#there doesn't seem to be as much structure

[foone]

so the game My Long Drive (on sale now, incidentally) is a post-apocalyptic survival game where you drive a car down a long road, encountering various structures and hazards on your way.

And the game has "liquid container" mechanics, where you can pour water/gas/diesel/oil/blood/alcohol/urine from a bucket into a bottle or a car's radiator or drum or whatever and vice versa.

But there's a weird behavior in the game that seems to be caused by implementing paint (which you can use to recolor your car) as a liquid: You can refill a can of a paint, but what happens makes no sense.

You take a 1 liter can of Red Paint and pour in a drum. You have 1 liter of Red Paint.

You take a 1 liter can of Blue Paint and pour it in the drum.

Expected: You have 2 liters of badly mixed Red-Purple-Blue paint.

Observed: You have 2 liters of Red Paint.

You can refill paint cans with other paint cans, and what color the second paint can is DOESN'T MATTER AT ALL!

That's hilarious. I'm sure they implemented this accidentally and then left it in as an amusing bit of game quirkiness (it's that kind of simulator).

But don't worry: I made it work.

See, there's another liquid where you if you have 2 liters of it and you add 1 liter of water, you end up with 3 liters of it, not 2 liters of it and 1 liter of water slowly mixing:

Holy water!

It's true (at least in some varieties of Christianity): If you take holy water and add regular water to it, you get more holy water, not diluted holy water. It's indilutable!

So you then just need to figure out how to make Holy Paint. Clearly in the apocalyptic 1970s setting of The Long Drive, some enterprising young pope invented Holy Paint, which can't be diluted. So if you start running out of Red Paint, just add some spare Blue Paint, and now you've got twice as much Red Paint.

(Yes I know I marked the Blue Paint in Green, but that's a hilarious mistake so I'm not gonna fix it)

I wonder if you'd have to set up multiple varieties of catholicism, one for each color of paint? That'd be annoying.

[typosandtea]

The Prydwen would be hell for anyone with auditory processing issues..

the in game prydwen layout we see doesn't make much sense to me; its lacking key areas such as bathrooms, nothing is bolted down, people are just sleeping in the open, Danse and Maxon have comparatively massive rooms, things are spaced out in a way that wouldn't work on a restricted space vessel, and the upper levels seems to have no purpose other than access to the gas tanks.. but barring all of that if we take the design of the prydwen at face value, there are still other issues, one that really stands out to me is how chaotic it would sound inside at all times!

no soundproofing visible anywhere on the exposed interior hull or structure leading to reflections and echoing, as well as increased outside noise infiltration

open plan with the center containing a large workshop where people are presumably welding and hammering among other noisy metalwork tasks,

the lack of living spaces to retreat too

its engines are always running adding to the noise by fuselage vibrations and a constant hum

multiple power armour users stomping about both patrolling the ship and going too / from missions, and non of the gantries appear to be insulated either so each persons stomping would echo quite badly too

multiple turboprop? vertibirds right outside the non soundproofed hull at any time, likely with engine power level above idle to rise to meet / leave the docking mechanism. even at idle a turboprop engine is dangerously loud.

the safe noise threshold is well and truly passed on the flight deck from the engines and the vertibirds, are the scribes wearing hearing protection or are they just all going deaf from continuous noise exposure..

are more senior brotherhood members more deaf? does that also apply to predominately field officers? lots of older tradespeople I've met irl have very poor hearing from a lifetime of small exposures to slightly too loud noise..

the shape of the prydwens hull would make the echoing worse I think

[emblemxeno]

This brings up a question I've always had why DO so many people call Edelgard a revolutionary what am I missing? She's point for point like all politicians who claim it's for the good of the country and go back to how things were when it's just an excuse. Like I don't like bringing real world stuff into this but Israel and Netenyahu? Russia and Putin? Make America great again and Trump? They all use the exact same tactics calling the other side the enemy it's all by strength alone (please ignore the system you just aren't strong enough listen to me I'll save you from the evil scapegoat I'm telling you about), using only people close to them to put into positions of power, it's honestly shocking people are blind to this??? Then again they seem to think the church is just like our church when they're barely alike so idk

We really failed as a fandom tbh.

