#the original image looks very grotesque

[mrboogerlip]

RRRRafflesia

Those who suffer will never forget what has been done to them.

---

This is a redraw of a picture from this song. I was going to draw one of my girls, but after I read what the song was about I was like... nahhh... So I drew Milo instead. XD

If you're going to ask what this song is about, it's about someone who's struggling with coping with the abuse that they have faced in the past. I think the song implies that they're prone to lashing out and hurting other people and that their emotions are unstable because of the abuse. Everyone seems to tell them that they should move on, turn a negative to a positive, but they just can't.

...Well, that's what I got from it when I read the translated lyrics. It's very confusing though XD

Milo belongs to @darrens-toyhouse

Original image :3

[rottiens]

contents. true form sukuna, servant gn reader (you call him master), choking, typical sukuna canon (mentions of blood, massacres, eating people, etc.), he purrs because I say so c:

You think Sukuna can't hate you. At least, not as much as he seems to hate everyone else. Not for the way he allows you to be near him, breathing under his imposing shadow. Nor for the way he lets you approach his quarters while you watch him, half naked, cleaning his weapons with precision, while you kneel silently a few feet away.

In time, you come to believe that your presence is as comforting to him as his is to you, to some extent.

It is strange to look back and remember how you once served him against your will, with shackles on your hands and feet when you were dragged from your slaughtered village by the monster you now serve. Back then, terror choked you, knowing that at any moment you could be devoured by that grotesque mouth on his stomach that you watched demolish and swallow bones so easily. Your limbs trembled unceasingly in his presence. However, you have grown so accustomed to Sukuna that nothing about him seems to faze you anymore, not even when you wipe the blood from his hands, the dirt trapped under his fingernails after a brutal battle, or the grime left in his hair.

Carefully, your fingers slide through the tangled strands, combing them back. The contact causes Sukuna to tilt his head toward you, allowing you to pour warm water from the hot springs over his head with a vessel. The reddish liquid from the blood that remained there slides down his broad shoulders and chest, and the mouth that is usually so terrifying remains hidden beneath the still surface of the water. With his lower arms submerged, he almost looks like an ordinary man.

His chest rises and falls calmly, his throat exposed, the closed eyes show you an image of a relaxed sukuna that you see very rarely— The thought of attacking him invades you for a fleeting second, but you dismiss it before it grows because there was no way you could come out a winner against a hand-to-hand battle with a battle-skilled warrior like him. With the vessel, you pour more water over his hair; this time, it falls clean and crystal clear down his back.

As you bend down once more to fill the vessel again, you notice a slight tremor in the water around him, almost as if the aura emanating from his body is boiling. Your fingers touch his shoulders curiously, and Sukuna opens his lower eyes instantly. The expression on his mid-face that you catch a glimpse of is inscrutable from where you are.

“You're purring,” you say, without hesitation. It's an affirmation. He closes his eyes again, and you wonder what he's thinking. Perhaps out of a bravery born of the confidence he has bestowed on you, you add, “Like a cat.” Sukuna emits a sound that could be a choked laugh. A slight tremor in his throat suggests you have touched something in him. “We used to have one in the village,” you murmur, a hint of nostalgia permeating your words as you remember the feline walking gracefully around corners and rooftops, they were a sign of good luck to have one around and that he had chosen your village was more than an honor for you.

You had never noticed that Sukuna could produce such vibrations, perhaps because you had never been as close to him as you are now. It's not exactly like the purring of a cat, but it's as close as you can compare it to. The vibrations are born in his chest and spread throughout his body, making your fingers tremble on his shoulders. Fascinated by the discovery, you slide your hands to his chest, searching for the origin of the sound, perhaps it comes from where his heart should be.

The water bubbles violently, and before you can react, Sukuna moves with dizzying speed. Suddenly, you are trapped beneath him, his hand squeezing your throat, just enough to remind you who is in control, but allowing you to breathe.

Your hands remain motionless at your sides accepting your fate as the water dripping from his body slowly soaks you. The thick drops of water make you feel like your village cat, drenched by the rain as the villagers welcomed him into their homes. It was an honor to have him inside. Ironically, your last thought before you died might have been that, the memory of that furry feline, your only haven of happiness before you came under Sukuna's power.

You don't know how much time passes as you remain in that position. The mouth on his stomach remains lurking and hungry, slightly open. All four pairs of eyes are riveted on you, but for a moment you forget them. The purring gets louder, deeper, as if echoing from his chest each time he exhales.

“What were you trying to do?” his voice breaks the silence, forcing you back to reality. It takes you a moment to process that he's talking to you.

You lick your dry lips and stammer out a reply, your throat still constricted by his hand. “Master… I was just curious about the sound in your chest. I find it… comforting,” you confess, embarrassed, lowering your gaze to your wet lap.

Sukuna pulls back, releasing you from his grip, and dives back into the water. With one hand, he pushes back his hair, while his eyes roam up and down your drenched figure. You shiver at the contrast between your wet skin and the cold night wind. Sukuna clicks his tongue, visibly irritated by the fragility of human bodies.

“Withdraw. And change your clothes.”

“Master…” you say bowing your head in reverence before walking away, feeling his eyes bore into your back as you walk away.

What an interesting specimen, Sukuna thinks as the purring in his chest begins to fade.

[biblically-accurate-dca]

assorted dca wips i probably won't ever touch again (sorted from newest to oldest!)

very rambly explainations for each image under the cut ^_^

1.) aug 28th, 2024 -- i started this around the time where i'd just gotten into something else and basically just detached myself from the dca... and therefore all my art with them got way more experimental and personal to me and my tastes bc i'd just stopped caring about them LOL

i do wish i'd finished this one though because i love how the body looks! i don't remember ever starting this with much of a plan though and i very visibly got bored once i drew all the fun parts (i hate drawing their legs)

2.) oct 1st, 2024 -- this could technically be considered vent artwork? i wanted to make something purposefully grotesque and unnerving because i was just really angry at the fandom all the time... and it doesnt help that whenever i get into something new i go through a weird breakup phase with my old interest (which might not make sense to some people lol) which causes some weird feelings.

a less angsty thing i can mention is that i was also very purposefully trying to be more relaxed about the way i paint things here! i usually strictly adhere to a set palette i make for myself, so this drawing was me pushing myself out of that comfort zone and forcing myself to freestyle the colors a bit... the result didnt really end up how i wanted it to be though (^^;; )

3.) oct 9th, 2024 -- iirc this was me elaborating on a physical sketch i made where i was playing around with their face... i actually still really, really like this style and this drawing might've been the best way i've ever done it. fluid and expressive but still grotesque enough for it to stay true to their original design! this is the thing i reference whenever i draw them this way (and if you look at my most recent post you might notice some similarities?)

4.) may 11th, 2024 -- MANN i wish i'd finished this one!!! it was a redraw of this drawing based off of "chimera" by deco*27!! i've always associated that song with the dca but i didn't give it justice the first time i drew it due to the time constraints so i wanted to do it better!!! but then i got stuck on the hands 😭

if i was ever going to pick one of these back up again there's a good chance it'd be this one

5.) jul 18th, 2024 -- nothing truly profound to say here as this was actually just a test... never got around to adding a body to it, mainly because i just like drawing their face more than i like drawing the rest of them. you can probably look at all of these and realize that for yourself though LMAO

[alphynix]

April Fools 2024: The Curious Case Of The Chunky-Necked Ceratopsians

Much like the aquatic Compsognathus featured here a couple of years ago, not every novel idea that came out of the Dinosaur Renaissance was a winner.

And one of the oddest examples came from author/illustrator John C. McLoughlin.

His 1979 book Archosauria: A New Look at the Old Dinosaur featured an unusual interpretation of ceratopsian dinosaurs' characteristic bony frills, proposing that they were actually muscle attachment sites for both powerful jaw muscles and enormous back muscles to help hold up their large heavy heads. This would have completely buried the frill under soft tissue, giving the animals massive thick necks and humped shoulders, and resulted in an especially weird reconstruction of Triceratops with a grotesque sort of wrinkly sewn-together appearance.

This concept didn't entirely originate from McLoughlin – three years earlier in 1976 he'd illustrated Ronald Paul Ratkevich's book Dinosaurs of the Southwest, which seems to have been the inspiration for Archosauria's fleshy-frilled ceratopsians. A few paleontologists had also proposed jaw muscles attaching onto the frills during the 1930s and 1950s, and there's even a book from as far back as 1915 that also shows the top of a Triceratops' frill connected to its back! But McLoughlin's Archosauria image is still by far the most extreme and infamous version of the idea.

There were a lot of things in Archosauria that were actually very forward-thinking for the time period, such as putting fuzz and feathers on small theropods and depicting non-avian dinosaurs as active fast-moving animals. The unique ceratopsian reconstructions, however, never caught on for several big reasons:

Firstly, all that hefty muscle tissue would have locked ceratopsians' heads firmly in place, unable to move at all, which just doesn't make sense biomechanically. Then there was the lack of skeletal evidence – muscles that big should have left huge visible attachment scars all over the frill bones, and there was no sign of anything like that on any fossil specimens. Finally, it turns out the ceratopsian head-neck joint was actually highly mobile, suggesting their heads were free to make a wide range of motions in life.

As wrong as they were even at the time, McLoughlin's ceratopsians were still an interesting speculative idea, and notable for advocating for fleshier dinosaur reconstructions at a time when paleoart was trending towards shrinkwrapping.

Further reading under the cut:

A Very Alternative View of Horned Dinosaur Anatomy, Revisited – https://tetzoo.com/blog/2020/11/22/alternative-view-of-horned-dinosaur-anatomy

Trope of the Buffalo-Backed Dinosaur – https://tetzoo.com/blog/2020/11/27/trope-of-the-buffalo-backed-dinosaur

Vintage Dinosaur Art: Archosauria - Part 3 – https://chasmosaurs.blogspot.com/2013/10/vintage-dinosaur-art-archosauria-part-3.html

Vintage Dinosaur Art: Dinosaurs of the Southwest – https://chasmosaurs.blogspot.com/2016/11/vintage-dinosaur-art-dinosaurs-of.html

The Forgotten John C. McLoughlin Book – https://www.manospondylus.com/2021/03/the-forgotten-john-c-mcloughlin-book.html

[mask131]

While checking around for my “Roman gods are not Greek gods” posts, I found back this tripartition of mythology, which is actually a fact that everybody should kno about if they want to dabble in Greco-Roman myths (especially Greek myths).

