#than a morality based afterlife

[mister13eyond]

the fun thing about making a comic where i've vaguely appropriated the aesthetics of christianity but entirely eschewing the actual religion is that i get to come up with headcanons for my universe like "hell isn't eternal punishment at all, it's literally just a big meat grinder where people's souls are sent to get converted to demon food. which isn't really all that different than the default option, where a soul is simply released back into the universe and becomes part of the big ocean of mana out there"

[writerofjourneys]

The Regent King of Hell

A/N: Just an interesting idea I thought to try. Not sure I want to make this a part of my fandom list as it’s not my cup of tea to write but I wanted to give this a shot regardless.

Fandom(s): Hazbin Hotel

Charlie Magne/Morningstar & (Twin)Fem Reader

Lucifer Magne/Morningstar & (Daughter)Reader

Summary: As the 2nd Princess of Hell, you were given the reigns of ruling over the Ring of Wrath as a King of Sin, then eventually Pride as regent for your parents in their crumbling marriage, soon breakup and your father’s inactive state. You became one of the most, if not above all the most feared ruler out of the Rings of Hell, leaving you to be quite a contrast to your sheltered optimistic older sister, but you loved each other all the same.

Headcanon

Content: Fluff, family, Reader is nicknamed Satan, sister relationship, father-daughter relationship, platonic relationships, demons & angels, morality, afterlife, based on how Satan isn’t introduced yet and the circumstances of Lucifer’s role after physically stepping down from ruling aside from his title as King of Hell.

Warnings: None.

Main List

As children growing up, you and Charlie were always joined at the hip. It was rare for anyone to find one of the Morningstar Twins without the other.

You had very fond memories of your family together, spending moments like any other happy human ones. Having your father display his angelic powers in beautiful imagery to you and your sister’s delight. And your mother singing you songs and lullabies.

Your father would take you on trips to his Lu Lu World theme park. He also wasn’t hesitant to show his bitterness to Loo Loo Land. He forbade you and Charlie to ever go there, and that hasn’t changed even now. But you have been to Hellsney, you heard the human world had something similar to the name.

Ironically, you don’t actually like apples. By themselves they’re okay, but even though it’s your family’s main symbol, you find it tolerable. You hate apple themed food, though.

Though it became apparent that you and Charlie began to take different personalities and views as you got older. Whereas she was optimistic, naive, vibrant, and mild; you were stern, calm, intimidating, and calculating. The denizens of Hell sometimes pondered over the differences between you.

You seemed to take more after your mother and Charlie your father, you still loved them both, but when their relationship began to fall apart you mostly chose to stay by your father’s side. Taking up the duties of learning to govern over Hell more than ever.

But even before that, you took to your responsibilities as an heir more highly compared to your twin, who wasn’t all that interested, instead pursuing a different path.

As you grew up, you even took to taking on a more demonic form, like leaving your curled horns rest on your head, sharp fangs, and having similar wings to Lucifer you inherited that you left out. Though the rest of your features did match with Charlie’s. But you have the ability to shapeshift and change to a number of things, even a more monstrous form.

You displayed more powers in comparison to her, though, having even used them to ‘discipline’ anyone who tried to step out of line, thinking you’d be as dismissive as your sister.

For your capabilities, your parents had given you the opportunity of ruling over the Ring of Wrath, making you a member of one of the Seven Deadly Sins, leading to the demons to then give you the nickname famously known as Satan. Which, funnily enough, had humans and sinners tending to mistake you for your dad, Lucifer.

You found amusement in others speaking your stage name in forms of expression.

You became the embodiment of Wrath for your power and dangerous influence, finally filling the missing spot for the Seven Deadly Sins.

And like your dad, you also detested sinners. You knew many of humanity’s history and their continuous behaviours throughout the centuries. Humans are as cruel as they are loving. They could be even more monstrous than hellborn demons, for all their fragility and short lifespans.

Naturally, you took to them also being something of ants or specks of dust. Though you do get experiences being on earth and getting involved with humans. For being what they are, they did fascinate you for their unpredictability.

You even carried an exception with a level of respect for the intelligent and influential mortals.

When Charlie and Lucifer grew apart at the time of your parents separation, having the misunderstanding of how one didn’t want to see the other, you continued staying close to him. Spending time with him, listening to him talk about his hyper-fixation projects, flying together, and then visiting him among your time ruling over the two rings.

You were pretty much emancipated with your parents’ separation being a Sin.

When Lilith left, stepping down from her royal duties, you and Charlie both didn’t have any contact with her for the past 7 years to now.

You had grown apart from your mom just before that. You weren’t the fondest of her at the moment.

You didn’t know how long Lucifer would remain inactive from ruling the Pride Ring, so you continued acting as regent.

While Charlie had her cat Keekee, and goat-toys-brought-to-life, Razzle and Dazzle, you had your hellhounds, actual terrifying beasts who intelligently understood your orders, but different than the other sentient hellhounds in Hell.

As King of Wrath and now Pride, you were usually busy. Jumping between the two realms and overseeing the majority of Hell in your father’s stead. Sometimes meeting with the other Kings of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Out of all of Hell’s hierarchy, you have the most experience with humans and earth.

Shapeshifting is an ability you inherited from Lucifer. Meaning animals.

You turned into a duckling and a snake for him when you were little. He couldn’t stop fawning how cute you were. He was pretty proud.

Being the embodiment of wrath meant some cause for destruction. You’ve had a hand in a some earthly/hellish disasters.

It also made you the most warlike and combative.

Lucifer had had his worries of how fast you’ve grown. Being mature and doing your own thing ruling a ring of Hell.

Having been sheltered from the lives of humans on earth, Charlie carried the benefit of the doubt for the sinners. Which honestly exasperated you.

You didn’t have any animosity towards your twin, you cared for her, but you wished she carried more of a backbone. Having only the title as the 1st Princess of Hell to go off on and hardly using her powers, the denizens could never take her seriously.

So when she presented her ideas of redemption to you, as family and ruler, you considered it hilariously absurd, though not to her face. You had agreed that while there are sinners who didn’t deserve eternal damnation for their particular situations, not all of them deserved peace.

Humans already had their chances of change and different livelihoods, what was the point of doing it now when they already passed death? They had made their choices and harmed others in the process, to redeem now when their lives were already over felt pointless.

So you were rather indifferent to Extermination Day. You didn’t really know if Lucifer was actually in agreement to it anyways, even for his own distaste in sinners, but your father wouldn’t have had a choice in it regardless. Heaven was the one to force him to be the King of Hell after all, it isn’t a surprise that they could exterminate without his permission. And the Exorcists who were once mortal came down tended to have personal vengeance over the sinners who made their lives hell in the first place.

You weren’t interested in getting involved with Heaven if you could help it.

Seeing how passionate and serious Charlie was, you agreed to support her, regardless of how farfetched her goal looked. But you made to note that while Charlie shouldn’t focus on the inhumane sinners in particular, you advised that her future patrons should at least be remorseful to try and reach Heaven. That was the biggest point of redemption after all.

You did know her girlfriend, Vaggie, the three of you occasionally hanging out for things like lunch. She did tend to be nervous in your presence. All you cared about was her having a good relationship with your sister.

Charlie’s ex, Seviathan and his sister, Helsa, would’ve had their heads torn off of their bodies by you if your twin hadn’t convinced you otherwise. You detested that family.

You rarely did get to see Charlie as she created her ‘Happy Hotel’, but you did drop by to visit when you had time. And upon hearing the Radio Demon’s involvement as her co-owner, changing the name to ‘Hazbin Hotel’, you were obviously suspicious, since you were acquainted and familiar with the Overlords, but since he hadn’t done anything yet and Charlie saying she could take of herself, you left her to it.

While you weren’t sure how these events would fold, you hoped things would work out for your family and getting the time to be together again like you used to be.

So, how was this..?

[misterxsamsa]

I think the JTHM universe's versions of heaven and hell are very interesting. They're evidently not based on mortality persay, not even just an objective measure of intelligence. It's very nuanced, and specific, and the introduction of it acts a good narrative conclusion to Johnny's character progression.

We're introduced to heaven first, and an evidently very flawed God. He's portrayed as all grotesque, and lazy, and funny-looking — not answering any of Johnny's questions, or doing anything about the the world's suffering. However, in relation to heaven's inhabitants, the concept of "content" is stressed above morality. There's nothing enriching in the enviorment, just chairs to "bliss" in, but they're all completely at peace and given immense power alongside that.