When the game presents an imperialist autocrat pretending to be (and believing she is) a revolutionary and who sides with terrorists who committed a genocide without much pushback beyond insults until she gets what she wants because, to her and her jackass evil butler, their useful power outweighs being fucking evil and making things terrible.

And a significant portion of the audience says "yes actually, she's a revolutionary who wants to bring change and everyone who's against her wants to maintain a toxic status quo, especially the genocide victim whose warnings and instructions were ignored by humanity."

Despite the fact that, for as much as she claims she's future focused, she fucking venerates the past to an insane degree. She thinks things were better when the other countries didn't exist; she believes things are better when one person on the imperial throne gets to call the shots with no checks on that power (like, just because it's not an inherited position anymore, doesn't mean it's good, since the subjects still don't have a voice); she compliments a past when merit and strength (concepts that are just as brittle and easily taken advantage of as birth status) were what got people high positions without consideration of those below the shot-caller; she thinks things were better when Nabateans had no ability to participate in how things operate-in their own birthplace mind you-because she doesn't view them as beings capable of emotion, logic, or rationality.

Edelgard is a rough textbook example of the evils of modern conservatism, wanting to return to an inequitable and oppressive power structure of the past that shut the majority out while claiming "oh just be better at your job, you whiner." And no amount of her feeling "uwu sad" about her actions changes the fact that she's still doing them.

[littlelicho]

i've been called! i analysed it way too much not to say anything

Just A Man and its role is something i've been pondering over a couple of days ago, actually, and i came up with a little something. a little theory, if you will

the Just A Man bridge is not about being a man, nor about being a monster - it's a question about the tipping point with a hint of foreshadowing

when you look at this bridge - as transcribed in the original post - and at how it is composed in terms of structure and imagery, it's relatively easy to notice it revolves around quantitative questions. even those that seem (rightfully so) qualitative at first glance, 'comet to meteor' and 'reason to blame', can be framed as quantitative: how long distance in earth's atmosphere has to pass for a comet to be considered a meteor?* to what degree of intensity does the reason have to accumulate to be seen as blame for things?

*factually speaking, a comet becomes a meteor while burning up upon entering the atmosphere

quantitative questions that are asked to point the line between A and B would have, ideally, a precise answer. but if the boundaries of two sets are blurry, how can you pinpoint the exact moment A becomes B?

(normally that's where a fun little word "discrete" comes in, but i'll spare you the details)

if psychological notions are somewhat more up your lane, may i suggest linking this to the problem of categorisation in theories of concepts and mental representations of objects? i find Eleanor Rosch's prototype theory to be especially helpful here (the prototype is most similar to other members of the category and least similar to members of other categories)

with me so far?

even though we can't find the specific point in time or other measure for one thing to become the other, those two things are unequivocally separate and different objects, which suggests there is at least a relatively narrow space where the transition happens.

the bridge hinges on the question when? which suggests we're looking for a point in time aka an event.

so what event can show us how a ripple becomes a tidal wave? when a flame is big enough to be a fire?

the answer is, i daresay, none.

no one event is that transition. instead, one situation builds upon another. until they reach the tipping point.

pushed to their limit, the individual reaches the point of transition by being put in a situation - aka forced to make a choice, because what moulds a situation more than the choices made? - where the consequence is to either let the thing break you or change so that it won't.

the narrow space of transition we were looking for is this tipping point where a situation, a choice, or both, significantly propel the character in a new direction, transform them.

let's take a little break from that - for just a bit - to notice another thing: how the bridge begins. the transition from the first part of the song to this one goes, lyrically, like this,

I'm just a man But when does a man become a monster?

it makes a coherent sentence, doesn't it? but musically, those two verses are significantly different. the first one is almost a capella (sung without instruments), while the second is more intense, with a new beat and lack of earlier legato strings, even if the whole range of instruments (and voices, interestingly) takes a while to unravel. i would see it as a hint that even though the concepts presented are related - heavily - they are not identical. Odysseus' view of himself as "just a man" is, of course, linked to the question of the tipping points between different versions of his character, but the question isn't exclusive to the transitions of his attitudes and approaches. it's still general, nearly rhetorical: where's the line? or, more specifically, how much can you push him to his limits until he's either broken or changed?