We know that, during Antiquity, the Romans and the Greeks thought that there wasn’t just one, but three different types of “theology” - three different views, perceptions and reception of the gods.

The first theology was the theology of the priests and of the state - aka, religion. The Greek gods as perceived and described by religion, as honored through rituals and festivals.

The second theology is the “mythic theology” - what we call “mythology today”. It is a set of legends, folktales and stories that are not part of religion, but rather used and carried by art - it is the gods are seen, perceived and described by the poets, by the epics, by the theater plays.

The third theology is the theology of the philosophers - who used the gods and their tales as images and allegories for various abstract or concrete topics. It is the gods as depictions and description of natural phenomenon, or the myths as a way to actualy exemplify a social fact or explain psychological workings. 

For the classic Greeks and Romans, there was a clear divide between those three very different point of view of the gods. It was basically three different versions of the pantheon. This is notably why you will find texts noting that priests disliked and condemned the poets’ mythological works, due to them being blasphemous and making the gods too human when religion described them as perfect ; and it is also why the philosophers of old dissed on and rejected the literary works of mythology as nonsense only good to feed superstitions, because for them the gods weren’t characters or realities, but rather abstract concepts and rhetorical allegories.

This is something I feel needs to be reminded, because today these three different theologies have been mixed up into one big mess - as literary myths are placed one the same level as philosophical “myths” (actually texts taking the shape of myths), and both considered of outmost religious importance. When in fact, things were quite different... 

EDIT: I was asked if there was a myth that could illustrate the three different theologies, and on the spot I would say “the affair between Aphrodite and Ares”.

This story originates from the “mythological theology”. It is primarily a story, and a good one. It is the story of a husband who discovers his wife is unfaithful and tries to get revenge, it is the story of an extra-marital affair gone wrong, it is typical set of divine shenanigans ending on a grotesque display of divine humiliation - it is an excellent narrative material for plays and poems (and the legend does originates from poems).

The story was also dearly beloved and reused by the “philosophical theology”, because the philosophers adored the idea of the love between Ares and Aphrodite - for them it was the perfect depiction of how the concepts of “love” and “war” , despite being seemingly opposite, attracted each other and were closely tied. For them, this story isn’t to be taken literaly as “a god cheated on another god”, but rather as “this is an allegory showing that love and war are two sides of the same coin, which is why Aphrodite falls for Ares despite being married to Hephaistos”. But for them the whole net part is just poetic nonsense invented to make people laugh ; or maybe they will reinvent them as a moral, cautionary tale that should be used to warn people of the dangers of unfaithfulness. 

And then there’s the “religious theology”, the point of view of the priests - for whom such a story is mockery and sacrilege. You can imagine them saying: “You are making the gods look like fools! Gods don’t cheat on each other, gods don’t get captured in nets while butt-naked, gods don’t even sleep on beds - GODS DO NOT EVEN HAVE HUMAN FORMS IN THEIR NATURAL STATE - what the heck is this bullshit you’re saying, you’re just insulting the gods by turning them into lecherous humans and grotesque clowns for your vulgar story!” (This is a reconstitution and not the actual words of an Ancient Greek priest)

[sugoi-writes]

This is Not a Love Story, This is an Autopsy - Part 1

A/N- PHEW! I wanted to kick out of my hiatus with something I've been itching to do... An original series! I wasn't quiet happy with some of my longer works (and trust, they will probably be rewritten, too). So, this is the start of something new! Something that'll be fresh!

I've been heavily inspired/influenced by @minkdelovely and @hazelfoureyes, who keep encouraging me to just... do it. So I'm doing it!

BEFORE you get too invested, this story WILL be dark. It will be GOREY, graphic at times, there will be filthy, raunchy smut... But this is gonna be a LOT of hurt, with VERY LITTLE comfort. Alastor will NOT be a kind man. The title should be taken seriously, if you wish to continue. BUT FOR NOW... PHEW... sorry, here's part one!!!

Warnings/Promises: Mystery murder woman, Alastor is intrigued, a poor demon suddenly doesn't have a face, cursing, banter, Mystery woman wants to kill Alastor, and Alastor doesn't have GREAT intentions either... Just-- Alastor being ALASTOR! (Mystery woman is referred to in 3rd person, but this may change! Not sure yet)

Please enjoy! ❤️ Header image created by bat-boness on Tumblr! ❤️

Alastor's evening stroll simulated any other: pleasantries exchanged with himself, and his dainty, dated tunes filling the air. This served as a chipper contrast to his surroundings of hurried footsteps, startled shrieks, and the general cacophony on this side of The Pentagram. Oh, tonight was certainly a good night! ...But it was about to get so much better.

The sound of wet squelching, akin to a crushed watermelon, caught his attention. His deer-like ears twisted in it's direction, his smile expanding. What a curious sound! One he was aptly familiar with! It could only be one thing...

Gurgling, disjointed cries and the sputtering of fluids sounded like a grotesque melody. Alastor could hear steady, heavy breathing keeping the tempo. An act of passion... well, in the killing sense, surely. Ever the curious sort, Alastor sent his shadow to investigate. Its wide eyes take in the sight of the alleyway expectantly, eager to witness the fuss first.

A large figure loomed over a hapless victim, the arms flinching and trembling subconsciously as the attacker worked diligently. The sounds from before had morphed into a gut wrenching cutting noise: the unmistakable sound of a sharp knife carving through flesh... but where?

The shadow blinked, inching closer to the scene to get a better look. However, the attacker flinched, turning towards the apparation with a speed that would snap the neck of a human. It was spotted.

In the blink of an eye, a knife came off of a thigh garter belt, hurdling full force towards the Shadow. The knife struck between the entity’s eyes, a heated hiss thrown back to the stranger. Alastor's obedient pet slinked back to its master, unable to give a more helpful report. Alastor hummed in amusement, taking two wide strides to his right. Now, he was stationed at the mouth of the alley, his teeth gleaming under the dim streetlight.

"Do forgive me, dear, I am not known to eavesdrop," a lie, Alastor thought," But I couldn't help but overhear a scuffle~ What did that poor beau do to deserve such fury?"

Alastor wanted to be nearer, to see what you had done to the now-corpse of the demon... but alas, he couldn't just yet. Even with the back facing him, the Radio Demon got a better glimpse at the disheveled stranger.

A large, wide shoulder span dipped in and flowed back out in a delightful curve: a tasteful hourglass shape. Brunette and blonde hair cascaded just past the shoulders, spattered with blood… that was even more tasteful. Judging from the spray's pattern, this blood came from somewhere else… or someone else, in this case. The broad shoulders led to muscular, intense looking arms. The limbs were so red that it seemed they were dipped in a vat of coagulated blood. He could scarcely see the little nicks and scars that littered the taunt skin.

When Alastor continued to walk forward, a sharp turn of the head greeted him. Startling, grey eyes with bloodshot whites glared back at him. The figure didn't answer him, staring him down with a look that could frighten a dictator. Blonde and brunette fringe framed the face, a soft contrast to the rest of the body. Full, flushed cheeks from exertion, complimented by wide eyes and a set of thick, heavy lashes. And, dozens of shallow, silver-white scars littering the pale, plump face. Alastor's eyebrows rose with interest, the silence only motivating him to get closer.

The figure growled, snarling like a caged animal as it turned fully towards him... a woman, he assumed. This woman had blood sprayed across her entire upper body, indicating that this was indeed a passionate act of murder.

Alastor ceased his advances, both hands coming up in mock-surrender.

"Oh come now, dear, I mean no harm... 'just curious~ Won't you humor a demon for a spell? You might just hear your little story on my broadcast tonight~" he nearly sang, eyes squinting and watching carefully. He could tell that this beast of a woman was on high alert, and would likely try and jump him if he so much as thought the wrong word. Though he was confident in his abilities to defend himself, he was no bodybuilder: a fisty cuff that got too heated could mean his second death.

The woman’s gaze remained unphased as she came to her feet. Then, it morphed into a look of recognition.

While the mystery woman realized who was speaking to her, Alastor discovered what she had been carving off of the victim: his face. Alastor watched with an irrational sense of delight as the heavily scarred woman faced him properly. He couldn't help but shift his eyes to the scalped face of the victim, feeling his hands ball up into eager fists behind his back.

The cadaver’s face was grasped in the brunette’s calloused, large hands, blood sliding through her knuckles like a babbling creak in the woods. Had he been a sane man, he would have found the image unsightly. But between his fall from grace and his afterlife of trouble… he found the sight utterly delicious.

Alastor swallowed something in his throat... nerves? Excitement? A mutual interest between strangers? What an evening to find a like-minded individual…

"...You're the Radio Demon..." the murderer said simply. Her voice was a hard, uneven gravel, as if she hardly spoke at all. Alastor's smile widened, giddy at the budding interaction.

"Ahh, my reputation precedes me~ But you can call me Alastor, sweetheart. And what may I call you, hmm?" The tone of his sing-song charm did not match the cannibalistic mania of his too-wide smile. His voice was the cheese, nestled inside an obvious mousetrap.

Alastor stepped even closer, extending a hand out to the rabid-looking woman. Her steely eyes looked to his hand, before back to his face. Her expression remained unchanged.

"...I don't do handshakes," she replied bluntly, her gaze burrowing holes into Alastor's complexion. She seemed to watch him just as intently, acutely aware of his dark aura. Her words sought to disguise her own intrigue.

"Ahh, apologies, dear-- Deeeaaaar...?"