We're not given incredible amounts of insight into the people residing there. However, it seems some of them were likely quite unpleasant in character, like the crabby old woman. Through all this, the notion of morality not being the determining factor of where you reside in the afterlife is established. So, if it's not morality, subjective or otherwise, then what is it? Well, it's not any one thing, and the answer to that question is left somewhat open-ended and subjective.

When catching a glimpse of hell, the characters of its residents are just as mixed as heaven's — some nice, some mean. The shared trait between all of them though is a preoccupation with the inane. They're cartoonishly reactive to the smallest of inconveniences, materialistic, superficial, or lacking in attention span. We're told many of them are driven to neuroticism by an eye in the sky that they all simultaneously believe to be watching them specifically. To me, this is a barely symbolic representation of an obsession with appearences: the judgements, opinions, praises of others.

Personally, I interpret the determining factors for the fate of your eternal soul in JTHM to be that of priorities and perspective. To be specific, what you allow to consume your thoughts — the things you value and pursue during your life. By choosing [or rather prioritizing] contentment, the residents of heaven decided that it was more worthwhile than wasting mental energy on fleeting negative emotions, or other base things. It's not that their souls are being judged from some detached perspective outside of themselves. They're determining the course of their own afterlife, and hell is effectively just a self-imposed state of mind.

That's all intriguing from a lore perspective, but this system is a backdrop meant to emphasize the themes of Johnny's narrative journey. The idea that "heaven" and "hell" are states actively sought rather than assigned is meant to highlight Johnny's agency in his own deterioration. He's chosen to prioritize his misanthropy, and homicidal tendencies, over his art and relationships. By seeing himself in the residents of hell through their shared flaws, he's forced to internally take accountability. That's what ultimately drives him towards a pursuit of contentment in Issue #7.

What's interesting though is that the notion of what exactly "contentment" entails is left purposefully vague. Why wouldn't it be? The concept of "contentment" is subjective and self-determined. That's why Johnny continues to kill, and overall be very morally dubious even after his change in perspective. He's choosing to make it about his own amusement and enrichment rather than centering it in exhaustive hate. Hey, everybody finds happiness a little differently, I suppose, it's still tangible progress nonetheless.

There's an interesting dichotomy to be found between God and Senor Diablo. Upon a first glance, I've seen many take their portrayal [and differences] as a cynical, but straightforward poke at organized religion. That's probably the case, but I see more to it than just that. In JTHM, the systems of heaven and hell are meant to reflect and support Johnny's character progression. As such, I'd make the argument God and Senor Diablo could be symbolic of the judgements Johnny would normally make on others.

Senor Diablo is very distinguished, intelligent, and he loves the word "DOOM". He's seemingly well-off compared to the God of this world, and Johnny respects him significantly more [relatively speaking] as a result. However, he's unhappy with the people he rules over, and exhausted by their repetitively short-sighted tendencies. In some respects, you could view him as Johnny's parallel, both are cynical enjoyers of suffering looking down on idiots who they view as beneath them. Perhaps, by a subjective character evaluation, and on aesthetics, you could say he's above his heavenly counterpart. Still, that judgement would bring him no joy.

It's emblematic of the lessons Johnny has to learn about himself and others. He's not better than humanity for constantly engulfing himself in the sufferings and injustices of the world, ones he only pretends to truly care about. His intellect is only valuable for as much as he can properly utilize it to better his own circumstances. With God, he's greasy and ignorant, but he's completely happy, or content. He's a representation of all the traits that motivates Johnny's hatred of others — he's all fleshy-like, and completely unconcerned with his sorroundings in any deep sense. It makes sense for humans to be apparently made in his image, since he's a fucked up interpretation of the quintessential human.

Still, by the end of the comics, Johnny learns to appreciate his love of content, rather than fixating upon his numerous detestable traits. In life, you'll encounter many people you'll find to be as disgusting as that lumpy God-dude in his chair. Regardless, it's in your best interests to only allow their bad qualities to occupy your thoughts to a limited degree. By learning to internalize to philosophies of people different from him, or particularly flawed, Johnny's learned to become a more well-rounded person. Again, relatively speaking by the standards of a homicidal maniac. Rome wasn't built in a day!

[blueparadis]

╰┈➤ MASTERMIND ✦ NANAMI KENTO.

⟣ ──┈ · · · + synopsis ➢ Nanami decides to pay you a visit on such an auspicious day to congratulate you but fate had other plans for him.

+

⟣ ──┈ · · · + cw ➣ fem!reader x (morally grey but ultra-soft)!nanami kento, canon+ fix it au, manga spoilers, mention of clan head!gojo, secret relationship b/w reader and nanami, mutual pinning, angst, scar worship, friends with benefits dynamic, s&d dynamic, mention of orgasm denial, orgasm control, love-hate séx (make-up séx ig) + unprotected, baby trapping. 2,6 k word count. half-based on this thought ( + I've a lot of hcs about gojo clan; one of them being that satoru had a half-sister whom he found accidentally while on a mission, so i used that here. ) | blog navigation + koct’23 masterlist. |

Nanami walks through the porch of the Gojo estate while taking a call. It has been half a month since the grim reaper graced him with a peck on his cheek showing him a glimpse of the afterlife. He has been facing trouble adjusting back to his old life again despite healing himself through the reverse cursed technique. He has left behind the life of being a jujutsu socerer but partly. Besides, he now works as an advisor for all jujutsu socerers who are gradually making their way to earn their ranks yet deep down, a part of him wants to tell how bold farced lie is all this is.

But something is still holding him back, and deep down he is vividly aware that he wants to grow his roots rather than uproot them. He is just unwilling to admit it out loud. Nanami is still unable to untie his attachment towards a certain girl who is also best suited to be the head of the gojo clan, as per the strongest’s opinion, y/n gojo. He still remembers the night he spent in that cheap motel with you, talking and drinking, drinking and touching, touching and kissing; making promises to you while being inside you. He does not regret it per se, he is afraid for those wishes to come true. There is too much at stake.

When he got the invitation to the ceremonial celebration for you being bestowed with the title and authority to act as a clan head by Satoru’s side he did not know why he could not refuse or not bother to turn up. Maybe he needed an excuse to apologize at length for not being in touch with you. Maybe you would not be so angry if you knew death was knocking at his door but he had to come back, he had to make it through the tunnel to see you, to embrace, to kiss you, for one last night time.

With such thoughts clouding his mind, the sound of sliding a door almost did not reach his ears yet strangely, he turns back only to find none other than you. Standing five feet away from you, in his Yukata he looks more handsome than before, especially with those scars on his face. “Yeah. Yeah. I’ll call you back.” With each fall of his words, his eyes move from head to toe. You are still not ready for the ceremony yet. Wearing a plain hakama, hair braided, a few loose strands kissing your jawline, and a mole near the corner of your lip that just unlocked the memories of that night.

“Nanami-san. . .” you murmur and bite your trembling lips. Tears threaten to flood your cheeks as you take a few steps towards him. He immediately backs away averting his gaze. But you can see him, his guilt, his silent sea of sadness. Nanami Kento is now nothing but a tapestry of quiet despair. A tug on one loose end of a thread and it will all come crashing down.

“Hey...” he states as soon as he realizes the gravity of his action but it is too late now. You have already turned around, started to stroll inside the room, and prepared to slide the door. Clicking his tongue he follows you but does not enter just stands on the other side of the wooden bar separating your room and the porch. His shadow is covering your whole body. He can only see your back, so he does not look up, just stills his eyes on the ground. “Congratulations on your succession —” His voice trails off as your haori drops on the floor.

“What’re you doing?” He raises his voice perking his eyes up at you. You turn your head slightly in his way and he notices bruises around your neck. Suddenly he can feel every bead of perspiration running down his spine. Have you been fucking other men while he was away? He has been wrecking his mind day and night thinking about how to let you down lightly, how to end this relationship without hurting you, what to say, and what not to say so that you can just move on with your life but meanwhile, but you have been seeing other men. How vile! How insulting!

“Why are you still here, Nanami-san?” You turn around without averting your eyes from him.

Nanami enters the room without a second thought closing it behind. “Is it what I think it is ?” He enquires curtly.

“I don't know. You tell me,” You murmur pulling up the sleeves of your nagagi, “what you are thinking. . .” There are certain wounds all the way up your neck in a particular pattern as if someone carved them on you. He does not budge. His brain cells do not finish the path of such thoughts.

