays. When MC and YC meet, MC is intrigued, but YC thinks MC is an empty shell only after numbers just like everyone else. Eventually, feelings start to develop between the two, but there are many problems to overcome, especially in their society. That’s it for now. I’m always happy to hear any ideas you might have as well, and all the ideas above can be modified or changed up a little!

My e-mail: kat_vainio@outlook.com

Anyway, hope to hear from you soon!!

[troybeecham]

Today, the Church commemorates the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

The Presentation of Jesus at (or in) the Temple is an early episode in the life of Jesus, describing his presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem in order to officially induct him into Judaism, that is celebrated by many Christian Churches on the holiday of Candlemas. It is described in the Gospel of Luke of the New Testament in the Christian Bible. Within the account, "Luke's narration of the Presentation in the Temple combines the purification rite with the Jewish ceremony of the redemption of the firstborn (Luke 2:23–24)."

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Presentation of Jesus at the temple is celebrated as one of the twelve Great Feasts, and is sometimes called Hypapante (Ὑπαπαντή, = "Meeting" in Greek). In Western Christianity, the additional name for the Service the day, Candlemas, is added. This Feast-day is also known as the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin or the Meeting of the Lord. In some liturgical churches, Vespers (or Compline) on the Feast of the Presentation marks the end of the Epiphany season. In the Church of England, the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple is a Principal Feast celebrated either on 2 February or on the Sunday between 28 January and 3 February. In the Catholic Church, especially since the time of Pope Gelasius I (492-496) who in the fifth century contributed to its expansion, the Presentation is celebrated on 2 February and is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.

The event is described in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22–40). According to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the Infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days (inclusive) after his birth to complete Mary's ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn son, in obedience to the Torah (Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12–15, etc.). Luke explicitly says that Joseph and Mary take the option provided for poor people (those who could not afford a lamb; Leviticus 12:8), sacrificing "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." Leviticus 12:1–4 indicates that this event should take place forty days after birth for a male child, hence the Presentation is celebrated forty days after Christmas.

Upon bringing Jesus into the temple, they encountered Simeon. The Gospel records that Simeon had been promised that "he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:26). Simeon then uttered the prayer that would become known as the Nunc Dimittis, or Canticle of Simeon, which prophesied the redemption of the world by Jesus:

“Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29–32).

Simeon then prophesied to Mary: "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:34–35).

The elderly prophetess Anna was also in the Temple, and offered prayers and praise to God for Jesus, and spoke to everyone there of His importance to redemption in Jerusalem (Luke 2:36–38).

Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

[mattchase82]

THE SEVEN SORROWS DEVOTION APPROVED BY POPE PIUS VII IN 1815

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Daily Prayers for Lent

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This format was approved by Pope Pius VII in 1815

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V. O God, come to my assistance

R. O Lord, make haste to help me

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

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(The Hail Mary is prayed a total of seven times: once after each of the seven prayers.)

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Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art art Thou among women and blessed be the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen

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[For the First Sorrow - The Prophecy of Simeon:]

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I grieve for Thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the affliction of Thy tender heart at the prophecy of the holy and aged Simeon. Dear Mother, by Thy heart so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God

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Hail Mary, etc.

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[For the Second Sorrow – The Flight Into Egypt:]

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I grieve for Thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of Thy most affectionate heart during the flight into Egypt and Thy sojourn there. Dear Mother, by Thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially toward the poor, and the gift of piety.

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Hail Mary, etc.

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[For the Third Sorrow – The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple:]

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I grieve for Thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in those anxieties which tried thy troubled heart at the loss of Thy dear Jesus. Dear Mother, by Thy heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge.

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Hail Mary, etc.

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[For the Fourth Sorrow- Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary:]

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I grieve for Thee, O Mary most sorrowful in the consternation of Thy heart at meeting Jesus as He carried His Cross. Dear Mother, by Thy heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude.

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Hail Mary, etc.

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[For the Fifth Sorrow- Jesus Dies on the Cross:]

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I grieve for Thee O Mary, most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which Thy generous heart endured in standing near Jesus in His agony on the Cross. Dear Mother, by Thy afflicted heart, obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel.

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Hail Mary, etc.

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[For the Sixth Sorrow- Mary Receives Jesus:]

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I grieve for Thee, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of Thy compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance and His Heart was pierced before His body was removed from the Cross. Dear Mother, by Thy heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding.

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Hail Mary, etc.

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[For the Seventh Sorrow- Jesus is Placed in the Tomb:]

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I grieve for Thee, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched thy most loving heart at the burial of Jesus. Dear Mother, by Thy heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom.