and that, i think, is foreshadowing to what Odysseus' story is exploring, among others

now let's tie it all back to the story

the first time we heard the bridge - and its motif of the question - is both the introduction of the concept and the first tipping point: Zeus, the king of gods, demands Odysseus to kill a child.

he complies. he also doesn't mention it again until literally half of the whole musical (song Monster)

the second time we hear the motif is during Ruthlessness after Poseidon kills over 500 of Odysseus' men and is set on striking him in just a moment. but more specifically, it's sung as a background for a very interesting exchange:

odysseus, sounding broken and terrified and in shock (understandably), asks poseidon what have you done?

when does a ripple become a tidal wave? sings ensemble

forty-three left under your command, Poseidon points out

when does a man become a monster?

Odysseus' own words from Remember Them get repeated back to him: I am your darkest moment / The monster that always draws near

and then Poseidon adds, almost like an afterthought, any last words?

and here's the thing - the underlying message is: you're dying in a sec, bud, no way around it. say your goodbyes or your manifesto, whatever is fine because you won't be here in the next moment.

then the most fascinating thing happens - Odysseus, seemingly broken only a few seconds ago, now confidently and forcefully exclaims that no, he is not dying, thank you very much. he opens the windbag and yeets himself and the rest of the survivors the hell out of there.

i believe that short second of silence between Poseidon's question and Odysseus' answer, alongside a build-up to it, is the second tipping point, where Odysseus makes a very fateful choice: to put up a fight and come out on the other side alive. the motif appears to foreshadow the defining choice that is about to be made.

i think the contrast of Odysseus' responses between the first and the second tipping point tells us a lot about the way it influenced him - choices he makes after them both even more so, which could be the whole essay in itself, to be honest. from my perspective, he finds the strength to fight in Ruthlessness because the choice to obey the gods and kill a child broke something in him - and he can't afford any more of that if he's to come back to Penelope and Telemachus

the third time the motif appears is during Thunder Bringer.

specifically between Odysseus' begging Zeus by repeating the lines from The Horse and The Infant (Please don't make me do this / Don't make me do this) and his exchange with Eurylochus ("Captain?" / "I have to see her." / "But we'll die." / "I know.")

this conversation is how we find out that Odysseus made his choice and what it is, the bridge once again coming right before and/or during a defining moment in his story.

what, for me, also cements this as another tipping point, is that Penelope's/siren's promise to free him from suffering is incorporated in-between the lines as well - this promise can easily be, and often is, read as luring Odysseus to give up and die, and therefore be freed of his turmoil. so the choice between himself and his crew is not only the choice of who is forced to die but also who is forced to live. and just as with Poseidon, Odysseus refuses to give up.

it's easy to assume the motif is there to showcase Odysseus truly "becoming a monster" - which is the idea i deeply dislike, i don't believe he actually ever did that - but i argue that his decision to sacrifice six of his men to pass Scylla would be a way better of an example of such a behaviour, if one were to assume this transition.

interestingly enough, the motif doesn't return in either Monster or Six Hundred Strike, which are often framed as events when Odysseus "embraces the monster in him" and therefore should be, theoretically, considered a tipping point. again, i don't agree with this interpretation, and for me, that's another argument for why a so-called villain arc is not a story in EPIC.

to sum up: i believe that Just A Man bridge serves as a question of "where's the limit that incites change?" and appears as a foreshadowing or a companion to a choice that not only pushes Odysseus to his limit in one way or another but also changes something for him, influencing the direction of his character development.

that's all just a theory, of course. i thought of something, of a way to interpret the story, and analysed the whole thing to see if it was there, but that also means i may have fallen for the confirmation bias. there's also a good chance there's something i didn't consider that would invalidate either most of it or some crucial part

i am eagerly waiting to see how the Ithaca saga will conclude the story, what it'll tell us about Odysseus and the ways he's changed - and maybe it'll prove me partially or completely wrong!

i do believe the idea is worthy of at least consideration, though, and if anyone is still here after this long, labyrinthine essay, i want to thank you so so much for reading, it means the world to me. have a great day, and lots of love! 💕

There's something interesting about the chorus of "Just A Man" being used in different sections when Odysseus is facing off against two different gods.

