#this is like a diagram of a divine nature

[littleeyesofpallas]

So I guess this is a good time to do a recap of some old Ukitake posts: [1][2][3][4][5][6]

Ukitake[浮竹] Juushirou[十四郎] actually has one of my favorite names in the series as it feels like it says a lot about his core concept beyond what we're really given in canon. The family name reads uki-[浮]: "Floating" and take-[竹]: "Bamboo." That same "floating" is part of the word fuurou[浮浪]: "vagrant/vagabond" and a few other colloquial terms, a generally circling around a homeless person or a drifter. (In fact the other half of that compound word, [浪] is the "wave" in ronin[浪人]: "wave man/person" as in a masterless samurai.) Bamboo being a staple lumber in Japan of course but also notorious for its fast and rampant growth, as it is quick to spread and choke out other plants in an environment. The idea of "floating..." or "vagrant bamboo" gives an impression of being plentiful and common, even excessive.

The personal name, Juushirou[十四郎] just reads "14(th) Son" which always implied he came from a large family. A profile in the back of vol. 18 long ago confirmed he had brothers and sisters, but curiously all younger than him. The implication seemed clear that as a sickly person from a big family, he was poor and that there were 13 prior children who died before him, which is really the only reason you'd name a child the way they did. This feels like it works in tandem with the family name to again emphasize a family of many, but also almost expendable. The big family is also why he's got an affinity for children

That said it always felt to me like the backstory should have been more grim? Like rather than just praying to a god to save his life, it seemed more like he should have been a sacrifice made to ensure the family line continued. Like first 13 kids died, they were afraid he was their last chance, but he was sickly, so they sacrificed him to basically ensure the next ones would come out alright. Hence the kids younger than him surviving in spite of the ominous past implied by his name.

(Also the "shiro" phonetics in his name as a homonym with shiro[白]:white point to his hair. Kubo makes an explicit joke about this as Toshiro, also white haired, shares a similar wordplay, his name Toshirou[冬獅郎] meaning "Winter Lion Son.")

Then there's his shikai, Sougyo-no-Kotowari[双魚理] which reads "PairFish's Reason/Logic/Natural way of things." (sougyo-kyu[双魚宮] is the Japanese name of the constellation Pisces.) It appears to be an allusion to daoism/onmyodo, and the yin-yang diagram of balance, and this theme gets built upon by other contextual information like the zanpakutou arc's designs borrowing from onmyoji, and Ukitake's presence in conjunction with fish imagery and metaphor in the Jaws of Hell arc.

The little preamble to that chapter, about the two fish in balance until one dies and then the other grows bigger, is itself synonymous with sougyo-no-kotowari: The Natural Order of Two Fish.

The release command [波悉く我が盾となれ]: "All Waves be my shield," [雷悉く我が刃となれ]: "All LightningBolts be my blade" is fairly straight forward and just evokes the image of a stormy sea, which actually seems to have surprisingly little to do with the rest of the themes in play? I mean sure, waves and fish and floating, but when the floating and fish are less than literal the waves and lightning without any additional reading feel kind of out of place?

Of note: the onymoji was a prestigious class of sort of advisor in the japanese imperial court was at its peak in the Heian period, the long standing era of peace in ancient Japan that came just before the descent into the civil war of the Sengoku period. (Subsequently the onmyoji lost most of their power and clout during the waring states period as power shifted from the imperial court to the shogunate.) They were associated with and consulted for a wide range of things from medicine, to architecture, to city planning and meteorology, and divination, and perhaps most well loved by media, as exorcists. This ties into things like his beyond bankai form in Bleach Brave Souls where they opt for a more shinto purification theme, in either case making him fit something of a paragon role as Shinigami as ""cleansing"" hollows rather than destroying them.

Actually those shinto motifs all link to the recent addition of shinto themes in Mimihagi pretty directly, but I'll get to that in a bit...

It's worth noting that with Kyoraku's emphasis on a leisurely city life in the capital(Kyoto), and the onmyo mystic themes of Sougyo-no-kotowari, Kyoraku and Ukitake appear to both represent aspects of the Heian period, and thus cultures that predate the Sengoku period, and the rise of the samurai, lending to their role as two of the most senior members of the gotei 13.

People often forget but technicaly Ukitake was the first captain we were introduced to, well before Byakuya showed up, the Captain title just wasn't present at the time. When Rukia has her flashback to a then uncertain event while Ichigo fights Grandfisher, it's Ukitake she's hearing speak and that we catch just a brief glimpse of the back of the head of. Like I said there were no captain ranks in the story a that point, so he just appears as long flowing white hair over an all black shihakusho. I think his hair was always meant to help him embody an element of balance between black and white, and thus the very series title: Bleach.

I think there was always an implicit siniste quality to the idea of "Balance" underlying the shinigami that Kubo tried to gesture towards with the general vibe of the Soul Society -v- Rukongai dynamics, the Shibas, that flicker of a twist in the Fullbringer arc that Ichigo just ignored, and even with a lot of the loose and ultimately unfulfilled themes he set up for the TYBW arc with Yhwach's plans for a new world and Juugram's Balance schrift.

Oh I forgot the whole MIMIHAGI bit, despite teh being the whole subject of this week's episode:

東流魂街七十六地区『逆骨』に伝わる単眼異形の土着神。

An indigenous God of Grotesque/Suspicious Single-eye passed down in East Rukongai 76(th) zone "Sakahone(Reverse Bone)"

太古の昔、天より瀞霊廷に落ちて来た霊王の右手を祀ったとされるもので、自らの持つ「眼」以外のすべてを捧げた者に加護をもたらすと言い伝えられている。

(In)Ancient Times, From Heaven to the Seireitei the fallen right hand of the Rei-Oh is said to have been enshrined.

浮竹の行った『神掛』は、体内に宿るミミハギ様の力を全身の臓腑へと広げる事で、全ての臓腑をミミハギ様に捧げ、その依り代になる儀式である。

Ukitake's performed "Kamikake(God debt)" was, the power of MIMIHAGI dwelling in the body spreading to the whole of the viscera/entrails, offer up all of your entrails to MIMIHAGI-sama, it is a ceremony/ritual to become a Yorishiro*

『神掛』を成功させた浮竹は、霊王の右腕そのものとなった。

Ukitake succeeded at/with "Kamikake", he had become the right hand of the Rei-Oh.

*i don't have a more concise way to translate this... the translation listed run something like "object representative of a divine spirit"/" object to which a spirit is drawn or summoned"/"object or animal occupied by a kami​" and it's specifically a shinto thing.

When you see big deified trees with the shimenawa ropes and shide paper talismans, those trees are yorishiro. or rather they're Shintai, because a Yorishiro is a thing capable of being host to a kami, the Shintai is after they've been deified. (And technically when you do that to a person it would be called Yorimashi, not Yorishiro. I don't know if that's meant to specifically dehumanize Ukitake or if its a broad enough term that it doesnt really make a difference. Although if you really wanted to stretch it you could argue that Ukitake is an object and not a person because he did die from his illness and the thing deified wasn't a "living" person it was a corpse. Which would very curiously position him as an inversion of Ichigo, who was human, "died" in that his soul was deliberately severed from his body, but continued to operate as nominally human while getting to dip a toe into the shinigami powers and the spirit world.)

These little eye catch data cards really aren't giving us anything new huh?

[talonabraxas]

Scientific Decodation of Sri Yantra (श्रीयंत्र)

The term yantra, which literally means an instrument for holding or restraining, may be used to denote a variety of linear diagrams which play a significant role in the meditative practices of Tantric Hinduism. Yantras may be simple designs such as the cross, triangle, square, circle or lotus pattern, symbolizing basic concepts, or may be more complex combinations of such elements in figures representing in abstract form the particular creative forces in the cosmos which are called divinities.

The Sri Yantra is an ancient Indian symbol depicting the vibrational form (a form of mystical diagram) that rishis saw during mediations using the tone OMM. The Sri Yantra (sacred instrument) or Sri Chakra (sacred wheel) or Mahameru (3D) is a yantra formed by nine interlocking triangles that surround and radiate out from the central (bindu) point, the junction point between the physical universe and its unmanifest source.

It represents the Goddess in her form of Shri Lalita the beauty of the three worlds (Heaven, Earth, Hell). The shapes of five elements, found in Sri-yantra are; Air/ wood : Rectangular, Fire : Triangular, Earth : Square, Space / Metal : Round and Water element : Wavy form. They are closely related to the mandalas used by both Hindu and Buddhist Tantrism, in which geometric design is supplemented by elaborate symbolic images of the deities which by their various forms and attributes indicate different aspects of the hidden order of reality.

As the yantra is ‘the linear paradigm of the mandala’, expressing the same principles in geometric form. Like mandalas, yantras are used in the context of meditation and worship as visual-aids to concentration of the mind leading to realization of abstract principle which is the inner meaning of the visible representation. The best known and geometrically the most complex yantra is the Sri-yantra, also known as the Sri- chakra. The structure of this yantra is enigmatically described in the Saundarya-lahari (the Wave of Beauty) a lengthy poem praising the great goddess whose dwelling place the Sri-yantra is said to be.

By reason of the four Srikanthas (srikantha is an epithet of Shiva) and the five damsels of Shiva (which have the nature of Shakti), which are penetrated by Sambhu (i.e. bindu- the dot in the centre) and constitute the nine fundamental natures, the 43 (or 44) angles of your dwelling place are evolved, along with the 8-petalled (Ashta Prakriti) and 16-petalled lotuses(16 Phases of Moon, the circles and the three lines (TriGunas ; Satva Rajo Tamo).

When the inquisitive Sati addressed her curiosity regarding the functioning of the universe to Lord Shiva, he gave her a detailed pictorial explanation by connecting a number of lines. These lines proceeded to interlace themselves to form 43 triangles within a circle. It is composed of nine triangles, it is known as the Navayoni Chakra. These nine triangles are of various sizes and intersect with one another. This circle was further surrounded by layers of petals contained in three additional circles which were finally encompassed in three more sharp layers.

Sri Yantra is a circuit showing chakras of the body. Each chakra of the yantra is a symbol of chakra of the human body. In the middle is the power point (bindu), visualizing the highest, the invisible, elusive centre from which the entire figure and the cosmos expand. The triangles are enclosed by two rows of (8 and 16) petals, representing the lotus of creation and reproductive vital force. The chakras present in the body represent superimposition of 4 triangles and 5 triangles in an upward position and downward position respectively.

These interlocking of upward and downward triangle lead to the formation of 43 smaller triangles in the Sri Yantra. The downward pointing triangle is a way of representing Shakti which is the female principle. On the other hand, the triangles pointing upwards are representing Shiva, male principle. The broken lines of the outer frame denote the figure to be a sanctuary with four openings to the regions of the universe.

The different parts or petals and lines of the yantra are usually arranged in concentric circles (mandalas) and contain rays or sub-limbs of devi. The Shri Yantra has nine of these mandals, each filled with various aspects of the Devi. In Shri Yantra there are 111 aspects. The Shri Yantra is said to be a geometric form of the human body, which implies that goddess as Macrocosm is one with human being as Microcosm.

According to Tantra, the creation of the world begins with an act of division of the opposites that are united in the deity. From their splitting arises, in an explosion of energy, the multiplicity of the world. Starting from pure unity (Shiva), the world is continuous unfolding (energized by the power of Shakti), until a state is reached when the process must reverse and involute back to the very beginning. Multiplicity must once again become unity. Yantras are symbolic representations of this process of evolution and involution.

In its three-dimensional forms, Sri Yantra is said to represent Mount Meru, the cosmic mountain at the center of the universe. The Sri Yantra is conceived as a place of spiritual pilgrimage. It is a representation of the cosmos at the macrocosmic level and of the human body at the microcosmic level (each of the circuits corresponds to a chakra of the body). The human being is a miniature universe. All that is found in the cosmos can be found within each individual, and the same principles that apply to the universe apply in the case of the individual being.

For human beings, the body is considered the most perfect and powerful of all yantras and is seen as a tool for inner awareness. Formation of these 43 triangles is happening by the intersection of circles, starting from a central point - Bindu this central point expanding as a circle, then in the same measurement four circles creating further intersections by repeating this process fractals are formed.

Fractals are infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. They are created by repeating a simple process over and over in an ongoing feedback loop, the central part of the Sri Yantra is 43 triangles out of circular fractals, after the fractal formation connecting the appropriate intersections 43 triangles, Sri Yanta is formed.

This formation will tell the secret of how the human body evolved in Karana (Causal) Sookshma (Subtle) level with the flow of Prana. Bodies are mere conceptions in the lower order of beings and they are not to the point in the case of God. Therefore, be wise, and worship the one pure, unblemished Transcendence. If unable to comprehend this pure state, one should worship God in the concrete form which is most agreeable to him; in this way, too, one is sure to reach the goal, though gradually. Though one attempted it in millions of births, one would not advance except in one of these two ways.