Hail Mary, etc.

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After the seven prayers, we conclude with the following:

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V. Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful

R. That we made be worthy of the promises of Christ

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Let us Pray

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Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the Throne of Thy mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter Passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.

The Blessed Virgin Mary revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373) that seven graces are granted to the souls who honor Her daily by saying seven Hail Mary's and meditating on Her tears and dolors.

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1) I will grant peace to their families.

2) They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.

3) I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.

4) I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.

5) I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.

6) I will visibly help them at the moment of their death, they will see the face of their Mother.

7) I have obtained (This Grace) from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.

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St. Alphonsus Liguori testifies to complementary revelations given by Our Lord to St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) where Jesus further promises four special graces to those dedicated to the sufferings of the co-redeeming Mother:

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1. That those who before death invoke the Blessed Mother in the name of her sorrows, should obtain true repentance of all their sins.

2. That He would protect in their tribulations all who remember this devotion, and that He would protect them especially at the hour of death.

3. That He would impress upon their minds the remembrance of His Passion, and that they should have their reward for it in Heaven.

4. That He would commit such devout clients to the hands of Mary, so that she might obtain for these souls all the graces she wanted to lavish upon them.

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THE SAINTS ON DEVOTION TO OUR LADY'S SORROWS

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St. Albert the Great said, “that as we are under great obligations to Jesus for His Passion endured for our love, so also are we under great obligations to Mary for the martyrdom which She voluntarily suffered for our salvation in the death of Her Son.”

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“While other martyrs suffered by sacrificing their own lives, the Blessed Virgin suffered by sacrificing Her Son’s life a life that She loved far more than Her own; so that She not only suffered in Her soul all that Her Son endured in His body, but moreover the sight of Her Son’s torments brought more grief to Her heart than if She had endured them all in Her own person.”

(St. Antoninus)

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“The Passion of Jesus began with His birth. So also did Mary, in all things like unto Her Son, endure Her martyrdom throughout Her life.” (St. Bernard)

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“The grief of Mary was so great that, were it divided amongst all men, it would suffice to cause their immediate death.”

(St. Bernardine of Sienna)

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“The Blessed Virgin Mary, for the love She bore us, was willing to see Her Son sacrificed to Divine Justice by the barbarity of men. This great torment, then, which Mary endured for us a torment that was more than a thousand deaths deserves both our compassion and our gratitude. If we can make no other return for so much love, at least let us give a few moments this day to consider the greatness of the sufferings by which Mary became the Queen of martyrs; for the sufferings of Her great martyrdom exceeded those of all the martyrs; being, in the first place, the longest in point of duration; and in the second place, the greatest in point of intensity.”

(St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

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Our Lord once said to Blessed Veronica of Binasco: "My daughter, the tears which you shed in compassion for My sufferings are pleasing to Me, but bear in mind that on account of My infinite love for My Mother, the tears you shed in compassion for her sufferings are still more precious."

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In her autobiography, St. Teresa of Avila reported the following:

“He Our Lord said to me, that when He rose again He showed Himself to Our Lady, because She was in great trouble; for sorrow had so pierced Her soul that She did not even recover Herself at once in order to have the fruition of that joy. By this I saw how different was my piercing. But what must that of the Virgin have been? He Our Lord remained long with Her then because it was necessary to console Her.”

[pamphletstoinspire]

August Is The Month Dedicated To The Immaculate Heart Of Mary - MARY'S GIFT OF THE GREEN SCAPULAR

The Green Scapular or Scapular of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is, like the Miraculous Medal, a gift of our Blessed Mother to the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.

On November 27, 1839, Justine Bisqueyburu, destined by Providence to make known this devotion, entered the Novitiate of the Daughters of Charity, 140 Rue du Bac, Paris. On January 28,1840, during her first retreat, the young sister was favored with a celestial vision. Our Lady appeared to her clothed in a long white robe over which hung a bright blue mantle. In her hands she held her Heart, from the top of which issued brilliant rays. The same apparition was repeated four or five times during her novitiate. This favor seemed to have no other end than to increase in the Sister herself tender devotion to Mary Immaculate.

Clothed with the habit, on September 8, 1840, feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, Sister Bisqueyburu was favored during prayer with an apparition of the Mother of God, who held in her right hand her Heart surrounded by flames, and in her left a sort of scapular, consisting of a single piece of green cloth suspended from a cord of the same color. On one side was a picture of the Blessed Virgin as she had shown herself in the apparitions; on the other, a Heart all inflamed with rays more brilliant than the sun, and clearer than crystal. This heart pierced with a sword was surrounded by an oval inscription, surmounted by a cross. The inscription read:

"Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death."