The original full chorus is:

"But when does the comet become a meteor?

When does the candle become the blaze?

When does a man become a monster?

When does a ripple become a tidal wave?

When does the reason become the blame?

When does a man become a monster?"

We hear the words just a man being used in different contexts - Athena telling Odysseus he's just a man, Odysseus calling himself Just A Man when facing Circe and when he deals with what he's about to do to Astyanax, but the only two moments a part of the Just a Man chorus were used were in:

Ruthlessness - right after Poseidon kills most of his men.

The only section we hear then is "When does a ripple become a tidal wave, when does a man become a monster?"

So in this case, what comes before it's excluded, and the sentence "when does the reason become the blame is too"

Thunder Bringer - right after Zeus tells Odysseus he can choose who lives and who dies.

This time around, they bring back The Horse and The Infant and then they bring back: "

when does the comet become a meteor?

When does the candle become the blaze?

When does a man become a monster?

When does a ripple become a tidal wave?

When does the reason become the blame?

When does a man become a monster?"

And the thing that makes me wonder about the symbolism - allegory if you will - of these moments.

In the first one, it is pretty clear that he's questioning at which point he'll become a monster if he does this and at what point will this child become so much of a threat that a god comes to warn me about it.

In the second one, Odysseus isn't making any choices - but rather having someone else inflicting something onto him.

In the third, he's again being offered a choice - that's not really a choice at all because both he and Zeus know what he'll do.

I'm not entirely sure the point Jorge is making with Just a Man - because I need to check and see in what context it'll be used again in Ithaca saga, but I couldn't help but notice the pattern when relistening to all the sagas.

It doesn't seem to strike a parallel of Odysseus becoming a monster - because I discussed this already, and he's not going through a villain arc -, because of the moments where he chose to reimplement the themes of the song, but I'm also not entirely sure of the connection - or if there's one - at this point.

Do you guys have any thoughts?

[fictionadventurer]

"If the structure of your world ever evaporates, I will still be here."

I think The Q might contain one of the greatest declarations of friendship/love ever.

[purgatorygrl]

Parallels between Jamie and Arthur

The relationship between what happened to Jamie with The Chelonia cult and Arthur's situation with the band seems to me to be quite similar.

Jamie came from a family that was quite dysfunctional, his mother had died and his father treated him badly and constantly despised him, so he needed to find a place where he was validated and felt accepted. To do this, he joined The Chelonia cult, where they told him what to think, what to say, what to do, and they took his money for the supposed "donations." Jamie knew that they were manipulating him and that everything about the cult was a lie, but he still stayed there because it was the only place where he felt accepted and where people treated him well.

Like Jamie, Arthur did not have a structured family and was alone since he was little until Dutch and Hosea adopted him and he began to be part of the band. Dutch made sure that Arthur had the same ideals as him and at all times he told him how to do things and what was the correct way to think and act. Arthur had his own way of seeing things and he didn't always agree with what Dutch said and did but he always gave in and in the end he ended up doing what Dutch wanted even though it wasn't what he wanted, partly because of Dutch's manipulation and the need for validation and because he felt like he owed him his life. He always saw Dutch deteriorating more and more but he never left the band, first because it wasn't that easy but mostly because it was the only family he had and the only people who had accepted him and that was the only life he knew.

"They're using you, they're telling you what you want to hear" In the end, Dutch used emotional manipulation to control people, especially Arthur, spontaneously giving him validation and calling him son so that in the end he would do the things Dutch wanted.

I love how Jamie asks him "and what do you know about that, Arthur?" I would say quite a bit, taking into account the dynamics of the Van der Linde gang and Arthur's relationship with Dutch.