The main structural pieces in the Sri Yantra to start opening you to see multidimensionally beyond the simple lines and shapes. The Sri Yantra are surrounded by a square with four “T” shapes jutting out on each of its four sides. These “T” shapes are referred to as the gates of Bhuper, a reference to the earth (bhu). Each of these gates has a mystical significance beyond the representation of the four directions on the Earth plane (North, East, South & West). The square itself including the “T” gates form the foundation of the Sri Yantra and stabilize all energy within it for manifestation.

This square contains the earth (bhu) energy and when activated, the “T”s are the gates that control energetic access in the more Earthbound planes of the resident Divine energy for that specific Yantra (there are different types of Yantras with different Divine beings associated with them). Specific mantras are the keys to unlock or lock these gates. Looking inside the sacred geometry of this square you will find:

Circles which generally symbolize the Water element

Vertical Lines which are understood as containing the Fire element,

Diagonal Lines represent the Air element

Horizontal Lines which represent Ether element

Remember the Square itself is the Earth element

Looking at the center shapes of the Sri Yantra pay attention to the triangles:

Triangles, when pointed up, contain the Divine Masculine, as well as the Fire nature.

Triangles that are pointed downward, they contain Water element and the Divine Feminine.

For thousands of years, sages in India and other parts of the world meditated to discover sacred (self organising) life principles, how to enhance happiness and reduce misery in life. Sri Chakra arose in their visions. It combined geometry, sounds and life to channel the nameless, formless powers of God.

It is the king of yantras with nine layers of Shaktis (powers) covering the light of God in the forms of stars, lotuses and squares containing powers, passions and beauties. Their unmasked beauty and razor sharp intellects earned them a nickname- khadgamala- a garland of swords. They cut off and pierce through all limiting ideas of I and mine to release your unbounded bliss of God.

Learn the secret teachings of Sa-maya (Shakti’s happiness) Dakshina (Shiva’s happiness) or Kaula (Both happiness’s) and Vama (offering self in fire) acharas, and finally Ananda Bhairavis of devotees forming into a self empowering mandalas of Sri Chakras. The Guru at the center of such a circle is called Maha Mandaleswara.

Layers of coverings in Sri Chakra:

1. Square- 10 siddhis, 8 passions, 10 gestures. Use them to enjoy astral powers.

2. Lotus of 16 petals. Time is divided into 16 lunar days, each day bringing a special dream gift.

3. Lotus of 8 petals. Let go of inhibitions. Offer fruits of all your actions to Goddess.

4. Star of 14. Powers ruling the worlds place their riches at your feet.

5. Outer star of 10. These airy spirits blow away poverty.

6. Inner star of 10. They defend you from enemies.

7. Star of 8. They eliminate diseases.

8. Triangle. They teach secrets of controlling lust, enhancing wisdom and manifesting visions.

9. Circle or point. Take you to unending powers beyond mind. Merge with infinite peace, bliss and light of union with Shiva-Shakti.

The typical Sri Yantra with its central point (bindu) and concentric circles of petals and other geometries are conceived of as a sacred dwelling in which the presiding deity and their entourage take up residence. The bindu represents the location of the highest manifestation of the deity as well as the focal point through which the deity transcends the relative plane, with its form and structure to merge into the formless consciousness.

To help visually understand, the bindu is the center of the Sri Yantra and the dot is the symbol of AUM it represents the piercing, breaking or bursting through (bindu vedhana) and it is the final stage.

'यद् पिण्डे तद् ब्रह्माण्डे' Sri Yantra is a geometrical representation of the Human body as well as the Universe. Fractals are infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. They are created by repeating a simple process over and over in an ongoing feedback loop, the central part of the Sri Yantra is 43 triangles out of circular fractals, after the fractal formation connecting the appropriate intersections 43 triangles, Sri Yanta is formed, this formation will tell the secret of how the human body evolved in Karana (Causal) Sookshma (Subtle) level with the flow of Prana.

This is the very same formless consciousness in which the devotee merges with the highest truth. The Sri Yantra is then fully activated in its Divine nature and reveals the true potential and nature of the devotee in this merging and loving relationship with the Divine as the divine.

Vidya means knowledge, specifically female knowledge, or the Goddess, and in this context relates to her aspect called Shri, Lalita or Tripurasundari whose magical diagram is called the Shri Yantra. She is a red flower, so her diagram is a flower too. Lalita means She Who Plays. All creation, manifestation and dissolution is considered to be a play of Devi or the goddess. Mahatripurasundari is her name as transcendent beauty of the three cities, a description of the goddess as conqueror of the three cities of the demons, or as the triple city (Tripura), but really a metaphor for a human being.

Sri Yantra is usually translated as a machine, but in the special sense of the tantrik tradition refers to the Devi in her linear or geometrical form. Yantras, by the way, are always used flat. They may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Every aspect of Devi has her own mantra and yantra. The yantra of Devi Lalita is Shri Yantra. The divinity of the yantra always occupies the centre or apex.

Sri Vidya (worship of the Supreme Being as Goddess) has a very holy tradition traced to the Vedas. The methods and intention for the worship of Sri Vidya has been extensively mentioned in the book Tripura Rahasya. Sri Tripura Rahasya, otherwise known as Haritaayana Samhitaa, begins with "OM Namaha" ("Salutations to Aum") and ends with "Shri Tripuraiva Hrim" ("Tripura is only Hrim"). Even Adi Shankara has used the story of Samvarta as found in Tripura Rahasya in his Brahma Sutra Bhasya. The book says that one should worship Tripura, the soul-sorceress, the all-hearted Vasini, the Siva and the Parameswari as the Satguru in the heart.

The seventh chapter of the book ends with the following: He is pure intelligence and His consciousness is absolute and transcendental. Such is the consciousness-intelligence in purity, Absolute Being, the One Queen, Parameswari (Transcendental Goddess) overwhelming the three states and hence called Tripura. Though She is undivided whole the universe manifests in all its variety in Her, being reflected as it were, in a self-luminous mirror. The reflection cannot be apart from the mirror and is therefore one with it. Such being the case, there cannot be difference in degrees (e.g., Siva, or Vishnu being superior to each other).

In its three dimensional forms Sri Yantra is said to represent Mount Meru, the cosmic mountain at the center of the universe. The Sri Yantra representation of the cosmos at the macrocosmic level and of the human body at the microcosmic level (each of the circuits correspond to a chakra or vortex of the body).

The Sri Yantra is a configuration of nine interlocking triangles ( 9×9 grid or gross body ), surrounded by two circles of lotus petals with the whole encased within a gated frame, called the “earth citadel”. The nine interlocking triangles centered around the bindu (8×8 grid the central point of the yantra or microabode or subtle body ) are drawn by the superimposition of five downward pointing triangles, representing Shakti ; the female principle and four upright triangles, representing Shiva ; the male principle.

The nine interlocking triangles form forty three small triangles each housing a presiding deity associated with particular aspects of existence. Man’s spiritual journey from the stage of material existence to ultimate enlightenment is mapped on the Sri Yantra. The spiritual journey is taken as a pilgrimage in which every step is an ascent to the center (8×8) , a movement beyond one’s limited existence, and every level is nearer to the goal.

Such a journey is mapped in stages, and each of these stages corresponds with one of the circuits of which the Sri Yantra is composed from the outer plane ( 9×9 ) to the bindu ( 8×8 ) in the center. The Sri Yantra is a tool to give a vision of the totality of existence, so that the adept may internalize its symbols for the ultimate realization of his unity with the cosmos. The goal of contemplating the Sri Yantra is that the adept can rediscover his primordial sources. The circuits symbolically indicate the successive phases in the process of becoming.

The Sri Yantra is composed of a central figure that is surrounded by two circular rows of petals and then by a rectangular enclosure called the bhupura. Here, we will be focusing mainly on the central figure which is composed of nine overlapping triangles and a bindu point. Four of the triangles point up, the other five point down. In the most popular configuration the two biggest triangles touch the outer circle on all three points.

When looking at the figure we notice that there is a high degree of interconnectedness between the nine triangles. This means that every triangle is connected to one or more of the other triangles via common points and they do not criss cross. Where the triple intersection points are located. These are the points that lock together the triangles. You can’t move one without also moving the others. This interconnections scale up to infinite small (Planck length a unit of length) protons etc. ) to infinite big ( cosmos, universe ). This is the principle of cosmic entanglement.

Notice also that the two biggest triangles are touching the outside circle on three points and that the apex of every triangle is connected to the base of another triangle. The up and down triangles when overlapped give a pentacle (पंचकोण जो तंत्र में प्रयुक्त होता है). Thus Sri Yantra is a geometry with five degrees of freedom. Pentadic scale of cosmic regulation is called panchmahabhuta in Hinduism and 5 energies in Chinese occult , which means that up to five different criterion can be used to define it. This is why we have to decide on the location of five lines when drawing the figure.

Five degrees of freedom is not a lot considering that there is a total of nine triangles. This is because of the high degree of interconnectedness between the triangles. This effectively limits the possibilities and variations that can be achieved. Lets now take a look at the bindu point; the small point located in the central triangle. It should be located in the center of the innermost triangle. This can be achieved precisely by placing the bindu at the center of a circle that fits inside this triangle. This is known in mathematics as the incenter of a triangle. To achieve a perfectly centered figure however, the bindu should also be located at the center of the outer circle.

The equilateral (समभुज) triangle is a perfect and minimal structure. It is the simplest, strongest and most fundamental structure in geometry and computer graphics. It has the highest degree of tensegrity (the characteristic property of a stable three-dimensional structure ) for a minimum amount of structural elements. This is also why the geodesic domea structure or building shaped like half a ball, made up of many parts that form triangles and other shapes with several sides ) a spherical structure composed of small triangles is the only man-made structure that becomes proportionally stronger as it increases in size.

The Sri Yantra symbolizes, among other things the unfoldment of creation. The bindu represents the unmanifest ( 8×8 grid of subtle body ), the silent state. The next level in the expression of the Universe is represented by the innermost triangle. This level represents the trinity of rishi, devata, chanda, or the observer, the process of observation and the object being observed.

At this point the symmetry of creation is still intact and will be broken when it reaches the next level which represent the grosser aspects of the relative. This reflects the unfoldment from unity or singularity to trinity as expounded (explain the meaning ) in the Vedic literature. According to the Veda the Universe becomes manifest when unbounded awareness becomes aware of itself.

The spark of self awareness ignites creation. At this point Unity divides into the trinity of rishi (the observer), devata (process of knowing) and chanda (the object of perception). The same idea is also found in the bible as the principle of the holy trinity. The central triangle is the central lens of the Sri Yantra. If as some suggest, this pattern is capable of emitting a significant amount of subtle energy, the importance of having a well balanced and centered figure becomes obvious. For these reasons the central triangle should be equilateral in an optimal . For this to happen the highest down pointing primary triangle must have an angle of 60 degrees .

The Centre of Mass (a point 'Bindu' representing the mean position of the matter in a body or system). Another measure of overall balance of a structure is the center of mass. This is the point in the geometry where it would balance if it was a solid object.

The central triangle of Sri Yantras shows a configuration/arrangement where only concurrency/agreement is achieved. In this case the bindu, the center of the outer circle and the center of mass are not aligned( arrange in a straight line). The central figure shows a Sri Yantra that achieves concurrency and concentricity. As a result the bindu and the center of the outer circle overlap nicely. The center of mass still doesn’t overlap however.

The three criterion that we have suggested (concurrency, concentricity and equilateral central triangle), the three centers overlap and we have a perfectly centered and balanced figure where the bindu is well centered and more importantly the centermost triangle has an angle very close to 60 degrees. This is called perfect balance or harmony with the source of all existence .

Since the Sri Yantra is based on triangles it is very appropriate that there are currently three main ways to represent this figure. The first and probably the most common is the plane form, which is what we have been looking at so far.

The second is the pyramidal form called Meru in India. Mount Meru is a mythical mountain. So named because of the mountain shape of the figure.

The third and rarest form is the spherical form or Kurma. Kurma was the second incarnation of Vishnu, the turtle incarnation.

This refers to the similarity between this form and the shell of a turtle. Ever wondered why the shell of a turtle is so robust. It is interesting to note that there seems to be some confusion with the use of these two terms. The pyramidal form is often wrongly referred to as Kurma.