Watching his contorted face you let out a disappointed sigh,“Yes. The answer is yes. I went through the ritual.” Nanami swallows, his eyes unable to avert from your body. He wants to see those marks, see each scar, and kiss them. That would be very unethical, wouldn’t it? “If tooru-ni would have been here he wouldn’t have let me go through it.” You walk away towards the window finishing that line of thought, “But I can’t always rely on him. Can I now?” 

Okay, that’s good. You have made half of his confusion clear. What about the bruise on your neck? With long strides, he closes the gap between you two. His strong muscular toned arms curled around your waist before his lips aligned with yours. “have you been seeing other men?” He rasps against your mouth. Your hand rests on his firm chest. It is possible actually, since you are going to be appointed as a supportive clan head, marriage proposals are going to lurk like wild animals amongst the shadows of celebration, especially Zenin Clan. They do not let any cursed energy bearer getaway.

“Why? Would that make you jealous?”

“Yes. definitely.” You can not help but ket out a short-lived simper that not only makes Nanami’s throat dry but also fills his bones with your pesky ignorant attitude. It makes him wanna loathe you. He lifts you a little yanking you by the window side, caging you between the wall and him. He has not let go of his hand from your waist and his other hand rests on the concrete. You look at him with eyes full of longing and lust. You know this is wrong, this whole thing of meeting him here, seeing him before the ceremony. It is wrong in so many ways. Your fisted hands unfurl. You could feel his heart rate being faster now. 

“Can’t we just run away?” you murmur so low and so meek that Nanami thinks he might just hear it wrong. Suppose he did run away with you. What then? People from the Gojo clan is going to hunt him until the end of time. He always has to run away and hide, like a coward.

“That wouldn’t be appropriate,” 

Another chuckle. “Yeah? Then, what’s appropriate? Are you telling me this isn’t inappropriate? you and me, locked in a room, so close to each other. anyone might think we are— 

“Then, let’s make their suspicion into something real,” He breathes against your mouth. There is just a thread of gap between his lip and yours before he opens his mouth with a ‘pop’ and you feel his warm, wet tongue along the column of your throat that makes you shut your eyes instantly, tears rolling down along your cheeks for holding back for so long, for waiting for him so long. Your arms slide along his shoulders slowly as he explores your neck and chest with his mouth making you almost melt in his arms. 

“No. No. No. No. we can’t be doing this again,” He moves away from you shaking his head so much, his breathing labored and irregular. There is that look in your eyes, that sad look of having to fight all alone with no one by your side, that look that has so much sincerity and loyalty underneath. 

“But Nanami-san, I’m not seeing anyone.” You mutter inhaling deeply feeling dizzy. Oh dear! Aren’t you a little too naive to be a clan head? Maybe there is no way out, day in and day out he thought about it but he could not find any. “what happened when you said you would take me to Malaysia?”

"You know we can't do that, baby." He shifts his gaze at you, rasping, "And, you know we were both just drunk and talking about what ifs...does that count? should it count?" You bite your lips looking at the robes scattered on the floor, him and yours, lifeless and entangled with each other. Nanami feels his heart constrict in his ribcage, as if someone had tied his heart with ropes and now both the free ends are being pulled like in a tug of war.

“Ahhh,” he groans. “Fuck it,”  with that he holds your face in between his big soft palms kissing your lips as long as he can. Your fingers clamp around his wrists as you feel his tongue go inside your mouth before he sucks your lips, one by one, fervently, as if you are the source of his oxygen, not the air surrounding you two. He guides your limbs around his nape breaking the kiss to breathe in before kissing down the column of your throat. 

“Take it off,” His husky whisper hot against your chest as he waits.

“But—” you try to protest making him more impatient. It is not like he does not get your point. You will have to go soon otherwise people might come searching for you. These fucking clan rules. Without any delay you let the upper wrapper cloth of your yukata fall down revealing your breasts. 

“You know, you shouldn’t be roaming around like this,” He tartly says before licking up from the base of your chest to the middle of your collarbone.

“Oh Yeah? was waiting… for you,” Nanami’s hand finds your mounds, firm and large hands massaging both of them simultaneously as he presses his hard-on against your waist. His hands now rest on your hips pulling you into his body, while his mouth peppers kisses all over your bosom. Your nipples are so taut, skin awake with goosebumps. His hands travel around your back pulling you into his embrace. Your breath hitches as his grips grow stronger while his mouth latches onto your boobs, sucking your tits and biting them making you moan shamelessly. 

Your constant tugging and fidgeting with the sash of his hakama has now paid off. It hits the grown revealing him in boxers. You take his cock out pumping, sliding the foreskin, and exposing the slick crown of his cock. Nanami grunts, taking his cock and pumping it by himself. “Look at me, look at me, baby”, he murmured while rubbing his nose against your neck, your skin glistening with sweat. He clusters your hakama around your waist and your hands hold them in place, around your stomach. He smiles at that gesture. He is impressed. 

Lifting you up by clasping around your inner things, he holds your back against the wall ready to push his cock inside you. You guide his cock at your slick entrance. As soon as the cock-head is inside he quickly scans your features. You are panting, sweating, mouth open, and eager to take him. He pushes his cock inside you with a deep strong thrust hitting your spot. His grip on your thighs becomes stronger as he starts to glide his torso, to and fro. Eyes flying back ripping off your sanity as he pushes his cock inside you as if he was not hitting the spot making you squirm underneath him.

The bridge of his nose grazes your pulse point as he groans right into your ears asking, "You good?". You stare at him through the corner of your eyes, mouth open ajar, panting rashly too sucked into delirium to form words, but you nod. Kento knows your melting point yet seeing you taking him so well, being so obedient, being so responsive his lips curve in delight. He hums weighing his thoughts about whether it is okay to pull out another orgasm from your heated overstimulated body or not since he has been fucking you nice and slow for what seems like hours. Every time you are close he diverts your attention by pausing and then putting his mouth to work, either on your lips or on your nipples.

His warm cackle reaches your ears as he jerks up towering over your body, fingers clamping underneath your inner thighs. "Oh Gawd!", you whimper earning a smirk from him. "Don't worry angel! I'm not gonna stop until you ask me to!", he declares as he thrusts his cock with a single broad stroke earning a gasp from you. Those chocolate brown eyes gleam in an insatiable hunger as he starts to move in and out, slowly, watching your cream leaking around his cock from previously denied orgasms.

"You're still clenching me so hard baby!", he utters with a chuckle slamming his cock inside you with brute force followed by a long pause and making you arch your body like a bow against the wall. It is euphoric. It is aching. It is maddening.

"So good! such sweet pussy.", he groans as he starts to thrust harder, faster folding your legs over his broad shoulders. You grab your boobs, squeezing, biting your lower lip, filling the room with trails of whimpering moans blessing his ears. With his throbbing cock still inside you he yanks you into his lap, lips never disconnecting from yours he takes you to the futon laying you down. The hakama is clustered around your waist covering your pussy but it is better this way. At least, you are not so coy-like that night.

Kento quivers, balancing himself on his arms against the futon and letting you relax your legs. "Fuck wanna cum in you already", he coos immediately crashing his lips onto yours not giving you a chance to register his momentary lapse, a desire to see you carrying his babies. Moreover, he loves the taste of your salt while sucking your puffy lips inside you. Curling your hands around his nape, fingers skimming through his hair you moan into his mouth breaking the kiss. 

His eyes blink as he feels your hands over his arms. While he is still feasting his eyes over your ravishing sex glow, you roll him along the futon without pulling out. Eyes soaked in surprise Kento is still taken aback by your strength as he gawks at your naked beauty with lust-blown eyes. “Your wish's my command, Sir”, you amend. As the words fall from your lips you start to glide, slow but steady strokes. He holds you by your waist, his lower lip being exploited in between his teeth as you bounce on his cock.

Seeing you bob like an animal, boobs bouncing at a steady rhythm he was in nowhere to decline you; after all, he wanted this too, to fill your womb with babies and those breasts with milk.“Oh yeah! Yea-ash baby!”, he mumbles as you keep jerking. He is close, you can sense it. He flinches feeling his cock twitch in pain but could not care less about it. All he wants is to fill you up to the brim. He sits up adjusting you in his lap.

“Say you hate me.” he huskily mutters.

“What?” you do not pause, just slow down.