[wonder-worker]

"The division between the two families [the Woodvilles and the Nevilles] and their allies can be seen in the royal charters that they witnessed. Warwick, Rivers and Archbishop Neville of York, while serving as chancellor and afterwards, were fairly constant witnesses to royal charters and consequently often appeared together. This was not, however, the case for other family members and friends. From 1466 to 1469, if Scales or Woodville associates like Sir John Fogge, John Lord Audley or Humphrey Lord Stafford of Southwick witnessed royal charters, then members of the Neville group, such as John Neville, earl of Northumberland, or John Lord Wenlock would not, and vice versa. Discounting the ubiquitous Warwick, Rivers and Archbishop Neville, of the twenty-four charters issued between February 1466 and June 1469, twelve were witnessed by men associated with the Woodvilles, eight by men associated with the Nevilles and two were witnessed by no member of either group beyond the two earls at their heads and the archbishop; only two charters, both from 1466, featured associates of both families.

Such striking segregation of witnesses suggests that something more than simple convenience or availability was at play. [...] The evidence of these witness lists does show the extent of the split between the two groups from early in Edward's [first] reign and of the need for political society to work with that cleavage in the heart of the Yorkist regime."

— Theron Westervelt, "Royal charter witness lists and the politics of the reign of Edward IV"

*This is specifically applicable for Edward IV's first reign; in contrast, the charters in his second reign displayed a great deal of aristocratic and domestic unity and cohesion.

[kateis-cakeis]

Thinking about the structure of the Old Religion.

From what we know there's the Nine which refers to the High Priestesses of the Triple Goddess - powerful sorcerers who obtained immortality (unless killed by some form of magic), and performed important rituals of the Old Religion.

It is unknown if there was a High Priest equivalent, but Gaius in S1Ep13 does tell Merlin that "the High Priests have the power to mirror life and death". This suggests that perhaps there were High Priests of the Triple Goddess, and that they also had a Nine.

There's the Bendrui, women who failed to become part of the Nine. Just like those who eventually became High Priestesses of the Triple Goddess, they were chosen at birth for the priesthood - taken from their families and raised as initiates of the Old Religion. Despite their failure, Bendrui are practiced in potent magic, and appear to have above average gifts.

There's the Bloodguard, warrior priests who swore to protect the High Priestesses. They, like the High Priestesses, were the only people to ever set eyes upon the staff carved from the Rowan tree that grows at the very heart of the Isle of the Blessed.

It could be suggested that like the Bendrui, the Bloodguard could have been failed High Priests, but there is no evidence (other than the existence of the Bendrui, and the mention of High Priests) to truly suggest this.

It is also unknown if the Bloodguard served the Triple Goddess. It is possible that the priests served various different gods of the Old Religion, but due to their relation to the Nine specifically, it is likely these warrior priests served the Triple Goddess.

There's the Catha, which contains priests. (Alator is referred to being "of the Catha, warrior and priest", he also says "I'm a Catha priest").

It is unknown if they served the Triple Goddess, or a different god of the Old Religion (and we know they are priests of the Old Religion because Morgana says, "He's a Catha...priest of the Old Religion.").

They have their own language, however, suggesting that they are a unique culture, and perhaps even an ethnic group. (This is further supported by Alator saying Catha are trained from birth to master all physical pain, it is also said that they guard their ancient knowledge - which leans towards them being a people rather than just initiates of the Old Religion)

There's the Disir, the highest court of the Old Religion, made up of three women chosen at birth to be trained as seers and soothsayers. They are the mouthpiece of the Triple Goddess, and interpret her word. As Gaius says, "When they sat in judgement, their word was final". They pass on the runemark, which is both judgement and fate - it contains a person's guilt, as well as the path the gods have chosen for them.

There's the Druids, a peaceful people who worship the Old Religion and often possess magic. It's a part of their beliefs to help people in need of care, and therefore, those who weren't born a Druid can find a home amongst them (Morgana is one such example).

Moreover, the Druids look for children with the gift of telepathy to serve as apprentices (perhaps to keep them safe? perhaps to encourage their magic in childhood?). The Druids also have a tattoo of a triskelion somewhere on their body, perhaps as a part of a ritual (to indicate someone has become a Druid?).