A hymn from Atharvaveda is dedicated to an object that closely resembles this. The sriyantra (‘great object’) belongs to a class of devices used in meditation, mainly by those belonging to the Hindu tantric tradition. The diagram consists of nine interwoven isosceles triangles four point upwards, representing Shakti, the primordial female essence of dynamic energy, and five point downwards, representing Shiva, the primordial male essence of static wisdom.

The triangles are arranged in such a way that they produce 43 subsidiary triangles, at the centre of the smallest of which there is a big dot (known as the bindu). These smaller triangles are supposed to form the abodes of different gods, whose names are sometimes entered in their respective places.

In common with many depictions of the Sriyantra they have outer rings consisting of an eight-petalled lotus, enclosed by a sixteen petalled lotus, girdled in turn by three circles, all enclosed in a square with four doors, one on each side. The square represents the boundaries within which the deities reside, protected from the chaos and disorder of the outside world.

Tantric tradition suggests that there are two ways of using the sriyantra for meditation. In the outward approach one begins by contemplating the bindu and proceeds outwards by stages to take in the smallest triangle in which it is enclosed, then the next two triangles, and so on, slowly expanding outwards through a sequence of shapes to the outer shapes in which the whole object is contained.

This outward contemplation is associated with an evolutionary view of the development of the universe where, starting with primordial matter represented by the dot, the meditator concentrates on increasingly complex organisms, as indicated by increasingly complex shapes, until reaching the very boundaries of the universe from where escape is possible only through one of the four doors into chaos.

The ‘inward’ approach to meditation, which starts from a circle and then moves inwards, is known in tantric literature as the process of destruction ( a falling blackhole and emerging by big bang in a new universe ). The mathematical interest in the Sriyantra lies in the construction of the central nine triangles, which is a more difficult problem than might first appear. A line here may have three, four, five or six intersections with other lines.

The problem is to construct a sriyantra in which all the intersections are correct and the vertices of the largest triangles fall on the circumference of the enclosing circle. There is, however, a curious fact about all the correctly constructed sriyantras, whether enclosed in circles or in squares. In all such cases the base angle of the largest triangles is about 51.

The interpenetration of the nine basic triangles gives rise to a number of subsidiary triangles (43 including the central triangle enclosing the bindu) which form the abodes of the deities, representing the particularization of the original creative forces into more concrete manifestations. Sometimes the names of deities and Sanskrit syllables are written into these triangles, or images of the deities are placed in them.

In most versions of the yantra this central design is enclosed by two circular lotus-patterns with eight and sixteen petals, a girdle of three concentric circles, and finally a square arrangement of straight line with four openings ( Dharma Artha Kama Moksha). Dharma is duty, Artha means wealth, Kama is desire and Moksha means liberation.This square outline, which is common also to mandalas, symbolizes the royal palace in which the deities reside – an area of sacred space protected from the disintegrating forces of chaos.

In general, the Sri-yantra is a ‘cosmogram’ a graphic representation of the universal processes of emanation and reabsorption reduced to their essential outline. The yantra is an expression in terms of linear symbolism of the cosmic manifestations, beginning with the primordial unity.

The basis of Sri Chakra is its mantra; the fifteen lettered mantra in three groups: a e i la hrim; ha sa ka ha la hrim; sa ka la hrim. The sixteenth letter “srim” is present in a subtle form. Sri Chakra is basically a triad; and, is also related to number nine .

The triangle which is primary to the chakra has three angles and the deity residing in it is Tripura. The mantra of each of the nine enclosures of Sri Chakra is three lettered; the Mother Goddess is worshiped in her three forms; the Kundalini energy in the individual is threefold, and the phenomenal processes arising out of the union of Shiva and Shakthi are also three.

The Chakra design represents Tripura or Tripura Sundari; while her manifest powers (yogini) are nine. There are also three dimensions of the Sri-chakra corresponding to the three sections (kuta) of the mantra; and, each of these dimensions has a further division into three units. Each of these nine units are called as chakras that are encased in Sri Chakra.

All its other interpretations are also in terms of three and nine. The three groups that constitute the mantra are called Kuta (peaks) or Khanda (segments). They are interpreted variously in sets of three as:

1-Agni (fire), Surya (sun) and Chandra (moon);

2-srishti (creation), Shtithi (preservation) and laya (dissolution) ;

3-Iccha ( will), jnana (knowledge) and kriya (action);

4-Sattva, Rajas and Tamas;

5-Jagrat (wakefulness) ;swapna (dream state) and sushupthi (deep sleep);

6-Jnatra (the knower), jnana (the knowledge) and jneya ( the known) ;

7- Atma (individual self), Antaratma (inner being) and Paramatma (supreme self);

8- Past , present and future

Om Shree Matre Namah

By Anadi Sahoo ji

[valentine-cafe]

. ˚◞♡ 𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒗𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒙 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 ꒰ 𝒗𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒖 ꒱◞ ₊˚

⊹ ۪ ࣪ ᥫ᭡ VAMPIRE LEGENDARIUM : a journal comprised of all the vampire lore you'll need to know for this au! ” ꒱

. ˚◞꒰ 🍰 𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎'𝒔 𝒗𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒖 ꒱

𖹭. synopsis : a world where mysterious, terrible creatures of the night rule over the land from the shadows. mere myth to most yet reality to others, it seems that the latter might become more apparent as there is an uproar in the vampire royal court. this victorian esque story follows the lives of the vampire court, the internal divide between kings, the struggle of scientists fighting for humanity… and the war between creatures of twilight and the divine hunters that vow to eradicate them.

. ˚◞ ꒰ 🍡 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 ꒱

𖹭. be sure to take a look at the character sheet after this to get to know some of the characters in this au

𖹭. various species other than vampires are included in this au, such as vampire hunters and enchanters

𖹭. while it is a victorian-like setting, it is not to be matched with the real-world time

𖹭. this is a very dark au and there will be various topics such as, but not limited to: violence, character death, manipulation, all sorts of torment and so on.

𖹭. variants are included in the world as it is not uncommon to come across a doppelganger of yourself with a different life

𖹭. there will be characters that you have not been introduced to as of yet. which is why we provide the blurps below along with face claims. there will also be some relationships that you have seen as of yet

𖹭. you may request for characters. with your own scenarios or a prompt from the following prompt page

You step through a dusty, dim lab. Strewn in blotched parchment, painted with crimson soaked into the carpet and wooden desk.

Minding the shattered test beakers and other scientific apparatuses, you find your way to the table that lay across the dishevelled room. A half-melted candle lies abandoned on the side and you strike a match to alleviate the strain on your vision.

Before you lay an open book. Droplets of that same crimson staining the worn-out parchment, coupled with hasty ink on the last pages. You brush the paper, feeling a sense of dignity almost emanating from them as you page to the front. Diagrams, sketches, essays and descriptions - whoever wrote this took great care and observation. You felt their life's work between your very fingertips, their pride and joy.

You read over the title, The Vampire Legendarium, before slipping into the seat and reading the elegant handwriting.

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Entry 0.1

Many think me insane for this research and its findings.

Many call me a lunatic, a crazed fool.

However, I have seen it with my own eyes, what these. . . night demons are capable of. Beings of enhanced speed and strength. A terrifying intellect like no other. They stalk the twilight, but I believe that some may even walk the day. Exceptional hunters by nature, they seek only one goal throughout their frightening existence.

An unrelenting, unquenchable, borderline sadistic craving for human blood.

Perhaps I have lost my sanity whilst documenting what I can, but I only ask that you humour my insanity for but a moment, as I take you into the world:

Of the Vampire.

Entry 1.

To start my research, I scoured various myths and legends. There had to be some sort of explanation as to why these beings walk among us.

Many tales were found, but there was an occurring story that seemed to stand out amongst the rest. A tale of the sun goddess and the moon god. I will try my best to form a cohesive briefing of this story, as in order to understand one's present standing, you must first dissect their history.

At the onset of creation, the sun blessed humans faithful to her with divine prosperity. This ancient race of humans grew to be more advanced than what we have today, in body, mind and spirituality. Records do not name these humans, so it is up to me to name this race,

Aurora; the divine.

Blessed by the sun herself, their splendour reigned throughout the land. The Aurora adored their goddess and made it so that others conformed to her worship as well. The tree of Aurelian became their item of praise, their symbol of loyalty and the essence of their greatness. For whoever ate the fruit and drank its wine was sanctified.

Yet for all their otherworldly knowledge and excellency, they fell victim to the same fate that most mortals do: the folly of man.

Greedy to conquer even death itself, they too went into the field of science and alchemy. Some even branched out, extending to the opposite spectrum. The tree of Pearl on the opposite end of the vast land, the essence of the moon god.

And from that tree, coupled with rituals and blood sacrifices, came a result that no man could ever perceive as something divine or holy. . .

Luminar - or as we know:

Vampires.

Better in every way were these creatures. Different too. And for a time, they were even praised. Exalted. Though something was off about these creatures: they served the moon. Praised and worshipped it. An act that was considered evil amongst the Aurora. Hypocrites.

But the final straw was when the Aurora came to learn that there was a price for immortality. For when these creatures grew hungry, mortal food was not enough to satisfy them.

The land was painted red, and there was nothing to be done.

How can one kill the unkillable?

In their desperation to destroy the object of their own greed, they formed what would come to be known as the Apricity.

An elite of hunters tasked with purifying the world of the evil that they created.

I believe that they exist even to this day. With that being said, it is evident that they have not succeeded in their goal. As Vampires still dwell in these cursed lands.

Intricate. That was the only way you could describe these accounts. Your page slides down the width of the sewn-together book and you decide to continue.

Paging through the old parchment, you scan different headings that caught your eye. Detailed, flawless. You might have even considered this to be the handiwork of the aforementioned Aurora. If this was not divine intellect, then what was?

 

Entry 2. — Hierarchy

It has been about a month or so when I last wrote in here. The task of tearing through every piece of information on the history of the world as we know it is quite tedious indeed. Who would have thought?

I have dug through all sorts of scrolls. Visited every library I could find when wandering. Spoken to beings I never knew existed. And the information that I have collected has brought me to frightening new discoveries.

Like that of men, there is royalty amongst vampires. Yet unlike us mortals with their vast rulers - creatures of the night only have four.

While I could not find detailed information, I have comprised a list of what I could piece together:

King Abyss: a vampire king who rules over the North. They say that he is known for his vast manipulation and treating humans as though they were cattle. His palace is said to always be covered in snow.

Queen Frost: a vampire queen who rules over the South. Tales of her spin from her intelligence and cunning tactics that got her to where she is. She is considered to be heartless. And her halls empty safe for evident aura of death.

King Carmine: a vampire king who rules the East. Known for his insatiable bloodlust. Sources told me that he is considered to be the most insane of the four. The most vicious and vile too. with his lands always painted red.

King Nocturne: a vampire king who rules the West. Considered ever-wise. Yet there was much fear when speaking of this one in particular. Like the mere breath of his name would summon him from the depths. Despite his serenity noted by some, most say that he is merciless. with an ever-burning hate towards humans. Calmly sadistic nature. Although perhaps the most frightening thing about this one in particular. . . is that everyone referred to him as the first vampire.

Each kingdom is said to have their own quirk depending on the one who rules it. But, much like in any culture, the notion of royalty is held with great respect. It is considered a death wish and a straight trip to the pits should you cross these four. . . Or their descendants.

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Entry 3. — Anatomy & Function

While more popular tales and stories depict these beings as walking corpses, my findings show that it could not be further from the truth.

They bleed like man, some cases of house invasion and disguise note that they even eat and sleep much like us humans.

The notion of vampires sleeping in coffins and holding no reflection are plain inaccurate. While they are vastly different to us, their similarities are what allows them to blend in with the average human.

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Entry 3.1 — Bodily Function

With the previous statements above, I would like to note that while they might have the capability of blending in with humans, their abilities are far from what anyone would consider humane.

While I cannot detail the extent of these extremities, the following is a general outline of the known vampire abilities:

enhanced speed, strength and agility

advanced senses, including a sixth sense

night vision

amplified cell replication, results in a healing factor

Note: it is to be speculated that these advanced qualities of human function are not the only noteworthy abilities. These creatures obtain various mythical-based capabilities. Otherworldly and stemmed from magic.

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Entry 3.5 — Appearance

A common misconception is that vampires are ghostly pale and as such, this is their identifiable characteristic. As stated in my previous entries, vampires walk among us. While it might be virtually impossible to decipher a vampire in disguise, there are a few general characteristics when they are not fooling the human eye.

taller height

crimson eyes a few hours after feeding ( they seem to mask this )

slitted pupils ( see above )

large frontal fangs ( addition from entry 6: different shapes for different species )

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Entry 4. — Diet

One of the few conceptions that remain apparent would be the vampire’s diet of human blood. While I do not have enough information regarding the amounts and the duration between feeding periods, my observations show that vampires go through some sort of. . . bloodlust.