At the same time an interior voice revealed to the Sister the meaning of this vision. She understood that this new Scapular, through the medium of the Sisters of Charity, would contribute to the conversion of those who have no faith, and above all, procure for them a happy death, and that it should be distributed with confidence. As the scapular was distributed, wonderful conversions and some bodily cures were produced.

The Scapular is not the badge of a confraternity but simply a double image attached to a single piece of cloth and suspended from a cord. The Blessed Virgin declared to her faithful servant that no special formula of blessing was necessary. It suffices that it be blessed by a priest and worn by the one for whom it is intended. It may be placed in the clothing, on the bed, or simply in the room. The only prayer to be recited is the inscription surrounding the heart on the reverse of the Scapular:

"Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death."

This should be repeated daily, if not by the one wearing it, by the one giving it. The Scapular may be distributed everywhere. Although wonderful graces are attached to it, they are proportionate to the confidence with which it is given. The Green Scapular was twice approved by Pope Pius IX, in 1863, and again in 1870 when he said:

"Write to these good Sisters that I authorize them to make and distribute it."

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE GREEN SCAPULAR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

Rev. Leo Steinbach

When I first came in contact with this devotion, I read an explanation which seemed to give the impression that it was intended only for lax Christians. I thought it might be useless for me since I had very little contact with Christians, be they good, bad or indifferent. My contacts were mostly with Buddhists and Shintoists whom I was trying to christianize. However I put a few scapulars in my pocket and decided to try one out. That very day I went to a nearby hospital where I discovered a non-Christian woman patient who had been unconscious for 10 days previously. The doctor explained to me that she would very probably die within three days without regaining consciousness. He and a nurse escorted me to the room. I addressed the sick woman but she gave no indication whatsoever that she understood a word I was saying. Thereupon I took a green scapular from my pocket, applied it to her forehead and repeated the invocation, "Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death."

And what happened? The woman immediately regained consciousness, joined her hands and very devoutly asked God to forgive her sins. I was amazed. The doctor and the nurse both non-Christians were also flabbergasted. I immediately instructed and baptized the dying patient that same day much to her joy. She remained perfectly conscious for three days more during which time she very devoutly received Holy Viaticum. She breathed her last while praying to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

News of this double miracle spread rapidly. People kept asking me for green scapulars and since I only had a couple dozen which I had received from an army chaplain and since I had no means of replenishing my supply, I started to lend my remaining scapulars with a proviso that they be returned after three days. I did this in order to help as many people as possible. Meanwhile a Catholic newspaper reporter helped me procure the necessary materials and we began making them. During the past 25 years we have made and distributed many tens of thousands to people living all over Japan. We have also sent quite a number to the United States, Brazil, Paraguay, Korea and Indonesia. A Catholic magazine here in Japan published an explanation of the green scapular about a year ago and we have been receiving requests daily ever since. On one single day we received 140 letters and we try to fulfill each request promptly. We never charge for them nor do we ask for postage. However we have never been in debt. Grateful people send us donations which cover the cost of materials and postage.

It is edifying to read the letters of gratitude. Many people report spiritual blessings and there have been miraculous cures too of almost every type of human ailment including blindness, deafness, cancer, tuberculosis, high blood pressure, rheumatism, arthritis etc. Luke-warm Catholics and non-Catholics seem to receive more favors than good practicing Catholics.

An 80-year-old non-Christian lady said she would like to visit the church in her vicinity but she was unable to walk because of arthritis. Every winter both her ankles and wrists were swollen and very painful. She was given a green scapular which she applied daily but since she could not remember the prayer she merely asked the Mother of Christ for help. Within a few days she was completely cured. After a brief instruction and Baptism, she attended mass daily and always received Holy Communion. She kept up this habit for two years until she was called to her reward. During this interval she converted her aged friend who lived just across the street from her home and she had the happiness of being her godmother. Her good husband, a staunch Shintoist, also treasured his green scapular but no one could induce him to become a Christian. However, just three days before he died, he had a change of heart. He died very happily after receiving the sacraments.

The owner of a fleet of 60 taxis in Kyoto asked his pastor to bless his vehicles on New Year's Day, whereupon he presented each of his drivers a new green scapular. He encouraged them, although they are non-Christians, to recite the prayer at least once a day. During the year there were just a few bent fenders but there were no accidents that caused a personal injury. The Blessed Mother is never invoked in vain. Her prayers are powerful. Japanese "kamikaze" drivers moving at a high speed in all kinds of weather, day and night, are very grateful to their Protectress.