Alastor raised a brow while he drew out the last word, eye twitching with annoyance. He cocked his head slightly as he leaned in, trying to goad her into a response. He expected a name sometime tonight. A name... just a name. If he had her name, he could work with that. Just let him get under that barrier, even if it's just a crack--

"I don't have one," the woman spat back, either uninterested or able to see through Alastor’s antics (of which, the Radio Demon wasn't sure).

A record scratch leaked through his frequency at the abrupt response. The curtness throttled his already thinking patience... Alastor's wide smile stammered for a moment, a tense chuckle bleeding through his clenched jaw. His fuzzy and sound-dampened amusement was practically oozing irritation...

Likewise, the tension that hung between the pair was far too thick.

This needed to be carved through with a knife, Alastor thought. He could still do this.

"Nonsense dear! Why, EVERYONE has a name!!! Surely there is something that people use to call you? To refer to you???" Alastor was a bit surprised by his own persistence. Why did her lack of name manage to throttle him?

...right. He found her fascinating, that's all. And fascinating people in Hell were often easy to exploit... easy to force into a deal. And by extension, she would be useful and entertaining.

"...people usually don't get the chance to talk to me," the brunette replied. Her stoney, hardened face slowly shifted into a sly smile. She chortled wickedly, licking her cracked lips,"...but they usually beg for their lives right about now."

Her sudden lunge surprises Alastor momentarily, before his pitch tendrils snap into action. The mad woman is caught and suspended mid-launch, a heavy tentacle struggling to keep her knife-wielding arm in check. Alastor clicks his tongue mockingly at her aggression. Back to square one, it seemed. What a simple creature!

"Ohh dear, is that a way to talk to someone? If you plan to stab me, at least offer to take me on a stroll first. Perhaps to a coffee shop?" The deranged woman's mouth was tightly pulled into a horrifying snarl, teeth bared and glistening with spit. Had she contracted rabies? Or was she still riding the feral high of a fresh kill? Neither option seemed to startle or surprise Alastor all that much.

He paid her no mind as he walked around her in a slow, teasing circle: like a predator circling helpless prey. But the woman grunted and struggled just the same, hair falling into her face as she tried to break free. The noises she made had shivers of pride running up Alastor's spine. This interest almost seemed... more than that. More than morbid curiosity… He shook the thought away from his mind, his cheeks burning from how harshly he forced himself to smile.

Alastor stepped within striking distance, another tentacle wrapping around the knife-wielding hand as he looked at her troubled face.

"G-Go-- nnnhhhfucker-- Go fuck yourself, freak," the woman hissed, spitting towards the Radio Demon. He simply tilted his head, the spittle missing his pristine cheek. Annoying and gauche... he would have to break her of that garish habit.

"I'm afraid carnal desires haven't interested me for quite some time. Well... past the one you dabbled with moments ago. I must say I'm mighty interested in your handywork~"

Alastor's taloned hand squished the cheeks of the captured woman, turning her face this way and that. Alastor was smirking with an air of superiority as he took in every imperfection and scar that maimed her round face... To him, she was breathtaking, each scar revealing an incident or story he would be familiar with. He felt interested in dissecting her, and figuring out just what or who caused the nicks and cuts.

Thankfully, his brush with murder and other crimes made breaking down her injuries a breeze. Most of them could be summarized as self defense marks left by a weaker victim. This woman was STRONG... There was no question about that. And she wasn't afraid of getting dirty to get her desires fulfilled. He could find that quality to be quite charming... quite useful.

"If you truly do not have a name... might I suggest one?"

The question puzzles the brunette, eyes blinking in rapid succession. It took her a few moments to process the offer.

"You... want to name me?" She retorted, her squished face distorting her bewilderment," Like some goddamn PET?"

"I’m simply offering you one, dear. No need to make a fuss. Perhaps you could find it helpful, should you ever need to be referred to more... directly. With familiarity. You needn't take it, if it displeases you."

Alastor sighed dramatically as the woman thrashed in anger, shaking his head in tandem. It was quite easy to backtrack with this one, wasn’t it?

The woman stared back at the Radio Demon, intense grey embracing hellish red in a heated standoff. One could kill the other in a heartbeat, their acts only halted by straining tentacles. They were in a tense ceasefire, if only for their own sakes.

The woman sighed, relenting after what felt like an eternity," If it causes you to let go of me... you may give me a name, Radio Demon."

"Alastor," the male corrected, pinching her cheeks with harsher intent. The woman winced, but nodded curtly," A-Alastor..."

The venom that oozed from her harsh tone made molten heat fill Alastor’s chest. She could be obedient… how interesting.

The deer demon sneered, face reflecting his earlier delight as his eyes briefly flickered. The name rolled off her tongue so easily... Oh, he liked seeing her like this. Another charming quality he could get used to… and take use of.

"Carver."

The woman blinked, scoffing," Really?"

"Yes. Carver. You could always go by 'The Carver', if you wished, but I rather think the name suits you... a little on the nose, maybe, but simple. Just like you." Alastor's thumb rubs over the woman's cheek, a claw dangerously close to gouging her eye out. The demoness’ face softens, the touch causing conflicting feelings to flit across it.

Fright, anger, surprise, and… yearning. Had Alastor not been observant and experienced with reading people, he might have missed a few of these. Hell, the micro expressions lasted for seconds, if that… But thankfully, his eyes were as sharp as the blade hovering above his head.

Alastor’s hand pauses on her flushed cheek, stashing the useful information in the recesses of his dark mind.

"...fine... That name is fine, Alastor."

Carver fell to the dank and rancid ground with a heavy thud, Alastor clasping his hands together resolutely. Tentacles were dismissed as he eyed her eagerly.

“Splendid, dear! Carver it is! Now, about our earlier topic–”

Carver dusted off her knees as she stood, eyeing the deer-esque demon cautiously. She allowed him to continue, despite her better judgment to gut him then and there.

“What do you say to a bit of coffee, over lunch?”

Carver blinks for a moment, then another, arms folding in front of her chest,” You're joking, right?”

Alastor practically giggles, a dark tendril reforming to hold up the skinned face of her victim,” I'm more of an emcee than a comedian, dear… though I can never pass on a good punchline! Haha!”

When Alastor extends the face to the woman, he squints mischievously,” But no, I'm being quite genuine… Tomorrow, Cannibal Town. There's a quaint little shop by Rosie’s Emporium, the Brimstone Brew… I trust that you've heard of it?”

Curtly, Carver nods, taking her trophy from the Radio Demon indignantly,” Vaguely. I just started working a new job closeby, actually,” she admits. The moment she does, she mentally curses herself. Alastor’s eyes widen, a hand childishly coming to cover his lips. Or more accurately, like a elitist, royal woman with her hand fan, trying to stife her reaction to juicy gossip.

“Pray tell, what do you do~?”

Carver scoffs, casting her gaze anywhere other than the man’s demented smile,” …just some butcher shop. The manager apparently got… well, butchered. So there was a vacancy that the Assistant Manager filled. Soooo… I– I was pulled in to become the new assistant there.”

Alastor seemed on the verge of jumping out of his own skin, leaning forward intently.

“You? Working in one of my favorite stops? Oh, how convenient, dear! Then hows about I ‘meat’ you there! Haha!”

The joke did not go unnoticed, a gruff ‘really?’ following after. He would need to work on her enthusiasm, too.

“See, we could go for a little stroll, and you can tell me more about this new venture of yours! Why, if it's entertaining enough, I'm sure your story would captivate an audience! My audience!”

Carver didn't get the chance to protest as the dapper demon took a few steps back, tipping his imaginary hat her way.

“Let's shoot for 11 o’clock, ‘sharp as your knife! I look forward to getting to know you better… Carver.”

And within a second, the crimson and ebony demon vanished into the shadows. Carver was left confused and stupefied by the entire interaction. She didn't even get a chance to tell Alastor that she actually had work that morning… not that the Radio Demon would stand for it. But, maybe she could brush him off easier this way… She was sure her new manager would intervene or prevent the entire situation from escalating...

The woman dug around in her satchel, until she found a gallon freezer bag. She unceremoniously threw the bloody, skinned face of her victim into her pack, rolling her eyes. Maybe ‘Carver’ was an alright name after all…

What a fucking day… and what a fucking man, to have the nerve to be so… so…

Carver blinked a few times, words escaping her. He was an asshole, but also seemed to have manners… He was infamous, but didn't seem to match the dark reputation… He was bitchy, but also… surprisingly gentle with her?

Carver touched her cheek, where a taloned finger once lingered. A swift flush ghosted across her face as she kicked the corpse on the ground, huffing defiantly. The sooner she could shake this guy off her back, the better. She didn't do ‘friends’. She didn't even have acquaintances. And yet, all in one night, she was given a nickname and asked to go on a coffee date, seemingly just to… talk?

Never would she have imagined such an odd scenario before now. But, she did have an interesting opportunity. Take him out on a date before you stab him, she loosely recalled. And she was more than eager to take him up on that offer to get him off her back.

Carver chuckled, clicking her tongue as she started the trek to her apartment. Maybe she could call in sick tomorrow! Why not?

She could humor this man, if only to hear what his screams would sound like. She hoped that his terror sounded as desperate and sweet as the ones from his broadcast… An artist often immolated their work, and she had a feeling that his anguish would taste just as divine...

This is not a love story. This is an autopsy.

[thecreaturecodex]

Slugspawn

Image © Paizo Publishing

[Sponsored by @coldbloodassassin, who asked for the slugspawn from Carrion Crown: Wake of the Watcher to be converted from a hazard to a full monster. It is a little weird in the adventure as published, and this art, which is from WotW, makes it look as if it was intended to be an independent creature originally. WotW has a very large Bestiary section (this is the PF1e module that introduced a ton of Cthulhu Mythos monsters), so it's entirely possible that this was its own stat block at one point in development before being changed for the finished product to save word count. Lucky for me, I don't have a word count.]