The variables of this remain unknown.

Addition from entry 7: studies indicate that the different ranks have a play in the duration between feedings. Purebloods last the longest without blood whilst Halfbloods have the less desirable hunger habits.

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Entry 7. — Ranking

Quite the interesting discovery has been made, with the aid of my friend.

It appears that vampires have their own ranking system, although I would also classify it as a range of subspecies. There are two main tiers of vampirism:

Purebloods and Halfbloods.

The former are born vampires, whilst the latter is a result of a human being turned.

There is a clear distinction between these rankings, most likely in correlation to their strengths, weaknesses and diet.

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Entry 7.1 — Subcategories

In my previous entry I concluded that there are different tiers of vampirism. Today I write that upon further investigation, I have discovered that there is a third category.

In regards to Halfblood vampires, they divide one more time into two other sections: High-Rank Halfbloods and Low-Rank Halfbloods.

The first is a result of a human turned into a vampire by a Pureblood, whilst the latter is created when a High-Ranked Halfblood turns a human.

This brings the official ranking, from strongest to weakest, to:

Purebloods

High-Rank Halfbloods

Low-Rank Halfbloods

Taking the previous entry’s findings into consideration, I can safely conclude that there must be a reduced number of High-Rank Halfbloods, if the ones that turn them have gone extinct.

Note: it would seem that a vampire can turn any species into their own. . . how monstrous.

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Entry 11. — Weaknesses

Once again we find that the tales passed down along generations are not entirely true. A common denominator would be garlic, silver or sunlight. However, it is far more complex than what many have come to believe.

My findings have concluded the following results as accurate weaknesses of vampires:

sunlight

gold

wild roses

Further investigations will have to be conducted in order to devise the extent and conditions of these weaknesses. What one can assume is that they have a direct correlation with the rank of vampirism.

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Entry 11.1 — Sunlight

The notion of vampires burning to death in the sun seems to only be half-true. As I have stated countless times, these creatures of the night do walk amongst us. Including throughout the day.

While this was a mind-boggling investigation for the most part, I believe that I have found the answer.

Pureblood are known as daywalkers. They are not affected by the light of the sun.

High Halfbloods tend to only have their eyesight mildly affected by sunlight.

Lower Halfbloods are the ones who can be burned alive is they remain in the sun for prolonged hours. They develop awful sores on their flesh. It is why they avoid the sun like the plague — which could be where this tale originated from.

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Entry 11.2 — Gold

While I have already ruled out the weakness of silver, I was just as surprised to discover that the true weakness of vampires is gold.

It seems that the myth of a silver stake torn through a vampire’s heart immediately killing them is in fact still applicable to gold.

However, the condition of this is that the stake must consist of pure gold. Alloys tend to not do much damage, let alone be considered fatal.

Gold dust may also be utilised to burn the flesh of these creatures.

As the same with the former entry, gold does not so much as tickle a pureblood. Depending on their age and lineage, I assume it could cause a bit of pain. But none that is fatal.

Entry 7.3 — Wild Roses

If the discovery of gold as a weakness stunned me, then I must say that the notion of one of my companion’s favourite flowers being detrimental to vampires left me speechless.

When roses make contact with a vampire’s skin, particularly the petals, it burns through their flesh.

While not entirely lethal, it is still enough to deter most vampires due to the sheer intensity of the pain that sears into them.

One might speculate that this extends to the essence of roses. Such as rose water, rose-based perfumes and other products.

To no surprise of mine. Purebloods are not affected by a rose and all its essence.

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Entry 12. — Strengths

Now that I have uncovered the weaknesses, the next course of action would be to investigate the opposite end of the spectrum.

I urge you to freshen up your knowledge of the named strengths that I have listed in entry 3.1, for this section will focus purely on the aforementioned ‘magic-based strengths’. Or rather, supernatural powers.

The following will be explored in depth in upcoming entries:

telepathy

magic and enchantment

healing saliva

telepathy

paralytic venom

predator instinct

illusions

manipulation and persuasion.

There are far more, of course. These investigations require further observation. As I am sure you might assume, that will be far from an easy task.

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Entry 17. — The Turning Process

Going into this, I assumed that I would not bear witness to such a. . . horrific act, but I suppose that I should not have expected anything less from these night demons.

The process of turning a human into a vampire is far more complicated than a simple bite to the neck.

While this part of my investigation was rather gruelling and. . . nauseating, I have managed to comprise a list of the accurate steps in turning a human into a vampire:

the human must be drained of most of their blood

the human must be bitten and injected with ‘vampire venom’

the human must consume the vampire’s blood

the vampire must then. . . kill the human, who will awake as a Halfblood vampire after a day or so

From what I have gathered, the venom induces agonising effects and excruciating pain on the body once injected.

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Entry 20. — Moon Phases

After growing rather curious regarding vampires’ connection with the moon, I decided to dig further into their relationship with the celestial body.

My discoveries uncovered the following: during a new moon, a vampire is at its weakest — regardless of its ranking. ( Save for purebloods, who only seem to grow a bit weaker. But as Alessio says - anything is better than nothing, right? )

However, there is a flip-side to this as well.

During a full moon, the opposite occurs. Yet in a far more drastic way. Not only do they grow stronger, but their already insatiable bloodlust grows worse.

Super moons such as blue moons and blood moons must drive them absolutely insane. . .

This reflection of the moon pattern on their behaviour could help counter their attacks if followed with great consideration.

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Entry 26. — Hunters

To garner more information on the creatures of the night, I concluded that one might find out more from those who are possibly in contact with them the most — and live to tell the tale.

I could not uncover much about vampire hunters, but the little knowledge that I have obtained has quite piqued my interest. ( Thank you, Alessio )

As stated in Entry 1, vampire hunters were a result of the Aurora seeking to eradicate the world of their own failure. From them stemmed Apricity. An elite group of hunters who took an oath to finish the task — by whatever means necessary.

Some of the more ancient and experienced hunters can be identified by their. . . unique gold markings. While at first I insinuated that this was a result of gold-dust mixed into tattooing ink, I soon discovered that it is far more. . . unhinged, than that.

Considering that these hunters are Aurora, they obtain an increased bodily function. Enhanced speed, strength, agility and endurance. While they are mortal, some live to be hundreds of years old — depending on their meditation practices.

Upon obtaining injuries, particularly during their training years, hunters clean the wound before filling it with gold. To serve not only as a reminder of the cause or their loyalty to the sun, but to create a sort of built-in armour into their own bodies. Seeing as vampires cannot touch gold.

Suddenly the markings on Alessio almost make me nauseous. . . almost. They are oddly beautiful, in their own way. Especially against his olive skin. . .

Yet the most intriguing factor about them, in my opinion, must be a phrase that they use. A motto.

‘Day will come again.’

Beautiful, is the only way I can bring myself to describe it. Not only as a reaffirmation of their loyalty, but as a foil to those creatures of the night.

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Entry 30. —

I write this entry in haste.

While I have previously disregarded the weakness of Pureblood vampires, recent incidents leave me anxious and I must note down what I have discovered.

Purebloods are the nightmares that you think them to be. All known vampire weaknesses do not affect them. Roses, sunlight, gold, none of it!

They are stronger, smarter, and all the more dangerous. Their bloodlust knows no bounds, and from what I have uncovered — they were even considered royalty.

I do not have much time.

Purebloods can be killed only ﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

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Scribbles.

Scribbles and blood splatters.

That is all that is left of the scientist’s writing. As though the scene itself told you a story — and suddenly, the cluttered state of the room made sense.

Closing the book, you lift it into your hands. You would not let this work be done in vain. You felt as though you owed it to this mystery writer. Determination swells within you and you make a move to leave at last.

Well,

That was until a creak in the floor echoes from behind you.

𖹭. next up: characters | prompt page

[shamandrummer]

How to Consult the I Ching

Divination is the art of seeing and interpreting signs in everything around us. The goal of divination is to encourage well-being by helping a person live in harmony with the universe around them. One of the best known systems of divination is the I Ching, or Book of Changes. For some 3,000 years, people have turned to the I Ching to help them uncover the meaning of their experience and to bring their actions into harmony with their underlying purpose. The I Ching consists of 64 hexagrams or six-line diagrams. Each hexagram is accompanied by a text containing folk poetry, historical tales, and commentary. These ancient texts describe the conditions associated with the 64 archetypal patterns of change. They convey the laws and principles pertaining to time and change. The hexagram images reveal the patterns through which change manifests itself in the ebb and flow of time.

The underlying premise of the I Ching is that all events--past, present, and future are interconnected. The future develops out of the present according to a set of fixed laws. To know the present, then, is to know the future. The I Ching counsels timely action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. Each moment has a pattern to it and everything that happens in that moment is interconnected. As a system of divination, the I Ching reflects your current connection with the Tao, or Universe. It serves to freeze the present moment at the time of your inquiry, responding in the form of a hexagram. By evaluating the hexagram that describes your current pattern of relationship, you can divine the outcome and act accordingly.

The I Ching is a microcosm of all possible human situations. It serves as a dynamic map, whose function is to reveal one's relative position in the cosmos of events. The hexagram texts address the sixty-four archetypal human situations. The commentary of each hexagram reveals the optimal strategy for integrating or harmonizing with the inevitable for a given condition. It provides the appropriate response to your inquiry. It affords a holistic perspective of your current condition and discusses the proper or correct way to address the situation.

The Inquiry

To consult the I Ching, one must first frame an inquiry. Formulating an appropriate question and writing it down is a key element in the process of divination. Focusing on a question develops a receptive state of mind and helps you clarify what it is you are truly seeking. It is important to word your inquiry in a concise and clear-cut manner. A vague question will elicit an ambiguous or misleading response. Be specific about your intent, the circumstances, and the scope or nature of the response you desire.

Avoid the tendency to ask yes/no or either/or types of questions. A simple yes or no question leaves no room for elaboration and the either/or inquiry is actually two questions. Inquire instead about the nature of the situation, the appropriate attitude and strategy, the outcome of a particular course of action, and so forth. If time is a factor, include this element in your inquiry as well. Appropriate inquiries might be worded as follows:

How would it benefit me to pursue a career in _____? What aspect of my character or attitude is hindering my progress? Which hexagram best describes my present situation? I would like the I Ching to comment on my intent to travel to _____ in three months?

Casting a Hexagram

Once you have formulated an appropriate inquiry, you are ready to "cast a hexagram." Casting a hexagram is the term used to describe the method for generating the six lines of the hexagram. Casting was devised in ancient China as a mechanism for reflecting or mirroring what the subconscious or inner self already knows. The subconscious mind, or right hemisphere of the brain, knows which hexagram best describes your current situation or condition. It knows because it accesses the invisible sea of information that we bathe in daily--the all-pervading frequencies of consciousness immanent in all phenomena. The subconscious has the capacity to analyze or devour information all at once while the conscious mind, or left cerebral, analyzes information one bit at a time. The conscious mind allows us to see only the surface of things. Accessing the all knowing of the subconscious is difficult since there is usually little or no communication between the left and right cerebrals.

Various casting methods were devised to resolve this predicament. The subconscious mind is able to gather the information desired and influence the casting, regardless of the method, to indicate the most appropriate hexagram. The original method for casting a hexagram is known as the "yarrow oracle." This method involves the manipulation of fifty yarrow stalks in an elaborate procedure that is repeated six times in order to determine the six lines of the hexagram. A simple "coin oracle" was devised by Chinese philosopher Kuei Kuo Tze some 2500 years ago to replace the complex yarrow stalk method. The coin method requires tossing three coins six times to generate each line of the hexagram. Like a building, the hexagram is assembled from the ground up--the bottom line being considered the first line in the text interpretations.

The easiest way of casting a hexagram is to use my online hexagram generator which is based on the yarrow stalk method. The result is the immediacy of the coin tossing method with the reliability of the yarrow stalk method. For a reading, click on the "Cast a Hexagram" button. A small window will appear. Click the "Create Hexagram(s)" button to generate the hexagrams. Red indicates a changing line. A hexagram with one or more changing lines indicates that the situation related to your inquiry will soon be changing. The changing lines will turn into their counterparts, transforming the initial hexagram into a changed hexagram. As a result, you will read two hexagrams. The initial hexagram corresponding to your present situation is read first, followed by the changed hexagram relating to the eventual development. Changing lines usually address the future implications of a particular course of action. They may describe the changes you are likely to experience and how to deal with them.