While the Druids have an intimate knowledge of prophecy and destiny, especially regarding Emrys and the Once and Future King, they do not appear to be priests or priestesses in any form. Just like the Catha, they have their own language (called the Druid tongue and Druidic Runes by Gaius), therefore, it is possible that they too are a unique culture and/or an ethnic group.

There's the Isle of the Blessed, a sacred location of the Old Religion, said to be the centre of it, and the focus of its power - it is also where the power of the ancients can still be felt after the Great Purge. Artifacts such as the Rowan staff, the Cup of Life, and the Horn of Cathbhadh were kept there under the care of the High Priestesses. Furthermore, Morgana's healing bracelet was forged on Isle - suggesting that its power allowed for the creation of powerful artifacts (this is further supported by the Rowan staff which was carved from the tree that grows there).

In a deleted scene for S4Ep1, Morgause says when she was first brought to the Isle, the hallways were teeming with women - High Priestesses. Although it is said often within the fandom, canon never establishes if the initiates were trained on the Isle. This deleted scene, however, heavily suggests it.

There's the Caerlanrigh, a sacred spring within the Grove of Brineved. There, the Disir reside within a cave, where the spring feeds into an ancient pool - in which the Disir divine from. The old ways are at their strongest there, and it's at the very centre of their powers (whether Gaius meant the old ways or the Disir here is unclear).

There's the Cauldron of Arianrhod, a sacred site of the Old Religion. The lake contains the power of the White Goddess, who can be summoned to heal those affected by the Teine Diaga ritual. However, if such a person is tricked into entering the cauldron, their soul would be lost forever.

There's the Crystal Cave, said to be the birthplace of magic. It is filled to the brim with scrying crystals that show the past, present, and future. Taliesin used the cave as the source of his prophecies for the kings of old. And as much as the crystals can be controlled, they can force visions upon powerful sorcerers too.

The cave can also hold spirits within it, seen with both Balinor and Taliesin.

While this may have been the case for Merlin alone, the cave can restore a person's magic.

There are celebrations important to the Old Religion too, such as:

Samhain, a time of year where the people feel closest to the spirits of their ancestors, in which they celebrate their passing.

During Samhain it was traditional for the High Priestesses to gather on the Isle of the Blessed and perform a blood sacrifice to release the Dorocha. This was done on the stroke of midnight, when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest.

Since the Dorocha do not roam free in the world throughout the series, it is suggested that a second blood sacrifice was done by the High Priestesses - perhaps before the night was through - to close the veil once more.

In Camelot, a feast is held as part of the celebrations. (This suggests that while the Old Religion and its practices were abandoned during and after the Purge, the heart of the religion and its holidays were never replaced).

Beltane, a time of year where the High Priestesses would gather at the Great Stones of Nemeton and summon the spirits of their ancestors with the Horn of Cathbhadh. It opens the door to the Spirit World and allows the person who blew the horn to see and speak with their ancestor of choice.

In Camelot a feast is held as part of the celebrations (which much like Samhain seems indicate that the Old Religion has been around for so long that it cannot be removed from society entirely - that the people clung onto some traditions, including the royal family).

There's the Gods of the Old Religion, the Triple Goddess, the White Goddess, and Nemaine. It could be implied that the White Goddess, and the Earth Mother Nemaine are part of the Triple Goddess, but it is just as likely for them to be separate gods.

If so, the Triple Goddess is heavily associated with the Nine, destiny and fate, and the immortality of certain sorcerers. Perhaps she is also associated with the balance of the world, due to the power over life and death being tied to the High Priestesses and supposed High Priests.

The White Goddess, however, appears to be associated with one's soul and healing. It was only her power that could heal and retain Gwen's soul after Teine Diaga ritual.

The Earth Mother Nemaine is related to Gean Canach, as it is said her tears forged the creature. The book Gaius reads from has more information, and from what can be deciphered, it says that Nemaine first wept at the slaughter of war, resulting in the Gean Canach crawling out of the Earth's belly (there is more written on the page, but it is impossible to tell what it says). This suggests that Nemaine lives within the Earth's core, and that she is indeed associated with nature and living beings as her name implies.