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 11/2/20

Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey, Vol. 5 | By Akiko Higashimura | Seven Seas – It shouldn’t take most readers by surprise that the final volume of Blank Canvas is heart-rending, but even knowing that it will be doesn’t lessen the manga’s impact; Higashimura utilizes a masterful combination of humor, honesty, and heartbreak. Blank Canvas captures so incredibly well the complexity and multifaceted nature of people, their feelings, and their relationships. The series is in large part about Higashimura’s growth as an artist and as an individual, especially the influence of one person particularly important to her development, but through the process of the manga’s creation it’s also an opportunity for her to confront some of the regrets in her life. In Higashimura’s own words, “As an adult, I have complicated thoughts about my younger self.” Blank Canvas allows Higashimura to come to terms with some of those thoughts and “what ifs” while honoring the memories of her teacher, mentor, and fellow artist Kenzou Hidaka. – Ash Brown

Fly Me to the Moon, Vol. 1 | By Kenjiro Hata | Viz Media – The new series from the Hayate the Combat Butler creator spends much of its first time watching the intelligent but extremely flaky Nasa hero overreact to nearly everything, and his savior and then wife be bafflingly mysterious. Tsukasa reads like an odd cross between Hinagiku and Athena, and I was rather surprised that we got to the end of the first volume without really understanding much about her. The series is somewhat cute and fun, though a lot of the humor beats will be familiar to Hayate fans, and there are some of the usual pop culture references as well. This got an anime, so I assume more will make sense later, but for the moment this is a first volume that qualifies as “good.” – Sean Gaffney

My Next Life As a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Vol. 4 | By Satoru Yamaguchi and Nami Hidaka | Seven Seas – The manga has the unfortunate problem, which the other volumes did not, of coming out after the anime series. As such, there’s not really much in this book that you had not already seen before. In fact, it might seem a bit rushed compared to the anime. But it hits the high points—everyone begging Katarina to wake up, her dreamscape of her past life with A-chan, stopping and saving Raphael, and finally being the most oblivious dork in the world, as Maria blatantly confesses to her and she STILL doesn’t get it. Fortunately, the game had a sequel—Fortune Lover II. Unfortunately, she never played that one, and it has Katarina return as a villain—again. Well adapted. – Sean Gaffney

Practice Makes Perfect, Vol. 1 | By Ui Hanamiya | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – I picked this digital-only up on a whim, thinking the premise sounded cute. Two pro athletes in their late twenties (him in Judo, her in Volleyball) are representing their country in what is implied to be the 2020 Olympics that didn’t happen. They both really want to lose their virginity, and, coming across each other’s problems, decide to “practice” kissing, touching, etc. in a hotel so that they can be more experienced in relationships. The outcome (they fall in love for real) is not in doubt, especially when you realize this is only four volumes long. It’s the journey that’s important, though, and they are both really cute and awkward sports dorks. THAT’S the selling point, and it’s a great one. – Sean Gaffney

Skip Beat!, Vol. 44 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | Viz Media – Did I say in my last brief on Skip Beat! that Ren and Kyoko were having communication problems? This volume doubles down on that, as Ren pokes at Kyoko, who was seen getting kissed by Sho by a photographer, and suggests that she’s “giving up on her revenge” and Sho has “compassion and understanding.” This causes Kyoko to blow up, in an exquisitely drawn scene that manages to dwarf everything else in the volume. She may hate Sho (and it’s clear by now she doesn’t), but Ren doesn’t get to say nice things about him when they are WRONG. Elsewhere, the reveal of Kyoko’s sword teacher brings big laughs, and the Kyoko/Momo ship gets more holes bored into it. Great stuff as always. – Sean Gaffney

Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 9 | By Sorata Akiduki | Viz Media – Most of this volume ends up being, in a sense of bad timing for the North American market, a race to find a cure for a horrible pandemic that is ravaging the city. (The volume came out in Japan years ago, so there’s no thought of COVID here.) This ends up separating our lead couple even more than they already are—there’s a brief reunion, but this is not where Zen needs to be right now, and he knows it. Indeed, as many have said, Obi seems more and more like the main romantic lead, helping Shirayuki solve this plant-based mystery and save the day. There’s a lot more going on in this title than just the romantic couple, as in the best shoujo series. It’s a winner. – Sean Gaffney