“Say you hate me” he quips holding your waist and making you pause your movements. “Or I won’t let you cum,” When you do not believe him he quips with a smirk, “You know, I can do that, don’t you baby?” and strangely you remember how he felt you alone in the room when you made a move on him. You do not want that to happen now, absolutely not, especially with his dick inside you.

He starts to make you bob again, at this point so close to your orgasm that you do not even put up a fight. “Yes. yes. I hate you. I hate you nanami kento I hate you,” you whimper out those words as he thrusts you on his cock. Good, good, that is good; he can not have you admit those feelings out loud, just like him. Your legs quiver feeling the euphoric high approaching, marking his back with crescent indecent as he shoots his cum inside you. Warm, thick, and seeping along your thighs, soaking the sheets. He pulls out with a pop; a prideful glint smothers his face watching his marks all over your chest that run up to your pulse point on the neck. Kento shoots a look at you, your face. He maintains eye contact, puts his mouth around your nipple, and continues to suck until he feels your gummy walls clenching his cock again. “Ahhh—aH!”, you scream hands resting on his shoulders nails digging into his skin. He hates you, he hates you so very much.

Nanami hunches down a little more, kissing your temples, and before sitting upright again he whispers, “Yeah, let’s go to Malaysia. Let’s just run away, honey.”

[thenightling]

A bigot demanded I tell him what's so good about Agatha All Along without mentioning representation and diversity so... Here we go...

1. It has an intriguing plot with a morally grey protagonist who may or may not be on a subtle redemption arc. I'm a sucker for a good redemption story.

2. It features very talented actors including the Tony award winning Broadway icon, Patti LuPone as one of the leads.

3. It features fairly accurate and respectful depictions of many Occult beliefs.

4. "Teen" is a very likable sidekick character and serves as a good moral compass for many of the other characters.

5. It has good music and a catchy recurring song from the composers of Avenue Q and Frozen, including a cover by the main cast in the style of Glam Rock.

6. It's better than WandaVision.

7. It's entertaining.

8. It's one of the only MCU depictions of supernatural magick while allowing it to actually be magick instead of pseudo-science and while also acknowledging an afterlife instead of pandering to the Chinese censors to get a Chinese theatrical release. The Chinese market doesn't allow for "Western depictions of the afterlife." (This includes ghosts. It's why the Disney Haunted Mansion in Hong Kong Disney isn't haunted but instead has enchanted furniture).

9. This was the first time we had ghosts in a Marvel property. Same reason as number 8.

10. It's refreshingly different from other other Marvel releases that have been following and obvious and tired formula for some time now.

11. Kathryn Hahn is a good actress.

12. It has a great, Gothic / spooky ambiance while also being fun. 13. It's the side of Marvel I get starved for because Marvel is too cowardly to have things like this outside of the Halloween season.

14. It has "Found Family" which is one of my favorite TV and movie tropes.

15. It's not all boring action sequences or sex scenes like most TV today. And yes, I find those things boring.

16. I had once said I wanted to see a TV show based on the concept of "Gothic Golden Girls" with witch Golden Girls and this is close enough. 17. I think Agatha, as a character, is well-written.

18. With other shows like Wednesday this has helped restore Goth Culture to the mainstream, enough so that there's a Goth clothing section on Target's website now (and has been for a full year). So I'm loving the influence on Pop culture.

19. This may open the door for more supernatural content from Marvel, I just hope they start allowing it outside of the Halloween season.

20. I'm not really enjoying many other new scripted TV shows right now. Both The Sandman and Wednesday are currently between seasons.

[hymnism]

release the list

(i feel like i should mention these are all games ive personally played so if any of these make you go "why isn't [GAME] on here it's probably cuz i haven't played it. anyway)

(obligatory mention to hades/disco elysium/omori since they're some of my favorite games but im sure everyone already knows about them. they are lovely games and you should play them 👍)

darkest dungeon ($25) - turn based roguelike where you recruit mercenaries and send them on dungeon explorations and make sure they don't die of stress or starvation alongside the regular monster attacks. notoriously difficult. imagine bloodborne but turn based

ftl: faster than light ($10)- real time roguelike where you control a small crew and pilot a spaceship on the run from a rebel fleet. manage power and weapons on your own ship while targeting critical systems on the enemy

loop hero ($15)- a roguelike where your character will automatically walk in a loop while you use cards to add terrain with different effects such as spawning monsters to give you loot or increasing your healing. very unique with a beautiful pixel artstyle and banger soundtrack

moonlighter ($20)- a roguelike rpg where you go dungeon diving and try to bring back as much loot as you can so that you can sell it in your shop

shadows of doubt ($20)- early access. a first person sandbox detective simulator where each case is procedurally generated. randomly generates a town with npcs that all have names and addresses and relationships. put together clues from a crime scene and try to catch a killer before they strike again. work odd jobs between cases to keep yourself fed and housed

ultrakill ($25) fast paced first person shooter with a style system ala devil may cry. you play as a robot fighting through the layers of hell. mankind is dead. blood is fuel. hell is full

crypt of the necrodancer ($15)- a rhythm based roguelike dungeon crawler where you and your enemies are only allowed to move on beat. banger soundtrack goes without saying

everhood ($10)- a rhythm based rpg where you play as a red doll who had their arm stolen and is trying to get it back. battles involve moving between 5 lanes to avoid enemy attacks. if you like undertale you'll like this

spiritfarer ($30)- management and adventure game where you play as a spiritfarer who needs to care for spirits on her boat before leading them into the afterlife. incredibly charming and touching game. you will cry

let's school ($20)- management sim where you build and manage a school and help students graduate by setting up different courses. addicting and has a very cute artstyle

let's build a zoo ($20)- management sim where you. well where you build a zoo. a very silly game that includes a morality system where you can choose to be eco friendly and help repopulate endangered species or you can exploit your animals for their meat and produce. also has an animal splicing mechanic. haven't you ever wanted to make a giraffe with a duck head

the wandering village ($25)- early access. a city builder with the twist that you live on the back of a giant wandering beast named onbu. you help care for onbu as he wanders though different biomes that force you to adjust your resource production as some things become unavailable (such as water in a desert)

frostpunk ($30) a survival city builder where you build around a central core and try to prevent everyone from freezing to death in progressively colder temperatures

monster sanctuary ($20)- a metroidvania style creature collector with a unique combo meter that will continue to build and increase your damage based on the number of "hits" you can perform (healing buffs and shields also count as hits) and each monster has different skill trees that you can upgrade and customize

coral island ($30)- farming life sim with a unique underwater area where you can live and farm and raise aquatic plants and animals. you work to help restore the island after and oil spill ruined the surrounding ocean. i should mention that although this game is technically not in early access it is still unfinished and missing large chunks of gameplay/interactions/story. however there is still a healthy amount of content and is still a fun game as it is

apico ($20)- a beekeeping sim where you keep bees to make and sell honey while also breeding and releasing them to help restore their numbers in the wild

spirittea ($20)- a management and life sim where you manage a bathhouse for ghosts and help the townsfolk who think they're haunted (they're right). basically a cross between stardew valley and spirited away

cloud meadow ($20)- early access. this is a porn game ⚠️ a farming sim where instead of regular animals you have anthro characters and you can breed them either yourself or with each other and have them help in combat or on your farm. very cute artstyle and amazing animation work

[dailyadventureprompts]

Why I don’t Use the Great Wheel Cosmology

For those of you who might not know, “The Great Wheel” is a name given to the arrangement and relations of planes that’s provided for the “default” d&d setting, and is assumed to be going on in the background of 99% of all published d&d material. It arranges the planes in a looping sequence vaguely based off the alignment chart, with wordily embodiments of the most extreme forces of good, evil, law, and chaos existing at the cardinal points. Souls depart from the material plane and are drawn directly to whatever plane most aligned with their alignment, to either live on in an eternal state or to become outsiders of their particular domain.

Over the years that I’ve run this blog I’ve stated time and again my distaste for the great wheel cosmology, meting out my critiques in bits and pieces as they were relevant to whatever I happened to be writing about at the time. This has happened so much that I wanted to collect all my gripes in one place so I could link back on it instead of reexplaining myself each time. So without further ado, brace yourself for an opinionated nerd telling you his in depth opinions about something that absolutely does not matter: 

The whole point of a cosmology is to describe the natural order/structure of the universe, and the great wheel describes a universe that’s effectively just the christian dichotomy of heaven and hell with a few extra steps. It’s a fundamentally moral view of how the multiverse works, and makes “right” and “wrong” not only into objective facts, but a geography you can walk across, travelling from the most morally correct place to the most incorrect place with just a couple of protals. 