Furthermore, since she wept at the slaughter of war, she is perhaps the god of life itself, but not of the entire cycle. And due to the Gean Canach's abilities, to devour and drain a sorcerer of their magic, it is likely that this war's slaughter was brought about by magic.

It is possible that The Earth Mother Nemaine could be related to the Pool of Nemhain. Despite having different spellings in the show (the subtitles), they have extremely similar pronunciations (even if it is a bit different). Perhaps they are unrelated, but if they are one and the same, it could be suggested that the Earth Mother is connected to death as well as life, due to the pool being the last of the Five Gateways to the Spirit World. (This contradicts what is analysed in the above paragraph, but this post is meant to speculate multiple possibilities.)

Honourable mentions:

It could be suggested that the Quest Ritual was once part of the Old Religion. It includes the heir to the throne of Camelot transcending their body in order to receive a vision of a quest. This quest is meant to prove their worth to the people, and their worthiness of the throne. The heir prepares themself by cleansing their body and dressing in white robes. They spend an entire night kneeling on the floor, barefoot, with their eyes closed.

Due to how Arthur reacts in the morning when Uther pulls him out of it, and how sacred the entire process appears to be, it is as if the heir is actually gifted with a vision of a quest. This is supported by his reaction, as he looks dazed when relays what he has seen. Therefore, it seems as if the ritual includes some form of magic due to the preparation, and if so, then it's likely it was a practice of the Old Religion (specifically for the heirs of Camelot? Due to Camelot's association with the very heart of magic?)

It has been around for hundreds of years, so it is not outside the realm of possibility that the Quest Ritual is so old that the general consensus has forgotten its ties to the Old Religion, or much like Samhain and Beltane, it is perhaps so baked into society that it couldn't be abandoned.

--

In S1Ep13, Merlin says that the "Old Religion died out centuries ago". Even in Series 1 this is far from true, but later seasons make this remark seem entirely ignorant. If anything, this sentiment comes from a post-Purge society, where the structures of the Old Religion no longer exist. Perhaps it is even propaganda that Uther pushed forward as people became more fearful over the years, turning away from the old ways despite once practicing such beliefs (and for the people of Camelot, still practicing some of those beliefs).

It is possible this was a retcon but if so then it's directly retconned in S1Ep13 when it's revealed that Nimueh is a High Priestess.

Anyhow, in response to Merlin's ignorance, Kilgharrah says, "The Old Religion is the magic of the Earth itself. It is the essence which binds all things together. It will last long beyond the time of men".

This shows that the Old Religion doesn't just refer to the religion and the gods, but rather it is the very magic that makes up the fabric of the world, and as Balinor says in S2Ep13 it's either a part of you or it isn't. This suggests that it is indeed not just a religion, but the very world, the Earth, magic.

He also goes on to say that Merlin must "find those who still serve it", which shows that Uther very much didn't succeed in eradicating the structure of the Old Religion entirely, at least at that point in the show. And perhaps that anyone could serve it, even after the very structure collapsed.

All this is to say that the Old Religion is extremely pagan. The structure itself is vague perhaps because Old Religion is personal, it is vague. The differences between the High Priestesses, the Catha, and the Druids make this clear. Following the Old Religion's beliefs, traditions, and holidays is personal and spiritual because it varies, because there is no wrong way. Because there are no set rules or a real structure at all. The High Priestesses had power, yes, but this seems to come directly from the Triple Goddess herself, rather than a societal standing.

Nimueh was at court, and she was Uther's friend, but she was also very quickly thrown from the court after Ygraine died. And yes, the High Priestesses went to war with the Ancient Kings, but that appears to be a difference in factions, rather than let's say the Christian church and its power over the centuries.

Therefore, I propose that the Old Religion as a religion was loose in its structure, that it never died out like Merlin said (which does seem to be a post-Purge sentiment), but instead simply changed and evolved, and continued to exist even after the Purge, with its holidays in Camelot, and with the Druids and their practices/beliefs.