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 26 | By Mizuho Kusanagi | VIZ Media – Yona of the Dawn is always good, but this Xing arc has been something special. Princesses Kouren and Tao and their devoted warriors are such vivid characters that they legitimately seem like the stars of their own story, rather than merely side characters in Yona’s, if that makes sense. Kusanagi-sensei also adeptly created an extremely odious scheming priest and gave us a delicious scene in which Su-Won gives not a single shit for the intel the priest obsequiously offers him. I actually laughed at some of his reaction panels more than once. What really seals the deal on this being a special volume, though, is the final chapter, in which some genuine romantic progress finally happens between Hak and Yona. It is great, and Yun and the Four Dragons’ reactions are also great. Have I mentioned lately how much I love this series? It’s among the best I’ve ever read. – Michelle Smith

By: Ash Brown

[jackaccletonfutureworks]

DD2000 - Research blog for a path into industry

Portfolios and their importance

Now before we even get to the building up to our chosen job and how we get there we have to talk about arguably the first and most important step when going into any industry, a good portfolio.

A portfolio in definition is according to many sources such as google, the oxford dictionaries and the free dictionary

a set of pieces of creative work intended to demonstrate a person's ability to a potential employer. 

Example: "she had a portfolio of crayon portraits"

now reading the definition you should get an idea as to why a portfolio is quite the important tool in any industry but allow me to elaborate, a portfolio usually contains all of your best and well presented work that you wish to show off to a future employer in the hopes that it will impress them enough to consider you for the role available and hire you into it.

Even if that doesnt happen they are important tools for ensuring people dont soon forget you, if its good enough your employer might talk to his co-workers about it and the work that was in it, might recommend you to other companies and give you an easy-ish way into the industry, not only that but if its up online somewhere it can allow none industry people to view it and get invested in the work you do, get invested in your ideas and anything to do with them and begin to support you and want more of your work which is hard to ignore from people in the industry.

But an important part of a portfolio is to make sure it fits the job role, its nice that its all neatly presented and stunning work but if your going for a modelling job and bring in cool doodles of swords instead they will more than likely enjoy them but dont cross your fingers for the job or even being well remembered in a good way.

Now lets take that Modeling job as an example, if your looking into that job there are some things that would work well in your Porfolio

What to include generally

Some well constructed and unique models to show your skill, talent and creativity. Make sure to have beauty shots (Three angles) a Uv render (Shows off the uv maps of the models showing you do know how to Map and texture) and a wireframe

some more bland models that everyone has but it shows you can model things of this type, guns, corridors things like that

all of the work should be finished and if not it should be a w.i.p showing of how the model developed or something you are working on recently and wish to say “this is my latest project”

Portfolio : About myself

Every portfolio for every job must be different and suited for the job role your looking to invest into. Now my portfolio will have me looking into narrative design so there are some things i do need to include when constructing mine and things i need to look out for

What i should include

Well written stories of varying length and style as well as on different matters and subjects to give a quick look at the range i can write at and my ability with different styles and topics

Character development if possible, Original character, fan characters and things like that, let people in the industry see the work and love put into them and how you created them from the ground up, even include the most trivial detail if needed it will show how i think about even the smallest things for characters and bring them to life

Same applies for world building, show worlds you crated and the living breathing atmosphere they have, show off head canons and theories about already made worlds if you wish

Show dialogue and scripts made, this includes roleplaying and back and forth between characters of your own and friends

Work done that is not narrative directly but does still link to it  

Any writing done for games, this includes small projects and twine games

Now what have i done to go towards this portfolio as of writing this?

I have written many short stories and poems some better than others i cannot lie however i tend to struggle sometimes with motivation in writing longer tales if they are not split into parts either via working time or as part 1, part 2 etc, 3 twine games which could be improved but stand at a decent enough quality and i do intend to create more, have an entire blog built for role playing (character creation and building, dialogue, world building) this is where i let alot of my ideas roam free as well as some of my more out there character traits, this character has spawned off into his own story and world view from a character that had nothing to start with, he has spawned countless side characters and alternate realities surrounding him and all of them have their own stories and worlds not to mention many pieces of college work.

All of these very important in the portfolio especially for the job role im looking to enter.

General Examples of both good and bad portfolio's

Networking

Networking is in short terms the connections you make with people be them big or small, it forms a web coming from you of connections you made. If you meet David and David knows Susan but you dont know Susan, she is still now in your web of networking due to knowing David.

Networking is important to the industry at it is a key way to get into the industry and get yourself known to people, without the links to people it would be almost impossible to get a way into the industry without directly going up to someone and asking for a job or applying yourself. 

Networking can also offer unexpected help from people inside the industry through simply talking to them.

But how can networking help my career path into a narrative games career?

More importantly what kinds of networking could help my cause?