This system is painfully rigid, not only removing any nuance over whether a course of action is correct, but preventing any competing worldviews from even existing: you can’t have differing belief systems/schisms of faith when you can go out and see proof of the rightness of the great wheel. Much like with how d&d handles gods, this paradoxically removes the idea of “faith” from matters of worship, which to me removes the whole point of having gods in the first place, reducing the big questions around death into a moral assembly line with one of a select number of pre-determined outputs.

It’s no stretch to say that the great wheel is just the alignment chart canonized as a fundamental part of the game world, and while we’ve all grown past the fundimentally black and white morality of the alignment chat It still mystifies me that d&d uses the great wheel as a piece of worldbuilding upon which most campaigns are supposed to be set. 

This boggles my mind because d&d has a much better and simplier cosmology upon which campaigns can be set, one that makes no moral judgments and instead allows for the infinite creativity that the game is supposed to be all about. The astral sea is an infinite expanse of possibility, where worlds are spun together from thoughts and dreams paralleling the process of creation that goes into the act of storytelling itself. What better way to explain a multiverse that functions on narrative tropes more than it does physics? Where hope really can prevail against wickedness and rule of cool supersedes the dictates of fate.

To end with a couple of personal gripes, the great wheel is really kind of boring? As a selection of afterlives about half of them are idyllic natural landscapes with nothing really going on and the other half are unplesant caves/wastelands suffering some kind of fucked up weather event. Most of it is painfully eurocentric when it comes to visions of the afterlife, and those planes that DO stand out ( The crashing metal cubes of Acheron) are more weird for the sake of weird. 

I can’t help but focus in on how much the great wheel doubles down on the game’s weird hodgepodge of colonialist belief structures. While WOTC has hastily amended out “always chaotic evil” over the past couple years, they still set their material in a cosmology where creatures like orcs/goblins/gnolls are born evil, drawn to evil all their life, and are doomed to suffer eternally in various hells because “evil” is in their very nature. This isn’t good worldbuilding, it’s the authors seeking some kind of weird vindication for their own beliefs by creating a group of people they can feel morally justified in punishing, and we all know where that gets us.

[imalazypandaaa]

Hi! I'm bored and have decided to do the 35 questions thing while I finish up my next chapter of If You Need Me I'll Be There. (WHICH IS COMING BY THE WAY!!) So ask me questions! (All of these questions were made by my friend lol)

1. What is your favorite Smp?

2. What is your favorite season of Hermitcraft?

3. What is your go to pov for the Life Series?

4. What do you think of the season 8 ending?

5. What is your favorite storyline?

6. Who is your favorite duo/trio/group?

7. What is your favorite season of the Life Series?

8. Is there anyone you want to watch more?

9. Do you have a favorite ship?

10. Are some duos/ships harder to write than others?

11. Is the moon big? (That's a stupid question Alistair but I love you so I'm keeping it)

12. Did you like Empires season 1 or 2 better?

13. Do you have any merch?

14. What is your least favorite and most favorite character in the Life Series?

15. What got you into watching Hermitcraft, Empires, Etc?

16. Is there a duo/trio/group that you hate?

17. How long have you been watching Hermitcraft?

18. Do you watch MCC?

19. Is there a creator you love but you can't watch their content for some reason? If so what's the reason?

20. Do you have any "controversial" lore opinions?

21. What is your opinion on the Ranchers? (He just wants to enable me)

22. If you had to pick your favorite Life Series winner who would it be?

23. What's your favorite quote?

24. Do you usually stick to one pov or multiple?

25. What is one ship you can not get over how much you despise it?

26. Which do you like better, pirates smp or rats smp?

27. Xisuma or Evil X?

28. What is your favorite base out of Hermitcraft Season 9?

29. What is your favorite Empire?

30. Do you think the Watchers are good, morally grey, or evil?

31. Do you like Afterlife or New Life better?

32. What is your favorite origin from New Life and After Life?

33. Who is your favorite witch from Witchcraft Smp?

34. Do you like Wizard Gem or Witch Shelby better?

35. Is there one person you just can't be normal about?

[armandposting]

okay I'm back to talk about book armand and his hunting style

so book armand, in the present day, generally hunts by using the mind gift to project his presence to people who are suicidal. people come to him, he doesn't hunt them down. the show kind of uses this in 2x5 although I think it's implied there that daniel is not exactly suicidal until armand convinces him to be. in the books we never directly see him do this so I suppose its impossible to tell how much is manipulation on his part. but it's presented as more straightforward than that.

i find this really interesting because like his vow not to turn vampires, its one of the few things that armand creates for himself. he's originally taught by marius to seek out evil people to kill (a code marius also teaches to lestat and daniel, though lestats adherence to this is somewhat sporadic lol). the children of darkness teach him to kill with no particular method or code, theyre simply evil incarnate. after those two things armand has to figure out his own way to cope with needing to be a murderer. he's clearly already started onto something close to this concept with the theatre (in the books, armand is the one to do the "no pain" routine with the victim on stage), and he later refines it into seeking people who are already suicidal.

i think this says a lot about him. it's obviously a neat little encapsulation of his control issues and his whole "domination through yielding" thing- this is a scenario where armand has the ultimate control but it's being presented as giving the person he has control over something they want, and explicitly in an extremely gentle way. I think it also says a lot about his care for human life. while the evildoer method could be seen as righteous in some ways (I personally think it's arrogant, but I get what its going for), this is much more about giving the appearance of a choice or even a gift. whcih I also think is notable in contrast to the way armand sees other vampires as basically disposable- he still keeps to the old tradition of killing any young vampires he comes across and I don't think he ever really gets over considering all vampires to be inherently already evil and dead, so killing them is no loss. while he's certainly not going out of his way to preserve human life he does show more reverence for it. which I think is all connected to his moral line against turning vampires and his belief that humans will always be fundamentally better than vampires, because their existence is (theoretically) not predicated on killing.

i also think all of this shows a kind of romanticization of humans and their ability to die. this is something he never considers for himself until the present day events of TVA because he thinks he doesn't deserve it as a vampire, but I think he's a bit jealous of it and thinks it's beautiful that humans can die. the whole obsession with an easeful death and being able to escape pain. plus the religious background and promise of heaven. he's very afraid of the afterlife for himself but mainly because he doesn't know what it is and he's scared it's just chaos forever, but he has a kind of hope that it's not for everyone. and humans can so easily access that rest that he's never going to get.

i also think it's just a cool expression of autonomy on his part because it's a moral code that has no roots at all in either what marius taught him or what the children of darkness did. it's something solely based in what he feels about people and about the world. it's one of the first things he does that solely takes meaning from his own thoughts and beliefs and that's a really important step for him.

anyway. this post has no real point I just think he's neat

[mammomlette]

OK CHAT LOCKING IN AND WRITING AS I COME UP WITH STUFF FOR AN OBEY ME THE GOOD PLACE AU BECAUSE OF BRAINROT💔 (the good place spoilers below, obey me spoilers below too but lesser)

So starting with the obvious ones:

Eleanor is MC (both main characters, both the humans who brought peace to the universe or whatever. Also both whores who said that?)

Janet is Barbatos (both op and very smart who live to help and grow closer with the mc slowly)

Ok I actually can’t think of anymore obvious ones. (I’m gonna preface that I’m going based mostly off of personalities and their roles to the story, not their relationships with one another so if I put two brothers as people who end up together this is NOT demoncest I’m not talking about the romance aspect😭)

Going through the main the good place cast, it makes sense that Jason is Mammon (loveable dorks with good hearts but do crime lowkey. They’re literally the same person)

AND THAT WOULD MEAN IN THIS UNIVERSE BARBMON/MACARON IS CANON IG? (Again I’m not focusing on the romance aspect, this is just something just worth saying)

Who would be Tahani? Asmo, maybe? They both like to brag about themselves, they’re both canonically the hottest, both popular and lowkey pretentious… yeah I’d go with that

And chidi is difficult. He’s indecisive, a great lover, a nerd, loves reading, into moral philosophy, so I’m gonna say Simeon is the closest, but I’m not sure if that would fit well just better than others

Michael is hard. Maybe Michael is Michael; both called Michael and mysterious ig, but I think he’d be a better fit for either Solomon or Diavolo. Let me explain:

Solomon and Michael both appear friendly at first while actually having bad intentions. They possess a power unknown to any of their peers and as the series goes on, grow very attached to the main characters. They’re also both different to what they first said they were (Michael claimed to be an angel but was a demon, Solomon didn’t explicitly claim to be normal but he’s certainly more powerful than he appears)

Diavolo and Michael also both appear friendly at first, except diavolo actually is friendly which lowkey ruins it… though I’d say diavolo seems like he has some ulterior motive in the start of the game lowkey, he really doesn’t. Dude just wants peace. Which is similar to Michaels character growth but that feels like a stretch. they’re both in control of the whole thing, and are trying to introduce a new idea to the afterlife despite backlash.