Slugspawn CR 5 CE Aberration This creature appears to be a greenish-black slug the size of a human arm. On its underside, it has a lamprey-like maw with layers of rasping teeth

Slugspawn are the juvenile stage of the moits of Shub-Nugganoth, grotesque creatures that use humanoids are hosts to create eruptions of parasitic plague. A slugspawn is barely sapient, existing only to lurk in a dark corner somewhere and wait for a passerby to infest. Slugspawn are slow but patient, and can eat insects, mold and other detritus if these are available, and survive for up to a year on reserves of fat if they are not. They require the thoughts of a host, preferably a humanoid, in order to molt and reach maturity and intelligence.

Slugspawn attack from hiding, attempting to ambush a victim and burrow inside of it without the victim noticing more than a faint twinge of pain. Although cold damage or surgical intervention can pull a slugspawn from its host, this must be done quickly before the aberration wraps around the host’s brain stem. There, it feeds on the thought energy of its host, but also provides blanket protection from mind-influencing effects. The infestation initially seems relatively benign, and the infested may go about their lives as normal until the moit suddenly and violently transforms into a spawning canker. This is universally fatal to the host, and the host’s corpse becomes little more than a puppet and layer of protection for a tentacled horror.

Slugspawn CR 5 XP 1,600 CN Tiny aberration Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsens 30 ft., Perception +5

Defense AC 20, touch 20, flat-footed 12 (+2 size, +7 Dex, +1 dodge) hp 51 (6d8+24) Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +4 Immune mind-influencing effects; Vulnerable cold, remove disease

Offense Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft. Melee bite +13 (1d2+2 plus infestation) Space 2 ½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Statistics Str 14, Dex 25, Con 16, Int 3, Wis 8, Cha 9 Base Atk +4; CMB +9; CMD 21 (cannot be tripped) Feats Dodge, Mobility, Weapon Finesse Skills Climb +10, Perception +5, Stealth +21 Languages Aklo (cannot speak) SQ camouflage

Ecology Environment any land Organization solitary, clot (2-6) or infestation (7-12) Treasure none

Special Abilities Camouflage (Su) If a slugspawn is seen, a DC 20 Knowledge (dungeoneering) or DC 25 Knowledge (nature) check is required to tell that it is not a harmless, albeit oversized, slug. Infestation (Ex) A creature bitten by a slugspawn must succeed a DC 16 Reflex save, or the slugspawn burrows through the skin and begins to infest the creature. Any amount of damage reduction is enough to resist the initial infestation. The save DC is Constitution based. On the first round of infestation, dealing cold damage to the victim can eject the slugspawn and save the host—but only if the victim takes 10 or more points within 1 round of being infested. Cutting the slugspawn out also works, but the longer it remains in a host, the more damage this method does. Cutting it out requires a slashing weapon and a DC 25 Heal check, and deals 1d6 points of damage per round that the host has been infested. If the Heal check is successful, the slugspawn is removed. After 3 rounds, though, the slugspawn has reached the host’s brain and cannot be surgically removed without killing the host. Remove disease kills any slugspawn in a host. A slugspawn ejected through cold damage or a Heal check is stunned for 1 round after being ejected. A creature host to a slugspawn is immune to mind-influencing effects. 2d6 days after the initial infestation, a humanoid or native outsider host metamorphoses into a spawning canker, and cannot be returned to life with any means other than a true resurrection, miracle or wish spell. Hosts of other creature types have variable gestation periods, and may never metamorphose at all, subject to GM discretion. Vulnerable to Remove Disease (Su) If a slugspawn is targeted with a remove disease spell or similar effect, it must succeed a Fortitude save against the save DC of the spell or die instantly. If they succeed, the slugspawn still takes 1d4 points of damage per caster level.

[thefatisland]

Okay so I did a brief digging into the manhwa works of Taejun Pak, the creator of Lookism. I won't go too deep into it all because these stories all are basically about hyper-violence in one way or another, and that's not something I feel I can enjoy. I don't mind a battle story, but Pak's creations are... a bit too much for me. I said how much I disliked Lookism, his more recent works like My Life as a Loser seem to be a bit better, though still not my cup of tea. Though this is obvious that it is because Pak is still making himself out as a manhwa creator - Lookism was literaly his first creation, and it shows as it bears all the marks of a "first project". His later projects seem more focused, more well-handled, more precise in what they try to do. However, I digress...

What I meant to say is that Pak clearly has a certain interest in exploring the various male body types and indeed, as I thought, almost all of his works contain presentations of fat male bodies to various degrees. (Since this post is VERY long, all under cut)

All was sparked recently due to the main character of "My Life as a Loser 2" being a very muscular guy who turned basically obese since the last time we saw him

I already talked a long time ago about Lookism, which started out and maintained this very bad habit of depicting all the overweight characters as... inhuman, grotesque, half-chibified abominations.

Except for this one side characters, originally the main antagonist, then turned sort of side-kick, then co-protagonist? I don't know, Lookism is very convoluted... but this guy who is drawn like a regular person, and does get an entire arc of him losing weight, and then regaining all back and some more, before returning to his usual size. Logan Lee, that's the name. And apparently from a quick image research he at one point loses the fat and get buff? Okay...

Oh yes and you can count the main character who, as he loses the weight, slowly turns more and more human-looking but... I mean come on, that's typical Korean fatphobia to the max, the guy literaly has to slim down to be human.

Well I would have said "typical Korean fatphobia" if there wasn't all those other detailed, constantly shirtless, and shown as strong fat characters that keep popping up in th artists' other works.

Another one of Pak's famous works is "Questing Supremacy" which also has its share of fat characters (notoriously shown here as hard to fight due to their weight apparently? I am relying on the screenshots I could find)

Though it makes sense since most of these series all take place within the same universe, with recurring background, organizations and characters. One of the fat guys is actually a (tertiary I would say?) antagonist that started in Lookism and then returned in Questing Supremacy. Someone did a compilation of how his frames were reused, and you can see the style evolution between the two works)

Viral Hit (also known as "How to fight") also contains some characters with fat on them (though I don't know much about this series), most notoriously Donseok Ok (referred to as "the fat boxer" by some Internauts)

And this guy everybody is crazy over apparently, Mangi Hwang

There's probably many more but, as I said, I probably won't get too deep into this all because... I just don't have the time to explore entire multiverses of webtoons about gang members and bullies beating up each other - no matter how cool or good-looking the fat guys might look. If anyone has specific info, indications or screenshots they want to share, as usual don't hesitate (I think I should open a "Submit" option on this blog...).

And why do I have the strange feeling that someone Pak hesitated drawing fat men early on but as time passes by he just goes all in and takes a huge kick out of it?

I am thinking especially about "My Life as a Loser 2": the main protagonist, after letting himself go massively, returns to the past (though in a different body) and we get to see back his muscular, fit self... Only for this old body to become just as massive if not more as the "future obese" self for reasons yet unknown and unclear (I will be on the lookout for explanations as to how he could grow that big in just a month). If there's no explanation, it's just that the creator wanted to have this fat design for as much as possible...

[queeratlast]

Episode 1 - La Maupin

Take a closer look at the illustration we discuss during Episode 1, which focuses on Julie d'Aubigny, or La Maupin as she was known - an incredible figure whose life blurs the boundaries of fact and fiction. See end of post for references.

The image (shown above) is an illustration by Aubrey Beardsley made for Gautier’s Mademoiselle de Maupin A Romance of Love and Passion. It has several queer connections in its own right.

The book

Mademoiselle de Maupin A Romance of Love and Passion was published by Theophile Gautier in 1899. The story was inspired by the life of La Maupin, but rather than attempting to be a facts-based portrayal of her life, it takes her identity as a cross-dressing swordswoman and runs with it. The story centers around a young couple, Chevalier d’Albert and his mistress Rosette, who have both fallen in love with the dashing "Théodore de Sérannes". Unbeknownst to either of them, Théodore is in fact a woman in disguise.

While d'Albert has a sexual identity crisis (a classic trope: the Li Shang of the 19th century, if you will), Rosette attempts to seduce "Théodore" in a very erotically charged scene. Finally, the truth is revealed and "Théodore" reveals herself to both her lovers, spending half the night with d'Albert and the other with Rosette. The reader is left to draw their own conclusions about what could have transpired between the two woman, something that could not be explicitely written at the time.

In the morning their mysterious lover has gone, leaving only a note:

Comfort poor Rosette as well as you can, for she must be at least as sorry for my departure as you are. Love each other well in memory of me, whom both of you have loved, and breathe my name sometimes in a kiss.

Theophile Gautier, Mademoiselle de Maupin: A Romance of Love and Passion

In 1922, the novel was condemmed for its portrayal of adultery and homosexuality by the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice.

The artist

Aubrey Beardsley published six illustrations for this work in 1898 - he had originally intended to illustrate the entire novel, but the project proved too intensive and costly and was abandoned. You may well recognise the style of the illustration - Beardsley was a very well known artist from the 19th century whose distinctive art nouveau style was inspired by Japanese woodcuts. He was deliberatively provocative: as Tate Britain put it, "his works explore the erotic and the elegant, the humorous and grotesque."

His works explored sexual freedom and gender fluidity, and he loved to include provocative elements in his drawings. Some of his drawings were particularly explicit and "obscene" - so much so that they couldn't be published, but were instead distributed to private collectors through discrete channels. Beardsley was part of the asthetic movement, a group of artists who strove to create art freed from Victorian notions of morality and rigid establishment ideas, to create a "cult of beauty."

As part of this movement he came into contact with Oscar Wilde, and Wilde comissioned the young artist to illustrate his play Salomé. Beardsley's drawings were incredibly erotic and upturned conventions for portraying women in the era. This was a daring take for a play already in hot water for its depictions of biblical characters. When Wilde was arrested on charges of gross indecency, Beardsley was dammed for his percieved association with the playright. A mob attacked the office of the magazine Beardsley worked for and he was forced to resign from his position as editor.