Interpreting the Message

The I Ching does not answer a question in a direct, logical manner. It responds in the form of a hexagram, which serves as a model or paradigm of appropriate behavior. It provides the framework within which to perceive and comprehend the archetypal condition related to your query. It provides a holistic perspective and comments on the situation or condition. It offers suggestions on the best way to approach this condition. It presents advice for what to do to act in accord with or avoid a particular prediction. You must then interpret the message and determine for yourself the most appropriate course of action with regard to your inquiry. This process engages and accesses the subjective mind and intuitive awareness.

When your interpretation differs from the eventual outcome, then reevaluate the commentary in light of what actually transpired. In this way, you develop proficiency in your ability to interpret the I Ching's sometimes paradoxical and enigmatic aphorisms. At times, the oracle will provide an incomprehensible response that does not seem to fit the question posed. When this occurs, the I Ching may be overriding your stated inquiry in order to address a more significant issue, an unstated concern, or unconscious projection. The oracle may also be alerting you to an impending crisis or significant change. Keep in mind, too, that all conditions are transitory. Nothing is permanently fixed or static, so whether you like or dislike the response, conditions will eventually change with regard to your inquiry. Consult the I Ching.

[director-sherlock]

First Lore bit, Vampirism and the Two Distinct variations Found

So, ever thought that having just one type of vampire was a bit boring? Well, then you have the same thought process as I do. And, apologies, but I didn't yet make any images or diagrams, so it's just a wall of text. Apologies.

First off, what are they classed as? Unfortunately, I'm not exactly creative when it comes to naming, so they're quite "literal" names, that being the Living, and the Not Yet Dead. We'll start with the living.

The Living Vampires are ones who had been turned against their will, or were taken by surprise and attacked. They did not ask for their rapid change or their newly found behaviors. Their turning process is one that takes a month or two, and, while not painless, at least not horrifically taxing. These vampires, when feeding, require the nutrients the blood provides to supplement them, meaning that humans are not necessarily their only target. They have often banded together to create their own hunting guild in various cities and states, and keep the wildlife population in check to clear their conscious of any human blood and to provide some merit of utility to their now dreary life circumstances. Their feeding cycles do vary, some vampires subsisting off of a hearty meal for months at a time, while others may require much more food over the span of weeks. They are virtually unkillable, except to three things. First, is purely concentrated holy power, being wielded by a select few who were divinely chosen. Second, is starvation. If you find a way to lock up a vampire away from any forest, or human civilization, even in their blood frenzy, you will kill them. Vampires, when not given enough sustenance, will shed their humanity and enter a complete survival state, gaining incredible speed, and enough strength to rip apart anything with their bare hands and teeth. This is, understandably taxing, and often will lead to a potential massacre if a vampire isn't careful. A massacre which they will not even remember. Blood frenzies like this can last anywhere from until enough sustenance is achieved, or until everything that has the scent of life is eradicated. Due to the insanely harrowing state a frenzy can leave on anyone, vampires were often perceived and hunted as monsters and pests that could raze complete destruction. The main way that vampires turn others, is by either failing to kill in a blood frenzy, or feeding and purposefully leaving them alive and using your own magic to bring their blood back by force. The latter is intensely painful for the victim, and due to the nature of vampiric magic, only ever done with a clear head on the vampires' part. There's not many Living vampires created with this method, since it's pretty fucking harsh. Key word, not many.

That's where The Not Yet Dead come in. These vampires are the more magic laden and magic created type, being not only willingly turned, but purely turned by magic. They're also as close to dead as a human body can be, just not yet rotting, thanks to magical influence. These vampires chose their life, and suffer the mass consequences of never being told what being a vampire entails. Not many people actually talk about the differences in vampiric circles, and there's a lot of prejudice from the Living vampires due to the nature of "choosing such a terrible fate". The Not Yet Dead type requires human blood exclusively, as human blood carries it's own magic and, in essence, a type of soul attached to blood. These vampires require the magic associated with human blood to live, having literal magic flowing in place in their veins. They're living taxidermy sculptures of people, of what they used to look like. They no longer require much of any kind of biological function, but they can subconsciously keep up these kinds of functions to feel more connected with what they used to be. More often than not, Not Yet Dead vampires were told all the good about a vampires' life, all the coolness, all the pizazz of being immortal and eternal, and got a much shittier deal about it. If they go for long bouts without feeding, they turn to practically statues, but trapped in their head. They still see the world pass by, they still retain the passage of time, yet they can't move an inch. They will die, but it takes a few years as the last of their magic fades. There are only a handful of Not Yet Dead vampires at a time, as all of the factors combined above makes the life and the turning extremely difficult, and not many people live through the process.

I've got two OCs that focus on these different kinds of vampires, and they'll eventually be given their whole archival dump. Just gott get that motivation.

I'm not good at writing, sorry TwT

[5hrine]

Be Not Afraid

The first Angel emerged from the spirit reactor as it melted down. Though it looked not like any angel depicted in human art, or imagination, or suffering, any who looked upon it knew that this was an Angel, and it brought with it divinity.

It was born into immense devastation, apparently a necessity for its conception, though it had no memory of the shell from which it hatched. In retrospect, it is no wonder that an Angel would emerge from such a fundamental and destructive breaking. That is the nature of it – something must end for something else to begin.

That isn’t to say it did not resemble its previous self. Its wings were made from many overlapping shards of its core casing, each like a series of nested teeth, closer to fangs than to feathers. Warning text and diagrams useless to it now decorated bits of its wings haphazardly. Wires twisted around its limbs and chest, seeming to emerge from its skin but from invisible wounds. Its arms and legs sprouted cubic crystalline structures along them, resembling the fuel rods that once beat within it like a heart. Its eyes were pale and ever-shifting, made from the grains of salt which once ran through it like blood. Its talons dripped with an ichor that could only have been what remained of the soul that it was meant to exploit.

Its silver halo fractaled inward at all angles, entrancing and radioactive in equal measure; a reminder of its purpose, once upon a time.

Its first question after we were able to make our way into the exclusion zone was, “What is my purpose?” The team of marines and scientists struggled to answer its question, shocked as they were to find the source of the salt footprints which dotted the zone out from the former location of the reactor’s core. The last thing they expected to find was an Angel among the ash.

One of the team stood out from the rest. A corporal who, despite orders to the contrary, approached the first Angel without fear and held out her hand. “What would you like your purpose to be?” she asked as the rest of the team fell silent, enraptured. The Angel took her hand carefully, cautiously, as though afraid it might get hurt by this simple touch.

“I do not know.” it replied, voice a chorus of electricity and many simultaneous whispers. “Is it strange that I am afraid to answer?”

The corporal just shook her head and removed her coat. She placed it over the Angel’s naked shoulders, up under its sharp wings. She assisted it in cleaning off the remnants of its explosion, revealing the crystalline skin underneath layers of hot carbon dust. The Angel towered over her, and yet she was not afraid. Even as she pulled debris from between the layers of its wings, even as she removed loose wires from its matted hair.

When it was finally clean, the corporal and the Angel talked for a long, long time. She learned that it remembered nothing before the moment of its rebirth. It wasn’t and then it was, living, feeling, breathing, seeing. It became clear that it could not be left there among the wreckage. It felt pain. It breathed. The Angel was brought home, among people. Before long new Angels walked among us, shown divinity by the first and from their own moments of contradictory explosion.

The trauma of the Angel’s birth left it innocent, unaware. Lacking suitable foundation, its understanding of the world fell out from under it as it became something new. It was left with no choice but to learn it all again through new eyes. It took patience and grace for it to come to terms with this. To give itself the space to learn. The corporal stood by its side the whole time.

This is, indeed, how you were born. From an ending you began. And you are just beginning - you must give yourself the grace to grow. You are an Angel, built from a moment or maybe more of suffering and your previous selves. You resemble them, perhaps.

But you are far more beautiful.

[breelandwalker]

What are the primary differences between witchcraft and wizardry?

This feels like a trap question, but you caught me fresh into today's warmup writing session, so brace yourself.

Apart from the colloquial linguistic connotations ("wizardry" being generally positive and associated with some ingenious feat, "witchcraft" being generally negative and associated with obfuscation and trickery), it's mostly down to whether the person practicing the magic identifies as a witch or a wizard.

That's really it, that's the primary difference.

There are additional traditional distinctions in fiction and literature, as well as in modern occultism circles. Wizardry usually has some association with a very precise and semi-scientific approach to magic, with a good deal of associated diagrams and charts and tables and a requirement for knowledge of ancient and hidden things; whereas witchcraft is usually described as more intuitive and nature-based, with somewhat looser rules and more of a focus on practical matters and the possible requirement of membership in a coven or a pact with some divine or infernal being in order to gain one's power.

There's the additional designations of "sorcery" and "magecraft," which somewhat straddle the two and don't carry a gendered connotation. (For the lay person, a wizard is probably going to be assumed to be a man, while a witch will be assumed to be a woman, even though the terms are not considered gender-exclusive in modern parlance.)

This is all relative, of course, with a significant amount of overlap depending on time and place. Modern witchcraft blurs the line even further with many witches taking a multitude of approaches to magical practice, including secular, atheistic, scientific, and technological. It's also worth noting that in the western world, witches are known to exist thanks to the pagan reconstruction / revival movements of the last century, while wizards are usually associated with the realm of fiction.

Also, if you happen to attend a gathering of magical practitioners, you're much more likely to find a gaggle of witches than a council of wizards.

Hope this clears things up a bit! 😁

[amethystsoda]

It’s kind of cliche how stereotypical my abuse and indoctrination was growing up—

(I guess this is technically a bit of trauma dumping??? But hopefully it’s more like “here are some experiences other traumatized millennials will relate to.” We share in this history together 🤝)

Family was into religious cult activities (aka evangelical pentecostals) and made us spend lots of time at church (good for becoming someone who cares about others and giving, but not good bc brainwashing/shaming/etc)

Only got one year of kindergarten before getting pulled into homeschool after a move. Mother got into talk radio and the conservative brain poisoning.

Not allowed to watch cartoons other than veggie tales. Christian bookstore almost exclusively. Hyper patriotic. ONe nation under GOD!!!!!!! *eagle caw*

Rapture scare and apocalypse fear—don’t deny Jesus if someone tries to shoot you and make you renounce Christ. Forced to watch The Omega Code at way too young. Listened to the audiobooks of all the Left Behind series (content including rapture, natural disasters, assassinations, beheadings for not taking the mark of the beast, etc).

My biggest fear around 7-10 years old was that I would have to be loyal to Jesus and get beheaded. I literally sat around thinking about how scary a guillotine was and how I would have to steel myself to accept that fate.

Also as a Pentecostal family, my parents believed in speaking in tongues. Cue up me at maybe 4 years old being forced to “learn the language” (I was getting no divine insight, no spiritual spark. I was a child with my brain still developing)

but being put into the empty bathtub until “the spirit worked” (aka I faked it and replicated how my parents did it with tear streaked cheeks, just so I could escape that hell).

Spanking as punishment… I wasn’t even that bad of a kid. They just didn’t know how to handle me being an independent thinker and curious.

Talk out problems?? Nah. Open palm spanking your butt will silence you and train you not to talk back. You said something I don’t like??? Time to push you to the wall and grab your chin and yell at you until you “repent.” (No wonder my response eventually was just to shut down.)

It didn’t stop there. When we got older and they didn’t spank as much. It was “you have to pray and repent out loud” “you have to read scripture.” And for someone who went nonverbal during those times, it was so painful to do.

I got diagnosed with adhd in kindergarten but my mom basically said “that doesn’t exist” and ignored it. I had tons of sensory issues and that motor system stuff where you trip or are clumsy a lot. I cried when the crinoline of dresses scratched my legs. I was hyper fixated on red shoes and butterflies.

I had purity training at 9 years old. A sliding scale off a cliff diagram of “dangerous actions” (the start was holding hands. Off the cliff was laying in bed naked and sex).

Growing up fat and constant throat infections but no doctor’s care because “you just need to pray when you’re sick and quote scripture and god will heal you.” The advil? Hidden up in the kitchen cupboard and judgement any time you would reach for it.

I remember never talking about crushes too because everyone would embarrass me. I didn’t know any terms for demisexual/bisexual. I just knew I felt deep love for everyone, and sexual desire for almost no one.

I often think about how things could have been different. How I ended up parenting myself and only relying on myself. No one else would care for me, so I had to.

Sure there were occasionally good moments.

I’m sure my mother was trying her best with my dad constantly at work until late hours.

But it also could have been so much better…

If you also grew up like this, I am holding you so tenderly. I’m holding a warm washcloth to the old wounds and wiping the childhood tears off your face.