I’d say Solomon fits better though (in either case, this would result in Solomon/diavolo being kind of a father figure to Barb at some point, which is funny to think about)

Ok now non-main characters

Vicky is Satan, which would mean it would be funny to have lucifer be Michael, but lucifer just isn’t as good of a fit for Michael as Solomon is, sadly. Satan and Vicky both feel like they have a point to prove to people underestimating them and they’re both quite smart and value their knowledge and likeability.

Mindy st Claire pisses me off (not the character, thinking about who would be her) BECAUSE Solomon is definitely best fit for her (humans who are their own league of morality, kind of anti-social/lonely though that’s because of isolation, relaxed) BUT he’s better fit for Michael. Soooo we will return to her LMAO (rn considering Levi???)

Simeon would also be good for her (Humans who I imagine wouldn’t be allowed into the good/bad place since he’s kinda yk just fell from there…) but he’s much better as chidi

Glenn would fit as mammon but mammon is so Jason-coded it’s unreal

What other characters even exist uhhhh ummm uhhh

I want to figure out who the twins would be

WAIT NONONO GO BACK GO BACK

TAHANI AS SATAN AND CAMILLA AS LUCIFER OFMS THATS THEIR DYNAMIC DOWN TO A TEA

Lucifer/camilla is much more accomplished and respected, which makes satan/tahani resent her/him. Tahani and satan are both well read and self respecting as well.

Then who would Asmo be fml

I mean mindy is always joking about masturbating. Not even joking she’s just jorking it 24/7 and she did record Eleanor and chidi for a sex tape so I’d say Asmo is pretty well fit yeah

Who would be asmos derek then. Hm. We can ignore he was made by Janet/barb since that doesn’t really apply to anyone (perchance Solomon or dia since they lowkey have a family bond??? Stretch) and focus on the fact he was incredibly stupid but Asmo/mindy reset him so much he got very smart (I think by the end of the series he was like… a god? Help)

I think Solomon would fit actually but he’s better as Michael and I don’t like the idea of Solomon being Barbatos’ rebound for mammon because mammon started sleeping with satan. I hate that sentence, actually. Especially that last part. What am I doing with my life

Anyway I think we should come back to Derek (considering Mephisto I will explain later if I stick with that)

OH MY GOODNESS THE JUDGE WHATS HER NAME FICK WHATS HER NAME

THE ONE WHO SIMPS FOR ALL THE MEN WHAT IS HER NAME

Anyway she’s exactly how I imagine Michael acts. Very old very powerful but just cunty and obsessed with sit coms and hot men. Because. Also they’re both judges of the afterlife or whatever

Who tf is bad Janet. I could envision Asmo but I like Asmo as Mindy and don’t want to rethink that decision. Actually let’s stay loyal to the lore bad Janet is just Barbatos as an au. Bad Janet is Barbatos’ aquarium fit cause that’s bad /neg 😡

The main characters go into Janet’s void/barbatos’ room of doors or whatever and they all just look like different barbatos fits.

Ok but also Belphie could be bad Janet, lowkey… no barb au 100% I’m sticking with there just being a million barbs (this implies disco barb exists. Fun)

I do remember Sean’s existence I just don’t know who he’d be. I like the idea of him being Raphael but Raphael isn’t mean they just have the same vibes yk. They need beef with michael/solomon. Lucifer would’ve been perfect for this but alas he is decided as Camilla😪 thirteen???? WAIT YES THIRTEEN IS OERFECT THAT IS LITERALLY HE DYNAMIC WITH SOLOMON YES I want thirteen in a suit

Gwendolyn Luke? Gwendolyn Luke. (I didn’t know who she was in at the point I have to Google the good place characters: she’s the girl they see in the good place who doesn’t let them ring the phone if you remember

We’re running out of om characters but I want Doug forcett to be the unnamed butcher from s3 because that’s so funny to me

But we still don’t have a Beel :( he’s not Simone, I don’t think he’s anyone of the s4 test humans (but Asmo would def be the one friends with Tahani)

Levi who r u. I was gonna just leave some characters out but I’ve only got like 3 left so I’m determined to find them all characters.

Mepbisto as Simone????????? Would Raphael fit better??????? One of those two as Simone, we will return when we have a character for Levi

Levi bambadjan? Yeah okay no real reason I just like bambadjan I want him included

Simone is into neuroscience, she’s smart, self assured, sassy and exes with chidi (who is now Simeon) but tbh I could see both Raphael and Mephisto as her… I’m gonna say Mephisto because I feel like he just has that wit that Simone has and Raphael isn’t rlly as witty

Who is Raphael then guys. Anybody like spears? Wet cat energy? Bad food taste? Sorry I don’t like Raphael enough (NOT HATE🙅‍♀️) to be able to characterize him properly. I would say one of the good place council members but nah he’s not overly positive enough for that. Could he be Hypatia, maybe? They have similar vibes when she’s not drinking milkshake and being all woo-ey because of the immortality thing but that still doesn’t feel right.

Wait did I do diavolo

FUCK DID I FORGET BELPHIE TOO

Ok Belphie is Trevor but who is diavolo oh my DAYS

I fear I may have to replace Michael with Diavolo for the judge💔which still works imo since they’re insanely powerful (in strength and influence), old, and pretty chill if entertained but very set on their goals and motivated. It just means no Michael unless you want Michael to be the whole good place council

Oh also lil d’s as the demons pretending to be humans in the good place and lil d 2 as Todd (the one always show in demon form) just because that makes me giggle

Wait I’m now realising that I forgot to recast Vicky when I made Satan tahani

Vicky is Raphael that fits a bit (totally not just trying to fit them both in) so no more Hypatia oh well she was in like 2 episodes and was just a plot device anyway maybe she can be maddi idk who else exists

Edit: I forgot to recast Derek. Oops. Derek is lowkey Solomon coded but AGAIN I like him too much as michael, so I’m gonna say Dia??? And that way Michael can be judge Gen? Idk how to feel about implying Dia and Barbatos dated and Barb created him as a rebound though… Oh well I’m already technically implying Satan and Mammon did the deed and that’s gross so just ignore the relationship implications based on casting🙏

SO TO SUMMARISE:

Eleanor- MC

Chidi- Simeon

Tahani- Satan

Jason- Mammon

Michael- Solomon

Janet- Barbatos

Shawn- Thirteen

Vicky- Raphael(?)

Glenn- Beel

Judge Gen (because I googled her name)- Michael

Mindy- Asmo

Kamilah- Lucifer

Bad Janet- also Barbatos

Bambadjan- Levi (LMAO I’m sorry)

Trevor- Belphie

Gwendolyn- Luke

Neutral Janet- Barbatos again

Simone- Mephisto(?)

Derek: Diavolo (I hate that cast though)

Doug forcett- The butcher from season 3?😭

Demon workers- lil d’s

Disco Janet- still Barbatos who would have guessed

And some honourable mentions (double casts) cause lucifer is Brett, Asmo is tahanis friend from s4 I forgot yk the gossip guy with a blog, Mammon is the guy who takes his top off instead of fighting that was Eleanor’s fake soulmate number 2, I’m not doing all their family’s guys but donkey Doug could be like lil d 2 or smthn. I’m gonna post this and forget someone which I’m trying to avoid but ohh welllll

Thank you for coming to my ted talk

I want to draw this now🧍‍♀️🧍‍♀️

[allycat75]

In subtle misogyny news...

I will start this commentary by saying I loved the first "Ghostbusters" movie from 1984 and I also really liked the female reboot from 2016. But I have yet to see Afterlife, as it looks too dark and dystopian for my taste.