-----

Overall, the information we have on the structure of the Old Religion is vague and patchy. This was perhaps intentional so the writers could work around existing canon to introduce new concepts without being constricted by their past worldbuilding. But that's getting into the Intentional Fallacy, so I'll leave that there.

It appears that the High Priestesses had the most power in society, due to their past wars with the Ancient Kings, and their sheer power and knowledge. Not to mention their artifacts and control over creatures like the Fomorroh.

But there are different beliefs and structures to the Old Religion, like with the Catha and the Druids, suggesting that there are multiple ways to worship and follow the Old Religion.

The many sacred sites show that there are different powers and sources to the Old Religion that have different purposes. Like how the path to the Cauldron of Arianrhod was lined with banners for pilgrims, not to necessarily summon the White Goddess, but to visit the site. Or how the Isle of the Blessed is a powerful religious site, while the Crystal Cave is a fairly legendary and unknown place that few ever get to see.

In conclusion, the Old Religion is vast and has many facets to it. There is some structure, but it doesn't seem entirely necessary in order to follow the Old Religion. And in reality, it is inherent to the Earth, it is magic itself.

[divinekangaroo]

rewatching S6 in bits and pieces for current fic and ahhhhhhhhhh but the whole Jack, Diana, Mosley and Lizzie final dinner is so *viscerally* fucking satisfying on every sensory and intellectual and emotional level of consumption.

[sheerwillpower]

i do think we could benefit from not yucking people's yums and also encourage further literacy and media criticality at the same time

[mishalikessoundsandcolours]

I remember how once when I put on both of Syd's solo albums in a row when I was hanging out with my parents in the evening, my mom said something about how Syd's solo music is more accessible or easygoing than Pink Floyd's music. I just think it's interesting since people often say that Syd went insane so his lyrics and songs were getting more mad and ladidadida, but I think that if you listen to songs like Love You, Here I Go, Love Song, I Never Lied To You, Terrapin and so on, I wouldn't say that they sound like something that was written by someone who completely lost their marbles. Yes, the way he writes his lyrics and rhymes words isn't really ordinary, but I think it has more to do with the way he naturally talked and his kind of painterly approach to songwriting. And musically the songs on his solo albums don't sound extremely complicated either – they have that charming touch of whimsy and strangeness like everything he did, but they are still kind of easy to take in and relate to in my opinion – at least compared to things like Dogs, Atom Heart Mother Suite, Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast, Careful With That Axe, Eugene and all that (not that I don't like these songs, I love them a lot but they're just was more experimental or complicated to my ears). Anyways, just wanted to ramble a bit about that.

[someonesomewheredown]

Idk how well they'd be able to find fossils since a lot of them would be probably buried in the ocean but do you think Inkfish ever have long-lasting debates about mammal fossil reconstructions in the same way that the exact appearance of the Spinosaurus seems to change every few years

[the-real-aurora-borealis]

idk if im even comprehensible rn but I kinda wish help wanted 2 had more like, survival? minigames?

maybe its just me missing the old fnaf games but I think vr is a great place to have more of the older style minigames

[my-thoughts-and-junk]

hate when i see a youtube video that's like 'analyzing why [thing] is bad!' and you watch the video and they just say nothing for twenty minutes

[saltpepperbeard]

you ever feel trapped? like you’re just treading water, waiting to drown?

[llycaons]

like the wu ming reveal was all very nice but since this all happened nearly a thousand years before the events of books 1, 3, and 5 its like...okay? everything about their relationship in the flashback I either found creepy or didn't care about 😭 ik some fans like the idea of a character so loyal he's willing to destroy a whole country on the word of his god slash crush but umm I do not! also hc disguising himself as the child who was hanging out with xl was so weird why did he do that. age gap creepiness aside it was just stupid and eliminated a chatacter I was really excited about. and it pissed me off when he kicked qyz off the sedan chair like let him sit!!! his single-minded focus on xl got so so old and his insistence on inserting himself everywhere was intrusive and annoying! to me. got real tired of his 'fuck everyone else I got dianxia' mindset. immature. annoying. and unfair