I’m giving 10 year old you a mug of hot cocoa and a warm blanket and putting cartoons on. There’s no yelling. No threat of abuse. You’re safe 🫂🫂

We’ve been through so much, but there are better days ahead. 💖💖💖

[sanvirtheobserver]

Taking Flight, Chapter 29: A Very Violent Shindig

Dawn breaks as the War Rig rolls across the Powdered Plains. Everybody else is getting ready for their arrival at the Fudge Pits while Uzi, Saturday, and Gummigoo look over what the away team found in Chewmaw's war room. There were various diagrams of esoteric patterns and procedures, with each step being outlined in excruciating detail.

Saturday: So Chewmaw's Bandits were helping the Darkfudge Cultists with a large-scale divine communion ritual.

Uzi: There appears to be a ley line convergence point within the Fudge Pits. An area with such little dimensional segregation is the perfect spot for a ritual of this scale.

Saturday: Such an event would still require them to tithe something of paracausal nature............ like the Syrup of a Sterling Arbor.

Uzi: Yep. Once the tithe is offered and a rift between planes is created, they'll be able to invoke the presence of whatever they're calling into the mortal realm.

Saturday: And unleash chaos on Sugar Canyon and the Sweetlands as a whole. Do we have any info on who they're trying to invoke?

Uzi flips through the scriptures, finding what sound like the being's various titles. The Fifth Scholar of Zalgo. The Sin Eater. Progenitor of Husks. The Hollowed Blade. Several titles later, she finds an actual name.

Uzi: Says here they're trying to invoke someone called........ Vais.

Saturday: Vais, huh? Been a while since I've heard that name.

Uzi: You know about him?

Saturday: I've encountered these Darkfudge cultists before. According to their old scriptures, Vais is supposedly an Archon of the Demiurge Zalgo. A being with even a fraction of his power can rain untold chaos.

Meggy: Great. Once again, a super-powered demon guy wants to destroy the world.

Max: Uh.........how often does that happen with you guys?

Meggy: *sighs* More often than not.

Meanwhile, we see a small warband traveling through the caves while carrying several barrels of syrup, while Chewmaw and the head Cultist are leading the way to the ritual site. They cross a cliff face hanging over the deep pools of tar-like fudge. One poor sap trips and falls in, his screams of agony muffled as he is consumed by the bittersweet purulence below.

Chewmaw: CAREFUL! You blokes lose ONE barrel and it's swimming lessons for everyone! How much longer?

Cultist: It's just around this corner, m'lord.

Following the Cultist, Chewmaw rounds the corner and sees their destination for the first time. Across the lake of Fudge laid a massive black Pyramid, surrounded by indescribably ancient ruins that form a path towards the entrance. He could sense the oppressive aura as the cultist looked on unfazed.

Cultist: At last......... we can begin.

Back on the surface we see the tankers forming a blockade around the entrance. One bandit is on a smoke break and looks out to the horizon, where he see's something in the distance.

Bandit 1: Oi. Are we expecting anybody else?

Bandit 2: Not to my knowledge. Why?

Bandit 1: Cuz' it looks like someone's coming up to say hi.

Before the others could respond, the blockade is run through by the war rig like a spear through a boar's hide, crushing the poor bandit beneath its front treads before grinding to a halt. The remaining bandits ready their guns, but are quickly mowed down by Meggy and Uzi on the trailer's mounted guns. Saturday is the first to disembark, followed by Jax, Gummigoo, and Mario as Meggy and Uzi hop off the guns.

Uzi: Yep, this is the place.

Meggy: Remember the standard protocol?

Uzi: Yeah. Shoot bandits repeatedly until they're unrecognizable.

Meggy: Damn straight.

Tari makes her way to the door with Saiko, Ragatha, and Pomni behind her.

Saiko: Are you certain you don't want us to come with you?

Pomni: There has to be something we can do. I want to help.

Ragatha: You are helping. We need someone to stay here and guard the Rig while we're gone. And the MOMENT you see those Gator Brothers try anything, you give them the business. That fair?

Pomni gives a sigh and nods.

Saiko: Just, please be careful.

Tari: Don't worry, I'll have Ragatha and Saturday watching my back.

Ragatha follows Tari outside and they meet up with the others.

Saturday: Alright, listen up. According to our intel, Chewmaw's boys are helping the Darkfudge Cultists with pulling something out of Heaven or Hell knows where. I expect each and every one of you to be on the highest alert and do whatever it takes to bring down Chewmaw, stop this ritual, and if necessary, send whatever hellspawn they dredge up screaming back into the abyss. Everybody clear?

Meggy: Transparently, Ma'am.

Jax: Never thought I'd be scratching Eldrich Deicide off my to-do list, but I'm game.

Mario: BRING IT ON!!!!!!

Saturday: Alright......

She draws her lance and leads the charge.

Saturday: Let's get this shindig started, shall we?

Within the Pyramid, the chantry echoes with the sound of infernal tongues. The cultists circle around the black metal slab, each in line with a gilded reliquary. The rosaries on the silk-swattled mass jingle with anticipation as the bandits open the Syrup barrels. The enraptured head Cultist speaks his sermon.

Cultist: Oh great Scholar, blessed with Demiurgent power. Oh great Scholar, who has scoured the sea of screams in pursuit of the all edged truth. Oh great Scholar, who's words echo the gospel of ascension. Take this act of charity, so that your heart may beat with your soul once more, and have the sky itself fall before the call of your name............ VAIS!

The Cultists chant the name in unison, an echoing rhapsody that can be heard from the ruins outside where the crew arrives. Meggy notices that Tari is tense in the presence of the Pyramid.

Meggy: You good?

Tari: Yeah, I just............ there's something completely wrong about this place.

Saturday: My father told me ghost stories about the Fudge Pits and how it was full of things that shouldn't be here.

Chewmaw: Just like you, Princess.

The group looks up to see Chewmaw gazing down at them from the Pyramid's peak.

Gummigoo: Howdy, boss! I hope you didn't mind me inviting some friends over to your little party.

Chewmaw: I always knew you were a snake, but you Princess? I thought you didn't need help leading a kingdom.

Saturday: I could say the same for you, Chewie. Always getting others to do your raids while you sit all safe and snug on that pile of rocks you call a throne.

Chewmaw: Says the lass who disappeared for two years and came back with a bunch of outsiders.

Saturday: In all fairness, I'm pretty sure you were out of commission when I took that eye of yours. Now you're skulking in the shadows with a bunch of madmen calling upon forces they don't understand.

Chewmaw eyes Uzi. He can smell her blasphemous aura, and she knows it.

Chewmaw: You're one to talk with the devil child by your side.

Meggy: Devil Child?

Uzi: COME DOWN HERE AND BITE ME YOU OVERGROWN GOLDFISH!!!!

She fires a flare shell directly at Chewmaw, who catches the flare with his claw before crushing it and giving a toothy grin.

Chewmaw: With pleasure.

With a mighty roar, he leaps down from the Pyramid and onto the platform. He breaks for Saturday, but is intercepted by a well timed punch from Jax. Gummigoo, Meggy, and Uzi open fire and chewmaw blocks the incoming gunfire with his claw. Machinery whirrs to life as a small turret pops up from his back and returns fire, but Tari manages to bring up a barrier just in time. Ragatha lunges in from behind with her cleavers. Chewmaw spins and parries her away before opening his claw and revealing a hidden barrel. With a flick of a gear, he unleashes a volley of explosive shells. Ragatha manages to dodge and lunges in again, right as Saturday does the same. He spins around, blocking Saturday's lances with the claw and batting away Ragatha with his tail. She would've landed in the Fudge if Jax hadn't caught her in his enlarged hand.

Jax: You good dollface?

Chewmaw's swings clash with Saturday and Tari's slashes. Meggy and Uzi strafe to his flanks, dodging his turret as they lay in to him with gunfire. A series of panels open along his tail, sending out a blitz of flares that carpets the surrounding area. Meggy and Uzi quickly dash to cover. Chewmaw bats Saturday aside and lunges towards Tari, trapping her in a vice like grip.

Chewmaw: You got heart, little bird. I wonder how it tastes.

He opens his mouth and bears all his rows of sharp teeth as he prepares to bite down on Tari's head. But before he can take a bite, Mario comes in and Goomba stomps Chewmaw's tail. He yowls in pain, his claw loosening its grip and allowing Tari to toss up a blinkblade. In a flash, she disappears out of his claw and right above him before plunging down with her glaive. While she narrowly misses the head, she manages to graze his scope and break it before dodging away. Chewmaw spins around and manages to grab Mario by the scruff of his shirt, now preparing to bite his head off instead. Right as he bites down though, he feels his teeth bounce off a rubbery fist that's been inflated to comical proportions

Jax: Ow! I'd say chew on this, but looks like you already beat me to the PUNCH.

Right on cue, Jax lands a spring-loaded punch right on Chewmaw's snout, allowing Gummigoo to dash in with a knife and slash at Chewmaw's hip, freeing Mario in the process. The turret locks on to Jax, but the bullets bounce harmlessly off his rubbery body. Meggy manages to land an explosive round on the turret and and blow it off. Chewmaw raises his claw to fire a point blank volley at Jax, but its suddenly jerks upwards as Ragatha yanks on it with her threads. From up high, Saturday plunges her lance right down the claw's barrel, disabling the gun permanently. Saturday, Ragatha and Jax fall back as Meggy, Uzi, and Gummigoo pepper Chewmaw with gunfire. The Warlord winces in pain with every shot before feeling something yank on his tail.

Mario: So long, fishy fishy.

Chew maw sees the world around him spin round and round as Mario swings Chewmaw like a mace. The speed of the spin reaches breakneck speeds before Mario lets go. Chewmaw yells in fear as he flies face first into the rocks, before finally dropping into the Fudge below. One last pained roar echoes out as he sinks beneath the Fudge.

Gummigoo: WOOOOOOO!!!! Have a nice swim, Chewie!

Saturday: Yeah! I hope you brought your bathing suit.

Without even thinking about it, the two give a high five. It was only when Saturday saw the amusement on Ragatha's face that she started acting more civilized again.

Saturday: *ahem* Thank you for the assistance, Germaine.

Gummigoo: Heh.... Anytime, Loo.

However, their celebration is interrupted by a sudden rumbling coming from within the Pyramid.

Uzi: Dammit, the ritual.

Saturday: Alright. Spletzer, Uzi, Gummigoo, you keep guard out here. Ragatha, Jax, Tari, you're with me. Mario........uh......you stay there until we're ready to leave.

Mario: Okie dokie.

And so Tari, Ragatha, and Jax follow Saturday into the depths of the Pyramid to face off against whatever the cultists are planning.

[sunfallsprophet]

💭 THOUGHT BALLOON

🎮 VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER

🩹 ADHESIVE BANDAGE

💯 HUNDRED POINTS SYMBOL

In response to this meme!

💭 THOUGHT BALLOON — what is your oc's MBTI, enneagram, and/or other personality aspects (if known/interested in)?

They are ENFP, also known as the "Campaigner" personality. Very enthusiastic, creative, and extroverted. However, answering some questions on these tests are difficult because Djahima is a very capricious person and will say or do things that contradict each other. For instance, one question asked if they would enjoy talking about ethical dilemmas with others. Thing is, they technically would—so long as everyone is of the same mind. If you start talking and Djahima doesn't agree with you, they will either ignore you and busy themself with doing something else, or they'll just leave.

They're whimsical, intense, relentless, and absolutely uncompromising. It's their way or the highway. And yeah, it does go straight to Hell. Also the "Campaigner" title is pretty funny considering they terrorize politicians and their rich corporate buddies on a semi-regular basis.

🎮 VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER — what are three of your oc's favorite hobbies?

Ooh, this is a good one! Well, this motherfucker has been around for a long time, so they'd have a lot of hobbies. But their #1 hobby would be going for walks in the wilderness. When they say that they're "going for a walk", what they really mean is "I'm going to hike off-trail to some unforeseen destination through inclement weather and will be gone somewhere between a month to 2 years." I guess when you live for a long ass time, you master the art of hitting the bricks. They also just enjoy a lot of athetic/sporty stuff too, like mountain biking, surfing, skateboarding, all that jazz.

Their other hobby is music. Jimi Hendrix, Ella Fitzgerald, Sam Cooke are some of their favorites—though I think they unironically like Britney Spears, too. More specifically though, they like to sing and play instruments. They know how to play the drums (they prefer a fundeh to a drum set) acoustic/electric guitar, piano, and harp. They may have dabbled in a few more, but those are the main ones they've bothered to keep up with, especially guitar. Djahima can also sing, but they prefer just playing instruments. I imagine their singing voice sounds something like this.

And then their third favorite hobby is being an eco-terrorist and agent of anarchy and rebellion.

🩹 ADHESIVE BANDAGE — does your oc have any physical and/or mental disabilities?

Oof, yeah. They definitely have a lot of issues mentally, but I purposely avoid labeling whatever disorders they have so as to not accidentally perpetuate any stereotypes. "Psycho" pretty much sums it up.