"I have one aim – the grotesque. If I am not grotesque, I am nothing"

Aubrey Beardsley, 1897

References and further reading (and listening!) for this episode:

Illustration:

https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/aubrey-beardsley/exhibition-guide

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/an-introduction-to-the-aesthetic-movement

https://archive.org/details/mademoiselledema00gaute/page/n1/mode/2up

La Maupin's life:

Dictionnaire Des Théâtres De Paris, Volume 3, 1757

Women In Men’s Guise, Oscar Gilbert, 1926

Gallant Ladies, Cameron Rogers, 1928

By the Sword, Richard Cohen, 2002.

https://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/blogs/lapl/julie-daubigny-la-maupin-and-early-french-opera

https://www.historicmysteries.com/history/julie-daubigny/26646/

https://kellygardiner.com/fiction/books/goddess/the-real-life-of-julie-daubigny/

https://podbay.fm/p/bad-gays/e/1679976000

https://clairemead.com/2022/06/17/la-maupin/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0cncgq8

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

i'm pretty sure this is how toga sees herself (but, of course it's because of how society saw her) - a grotesque parody of a femininity. the last two chapters were about how toga was unable to actually love herself, hence why she asked ochako if ochako thinks she is cute and has that relieved look on her face when ocha tells her that she's the cutest. she wants to like herself and be happy with the way she is.

On the risk of sounding idiotic, I'm to say that the League of Villains is my favorite part of bnha for the way Horikoshi sells what essentially is a group of unadaptaded social failures to the readers.

On the risk of sounding pretentious, allowe me to apply terms like "mythological" to the symbolism of the League of Villains, terms like "visceral" to the emotional execution of their arcs. By that of course I'm referring to the archetypes Horikoshi chooses to select for them, the tropes he plays with. The oldest son who despairs when his father denies him his heritage. The young maiden who is lovely and joyful but by her power is perceived as an ugly evil hag. They boy king chosen and named by misfortune.

But so much more.

Horikoshi assigns the metamorphosis trope to Tomura so it can symbolize his awakening to real evil, but he simultaneously uses the same image to stablish AFO'S influence over Tomura, nothing but a butterfly on a spider's web. Patricide and matricide and horror offsprings, kids that work as bad omens, men that look like living corpses and later bloom in beauty representative of malice.

He uses motifs like the maiden, the mother, the crone on Toga, themes of monstrous femininity as perceived by society. Cannibalistic sparrows bursting out of her belly in dreams, Toga shaving her skin and it melting all around her every time she shapeshifts, the very-on-the-face picture of Toga as a twisted old witch towering over Ochako. Female emotions naturally perceived as threats for being irrational or erratical. Obsessive love and apparent vanity guiding her actions.

Dabi's the jealous brother, the fallen prince, he's the orphic messenger emerging from the depths of the underworld to share the judgment of the Hades. He's called a demon. All the Frankenstein references, his desperation among ice and snow, the liturgical aspect of the name he choose: Dabi, cremation. Horikoshi dresses him in white to go to the final battle, changed the color of his hair like the changing of seasons, made him cry blood.

When the Leagues of Villain suffers, the pannels look almost biblical, ritualistic. It's the mythos of it all, for me.

Like when Curious held a bloody Toga in her arms, speaking of martyrs and journalistic storytelling, Toga made some sculpture from the renaissance for the way her limbs hanged, the light illuminated her. She was Jesus Christ dead on Virgin Mary's arms in that panel, cold, lifeless, tragic. She's the fallen angel coleric eyes staring at her enemies from over her shoulder/arm. She's Judith with the head of Holofernes, she's the "witch" getting burn on Salem for something though they saw thought they heard throught did happened.

It's the stigmata on Tomura's hands, the father (AFO), the son (Tomura) and the holy spirit of them both (the original quirk of AFO himself). He's the demigod proving himself on trials so he can obtain the blessing of his divine father. He is the twice orphan coated in darkness when the triumph finally comes. He got an town kneeling in front of him, swearing loyalty; he is a prisoner of his own body, his entire life is surrounded with hands as if to remind it how there was no one to save him now or then, except for the devil he had to make a deal with.

Dabi is Icarus, wings on fire falling to the ocean, he is the son of Icarus, repeating his mistake once again. He is Phaeton on Helios chariot, burning as he descends, threatening as he rides to burn the heavens and freeze the earth. He's Cain trying to kill Abel, he is Esau, fighting to get his birthright back. He's the prodigal son, he's Lazarus coming back to life, he's Judas himself selling Twice for what he thought was a good deal, he's the angel raining fire on the sins of men.

On the risk of losing my mind, those are not only vehicles of the narrative to convein meaning, but it's also what them (Tomura, Dabi, Toga and all the members of the League of Villains), have been feed by society. I deeply apologize for ranting on your ask, anon, but you're so right it inspired me.

We know Horikoshi made a whole point of telling us AFO is obsessed with comic books and most recently, he presented through a flashback of the League the idea that the internal storytelling of bnha is quiet important to the development of the plot. Heroes and villains are a narrative the enemy used to create to identify their rivals, something that later evolved from comics to real life. When Toga rejects taking a name, it's the same as when she rejected becoming just a story for Curious to write or AFO to guide. When All Might and every other hero talks about the League, is always on those weird narrative guidelines.

So what Ochako does is rejecting that narrative creates by society, getting pass all the lies and all machinations and judgement and prejudices and all the expectations, so she can finally reach the real Toga. Similar to how we see Endeavor asking Touya to tell him how he feels. He wants to hear it from him, to listen and comprehend now that he's ready, he is getting rid of all that cultural baggage that's not working, cleaning the dirt from his eyes. And what Deku is yet to do: find Tenko among all the darkness and barriers AFO created on Tomura and pull him out.

Touya, Toga, Tomura, they were deep within the narrative, incapable of saving themselves 'cause they were incapable of seeing past their trauma and hurt. Therefore, the importance of the UA kids recognizing the falsehood of the morals of the hero society and changing those in time to save not only the world, but the victims such beliefs had left.

HOLY SHIT THIS BECAME AND IMPROVISED META SORRY ANON. YOU DID NOT ASK FOR ANY OF IT OMG. YOU WERE ONLY ANSWERING MY TAGS ON A PREVIOUS POST. SORRY SORRY

[baphemetra]

Lilith as "the mother of all woman?" | Demystifying.

Note: this post is not intended to encourage or discourage the worship of Lilith, but rather to bring reflections based on historical and mythological analyses about themes that have been and continue to be extremely distorted.

(att by Murat Gül)

This is a subject that has sparked extensive discussions in occultism circle for a long time. Certainly, Lilith strongly embodies the definition of Woman Contrary/Opponent to the reigning Abrahamic patriarchal system. But when we talk about Lilith, we talk about a history with deep roots.

We can't say that the image of Lilith was derived from a single entity, but from from different ancient concepts, which I will branch out into a few different lines. Commonly found in Jewish myths (midrash and folklore) the origins of Lilith is dated as a Sumerian Succubus. Then the image of Lilith was presented on the Alphabet of Ben Sirah (a compilation of two lists of proverbs, 22 in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic and 22 in Medieval Hebrew), seen as a demoness instead of the "first Eve".

Look at the history:

(unknown artist)

1- Lilitu in Mesopotamia:

The Semitic root "LYL" translates to "Nocturnal". Derivatives also include "Lalu": the wanderer; "Lulu": Wanton/Luxurious.

Lilitu was a formless adjective used in Mesopotamia to refer to female entities of the night. She was designated as the Queen of the Lilu, vampiric entities that invaded men's erotic dreams to steal their semen. Thus giving birth to the "Lilins" = man-devouring abominations.

(art by: P. Lormier 1848)

2- Ardat Lilith

"Ardat" is a term originally related to "prostitutes" and also "impure women". In Mesopotamia, Ardat Lili becomes a Semi-Goddess. Thirsty for blood, sinful and associated with diseases and darkness. Ardat Lilith was known as "unable to produce milk" and "the woman without husbands", "reaper of men".

3- Lamashtu

Another entity rooted in Lilith's foundations, she was the daughter of the Gods of the Heavens. Often depicted with grotesque figures and portrayed with a lion's head, donkey's body, bird's talons, and dry breasts.

Feared by pregnant women, she was known to invade family homes and bind newborns, or even devour them. Lamasthu was also recognised for her abilities to fly and her knowledge of natural elements.

Pazuzu was often invoked as a protector against Lamasthu's forces, to prevent her from her bloody deeds.

(Art by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Lady Lilith (1866-1868), Delaware Art Museum)

Frequent confusion:

Confusion between the concepts of Lilith and Ishtar is frequent, where Lilith is sometimes mistakenly equated with a kind of "dark aspect of Ishtar." While Ishtar is revered as the goddess of procreation, fertility, love, and sexuality, some modern interpretations blur these deities, attributing to Lilith - a Vampiric entity, qualities with erroneous concepts such as fertility in a very humane concept: "mother goddess of women," etc. Well, she is indeed, the mother of aberrations and demons in certain mythological and religious traditions, especially in Jewish folklore and Kabbalistic teachings.

(Old Babylonian, 1800-1750 BC. From southern Iraq. (British Museum, London)

The mythological figure of Ishtar dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, where she was worshipped by cultures such as the Sumerians, Akkadians, and Babylonians. Her divinity encompassed both positive and negative aspects of existence, reflecting her influence over fertility, love, war, and sexuality.

The confusion between Lilith and Ishtar can be partially attributed to the attempt to correlate these deities, often due to their association with femininity and their duality of characteristics. However, it is crucial to emphasize that these contemporary correlations should be approached with caution, recognizing the intrinsic nuances of the specific mythologies from which they emerge.

The challenge, furthermore, lies in the diversity of perspectives regarding Lilith. While some interpretations categorize her as a negative polarity and Demonic figure, others see her as a symbol of female autonomy and resistance. These differences in interpretation can be attributed to the various cultural and religious traditions that have influenced the evolution of Lilith's image over time.