Well the obvious one to start off in narrative would be social media, its a great place to store and write small stories or tales and build character/worlds. It is also perfect for getting your small tales out to a large audience of people very quickly.

Take tumblr for example, its blogging allows for quick short stories or grand giant multi-post tales to be re-blogged , twitter is also a good example here as many industry insiders use twitter and could be a great way to share your narrative ideas and work with them to get feedback and make yourself known to them

It is also a prime location to show off portfolio w.i.p work and gain interest in what else is inside your portfolio both from regular people and industry insiders which could lead to job offers or simply having you in mind when a place does come up

Another prime example would be Game conventions, they allow for examination of upcoming games as well as series of games with over arching stories as well as the idea of communication with industry insiders as well as games media about games and your general idea. It could also provide you with skills and much needed tips if your willing to buy some people a beer. Game designers are just people like you and me so most of them have no issue sitting down to talking.

There are a few that take place here in the UK : 

EGX - EGX is a British made Gaming Convention sponsored by Virgin media and s currently set to take place in the Birmingham NEC arena on the 21st -24th of September 

Play Expo -  Play Expo is a British games convention set in Manchester England at event city.

There is one that comes to mind and does take place in the US

Ludem Dare -  Ludem Dare is a game jam hosted this year in San Francisco that gives people a theme and 24/48 hours to create a game, this allows people in the industry to see how people work under a tight deadline and the quality of games they can create with minimal information. It also allows for the people involved to brush up on their skills or develop new ones.

Well i say one but you cant talk US and game gatherings without mentioning 

E3 - E3 is a yearly multi company convention in which the biggest games are shown and revealed and many of the gaming industries top professionals visit to give their games that needed star power, a place like this is perfect to ask questions, build connections and show off work you had done in hopes of making an impression

One important thing to know about networking overall however is that you should never be afraid to talk to someone or ask questions to them, they are not some untouchable idol who will simply scoff at you, they are infact just as human as you are and i imagine they they have trouble talking to a person from time to time. Plus there is only things to gain instead of things to lose 

The Ideal Work Place/Key Companies In My Field

When it comes to an ideal work place that generally comes down to preference, some might want to work for Bethesda, maybe you want to work for EA but this is in general terms which company would be the best suited for the field i would like to enter

The first company that instantly jumps put for narrative focused games would be tell tale who have generally been known to create heavily emotional narrative focused point and click/episodic games based on existing IP’s such as The walking dead, borderlands and game of thrones

https://telltale.com/ -  4000 Civic Center Dr, San Rafael, CA 94903, USA

https://telltale.com/jobs/

As of this moment in time they are only looking for a senior writer in the job field i wish however that doesnt mean i cant apply for another job they are in need of to work my way into a writing position for example they are always looking for q/a testers so using that i can wiggle into a narrative design or writer role by suggesting things that could improve the story experience or helping with the writing of scripts and dialogue.

An issue with telltale however is it is hard to single out a game from their library as more narrative focused or important than any other, walking dead offers a dark saddening take on the world where every option and choice you make will have an impact later. This is in stark contrast to say tales from the borderlands which yes does have a similar choices matter mentality however the story in that game is less serious and grim and more light hearted and lovely.

With tell-tale they cover so much ground in their narrative focused games its hard to single one of them out alone

Not a company that comes to mind when thinking of narrative but one that i would enjoy a job at would be gearbox, they are mainly known for creating the borderlands franchise and as of now are in the process of making the third game . Their narratives tend to be somewhat serious but have a lighthearted tone to them with alot of dirty humor.

Borderlands and its sequels probably are the most notable games they have created and do narrative in an inventive way in that it is both serious yet not at all serious at the same time i mean....the planet your on is in grave danger from a tyrant hell bent on wiping life as you know it off the planet with an alien doom weapon, but at the same time the villian mocks you with such childish insults and sarcastic nonsense its hard to take it seriously, even more so with some of the side missions like “shot this guy in the faace” which is exactly as it sounds.

http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/ -  5757 Main St, Frisco, TX 75034, USA

http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/careers/

Gearbox software have an odd internship program that allows people of all skill levels to join and it is called the cogs program, in their own words the cogs program is 

“The COGS program at Gearbox Software is designed for future game developers to get a chance to start their careers by becoming embedded with the veteran, professional developers at our world-class video game development studio and actually contribute to a commercial video game project. It’s the real deal. This is the foot in the door. This is the chance to prove yourself.

The COGS program differs from a traditional internship because Gearbox Software will actually pay you during your time at the studio. What?! Did you read that right?! Yes, we’re going to pay you to prove yourself. We must be nuts.But forget about us being nuts for a minute – the COGS program is as real as Clap Trap’s malfunctioning artificial personality.