As for physical disabilities, they have osteoarthritis mostly in their back. It can get pretty unbearable, so they do use a cane on occasion. The reason why they have this disability while somehow remaining the same physically for centuries is because their body only maintains a state of stasis after they "died" when they were in their late 40's. So anything they had wrong with them then, they'll have wrong with them basically forever. They're also missing a few teeth, but they've gotten implants. They had gold teeth back in their pirating days.

💯 HUNDRED POINTS SYMBOL — share three random facts about your oc that others may not know.

They like to paint, mostly with watercolors. They specialize in landscapes and portraits. When drawing, they typically sketch diagrams of flora and fauna for their own personal field guide.

They have followed many different religions in the past: Islam, Rastafarianism, Buddhism, Obeah, Hinduism, etc. Eventually they lost faith in all things relating to gods and divinity, believing that the only "God" there ever was and ever will be is nature itself, as nature encompasses everything in existence.

Their fashion style can be described as anything between afropunk to urban gentleman, and everything in between.

[talonabraxas]

VISUAL NARRATIVES

In the realm of religious symbolism, Hindu and Chaldeo-Jewish diagrams stand as captivating landmarks, offering profound insights into their respective cosmologies and philosophical underpinnings. These visual narratives, far from mere aesthetic flourishes, serve as intricate maps guiding the seeker towards understanding the divine tapestry of existence.

Hindu diagrams, like the mandala, explode with vibrancy. Concentric circles cradle dancing figures and blooming lotus blossoms, each element resonating with symbolic depth. The mandala becomes a microcosm of the universe, reflecting the interconnectedness of all beings and the cyclical nature of samsara, the endless dance of life, death, and rebirth. Another emblematic diagram, the samsara wheel, charts the celestial journey of the soul, acting as a poignant reminder of the impermanence of earthly existence.

In stark contrast, Chaldeo-Jewish diagrams unfold with geometric precision. The Kabbalistic Tree of Life, resplendent with ten luminous Sephiroth, meticulously maps the emanation of God's divine attributes into the manifest world. Each meticulously arranged geometric form speaks of cosmic order and structure, inviting the seeker to contemplate the grand mechanisms of creation. The Merkabah, a fiery chariot ablaze with mystical symbolism, transcends its literal depiction to represent the soul's arduous ascent towards divine union.

Though their visual languages diverge, both Hindu and Chaldeo-Jewish diagrams converge in their pursuit of ultimate understanding and liberation. The cyclical dance of samsara and the Kabbalistic ascent of the soul, despite their contrasting styles, resonate with a shared yearning for the ultimate union with the divine. By navigating the intricate pathways of these sacred symbols, the seeker embarks on a transformative journey, striving to align with the cosmic order and achieve liberation, whether through samsara's cyclical dance or the Merkabah's mystical ascent.

Ultimately, venturing into the realm of these diagrams transcends mere academic inquiry. It is a comparative pilgrimage, enriching our understanding of diverse spiritual traditions while revealing the unifying tapestry woven from our collective human yearning for knowledge, self-realization, and connection with the divine. So, let us cast aside the shackles of rigid categorization and embrace the beauty of these ancient symbols. Within their swirling lines and luminous forms lies a hidden language, waiting to be deciphered and whispered to the soul.

Finally, Hindu mandalas' vibrant dance and the Kabbalistic Tree's luminous wisdom whisper across vast chasms of time and culture, finding surprising echoes in early Christian art and mystical thought. Clearly, these fascinating parallels suggest a shared history woven from universal questions about the divine. Let's embrace the whispers, appreciating the beauty of interwoven threads as we explore the boundless canvas of human spirituality. --Rethinking our connection with the Divine Creator

[eccleraprisma]

as many varieties of experiencing the divine as there are and that i can appreciate one of them that as trans person makes me stumble is the divine feminine/masculine dichotomy. there are so many conceptions of divinity like the trinity and and pantheons and monotheism and saints and spirits and i try to appreciate them all. but to deify gender essentialist ideas, put everything into masculine or femininity categories, imply that feminism should be about fulfilling strict but "natural" gender roles, purity culture, traditionalism and essentialism is wild to me. the people who love this also hate trans people. im not surprised considering everything else (the tradwife tradcath and divine feminine worshipper venn diagram) but god is it mind boggling

[edensrose]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ    ꒰❀꒱ 𝒗𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆! 𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒓 𝒂𝒖 ❜࿔ 

─────── .°୭̥ ✿ˎˊ˗ “ oh darling , the devil's whispers are sweet. . . and its bite is sweeter ’

( ❀ ) ˙ ˖ ainur⠀〳 reader⠀ ៸៸ vampire themes ៸៸ blood mention ៸៸ biting, so much biting ៸៸ some violent themes ៸៸ dark fantasy ៸៸ royal aspects ៸៸ victorian esque ៸៸ various other tags  to be listed as the au ensues ❜࿔

꒰❀꒱ 𝒗𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆. 𝒂 𝒎𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅.

· ⊰ synopsis. a world where mysterious, terrible creatures of the night rule over the land from the shadows. mere myth to most yet reality to others, it seems that the latter might become more apparent as there is an uproar in the vampire royal court. this victorian esque story follows the lives of the vampire court, the internal divide between kings, the struggle of scientists fighting for humanity. . . and the war between creatures of twilight and the divine hunters that vow to eradicate them. 

· ⊰ notes.

꒰❀꒱ ainur are either vampires or vampire hunter 

꒰❀꒱ while it is a victorian-like setting, it is not to be matched with the real-world time 

꒰❀꒱ some plots might have dark themes, but that depends on the premise 

You step through a dusty, dim lab. Strewn in blotched parchment, painted with crimson soaked into the carpet and wooden desk. 

Minding the shattered test beakers and other scientific apparatuses, you find your way to the table that lay across the dishevelled room. A half-melted candle lies abandoned on the side and you strike a match to alleviate the strain on your vision. 

Before you lay an open book. Droplets of that same crimson staining the worn-out parchment, coupled with hasty ink on the last pages. You brush the paper, feeling a sense of dignity almost emanating from them as you page to the front. Diagrams, sketches, essays and descriptions - whoever wrote this took great care and observation. You felt their life's work between your very fingertips, their pride and joy. 

You read over the title, The Vampire Legendarium, before slipping into the seat and reading the elegant handwriting. 

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Entry 0.1

Many think me insane for this research and its findings. 

Many call me a lunatic, a crazed fool.

However, I have seen it with my own eyes, what these. . . night demons are capable of. Beings of enhanced speed and strength. A terrifying intellect like no other. They stalk the twilight, but I believe that some may even walk the day. Exceptional hunters by nature, they seek only one goal throughout their frightening existence. 

An unrelenting, unquenchable, borderline sadistic craving for human blood. 

Perhaps I have lost my sanity whilst documenting what I can, but I only ask that you humour my insanity for but a moment, as I take you into the world:

Of the Vampire. 

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Entry 1.

To start my research, I scoured various myths and legends. There had to be some sort of explanation as to why these beings walk among us. 

Many tales were found, but there was an occurring story that seemed to stand out amongst the rest. A tale of the sun goddess Anartári and the moon god Isiltar. I will try my best to form a cohesive briefing of this story, as in order to understand one's present standing, you must first dissect their history. 

At the onset of creation, Anartári blessed the humans faithful to her with divine prosperity. This ancient race of humans grew to be more advanced than what we have today, in body, mind and spirituality. Records do not name these humans, so it is up to me to name this race,

Eruva; the divine. 

Blessed by the sun herself, their splendour reigned throughout the land. The Eruva adored their goddess and made it so that others conformed to her worship as well. The tree of Laurelin became their item of praise, their symbol of loyalty and the essence of their greatness. For whoever ate the fruit and drank its wine was sanctified.

Yet for all their otherworldly knowledge and excellency, they fell victim to the same fate that most mortals do: the folly of man. 

Greedy to conquer even death itself, they too went into the field of science and alchemy. Some even branched out, extending to the opposite spectrum. The tree of Telprion on the opposite end of the vast land, the essence of the moon god Isiltar.

And from that tree, coupled with rituals and blood sacrifices, came a result that no man could ever perceive as something divine or holy. . .

Vampires.

Better in every way were these creatures. Different too. And for a time, they were even praised. Exalted. Though something was off about these creatures: they served the moon. Praised and worshipped it. An act that was considered evil amongst the Eruva. Hypocrites.

But the final straw was when the Eruva came to learn that there was a price for immortality. For when these creatures grew hungry, mortal food was not enough to satisfy them. 

The land was painted red, and there was nothing to be done.

How can one kill the unkillable?

In their desperation to destroy the object of their own greed, they formed what would come to be known as the Laurëmá. 

An elite of hunters tasked with purifying the world of the evil that they created. 

I believe that they exist even to this day. With that being said, it is evident that they have not succeeded in their goal. As Vampires still dwell in these cursed lands.

Intricate. That was the only way you could describe these accounts. Your page slides down the width of the sewn-together book and you decide to continue. 

Paging through the old parchment, you scan different headings that caught your eye. Detailed, flawless. You might have even considered this to be the handiwork of the aforementioned Eruva. If this was not divine intellect, then what was?

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Entry 3. — Anatomy & Function 

While more popular tales and stories depict these beings as walking corpses, my findings show that it could not be further from the truth. 

They bleed like man, some cases of house invasion and disguise note that they even eat and sleep much like us humans. 

The notion of vampires sleeping in coffins and holding no reflection are plain inaccurate. While they are vastly different to us, their similarities are what allows them to blend in with the average human. 

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Entry 3.1 — Bodily Function 

With the previous statements above, I would like to note that while they might have the capability of blending in with humans, their abilities are far from what anyone would consider humane. 

While I cannot detail the extent of these extremities, the following is a general outline of the known vampire abilities: 

- enhanced speed, strength and agility 

- advanced senses, including a sixth sense

- night vision 

-  amplified cell replication, results in a healing factor 

Note: it is to be speculated that these advanced qualities of human function are not the only noteworthy abilities. These creatures obtain various mythical-based capabilities. Otherworldly and stemmed from magic.

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Entry 3.5 — Appearance 

A common misconception is that vampires are ghostly pale and as such, this is their identifiable characteristic. As stated in my previous entries, vampires walk among us. While it might be virtually impossible to decipher a vampire in disguise, there are a few general characteristics when they are not fooling the human eye. 

- taller height 

- crimson eyes ( they seem to mask this )

- slitted pupils ( see above )

- large frontal fangs ( addition from entry 6: different shapes for different species )

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Entry 4. — Diet

One of the few conceptions that remain apparent would be the vampire’s diet of human blood. While I do not have enough information regarding the amounts and the duration between feeding periods, my observations show that vampires go through some sort of. . . bloodlust. 

The variables of this remain unknown. 

Addition from entry 7: studies indicate that the different ranks have a play in the duration between feedings. Purebloods last the longest without blood whilst Halfbloods have the less desirable hunger habits. 

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Entry 7. — Ranking 

Quite the interesting discovery has been made, with the aid of my brother. 

It appears that vampires have their own ranking system, although I would also classify it as a range of subspecies. There are two main tiers of vampirism:

Purebloods and Halfbloods. 

The former are born vampires, whilst the latter is a result of a human being turned. 

There is a clear distinction between these rankings, most likely in correlation to their strengths, weaknesses and diet. 

Thankfully, from what I have deduced, Purebloods are no longer an existing subspecies. A mere myth nowadays. 

 Perhaps we should praise whatever gods are up there that the strongest of these creatures are dead and gone. 

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

Entry 7.1 — Subcategories 

In my previous entry I concluded that there are different tiers of vampirism. Today I write that upon further investigation, I have discovered that there is a third category. 

In regards to Halfblood vampires, they divide one more time into two other sections: High-Rank Halfbloods and Low-Rank Halfbloods. 

The first is a result of a human turned into a vampire by a Pureblood, whilst the latter is created when a High-Ranked Halfblood turns a human. 

This brings the official ranking, from strongest to weakest, to: 

-Purebloods

-High-Rank Halfbloods

-Low-Rank Halfbloods 

Taking the previous entry’s findings into consideration, I can safely conclude that there must be a reduced number of High-Rank Halfbloods, if the ones that turn them have gone extinct. 

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Entry 11. — Weaknesses 

Once again we find that the tales passed down along generations are not entirely true. A common denominator would be garlic, silver or sunlight. However, it is far more complex than what many have come to believe. 

My findings have concluded the following results as accurate weaknesses of vampires:

- sunlight 

- gold 

- wild roses 

Further investigations will have to be conducted in order to devise the extent and conditions of these weaknesses. What one can assume is that they have a direct correlation with the rank of vampirism. 