This text aims to clarify, in an objective manner, the underlying complexity of the figure of Lilith, recognizing the multiplicity of historical and contemporary interpretations that have shaped her representation. The approach seeks to avoid oversimplifications and provide a more comprehensive and informed understanding of Lilith's role in the mythologies and cultures in which she is embedded.

(art by: Marcus Ortega)

I often perceive levels of resentment within the occultism community when this type of content is brought into the historical/ academic sphere, leading to rejection and sometimes unpleasant discussions.

It is of utmost importance, however, to emphasize that bringing content grounded in history about certain entities/goddesses rooted in something many of us oppose - Abrahamic influence and their demiurgic false god; does not imply support or endorsement of this kind of belief.

Dealing with complex subjects requires a certain level of maturity, and relying solely on “voices in one's head" leads us into the realm of fallacies.

Lilith and feminism?

During the fight for freedom and gender roles during the 60s, Lilith became a "feminist" icon representing rebellion and liberation.

The feminist movement saw interested parties in society take a second look at Lilith’s story. Claiming that she was unfairly demonised by abrahamic creeds and Sumerian mythology. Especially for her refusal to submit to Adam (Jewish Mythology). I see indeed a kind of beauty and strength in the philosophical concept.

Note: Feminism = equity and equality; not supremacy. And Lilith...wel, at this point you should know.

But were it comes the part were everything becomes a big mess:

With the expansion of "religions" and whitewashed beliefs rooted in New Age movements, many have lost their minds, and consequently, some leaven of logical reasoning. And I like to emphasize how the pursuit of knowledge becomes crucial in ancestral practices and historical concepts.

Conclusion?

(art by: Lord-Scandamour)

Through historical and mythological analyses, it is highly inconceivable to correlate an Lilith as our mother; or a entity devoid of a humane concepts of empathy with the human race, neither human broken concept of love understood by us. Likewise, attributing her as a mother goddess or as I frequently see some peoples affirming they're: "Lilith's daughter" makes no sense (unless you are a demon who climbed the "infernal" mountains to reach the Earth - but let's set aside these schizophrenic concepts). It is important to face reality, especially when dealing with mythological/historical/ancestral cults. Without any lens that embrace interpretations based in fantasy.

Lilith is, indeed, a Vampiric Demon and have always been, she does represents the Dark Feminine, and various aspects of the feminine and rebellion. There isn't a universally standardised way or form of worshiping Lilith, and I am not claiming so. I carry a lot of respect with this force and strong energy, and just find necessary to spread knowledge and informations.

Isheth Zenunim Taninsam Ama Lilith, Liftoach Kilt

<Copyrights>

List of contents for a very diverse research (some still on my readings list/wishlist):

The Alphabet of Ben Sira": This medieval Hebrew text is a primary source for the Lilith myth. It describes Lilith as the first wife of Adam and the mother of demons.

"The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology" by Rosemary Ellen Guiley: This book provides an overview of various demons and mythological figures, including Lilith. It may offer insights into Lilith's role as a mother of demons.

"Lilith, Queen of the Night" by Steve Savedow: This book delves into the various aspects of Lilith in mythology and folklore, including her association with demons.

"The Lilith Monographs" by B. Morlan: This series of monographs explores Lilith in depth, and some of them touch upon her role as a mother of demons.

“Devils and Evil Spirits of Babilonia Vol. I” Reginald Campbell Thompson

Lilith: Dark Feminine Archetype" by Desda Zuckerman: Desda Zuckerman explores Lilith as a dark feminine archetype in this book, drawing on both historical and esoteric perspectives.

"Lilith: Healing the Wild" by Tom Jacobs: This book combines mythology, astrology, and psychological insights to explore Lilith and her role in personal and collective healing

The Book of Lilith" by Barbara Black Koltuv: Koltuv provides an in-depth exploration of Lilith from a Jungian psychological perspective, incorporating mythology, dreams, and symbolism.

The Satanic Bible" by Anton LaVey: Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, includes references to Lilith in "The Satanic Bible." In the book, she is mentioned as a symbol of female independence and strength. However, it's crucial to understand that LaVeyan Satanism is atheistic and symbolic, viewing Satan as a symbol of individualism and rebellion rather than a deity.

"Lilith: Goddess of Sitra Ahra" by Daemon Barzai: This book explores Lilith within the context of Sitra Ahra, which is considered the "Other Side" or the Qliphoth in some forms of Western occultism. The Qliphoth is a concept within Kabbalistic mysticism, and some practitioners of the Left-Hand Path incorporate Lilith into their esoteric practices.

[digicomm-timecapsule-20009]

Week 5 pt 2 - Reality TV Ranking

I’ll be honest, I watch a lot of reality tv. And I mean A LOT. 

I, together with my dad who secretly loves drama and scandals as much as I do, have more or less exhausted Netflix’s reality competition section. And we’re versatile too, watching shows on topics like glass blowing to wilderness survival to even drag queens. 

With that in mind, I’ll be dissecting the 10 most recent reality tv shows I’ve watched including what I liked/disliked about them, what the most outrageous moment was (in my opinion) as well as how I’d rate the show out of ten. You know what, and just for fun I’ll put down my dad’s ratings too.

Oh, and this goes without saying but there will be spoilers in this post so you’ve been warned. I’ll try my best to stay spoiler free but no promises. Let’s go!

Blown Away

Starting our list we have Blown Away, a Canadian competition show that centres around glassblowing. Running since 2019 with their 4th season airing on Netflix on the 4th of March 2024, the show follows 10 talented glassblowers as they tackle weekly challenges that put their skills and artistry to the test.

What I Liked: The glassworks themselves. Each and every episode produced masterful glass pieces that absolutely blew me away (pun intended). Some of my favourite pieces thus far include an egg with chicken legs, a grotesque looking flower and a strikingly realistic looking syringe and gumdrop combo.

Image credits: https://www.instagram.com/blownawayseries/

What I Didn’t Like: It can get a little stale after a while. Despite how nerve-wracking each episode can get with how fragile the glassworks are, after four seasons of this you start to get used to it. The episode starts, a bunch of people drop their glassworks mid-creation, there’s a panic with some tears shed, somehow everyone pulls through with a half decent creation by the end of it.

Most Outrageous Moment(s): Nothing per se

My Overall Rating: 6/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 6/10

The Mole

Right from the get-go the premise had my dad and I hooked. Originally from the early 2000’s, the American reality game show moved from ABC to Netflix in 2022 with its reboot. The show follows 12 contestants working together for a cash prize that they can add on to with each challenge the group wins. However, one of them is actually a secret plant by the producers whose only goal is sabotage, a Mole. 

What I Liked: The premise itself. You see, neither the contestants nor the audience know who the Mole is right until the very last episode. And the Mole will do whatever it takes to sabotage the group, decrease the prize pot and avoid getting caught by any means necessary. Each week there’s an elimination where the contestants have a chance to vote on who they think the Mole is, and countless shady challenges set to cause distrust and disunity between the remaining contestants.

What I Didn’t Like: How wrong my guesses were. This one’s purely personal, I have nothing against the show at all I just couldn’t believe how continuously wrong my dad and I were in our guesses. I mean we even bet money on it!

Most Outrageous Moment(s): The amount of sabotages and downright shady behaviour between the other contestants. Like in hindsight I get why the Mole is sabotaging things, but the rest of you? Purely to throw each other off the scent of the Mole and get one another eliminated.

My Overall Rating: 8/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 6/10

Rupaul’s Drag Race

A trailblazer in its own right, Rupaul’s Drag Race is a show about drag queens that first aired in 2009 and has been going ever since. The premise itself is simple: groups of drag queens compete against each other in various challenges to win the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” as well as a cash prize of a hundred thousand dollars. Whilst the show is originally from America the show has since launched multiple spin-offs and sister series in a variety of countries across the globe.

What I Liked: The lip syncs. Not only have they introduced (or rather re-introduced) me to countless new and old songs, but the performances by the drag queens fighting to stay on the show are truly something spectacular. You can feel the raw emotion being conveyed by the queens as they embody every last word of the song and these lip syncs have resulted in moments that the fandom still bring up til today.

What I Didn’t Like: The judging can be...questionable at times. But then again, after 16 seasons, 9 all-star seasons, franchises in 14 different countries and a partridge in a pear tree there’s bound to be questionable judging moments on who “should’ve won” or “should’ve gone home”

Most Outrageous Moment(s): The entire show is outrageous in its own special way. As someone who's seen almost every season of this, there isn’t one single moment from a particular season that stands out or trumps over another. Though if I’m really being honest, picking someone up mid-lip sync is kinda insane.

My Overall Rating: 8/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 6/10

Outlast

Outlast is a reality show centred around wilderness survival in the harsh Alaskan wilderness. 16 contestants compete against the extreme cold, potentially dangerous animals and worst of all; each other in order to win a prize of one million dollars. 

What I Liked: The indomitable human spirit is real. Watching the 16 contestants fight tooth and nail to survive in the Alaskan wilderness with little outside help was a feat in and of itself. And then there’s just how innovative people can be when push comes to shove. From crafting weapons from their surroundings, I mean one guy made an entire ghillie suit from scratch. In case you’re wondering what that looks like…

What I Didn’t Like: As much as I hate to admit it, the show reeks of overproduction. Some of the “dramatic moments” that they showcased were just too good to be true but then again it’s hard to say whether they were true or not given how insane human beings can be.

Most Outrageous Moment(s): The contestants themselves are NUTS. Neither my dad nor I remember how we ended up watching this in the first place but we’re both pretty sure it’s because we ran out of reality shows to watch on Netflix…Regardless, neither of us can get this show out of our heads after what we saw. From people needing to be airlifted back to the mainland because they haven’t had a bowel movement in weeks to teams purposely setting other teams shelters on fire, every now and then my dad and I question who greenlit this whole thing

My Overall Rating: 5/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 7/10

Next in Fashion

Running for two seasons between 2020 and 2023, Next in fashion follows aspiring fashion designers competing in weekly challenges for-okay I think you guys get the point; all of these shows are a bunch of people competing for a cash prize. In this case, its two hundred fifty thousand dollars as well as their own clothing line with Net-A-Porter.