It has bothered me for years how much backlash the 2016 film has received, with people obfuscating what they really mean with their criticism. Sure, the $144 budget could have been inflated based on what other similar movies in the genre have been made for and thus was a legitimate flop, but there are many franchise films, or films in general, that don't live up to projected expectation and are written off as the cost of doing business with no more than a peep.

What is upsetting about the 2016 Ghostbuster film in the years since its release is this subtle, and maybe not-so-subtle, perpetuation of the myth that women are not funny and this is the reason for its failure.

But with the release of the second movie of the new Ghostbusters reboot, "Frozen Empire", putting budget aside, the 2016 movie actually made more money than the two new films, which translates to butts in seats. So seeing women taking the roles of paranormal scientist in place of privleged white men was not the problem. But the male ego is fragile and instead of looking into what may be the real root cause of this, and many other box office failures, they decided to be lazy and chose the most readily avalable answers screamed on the internet from toxic gamers and incels in the making.

Of course this goes to an even larger issue that Hollywood is completely bereft of original ideas and still thinks audiences will blindly pay to see the same thing over and over, just with a few inane tweeks. But our time and money have become infinely more valuable and we as consumers are, for better or worse, seeing more of how the sausage is made. I, at least, prefer to be more discerning with my financial, as well as moral, resources. The one who puts in the most effort while hurting the least amount of people, telling authentic and original stories, is the closest thing to sincerity we may get from La La Land and they will be the ones to get my hard earned dollars.

[elvenbeard]

|| You never saw me on the right side || || You never saw me on the wrong || || You never saw me on the right side || || You never saw me coming ||

Lately I've been kinda obsessed with "Gloves" by Saint Punk, and whenever I'm kinda obsessed with a song for a specific character, I'd ideally love to make a music video... but since I currently don't have the time for that, I opted for an edit based on the lyrics. I don't think I've ever done anything comparable, or at least it's been a long while, but I really had so much fun with this xD I might do more for the rest of the song, because there's some more lines in there that just hit hard and that I'd like to visualize wit VP 👀

Also, in general, I see such cool more graphic-y edits by others in the fandom all the time (especially @pinkyjulien and @chevvy-yates come to mind, like... your stuff is *so good*), I wanted to try something along those lines myself with this xD

I just really really love the intro lines so much, because it reflects so many aspects of Vince as a character, I'm going feral just thinking about it... How neither his corpo-past nor his merc career are better or worse than the other (same shit, just a slightly different packaging, to him at least), how he himself is always kind of morally grey and a little unpredictable in whose side he's gonna end up on, how he never really fits in where he goes, but uses being underestimated because of that to his advantage, how he rose from a nobody to an Afterlife legend through sheer spite and determination, and so on!! asjdökfjdfaöjsf I love him so much and I love that song XD

[vanilla-cigarillos]

Voodoo and Hoodoo: What’s the Difference?

If you live in America, you have undoubtedly come across the terms of voodoo and hoodoo. What is the difference between the two, and how does African (umbrella term) culture play a role in each?

Voodoo

(A.K.A. Vodou, Voudou, Vodun) Voodoo is a religion that originated within Africa amidst the Atlantic slave trade. Its structure comes from a mix of traditional religions of West and Central enslaved Africans (Yoruba, Kongo, and Fon). Once brought to the Hispaniola island, Voodoo saw influences of the culture of the French colonialists who controlled the colony of Saint-Domingue (Freemasonry). 

Many Haitians who practice Voodoo also practice Roman Catholicism, not seeing a contradiction between the two systems existing simultaneously. Characterized as Haiti’s “national religion”, Voodoo is one of the most misunderstood religions in the world. Voodoo is monotheistic, giving the teachings of a single supreme God. Believed to have created the universe, this entity is called Bondye or Bonié. For Vodouists, Bondye is seen as the ultimate source of power. This perception of God is also seen as remote, not involving itself in human affairs. While Vodouists often equate Bondye with the Christian God, Vodou does not incorporate belief in a powerful antagonist that opposes the supreme being akin to the Christian notion of Satan. 

Vodou also holds the belief of many beings known as Iwa, a term that varies in its translation from “spirits” to “gods”. These beings can in many ways be equated to Christian angels in many of its cosmology. The lwa can offer help, protection, and counsel to humans, in return for ritual service. Each lwa has its own personality and individual correspondences. They can be either loyal or capricious in their dealings with their devotees, with many believing that the lwa are easily offended. When angered, the lwa are believed to remove their protection from their devotees, or to inflict harm. 

Vodou also teaches a perspective of the human soul, which is believed to be divided into two parts (both of which exist within the head of a person). One of these is the ti bonnanj ("little good angel"), and it is understood as the conscience that allows an individual to engage in self-reflection and self-criticism. The other part is the gwo bonnanj ("big good angel") and this constitutes the psyche, source of memory, intelligence, and personhood. Vodouists believe that every individual is intrinsically connected to a specific lwa. This lwa is their mèt tèt (master of the head). They believe that this lwa influences the individual's personality. At bodily death, the gwo bonnanj join the Ginen, or ancestral spirits, while the ti bonnanj proceeds to the afterlife to face judgement before Bondye.

Vodou does not promote a dualistic belief in a division between good and evil. It offers no prescriptive code of ethics. Rather than being rule-based, Vodou morality is deemed contextual to the situation.

It is very important to respect Vodou as the closed practice that it is. While misunderstood through various contextualizations, it is a religion felt deeply by a group of people who use it to guide their lives. Those outside do not have the right to infringe upon said spaces. 

Hoodoo

It is important to understand that Hoodoo does not describe a religion. Rather, Hoodoo is a set of mystical beliefs hailing from along the Mississippi River with influences from Indigenous herbalism, African spiritualities, and Christian influences. Practitioners of Hoodoo are called rootworkers, conjure doctors, conjure man or conjure woman, root doctors, Hoodoo doctors, and swampers.

Many Hoodoo traditions specifically draw from the beliefs of the Bakongo people of Central Africa during the Atlantic slave trade. After their contact with European slave traders and missionaries, some Africans converted to Christianity willingly, while other enslaved Africans were forced to become Christian which resulted in a syncretization of African spiritual practices and beliefs with the Christian faith. Enslaved and free Africans learned regional indigenous botanical knowledge after they arrived to the United States, including another influence to what would become known as Hoodoo. 

During the transatlantic slave trade a variety of African plants were brought from Africa to the United States for cultivation (okra, sorghum, yam, benneseed, watermelon, black-eyed peas, etc.). African Americans had their own herbal knowledge that was brought from West and Central Africa to the United States. When it came to the medicinal use of herbs, African Americans learned some medicinal knowledge of herbs from Indigenous peoples. However, the spiritual use of herbs and the practice of Hoodoo remained African in origin as enslaved African-Americans incorporated African religious rituals in the preparation of North American herbs and roots.

Hoodoo was also a key part in black revolution in the United States. Enslaved women would use their knowledge of herbs to induce miscarriages so white owners wouldn’t be able to take their children. There were also examples of hoodoo being used to poison and kill white slave owners. The Bible itself, in conjunction with Hoodoo, was used in slave liberation. Free and enslaved people could read the stories of the Hebrews in the Bible, and found them similar to their situation in the United States as slaves. The Hebrews in the Old Testament were freed from slavery in Egypt under the leadership of Moses (held to be a conjurer in the beliefs of many who practice Hoodoo).

Hoodoo is also a closed practice, requiring initiation for practitioners. 

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Ma’at

The philosophy of Ma’at originates from ancient Egyptian thought and represents the foundational principle of cosmic order, truth, justice, harmony, balance, and morality. Ma’at is both a goddess and a concept, symbolizing the natural law that governs the universe, society, and individual behavior. It played a central role in the ethics, politics, and religious life of ancient Egypt.

Key Principles of Ma’at

Cosmic Order and Harmony:

Ma’at embodies the natural order of the universe, ensuring that all elements of the world—both physical and metaphysical—exist in balanced harmony. This includes the movement of the stars, the cycles of nature, and human relationships.

Ma’at is the force that counters Isfet, or chaos. Maintaining Ma’at was essential to preserving the stability of the world and preventing the descent into disorder.

Truth and Justice:

Ma’at represents truth in both a literal and moral sense. To live in accordance with Ma’at is to live truthfully, embracing honesty, fairness, and justice.

In Egyptian society, kings (Pharaohs) were expected to rule according to Ma’at, ensuring justice in legal, social, and political matters. Judges and officials invoked Ma’at when making decisions, as justice was seen as a reflection of cosmic balance.