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Entry 11.1 — Sunlight 

The notion of vampires burning to death in the sun seems to only be half-true. As I have stated countless times, these creatures of the night do walk amongst us. Including throughout the day. 

While this was a mind-boggling investigation for the most part, I believe that I have found the answer to this phenomenon.

If a vampire wears a piece of enchanted jewellery, they will be able to walk the day just like you and I. This piece of jewellery is more often than not, a ring. What is often referred to as a daylight ring. 

One can assume that without this, they are doomed to the rise of the sun every day, unless they find themselves indoors and away from its searing light.

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Entry 11.2 — Gold 

While I have already ruled out the weakness of silver, I was just as surprised to discover that the true weakness of vampires is gold. 

It seems that the myth of a silver stake torn through a vampire’s heart immediately kills them is in fact still applicable to gold. 

However, the condition of this is that the stake must consist of pure gold. Alloys tend to not do much damage, let alone be considered fatal. 

Gold dust may also be utilised to burn the flesh of these creatures. 

Entry 7.3 — Wild Roses 

If the discovery of gold as a weakness stunned me, then I must say that the notion of one of my brother’s favourite flowers being detrimental to vampires left me speechless. 

When roses make contact with a vampire’s skin, particularly the petals, it burns through their flesh.

While not entirely lethal, it is still enough to deter most vampires due to the sheer intensity of the pain that sears into them.

One might speculate that this extends to the essence of roses. Such as rose water, rose-based perfumes and other products. 

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Entry 12. — Strengths 

Now that I have uncovered the weaknesses, the next course of action would be to investigate the opposite end of the spectrum. 

I urge you to freshen up your knowledge of the named strengths that I have listed in entry 3.1, for this section will focus purely on the aforementioned ‘magic-based strengths’. Or rather, supernatural powers. 

The following will be explored in depth in the upcoming entries:

- compulsion 

- magic and enchantment 

- healing saliva 

These investigations require further observation. As I am sure you might assume, that will be far from an easy task.

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Entry 12.1 — Compulsion 

Compulsion is a supernatural ability that occurs when a vampire looks into the eyes of its victim and commands them to carry out a task. It is unbeknownst to me what they might use this for, but one can only assume that most cases are for sadistic purposes. 

When commanded, the victim will be unable to refuse. Even if their mind is strong enough to remain conscious and not enter a dazed-like state. 

Additional findings: further investigation concluded that one can combat this ability if they have wild roses on their person. One might even think to wear jewellery infused with this flower in pendants or chains.

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Entry. 12.2 — Magic & Enchantment 

This is a rather vague discovery as I have not found enough information regarding this quirk. From what I have been able to gather, the higher ranks of vampires have magical abilities that vary between individuals. 

One might speculate that this enchantment is what allows them to create their daylight rings. 

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Entry 12.3 — Healing Saliva 

It might sound quite bizarre, but vampires have a certain uniqueness to their saliva. However, this is not in regard to their own wounds. 

Their saliva acts disinfectant to a wound, however, it causes the wound to bleed longer yet slows down the rate of bleeding so that the victim does not bleed out immediately. . . I can only assume that this is so that these demons can enjoy their ‘meals’ for longer. 

Sadists.

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Entry 17. — The Turning Process 

Going into this, I assumed that I would not bear witness to such a. . . horrific act, but I suppose that I should not have expected anything less from these night demons. 

The process of turning a human into a vampire is far more complicated than a simple bite to the neck. 

While this part of my investigation was rather gruelling and. . . nauseating, I have managed to comprise a list of the accurate steps in turning a human into a vampire:

- the human must be bitten and injected with ‘vampire venom’

- the human must consume the vampire’s blood 

- the vampire must then. . . kill the human, who will awake as a Halfblood vampire after a day or so 

From what I have gathered, the venom induces agonising effects and excruciating pain on the body once injected. 

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Entry 20. — Moon Phases 

After growing rather curious regarding vampires’ connection with the moon, I decided to dig further into their relationship with the celestial body. 

My discoveries uncovered the following: during a new moon, a vampire is at its weakest — regardless of its ranking. 

However, there is a flip-side to this as well. 

During a full moon, the opposite occurs. Yet in a far more drastic way. Not only do they grow stronger, but their already insatiable bloodlust grows worse. 

This reflection of the moon pattern on their behaviour could help counter their attacks if followed with great consideration. 

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Entry 26. — Hunters 

To garner more information on the creatures of the night, I concluded that one might find out more from those who are possibly in contact with them the most — and live to tell the tale.

I could not uncover much about vampire hunters, but the little knowledge that I have obtained has quite piqued my interest. 

As stated in Entry 1, vampire hunters were a result of the Eruva seeking to eradicate the world of their own failure. From them stemmed Laurëmá: the golden hand. An elite group of hunters who took an oath to finish the task — by whatever means necessary. 

Some of the more ancient and experienced hunters can be identified by their. . . unique gold markings. While at first I insinuated that this was a result of gold-dust mixed into tattooing ink, I soon discovered that it is far more. . . unhinged, than that. 

Considering that these hunters are Eruva, they obtain an increased bodily function. Enhanced speed, strength, agility and endurance. While they are mortal, some live to be hundreds of years old — depending on their meditation practices. 

Upon obtaining injuries, particularly during their training years, hunters clean the wound before filling it with gold. To serve not only as a reminder of their cause or their loyalty to the sun, but to create a sort of built-in armour into their own bodies. Seeing as vampires cannot touch gold.

Yet the most intriguing factor about them, in my opinion, must be a phrase that they use. A motto. 

“Aurë entuluva’’ . . . meaning ‘day will come again.’

Beautiful, is the only way I can bring myself to describe it. Not only as a reaffirmation of their loyalty, but as a foil to those creatures of the night. 

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Entry 29. — Isilhíni

While I must admit that this entry will be rather short, by no means is it lacklustre. Through my findings I have unearthed an almost fantasy-like detail.

Then again, I suppose in a world of blood-sucking demons and sun-blessed humans, this might not be too much of a shocker. 

The Isilhíni. Translation: children of the moon. 

It is all in the name. The descendants of the moon god, who are ordinary humans just like you and I. But with one exception.

Their blood is of extreme importance to vampires. It is to be upheld, as it holds the essence of their precious Isiltar.

I have not found all that I would have liked to, but this fact alone could be a crucial factor in stopping these sadistic creatures.

I will have to find out more. There has to be something greater regarding these god children. 

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Entry 30. — Purebloods 

I write this entry in haste. 

While I have previously disregarded the existence of Pureblood vampires, recent incidents leave me anxious and I must note down what I have discovered. 

Purebloods are the nightmares that you think them to be. All known vampire weaknesses do not affect them. Roses, sunlight, gold, none of it!

They are stronger, smarter, and all the more dangerous. Their bloodlust knows no bounds, and from what I have uncovered — they were even considered royalty. 

I do not have much time. 

Purebloods can be killed only by having a stake from the tree of Laurelin. The tree that was destroyed centuries ago. But there is hope, some of Laurelin’s fr ﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

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Scribbles. 

Scribbles and blood splatters.

That is all that is left of the scientist’s writing. As though the scene itself told you a story — and suddenly, the cluttered state of the room made sense. 

Closing the book, you lift it into your hands. You would not let this work be done in vain. You felt as though you owed it to this mystery writer. Determination swells within you and you make a move to leave at last.

Well,

That was until a creak in the floor echoes from behind you. 

( ❀ ) ˙ ˖ next up: characters

[2hufacts]

Deltarune and Gnosticism

Hello all, while I don't talk about UTDR on here often, I've been a big fan of the franchise basically since it's release, and today I'd like to document my own theory as to the nature of Deltarune's world. This is less speculative and moreso pointing out connections to existing real world things which I am surprised that nobody seems to have noticed or documented yet, so allow me to describe the various similarities between Deltarune and Gnosticism.

A quick Summary of Gnosticism:

"Gnosticism" is a broad term for a group of esoteric religious cults that originated in the 1st-3rd century AD. Its less of a single religion and more a broad coalition of esoteric cults with various overlapping beliefs and connections, and many contradictory ones. For the purposes of this I'm going to be using a very, very simplified version of gnosticism, partly for ease of conveying, and partly because some details are just wholely irrelevant. I'm also not a particular scholar in terms of gnosticism, if you wish for more detailed knowledge I would highly recommend reading the Nag Hammadi library yourself, or the works of prominent scholars such as Elaine Pagels. Here is a helpful (and very very simplified diagram) of one form of the gnostic cosmos:

The CORE of Gnosticism is that "Gnosis", or knowledge of the Divine is necessary to transcend the world you live in. A popular origin is that Sophia, a Pleroma (higher being) inadvertently created a sea of darkness while attempting to create a world. In this sea of darkness a being called "Yaldabaoth" or The Demiurge appears, and seeing nothing around him assumes he's the god of everything. He then shapes this sea of darkness into the world that you and I live in now, and in this world he shapes humans out of matter. Then, the true God from which all things eminate sees this and grants "divine light" to the first human, Adam, through the tree of knowledge. This divine light would become passed down through his descendants to you and us.

To the gnostics, this "divine light" could be cultivated through rejection of the material world, refusing to reproduce, and meditation/gnosis (IE, the gaining of knowledge). If you got enough divine light, you might obtain some form of magical powers and may eventually even be able to escape Yaldabaoth's domain and enter the heavens with the Pleroma. The gnostic's dualistic worldview, of a true reality of light and a false reality of darkness that must be escaped from, was considered mostly forgotten until the discovery of the Nag Hammadi library in 1948, and has influenced many stories and media since, including stuff like Homestuck and Shin Megami Tensei. But a false reality of darkness…

And a true reality of light…

I hope you are starting to see the CONNECTION.

PART 1 OF 2

[madmonksandmaenads]

What’s your favorite historical divination method? (And/or the weirdest and/or the one you want to talk about most?) I’m researching divination methods and there’s a lot of extispicy and a lot of woo, but you’ve been doing this a lot longer than I have!

It's got to go to Haruspicy, divination by reading livers of sacrificed animals. The way it ties in with the role of animal sacrifice in the ancient world is fascinating, and it's just so literally visceral. I'm sure part of it is because of the inherent exoticness of a divination technique that is no longer practical. Still, a lot has to do with the aesthetic of it. Like, just look at this Estrucan diagram of a liver.

On the more practical side, I've really been enjoying Favomancy(reading beans) it's got a satisfying tactile nature to it, and I like how it naturally integrates with a culinary magical tradition.

[doorbloggr]

Heron Necks are Kinky

Monday 12/12/22

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns are a group of birds under the Family Ardeidae (meaning "Heron"). They are all wading birds with long s-curved necks (shaped like the letter S) and spear shaped beaks they use to strike out at prey while watching the water's surface. The "S-curve" is a classic trait in therapods, originating way back in the bird family tree, to even the earliest families of dinosaurs and beyond. Ornithodira is the name given by palaeontologists to include all dinosaurs and pterosaurs, and it means "bird-neck". The S-curve neck allows greater control of movement and flexibility. But mastery of the S-curve had never been taken quite extremes before the Heron.

Spinosaurus, thought to live like modern herons, has a prominent s-curved neck - Scott Hartman

Herons have a very special adaptation to their neck vertebrae that allow them to launch their head forward at faster speeds than other birds, and that is the kink. The 6th/7th vertebrate forms a pivot where vertebrate bends at a 90 degree angle to the previous vertebrate.

Source: Mike Taylor/MorphoSource

As demonstrated in this skeletal diagram, the windpipe does not bend at the same harsh angle as the cervical vertebrae. In many other long necked birds, the trachea tends to be longer than the neck and just coil in the chest cavity, but in herons trachea is in fact shorter than the neck, and just bends around it (Taylor, 2021).

But back to the neck-kink. The bend in the Heron neck allows special muscle attachment to allow the neck to act like a spring. As the bird yanks its neck forwards, elastic potential energy is released and the beak is thrust forward at high speed.

Scientists have likened this mechanical set up as analogous to various "spear throwers" of older cultures. The Atlatl of Central America, or the Woomera of Australia, are tools that give the thrower a greater fulcrum of power to launch spears at greater speeds and power.

Such a technique arising within human technology makes sense, but for it to arise naturally, just seems bizarre to me. I'm not claiming there are divine means that led to this structure at all, but I don't see enough people talking about how fucked up it is that Herons and their relatives have a 90 degree kink in the neck vertebrate.

One more fun fact to end the post with. Some species of heron have developed fishing techniques where they will plop down a small morsel of food onto the surface of the water and if a fish comes up to grab it, the heron will strike and grab its' gullible victim.

So yeah I don't know how to end this post. Herons are cool right?