COGS stands for Contractors of Gearbox Software – you will get a contract and it will say that you have become an actual, official, paid professional inside the studio that is home of Borderlands, Duke Nukem, Brothers in Arms, Homeworld, Battleborn, and Randy Pitchford’s flamboyant shirts. The contract terms can be for as little as three months or as long as a year, depending on the timing and the role. During that time you’ll get free soda. Also during that time you’ll contribute to a real commercial product at our AAA development studio earning valuable experience and credit that will not merely be rewarding and insanely gratifying, but will also set-you-up to be very valuable and sought after by the industry. And there’s free snacks to wash down with the soda. Did I already mention the soda? It’s a cool deal.”

quote directly from here

This is all to simply prove if you deserve a job or not

Key people in my field

http://www.evanskolnick.com/games

His portfolio is rather well put together and lists all of his skills and accomplishments as well as any and all of the projects he has worked on  it also seems to show his wide range of work as he has taken part in narrative roles on project such as mafia 3 which is full of gore and racial angles and tension to the kid friendly hi-jinks filled over the hedge game and movie.

This is a portfolio i should keep an eye on and learn from

https://twitter.com/evanskolnick?lang=en

Evan Skolnick is an american born writer who has previous worked on marvel comics as a lead writer and now has jumped into narrative video game design, his most recent project/job being the walking dead : a new frontier by telltale which makes him a key player not only in my field but a company based solely around the field i wish to work in

has a book out called : video game story telling, what every developer needs to know about narrative techniques 

the description of the book and what it may offer

“With increasingly sophisticated video games being consumed by an enthusiastic and expanding audience, the pressure is on game developers like never before to deliver exciting stories and engaging characters. With Video Game Storytelling, game writer and producer Evan Skolnick provides a comprehensive yet easy-to-follow guide to storytelling basics and how they can be applied at every stage of the development process—by all members of the team. This clear, concise reference pairs relevant examples from top games and other media with a breakdown of the key roles in game development, showing how a team’s shared understanding and application of core storytelling principles can deepen the player experience. Understanding story and why it matters is no longer just for writers or narrative designers. From team leadership to game design and beyond, Skolnick reveals how each member of the development team can do his or her part to help produce gripping, truly memorable narratives that will enhance gameplay and bring today’s savvy gamers back time and time again.“

Edwin McRae isnt noteworthy due to the work he has done, though he has worked on many smaller titles and mobile games as a narrative designer and world builder. He is more notable due to his constant advice and tutorials on how to become a better narrative designer and how to build a living breathing world from scratch

He too like Evan has a book or two to be purchased and read which can be found here : https://www.edmcrae.com/books-and-comics.cfm

Another good narrative designer to take a look at would be Daniel Dick, he describes himself as follows

“ I'm a Narrative Director & Writer with over 15 years of industry experience creating, building, and implementing successful narratives (including multiple AAA titles). I also recently designed a narrative design and game writing course for the University of British Columbia's Creative Writing Program.”

Some notable projects he has worked on include 

★ DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED Narrative Director Eidos Montreal ★ HOMEWORLD: DESERTS OF KHARAK Narrative Director BBI / Gearbox ★ SPEC-OPS Lead Narrative Designer & Writer Rockstar Vancouver ★ BULLY Narrative Designer & Writer Rockstar Vancouver ★ SOCOM: TACTICAL STRIKE Lead Writer & Narrative Designer Slant Six / Sony ★ SOCOM: FIRETEAM BRAVO 3 Lead Writer & Narrative Designer Slant Six / Sony ★ NEED FOR SPEED & SSX Story Consultant & Contract Writer Electronic Arts ★ TREASURE PLANET Game Designer & Writer Barking Dog / Disney ★ THE DAMASCUS LETTER​: A Spy Novel Author Finalist for the AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARD in 2011.

His portfolio on Linkden is also very well put together and will have to keep an eye on this one as well

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieldick/

The skills i need

When it comes to narrative design in general there are certain skills you will need when entering the field.

Atleast basic knowledge on pacing and tone to a story, you cant have characters fighting an epic war then suddenly 2 seconds later have a clown filled tea party only to mourn their friends for  a solid hour or two after that, it kills both the tone your going for and pacing. Keep it balanced and consistent

Understand character and world building, it good to create a world or character but if they are blank slates of boring with a side of boring pie then no one will care.