What I Liked: The sheer creativity of the contestants when it comes to their clothes is worth noting, and that’s just what they’re wearing during the episode. Watching this has really helped me find my own fashion sense and understand clothes on a deeper level, as did the next show.

What I Didn’t Like: NIL

Most Outrageous Moment(s): Nothing actually. In comparison to pretty much everything else on this list this one’s pretty tame.

My Overall Rating: 8/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 8/10

Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star

From fashion we now move on to makeup. Glow-Up is a British reality show that’s been airing on BBC since 2019 with its sixth season premiering on the 10th of April 2024. We haven’t seen the sixth season yet, but if it’s anything like the previous five seasons we’re in for a treat.

What I Liked: Once again, watching the contestants interpret the various challenges to the highest creative degree has been thoroughly enjoyable. Furthermore, given how the challenges touch upon different aspects and areas of makeup it’s taught me a couple things that even I can apply to my daily makeup routine. That and all the horror makeup, love horror makeup.

What I Didn’t Like: Again, there’s not much to dislike about this. The contestants, while quirky in their own right and occasionally emotional, aren’t that bad of people. 

Most Outrageous Moment(s): In an “Outrageous in a good way” moment that goes beyond words, here’s my favourite look from every season

Image credits: https://www.instagram.com/glowupbbc/

My Overall Rating: 9/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 9/10

Squid Game: The Challenge

Remember back in 2021 when Squid Game first premiered and everyone was like “Oh I could win this no sweat”? Yeah well this show said “Prove it”. Obviously the stakes here aren’t as high as the fictional show I mean nobody actually dies here, but the cash prize and other premises stay about the same as the original.

What I Liked: You can’t fault the set design here. Aside from looking near identical to the original, the atmosphere itself really lends a hand to making it feel like the real thing. I also found the “death” sequences kinda funky with hidden ink packs exploding beneath the eliminated contestants clothes. 

What I Didn’t Like: The show itself had nothing wrong with it, like I said earlier the set design is near perfect and extremely well done. It’s just…doesn’t this feel like we’re missing the entire point of the original Squid Game series? There’s an entire debate about capitalism that belongs somewhere in here, but unfortunately that’s not the aim of this post. Regardless, something about watching this show left a sour taste in my mouth and I still feel kinda icky for finishing the entire thing.

Most Outrageous Moment(s): The whole show itself is outrageous just from a moral standpoint. Aside from that, the twists and turns the show takes along its course coupled with the sheer drama of it all kept us on the edge of our seats throughout with multiple instances of my dad and I turning to each other in confusion? Shock? Horror?

My Overall Rating: 5/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 5/10

The Apprentice: One Championship

My dad insisted I add this one in. Across two seasons 10 challengers compete in a series of high stakes business and physical challenges all for a chance to win what is possibly the most valuable prize in this entire post: Getting hired by ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. 

What I Liked: The show is full of strong female representation, with many of the challenge wins being spearheaded by the female contestants. Aside from that the show is chocked full of business acumen and gave me quite a good insight into what my future might be if I choose to go into advertising and marketing in the future. I’d highly recommend anyone interested in business or advertising to watch this.

What I Didn’t Like: Dad’s gonna have my head for this but despite the show teaching me a lot about business acumen and how to hold my own in the cutthroat advertising world, the show can get a little…boring…at times…Sorry dad.

Most Outrageous Moment(s): I still don’t know whether this was a purposeful move on the producers part but “somehow” the challenge schedule was left out in the open and one of the contestants used that to cheat. They were caught rather swiftly however, as they tried to recruit more people into their scheme and got ratted out instead.

My Overall Rating: 8/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 9/10 

Is It Cake? (Make bigger later)

Running for three seasons since 2022, Is It Cake follows cake artists challenged to make hyper-realistic cakes to fool a panel of judges.The contestants also have a chance to win additional money each episode if they are voted the most realistic cake.

What I Liked: You can’t deny the pure artistry that this show contains. As an avid baker myself, being able to turn a simple chocolate cake into a hyper-realistic rubber duckie is nothing short of impressive.

Image Credits: Netflix

What I Didn’t Like: The host and his constant bad jokes really makes the show hard to watch after a while. That and the whole premise can get a little boring after a while.

Most Outrageous Moment(s): Episode 1 we’re introduced to a cake artist who does such a good job that we’re sure they’re gonna win the whole thing. Episode 2 and they get eliminated. WHAT?!

My Overall Rating: 5/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 5/10

Physical:100

Set in Korea, Physical:100 follows 100 contestants from various professions ranging from athletes to actors to arborists that all have one thing in common: peak physical condition and prowess. Over the course of the show they will compete against one another and slowly the numbers get culled til there’s just one last person standing.

What I Liked: Now hear me out.

Alright all jokes aside, I really liked watching the challenges especially in the second season. Seeing the different strategies the contestants employed within their teams to tackle the brutal physical challenges coupled with the genuinely quite wholesome sportsmanship shown was really refreshing to see.

What I Didn’t Like: For a show centred around finding the “perfect physique” by challenging its contestants physical attributes such as balance, agility, or even endurance, many of the challenges seem to be centred solely around strength and only strength. It’s impossible to compare the strength of a bodybuilder versus that of a gymnast, just as it would be impossible to compare their agility. 

Most Outrageous Moment(s): It happens every single time, you think someone has an easy journey to the finals and then they overestimate their competitors and end up losing big. This entire show is like a constant reminder not to get too cocky

My Overall Rating: 9/10

My Dad’s Overall Rating: 8/10

And that concludes my ranking! Hopefully this post has given some of you out there an idea on what to watch next hehe

[thetentaclecommander]

Ghandon's Reports

Ghandon's Reports ________________________________________________ Rated E; has adult/intensely heavy themes Fandom: Resident Evil Ships: Nemesis/Jill Valentine, Jill Valentine/Albert Wesker, Original Character/Original Character, Nemesis/OC Chapters: 4/? CW: graphic depictions of violence, psychological trauma, implied medical torture, implied/referenced torture, unhinged voyeurism (full tag list on AO3) Summary: The complete lab notes, dockets, recordings, videos, and other information that was compiled by Dr. Simon T. Ghandon, Head Researcher of the NEMESIS Project now posthumously up for review by outside parties. ________________________________________________ Excerpt:

B.O.W. specimens T-103 – Nemesis T-Type 2003 > NEMESIS Project > nov121998umb.avi

A grainy, soundless video clip is playing; a string of numbers roll across the screen next to what looked to be a small miniaturized Umbrella logo. The image seemed shaky as if a hand cam was being used. The image of a hazmat-suited up arm could be seen in the frame as the cameraman adjusted. The camera panned upwards before panning around the area; the devastated smoking area that looked to be little more than rubble and sand.

The cam picked up other figures rolling past in a Humvee, outfitted with people in fatigues, loaded with weapons and the familiar red and white logo on their arms. As they rolled by, the cameraman lifted up a small thin electronic of some sort. It appeared to be a tracker, pulsing towards a fixed yet unmoving point on the screen. The way the camera shifted around it was as if the handler was nervous and moving quickly.

The Humvee from before had suddenly skidded to a stop near the cameraman's path. The camera shifted back to the front of the viewer only to pan the view out. From farther away, one could see a large mass. The camera jerked around again as the cameraman jumped into the van with the others, the military vehicle' surroundings replacing the monotony of the sandy near bleach white of the outside. Suddenly, the sound crackled on as the blare of the Humvee engine roared to life.

The camera adjusted shakily looking towards the once barely identifiable thing from afar. As the still quiet group approached it, the mass from closer didn't look any better. It looked like a bloated pile of animal guts, with what looked to be distended appendages and sharp spines sticking out of it. The mass was like an unmoving tumor, nearly as big if not bigger than the Humvee, the thing laying in a low pit and drying out in the warm sun. 

The soldiers had begun to put on gas masks; the camera was placed down; assumingly the cameraman was placing one onto themselves as the sound of close by shifting was heard. “Seems it went into a final defensive measure,” was coolly uttered by the cameraman, panning along the huge mass.

“Get back!” was sharply shouted from someone through a muffled mask before the camera wobbled suddenly. It jostled up then back down steadying itself to refocus on the bloated pile of flesh as the meat pile began to softly shimmer in movement. It rippled while the dry pile began to appear as if it was suddenly re-hydrating itself, the fleshy mass gaining a wet and slimy sheen. Meanwhile, beneath the surface of the thing's skin, worm-like things were barely seen moving inside it.

One soldier had shifted their rifle upwards at the bloated mass, hesitantly watching it slightly shift around like a mishmash of near unidentifiable parts and gore. Suddenly it began to shift violently then constrict, folding in on itself like a grotesque piece of paper. The noises being made were a mix between an animal being wetly torn apart and the sharp shifting of bone. 

The cameraman suddenly jerked backward as suddenly very familiar purple-black protrusions peeked through then ripped out of the large but still shrinking mass. The mass became smaller and smaller; till it landed on a size and shape nearing more humanoid. Still, it was larger than a normal human; the sounds of flesh and bone shifting around was slowing down, with the assorted party looking on. The cameraman's voice came out with a hint of both awe and unease, “The tracker was accurate as the B.O.W. while having a very low survival probability, indeed survived the strike. How it did, we will have to determine after its recapture.”

The camera was shifted as the cameraman raised that tracker again, the gadget still beeping implying that this pile of flesh in front of them was a lost B.O.W. The now much more humanoid looking B.O.W. still kept morphing and shrinking into itself till it had the defining face, tearing, scaring and tentacles it was known for down to the look it had before launch into Raccoon City.

Everything had reverted back to its original form sans the medical staples that was found all over its body and in the face, leaving it - no him going by the unclothed state the B.O.W. was left in - like the B.O.W. had used a biological save state to recover from the uncontrollable mutative state he was in previous. 