Moral and Ethical Conduct:

Living according to Ma’at involved a commitment to ethical behavior. This included virtues such as truthfulness, integrity, generosity, respect, humility, and compassion.

Individuals were expected to contribute to societal harmony by acting justly and in alignment with the community’s well-being. This included respect for family, honoring ancestors, and maintaining relationships based on mutual fairness and kindness.

Ritual and Religious Practice:

Ma’at was not just an abstract concept but also a goddess worshipped in temples and daily rituals. Pharaohs, as the earthly representatives of Ma’at, were tasked with performing rituals to ensure the continued balance between the gods, nature, and humanity.

Offerings and prayers to Ma’at were meant to maintain cosmic balance, ensuring favorable outcomes such as good harvests, protection from natural disasters, and societal peace.

Ma’at and the Afterlife:

In the afterlife, Ma’at played a key role in the judgment of souls. The Weighing of the Heart ceremony, described in the Book of the Dead, involved weighing a deceased person's heart against the feather of Ma’at. If the heart was lighter than the feather, the soul was deemed virtuous and granted access to the afterlife.

The symbolism of the feather represents purity, truth, and justice. If the heart was heavier, symbolizing a life of sin or imbalance, the soul would be devoured by Ammit, a creature representing annihilation.

Ma’at and Leadership:

Pharaohs were seen as upholders of Ma’at, both politically and religiously. Their rule was considered legitimate only as long as they maintained Ma’at, and their primary duty was to ensure justice, harmony, and the protection of their people from chaos (Isfet).

The king's role in upholding Ma’at was intertwined with religious duties, as they performed daily rituals to reaffirm the relationship between the gods and society.

Social and Environmental Responsibility:

Ma’at also extended to one’s responsibilities toward society and the environment. People were expected to contribute to the common good, maintain peaceful relationships, and live sustainably within the natural world.

Protecting the environment, fostering communal welfare, and adhering to one’s duties were seen as necessary to uphold Ma’at. Individuals who deviated from this path contributed to the breakdown of order.

Opposition to Isfet (Chaos):

Isfet, the opposite of Ma’at, represents disorder, injustice, falsehood, and destruction. Ancient Egyptians believed that the constant struggle between Ma’at and Isfet was inherent in the functioning of the cosmos.

Upholding Ma’at was a daily battle against Isfet. Actions like dishonesty, oppression, and violence were manifestations of Isfet and had to be resisted to preserve balance in society and the natural world.

The philosophy of Ma’at emphasizes the importance of balance, justice, truth, and harmony in all aspects of life—individual, social, and cosmic. It serves as a framework for ethical living, responsible leadership, and societal well-being, promoting a worldview in which all elements of existence are interconnected and must be in balance to sustain order and prevent chaos.

[emperor-p10]

“and those who find it are few.”

This is a big issue I have with Christianity and its virtue-based moral system. Earth is supposedly designed by God to be a test of everyone’s place in the afterlife. Some people prove themselves more worthy of eternal life, but most people stay unworthy and get eternal suffering. It is anti-equality and anti-humanitarian…

Thanks for clicking read more. Ignoring the blatant abuse being carried out by God in this setup of His world, this moral system promotes a dangerous idea in the minds of many religious followers: that authoritarian hierarchies are necessary and natural rather than imposed by humans. The pious will rise to heaven in his rightful place and the damned will not. Through faith, works, or both, in the end, most people suffer, and that’s okay. the system isn’t broken, it just works like this.

Ideally, the systems we build our society off of (and any possible deity constructs their afterlife policy, mind you) should create and foster a good world. A common misconception is that the law is there to punish evil and reward good. It is there to do neither necessarily; it is there to guide the public away from bad behavior and toward good ones. Punishment used to be how kings and autocrats thought the masses had to be corralled, but we know today that punitive prisons carry far less utility than rehabilitative ones. The only benefits to the former is control, profit, and sadists’ pleasure. A society that believes that the divine order says humans tend to be evil and deserve hell is bound to accept similar, authoritarian hierarchies on earth as divine.

In the western-influenced world where the Christian empires of old still have cultural impact, the masses are still generally not disillusioned by the boots of capitalism. This is speculation, but at least in the U.S. (the cultures with which I am most familiar), I believe this to be a result of people seeing the anti-equality, anti-freedom hierarchy of capitalism as divine.

[thisisnotthenerd]

one thing you can say about aabria iyengar is that any character she makes slaps so hard. any of them. hot powerful ladies with an innate sense of self and sometimes dubious morals. not a single miss. i admire the commitment to divorcing the cr cast, and her sitting with travis and sam again is so exuc to me. silly goofy table with super interesting character dynamics. this time it’s both of them that can kill her super easily, with sam as a new friend with fundamentally different beliefs and travis as the ex.

things we know about deanna leimert:

the coziest gnome--knits, wears a big blanket/sweater and uggs, and carries around stew.

unique laughter

reluctant cleric of the dawnfather

had a fling with chetney ~200 years ago

came to uthodurn, made a family with dustel? and then died after being attacked ~10 years later

still has a thing for chetney, but ~it’s complicated~

lowkey a monsterfucker

resurrected by a high level cleric of the dawnfather ~2 years ago, met FRIDA, and started adventuring with them? we still don’t know exactly what they were up to

lowkey dweomer & laerryn energy. if i had a nickel for every time aabria iyengar played a powerful divorced spellcaster with a loyal aeormaton companion who was present around an apogee solstice i’d have two nickels. which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice

was happy in an afterlife for ~200 years and got pulled from it. the implications of the rest of her life and family moving on are so spicy. i love the character concept. direct contrast to laudna in terms of the resurrection itself.

the idea of waking up to see your partner, older, wiser, and beyond you at this point in your life is so messed up. waking up, feeling like an obligation, a completed promise (to whom? may i ask), and a relic of a time long passed got me really hard. she had a relatively happy life, died, and came back only for everything from that period to hurt. she came back exactly the same, but the world changed in her absence. it’s like that one post that was going around about bringing back your dead wife and you’re insisting that she came back wrong but she’s just normal. coming back to a light type of magic and a connection that you can choose to pull on based on who brought you back.

vs laudna waking up alone physically and coming back ‘wrong’, combining innate magic and a pull from someone else. opposite side of the coin in magic style, all shadows and eldritch energy. no obligation to a past life, but being chased out of the places that you made for yourself. a deep trauma associated with your death and the place that you lived before. your body and countenance stuck in the same state that you died in, so your magic takes on more and more reminders of your death. your family sent you to your death and you never see them again except for within the confines of your mind.

i don’t know if we’ll get a laudna & deanna interaction soon, but i so want them to meet and talk about it at least a little. I want to see how imogen continues to react to deanna for these UBH episodes

fiercely defensive of FRIDA and quicker to judge chetney based on past experiences, even though the rest of uthodurn bell’s hells (UBH) did try to warn them

definitely in a weird place in terms of the gods. the thought of faith as batteries or food for the gods is very very similar to ludinus’ comments in that long monologue:

“The greatest lie ever told is that we need them. We are their gardens, their cattle. They created us to feed them with our faith, our hope, our souls. Lapping up their fables, give them form, purpose, control.”

also the concept of the gift of rest--while coming more from FRIDA than deanna, i think applies differently from two characters who experienced that and were pulled out of an eternal rest. very much self-projection energy that i’m getting. also, powering the gods off is distinctly different from eating them, but has a little bit of a similar taste.

thoughts for the future:

i think this is going to be an opportunity to introduce another couple of factions. that fact that we’re up to three clerics in a six person party is giving me inklings of getting into vasselheim or at least some religious drama, post-chetney backstory. there’s definitely some god-indifferent sentiments in the party, and BH’s most religious people (fcg, and to a much lesser extent orym) are separate and can’t compare notes. aabria and christian are taking them on some kind of ride going forward.

also the idea that D has been awakening and shipping aeormatons all over the world. the ones we’ve seen so far have had some interesting experiences with the gods--a holdover from aeorian thought about the gods? if aeormatons and other aeorian weapons/tools of artifice were being designed to kill the gods that has room for some fun and spicy exploration going forward, if UBH goes to aeor.

i hope that these trial of the take style episodes let us have these characters for a little while. they’re meant to contrast and be foils to chetney and fcg specifically, but the interactions with fearne and imogen have so much potential, and i can’t wait to see where they go.