To create a breathing living world you must think about every detail and bit of history, what does this town do for the world, why is this ruin here, where do these enemies live etc. However be careful as you cannot make a game with backstory and word building alone and people do not want to have to sit through hours of lore.

Characters are harder to build, they can have preset fears and goals and motivations and even backstories however alot of the time they need to grow alongside the player and inside the events of your narrative. If a character loses something precious to them show it, if they are tried from a long battle show it, if they have been beaten badly and took a massive hit to their pride again show it to the player and in the character.

Script/dialogue writing skills and understanding what goes into creating them. Make sure every bit of dialogue fits who it is meant for perfectly and try to avoid repetition if possible. Ensure scripts are clear to read for the voice actors

Ability to take critique and improve from it, maybe someone thinks a certain aspect of your narrative is a bit off and wants to give feedback, it would be your job to take that feedback in and maybe change the narrative a bit to fit it.

Interpersonal skills, do you really think your going to be working alone....yeah no it doesnt work like that as you will be with a team of writers more than likely who will be throwing in ideas into this world or character and trying to make them perfect. Listen to what they have to say and work with them. Plus you will be working with other departments, maybe the environment designer needs specific dialogue for a fire area and you need to take a look at the area to gauge what kind of dialogue to fit into it, Maybe the character designer needs help figuring out how this character might speak and what they could even say

You have to have the ability to understand the genre of what it is your writing, cant have a kid friendly platformer suddenly have sexual jokes and decapitations now can we?

Organization in your writing is a good skill to possess as well as good motivation skills and time management

My work and evaluating it/General Evaluation

Now that i have mentioned the skills needed and the work i have done it is time to evaluate it bit by bit and see if i meet the standards set above and if not how can i achieve them from where i am now

My work

Short stories and poems tend to come to me in the moment and usually come from my already made characters, existing characters from movies/tv/games or from some random idea i had in my mind. However as mention before they tend to be a one time thing and rarely branch out and become longer, any longer story usually gets forgotten about due to motivational or memory issues even if broken into parts (For example i got 5 parts into a dark souls 3 story before forgetting it and never really going back to continue it). If i wish to get into narrative i need to work on long stories 

The few twine games i have made so far are at a time where i have minimal knowledge of twine and one of them i cannot add to my porfolio due to content inside it. They are not nearly to the standard they could or should be and i should spend time completing and working on them to put them at the level i believe they could be.

The blog is personally my proudest bit of writing, i started the blog with a charcter based on an ingame mario enemy that had no backstory or anything, no personifcation or even personality. I took this enemy and gave it life and a soul, gave it wants and needs and fears and a personality, it has goals and a past now and as said has spawned countless Alternate worlds and ideas from it due to the story i have told with him. However alot of the writing tends to be very informal and dailouge based and the blog also has some informal and silly content to go through, will need to isolate the writing from this blog to show on the portfolio

As said he has spawned countless characters off of himself, from a sweet gentle shy king, to an evil dominating tyrant, a lonely yet wise last of his kind hunter, a sickening horrific yet lovable spider hybrid creature, a shy 1 limbed mechanic looking into necromancy to power his robotics to be honest this is stuff to include in the portfolio however it mention it here as no matter how many characters i do have i should continue to add more to the mix and develop them every chance i get to do so.

Skills and myself overall

In terms of skills i would like to atleast believe i own some of the needed skills for my job role, a basic understanding of pacing and tone, world and character building experience as well as interpersonal skills and abilities. Perhaps i do struggle a small amount with critique as sometimes it dont learn or go back to redo what is told of me.

Out side of skills to myself in general im a generally approachable and creative guy who could keep tensions low and ensure that everyone in the company is keeping themselves happy and destressed, i would also like to believe im willing to advance and learn even if it is painful.

But to evaluate you have to speak of the bad too, which is sometimes i can be very unmotivated and avoid/put off work for as long as possible even if i understand and know i have work. I can also get frustrated easilly with things that i cannot do or do not understand, if i wish to advance in my industry i willl need to put these under lock and key 

My path into industry due to what i have found here

Due to the information i have found here there are a few paths into industry i can take

i can look for a indie or triple A developer looking for a q/a tester and work into the company from there offering the skills i do have to help construct the game and help any struggling member of the team during my none working hours, this iwll show them my previously obtained skills and allow them to remember me above all the other Q/A testers thus getting a foot in the door

I could also use my Voice acting talent and get in through that, voice a character and offer changes and help to the script as well as developing the character which again gives me a foot into the door.

another option is to wiggle into games journalism, this way i can write about and meet many developers as well as play some of the hottest games before anyone else and offer my opinion on them and what could be changed.