The newly reshaped Tyrant began to suddenly vomit everywhere causing the Umbrella recovery team to pull even further back. The B.O.W. was vomiting out profusely what appeared to be medical waste; the body rejecting the additional waste that had probably aided in the near uncontrolled state the group found him in.

“Unit NET-002 has been found. Ready to prepare it for transport.” One of the soldier raised an odd weapon, unseen till now in the view of the camera. The Tyrant had stopped vomiting around this point, visibly shaking while leftover drooled from his maw. Then suddenly as if spent from that exertion, the creature slumped to the ground before passing out. The team had still kept their distance from the Tyrant, watching for any more movements. 

But as time passed, it became clear that the B.O.W. was not getting back up. Eventually, the cameraman went to test the monster for vitals concluding, “Aside from the shifting of forms, the found subject did not rise from the ground a second time after a good hour. It seems to have entered a self-imposed comatose state. When it would wake from such a state we do not know but we need to rush it over to containment quickly.” With that, the soldier with the strange looking gun shot what appeared to be darts at the prone creature. While this was happening, the loud whooshing sound of wind near overwhelmed the sound of the cam as a black, windowless and unmarked transport helicopter landed a few feet away from the still unconscious Tyrant. It seemed larger than what would be expected of such aircraft.

The helicopter slowly landed before its roaring engines were suddenly shut off. It then lowered itself to the ground with what looked to be built in hydraulics in its landing gear. The back of the helicopter’s door was let open by one of the members with a larger metal lift slowly protruding out. Sitting on the lift was a large cylinder capsule, the latches already looking to be unlocked.

“No odd effects observed yet from chemical 3621. Will keep watch as unit stays in containment,” the cameraman utters as the 4 others try to lift up the prone Tyrant. The Tyrant must have weighed a taxing amount as the 4 struggled to even lift the monster an inch only to place moving straps up under him.  The camera began to shake and jostle in the cameraman's hands as if he was waving his hands around-

The video feed suddenly cuts off; the rest of the file seems corrupted. (Continue reading Ghandon's Reports on A03)

[patricedumonde]

Just curious what is the second version of nutcracker by mariinsky about? Just saw some videos on Instagram and it honestly look like a witchcraft version of the usual nutcracker HAHAH

HA. It actually does. It premiered in 2001, so very new by ballet standards. I guess they just wanted to change things up but I do agree, very very witchy. I don't know but I kind of like it(?)

At least I heavily prefer this reinvention over ABT's lmao.

Here's the short synopsis from the Mariiinsky website:

The world of this Nutcracker was created by the designer Mihail Chemiakin. Chemiakin not only produced the sketches for the costumes and sets, he also conceived the images of the characters, dictating to the choreographer the nature of the movements, and all of the miraculous transformations in this theatrical tale are the fruits of his imagination. In the colourful phantasmagoria of Chemiakin's production, adorned with masks with long noses – neither people nor mice – the dramatism and unease of Tchaikovsky's score is enhanced. In this ballet, inspired by Hoffmann's incredible imagination, there is no room for peaceful domestic comfort or the typical harmony of classical dance – in the pre-festive chaos in the kitchen rats are discovered, tasting the cheeses and sausages that have been prepared for Christmas dinner, while flies and bees swarm around the sweet shop. The designer has presented "the circumstances of enduring, comfortable and 'tasty' bourgeois life" with the meticulousness of an eager documentary-maker – not a single detail of the kitchen, be it the perforated spoons or ladles, wreaths of garlic or ribs hanging among other carcass parts, have escaped the designer's attention. Neither is the audience left bored for a single second – when looking at the touching details of the props, sets and costumes children will be charmed with the readily recognisable everyday items, while adults will smile at their - at times - unexpected use in a children's tale. "The task of the new production of The Nutcracker," Chemiakin says, "was to restore the spirit of Hoffmann to the tale with its elements of grotesque humour, peculiarities and transformations; to combine the graphic elements with Tchaikovsky's musical dramatism. And in a way to revive the original libretto by Petipa, which over the years had become contracted and semi-forgotten. As a rule, the velvety mice in numerous productions have been unable to instil either fear or sympathy in children today. Already in the 1920s the mice had been replaced by rats (in particular, with Fyodor Lopukhov, Hoffmann's Mouse Queen and her son were transformed into rats), as their behaviour in both the tale and the ballet more closely resembles the behaviour of rats, those strange and mysterious creatures. In my production I decided to 'humanise' them. They are a royal family, a rat aristocracy, the military and the common people." Olga Makarova

[semper-legens]

66. No Longer Human, by Junji Ito

Owned: No, library Page count: 612 My summary: Yozo Oba is a man on the edge of humanity. He is desperately unhappy, locked in the manufactured personality of a clownish buffoon, longing to find his place in the world. And yet all he can do is spiral, destructing himself and all around him in the doing. Death stalks his every step. And yet, he still cannot die. My rating: 3/5 My commentary:

Here's a weird one. As I've said previously, I really like Junji Ito's work, so whenever I see anything he's done on the shelves, I'm gonna give it a read. I knew absolutely nothing about this particular work, not even that it is an adaptation of an apparently very well-regarded novel. It was a...strange experience to read, honestly. Very unlike Junji Ito's other work that I've read - which makes sense, because it's not his original story. The usual works of Ito's that I've read tend to be short story collections, or short stories that amass to a greater narrative. This was one narrative the whole way through, and a lot more of a restrained one than much of Ito's notoriously body horror-heavy tales.

Speaking of, my first note here is that the art is excellent. Ito's usual style is a lot more restrained in this one, with less of a focus on the bizarre body horror and more about humans in realistic if exaggerated situations, with a few ghost hallucinations thrown in for good luck. The subtler art here works exceptionally well, with the more grotesque images that are Ito's trademark being saved for select surreal and shocking moments. As such, an emphasis is placed at times on the body - we see tongues extended to the point of looking unnatural, or facial expressions that are strained and exaggerated. When Weird Things start to happen, that's when the horror rachets up, made all the more impactful for its scarcity. But most of the art is subtly unnerving rather than outright spooky, and it works so, so well.

And, okay, here's the thing I've been dancing around. I didn't really like the story here. The main character was kind of annoying? It's a delicate subject - after I finished the book I looked up the original novel, to find that he was heavily based on the author, Osamu Dazai, who seems to have had some mental health struggles and a tendency towards nihilism. That said, I'm not sure the way that this was portrayed, at least in this manga version, was all that interesting. Oba was just self-destructive, and destructive of all around him. Everyone he loved or cared about was destroyed due to him, though not always by him directly; still, he often planted the seeds of their destruction. But for all of that...I'm not really sure what the point was? I'm willing to admit ignorance on my part, or possible issues with the adaptation, or the literal or cultural translation of the book. But I'd have loved to see more introspection on Oba's part, or a more nuanced version of why he was the way he was. The narrative just seems to take his existential unhappiness and suchlike for granted, without necessarily delving into why this is the case or what factors might have influenced him. It just felt unsatisfying as a whole.

Next, murder and malice in Jacobean England.

[apilgrimpassingby]

Taking A Diversion From My Normal Content...

To dunk on one of the degenerate blogs that inadvertently inspired me to start mine - @geoproxus4.

Now, I'll be fair to him. There is far, far, far worse on this site in terms of degradation of women and general depravity. However, I am choosing to dunk on him because I found him A) especially obnoxious and B) in some areas particularly dunk-on-able.

Now, I'm going to limit myself to his content. He could be a great guy in real life for all I know. I refuse to call the person contemptible or evil, only the content.

The first thing I note is, in his profile, that he is a "theoretical polygynist". Translated from the original Quenya*, I think that means "I want to have multiple wives but only one woman (or, most likely, none) wants to have a relationship with me." Speaking of polygamy, on his Twitter account he declares that polygyny is necessary to understand Scripture.

The second item of note is that, on all of his posts, replies are disabled. Even the one declaring "come at me, hags."

I also noticed a post asking "Legit question: are large breasts liabilities or assets?" Accompanied by a picture of grotesquely oversized breasts that I refuse to believe a real human possesses. That image haunts my dreams; look it up and it'll haunt yours.

Returning to bad Scripture interpretation, he declares that only Papists relocate the Sabbath to Sunday. What with all these idiosyncratic interpretations of Scripture and declaring that these ideas of his are core Christian doctrines, I think of a certain theological term beginning with H that is very familiar to Warhammer 40,000 players.

(The defining characteristic of a heretic, in my unschooled opinion, isn't opinions contrary to the Church and/or the Bible. It's digging into that stance and presenting it as the core of Christianity. Martin Luther avoided heresy by backing down on his proposal to remove James from the Bible; Leonard Feeney insisted that everyone going to Hell who didn't get a Catholic water baptism was on par with the Resurrection and continued to do so even when he got excommunicated).

Also, on his Twitter he declares that (by commenting on the "stay away from men obsessed with submission" post I reblogged) that this woman is opposing proper family structure.

She never said that women did not have to submit, only that men obsessed with it are to be avoided.

The wife's submission is one part of a marriage. Ephesians 5 literally says twice as much about the husband's love as the wife's submission (6 verses on the former, 3 on the latter).

Also, he insists on Twitter that female bisexuality is completely fine, and challenges us to prove him wrong using the Bible alone. Romans 1:26-27. Considering the commonality of lesbianism as a subject for the male gaze, I suspect that this is a case of his perspective being distorted by porn.

Also on the subject of the male gaze, he declares that "men sexualise women's bodies. This is normal and natural". Yes, men find women sexually attractive. Always have, always will. But there's a difference between that and staring at women for your own gratification. Please read Matthew 5:27-30.

I'm not arguing with the man, having said multiple times on Twitter that his mind is unchangeable on certain points, and also because arguing over the Internet is fruitless 99.5% of the time.

If he blocks me after that, I'll feel a sense of accomplishment. That'll be the first time I've been blocked by someone.

*I'm not a Tolkien nerd myself, but I've got an older sister who's a massive Tolkien geek. For the rest of you, Quenya is one of the Elvish languages in Middle-Earth.